as in our first creation we were then created holy and righteous after the Image of God so now we are renewed unto the same image again The Lord doth with us as the Potter doth with his vessell when the first fashioning of it is broken he returns and makes it another vessell as seems good in his eyes Jer. 18.3 By this work of renovation and changing our natures there is a new disposition wrought in us clean contrary to that which was before Whereas before the wisdome of the flesh and our corrupt will was quite contrary and even enmity against the Law of God and would by no meanes bee brought into subjection Rom. 8.7 Rom. 8.7 yet now we are made to love the Law and delight in the Commandements of it in our inward man Rom. 7. Rom. 7. The law is not now any more a law without us to urge and enforce us but it is a law within us it is written not in Tables of stone but in the heart according to that promise Jer. 31. Jeremy 31. I will write my lawes in your heartâ— and in your inward parts will I put them By which writing there is stamped upon the heart an inward disposition and inclination of mind and will to doe the things which the law doth command The law being there within us it is unto us as our own bowels loving it and making pretious account of it This blessing the Lord promiseth in his covenant as we may see in Ezek. 36.25 26 27. Ezek. 36.25 26 27. I will powre clean water upon you and yee shall be clean yea from all your filthinesse will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give unto you a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and give you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit withiâ— you c. And hence I think it is that the Lord calls himselfe Psalm 71.21 The holy One of Israel not onely because he is holy in himselfe and will be so acknowledged by them but because he sanctifies his Israel unto himselfe making them holy according to that Levit. 20.8 Levit. 20.8 I am the Lord which sanctifieth you And in Isai 43.15 Isaiah 43.15 I am the Lord your holy One. And in Habbak 1.12 Habbak 1.12 the Prophet calls the Lord his holy One. Art not thou of old O Lord my God my holy One He is not onely our mercifull God to pardon us but our holy one to sanctifie us And for the same cause we read of the promise of the Spirit Gal. 3.14 Gal. 3.14 Because God hath promised to give his Spirit unto those that hee takes to bee a people to himselfe This blâ—ssing of sanctification the Lord will perform unto all his people making them an holy people unto himselfe First because hee hath for this end chosen them that they might be holy Eph. 1. Ephes 1. and therefore he will bring them to that estate of holinesse to which hee hath chosen them What he hath chosen us to he will bring us to Gods purposes are not in vain hee will perform to us all the good hee hath intended towards us Secondly Christ hath purchased the spirit of grace for us Joh. 17.19 John 17.19 For their sakes saith Christ sanctifie I my selfe offering up himselfe as a consecrate offering unto God that they may bee sanctified by the truth It was for our sanctification that he offered up himself Thirdly hee hath filled himselfe with all grace for that same end that we might bee filled by that abundance of grace which is in him Psal 68.18 Psalm 68.18 he received gifts for men not to keep them to himselfe alone but to communicate unto us that out of his fulnesse wee might all receive grace for grace John 1.16 And therefore Christ is said to bee not onely righteousnesse unto us but sanctification because he hath filled himselfe to the end that he might also fill us with his own sanctity and holinesse Fourthly Christ hath prayed for our sanctification John 17.17 And wee know that hee was heard alwayes no prayer of his ever returned empty but came back with a full blâ—ssing Fifthly Gods covenant is to give us all things that pertain to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.4 2 Pet. 1.4 Sixthly the Lord is an holy God and therefore will have those that are in covenant with him to bee an holy people Lev. 11. It would be a dâ—shonor to God to have his name called upon a sinfull and prophane people Ezek 36.20 Ezek. 36.20 And beside the end of the covenant betwixt him and his people is Communion God takes a people into covenant with him that he might communicate himselfe unto them that hee might possesse them and they enjoy him but God cannot communicate himselfe in the sweetnesse and familiarity of his love unto unsanctified ones And therefore he will have his covenanted people to be holy that he may communicate himself unto them Seventhly when the Lord gives himself unto a people to be a God unto them he gives himselfe wholly unto them keeping back nothing from them which might make them an happy and blessed people And therefore as he doth communicate himselfe to them in his mercy and grace to pardon their sin so he doth also in his purity and holinesse to sanctifie them and to cleanse them from their sin Eighthly God will be glorified in all his people whom he takes neer unto himselfe Levit. 10.3 Levit. 10.3 and in Isai 43.21 Isaiah 43.21 This people have I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise But God could have no glory from us in this world if he should not sanctifie us Herein is he glorified when wee bring forth much good fruit John 15. John 15. and shine forth in good works Matth 5. Matth. 5. and shew forth the vertues of him that hath called us c. 1 Pet. 2. In these things God is glorified by us but this glory wee can never bring to God till he have sent down his Spirit of glory and grace upon us Now lest this blessing of sanctification should seem too little to be reckoned among the great blessings of the covenant let us therfore consider how great a priviledge this is to be renewed sanctified by the grace of Gods holy Spirit This is intended to us as a blessing in Isai 44.1 2 3. Isa 44.1 2 3 The Lord maketh many sweet promises to his Israel and in verse 3. I will saith the Lord powre my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy buds When God powres on any his Spirit then hee would have us to know that he powres on them a rich blessing My Spirit and my Blessing saith God As it is a mans curse to bee left under the power dominion of sin so contrà it is a blessing to be set free from sin
37.24.25 It 's I that have done all this c. But the spirit of grace is another spirit as it is said of Caleb and Joshua that there was another spirit in them Numb 14.24 Numb 14.24 whatsoever such an one doth as hath the spirit of grace working in him hee is still in himselfe as nothing as Paul saith of himselfe 2 Cor. 12.11 2 Cor. 12.11 that though hee was not behind the chiefe Apostles in the labour of the Gospel yet hee was still as nothing in his own eyes Had Paul been of a Pharisaicall legall spirit we should have had other language from him then to say I am nothing He would have had his trumpet blown before him to sound out his excellency and worth he would have gloried of his goodnesse not onely before men but before God But Paul had the spirit of grace in him and that made him to see that hee had nothing in himselfe to glory in but onely in the grace of Christ The spirit of the law will magnifie the works of the law and will cause us to magnifie our selves because of them but the spirit of grace will make us vile in our own eyes and our works to bee but as a spotted garment Isai 64. leaving us nothing in our selves that is of worth to glory in before God But may not a child of God rejoyce and take comfort in his obedience and fruit of holinesse which he bringeth forth Quest He may as is evident 2 Cor. 1.12 2 Cor. 1.12 Gal. 6.4 but how Answer Not as in that which justifies him or is his righteousnesse before God but as in the fruits which follow and flow from his justified estate so testifying unto him that he is under grace as also oppâ—sing his integrity against the calumnies and suspicions of men But how may I know that the comfort which I take from them is froâ— the spirit of grace and not from the spirit of the law Quest The spirit of the law makes a man goe no further then himself Answer 1 looking at himselfe as the whole author and worker of all the good which he hath done and therefore it is that such despise others in comparison of themselves if they see that they come short of themselves as he did Luke 18.11 Luke 18.11 But the spirit of grace teacheth a man to loâ—k at all he doth as wrought in him by the power of Christ as the Apostle saith 1 Cor 15.10 1 Cor. 15.10 By the grace of God I am what I am And so ascribes no more to himselfe though he hath done more then he doth to others that have done lesse The spirit of the Law hardens the heart against grace keeps Answer 2 the heart aloft so that it cannot submit and come down so low as to see that infinite need of mercy and grace that it stands in as Rom. 10.3 Rom 10.3 they being led by â—he spirit ot the law and glorying in their own righteousnesse they could not submit to the righteousnesse of faith it was too great a submission for them But the spirit of grace teacheth a man so to see his own uprightnesse and to take comfort in it that withall it makes him in lowlinesse and humility of spirit to flie to grace for acceptance of his best performances and to get pardon for the defect of them as we may see in Nehemiah chap. 13.22 Nehem. 13.22 Remember mee O Lord saith he and pardon me according to thy great mercy And so Paul 1. Cor. 4.4 1 Cor. 4.4 he knew his own faithfulâ—esse yet he durst not adventure himselfe to come before God to be justified thereby Let such therefore as glory in themselves and in their own works see by what spirit they are led even by the spirit of the law these are under the covenant of works Those that glory in grace and in Christ alone these are under the covenant of grace The covenant of works rested in and trusted unto can never Differ 9 in this state of corruption that we are now in work setled comfort peace and quietnesse of heart Let a man walke as exactly as flesh and bloud can attaine unto and let him withall build as confidently on this foundation as he possibly may yet the heart will be still in suspicion in doubt in feare uncertain what to trust unto doubtfull what his estate is But the Covenant of grace rested in and trusted unto doth settle the soule in peace Let a man renounce his own righteousnesse and fly to the free covenant and promise of grace and stay wholly upon it here is a sure anchor for the soule to rest upon Let waves swell and windes blow yet he hath built himselfe on a sure rock which cannot faile and the more confidently that a man adheres to the Covenant of grace the more assured peace he will finde This difference the Apostle lays down Rom. 10. from the 5th ver to 10. Rom. 10. from veâ— 5. to 10. where having before in the third verse laid downe a distinction of a two-fold righteousnesse one of workes the other of faith then next he commends the righteousnesse of faith which is by the covenant of grace above that which is by the covenant of workes and perswades to cleave to the one before the other by this Argument namely because the righteousnesse which is by workes leaves a man full of scruples and doubts making a man to be doubtfully enquiring who shall ascend up into heaven to tell him whether there be a place for him there or who shall goe downe into the deepe to tell him that he is saved from that infernall misery This dubious anxiety doth the Doctrine and Covenant of workes leave a man in but the Covenant of grace takes away all these scruples It saith not Who shall goe up into heaven c. It tells us that Christ is ascended to prepare a place for us nor saith it Who shall descend c. It teacheth us to believe that Christ is descended for to deliver us So that this doctrine of grace frees the minde of those scruples and perplexities which the doctrine of workes leaves a man intangled in He that rests on workes is like a wave of the Sea tossed and tumbled up and down and finds no rest he that rests on grace is like one built upon a rock and therefore cannot be shaken The reason of this difference is Because the Law which containes the summe of the Covenant of workes doth discover the perfect holinesse of God the puritie of his nature his hatred against sinne his strict justice and judgement so as the soule that is but in the least measure privie to his own impurity and sinfulnesse can never grow up to any confidence before God by any thing which he hath done When we have done the best we can reach unto yet the heart will still be doubtfull whether that which we have done be fully answerable to the
Covenants about childrens toyes and light matters but such as concerne the welfare of the Kingdome so when the great Monarch of heaven and earth enters into Covenant with us it is about the great things of our salvation the great things of heaven yea of God himselfe The Covenant is full of blessings it is a rich store-house replenished with all manner of blessings It is not dry nor barren but like the fat Olive or fruitfull Vine the fruit whereof cheares the heart of God and man God himselfe is delighted in the communication of his grace to his people and they are delighted with the participation of his grace from him The Covenant is a tree of life to those that feed upon it they shall live for ever It is a Well of salvation Isai 12.3 Isai 12.3 It 's a fountaine of good things to satisfie every thirstie soule Zach. 13.1 Zach. 13.1 It is a treasure full of goods as Deut. 28.12 Here is unsearchable riches in this Covenant which can never be emptied nor come to an end Our finite narrow understandings can never apprehend the infinite grace this Covenant containes no more then an egge-shell is able to containe the water of the whole Sea Yet it is not in vaine to consider them as wee are able to expresse them though they be above that which we are able to speake or thinke As Moses though he could not see Gods face nor discerne his glory to the full yet he was permitted to see his back parts so we may take a little view of the blessings promised though the full cannot be seene As in a Map we have the bounds of a Lordship set forth the rivers woods meadowes pastures c. these are seen darkly in the Map but they are nothing to that when they are seen in their own beautie and greennesse to see the silver streames in the rivers the beautifull woods the large medowes fat pastures and goodly orchards which are farre more excellent in themselves then when they are seene in the Map So we can shew you but a little Map of those glorious things which the Covenant containes but by that little that you doe see you may be raised up to the consideration of the things that are not seene but are to be revealed in due time Now the blessings of the Covenant are infolded and wrapped up in the promises of it every promise of Grace containing a blessing in it as every threatning of the Law contains a curse They are now infolded in the promise the time of unfolding is not yet come The time of full discovery is when the heavens come to be folded up Heb. 1.12 Heb. 1.12 then the promises shall be unfolden and then wee shall fully see the blessings of the Covenant Wee have now a right and interest in them which is safe and sure but as yet we have them but by promise onely and therefore it is that the termes of Covenant and promise are taken for the same Eph. 2.12 Ephes 2.12 Rom. 9.5 Hence also we are said to be heires in hope of eternall life Tit. 3.7 Titus 3.7 not in present possession but in hope Therefore if wee would see what are the blessings of the Covenant we must looke into the promises Now the promises and blessings of the Covenant are of two sorts First of things spirituall and eternall Secondly of things temporall that concerne this outward life The spirituall blessings of the Covenant are chiefly comprehended in these places of Scripture Jer. 31.31.33 Jer 31.31.33 This shall be my Covenant saith the Lord after those dayes I will put my Law in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them for I will forgive their iniquitie and remember their sinne no more So Ezek. 36.25 26 27 28. Ezek. 36.25 26 27 28. Then will I sprinkle cleane water upon you and yee shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idolls will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you c. So also Jerem. 32.38 39 40. They shall be my people and I will be their God and I will give them one heart c. Gen. 17.7 Gen. 17.7 I will be a God unto thee and thy seed These places compared together with such other doe expresse the summe of all the great things promised in the Covenant First Here is that great promise I will be your God and you shall be my people Secondly But if any say Alas how can God be a God unto me so sinfull as I am that have sinned provoked him as I have done therefore to take away this God saith that shall not hinder I will forgive your iniquities and remember them no more Thirdly But if the soule say further that though God should take all my former sinnes away and pardon them yet I have such a sinfull wretched nature in me that I shall breake out into new sinnes against him and bring a new guiltinesse upon my selfe The Lord removes and takes away this also and promiseth that he will renew our natures and give us hearts of flesh he will wash us from our filthinesse and write his law in our hearts and inable us to keepe his Statutes c. Fourthly But because some may yet say Though God should doe all this for me yet such is my infirmitie and weaknesse that I shall depart againe from the Lord I shall never hold out Therefore the Lord makes answer to this also and tells us that he will never depart away from us and that he will put such a feare of him into our hearts that wee shall never depart from him Jer. 32.40 To begin with the first which is the great promise of the Covenant I will be thy God Gen. 17.7 Gen. 17.7 Jer. 31.33 Jer. 31.33 This is set in the midst of the promises as the heart in the midst of the body to communicate life to all the rest of the members This promise hath influence into all the rest As Christ speaking of the Commandements of the Law calls that commandement of loving the Lord with all our heart the great Commandement so may this be called the great promise of the new-Covenant It is as great as God is He is an infinite God the heaven of heavens is not able to contain him Yet this promise containes him God shuts up himselfe in it I will be your God 1. Here is sufficiency It is a promise of infinite worth an overflowing blessing a rich possession an hid treasure which none can rightly value It was a great promise that Balak made to Balaam Numb 22.17 Numb 22.17 I will promote thee to great honour A greater which Ahâ—suerus made to Esther cap. 5.6 That he would give her the halfe of his kingdome A
and above us he must rule us and we must be ruled and governed by him How may we know that the Lord hath taken us into his government and that we are ruled by him alone Quest By these foure things we may know it First Where the Lord sets himselfe over a people Answ he frames them unto a willing and voluntary subjection unto him that they desire nothing more then to be under his government they count this their felicity that they have the Lord over them to governe them As the servants of Solomon were counted happie that they might stand before him and minister unto him so it is the happinesse of Gods people that they are under him and in subjection unto him The Lords government is not a Pharaoh-like tyranny to rule them with rigour and make them sigh and groane but it is a government of peace he rules them by love as he first winnes them by love He conquers them indeed by a mighty strong hand but withall he drawes them by the cords of love He overcometh our evill with the abundance of his goodnesse therefore his spirit though sometime it be called a spirit of power yet it is also a spirit of love joy and peace though the spirit put forth his power in vanquishing our enemies that held us in bondage yet it overcometh us by love making us to see what a blessed thing it is to have the Lord to be over us Thus when the Lord is in Covenant with a people they follow him not forcedly but as farre as they are sanctified by grace they submit willingly to his regiment Therefore those that can be drawne to nothing that is good but by compulsion and constraint it is a signe that they are not under the gracious government of the Lord God Secondly If God be God over us governing us by the government of his grace wee must yeeld him universall obedience in all things He must not be over us in one thing and under us in another but he must be over us in every thing Gods authoritie is cast away by refusing obedience to one Commandement as well as by refusing obedience unto all His authoritie is seene in one as well as in another And he that breaketh one doth in effect breake all as James 2.11 James 2.11 When God cometh to rule he cometh with power to cast downe every strong hold and every high thought that is exalted against the power of Christ He cometh to lay waste the whole kingdome of sinne all must downe not a stone left of that Babel The Lord will reigne in the whole soule he will have no God no King with him And therefore herein looke unto it if he be God over us he alone must rule over us and no other with him Consider whether Gods dominion hath its full extent in us whether there be not some corruption which thou desirest to be spared in Canst thou give up thy selfe wholly to the power of grace to be ruled by it Canst thou part with thy Absalom thy beloved lust and be content that God should set up his kingdome in thy whole soule Then is God over thee and thou in Covenant with him But if thou canst not submit that the life of some darling lust should goe if there be any sinne that is dearer to thee then to obey God if thou hast thy exceptions and reservations and wilt not yeeld universall obedience then art thou an alien from God and his Covenant God is no God unto thee nor art thou one of his people Thirdly Where the Lord governeth and setteth up his kingdome over the soule he carries and lifts up the heart to an higher pitch and above that which flesh and bloud could or would attaine unto And that both in the things themselves and the ends which they ayme at in them He makes a man undertake such things as his owne heart would refuse and turne from as Ezek. 3.14 Ezek. 3.14 he was very backward to preach to the Jewes and yet when he saw it was the Lords minde he submitted So Paul Rom. 15.20 Rom. 15.20 enforced himselfe to preach the Gospel yet it was not a constrained force but the love of Christ constrained him 2 Cor. 5. 2 Cor. 5. So Moses though at the first very loath to goe to Pharaoh yet when the power of grace prevailed in him he contends with Pharaoh as with his equall in the cause of God and would not yeeld to the fiercenes of the King not for an hoofe so though he fled from the serpent at the first fight yet at Gods commandement he taketh it up in his hand This also wee see in Abraham when he was commanded to sacrifice his owne sonne though he loved him yet he loved God more and therefore obeyed which nature alone could never have done In all these they wrought against the streame doing that which flesh and bloud could never have done Againe the power of Gods Grace in his government lifts up the soule to higher ends and aymes then flesh and bloud can attaine unto The kingdome of Gods grace is called the kingdome of heaven his aymes and ends are on high not earthly but heavenly his government is an heavenly regiment the Lord governeth the hearts of his people to the same end which he hath propounded to himselfe Gods ends and our ends meet in one which is the glorifying of his Name This putteth the difference between all formall hypocrites and those that are ruled by the spirit of grace hypocrites are ruled by their owne spirit and they never ayme at higher then their owne ends their owne honour credit profit c. Though their actions may be spirituall yet their ends are carnall but when God taketh the heart into his guidance then he maketh us to set up him as highest in the throne and all is done for his honour It makes a man to use and imploy himselfe wisdome strength riches credit and esteeme in the Church and all for God not for himselfe God is his last end in every thing as most worthy to be glorified by all Indeed a man in Covenant with God may doe many things for himselfe ayming at the furtherance of his owne good both spirituall and temporall and also ayme at the good of other men but this is not in opposition but in subordination to God and his glory that last and maine end must sway all other ends Nothing must be done to crosse and hinder his glory this is the government of Gods Grace Consider how Gods spirit guides thy heart to those things and aymes that flesh and bloud cannot at all reach unto for if thou hast onely thine own end and ayme then thou art thine owne and not under the government of God Fourthly The Covenant of Gods grace causeth the peace of God to lodge in that soule in which it ruleth Rom. 14.17 Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God is righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost
towards both Acts 24.16 It is but false sanctification which neglects either of these duties or any part of them when we put on a forme of Religion and yet deale unrighteously with men this is cursed hypocrisie And when we deale squarely with men but are carelesse Gallio's in the things of God this is but a kinde of civill profanesse there is no true sanctification in one or other of them True sanctification cleaves to the whole law and to all the Commandements of it seeking to doe and fulfill all such an heart the Lord requires Deut. 5.29 and such he works where he works Grace in truth 2 King 23.25 3. True sanctification will never suffer the soule to finde rest and peace but only in the way which is called holy A sanctified soule may step aside into the way which is not good but it can finde no rest there Holinesse stands in a conformity with God It will not agree with any thing which is contrary to God or to his will a godly heart can finde no peace there As on the one side a sinfull heart may do the thing that is good but it takes no pleasure in such things so contrà the sanctified heart may by occasion and by strength of temptation and prevailing power of inward corruption be drawn to act amisse but when hee hath done so he finds no rest in his spirit till he be returned againe into the way of holinesse which he had turned from Thus David stept aside but what peace found he Peter fell into shamefull denyall but how grieved was he afterward Thus Paul he confessed he did the evill that he would not but how was he pained at the very heart till he was rid of that body of sinne It was his continuall vexation As the needle in the compasse may by shaking be turned from the right point and from the pole but it will finde no rest till it be turned to it againe So here When therefore the heart sinnes and finds rest in it and is not labouring to work out the corruption which is within this is an evill sign and dangerous this argues a carnall disposition and an unsanctified Spirit But when we are grieved for the evill which is in us when our sinne is counted our misery making us lament with Paul and say O miserable man that I am c. and that not only as it troubles the conscience but as it cloggs the Spirit hindring us in well doing this is a sign of a sanctified estate and springs from a Spirit of grace 4. True sanctification will make us most wary and watchfull against those sinnes which doe most staine our holy profession and blemish the glory of Christ and make us most studious of those things in which God is most glorified As Paul said of himselfe I can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth so indeed a sanctified soule can doe nothing against Gods glory but all things for his glory Sanctity devotes a man unto God he is for God not for himselfe not for the world he accounts himselfe that he is Gods If we live we live for God whether we eat or drink or labour or rest we doe them for God 1 Cor. 10.31 If we get riches we grow rich for God to honour God with our riches Prov. 3.9 Our whole life is for God Rom. 14.6 This is a sanctified disposition when it is thus with us And when otherwise we eat for our selves as Zachary speaks chap. 7.6 we labour for our selves get riches for our selves not caring how our profession is blemished and God dishonoured by our worldly and coveteous conversation this is from the flesh which loves its own and minds its own things and not the things of Christ 5. True sanctification makes a man affect society with those that are holy It s a good signe when the heart doth inwardly cleave to those that excell in grace especially when it is for Grace sake and because of the Grace that is in them There may be an outward complying with them and some externall society had with them also when yet the heart is not with them there may be some sutablenesse of disposition some morall qualifications in a godly soule which may give content unto a carnall heart but to love them inwardly and that not for any other respect but for the grace which is in them this is from a sutable Spirit of grace working in our selves Thus it was with David Psal 16.3 and Psal 119. Come unto mee all yee that feare God c. and away from me ye wicked c. 6. True sanctification makes us aspire after communion and fellowship with God himselfe it loves fellowship with the Saints but rests not in them but aspires higher nothing will satisfie a sanctified soule but God yea it is God which he loves and seeks in his Saints So it is also in the use of Ordinances they are all empty things without God unlesse the Lord be there The Word Prayer Sacraments are but leane and empty things unlesse hee enjoy God in them He is the fat the marrow and sweetnesse of them all when God meets the soule in any of these it is then satisfied as with marrow and fatnesse but when he withdrawes and absents himselfe it findes no satiety no rellish in any thing The soule is empty still till he fill it who is the fulnesse of all things God only doth fill and satisfie the soule that is sanctified See Ier. 50.4 There you shall see the children of Israel and children of Iudah together comming to Ierusalem the place of Gods worship but is that all they goe for No saith the Prophet they goe seeking the Lord their God they goe to Ierusalem to worship there but there is a further thing they seek for even God himselfe without whom Ierusalem and Temple and all would be but as a solitary cave in a wildernesse if God were not found there This Gods servants finde in frequent experience Sometimes they finde God sweetly present with them in prayer Sacrament or the like and then they goe away as a man refreshed with new wine Sometimes they seek him but find him not as Cant. 5. and then they are like men that faine would eat to the satisfying of their hungry soule but they want their appointed food or like those in the Prophet they doe eat but they are not satisfied they have not enough Whom have I in heaven but thee saith David Psal 73.25 Whom there are Angels there are Saints the Spirits of just and perfect men Hebr. 12. Are all these nothing with David These were in heaven and are also in earth yet saith David Whom have I in heaven or earth but thee These are good with God but not able to satisfie a sanctified soule without God If it were possible for such a soule to be in heaven it selfe there to enjoy all the glory of it and communion with all the company of Saints and Angels there yet
Wildernesse was changed in respect of the manner of Administration of it because it was not confirmed by the death of the Testator but this is confirmed by death and therefore herein neither matter nor forme can be changed any more in Joh. 17.24 We have Christ there making his last Will and Testament to be executed by his Father and what his Will is we have it expressed in his own words Father I will those whom thou hast given me may be where I am c. And who those be that hee meaneth by them that are given him is plainly expressed verse 20. Even those that believe in his name Christ doth not bequeath the Legacy of his Testament unto all in generall but to such as doe believe as for the rest he bequeathes nothing unto them Joh. 17.9 Object But there be same absolute promises of the Covenant which are without any condition at all on our part as the promises of the first gracâ— c. in which God promiseth to his Elect as yet uncalled that he will give them a new heart and take away the stony heart from them Ezek. 11. 36. Answ 1. We must consider the Covenant not only as consummate and made up with our selves in our own persons but as it was begun and first made with us and for us in Christ in which regard it is said to bee made with us before the world began Tit. 1.2 a promise of grace being made to Christ for us and to us in him Now if we thus consider the Covenant as made with us in Christ so the first grace it selfe is conditionall as well as the last Christ receives the promises of grace for us but he receives not the least of them but upon condition that he must lay down his life for them that he may performe them unto us as we see in Esay 55.5 Where God the Father makes a promise to Christ that he shall call a Nation or People to the knowledge of himselfe which is a promise of the first grace given us in our first conversion and calling but in respect of Christ this is not absolute but conditionall as appeares in verse 4. for he must be a witnesse unto the people to testifie unto them the will of the Father which he performed in his Propheticall and Priestly Office yea he must make his soule an offering for sinne Esay 53.10 and upon this condition he must have power to call a Nation to bring them home by effectuall calling unto God and thus in respect of Christ the very first Grace is conditionall though without condition on our part 2. Consider the Covenant in respect of the end of it which it leads unto which is life and salvation in which respect it is called a Covenant of life and peace Maâ—th 2.5 and if wee thus consider it it is conditionall in respect of our selves for these promises of life and peace are not made but upon condition of faith and obedience not to the unbelieving and profane Rom. 10.9.10 13. Rom. 8.13 Mat. 5.3 to 10. and thus whether we look to the first Grace as the beginning of the Covenant or to the last Grace as the end of it the one is conditionall in respect of Christ the other in respect of our selves there is a condition of both 3. The giving of the first Grace in our calling goes before our pesonall Covenant betwixt God and us by which we bind our selves unto him to take him for our God to depend upon him and to submit our selves unto his will first the Lord doth dispose us and fit us to a walking in Covenant with him by putting into us his own spirit as it is in Ezek. 36. and then he requires an actuall performance of Covenant on our part to walk according to the Grace received Look how it was in that Covenant made with Adam so it is in this Covenant of Grace in respect of the point in hand though otherwise there be wide differences betwixt them as we have seen before first God indues Adam with an habituall righteousnesse thereby enabling him for that obedience which he was to walk in and then having thus qualified him the Lord enters into a Covenant with him requiring of him to walk according to all that Law which was set before him and in that way of working righteousnesse to look for the life which was promised him so it is here in the Covenant of Grace first the Lord comes and takes away from us the heart of stone that evill heart of unbeliefe and gives us a spirit of faith and renewing Grace and then draweth the soule into a Covenant with him to walk with him in a way of faith depending upon him by faith and obeying him by faith so looking for the promise of eternall life Thus it was with Abraham first God gives unto Abraham a believing heart then he comes to him and tells him Abraham I am come to enter into a Covenant with thee and withall tells him what are the articles and conditions of the Covenant both on Gods part and on Abrahams on Gods part That he will be to Abraham and to his seed a God to blesse him and to be an alsufficient good unto him and on Abrahams part Requiring That he walk before him and be upright and keep his Covenant which was commanded him and so it is with all the Adult Children of Abraham first God gives us a spirit of Grace beginning to renew us then propounds to us the great things of his Covenant which he will bestow upon us and commands us to depend by faith upon him for the performance of them and if we thus consider of the giving of the first Grace this doth no whit crosse the condition of the Covenant but makes way for it enabling us to walk in Covenant with God that so he may bring upon us the good which he hath promised us Object But this putting of a condition to the Covenant of grace may seeme to confound it and to make it the same with the Covenant of works Answ It is not the having of a condition but the identity or samenesse of the condition which makes them the same Covenant all Covenants have a condition but all Covenants are not therefore one and the same but do differ according to the difference of the conditions which are made there being then one condition in the Covenant of works and another in the Covenant of grace they are therefore distinct Covenants though there be a condition in both Thus then we see there is a condition of the Covenant But to come to the second point before propounded why may some say doth the Lord require any condition of us and not bring us to life and glory without requiring any thing at our hand Answ 1. It is meet we should glorifie God and his grace towards us before he exalt us and bring us unto glory in this way it was that Christ himselfe went into glory according