Kingdom and Church as sometimes it doeth in Scripture or whether it be his particular family in which there was abounding Incest Murther and Adultery and many other things or whether it be the house of his body and the tabernacle of his body his person where there were many failings like wife the meaning of the phrase Although my house be not so with God though it be not legally qualified and be not so with God as either God or I would have it for ther emust be some such thing here yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant so that before I can come to speak of his house and the failings consistent with the Covenant and of the answering their failings in the Covenant there is one thing I cannot pass and will handle it this day it 's this comparing the Objection and the Priviledge together my house is sinful it 's not so with God yet notwithstanding it be so ha hath made with me an everlasting Covenant Doctrine The Observation shall be That the Covenant made with believers it 's a Covenant of Grace it 's absolutely of Grace that Lord makes the Covenant with them although their house be not so with God yet the Covenant is made with them and this intirely proves it a Covenant of Grace I will in the work of this day comparing the Covenant with David's house handle this to you that it 's a Covenant of Grace it 's an absolutely this to you that it 's a Covenant it 's a remarkable confirmation of this you have Ezek. 36.32 The Lord hath in the former Verses set down many promises ses in the Covenant such as I will sprinkle clean water upon you a new heart will I give you and I will put a new spirit within you I will take away the stony heart I will sprinkle clean water upon you and write my Laws in your heart and Verse 32. Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord God be it known unto you be ashamed and confounded for your own way O house of Israel Many precious promises hath he made in the Covenant yet for the rise of them be it known to you saith the Lord God not for your sakes do I this That I may follow this a little I confess it 's the great thing of our Soul it we were this day going to the grave that he should make a Covenant with you whose house is not so with God I will first prove this Covenant made with David and his seed to be absolutely and intirely a Covenant of Grace 2. I will inquire into the reasons why God will have this Covenant of Grace 3. I will clear a Question or two about it and lastly shall apply it Reas 1. First to prove it a Covenant of Grace that is a Covenant of free favour that 's made with them whose house is not so with God it 's a pathetick expression there is much more implyed than is exprest That the Covenant is a Covenant of meer grace and free favour will appear from these three remarkable truths 1. We have no accession in procuring it 2. The grounds and motives of it are only in God 3. It hath all the properties of grace and favour into it that could be expected to prove it a Covenant of Grace 1. It proves it a Covenant of free grace absolutely of free favour in regard we are altogether secluded from having any hand in procuring it It 's observed in Dispute with Papists there are four wavs by which we might be conceived to influence a thing from God and all these we are secluded from 1. By was of merit 2. By way of prive 3. By way of service 4. If there were suitableness in us to it several times there is beauty and comeliness where there is neither merit nor price nor service that will be alluring and procuring but all the four ways we are secluded from having any hand in it First There is no merit there are two things necessary to make up merit 1. The thing we give must be our own 2. It must be proportioned to the thing we receive the School-men cry down merit on these two grounds in strict Justice the thing we merit must be of something of our own we must have a proportion of the thing to what we receive and there is nothing of this in us in strict Justice Adam could not merit any thing that could have the name of merit it did refult from the Covenant and not from his obedience for it was neither his own nor proportioned to what he was to receive there could not be a proper commutative Justice betwixt God and Adam even though he had kept the Covenant of Works far less could we merit lapsed man could not merit under the Covenant of Grace 2. As we could give no merit we could give no price the reason of this is the outmost we could do was Sacrifices and Offerings all the Heathens could never go beyond this when they set their wits a-work to please their gods they took the best things they had to cast into the fire to their gods but what are Sacrifices and Offerings to him Psal 50.10 For every beast of the forrest is mine and the cattel upon a thousand hills Psal 51.16 For thou desirest not sacriace else would I give it thee thou delightest not in burnt-offerings Psal 16.2 My goodness extendeth not unto thee Micah 6.7 Shall I give my first born for my transgressim the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul What would all this signifie as a price to him 3. As we cannnot merit nor give a price so there is no service we can do there are servants that cannot buy nor merit yet there are some pieces of service by which they may bring an obligation upon their Master but there is no service we can do that can bring an obligation upon him Isaith 64.6 But we are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness are as filthy rags Luke 17.10 So likewise ye when ye have done all those things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants we have done that which was our duty to do Lastly suppose we have none of these three we might influence a thingfrom God by beauty and comeliness and suitableness to his inclination but neither can this be Read the sixteenth of Ezekiel and ye wil find what he found in Israel when he first entered in Covenant with her Thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast born he compares Israel to a Child new born as for thy nativity in the day that thou wast born thy navel was not cut neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee thou wast not salted at all nor swadled at all c. Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirts over thee and covered thy
DAVID'S TESTAMENT Opened up in Fourty SERMONS Upon II. Samuel 23.5 Wherein the Nature Properties and Effects of the COVENANT of GRACE are clearly held forth By that Eminent Servant of JESVS CHRIST Mr. Alexander Wedderburn First Minister of the Gospel at Forgan in Fife and thereafter at Kilmarnock in the West Psal 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him and he will shew them his Covenant EDINBVRGH Printed by the Heirs and Successors of Andrew Anderson 〈◊〉 to His most Excellent 〈…〉 To The Truly Noble MARGARET Countess of ROTHES Madam BEfore that Pious and Eminent Person The Dutches of Rothes Your Ladyships Renowned Mother was by Death Removed I designed according to the Intention of my Husband who is now entered into the joy of his Lord to Dedicat this part of his Labours to her Grace And now when these Papers by advice of Faithful and Godly Ministers are to be exposed to publick view I judged it my duty to pay that Respect to Her Graces's Memory as to prefix your Ladyships Name thereunto which no doubt if my Husband were alive he himself would have done which I the more confidently adventure upon as that I know your Ladyship to be the Lively-portracture of the Graces and Vertues of your Noble and now Glorified Mother and to be of such Wisdom and Prudence Humility and Self-Denyal as to excuse any thing of unsuitableness that may be in this for one of my Station and Sex But being unwilling to Allow your Ladyship any diversion from the perusal of the Book it self I shal only pray that the Lord may preserve your Ladyship and carry your hopeful Sons through the hazard of Non-age and as they are Heirs of two Noble Families to make them shine as Stars of the first Magnitude amongst the Peers of this Nation and begs leave to Subscribe my self Madam Your Ladyships singularly and perpetually obliged Servant H. T. Relict of Mr. Alexander Wedderburn The Epistle to the READER Christian Reader I Shall not detain thee by expatiating to the commendation of the Author and this part of his Labours For the Author his Memory is still savoury to all who knew him especially to those of the Shires of Fife and Air where first and last he exercised his Ministry And no wonder for as he was well versed in Folemick Divinity so was he a singular Casuist He had the Tongue of the Learned to speak a Word in Season to the Weary He knew when to Lance and when to pour in Oyl when to dispense a Corrosive and when a Cordial in a word he was both a Son of Thunder and a Son of Consolation As for these Sermons I am hopeful they will commend themselves to all who have senses spiritually exercised such will not quarrel at the Simplicity and Plainness of the Stile he used not in preaching to put the Scaffold above the Building no his design was not to tickle the ear but to reach the heart had he purposed to commit these Sermons to the Press and survived to review them they had been more polished but now they come out to publick view as they dropped from his mouth and as he preached them without Alteration or Addition It is true many have written both well and at great length on this sweet subject but it is so fertile that it will still afford new matter to such as arrest their Spirits to pore on it Thou will find here the Securities that the Covenant affords the Properties of it that it is Everlasting Sure and Ordered in all things as also the Superstructure This all my Salvation and all my desire And the sweet Harmony and Concord that is betwixt God's Promises and his Providences well spoken to But besides these I suppose thou wilt find the duty of Personal Coveâ—anting and the Method and Order that is to be kept in laying clain to the Promises of the Covenanâ— as fully handled here as any where else Reader I would earnestly intreat thee now when all things earthly are so uncertain to make sure this Covenant Relation to God that he is thy God and thou art His by a perpetual Covenant it 's a greater Say to be able to say on good ground My God than to say My Kingdom I have been often affected with some sort of Compassion at the reading the two Testimonies that two Heathen Monarchs gave to the Majesty of God Nebuchadnezzar Daniel 2.47 and 3.28 29. and Darius Daniel 6 26 27. But alas poor Souls none of them could say My God but the God of Daniel and of the three Children To perswade to make sure Covenant-Relation know it 's this that gives confidence in our addresses to God and that Faith gets readiest gripping on in all thy straits I shall only instance three exigencies among many First Vnder outward Tossings and Pressures from men David 1 Samuel 30.5 6. is in great distress and no wonder the Amalekites had spoiled Ziklag had carried away his two wives and his own men had threatned to stone him in his great distress so verse 6. expresses it he encourages himself in his God When he is in the wilderness of udah hounted by Saul Psal 63.1 It 's here again refreshing O God thou art my God early will I seek thee and when inclosed in the Cave Psal 142. and verse 4. All refuge fails him no man cared for his soul this refreshes him v. 5. Thou art my refuge and my portion in the land of the living Secondly This Relation is eyed by Faith and pleaded under desertion Psal 22.1 My God my God why hast thou forsaken me Psal 88. A psalm wholly spent in sad complaints and yet verse 1. Heman begins pleading Covenant-Relation O God of my Salvation Isaiah 49.14 But Zion said the Lord hath forsaken me there unbelief and sense gets the start but Faith as it were at the same breathing eyes this Relation My God hath forgotten me Thirdly This Relation is refreshing at approaching Death when the Cisterns of all created comforts will be broken and may be the old Temper turns a keen Accuser as in this Text the matter of the ensuing Sermons 2 Samuel 23.5 Although my house be not so with God c. David's house was not so with God as it should have been Amnon had defiled it with incest and Absalom with unnatural Murther Rebellion and incest and David himself with Adultery and Murther and yet over the belly of this guilt he can draw comfort from this Covenant-Relation and venture the weight of his Salvation on this so well Ordered Covenant and Sure I might instance moe Cases but I spare It 's this Relation that makes all God's Attributes refreshing to us He who is a God of Salvation is My God Psal 68.20 and Psal 79 9. The Church pleads for help on this Relation Help us O God of our Salvation He who is All-sufficient who is Faithful and True whose Mercies exceed all Dimensions is my God Yea it will make
me a Covenant These four ly all in the Text. The first particular holds out the Author of the Covenant the Lord is the Maker of it as he is the maker of Heaven and of Earth so it is he that made the Covenant the word is Emphatick in the Hebrew it 's true it 's not the proper word that signifies to creat yet some Criticks think it 's sometimes used for creation The Lord hath created with me a Covenant yet I take it as it 's rendred in our Translation and in this Sermon I will speak a little to this Doctrine Though the benefit of the Covenant redound to us yet we were not the makers of it but God made it it has the smell of his Hand in it and the making of it is frequently in Scripture ascribed to him Isai 55.3 Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Jer. 31.31 It shall come to pass in these days saith the Lord that 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 when I brought them out of the land of Egypt but this shall be the covenant after those days saith the Lord I will put my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people Constantly throughout the Scripture the making of the Covenant he takes it to himself as the Author of it and the efficient cause of it this Branch of the Verse is considerable for the truth is we had no hand in the making of the Covenant of Grace it was allanerly himself the Lord made it with me That I may clear this Branch a little to you I will dwell on these three things First I shall enquire into what respects the Covenant may be said to be made by the Lord. 2. I shall give you some Grounds to evince that in all these respects that it was made and only could be made by him And 3. shall apply it Quest First In what respects the Covenant may be said to be made by the Lord I shall desire that ye may notice these four or five particulars here Answ 1. The contrivement of the Covenant in all the Heads Clauses and Articles of it was allanerly from him it was he that contrived it in all the Clauses and Articles of it the truth is it contains a design very suitable to his Wisdom if ye will take a view of three mysteries into it ye will find it proceed from the depth of infinit Wisdom 1. If ye will take a view of the Truths in it O! such strange Truths one Person to be both God and Man How difficult was that to reconcile He was Maries Son yet Maries Maker that he was David's Son yet David's Lord What a strange Mystery is that in the Covenant that Christ should be altogether free of sin and yet justly suffer for sin The great Mysteries in the Covenant in reference to the Truths holden out in it evidence that the contrivement of it could only proceed from God 2. If ye will take a view not of the Truths only but of the Duties required in the Covenant What a number of strange Duties are contained in it that would never have entred into the heart of Man Numa Pompilius that gave Laws to the Romans Lycurgus that gave Laws to the Lacedemonians Solon that gave Laws to the Athenians their Laws never dreamed of Believing and being saved by anothers Righteousness such Duties as taking up of the Cross denying our selves walking by anothers strength and doing all that we do by a Spirit of Promise Would ever Natures Light have reached these Duties of the Covenant So take a view of these and ye will find that the contrivement of it could only come from God 3. Take a view of the Persons admitted to the Covenant if we had a secret to communicat readily we would chuse not the simple or the foolish or babes to communicat it to we would pitch on the Learned on the wise on the prudent but the Covenant is so contrived that the Truths of it are the greatest Mysteries one Person to be both God and Man and that Person to be both the Son and the Maker of his Mother that the Duties of it are strange one to Live by anothers Righteousness and that all these things should be revealed to babes and things that are not and that the learned and wise and prudent should be passed by such a contrivement had it proceeded from any man or angel it had justly been accounted the most ridiculous and strange fancy in the World as a famous Antient said of Christianity that if he were not perswaded it immediatly proceeded from God it would be the Religion of any that ever he heard that he would be furthest from Believing therefore the Covenant is from God for the contrivement of it in all the mystical Truths of it in all the Duties it requires and the persons to whom these Duties and Truths are communicat evidences it to be from God Secordly As the contrivement of the Covenant is from God so the Terms of the Covenant are made by him he not only hath made his own but our Terms before we were the Covenant was and in some respect it was from Eternity from Everlasting and before ever we were capable to give our consent he ordered both his own Terms and ours Quest Readily ye will say Was not this an injury to us that he should make the Covenant so as to make our Terms as well as his own Answ For Answering this ye may remember some Sabbaths ago I opened to you That it was a Despotick Covenant such as is made betwixt Prince and Subject Master and Servant Land-lord and Tennents that he is absolute Lord and hath power to give Laws 2. Take notice that Christ the Mediator hath represented us in the Covenant and so we had him like a Commissioner in a Shire having a Commission to go to Parliament and giving his Vote for the Shire he represents that Shire from whom he hath the Commission So we had a representative in the person of a Mediator in the Covenant 3. The Terms are made so as it was impossible to imagine them to be more to our advantage could there be an easier Clause put in than that we should accept This is is all that is required on our part that we shall consent now since the coutrivement of the Covenant and the Terms on which it runs proceeds both from God it may justly be said that he hath made the Covenant Thirdly He is said to have made the Covenant in regard the furniture for doing our part of the Covenant proceeds also from him whatever is necessary on his part or our part and the truth is he stands on both sides of
many to enter in this Covenant personally they are exceedingly afraid that their guilt be greater if they break I consfess it 's justly to be feared but that same Argument should hinder thee from being Baptized and from going to the Sacrament of the Supper wherein thou renews a Covenant with him the same Argument that hinders thee from covenanting with God hinders thee from these two but would ye think it a good arguing if a man were like to drown in a Well and one let down a Rope to him and bid him take hold of the Rope and it will bring him up if he should argue I dare not take hold of the Rope for fear when I near up the Rope break and my fall be the greater But I say unless thou enter in a personal Covenant with God and accept of the Covenant of Grace and apply it to thy case thou art arguing as the man in the Well that will not take hold of the Rope for fear when I am near up 〈◊〉 get the worse fall 3. It hinders some from covenanting with God they would have some Arles in their hand before they trust him saith one I would Covenant with him personally if he would give me a fill of Sense and would take me to the Banqueting-house and cast his Banner over me and give me that soul-delight that he gives to some but they do not remember it 's a reflection on him not to trust him without something in hand Take heed to this Covenant and hang upon his promise and if thou should never be able to sing the Lord hath filled my hand with sende all my life thou has a nobler song to sing The Lord hath made with me an everlasting Covenant 4. It hinders some from making a personal Covenant they are afraid to lay bonds and tyes on them and take away their mirth O! it were a mercy if some of our profane young ones that are filling the Town with profanity and their Parents taking no notice of them the most part of them begging the one half of the day and profaning the Name of God the other if they could be brought thus to Covenant with God But many think that a great tye and a burden that they should be more in speaking of Christ when they were in company and may be thou can be in many companies and never a word of him or thou can mock at Prayer and Godlienss and may be it not challenge thee but thou art afraid that personal covenanting bring a burden on thee I will Answer all these when I go thorow the point I will say this of it thou must either accept personally of the Covenant on the terms that it 's offered and engage personally to the terms on which it 's made or then thou shalt never have any benefit by it O? what a mercy were it if when we come under some strait some sickness or when we get any loosing of heart at a Communion nay when we come under desertion the renewing of a Covenant may be the way to an out-gate It 's remarkable when Christ was hanging on the Cross and the great cloud of his Fathers wrath hanging over his head in a manner he renews the Covenant with him My God my God why hast thou forsaken me If thou fall in any gross sin go and renew the Covenant if he command some signal stroke to attend thee renew the Covenant The great Objection is it 's a sore matter to be ay binding and ay breaking and this is thy case readily I confess it 's a dreadful case to be ay binding and ay breaking yet notwithstanding of all thy breaches if thou wilt yet go and say and subscribe with thy hand to be the Lords and to be more to his praise if thou be a neglecter of Christian fellowship that thou shall speir it out speir where thou shall get some to pray with and put in that in the personal Covenant if thou be negligent in Prayer to lift up thy hand to be so no more all former breaks will be all past if thou can say with full purpose of heart the Lord hath made with me an everlasting Covenant SERMON XI 2 Samuel 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow HAving spoken of the nature of David's security I came the last Sabbath to speak of the Parties transacting in this Covenant The Lord and me I proposed four things to be noticed First The Author of the Covenant Secondly the Parties with whom the Covenant is made and told you that that the word Jehovah is to be taken essentially as including all the Persons of the Trinity who are all Partiesin the Covenant and each of them has their particular work in the accomplishing of the Covenant But passing what was spoken I come to that which I proposed to dwell on this day the particular Application of the Covenant individually and personally to David It 's no the Lord hath made with Abraham nor with the Elect but The Lord hath made with me an everlasting Covenant That which I shall dwell on this day shall be this Proposition which natively arises from this Scripture Doctrine That however the Covenant externally and visibly be made with the whole visible Church and really with the Mediator and through him with all the Elect yet every Believer ought personally and particularly to Indenture in this Covenant and apply it It is true the Covenant is offered to be Transacted with all the Members of the visible Church and really with all the Elect yet every Believer who would secure his interest in the contents and clauses of the Covenant is to indenture personally and particularly apply the Covenant to himself as if it were made with them This Truth hath a great deal of opposition in the world Arminians and Antinomians who though they unite not in many things they unite in opposition of this Truth they deny personal and particular Covenanting with God the generality of Atheists and profane mockers look on it as a fancy personally to Covenant with God and the most part of hypocrites in the visible Church satisfie themselves with their Transactions in Baptism and some external kind of Transacting at the Sacrament of the Supper but personally and really to indenture with God on the Terms of the Covenant they utterly neglect therefore to follow this Truth since it comes so directly in my way I will insist on these three things in following this head 1. I shall labour to prove by some reasons that it is not only a warrantable but a most necessary Duty for Christians to make personal and particular Covenants with God 2. I shall open wherein this personal and particular Covenanting with him doeth consist And 3. shall apply it First That it is not only warrantable but necessary
personally and particularly to Covenant with God for confirming of this I will offer these five or six rational Considerations First We have not only Scriptural practices of it particularly of David of whom this Text speaks whom we have frequently practising it Psal 16.2 O my soul thou hast said unto the Lord thou art my God So we find Asaph Psal 73.25 It is good for me to draw near to God And then Whom have I in heaven but thee and on the earth that I desire besides thee It was in effect a Covenant of this nature that Thomas entred into when he said to Christ thou art my Lord and my God We have not only practices of it but Prophesies of it amongst many Prophesies about it for clearing and confirming it I will read two one of them ye have Isai 44.5 One shall say I am the Lords and another shall call himself by the name of Jacob and another shall subscribe with his hand to the Lord and sirname himself by the name of Israel Mark here ye have one and one and another individually and indefinitly indenturing with God and ye have the different way of their doing of it one shall say and another shall subscribe with his hand ye have the same over again Prophesied Isai 45.24 Surely shall one say In the Lord have I righteousness and strength even to him shall men come here ye have these two Scriptural Prophesies relating to the times of the Gospel wherein there should be a saying and subscribing with the hand and it 's no the Church in general but one shall say and another shall subscribe it 's a particalar and personal indenturing with God I know not what a multitude of Scriptures I might multiply for the confirmation of this that it 's not only warrantable but absolutely necessary it is the accomplishment of Prophesies and an imitation of the cloud of Witnesses who have gone before us in it Secondly The Light of Nature teaches that in mutual Transactions that pass betwixt Parties about business of concernment the Transaction should be mannaged particularly and personally Natures Light teaches that dolus versatur in generalibus frequently this holds in this case where there passes no indenturing betwixt God and the Soul but meerly generals readily the a surance of an interest in any Transaction by the Light of Nature it 's the surer and clearer the more particular mention be of the Parties concerned in ti hardly is there a very small business a man will Transaact with his neighbour but he will be as distinct and particular as he can especially if he know it be a thing will be subject to much debate in Low is it not strange that Nature should teach men to be so distinct and particular in their smallest concernments and yet they rest on generals contrair to the Light of Nature in their greatest concernments No that same Light that leads men to be personal and particular and distinct in mannaging all their other other affairs in order to their clearing and assurance leads them up in the business of their greatest concernment far more to be personal and distinct Thirdly All the fundamental Priviledges are all particular and personal and why ought not the Covenant to be particularly and personally entred into Election is not indefinit and universal as Arminians and Papists teach no it 's neither universal nor conditional it 's absolute and particular there is a certain number given by the Father to the son in Redemption so it 's no universal nor indefinit nor conditional Election Adoption Union with Christ and all the rest of the fundamental Priviledges they run in this stream to be particular and distinct Why ought not the Covenant which is as it were the Charter by which we come to be secured of these fundamental Priviledges to be also personal and distinct Why should our Election Redemption Adoption and Effectual Calling each of them be particular and personal and the Covenant which is the Charter and great ground of our security not be particular and distinct also Fourthly On Gods part whether we respect the absolute Promises or the conditional they all point at particular persons I will take away the heart of stone I will put my fear in their heart and I will give them pardon of sin whatever promise be made whether absolute of conditional they are not terminat nor have their accomplishment together in the visible Church but like Water that is to be poured in every particular Bottle now since on the Fathers part he became debtor to every individual or personal Member taken within the Covenant Is it not only warrantable but absolutely necessary that there should be a particular application and personal taking hold of the Covenant in all these clauses whether absolute or conditional Fifthly The duties of the Covenant are particularly and personally to be performed there is none here can go a warfare for another none can pay anothers debt in the Covenant every man must give an account for himself in this Covenant the Parent cannot do for the Child nor the Husband for the Wife but every man must do for himself now fince every Duty must be performed particularly and personally Is there not then and absolute necessity that there should be an engaging and personal indenturing with God Lastly The nature of justifying Faith which is the great condition of the Covenant consists in a particular and personal application of the Covenant an Historical Faith will carry the Devils to believe that Christ loved the Elect and gave himself for them but justifying Faith carries a Paul to He loved me and gave himself for me herein lyes the nature of justifying Faith it 's a particular application of Christ and of the Covenant in all the articles and caluses of it and there can be no right application by Faith of the priviledges of the Covenant without becoming subject to the duties of it otherways as in marriage we would separat what God hath joyned we would separat the promising and commanding part of the Covenant Now lay all these six together and I conceive I have laid before you most rational grounds why the duty of personal Covenanting with God is not only warrantable but of absolute necessity The second thing proposed shall be to open wherein this Act of personal Covenanting with God consists some have dilated on it at a great length and have dwelt on the preparatory Acts to it and the things formally required in the Act it self and there have spoken of the Properties and Consequences of it but I will not dwell on it at this length yet that I may be helpful to you in your personal Covenanting in regard one of the great grounds of our withering and dryness results from the neglect of this Duty I shall therefore insist in opening the nature of it only in speaking to these tgwo things which I conceive will briefly sum up wherein this act of personal Covenanting
How much she hath glorified her self and lived deliciously so much torment and sorrow give her It was so in Gods dealing with Dives when he came to the place of the damned By the Law of contraries how much of suffering how much of grief and affliction for Christ readily so much the more glory and therefore in this same Book of the Revelation though all that are in Glory walk with white yet they that were beheaded for the cause of Christ are termed by John to walk in long white robes now did we take up the cross of Christ under these four considerations it would never hinder us personally to Indenture with Christ Did we take up the Cross as a Testimony to the Gospel as an Evidence of our Adoption as an Executioner to kill the corruptions we mourn over and as a Presage that we will wear the long white robe when we come to Glory readily we will never stand at this I will not enter into a personal Covenant for I see what is the result of it it 's the Cross but since these things are so it 's a wonder rather that we do not seek after it SERMON XVIII 2 Samuel 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow THis Duty of personal covenanting with God being so clear from this Text that I need dwell no longer on it I have brought the Point to exhort you to the practice of it and removed three Objections that ly in the way of it that I may remove all the stumbling blocks that ly in the way I will briefly run through other three First Some may say I cannot thus personally Covenant with Christ for fear of the want of perseverance it 's a dreadful thing to be ay binding and ay breaking and it 's a great aggravation of our guilt when we walk contrary to our Vows and Engagements to God better not bind than break again This Objection lies in the way of many and for removing of it I desire you may take notice of these four things 1. When the question is about our duty we are not to argue from events against our duty it was excellently reasoned in Queen Esther when she was convinced it was her duty to go to the King and plead for her people the Jews she sends word to Merdecaâ— I will go to the King if I perish I perish she will not bring an argument from the event against her duty if personal covenanting with God be a duty the argument taken from the event is very improper when it 's brought against a duty 2ly I would have you to notice that in reference to Perseverance there are two kinds of Promises in the Covenant 1. There are Promises made to Perseverance 2ly There are Promises made of Perseverance these two are diligently to be noticed There are some Promises made to Perseverance Heb. 3.6 We are made partakers of Christ if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoycing of the hope firm unto the end There are some Promises made or Perseverance I will put my fear in their heart that they shall not depart from me Now when we Covenant with God we are diligently to eye both these kinds of Promises There are Promises made to Faith and Promises made of Faith and if ye be staggered at this covenanting with God for fear ye do not persevere remember that the Covenant contains Promises of perseverance 3ly I would have you to notice That as God in our Election decreed our effectual Calling so he decreed the reviving and quickning of Grace in us when it comes under decays Psal 23. He restoreth my soul Ye find him Ezek. 34. Brought in building up that which is broken strengthening that which is weak He revives Grace as well as quickens that which is dead several times his people have fallen under decays as a Tree in Winter that hath neither Leaves nor Flourishes an evil time and an erroneous opinion and a strong temptation may bring his people under decays that they have no might to persevere but he must bind up that which is broken and restore it so if they sit down and say all those Sermons on personal Covenanting will not influence me to Covenant with him for I will but bind and break and play fast and loose with him thou argues from events against a duty thou should go to the King even though thou should perish and the Covenant thou binds now to binds thee to Perseverance and though there be decays in thy spiritual lot yet he will bind that which is broken and strengthen that which is weak and restore the soul and make a David Pen the 51. Psalm after he went in to Bathsheba The fifth Objection against this way of personal Covenanting is this some readily stand at personal Covenanting with God there are so many Duties required in it I must pray continually I must rejoyce always I must deny my self I must not love the World these are all Terms in the Covenant and my heart will never subscribe to these if the Covenant run on these Terms is it not better for me not to bind at all than to do the thing my heart will not consent unto if I contract with God on these Terms I am like a man marrying a woman that I do not love for removing of this I would have you to notice these three or four things 1. As there are many duties required in the Covenant so there is abundance of strength for obeying them we have little more to do than ask and have nay sometimes there is more given than we can ask the Lord deals with many that use to go to Him in prayer as Naaman did with Gehazi when he ran after him and said send my Master a talent for he hath need of money I pray thee says he be content take two so the Father of the Prodigal did with his Son when he returned make me says he as one of thy hired servants the Father says bring forth the best rob and kill the fatted calf put a ring on his hand and shoes on his feet There is more offered in the Covenant than we have an appetite to desire and what need have we to scar at duty when we bake beside meal and have offered us in Christ more than is required 2ly Take notice though there be many duties required in the Covenant yet duty is our greatest honour the blessed Angels account so of it they are thrice in the Bible called Angels where they are once called Spirits Angel is a name of Office but Spirit is a name of nature and they glory more to have their names recorded from their Duty than from their Nature there is no greater honour than duty now to be scarred from personal covenanting with God when there is a talent more nor required
it 's remarkable when he sent the Commission to his Disciples by Mary he sent on these Terms Go tell my Disciples I go to my Father and your Father to my God and your God he is yours in all his Attributes when ye have to do with his Power his Holiness his Goodness if ye have made a personal Covenant with him all his Attributes are yours 2ly All the Relations in which he is holden forth in the Covenant are yours He is your Husband your Father your Hope your Glory it 's remarkable there are a number of Relations cannot agree to the Angels it 's true he may be called their Creator and Maker but he cannot be called their Husband nor their Father with a reference to the work of Redemption So if ye be in Covenant with him as God is your God so all his Attributes mentioned in the Covenant are yours ye may call him your Power your Rock your Husband your Strength your Strong Tower 3ly If he be yours all his Dispensations are yours Rom. 8.28 All things work together for good to them that love God all Providence every thing nay death it self 1 Cor. 3.22 All things are yours life oy deach things present or to come all are yours and Christ is Gods even death it self is yours when ever death comes if ye be in Covenant with him it comes like a servant to attend you and carry you home to the place of your rest if he be yours all his Attributes and Relations and Providences also are yours Lastly If he be yours there is something that ye have in having him that no Minister nor Angel can tell nor explain to you the truth is if he be yours the case is with you as if a countrey-man should find a Jewel and he should go through all the countrey and let this man and that man see it and ask what it is worth and there is none that can tell the value of it except one that is a Jeweler indeed Christ only can explain it Matth. 22. I am the God of Abraham of Isaac and of Jacob he only can prove the resurrection from the dead from that which no Minister nor Angel could do there is no Minister nor Angel can tell what is imported in this to have God for our God for all the excellencies of the Creatures are imported in it Psal 84.11 The Lord is a Sun and a Shield He is a Sun for prosperity and a Shield for adversity he is both for Prosperity and Adversity the man can never fall wrong that is in Covenant with God under no Cross will he be broken under no Prosperity will he be blown up so ye that enter in a personal Covenant with him ye will have God to be your God and if he be your God all his Attributes all his Relations are yours all his Providences will make for you and when ye have counted on all the three ye have somewhat in this my God that no Minister nor Angel can explain and that is the first Advantage I offer by personal Covenanting with him God will be yours Secondly By personal Covenanting and Indenturing with him all Christs purchase will be yours great things hath he purchased and readily he hath purchased no more than he hath payed for he hath aboundantly payed for all that he hath gotten nay to say the truth he hath payed above the value to give his Blood for the like of us and for the Glory that he hath now in Heaven he had as much before though not properly as Mediator yet as God Essential and Con-substantial with the Father now all that he hath purchased is yours For clearing this I will offer you two things to be considered 1. The Covenant of Grace on Christ's part is no more but the execution of his three Offices as he is King Priest and Prophet of his Church all the Promises of the Covenant may be reduced to these three all the promises of Pardon are the execution of his Priestly Office all the promises of guiding and Ruling are the execution of his Kingly Office all the promises of teaching are the execution of his Prophetical Office the truth is the whole Covenant is nothing but the Execution of his Three Offices for he is left only Executor in the new Testament He was both the Testator and he is Executor and must fulfil the Legacies left in the Covenant Now he that hath made a personal Covenant with him he hath a right and Title to all his Offices and consequently to all that he hath purchased they may not only count on God as their God but on the Mediators purchase as their purchase 2ly Another thing will evidence the truth of this in regard all things that Christ hath purchased they are all Secured and Ratified by the Covenant ye have often heard that God cannot give a greater Security to men than the Security he makes by way of Covenant now they that have made a personal Covenant with God they have Security in the Covenant for all Christs purchase now these are advantages aboundantly sufficient to bind you to this personal Covenanting But to follow this more particularly I would have you to take up the Covenant under a Four-fold Formality and the taking it up under this Fourfold Formality will let you see more of the advantage of personal Covenanting with God First Consider the Covenant as the Conduit I say not the Fountain but as the Conduit and Channel of all Sinctifying Grace through which runs from the Fountain of Grace all Sanctifying Grace 2ly Consider the Covenant as it 's an Answer to all Challenges and Objections 3ly Consider the Covenant as it 's a Charter and Security for the Church of God in general Lastly Consider the Covenant as the Charter of our inheritance for all eternity and under these Four Formalities ye may see the advantages that a person hath who enters in a personal Covenant and takes this everlasting Covenant and applyes it to himself First Consider the Covenant as the Conduit through which all Graces runs to us from Christ all Graces runs through the Channel of a Covenant it 's true Christ is the Fountain of Grace and of his fulness we receive and Grace for Grace but all the Graces that comes from Christ comes to us from the Promise it 's remarkable there is no Grace whether it be the first Grace I will take away the heart of stone and I will put my fear in their heart or whether it be the Grace that is built on these first Graces they are holden out to us in the Covenant the Grace of effectual calling the Grace of Sanctification Adoption and pardoning Grace the Conduit that convoyes them all is the Covenant the truth is we can lippen for nothing for as excellent as Christ is and O! but he be excellent and good we can lippen for nothing but Covenanted things from him Faith can go no higher than the Covenant there is indeed
Flourishes nor Apples 2. This Doctrine tends not to security nor prophanity in regard all that are in this Everlasting Covenant they receive Influences that keeps them from security and prophanity I will not say but they may have their Winters David had it for a year it was a year after he went in to Bathsheba and murthered Vriah before the Prophet comes to him The Spouse is made to sing The winter is over and past the Summer is come the time of the springing of herbs is come the Spring must come if thou be in Covenant with him therefore it opens no door for Security or Prophanity for they that are in Covenant with him it 's impossible for them to continue in Security I will put my fear in their hearts and they shall not depart from me 3ly This Doctrine hath no tendency to Security for ordinarily these that are in Covenant if they will not be awakened by the Word the Lord will awaken them by the Rod I have told you that Christ hath three Posts he sends after Believers there is his Word and his Rod and if none of these two will prevail he will send his Spirit and that will prevail they that are in Covenant cannot get leave to live in Security and Prophanity if the Word will not waken them the Rod shall do it and if neither of these two do it the Spirit shall do it so if any shall say I am secure and am living in Security thou may go and dash thy head against a stone but this Covenant is Everlasting and it cannot be altered we shall be judged by it in the day of our appearing SERMON XXV 2 Samuel 23. Verse 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow IN the right up-taking of the Covenant we must not only search into the Nature of it but into the Properties of it three whereof are expressed in this verse it 's everlasting it 's ordered in all things and it 's sure The first of these I spoke to the last day that it was Everlasting and have shewed you many things about it Doctrinally and Practically I come to the second Property Ordered in all things this though ye do not at first see through it yet ye may see it afterward having a great deal of Marrow into it and it 's a very material Property of the Covenant the Word in the Hebrew Vehalma Mentanus renders it dispositum in omnibus Junius renders it ordinatum in omnibus The Septuagints or the seventy Interpreters Translate it by a Word borrowed from a General Marshal in an Army putting all his Forces in a Military Order it 's well ordered as a well Marshalled Army wherein every one is in their proper posture and so is the Covenant ordered the meaning is every thing in the Covenant is fitly disposed or appointed or ordered And for clearing of it ye must take notice that the intention of the Spirit of God in speaking by David that it 's fitly ordered is not only to shew that there is an excellent method and sorting of all the parts of the Covenant but that it is excellently sorted and ordered in order to the great end for which the Covenant was made to advance the Glory of God and the Salvation of the Elect which are the two great ends for which it 's made and herein it differs from the Covenant of Works for though it 's not denyed but it be well ordered and fitted yet it neither contributes so much nor was it so conducible to exalt God and bring the Elect to Glory as the Covenant of Grace is which I might let you see in many particulars it was well ordered in a way suitable to that Dispensation but not in all things in a way tending to exalt God and the salvation of the Elect as the Covenant of Grace is to be brief this is a very special property of the Covenant of Grace and a distinguishing one from the Covenant of Works that it 's ordered in all things not abstractly but in order and in reference to the end which is to exalt God and to promote the salvation of the Elect. So this property of the Covenant is considerable as it 's an everlasting Covenant so it 's Marshelled and Ordered and disposed as an Army in an excellent posture for a Victory This being the meaning of it I will make two Observations and follow them in several following Sermons the first of them I will but name but shall God willing dwell on the second The first is this that such as would have consolation from the Covenant must observe the order and method and disposal of the contents of the Covenant 2ly I will take this that the Covenant is excellently and singularly ordered in all things relating to the exalting of the Father and the Mediator and the salvation of the Elect. Doctrine first Such as would have peace as David had at his death from the Covenant are to consider the order of the Covenant so doth David here when he is rejoycing among his last acts from the Covenant that God had made with him he considered it as a Covenant ordered in all things these that take not up the right order of the Covenant and the method of it can never have sweetness nor peace nor consolation from the Covenant For confirming and clearing this to you I desire ye may take notice of these three things 1. God who is the God of Order and not of confusion for so the Scripture calls Him he is very exact in observing of Order Observe him in natural Things in the Work of Creation what an excellent Order he keeped first to make Light then to make other things and then bring in Man when all things were Ordered for him There is an excellent Order in his Providences the Ordinance of the Sun and Moon and all the Stars have an Order by a Decree appointed them it 's true there will appear confusion in his Providences but they are but like the black and white Threeds in a Web or like the discordant Strings of an Instrument of Musick they all move to make the Instrument play or like the Wheels of a Knock though some of them move against other yet they all tend to make the Knock strike when the hour comes so all his Providences tend to the end he hath Decreed he hath appointed Order in his Church Let all things be done decently and in Order they that are for confusion are not for God for God he is the God of Order and not of confusion it 's true Papists and Prelats would build on this a multitude of humane Inventions but Order is best keeped in the Church when it 's according to the Scriptures God is the God of Order and Parity among Church-officers hath no tendency to
I will offer you reasons of two sorts to prove that it is sure and the laying of them together will make it appear a very rational truth I shall first give you some negative Reasons and secondly some positive Reasons which being laid together will evince that it is guarded fortified and sure Reas 1. Negative For the first the Negative Reasons that will contribute to prove it sure I shall reduce them to three heads or rather there are three things that use to make a Covenant or Bargain unsure and all the three are removed from this Covenant of Grace 1. Either there must be something makes it unsure on Gods part or 2. There must be something on our part or 3. There is something makes it unsure in the nature and form of a Covenant These three ordinarily in Bargains makes them unsure and none of the three can concur to make this Covenant unsure examine all the three and ye will find is one of the best secured Bargains that ever was made to any First There can be nothing on Gods part there are three things on mens part that make a Covenant or Bargain unsure and none of them all concur in God 1. Often men makes Bargains and they forget them it 's remarkable Pharaohs chief Butler when Joseph had interpretred his dream promised that he would remember him but when he was advanced to his Dutlership again he forgot him Gen. 40.23 But this cannot be incident to God in making this Covenant Psal 111.5 He will ever be mindful of his Covenant And Heb. 6.10 For God is not unrighteous to forget you work and labour of love which ye have shewed towards his Name c. Now forgetfulness in him would be unrighteousness 2ly Severals break their Covenants not only through forgetfulness but through weakness and impotency they are not able to fulfill them and therefore they break them now this cannot be in God we believe and it is the first Article of our Greed and we may believe all the rest the better that it is there We believe in God the Father Almighty He that measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and metted out the Heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the moutains in scales and the hills in a bullance in not he able to fulfill his Covenant There is no promise in all the Bible but he is able to fulfill it 3ly Severals break their Bargains through unrighteousness the rew them again there are some make vows to God and they seek out all the evasions in the world they can get to satisfie their Conscience that they may be loosed from those vows they do as Lycurgus said some do with their Oaths and their Vows as Children use to do with French Kyles they are at a great deal of pains to get them set up and in right order and when they are all set up they presently roll a Boul among them to throw them down again but this cannot be in God there 's no Attribute in him prejudged by his unrighteousness his mercy his justice his glory is more advanced by this Covenant than the Covenant of Works so he cannot do with his Covenant as we do with ours readily they that do so with their Bargains and Covenants they are like a Horse kept within a Hedge they are peaceable but when they break ovee the Hedge they range over the Countrey so do men with their Covenants so long as they are kept within the Hedge of the Covenant they seek not so much after their lusts but when they have broken over ihe Hedge they get liberty to follow their lusts so there can be no failing of the Covenant upon Gods part 2ly It cannot be unsure on our part it is true here would appear the greatest weakness but it is abundantly secured on our part Remember ye not what ye heard when I was speaking of the Covenants being everlasting That a Believer cannot fall out of a Covenanted estate unless God break unto him Now it cannot be unsure in regard there are four of five kinds of Promises in the Covenant that makes it sure on our part First There are Promises of the first graces the want of an heart of flesh the want of clean water sprinkled on us cannot make the Covenant unsure on our part because all these are promised 2ly On our part it 's true we have grace but it cannot act and one may think that will make the Covenant unsure but there are promises of influence in the Covenant Hos 14.5 I will be as the dew unto Israel he shall grow as the Lillie and shoot forth is roots as Lebanon 3ly That might make the Covenant unsure on our part we may break and fall away but there are promises of perseverance in the Covenant remarkable it that promise Jer. 32.48 And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me It 's made an everlasting Covenant because not only God will not turn away from them to do them good but he will put his fear in their heart that they shall not depart from him 4ly It may make the Covenant seem unsure on our part that we are guilty and will not that make him break No guiltiness on our part will not break the Covenant for there are promises of repentance and promises of a righteousness of faith to cover our guiltiness if once we be really in Covenant with him he must break to us before we can come out of a covenanted estate with him Must it not stand then on very sure terms when there is nothing either upon Gods part or our part that can break this Covenant and make it unsure But thirdly The Covenant may be unsure because of the nature or form of a Covenant and in this covenant none of these two can concur to make it unsure and First there is nothing in the nature of it can make it unsure in Disputs with some who have laboured to loose the tyes of National Covenants there are three things hath been objected against them it 's true all of them groundlesly objected against them but that they be Objections against this Covenant of Grace ye will find them far from having any foundation 1. They tell us a Covenant is not sure when it is contrair to former lawful Oaths no question a Covenant about indifferent things contrair to former lawful Oaths cannot be lawful and the Instance they bring is the tye of the Covenant was contrair to lawful Oaths and therefore cannot be binding but this cannot be pretended to in the Covenant of Grace in the least shadow of it 2ly They say the Tye of a Covenant cannot be binding when the matter comes to be impossible the thing we promised when it was lawful becomes sinful when it is impossible yet the
Tye of the Covenant binds us to the outmost of our Endeavours now in the Covenant of Grace there is nothing in it impossible for God nor can we say from them nature of this Covenant that there is any thing in it impossible 3ly They say a Covenant is not binding when the nature of it is unlawful they say if they promise to give a man a Sword in his hand against such a day and if the man Distract against that day the nature of the case is unlawful and comes to be altered but this cannot be alledged in the nature of this Covenant that there is any circumstance occurring that God did not forsee when he made it and consequently there can be nothing in the nature of the Covenant to make it unsure go through all the Articles and parts of it and there is nothing in the nature of the Covenant especially proceeding from God whose Will is the first Rule of what is lawful or unlawful and ye will find nothing that can make it unsure we maintain in Schools that there are many things commanded he might have commanded otherways for his Will is the first rule of Truth and Error it is his Will that makes this a Truth and that an Error so that there can be nothing unlawful in it nothing impossible in it nothing contrare to any former deed or act of his therefore there can be nothing in all the nature of the Covenant that can make it unsure 2ly There is sometimes something in the form of the Covenant that will make it unsure as if one drew a Contract and drew it not well he put all things necessar into it but he put in some irritant Clauses into it that if a person fulfill not and perform not such and such things then and in that case the Covenant is void and of none effect but there is nothing in the form of this Covenant that is irritant he was excellent at drawing the Covenant he was Christ the Wisdom of God that drew it it is the product of the Wisdom of God Though we believe not yet he is to abide faithful 2 Tim. 2.13 Likewise Psal 89.30 If Davids children forsake my law and walk not in my judgements c. Yet v. 34. My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips There is no irritant Clause in all the Covenant that ever will make it unsure so laying all these negative Reasons together either on Gods part or on our part or in the nature or form of the Covenant ye will find nothing in it at all that hath the least tendency to insure it but it remains sure and therefore as it is ordered in all things so it is sure Reasons Positive Take some positive Grounds and Reasons to prove that the Covenant is sure it shall be a witness against you in the day of the Lord if ye seriously improve them not for your advantage take some sure foundations on which it stands and is built and in them ye will see how sure it is Reason 1. All the promises of the Covenant are the result of the Decrees and Purposes of God it is not so with the Commands the Lord may command to do something he hath not decreed should be done the Lord commanded Abram to kill Isaat and offer him up in a burnt-offering he decreed not that he should be killed and offered up in a burnt-offering it is not so with the Promises of the Covenant there is no Promise but it is answerable to some Purpose and Decree of God there is nothing he hath promised to do but he hath decreed it so to be so that the promises of the Covenant and the decrees are of equal extent there are none of them larger and longer than other what ever is promised is decreed and in order to the salvation of he Elect what ever is purposed is promised the decree cannot be altered Psal 2.7 I will declare the decree the Lord hath said to me thou art my son this day have I begotten thee His Decrees are surer than the decrees of the Medes and Persians there is nothing can alter his Decree his Counsel must stand shall he say it and shall it not be Shall he decree and shall it not come to pass What a reflection were it on the unchangeable God if his Decree could be altered So the Covenant must be sure Reason 2. This Covenant must be sure for it is founded in his Love as well as his Decree Jer. 31.3 I have loved thee with everlasting love therefore with loving kindness will I gather thee The Covenant is as it were gathering with loving kindness there are some acts of Justice that he hath seemed to us to change he commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh and proclaim it will be destroyed yet he will not destroy it it 's true there was no change in God in that for he threatned to destroy it only conditionally in case they repented not and they repented but there is no act of his love that ever he seemed to propose that ever he seemed to change what ever is founded in his love ye will not find changes of it except it be to the sense of a Believer and the Covenant is founded in his everlasting love and consequently the Covenant must be everlasting it self because it is grounded in his love Reason 3. The Covenant cannot be but sure in regard it 's founded in the Blood of his Son it 's purchased by Christ ye have heard when I was speaking on that He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant when I spake of the Author of the Covenant and of the fourfold influence that Christ had on this Covenant among other things I told you he hath purchased it there no Article of it all but it is the price of his Blood he gave himself and died for that end that he might purchase the Covenant and since it is in every Article of it put chased by him and since before ever the Father consented to one Article or subscribed to one Article of the Covenant he laid down his life and shed his blood how can that Covenant alter Shall his Blood be as the woman of Tekoa said of Absalom to David All we are like water spilt upon the ground that cannot be gathered up again Shall his Blood be so That is impossible So this Covenant standing on these three Foundations is it any wonder that it be entirely and absolutely a sure Covenant alswell as a well ordered Covenant But add in the 4th place consider the Seals he hath put to the Covenant since it is the result of his Decree and of his Sons Blood and of his Love these were enough to ratifie it but he hath to do with unbelieving hearts that scarce will credit him therefore he hath put to many Seals to it and I will only name you three or four Seals he hath put to the Covenant to make it
me but it s not active nor in exercise it 's mingled iâ— with much corruption I cannot get a Righteousness to cover â—t what ever it be put him to it whether it be in the case of hardness of heart or the want of influences or dulness in prayer or wandring of the mind in prayer put him to his promise in the full latitude and extent of it for he is like a straitned Breast it 's an ease to him to have the Child sucking its fill and the more it sucks the more the Breast is â—â—ased put him to his Promise even to the utmost and the more ye put him to it in all the variety of cases ye can be under for ye will get variety of Promises the welcomer put him to it without Dispensation in Spiritual and Eternal things and this will be the way to secure you in the Covenant 3ly If ye would make sure your interest in the Covenant and make it sure to you then look to the commanding part of the Covenant look it be in the order ye heard of first believe then pray and meditat on all the Commands for what is done without believing is sin without Faith it is impossible to please God so if ye would secure your Interest in the Covenant and secure it to you look to the Commanding part of it if we were true to these things and labouring to secure our Interest in Christ the Apple-tree that bears all the Apples would be ours if we were putting him to the promising part of the Covenant to the utmost for every thing we stand in need of and minding the commanding part in the order of the Covenant mingling in believing in all our Duties and looking upon it as the great condition of the Covenant indispensibly required to all the Duties of it we would not have so many complaints that we are unsure about the Covenant but carelesness and slothfulness is the Nurse of doubting the best way of clearing Doubts is diligence But 2ly Is the Covenant thus sure as ye have heard I exhort you not only to make it sure to you but since God hath made it so sure labour ye to be sure to him it 's true if we be once in Covenant we cannot fall out of a covenanted estate again the promises of Grace the promise of Influences of Pardon of Repentance and a gifted Righteousness they are all secured to us in that Covenant yet this opens no door to security if we would have the Covenant indeed secure as it is sure upon Gods part we would labour to be sure to him and here I offer you three things First Severals come under Vows and Obligations to God sometimes at the Sacrament of the Supper and sometimes under affliction and they break over them again And O! but it 's a dreadful thing to break upon the Lord it is a notable Bridle upon the head of corruption to bring it under a vow I have opened my mouth unto the Lord and how shall I go back Says Jeptha if the thing be commanded of God that thou hast vowed thou has a double tye upon thee to keep it but if it be indifferent the Lord prizes it highly see an Instance of this in the Rechabites Jeremiah 35.6 Jonadab the son of Rechab our father commanded us saying ye shall drink no wine neither ye nor your sons for ever c. and they keeped it and three hundred years after this time Jeremiah could not perswade them to drink Wine when he set pots full of Wine before them they said we will drink no Wine and the Lord commended them for it and promised them vers 19. that Jonadab should not want a man to fland before him for ever So if thou would make the Covenant sure to thee take heed thou break not over thy vows least God give thee over to follow thy lusts 2ly I exhort thee to walk dependently upon God like a Child that dare not trust his own legs if he be young upon the top of a Rock or in a windie day therefore he goes in his Fathers hand if thou would be sure to God never neglect Prayer morning and evening and in all thy business go to him in Prayer the man answered well when he was asked what wilt thou do with such a business I must go to God says he and know his mind the person that can ly down with Prayer aâ— night and rise without Prayer in the morning there is no Temptation but he is a prey unto it there is no gutter but he may fall into it Why He is not walking in his Fathers hand but upon his own legs 3ly Christian if thou would be sure to him be oft examining thy case let us not run on like a Bankrupt that never examines his case Vse 3. Thirdly for Use Is the Covenant so sure Then improve it for consolation I know not how many ways practically it might be improven for the consolation of Believers 1. It might be improven for consolation it reference to all the reelings of times I doubt if any generation have seen mo reelings and that to the worse than this generation what a deal of toyling tossing and alteration there is and hath been but the Covenant is sure reel times as they will and serve that reeling Master who will there is no alteration in the Covenant for it is sure 2ly It 's a great Cordial against all the revolutions of our case some days we are refresh'd and cheerful and another day we are cast down and discouraged yet this is consistent with the sureness of the Covenant rejoyce in the certainty of the Covenant under all these vicissitudes and changes alterations of Providence as this reeling World is full of them whiles Winter Showers and then Summer Blinks to 's and fro's ups and downs are the ordinary and constant lot of men so long as they live in time but yet the Covenant is sure there is no alteration there the Mediator hath driven the Nail and rooved it so fast that he hath gotten his Fathers Oath for all the Articles of it and sealed it with his own Blood O! how may this make you who can give an account of all the changes the ups and downs ye have met with whiles a bit of Meadow and then a Hill whiles a Burn with some Briars about it and then a Brae How sweetly may they sing The Lord hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure Since the day he treated this Covenant it 's like a Rock nay since Abraham's days nay more since eternity ye heard it was Contracted from eternity in the purpose of God there was not nor will be the least alteration of it to all eternity But to close this Discourse I will shut it up with these two words 1. I would have you now and then taking a view of this Covenant greater and better things cannot be defired than are contained in this Covenont ye have
ye knew how to improve it readily ye might find that there is no Temptation nor Challenge of what kind soever but ye may find an answer to it in the Covenant I will offer you but these three things that may occur and they most ordinarily meet you 1. Ye have a natural heart go to the Covenant with it it 's perfect I will take away the heart of stone I like it well to see Parents that teach their young ones to pray they put this Promise and that in their hand ye that have a gate of it put in this Promise in their hand I will take away the heart of stone teach them in their youth to press this Promise and bid them go to God and the Covenant where they will find this among the first Promises I will take away the heart of stone and I will give you a new heart 2 If your case be great guiltiness what should ye do with it should ye sit down and despair and cast away your hope and considence and be waiting for death as the Messenger that will take you to Hell no go to the Covenant with it Isa 1.18 Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow though they be red as crimson they shall be as wooll Isa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins But 3. If the Challenge were that ye want Repentance and cannot get a heart broken for these things ye have committed against God go to the Covenant and ye will find the Promises of Repentance for as I said it 's a perfect Covenant I defy you to instance the case ye can be in but there may be two Promises made to it if not six therefore be improving the Covenant in all your debates and disputes of the time in all things that relate to your consolation and that relate to your Challenges 4. I exhort you to improve the Covenant in all your duties make use of it as a perfect Covenant I declare from this place this day that I take nothing for my duty to God but what is contained in the Covenant no man nor society of men can make duties to God nothing can be a duty to God meerly from the will of men nay more it 's enough to make it a quarrel if we worship him according to the Traditions of men and no wonder for it says this Covenant is not perfect therefore nothing can be a duty to God from men though they were never so perfect or holy they cannot make duties but what are contained in the Covenant and they who will take upon them to say this is a duty and this is a duty and the contrair is a sin they take Gods Office on them for it 's he that makes duties and it 's he that hath made them perfectly in this Covenant and they that can keep up the duties of the Covenant they will in due time be made perfect in the Covenant Vse 3. The third Use of the Point Is it a perfect Covenant then it 's encouraging and comfortable to Believers O! to be under a perfect Covenant it 's very comforting and encouraging in these four or five Cases 1. Compare your case with the case of the generality of men the generality of men they are seeking their contentment in other things than the Covenant but the things are not perfect It 's observed there are three great imperfections in all the Creatures 1. There is nothing in the Creature compleat there is neither Perfection nor Thing even though men should say it were perfect in its own kind yet not in every kind some have Strength and they want Wit some have Beauty and they have a wicked ill humor some have Riches and they are base some have Honour and they are poor there is ay some Briar in their Rose ye will find several Worthies mentioned in the Scripture who had their own imperfections David he had uprightness but he was not free of Scandal Moses had meekness yet he wanted not impatience Abraham had Faith yet he wanted not fear of his Life when he went to Egypt and to Abimelech's Court there was in them a Rose that blossomed but there was ay a Briar beside it hardly can it be said of any thing that ever was that was said of Christ Col. 2.10 And ye are compleat in him 2. There is an imperfection in the Creature of duration suppose it were compleat yet it cannot last like Jonah's Gourd it shadowed him from the heat of the sun in the day but at the evening it withered a little time puts an end to it there is no perfection of duration in the Creature Ps 73. My flesh and my heart faileth but God is the the strength of my heart c. 3. There is an imperfection of suitableness suppose the thing were intirely compleat and lasting yet our humor and inclination may change according to our appetite for suppose the thing continue compleat and endure yet our inclination may alter hardly are there any thing constantly enjoyed but the ordinar use of them is enough to give a surfeit of them Now there is imperfection in the Creature but in this Covenant there will be no change the thing is compleat and ay the more enjoyed there is the greater appetite and the more longing desire Therefore ye that have an interest in this Covenant compare your case with all others and suppose ye cannot count on such Bonds and such Charters of Lands yet consider that they have but a perishing good and ye have an interest in the everlasting Covenant be comforted with comparing your case with others 2. I exhort you that have an interest in this Covenant to learn to understand your priviledge there are many Believers like a young Heir that cannot read nor write they understand not their Charter so many Believers understand not their priviledge because their understanding is imperfect they go mourning and complaining of their case while their understanding of the Covenant is imperfect Quest I would move here one practical Question what course a Believer should take to understand the Covenant in its perfection Answer I will offer you three Rules that may prove helpful to you 1. I would exhort you ye have variety of Cases whiles ye are full whiles poor whiles reproached whiles deserted whiles tempted go to the Covenant with every case and that will train you and teach you the perfection of it readily ye have scarcely the confidence sometimes to do it but this was the way of Mr. Dickson if any thing troubled him he laboured ay to get a Promise and if he got it he rejoyced and in his old age he wrote the Book Therapeutica Sacra the cure of all cases by the Covenant and if ye make use of the Covenant ye will find there is no discouragement no affliction but ye will find a remedy for it in the Covenant 2. I
exhort you to be much in fear filial fear Ps 25.14 The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant the ready way to be acquaint with the Covenant is to be a Christian much in fear why does not he say the secret of the Lord is with them that love him that rejoyce in him or that believe in him the person that is fearing him is driven to the Covenant 3. If ye would understand your priviledge and understand the Covenant be more a student of the Covenant consider the grounds ye heard laid down he hath laid himself out to the utmost he hath never holden in making Promises until he hath made that Promise He will make him ruler over all that he hath He hath ay gone on in making one Promise upon the back of another until he make over all that he hath and make the person Ruler over all that he hath and what would ye desire more or imagine more He put in Promises of peace Promises of pardon promises of Adoption and of Effectual Calling and of taking away the heart of stone and never stopped at Promises making till he come to make him Ruler over all that he hath and if ye were studying this ye might understand your priviledge and I am perswaded all the disquietings ye might come under flows from the not understanding the Covenant therefore understand your priviledge That I may close this point I will speak a word to two or three Cases 1. It speaks a word to those that seek their contentment in other things than the Covenant some seek contentment in their lusts some in the company of the wicked some in their riches some in their honour but ye are all seeking hot Water under cold Ice ye will not find it there Incline your ear and hear and I will make a Covenant with you why spend ye your money for that which is not bread and your labour for that which satisfieth not And I will tell you where ye will find it there is a well ordered and everlasting Covenant and that is the only thing that will afford true contentment ye will find there perfect pleasure Bread Milk Wine Honey Gold ye will find Cities and Kingdoms and ye will find all these in the Covenant in the Kernel and not in the Shell seek not your contentment in other things for the things that may give you content the day may be your grief the morn they may be a sting in your Conscience the morn and like fire in your bosom Incline your ear and hear why spend ye your money for that whick is not bread The Lord hath a quarrel with the people that hear not as with the people of old my people have committed two evils they have forsaken me the funtain of living waters and hewed out to themselves cisterns broken cisterns that cvna hold no water 2. It speaks to these that think believers the greatest fools and Phanatick in the world why They taken them to you Covenant ye know not what ye say it 's a perfect Covenant it hath perfect promises and made upon the easiest terms it hath perfect Seals the Lord cannot add a greater Seal to than he hath added and think ye that Phanaticism No all of you that are following the world and making a Covenant with the East-wind ye know not what ye are depriving your self of no it 's no Phanaticism it 's the solidest the surest and the most ratioal way that ever a man took hmself to take yourself to this Covenant why It 's a perfect Covenant it 's impossible to add to it or take any thing from it 3. Imention those that have taken themselves to it and exhorts you to be encouraged and here for their encouragement I will say two things 1. I exhort you that have taken your self to it as a perfect Covenant to which if ye were racking your wit ye could add nothing I exhort you to be encouraged under your imperfect priviledges ye neigher get in the wilderness the meat the reputation the strenath the fellowship with God that others get ye could bear the better with all other things if he made it up whatever imperfection be in the priviledge ye have a perfect Covenant therefore go through the world as the young Heir not yet come to his Inheritance and that hath not much to spend yet he hath an excellent Charter and excellent Bonds So whatever imperfection be in your priviledge ye have a perfect Covenant be exhorted to rejoyce upon the account of the Covenant it 's a wonder to see David spend the hundred and nineteenth Psalm and never a word of Christ in it all except in one Verse but in every Verse he mentions the Law and Covenant of God I will rise at midnight and praise thee because of thy goodness I will sing of thy loving kindness therefore rejoyce in the Covenant for it is perfect and any that make their Religionly in complaints all that ye say to God is complaints and all that ye say to your neithbours is complaints take a rebuke in the Name of God for whatever ground of complaint ye have ye ought to rejoyce in the Covenant for it is perfect and there is nothing can be added to it nor taken from it 2. I would have you who have the marks I have often given you of an interest in the Covenant to bring forth the Covenant and not only make it a song to God but offer it to your Consciences when your challenges grow if we were laying strss upon the Covenant and taking it up as a perfect Covenant we might have a better life of it than we have but ingorance of the Covenant makes that the half of his allowance is not enjoyed SERMON XXXVII 2 Samuel 23.5 Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my salvation and all my desire although he make it not to grow HAving spoken to the nature and properties or the Coveant and resolving not to dwell much longer on this Text I come to the latter thing that I suppose is to be handled in it there are two Objections that might be made against Davids consolation from the Covenant one taken from his own guilt and the guilt of his house although my house be not so with God another taken from Gods providence and hsi dispensations to him although he make it not to grow so we shall handle the beginning and the close of the Verse gotether as best agreeing to the method that I proposed and did cast the words into The first Objection I will begin this day which is the smell of his guilt and the guilt of his house though my house be not so with God c. It 's made a great Question and there are diverse opoinions about what is meant by Davids house whether it take in the state of the