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destitute of help Our eyes saith he are unto thee O Lord we know not what to doe Let the Lord sâ—e that our hearts are withdrawn from the creature and those helps which we leaned upon and that we doe faithfully relie upon him and then will hee ride upon the heavens for our help as Deut.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
Wildernesse was changed in respect of the manner of Administration of it because it was not confirmed by the death of the Testator but this is confirmed by death and therefore herein neither matter nor forme can be changed any more in Joh. 17.24 We have Christ there making his last Will and Testament to be executed by his Father and what his Will is we have it expressed in his own words Father I will those whom thou hast given me may be where I am c. And who those be that hee meaneth by them that are given him is plainly expressed verse 20. Even those that believe in his name Christ doth not bequeath the Legacy of his Testament unto all in generall but to such as doe believe as for the rest he bequeathes nothing unto them Joh. 17.9 Object But there be same absolute promises of the Covenant which are without any condition at all on our part as the promises of the first gracâ— c. in which God promiseth to his Elect as yet uncalled that he will give them a new heart and take away the stony heart from them Ezek. 11. 36. Answ 1. We must consider the Covenant not only as consummate and made up with our selves in our own persons but as it was begun and first made with us and for us in Christ in which regard it is said to bee made with us before the world began Tit. 1.2 a promise of grace being made to Christ for us and to us in him Now if we thus consider the Covenant as made with us in Christ so the first grace it selfe is conditionall as well as the last Christ receives the promises of grace for us but he receives not the least of them but upon condition that he must lay down his life for them that he may performe them unto us as we see in Esay 55.5 Where God the Father makes a promise to Christ that he shall call a Nation or People to the knowledge of himselfe which is a promise of the first grace given us in our first conversion and calling but in respect of Christ this is not absolute but conditionall as appeares in verse 4. for he must be a witnesse unto the people to testifie unto them the will of the Father which he performed in his Propheticall and Priestly Office yea he must make his soule an offering for sinne Esay 53.10 and upon this condition he must have power to call a Nation to bring them home by effectuall calling unto God and thus in respect of Christ the very first Grace is conditionall though without condition on our part 2. Consider the Covenant in respect of the end of it which it leads unto which is life and salvation in which respect it is called a Covenant of life and peace Maâ—th 2.5 and if wee thus consider it it is conditionall in respect of our selves for these promises of life and peace are not made but upon condition of faith and obedience not to the unbelieving and profane Rom. 10.9.10 13. Rom. 8.13 Mat. 5.3 to 10. and thus whether we look to the first Grace as the beginning of the Covenant or to the last Grace as the end of it the one is conditionall in respect of Christ the other in respect of our selves there is a condition of both 3. The giving of the first Grace in our calling goes before our pesonall Covenant betwixt God and us by which we bind our selves unto him to take him for our God to depend upon him and to submit our selves unto his will first the Lord doth dispose us and fit us to a walking in Covenant with him by putting into us his own spirit as it is in Ezek. 36. and then he requires an actuall performance of Covenant on our part to walk according to the Grace received Look how it was in that Covenant made with Adam so it is in this Covenant of Grace in respect of the point in hand though otherwise there be wide differences betwixt them as we have seen before first God indues Adam with an habituall righteousnesse thereby enabling him for that obedience which he was to walk in and then having thus qualified him the Lord enters into a Covenant with him requiring of him to walk according to all that Law which was set before him and in that way of working righteousnesse to look for the life which was promised him so it is here in the Covenant of Grace first the Lord comes and takes away from us the heart of stone that evill heart of unbeliefe and gives us a spirit of faith and renewing Grace and then draweth the soule into a Covenant with him to walk with him in a way of faith depending upon him by faith and obeying him by faith so looking for the promise of eternall life Thus it was with Abraham first God gives unto Abraham a believing heart then he comes to him and tells him Abraham I am come to enter into a Covenant with thee and withall tells him what are the articles and conditions of the Covenant both on Gods part and on Abrahams on Gods part That he will be to Abraham and to his seed a God to blesse him and to be an alsufficient good unto him and on Abrahams part Requiring That he walk before him and be upright and keep his Covenant which was commanded him and so it is with all the Adult Children of Abraham first God gives us a spirit of Grace beginning to renew us then propounds to us the great things of his Covenant which he will bestow upon us and commands us to depend by faith upon him for the performance of them and if we thus consider of the giving of the first Grace this doth no whit crosse the condition of the Covenant but makes way for it enabling us to walk in Covenant with God that so he may bring upon us the good which he hath promised us Object But this putting of a condition to the Covenant of grace may seeme to confound it and to make it the same with the Covenant of works Answ It is not the having of a condition but the identity or samenesse of the condition which makes them the same Covenant all Covenants have a condition but all Covenants are not therefore one and the same but do differ according to the difference of the conditions which are made there being then one condition in the Covenant of works and another in the Covenant of grace they are therefore distinct Covenants though there be a condition in both Thus then we see there is a condition of the Covenant But to come to the second point before propounded why may some say doth the Lord require any condition of us and not bring us to life and glory without requiring any thing at our hand Answ 1. It is meet we should glorifie God and his grace towards us before he exalt us and bring us unto glory in this way it was that Christ himselfe went into glory according
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
which he enters into covenant with he puts a kind of royalty and dignity upon them when it shall be seen they are a people in covenant with the most high God In Jer. 13.11 I have tied them to me that they might be my people and that they might have a name and a praise and a glory And in Deut. 26.18 19. the Lord hath avouched thee to be his people to make thee high above all people c. In Zech. 11. The first staffe which is interpreted to be the Covenant betwixt God and his people as is plainly expressed vers 10. is called by the name of Beauty because this is the beauty and glory of any people to be in covenanant with God these are the ends why God enters into covenant with his people and by vertue of it passeth over all the salvation which he intends to bestow upon them Before I come to the Use I will cleer one doubt which is made by some Object It is granted will some say that there is a covenant by which God conveys salvation unto his people but not such a covenant as hath been mentioned betwixt God and us but only between God and Christ and by vertue of that covenant betwixt God the Father and the Son we have life and salvation made good unto us Answ That there is a covenant passed betwixt the Father and the Son concerning our salvation I willingly grant and shall open and confirm by Scripture the whole businesse of our salvation was first transacted between the Father and Christ before it was revealed to us hence we are said to be given unto Christ Joh. 17.6.10 as if the Father should say to the Son These I take to be vessels of mercy and these thou shalt bring unto me for they will destroy themselves but thou shalt save them out of their lost estate and then the Son taketh them at his Fathers hand and looking at his Fathers will Joh. 6 37.39 he taketh care that none be lost of them which his Father hath given him This Covenant is expressed in Scripture First on the Fathers part and here 1. There is a designation and appointment of Christ the Son to the office of the Mediatorship to be a means of bringing us back to God and into a Covenant with him Hence Christ is said to be sealed by the Father Joh. 6.27 as marked out for such a purpose 1 Pet. 1.18 he was ordained in the counsell of the Father before the foundation of the world hence also said to be chosen of the Father Isai 42.1 noting out his designation to this work 2. There is a commandment from the Father to the Son which he must submit unto and obey thereby to effect the salvation of his people he had a commandment what to teach and instruct them in as the Prophet of the Church Joh. 12.49 He had a commandment to enlighten the elect with the knowledge of the truth Isa 42.6 7. to be a light to the Gentiles to open their eyes c. A commandment also he had to lay down his life for those that are given unto him Joh. 10.18 and to be tender over the Lambs carrying them in his bosome Isai 40.11 3. There is a promise from the Father to the Son the Father covenants with him First to give him the Spirit in an abundant measure Isai 42.1 Isai 11.1 2. the Spirit shall rest upon him Secondly he makes him a promise of assistance and help in this great work of our redemption Isai 42.6 I will hold thy hand what is the meaning of that see Isai 45.1 saith God of Cyrus whose right hand I have holden that is I have strengthened him to conquer the nations so God promiseth he will hold the hand of Christ that though he met with strong oppositions yet he would strengthen him with his power that he should not be discouraged Isai 42.4 Thirdly a promise of blessed successe that he shall not labour in vain Isai 53.10 he shall see his seed the sufferings of Christ were dolores parturientis as a woman with childe though she suffer many pains yet she sees her childe at last so shall Christ see many believing on his name so Isai 55.5 they are the words of promise made by the Father to the Son that nations that know him not should run unto him Fourthly a promise of rule and dominion that he shall have dominion over all those that are saved by him this soveraignty and rule is promised to him in Isaiah 40.10 The Lord Christ shall come with power and his arm shall rule for him and Isai 42.4 He shall set judgement in the earth and the Isles shall wait for his Law to submit themselves unto it and thence it 's said in Micah 4.3 that he shall judge among many nations c. that is rule order command and direct as a Judge and Ruler among his people the which promise is now accomplished all judgement being committed to the Son Joh. 5.22 Fiftly a promise of glory to follow and that first to Christ himself and then to the members of Christ To Christ himself Isai 55.5 A nation shall run to thee because I have glorified thee they are the words of God the Father to Christ the Son promising to him glory and such glory as should make the nations of the world run unto him So also to the members of Christ there is a promise of glory unto them which promise was made known to Christ from the beginning and Christ brings out that secret out of the bosome of the Father and reveals it to his Disciples It is saith he my Fathers pleasure to give you a kingdome Christ knew the Fathers will by the covenant passing between the Father and him and this will of the Father concerning the glory promised to them Christ doth bring forth to light Thus we see there is a covenant on the Fathers part now see it on Christs part where 1. There is an acceptation of the Office to which he was designed by the Father he did not take the Office of Mediatorship upon himself but first the Father calls him unto it and then the Son accepts it and saith Lo I come Hebr. 5.4 5. Psal 40.7 8 Hebr. 10.7 2. There is a promise on Christs part to depend and trust upon the Father for help according to the promise made by the Father thus Heb. 2.13 the Apostle brings in Christ promising confidence and affiance in the Father I will trust in him and Isaiah brings him in as looking for help from God The Lord will help me though I have many against me men and devils yet the Lord will help me Isai 50.7.9 he promises to wait upon his Father for support and strength whereto agrees also that in Isaiah 49.5 My God shall be my strength 3. A promise of submission to his Fathers will in bearing the reproaches and injuries that should be done unto him and to lay downe his life for those that were given
thinke or whether a heavenly life and glory in both as some others thinke I will not determine it not being much materiall It 's enough to know that life and blessednesse was and is promised in both 5. There is in both Câ—venants a condition required on our part for the attaining of the life promised wee are not left to our libertie in either Covenants neither of the two Covenants promise life absolutely whether wee obey or no and whether we believe or no but under the condition of faith or obedience the promise of life is made 6. Both Covenants require a perfect righteousnesse of us that wee may have life no life is promised in either Covenants but upon the bringing in of a perfect righteousnessâ— before God either of our owne or of anothers the covenant of grace as well as that of workes will make this good that no unrighteous person shall enter into the kingdome of God Hence Rom. 3. last the Gospel stablisheth the Law they agree herein and doe not crosse one another 7. Both Covenants are unchangeable never to be reversed or altered The covenant of grace is an unchangeable covenant it is an everlasting covenant more unchangeable then the covenant of the day and of the night more unmovable then mountaines that cannot be moved as Esa 54.10 Jer. 35.20 So likewise the covenant of workes is an unchangeable covenant Mat. 5.17 Heaven and earth shall passe away but not one jâ—t of the Law shall faile Though now in the estate of corruption no man attaines life by the covenant of workes yet this so comes to passe not because the covenant is changed but because we are changed and cannot fulfill the condition to which the promise is made the covenant stands fast but wee have not stood fast in the covenant but it is now become impossible to us that wee are unable to fulfill it as the Apostle speakes Rom. 8.3 yea it is the unchangablenesse and stabilitie of this covenant which condemnes all the world of sinfull and ungodly men The Law hath said Cursed is every one which continueth not in all things c. And the soule that sinneth and flies not to the covenant of grace shall dye This word takes hold upon them and condemnes them Nay more for the fulfilling of this Covenant the Lord Jesus Christ came downe from heaven and bâ—came man to fulfill that righteousnesse of the Law which was now becâ—me impossible to us Rom. 8.3 So unchangeable is the covenant of workes that rather then it shall not be fulfilled the sonne of God must come downe to doe it Thus wee see the agreements between the covenant of workes and the covenant of grace But the principall and wâ—ightier consideration is to set downe the proper diffâ—reâ—câ—s between thâ—m which some have gone about to darken and obsâ—urâ— and doe make them agree too neare and so make a compound of both Covenants aâ— if one should mixe wine and water togâ—â—â—â—r whereby they doe disanull the nature of the Covenant of grâ—â—â— and tuâ—â—â— it into a covenant of workes Herein tâ—â—â—â—fore â—ee â—usâ— labour the more carefully to set downe the true and reall differences between them which being done wee shall see the nature both of the one and the other more distinctly and clearly The differences are many Differ 1 The first difference is in the condition of the Covenants the one requires doing the other believing the one workes the other faith The one saith Doe this and live the other saith Believe and thou shalt be saved the way of life which the Law propounds is Doe these things comprehended in the Law and doe them constantly and then thou shalt live as Gal. 3.12 The Law saith The man that doth these things c. But the condition of the Covenant of grace is faith Acts 16.31 Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved But here a twofold doubt may be moved Quest 1. Whether faith be not required in the Law in the Covenant of workes 2. Whether workes be not required in the covenant of grace If both these be required faith in the Covenant of workes and workes in the covenant of grace then how stands the difference between the two Covenants Answ For answer to the first when it is demanded whether faith be not required in the Covenant of workes I answer It is but first it is not the same faith secondly nor required for the same end as in the Covenant of grace To explaine this I say the Covenant of workes requires faith and that in a threefold act thereof 1. In regard of dependance upon God the fountaine and author of all good wee were not in our first and best being which wee had by creation wee were not I say so perfect but wee stood in need still to depend upon him that had created us for the continuance of that being which he had given us It is imprinted in the nature of every creature to depend for sustentation upon that from whence it had its beginning as the chicken upon the hen c. So the whole creation lookes backe unto him that made it for preservation in their being as Psal 104.21.27 Psal 145.15 And if it be so in these unreasonable creatures thus to depend upon their Creator then was the same in man much more the covenant of the Law required this faith of man in the beginning though now we be as Gods in our owne eyes selfe-sufficient depending upon our selves and none else for all the good wee hope for yet at the beginning it was not so But man was to depend upon God for his being and well-being 2. Another act of faith required in the Law was a perswasion that God was well pleased with him whilst he walked in the way of love and obedience to his creator he was to believe without feare and doubt that so long as he obeyed the will of the Lord he was well-pleased with him 3. He was to believe the blessing of life promised in that covenant and to expect it according to the promise In all these regards faith was commanded in the Covenant of workes It may here be demanded Object If faith be required in the covenant of workes why is it not expressed in plaine words as well as doing the Covenant of workes saith Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and serve him but it doth not call for any act of faith at all The reason thereof is Answ because when the Covenant of workes was made with man he was then in his integritie sinne was not yet come into the world and therefore there was no cause for man to doubt of Gods love and acceptation of him But having received so great benefits from God made after his image but little inferior to the Angels and having dominion given him over all the workes of Gods hands he was now to be put in minde of his dutie towards his creator and therefore was to be stirred up to love honour
man was yet righteous persisting in that innocency and righteousnesse in which he was created there was yet no breach made the heart and mind of man answering to the mind of God and therefore there was no need of a Mediator to bring them together But when the Covenant of grace is made with man there is a former breach between God and him and so there is need of a third partie of a Mediator to make them one Hence is that in Gal. 3.20 A Mediator is not a Mediator of one whiles wee are one with God there is no need of a Mediator no more then there is need for one to mediate between a man and himselfe this is the ordinary interpretation of that place though it may probably beare another sense and so it was betwixt God and man in the beginning there was no variance then between them by sinne then God made a Covenant with man as with his friend as Abraham is called the friend of God but when sin had made a breach between God and man then strangenesse and enmitie followed God is estranged from us and wee are enemies unto God so that without a Mediator wee can never come to be united into Covenant againe Now man feares and trembles to come before God and God being offended cannot be at peace unlesse his Justice be satisfied Therefore when Adam had once sinned he feared to come into the presence of God and hid himselfe till God revealed and made knowne to him the Mediator of the Covenant that the Seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head The Covenant of workes was delivered to the children of Israel at Mount Sinai by the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 Object and so the difference is taken away I grant the Covenant of workes was then revealed and made Answ 1 knowne to the children of Israel as being before almost obliterated and blotted out of mans heart and therefore God renewed the knowledge of the Covenant of workes to them I grant also that the Law was given to them by the mediation Answ 2 of Moses who was a mediator betwixt God and them But I adde withall that the Law though it containe the summe Answ 3 of the Covenant of workes yet was not delivered unto that people for this end to stand between God and them as a Covenant of workes by which they should be justified and live but onely as it was subservient and helpfull unto them to attaine the end of the former Covenant of grace which God had made with them in their fathers God had promised Abraham to be a God to him and to his seed but now the Israelites having been long trained up among an ignorant and Idolatrous people they little knew what need they had to flie to the promise of grace and therefore the Lord now reveales his Law to them in that manner to make them see by the terrors of the Law that they cannot come neare unto God thereby this was the Lords end in giving the Law unto them and not to stand between God and them as a Covenant of life by which they should live This is evident by that of the Apostle Gal. 3.19 Wherefore then serveth the Law The Apostle had before proved that wee are justified by faith in the free promise and not by workes some then might object Why was the Law then given to the children of Israel The Apostle answers it was given to restraine transgression to convince men of sin and to be as a Schoolmaster to bring them to Christ Gal. 3.24 These then were the ends of giving the Law 1. That the knowledge of sinne might abound Rom. 5 19 20. The Law entred that sinne might abound that is the knowledge of it that man might know his sinne Secondly To lead them to Christ Thirdly To restraine the transgression and sinne of man and to keepe them in obedience But not as I said to stand in the forme of a Covenant for them to be justified and saved thereby The Law is to be considered two wayes First Absolutely and by it selfe as containing a Covenant of workes Secondly Dependantly and with respect to the Covenant of grace 1. Absolutely alone by it selfe and so it was given as a Covenant to Adam in the beginning and so considered it shews the way and meanes of life by which wee might live 2. Respectively as having reference to the Covenant of grace and so it was given to the children of Israel at Mount Sinai both as antecedent and consequent thereto As antecedent to it to prepare them for Christ and the Covenant of grace and also as subsequent to it to teach them how to walke and please God when they were entred into a new Covenant with him And thus was it given unto them And here because some may doubt of this truth I will therefore lay downe some grounds to confirme it and to make it cleare that the Covenant made with Israel at Mount Sinai was not a Covenant of workes Argu. 1 That Covenant which God made with Israel at Mount Sinai had Circumcision for the signe and seale of it which was the signe and seale of the same Covenant which God made with Abraham Gen. 17. And therefore this Covenant made with Israel having the same signe and seale with the other made with Abraham it was the same Covenant also For if the Covenant had been altered the seale should have been altered also the seales of the one Covenant not being sutable to the other It were now absurd to bring in the seales of the Covenant of workes made with Adam and to annex them to the Covenant of grace now made with us in Christ and no lesse inconvenient were it to put the seales of the Covenant of grace to the Covenant of workes Now if this Covenant made with Israel was the same with that which was made with Abraham having the same seale and confirmation then surely it was not a covenant of workes but of grace because the covenant made with Abraham was a covenant of grace and not of workes Rom. 4. Object But it may be said that Circumcision was a seale of the covenant of workes else how doth the Apostles Argument hold which he urgeth Gal. 5.3 where he saith If yee be circumcised yee are bound to keepe the whole Law As implying that Circumcision was a seale of the covenant of workes binding them to the observation of the whole Law that they might be justified thereby even as Baptisme binding us to believe on Christ for forgivenesse of sinnes is therefore called a Sacrament of the Covenant of grace Wee must consider Circumcision two wayes First Answ According to its primitive institution as it was appointed by God unto Abraham and then as it was abusively urged and intended by those Judaizing Apostles which sought to corrupt the truth In the Primitive institution of it it was appointed to be a seale of the covenant of grace as is evident Rom. 4.11 But the
expect from him he prayeth not for them he pleads onely for them that fly to grace through him these that enter into a covenant of grace have Christ their advocate but as for those that are under the Law they have God against them the Law against them they have all creatures to accuse and to testifie against them but have not one to mediate for them no Christ no Mediator to stand up in their cause to turne away from them the wrath which they have provoked It may serve for direction Doe we then desire to be in covenant Vse 2 with God to be under grace and to partake with the Saints in the blessings of this Covenant Then trust not to your selves to your own righteousnesse but goe to Jesus Christ the Mediator of the Covenant give up your selves unto him put your selves into his hand and goe hand in hand with him into the presence of the Father that he may mediate for you and plead your cause As the Israelites said unto Moses Goe thou and speake unto God for us so let us say unto Christ Lord Jesus Goe thou and plead with the Father for us if wee come neare unto God without thee wee dye the fire will consume us wee are destroyed This is the way All men hope well of themselves and trust to their own righteousnesse or else they thinke that the promises of God are large and that Christ is a Mediator for all men and as the Jewes trusted in Moses Joh. 5. so doe all now trust in Christ And usually none are more confident then those that never knew their need of a Mediator betwixt God and them But as the Israelites had they not heard those thundercrackes seene the lightning and tempest and earthquake had not these made them afraid and shaken their hearts they would never have gone so unto Moses and besought him to be a Mediator between God and them so surely is it with us wee never come to Christ to mediate for us till by the Law wee see our selves to be dead condemned men Here therefore begin look upon the terrors of the Law see and read thine own condemnation and curse against thee by that Covenant and then as the Israelites when they were slung with the fiery Serpents they looked up to the brasen Serpent by it to be healed and as they in their feare went unto Moses so let us in our feare goe unto the Lord Jesus who is the onely Mediator between God and us It may serve for incouragement unto such as are smitten downe with the terrors of the Almightie so as they dare not approach neare unto God to offer up any service or sacrifice unto him but God appeares in their eyes as a consuming fire they had rather fly unto the holes of the rockes and have mountaines to cover them and hills to fall upon them then to approach before the face of the dreadfull and just God As Exod. 20.21 the children of Israel stood afar off from God they durst not draw near because they saw God as a consuming fire Exod. 24.7 so it is with some fearfull consciences God is terrible unto them they dare not come neare where the Lord is to have any thing to doe with him thus it was with Adam after he had sinned he runs into the thicket to hide himselfe from the presence of the Lord and rather would he have had the trees fired about his eares and himselfe to have been turned to ashes with them then to have been brought forth before the face of God to answer for his sin which he had done Thus also it was with David himselfe after his sin of pride in numbering the people 1 Chron. 21.30 But let such remember what the Lord spake to the children of Israel in the like case Exod. 20.18.20 Feare not saith Moses for God is come to prove you that his feare may be in you that you sin not feare not with a slavish and servile feare to fly from his presence onely feare him with a reverend feare feare to sin against him Let them not be afraid to come before God but consider though there is no accesse to the Lord whiles they be under the Law there being none there to mediate for them yet let them fly from that Covenant to a Covenant of grace and here there is an Advocate a Mediator ever standing at the right hand of God to plead for such as come unto God by him so that though we have been enemies and strangers yet coming for grace in the Mediator his name there is hope wee may finde grace and acceptance by him therefore saith the Apostle Eph. 2.18 19. Through him wee have accesse unto the Father c. and Chap. 3.12 In him wee have boldnesse and accesse with confidence Heb. 7.25 He is able to save all that come unto God by him Be our case never so miserable in our owne eyes yet if wee come unto God by him he is able to save us to the uttermost and if wee come unto him he will not cast us away Joh. 6.37 For comfort to such as are entred into Covenant with God by Vse 4 the mediation of the Lord Jesus the Mediator of the Covenant here is their comfort that this covenant so made can never be disanulled or broken off Satan will not be wanting to make a breach if possible he can he envieth this uniting of God and man in covenant one with another As soone as ever he saw a Covenant passed between God and our first parents he presently bestirred himselfe to make a breach between them he did then cast between them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an apple of strife as I may so call it to draw man to violate the Covenant of obedience which God had bound him in and so he broke asunder the Covenant between God and man and thus he seekes still to disanull all Covenants between God and us And were our Covenant now without a Mediator as the former was he might prevaile against us and make a new breach as he did before but now here is our stay and strong assurance that if we be once taken into this Covenant of grace this covenant will hold though God might in his Justice breake with us and we◠would breake with God through our sinfull infirmitie and backsliding disposition that is in us yet the Mediator the Lord Jesus Christ standing betwixt God and us keeps us together that wee can never fall asunder he pleads with the Father to reconcile him to us when he is angry with us he pleads also with us and when wee are going backe from God he brings us to him againe by renewing in us our repentings before him he draws the heart againe before the throne of grace powres upon us a spirit of grace and supplication puts in our mouths words of confession and stirres up in us sighes and groanes of spirit intreating the Lord that though wee have gone backe from him yet he
such hypocrisie in their best actions that they cannot thinke that ever such sorry services such lame and sick sacrifices should be accepted of God But tell me you that thus complaine To what do you look that you may finde acceptance with God To your workes or to the riches of grace revealed in the covenant of grace accepting your person through Christ Doe you looke that your worke should be accepted for its own sake or through grace in Christ your persons being first accepted in him If you looke to your workes God regards neither you nor them but if you fly to the aboundance of grace looking for your acceptance there then feare not thy weakest endeavours are accepted before God and doe find favour in his fight Our comfort lyes not in the excellency of our duties but in our free acceptance in Christ Thinke thus thy workes being done never so weakly are not worse then thou thy selfe wast when first thou wentest to the throne of grace begging to be received through grace If then God did in mercy accept thee when thou wast so vile doubt not but out of the same grace and mercy he will accept thy worke also his promise being that he will spare such as a man spareth his sonne that serveth him Mal. 3.17 Mal. 3.17 Great cause hast thou to be humbled and displeased with thy selfe that thou canst performe no better service to thy God that thou art so dead and livelesse in the things of thy God who hath so graciously looked upon thee But no cause therefore to thinke that thy service is not accepted because Gods acceptance begins in the person not in the worke accepting the worke for the persons sake And therefore if God have accepted thy person he will accept thy worke also The fourth difference is this In the Covenant of workes a man Differ 4 is left to himselfe to stand by his own strength But in the Covenant of grace God undertakes with us to keep us through faith The reason of this difference is because when God comes to make a Covenant of workes with Adam he finds him furnished with a sufficiency of power which was put into him in his creation But when he comes to make with us a Covenant of grace in this estate of sin he finds us of no strength Rom. 5.6 Rom. 5.6 impotent feeble possessed with a spirit of infirmitie made up of weaknesses having no power and therefore Isa 40.29 the Lord promiseth unto such that he will give strength unto them and increase power The Lord knowes the infirmitie of our flesh how impossible it is for us to fulfill any part of the righteousnesse which the Law requires Rom. 8.3 Rom. 8.3 He knowes also what powers we have against us Ephes 6. and therefore he tells us that we are kept not by our own power but by his power through faith unto salvation 1 Pet. 1.5 1 Pet. 1.5 And hence is that in Joh. 10.28 Joh. 10.28 Christ tells us that none shall plucke us out of his hand And this is the reason that though Adam fell from his first estate and lost the life promised in that Covenant made with him yet we fall not he had more strength of grace then wee and wee have more corruption then he for he was then pure without sin yet being left to his own liberty he willingly forsooke the commandement of God and fell into a state of perdition But wee being weaker then he yet being once taken into the Covenant of grace though we have the same powers of darknesse against us as he had yet wee fall not so as to sin unto perdition as he did because wee are supported by the power of God Adams life was put into his own hand ours is put into the hand of Christ wee are committed to his care and trust The Father hath given us unto the Sonne the Sonne hath taken us at the hand of the Father and hath undertaken with the Father for us to present us before him As in Gen. 43. Gen. 43. Judah undertakes with his father for Benjamin At my hand saith he shalt thou require him c. So doth Christ undertake for us at his hand the Father requires us and Christ hath ingaged his own faithfulnesse to keepe us till he have presented us perfect before his Father Vse 1 See hence the ground of that which sometimes seems marvellous in our eyes we see men of different abilities some simple weak and despised others indued with eminent gifts and excellent parts yet those that so excell many times fade and fall away their graces wither their light is extinct and they go out like the smoke of a candle with an ill savour whereas the weak and simple ones are upholden and go from strength to strength and increase with the increasings of God The reason hereof is because the one sort viewing themselves and their own excellencies in the glasse of their own conceit they trust in themselves and in their own strength and do not commit their souls to God to be kept by him and so are left unto themselves And then at length meeting with some temptation which is stronger then they their confidence and their strength fails them and so they fall and being left unto themselves they are never able to rise any more whereas the other being sensible of their own infirmitie and casting themselves on the power of God to be kept thereby they are hereby preserved and upholden against all the powers of darknesse which are against them so that either they fall not or if they do fall yet they rise again And thus it comes to passe that these that are weak in themselves they are strong through Christ as 2 Cor. 12.9 2 Cor. 12.9 And those that are strong in themselves are indeed weake in the power of God having no help nor assistance from him and so are quite overthrown This may stay the mindes of those that are weak they think they Vse 2 shall never hold out They cannot deny but the Lord hath shewed mercy on them and wrought his grace in their hearts but they feare they shall not hold out they feel such a power of corruption in themselves so many lusts such strong temptations who can endure True not of your selves but God is able to make you stand Rom. 14.4 Rom. 14.4 do but commit your soules to him in wel-doing as 1 Pet. 4.19 1 Pet. 4.19 And then consider that noble resolution of the Apostle 2 Tim. 1.12 2 Tim. 1.12 I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed to him go thou and do likewise If a friend relying upon thy trust and faithfulnesse should bring a Jewell to thee and intreat thee to keep it carefully thou wouldest be ashamed to be carelesse of it Christ is the faithfull and true witnesse therefore commit thy soul to him and he will keep
but unto the disobedient shall be tribulation and wrath whether Jewes or Gentiles c. Where actions are alike God will deale alike with all such as are under the Covenaâ—t of workes What is just towards one is just towards another when actions and workes are alike Now God will deale justly with all He that commands us to give to every man his due Rom. 13.7 will not himselfe withhold due from any here therefore God will deale alike with all Let one fulfill the Law and he shall live thereby Let another fulfill it and he also shall have the same life Let one breake it and he shall dye and as many as breake it shall lye under the same condemnation But now it is otherwise in the Covenant of grace grace deales diversly with men that are equall in themselves where there was no difference before grace makes a difference as Rom. 3.23 24. Rom. 3.23 24 All have sinned c. there is no difference in our selves wee are all shut up in condemnation by sin but are all justified No but onely those that are of the faith of Jesus Hence saith the Apostle Rom. 9.10 11 12 13. that when Jacob and Esau were both in the same condition neither of them having done either good or evill yet grace put a difference betwixt them and preferred one before the other They were alike in themselves but yet they had not the like grace vouchsafed to them from God Justice is due but grace is free Justice must doe right but grace may communicate it selfe to whom where and in what measure it will Hence is that in Rom. 9.15 Rom. 9.15 I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy c. He doth not say I will deale justly with whom I will he cannot deale unjustly with any But concerning grace he saith I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy Therefore to manifest the freenesse of his grace the Lord sometimes preferreth those that seeme least worthy he sets the younger before the elder Jacob before Esau Ephraim before Manasseh and the Gentiles which were aliens from God before the Jewes which counted themselves to be the onely people Consider those two speeches in Mat. 20. Mat. 20.14 15 The one ver 14. Take that which is thine owne and goe thy way the other ver 15. I will doe with mine owne as I will Here is our owne and Gods owne our owne is that which we looke for according to our agreement which wee have made with God for the worke done As those hyred into the Vineyard they agreed with the Master of the Vineyard for so much and that which they so agreed for for their worke that was their owne due by Justice But that which was not by agreement nor for worke but comes by grace that is Gods owne with which he may doe even as he will our owne is that which is due from Gods justice Gods owne is the gift of his free grace To every one God will say take thine owne And where there is no difference in worke Justice will make no difference in wages And if any begin to complaine that others are better dealt with then they the Lord answers to such I will doe with mine owne as I will Grace is mine owne and I owe it to none I will shew it where I will It is grace which makes the difference herein may God deale diversly giving more to one lesse to another as pleaseth him And hereto agrees that in ver 16th He that is first shall be last and the last first He that should be last in a way of Justice shall become first in a way of grace Those that Justice would set last and lowest Grace will advance and set highest This may serve to stop every mouth that is ready to open it selfe Vse 1 against God and apt to wrangle against the dispensation of his grace you have your owne therefore complaine not you have what you can require in a way of Justice and more and therefore let God doe with his owne what he will What if God will shew more grace to another then to you Is he therefore unrighteous you your selves will take the same liberty to shew the fruits of your kindnesse and courtesie where you will And will you be more free then God Let not your eye be evill because his is good murmure not against God repine not against men if they have received more if God have given them more gifts then unto you grudge not The spirit that is in us lusteth after envie James 4.5 James 4.5 And the Jewes were moved with envie when they saw the Gentiles preferred before themselves But learne to submit to the Lords dispensation neither murmure against him nor envie against men remembring grace is free to give to whom and wâ—â—re he will Vse 2 For incouragement to such as are yet under the condemnation of the Law though you have deserved to perish and have been as deepe in sin as many of those that are now in hell so as Justice can make no separation no difference between you and them yet grace may Consider how it was with those two malefactors Luk. 23.39 to 44. Luke 23.39 to 44. they were both in the same condemnation yet one flying to grace found mercy with the Lord one went to Paradise the other to hell Though you are as vile as the damned in hell yet grace may save you Vse 3 For all such as goe on in their sinne in an impenitent course marke what you must looke for what ever plagues or judgements have befell any sinner you going on in the same sinnes must looke for the same judgements Except you repent you shall likewise perish Luk. 13.2 3. Luk. 13.2 3. God is the same his justice the same now as before It followes the same rule to judge by therefore where the sinnes are the same if you be not under grace you must look for the like vengeance Consider what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.7 8 9 10. Be not you murmurers idolaters fornicators as they were lest you meet with the same judgements as befell them Therefore take heed how you goe on in an impenitent course in any sinne lest the same plagues be inflicted on you Take heed of the covetousnesse of Judas the hypocrisie of Ananias the obstinacy of the Jewes the pride of Nebuchadnezzar the murmurings of the Israelites the lukewarmnesse of Laodicea lest yee taste of the same miseries Justice can make no difference The seventh difference is this That the Covenant of workes is Differ 7 disanulled and broken by one transgression never to be made up any more But the Covenant of grace is not broken asunder by many transgressions so long as wee follow God in a way of faith and repentance After many offences the Covenant of grace may stand firme still This difference is made by the Apostle Rom. 5.16 Rom. 5.16 The guilt came of one offence unto
a type of one under the covenant of works I have served thee these many years never brake thy comandment c. Hence is that in Rom. 11.4 To him that works the wages is counted a debt Man might have required life from God as a due debt But in the covenant of grace a man hath nothing left him of his own to glory in before God But all his glorying is in the grace of God as 1 Cor. 1.30 31. 1 Cor. 1.30 31. Christ is made unto us wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption that whâ—soever glories should glory in the Lord. The covenant of grace teacheth us to look at our selves as lost and undone creatures but withall to look at the riches of grace and to glory in Christ As Paul 1 Tim. 1.13.14 I was a blasphemer c. But the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ was aboundant towards me This difference the Apostle layes down on both parts both in respect of the covenant of works and of grace Rom. 3.27 Rom. 3 27. Where is boasting then It is excluded By what law Of works No the law of works doth not exclude boasting but it is excluded by the law of faith which is the summe of the covenant of grace And so Ephes 2.9 Ephes 2.9 We are saved by grace and not by works Why so lest any man should boast as implying that there is matter of boasting if saved by works but not in bâ—ing saved by grace It is with us now as with a company of condemned prisoners all have received the sentence of death but thoâ—gh some be executed yet others are spared by favour from the Prince what have those that are saved to glory in more then the other Nothing in themselves onely in the favour of the Prince As in Pharaohs two officers whereof one was restored the other hanged so it is with us we are all condemned all have received a sentence of death in our sâ—lves and in some God will shew forth his wrath and make his power known Rom. 9.22 Rom 9.22 others he will spare reserving them as vessels of mercy prepared unto glory But nothing hath one to glory in more then the other but onely in the riches of grace which was shewed to the one and not to the other They that are saved may say I was in the same condemnation but the Lord hath had compassion on me because it so pleased him Here is that which gracâ— teacheth us to glory in Hee that is under the Law if hee fulfill the Law may say as Deut. 9.4 Deut 9.4 For mine own righteousnesse c. But he that is under grace must say as Deut. 9.6 Deut. 9.6 Not for mine own righteousnesse but according to his great mercy Tit. 3.4.5 Tit. 3.4 5. Object But Gal. 6.4 Paul who taught a covenant of grace no where more then in that Epistle yet wisheth a man to prove his own work that so he may have matter of rejoycing in himself and not in another Therefore it may seem that even the covenant of grace teacheth a man to glory in himselfe There is a twofold glorying one of confidence Answer the other of a good conscience First there is a glorying of confidence in regard of our righteousnesse and justification by it before God And this the Apostle wholly excludes Rom. 3.27 Rom 3.27 Ephes 2.9 Ephes 2.9 as was shewed before n ither doth he give any allowance to this in the place alledged Gal. 6.4 Secondly there is the glorying of a good conscience before men and this is allowed unto the Saints Thus Paul himselfe 2 Cor. 1.12 2 Cor. 1.12 My rejoycing is the testimony of a good conscience and 1 Cor. 9.15 And this glorying is either sincere and upright or hypocriticall and unsound Sincere glorying is when a man being privie to his own integrity pleads his own faithfulnesse against the calumnies and accusations of men As Job when he was accused to be an hypocrite was forced to plead the uprightnesse and holinesse of his former conversation chap. 30. 35. And so Paul when hee began to bee vilified among the Corinthians was constrained to plead his own faithfulnesse and diligence and great labours in the work of Christ which hee did in the integrity of his conscience lest the Gospel should be despised Hypocriticall glorying is when a mans glorying in himselfe ariseth not from the soundnesse of grace and the uprightnesse of his own conversation but from a vain proud comparing himselfe with other men as bâ—ing more excellent then they in his own eyes like the Pharisâ—e Luke 18.11 Luke 18.11 I am not as other men c. Now the Apostle speaks of this last kind of glorying whereas some had fallen by infirmity v. 1. others were ready to please themselves that they had not discovered so great weaknesse as others had done and so were apt to think better of themselves and therein to boast The Apostle therefore exhorts them not to glory in this that they were stronger then such as had so fallen but to examine whether all were well with themselves and sound within because otherwise the matter and ground of their rejoycing is in anothers weaknesse and not in their own goodnesse rather in anothers falling then in their own sure standing by grace and so they glory in another not in themselves which is but an unsound and vain kind of rejoycing and this the Apostle condemnes But Hezekiah glories even before God Isai 33.3 Isaiah 33.3 Remember Object O Lord saith he what I have done c. Answer He glories not of his merit and worth unto justification but of his uprightnesse and good conscience As if hee should say Thou hast been wont to shew favour to thy servants that have walked faithfully before thee therefore doe the like unto me and so usâ—th it as an argument to encourage himselfe to seek and hope for favour from the Lord. Vse Hereby we may see of what spirit wee are whether it bee the spirit of grace or of the law that dwels or works in us There is a spirit or the law and there is a spirit of grace The spirit of the law may teach us and inform us of the duties we ought to walk in and also stirre up to a lâ—gall performance of them by the light which it hat wrought and yet the spirit of grace may still bee wanting Would wee know then whether the spirit which is in us be a spirit of the law or of grace the point in hand will shew it The spirit oâ— the law fills a man with rejoycing and glorying in himselfe and in that which he hath done it makes him to boast of his own righteousnesse as the Pharisee Luke 18.11 12. Luke 18.11.12 he is full of his own goodnesse and as the Church of Laodicea Rev. 3. The spirit of the law maketh a man to say as the proud King of Ashur Isai 37.24 25. Isaiah
light and new truths we drinke not in old poysoned errors and be fed with windy fancies in stead of bread Aske for the old way Jer. 6.16 Jer. 6.16 The old way is the good way wherein you must finde rest to your soules Men have itching eares itching mindes and itching tongues also itching to be fed with and to be venting novelties It hath been the blemish of our English Nation that they have been alwayes new-fangled running after new fashions taking up the fashions of every Nation The poverty of our estates will not here permit us to follow new fashions but yet still the vanitie of our mindes is working and doating upon our new opinions whereby men are led into pathes that were not troden by the Fathers of old God charges the false Prophets Jer. 18.15 Jer. 18.15 that they led his people from the ancient wayes Whiles every one is forward to vent his own imagination and hath libertie so to doe every one saying I have seene I have seene when indeed they have seene nothing but the vanitie and lying imagination of their own heart they fill the world with idle fancies which breed questions rather then godly edifying Aske therefore for the way which Abraham David Moses Isaiah and Jeremy with the rest of the Prophets walked in and departed not therefrom Though we have cause to praise the Lord for the aboundant manifestation of the Doctrine of Grace in these dayes more then before Christs coming in the flesh yet the Doctrine is the same As the light of the Sun which shines at noone-time or mid-day is the same light which shined in the morning onely more cleare and bright then before so the Doctrine of Grace though more clearly manifested then formerly when hid under types and shadowes yet the truth is the same Wee hope to be saved by grace as they did and they had the same Doctrine of Grace as we have therefore seeke we after the old way 2. But though the substance of the Covenant was the same then and now yet there is a difference in regard of the manner of dispensation and revealing it being diversly propounded according to the severall times ages states and conditions of the Church delivered one way before the coming of Christ and another way afterward And therefore in regard of the old way and manner of administration of it it 's called the old Covenant and in regard of the new manner of dispensing it 's called the new Covenant The same Covenant therefore is called both new and old as is evident Heb. 8.8.13 Heb. 8.8 13. But lest any should thinke that the old Covenant there spoken of was properly and strictly the Covenant of workes see what is said before Pag. 59 60. c. Wherein stands the difference between the old and new manner of the dispensation of the Covenant of grace Quest It stands principally in foure things Answ 1. One more burthensome another more easie 2. One more darke the other more cleare 3. One more weake the other more lively and strong 4. In regard of the extent of the dispensation one dispensed to that one people of the Jewes the other to all Nations First The Covenant in the former dispensation of it was more burthensome and heavie to be borne and is now made to us more easie which appeares by those places of Scripture-speeches which the Holy-Ghost useth of the Ordinances of the old Testament Acts 15.10 Acts 15.10 They were a yoke which neither we nor our Fathers could beare and Colos 2.20 Colos 2.20 If saith the Apostle you be freed from these worldly Ordinances why are you burthened with traditions He did not say Why will you take upon you the observation of traditions but why are yee burthened with them implying they were an heavy burthen So Galat. 4.3 Galat 4.3 he comparing the state of the Church then and now he saith they were then in a kinde of bondage in respect of us now In the dayes of the New Testament the burthen is made light c. Therefore saith Christ Mat. 11. Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easie and my burthen light He taketh off the burthen of the Ceremoniall Law that we need not be bâ—â—thened with it Consider the burthen that lay upon them First The burthen of their costly Sacrifices that if any had but touched an uncleane thing he must come and offer sacrifice sometime a bullock sometime a lambe If we were for every offence to offer such sacrifices we should count it an heavie burthen Secondly They had long and tedious journeys to Jerusalem the Land lay more in length then breadth and Jerusalem stood almost at one end of it and thither thrice a yeare all the males were to goe and appeare before God Deut. 16.16 Thirdly They were restrained from many liberties which wee now enjoy we are allowed many creatures for meat which they might not eat as the Hare swine c. Difference of meats is now taken away Fourthly They were tyed to the observation of many dayes the new Moones and many Ceremoniall Sabbaths to which they were bound and not at libertie as we are Now whether wee respect one of these or all together it was a burthensome thing to them But now the yoke is made more easie therefore Christ compares the Jewish Church to a childe that in his nonage is under tutors and governours till the time appointed by the Father But the Church now is like a man growne up that hath his patrimony in his own hand Gal. 4.1 2. Gal. 4.1 2. Though we be bound to the duties of the Morall Law as well as they yet a great yoke is taken off from us Vse Seeing we have so much libertie in the dayes of the Gospel and are eased of the burthen that lay upon them it must teach us with the more freedome and willingnesse to offer up those spirituall sacrifices unto God which he calls for at our hands He hath taken off from our shoulders the heavie yoke which lay upon them Let us not therefore be as the people of Israel of whom the Lord complains Hosea 11.3.4 Hosea 11.3.4 that though he had taken off the yoke and laid meat before them yet they were like an unruly beast that kicketh with the heele If now when the Lord hath taken off the yoke of the Ceremoniall Law and hath given us the Covenant of his grace without those burthens that lay upon them if yet we deale unkindly with him and count those spirituall services which he requires from the inward man to be a burthen unto us how may the Lord complaine of us much more Let us therefore give unto the Lord voluntary and spirituall sacrifices the lesser that our burthen is the greater is the sin if we serve not the Lord with a chearfull heart in the services he requires from us Secondly The Covenant was then revealed more darkly and obscurely but now the dispensation of it is
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
Covenants about childrens toyes and light matters but such as concerne the welfare of the Kingdome so when the great Monarch of heaven and earth enters into Covenant with us it is about the great things of our salvation the great things of heaven yea of God himselfe The Covenant is full of blessings it is a rich store-house replenished with all manner of blessings It is not dry nor barren but like the fat Olive or fruitfull Vine the fruit whereof cheares the heart of God and man God himselfe is delighted in the communication of his grace to his people and they are delighted with the participation of his grace from him The Covenant is a tree of life to those that feed upon it they shall live for ever It is a Well of salvation Isai 12.3 Isai 12.3 It 's a fountaine of good things to satisfie every thirstie soule Zach. 13.1 Zach. 13.1 It is a treasure full of goods as Deut. 28.12 Here is unsearchable riches in this Covenant which can never be emptied nor come to an end Our finite narrow understandings can never apprehend the infinite grace this Covenant containes no more then an egge-shell is able to containe the water of the whole Sea Yet it is not in vaine to consider them as wee are able to expresse them though they be above that which we are able to speake or thinke As Moses though he could not see Gods face nor discerne his glory to the full yet he was permitted to see his back parts so we may take a little view of the blessings promised though the full cannot be seene As in a Map we have the bounds of a Lordship set forth the rivers woods meadowes pastures c. these are seen darkly in the Map but they are nothing to that when they are seen in their own beautie and greennesse to see the silver streames in the rivers the beautifull woods the large medowes fat pastures and goodly orchards which are farre more excellent in themselves then when they are seene in the Map So we can shew you but a little Map of those glorious things which the Covenant containes but by that little that you doe see you may be raised up to the consideration of the things that are not seene but are to be revealed in due time Now the blessings of the Covenant are infolded and wrapped up in the promises of it every promise of Grace containing a blessing in it as every threatning of the Law contains a curse They are now infolded in the promise the time of unfolding is not yet come The time of full discovery is when the heavens come to be folded up Heb. 1.12 Heb. 1.12 then the promises shall be unfolden and then wee shall fully see the blessings of the Covenant Wee have now a right and interest in them which is safe and sure but as yet we have them but by promise onely and therefore it is that the termes of Covenant and promise are taken for the same Eph. 2.12 Ephes 2.12 Rom. 9.5 Hence also we are said to be heires in hope of eternall life Tit. 3.7 Titus 3.7 not in present possession but in hope Therefore if wee would see what are the blessings of the Covenant we must looke into the promises Now the promises and blessings of the Covenant are of two sorts First of things spirituall and eternall Secondly of things temporall that concerne this outward life The spirituall blessings of the Covenant are chiefly comprehended in these places of Scripture Jer. 31.31.33 Jer 31.31.33 This shall be my Covenant saith the Lord after those dayes I will put my Law in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest of them for I will forgive their iniquitie and remember their sinne no more So Ezek. 36.25 26 27 28. Ezek. 36.25 26 27 28. Then will I sprinkle cleane water upon you and yee shall be cleane from all your filthinesse and from all your Idolls will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give you c. So also Jerem. 32.38 39 40. They shall be my people and I will be their God and I will give them one heart c. Gen. 17.7 Gen. 17.7 I will be a God unto thee and thy seed These places compared together with such other doe expresse the summe of all the great things promised in the Covenant First Here is that great promise I will be your God and you shall be my people Secondly But if any say Alas how can God be a God unto me so sinfull as I am that have sinned provoked him as I have done therefore to take away this God saith that shall not hinder I will forgive your iniquities and remember them no more Thirdly But if the soule say further that though God should take all my former sinnes away and pardon them yet I have such a sinfull wretched nature in me that I shall breake out into new sinnes against him and bring a new guiltinesse upon my selfe The Lord removes and takes away this also and promiseth that he will renew our natures and give us hearts of flesh he will wash us from our filthinesse and write his law in our hearts and inable us to keepe his Statutes c. Fourthly But because some may yet say Though God should doe all this for me yet such is my infirmitie and weaknesse that I shall depart againe from the Lord I shall never hold out Therefore the Lord makes answer to this also and tells us that he will never depart away from us and that he will put such a feare of him into our hearts that wee shall never depart from him Jer. 32.40 To begin with the first which is the great promise of the Covenant I will be thy God Gen. 17.7 Gen. 17.7 Jer. 31.33 Jer. 31.33 This is set in the midst of the promises as the heart in the midst of the body to communicate life to all the rest of the members This promise hath influence into all the rest As Christ speaking of the Commandements of the Law calls that commandement of loving the Lord with all our heart the great Commandement so may this be called the great promise of the new-Covenant It is as great as God is He is an infinite God the heaven of heavens is not able to contain him Yet this promise containes him God shuts up himselfe in it I will be your God 1. Here is sufficiency It is a promise of infinite worth an overflowing blessing a rich possession an hid treasure which none can rightly value It was a great promise that Balak made to Balaam Numb 22.17 Numb 22.17 I will promote thee to great honour A greater which Ahâ—suerus made to Esther cap. 5.6 That he would give her the halfe of his kingdome A
yet would live in hatred of their brother ver 9. They would say they loved God yet loved not their brethren 1 Ioh. 4.20 Now against these Sayers as I may call them that were all in profession and in word saying Lord Lord but not doing his will against these I say the Apostle opposeth these others which had the true work of sanctification in their heart and tells us that hereby we know c. Namely if we doe not onely say we love the brethren but doe indeed love them c. hereby we know that we are passed from death to life Thus by these expressions taken out of the Apostles own mouth we see clearely who they are whom the Apostle meaneth by this we namely not we onely who have received that immediate witnesse of the Spirit assuring us of our election and justification but we also which have this work of sanctification wrought in our hearts by the holy Ghost Quest But some may say why should we goe about to evidence our justification by our sanctification rather then our sanctification by our justification Ans Because though they goe both together in time yet they are not both alike in respect of manifestation Our sanctification is more manifest to us then is our justification It s easier discerned First because our sanctification is the work of the Spirit whose part it is as was said before to make known unto us the hid things of God for which cause he is called the Spirit of Revelation c. Eph. 1.17 Secondly because our sanctification is a work within us wrought in out own hearts Our justification is an act of God without us God not imputing to us our iniquities but our sanctification is an inward work wrought in a mans own bowels of which he hath and cannot but have a sensible feeling in himselfe Obj. But by this reason may some say a man may as well know his justification as his sanctification because we are justified by faith and faith is an inward Grace planted in the heart as well as any other sanctifying Grace which springs therefrom And therefore we may know our justification by our faith as well as by our sanctification Answ True so farre as we discerne our faith we may thereby discerne our justification also But this makes for us not against us Though this withall is to be considered that faith being as the root of all other Graces is more hidden then they are as the root of the tree is more hidden in the earth then the body or branches but this we stand not upon This therefore we would grant that a man may know his justification by his faith but this toucheth not the point in hand For when we goe about to try our justification by our sanctification and by qualifications inherent in us in this way of tryall faith is excluded as much as any other sanctifying Graces be And the meaning of those that doe oppose this way of evidencing by our sanctification is to remove all evidence by any thing in our selves whether by faith or by any other Grace and to urge only the immediate revelation of the Spirit The summe is that this is a safe way of tryall being laid down unto us by the Lord himselfe in the Word And it is a possible way in as much as our sanctification is more evident then our justification this being an act of God without us as was said before and that a work within us which we feele and finde in our own soules Would we then know whether we be of the number of those that are saved by the blood of the Covenant we need not for this ascend up into heaven to search the book of Gods election nor need we to goe down into the lower parts of the earth for any there to tell us that we are deliveâ—ed thence but goe down into our own hearts and if we finde this work of sanctification there wrought then what Moses said of Israel Blessed art thou O Israel a people saved by the Lord the same may be truly said of us Our salvation is begun we have the seale of it the earnest the first fruits which shall at length bring the full possession of the whole harvest Blessed therefore are they which are undefiled in their way saith David which walk in the Law of the Lord Psal 119.1 Blessed are the pure in heart Matth. 5.8 Those that have innocent hands and a pure heart shall surely ascend into the mountaine of the Lord and stand in his holy place Psal 24.3 4. Such as these shall never be moved or confounded Psal 15. end But if in our hearts we doe still nourish impurity if we be fleshly carnall such as have not the Spirit then have we no part nor portion in that salvation which the Covenant brings unto Gods people without holinesse no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12.14 No unrighteous person no uncleane thing shall enter into Gods Kingdome 1 Cor. 6. Quest But how shall we discern our sanctification to be right sincere and sound Answ 1. By the extent of it It goes over the whole man soule body and spirit 1 Thes 5.23 and therefore compared to leaven Matth. 13.33 which runnes through the dough till all bee leavened As corruption had defiled all so Grace sanctifies all The minde which was darknesse before is now light in the Lord to know and understand the will of God and to discerne things that differ The judgement made to approve the good which is known the will to desire and endeavour after the doing of it The conscience is made watchfull and tender fearefull to offend The affections ordered aright to love the things which God loveth and to hate the things which he hateth The body is made an instrument to execute and doe that which is holy and good Both body and spirit are Gods set to doe the things that please him by which he may be glorified 1 Cor. 6. all that is within us and without us is imployed to praise God 2. True Sanctification as it doth sanctifie the whole man so it doth forme the heart to a closing with the whole will of God without exception or reservation when God writes his Law in our hearts he writes all his Commandements there as he wrote all of them before in the Tables of stone and they being all written in the heart now we love all the Commandements of it saying as Paul The Law is holy and just and good now his Commandements are not burthenous or grievous all are equall and right we love all embrace all and labour to practice all duties of holinesse towards God duties of love and righteousnesse towards men goe hand in hand in the life of a sanctified Christian He makes account he hath done but half his duty if either of these be omitted He counts himselfe as debtor to God and man to glorifie God and procure the good of men and desires to keep a cleare conscience
but legall Christians and legall Preachers as allowed this way All her assurance was from revelation it was revealed unto her that shee was one of the Elect of God and shee knew all things by immediate revelation from above but I fear she knows not that her glorious revelations were but Satanicall delusions Let her damned heresies shee fell into denying the resurrection c. and the just vengeance of God by which she perished terrifie all her seduced followers from having any more to doe with her leaven which shee spred among them Beware of her sinne least yee perish in her plague Vse 2. Is there a condition of the Covenant Then let this provoke us all who look for the blessing which it brings to be faithâ—ull with God in keeping our Covenant with him take heed we fall not short of the condition least we be deprived of the blessing this is that which the Apostle teaches us Heb. 4.1 Seeing we have a promise left us of entering into his rest there is the blessing promised let us feare least through unbeliefe any of us should be deprived there is the condition required The words through unbeliefe are not in the Text expressed but they are evidently implyed as appears both by the coherence with the third Chapter and by that which followes Chap. 4.2 To be deprived of such a blessing is a heavy losse such as can never be recompenced and the preventing of this losse so far as concernes us is by keeping of our Covenant which the Lord commands us to walk in If we forsake the condition we forsake the promise and therefore it is also that when God took Abraham into a Covenant with him he did not only tell Abraham what he would be unto him a God to blesse him but he brings Abraham to walk in Covenant with him Thou also shalt keep my Covenant saith the Lord Gen. 17.9 Thou shalt walk before me and bee upright Gen. 17 1. When God takes us into Covenant with him we are said to be brought into the bond of the Covenant Ezek. 20. to teach us that now we must look at our selves as tyed and bound unto God in a Covenant never to be broken we are not now any longer at our own liberty to walke as we list but must observe our Covenant to walk therein when we walk so that we may truly say before the Lord our heart is not turned back from thee neither have we dealt falsely with thee in thy Covenant as it in Psal 44.17 18 this keeps the heart in a comfortable expectation of the blessed hope which is set before us Thus Paul I have kept the faith I have finished my course and now henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousnesse 2 Tim. 4.7 8. Let us carefully walk in the condition and then the promise will be sure not only sure in it self but suâ—e to us 2 Pet. 1.10 These bonds of the Covenant are not like the fetters of a prison they are like the pleasing bonds of wedlock vincula nuptiarum which every one gladly enters into Oh let us love these bonds give up both our hands unto the Lord yea and our hearts also to be bound in them for ever these are sweet bonds they work no griefe seek not therefore to break them Psal 2. nor cast them from you say not we will be our own and walk by our will such lawlesse and licentious spirits as will be at liberty they shall be at liberty to their wo they shall have such a liberty as Jeremy threatned to the rebellious Jewes a liberty to the sword to the famine and to the pestilence Jer. 34. a liberty to goe to hell to their eternall destruction a liberty with a curse granted unto them in wrath which shall end in chaines of everlasting darknesse and bring them into that prison from whence there is no going out Therefore let all such as look for the blessing and life promised in the Covenant Let them walk faithfully in the condition of it and in this way expect the mercy which is promised Thus wee have shewed First That there is a condition of the Covenant Secondly Why the Lord hath put a condition unto it 3. The third point follows to shew what the condition is which though it hath been obiter mentioned before yet is now to be spoken of more particularly The condition then of the Covenant of Grace is faith Rom. 4.16 Rom. 10.9 10. If thou believest in the Lord Jesus thou shalt be saved so Acts 18.31 Joh. 3.16 hence in Rom. 3.27 The Gospel is called the Law of Faith because as the Law of works doth put works as the condition of that Covenant so the Gospel puts faith as the condition of the new Covenant Quest But why is faith made the condition of the Covenant Answ 1. The blessing of life promised is not in our selves but in Christ Christ is life and he which hath the Sonne hath hath life and he which hath not the Son hath not life 1 Joh. 5.12 We are dead Colos 3.3 and our Works are dead Heb. 9.14 there is no life in them they cannot bring life unto them that doe them nor can wee quicken our own soules but Christ is the life of men Joh. 1.4 Colos 3.4 and the way to receive Christ and the life which is in him is only by faith Ioh. 1.12 unbeliefe rejects Christ and puts him away But faith as an hand puts forth it selfe to receive him in whom our life is If we had life in our selves and could have found it in our own works it had then been needlesse to appoint faith as the condition of the Covenant but being that both we our selves are dead in sinne and our works are dead works nothing but death to be found in either therefore it s required that wee believe in Christ that we may receive life from him 2. The condition of the law is now become impossible unto us through the infirmity of our flesh Rom. 8.3 and therefore the Apostle saith that the Law cannot possibly give life Gal. 3.21 Therefore the Lord would go that way with us no more the Lord saw by Adam what would be the fruit of that condition if we had been put upon the same as Adam was we should have done as he did we should have shewed our selves men like men transgressing the Covenant as Hoseah speaks Hos 6.7 This condition being above our ability to performe the Lord hath in goodnesse appointed another which is possible through grace to be fulfilled by us having now received a spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 It is now given us to believe Phil. 1.29 this is possible 3. It is by faith that it might be by grace Rom. 4.16 The Covenant is stablished upon the condition of faith that it might appeare to be by grace that wee obtain the blessing the condition must answer the nature of the Covenant therefore being a Covenant of grace the
1 King 20. It counts those subjects happy that are free of this Kingdome and those servants happy that stand before this King 1 King 10. It makes the soule lament its bondage under other Lords as in Esay 26.13 Lord saith the Church there other Lords besides thee have ruled over us but in thee is our onely hope having felt the misery of those former slaveries in which it hath been holden having been in the Iron Furnace of Aegypt and sate by the waters of Babel and wept there having been under such cruell Lords now they are weary of the yoke of the oppressor and now the blessing of the Lords government the Laws of God which were before counted as cords and bands fitter for bondslaves then for free-men are now esteemed holy and just and good Rom 7. Faith believes that which the Lord hath said that he hath given us his Commandements for our good that it may goe well with us for ever Deut. 12. 4. Faith reconciles the heart unto God it doth not only believe that he is reconciled unto us but also reconciles us unto God whereas before we hated him and would none of him and thrust him away from us as the Israelites did Moses Acts 7.27 Yet now the soule having by faith believed his goodnesse towards us is thereby reconciled unto him it layes down all weapons of defiance and submits in love Like as a Traytor having found the gracious favour of his Prince in pardoning his treacherous practises his naughty heart which was before so full of treachery is now overcome with this undeserved favour so we also having been in times past rebels against God haters of him enemies unto him having had our mindes set upon evill things Col. 1. are now overcome by his goodnesse towards us our heart is turned to him our hatred is turned into love faith working love causing us to love him for that great love wherewith hee hath loved us in Christ 1 Joh. 4. So that now we come to God as they did to David in 1 Chron. 12.18 Thine are we we are wholly thine And thus faith slayes the hatred and puls down the partition wall which was betwixt God us reconciles the enmity and makes of two one working peace and love so that now the believing soule desires nothing more then to bee subject to his government and grieves when it is hindred that it cannot doe that which he hath commanded And thus the Covenant is made up in both parts of it offered unto us by God and received of us by faith 1 King 20.34 2. As faith closeth with the Covenant and brings us into Covenant with God so it doth also act and work in us to enable us to walk with God according to the Covenant which we have made with him there is a keeping of Covenant required of us as well as a making of Covenant with God Gen. 17 7 9. in Psal 50.5 the Saints are said to make a Covenant with God but in Psal 103.18 they are said to keep his Covenant so there is both a making and a keeping of Covenant and both these are done by faith faith doth first enter us into Covenant with God as we have seen above and then by the same faith we are carried on to a keeping of the Covenant made and that according to both parts of the Covenant before laid down 1. Whereas God enters into Covenant with us to heale our back-slidings to blesse us with all kinds of blessings convenient for us Now the work of faith is to carry on the soule in a continuall dependence upon God for all the good which he hath promised If we be in danger faith looks unto God for safety and deliverance 2 Chron. 14.11 Acts 27.25 It believes the promises of deliverance and depends upon them If we have sinned and done the things wee should not faith brings the soule back unto God againe in a way of repentance and looks to the faithfulnesse and stability of his Covenant hoping still to finde mercy and forgivenesse with him albeit we have sinned against him and so in all other occasions which befall us in this life according as any evill presseth upon us or any blessing is wanting unto us faith hath recourse to the promise and Covenant of God waiting upon him for all that mercy which we stand in need of in every kind And when we doe thus put forth our faith in the exercise and acts of it depending by it upon God in all our occasions this is the life of faith which the Scripture speaks of this is to live by faith Hab. 2. and to walk by faith 2 Cor. 5. And this life of faith is then especially seen when the course of Gods providence and dealing with us seemes to make against his promise herein the life of Abrahams faith was seen that though his body grew more impotent and dead every yeare yet God having promised him a Son Abraham believes even above hope notwithstanding the deadnesse of his body and of Sarahs womb And so Moses God having promised good to Israel though for the present he saw nothing but wants and necessities and mortality among the people so many thousands dying in the Wildernesse yet was he so confident of Gods goodnesse towards that people that he was bold to promise good to Jethro his Father-in-Law in case he would joyn himselfe unto them and be one of them Come with us saith Moses unto him and we will doe thee good for God hath promised good unto Israel Num. 10.29 When Moses promised to doe him good hee might have said You may bring me to sorrow and misery enough here you are in a miserable Wildernesse where you sometimes want water and have nothing to eat and here you die and your carkases fall in the Wildernesse what good can I expect that you can doe for mee and yet Moses by the power of faith is confident to promise him good God saith he hath promised good unto Israel Moses looks beyond the present workes of Gods providence and considers the stability of Gods promise and that doth he rest upon God not being as man that he should lye or repent 1 Sam. 16. therefore Moses concludes Let the Lord for the present doe as he will let all things seem to crosse his promise never so much yet this I am sure of God hath promised good to Israel and therefore good shall come and thus doth faith enable the soule to walke in Covenant with God depending upon him for that mercy and goodnesse which he hath promised God saith I will be a God unto thee to blesse thee and to doe thee good and this I require of thee that thou trust to me and depend upon me for all the good thou standest in need of and faith doth so it rests upon Gods promise And thus faith fulfills this part of the Covenant 2. As for the other part of the Covenant I will be a God over thee and thou shalt glorifie
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
Eph. 2.8 9. ye are saved by grace through faith There is first the maine blessing of the Covenant yee are saved There is secondly the fountaine or cause of it by grace yee are saved by grace Then thirdly there is the condition through faith And if any should now ask how it could be by grace and yet depend upon the condition of faith the Apostle goes on and shews how that may be namely 1. Because faith is not of our selves but it is the gift of God and 2. Because faith doth not come to God boastingly to claime life by the works of righteousnesse which we have done but comes to him with an empty hand to receive what grace and mercy is willing to give such a condition as this doth no more derogate from the freenesse of grace then doth the beggers receiving of the almes given him derogate from the kindnesse of him that gave it 4. The grace of the Covenant is free notwithstanding the condition because we doe not put any condition as antecedent to the Covenant on Gods part whereby to induce and move the Lord to enter into Covenant with us as if there were any thing supposed in us which might invite and draw him to take us into Covenant with himselfe only we suppose a condition antecedent to the promise of life which condition we are to observe and walk in and in the observation thereof to expect the blessing of life which the Covenant promiseth If God had not purposed to have dealt with us after his rich grace he might have said to us when he saw us polluted in our bloud I will no more have mercy as it is in Hoseah 1.6 9. ye shall no more be my people neither will I be yours But yet he is pleased to over-look all our sinfull pollutions and to sprinkle clean water upon us and then to take us by the hand and to enter into Covenant with us here is grace free notwithstanding the condition of faith to which the promise is made In a word The Lord out of his free grace purposing life and salvation to his chosen then to make way for the accomplishment of his purpose in bringing us to life first he works in us renewing grace and puts within us a spirit of faith and so leads us on in the way of faith to the obtaining of that great blessing the salvation promised the one of these being antecedent and as a condition to the other 5. It s a good consideration which Doctor Ames hath in Coron Arâ—ic 5. cap. 3. That eadem res absolutè promittitur quia certò efficietur cum conditione quia non alià s efficietur nisi per media in illis mediis hominis ipsius exigitur cura thus forgivenesse of sinne is absolutely promised Esay 43. For mine own sake will I put away thy transgressions and yet it is promised also with condition 1 Joh. 1. If wee confesse our sins he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes These promises are both of them promises of free grace the annexing therefore of a condition doth not impaire the free grace of the Covenant Vses And first from this that faith is the condition of the Covenant from whence first we may conceive how it is that even in the Covenant of grace life is promised unto good works and to well-doing as it is in Iohn 5.29 Luke 14.14 Gal. 6.9 1 Tim. 6.18 19. Hebr. 6. by all which it might seeme that works have the same place in the Covenant of grace as in the Covenant of works even to be proper causes of salvation but where we finde the promise of life made unto good works we must not look at them as works of the Law but as works and fruits of faith wrought by a beleever wrought forth by the power and by the life of faith which being a living grace cannot be idle and fruitlesse but will be working and fruitfull in well doing These kind of promises which promise life unto works are if I may so call them not casuall but declarative making manifest who be those true beleivers to whom the life promised in the Covenant doth belong In these promises workes are not set as the causes of our salvation but as evidences and signes of those that do beleeve unto life distinguishing betwixt beleevers and unbeleevers between those that are sincerely faithfull and seeming professors which professe and say they beleive but indeed their faith is but a dead faith and therefore vaine the promise is made to works not as the cause of our salvation but to note out the nature and quality of that faith which is the condition of life seeing faith is a grace more inward and that act of it by which it saveth is secret and cannot be seen for who knows our resting on or adhering unto Christ therefore this saving faith shews it selfe by some other acts of it setting love a worke which discovers it selfe by obedience in all righteousnesse and true holinesse and these fruits being seen do make knowne the tree from whence they come although therefore the promise of life is made sometimes to faith sometimes to workes yet this is not to note out a twofold condition of the Covenant as if the condition were partly faith and partly works but to note out the property and nature of that faith which hath the promise of life belonging to it not an idle but a working faith not a dead faith but living not ineffectual in word or tongue only but operative and effectuall making us carefull to shew forth good works Tit. 3.8 Otherwise if we look at workes by themselves as separated from faith to such works there is no promise of life made in the Covenant of grace The same work done by a beleever hath a promise of reward and the same work being done by an unbeleever hath no promise which shews that the promise is made rather to the worker or to the beleever thus working then to the worke it selfe and by this meanes the promise of life being made to this kinde of faith which doth thus work hereby the faithfull are enabled the better to see their own estate in the promise of life as having a good foundation of assurance thereby that they shall obtaine eternall life 1 Tim. 6.19 hereby also carnall professors who talk of saith but have no works walking unholily are convinced to have no part and right thereunto 2. This may let us see the kindnesse and love of God towards us in that he hath appointed such a condition of life unto us as through his grace is possible for us to fulfill To fullfill the righteousnesse of the Law is now become impossible through the infirmity of our flesh but it is not impossible to beleeve on him who hath fulfilled all righteousnesse for us Here is grace in appointing such a possible condition for though the Lord should have fully pardoned all our former breaches of Covenant with him and
should have said unto us you have once broken my Covenant and yet if you will at last fulfill my Law which I gave unto you I will yet accept you as just unto life yet we could not have done it the condition was too hard for us to perform If we had been held close to this condition of fulfilling the Law we should have missed of life for ever The Lord therefore seeing and pittying of our infirmity was pleased to propound unto us another condition saying unto us only beleive Beleive on my son trust on my grace and thou shalt be saved herein the Lord hath condescended to our weaknesse taking compassion of our infirmities laying upon us no other burthen but this Beleeve my promise accept my grace and rest upon it and this thy faith shall save thee Thou shalt never perish 3. It serves for comfort to all Gods faithfull ones that have beleived through grace if you have received this first gift if it be given you to beleeve you shall not fail of a second gift even the gift of eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord Though your repentance be lesse then to equall the measure of your sins though your obedience be imperfect yea though your faith it selfe be weak also yet if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfained syncere and sound this your faith is accepted of God and is imputed to you for righteousnesse Those that are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham saith the Apostle Gal. 3.9 Blessed is shee that beleeveth saith the Angell Luke 1.45 and the Son of God comes in as a third witnesse testifying that whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but is passed from death to life Iohn 3. Here are three witnesses from heaven and earth all witnessing the blessed estate of such as do beleive Faith is well termed precious faith 1 Pet. 1.2 Pet. 1.1 because it makes us partakers of all the precious blessings of grace which are contained in the Covenant The faithfull are inheritours of all the priviledges which God hath promised to his chosen and therefore it is that they are called heires of promise Heb. 6.17 and heires of blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 You beleevers be exhorted to see and owne your blessednesse take notice of the great things the Lord hath done for you he hath made a covenant with you even a Covenant of peace and blessing and life for ever God is become your God he will be all things unto you and when all helpes under heaven fail you yet from himselfe he will do you good all your sins are forgiven you his spirit is yours to lead you to sanctifie you and to heal the evils that be in you he will uphold you in that state wherein you stand and will keep you that you shall never perish and will at last bring you to a full injoyment of himselfe in his heavenly Kingdome where you shall for ever blesse him and be made blessed by him and shall rejoyce before him with joy unspeakable and glorious pluck up your hearts therefore and be glad lift up your heads strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees serve the Lord with gladnesse and joyfulnesse of spirit considering the day of our salvation draweth neer though now for a time you may be in heavinesse through manifold temptations and afflictions in this evill world yet faint not you being partakers of that precious faith you have the holy and faithfull God in Covenant with you to love you to blesse you and to save you and yet a little while and he that shall come will come and receive you to himselfe and then you shall fully know what it is to have beleived and to have been in Covenant with God what it is to have God to be your God when you shall see him and enjoy him as he is Only nourish your faith and live by faith make much of this precious grace cherish it by thinking often on the promises and of that grace which hath been shewed upon you from on high study to walke worthy of that mercy received and in so doing wait for the end of your faith the salvation of your soule 4. If faith be the condition of the Covenant then woe to all unbeleevers that go on in their impenitency and unbeleife Their unbeleife deprives them of that good which the Lord hath by his Covenant promised to his people they have no part nor portion in God they are without God without Christ without Covenant without promise without mercy their sins are unpardoned they are under the curse the wrath of God abides upon them there is nothing to take it away from them but if they abide in unbeleif wrath abides upon them for ever There is a wrath wherby God is angry with his own people but that anger lasts but for a little season it is but for a moment Isai 4.7 8. it passeth away and abides not upon them but the unbeleiver hath wrath abiding on him for ever John 3.36 In Iude 5. it is said that God afterwards destroyed those Israelites that beleived not when once they had had the means of grace made known then not beleiving God afterwards destroyed them you that tread in the steps of their unbeleif you are little troubled to thinke what misery is comming upon you as not knowing that you are in danger but you are under wrath your judgement hastneth and your damnation sleepeth not be awakened therefore be thinke your selves and consider what your end will be by your unbeleif you put a bar to exclude your selves from the blessing of life promised to Gods people you thus continuing the Lord neither will nor can save you You will thinke this an hard saying but you will finde it too true God cannot lye Titus 1.2 much lesse can he forswear but God hath sworne this that such shall never enter into his rest Psal 95. and Hebr. 3. ult In Mat. 13. ult It s said Christ did not many great works in his owne country for their unbeleifes sake But in Marke 6.5 it s said hee could not doe them he neither did them nor could do them unbeleif stops the course and diverts the stream of Gods goodnesse from comming unto us Christs usuall speech to those that expected any blessing from him was this According to your faith be it unto you faith makes all things possible Marke 6.23 It will reverse the sentence of death which is passed upon us and bring us back unto life but unbeleife makes it impossible so that we cannot be saved The Lord can do nothing against his own counsell and will and he hath concluded this with himselfe to save none but such as beleive and that whosoever beleeveth not shall perish all you unbeleevers consider this your unbeleefe will bee your destruction Secondly Is there such a work of faith in bringing us into Covenant with God and in enabling us to walk in Covenant with him 1. This serves to direct all the people of God