see that we abiding with him in the places he hath set us in he will be with us and blesse us so as we shall want nothing that is good For direction to all such as desire to find the accomplishment Vse 3 of this gracious promise of God to his people that God will be from himselfe an all-sufficient good to them this is to teach them how to walk that they may find this blessing performed to thâ—m let them betake themselves to God alone and cast themselves wholly upon him Let them make him all unto them let them make it appeare that they look after nothing in heaven but him nor desire any thing in the earth in comparison of him as Psal 73.25 Psal 73.25 And then when thâ—ir hearts are taken off from these râ—eds and broken staves which they râ—sted on when it is with thâ—m as the Prophet speaketh Isai 17.7 8. that they look unto tâ—eir maker and not to the creature not to thâ—ir own devices and projects but onely to the holy One of Israel then will the Lord appeare in his glory and will make it manifest that from himselfe he will be an all-sufficient good to his people Let all other things be to us as though they were not use them as though we used them not see a fulnesse of all things in God Let us cast our selves upon the bounty kindnesse and all-sufficiency of the Lord And then will he arise and help us and doe for us according to our need Imitate the practise of Jehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20. when hee saw himselfe destitute of help Our eyes saith he are unto thee O Lord we know not what to doe Let the Lord sâ—e that our hearts are withdrawn from the creature and those helps which we leaned upon and that we doe faithfully relie upon him and then will hee ride upon the heavens for our help as Deut. 33.26 Deut. 33.26 and say This is a people that will not lie they have cast themselves upon mee and therefore I will not faile them nor forsake them I will be an all-sufficient good unto them For comfort unto godly and faithfull parents that having Vse 4 come over hither have here spent their estates by which they might have provided comfortably for their children they have come hither for the name of Christ that they might enjâ—y him in the means of his worship and though they doe here find grace and mercy from the Lord and a spirituall advantage to their souls yet they meet with losses troubles and straits for the outward man that they can now doe little for them What shall parents now doe What shall children doe Here is comfort look to the all-sufficient God that from himselfe will be all in all to his people Though there bee no blessing in the hand of the Parent yet there is in the hand of the Lord. What hee would have done for the children by the hand of the Parents he wil now doe it from himselfe by his own hand It is said of Isaac that after the death of Abraham God blâ—ssed him Gen. 25.11 Gen. 25.11 If Isaac prosper whiles Abraham lives he might seem to be upholden by the substance of his father But when Abraham was dâ—ad then it was evident that the blessing upon Isaac came from the Lord So whiles the Parents estates continue children might seem to bee enriched by them but when their fathers estates are wasted and come to nothing and yet the children are provided for and prosper then it appeares to bee from the Lord. Lâ—t therefore both parents and children depend upâ—n him and live by faith in him who wil be a Father to them an all-sufficient good to those that trust in him 3. Now to the third and last particular in this promise I will be your God To be God implies soveraignty and superiority over all To be over all as Rom. 9.5 Rom 9.5 and above all aâ— Ephes 4.6 Ephes 4.6 This therefore is also comprehended in the promise That hee wil bee God over us and above us to rule us to command us to direct and order our wayes for us That though he doe advance and set us up on high when he takes us into covenant with himselfe as Deut. 26.18 19. yet so as that he wil be Lord and Gâ—d over us as Pharaoh said to Joseph when he advanced him to that high honour Yet saith he on the Kings Throne I will bee above thee So though God do lift up his people by entring into covenant with them so that all the world are but servants to minister unto them for their good yet will the Lord still retain his soveraignty over them and bee exalted above them As he wil be above all his â—nemies in that wherein they deale proudly as hee was above the Egyptians Exod. 18.11 to breake them in peeces with a rod of Iron So hee will bee above his owne people to rule them with a golden Scepter And this is a blessing of the covenant of grace Now this benefit implies these things First that the Lord will bring his people from under the power and dominion of other Lords which have gotten the superiority over them and bring them into subjection unto himselfe alone so that whereas they might say concerning the time before as Isai 26.13 Other Lords have had dominion over us besides thee yet now they shall rule over them no more but they shall be subject to him only Hence saith the Lord Joel 3.3 4 Joel 3.3 4. c They have cast lots for my people c. And what have you to doe with me O Tyre and Zydon and all the coast of Palestine will you render mee a recompence c. The meaning is as if God should speak to the enemies of his Church You have trampled upon my people and dealt cruelly with them and this you have done in revenge against me because I have plagued you Will you thus recompence me I will break you in peeces and deliver my pâ—ople from under yâ—ur power As a King when he makeâ—h a covenant with a people to be King over them he then covenants with them to save them out of the haâ—ds of all their enemies to suffer no foraigne power to tyrannize over thâ—m So it is here the Lord promiseth that no tyrant shall rule over his people neither sinne nor Satan nor the world nor the lust of their own hearts but he himselfe will rule over them 2. When he hath delivered us from our enemies then he will be God over us to command us and appoint us what wee shall doe to please him Though he communicate himselfe to us in all his goodnesse grace and mercy yet he will not lose his soveraignty over us In Exod. 4.16 Exod. 4.16 Moses was called a God unto Aaron because he was to command appoint and direct Aaron in all and Aaron was to execute all according to the direction received from Moses So the Lord
which is shewed on us First loving the Lord not for his gifts and rewards but with a free love as he hath loved us and serving him with a free spirit and a willing minde Secondly be free in doing good unto all men even to such as have deserved nothing or if any thing onely evill at our hand though they be aliens and strangers and such as we never hope to receive any good from yet freely do them good even where we look for nothing againe Luke 14.12 14. as God hath done unto us so doe we unto them in this we shall shew our selves the children of our Father in heaven Matth. 5. 2. As it is a free Covenant so it is a sure Covenant certaine to bee performed It cannot faile those that rest upon it shall finde it will not be as a lie unto them to deceive them but the accomplishment will every way answer their expectation and hope Thus saith David 2 Sam. 23.5 God hath made with me a Covenant perfect in all points and sure and in Esay 55.3 The promises of the Covenant are called the sure mercies of David not because they are sure unto David alone but because they are sure and shall be sure unto all the seed of David that are in Covenant with God as David was The promises of Gods Covenant are not yea and nay various and uncertaine but they are Yea and Amen sure to be fulfilled 2 Cor. 1. There shall not faile so much as one word of all that good which God hath promised to doe for his people see Iosh 21.45 23.14 1 King 8.56 The stability of Gods Covenant is compared to the firmnesse and unmovablenesse of the mighty mountaines Esay 54.19 and to the unvariable course of the day and night Jer. 33.20 to imply that it is as easie yea more easie as the places quoted import for the mountaines to remove out of their places and the course of the day and night to cease as for the Covenant of God to faile Reas 1. The Covenant and promises of grace are built upon the unchangeable purpose of God which is a foundation remaining sure and cannot be shaken 2 Tim. 2.19 and for this cause it is that in Tit. 1.2 the Lord is said to have promised eternall life before the world began not that any promise could then be made to us in person but because first God then purposed it in himselfe secondly According to that his purpose he promised life to Christ for us and in our behalfe and thirdly because the promise of life which is in time made unto us in our own person is according to that purpose of God in himselfe and that promise from everlasting made unto Christ and hereto agrees that of the Apostle in Heb. 6.17 where he grounds the truth and certainty of the promise upon the stablenesse of Gods counsell so that unlesse Gods Counsell and purpose change the promise cannot faile Reas 2. The freenesse of the Covenant proves the surenesse and certainty of it as before we argued It is free that it might bee sure so here its sure because its free the former Covenant of works was not sure because it was not free but depended upon some things in our selves which were mutable and changeable and if the Covenant of grace did depend upon the mutability of our will as that did the promise of life now made to this Covenant could be no surer then it was before but this Covenant is free and therefore sure nothing can hinder free grace from giving eternall life to whom it will mans unrighteousnesse comming betweene may prevent a promise made upon condition of righteousnesse but it cannot prevent a promise of free grace Reas 3. God hath given us many pledges to assure us of the certainty of his Covenant and the blessing of it First his word is gone out of his mouth and he cannot alter it Psal 89. Secondly he hath written it to make it more sure and what he hath written is written never to be blotted out Thirdly He hath sealed it with his own seale and so it is become as the Laws of the Medes and Persians which alter not Fourthly He hath sworn it Psal 89.3 â—5 Heb. 6.17 Fifthly He hath given us the earnest of his Spirit 2 Cor. 1.22 Sixthly Christ the Mediator and Testator of it hath confirmed it by his own blood Heb. 9.16 17 18. What can then be more sure Object But in Numb 14.34 God tells the Israelites they shall feele his breach of promise and in Ezek. 16.59 he tells them that he would deale with them as they had done with him in breaking his Covenant and so in Zach. 11.10 by all which it may seeme Gods Covenant may faile Answ Men may be said to be in Covenant with God two wayes First In appearance by visible profession Secondly According to truth the former sort professe hope in the promise of life but being hypocrites which never gave themselves to the Lord in truth they fall short of the promise and are deprived Heb. 4. But those which are truly in Covenant with God having given up themselves unto him in simplicity and truth to be his people towards these Gods promise stands firme never to be changed There were in Israel a mixt people some believed some believed not and yet they all did in shew accept the conditions of the Covenant and professed themselves to be a people in Covenant with God Those of them which in truth believed had the promise of God fully accomplished unto them Those that believed not they enjoyed it not because of their unbeliefe they were in truth none of the children of the Covenant although they professed it and therefore no marvell they missed of the blessing promised As in Exod. 32.32 33. Some are said to be blotted out of the book of life not that those which are written in it are ever indeed blotted out but because some which seemed to have their names written therein are at length declared and made manifest that they never were of those that were written there but were written in earth as Jeremy speaks Jer. 17.13 rather then in heaven so it is here in the case in hand God seemes to break his promise with some but not with those which are truly in Covenant with him only he makes such hypocrites as professe and pretend hope of obtaining the promise to see and feele that all their expectation is in vaine when they finde themselves disappointed of the blessing they hoped for The one sort namely such as truly believe they enjoy the promise following faith to the conservation of the soule the other sort namely seeming hypocrites and formall professors deprive themselves through unbeliefe but the Covenant and promise of God stands firme and sure to all that lay hold on it by a true faith Vse 1. This may shame us for our unbeliefe When we heare of the great things of the Covenant which God hath promised we heare
Gal. 3.16 concerning the one seede of Abraham to which the promises are made which seede is Christ shewing who is that one seed there called Christ 3. What the Covenant at Sinai was whether a Covenant of workes or of grace 4. Whether justification may be evidenced by sanctification whether that way of evidencing be a going aside to a Covenant of workes and whether one under the Covenant of works may be truly sanctified 5. Whether the commandement commanding faith be a commandement of the Law or no. 6. Whether faith be a condition onely consequent to our justification not antecedent 7. Whether the conditionall promises be promises of free grace or no and of their agreement with those promises which are called absolute These and some other such passages are herein touched as occasion was ministred by the matter handled And in regard that some of the same opinions are now stirring in old England which lately troubled New my hope in the Lord is that this my weak endeavour the Lord accompanying it with his blessing may be of some use now in these times if not to recall those that are led aside by errour yet to settle some that are doubtfull and wavering in the truth But though these things are touched here and there yet my chiefe ayme hath been to lead on the weake Christian to a practicall use of the truths which are here delivered in which the greatest part of this work is spent If in any of these thou findest thy self helped by this my labour either in thy knowledge or practise returne glory to God and help me by thy prayers that I may so finish that little remnant of my course which is yet before me that I may rejoyce in the day of Christ that I have not run in vaine neither have laboured in vaine If any that are more judicious shall vouchsafe to see what is herein performed and shall thinke themselves burdened with interruption by reason of application by use of each point delivered I desire them to consider that as in the preaching so in the publishing of this Treatise it was then is now intended rather for their sakes which stand in need of both then for such as need not I write not to teach the judicious but to help the weak who stand in need not only to know the truth but to be led on to see how the knowledge of it doth serve to any use for practise of life One thing more I may not omit Whereas it may be marvailed that in the beginning of the Treatise I propound two points to be handled viz. first to shew the nature of the Covenant of grace and secondly that we are saved by that Covenant and not by the Covenant of workes whereas I say both these are propounded and yet I handle but one of them the reason of my so doing is partly because I saw the Treatise to exceed in bulk what I expected in the beginning partly because the handling of the former alone doth answer the end which in the beginning was aymed at which was to open the nature and substance of the Covenant of grace and partly also because this is my first adventure in this kinde If this which I have done shall finde acceptance with the Saints I may adde the rest in due time if the Lord give life and strength otherwise I shall thinke this enough and too much which is done already In the meane time I commend this my endeavour with thee courteous Reader to the blessing of God beseeching him that is the God of all grace to enable us so to live a life of grace here that in the end we may enjoy the grace of life according to the covenant and promise of grace which he hath made with us in Christ his beloved To whom be glory for ever Amen In whom I rest Thine in any service of love for Christs sake PETER BULKELEY ⧠TO THE READER THe blessed God hath evermore delighted to reveale and communicate himselfe by way of Covenant he might have done good to man before his fall as also since his fall without binding himselfe in the bond of Covenant Noah Abraham and David Jewes Gentiles might have had the blessings intended without any promise or Covenant but the Lords heart is so full of love especially to his owne that it cannot be contained so long within the bounds of secrecie viz. from Gods eternall purpose to the actuall accomplishment of good things intended but it must aforehand overflow and breake out into the many streames of a blessed Covenant the Lord can never get neer enough to his people and thinkes he can never get them neer enough unto himselfe and therefore unites and binds and fastens them close to himselfe and himselfe unto them by the bonds of a Covenant And therefore when wee breake our Covenant and that will not hold us he takes a faster bond and makes a sure and everlasting Covenant according to grace not according to workes and that shall hold his people firme unto himselfe and hold himselfe close and fast unto them that he may never depart from us Oh the depth of Gods grace herein that when sinfull man deserves never to have the least good word from him that he should open his whole heart and purpose to him in a Covenant that when he deserves nothing else but separation from God and to be driven up and downe the world as a vagabond or as dryed leaves fallen from our God that yet the Almighty God cannot be content with it but must make himselfe to us and us to himselfe more sure and neare then ever before And is not this Covenant then Christian Reader worth thy looking into and searching after Surely never was there a time wherein the Lord calls his people to more serious searching into the nature of the Covenant then in these dayes For are there not some who cut off the entaile to children of those in Covenant and so lessen shorten the riches of grace in the Lords free Covenant and that in the time of more grace under the Gospel then he was wont to dispense under the Law Are there not others who preach a new or rather another Gospel or Covenant viz That actuall remission of sins and reconciliation with God purchased indeed in Redemption by Christs death is without nay before faith the Condition though wrought of God of the Covenant of grace expresly opposed to the Law or Covenant of workes Rom. 3.27 and ever required as the meanes and therefore antecedent to the attainment of those ends in the constant ministry of the Apostles of Christ Act. 2.38 10.43 Is it not time for the people of God now to pry into the secret of Gods Covenant which he reveales to them that feare him Psal 25.14 when by clipping of it and distinguishing about it the beautifull countenance of it begins to be changed and transformed by those Angels of new light which once it had
when it began to be published in the simplicity of it by the Apostles of Christ 2 Cor. 11.3 Nay is not the time come wherein the Lord of hosts seemes to have a quarrell against all the world and especially his Churches and people whom he goes on to waste by the sharpest sword that almost was ever drawne out and is it not the dutie of all that have but the least sparke of holy feare and trembling to aske and search diligently what should be the reason of this sore anger and hot displeasure before they and theirs be consumed in the burning flames of it Search the Scriptures and there we shall find the cause and see God himself laying his finger upon that which is the sore the wound of such times for so it is said Isa 24.1 to 5. Behold the Lord maketh the earth emptie and waste and turnes it upside downe and scattereth abroad the inhabitants thereof and it shall be as with the people so with the Priest and the Land shall be utterly spoyled Why For the earth is defiled under the Inhabitants thereof Why so Because they have transgressed the Lawes changed the Ordinance and broken the Everlasting Covenant and therefore when the Lord shall have wasted his Church and hath made it as Adnah and Leboim when heathen Nations shall aske Wherefore hath the Lord done all this against this Land what meaneth the heat of his great anger The answer is made by the Lord himselfe expresly Deut. 29.25 viz. Because they have forsaken the Covenant of the Lord God of their fathers c. And no wonder for they that reject the Covenant of grace they breake the league of peace between God and themselves and hence if acts of hostilitie in desolating Kingdomes Churches families and persons break out from a long suffering God they may easily see the cause and that the cause and quarrell of God herein is just As all good things are conveyed to Gods people not barely by common providence but by speciall Covenant Isa 63.8 9. So all the evills they meet with in this world if in them the face of Gods anger appeares upon narrow search will be found to arise from breach of Covenant more or lesse So that if it be the great Cause of all the publick calamities of the Church and people of God and those calamities are already begun and Gods hand is stretched out still Was there then ever a more seasonable time and houre to study the Covenant and so see the sin repent of it and at last to lay hold of Gods rich grace and bowels in it lest the Lord goe on and fulfill the word of his servants expose most pleasant lands to the dolefull lamentation of a very little remnant reserved as a few coales in the ashes when all else is consumed As particular persons when they breake their Covenant the Lord therefore breaks out against them So when whole Churches forsake their Covenant the Lord therefore doth sorely visit them Sins of ignorance the Lord Jesus pities Heb. 5.2 and many times winkes at but sins against light he cannot endure 2 Pet. 2.21 Sins against light are great but sins against purpose and Covenant nay Gods Covenant are by many degrees worse for the soule of man rusheth most violently and strongly against God when it breakes through all the light of the mind and purposes of the will that stand in his way to keep him from sin and is not this done by breach of Covenant And therefore no wonder if the Lord makes his peoples chaine heavy by sore affliction untill they come to consider behold this sin and learne more feare after they are bound to their good behaviour of breaking Covenant with God againe It is true the Covenant effectually made can never be really broke yet externally it may But suppose Gods Churches were in greatest peace and had a blessed rest from all their labours round about them yet what is the childes portion but his legacy left him written with the finger of God his Father in the new Covenant and the bloud of Jesus Christ his redeemer in his last Will and Testament What is a Christians comfort and where doth it chiefly lie but in this That the Lord hath made with him an everlasting Covenant in all things stablished and sure Which were the last breathings of the sweet Singer of Israel and the last bublings up of the joy of his heart 2 Sam. 23.5 God the Fathers eternall purposes are sealed secrets not immediately seene and the full and blessed accomplishments of those purposes are not yet experimentally felt the Covenant is the midst between both Gods purposes and performances by which and in which we come to see the one before the world began and by a blessed Faith which makes things absent present to enjoy the other which shall be our glory when this world shall be burnt up and all things in it shall have an end For in Gods Covenant and promise we see with open face Gods secret purpose for time past Gods purposes toward his people being as it were nothing else but promises concealed and Gods promises in the Covenant being nothing else but his purposes revealed as also in the same Covenant and promises we see performances for future as if they were accomplishments at present Where then is a Christians comfort but in that Covenant wherein two Eternities as it were meet together whereby he may see accōplishments made sure to him of eternall glory arising from blessed purposes of eternall Grace In a word wherein he fastens upon God and hath him from everlasting to everlasting comprehended at hand neare and obvious in his words of a gracious Covenant The Church of God is therefore bound to blesse God much for this food in season and for the holy judicious and learned labours of this aged experienced and precious servant of Christ Jesus who hath taken much paines to discover and that not in words and allegories but in the demonstration and evidence of the Spirit the great mystery of godlines wrapt up in the Covenant and hath now fully opened sundry knotty questions concerning the same which happily have not been brought so fully to light untill now which cannot but be of singular and seasonable use to prevent Apostasies from the simplicity of the Covenant and Gospel of Christ The Sermons were preached in the remote ends of the earth and as it were set under a Bushell a Church more remote from the numerous society of others of the Saints if now therefore the light be set upon a hill 't is where it should stand where Christ surely would have it put The good Lord enlighten the minds of all those who seek for the truth by this such like helps and the Lord enlighten the whole world with his glory even with the glory of his Covenant grace love that his people hereby may be sealed up daily unto all fulnesse of assurance and peace in
more cleare and evident the light now is marvellous it is as the Sun shining at noone-day Hence Rom. 16.25 26. Rom. 16.25 26. the Gospel is called the revelation of the ministery which was kept secret since the foundation of the world but it is now made manifest c. Though it was revealed before yet it was but darkly but now it is revealed more clearly since the coming of our Saviour Christ so also Ephes 3 4 5. Ephes 3.4 5. and Colos 2.26 Colos 2.26 Consider the truth of this in some particulars First Consider the promise of eternall life it was darkly covered over not clearly promised to them The promise of eternall life is very rarely in expresse termes mentioned in the old Testament I know but one place which is in Dan. 12.2 Dan. 12.2 where plaine mention is made of life eternall It was shadowed out to them in the promise of inhabiting in the Land of Canaan which was a shadow of eternall life so the threatning of eternall death was typed out by the threatning of exclusion out of the Lords Land Hosea 9.3 Hosea 9.3 When they should be driven into captivity it was a type of their sending into hell if they did not returne to walke with him in his Covenant And hence are those promises They shall inherite the land and dwell in the earth Psal 37.11 Psal 37.11 Not as if that were all they were to looke for but because it was the type of another and better inheritance in heaven This was the cause that made Jacob Gen. 49.29 Gen. 49.29 give that charge to his sonnes that they should not bury him in Aegypt but carry him into the land of Canaan And Joseph Gen. 50.24 25. tooke an oath of his brethren that they should carry his bones with them And why was this done but because they looked at that Land as more then an earthly possession taking it as a type of heaven and by giving that charge they testified their faith in the promise of God concerning the possession of life eternall Therefore also it was that Abraham though he indured many troubles and injuries in the land of promise and had time to have returned into his own Country yet he would not Heb. 11.15 Heb. 11.15 because he looked at that as a land of promise and a type of the rest that remained for him in the kingdome of God Thus was the promise of eternall life obscurely propounded Secondly Consider the revealing of Christ either the person of Christ or his offices and wee shall see that they were darkly propounded unto them in respect of what they are to us Christ was but shadowed out to them in types and figures and dark prophesies Concerning his person it was revealed unto them that he should be God as Isai 9.6 Isai 9.6 where he is called the mighty God and also that he should be man and therefore said to be borne Isa 9.6 But how he should be both God and man in one person was very darkly revealed Which made the Jewes that they could not answer to that question how Christ should be both Lord and sonne to David So for his offices his Mediatorship was typed out by Moses his being between God and the people his Priesthood typed out by Melchisedek among the Canaanites and Aaron among the Jews and his sacrifice by their sacrifices his Propheticall office shadowed to them by Moses who revealed the minde of God to the people Therefore saith Moses Deut. 18.18 Deut. 18.18 A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me which is applyed unto Christ Acts 3.22 Acts 3.22 His Kingly office typed out in the kingdome of David and Solomon Luk. 1.31 Luk. 1.31.32 God shall give him the kingdome of his Father David But how darke these things were unto them you may perceive by the speeches of the Disciples unto Christ who knew not how he should execute those offices they knew not that he should dye they dreamt of an earthly kingdome they saw Christ under a vaile but wee see him with open face 2 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 3. end Thirdly The benefits that come by Christ were not so clearly made knowne to them as they are to us Justification was signified by the sprinkling of the bloud of the sacrifice Exod. 24.7 8. Exod. 24 7 8. So sanctification was typed out by the water of purification The benefits which are so clearly revealed unto us that Christ is our wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption were but darkly propounded unto them So that the light now is become like the light at noone day the light that they had was but like the dawning of the day or the light of the starres Hence is that of Christ Mat. 13.16 17. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare c. Quest Why was the Covenant revealed more darkly then and more clearly now 1. Answ Because the work of our redemption was not then transacted and accomplished the things were not then passed as now they be and therefore as the light of the Sun is lesse before its rising then afterward so Christ before his rising in the world was not so fully knowne as since 2. The Church was then in its minority and infancy but now it is of full age Gal. 4.1 2. Galat. 4.1 2. Therefore as a Father gives some hints of his purpose and will to his childe when he is under age but makes knowne all his minde to him when he is growne up so dealt the Lord with his Church then as with children c. 3. It was meet that this glory should be reserved to Christ himselfe he being the great Prophet of the Church that he should reveale more to the world then ever was knowne before It was not meet that all should be revealed before his coming but that he should have the glory of revealing those deepe things which were hid with God making them knowne to his Church and people And therefore they were more darkly revealed before Onely this observe that the further the times were from Christs coming the lesse light they had and the nearer to Christ the more light sprung up The promise to Eve was more darke more cleare to Abraham and still more cleare to David c. And the reason of this is First Because Christ is the light of the world Now as the Sunne the further it is from rising the lesse light it gives and the nearer to rising the more so did Christ the Sun of righteousnesse Secondly The more light was discovered neare the coming of Christ to stirre up the mindâ— of people to wait for Christ and his coming The more knowne the more desired Ignoti â—â—lla câ—pido the lesse knowne the lesse desired Thirdly Before the Law was given there was lesse sense of sin and therefore the lesse revelation of Christ But as the sense of sin increased by the
them good in the later end Deut. 8.16 The hardships which Israel suffered for awhile in the wildernesse was recompenced with a Land flowing with milke and honey Thirdly sometimes God withholds good things from us for a chastisement of our sinne according to that in Jer. 5.25 your iniquities have hindred good things from you when wee goe out of the way in which the blessing falls it s no marvell if it fall beside us In these cases when either by sin we turn aside from the path of righteousnesse or if the Lord will take a time to try our uprightnesse before him or if he see our enjoying of these outward blessings would be an hinderance to our spirituall good in these cases I say Gods children may be exercised with wants and necessities and yet the promise of God failes not not in the first case because the promise of outward things in the making of it is subservient to the spirituall good of our inward man nor in the second case because the Lord hath put an exception of tryall by which he will try all his Nor in the third case because these outward good things are promised as rewards of Grace whereby the Lord doth recompence the love and obedience of his people But to the third part of the demand if it be further questioned how farre forth a childe of God out of these cases forenamed may assure himselfe of the fulfilling of these promises unto him hereunto I answer thus Wee must consider two things first what is promised secondly how and in what manner First consider what is promised for here may be a mistake in taking the promise to containe more then indeed it doth when the Lord promiseth that riches and treasure shall be in the house of the righteous what doth he meane by riches and treasure not the riches of a Kingdome or that which shall be sufficient for a man of high degree but such a sufficiency as is sutable to every ones estate and condition which God hath set them in That which is want and poverty to one may be fulnesse and abundance to another That then is riches to any man when God gives him so much as is sufficiently enough for him in his estate and condition though he may still come short of many others of higher ranke this is that which is promised Secondly consider in what manner God promiseth these things and that is as was said before as rewards and as fruits of that faith and obedience which he requires of his people Dwell in the land and doe good and thou shalt be fed assuredly saith the Prophet Psal 37.3 But what is this good that we must doe Answ 1. In generall Be upright with God in our conversation before him 2. Walk diligently and faithfully in our particular callings be not slothfull and unprofitable unto our selves It is the diligent hand that hath the promise of abundance The talk of the lips brings nothing but want Prov. 10. 3. And then we must depend upon God by faith in the use of meanes not trusting either to our own uprightnesse or to the meanes used but rest by faith on the grace of the promise as knowing that when we have done all that wee can both in our generall and particular calling yet the Lord might justly blast all our endeavours so as all our labour and strength might be spent in vaine Here therefore our confidence must be pitcht not upon our selves nor meanes but look by faith to the blessing promised which blessing is all in all Believe and yee shall prosper said Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.20 and contra if yee believe not yee shall not be established said Isaiah Isai 7.9 There is much in the faith of Gods people It s a speciall meanes to obtaine the blessing It was usuall with Christ when any came unto him for help in outward things to ask them whether they believed or no and then he would tell them according to your faith be it unto you All Gods blessings are wrapt within his promises And faith is the hand to receive all whether they be spirituall blessings or outward concerning this life whatsoever the blessings be if they spring from Grace they must be received by faith The hand of Grace gives them and the hand of faith receives them And sometimes the want of faith onely cuts us short of the blessing we might enjoy we prosper not because we believe not The summe is this Let a man walk uprightly before God in his generall calling Let him be provident and diligent in his particular calling Let him withall in both these look by faith to the faithfulnesse of the promise of God believing that in this way he will give that which is sufficient for him Then I say that in the ordinary course of Gods dealing hee may be sure the Lord will not be wanting to him in such things as his state and condition doth require Vse 1. For confutation Are these outward blessings pertaining to this life blessings of Grace promised in the Covenant of Grace then first eternall life cannot come by merit when lesse blessings then that must come from Grace 2. Hence also falls down Popish satisfactions which they think are made by almes-deeds and such like works What satisfaction can we make to justice from that which we receive of meere grace of his own hand give we unto him 1 Chron. 29. 3. It makes against placing perfection in a state of voluntary poverty as if perfection could stand in renouncing the blessings of Gods Covenant Vse 2. For information 1. Concerning wicked men this may let us see that they have no true right before God unto the good things of this life I speak not of right before men but before God for if they have I ask by what Covenant Is it by the Covenant of works then they must fulfill it which they doe not nor can doe is it then by the Covenant of Grace but they are not within that Covenant They are within the Covenant of works but cannot fulfill it they are without the Covenant of Grace and therefore they can claime nothing by it But they say there is debitum naturae nature may claime so much as tends to the upholding of naturall life and being But I say again what claime can they have to life or to any thing which concernes life which have deserved to be destroyed and brought to nothing for ought I can see the old opinion herein must stand as truth that wicked men are but usurpers of the things they doe enjoy And if Christ bee the Heire of all things and we come to our right to them onely by Christ then those that are not Christs have no right unto them 2. Whereas some weak ones doe think they should pray only for spirituall blessings and not for outward things of this life they may hence see their errour They may lawfully pray for outward things look what God doth promise we may lawfully
and so it was with those mockers Act. 2.13 37. here were no dispositions and preparations before on their part but tree and unexpected grace from God 5. Compare those that are taken into Covenant with other that are left out for all are not taken in Ephes 2.12 there be that are without God without Covenant and this will also make it manifest it is free grace by which any are taken in For 1. If we look upon those that are taken into Covenant and those that are left we shall finde that there is no difference in themselves betwixt one and other we have all sinned and there is no difference saith the Apostle Rom. 3.22 23. No reason therefore in us why one is taken into Covenant and not another but only free grace in God for if it be not free grace towards them that are taken in then there is injustice and wrong done to those that are left If there were any worth in those that are taken there was as much in those that are left and therefore either it must be free grace towards the one or there is injustice and wrong towards the other but what blasphemous mouth dare impute unrighteousnesse and wrong to the righteous God he owes nothing to any he may truly say to all men I doe thee no wrong Matth. 20.13 Thou hast as much as I owe thee Both sorts therefore being in themselves alike and no wrong done to those that are left it must needs be free grace in those that are taken in apply Ioh. 14.22 Matth. 11.25 2. As sometimes there is no difference betwixt one and other so sometimes God chuseth the worse takes in the more unworthy and leaves those that are better then they Paul a chiefe of sinners 1 Tim. 1. Publicans and Harlots Matth. 21. Mary Magdalene possessed with seven Devills these were taken in and the righteous generation as they were reputed which justified themselves and were justified by others were left and passed by In Ezek. 3.7 8. The Lord tells the Prophet that if he would have sent him to another strange people as he sent Jonah to the Ninevites they would have hearkned unto him and obeyed him but the house of Israel will not obey thee and yet for all this God sent his Prophet to them and not to the other to the worse and not to the better and so Matth. 11.23 Thus it is in the communication of himself in the Covenant of grace he sometimes passeth by such as seeme better and takes the worse to the end that it might appeare that he respects none for any thing that is in them but that the freenesse of his grace might be seene in those whom he takes unto himselfe This is that which the Apostle points at 1 Cor. 1 27 28 29. God chuseth the foolish things of the world the weak things base and despised things things which are not passing by the wise the mighty and things which are in esteeme that all might see it is nothing in man but the grace of God by which we are taken into communion and Covenant with him c. 2. As the grace of the Covenant is thus free in the making of it so it is also in the accomplishment of it the blessings of the Covenant are as free grace in the bestowing as they were in the promising Not that God is now free to performe or not to performe for he cannot but performe that which he hath promised but yet he owes the blessing to us in regard of his own promise faithfulnesse and goodnesse not in regard of any worth that is in us for though there be our obedience of faith intervening and comming between Gods promise and between his performance yet the performance is as free grace as is the promise because there is no such worth in any of our obedience as to which the blessing should be done in a way of justice He cannot deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2. nor can he alter the thing which is gone out of his lips Psal 89.34 otherwise the blessing of the Covenant is as well freely given as it was freely promised And therefore it is that the Prophet speaking of the performance of the Covenant which God made with Abraham but was to be performed to his seed he speaks in this manner Thou wilt performe truth unto Jacob and mercy unto Abraham as thou hast sworn unto our Fathers in old time Micah 7.20 Gods truth gives assurance that hee will doe it thou wilt performe truth unto Jacob but yet its mercy when it s performed thou wilt performe mercy unto Abraham c. and thence it is that in Iude v. 21. the Apostle speaking to the Saints exhorts them to wait for the mercy of the Lord unto eternall life and in Rom 6.23 Life eternall is called a gift freely given by free grace and in 1 Pet. 3.7 we are said to be heires of the grace of life because grace is the cause as well of our inheriting life as of Gods promising for though we have received a Spirit of grace to renew and sanctifie us yet in many things we offend still standing in need of forgivenesse from day to day and where there is need of forgivenesse there life must needs be of grace and not of merit or works The Reasons why the Lord would have his Covenant to stand upon this foundation of free grace are these 1. To be a ground of hope to such as see themselves unworthy of acceptance with God If the grace of the Covenant were not free such unworthy ones could have no hope 2. It is the glory of grace to be freely communicated Esay 55.1 Come and buy without money It darkens the glory of grace when it is vouchsafed for any benefit received as Potiphar favoured Ioseph because he saw God prosper the things that were under his hand Gen. 39.3.4 but where favour is wholly free there it shines forth in the glory of it and thence it is that when the Lord had made his promise to the dispersed Jewes concerning their gathering in againe he tells them that it is not for their sakes but for his own name sake thereby to maintaine the glory of his free grace towards them 3. The Lord would have his Covenant to be a Covenant of free grace that the blessing of it might be sure unto those to whom the promise is made The Lord saw the unstability of the former Covenant of works the promise being made with respect to that which was in us or to be done by us and so would this new Covenant have been also if it had been built upon the like foundation therefore that the blessing of it might be sure the promise is made to depend not upon any thing to be done by us but upon the free grace of God Rom. 4.16 Vse 1. To enforme us from what hand to expect the blessing of life promised to us in this Covenant even from mercy and from grace not from justice he
he is to be God over us that wee must neither spâ—ak nor do but according to the command of God As a man when he maketh a covenant of marriage with a woman he covenants with her to be her head to rule her that she shal be subject to him to please him or as when a man hires a servant c. So when the Lord takes us into covenant with himselfe it is that we shall bee his servants to doe his will pleasure and commandement When Isaac sent away his son Jacob to Padan Aran hee blessed him but withall he gâ—ve him a charge Gen. 28.1.6 Gen. 28 1.6 in both verses the blessing and the charge are mâ—ntioned togâ—ther So whâ—n the Lord giveth this blessing to us That hee will bee our God the charge goeth with it see thâ—t you keep the charge of the Lord your God and that you do whatsoever I commâ—nd you 3. B cause the Lord knows as he speaks himself Isai 48.4 Isai 48.4 that we are obstinate and our neck is an Iron sinew c. and are râ—ady to say as Jer. 2.31 Wee are Lords wee will not come at thee we will have none to command us Therfore the Lord promiseth this alâ—o when he saith That I will be a God over you that hee will subdue the rebelliousnesse of spirit that is in us and the stoutnesse of our hearts that he will bend and bow these stiffe necks of ours and make us pliable to his will in all things He will subdue our rebellions Micah 7.19 He will over-rule our unruly proud and presumptuous spirits and cause us to keep his Statutâ—s and Commandements to doe them This the Lord promiseth Ezek. 20.33 As I live saith the Lord surely with a mighty hand and wiâ—h a stretched out aâ—m and with fury powred out will I rule over you These words are a promise of grace that though they had other purposes in their minds they were thinking to goe after their Idols and to become as other countries serving wood and stone as verse 32. yet saith the Lord it shall not bee so I will over-rule these sinfull Idolatrous hearts of yours and you shal not serve these false Gods which you are doting upon but I will bring you unto my selfe and you shall serve me And this exposition is confirmed by the 34 37 38. verses compared together I will bring you into the wildernesse and there plead with you face to face and thâ—re make you ashamed and I will make you passe under the rod and bring you into the bond of the covenant and purge out from among you the rebels c. This is therefore a promise of grace There is indeed one word which seems to favour another interpretâ—tion given by some as if God did herein threaten a judgement because he saith I will rule you with wrath powred out verse 33. But this doth not hinder but the words may bee taken up as a promise of grace For the wrath here threatned may bee intended against the counâ—ries into which they were scattered a d who held them in bondage as verse 34. or else it may be extended to the hypocrites and reprobates amongst themselves whom the Lord would separate and cut off from them as verse 37.38 God might threaten wrath to them though he extend grace and mercy to his own people Or if it be understood of the judgements which he would execute upon his owne people taken into covenant with him yet this makes nothing against the interpretation before given Because the Lord doth by his corrections in which he shewes himselfe angry with his people subdue their stout hearts and over-power their rebellious natures and make them submit themselves unto him hee maketh those messengers of his wrath to become meanes of good unto his people he layes his yoak on them to tame their unruly spirits Thus saith the Lord concerning Solomon 2 Sam. 7.14 That if he did sin against him he would correct him And it is said 1 Kings 11.9 that God was angry with Solomon and he powred out wrath against him stirring up adversaries to trouble him A father rules over his childâ—en in love and tender compassion and yet by reason of their unruly disposition hee is sometimes forced to shew himselfe angry with them by some sharp corrections So it is with the Lord in the rule that he exerciseth over his people Therefore though we do restraine the wrath powred forth to be upon his own children yet it may bee a promise of grace that the Lord will by meanes thereof bring under and over-rule the stubbornnesse of their hearts and governe them with a mighty hand whether they will or no. Thus hee over-ruled the spirit of the Prophet Ezek. 3.14 Ezek. 3.14 that though hee had no mind to preach to the Jewes being such a rebellious people yet the hand of the Lord carried him to the performance of it with indignation of his own spirit which was against it 4. When he hath subdued our spirits unto him and brought us to submit unto his will then he will be God over us to teach instruct and direct us in the way wherein we should walk that if either ignorance or heedlesnesse doe turn us out of the way then the Lord guides us into the right way wherein we ought to walk as Isai 48.17 And this he promiseth to doe Isai 30.21 You shall heare a voyce behind you c. we are apt to heare and passe by as though we heard not therefore the Lord is said to call after us as one that speaks behind us and cries to us Ho Ho you are out of your way this is the way c. This also hâ—e promiseth Psalm 25.9.12 Psal 25.9.12 that when he hath once meekned our crosse spirits and made us willing to obey him then he will guide us in judgement and teach us the way which himself chuseth for us And thus the Lord will be God over his people a God above them as a Prince is ovâ—r his pâ—ople an husband over his wife a father oâ—e his children a master over his servants or a shepheard o er his flock to rule and order them according to his owne mind And this is no small benefit and blessing of the covenant For look as it is for the good of a people to be under the government of a gracious King the good of the wife to bee under the government of a prudent husband the good of a child to be under the government of a godly father and for the good of the flâ—ck to be under the guidance of a skilfâ—ll shepheard So it is for the good of the people of God that hee will bee pleased to bee a God over them and that he will not leave them to the rebellious lusts of their own hearts This is a rich blessing of the covenant of grace As it is said of Solomon that because the Lord loved Israel therefore he gave them such a King 2