unto Isaac saying Vnto thee will I â—ive the Land of Canaan for an everlasting inheritance This promise concerning the Land of Canaan which may as I think with more colour than any other clause of the Covenant be questioned whether it belong to the New-Testament is said to be a Covenant for ever a word commanded for a thousand Generations and for all everlasting inheritance or possession This must needs extend to the times of the Gospel and by Canaan promised for an everlasting possession to Abraham's seed we must understand all that of which Canaan and the good things thereof were a Type viz. all the blessings of the New Testament Church and of heaven it self There is an oneness or sameness of God's Covenant given to Abraham and Believers in the Old Testament and to Abraham's seed believers in the New Testament and though we read of a First Testament Heb. 9.18 as implying a second and of a New Covenant as standing in opposition to an old one Heb. 13.24 yet this truth inferred from our Doctrine is not hereby shaken for there is a various acception of the term Covenant sometimes it is taken for the Covenant it self and sometimes for the dispensation of the Covenant Now we have not in the forequoted Texts Testament opposed to Testament but one dispensation is set against another in respect of the different dispensation or administration the same Covenant is called Old and New 3 If the Covenant confirmed Infer 3. to Abraham be confirmed to Abraham's seed to all his seed and only to his seed then the Seals of the Covenant appertain to this seed and are limited to this seed and belong in an extension to all this seed The Seal is nothing without the Covenant but together with the Covenant it is of great importance and necessary use to confirm and ensure the Covenant where it is given You know the use of a Seal in Covenants among men when a Bargain Grant or Covenant is made without fraud and truly drawn up in writing and signed and scaled we account it sure and the Seal for assurance goes along with that which is to be assured and is nothing worth separated from the written contract or Covenant and will do no good to him that hath nothing else to shew Now by the Seals of the Covenant of Grace I understand the New Testament Sacraments which are God's Seals confirming his Covenant to his covenanted ones Divines do generally affirm the Sacraments to be seals of the Covenant of Promise this is in the very definition and it is the received Opinion and concurrent judgment of the Orthodox agreeable to the Word of God that Sacraments are instituted to signifie and seal up to us Gospel Grace serving to strongthen our Faith in the promises being seals of the Covenant of Promise Now where God gives his Covenant he gives his seal for confirmation so that all in Covenant have a right to the seals or seal of the Covenant and none but they so that to give the seal to those that have no Covenant given them is indeed to set a seal to a blank that which Anabaptists do frivolously urge against the baptizing of Infants and to deny the Seal where the Covenant is given is very injurious and a great sin against God and his covenanted ones I do not now make it my business particularly and fully to declare how far the right to the seals extendeth nor within what compass it is to be limitted as to particular subjects I do only now draw up a general inference from the Doctrine inferring thence the extent of such a right to all Abraham's seed and the limitation of it to this seed only as having an interest in the Covenant and my drift herein is to shew how our Doctrine and inference from it lays a clear ground for Infant Baptisme for the baptizing of Insants in the Church of Christ Baptisme the seal of the Covenant belongs to Abraham's seed who are included in the Covenant made with Abraham and Heirs of the same Promise But all Elect Infants in the Church are Abraham's seed included in the Covenant of Promise The Promise is to you and to your children Acts 2.39 Ergo Infants in the Church are to be baptized Baptisme being come in the room of Circumcision as well as Infants in Abraham's time and afterward in the Church of the Jews were to be circumcised upon account of Covenant Interest And I pray mark this which will serve to make good our Major Proposition in Acts 2.39 The Promise is made the ground of Baptisme and the command to baptize reacheth as far as the Promise Be baptized every one of you for the Promise is to you and to your children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those that are brought forth by you the word noteth children of each Sex and every Age Look to Genes 17.9 and you shall find that children are Abraham's seed included in the Covenant to whom the Token and Seal of the Covenant is to be given Gen. 17.9 Thou shalt keep my Covenant thou and thy seed after thee in their Generations This command concerneth the same seed that is spoken of ver 8. to which the promise is made and that he there meaneth a spiritual seed is apparent from the matter of the Promise which is Canaan to be an everlasting Inheritance to his seed which everlasting Inheritance must be understood to be Heaven which was figured by the earthly Canaan and this is not promised to all Abraham's seed after the flesh but to all his spiritual seed so that the command of keeping the covenant lies upon all Abraham's seed throughout all Generations And look I pray into ver 10. This is my Covenant c. every Man-child among yâ—u shall be circumcised Thou shalt keep my Covenant i.e. shalt observe the Token of my Covenant Every Man-child shall be circumcised and you know that every child of eight daies old was appointed to circumcision Are not children here accounted Abraham's seed included in the Covenant to whom the token of the Covenant is to be applied by an express and strict command from God And are not children of believers in Covenant now as well as then the Covenant being given for an everlasting Covenant to Abraham and his seed and is not the command of keeping the toke of the Covenant still obliging to Abraham's seed so that what is now the token of the Covenant must be observed instead of Circumcision as the token then was circumcising of the child so the token now is baptizing of the child Well here is the business all Elect Infants in the Church are included in the Covenant or Promise and so have right to the token and seal of the Covenant Baptisme and therefore are to be baptized upon account of Covenant Interest and we are to baptize all the Infants of baptized Church members and visible Professors because we are bound in the judgment of charity to judge
Abraham's Seed throughout their Generations This Doctrine is clearly offered from the Text for if the promise made to Abraham were not intended for and belonging to Believers in after Generations then the confirmation of it to Abraham had not tended to the consolation of New-Testament Believers as here this is expressed to be the end of God's Oath to Abraham that we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge c. this is as I said a description or paraphrase of Believers Now with respect to the Doctrine in prosecution of it First I shall hint something explicatorily Secondly I shall prove the point Thirdly I shall make some improvement of it by application By way of explication Explication I shall shew 1 What the Covenant is 2 How it is confirmed 3 Who are Believers to whom it is confirmed who are Abraham's Seed to whose consolation the confirmation of the Covenant tendeth 1 What this Covenant is It s kind The Covenant what It s substance 1 As to the kind of it It s kind it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Testament or Testamental Covenant wherein Legacies of Grace are bequeathed wherein good things are freely given by God in and through Jesus Christ unto his people It is called in Scripture the Covenant of Promise Gods Covenant of Peace the Covenant of Gods love a Covenant of Grace it is a Covenant or Promise founded in Christ the Mediator and a Testament that is put in force by the death of Christ the Testator and this Testament or Covenant is an unchangeable dispensation an everlasting Covenant It s substance 2. As to the substance of the Covenant it is diversly expressed in Scripture in the sundry branches or particular promises but we have a very full account of it in few words Genes 17. where we find that God's Promise or Covenant established with Abraham and his Seed after him in their Generations is this That he will be a God to him and to his Seed after him for ever The expression is short but very full and comprehensive there could not be any thing more put into the Covenant for nothing is excluded where God is included Here is a promise of blessings Spiritual Temporal and Eternal This short expression carries in it all the Covenant of Promise which God gave from the first man to the manifestation of Christ it is as one saith the Epitome or sum of the whole Gospel it is God's promise of pardon and peace of righteousness and life of Justification and Sanctification and Salvation of all grace and blessing here and hereafter This is the substance of the Covenant and it is substantial indeed hath substance enough in it How is this Covenant confirmed Covenant confirmed how It is confirmed by Gods Word and Oath and Seals and by the Death of Christ 1 We have God's Word his written Word to shew for it he hath given it us under his hand in many places of Scripture 2 There is God's Oath for the confirmation of the Covenant his Oath to Christ The Lord sware Heb. 7.21 and will not repent thou art a Priest for ever after the Order of Melchisedeek The sense or meaning of that Scripture is this God sware to Christ that his Priesthood should be for ever available and effectual for the salvation of sinners that he would justifie and bless and save sinners through him according to the Covenant of Promise accepting his Sacrifice for them and there is God's Oath to Believers Heb. 6.13 14 17. in this Chapter as in the Text so in the thirteenth and fourteenth verses 3 This Covenant is confirmed by God's Seals both external and internal external the Sacraments Circumcision is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Seal of the righteousness of Faith Rom. 4.11 which is the great promise of the Covenant of Grace and is Synecdochically put for the whole Covenant The internal Seal is the Spirit perswading and assuring our hearts of the truth of the promise and of our interest in it 4 The Covenant is confirmed by the Death of Christ He was appointed to be the Mediator of the Covenant to mediate as a Surety and he hath mediated by Bloud hath fulfilled the Law of a Redeemer and fully answered his engagement of Suretiship so that God cannot now in Justice withhold any thing that he hath promised to give nor refuse to do any thing which he hath promised to do upon Christ his dying Christ having died according to that agreement betwixt his Father and him is to be satisfied for his dying as well as by his death he hath satisfied his Father now nothing will satisfie Christ but to have the end of his death which is that they for whom he died be justified and saved Isai 53.11 He shall see of the travel of his Soul and shall be satisfied So that Christ his death makes the Covenant sure without all question to be performed 3 To whom is the Covenant confirmed Our Doctrine saith Covenant confirmed to whom to all Believers the Seed of Abraham Now who are Believers interessed in the Covenant to whose consolation the confirmation of the Covenant tendeth Why they are all such as have a true justifying Faith To believers who are called the seed of Abraham are his spiritual seed ye are all the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus Gal. 3.26 â—9 and if ye be Christ's then aâ—â— ye Abraham's seed and Heirs according to the Promise Rom. 4.16 Therefâ—r it is of Faith or through the righteousness of Faith as v. 13. that it might be by Grace to the end that the Promise might be sure to all the seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the Faith of Abraham i. e. not only to the believing circumcised Jews but also to the believing uncircumcised Gentiles Now I shall shew you what Faith is and how it is evidenced that you may understand who are Believers Abraham his seed interessed in the Promise not to mention the divers acceptions of the word Faith nor the several sorts of Faith it is a justifying Faith that we are speaking of Faith what the Faith of Gods Elect which is subjected in the understanding and in the will 1 Faith in the understanding is a right apprehension and certain knowledge of its object which is either general or special general the whole Word of God more special the promise of Grace or the Gospel-promise of Remission and Reconciliation and Justification and Salvation by Christ Jesus or Christ put to death in the flesh and quickned by the Spirit with all the benefits of his Death and Resurrection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Faith in the heart and will is a firm assent unto and confidence and acquiessence in the promises of the Gospel called a confident perswasion and assurance What hath been hitherto spoke of Faith amounts to this short definition It
through Christ upon the mercy and grace of a Covenanting God till the love and grace of God be revealed from faith to faith 3. We must take heed that we do not greive but please the spirit of God the Comforter that reporteth the love of the Father unto Souls and sealeth them up to the day of Redemption The way to assurance of Gods love is to comply with and give content to the witnessing sealing Spirit 4. If we desire that God should bestow upon us the riches of full assurance then let us be thankful for the least glimps of Light that he maketh to shine into us let us not look at any of the consolations of God as small but let us be thankful for any pledge of his favour The Lord in making out his love to the Soul deals saith one as Boaz dealt with Ruth he first gave her liberty to glean in his fields then to glean even among the sheaves then invited her to eat bread with him and to dip her morsels in the vinegar and at last he took her to be his Wife to lye in his bosome so doth God discover his love to believers first more sparingly and as at greater distance then draws nearer and reveals himself more clearly shewing himself more friendly to them and familiar with them and then at length he gives his Spirit into their bosom to assure them of his love and of their interest in all his grace Now the ready way to attain all this to have such manifestations of Gods love to us is to be truly thankful for the least appearance of Grace Then will God say to such a Soul art thou so thankful for a beam of Light I will fill thee with the fountain of Light art thou thus thankful for crumbs that fall under the board I will feast thee with marrow and fatness at my Table 5. One other great means conducing to a certainty of our interest in Gods Covenant is a serious trial of our hearts and of the state of our Souls by and according to the Word of God the Scripture tells us who are the people of God his Covenanted ones what are their qualifications and properties therefore let us see what the Scripture holds forth in this point and then let us diligently prove our selves whether we be such persons so qualified that by this means we may come to a certainty of our estate Now for direction herein to make short work of it know this that where holiness is there is the Covenant of God his love Holy Beloved Col. 3.12 all holy Souls are beloved of God prove your selves then whether there be a true work of Grace wrought in you by the spirit of God whether you are of the number of Gods holy ones Qu. How may this be known who are holy ones An. Where corruption is by Grace so far subdued that sin reigns not there is holiness when a Soul is delivered not wholly from sin that will not be in this life but from the law of sins so that sin hath not dominion over him The Apostle saith Rom. 6.12 Let not sin reign in your mortal bodies that ye should obey it in the lust thereof he doth not say ne sit let not sin be in you though we must not allow it in our selves or suffer it to be quiet but ne regnat let not sin reign in you Sin reigneth when it hath the wil 's consent the hearts delight and commands the whole man when a man is a willing servant of sin and as the Apostle saith yields his members weapons of unrighteousness unto sin is in a readiness to obey sins commands and to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Sin cannot be said to reign when a man doth unwilling service to sin bewailes and hates the evil that is in him and the evil that is done by him and wars against sin and prays against Sin and desires and endeavours to shake off the yoke of sin I say here sin cannot properly be said to reign though it exerciseth a Tyrannical power forcing a poor soul many times to do its commands and where this reign of sin is not there is holiness but where sin reigneth there is no Saintship 2. He that is universal and serious in his desires to be good and do good having respect to all Gods commands that truly desires to be filled with the knowledg of Gods will in all wisdome and spiritual understanding and to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing and to be fruitful in every good work that desires and endeavours to order his conversation aright in the fear of God and to keep his Conscience void of offence toward God and toward men to be conformed to the mind of God in internal as well as external holiness and righteousness he is a holy man though he may have many infirmities falling short of his duty and doing oft times that which is displeasing to God 3. If a man be sincerely diligent in using the means of Grace setting his heart to seek God in them aiming at the profiting and perfecting of himself by them and bewailing his unprofitableness and barrenness under them such a person is to be numbred among holy ones true desires of Grace and cadeavours to get Grace are a sign of the truth of Grace but where the means of Grace are slighted and neglected and God is not songht unto for Grace there is no Grace no work of Holiness yet wrought in the Soul for Grace is such a good thing such a precious thing and Holiness is so desirable so comfortable and delightful that he who hath any thing of it desires more and thinks that he can never have enough Well thus prove your real spiritual estate that hereby you may come to a knowledge of your relative estate This is the way to assurance of an interest in the Covenant of Gods love Thus much briefly touching the way to assurance the means by which it may be attained Marks of assurance Now for some marks or evidences of the assurance of Faith to shew you how it may be discerned from Presumption 1. The presuming heart is a proud heart that is lifted up in it self and makes no humble acknowledgment of the grace of God but the assured soul is humble in it self and admires the love of God toward it in Christ Jesus Ah Lord who am I that thou shouldst thus manifest thy self to me Oh what a mercy is this and what manner of love is this that thou shouldst thus embrace me in thine armes and take me into thy bosom and kiss me with the kisses of thy mouth O my God what rich grace is this that thou shouldst give me assurance of my interest in thee of my Union and Communion with thee of thine everlasting love toward me 2. The presuming soul resteth satisfied with that of God which he presumeth he hath but a true Believer earnestly longeth after a fuller enjoyment of God and
is a fiducial knowledge of the promise of Grace through Christ Jesus I shall now shew you more distinctly in two or three particulars what is carried in the notion of believing in Christ 1 It implies a knowledge and acknowledgment of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appointed by God to be the Mediator between God and Man and a clear assent to all Gospel Revelations concerning him the Saviour of sinners touching his Person and Natures and Offices and touching his Mediatory transactions â—nd touching the necessary and saâ—ing effects of his Mediation This knowledge and acknowâ—edgment are necessary and essentiâ—l unto Faith there must be Faith doctrinal and assertive as a foundation of that which is fiducial and applicative 2 To believe in Jesus Christ implieth an utter denial of any other Saviour or Saviours Mediator or Mediators of any other way by which we may come unto God 3 It is not only a knowledge and acknowledgment of and assent unto the Revelations of God concerning Christ the only Saviour but it carries in it a fiducial receiving of Christ offered to us in the Gospel promise this is formalis ratio fidei the formality of true justifying Faith lies in this there are these two things formally constitutive of such a Faith 1 An acceptation of Christ in the promise 2 The Souls innitency or recumbency on Christ received This is truly and properly to believe on Jesus Christ and they who have such a saith are true believers the seed of Abraham and heirs of the Promise There is a carnal and a spiritual seed of Abraham Carnal Professors that have not faith or true grace are the carnal seed and such as do not only profess faith and repentance but are also real believers and truly gracious are the spiritual seed Now therefore that you may not be deceived in this great matter as we are alas too apt to deceive our selves and in danger to be deluded by Satan that you may know whether you be believers and may take comfort in the Doctrine which we are now handling I shall hoâ—d forth to you a few of the properties and effects of faith Faith low evidenced which are evidential of the truth of it True faith is a purifier of the heart and of the conversation Purifying their hearts by faith Acts 15.9 Faith purifieth as from the guilt 〈◊〉 sin by receiving Christ his rightâ—ousness so from the filth anâ— power of sin by conflicting againâ—â— corruption and by degrees inâ—stering it and working it out 〈◊〉 very one that hath this hope whicâ— is a concomitant of faith 1 Joh. 3.3 and thâ— daughter of faith purifieth himself and the heart being purifieâ— the conversation will he suitableâ— Faith in the heart purifies it anâ— reforms the life he that trulâ— believes in Jesus Christ washeâ—â— his heart from wickedness and 〈◊〉 careful to keep himself from thâ— defilements of sin 2 True faith is a living livelâ— active faith that discovereth it seâ—â— by action setting the soul oâ— working according to all the discoveries of the mind of Christâ— and this it doth because it is a loving faith True believers thaâ— by faith have taken in the love oâ— Christ are carried out in love tâ— such a loving Redeemer who hath purchased them with his own precious blood and are constraineâ— in themselves to give themselves up unto him who gave himself for them love sets the soul on work to keep his Commandments 3 Faith in Jesus Christ acted on him fetcheth virtue from him to make the soul to grow in every grace and encrease in all holiness Where Christ is made righteousness to the soul by imputation of God's part and by Faith's application on the souls part there he is also sanctification by the influence of his Spirit or an emanation of grace which Faith draws from Christ to whom the soul is united 4 True faith acted on Jesus Christ carries on believers to confess Christ and to own his Institutions and to stick to him in doing their duty against all discouragement by trouble and persecution in the world Satan hath desired to have you that he may sift you Luc. 22.32 as wheat is sified but I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not saith Christ to Peter Peter's faith did not utterly fail though it failed very much in the High-Priestâ— Hall and fell as I may say into 〈◊〉 swoon but certainly no fears oâ— dangers could have made Peter to deny Christ had Faith been active and done its part It was Faith that made Moses to chuse reproaches and persecutions for Christ rather than the glory of Egypt Faith is our Victory whereby we overcome the World it being that which raiseth the soul above all the hopes and fears of the World See faith's working in Paul and what power it had to carry him on thorow sufferings for Christ For the which cause also I suffer those things 2 Tâ—m 1.12 nevertheless I am not ashamed for 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 5 True faith is a joy-creating grace The Apostle prays for the Romans Rom. 15.12 that they may be fillâ—d with all joy in believing Joy is the Daughter of faith when faith lays hold on remission of sins through the bloud of Christ the soul must needs rejoyce in the Lord its Saviour who hath delivered it from the guilt of sin and the curse of the Law Peace and Joy in some degree is an immediate fruit and effect of true faith acted on Christ Thus I have finished the explication of the point shewing what the Covenant is and how it is confirmed and to whom it is confirmed I come now to prove our Doctrine That God's Covenant of Grace is confirmed to all Believers Proof You have seen the Position clearly grounded in the Text See further proof Gal. 3.29 If ye be Christ's the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus as ver 26. if ye be believers then are ye Abraham's seed and heirs according to the promise To Abraham and his seed were the promises made Gal 3.16 he saith not and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed that is Christ viz. Christ complexiveâ—â— taken and in aggregation Chriâ—â— in his Mystical Body as you haâ—â— it expounded by the same Apostâ—â— 1 Cor. 12.12 So also is Christ 〈◊〉 you read the whole verse you wiâ—â— easily see that here we must understand Christ mystical the Bodâ— of Christ his Church The promises are made thâ— Covenant is confirmed to all truâ— Believers the Members of Christ Now for application of the point Applicat First I shall draw up two or three inferences for information next I shall give out some words of exhortation or counsel Thirdly I shall close up all with a use of consolation Vse 1 1 If the Covenant of Grace belong to Abraham's seed
Information Infer 1. and to them only then there is no Universal Redemption for Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant only for those who are within the Covenant Surely he did not undertake to mediate by bloud to die that the Covenant might be made good to any but those whom God had included in the Covenant of promise The Covenant of God's mercy is not by virtue of Christ his mediation fulfilled to any without God's donation Commensurartur opera Trinitatis Patris in eligendo filii in redimendo Sp. S in convertendo and beside his intention but God hath given the Covenant of his love only to a certain seed therefore Redemption by Christ which is clearly the great fruit and effect of Christ his mediation belongs not to all but only to a certain seed God hath indeed given all things unto Christ but not so as he hath given his chosen to him Joh. 17.2 Thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to all them whom thou hast given him There is a world of men to be considered in contradistinction to those whom God hath given unto Christ to be saved by him I pray not for the World saith Christ Joh. 17.9 but for them which thou hast given me Surely Christ did not die for those for whom he would not pray And whereas the benefits of Christ his death are either more common Permortem Christi ad omnes aliqua bona ad aliquos electos scarosque solos omnia bona per veniunt or else more special aâ—â— saving it is not to be denied bâ—â— there are some benefits of Chriâ—â— death in which any man may haâ—â— a share but we grant not to eveâ— man a saving advantage by iâ— Christ died not for the redemptioâ— of all we may and do granâ— that Christ died for all sufficientlâ— but not for all efficaciously Theâ—â— was merit enough in the Death 〈◊〉 Christ his bloud was a sufficienâ— price for the redemption of all 〈◊〉 but as to the counsel and purposeâ— of God intending and appointing Christ a Redeemer and the death of Christ for redemption and in regard of the real effect and fruit of Christ his death so we deny the universal claim to it the saving benefit of it is not extended to all But it may not be amiss by the way to answer an objection or two against this great truth inferred from our Doctrine Object It is said expresly Object 1 1 Tim. 2.6 That Christ gave himself a ransome for all Ans 1. Sol. â—adem eâ—ectionis personalis redemptionis efficacis peripheria Either it is to be underâ—â—ood of the universality of God's â—â—lect for all God's chosen and â—â—venanted ones he gave himself â—â—r 2 By all we are to underâ—â—and not every individual person â—â—t every sort or rank of men as 〈◊〉 is to be understood in ver 1. and 〈◊〉 where it is said that prayâ—s and supplications must be made â—â—r all men and that God will â—ave all to be saved This is the â—postle's meaning that God will â—â—ve some of all kinds and all ranks â—â—f men and therefore his will is â—hat prayers be put up for all sorts â—nd thus v 6. he saith That Christ â—ave himself a râ—ns me for all or 3 Christ gave himsâ—lf a ransome â—â—r all i.e. he paid a price sufficiâ—nt for the redemption of all â—or 4 It may be said that Christ is â—n some sense a ransome for all â—ut not in that spâ—â—ial sense as he â—s a ransome for hiâ— people as a very able godly Divine makes out â—he difference Hâ— hath brought others under the conditional Gosâ—â—â— Covenant that they shall be savâ—â—â— by his death if they will believe 〈◊〉 but he hath brought the children promise under the absolute Gosâ—â—â— Covenant purchasing for them 〈◊〉 condition of their receiving this blâ—â—sing viz. the grace of Faith 〈◊〉 the power to believe as well as 〈◊〉 blessing promised which is salâ—â—tion Christ is said to be the Saviour 〈◊〉 all men Object 2 1 Tim. 4.10 especially of them that bâ—lieve This Text I conceive is fitly iâ—terpreted to be understood of Gâ—â— his providence in preserving aâ—â— and providing for all Sol. yet with iâ—timation of a special peculiar râ—spect that God hath to believeâ—â— even in temporal salvations anâ— common preservations and espâ—cially that God save them likewiâ—â— with an eternal salvation Thâ— context gives this sense for 〈◊〉 had said before that godliness haâ—â— the promises of the life which noâ—â— is and of that which is to come 〈◊〉 God's providence reacheth to aâ—â— men in outward preservation but â—he promise of Eternal Salvation â—s to believers And as for all such Texts as speak of Christ his suffering for all and his dying for all doubtless they are to be understood according to the School distinction of the sufficiency of Christ's death and not of the efficiency or efficacy of it Well here is the business the Doctrine that we are prosecuting overthrows that Assertion of Universal Redemption for it cannot be thought that by virtue of Christ's Death any should have the benefit of the Covenant of Grace unto whom God did not intend it or that he intended it to any besides those whom the Scriptures speaks to be the subjects of the Covenant or within the compass of it so that the Covenant not being made of God to all but only to a certain seed it follows that Redemption by Christ which being taken largely and according to the extent of it is all spiritual grace and blessinâ— both in this world and in thâ— world to come and so is thâ— whole matter of the Covenant 〈◊〉 it follows I say that this belongeâ—â— not to all but only to a certaiâ— seed This first great truth inferreâ— from our Doctrine is a point oâ— such consequence that I thoughâ— fit to insist a while on the vindication of it and now I concludâ— this with Augustine his plain determination and confident Assertion Omnis qui Christi sanguinâ— redemptus est homo est non autem omnis qui homo est Christi-sanguinâ— redemptus est I come to a second inference 2 If the Covenant confirmed to us be the same which was made to Abraham Infer 2. and by oath confirmed to him then there is but one Covenant in substance which runs thorow the Book of God since the fall of Adam Peter saith to the Jews Acts 3.25 Ye are the children of the Covenant which God made with Abraham There is but one grand Covenant of promise given by God from the first man to the manifestation of Christ which is held forth to us under the Gospel and shall continue without alteration This is held forth to us in Psalm 105. Psa 105 v. 8 9 10 11. He remembred his Covenant for ever his Word which he commanded to a thousand Generations which Covenant he made with Abraham and his Oath
of every particular Infant that it belongs to the Election of Grace and so is an Heir of the Promise though we cannot judge so of any with the judgment of certainâ—y 2 I come now to a Use of Exhortation 2Vse Exhortation to give out some words of counsel I Believe that which the Scripture clearly holds forth concerning this Covenant which we have spoken of Couns 1. I Believe that God hath made a second Covenant with man Believe the Covenant a Covenant of Grace since by his fall by transgression he cut himself off from God and happiness and made himself uncapable of life by the first Covenant which was a covenant of works if this were not held forth in the word then there were no consolation of the Scriptures nor no ground of hope given to sinners in them For the word speaks most clearly that we cannot be justified and saved by a covenant of works by the deeds of the Law By the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified Rom. â— 2â— Gal. 〈…〉 The Scripture hath concluded all under sin and under sin and death we must all lye for ever were it not for the Covenant of Grace wherein God freely offereth life and salvation by Jesus Christ unto sinners upon condition of Faith and Repentance which he hath promised likewise to give woe woe to all the Posterity of Adam were there not such a Covenant of God's love and mercy in which he hath promised righteousness and life eternal through his Son to all those that receive him This Covenant we must believe or else we can have nothing whereupon rationally to build hope of salvation 2 Believe that all Abraham his spiritual seed and none but they are comprehended in this Covenant favingly interessed in it 3 Believe the confirmation of the Covenant to all this interessed parties by the written Word of God and by his Oath and by his Seals and by the death of his Son whose blood is called the Blood of the Covenant Heb. 10 29. 4 Believe that Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant by whose mediation all the promised good is procured for us and shall be performed to us so that we must take up the Covenant and the comfort of it in and through him This is the first counsel to perswade souls to believe the Covenant of Grace and to yield a full assent to all that which the Scripture holds forth concerning it Because otherwise they will never regard it or look after it nor can ever have any benefit by it Suffer your selves to be convinced of the misery of being out of this Covenant Couns 2. See the mâ—sery of being out of Covenant and of the necessity of being under it and interessed in it that you may have life and blessedness Poor creatures that are out of this Covenant are without God and without Christ and so without that which can relieve their misery by sin and make them happy What ever their enjoyments are in the world how far is the soul from happiness while it is far from God the Fountain of Blessedness All good is comprehended in God and all true happiness is comprized in our fruition of God sin hath set us at the greatest distance from God and so at the greatest distance from happiness The Blood of Christ brings us near to God and an interest in the Covenant of Grace gives God to be our God and so renders us happy Truly conviction in this case is most necessary for a man will never seek that which he doth not know he hath lost or which he thinks he may well enough be without but a knowledge of our loss by sin and a conviction of the necessity of râ—finding what we have lost will cause answerable affections When a soul is convinced that it hath lost God and lost happiness will it not cry out that it iâ— undone and have a strong desire to recover this loss and so seek an enjoyment of God in Christ above any thing in the world 3 Study the Covenant of Grace Couns 3. Study the Covâ—nant labour for a clear understanding of it that you may know its nature its matter its Author its rise its subjects its priviledges its goodness and excellency its necessariness its perpetuity its ends and the condition of enjoying it It is very sad that whereas it concerns us as much as our souls are worth to have a knowledge of and interest in the Covenant yet people generally are ignorant of it so that they understand not what it is nor whence it is nor why it is nor what need they have of it nor what benefit comes by it nor to whom it belongs nor upon what terms it is to be enjoyed c. Is this ignorance for want of means of knowledge or is it an inconsiderable point the knowledge whereof doth not at all or very little concern us Ah beloved the matter is very weighty and the knowledge of it very necessary and the Revelations of God concerning it very clear but here is the cause of mens ignorance they will not be convinced of the necessity of this most necessary knowledge and interest and so regard not to know the things that concern their everlasting peace Oh how greatly doth it concern all souls that in themselves are lyable to death and damnation to study God's gracious Covenant of Life and Salvation If this were well studied by us we should see more in it then we do and should have more affection to it then we have and should be more diligent and studious to apply it then we are we should see it to be worth the laying hold on and should not be so loath as we are to renounce lusts profits and pleasures and vanities which our hearts are naturally in league with that we may receive this Covenant of God's mercy concerning pardon and peace and all manner of blessings here and eternal salvation hereafter Couns 4. Apply the Covenant Having studied this Covenant sofar as to see the goodness and the desirableness and excellency of it let desire be carried to it and labour diligently to apply it What is it to me that there is such a Covenant of God for the healing and recovering and saving of wounded lost destroyed sinners if it belongs not to me What comfort can the knowledge of that which is excellent and precious afford me if I have no part in it Therefore let me labour truly and thorowly to apply this precious Covenant This counsel hath two branches 1 Apply the Covenant truly 2 Apply it thorowly and surely Apply it truly 1 Apply the Covenant truly take heed of a misapplication see that there be not any material error in applying the Covenant Now I shall lay down some rules Directions give you some directions for a right application of the Covenant 1 You must have eyes to see what you take must not be ignorant of the Covenant
which is to be applyed we say a blind man may catch a Hare it is possible though not probable but a blind ignorant soul cannot apply the Covenant of Promise as it is fabulously reported of Ixion that he imbraced a dusky dark Cloud instead of bright beautiful June So do ignorant souls imbrace the delusions of Satan and the phantasmes of their own deluded spirits instead of the true real Covenant of Promise therefore before I exhorted you to application I advised you to study the Covenant of Grace 2 You must apply the Covenant as God's Covenant of Grace offered to sinners There are three specialties in this to be taken notice of 1 It is God's Covenant 2 A Covenant of Grace 3 A Covenant offered to sinners 1 It is God's Covenant not mans and seeing it is God's Covenant It is worth the laying hold on for God doth not covenant to give to the Heirs of Promise small petty things but great matters indeed 2 Pet. 1.4 The Apostle saith that God hath given us exceeding great and precious promises such are the things promised to be given exceeding great and precious God gives like himself gifts worthy the giver Gods Covenant of Promise is the riches and treasure of the heirs of promise This is one consideration to draw us in to the Covenant to make us desirous of it it is worth the having 2 Seeing it is God's Covenant we may be sure it shall be performed A mans covenant with God or man may be broken because either he may be unable to make it good or he may prove false and deceitful and oh what falshood is there found with men and how common a sin is covenant-breaking but now we cannot question God's performance 1 Because there can be no want of power for the fulfilling of his Covenant To thee O Lord Ps 62.11 belougeth Power We are taught in the Lord's prayer to ascribe this unto God Thine is the Kingdom and the Power God is Almighty so that there cannot be any check given to his Power by the greatest difficulty that can be imagined there is nothing too hard for God to do nothing at all difficult to him Hereby Abraham his Faith in the Promises was born up because he was perswaded that what God had promised Rom. 4.21 he was able to perform 2 There can be no failing of God's truth and faithfulness he is not as man that he should lye nor as the son of man that he should repent Dent. 32.4 The Lord is a God of truth These considerations will make the soul desirous to apply the Covenant when it considers that it is Gods Covenant and a covenant concerning very great matters and a covenant that shall surely be performed by the Almighty faithful unchangeable God And as this consideration may serve to draw the soul to the Covenant so it may give direction and be helpful respecting the right manner of applying it 1 If it be the Covenant of God it is to be applyed humbly and with self-denial and self-abasement O Lord I would have it I desire to close with it but truly I am most unworthy of it Blessed and glorious God what am I that thou should'st tender to me the covenant of thy love 2 If it be God's Covenant concerning great and precious things that he will give then it is to be applyed earnestly We are too earnest and greedy to catch at the things of the world which we look upon as great matters though they are not so indeed Oh if we did understand the things which concern the wealth and peace and happiness of our souls then we should be as earnest to lay hold on the riches of God's Covenant the good things therein promised which are great matters indeed 3 If it be the covenant of God Almighty and unchangeable who abideth faithful for ever then apply it fiducially without staggering at the promise as being confident of the performance Thus much of the first particular it is God's covenant The second specialty to be taken notice of in the second general rule of direction is this 2 It is God's covenant of Grace this is to be considered Now this consideration will be of special use in the application of the Covenant Nothing moved God at first to make this Covenant but his own goodness herein he expressed his love and discovered his free grace which was the ground of the Covenant and truly that is it which carries it on to full accomplishment by every step and in every parcel of it The whole business of saving from first to last is meerly of grace Now see what a direction and help this will be in the application of the Covenant 1 If it be a Covenant of Grace then we must go out of our selves to take it and must take it wholly as a Covenant of Grace I say we must go out of our selves i.e. we must be taken off from our own bottom so as to have no confidence in our selves nor any conceit of our own worthiness we must come off from our graces and duties from our own righteousness must have no Opinion of that though the work of grace in us clear to us may be our warrant to apply the Covenant to our selves when we find this effect of the Covenant in our own souls this condition of enjoying the promises yet our graces and duties must not be lookt upon as giving us any right to it or rendering us any way worthy of it no it must be a self-denying application taking it by Faith as purely from grace 2 This consideration that it is a Covenant of Grace will help to carry on the self-judging self-condemning soul to an application of it A precious sweet Covenant saith a poor heart that hath a sight of its own sinfulness and vileness oh it is a blessedness to have an interest in it but I vile wretch am unworthy what have I to do with the Covenant of the great and holy God it belongeth to holy ones to those that have better hearts then I have and are more in duty then I am and perform duties in a better manner then I do and that have greater abilities to serve and glorifie God Now let such a soul consider the freeness of the grace of God in the Covenant Dost thou judge thy self before the Lord and mourn over the corruption and carnality and laziness and barrenness and deadness of thy heart Dost thou bewail thy unworthiness and unprofitableness and thy backwardness to holy duties and thy miscarriages in them Are thy sins thy souls burden and thy weaknesses the matter of thy grief and complaint Why to thee the Covenant doth belong which is a Covenant concerning Sanctification as Justification and a Covenant of Grace holding forth the mercy and goodness of God to those that have need of it and not to those that deserve it The good God gives his Covenant as a gift of grace to all those whom he takes into
Covenant therefore let humble souls broken-hearted sinners arise and go to God who calls them and holds forth grace to them in his Covenant There is yet a third specialty in our second general rule of direction which he that would rightly apply the Covenant must take notice of 3 This Covenant is a Covenant offered to sinners to those to whom the poyson of Adam's corrupted nature is propagated and by whom much sin hath been acted to such as are full of sin and loaden with guilt even to Publicans and Harlots to a Manasseh to a Mary Magdalen God's Covenant is held out to such if they come in by repentance and bring Faith to lay hold on it Isai 55.7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the man of iniquity his thoughts and let him return to the Lord for he will have mercy upon him and to our God for he will abundantly pardon Paul tells the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.9 that some of them were Fornicators and Idolaters and Adulterers and Covetous and Drunkards c. but they are washed and justified and sanctified Now this was Covenant grace this was the performance of the Covenant to them This is to be considered by those that have been great sinners to keep them from presumption on the one hand and from dispair on the other hand 1 The Covenant is held out to sinners not to proud self-admiring Pharisces or presumptuoâ—â— offenders but to humble self-judging Penitents to repenting sinners If we do not see our selveâ— sinners if we have not a dâ—â— humbling sight and sense of sin we cannot apply the Covenant 〈◊〉 Grace 2 The Covenant is held out to sinners even to the greatest sinners that repent therefore let noâ— any self-judging soul despair oâ— receiving the mercy and grace oâ— the Covenant 1 Jo. 1.9 If we confess oâ— sins God is just and faithful to fuâ—give our iniquities and to cleanse us from all our unrighteousness Come to me all ye that labour Mat. 11 2â— and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Thus you see what use is to be made of this consideration with respect to the application of the Covenant it is a Covenant offered to sinners therefore we must see our selves to be sinners and judge our selves for our iniquities that we may take it and having a sight of our own unworthiness and being wounded with the sense of sin we must not out our selves off from the Covenant whâ—se the Word of God doth not â—ut us off as I willsay to the impenitent secure presumptuous sinner Why medlest thou with the Covenant Hands off it belongs not to thee so I would say to any humble mourning penitent self-judging sinner Poor soul why standest thou so far off Behold the Lord calls thee and offers his grace to thee therefore draw thou near and lay hold on the Covenant of his mercy and love You have seen a second rule that is to be observed by those who desire duly to apply the Covenant Remember that it is God's Covenant of Grace offered to sinners 3 That you may not misapply the Covenant or catch at that which belongs not to you keep this in mind That God's Covenant is made only to Abraham and his seed Now Abraham's seed children of Promise included in the same Covenant with Abraham are in general all the Elect but God's Election is a secret which cannot be known à priori but only by God himself who alone knows who are his yet we may have a knowledge of it à posteriori when we find that we are called with a holy and effectual calling Now I say you must apply the Covenant as being Abraham's â—eed finding a true work of grace in your hearts the saving effects of the Covenant upon your souls whence you may conclude your Covenant relation to God and interest in his precious promises or else you do not apply the Covenant truly and honestly but unjustly laying a false claim to it 4 As we must make God in his Covenant our end so we must make Christ as Mediator our way and therefore in applying the Covenant must look to him and act Faith primarily on him by whom the grace of the Covenant is purchased for us and in and through whom it is conveyed to us we must accept of Christ for our Lord and Jesus that we may receive the Covenant of Grace and Peace and salvation through him 5 We must know that the Covenant is propounded and offered conditionally Faith and Repentance and New Obedience are the condition of Pardon and Salvation It is certain none are saved but by Covenant by a Covenant of Grace but it is by the Covenant kept therefore I must not think without any more ado to take this Covenant to my self not having any regard to the fulfilling of the condition of the Covenant in my self where there is not Faith and Repentance a true worke of grace and holiness there can be no right application of the Covenant So much now as to the first branch of the fourth General Counsel Apply the Covenant truly 2 Apply the Covenant thorowly Apply surely and thorowly see that you make sure work of it make sure to your selves your Covenant interest Seeing there is such a Covenant of Grace so precious and so necessary for us which belongs to the feed of Abraham and to them only why should we be content to live without assurance of our interest in it They who are in Covenant are for Heaven and they that are out of Covenant are for Hell Oh how desirous should we then be to be resolved and assured whether we be in Covenant or no How can we think or speak of God with comfort or without fear and trouble in our spirits while we are uncertain whether he be our God or no whether he be our friend or our enemy Let us labour therefore to be at a certainty in this point an infallible certainty of our interest in God's Covenant may be had Oh let us strive to it Now to quicken you in this case to excite you to diligence in making up to a thorow application of God's Covenant even to the full assurance of Faith I shall hint to you something of the benefit and comfort of assurance the unspeakable advantage that hence accrues to the soul Fruits of assurance 1 This assurance of Faith will sweeten to us all Providences and every condition of life 2 Cor. 4.16 17 18. while a Christian lives by Faith in a clear apprehension of the love of God who hath made an everlasting Covenant with him no outward changes can work any great change in his spirit or make much impression pression upon him assurance of God's love will make a Christian to sit down under changes quietly and comfortably with the Prophet Habakkuk rejoycing in the Lord and joying in the God of his salvation 2 Assurance of God's love will sweeten to us our enjoyments in the world be it more
or less that we have of these things if it be but a little Oyl in the Cruse and a hand-full of meal in the Barrel assurance of a Covenant interest in God will make it enough to us and render it good for want of this poor hearts are full of fears and cares and discontents even in the midst of abundance of outward things which they possess but this I say will sweeten our enjoyments to us for being assured of God we know that what we have comes from love and is a pledge of greater love and is that which our God sees to be good for us and is blessed to us 3 This assurance will give the foul boldness to come unto God and make it familiar with him and much sweeten and heighten Communion This will fill us with comfort in our approaches to the Throne of Grace when we can confidently call God Father Am I in great straights or do I lye under some sore afflictions is this or that wanting to me what a comfort is it now that I have a God to go to a God in Covenant with me that can succour and deliver me that can supply my wants and is able to do for me exceeding abundantly above all that I can ask or think 4 Assurance of a Covenant interest in God will take off the fear of Death a true believer that applies the covenant with assurance of Faith doth not put the day of Death far from him as being loath to see it and even affraid to think of it no but he desires to be dissolved and to be with Christ he knows that Death is Vltimus morborum medicus that which cures all diseases cures the Pride and Covetousness and Hardness and Frowardness and Unbelief and sluggishness of the heart cures the body of the Dropsie Scurvie Gout Stone c. frees it from all diseases pains and griefs he knows that Death will let him into a clear full and everlasting enjoyment of God and therefore he is glad when his glass is run whereas the awakned Soul that hath no upprehension of an interest in God cannot but be troubled at the thoughts of Death and even affrighted at the grimm countenance of that King of Terrours As one of the Kings of England once in his straights cryed out A Kingdom for a Horse a Kingdom for a Horse So will an awakned Soul cry out when Death presents it self Oh a Kingdom a World ten thousand Worlds if I had them for assurance of an interest in the Covenant of Grace but Oh how comfortable and delightfully may an assured Soul think of Death which is a passage to his everlasting rest and happiness in the nearest sweetest fullest enjoyment of his God and Saviour for evermore 5. The thoughts of the Judgment to come will be sweet to those that have a known interest in the Covenant of Gods his love for the Judge is their friend their brother their head their husband and the day of Judgment Acts 3.19 Eph. 4.30 shall be to them the time of refreshing the day of their Redemption of their full Deliverance from all misery and corruption the day of their publick absolution and perfect justification and the time of the manifestation of Gods love to them in the fullest measure 6. He that is certain of his interest in Gods Covenant is certain of his interest in Salvation and so the thoughts of Heaven must needs be delightful to him while he is certain that it is the blessed rest prepared for him the place of his everlasting abode in happiness yea this assurance gives the Soul a present possession of Heaven brings Heaven down as I may say into the bosom of a believer while he is upon Earth Faith is the sâ—bstance Heb. 11.1 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the subsistance of things hoped for it gives a real existance or being to that which is held forth in the promise an assured Soul hath Heaven within it Thus you see the benefit of assurance some special advantages and comforts that thence accrue to the Soul which should be a great inducement to put us upon care and pains to get it doth it not bring a sufficient reward with it Doth not the profit and comfort that comes by it far exceed the greatest profit in the World and the greatest comfort that Earth affords Therefore though the Covenant may be savingly applyed by Faith where assurance is not yet let us strive to assurance that we may live and die comfortably in assurance of God his everlasting love towards us in Christ Jesus Now I shall shew you how assurance may be attained and how it may be discerned from presumption Way to assurance 1. Concerning the way and means to attain assurance We must be much in exercising and acting all Grace must be diligent in trading with our stock of Grace that we may attain to the riches of assurance Col. 2.2 as the Apostle calls it The diligent hand maketh rich That we may have comfort and assurance we must beware of negligence and sluggishness and laziness in duty and of remisseness in the exercise and actings of Grace True is that which a reverend Doctor now with God hath told us in a Treatise of his That it is the lazie Christian commonly that wants assurance and that the way of painful dutie is the way of fullest comfort Sloth and idleness stops the fountain of comfort causeth Christ to with-hold his comforts Parents are not wont to smile but frown upon their Children when they are negligent and careless of their duty and neglective of their observance toward them All the honour that God hath from us is from the exercise and actings of Grace and the more we strive to honour God the more will he comfort us with the manifestations of himself and the revelations of his love in our hearts Active Christians shall have most of Gods love and of the manifestation of his Grace to them He that hath my Commandements Joh. 14.21 and keepeth them he it is that loveth me and he that loveth me shall be beloved of my Father and I will love him and manifest my self tâ— him Again sloath and negligence causeth want of peace and comfort for this reason because Grace is not sensible apparent and evident to the Soul but in the exercise and actings of it as the fire that is in the flint is not discernable till you smite and force it out In acting Faith upon Jesus Christ and the promises of God and in acting love toward God and Christ you will know that you have the grace of Faith and Love will know that ye believe and that ye love God and so will know that God loveth you for we love God because he loved us first and our believing is a fruit of the promise of Grace 2. We must be much in the application of the Covenant with a faith of adherence and innitency cleaving to the promises and casting our selves by Faith
in God is not given to any but those that fear the Lord and walk holily So Cornelius a devout man Acts 10.2 3 one that feared God which gave much almes to the People and prayed always to him while he was praying an Angel of God appeared telling him that his Prayâ—rs and his Almes were come up in remâ—mbrance before God While Daniel was praying confessing his sins and the sins of the People Dan. 9â— and presenting his supplications before the Lord for the holy Mountain of his God in the time of prayer euen at the beginning of his supplication an Angel comes and tells him Isa 64.5 That he is greatâ—y belâ—ved Thou meetest him that Rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness those that remember thee in thy wâ—ys To him that ordereth his conversation aright will I shew the Salvatiâ—â— of God he shall sâ—e my Salvatioâ— with the eye of Faith and my Spirit shall witâ—â—ss to him my acceptance of him and give him assured hope 〈◊〉 eternal happinâ—ss The holy Spirit never witnesseâ—â— the love of God to any Soul out 〈◊〉 thy way of holinâ—ss therefore iâ— peace be spoken and the love 〈◊〉 God reported to ungodly persoâ— who walk loosly and carâ—lâ—sly thâ—â— is from the Dâ—vil this is the hiâ—â—â—â—â— of the old Serpent and not thâ— whispâ—ring of the good Spirit 3. The good Spirit of God alwayes witnesseth according to thâ— word of God there is always aâ— agreement betwixt those two wiâ—nesses which are both of God viâ— his word the outward witness aâ— his spirit the inward If the test mâ—ny of the Spirit should cross thâ— Testimony of the word then thâ— Spirit should contradict himself sâ— the Scriptures were indited by tâ—â— holy Spirit so that the word it sâ— is the Spirits testimony he doâ— not immediately testifie any thing contrary to that testimony which he hath given in the world where the word bindeth the Spirit doth not lose where the word condemneth the spirit doth not acquit where the Word proclaimeth war and threatneth Destruction the spirit doth not there whisper peace and promise Salvation the Spirit doth not bless any whom the Word curseth Now the Word saith Rom. 8.14 That they are the Children of God who are led by the Spirit of God that they are the children of promise who are changed by the spirit of promise and made new Creatures and that walk in the steps of the faith of Abraham and to none but these doth the spirit witness their adoption and their interest in the Covenant of Gods love That Testimony which crosseth the Testimony of the word speaking peace to a carnal unbelieveing impenitent graceless heart I say that testimony comes from the lying spirit of Hell 4. The Spirit of God is a holy Witness as formally and originally so efficiently holy he maketh a gracious and holy Soul The holy Spirit sealing peace and the love of God to the Soul doth strongly engage the Soul unto holiness and maketh it to encrease in holyness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the love of Christ constraineth us saith the Apostle Christ his love manifested to us hath power over our Souls and rules us over to the mind of Christ The Testimony of the holy Spirit maketh a Christian fearful to offend God and careful to please him and circumspect in walking before him That Testimony and speaking of peace to the Soul which makes a man bold with sin and lose in his walkinâ— that breedeth a neglect of holy duties and a despising or slighting of God his ordinances surely that testimony is from the Devil It is clear that the Spirit of God guideth those that are the Sons of God to whom he giveth this testimony that they are Sons now this Spirit leads from Sin and leadeth unto holiness and righteousness Thus you have seen which is the first witness from whose testimony true assurance is taken up and I have given you some rules for discerning between the true and false Witness whereby people may judge whether they have taken up true assurance or be possessed with a false perswasion and confidence Secondly The spirit of a Christian is another Witness that assures him of his interest in the Covenant of Gods love The spirit of a man of a Christian witnesseth with the spirit of God by reception and expression by taking in the effects of the Covenant of promise as knowledge faith and Love and all graces and thence witnessing to him his interest in the Covenant Object But is there any trusting to the Testimony of our own Spirit can that be a true witness in which we may confide Qâ—id corde humano fallacius Is not mans heart deceitful above all things Answ It not is our own carnal Spirit our own natural spirit that is the assuring witness Spiritus noster est cornostrum regeneratum Par. but our own Regenerate Spirit the new Spirit which God giveth now of this Spirit the Apostle John speaketh saying If our hearts condemn us not then have we confidence toward God Dictamen cordis regeneratiest infallibile saith Pareus Now it is Good for us to understand and note the difference between the testimonies that proceed from those two different witnesses different spirits that in this great matter we may not be deceived by our own hearts I shall therefore briefly shew you the difference between the testimony of a caâ—nal heart and the testimony of a renewed pirit 1. The carnal heart takes up its evidence confusedâ—y and groundlessly not heeding whether there be any gracious saving work of the Spirit of God upon the heart which in order of nature necessarily preceds the Testimony of that good spirit whisperings to witness the love of God to the Soul But the Regenerate new spirit takes up its evidence and gives forth its testimony within the Soul to the Conscience orderly and upon good ground observing herein the order of the spirit of God and grounding its testimony upon the work of the holy Spirit in the Soul Ye have not saith the Apostle received the Spirit of bondâ—ge again to fear Rom. 8.15 but ye have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Fâ—ther The Spirit that brings in peace hath caused a man to see himself lost in himself so that he hath seen his bondage and miserable condition by sin before he came to apprehend his liberty by Christ and his happiness in the enjoyment of God his favour 2. The testimony of a carnal heart will be without the Word and contrary to the word justifiing where the Wâ—rd condemneth speaking peace to a formal Hypocrite or loose-liver or a carnal earthly minded worldling such a one may have a spirit that speaâ—eth good speaketh peace to him but it is a carnal lying spirit that speaks falsly but the Regenerate Spirit which is the true witness within a man gives evidence concerning a mans condition and speaks comfort by and according to the word a Regenerate Spirit will not flatter will not falsifie
will not make thy condition better than the Word makes it to be 3. If it be the testimony of a carnal heart speaking peace to a man it will make him careless of duty and give him much liberty but if it be a true spiritual Witness it will make him more careful more studious to honour God more diligent in the service of God Serve thy God honour thy God strive to please thy God who hath given the Covenant of his love to thee saith the new Regenerate Spirit taking up the evidence of Gods love and telling the Christian that he hath an interest in the Covenant of Grace Thus you have the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the proofs and evidences of the truth of assurance whereby we may be able to discern between it and presumption well now to resume and a little further to press this perticular exhortation Exhortation resume the fourth counsel which I suggested to you from the Doctrine Labour truiy and thorowly to apply the Covenant strive to a certain knowledge of your spiritual estate real and relative to know whether you belong to God or no and whether the Covenant of his love doth belong to you Take two or three swasives or incentives hereunto Incentives besides those which you have had already 1. Mistakes herein are most dangerous for such a mistake of ones condition judging it to be good when it is naught is a very great strengthner of sin making a man regardless of bettering his condition and causing him to misapply Scripture to apply promises and comforts when threatnings and terrours belong to him 2. The commonest cause of souls undoing is this that they would not be perswaded to try their estate but gratifie Satan joyning with him to deceive themselves being perswaded by him to pass a way their years in security and a careless oscitancy not once questioning their condition or spending any time at all to prove what their estate is Godward if any man think himself to be something when he is nothing be deceives himself and this self deceiving is self-undoing 3. A certain knowledge of a Covenant interest in God will set the soul on working sweetly toward God with its affections and graces 1. Such a soul will sorrow after a godly sort bewailing his finning against God whom he now knows to be his God who dearly and tenderly loved him even while he was sinning against him and dishonouring him 2. Psa 18.1 2. Such a soul will love the Lord when he knows his near relation to God and God's affection toward him 3. Desire will be drawn out after God when the soul apprehends its interest in him O Lord Psa 63.1 thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee 4. A known interest in God will be a ground of continual rejoycing I will rejoyce in the Lord Hab. 3.17 I will joy in the God of my Salvation 5. This is that which will strengthen the souls confidence in God even in the greatest straights Such are the fruits and effects of assurance of an interest in God Psa 46.1 2 3. and the examination of our selves the tryal of our estate is the way to this assurance Thus you have had a 4th branch of the use of exhortation a fourth counsel from the point apply the Covenant of Gods love truly and thorowly You have seen how and why you should labour to make such an application I proceed now to a Fifth Counsel Couns 5. Meditate on the Covenant having laid hold on the Covenant Meditate on it and on your interest in it that frequently and seriously viewing your relative estate your relation to God and interest in his Covenant you may be deeply affected with it and enjoy the sweetness of it This is that which I would perswade you to not only to think of this Covenant and of an interest in it of the preciousness of the Covenant and of the souls happiness in such an interest it is not a bare work of the understanding and memory that is here called for but to get these things from the head to the heart from the understanding to the affections that there may be heart as well as life in the soul that by acting our understanding and affections upon the Covenant and upon God in Covenant with us we may have a sweet enjoyment of him To Meditate is diligently and intently to think upon and consider a thing Meditation brings God near sets him full in the eye of the soul and presents him with his Covenant of Grace in the most afflicting way serious and deep meditation will draw up arguments to affect us from every Attribute of God and from the consideration of our former estate when we were without God in the World and without Christ and without Hope and from the happines of our present estate in having and apprehending the Lord to be our God and from the preciousness of the promises in which we are interessed and from the confirmation of the Covenant and from the present fruits of it and its future priviledges and advantages Thus Meditation is a means to affect the soul with the goodness and sweetness of the Covenant that we may take much comfort in it And further a due diligent serious meditation of the power and wisdom and mercifulness and faithfulness and satisfactoriness of God in whom we have interest through Christ of his everlasting love toward us and of the freeness of his grace in making a Covenant with us becoming our God and taking us to be his people and of the riches of his grace held forth to us in the Covenant of Promise and the consideration of the tender love of Jesus Christ who undertook to be the Mediator of this Covenant for us reconciling us to God by his Death making peace for us by his Bloud bearing the Curse which should have come upon us and restoring us to the blessing which we had lost purchasing for us eternal Salvation pleading his Bloud with his Father and making continual intercession for us that we may be kept in favour with God notvvithstanding our many sins and provocations vvho is become our head and the immortal husband of our souls vvho kisseth us vvith the kisses of his mouth and embraceth us novv in the armes of his love and vvill take us to a perpetual abode and Communion vvith himself hereafter I say a due Meditation hereof vvould be a means to stirr up in us holy affection toward God 1. This would be a means to enflame us with holy love to God and Christ who have loved us with such a free preventing tender abounding fruitful and everlasting love 2. This would be a means to excite desire and to set the Soul on longing for a nearer uninterrupted communion with and a fuller enjoyment of this God and this Jesus Christ that my Soul may be no longer at a distance from my God but that I may dwell with
him for ever 3. This will be an excellent means to quicken and strengthen hope I say hope of all needful blessings here and of eternal Salvation hereafter Is the Lord my God and shall I not hope Have I God's Promise and Oath and shall I not hope Is not the Promise of God so sure that hope therein maketh not ashamed Therefore in wants and straights and difficulties and in my greatest sufferings I will say with the Church Lam. 3.24 The Lord is my portion therefore I will hope in him It is Jehovah who hath promised to bless me and save me the almighty God can do it and the faithful God will do it he will perform his promise his Covenant therefore I have hope in wants in trouble in sickness in death I will hope in my God to the end 4. A diligent serious meditation of God's Covenant and our interest in it will raise our joy God hath made with me a Covenant of Peace a â—ovenant of Life the Lord is my God and will be my God forever The Covenant which he hath made with me is his deed of gift whereby he hath made over himself to me and hath bestowed upon me the everlasting inheritance it is my Fathers good pleasure to give me a Kingdom he hath promised me a Crown of Glory and this promise of his is surely a ground of joy Rejoyce therefore O my Soul in hope of the Glory of God Thus you have had a Fifth Counsel Having applyed the Covenant to thy self and gotten some assurance that it is thine now meditate on it and set it to thy heart for the exciting of love and desire and hope and joy in thy soul 6ly Let us admire and adore the mercy love Couns 6. Admire the grace of God in the Covenant and grace of God in this Covenant of his his mercy toward the miserable his love to Enemies his grace to sinners in setting himself down to us and taking us into Covenant with himself who had otherwise been utterly lost and miserable for ever Let us cry out with admiration O the hight and depth and length and bredth of the love of God O free-Grace O rich-Grace O glorious-glorious-Grace Why did God pass by those Angels that fell leaving them in a remediless condition and take the Seed of Abraham into Covenant with himself to pardon them and save them who is a God like unto our God that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgressions of the remnant of his People performing his truth to Jacob and his mercy to Abraham 7thly Hath God made such a Covenant Couns 7. Bless God for it and do we apprehend our interest in it then let us bless God for it and abound in all thankfulness to him who is the Fountain frâ—m whence such streams of Grace do flow how should they who have tasted the goodness of Gods Covenant have their hearts and mouthes and lives filled with his praises God's Covenant is a Covenant of pardoning sin and healing diseases of redeeming our life from Destruction and of Crowning us with his loving kindness and tender mercies and for these mercies whereof believers are made partakers by vertue of the Covenant David stirrs up himself to bless God Psa 103. Bless the Lord O my soul who forgiveth all thine iniquties c. Oh let our souls bless God let all that is within us praise his holy Name for the Covenant of his mercy and love which he hath given us and that he hath so clearly revealed this Covenant to us and hath given us to apprehend our interest in it Now there are these reasons among others why believ is should â—tirr themselves up to bless God for his Covenant Incentives 1. The end of Gods goodness to his Creatures is his own glory Surely this is the end of his making and confirming his Covenant to Abraham with his seed that Abraham and his seed miâ—ht glorifie him this is the great end of all his works of grace in Christ Jâ—sâ—s he hâ—th done all to the praise of the gl ry of his grace Eph. 1.6 12. that we should be to the praise of his glâ—ry 2. The Covenant it self is so precious such a rare gift that it well deserves our praises God is worthy to be blessed by us for such a bleâ—â—â—ng as this for First Consider of what worth those things are which the Covenant doth give believers a Title to and intâ—rest in O pretious things an inheritance immortal and undefiled a â—â—own of life an exceeding great and eternal weight of glory 2 Consider what matchless consolations the Covenant affordeth to believers even when all outward comforts fail Thy word is my comfort in my afflictions Ps 119.50 fâ—r it hath quickned me Gospel-comforts those which flow from the Covenant of mercy and peace to such as are interrested in it are the purest and surest and fullest comforts Now by the way from the preciousness of the Covenant in respect of the worth of the things promised in it and the excellency of the comforts that flow from it I infer this That the worst of a believer is better than the best of an unbeliever or That the lowest estate of one interrested in the Covenant of promise is better than the most raised condition of any one that is uninterrested in it and a stranger to it A believer may be a stranger in the world and afflicted with want of food and cloathing convenient and may meet with a great deal of hard usuage yet he is a Citizen of the Heavenly Jerusalem he is the Lords Free-man he hath God for his Father Jesus Christ is his Brother and though he hath little or nothing at present to the eye of the World yet he is rich in hope though he hath nothing in possession visible he hath a rich Inheritance a Kingdom an immortal Crown in revertion Who is the better man the poor Christian whom God hath chosen to be rich in Faith heire to a Kingdom to the Kingdom of Heaven or the rich and honoured Worldling that wears a Gold-ring and hath the highest room given him in the Assmblies surely there is no happiness like to the happiness of a believer that hath an interest in the Covenant of Grace the Lord is his God this is the Crown of all enjoyments the compendium of all happiness Whence it follows that God is to be praised by us for nothing in this world so much as for giving us an interest in his Covenant 3. This Covenant which is so precious and so comfortable aâ— intâ—rest wherein makes us happy is freely given us of God nothing moved him to it but his own goodness it was free grace that made God to be a Promiser a Covâ—nanter now that which is excâ—â—â—â—ng prâ—cious anâ— freely given to us is to be received with much thâ—nkfullness 4. We can make no other return but love and thanks for aâ—ithâ— love of God â—â—â—râ—â—ore let us lovâ— God and
give him praise makinâ— it not only the labour of our lips but the work of our hearts powâ—ing out our very souls unto him who hath manifested the gracious pâ—rpose of his heart towards us it the Covenant of Life and Salvation which â—e hath given us 5. Praising of God for the Covenant of his mercy and love shalâ— be the constant etâ—rnal work of Saints in Heaven when they shâ—â—â— bâ— fully made partakers of 〈◊〉 blessings of the Covenant being taken up to the fullest fruition of their God and made full of joy with the light of his countenance and is not Heaven work to be beguâ— by us here do we not pray that Gods will may be done on Earth as it is in Heaven now this will argue a heavenly Spirit to be taken up with heavenly employment and action and this will be a means to make the heart more heavenly Oh let us now enure our selves to our everlasting work and labour to be as like as may be here to what we shall be hereafter 6. The more we let our hearts out to God in thankfulness for the grace of the Covenant praising him for the free donation of himself to us as prising him above all the more will he let himself out to us and communicate his goodness clearing up to us our interest in him shedding abroad his love in our hearts Psa 50.23 so making us glad with the Light of his Countenance Qu. How shall we shew our selves thankful to God for the Covenant of promise the Covenant of his love Ans In cleansing our selves from all filthiness of the Flesh and Spirit and perfecting holiness in the fear of God This is the return which God expects from us for his love toward us that we declare our selves on his side against sin which is his great enemy that we freely give up our selves to him who hath engaged himself to us that as he is become our God so we should be his people a people of his holiness and that we strive to walk worthy of the Lord unto all well pleasing 2. Let us declare to others the preciousness of the Covenant and the comfort and sweetness of a Covenat interest in God tell them that this is infinitely more worth than all other interests and enjoyments seeking thus to draw souls unto God this is thankfulness for exhibiting grace cordially and affectionately to commend both the gift and the giver 3. 〈◊〉 us thankfully and with enlarged hearts bless God for the Lord Jesus Christ the root of the Covenant as I may say and the Mediator of the Covenant By his Blood the Covenant was purchased for us and by his mediation it is performed to us therefore let us set the name of Christ to all this grace God the Father delighteth to have his son honoured and he that honours not the Son honours not the Father therefore let Christ be great with us upon this account that he hath procured the love of his Father to us 4. Our prizing of the Covenant and our thankfulness for it will be shewn in our longing for a nearer communion with God and a fuller fruition of him in the accomplishment of all the promises of the Câ—venant We are not thankful to God for the Covenant whereby he is become our God unless we make him our â—rd our portion our treasure and have our hearts set upon him and desire carried to him O Lord thou art my God why have I no more enjoyment of thee why is my soul at such a distance from thee it contents me not to see thy back parts O shew me thy face O let the time hasten when I shall see as I am seen Thou art my God early will I seek thee my soul thirsteth for thee O blessed day when I shall come to appear before my God in Sion Thus you have had a seventh Counsel and some directions about it 8thly Let us constantly act faith upon the Covenant which God hath given us Couns 8. Act faith upon the Covenant and upon God in Christ covenanting with us This is the way to fetch sweetness from the Covenant to suck out the hony that is in it I shall hold forth some exciting considerations Incitements some arguments to perswade to the acting of Faith upon God and upon his Covenant of Promise 1. Consider that as God reâ—aires this so he is greatly delighted with the actings of precious faith upon such a precious object as himself who is the believers and and happiness This is very pleasing to God because it gives him the glory of his goodness and of his all sufficiency and of the truth and certainty of his Covenant by acting saith upon God's Covenant of promise and so fetching our comfort from thence we set to our Seal that God is good and that he is sufficient for us and that he is truâ— â—â—e real in Covenanting and faithful in performing his Covenant to his people now I say it must needs he that God is delighted with thesâ— actings of Faith while the soul rowl's it self upon him and fetches its comforts from him and satisfies its self with him because thus the sould gives him the glory of his precious Attributes which are so dear to him 2. This is a most sweet pleasant and delightful life to the believer himself to lie sucking by faith at the fuâ—l breasts of consolation to drink in the pure waters of the Fountain of Life to feed upon the marrow and fatness the honey and sweetness of the sweet Covenant of grace to be satisfied with God to have all in him There is a vast difference between Faiths repasts and the worlds refreshings between Covenant comforts which are received by faith and creature comforts which are apprehended and taken in by senses Oh how do they differ in respect of pureness and fullness and durableness and universality or extensiveness 1. In respect of pureness there is a mixture of wax in the most clarified honey of earthly delights there is some bitterness in the sweetest morsels of sublunary contentments they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bitter-sweets there is a mixture of dreggs in the purest liquors of the worlds comforts but the comfort of a Covenant interest in God is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sincere this is honey without wax it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweet indeed without any bitterness in it it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pure indeed liquor without any dregs 2. Great is the difference betwixt the comfort which the faith of a believer fetcheth from Gods Covenant and that which a worldling fetcheth from the Creature in respect of fullness Alass the bâ—st comforts which the world yields do rather provoke than fill the appetite do rather enerense than quench thirst no inferious good no sublunary enjoyment is adequate or proportionable to the capacity or desire of the Soul When Hannah wept before the Lord because she was Childless said Eâ—kanah to her Why weepest thou am not
my God 5. The frequent actings of faith upon the Covenant bringing it home to our selves by renewed application will be an execllent means to frame our hearts to contentedness with our condition we have a notable instance of this in David Although my house be not so with God 2 Sam. 23.5 yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant well ordered in all things and sure It is not indeed with my house alâ—ogether as I hoped not fully answerable to the letter of the Promise which God hath made to righteous Rulers That they shall be as the Light of the morning when the Sun riseth c. yet this is my comfort I am in Covenant with God he hath made an everlasting Covenant with me this helps all and this is all my desire though he maketh not my house to grow I am contented with that which I have in the Covenant Qâ—est Whence is it that the Soul acting faith upon the Covenant fetcheth such contentment from it Ans 1. Because when Creature-comforts that are the Conduit-pipes conveighing Gods goodness to us are cut off faith goes to the Fountain and drinks there The believing soul makes God its portion and finding all in him is satisfied with him this is the excellent skill singular art of faith thus to supply wants and so to bring contentment by taking up all in God 2. Faith in Gods Covenant presents the believer with the principal full blessing of the Covenant and gives it into the bosom of the soul faith gives the soul a light of Heaven and sets the Crown the everlasting inheritance before the believer Heb. 12.1 Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the subsistence of things hoped for that which makes Heaven and future glory present to the soul Thus Faith fetcheth contentment from the Covenant by appropriating the Covenant and looking into the grace and riches of the Covenant and ascertaining the soul hereof The carnal man hath his contentment such as it is or at least he seeks contentment in that which he sees before him and that which he hath about him here in the World but the believer fetcheth contentment from what he hath in hope upon account of his interest in the everlasting sure Covenant of God 6. The constant acting of Faith upon Gods Covenant Ours will help us to improve our Covenant interest in God to a Saint-like Son like dependence on him for protection and provision for all needful mercies and comforts Thus David excellently improves his interest in God unto such dependance on him and confidence Psa â—3 in him The Lord is my Shepheard I shall not want Though I walke through the valley of the â—hadow of Death I will fear nonâ— evil for thou art with me Surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all the days of my life for the Lord is my God and so in another Psalm Psal 71. In thee O Lord do I put my trust deliâ—â—â— me O my God thou art my hope An active faith makes a sweet improvement of the Souls interest in God unto such confidence in him to make him our all-sufficiency in all estates And there is very good reason why believers in the exercise of faith should rely on God in Covenant with them 2. Because they know that God is all-sufficient for them in every estate 1. There is in him a sufficiency of wisdom to find out ways for the bettering of the conditions of his people and to understand what is good for them 2. There is in him a sufficiency of Power to act by the means which he finds out and to render them effectual for our good yea and he can do us good without means his Power is unlimited he can do what he will and how he will 3. There is in God likewise a sufficiency of Goodness and Mercy to put forth his wisdom and power for his peoples good Truly God is good to Israel the Prophet Isa tells us Isa 63.7 of the loving kindness of the Lord and his great goodnes and his mercys and the multitude of his loving kindnesses towards his People This Mercy and Goodness and love of God will surely put forth his wisdom and power for the good of his People and this is that which faith lays hold on to cause the true believer to cast himself upon his God 2. The Soul that acteth faith upon Gods Covenant given him is sensible of God his relation to him and of his relation to God and hath herein a ground of confidence for if we be God his Covenanted ones 1. He is our Shepheard and we are his sheep now every good Shepheard is careful of his flock to defend it and provide for it upon this account David promiseth to himself all needful supplys from God and his gracious Protection because the Lord is his Shepheard See how the Prophet Isaiah holds forth Gods provident care for and indulgence and tenderness toward his People Isa 40.11 who are his Sheep He shall feed his Flock like 〈◊〉 Shepheard he shall gather the Lambs with his armes and carry them in his besome and shall gently lead those that are with young 2. If we be Gods Câ—venanted ones Mal. 1.6 then he is our Master and we are his Servants a good Master hath a care of his servants a counts himself to stand charged by vertue of his relation to look after them and provide for them now surely God is the best Master he is most loving toward most careful of and makes the best provision for his servants 3. God is a Father to his Covenanted ones and they are his children and like a Father he loves them and pities them and is ready to minister to all their necessities surely Gods bowels are more tender than man's and his love is infinitely beyond the love of earthly Parents Tam pater nemo tam pius nemo there is no Father like him none so indulgent as he is If ye being evil know how to give good gifts to your children how much more shall your heavenly Father give When God promises to heal Israels condition he gives this reâ—sâ—n of it Jer. 31.9 For I am a Father to Israel This relation of a Father works much upon the heart of God so that he remembers his children when they are unmindful of him 4. God is a Husband to those that are in Covenant with him Isa 54.5 and they are his spouse his dearly beloved now in this near relation â—â—â—iction is dâ—awn out between Creatures to do what they can to â—elp and comfort and procure the good of one another and though there may be a failing between a Man and his Wife for want of â—ower or ability and sometimes or want of a good disposition and due conjugal affection yet God â—annot fail to answer this relation 〈◊〉 the full Now the Soul I say acting faith â—pon the Covenant is confident in God upon account of such relation of God to
the soul that is in Covenant with him 3. God hath tied himself by â—ovenant to his People to heal â—â—m and help them and to give â—â—m all needful good things and to be all in all to them I will make an everlasting Covenant with them Jer. 32.40 that I will not turn away from them to do them good yea I will rejoyce over them to do them good Now the Soul knows that God is no Covenant breaker and therefore in remembrance of this tye which God hath laid upon himself while faith is awake and active the believer hath a dependance on his God O Lord thou art my God I will trust in thee I shall not perish I shall not want there is wisdom enough and power enough and goodness enough in my God and these Attributes of his are engaged to me that I may stay my self upon them Oh Christians the acting of faith with strength and vigour upon Gods Covenant would make us to depend on him and have confidence in him even in a Sea of miseries in the deepest affliction casting our selves upon the power and mercy and faithfullness of our God when our condition seems to be desperate Is it thus and thus with me are maters brought to this pass yet I will not let go the Covenant I will not lose my hold on God I know God will deliver me one way or other even in that way which he sees to be best for me This well be one happy improvement of our interest in the Covenant by acting faith upon it 7. By this means our interest in the Covenant would be improved unto love toward God and obedience to him I put them together as for hafts sake so in regard of their necessary connection and conjunction they being insâ—perable in as much as obedience doth naturally flow from love I say the more constant and the stronger the actings of faith upon the Covenant are the more affectionâ—tly will the Soul love God and the more chearfully and constantly obey him True faith is a loving faith which carries the affection of love unto God who hath given the Covenant of his love unto us and it is a lively working faith which moves and acts the soul towards God and gives it up to him who hath not with-held himself from us but hath bestowed himself upon us A clear apprehension of an excelling good and a knowledge of my interest in it must needs draw my affection to it Relation hath ever been a ground of affection where loveliness is apprehended Now the Lord full of all glorious excellencies transcendently good is my God my Father my Husband he love's me with an abounding immense constant everlasting love oh how can I chuse but love him yea love him much while he vouchsafes to give himself full of all goodness and blessedness into my bosome and so satisfies my soul fills me with himself I cannot chuse but love a satisfying good and oh I truly desire to please him my soul is grieved for any unkindness of mine toward him or disobedience to him Gospel-grace the grace of the Covenant which appeareth bringing salvation teacheth us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts Tit. 2.12 and to live soberly and righteously and godlily in this present world This is another notable effect and fruit of acting Faith upon the Covenant of grace 8. By this means our interest in the Covenant will be improved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to that strong consolation spoken of in the sext Therefore God with whom the soul is in Covenant is called the God of all consolation 2 Cor. 13. Now they are as hath been said pure full sure comforts that are fetcht from the Covenant by the extractory vertue and power of Faith which is a rare Chymist indeed God comforteth the believer acting faith upon him shall tribulations in every pressing pinching condition This is my Comfort in affliction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 119.50 for thy word hath quickned me When the believer is damped in spirit and as it were dead in regard of spiritual operations and affections faith reviveth him drawing lift out of the word of promise from the Covenant of God Though it be thus and thus with me yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant The sence hereof doth not only support the soul but rejoyce it The soul is comforted against sin and Satan and death and Hell and amidst sorrows and afflictions in the world when a Christian remembreth what he hath in the Covenant and how he stands related to God and are these consolations of God small 9. Faith acted upon the Covenant leads the soul as it were to the top of an exceeding high hill or mountain and thence shews it the kingdome of heaven and the glory thereof And saith All this will God the Father give thee this is thy inheritance thy God hath given in thee in promise and will give it thee in hand for his Covenant is sure Faith acted upon the promise of God giveth the soul a lively hope of salvation verily there remaineth a rest to the people of God it is certain to them by the certainty of God's promise God's Covenant gives believers a right to it and it is certain to them as to their fruition of it by God's unchangeable decree Though it be to be enjoyed upon condition of enduring to the end of persevering in faith and new obedience yet in as much as that condition is likewise absolutely promised and Christ hath undertaken to be the worker and finisher of our faith and perfecter of our salvation this salvation is still absolutely certain upon promise Hope O my Soul saith faith hope to the end for the salvation which is to be brought to thee at the revelation of Jesus Christ Wilt thou distrust God hast thou not his promise to rest upon hath he not given thee his Covenant and Oath for thy assurance rance When the flesh hath nothing wherein it may rejoyce yet do thou O believing soul keep the rejoycing of hope firm unto the end 10. A lively acting of faith upon the Covenant will raise the Christian to heavenly mindedness to have his heart much in heaven with his God who is his portion and his treasure when faith reads the love and goodness and desirableness of God as he hath expressed himself in the lines of the Covenant and gives the soul a true account of it now the soul must needs love where it is thus loved and where there is such lovliness for this is attractive of love Now anima est ubi amat the heart the soul is where it loveth if the treasure be in Heaver there will the heart be therefore if we would have our hearts to be in Heaven let us keep them still possessed with true believing thoughts and apprehensions of the free abounding grace and love of God toward us expressed in the Covenant which he hath given us Oh if we could by faith lodge our
souls in the bosome of Gods Covenant that there we may see how God loves us with the truest and fullest and most constant and most advantagious love it would not then be a hard matter to have our hearts with God and surely when the heart is with him it is where it should be and where it finds the sweetest being Thus you have seen the fruits of acting faith upon the Covenant the improvement of the Covenant thereby to such sweet advantages of the soul thus our Covenant interest in God will be improveed 1. To the sweetning of our thoughts of God 2. To a holy boldness in our approaches to God 3. To the sweetning of all mercies to us 4. Unto patience and chearfullness in afflictions 5. To contentedness with our conditions 6. To a firm setled dependance on God 7. Unto love and obedlence 8. Unto consolation of the heart in tribulations 9. To a lively hope of Salvation 10. The heavenly mindedness and a heavenly conversation Now to proceed to a Ninth counsel If you have applyed Gods Covenant Couns 9. so that you have a feeling apprehension of your interest in it then let not the enjoyments and outward supposed felicity of men in the World be an eye-sore to you or move you to envy Alass they are not to be envyed but to be pittied because they have not such an inheritance as you have their enjoyments are but small heaps of dust whereas the believers enjoyments and hopes are great Mountains of Gold O happy believers if they know their own happiness in such an interest We read in History That when the Spanish Ambassador boasted of the largeness of his Masters Dominitions and his many Titles that he was King of this and that and the other Kingdom and Prince of such a place aâ—d Duke of such a place The French Ambassadour answered My Master is King of France King of France King of France intimating that France was more worth than all places under the King of Spain his Power When the men of the World shall boast that this is theirs and that is theirs and shall cry out O their riches O their honours now let the believer make his boast in the Lord his God and cry Oh the Covenant Oh! the Covenant of Grace Oh! the Covenant of Gods Love is mine why this is more worth than all the riches and glory of the World 10. Hath God been pleased to make a Covenant with us Couns 1â— and to give it so confirmed to us oh let us then more and more break off the Covenant and disanul the agreement between our Nature and the Devil and let us break off the league which hath been and is between our souls and any lust or vanity let us renounce all for God and as he vouchsafeth to become our God so let us give up our selves more and more unto him as his People as he is a Covenanting Covenant-keeping God so let us be a Covenanting Covenant-keep in People Let us with all our hearts accept the Lord to be our God solemnly and cordially entering into Covenant with him and yielding our selves up unto him to be wholly at his disposal resolving that we will not be led by the Devil or the World or the Flesh any more but that our God shall lead us and order us in all things And let us see that we prove not unfaithful in the Covenant which we have made unto God wherein we have promised to renounce the Devil and the World and the Flesh and to serve our God only Oh let us labour to keep Covenant strictly with the Lord our God Let us not conform our selves to the World Let us not willingly give one affection or thought unto any lust Let us labour to work our hearts to and keep them in an abhorrency of the Devil and all his works and let us be still warring against the Devil and the World and the Flesh and let us labour to become daily more spiâ—tâ—â—l anâ— holy and heavenly 〈…〉 God and more 〈…〉 â—o him endeavoring thâ—◠〈◊〉 may be found in all things to the praise and glory of God Oh that we may love him and delight in him and walk with him and live to him who hath loved us and set his eyes and his heart upon us and hath given the Covenant of his love into the bosom of our souls It is so that the Covenant confirmed to Abraham is confirmed to all belivers to the Worlds end confirmed I say as by Gods Word and Oath and Seals so by the death of Christ by his perfect all-sufficient satisfaction Oh then what a feast of comfort what a banquet of sweet-meats is here for believers Here is that which is sweeter than the honey and the honey-combe Believers The Covenant wherein you are interested that is so confirmed to you is most comprehensively comfortable carrying in it all matter of sweet consolation so that from this confirmed Covenant Gods Covenanted ones may fetch sufficient consolation against any thing that may put in for their discomfort This Covenant is comfortable against sin and all self unworthiness for what saith God in his Covenant I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their transgressions will I not remember any more Oh how many and how great have my sins been saith the poor soul how exceedingly aggravated I have sinned against God who wonderfully made me and hath graciously preserved me and plentifully provided for me I have sinned against the bowels of Gods mercies against the bloud of Jesus Christ against the riches of Gods free Grace are there any sins like to my sins now is there any pardon any mercy any hope for such a sinner Now let a sinner fasten mediation upon this branch of the Covenant which is confirmed by the death of Christ and consider here is pardon of sin offered in the promise and it is Gods pardon and it is a Free pardon and it is a Final pardon never revoked Here is admirable comfort for humble souls that are pressed down even to the Gates of Hell under the sense of their own sinfullness and guilt The Covenant of Grace confirmed to believers is comfortable against sin And hence it follows that it is comfortable against the wrath of God and the threatnings of the Law and against Death I might shew you how this Covenant answers all objections against and removes all impediments of the believers happiness and Salvation how it is set up against the guilt and filth and power of sin against the curse and condemnation of the Law against discouragement from weakness of graces and imperfection of duties against death and Devil and whatsoever may be supposed to hinder the Salvation and Happiness of Gods Covenant-people Would I stand further to instance in the several positive priveledges and blessings of the Covenant I might shew you what abundant comfort flows from each of them How great is the comfort of Redemption and Reconciliation and Justification