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destitute of help Our eyes saith he are unto thee O Lord we know not what to doe Let the Lord sâ—e that our hearts are withdrawn from the creature and those helps which we leaned upon and that we doe faithfully relie upon him and then will hee ride upon the heavens for our help as Deut.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
of God and have such promises made unto them What shall we doe to helpe forward their calling and conversion Quest Take away as much as in us lyes the stumbling block which Ans 1 hinders their coming in and these blockes are two First The one is the Idolatry of Christian Churches especially that of Rome whiles we doe any thing to uphold these Idolatries we doe put the stumbling block before them to hinder them but take away these stones and blockes which they stumble at and then their way will be more easie and plaine Secondly The other is the carnalnesse and licentiousnesse of the lives of Christians this is a great stumbling blocke unto them remove this from before them let them see a spirit of grace shining upon us and appearing in our lives and then we shall make plaine the way of the Lord for them to returne to Sion see Esay 57.14 Intreat the Lord for them that he would visit them in due time be we their remembrancers before the Lord they have long lyen in the dungeon as Esa 42.22 and been made a prey of and there hath been none to say restore let us therefore speake unto God in their behalfe and say Lord restore thy ancient people bring them back to the fellowship of thy Church take to you the words of Micah Chap. 7.14 Feed thy people with thy rod and the flock of thine inheritance in the middest of Carmell let them feed in Bashan and Gilead as in old time commend their estate unto God and the rather should we doe this Because 1. They prayed for us when we were no people that we might be the people of God Psal 67.1 2. When the salvation of God was revealed to them they prayed that it might be revealed unto us Wee have a little sister said they Cant. 8.8 They took thought for us we being then that little sister and so let us doe for them 2. It is from them that the meanes of salvation is come to us the Law is called their Law Joh. 10.34 It was given as an inheritance to the children of Israel Deut. 33.4 And the spirituall things of the Gospel are called their spirituall things Rom. 15.27 And thence is that in Esa 2.3 The Law shall goe forth of Sion and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem yea and of them came Christ concerning the flesh Rom. 9. All the meanes of grace and salvation are theirs first and from them they come unto us and thence it is that Christ himselfe tells us That salvation is of the Jewes Joh. 4.22 Wee owe them this therefore as a requitall unto them 3. Consider a further good that shall come unto our selves by their calling unto Christ there shall be an increase of blessing coming to our selves Great light shall be manifested and knowledge shall increase Esa 24. ult The light of the Sunne and of the Moone shall be darkned by the light which shall come from that Church the light of the Jewish Church which was but as the light of the Moone and the light of the Gentile Churches which is as the Sunne shall both be dim in comparison of the light which shall be in that Church when the glory of the Lord is risen upon them See Esa 60.1.2 which speakes of the estate of the Jewish Church after their calling as appeares by that which goes before Chap. 59. end Many of those dark Prophecies which now lye hid in obscuritie shall then be brought to light the accomplishment of them will then give us the interpretation 4. Admit we neither had received benefit from them hitherto nor could expect any further blessing hereafter yet consider the glory which shall then come to Christ by their coming in the glory of his kingdome shall be enlarged Jerusalem shall be a throne of glory to him Jer. 3.17 then shall the Lord be glorified in them all the house of Israel shall glory in the Lord Esa 45.25 and shall draw others of the Gentiles unto them 5. If there were neither good to our selves nor glory to Christ by their calling yet even pitie and compassion should move us consider who they are even the children of Abraham our father and Sarah our mother they are our brethren and our flesh and how should it pitie us to see the children of our father in the dungeon and prison-pit Oh pray for them that the blessing of Abraham their father may come upon them For consolation to such parents as have entered into a Covenant Vse 2 with the Lord and have in truth given up themselves unto him to be his people they may be assured that the vertue the blessing and efficacy of the Covenant shall never be disanulled but it shall goe on to you and your children for ever by your Covenant you have such hold of God that you may be assured he will be a God not to you onely but to a thousand generations after you not but that there may be an interruption for a time but the strength of the Covenant will take hold againe so as there shall not faile but some of your seed shall stand before the Lord to serve him for ever This you see fulfilled in the people of the Jewes though there hath been a breaking off for a time yet the Covenant will bring them in againe and Gods Covenant is the same with you as it was with Abraham and therefore looke what mercy Abrahams seed have belonging to them the same doth belong to yours also therefore give up your selves unto God make a Covenant with him and this your Covenant shall draw in your children to partake of the blessing and grace of the Covenant with you even to many generations never to be broken off Vse 3 It may also serve for a consolation unto such children as are descended from parents that have been in Covenant with God they may goe to God and plead the Covenant of their fathers and hope to be received to favour The people of Israel in their distresses ordinarily used to plead the Covenant which God had made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob as Exod. 32.13 Deut. 9.26 27. If you have had godly parents though you have walked frowardly against God yet cast not away all hope but remember the Covenant the Lord hath made with thy fathers and entreat that it may be extended unto thee The Lord himselfe lays this foundation of comfort for such children Esa 51.1 2. Looke unto the rocke whence yee are hewen consider Abraham your father q. d. Consider what mercy I shewed unto him and the same mercy expect for your selves the oyle that is powred out upon the head will run downe to the rest of the members Thus we have heard the scope of these words as they respect the Jewes in particular to whom they were first spoken let us now a little further consider of them as they concerne our selves What was spoken of them is appliable to all that are in the same estate with them
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
saith Christ the holy Ghost will not come When Christ ascended then he gave plenitude of gifts to men Ephes 4.7.8 Eph. 4.7 8. Then the Spirit was shed down abundantly as Titus 3.6 It was given before more sparingly but now more fully And this we may see in some particulars 1. There was less power of faith in the Saints before Christ then since When the doctrine of faith was more fully revealed then was faith it selfe more revealed in the hearts and lives of the people of God Gal. 3.23 Gal. 3.23 Before faith came saith the Apostle implying there was a time when there was lesse faith in Gods people According to the measure of the manifestation of the doctrine of faith such is the apprehension of faith 2. The spirit of love was lesse in them then it is now in Gods people For according to the measure of our faith so is our love The lesse they knew the loving kindnesse of God towards them in Christ the lesse they loved Hence saith the Apostle Gal. 4.6.7 that God hath sent the spirit of his Sonne into our hearts crying Abba Father and therefore we are no more servants but sonnes c. It was a more servile spirit which wrought in them being drawn by the terrors of the law more then by the promises of grace but we have the spirit of adoption the spirit of love and of a sound mind as 2 Tim. 1.7 2 Tim. 1.7 Love reignes more under the dispensation of the covenant now then before 3. They had a lesse measure of comfort to support and carry them on against the discouragements and troubles that they met withall we have the comforts of the Spirit in a more full measure Luke 2. Luke 2. Christ is called the consolation of Israel therefore the more we have Christ imparted to us the more means of comfort have we Hence is that speech of our Saviour These things I say unto you that your joy may be full It 's a full joy which wee have now in comparison of what they received Therefore in these respects the dispensation of the covenant of grace is more powerfull now then it was then To stirre us up to walk in more power and fruitfulnesse Vse according to the seasons of grace wherein we live Where there is more given there will be more required As God committeth more to us then to the Saints formerly let us bring forth more fruit or else the greater will our account be It will not be enough for us to say These infirmities were in the people of God formerly David and Abraham and other Saints sinned thus and therefore though wee sin in the same kind wee may attaine life as they did The covenant offereth us more grace it is dispensed in more power and efficacie their slips are for our caution not for a warrant to us First Labour to bee filled with the spirit of power and of a sound mind Those that are weak and sensible of their owne infirmity should strive to grow in strength that they may bee able to say as Micah 3.8 Micah 3.8 I am full of power And as the Apostle Paul Phil. 4.12.13 Phil. 4.12.13 I can doe all things through the power of Christ Wee must not bee infants and babes but grow up to bee men in Christ that the power of Christ may appeare to dwell in us There is power enough in Christ and we have the promise of all the grace that is in Christ to supply our wants withall Every one that will may come and take freely he is a full conduit every one that hath an empty vessell may goe and fill it Doe therefore as those that have their vessels empty and would have them filled with water they set them under the conduit pipes and there they stand untill they be full Christ is a conduit full of grace every ordinance is as a pipe by which he powres into us some of his spirit Here therefore wee must come and stand under Christ that he may powre down upon us stâ—nd with our vessels open with open hearts that we may be filled as Zach. 4.3.12 Zach. 4.3.12 The bowles of the candlestick stand under the dropping of the Olive trees and so receive oyle continually to maintain their light so must we Christs divine power gives us all things that pertain to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.3 2 Pet. 1.3 Let us but receive and we may be fulfilled Secondly as we should labour to be filled with the Spirit so should wee endeavour also to expresse the power of it in our conversation 1. In labouring to subdue our corruptions wrath impatieâ—cy emulation pride worldlinesse c. Let us set our feet upon the necks of these tyrants that have risen up against us and fought gainst our souls Labour to shew forth such power of the Spirit that we may become more then conquerours 2. In being filled with the power of Faith to bear afflictions wants and necessities if God call us thereunto Let us not then shrink and faile but rest upon the faithfull covenant of God who hath promised us all good things for this life and the life to come 2 Tim. 1.8 2 Tim. 1.8 Faith will help us in extremities 3. Labour to be fruitfull in all goodnesse endeavouring to doe good to every one according to the measure received Vessels that are full desire vent Job 32. And if we be vessels of mercy filled with mercy and grace from above we should also vent forth to others that grace and those blessings which we have received Be not like dry vessels that will vent nothing Be also patterns of goodnesse and holinesse unto others In these things grow up to the fulnesse of the stature of Christ Thirdly as we should thus grow in the power of grace so should we expresse more of the comfort of grace and joy of the holy Ghost which is powred forth now more abundantly then before Let us imitate that patterne Acts 9.31 They walked in the feare of the Lord and in the comfort of the holy Ghost We should not walk heavily and droopingly with faces cast down spirits discouraged but labour to expresse the heavenly joy of the Saints above rejoycing in Christ with joy unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1.8 1 Pet. 1.8 Rejoyce in the plenteous grace which is opened to us abundantly The Fountain is open we may come and take freely Look how it would joy a poore man if a rich friend should say unto him Come unto me in all your wants I will help you so should it be with us though we are poore and in wants yet we have a rich friend in heaven the Lord Jesus Christ and hee will open the rich treasure of his goodnesse to us if we goe unto him The fourth difference is in regard of the extent of it The covenant of grace in the old dispensation of it was revealed onely unto one people the nation of the
were mighty and the people of God thought it impossible that they should be redeemed out of Captivitie God taketh a resemblance from the worke of Creation and applyes it to the worke of their redemption that as he stretched out the heavens alone and spread abroad the earth by himselfe so by himselfe alone he would worke out salvation for his people So Isai 59.16 Isai 59.16 God speaketh like a man that looketh that others should come and helpe him but none came therefore his owne arme brought salvation and sustained his people Israel The Lord alone will be a sufficient blessing to his people Hence Isai 45.7 Isai 45.7 The Lord saith that he formes light and creates darknesse he makes peace and creates evill Sometimes God so creates evill that if it be asked whence it comes or what is the originall of it we must answer as Isai 47.11 we cannot tell whence it cometh but onely from the Lords immediate hand The Lord makes it evident that it cometh from him that men are forced to say as Jehoram 2 Kings 6.33 2 King 6.33 This evill is of the Lord or as the Magicians Exod. 8.19 This is no other but the finger of God So on the contrary the Lord so workes from himselfe in the communicating of his goodnesse and mercy to his people that they may see and plainly perceive that it is the immediate hand of God that hath wrought all This may be made manifest both first in the want of outward meanes and secondly in the injoyment of them First In the want of meanes here God steps in and makes a supply and becomes all things unto his people sometimes God withholds from his people the meanes of life and yet they live that it may appeare that our life is not in the meanes but in God that he is our life and the length of our dayes as Deut. 30.20 Deut. 30.20 And that in him we live and move and have our being Acts 17. Thus Moses when he had neither bread nor water for fortie dayes yet he lived and was as strong as though he had daily eaten his appointed food So also was it with Elijah and our Saviour Christ Mat. 4.2 So also with the people of Israel God suffered them to be hungry and yet they did not famish that it might appeare that man lives not by bread onely but by every word of God Deut. 8.3 Hence is that in Isai 41.17 18.20 Isai 41.17 18.20 The Lord will open rivers in the high places and fountaines in the valleyes for the poore and needy c. And for what end will the Lord doe this that they may know and consider that the hand of the Lord hath done this c. Thus was the Lord good to the Israelites in the wildernesse he was all things to them First they had no setled habitation but the Lord was an habitation unto them Psal 90.1 Psal 90.1 Againe they had no ordinary bread for fortie yeares together and yet they were preserved alive that they might know that the Lord was the God of their welfare as Moses saith Deut. 29.6 Deut. 29.6 Againe they had no meanes of renewing their cloathing and yet they wanted not as Deut. 29.5 Their cloathes waxed not old upon them nor their shooes upon their feet Againe they were often to journey and travell by night as well as by day and they knew not one foot of the way they should goe therefore the Lord himselfe was a guide unto them He went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud and in a pillar of fire by night Exod. 13.21 Exod. 13.21 Therein the Lord fulfilled that which he speakes Isai 48.17 Isai 48.17 I the Lord thy redeemer lead thee in the way wherein thou shouldest goe Hence is that in Deut. 32.10.12 The Lord alone led him and there was no strange God with him He alone provided for them he alone fed them he alone conducted them he alone did all for them As it is thus in temporall benefits so also in spirituall blessings the Lord is from himselfe all in all unto his people In Ezek. 11.16 Ezek. 11.16 the Lord tells them that he would carry them into captivitie and now lest they should be discouraged for want of the Temple and Ordinances therefore the Lord promises that he will be a Sanctuary unto them he will supply unto them the want of publique ordinances from himselfe Hence is that in Isai 54.17 Isai 54.17 it is said that they shall be taught of God and Rom. 8.26 Rom. 8.26 that the spirit helpes the infirmities of Gods people when the servants of God would pray but they cannot the Spirit himselfe maketh up their wants and fills their hearts with groanes which pierce the heavens So when they are to speake before the adversaries of Gods truth and they know not how to answer then the Lord puts an answer into their mouthes as Mat. 10.20 Mat. 10.20 So also in the preaching of the Word the Lord himselfe puts words into the mouthes of his servants that whereas they may say as Moses Exod. 4.10 I am of a stammering tongue and cannot speake or as Jer. cap. 1.6 I am a childe c. yet the Lord is a mouth unto them and they speake words not which mans wisdome teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teacheth 1 Cor. 2.13 1 Cor. 2.13 that they which heare them are forced to say God is in you of a truth So also in the comfort and peace that God giveth unto his servants he giveth it not as the world giveth by abundance of earthly comforts and outward prosperitie but when all things threaten trouble yet then he gives peace from himselfe Joh. 14.27 Joh. 14.27 Secondly Consider how God is all to his people from himselfe even in the possession enjoyment of his good blessings sometimes the Lord continues to us the meanes of life and yet so workes and orders all that the benefit and blessing is evidently seene to come not from them but from the Lord alone And this he maketh to appeare divers wayes First Sometimes God lets us enjoy the creature and yet wee want the blessing for a season till he command a blessing to come Sometimes we have raine but not the raine of blessing yet afterwards he causeth it to come in mercy and to become a blessing The Sunne shineth in the firmament but we want the heat of it the warmth and quickning power of it is withheld to let us see that it is not the Sunne but the Lord by which we doe enjoy the blessing We cast our seed into the ground but it doth not prosper afterward it growes and flourisheth Sometimes we carry out much and bring in little what is the reason It is to let us see the truth of that 1 Cor. 3.7 1 Cor. 3.7 that it is the Lord which giveth the increase Sometimes we carry out little and bring in
Chron. 2.11 So because the Lord loveth his people that hee taketh into covenant with himselfe therefore he will be King over them to rule and govern them Hence the Prophet joynes these two together Isai 49.10 Isai 49.10 God that hath compassion upon them will lead them hee out of compassion taketh the guidance of his people upon himselfe When hee will manifâ—st his wrath against a people then hee suffers them to walk after their own wills but here is infinite grace and mercy when hee taketh them into his owne government Consider this in a few particulars First consider what power we are under by nature we are under the dominion of cruâ—ll tyrants Satan the God of this world is Lord over us and we are holden under his power who labours to make a prey of our souls Ephes 2.2 Ephes 2.2 Acts 26.18 Now what a blessed change is this to be brought from under his pâ—wer and to be translated under the government of the gracious God Secondly consider how unable we are to guide and governe our selves as Jer. 10.23 Jer. 10.23 It is not in man to guide his own way The best souls would wander into the way of eternall perdition if they were left unto themselves And therefore when the Lord will become our guide to lead us in the way of life what a benefit and mercy is it It is a benefit to a traveller that when he is ready to misse his way then he meets with a guide to direct him how much more when we are ready to misse the way to eternaâ—l life We are as sheep a foolish creature which is apt to wander and this David found Psal 119.178 Psa 119.178 and therefore prayes to the Lord to lead him Thirdly as wee are not able to guide our selves so there is no other creature that can guide us aright unto life as the Lord speaks Isa 51.18 There is none to guide her among all the sons which she hath brought forth c. They may perhâ—ps guide our feet but our hearts will bee erring and wandring still As the Israelites though they had Moses himselfe that great Prophet to guide them and shew them the good way yet they erred in their heaâ—ts Psal 95.10 Fourthly consider the peace accnmpanying and following the guidance of the Lord Jer. 6.16 Ask for the old paths saith the Loâ—d which is he good way and you shall find rest to your soules Who can expresse the sweet peace of the people of God when their hearts are framed to a willing obedience to the guidance and government of the Lord Whereas when they are led by themselves and their own hearts then there is nothing but confusion and disturbance It is a misery that cometh upon a people when God will not guide them but withdrawes his government over them When there was no King in Israel then they had many miseries many troubles much more is it so in spirituall regards when God leaves us to the wandrings of our own hearts how many miseries and sinnes are we subject unto This was their curse Rom. 1.24 Rom. 1.24 to be given up unto themselves and then they ran into all manner of wickednesse And this was the misery of the Gentiles Acts 14.17 Acts 14.17 that God suffered them to walk in their own wayes Hence the Church complains Isai 63. last Isai 63. last Wee are as they over whom thou never barest rule as it is in the old translation when they had complained before how they had erred from the wayes of God their hearts had been hardened from Gods feare now they shut up all in this Wee are as they over whom thâ—u never barest rule there is the misery they complaine of Or if wee read the words as the new translation renders them it is all one in effect We are thine therefore bow our hearts to the feare of thy Name They that is our adversaries as verse 18. are a people over whom thou never barest rule they are a forlorne and forsaken people this the Church lookes at as their enemies misery Therefore it is the blessing of the people of God when God will take them into his government Vse 1 Seeing this is one of the blessings of the Covenant of grace to have God above us and over us to guide and rule us this must teach us when we enter into Covenant with God not to count our condition then a state of libertie as if wee might then walke after our owne desires and wayes as if there were none to command us and rule over us Indeed there is a spirituall liberty from our enemies but there is subjection required to the Lord. Wee must not looke onely after gifts mercies kindnesses pardon and such tokens and pledges of grace but looke also for this to be under God and to set up him on high to be a God and Lord over us And let us not count this our misery but our blessednesse that wee are brought under his gracious government Herein the Lord sheweth his marvellous kindnesse that he will take the care of us Would wee not wonder to see such a Prince as Solomon to take his subjects children to tutour them and traine them up under him Now wee are but poore ants and worms upon earth but the Lord of heaven offereth to take the government of us upon himselfe This is infinite mercy whither would our unruly hearts carry us if he should leave us to our selves Who is there that hath any experience of the sinfull evills that are in his heart but will acknowledge this to be a benefit that the Lord should rule over him with an out-stretched arme If God leave Hezekiah but a little how is his heart lift up with pride so that he must have a Prophet sent to him on purpose to humble him If God leave David to himselfe to what evills is he not ready to fall And is there not the same spirit in us The more contrariety and opposition that there is in us to the will of God the greater mercy it is that he will be King over us Learne therefore to count it no small blessing and when God beginneth with us to over-rule the rebelliousnesse of our hearts and to bring â—hem into order take heed that we spurne not with the heele nor lift up our selves But let us humble our selves and submit our selves to him that he may take the guidance of us into his owne hands Heare the rod and kisse it and take it as a mercy that he is pleased to take the care of us to correct our wandrings and bring us back into the wayes of our owne peace Take heed of walking contrary lest he say to us as to the Israelites that he will reigne over us no more For tryall and examination whether we be a people in Covenant Vse 2 with God and have taken him to be our God For if God be our God then he must be God over us
have offended another yet the considâ—ration of former or after courtesie may deserve to have such an offence passed by but it is not so with God Nothing that we can doe can plead any such worth his forgivenesse is free as Isai 43.25 26. Isaiah 43.25 26. I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake Put me in remembrance saith the Lord let us plead together whereas we are ready to think that it is not onely for his own sake but also for our sakes for something which we have done that hee forgives our sins The Lord taketh this away and saith Come and remember me now and tell me what it is that I should pardon thee for the Lord looketh at nothing in that soule which hee pardoneth but onely at his own praise he doth it freely Again as God doth it freely so he doth it fully his forgivenesse is a full forgivenesse hee putteth away all our sinnes old new great small guilt and punishment so that the sinnes of Gods people are before God as though they had never been committed never to be required at their hand The expressions the Scripture usâ—th here are very excellent it is called a taking away our iniquities Hâ—sea 14.2 Hosea 14.2 The blotting out of sinnes Psalm 51.9 taken from debt-books that when the debt is paid then they blot it out of their book so God when he pardoneth he blots out our transgressions that hee never means to call us to account for them Sometimes it is called the putting them away as a mist or as a cloud which is made to vanish by the Sunne and is no more seen Isai 14. Isaiah 14. It is also called a casting of them behind the backe Isai 38. Isaiah 38.17 A casting of them into the bottome of the sea Micah 7.18 Mâ—cah 7.18 that they shall be buried never to rise again It is called a covering of our sinnes that they cannot appeare in his presence nor bee seen of him any more Psal 32.1 Psalm 32.1 and the 85.2 Yea they are so hid and covered as that the Lord sees no iniquity in Jacob nor transgression in Israel Numb 23.21 85.1 Numb 23.21 Not meaning as the Familists dote That there is no sinne which the Lord can take notice of in hiâ—â—â—oâ—lâ—â— but that though God doe see sinne in them by the eye of his knowledge yet he doth not see them by the eye of his judgement to lay them to their charge Nay the Lord will so farre put away the sinnes of his people that if hee should after come and make inquisition for sinne in them yet there shall not be one found as Jer. 50.20 Jer. 50.20 they are past and gone as the waters of Noah never to return again If wee consider all these the provocation that is in sinne and how many they are and against whom they are committed to whom they are forgiven and how freely and fully they are pardoned we must needs say Here is grace yea riches of grace in the forgivenesse of sin It is therefore a blessing of grace Secondly as there is grace shewn from God in the pardon of sinne so infinite benefit and blessing commeth to us thereby Psal 32.1 Blessed is the man whose iniquity is forgiven c. This is not a promise of no value but is one of the most great and pretious promises of the Covenant of more worth then thousands of gold and silver How great a benefit this is will appeare if we consider how great an evill sinne is which by forgivenesse is taken away The greatnesse of the one will set forth the greatnesse of the other Now sin is the greatest evill in the world and that both in it selfe and to us First in it selfe it is the greatest whether we consider it simply in its own nature and being or causally making evill the subject that it dwels in In the former respect it is the greatest evill because it is contrary to the greatest good God is good he is goodnesse it selfe his will also is holy just and good Now nothing is so contrary to God and to the goodnesse of his holy will as sin is this crosseth the holinesse of his will And as for the other if we consider fin causally what is it which makes the creature evill as we read of evill Angels Psalm 78.49 Psal 78.49 and of evill men 2 Tim. 3.13 2 Tim. 3.13 Whence is it that they are become evill It is onely by sinne they were created good but sin hath corrupted them and made them evill And that which makes other things evill must needs of it selfe be much more evill Take away the sin from Devils and they are good they are evill onely by sin Secondly but that which more neerly concerns the point in hand is to consider how sin is the greatest evill unto us and that appears First because it is sin and sin onely which excludes us from God and makes a separation between God and us Poverty reproach sicknesse c. these are evils but they are not such evils as are able to separate us from God Rom. 8. Rom. 8. God was with Joseph in prison with Jeremiah in the dungeon with those that wandred up and down in wildernesses in sheep-skins and goat-skins Heb. 11.37 38. being afflicted destitute and tormented But sin is as a partition-wall betwixt God and us it separates betwixt us and our God Isai 59.1 2. Isai 59.1 2. Sin breeds an alienation and strangenesse betwixt us so as till sin be taken away there can be no communion betwixt God and us But now by the forgivenesse of sin this partition-wall is pulled down so as we have free accesse unto God and may come into his presence and behold his face and stand before him being accepted in his beloved Now by the forgivenesse of sin we return again unto our former estate in which wee stood before our fall before that sin had broken us off from God Now as the Apostle saith 1 John 1.3 We have fellowship with the Father and with his Sonne Jesus Christ In our fall sin brake off our communion with God but by the forgivenesse of sin wee have liberty to recover this our communion with him again Secondly sin is that which hinders all other good things from us Jer. 5.25 Jer. 5.25 If we want any thing that is good for us thank our sin for it God is good and ready to doe good free to communicate his goodnesse to all his creatures why then are good things restrained from us It is our sin which intercepts them and cuts us short But now when sin is done away by forgivenesse then is the former hinderance removed this doth as it were turn the cock which stops the course of the blessing from comming unto us and now we recover an interest in all the good things of the world so as all things are ours when sinne is not ours but is
as in our first creation we were then created holy and righteous after the Image of God so now we are renewed unto the same image again The Lord doth with us as the Potter doth with his vessell when the first fashioning of it is broken he returns and makes it another vessell as seems good in his eyes Jer. 18.3 By this work of renovation and changing our natures there is a new disposition wrought in us clean contrary to that which was before Whereas before the wisdome of the flesh and our corrupt will was quite contrary and even enmity against the Law of God and would by no meanes bee brought into subjection Rom. 8.7 Rom. 8.7 yet now we are made to love the Law and delight in the Commandements of it in our inward man Rom. 7. Rom. 7. The law is not now any more a law without us to urge and enforce us but it is a law within us it is written not in Tables of stone but in the heart according to that promise Jer. 31. Jeremy 31. I will write my lawes in your heartâ— and in your inward parts will I put them By which writing there is stamped upon the heart an inward disposition and inclination of mind and will to doe the things which the law doth command The law being there within us it is unto us as our own bowels loving it and making pretious account of it This blessing the Lord promiseth in his covenant as we may see in Ezek. 36.25 26 27. Ezek. 36.25 26 27. I will powre clean water upon you and yee shall be clean yea from all your filthinesse will I cleanse you A new heart also will I give unto you a new spirit will I put within you and I will take away the stony heart out of your body and give you a heart of flesh and I will put my spirit withiâ— you c. And hence I think it is that the Lord calls himselfe Psalm 71.21 The holy One of Israel not onely because he is holy in himselfe and will be so acknowledged by them but because he sanctifies his Israel unto himselfe making them holy according to that Levit. 20.8 Levit. 20.8 I am the Lord which sanctifieth you And in Isai 43.15 Isaiah 43.15 I am the Lord your holy One. And in Habbak 1.12 Habbak 1.12 the Prophet calls the Lord his holy One. Art not thou of old O Lord my God my holy One He is not onely our mercifull God to pardon us but our holy one to sanctifie us And for the same cause we read of the promise of the Spirit Gal. 3.14 Gal. 3.14 Because God hath promised to give his Spirit unto those that hee takes to bee a people to himselfe This blâ—ssing of sanctification the Lord will perform unto all his people making them an holy people unto himselfe First because hee hath for this end chosen them that they might be holy Eph. 1. Ephes 1. and therefore he will bring them to that estate of holinesse to which hee hath chosen them What he hath chosen us to he will bring us to Gods purposes are not in vain hee will perform to us all the good hee hath intended towards us Secondly Christ hath purchased the spirit of grace for us Joh. 17.19 John 17.19 For their sakes saith Christ sanctifie I my selfe offering up himselfe as a consecrate offering unto God that they may bee sanctified by the truth It was for our sanctification that he offered up himself Thirdly hee hath filled himselfe with all grace for that same end that we might bee filled by that abundance of grace which is in him Psal 68.18 Psalm 68.18 he received gifts for men not to keep them to himselfe alone but to communicate unto us that out of his fulnesse wee might all receive grace for grace John 1.16 And therefore Christ is said to bee not onely righteousnesse unto us but sanctification because he hath filled himselfe to the end that he might also fill us with his own sanctity and holinesse Fourthly Christ hath prayed for our sanctification John 17.17 And wee know that hee was heard alwayes no prayer of his ever returned empty but came back with a full blâ—ssing Fifthly Gods covenant is to give us all things that pertain to life and godlinesse 2 Pet. 1.4 2 Pet. 1.4 Sixthly the Lord is an holy God and therefore will have those that are in covenant with him to bee an holy people Lev. 11. It would be a dâ—shonor to God to have his name called upon a sinfull and prophane people Ezek 36.20 Ezek. 36.20 And beside the end of the covenant betwixt him and his people is Communion God takes a people into covenant with him that he might communicate himselfe unto them that hee might possesse them and they enjoy him but God cannot communicate himselfe in the sweetnesse and familiarity of his love unto unsanctified ones And therefore he will have his covenanted people to be holy that he may communicate himself unto them Seventhly when the Lord gives himself unto a people to be a God unto them he gives himselfe wholly unto them keeping back nothing from them which might make them an happy and blessed people And therefore as he doth communicate himselfe to them in his mercy and grace to pardon their sin so he doth also in his purity and holinesse to sanctifie them and to cleanse them from their sin Eighthly God will be glorified in all his people whom he takes neer unto himselfe Levit. 10.3 Levit. 10.3 and in Isai 43.21 Isaiah 43.21 This people have I formed for my selfe they shall shew forth my praise But God could have no glory from us in this world if he should not sanctifie us Herein is he glorified when wee bring forth much good fruit John 15. John 15. and shine forth in good works Matth 5. Matth. 5. and shew forth the vertues of him that hath called us c. 1 Pet. 2. In these things God is glorified by us but this glory wee can never bring to God till he have sent down his Spirit of glory and grace upon us Now lest this blessing of sanctification should seem too little to be reckoned among the great blessings of the covenant let us therfore consider how great a priviledge this is to be renewed sanctified by the grace of Gods holy Spirit This is intended to us as a blessing in Isai 44.1 2 3. Isa 44.1 2 3 The Lord maketh many sweet promises to his Israel and in verse 3. I will saith the Lord powre my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy buds When God powres on any his Spirit then hee would have us to know that he powres on them a rich blessing My Spirit and my Blessing saith God As it is a mans curse to bee left under the power dominion of sin so contrà it is a blessing to be set free from sin
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