not to the Covenant to be really anâ— perpetually Joyned to the Lord himself 7. Ye woulâ— seek after some heart-warming by Gods Spirit withiâ— you and some lively exercise of your faith in him aâ— ye see to be in this Peoples case 8. Persons that arâ— in earnest will be much affected with bygone slips failings and unfaithfull dealings with God and are afraid oâ— falling back and of dealing loosly with the Lord anâ— this puts them on to be more Solicitous and carefull to take on the mo bands and to cast the knot the fasteâ— because the heart is deceitful Come say they here and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a Perpetual Câ—venant never to be forgott n They are not content wiâ— a Covenant except it be siker the heart protests against it self if it shall draw back and resignes and râ—nounces its liberty to do so any more if it may be caâ—â—ed liberty 9. A person would aim to have him seâ—â— sure and satisfied as to this that he hath really given hâ— consent that he may have quietness in the assurance 〈◊〉 its being so yet not laying the weight of his Peace oâ— his clearness and assurance but because his comfoâ—â— much depends thereon therefore he will endeavour 〈◊〉 have any blank filled up and the business put to a poiâ—â— he comes to this Covenanting with Holy fear self-suspition and jealousy and goeth from it with fear and as he is attended with this fear in Covenanting so in receiving the Sacrament the Seal of the Covenant Come say they and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall never be forgotten O! So sure as they would have it ye who shall thorow Grace come thus shall find the Lord Jesus waiting and reaâ—y to welcome you But it 's like ye will Ask how is the Sacrament made useful and helpful in this joyning to the Lord in Covenant I Answer in generall as to the Believer that all the Promises are his and it Seals all the Blessings of the Covenant to him Because the condition of the Covenant is found in him Even as a pardon given to a Rebell on condition he lay down his Arms when he doth lay them down and accepts of the Pardon the Seal is appended to it which makes it firm and sure But what if the persons doubt of their having entered into the Covenant Answer 1. They are either such as are meer strangers to God and have no desire after nor respect to the Covenant those are under Gods curse and shall get no good of the Sacrament because they resolve not to take Christ to fulfill the condition of the Covenant in them and are not in earnest to be in under the bond of the Covenant yet if even such would seriously resolve to fulfill the condition or rather to take Christ to help them to fulfill it they should be welcome or they are such as are doubting though they have some honest desire such would remember the bargain is Mutuall and they must engage to God if they would have God engaged to them and if ye have not done it before do it even now and the Sacrament shall be usefull and helpfull to you in these respects more Particularly 1. For sealing this general trutâ— If I believe in Christ I shall have eternal life In whicâ— respect it 's like a pardon offered to a Rebell on condâ—tion he lay down his Arms he would first see it iâ— writ and then he would have it Sealed well saiâ—â— the King ye shall get it Sealed 2. It 's usefull aâ— hath influence in a Moral waâ— to make you accept Pardon and to enter in the Covenant In which râ—spect it 's an argument as to allure the Rebell to acceâ—â— of the Pardon So to perswade and assure him that oâ— his acceptance he shall have it actually and certainlâ— when it 's holden forth Sealed for saith the Lord 〈◊〉 the Sacrament ye have my Covenant and here I aâ— ready to seal it 3. It furthers our joining in Covenanâ— In respect of its clear holding forth and manifesting thâ— blessings of the Covenant the word saith that ye aâ—â— Sinners and that ye will get nothing that is truely gooâ— but in and through Christ and that God is content 〈◊〉 Covenant with you and to Pardon your sins througâ— him and the Sacrament brings Christ and the blessinâ— of the Covenant to be some way visible and sensible 〈◊〉 you and the Goâ—pel tells how it is done 4. In thâ— Sacrament the Lord condescends in the most formaâ— way to Covenant for in it he saith take you my Souâ— blood to wash you who are guilty and filthy and youâ— taking is as it were a striking of hands with him anâ— a saying content Lord let this blood wash me and thiâ— looking to the word of institution which gives foot in to Faith and exercising Faith thereon as your warranâ— your Faith is helped to take hold of Christ by and 〈◊〉 the Sacrament 5. It helps to close with the Covenanâ— by letting you see the grounds of the Covenant wherâ—on it is bottomed and built If thou shouldst say Thougâ— God would Covenant with me I will not keep Thâ— Sacrament holds out Christ as Cautioner that hath put himself in our Room and engaged in our Name to make us forth-coming and if thou shouldst yet say will God indeed accept of the like of me It saâ—th here is a broken and bleeding Saviour and Mediator to lead thee to God a Saviour who hath made himself a propitiation for sin and hereupon the sinner may be strengthened to take hold of the Covenant because in the Sacrament he sees Christ himself laid as a bridge on which he may come over to God and his rent flesh as the Vaill through which he may as by a new and living way enter into the Holiest Jeremiah 50. Vers 5. Come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall noâ— be forgotten SERMON IV. THere are Two main and Mighty uptaking Businesses to the People of God The one whereof is how to win to be in Covenant with God to be friends and in good terms with him The other is how to stand to and keep Covenant with him and to live as being made friends with him according to the obligation that lyeth on them This is the great designe of all preaching to bring them within the Covenant who are without and to make those who are within the Covenant to walk suitably to it and as these are never separated on the Lords side So should they never be Separated on our side therefore these People are brought in here Saying Let us Join our selves to the Loâ—d in a Covenant and not only So but there are Two words added by them to shew their earnest desire to keep and stand to the Covenant The one is A perpetuall Covenant the other a Covenant that shall not be forgotten the impression whereof may never wear
Bridegroom is there any other like to him or that can compare with him I appeal even to you Atheists and Profane Wretches that live and ly in your Lusts Is there a beloved like this Beloved hath He a match in Heaven or Earth Is He not the Kings Son and if ye ask who that is ye may hear and know from Psal 24. The King of Glory the Lord of Hosts strong and mighty in Battel and from Heb 1.3 The brightness of the Fathers Glory the express Image of his Person upholding all things by the word of his Power There is none like him but the Father and the Holy Spirit and as God he is one with them ye have both the Question and answer Cant. 5.9 What is thy beloved more then another Beloved What is yonder Christ of whom we hear so much The answer is given which we cannot stay now to Paraphase upon He is white and ruddiâ— the chiefest or Standard bearer among ten thousands Fairer then the Sons of men and if ye would know him more Particularly His head is as the most fine gold He is God His locks or his hair are bushie and black as a Raven there is not the least unseemliness even in those things that would to our thinking seem less necessary as his hair Yea his very Garments smel of Myrrhe Aloes and Cassia as it is Psal 45. His eyes are as the eyes of Doves by the Rivers of waters washed with milk and fitly set O! so lovely as his Properties are his Cheeks as beds of Spices as sweet flowers His lips like Lilies dropping sweet smelling Myrrhe his hands as Gold rings set with Berill His belly or bowels of love and affection Like the bright Ivory overlaid with Saphires His legs like pillars of Marble set upon Sockets of fine Gold His Countenance like Lebanon excellent as the Cedars O! So excellent and stately His mouth is most sweet or as the word is sweetness in the abstract never soul kissed his mouth but there was a bond thereby laid on it that it could never again part with him in a word He is altogether lovely or as the word is all desires there is nothing that Souls can desire but it is in him and there is nothing in him but what has desireableness in it This is my beloved and this is my Friend says the Bride O! ye Daughters of Jerusalem this is He he is sure no common or ordinary Beloved see if among all the beloveds in Heaven or earth there be any like Him O! Ye despisers and slighters of the Son of God put your selves to it Is there any like him to be found has he not the preference of and the Preheminence above all beloveds He is the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and truth He is the mighty God the wonderfull Counseller the everlasting Father the Prince of Peace It would well become us all to be wondering at him and to be drawing near to him to behold Him in his beauty To go forth and Behold King Solomon with the Crown wherewith his Mother Crowned him in the day of his espousals O! take a stayed view of him in his Personall excellencies and in the excellent qualifications of this Mediatory Office and it cannot be that on this ground ye will cast at the Match Will any of you dare to say it or to abide by it that ye will not Marry Christ because ye think nothing of him or because he is not worthy to be thought of We suppose none will do so If it be the Second viz. The terms That ye are not content with ye would have Christ Grace and Glory and every good thing but here it sticketh you look at it as an hard matter to be denyed to your self and to be wholly Gods to renounce your own righteousness and your lusts your Idols to be absolutely devoted to him and wholly dependent on him in your walk As the evil the slothfull Servant called him a hard Master So do many think of him though they will not down right say so much in express words But I would ask you is there any unreasonable thing here Or shall all those termes be sought after in some respect in the Marriage of a poor creature like your selves And will ye deny them to Christ 1. If you get his righteousness should ye not deny your own If ye come under the Covenant of Grace with him is there any prejudice to lay by the Covenant of works If ye get him for your second Husband and infinitly best is it any prejudice to quit your first husband the Law And in that respect is it reasonable to cast at the bargain because it is free Secondly Is it not reasonable that ye should give him the room of all things If He be able to fill the room of all let him have his room as being well worthy of it It is your advantage to quit your lusts and sinfull pleasures your covetousness Pride vanity self conceit c. To exchange all for him and if ye be not content of this condition ye say he is not worth the having 3. Is it not reasonable that ye should be devoted to him in your Conversation That ye should no longer Play the harlot but be as a chast Virgin to him Is it any advantage to you to follow your Idols that wil go betwixt you and happiness If Heaven be an advantage it is your advantage to quit them and be for Christ Or is it any Prejudice to be Holy Or will ye quit Christ because ye must be Holy Or will ye refuse him because he will not suffer you to your ruine to take your own will as formerly yea it is not only reasonable but very good and Profitable Nay there is a necessity you should be Holy and may not love to him loose your heart from sin There was another sort of consolation and other bowels of love at the first making of the Bargain betwixt the Father and the Son and it was calculated for more honourable designes and levelled to more Noble ends then any thing the Devil or the World or the flesh can Promise to you and any of you that will stand and stick at the termes that are so just equitable and every way reasonable and easie with all we take your own consciences to be witnesses that they are so and you dare not avouch the denyall of their being so If ye be content to take him to be reconciled and made friends with God by his satisfaction and to be made Holy by his Sanctifieing Spirit to be for him as he shall be for you It is a bargain and what I pray ailes you at such a baâ—gain If this be not made ye shall never be able to make such another What should ye do then but come to the wedding It 's not time to dispute or debate but to close Say O! say sincerely as those do Jeremie 3.22 Behold we come unto thee for thou
least Omission of any dutie more then doth the Law 3. The Authority and obligation that lyes on and binds to Holiness is no less in the Gospel then it is in the Law yea we may say that the obligation is in some respect greater But they deffer in these Three 1. That the Gospel taketh in the Penitent though he hath not been perfect and exact and gives him pardon through Christ which the Law doth not 2. The Gospel calleth for dutie in the strength of Christ and furnisheth strength for dutie but the Law now furnisheth no strength but only supposeth it It only giveth out the word of Command requiring of men that they walk in the strength which they had once in Adam so that though the Authority and Obligation be the same yet the manner and Certification is not the same if there be any breach or failing the law sayes Thou shalt certainly die But the Gospel as I said admits of Repentance and fleeing to Jesus Christ Who took on him the curse of the Law 3. The law accepts of no dutie if it be not exactly perfect in the degree But the Gospel accepts of duty though imperfect if there be sincerity It accepts on Christs account of a man according to that which he hath if there be a willing mind So then when ye are called to walk as becomes the Gospel ye would know that ye are not to dispense with your selves in the least in any duty that the law calleth for though the Gospel doth indeed more sweetly call for it Its Exactors and officers being peace and righteousness It 's the same Holiness in the matter extent and degree which the Gospel calleth for with that of the Law though it much differeth as to the Manner of calling for it Secondly That we may know what is called for in the Gospel as a walk or Conversation becoming the same and so may yet further know the nature of Gospel-holiness which was the Second thing we proposed to speak to Ye would consider the Gospel as it 's distinguished from the law and as it holds our Grace Where we would speak 1. Of some qualifications that the Gospel addeth as to the Performance of the same duties which tâ—â— Law requires 2. Of some particular duties which it doth more especially call for and which were not severals of them at least so proper to the law As for the qualifications of dutie which the Gospel addeth they are these 1. A new end for our end in duty now is not to gain life by it but simply to glorifie God as we may see 1 Cor. 10.31 I will not say but this end was in the Covenant of works but in the Gospel this is not only the main end but some way the only end and the other quite excluded and thrust out and when we speak of the glory of God we take in the glory of Grace and the glory of the Redeemer who furnisheth Grace 2. It adds a sweet Motive viz. love to Jesus Christ The love of Ch i st saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.14 Constraineth us It is no more meer awe that is the Motive but love and love to God in Christ who hath redeemed and bought us 3. The Gospel qualifies our obedience and walk as to our undertaking thereof that it be not in our own strength but in the strength of Jesus Christ it teacheth us to go through the wilderness leaning on the Beloved and leaving the burden of the work on him trusting more to him then to our own feet or strength as knowing that we cannot criple out the way nor do any thing without him as it is John 15.5 4. There is a Qualification required in respect of the frame of our own heart with respect to a twofold fear one is a filial and reverentiall fear that proceeds from Faith in which we are to work out the work of our Salvation The other is that it be without the fear that is opposite to the former as the word is Luke 1.74 The Gospel calleth us in our walk to have a fear without fear a reverentiall fear without slavish fear it would have us neither to be altogether afraid because of the Law which hath terror nor to be without filial fear for that is presumption but to have faith and fear mixed together 5. The Gospel qualifies our walk in spiritual duties in respect of our cheerfulness in going about them which are to us in so far as we have corruption in us Heavy and grievous but the Gospel maketh them easy and light as it is said Matth. 11. ult His yoke is easie and His burden light Though it be a Yoke yet it is portable and light when Christ and the Believer are yoked together nor are any of His Commands grievous as it is 1 John 5.3 6. Though the Gospel call for Holiness yet it makes the person to be denyed to it It 's a Gospel-walk to be Holy but it takes in that with it which we have Philip. 3. To forget those things that are behind to be denyed and dead to all our attainments and to count all but loss and dung for Christ It was indeed a law-walk to be blameless but it is a Gospel walk to study to be blameless and pressing hard after perfect Holiness and yet to foget it and to be denyed to all conceit of it and to be desirous to be found in Christ Jesus not having our own righteousness which is by the Law but the righteousness which is by Faith As for the Particular duties at least some of the duties that are more particularly called for in this walk and Conversation becoming the Gospel Ye may take these shortly The First whereof is a living by Faith and that is when a Christian hath Faith and the exercise of it on Christ as it were another life to him for though there was a life of faith or of dependance on God in Adam before the fall yet not the life of Faith in a Redeemer I live saith the Apostle Gal. 2.20 Yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that now I live in the flesh is by faith on the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me And this is to be taken along the Christians walk even a Continued application to and of Christ This is that which he first betakes himself to for Righteousness yea when right he employs him constantly as He is made of God to him Wisdome Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption As he is said to be made to believers 1 Cor. 1.30 The second is the exercise of Repentance which was not called for as a duty by the Law though much ruine followed the breach of it This was the sum of Johns and of Christs preaching Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand Though it be Alace a very much slighted exercise yet dayly Repentance notably suiteth a Conversation becoming the Gospel 3. A Gospel-Conversation would be in and with the
could look on it suitably But Alace we may fear that we shall rather leave these sweet words with a vail cast over the Beauty Splendour and Lustre of them then lay them forth and unfold them as we ought and as they call for we would therefore look to himself whose words they are and beseech him to explain and make them out to us That this Text speaks of the Gospel of the times of the Gospel and of Gospel-mercies we take for granted and have good reason to do so as on other accounts so from Acts 13.34 Which clearly holds out to us that these Promises are not to be understood of Temporal things the fifth vers with all telling us that the offer of this Grace Promised shall be made to the Nations We may take up the Words in these Four or there is here a Gospel-cryed fair or Market set out in Four things First in the Wares Wine and Milk that which Satisfies and is good and fatness vers 2. Soul life and the sure mercies of David vers 3. These are the Wares which do all come to the same amount if ye would know what that is ye may consider David two wayes one is properly and personally as he is the Son of Jesse and King of Israel It 's the Covenant which was made with him a main Article whereof was that out of his loine theâ—e should one spring who should sit upon his Throne for ever and thus the sure mercies of David are Christ and his benefits The other way that ye would look on David is as he was a Type of Christ the Anti-type Principal Covenanter or confederating Party with God and so in effect it turns to the same thing only this latter way is more clear So then we look on David here as it is not unusuall for the Scriptures to hold him forth viz. As a Type of Jesus Christ and indeed the words following do abundantly clear it for David Personally considered was now long since dead and gone and was not the witness nor the leader of the people Therefore it must needs be Jesus Christ that here is meant mainly and Principally at least As is very clear Acts 13.34 Christ then being looked on as here understood The sure mercies of David are the sure Mercies Covenanted and bargained to speak so to Christ before the World was and it plainly implies that there was a Covenant or bargain betwixt the Father and the Son about the Elect before the beginning of the World whereof as to the benefits therein Covenanted to the Mediator the Gospel maketh an assignation to Believers in time 2. We have the Chap-man to say so or the Merchant to whom the wares are offered It is he that thrists he that wants and would have and if any serious Poor souls should think that they are not suitably sensible of their wants then saith the Lord Let him that hath no money come that is plain dyvours as we speak or bankrupts that have nothing 3. We have the terms on which all are offered to sale and they indeed suit wondrously well with the Merchant Come saith the Lord Buy without Money and without price Hear and your Soul shal live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you There is to speak so with reverence not a Purse opened in nor a penny payed for the Assignation of this bargain though by Christ's satisfaction there was a very great a very costly and dear price payed when Christ came to buy and make a purchase of all these Mercies for the Elect the Market was very high and the prices were up but when Believers come by the Covenant of Grace to receive them the Market is come down and the prices are fallen wonderfully low that which stood him very dear is to be had by them Gratis very freely even for nothing It 's good that Christ was at the Market before us He hath cheapened the Prices admirably lest any should think that though there be no Merit yet something must be to Mollifie the seller and to commend the Merchant to him It 's said Let him come without Money and without price without money or money-worth he that hath no commending qualification is bid come 4. We have the Proclamation of this Market as Grace hath choice wares and sets them out very freely to sale so it keeps them not close shut up but brings them forth to publick view and to every one Ho Come to the waters it inviteth all to Come as it were to the shore as if some fleet were come in with rare and rich Commodities for which men were to pay nothing the Proclamation is Come and buy without Money and because Grace will not easily take a nay say there is O Ho an Oyes Prefixed Ho come and buy But because there is dulness and slowness on our part Notwithstanding all this there is an expostulation added vers 2. Wherefore spend ye your money for that which is not Bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not The Assignation of the Bargain and the offer of the wares are again urged Come and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you And to let us know that this is sure He subjoines vers 4. I have given him for a witness and leader to the people That all who are sensible of their own inability to come may be heartned to it in hope of his help to enable them We shall only in short Observe these Two Points of Doctrine From the words The first whereof is that There is a most gracious and mercifull transaction betwixt the Father and the Son for the good and Salvation of poor Souls even of all the elect past before the World was Theâ—e are sure Mâ—rcies bargained to David for they are first his This is clear from that part of the words Even the sure mercies of David The Second is that all those mercies are put to sale in the Gospel to dyvour bankrupt sinners upon exceeding easy low and condescending terms The First doctrine is implyed viz. That the Covenant of Redemption wherein there were so many given to Christ whose Price he undertook to pay is seâ—led and established according to that John 6.39 This is the Fathers will that of all he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day The Second looks to the Administration of this Covenant By the covenant of grace in the Gospel according to Vers 40. And this is the will of him that sent me that every one that seeth the Son and believeth on him may have everlasting life and I will raise him up at the last day So that what is laid on the Son vers 39 As the condition of this Covenant is in the 40 vers made offer of to Believers by the Gospel The First Doctrine hath two branches The First whereof is That there was a transaction concerning the Salvation of lost Sinners betwixt the Father and the Son
before the World was A Covenant made with David before it is or can be declared and Preached in the Gospel the terms whereof were resolved on and all the Articles of it agreed upon The Father proposing and the Son accepting the bargain from eternity as is clear Psal 40.6 7. Where when it is as it were consulâ—ed what shall be the Price of Redemption It is not Sacrifices nor burnt Offerings but a bodie hast thou Prepared me Behold come in the Volume of thy book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God Which is expresly applyed to Christ Heb. 10 7. This is easily cleared from the consideration of the parties contracting and of the ends for which this Covenant was undertaken and of the effects that follow upon it The Second Branch of the Doctrine is that this as to sinners is a most gracious and mercifull a most kind lowing and lovely transaction exceedingly for the behove and advantage of Sinners There are Four words in the Text Which hold out this 1. The Nature of this Covenant is Mercy all the Articles of it Savour strong of Mercy to sinners They are exempted though Christ came under sore strokes whether we consider this Covenant as exacting of Christ or promising to Christ it is alwayes for sinners behove 2. It is a Covenant of Mercies of many various mercies So 2 Sam. 23.5 It is said to be an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure and 2 Pet. 1.4 It is said according as his divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain to life and Godliness Mercies of Justification Pardon of sin Sanctification in all its graduall advances of fellowship with God of grace and Glory even of every good thing or good things of all sorts 3. It 's very gracious and mercifull in respect of the excellent kind of these Mercies they are not common mercies but mercies of David bestowed upon his anointed Christ is furnished and filled with them That out of his fulness we may receive and grace for grace even grace in a good measure 4. They are stable mercies not fleeting and quickly gone not a glance of Mercy which evanisheth the Covenant is everlasting and the mercies are the sure mercies of David If we might Particularly go through all the parts of this Covenant Mercie will be found sweetly looking out in everie article clause and Circumstance of it Look first more generally to the whole of it it 's all loving kindnesses and mercies to sinners Look to Christs Sufferings and Death O! what mercy shines conspicuously there To his qualifications for the discharge of all his Offices to his anointing with the spirit without measure There is great mercie there to all the Promises made to him such as these He shal see his seed the Pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand by his knowledge shall he Justifie many He shall have a willing People Eternally to reign with him c. Are not these loud speaking Mercies The grace and wisdome that is on the Fathers side and the grace and love that is on the Sons side aâ—e all for the behove and good of sinners It 's all wonderfully behovefull is it not great Mercy to you believers that you were minded in this bargain The Lord Christ as God neither needed nor was capable of any accession of Grace he took the relation of our Redeemer and Mediator and as such in the humane nature was filled with Grace and Bowels of Mercy and Compassion that Grace and Mercy might look through that relation to us Secondly And more particularly look to the rise of it It bred in Gods own bosome to speak so John 3.16 God so loved the world that He gave his only Begotten Son that whosoever should believe on Him might not perish but have Eternal life and the Son laid down His life out of pure love there was no necessity on him to do so but what he voluntarily came under there was no Motive from us to it nor had he any adviser to it Thirdly Look to the manner of his undertaking It was very readily Chearfully and with ardent vehemently ardent love So that we may say of it as of that Chariot mentioned Cant. 3.10 It is made of and Paved with Love for the Daughters of Jerusalem The Elect being under the curse Christ out of meer love undertakes to satisfie Justice for them Sacrifices will not do it rivers of Oyle will not do it The first born of the body will not do it nor satisfie for the sin of the Soul What will do it then Grace suggests that the Son shall become man and do it and the Son saith Lo I come O! What love and mercy are here Fourthly Look to the Contrivance of it and there ye will find much Grace and Mercy that it is made with a Mediator and with a mediator that is a Surety that the stock is bestowed on him and put under his Custodie that the Promises are made to him and the Price exacted from himself 5ly Look to the Manner of executing it what love Grace and mercy shines forth in the Father in taking vengeance on his only begotten Son for us What love in the Son in yeelding to take it on and in his leaving his manifestative Glory for a time that he might undergo the curse and in his doing all this with delight Sixthly Look to the confirmations of this Covenant the Oath of God on the Fathers side the death of the Mediator on the Sons side and he hath freely bequeathed it as a confirmed Testament and legacy to us Believers and hath instituted Sacraments to be Seals thereof O! What mercy upon mercy Seventhly Consider the effects of it it runs in the sweet streams of Grace into the vast Gulfe and Ocean of Glory Wonderfull mercy Eightly Look to the Parties Confederating and Covenanting the Father Son and Spirit all are here And it 's Grace and mercy that they Covenant 2. Who are the Contrivers of it Are not even they in their deep wisdom and in their exuberant Superabundant and infinit Grace and mercy 3. What is the end of it Even ehe Praise of the Glory of his Grace Eph. 1.5 Grace bringing forth and manifestly shewing here it 's great master-peece 4. As infinit wisdom and love contrive so infinit Power executs it and when all these concurre in this bargain when the infinitly wise God all the Persons of the most Glorious Dreadful and Adorable Trinity as it were set themselves to set forth the Glory of free Grace to make Angels and Saints Behold and Admire in it infinit Wisdom and incomprehensible love what a rare piece must it needs be And this is the end of it as is clear Ephes 3 9. That all men might see what is the fellowship of this Mystery which from the beginning of the World hath been hid in God who Created all things by Jesus Christ to the intent that now unto the Principalities
and powers in the Heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God The Second Doctrine is That this good and gracious bargain that 's past betwixt the Father and the Son which is wholly mercie is brought to the Market and exposed to sale on exceeding easie and condescending termes and that to bankrupt sinners What Proclaims the Lord here even this I will give you the Sure mercies of David That which I and my Son have carved out for the glory of Grace and for a proof of the riches of my bounty I will make all over to you freely Hence Ephes 3.8 It 's called the unsearchable riches of Christ So that whatever Christ hath as Mediator It is holden forth here That out of his fulness we may receive Grace for Grace a Proportion of all the Grace that is in him In Prosecuting this point we shall shew 1. More Particularly what this bargain is that is put to the sale 2. Who the Merchant is 3. What are the termes on which and how it is made 4. What is the manner how the Gospel puts home this bargain and layes Christ and his fulness forth upon Stands in the Market-place as it were to speak thus with reverence of this Divine Mystery that there may be free access to whosoever will come and buy these rare and rich Wares and Commodities As for the First that ye may know what the Bargain is and what is in your offer in this day of the Gospel Take it in these few Particulars 1. All that ever any Believer in the world had is put to sale here if any Believer ever had fair Priviledges sure it was David if any ever had a mercifull bargain he had it and such is this Covenant Justification Adoption peace with God Grace and Glory all these Marrowie Materiall massie and essentiall blessings that David had it was not another Christ nor another Heaven nor Another Covenant of Grace that he had but the same that 's here 2. Consider it further and we will find it to be all that is made over to our Lord Jesus Christ If he had a good bargain the spirit without measure fulness of truth and Grace great Glory and Honour being advanced to the right hand of the Father the same is Believers their bargain proportionably a due and just proportion being kept betwixt the head and the members John 1.16 Of his fulness have we all received and Grace for Grace It 's not another but the same Grace that our Lord Jesus hath yea it 's not another Glory they are advanced to no other Table they are set down to no other Throne they are set on but the same Glory Table and Throne It 's to Behold his Glory to Sit at his Table To sit with him on his Throne John 17.22.24 Luke 22.30 Rev. 3.21 In a word there are not two Covenants of Redemption betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator one for himself and another for the elect but it 's one and the same Covenant for both though with many vastly different respective considerations and circumstances 3. Look to the Wares and Commodities to speak so that are exposed to sale in the Gospel they are not only the Promises made to Christ but Jesus Christ himself is brought forth to the Market He is the great Promise and far beyond all the other promises made in and the Graces given by the Covenant I have given Him saith the Lord Vers 4. For a witness and leader to the People He is the great gift of God that Gift of Gifts being the Fathers fellow Nothing in Heaven or Earth no Person man or Angel can by far very far infinitly far equall him to whom can you liken or compare him To us saith the Prophet Isaiah Chap. 9. A Child is born to us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulders and his Name shall be called wonderful Counseller the mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace this is David most substantial Massie mercy He is called Wonderful because there is no Possibility for Creatures adequatly to conceive or with exact suitableness to express what his Name is or what is comprehended within his Name 4. Look on Christ as Mediator as God-man Immanuel God with us There is put to the Market to speak so with reverence God himself for thus the Covenant is expounded and Sum'd as frequently elsewhere in the Scripture so particularly 2 Cor. 6.16 I will be their God and Revel 21.17 He that overcometh shal inherit all things and I will be his God Now consider all these in a Conjunction viz. What all believers have what Christ hath and Christ himself what God hath and God himself O! what an incomprehensibly rich and rare great and Glorious bargain is this and yet all is by the Gospel brought forth laid before the hearers of it and made offer of to them on most easie and wonderfully condescending terms May we briefly and in a few words sum up what is in it 1. All things that may make up believers their Peace with God and remove the quarrel 2. All things pertaining to or needful for life and godliness as it is 2 Pet. 1.4 3. All things that belong to the comfort and consolation of Believers even strong Consolation as it is called Heb. 6.18 There is no want so great but there is a supplie for it here no case so sad but there is a comfort for it here there is not any thing that looks like a crack or uncertainty but there is sufficient security for it here in this Covenant in this most full and wonderfully well ordered Covenant in all things and very sure to all who are fled to Christ for refuge 4. There is in it what is needful and requisit to full satisfaction to the Solace delight joy and compleat happiness of the persons that cordially close with it So that a Soul can crave no more nor wish for more It is even all their desire as David saith of it 2 Sam. 23.5 It 's Mensura voti nay ultra mensuram voti it never entred into mans heart to conceive much less to desire it It makes the Soul say as it is Psal 73.24 Whom have I in Heaven but thee There is none on earth whom I desire besides thee It hath all things in it as it is Rev. 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things For if God and Christ Grace and mercy be in it is there any thing a missing or can there possibly be any thing wanting in it May I not very confidently ask you Is it not a good bargain If the Father Son and Holy Spirit Grace Heaven and Glory be a good bargain this is then most certainly a good bargain a wonderfully good matchless and non-such bargain and is not this Gospel whereby all these great things are brought to the market good news Take heed then that ye receive not this Grace in vain that these wares worthy
is now in Jerusalem and in the seven famous Churches of Asia But the voice of Terrour and as it were the Scriching of Owls and seeing God is not slack as men count slackness what know ye when the Kingdom of God may be taken from you and given to others And when he will cry to speak so Pack and go Every day is not a Market day every Lords day is not a Communion day many Congregations in Ireland and else where have sadly found this wherein it hath come to pass that great scarcity and want are come where there was once great plenty And to press this a little further We may in the First Place Ask whereat it sticks and halts I tell you that there either must be a bargain or it must and will sometime be known where the blame lyes were it but the bare reading of these very words they bring the invitation and offer to you and will ye dare to cast at the wares or the terms on which they are offered Grace brings a good bargain to you and stoops very low with it For 1. It will not stand with you on bygones if now you deal honestly The sure Mercies of David will cover and blot out those and if any of you think that ye have much debt on your head as who haâ—h not It will not upbraid you the iniquity of Jacob shall be sought for and shall not be found There shall be as it were Scores drawn through them your accounts shall be all dashed out by free graces Pen This is a cryed Fair and Proclaimed Market of free grace from which no honest comer shall be secluded thrust back or sent away empty for here an empty purâ—e needs not make a blate o bashful Merchant 2. Grace stands not precisely on fore-prepa ations wheâ—e Souls honestly and sincerely come as that ye have not been so and so humbled and have not such and such previous qualifications as ye would be at Nay someway it excludes these as offering to bring money and some price which would quite spoile the nature of the Market of free grace nay yet me say further if it were possible that a soul would come without sense of sin Grace would embrace it sense of sin being no condition of the Covenant but a Physicall to speak so qualification of the Covenanter and grace is free to them that want it and let it be supposed to be in a person void of Grace and still in unrenewed black nature it 's there but a splendid sin as those shadows of Morall vertues in all meerly natural men are Grace can at the instant of coming creat qualifications there could readily be no qualifications in Zacheus when he was on the tree Yet Christ tells him Salvation this day is come to thy house 3. Grace stands not on the want of any effect of Faith where it calls to believing it will not stand on darkness of interest nor on want of progress in Sanctification nor on things being out of order for where it comes it puts things in order It will be no relevant exception for a person that hath noâ— closed with the bargain and hath not embraced Christ to say alace I have no love to God to the Godly and to his interest because Grace can say thou hast not closed with Christ and so canst not have the effect before the cause come and close and these and other effects shall follow 4. It stands not on degrees of Faith nor on the strength firmness and height of it it will take little even a look or a glance of the souls eye that sees not clearly according to that memorable word Psal 34.5 They looked to him and were lightened the more that souls look to Christ their eye grows the clearer it will take an honestly willing mind and hearty consent though the ability be very litle a receiving or a sincere minting at receiving of the offer Him that comes or is really a coming though he be not yet come at least as he thinks but is with the Prodigal still as he apprehends afar off Will Christ and Grace in no case cast-out for no sooner doth spiritual life stir in Faiths weakest acting and moving towards Christ but Grace meets it 5. It stands on no concomitants though there should be many Idols and lusts raging in the person if there be a reall consenting by Faith to the bargain with a sincere resolution to abandon all these grace will not send him away empty or if the man say Lord I believe help my unbelief that is a done bargain nay were it to come with many spiritual issues and sores running and with fear to presume and as it were to steal a hint of Christ not to speak a word to him but to touch him He will not be angry nor upbraid but will say go in peace thy Faith hath made the whole We may Ask yet further to the recommendation of Grace 1. Was there ever a Merchant that came to the market with that purpose to buy on its own terms that went away empty and without wares If all the Congregation of the first born were put to it they would be ready to bear witness that Grace never stood with them on any qualification in them when they came honestly 2. I Would Ask was there ever any that adventured honestly on it whom it mis-gave That hazarded to speak so and yet fell by the way or that ever repented themselves that they hazarded and entrusted their Souls to this bargain 3. Let me Ask was there eveâ— any that took hold on and griped it in whose hand iâ— brake The bargain and Covenant is everlasting thâ— mercies are sure mercies once sure and alwayes sure once rich and for ever so It was and is a Covenanâ— well ordered in all things and sure blessed for ever bâ— the contriver and suretie thereof Some may possibly think that this doctrine looks to be somewhat laxâ— or lose But sure Grace is not laxe for as we maâ— say of Gods power Is any thing to hard for him Sâ— we may say of his Grace Is any thing too free for it Only abuse not Grace Prostitute it not turn not youâ— back on it neither turn it into wantonness It ye looâ— on grace and cheapen only and do not buy or if ye bid for one piece of it only and not for all Wo unto you that ever is was offered unto you what would yâ— be at Is it Holiness Heaven and happiness and thaâ— freely They are here Is it Christ and Christ freely and all that is his He is here in your offer whaâ— means then this whining to speak so and standing so much on terms as if the way of grace were a hard untoward unpassable way and as if God were a â—arâ— master Nay it 's a good soft sweet easie way and plain to them that walk in it and God the best Masteâ— that ever Rich or Poor served and the easiest to servâ— and
in Improving the strength of Jesus Christ to prevent your turning again to folly do not undertake nor engage in your own strength but believingly lay all the weight and stresse on your Suretie Put his name in the band which ye give to God for the debt of duty Abide in me and I in you So ye shal bring forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing saith our Lord to his Disciples John 15. But how many fail and come short here While they go about duties and either quite misken or make but very litle use of Christ many know very litle or nothing at all what it is to make use of Christ in order to the making of their peace with God but O! how very few know what it is to make use of his strength to enable them for duty to go through the wilderness leaning on their beloved Seventhly Defer not to make your Resolutions and engagements practicable There are many alace who think Shame it should be said that a Sermon had so much weight with them as to make them alter and change their course at once It may be they will consent to be religious but they must be allowed to come to it by degrees to creep toward it piece-meal but beware of that lest it prove in the Issue to be a shift of thy deceitfull heart Ponder these words well Eccles 5. Defer not to pay what thou hast vowed for the Lord hath no Pleasure in fools And in the Holy Ghosts account he is a fool that deferreth and putteth off one moment O! delayes are in a speciall manner dangerous here and Sathan will not faill to knit one delay to another Eightly Reject all Temptations to sin and turning again to folly with abhorrency say with Ephraim What have I any more to do with Idols Never think on them but with indignation and Holy disdain for ye are undone if ye but once listen to them Ninthly Be often examining if ye be like and answerable to your Communicating and to your Promises and engagements many know not how it is with them because they Examine not Tenthly Walk humbly in the sense of your weakness trust not to your own heart for he that doth so is reputed to be a fool by the Holy Ghost Eleventhly Be helping one another forward in your way to Heaven Take heed saith the Apostle Heb. 3.12.13 That there be not in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God but exhort one another dayly while it is called to day lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of Sin To be edifieing to others would through Gods blessing be edifieing to your selves and help you to be in good case to be praying with them would stir up your selves to more Seriousness in the exercise of that duty to be reproving sin in them would waken up more hatred of it in your selves and to be much Conversant in the duties of Mutual edification with them that are warm in their love to Christ to his interests and friends and diligent in the study of Holiness would readily through Grace stir you up to seek after more love and more Holiness as he insinuats in that exhortation to the Christian Hebrews Chap. 10.24 Let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works Twelfthly And in a word endeavour to walk suitably to your light your own consciences will readily tell you that it 's best to walk so as ye may abstain from that which ye know to be sin and to be doing and delighting in that which ye know to be duty Theâ—e are very few if any duties of Religion but they are one time or another and many of them frequently laid before you and not a few shall I hope have cause of blessing God eternally that ever this Gospel-light was made to shine so clearly on them but for such of you As detain the truth of God in unrighteousness as the Apostle says some do Rom. 1 or make a prisoner of it by setting a guard of corrupt affections about it Whom God gave up to vile affections and to all sorts of most abominable filthiness because though they knew that such things ought not to have been done yet they not only did but took pleasure in them that did them I leave it with all the seriousness I can win to on you and take Instruments of witness in your consciences that ye have bad great offers and have made fair mints and come under at least seeming engagements if ye have not done so declare so much but since ye all professe that ye have engaged and some have really engaged not to turn again to folly walk suitably to your engagements as ye would not have your consciences condemning you and God who is greater then your Consciences to condemn you Many I fear have sleeping consciences and that will not now speak to them but the Conscience of every one will speak at length and not keep silence We shall now say no more but Pray that this word may be Blessed of God to you These five following Sermons were all Preached about the time of the Communion the first four within a very few dayes before it as it gradually approached the Fifth after it On Jeremiah 50. vers 4 5. In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord the Children of Israel shall come they and the Children of Judah together going and weeping they shall go and see the Lord their God Vers 5. They shal ask the way to Zion with their faces thither-ward Saying come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall not bâ— forgotten SERMON I. THe repairing and making up of a breach betwixt God and a People is a matter of greatest moment and Concern and when men are serious in it O how uptaking is it to them Which is holden out to the life in these words that lay forth before us very clearly the frame and carriage of a people which formerly have dealt loosly and deceitfully in the matter of their Covenant with God when they come through his Grace to be serious and in good earnest in the upmaking of it again As for the people spoken of here they are Israel and Judah the Loâ—ds own Covenanted People who had dealt falsly and foully in the Covenant and had thereby Procured sad strokes to themselves and had divided and separated themselves from God and one of them from another Which division and separation continued lamentably long They are both here represented as coming home together Seriously endeavouring to amend and make up the breach betwixt God and them and among themselves As for the time that this relates to In those dayes and in that time saith the Lord It looks literally and according to the Cohesion to Babylons Destruction and 〈◊〉 Lords bringing down that Babylonish Monarchy by the Persian King Cyrus In which time the People of God had some
liberty to return to their own land Yet considering the great scope of the Words and that this liberty of the Jews is in a great part fulfilled in Christ and that the union spoken of here is such as hath in it the gathering together of all the Tribes and withall that the Covenant which they enter into with the Lord Christ is such as shall never be forgotten We must extend the words to their Ingraffing again into their own Olive when all Israel shall be saved and they shall be graffed into their own root and Stock from off which they were broken As for the Scope it 's partly off encourage the Jews This being not only a Promise of their return but also and mainly of their Repentance and of their Friendship Reconciliation with God and with one another In those dayes they that had been far from him and busie vexing one another shall come and come together Their work and business in coming is to seek the Lord and the manner of it is going and weeping Praying and repenting and although the way be somewhat dark and not so discernible to them yet they go on asking the way to Zion with their faces thitherward They ask how they may come to Him worship God again aright and perform the duties of a people inchurched to and in Covenant with him And as it were from one Post or Town to another they ask the way and get Direction from one day to another and from one duty to another And their designe in all is Come say they on the matter we were once in Covenant with God and with one another but we have been unfaithfull in both now let us amend and make up the breach in both Let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten Let us renew our Covenant with God and let it be done firmly and surely so as it may not be broken again this looks and hath respect to Jeremiah 31.31 c. and 32.49 40. Where the Lord Promiseth To make a new Covenant with the House of Israel and with the house of Judah Cited by the Apostle Heb. 8. And it 's called Chap. 32. An everlasting Covenant Which is not so much to be understood of meer externall Covenanting as of saving sharing in and partaking of Christs Righteousness for the Pardon of sin and of their engaging to God in his own strength to be forth-coming in the fruits of saving Grace and Holiness in their practice This is in Sum the way and course which they take and is a short directory for what should be a peoples carriage when they would make up the breach of a broken Covenant with God As for the Particular Scope of this place as it relateth to Israel and Judah their returning together we shall not insist in it yet from these words we may see First That There is good ground for us to expect the Lords bringing back his scattered People the Jews and their ingraffing again into their own Olive The same God that perswaded Japhet to dwel in the Tents of Shem can perswade Shem to dwell in the tents of Japhet As they minded us Gentiles as a litle Sister and were Holily Solicitous what they might do for us we ought in gratitude to mind them as the elder Sister that they may turn again to the Lord who hath given us his faithful Word for it which cannot fail but must be fulfilled Secondly We see that Heart-melting towards God and seriousness to make up the breach of a broken Covenant betwixt a People and him conduce natively to make the hearts of those that have been divided and set at variance from one another in much warmness of love to unite and sweetly to join together It 's from this that Israel and Judah become one Stick in the Lords hand Ezek. 37. This makes them as melted mettall to run close together as it were into one Lump though it was a long continued Schisme and had much bitterness attending it yet when their hearts are touched with a Sense of sin and of a broken Covenant their former differences and animosities evanish softness of heart in the sense of by gone sin would silence many things among us that all disputings writings and Printings will not be able to do Pray for this to the Land as the most effectuall mean and way of curing out divisions and of uniting us in the Lord It Joins Judah and Israel together whose breach was much greater and of far longer continuance then ours Thirdly We see here that A peoples joining and running together in serious seeking of the Lord is very Commendable and lovely and a good token and evidence to them of their turning to God and of Gods accepting of them even as bitterness and division is exceeding displeasing to God and prejudiciall to themselves and to the Work of Grace in them This is an happy-like hopeful and promising day of Repentance and turning to God that bodeth much unspeakably much good to a land and People But we come to consider the words as they do direct unto and chalk out the way for a people returning to make up a broken Covenant with God which is the Scope And we may take it up in these Three First As it respects the frame of their hearts And O what a tender humble warm and mournfull frame are they represented to be in They shall come and go together exciting one another going and weeping with their faces towards Zion Secondly As it respects and holds forth the great designe they have and that is to renew and make sure the Covenant betwixt God them Though it was now broken and they want not challenges for it Yet they do not say we will never enter in it again Because we brake it the last time we made it But come say they let us make it the more firm and stable Thirdly As it respects and hold out their posture and the way which they take in pursuing this designe There is a going and weeping a praying to and seeking of the Lord in a word they seek and endeavour to renew their Covenant with God seriously diligently and humbly and thus they pursue their designe First then If we look to their frame we will find implyed in it 1. A guilty condition 2. A challenging and convinced condition 3. A repenting condition they are kindly affected with the wrongs done to God and desire and use means to have them righted We shall name Two or Three generall Doctrines from this First Consideration of the word though in effect it will fall in with the Last The First whereof is this That Gods Covenanted People may deal foully and falsly in his Covenant For their coming to renew the Covenant supposeth that they had broken it and it 's also implyed in their mourning and weeping and saying Come and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten This needs no further
all my Salvation and all my desire though hâ—â— make it not to grow And if we look on the Prodigal Luke 15. When he is under a conviction of his Sin and misery what resolves he upon as a remedy I will go saith he to my Father and I will say Father I have sinned c. The first thing he betakes himself to and resolves upon is to catch hold of the Covenant relation betwixt his Father and him And there is a necessity of this on a Threefold account 1. Because there can be no solid ground for extricating and bringing one out of an evil condition but by Covenanting with God for what else I pray can silence a challenge or quiet and calme the Conscience in respect of guilt when it saith to the person thou hast sinned and art liable to the Curse There is no way to get sin and the Curse removed but by fleeing to Jesus Christ and closing with Gods offer of Pardon upon the account of His Satisfaction rested on by Faith Therefore is faith compared to a shield whereby we may quench the fierie darts of the devil It 's true saith the Soul accused of enmitie against and wrongs done to God I was an enemie to him and gâ—eatly wronged him I was liable to his curse and wraâ—h for sin but he offered me Pardon and reconciliation through the Mediator and I have accepted of his offer and do rest upon Christs satisfaction for pardon therefore I am Justified and shall not come into condemnation 2. Because there can be no peace to the Soul till there be some thorow evidence that the Covenant is fixed and made sure for this is the way that God hath laid down for making Peace as the quarrell and curse are founded on the breach of one Covenant so our peace ariseth upon our engaging with God in another Covenant Hence are all those promises Jer. 30.31 32 33. and Heb. 8. which are so often repeated I will Pardon their iniquities I will remember their sins no more c. All which Promises being priviledges of a Covenanter with God whoever would look for the Performance of the Promises there is a necessitie of their being in Covenant with him ere they can expect the performance of them and attain to Peace 3. Because all that are without the Covenant of Grace are under the curse being lyable to the breach of the first Covenant Therefore Ephes 2. These two are put together Strangers from the Covenant of Promise and having no Hope being without God and Christ in the World and so to be without the Covenant is to be without Hope and without God and without Christ Use 1. Lay this for an unquestionable ground that if ever ye be well it must be by this Covenant with God is there any conviction of sin of violating by gone engagements to God and of wrongs done to him take it for a certain truth that things must be thus adjusted and thus secured betwixt God and you that ye must have pardon peace by entring into making sure the new Covenant with God on the Grounds of his own grace That is when God is treating with you declaring that he is content to close with you on Condition that ye will take with your sin renounce your own righteousness and submit to Christs and be content to live to him all the days of your life that are behind step to closâ— with him on his own terms for the hearts yeelding its consent to God is the making of the Covenant thaâ— intitleth to all the good that is in the Bible In Sum it 's this if ye saith the Lord accept of my offering my self to be your God and consent to give up youâ— selves to me if ye will quit your own righteousness anâ— embrace Christs I will Pardon your sin I will bâ— forth coming to you for happiness and will sanctifiâ— you and make you fit to be Partakers of it and your making of the Covenant sure is your yeelding to be happie on these termes even to be content to take Justification Pardon of sin freely by vertue of Christs satisfaction and to give up your selves to be his to be for him and to live to him and not to your selves as ye get God engaged to be yours so ye engage and subscribe to be Gods and to walk suitably according to your engagement in his strength to be for him and for no other as the word is Hos 3. or as it is Isaiah 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shal subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and surname himself by the name of Israel He shall as it were write down his Name I am Gods This in short is Covenanting with God which may be done in hearing the word in Praying in meditating and in Communiâ—ating when Faith is distinctly at least really and truly exercised on Gods offer and Promise and when upon deliberation there is a sincere resolving with the persons self I will take God as be offers himself to me and will give up and away my self to him and when according to the resolution there is actually a yeelding to God Use Second Seeing this is the only way to right and unravel an evil and ravelled condition let me Exhort you to pitch on this as your great work and to aim at it as your great scope these days that are before you that a good understanding may be begotten betwixt God and you and all quarrels removed and taken away by declaring and acknowledging your iniquities before him and by Covenanting with him on his own terms This would make much kindly heart-melting and would make the Communion to be cheering and refreshful when after a secretly closed bargain with God we should come to receive his Seal and to append and put to ours and whatever tossings and difficulties there may be to get our selves made right here yet we would seriously endeavour to get our hearts brought up sincerely to say with the Psalmist Psal 16. My Soul hath said unto the Lord thou art my Lord And to win at a settled deliberat yeelding to God so as there may be quietness in it for the time to come Use Third There is here sad ground of Expostulation with and Reproof to many I know not what many of you are doing most part I suppose are taken up about the outward ordinances but as to the main thing of making up a Covenant with God as it is holden forth in the Gospel I fear that is much neglected and misken'd yet let me say it though ye should Pâ—ay and weep all these dayes without this it is impossible that ye can have Peace or win to have a good understanding betwixt God and you Put your selves therefore to the tryall and see if the frame of your Spirits be such as holds any tolerable Proportion to the frame and posture that Israel and Judah
sin should have this for their aim designe and endeavour as we see in these spoken of here who when they come to any sense of their sin this is clearly their great designe and work verie seriously and closely pursued by them To clear and Confirm it take these Three words Consider First What state and Condition man naturally is in Secondly What God is to man in reference to that estate And Thirdly What Covenanting with God is and we will find that there is nothing which he should more seriously designe and seek after First Man is naturally an enemy to God and in respect of his malicious desperat inclination given to thwart with God whereby God stands as an enemy to him he is liable to the curse of God and God is as an armed man against him as Job speaks and he like an unarmed Child runing on the bosses of his Buckler Secondly Consider that God is not only an enemy but stands stated as such with his Curse against sinners according to that word Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Law to do them and this Curse is like the flaming Sword in the hand of the Cherubims which with terrour separats betwixt God and the sinner So that there is no access for him to God and if he have any thoughts of God he is troubled with them and all the Creatures are armed against him So that he can expect nothing but enmity from every stone of the field Thirdâ— Consider that Covenanting with God is that wheâ— by a man who is naturally at enmity with God coâ—eth to be in friendship with him and hath the faâ— of every thing altered the meditation of God sweet to him the creatures are in league with hiâ— The Angels become Ministring Spirits to him a Gods dispensations become lovely and do work tâ—gether for his good even those that are in themselves most terrible Death and the Grave becomâ— servants to him and being in Covenant with Goâ— he can triumph over them and all troubles and peâ—secutions and say that he is More then Conqueror 〈◊〉 them all as it is Rom. 8. and saith the Apostle tâ— such 1 Cor. 3. All things are yours whether Pauâ— or Apollo or Cephas or Life or Death things presenâ— or things to come all are yours and ye are Christs Is it any wonder then that at Poor Soul toucheâ— with the sense of sin be desirous and Solicitous to bâ— in Covenant with God And therefore whetheâ— we look upon it as a dutie or as an evidence of 〈◊〉 person truly humbled for sin it is very desirable anâ— should be seriously sought after The Use Serves to show That the great Scope which ye should now have before you is to have a broken Covenant made up with God It should be your main designe to put this grand business to a point that there may be no war but a standing League betwixt God and you And therefore whâ— ever they be that satisfie themselves with going about the Ordinances misken this they certainly mistake the mark The great matter is not to come to the Communion neither is it to win at somewhat of heart softness or to a little sense which are good but it 's really to be in Covenant with God to be able to say on good ground The Lord is my God My beloved 〈◊〉 mine and I am his And when he saith Return backsliding Children to be in case to answer with the heart â—ehold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God â—his is indeed a desirable thing and he is an unhappie man that doth not that will not heartily desire and seek after it Secondly From their very great Seriousness in going and weeping in going to seek the Lord asking the way to Zion and from their encouraging one another to Join in Covenant with the Lord Observe that where there is any Sincerity or begun work of Grace it shews 〈◊〉 self in nothing sooner then in an impulse to be at Covenanting with God and to have some clearness therein For only to be in Covenant and not to have the knowledge of it cannot give that peace and comfort which a present sad exercise calleth for therefore say they while they are going and weeping Come and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shal not be forgotten So then we say that a sincere and gracious work of God appears in nothing sooner then in this impulse to have the Covenant of God fixed and put out of doubt to have this at a Point is their great designe here and they are very serious in it So Isaiah 44. where vers 3. There is a Promise of the work of the Spirit in Sanctifieng and how is this work of the Spirit proved or wherein doth it appear Even thus vers 5. One shal say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the Name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand unto the Lord and sur-name himself by the name of Israel the work of Gods Spirit whâ— he comes to Sanctifie and save is such as makes a maâ— run and devote himself to God with hand heart aâ— mouth ye never saw people more quickly and wiâ— better will come to the Church at the most Solemâ— occasion then when this work is begun or there any kindly exercise about it serious Souls will 〈◊〉 ready to run with their heart to Subscribe to Gods Câ—venant when the Terms of it are laid out before theâ— Only advert to these Two things in this Observatioâ— First When I speak of entering in Covenant with Goâ— I mean of the hearts closing with him by Fai h according as he offers himself in this Gospel when he saitâ— quit and renounce your own righteousness and taâ— mine quit and abandon your lusts and Idols and giâ—â— your selves to me and I will be your God and be fortâ— coming to you in all things that concern your happineâ— here and hereafter the heart yeelds and says conteâ— Lord the offer is good and I accept of it and 〈◊〉 wives were wont as it is yet the custom to surnaâ— themselves by their husbands so doth the Soul upâ— the matter in this Covenant Subscribe I am Godâ— This is called a yeelding to God or the giving of tâ— hand to him 2 Chron. 30.8 and Rom. 10.3 It 〈◊〉 called A submitting to the righteousness of God Seconâ—ly When we speak of this impulse towards or desiâ— of Covenanting with God It 's noâ— to be understood 〈◊〉 every raw wish such as Balaam bad to be in Heaven but it is a seriously urging impulse an earnest hungâ— and thirst and an ardent longing to have this at a point It 's such a thirsting desire as all the world beside wâ— not be able to quench It makes the Soul eager in tâ— pursuit of the thing even to meet and close with Goâ— in the Covenant It 's in effect that which Matth. 5.6 is called
a hungring and thirsting after righteousness Because it hath in it a fixed longing with Holy Pain which Cant. 5.8 Is called a being sick of Love It 's such a desire as makes the heart even faint and sick for the want of the thing desired which can be satisfied with nothing else no more then a very hungry man can be satisfied if handfuls of Gold were offered to him it 's meat he must have In this respect which will be the Reason of the Doctrine Christ Jesus is called the food of the Soul and the Covenant is like the Pap whereby Christs fulness is Communicated and conveyed to us for we have no access to Christ but by the Covenant therefore Ephes 2.12 These two are put together being without Christ and being without the Covenant and Isaiah 66.11 12. Converts are said to Suck and be satisfied with the Breasts of the Churches Consolation and to be dandled on her knees Believers are like new born Babes whom nothing can satisfie or do good to but the Breasts and the Ordinances are as it were the breasts at which they suck and which are as so many Pipes to conveigh to them Spirituall nourishment to which the Apostle alludeth 1 Pet. 2.2 when he saith As new born Babes desire the sincere milk of the word that ye may grow thereby if so be that ye have tasted that the Lord is Gracious and then follows to whom coming as unto a living stone c. Jesus Christ is the milk and the word the Pap that conveighs him and as the first thing that evidenceth life to be in a new-born Babe is hunger after the breast so is it here the Covenant satisfies the new born New creature The Use of the Point serves to put you to look back and to consider whether ever ye have in your experience known this wherein spirituall life shews it self Even to be holily fond or browden so to speak on the Papâ— the Regenerat Soul cannot endure to be keeped back from sucking the breasts of these Consolations that are in the Covenant Now it 's very Probable that many will catch at this as a very Comfortable Mark of Regeneration to themselves and will be ready to say why have we not this desire to be in Covenant with God And if that will be a proof of a work of grace we wanâ— it not and these Jewes hear spoken of before their coming to be in this blessed Frame were ready to boast â—hat they were Abrahams Children and that they had a desire to be in Covenant with God but it will be another sort of desire and eagerness which they will have When the Redeemer comes out of Zion to turn away iniquitie from Jacob. But that ye may know what this desire and impulse that we speak of is and if indeed ye have it consider these evidences of it First That it iâ— an ardent and vehement desire a pressingly urgent impulse not such as ye have had all your dayes but itâ— an effect of the Spirits out-pouring as that Paralell place with this viz. Zech. 12.10 clears I will saith the Lord Pour upon the house of David the Spirit of Grace c. Away with that Grace with that Faith and Love which are as old as your selves Secondly This desire and Impulse hath such a vehemencie with it as puts the man to his feet to go and Pray and to go weeping It stirreth him then so as he must needs go though he be much in the Dark and knows not so well and distinctly whither he is going because Love to be in Covenant with God will in a manner make a fool go right to Gâ—d though there is reason that he should seek after help to his infirmitie the desiâ—es of many are like the sluggards desire who lyeth still on his bed and his ease slays him This desire maketh some Holy stir and rouzeth to diligence in the use of means Thirdly This desire is such as never dies out till the Person be thorow in the point of Covenanting with God and therefore though he should be put as it were to digg wells in the wilderness and to go from strength to strength yet he will adventure on it and hold on in his way The Apostle Philip. 3. Speaks of it as his One Thing and when persons are suitably serious in this it is their one thing and not a peece of work only on the by and if they may come to it in all their lifetime they think as they have reason to do that they make a good bargain and have gained a noble Prize never did a man on Horse back in a race spur faster then they do that by any means they may attain it Fourthly The principle of desire after Covenanting with God holds them constantly in an estimation of and sucking at it as the mean of their life as the Babe cannot live without the breasts So they cannot live without the Covenant they cannot rest but in it I speak not now what Believers are in their declinings but when they are in a right Frame they have no being but in this Covenant they must needs have milk flowing through the Breasts of it for their nourishment that is a cursed life or raâ—her death of persons who come to the word and caâ—e not whether it be made lively or not and come to the Communion and care not whether they get by it any life and comfort or not and a cursed Faith that keeps Souls from making use of Christ and such is the faith of many hearers of the Gospel Now Covenanting is the Believers Earnest and they are thereby made to forget their Faâ—hers house in hope to be admitted to dwell with Christ for evermore Thirdly Observe that A well qualified desire of Covenanting with God is a good token of Conversion or a rightly byassed desire of being in Covenant with God the language of Persons coming home to God Come 〈◊〉 they and let us join our selves to the Lord in a perpâ—uall Covenant The Lord se s down this as their coâ—mendation and as an evidence of his begun Gracioâ— work in them They no doubt had wo ds of Coâ—nanting before but wanted this right impulse and dâ—sire and therefore Sat still but now they are much aâ—fected stirred and put to their feet It being aâ— effeâ— of the Poured out Spirit on them We saâ— this is good token of a begun work of Grace and of persoâ— their coming home to God because this impulse tâ—wards and desire of Covenanting with Goâ— speaks oâ— these three First The sense of their need of him aâ— that they cannot live without him and the stopping 〈◊〉 their Mouth with Holy shame and confusion befoâ— God Secondly An high estimation that they have 〈◊〉 him a Judging that they have no happiness but in bin Thirdly It speaks out faith in their actuall betakinâ— of themselves to him for the up making of what the want and stand in need of There is some what of
Galatians and Hebrews many Prejudices at and wrong conceptions of the Gospel and Covenant of Grace and therefore they would have patched up a Gospel of Grace of works they would have brought in the Ceremonies of the Law and established a self-righteousness and this in particular is one great Prejudice that the devil Laboureth deeply to possess the minds of wakened sinners with even to make them think that it's Presumption for them though they would fain do it to come to Christ and by Faith to close with him unless they be so and so qualified as long as they are secure he makes them take their Presumption for Faith but the next day when they are wakened and exhorted to betake themselves to Christ by Faith he calls that also Presumption and indeed as it is Satans manner to drive Sinners on extremes So it is our way to run into extrems that which made us call our Presumption Faith is the same which makes us call our Faith presumption because we lay it for a ground that it is our honestie or good disposition and so and so qualified frame that must commend us to God and therefore while we conceive that we have that it 's the ground of our presumption and when the Conscience is wakened and we find that we want that we cannot believe A Fourth Cause or ground whence this in some may proceed who would fain believe is not so much their darkness and ignorance of the way as the backwardness frowardness and deceit of their heart that will not for them come up to it such are puzzled and perplexed what to do because they cannot get it well done as they would such are like a good Archer that can shoot well but hath a deceitfull bow which when he hath put his Arrow on the string and hath drawn it to the very head starts aside and makes him quite misse his mark the fault and defect is not in the mans skill but in the Bow we the rather make use of this Comparison that the Holy Ghost doth so in the Scripture resembling our heart to a deceitfull bow that turns aside So that they who are acquainted with their own hearts know not what to do with them how to guide them and bring them up unto or bold them at any thing that is good and though it may be they could to good purpose give directions to others in such a case yet they find their own hearts very untractable to admit of them as if they did not suit or meet with their own case This is indeed a very puzzling difficultie yet to such perplexed Souls there is no new direction to be given but the renewed exercise of faith and to put the directions which they know in practice and when one shot to speak so misgives to essay another not to seek as it were a new string but to cast a new knot on it and if two knots should slip to cast a third improving more that Grace of â—he Covenant to make them hold better Therefore Acts 2 When those pricked in their hearts ask what they shall do Peter bids them Repent they were begun to do so and he bids them be doing and go on ye then that are indeed serious and to whom your short comings are really your Souls burden would not think it any uncouth strange or extraordinary thing to find desire and affection running far before your light and practise though ye would endeavour to have them foot-side a Christians desire may be a dayes Journey as it were before himself as to his attainment and indeed in some respect it would not be good if it were otherwise for it is no good signe of progress in Gods way when the desires of Persons go no further length then their Practise or when they their Practice falls nothing short of their desires both in that case are to be much suspected for even eminently Holy Paul sees himself to be behind Philip. 3. when he saith I think not my self perfect but one thing I do forgetting things that are behind and reaching forth to those things that are before I press towards the mark Where he came one Post in his attainment His desire was ten in a manner before him and so is it with those people here spoken of Come say they Let us Join our selves to the Lord they find themselves to be behind and endeavour to work themselves up and to draw themselves and one another forward we must now draw to a close and shall therefore but touch the following Observations and pass them in a word Fifthly Observe that in Peoples covenanting with God their desires and designes will be much sooner Proposed and laid down then they will be got accomplished and put inexecution or then they will win to satisfie themselves therein although an Union be betwixt Christ and them yet they are not satisfied till they be some-what clear and distinct about it they are like the Prodigal who being in another and strange Countrey saith first I will go then he ariseth and I will say to my Father before he actually speak to his Father himself calling him Father Some reall acting of Faith Preceeds his more distinct ct satisfieing acting of it there is a faith in resolving to believe before there be a resting of Faith or stayed believing and yet it 's Faith that begets that same resolution if the Prodigal had not had some Faith of enough in his Fathers house and of his Fathers affection he would not have resolved to go home and these people mentioned here would not have set their faces towards Zion if they had not had some begun stirrings of Faith Sixthly Observe That it is a good token to be asking seriously the way to Heaven though the askers be not so clear in it there is some ground to think that such Persons are in the way and if they hold on and fo low the directions of the word they may come thither It is far better to be dissatisfied and to ask the Way then not to ask and yet to be satisfied with our own knowledge of the way Seventhly Observe that Persons may fall very far short of their desire and have much infirmitie and may meet with many puzzling difficulties how to accomplish what they would be at yet where a serious and longing desire is wakened after Covenanting with God they should go forward and follow it forth This people are short of what they desired and yet they go and they know not as it were where to set down the next fooâ— till they ask the way yet they go on still asking there is no disputing here but forward we should go I suppose these here spoken of might have had severall difficulties started and severall obstructions laid in their way yet on they go as First This that they were Covenant breakers yet they taking seriously with it step over that and say notwithstanding Come let us join our selves to the Lord in a
it and we wot well it 's a plague in the Generation that we live in and hath much defaced Religion as to it 's beauty in the face of the Conversation of many Ah! how much are they in this conformed to the word And how Lamentably litle behave they like Pilgrims and Strangers in it as the Saints did of old As A Second Use of this point We have ground here to Commend to you the studie of a Soul-fixing fastening condition as ye would not make an unsure bargain with God endeavour to have this softness and melting of heart This thing is that which makes a man to sit alone and to keep silence before God Lam. 3.27 And so to be in a posture of meeting and covenanting with him such of you as know nothing of this and are not afraid of being hard cold and dead at such an occasion are in eminent hazard of losing a good bargain and wo to Security and hardness that hath that as the fruit of it and in the by we may say that there is a Wo abiding many of you who have no Serious thoughts of this frame and especially at such a time Therefore let me Exhort you to compose your selves as having to do with God and as having Gods love and favour and his hatred and wrath laid together in the ballance and as having life and death set before you and seriously to seek after such a soft and tender frame of Soul that fits for Covenanting for renewing the Covenant and for comfortable communicating But some may Object and say It is very sad if this be peremptory that persons who would rightly renew their Covenant and Communicat must be in a Soft and melting frame Answer It 's usefull and it 's needfull nay in some measure it 's Simply necessary What shall we then do that want it for Answer I wish many were asking the question from serious Minding prizing and longing after the thing for the want of Softness proceeds often from this that we do not seriously mind it otherwise the want of it would much affect and afflict us and would put us to ask after it and God would not fail to give them direction that were thus asking the way to Zion Yet for your help in this matter I would say these three Words 1. Once take a view of your case and labour to have a distinct look of it what lusts are up what challenges may be Tabled and keep a good count of them 2. Endeavour to have faith in Exercise on Gods Covenant and promises and be sure that the Promise is sicker that ye lay hold on and see that ye make Use of it according to the Covenant which is done when with your Souls ye take hold of it and that is not nor shall not be reckoned presumptiâ—n when ye bestir your selves from the Faith of Gods Covenant and Promises laying the weight of that which ye would be at on the Promise cleaving thereto for attaining of it and in time through Gods Blessing your unsuitableness shall piece meal wear away and ye shall become tender and any bit of softness and tenderness that ye win at cherish and watch over it 3. Make this a particular errand to God having your Eye on the Covenant of promises and on this Promise in it in Particular and on other promises of this Nature and to this purpose as concerning taking away the stonie heart and giving a heart of flesh of giving you a new heart of making you to loath your selves for all your abominations apprehending receiving and closing with Christ in the Covenant for attaining of it as a fruit of his purchase for it is not gotten but in the Covenant and therefore it 's remarkable that this Scripture is set down Promise-wise They shall come the Children of Israel and the Children of Judah together your Heavenly Father who knows that ye have need of this thing as it is Matth. 6.32 will give his holy Spirit to them that ask him as it is Luke 11.13 And ye would credit and trust him with the performing of that Promise to you and endeavouring to be Serious in having this for your task and work ye shal find it made good for you and to you Jeremiah 50. Vers 5. Come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetuall Covenant that shall noâ— be forgotten SERMON IV. IT is a most desirable designe and worthy to be driven vigourously by us all to the prosecution whereof it would very well become us to stir up and rouze our selves and one another according to the Laudable Practice of these here mentioned even to hasten towards a closure of the Covenant of Grace betwixt God and us to have it sounding loud in our ears and to have it as the Language of our hearts whetted to an edge in pursuit of the thing Come let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a perpetual Covenant that shall never be forgotten It should be the great work and business of a Communion-Sabbath in a speciall manner as it is our professed designe this day to close and make sure this Covenant and blessed bond betwixt the Lord and us Having spoken somewhat formerly at several occasions to these sweet words I shall not now trouble â—ou either with the division or explication of them but shall instantly propose Six or Seven Observations from them and then speak a word to the scope and to the Application of them in the close and though it be but a short word from each of them that we have to speak yet they will be found to be very Concerning to us and therefore we would take the more exact notice of them The First Observation then is that There is such a thing as distinct Covenanting or mutuall engaging in Covenant betwixt God and a poor sinner This is clearly holden out in these words as their Scope It were to no Purpose for them to say Come and let us Join our selves to the Lord in a Covenant if there were not such a thing as a Covenant union of God and sinners The Scripture is full to this Purpose and the treatie of ordinances is kept up for this end as we have it Isaiah 55.1 2 3. Ho every one that thirsts come to the waters c. Incline your ear and come unto me Hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covevenant with you even the sure mercies of David This is the Scope that the Ordinances aim at In Prosecuting of this a little further we shall First Explicat what covenanting is in generall Secondly What this covenanting with God is 1. In respect of the parties 2. In respect of the terms thereof And 3. In respect of the ground on which it is founded And Thirdly To the form of this Covenanting First then Covenanting in generall may be cleared from what-Covenanting among men is Which is a mutuall engaging of two parties on Mutuall terms the one Party offering such
a thing on such terms and conditions the other partie accepting on those terms and Conditions On which the offer is made as we see in a contract of Marriage the man engageth to be the Womans on condition that she be his and she engageth to be his wife as he engageth to be her husband and each engageth to perform suitable duties to the other And we make use of this the rather that the Scripture alludeth to it in this matter Secondly We are to consider Covenanting as it is betwixt God and a sinner for we are not now speaking of the Covenant of works betwixt God and Adam wherein there was made an offer and Promise of life upon condition of Perfect Obedience So that if he did that which was Commanded him he should live but we are now speaking of Gods Covenanting with a sinner for that is the Covenant spoken of here It is indeed a great wonder that ever there should have been a Covenant betwixt God and a Creature But a greater wonder that there should be a Covenant betwixt him and a sinfull creature whatever is spoken in Scripture of the Covenant of Grace belongs to this Covenant First The Parties in this Covenant are God and the sinner Gods Creature but a sinfull creature It 's the Lord Jehovah and we the house of Israel and we the house of Judah Secondly The terms of the Covenant are not Do this and live though the Promise be the same for it's life that is offered yet it 's not on the same terms for though the life be as good as that which was promised to Adam yet the terms are far better The substance of this Covenant we have set down Jer. 30.31 32 33. and cited Heb. 8.10 11 12. unto which this same invitation doth here relate I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant that I made with their Fathers But this shall be it I will write my law in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my People c. And Come say they here and let us join in it His engagement is to be their God and their engagement is to be his people and the terms follow which are on Gods part free forgiveness of sins through the Righteousness of Christ imputed to them thorow whom they are accepted as if there had never been a quarrel And on their Part by faith to take hold of him and of the Pardon of sin which separated betwixt him and them through Jesus Christ as he offered to them Therefore Rom. 10.6 It 's calleâ— the Righteousness of Faith opposed to the Righteousneâ—â— of the Law spoken of befo e and what saith it saith not who shall go up to Heaven nor who shall dâ—scend into the depth But the word is nigh thee even iâ— thy mouth and in thy heart that is the righteousness Faith which we preach that if thou shalt confesse wiâ—â— thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy hearâ— that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saveâ— That is if ye make suitable use of Christ for your Feaâ— with God and give up your selves to him to be 〈◊〉 Servants ye shall get peace and Pardon of sin here aâ—â— Eâ—ernal life and Salvation hereafter These in short aâ— the terms on which God offereth himself to sinneâ— Thirdly The Ground of this and how it comes to paâ—â— thaâ— such a Covenant is accessible is the Mediators iâ—terposing in a Covenant of Redemption with the fathâ— concerning elect sinners wherein he hath procured thâ— Covenant of Grace betwixt God and sinners by 〈◊〉 Performing the condition required of him in that Câ—venant for this Covenant of Grace and Reconciliatiâ—â— is nothing else but the result of the Covenant of Râ—demption and the execution thereof we had never 〈◊〉 ground to say that there is a way laid down for 〈◊〉 peace with God except there had been a Covenanâ— Redemption betwixt him and the Mediator wherâ— the Mediator undertook to satisfie Justice for the sins the Elect by bearing their iniquities and hath the Pâ—â—mise of being Satisfied for the travel of his Soul by seeing of a seed and by his Justifieing many thorow Faâ—â— in him as it is Isaiah 53.11 This gives the rise to tâ— Covenant of Grace betwixt God and sinners and theâ—â—fore these two are put together Isaiah 55.3 Inoâ—â— your ear come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David That is the sure mercies of the Messiah the assignation whereof even of the Purchase of Redemption made by him is by Covenant made over to the Believer in him and therefore when we speak of this Covenant it alwayes supposeth implieth Christ who Isaiah 42 6. Is called the Covenant because he is given for the ground of Covenanting betwixt God and sinners it being by him and in him that God and sinners meet there being a gulf as it were betwixt sinners and God he hath made himself the bridge on which sinners may come over and meet with God and the Covenant brings us to Christ as under the Law Christ was typed out by the Mercy seat and the Arke wherein the law was put to shew the linking together of Christ and the Covenant the efficacie of the Covenant flowing from Christ and the Covenant giving us a title to Christ and making Christ accessible to us It layes as it were a Bridge to us to step on and makes an open door to us to enter in by on Christ and by Christ to the Holie of Holies thorow the vail which is his flesh Thirdly As for the Form of this Covenanting it is as in other Contracts God making the offer and the person accepting it Gods offer is in the word of the Gospel wherein he saith Come and I will made a Covenant with you as the Apostle hath it Rom. 10. The word is near thee even in thy Heart and in thy mouth and the Sum of it is If ye Believe in Jesus Christ ye shall be saved the proposing whereof in the Gospel is the laying of Gods offer before you and it 's as really Gods offer as if audibly he were speaking to you from Heaven as he once spake the Law on Mount Sinai It being his Authority by which Ministers are sent treat close this Covenant with you As it is 2 Câ— 5. We are ambassadors for Christ as if God were beseecâ—ing you by us we pray you in Christs stead be ye recoâ—ciled to God That is be friends with him by enteriâ—â— in Covenant with him and he sheweth us the grouâ—â— of it For he who knew no sin was made sin for us tâ— we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Goâ— offer is I am Conâ—ent to be thy God and to make 〈◊〉 that is mine forthcoming to thee for thy good upoâ— condition thou quit thy
own righteousness and betaâ—â— thee to my Son the mediator for righteousness and lifâ— The sinners Covenanting is his formal and distinct 〈◊〉 least his reall consenting to that offer on these term saying with his very heart I am content to have God 〈◊〉 be my God not by vertue of any thing in my self bâ— by vertue of Christs satisfaction which hath procurâ— access to sinners for peace and Reconciliation with Goâ— and this is called a Submitting to Christs Righteousnesâ— So then there is a devoting of the Soul to God a hearâ— consenting to give it self away to him to be saved aâ— Sanctified to live to him and to his Honour as iâ— Isaiah 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and anothâ—â— shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shâ— Subscribe with his hand unto the Lord As if it were saiâ— whose are you and the person should say I am God for as plainly and distinctly at least as really and solâ—ly a person wrought upon by Gods Spirit gives 〈◊〉 Answer and return to Gods offer in his Covenant aâ—â— resignes himself to God as if Paper were laid down bâ—fore him and he should subscribe his Name with 〈◊〉 hand to be Gods There is an obligation really takâ— on and a consent plainly given the person with â—very heart Subscribing the Contract which 2 Chrâ— 30 8. is called a yeelding or giving the hand to God He cometh with stretched out armes in the Gospel and saith Man or woman who findest thy self lost close with me in my Son Christ and thou shalt be saved and our consenting is our hearts catching hold of that word and yeelding to him as one striking hands with another with whom he hath before been at odds variance in signe of his being content and satisfied to be reconciled to him and of his being so in very deed The Second Observation is That This covenanting wiâ—h God hath with it or in it a near union and Conjunction with the Lord. Let us say they Join our selves to the Lord in a perpetuaâ—l Covenant the word â—o ning hath in it a speciall Emphasis being such as is used to set out the conjunction that is betwixt the Husband and Wife for this cause saith the Lord shall a man leave Father and Mother and cleave to his wife and so the wife cleaveth to her husband Thus the word is Gen. 29.34 Now shall my Husband be joined to me therefore she called his name Levi which flowes from this root Added or Joined In prosecuting this point a litle we would speak shortly 1. To the nature of this Union 2. To the properties of it First As to it's Nature we would consider that there is 1. A legall union wherein by contract and bond there is a transferring of the interest of one Partie to another which is here for God becomes the sinners God and the sinner becomes Gods own as his portion and Property Even as in marriage the Husband is the wifes and the wife is the Husbands and the Relation stands though they should be in Severall Kingdomes 2. There is a Mysticall union which is spirituall and more Mysterious wherbey God becometh one with Covenanting sinners and they become one with him God by his Spirit dwelling in the Covenanter and the Covenanter dwelling by faith in God which floweth from the former mutually transferred right or legall union and followeth on it In which respect it 's said 1 Cor. 6 17. He that is Joyned to the Lord is one spirit He is Gods Temple and God by his Spirit dwels in him by this one spi it is meant a Spirituall conjunction Union or Communion whereby God takes hold really of the Soul by his Spirit and the Soul takes a reall hold of God by Faith they do mutually embrace each other as the Husband doth the wife by vertue of their Union 3. This Union implyeth a nearness a friendliness an intimacy and familiarity and it is opposed to distance and estrangement from God The Covenant really entered into is like a bond to keep the believer near God glued as it were and straitly join'd to him or it is a cementing with God to speak so By this Covenant God and sinners are made near and knit to one another and kept from ever Separating There is such a near and strait Union betwixt Christ and Believers as is betwixt the foundation or corner-stone and the house yea as is betwixt the vine and the branches Ephes 2. John 15. Secondly As for the Properties of this Union by Covenant a few of which we shall only now touch at not having access to inlarge as this Subject by it self would require 1. It is with the Lord himself not with any benefit common gift or Grace or Mercie these foâ—low the union with himself the Covenanter becomes one Spirit with him as is said and saith the Apostle Ephes 5. we are flesh of his fl sh and bâ—ne of his bonâ— 2. This Union is in and through Christ by whom it is made up he being the Temple and Tabernacle or meeting place wherein we meet with God So that we are not anxiously to enquire nor curiously to dispute here how our union with God and with the Mediator do differ we unite with God in him and upon the Grounds of his Redemption in which respect our union with God is more Mediat 3. This Union is very friendly most firm and indissoluble It 's a wonderfull near and sure Union It is an inexpressible union and therefore we must here give over speaking further to it only looking to a word of it John 17.21 23. in the 21. vers saith our Lord That they all may be one as thou father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us It 's such an union by the Believers being in God and in the Mediator as is that whereby God and the Mediator are one though no parity is here to be understood but a resemblance only and vers 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made Perfect in one I in them here the union is most Immediat and thou in me there the Union is more mediat viz. by Gods being in the Mediator dwelling in the Believer and the Believers dwelling in God the fulness of the God-head being in the mediator by his meeting with God through faith in the Mediator and indeed were there no more but this It saith that this Covenant is a good bargain The third Observation is that Union with the Lord by this Covenant is accessible to a run-away Sinner that hath perverted his way upon his coming aright to close with him therein on the terms of it Who are those coming here to Join in Covenant with the Lord It is even those spoken of Jerem. 3.6 7. Back-sliding Children Treacherous dealers who are bidden return and he will heal their back-slidings which could not be if this Covenant were not accessible to sinners nay let me say there
is scarce any sort of sin but the Lord out faceth it in his Covenant as we may see Jer. 3. where the Lord saith Thou hast played the harlot with many lovers thou hast spoken aâ—d one evil as thou could'st yet wilt thou not from this time cry unto me my Father If we look to the grosness of sin were it like Scarlet or Crimson Isaiah 1.18 It shall be made white like Snow and wooll if ye be willing and obedient saith the Lord to close a Covenant with me ye shall eat the good of the Land In the propounding of the Covenant he will take away that exception of the grosness of sin which might stand in the sinners way were it even rotten Hypocrisy detestable indifferency and luk-warmness in the matters of God putting the Person in hazard to be spewed out of Christs Mouth yet he saith even to such if they will indeed take his counsell and be content to have their deadly evils removed and their wants supplied I counsel thee to come and buy of me Eye-salve Gold and Garments and Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any man will open the door I will come in to him and Sup with him and he with me Only take this word of Advertisment here and then I shall clear and confirm the Doctrine further when then we speak of sinners access to God by this Covenant we mean that there is access only on Condition they take with their faults and come weeping heart-broken and someway suitably affected with their sin these only are the persons that may comfortably expect this accesse he seeks after such though he will find none such till he make them such For further clearing and confirming of it then we would consider these Four things 1. Gods end in the Covenant which will make out this that there must be access to a run-away sinner by this Covenant to union with God when he comes home to him in the way of Repentance and Believing because his end in the Covenant is to save Sinners often spoken of to Justifie the ungodly Rom. 4.5 To dwell with Rebels Psal 68.18 To get a Name and a Praise to himself of being gracious as it cannot admit of nor let in a sinner but on this Condition So it cannot but accept of a sinner having this condition 2. We would consider Gods contrivance of the covenant in making it suitable to such an end so as it may make the Riches of his Grace to shine and may be effectuall for the gaining of Souls and therefore 2 Sam. 23.5 It is said in this respect to be ordered in all things and sure and Jere. 31.33 compared with Heb. 8. The substance of it is set down compended in a few words I will Pardon their iniquity and remember their sin no more c. 3. We would consider the administration of the Covenant It 's not in an immediat way as that first Covenant made with Adam was wherein there was no mediator neither was there need of any but it is in a mediat way by a suretie and Mediator who hath taken on and engaged for the debt of the Covenanting sinner and hath under taken for his thorow-bearing now why is this administration and dispensation But because the Principall debtor is a bankerout and not able to Satisfie for himself therefore he hath access to come and get Pardon and to be friends with God thorow the Mediator 4. We would consider all the Properties of the Covenant especially the freeness of it and we will find that they speak out this It 's a Covenant of Sure Mercies Isaiah 55.3 And all the Promises and Articles of it respect sinners and hold forth this that there is a way laid down how a sinner at feud with God may get this Union made up by Covenanting wiâ—h him The fourth Observation is that Covenanting with God is a very short cut for the quieting peace and happiness of a treacherous back sliding sinner Therefore when these People here spoken of are in their Holy heat and warmness stirred up under the conviction and sense of their guilt as the short cut to come to peace and a happy condition they say Come and let us Joyn our selves to the Lord in a Perpetuall Covenant It 's the accepting of Gods offer and being content to be his on the account of Christs righteousness that they Propose to themselves as the ground of their calme quietness and happiness This Observation implies these Three things First That Covenanting with God doth fully make the Covenanter happie though formerly he hath been a miserable sinner and O! This is a good bargain that makes a sinner compleatly happy It makes him to say Whom have I in heaven but thee and there is none upon the earth that I desire beside thee Psal 73. I shall name a few Scriptures to shew the full happiness of a sinner that enters in this Covenant The first whereof is 2 Sam. 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant well ordered in all things and sure and this is all my Salvation and all my desire It 's mensura Voti even all that heart can wish and these words being considered as David the sweet singer of Israel his last words when he is a dieing they clearly imply a commendation of this Covenant as full for the happiness of a sinner Another passage is Revel 21.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things How is that even thus I will be his God and he shall be my Son that is in substance I will declare my self to be in Covenant with him This is the compend of the compleat happiness of Glorified Saints in heaven and the begun happiness of Believers of Sojourning Saints here on earth in a less measure and lower degree for in Heaven God will be all and in all and is not this a good bargain good to sinners which commends it the more A Third Place is Rom. 8. Where it 's told us that nothing can be laid to their Charge But it 's answered in this Covenant They have a Cautioner to pay their debt and to strengthen them for their dutie I will saith he be their God and they shal be my People I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me I will pardon their iniquities all bygones and heal their back-slidings they shall not get leave to go from me would ye be pliable and yeelding to Gods Covenant I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and a new heart will I give unto them and will cause them to walk in my Statuts and to do them Secondly The Doctrine implies as it is a full Covenant or makes the Covenanter fully happy So it makes him sickerly surely happy 2 Sam. 25.5 It 's a Covenant well ordered in all things and sure who ever by Faith betake themselves to Christs righteousness and
Faith and how to get your selves given up and awaâ— to him because in this Covenant as I shewed before there is a Mutuâ—ll engaging God offers himself and all that is in him to be ours and to be made forth câ—ming for our good and we by Faith close wiâ—h the offer and give up our selves to him to be at his dispose have ye any serious thoughts of this But your selves to it and we in the Name of the Lord put you to it for we cannot well proceed any further till ye be at some point in this are ye in earnest Is this your errand in being here to day If not why are ye come hither Is it to see how the day goeth or is it only to get your Communion as ye use to speak Alace what 's that It 's to Covenant with God and ere ye depart this Place to put it to a point that it may be a closed bargain that should be your errand And therefore in the Second Place we tell you that the great God is content to Covenant with poor fectless and sinfull Câ—eatures whereat ye may wonder and say Is it so in very deed that God will dwell with men on earth Will he indeed Covenant with men with sinfull men with Treacherous dealing men with backsliders Yea we tell you that it is so he is content to be your God and that ye possess all things in him content to pardon you all your sins to give you Grace and Glory even every good thing to enter you heirs to a Kingdome and on good and easie terms to do it freely without Money and without Price If ye be but indeed content to accept of His offer on his easie and very reasonable terms and may not your very hearts laugh within you at the hearing of the glad tydings of this Covenant and that God is yet content to make it up with you O how sappie and Massie is this and that is a very sweet word to this Purpose which we have Psal â—7 6. God even our own God shall bless us which may make the Believer smile This relation of our own maketh the blessing double and it flows from this formal aâ— least real Covenanting and union with God and the Believer hath a right to this and all things He hath here an offer and another sort of right then he hath to his house and land or cloths it 's aright to God that giveth a right to these things I mean a Spirituall right for we speak not now of that which is civill let us therefore stay our selves and wonder and be stirred and affected with it that the infinit and alsufficient God is content to make this good bargain and even now to make it with us Sinners even with insignificant and unworthy us Thirdly We make Proclamation of this bargain to you and avouch that there is Salvation offered to sinners and to be had through Jesus Christ the Lord alloweth and warranteth us to make this Proclamation as well as he did Jeremiah when he saith to him Chap. 3.12 Go and Proclaim these words towards the North return thou back-sliding Israel and I will not cause mine anger to fall upon thee for I am merciful saith the Lord and will not keep anger for ever He alloweth nay he Peremptorily Commandeth that ye should be put to it and therefore when we have laid the Covenant before you what say ye to it what will ye do We must have an answer from you ye have his word and Oath for confirmation of it O Believe and take hold of it and ye shall get the seal from us as his Commissioners who treat with you according to our Commission in his Name And here we must be particular and be ye particular with your selves take and receive what we say to you with a warrant as the word of the Lord for it is no less his Word now then it was when Jeremiah and the other Prophets spoke it when the Apostles spoke it yea When Christ spake it himself It 's the same Covenant and the same word that this day is preached to you The Lord cals us to stir up our selves and to say in good earnest Come let us joyn our selves to him in a Perpetuall Covenant 1. The party inviting is the Lord Jehovah in the Mediator and sure he is a most yea the most excellent Party thy maker saith he Isai 54.8 is thy Husband 2. There are in this Covenant excellent Promises God is content to be your God and to take you for his people and Spouse to Pardon your iniquity to heal your back-slidings to Sanctifie and save you and to make you eternally happy and are not these desirable 3. It calls you to give your selves up to him and indeed it is very reasonable that if the husband give himself to the wife she should give her self to him Are ye then content to treat with God in the Mediator and to be his on his own terms It is good to meet and treat with God in him Have ye any ground to except against this Doth it please or displease you say to it tell your mind For I declare to you that if ye get him to be yours you must needs be his I fear many of you stand and stick at this notwithstanding the high reasonableness of it is this think ye an evil disadvantagious or Prejudicial exchange whether is it better that the one and only true God reign over you then that Sathan and a multitude of strange Lords your Lusts taking the Throne as it were by turns should reigne over you It 's both sad and stupendious that ever this should be suffered once to come in question or debate and yet Alace it's this or some thing like this at which it will stand either ye will not take God for your God or ye will not give your selves to him to be his People on his own very reasonable and easie terms and I trow ye will make no better I would therefore yet again put you to it for it 's the very thing that ye are called to the great business of the day and it 's come even to the shock And therefore labour to be at a point whether ye will close with him or not If ye will sincerely say we take the Lord to be our God and give our selves to him to be his People and servants then we say to you and assure you in his Name that this Cup that by and by ye are to drink shall be according to his warrant The new Covenant in his Blood And to press you to the thing let me but Ask you a few Questions 1. Is there not need of Covenanting with God Are there not many sins on your score Is there not a quarrell betwixt God and you Is not this bargain meet and suitable for you which holds out remission of sins and peace with God are ye not urgently called to it And what ground of challenge will it be think
away and this we conceive to be their meaning 1. Because to forget the Covenant in Scripture is to deal falsly in it and to forget the Covenant and to break it are the same 2. Because it is as we take it opposed to their fear of false dealing in the Covenant as if they had said we were once in Covenant with God but we did deal falsly in it and forget it Let us now therefore Join our selves in a perpetual Covenant never to be forgotten Let it be a constant and standing a lasting even an everlasting bargain This being the meaning of the Words we shalâ— speak to Four Observations from them the Substance whereof ye have heard touched on already and these are First That The great hazard which a People Covenanting wiâ—h God are in is to slip and slide froâ— their tye and engagement to him and to forget the Covenant The Second Is That The great evâ—dence of right entring in Covenant with God iâ— to be serious and much concerned in keeping of it even as much as in entring into it The Third is That The great designe and dutie of a Covenanter with God is never to forget the Covenant but freshly to remember it So as to be answerable to it in Practice The Fourth is That The great mean whereby this designe is got prosecuted and this duty pe formed is adhering and cleaving to God accorâ—ing to the Covenant Let us say they Join to the Lord in a Covenant In this respect adhering to him in it is the mean to keep Covenant So as we may never fall from it The First Observation then is that The great hazard that a People Covonanting with God aâ—e in is to slip and fall from their engagment to him or There is such a Covenanting with God as people may soon forget and fall from a Temporary and unsiker Covenanting that holds not A perpetuall Covenant never to be forgotten Supposeth that there is a sort of Covenanting that slips like a knotless thread to speak so and abides not This is sadly verified in the experience of many common professors of Religion and often even of the Godly themselves in a measure Even now there will be a bargaining with God and within a litle they will forget it Peter saith Though all should forsake thee yet will not I And yet within a very litle he is found sleeping and that same night denies and forswears his Master so Deut. 5. the People say all that the Lord hath Commanded us we will do and the Lord saith they have well said O that there were such a hâ—art in them and yet within the space of litle more then fourtie days they set up a golden Calf for their God So Psal 78.34 35 36 37. When he slew them then they sought him they retuâ—ned and enquired early after God they remembred that God was their Rock and the most High their Redeemer but they did flatter him with their mouth and lied unto him with their Tongue for their hearts were not riâ—ht with God neither were they stedfast in his Covenant they abode not by the mint and essay which they made But I think this is beyond any need of Proof we rather stand in need to have the impression of it made deep upon our hearts and to go from the work we have been about with Holy fear and jealousie over our selves bespeaking our selves thus what if this engagement we have come under hold not but prove like thâ— hanging down of the head like a Bulrush for a day Serious thoughts of this hazard would thorow Gods blessing further the exercise of watchfulness a great deal more when Carnal Self-Confidence and fearlesness creep on take hold of us we as it were lay aside our Armour foolishly fancying that there is no hazard but that all will be well were there more of this Holy fear there would not be such frequent surprizes have ye not often been surprized and proved unstedfast in Gods Covenant And since ye have so many and clear proofs of the truth of this Doctrine in your own sad experience is there not the greater need of Holy fear and watchfulness The Second Observation is That Those who are sincere and Serious in Covenanting with God will be no less so in keeping of and standing to it Where People are sound and Honest at the heart it will be no less an uptaking work to them how to keep Covenant then it was to get it entered in Therefore these here mentioned have it as one peece of their Seriously uptaking business how to be joined to the Lord in Covenant and another how to get it stood to so as it may be a perpetual one never to be forgotten the Same reasons that prove that there should be or that there is Seriousness in making closing the Covenant will also prove that there should be and will be seriousness in endeavours to keep it for if the Person honestly mind to enjoy the Blessings Covenanted he must and will endeavour to keep and stand to the Covenant If he honestly mind and sincerely desire to be in good terms with God through the Covenant he must and will endeavour to stand to the Terms of the Covenant and breach of Covenant will waken a Challenge If it be a Principle of true saving Grace that puts a person to desire to be under the bond of Gods Covenant that same Principle will make him desire and endeavour to abide under that bond and to keep faithfully to him Thus David saith Psal 119. vers 29.30 I have chosen the way of thy precepts and I have stuck unto thy testimonies There is a choosing of the Covenant and Testimonies and a designe of sticking to them when upon choice closed with The Use of this Point serves for Instruction would ye fain have a mark of your honesty in Covenanting with God Here it is and we know no better mark or evidence to give you then this even to be serious and much concerned in keeping Covenant God will never account that man to be a true Covenanter that will cast his law behind his back The Apostle James Chap. 1. Speaks of two sorts of men that are bearers of the word and be compares the one sort viz. Forgetfull hearers to a man Who beholding his naturall face in a glass goes away and straightway forgets what manner of man he was but the other sort are such Who are noâ— only hearers but doers of the word that man saith he shall be Blessed in his deed It is not the sayer but the doer and the keeper of the words of the Covenant that is blessed as many as Seriously engage to God are put on as we said before with as much seriousness in endeavouring the performance of their engagement as to come under it I speak not of a Perfect performance or fulfilling of engagements without any the least defect that is not to be win at here but of Serious minding and endeavouring
Harvest Secondly The very keeping of Covenant with God is in it self an advantage It hath a great reward in the bosom of it for it puts the Person to love God to delight in him to place its happiness in him to study Holiness and Mortification of Sin and is there not great advantage in these can ye think or say that there is any prejudice in these and such things as these namely to be blameless in your Conversation to be sincere and not a Hypocrite to be serious and not Luk-warm I am perswaded that if ye will but put it seriously to your own Consciences ye will be forced to say that Sincerity in Religion is better then Hypocrisie and stedfastness in Gods Covenant then Treachery and what more do we call for And Therefore let me on this ground and as ye would not come in Tops with your own Consciences beseech you to study Faithfulness in the Covenant Gods Covenant hath a great advantage of the hearers of it and of professed engagers in it even a friend in their bosoms viz. Conscience that will side with it and say that it was a good bargain that the terms were very reasonable that no prejudice could come by it but unspeakably much advantage will tell the man that it would have been his honor and for his profit to have keeped it and to have been faithful in it why then will the Lord say didst thou deal falsly in it and renounce it The wretched mans Conscience will answer that there was no shadow of reason for it it was plain Folly and madness for to keep and do Gods Covenant and Commandment is Peoples wisdom before all Nations Deut. 4. It is a sad matter that when men may have that which is infinitly preferable to what they are so eager in seeking after even true Riches Pleasure and honour Peace that pasteth all naturall understanding Joy unspeakable and full of Glory and every good thing by Covenanting with God and by faithful dealing therein that they should not drive this as their great designe and make it their great work and uptaking business O That there were such a heart in them saith the Lord Deut. 5. That they might fear me and keep my Commandments always that it might be well with them and with their Children for ever Men are ready to say we must provide for our Families and under that Specious pretext they shift this main work but Ah! fools that they are there is no way comparable to this to provide for families and Children even to have themselves and their Children entred into Gods Covenant and made to deal faithfully in it this engageth him to provide for and become tutor unto the Mans Children and is there not great encouragement here to have every good thing bestowed and all carking care and anxietie concerning our selves and Children removed Thirdly We would consider that God is a singular good Party to deal with very tender of them that aim to deal honestly with him he is indeed severe and terrible when he becomes the avenger of a broken Covenant but he is most tender towards honest engagers who sincerely endeavour to keep touches with him he is no rigid interpreter of their actions but is ready to put the best sense on them that they are capable of Like as a Father saith the Psalmist Psal 103. Pitieth his Children so doth the Lord Pitie them that fear him He is a father that will take litle off the hand of his Children when he knows them to have a will to the work when he will not deal so with others all his wayes are mercy and truth to them that keep his Covenant and his Testimonies It 's not meant of such as keep it Perfectly for so they needed not Mercy but of them that honestly designe and endeavour to keep it and may not that encourage to be faithfull in Gods Covenant that he is so easie to please Fourthly Consider that he hath graciously stuffed his Covenant with Promises meet for the thorow-bearing of them that would fain keep Covenant if it be an evil heart that will not love God which troubles them the Promise is I will Circumcise their heart and the hearts of their seed to love the Lord their God Whereas no others who are without the Covenant or deal unfaithfully in it can expect the performance of any such Promise If it be a back sliding heart the Promise is Jer. 3.22 I will heal your back-slydings If it be the fear of departing from God that troubles them the Promise is Jer. 32.40 I will put my fear in their heart that they shall not depart from me If it be the dominion of sin that they fear the Promise is Rom. 6.14 Sin shall not have Dominion over you for ye are not under the Law but und r Grace that is under the Covenant of Grace And if it be fear of the Prevailing of Sathans Tentations that troubles them the Promise is The God of Peace shall bruise Sathan under your feet shortly May we not then take heart to be faithful in this Covenant Yea he hath also condescended to come under this engagement too even to make us forth coming in the Covenant I will call saith the Psalmist Psal 57. Upon the Lord who performeth all thing for me It might have been said to David how wilt thou get all done that thou hast undertaken He answers I will call upon him who performeth all things for me And so I will get them all done and Performed so as I may hope to be accepted on the Mediators account and for his sake Fifthly Consider the Mediator of the Covenant who is surety and Cautioner not only for believers debt But also for their duty Therefore he is called Heb. 7. The surety of this better Covenant and when Christ and we are engaged in one bond there is ground for us to expect that something will be got done tho the principal debtor be not much worth yet the Cautioner is Worthy and infinitly responsible Sixthly Consider that there are already many who have passed thorow the troublesome Sea of this world and have been Marvellously helped and it 's but a litle and all you honest engagers to the Lord will be thorow the same Sea and fairly set on Land your warfare ere long will be at an end the prize will be got without any more fighting what is your fighting sighing and walking heavily clothed as it were in mourning for a litle time It 's but for a few years and it may be to some of you not so long and within a litle space The day of refreshing from the presence of the Lord will come a relieving of you from your post a loosing of you from your bonds a final discharge from your warfare will come and a new song will be put in your mouths and Palmes in your hands O but faithfull dealing with God in the Covenant will have a heartsome outgate when ye shall
That was broken for you Open your mouth wide and I will fill it I will be thy God That is the comprehensive Article of the Covenant and the great Gift the Gift of gifts and we may very safely say that as he could not swear by a greater then himself So he could not give a greater giâ—t then himself would God there were suitable conceptions and apprehensions of this non-such Gift and that he in whom the fulness of the God head dwels bodily were looked upon as being thus in our offer and were Cordially closed with by Faith that 's a great word which we have Revel 20.7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things and how is it performed and fulfilled I will be his God this is all and without this there is nothing Fourthly Having this Gift is there any thing that can be added the Text says Heaven not that Heaven is more then Christ but this is it that Christ enjoyed in Heaven is more then Christ enjoyed here on earth I will drink it new with you saith he in my Fathers Kingdom The floud gates are there as it were opened and the heart enlarged and made capacious to let in the fulness of God to the filling of the Glorified Believer even to the very brim Therefore is Communion with Christ said to be Now in Heaven We may have Christ here and Believers have him but this is an addition when we have our husband not only in right but have access Immediatly and most intimatly to converse with him and he to converse with us When the Queen shall be brought unto the King in Raiment of needle work and takâ—n into the Kings Palace with gladness and with joy and the Virgins her Companions with her When there shall be a putting of unbelief to shame and an Eternal Banishment of it and a Compleating of Believers Satisfaction the eye of the most profoundly exercised and experienced Believers never saw their ear never heard neither were they ever able to conceive the thousand part of these abundant consolations and heart ravishing joys that shall flow from the Presence of the Lamb and of him that sitteth on the Throne When there shall be no interveening Ordinances nor Temple in that higher House but the Lamb shall be the light thereof and yet all this is offered to sinners and put in Christs Testament to them to the end it may be made sure And Lastly As all these other things do Concurr to make out the excellency of the Bargain So doth this in a special manner that the price is payed that they have nothing to lay down but may come and take all freely without money and without price Secondly For furthering and strengthening the consolation ye would consider that the Believer who receives Christ as he is offered in the Gospel though he be a sinner yet he hath a most sufficient excellent and unquestionable security for and right unto all these good things that our dieing Lord Jesus hath comprehended in his Testament Believing sinners what security would ye have ye have Christs word I say unto you c. Ye have Christs Covenant and Testament This is the Cup of the New Testament in my Blood and now the Testament is Confirmed and Sealed so that neither man nor Angel can annull nor alter it Our Lords Testament being Sealed it stands legally registred in the Court Books of Heaven and it stands legal on these terms that a sinner who takes with his sin disclaims his own righteousness and betakes himself to Christs Righteousness putting it in the room of his own for his Justification before God may be sure of Christs legacy and of Heaven as it 's sure that Christ suffered and Instituted this Sacrament for his Confirmation in the Faith of it the accepting of Christ the submitting to his righteousness the yeelding to the Covenant and closing with him on his own terms gives him a right to Heaven and all the Riches contained in his Testament To make out this as being the very thing of the Comfortable Application of all that hath been said and of what we are further to say I shall offer these four grounds The First whereof is some clear Scriptures that hold forth so much viz. That as really they shall have life who rake Christ and his offer and close with him as he really suffered and Satisfied the Justice of God for their sins The First of these Scriptures is Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him He is an able Saviour able to the uttermost and there is not a point of Latitude longitude or altitude beyond the uttermost He is able to save them all and what all All that will come and make use of him and give him the credit of his Offices all that will come unto God by him A Second is Rom. 5 20. Where the Apostle out-reasons sin for holding forth the triumph of free-Grace Where sin abounded saith he Grace did much more abound That as sin hath reigned unto death Even so and indeed it is an excellent So might Grace Reigne through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord though we would endeavour to our utmost to unfold these words we could not unfold all that is infolded in them did sin make sinners lyable to death and Triumph over them So Grace hath erected a Throne by Christs Righteousness not by inherent Holiness and hath Triumphed over sin the way how Grace gives out its orders and obtains its end Is not by our Righteousness but by the Righteousness of Christ through Faith in him Justice to speak with reverence is off the Throne and Grace orders and sways all in making Application of Christs Purchased Righteousness to believers The Third Scripture is Acts 13.38 Be it known unto you therefore Men and Brethâ—en that through this man is preached unto you the forgivenness of sins and vers 26. To you is the word of this Salvation sent O glad tidings to the greatest sinners Thorow the man Christ is Preached to you Remission of sins and by him all that Believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses What are ye owing Or what can the Law Justice or Satan claime ye are Justified from all these things and when he speaks thus to despisers with a Be it known unto you That the offer is made to them we may on good ground turn it over to you and say Be it known unto you that thorow Christ Jesus ye may have Remission of sins and be Justified from all things from which ye could not be Justified by the Law of Moses According to the terms of the Covenant Let your libell be as long as it will Grace is on the Throne and will receive you Secondly Consider that the great designe which the Lord drives in the business of Redemption and publishing of it in the Gospel Is that Remission of sins and
Life may be made sure to lost Sinners that came to Christ Why I pray was the Covenant made was it not for this end As it is Heb. 8. This is my Covenant saith the Lord that I will make with the house of Israel I will be Merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and Iniquities will I remember no more no more O sweet sound What is the designe of the Mediator in his Sufferings Is it not this So John 10.10 I am come that they might have Life and have it more abundantly and John 17. For their sakes I Sanctifie my self that they also may be Sanctified and here the new Covenant in his Blood is for the Remission of the sins of many and this being the mean for attaining the end It is Impossible that it can misgive or fail Thirdly Consider the Contrivance of the Covenant and ye will see that it is impossible it can fall Heaven and Earth shall sooner fail then one Title of this sworn and confirmed Covenant It cannot fail on the Mediators side for he hath Payed the price already Neither can it fail on Jehovahs side He will not fail to make Application of Grace to sinners nor be unfaithful to the Faithfull Mediator And since upon the one side Justice had access to exact of Christ the full price even to the least farthing by vertue of the Covenant of Redemption when he became surety will not the same Covenant on the other side make it out that Grace shall have as good access to Pardon the sinner for whom be undertook For he saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 5. was made sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him If the Covenant which is one hath had the designed effect in and on the Mediator as to his fulfilling all that was undertaken by him therein shall not the Promises made to him as namely these Isaiah 53.10.11 He shall see his seed the Pleasure of the Lord shall Prosper in his hand by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many take effect and be fulfilled Doubtless they will most certainly and infrustrably Fourthly Consider the great experience which the Saints have had of the truth of this in all ages are there any this day before the Throne Blessing the Lamb and him that sits thereon or any that are on their way thither ward But they are so many wiâ—nesses of this Truth that closing with Christ hath good Security for Remission of sins and for Eternal life There shall never be one who shall have it to say I trusted to this security and it failed me and hereupon riseth the sweet Song Worthy is the Lamb to receive Power and Riches and Wisdome and Strength and Honour and Glory and Blessing Revel 5.12 Nay even those in the Pit shall bear witness to this truth for saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 2.15 We are unto God a sweet Savour in them that are saved and in them that Perish to the one we are the Savour of Death unto death and to the other the Savour of Life unto life And in the preceeding words he saith Thanks be to God which alwayes causeth us to triumph in Christ He maketh the Triumph of the Faithfull Ministers of the Gospel some way to be in them that are damned by his taking Vengeance on them for despising His Grace offered and they are made to see that it was a sure bargain to them that through Grace embraced it And it this be so Good a bargain to them that embrace it and so very siker and sure What I pray are we seeking But that this good bargain and the sufficient security thereof may be taken hold on as it is proposed alter not the terms of it and indeed it would be very unreasonable to presume to do so or so much as to desire an alteration of them for though we had them at our own contriving We could never by very fat contrive them so well Nay let me say if Angels were Preaching to you they would think it a Priviledge to have access to mention His precious Name Now seeing it is the Great designe of the Gospel to have sinners closing with Christ on his own Terms O do not frustrat the Grace of God And seeing Grace makes offer of Life Life and of Remission of sins to sinners to save them freely let Grace get such sinners to save as it 's seeking and it shall be a bargain Thirdly To prosecute this yet a litle further ye would consider that as there is a good bargain to be had thorow Christ and by Faith in him and as there is good security for it so it is our Lords delight and good Pleasure and he is very desirous that sinners should make Application of it by Faith receive and rest on him and his righteousness for making themselves eternally Happy We are not speaking of such a Happiness and security that the Lord will be angry at you if ye take hold of it but of a happiness and security that he is seriously willing ye should receive And he doth most earnestly beseech you to take hold of this Covenant on these Sweet and easy terms that ye be Heartily content and well Pleased with it O sensible sinners do ye indeed believe this when we Preach to you that our Lord Jesus is as desirous to have you saved as ye are and that his righteousness be closed with as ye are to have it Nay more that there was never a Soul more hungry and greedy when with a heart chock-full of desires after it to Communicat then he is seriously willing to admit such a Soul to Commonion with him Then as ye would do him a Pleasure and it 's all that ye can do keep not a distance but step to and take what he Offers not only the Sacrament but himself in it for your head Husband and Lord and that ye may not Scare-stand nor halt to do so Consider that there is not only a warrant to come but that he calleth you to come and is ready heartily to welcome you come on his call and his call is no less broad then the call of the Gospel there is a warrant given you on your hearing of the Gospel and quiting of your own righteousness to receive Christ and his Righteousness and to admit of him to the exercise of his offices about you according to the Covenant And indeed we know not a truth of the Gospel that hath mo confirmations then this hath viz. That Christ the Mediator is very willing and desirous that sinners close with him and get the good of his Purchase For the making out of which take these following Considerations First what is the great designe of the Covenant but this As we have it Isaiah 61 1 2 3. The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because he hath anointed me to Preach good tidings to the meek He hath sent me to bind up the broken hearted to
Proclaim liberty to the Captives to give to them that mourn beauty for Ashes the Oyl of joy for Mourning and the Garment of Praise for the Spirit of Heaviness and this is called the Proclaiming of the acceptable year of the Lord Wherein all the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity concurr as is clear vers 1. Consider Secondly All his Offices and ye will find that they Preach and Proclaim the same thing his Name is Jesus because He saves his People from their sins He is King Priest and Prophet for this end and what saith his Preaching and Corrospondent Prayer John 17. Father I will that they whom thou hast given me be with me but that he would fain have them there And what shall I say Is there any proof of it that can be given beyond His Death I lay down my life saith he for my sheep The Salvation of lost Elect sinners went very near his heart Therefore when none in Heaven nor on earth can help then saith he Lo I come to do thy will O my God Thirdly Consider with what Pleasure and delight he went about the work of Redemption As is very clear in that 40th Psalm where he heartsomly saith Lo I come I delight to do thy will I even hasten to undertake it And when he is come he saith John 4.34 It is my meat to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work and what work was that Even to lay down his Life to gather the lost sheep of the house of Israel to take away the seud that was betwixt God and them and to Reconcile them to him and when it cometh to the very push of actuall laying down his life He will not open his month to divert it though he might have commanded more then twelve Legions of Angels yet he would not do it for this cause saith he Came I into this World Fourthely Consider the end of all the Ordinances wherefore are they instituted what saith the word but that Thorow this man is preached unto you forgiveness of sins What say Ministers but that We are Ambassadours in Christ stead beseching you to be Reconciled unto God Which evidenceth Plainly that Christ would fain to speak so have peace made betwixt God and sinners and them saved and what saith the Sacrament but even the words of the Text This is the new Covenant in my Blood shed for the Remission of the sins of many And can we think on the end of these Ordinances but we must also think on Christs willingness that sinners should make Application of him and of his Purchase Fifthly Consider further How he esteems of a sinners coming to him There is saith he Joy in Heaven at the Conversion of a sinner We may say that it is the gladness of his heart when any sinner cometh home to him Therefore it is said that the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand and he shall see of the travel of his soul and be Satisfied Isaiah 53.10 11. It is Satisfaction to him for all the Travel of his Soul to see sinners coming in and getting good of him and in the Song He is said to feed in the Gardens and to be gathering lilies Yea that the day of Souls being espoused to him is the day of the gladness of his heart Sixthly Consider how weighted to speak so with reverence to him our Lord is when sinners will not make use of him it 's accounted by him as it were an affronting of him Even a troading of the Blood of the Covenant under foot and an accounting of it to be an unholy thing a sort and degree of doing despight to the Spirit of Grace He who could look sometimes on the wrath of God and not shed a tear yet when he came to Jerusalem weeped over it And upon the other hand O! what complacency hath he in a sinners coming home to him which makes him sweetly smile and rejoice Seventhly Consider his exceeding great forbearance toward sinners while they are straying and his exceeding heartie welcoming of them when they return Let an inquest to say so be led on his Procedure with all the hearers of the Gospel that are here on earth and with all that are in Heaven and hell and all of them will be constrained to subscribe to the truth of this that he is full of long-suffering Doth he not spare even the vessels of wrath fitted to distruction And doth He not only spare his own but Pity them as a Father pitieth his Children And that wonderfull wescom of the Father to his Prodigal Son is nothing to Christs welcoming of a repenting sinner being but a dark Resemblance of it He casts not up to him his bygone faults Neither sayes what is this you have done miserable wretch No such word but This is my Son that was dead and is alive that was lost and now is found Believe it O Believe it which is the very scope of the Parable Our Lord Jesus is as glad in a Holy way at a sinners coming home Eightly Consider how easie our Lord is to be pleased with any honest mint or essay that is made of returning to him He is so very willing that a sinner make Application of his Righteousness that where there is reality he will as it were take half a Faith for Faith were it even but like a Smoking flax or bruised Reed or a grain of mustard seed He will take a sincere resolution to confess for the confession of sin which is clear Psalm 32. I said saith David I will confess my Transgression and thou forgavâ—st the Iniquity of my sin If he had proposed the offer of life on such terms as would have wearied us all our dayes we ought to have Judged him willing that we should partake of it for it cost him very dear But when it is not Abrahams Faith only but any Faith how weak so ever if sound that he graciously accepts How doth it set forth his great willingness Him that cometh to me saith he I will in no wise cast out The word is doubled in the Original I will not Not to shew the holy passionatness of our Lords desire and his exceeding great willingness to have sinners closing with him So Isaiah 45. Salvation is promised even to a Look look unto me all the ends of the Earth and be Saved and if sinners cannot well look think but honestly and let their heart yeeld and it shall be a bargain He that is athirst let him come Revel 22. And if there be scarce the pain of Hunger or Thirst The Spirit and the Bride say come and whosoever will let him come and take of the Water of Life freely And this willingness is nothing else but the thought and desire of an heart consenting to accept of his offer Or if this be not litle enough there is less yet Psalm 37.7 Rest in the Lord the word as it is on the Margent and Psal 62.1 is be
would ye have the Covenant and Promises here they are Is it Christ himself that ye would have because ye dare not trust to a promise without a Cautioner Here he is or would ye have Heaven and be Eternally happy It 's also here Consider then I beseech you what is in your Offer dare you say that the security is not valid good and sufficient And if ye should there are many witnesses in Heaven against you and also the Sacrament on Earth which now is offered to confirm you This bargain therefore and its security must be receiv'dr else wo unto you for ever This word which we now Preach Nay these stones shall bear witness against you that our Lord Jesus was willing to save you and every one of you and ye would not And therefore your Blood shall be required at your own hand and He found without any the least Culpable accession to it Thirdly Ye are either to Communicat to day or ye are only to be hearers and Spectators whether the one or the other Is there not a necessity that ye close this bargain If ye be to Communicat will ye take the Bread and wine and misken and slight Christ If so ye will eat and drink your own Damnation would you have the Character of a right Communicant This is it that ye renounce your own and trust to his Righteousness and take the Sacrament for a confirmation of your interest in it If ye come thus ye shal be welcome for this Ordinance is appointed for this very end if ye be not to Communicat this word of the Gospel comes to you though ye have secluded your selves from the Sacrament either thorow Ignorance or scandal It might be a sweet Communion to you If yet Christ get a welcome and it should I assure you in his Name make way to a new communion here or in Heaven But Fourthly I would a litle mote particularly beseech you to consider that ye must either give Christ a welcome or not a yea or a naysay a grant or a denyal for there is no mean or middle This day shall not pass and go by without a hit or a miss to speak so Christ will not knock at your door and nothing follow or be done It will either be that Christ was at such a time ruzed or commended and made offer of and his People would have none of him or that the heart opened as the heart of Lydia unto the Lord and that Salvation came to the Soul as it did to Zacheus his house your time is but short and uncertain Ye know not if ye shall come another Sabbath to hear some that now speak to you and some that hear are dayly removed And this bids you make haste to creep in to him quickly without longer delay while his armes are stretched out to receive and embrace you There are several sorts among you that keep at a distance from Christ but I would have all of you soberly to think whether ye will say Yea or Nay There is here what may silence and satisfy any Soul that thwarts with the call of God Can ye say that there is any better bargain any better security or any heartier call and invitation Let us come and reason together saith the Lord Isaiah 1.18 19 Though your sins be as Crimson they shall be as white as Snow though they be red as Scarlet they shal be as Wooll if ye be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good of the land but if ye refuse and rebel ye shall be destroyed Our Lords Blood is of that efficacy that it can make Crimson and Scarlet-coloured sins white white as Snow and Wooll Why do ye then linger stick stand or halt Ye will it may be Object and say First I would fain come if I durst but Consider I pray you that it 's Christ and the Covenant and Grace on the Throne that call you and this is their voice Thou hast spoken and done evil as thou couldest yet return unto me and therefore fear and tremble yet come fear and bring your sins with you to the Fountain to be washen and to a skirt of his love to be covered thereby and you shall on your coming be cleansed and covered But it may be ye will Next Object and say I would fain come but I cannot come for Answer Let me ask you Is there a Soul in hell this day that can say I would fain have come and could not come That which we seek of you is to make no long tedious or toilsome Voyage if there be honesty it 's only that when Christ is come to you ye will be willing to receive him and if ye thus come ye are Believers Do not I beseech you mistake in thinking and thereby obstructing your own coming that persons must first be Believers and then come to Christ No but first ye must come with the litle glimmering that ye have and â—ame as ye are and it will go with you his Chariot is waiting for you and the very Cripplest of you that cannot come of your selves to Christ if ye be willing to close with him on his own terms He shall come to you But it 's like some will in the Third place Object and say Alace I am very indisposed to come For Answer I shall grant it may indeed be true but yet consider who are invited it 's the Poor Blind Halt Maimed Wretched and Miserable O what unfitness have such and yet none of them are excepted against I would have none to be presumptuous and vain but if indeed ye would fain come ye cannot come so indisposed as the bargain will on that account be cast It will not be the want of a Disposition that shall cast it else the Cripple and Blind and Luke warm Laodiceans had never been invited whether is a suitable disposition of your own making or of Christs Sure it 's of his and can ye expect ought from him without coming to him or Believing in him But Fourthly Some will Object and say Alace I have often come and broken away again How can I then Believe that I am invited For Answer I would desire you to Consider whether that Objection tends Even to question the truth of the Gospel our Lord Jesus saith He came to save sinners and ye say I would fain know if that be true or not if ye be Poor Blind Miserable Naked c. And have need He commands us to invite and call such and it 's the way of unbelief to make them scare at Christ and stand furthest a back from him who have most need to draw near to him if ye have come and broken afterward Come again and where a knot hath not holden cast a new one But alace There is a sort of Careless Atheists and secure Hypocrits whom this Gospel strikes dead and carnall worldlings who have no serious thoughts of what is coming I would pose such and ask you Care ye for your Souls
it and lay your account with it and ye be ready to laugh and give in your taunt gybe and mock with the Prophane against the power of Godliness and the Godly away with your Religion it is not a continuing with Christ in his Temptations This maâ—k puts you to work and such marks are safest To him that over cometh is a word often repeated Rev. 2. and 3. and set always before the Promise of Glory and Communion with Christ in Heaven On such and on such only will Christ write his new Name and set them on His Throne A Second Mark is Ye that do indeed keep Communion with Christ here and war against your lusts without any allowed peace truce or cessation of Armes till ye get them brought down routed and ruined by an entire victory shall partake of this Communion in Glory If ye do not deliberaâ—ly give up with Christ to keep company with Idols ye may have hope but the unbelieving and fearfull that cannot endure to look a Lust nor a tryall for Christ in the face and who it may be are just now wearying of such a day and Sermon and it is even as a prison to them to be restrained so long from worldly businesses and pleasures are utterly excluded from all hope while they remain such Serious Souls will belike here say we are fighting but we come not speed I Answer Let not that discourage you if there be hope to come speed in end continue in the fight and you shall come speed Christ is thy Captain and a Captain of Salvation at whose back none fell so as not to arise A Third Mark is John 17.6.7.8 Where Christ is Praying for the Disciples that they may be admitted to this Communion anâ— saith he I gave them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them The Believer receiveâ— Christs words and keeps them and makes exception against none of them when he takes one word he cast not at another he takes not one piece of the Covenant of Grace and rejects another but universally he approves and accepts of all Christs words and more paâ—ticularly and in a speciall manner of the Command oâ— believing Thus speaks the Psalmist Psal 119.128 I esteem all thy Commandments concerning all things tâ— be right So saith Christ of the Disciples I have given them thy words and they have received them and particularly as if he had said I proposed a special suit to them that they would be friends with thee and be reconciled to thee through Faith in me and they received that word Therefore Glorifie them Ye may Possibly think these marks difficult but would you have a Religion that will put you to no pains Such marks are high and hard indeed to flesh and Blood and to youâ— lusts but what loss is in mortifying these Is it any prejudice to you to receive Christs words and to keep them and to follow him in his temptations when an hundred fold more then ye can lose is to be gotten by so doing And therefore we declare to you from the word of the Lord if ye resolve not to live as having on yoâ— the wedding garment we cannot say that ye shall eaâ— and drink with Christ at his Table in his Kingdom In the Next place According to the Method Proposed Ye would consider the Connexion and how thiâ— Purpose comes in even thus as if the Lord had said ye have now an excellent Communion-day but ye and I will have no more together in this World whence Observe that the best Communion day that Gods People have here hath a BUT in it or something that makes it appear defective Only in that Communion in Heaven there in no But no defect And it implyes First His saying to them ye have now been at the Communion but ere long ye shall meet with Temptation and trouble and as he said so within a very litle it came to pass So may I say we are here now but do we know how soon a temptation may assault and prevail The Tempter is waiting on and hath it is like given in his Petition for a Permission to essay such and such a person by some suitable Temptation ere to morrow and he offers it may be to make his Hypocrisy to be discovered and it will be a sad Matter if any of you stumble and be overtaken with the temptation Secondly It looks to the scattering that was coming we will not as if we had said be all together at the Communion again For it is written I will smite the shepherd and the Sheep shall be scattered It is more then Probable that we shall not all drink and eat at one Table again are there not some both Ministers and People dead and gone since the last Communion And ye may want some of both ere ye get another and may there not some sad diversion trouble or Confusion arise to the offending of some and laying of them aside Nay some may be offended at these same Ordinances Sathan hath many ways to break in upon us nay let me tell you that a cloud of persecution may come and cover us that we shall not dare to come or may scruple to come to such an Ordinance though we be now datted and as it were Dandled on his knee Thirdly It may look to their being deprived of Christs company and bodily presence And who knoweth but there may be a cloud of desertion on Ordinances and a vailing of Christs presence I forewarn you that it is to be seared which sayes we should keep him well while we have him and not stir him up till he please as the Brides frequent desire and resolution is in the Song Fourthly It may look to death that is coming and will put an end to all Communions here after which there will be no moe Communions on Earth And indeed it is suitable that ye were now bethinking your selves what if we never get another Ought we not then to feed well on this If any thing have been amiss or wanting Labour to get it made up O Believers in Christ take hom a Sealed Covenant with you and read it over and over again If any defect hath been on your part write it yet in for if any blank be 't is certainly on our side and not on Christs and indeed 't is Gods great mercy that a Seal of his Covenant may be usefull a long time after it is gotten slighted Baptisms and abused Communions may be yet usefull if we could make the right use of them and I do not question but this Communion did the Disciples more good after Christ was gone from them then it did now when he was with them at Table Fifthly It may look to Eternity Now we are living men and women on Earth but within a litle we will be gone our place will know us no more very probably within Twentie Thirty Fourty or Fifty years we shall be either drinking of this new Wine in Heaven