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destitute of help Our eyes saith he are unto thee O Lord we know not what to doe Let the Lord sâ—e that our hearts are withdrawn from the creature and those helps which we leaned upon and that we doe faithfully relie upon him and then will hee ride upon the heavens for our help as Deut.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
but for truths sake not because it is a new way but because the grace of God which brings salvation is thereby revealed Though in respect of order and government all things may become new yet look not after new substantialls new foundations Thou hast had the foundation truly laid by many skilfull builders many yeares agoe onely some have built thereupon hay and stubble in stead of gold and precious stones Let therefore the roofe be new but let the foundation be the same Take heed of too much of that new light which the world is now gazing upon Some have reported sad things concerning thee in this respect so much new light breaking forth that the old zeale is almost extinct by it Herein take heed The old way is the good way this is now ready to be revealed the time of grace is coming unto thee this is the accepted season now in the day of thy salvation oh be wise to consider it and walk worthy of it esteeming the Gospel as thy pearle thy treasure thy crowne thy felicitie thou canst not love it too dearly make much of it therefore otherwise know the neglect of it will bring heaviest wrath and thy judgement hasteneth and sleepeth not To New-England And thou New-England which art exalted in priviledges of the Gospel above many other people know thou the time of thy visitation and consider the great things the Lord hath done for thee The Gospel hath free passage in all places where thou dwellest oh that it might be glorified also by thee Thou enjoyest many faithfull witnesses which have testified unto thee the Gospel of the grace of God Thou hast many bright starres shining in thy firmament to give thee the knowledge of salvation from on high to guide thy feet in the way of peace Be not high-minded because of thy priviledges but feare because of thy danger The more thou hast committed unto thee the more thou must account for No peoples account will be heavier then thine if thou doe not walke worthy of the meanes of thy salvation The Lord looks for more from thee then from other people more zeale for God more love to his truth more justice and equitie in thy wayes Thou shouldst be a speciall people an onely people none like thee in all the earth oh be so in loving the Gospel and Ministers of it having them in singular love for their works sake Glorifie thou that word of the Lord which hath glorified thee Take heed lest for neglect of either God remove thy Candlesticke out of the midst of thee lest being now as a Citie upon an hill which many seek unto thou be left like a Beacon upon the top of a mountaine desolate and forsaken If we walke unworthy of the Gospel brought unto us the greater our mercy hath been in the enjoying of it the greater will our judgement be for the contempt Be instructed and take heed Thus of the present state of the Jewes they are prisoners in the pit but though the Jewes be now as prisoners in the pit living in a forlorne rejected condition yet they shall againe be brought forth of the prison-house and translated into the libertie of the people of God they shall be called againe This I conceive is foretold in that place of Jeremie before opened Jer. 3.16 17 18. and Ezek. 36.26 c. which Camero doth refer to this conversion of theirs now spoken of but the 37. Chapter is more cleare from ver 15. to the end of the Chapter the joyning together of those two stickes in the hand of the Prophet signifying the joyning together of Judah and Israel in the hand of God when they both shall become one people unto God thereto also belongs the type of the dry bones there going before So in Zech. 12.10 They shall looke on him whom they have pierced and shall mourne for him c. This Prophecy is yet to be fulfilled because this mourning for him was never seene in that Nation to this day Ob. But some may say that in Joh. 19.36 37. this Scripture in Zech. 12.10 was then fulfilled when they crucified him and pierced him It 's there said This was done that it might be fulfilled c. Answ This Prophecy speakes of two things First That they should pierce Christ Secondly That they should mourne for him now the first part was then accomplished then was fulfilled that which was spoken concerning their piercing of him but they did not then mourne for him but it was to be fulfilled afterwards in times yet to come If it be said that their mourning for him whom they pierced was fulfilled in the repentance of those Jewes mentioned Acts 2.37 so as there is no further accomplishment thereof to be looked for I answer This that is alledged cannot stand with the circumstances expressed in the Text for that mourning spoken of Zech. 12.10 is of such a time in which God will be with Judah and with the people of Jerusalem in a speciall manner in the siege which shall be against Jerusalem at which time God will make Jerusalem as an heavie stone to breake in pieces all the people of the earth that lift at it ver 2 3. And is of that time when Jerusalem shall be built againe upon her own foundation even in Jerusalem ver 6. But these things doe not agree to that time in Acts 2.37 for then Jerusalem did not breake the people that lifted at it but it selfe was shortly after broken in pieces by the Romans and the Lord was not then with Judah but fought against them and then was not the time of Jerusalems building againe but of its overthrow which shortly ensued this mourning therefore expressed in Zech. 12. cannot be fulfilled by that in Acts 2.37 But some may say this that is spoken of building Jerusalem againe may seeme to import that the Jewes shall againe repossesse their own Land which is but a vaine conceit But let those Scriptures be examined which speake of their conversion and it will appeare that they speake as punctually concerning their inhabiting againe their owne Land and their building and dwelling in their own Cities Jeremie tells us that the Citie Jerusalem shall be builded upon her owne heape Jer. 30.18 And in Chap. 31.17 Thy children saith the Prophet shall in the end come againe to their borders and afterwards in ver 21. Israel is called upon to returne to her own Cities Returne O virgin Israel to these thy Cities See also Esa 65.9 10. Ezek. 37.21 22 25. Zech. 12.6 There is remaining in that people a strange affection unto their own Land many very aged persons in the extremitie of their age using to take wearisome journeys from farre Countries onely for this end that they may dye at Jerusalem and carrying also with them the bones of their parents husbands children and kinsfolke whereof also whole bark fulls not seldome doe arrive at Joppa to be conveyed and buried againe at Jerusalem But to returne
to him by the Father Esa 50.5 6. Joh. 10.17 18. And according to all this which Christ thus covenanted with the Father he was carefull to discharge the same Joh. 17.4.6 Joh. 12.49 50. 4. According to all this Covenant passed betwixt the Father and Christ Christ expects the glory which was promised to himselfe and to his members To himselfe Joh. 17.5 and to his members Joh. 17.24 He expects the accomplishment of both from the Father Thus farre then I grant a Covenant betwixt God the Father and Christ and hence it is that God is called the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Ephes 1.3 which is by reason of the Covenant betwixt them But if any shall hereupon conclude that there is no Covenant passing betwixt God and us then I say they deny that which is as cleare in Scripture as the Sunne shining at noone day I may say of them as the Apostle doth of some 1 Tim. 1.7 that when they would be teachers they understand not what they say nor whereof they affirme There is therefore a Covenant passing between God and man which I will prove by these evidences 1. Consider those expresse testimonies wherein mention is made of Gods Covenanting with the people of Israel which must needs hold forth a Covenant between God and man Deut. 4.23 Take heed unto your selves lest you forget the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you c. Esa 55.1 2 3. where the Lord calls every one that thirsts after life to come unto him These are called to enter into Covenant with God but these speeches cannot be applyed to Christ but to us that wee should come to Christ and through him make up an everlasting Covenant betwixt God and us see also Jer. 31.31 I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and Judah and in Ezek. 20.37 saith God I will bring them into the bond of the Covenant which places hold forth a Covenant between God and man 2. Consider more particularly such testimonies as doe expresse Gods Covenant with sundry particular Saints as with Abraham Gen. 15.18 and 17.2.4.7 and the same renewed to Isaac Gen. 26. 3. and confirmed to Jacob Gen. 35.12 all mentioned together Levit. 26.42 Psal 83.3 2 Chron. 13.5 I thinke that there is none so sottish as to say these persons were Christ 3. Lest any should say It 's true God makes a Covenant with us but it is made with us not in our persons but in Christ Therefore in the third place consider such Scriptures as doe not onely expresse a Covenant of God made with us but a Covenant on our part made with God as Psal 50.5 Call my Saints together that make a Covenant with mee with sacrifice the Saints make a Covenant with God Hence we are said to passe into Covenant with the Lord Deut. 29.12 as God for his part enters into Covenant with us so doe we also with him 4. Consider those places frequently used in Scripture in which wee are said sometimes to keep Covenant as Psal 25.10 Psal 44.17 103.17 18. Sometimes to transgresse and breake Covenant Gen. 17.14 and not to be faithfull in Covenant Levit. 26.15 From which places I argue thus Those that either keepe or breake Covenant those are in Covenant and doe make a Covenant with God but wee are said to breake or keepe Covenant Ergo. 5. Consider that the Covenant made with Christ concerning us was made from everlasting 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 1.2 The promise was made to Christ before the foundation of the world but there is a Covenant also made in time Deut. 29.12 noted in these words this day if there were no other Covenant between God and us but what is made with Christ then it couâ—d not be said to be to day because the Covenant made with Christ was before the world was and therefore the Covenant and promise that is made to day must needs be made with us 6. That Covenant of which Christ is the testator must needs be a Covenant with us else if the Covenant were made onely with Christ then he must be both testator and the partie to whom the Testament and Legacies are bequeathed which is absurd Men doe not use to bequeath a testament to themselves but Christ is appointed the testator Heb. 9. In the covenant between the Father and Christ there he is a partie not the testator but in this he is the testator therefore besides the covenant between God and Christ there is also a Covenant between God and us and therefore the covenant is not made with Christ alone but with us also 7. A seventh argument may be taken from the paritie and likenesse between the covenant of works and the covenant of grace though there be great difference between them as shall be shewed afterward yet they agree in this in that they are both made betwixt the same parties and persons between God and man God made a covenant of workes with Adam and that being broken he comes and makes with him a new covenant of grace through Christ Gen. 3.15 The seed of the woman shall breake the serpents head one of these covenants comes in the roome and stead of the other and therefore the parties covenanting are the same God and Adam in the first covenant the same God and the same Adam in the second covenant 8. From the end and use of the Sacraments which is to confirme the covenant of grace as being the seales of it Rom. 4.11 Now in reason these two must goe together the Covenant and the seale of it It were a fond thing in a man to make a covenant with one and to give the seales to another they must have the seales that have the covenant made with them but the seales of the covenant the Sacraments are given to us and therefore the covenant is made with us also 9. If there be no promise or covenant made to us as some would have it then infidelitie and unbeliefe is in us no sinne for as the Apostle saith Where there is no law or commandement there is no transgression so where there is no promise there is no unbeliefe When God promiseth and yet then wee believe not this makes unbeliefe a great sinne but if wee have no promise made unto us then are wee not bound to believe and so our not believing is no sinne 10. The contrary doctrine is a doctrine tending to licentiousnesse for as the covenant tends as wee have heard to bind us faster to God to walke before him in obedience so on the contrary to say that there is no covenant between God and us it opens a gap to loosnesse of spirit For if there be no covenant then cannot a man be charged with unfaithfulnesse to God though he walk never so loosly and therefore let such men as broach such tenents take heed whilest they teach such libertie they be not found to be the servants of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 These are the arguments to
not to the Angels in heaven is yet pleased for our good and benefit to enter into bonds and bind himself unto us in the bond of a covenant to blesse us and to do us good this ought to be the admiration of heaven and earth See how this affected Abraham Gen. 17.2 3. When Abraham heard that God would enter into covenant with him Abraham falls upon his face before the Lord as first wondering and being astonished to heare and think of such a favour Secondly abased in himself as unworthy to touch the hand of the high God to make up the covenant with him he was abased in himself to see the Lord so abasing himself for his sake Thirdly he falls upon his face as thankfully acknowledging the grace offered Fourthly readily submitting himself to the Lords good pleasure will as one content to lie down at Gods feet submitting to the lowest conditions to do any thing believe any thing so that he might be partaker of this priviledge to be in covenant with the great God See also how this affected David 2 Sam. 7.18 Who am I O Lord c. And hence it is that the Lord mentions this as of his speciall favour which he vouchsafed to Israel Ezek. 16.8 that he entred into covenant with them whereby they became his people let us therefore herein see the abundant goodnesse of God to us Who would not love and fear this God of glory that is pleased to come down and condescend to enter into covenant with us who would not glorifie him for ever and for ever and willingly binde himself to serve and honour him The more he hath abased himself to honour us in taking us into covenant with himself the more let us exalt him and lift him up on high as the Lord did with Christ Phil. 2.8 9. because he humâ—led himseâ—â— â—herefore he exalted him and gave him a name above â—very name c. so should we exalt the name of the Lord our God thaâ—â—e should take us poor worms dust and ashes into covenant and fellowship with himself This lets us â—ee iâ— what way we must every one of us expect to receive Vse 2 the blessing of life and salvation from the hand of God this concerns all neerly to look unto we must enter into covenant with God to take him to be our God and to give up our selves to be his people all men hope to be saved and think that he that made them will save them and though they live as strangers from God and from his covenant and will enter into no bâ—nds with him but walk after their own lusts like the wilde Asse-colt that snuffes up the wind at her pleasure though they break all bonds and burst all cords though they live without care and conscience of Gods covenant yâ—t fâ—r all this they hope to be saved but such men deceive themselves God conveys his salvation by way of covenant and he doth it only to those that are in covenant with him therefore those only may without feare of disappointment look for his salvation that order their conversation aright Psal 50.23 to these will the Lord shew his salvation the loving kindnesse of God is upon those that fear him and keep his covenant Psal 103.17 18. but all those that break his covenant and will walk after their own hearts desire they may look for salvation but they shall be disappointed of it and finde themselves inwrapped in the snares of death God conveys his blessings only by covenant and this covenant must every soul enter into every particular soul must enter into a particular covenant with God out of this way there is no life thereupon is the exhortation of Hezekiah to his people 2 Chron. 30.7 8. Be not you stiff-necked as your fathers but yeeld your selves unto the Lord in the originall give the hand unto the Lord that is they should come and enter into covenant with God he alludes to the custome of men when they make a covenant or agreement they strike hands or take one another by the hand so saith Hezekiah Give the hand unto the Lord that is enter into covenant with him to be his people and then the anger of the Lord shall be turned from you That this is the meaning consider the same kinde of expression in other places Ezek. 17.18 the Prophet speaking of Zedekiah saith he had broken the covenant though he had given the hand c. he broke the covenant which he had made by giving his hand So Ezra 10.3.9 when the people reformed and entred into a covenant they gave their hands that they would put away their strange wives These places I bring to cleer that phrase concerning Hezekiah Give the hand unto the Lord that is enter into covenant with God this we must do every one of us for his own part give up our selves to the Lord as a people in covenant with him as for those that will not come within the bond of the covenant but will walk at liberty after their own hearts such shall never see peace nor did they ever enter into the path of life Such as will be saved must become Gods covenanted people this is the only way wherein we must expect life and salvation Quest If there be such a necessity of entâ—ing into covenant with God what must we do that we may get into covenant with him Answ You must do these five things 1. Break your covenant with your old sins and your lusts or else God will not enter into covenant with you Mat. 6.24 you cannot serve two masters these are so contrary that so long as you are in league with sin and the world you cannot enter into covenant with God take away the matter of provocation which at first brake the covenant between God and you and then there is one step made for your entering into covenant with him Examine thine own heart what is that which maintains the breach between God and thee and makes God a stranger to thee and put that away though never so gainfull never so pleasing a sin without this God will never enter into covenant with thee thou canst not be in covenant with thy sin and God together therefore breake thy covenant with sin if thou desire to be in covenant with God 2. Go before the Lord as guilty of thy former rebellion and unfaithfulnesse in breaking covenant with him and judge thy self for it lay down thy self and life before God confessing and acknowledging that it were just if he should destroy thee condemn thy self for thy former rebellion against him submit thy self to the good pleasure of his will as David saith Here I am let him do with me as seemes good in his eyes put thy life into the mercifull hands of God either to take it from thee or to give it to thee again say unto God If thou wilt save me thou shalt shew abundant grace if thou wilt destroy me thou art just go before God
with this spirit of submission and seek peace from him go and put thy rope about thy neck like Benhadads servants and confesse thy own guiltinesse without this God will never enter into covenant with thee God will have thee know thou must take thy life as a free gift of grace and that thou standest at his mercy either to save thee or destroy thee 3. Come with an humble submission to yeeld up thy self to the obedience of the will of God wee must receive him from the law of our life by which we must live When you come to make a covenant with God you must not come to give lawes unto God but to take lawes from God not to impose lawes upon him that he shall save you so and so but you must leave God free to make the conditions of the covenant after his own minde and will think it honour enough that you may be a people in covenant with God and have your life granted by covenant from him but for the conditions leave them to God let him command and require what he will he must be free or else he will not make a covenant with you This is that which Hezekiah exhorted to to come and give the hand to the Lord and serve him we must come and make a covenant with God as a servant with his master as Subjects with their Prince a covenant of service not to be our own Lords the sons of David and princes of Israel when Solomon sate upon the Throne came and gave the hand unto Solomon 1 Chron. 29.24 they made a covenant with him but it was with submission to his power such is the covenant which we must make with God we must give the hand under God submitting to him to be ruled by him Thence it is that we are called upon to deny our selves If any one will be my disciple let him deny himself c. we must not cleave to our selves to our wills and make our own Lawes we must deny our own inclinations wills and affections refuse to be governed by them and resign up our selves to the will of God this is the resolution we must come unto if we will enter into covenant with God as it was in the sacrifice of the Law he that offered it laid his hand upon the head of it as dedicating it to God and quitting it from himself as if he should say I have no more to do with this bullock it is now the Lords that was in part the signification of that action so if we will be the Lords people in covenant with him we must resigne our selves only and wholly to be for him Rom. 12.1 2. we muâ—t present our bodies as a living and acceptable sacrifice consecrate and devote them to God to live unto him and to be our own no more as it is in a marriage covenant when a man and woman make a covenant they do resigne up themselves one to another not to be to themselves any more it is a marriage covenant that we make with God I will marry thee to my self saith the Lord therefore we must do as the Spouse doth resigne up our selves to be ruled and governed according to his will 4. If we would enter into covenant with God we must come before him in the name of a Mediator that is the Lord Jesus in the mediation of his sacrifice we must offer up to the Lord a satisfaction for all our treacherous rebellion against him in that sacrifice we must come and seek reconciliation and the renewing of our covenant with God without such a sacrifice whereby Gods justice may be satisfied there is no hope of a covenant to be made between God and you As in the Law Exod. 34.1 to 8. they come and sacrifice and so the covenant is made between God and them Now these were types of Christs sacrifice come therefore sprinkled with the blood of Christ and say Lord here is the blood of the sacrifice which maketh satisfaction for my rebellion and in this blood enter into covenant with me They that make a covenant with God do it by sacrifice Psal 50.5 And therefore in the mediation of Christs blood and by faith in it look for a re-union and knitting of God and us together 5. After all this that you have broken your covenant with your sins judged your selves for them submitted your selves to the will of God and come in the name of a Mediator then by faith look at the gracious invitation of God and consider his readinesse and willingnesse to enter into covenant with you though there be an infinite disparity between the God of glory and us yet he is pleased to invite us to make a covenant with him if you seek to him he will not turn away his face from you as Hezekiah saith to the people 2 Chron. 30.8 9. though he might turn away from you in wrath and displeasure yet he will not but will enter into a gracious Covenant with you He that cometh to me I will in no wise cast off saith Christ Joh. 6.37 In that manner therefore goe thou and humble thy selfe before God confesse thy treachery and rebellion and looke at God as having a golden scepter in his hand and intreat him to enter into a Covenant with thee and submit thy selfe wholly to be at his command plead the promise of his grace touch the top of the scepter and take hold of the Covenant and then certainly in time the Lord will speake to thy soule and conscience by the testimony of his Spirit that he will be a God unto thee and take thee to be one of his people Thus you see the way to enter into Covenant with God It may serve for all such as are already entred into Covenant Vse 3 with God to admonish such to looke unto themselves and to take heed they be not unfaithfull in the Covenant that they have made with him Take heed of breaking Covenant but let us walk according to the covenant that we have made with him This the Lord expects Exod. 19.5 that if wee enter into covenant with him we should be carefull to keepe it In the things of this life a strict eye is had to the covenant In all conveyances of Lands we look narrowly to the covenants and if they be broken all is gone Now ouâ— life lyes upon our keeping covenant with God labour therefore so to walke that it may appeare that you have a care to keepe the covenant which you have made with God Wee have made a covenant with him in our Baptisme in our conversion and turning unto God and coming to the Lords Supper Now it is not enough to enter into Covenant but wee must keepe it wee have broken the first covenant of workes take heed wee breake not a second there being no more place for any more covenants Now therefore cleave to the Lords Covenant and live unto him Let there not be in any of us an unfaithfull heart to
it He can do it Jude 24. Jude 24. and he is faithfull and will do it 1 Thes 5.24 1 Thes 5.24 it being his covenant and promise and he cannot deny himself In the covenant of works Gods highest end is the glorifying of Differ 5 his justice In the Covenant of grace it is to glorifie his Grace In the Covenant of Works God reveales himself a just God rewarding good and punishing evill condemning sin but in the Covenant of Grace he shews himself a God gracious and merciful forgiving iniquity c. as Jer. 31.31 32. Jer. 31.31 32. I will be mercifull to your iniquity c. The Covenant of Works forgiveth no sin there is nothing but strict justice in that Covenant In this Covenant God looks not at any mans repentance and turning from sin but only considers whether he hath sinned As in Courts of Justice where there are tried matters of life and death there is no regard had whether the party be penitent or no but whether the fact be committed and if found guilty he is led to execution so in Gods Court of Justice which he keeps according to the tenor of the Covenant of Works Justice acts and doth all Justice indictes Justice examines Justice pronounceth sentence Justice executes the punishment and so whosoever hath sinned receives according to the evil that he hath done And hence it is that when Adam had sinned the inquisition is not whether he repented him of the evill that he had done but what hast thou done Hast thou eaten of the tree whereof I said unto thee thou shalt not eat And the Lord finding that he had offended pronounces curses and death But in the Covenant of Grace it is otherwise There God looks at the repentance of his people and accepts of humiliation and faith in Christ Hence is the counsell of the Apostle Acts 2.37 Acts 2.37 Repent and be baptized c. When they saw the horrible sin which they had done in killing the Lord of life they being the children of the Covenant he tels them that yet there was mercy for them they might obtain forgivenesse of sins Hence also Jonah 3.10 Jonah 3.10 when God saw their repentance and that they turned from their evill wayes he also turned from the evill which he said he would do to them and did it not The voyce of the Covenant of Works is like the first speech of Nathan to David Thou art a childe of death the voyce of the Covenant of Grace is like his after speech when he saw Davids humiliation and repentance The Lord hath put away thy sin In the Covenant of Works God speaks as Ezek. 18. Ezek. 18. The soul that sinneth it shall die In the Covenant of Grace he speaks as Ezek. 33.11 Ezek. 33.11 As I live saith the Lord I desire not the death of a sinner They are both expressed in one place Exod. 34.6 Exod. 34.6 The Lord gracious and mercifull slow to anger yet not acquitting the wicked but visiting iniquitie c. In one Covenant God condemnes both sin and sinner in the other he condemnes the sin but spares and gives life to the sinner to glorifie his grace thereby In the Covenant of workes he aymes to make his power and justice knowne as Rom. 9.22 cap. 2.5 Rom. 9.22 cap. 2.5 But in the other to glorifie grace as Isa 48.9 Eph. 1.6 The reason of this difference is because God will be glorified in all his attributes as he is glorious in all so he will have the glory of all to be seene He will have his power and wisdome knowne in the creation of the world his goodnesse knowne in the continuance and preservation and ordering of it his faithfulnesse in keeping covenant with us according to the covenant made his justice in a covenant of works his grace in a covenant of grace which he makes with us in Christ Jesus Vse 1 This may smite feare and terrour into the hearts of all such as are strangers unto the Covenant of grace such as never yet entred into a new Covenant with God by that new and living way which is opened to them in Christ Let such consider what hath been said that in the covenant of workes under which yet they stand there is no grace shewed but strict justice without any mercy Let such therefore bethinke themselves what a God they must meet withall and with whom they must have to do even with a just God a God of judgement a God of vengeance that will not spare their misdeeds what ever justice can require of them they must satisfie to the utmost mite were it so that mercy and justice might sit on the bench together that justice might be tempered and mixt with mercy your sentence might be the more tolerable But these two sit in two severall Courts Justice without mercy and therefore when nothing but justice shall judge you who can stand what flesh may abide it In Psal 78.5 Psal 78.5 with the cup of the Lords wrath is said to be full mixt but in Rev. 14.10 Rev. 14 10. it is said to be pure wine unmixt both together imply that it is both mixt and unmixt how both mixt of all sorts of plagues but unmixt without any drop of mercy pure wrath without any dram of mercy to allay the bitternesse of the cup of wrath and how bitter then will this cup be more bitter then gall yet this must all the wicked of the earth drinke and wring out the very dregs of it Psal 78.5 Psal 78.5 This is an hard saying but a true saying as God is true Therefore Isa 27.11 Isai 27.11 God speaking of the wicked people of the Jewes saith he He that made them will not have mercy on them neither shew them any favour And in Ezek. 5.11 Ezek. 5.11 He threatens that his eye shall not spare neither will he have any pitie And Hos 1.6 Hos 1.6 I will no more have mercy c. And James 2.13 They shall have judgement without mercy As God will be made marveilous in his mercy toward those that are vessels of mercy prepared unto glory 2 Thes 1.10 2 Thes 1.10 so as men shall wonder at the aboundance of grace shewed towards them so on the contrary God will be admired and wondred at in his judgements upon all sinfull and ungodly ones he will make their plagues wonderfull Deut. 28.59 He will deale with his own servants onely in a way of grace with these onely in a way of justice And if so what will their end be Justice will spare neither high nor low it is impartiall and alike towards all Justice will passe by no transgression but will have an account for all greater or lesse wicked thoughts idle words foolish jests Justice will not remit any part of the punishment which the Law calls for but it will have the full to the utmost furthing Let this strike
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
is able to make up all to them that they are cut short of Our discontents therefore doe not arise from the change of our condition in outward things but because we want our fellowship with God If we doe not finde a sufficiency it is because we doe not injoy him our all-sufficient good What is the cure then We must stirre up our faith and consider our Covenant thinke with our selves what God hath promised to be to us even our God our all-sufficient good If wee had faith but as a graine of Mustard seed and did exercise our faith in this promise and live by it wee might command these stormes of discontent which trouble us to be at peace and be still We might then say as Psal 42.11 Psal 42.11 Why art thou cast downe within me O my soule c. Hast not thou an all-sufficient good a God to injoy Here then is the way to true contentation Labour to enjoy God live upon him he is the rest of the soule an all-sufficient good Vse 2 It may be a rule of triall whereby we may in some part discerne whether we doe indeed enjoy God in the outward comforts of this life which we doe partake in Many will aske the question Whether doe I injoy God in the blessings I have Here is one thing whereby it may be knowne God is an all-sufficient good to them that doe enjoy him he fills all things with his fulnesse He maketh every thing a full blessing when he comes to us in it It is contentfull Doe we then finde that the things which we have are sufficient for us and doe they bring a kind of satiety and fulnesse with them so that we are satisfied with our portion this is because God is in it and fills the blessing with his fulnesse and so makes it to fill us and makes us say with Jacob I have enough therefore when wee are not satisfied with what we have it is a signe that God hath left the creature and then it proves an empty and windy vanitie to us So much satiety so much of God in every blessing For direction where to pitch our affections and settle the desires Vse 3 of our soule when we would find contentment in any blessing Set our hearts there where we may be sure to find that which will fill the desires of them Contentment is that which all seeke for but they seeke not aright fasten therefore the affections of the soule on God and on him alone Set not your hearts on riches Psal 62.10 Psal 62.10 Lâ—y not out your money for that which is not bread Isai 55.1 2. and your silver for that which satisfies not Nothing can fill the heart but the fulnesse of God For comfort unto all those that are in Covenant with God to Vse 4 you I may say as Moses to the people of Israel Deut. 33.29 Deut. 33.29 Happy art thou O Israel who is like unto thee O people saved by the Lord And as David Psal 33.12 Psal 33.12 Blessed is the Nation whose God is the Lord. Take notice therefore of your blessednesse This is a blessednesse that hath the confluence of all good in it Let others blesse themselves in their wealth dignitie in titles and places of honour and in their power and authoritie over men this is a poore and miserable blessednesse But let us say as Psal 144.15 Blessed are they whose God is the Lord Rejoyce therefore in your portion you have an all-sufficient God to save you from all kinde of evill to minister to you all kinde of good to worke all your workes for you and in you and the time will shortly come when you shall say I have enough my cup runs over But we see many that professe to be in Covenant with God Object that live as poore contemptible lives feele as many wants and lie under as many troubles as any other For the present I say in a word thus 1. Answ That the time of the full enjoyment of this promise is not yet come 2. Peradventure Gods owne people sometimes walke not in the way of the Covenant for as there is the blessing of the Covenant so also the way wherein they must walke and they starting out of the way misse of the blessing 3. The lives of Gods people are not to be judged of by their outward appearance but by their inward state and condition many a man lives poorely for outward things in this world and yet finds more sufficiency and fulnesse in that estate then many a man that hath barnes full and fares deliciously every day For first they have necessaries as well as they that have more though but little before-hand They have every day a certain provision prepared for them As the King of Babylon provided for Jeremiah 2 Chron. 36. 2 Chron. 36. Again though Gods servants have many times but little yet they have as much comfort in that little as those that have greater abundance Psal 37.16 They have as much peace quiet of heart and conscience as free from feare and care as chearfull and comfortable and finde as good a savour in that homely provision they feed upon as others in their honey-combe And whence is all this but from hence that the fulnesse of God is in that little which they enjoy There is a full blessing in it God hath put himselfe into it and though it be but little and mean in shew yet it is much in substance And lastly If Gods servants want at any time he sees a little to be better for them then more abundance not because God cannot fulfill their necessitie or is not willing he is able to supply their wants and will in due time administer all Grace to them God is a sufficient God to his people and therefore blessed are the people that are in such a case yea blessed are the people whose God is the Lord. 2. As God will be a sufficient God unto us so he will be all this to us from himselfe God hath his all-sufficiency from himselfe therefore called Jehovah 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is the first cause of his own blessednesse and communicates all blessednesse to his people from himselfe Man may communicate good to man the Father to the children a Minister to his people one neighbour to another but he cannot doe it from himselfe but as he hath first received from God The vessell may give you water but not from it selfe but what it hath from the fountaine the fountaine onely gives it from it selfe So it is between God and the creature God is the fountaine of living waters who immediately communicates all to his people and thus the Lord will be to them as he promises Isai 44.24 Isai 44.24 I am the Lord that maketh all things that stretcheth out the heavens alone and spreadeth abroad the earth by my selfe There is the force of the promise that whereas the enemies
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
converseth with us but somewhat strangely speaking as by so many Interpreters by them to interpret his mind and will to us but when hee will shew himselfe to us more fami iarly then he bids away unto all these former means silver gold and corn c. and when all these are set aside then he comes and sayes plainly Now you shall see what I my selfe will doe for you and that I who am the Lord all-suffiâ—ient am the Lord your God and from my selfe I will blesse you you shall now see my immediate care of you And when the Lords people see this thereby they know him better and honour him more thereby are they forced to say as Psalm 148.13 Psal 148.13 His Name onely is excellent his Name onely is worthy to bee exalted Before they were ready to ascribe some excellency to the means and instruments sacrificing to their own nets but when they come to nothing and the Lord hath by himselfe fulfilled our desire then are we lifted up to glorifie him hee alone is seen to be an all sufficient God unto his people So that if wee ask Why is the Lord alone in doing good to his people and there is none with him as David was asked 1 Sam. 21.1 1 Sam. 21.1 The answer is because I will not give my glory to another saith God but will have my whole glory to my selfe alone He is alone that he alone may be glorified Reason 2 It is also for the further comfort and consolation of the people of God when then they shall see from whence their help commeth how God by his immediate hand hath wrought for their good A gift from the Princes own hand is farre more gratefull then that which comes another way So when the Lord casteth in kindnesse and favours upon his people from himselfe this is more comfortable then to have it by another means Indeed during the time of the trials of Gods people their faith is put to soar plunges that they begin to question as they said Exod. 17.7 Exod. 17 7. Is The Lord amongst us or not And are ready to say as Isai 49.14 Isai 49.14 The Lord hath forgotten me c. But when they see what hee hath done how he hath ridden on the heavens for their help and on the clouds in his glory and all for their succour and good when they see the Lord himselfe supplying their wants from himselfe then they change their mind and say as Exod. 15.11 Exod. 15.11 Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like thee glorious in holinesse fearfull in praises doing wonders There is no God like our God who hath done marvellously for us and we who have such a God shall never be ashamed This may serve to help our faith against the discouragemâ—nts Vse 1 which wee are apt to fall into in the straits into which the Lord hath brought us God hath dealt with us as with his people Israel we are brought out of a fat land into a wildernesse and here we meet with necessities God hath now set us besides our hopes and expectations our props which wee leaned upon are broken our mony is spent our states are wâ—sted and our necessities begin to increase upon us and now wee know not how to be supplied the waters of the river are cut off and now wee begin to be full of cares and feares what wee shall doe when our means faile us then our hearts begin to faile us yea and our faith also we begin to be out of hope and so we doe as the Israelites did who though when they heard of deliverance at first they bowed down their heads and worshipped yet when they met with straits then they quarrelled with Moses Why hast thou brought us hither So we begin to quarrell with Gods providence and without selves and to question whether wee have done well to come hither or no. But against this discouragement learn we to live by faith in this doctrine now delivered tâ—at God will be all things to his people from himselfe alone Therefore though means faile yet let not our hearts faile for the faithfull God will not faile us he hath tied us to means so that wee may not neglect them neither can wee maintain the comfort of our lives without them but the Lord stands in no need of them hee needs not silver or gold wooll or flax nor houses full of store he needs not a fruitfull land to provide for the necessities of his people he can without them provide for our good If wee were left to provide for our selves then we might dâ—spâ—ir when means are cut off but the Lord hath said Cast your care upon me I will care for you As Joseph said to Pharaoh Without me God will provide an answer for Pharaoh so may silver and gold and such things say to us Without us God will provide for the wealth of his people Though our means be gone yet God is the same and if our faith were before fixt upon the Lord then shew it now when means faile us If wee cannot now trust him our former saith was in the means not in the Lord. The more our straits be the more look after the Lord himselfe that he should from himselfe minister needfull things unto us When the stream fails and runs no more then goe to the fountain where the waters are sweeter and more sure See the speech of faith Hab. 3.17.18 Hab. 3.17.18 Though the Fig-tree doe not blossome nor fruit be in the vines and the fâ—â—ids yeeld no fruit c. yet I will rejoyce in the Lord I will joy in the God of my salvation Though all means fail yet will I rejoyce In the Mount will the Lord be seen Gen. 22.14 If we could but grow up to more dependance upon him to live by faith in him alone it would bee our great advantage for though means doe prove as a broken reed or as a false hearted friend yet the Lord is faithfull and they that trust in him are blessed he will by himselfe create peace and comfort to his people Vse 2 To settle our hearts against the wavering disposition which we are subject unto in this â—and Sometimes the places wee live in are hard and barren and this unsettles us we know not how to subsist I deny not but that one place may be better then another more desireable more fruitfull in it selfe But yet the Lord promiseth Exod. 20 24. Exod 20.24 that in every place where hee sets the remembrance of his Name thither he will come and blesse his people and what is wanting from the place shall bee made up from the Lord himselfe He turneth a barren land into fruitfulfulnesse for his people Psal 107. Psalm 107. If the places be barren wherein we live let us be the more humble the more fruitfull in well-doing the more diligent in prayer the more strong in faith And then we shall
speak elswhere Vse 3. To teach us hereby to try our selves whether we have any part in that salvation which God promiseth in his Covenant when we heare the Lord say as he doth herein my Text As for thee also thou shalt bee saved by the blood of thy Covenant wee should search and see whether we have been made partakers of this salvation promised But how shall we know that even by our sanctification if the Lord hath renewed and sanctified our natures and made us new creatures in Christ At what time God saveth his people at the same time he sanctifieth them And thus he tells the Israelites Ezek. 36. when he promiseth them to bring them back into the Land which their Fathers dwelt in which was unto them a type of heaven and was therefore called the Lords Land Hos 9.3 2 Chron. 7.20 he tells them withall that when and at what time he would performe this unto them at the same time he would poure out his spirit upon them and would cleanse them from their iniquities vers 33. sutable to that of the Apostle Tit. 3.4 5. he hath saved us by the washing of the new birth and by the renewing of the Holy Ghost At what time God sanctifieth us at the same time he saveth us he gives us the one as a pledge of the other And therefore it is that when the Lord had converted and sanctified the heart of Zacheus and made him a new creature hee did withall thus testifie unto him This day is salvation come to thy soule c. Luke 19.9 Some do deny this way of triall as if no evidence could bee had from our sanctification till we first know our election and justification by immediate revelation of the Spirit This mediate witnesse of the spirit which is by habituall and inherent graces is not to be harkned unto untill the immediate witnesse hath spoken But if there be no triall and knowledge of our estate to be had by habituall grace then 1 What did Christ mean when he told his Disciples that hereby should all men know them to be his Disciples if they love one another Iohn 13. What did Paul mean when he bids us prove our selves whether we be in the faith or no 2 Cor. 13. David surely was deceived when he said hereby I know that I shall not be confounded when I have respect unto all thy Commandements if so be no knowledge of our good estate may be gathered hereby Yea to what end did Iohn lay down all those signes and tokens of a blessed estate which are scattered here and there through the whole first Epistle his scope in that Epistle being this even to give unto the faithfull some certaine evidence of their salvation as is manifest by Chap. 5.13 And this being his scope mark then how frequent and plentifull he is in bringing in evidences of this nature as now we speak of as we may see Chap. 1.7 If we walk in the light of holinesse as he is in the light then have we fellowship one with another that is God with us and we with him so Chap. 2.3 4. hereby we are sure that we know him so as to have eternall life by the knowledge of him John 17.3 if we keep his Commandements and in verse 29. Know yee that he which doth righteousnesse is borne of him and in Chap. 3.7 hee that doth righteousnesse walking in the righteousnesse of a good conscience and upright conversation is righteous namely by imputation even as Christ is righteous and in verse 9.10 he that is borne of God sinneth not In this are the children of God known from the children of the Devill even by righteousnesse and loving of our brethren and verse 14. hereby wee know that we are translated from dâ—ath to life because we love the brethren so also verse 18 19. and 24 and Chap. 4. verse 7 12 13 16. Surely these are no lying Testimonies these witnesses are true If in taking evidence from these things we be deceived we may herein say as Ieremiah said in another case O Lord I am deceived and thou hast deceived me Ier. 20.7 2. If there were no evidence to be taken hereby this were to leave the work of the Spirit in as much darknesse and obscurity as is the work of the Father and the Son But the work of the Spirit is to make known and manifest unto us the things that are given us of God 1 Cor. 2. So long as the Fathers work of election stands alone and is not accompanied with the work of redemption and sanctification his electing of us is so hidden in his own bosome that none can tell what he will doe with any of the sonnes of men whether he will save any or destroy all But when the sonne comes and layes down his life for mans redemption hee doth thereby bring to light the Fathers intention thus farre that it is now known that certainly there be some whom the Lord will save But yet who these some be that is counsell still that is unknown therefore in the third place the Spirit comes and sanctifies those that are so chosen and redeemed And now by this work of the Spirit it is known not onely that there be some that God will save but the very persons themselves are thereby singled out and marked these have the seale and marke of God upon them whereby they are known to bee the sheep for which Christ laid down his life according to the counsell and will of the Father Even as in Matth. 3.17 when the Spirit came down upon Christ then God witnessed This is my beloved Sonne So it is here concerning our selves hereby we have Gods witnesse testifying of us that we are his children even by his Spirit of sanctification which he hath sent down into our hearts By this we know that we are children redeemed and chosen If we be sanctified we are saved Our salvation is begun and shall be perfected in due time Object But when the Apostle saith we know that wee are translated from death c. his meaning is as if he should say we which have first received the seale and immediate witnesse of the Spirit we know c. but others cannot know it Answ This is not the meaning of the Apostle as is evident to any one that with attention doth observe the scope and manner of the Apostles writing The matter stands thus There were a number in the Apostles time such as Iames elsewhere speakes of which professed to know and believe in Christ and would say they had faith as it is in Iam. 2.14 and yet they had no works They would say they had fellowship with the Father 1 Ioh. 1.6 and yet they would walk in darknesse They would say they knew God 1 Ioh. 2.3 and yet would not keep his Commandements They would say they did abide in Christ and yet did not walk after the steps of Christ ver 6. They would say they were in the light and
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
the Lords part but through our sinfull breaking with him Israel hath sinned wee have sinned and therefore it is that we are fallen and come down so low Secondly Are we in want and doe we desire to enjoy a sufficiency of these outward blessings would we be set in a way in which wee may be sure to be provided for we have the way here set before us we heare that these blessings are promised in Gods Covenant The promising of them is one branch of that Covenant which the Lord makes with his people The way then is this First to enter into a Covenant with God and then to walk in Covenant with him as becomes his people 1. Enter into Covenant with him Art thou in hunger nakednesse or if not in such extremities yet wantest thou those things which thy condition stands in need of It may be thou art a stranger to the Covenant betwixt God and his people and hast lived an alien from God Thou hast with the Prodigall forsaken thy Fathers house departed away from God living viciously and sinfully and therefore the Lord hath brought thee to the same condition as the Prodigall was brought unto in these thy necessities doe thou then as the Prodigall did when he was in necessity and knew not what to doe he then bethinks himselfe In my Fathers house saith he there is bread enough but I am ready to perish for hunger I will therefore arise and goe to my Father and humble my selfe unto him desiring to be as one of his hired servants Think with thy selfe what provision the Lord makes for those that are of his houshold his children and servants have bread enough Arise therefore out of thy sin by repentance goe unto him and sue to be taken into his family and to be one of his servants and then will the Father call for roabs to cover thy nakednesse and bring out the fatted calfe to satisfie thy hunger thou shalt be fed with food convenient for thee Thy bread shall not faile and thy water shall be sure Though he suffer aliens to want yet his family shall bee provided for but then remember this withall to walk in Covenant with God walk as becomes one of the family of heaven and of the houshold of God be faithfull and diligent in his service have a care of his honour doe nothing to blemish his name bee carefull to please him in all things be zealous for his glory Be thankfull that he hath taken thee to bee one of his Be faithfull in thy particular calling as therein serving the Lord and not to serve thine own turn Study to bee usefull and serviceable to others of Gods servants which are of the same houshold of faith with thee and in this way of the Covenant look for and expect the blessing of it Doe good saith the Prophet and thou shalt be fed assuredly Psal 37.3 If yee be willing and obedient ye shall eat the good things of the land Isai 1.19 and if at any time thou be put to straights and wants doe as Jacob did put God in minde of his Covenant and promise Lord thou saidst saith Jacob that thou wouldest doe me good Lord say thou thou hast said thou wilt care for me and provide things needfull for thy servants and therefore though I be not worthy of the least of all thy mercies not worthy to be fed with the crums which fall from thy childrens table yet because thou hast said that thou wilt satiate thy people with thy goodnesse make good thy word which thou hast spoken Let thy mercy come unto me as I trust in thee Thus doe and then lay thy life upon it thou shalt not want Bread shall be given thee and thy waters shall not faile thou shalt have thy daily portion provided for thee Though thou hast not much laid up in store for many yeares or dayes yet thou shalt have thine Omer day by day And as those in Nehem. 11.23 12.47 they had by the Kings appointment every day a set portion so shalt thou have thy daily allowance daily bread with all such other things as concern this present life II. As in the want so in the enjoyment of outward good things the former consideration gives us direction also doe we enjoy them hath God made good his promise unto us have we a portion convenient for us Then 1. Learn hereby to acknowledge God in these gifts of his goodnesse and grace towards us see his hand in them and know that it is he that gives us all things to enjoy 1 Tim. 6.18 say not it is our own hand that hath done this Though these outward things be but the blessings of the left hand the lesser blessings of the Covenant yet the Lord would be acknowledged even in these This is one reason why the Lord promiseth these things to us in his Covenant that we might learn thereby to acknowledge that they come not unto us by chance or fortune as Heathens thought calling them therefore Bona Fortunae nor yet as carnall Christians think by our own providence or wisedome but look at them as blessings comming from the Lord himselfe This lesson the Lord teacheth us Deut. 8.17 18. Say not it is mine own hand which hath prepared me this abundance but it is the Lord which gives thee power to get substance c. and when we are wanting in acknowledging his hand in them the Lord complaines of our neglect as we may see in Hos 2.8 shee did not know that I gave her her corne and wine and oyle and multiplyed her silver and gold c. And thence it is as I think though others interpret the place otherwise that in Iob 31.27 where Iob speaks of his great substance and riches hee saith his mouth did not kisse his hand That is he did not applaud himselfe nor did he ascribe it to his own handy works Some other would have said this hand hath done it as Isai 10.13 which had been a kissing of his hand and an honouring of himselfe and not a giving glory to God But Job abhorred this so should we let us in our heart acknowledge that it is not our own hand but the Lord which hath given us all our abundance of good things In them see his bounty towards us As he hath let the streame of his bounty run forth towards us so should wee run back and acknowledge the bountifulnesse of the Lord for the wheat and for the wine which he hath given us Ier. 31.12 Should God withhold his hand we might labour long enough and put all our gettings into a broken bag Hag. 1. The race is not alwayes to the swift nor the battle to the strong nor riches to men of understanding and of strength but the Lord gives to every one as pleaseth him And as we should see Gods bounty towards us in these so wee should see his Grace also in them Look at them as blessings of Grace which are communicated to us by
heaven looking for grace and mercy according to Iehoshaphats speech Our eyes are towards thee 2 Chron. 20. It hungers and thirsts after grace but feares it shall never be satisfied it feeles a need and faine would have but sence of unworthinesse consciousnesse of manifold sinnes the sentence of the Law like the thundering and lightning at Mount Sinai all of them being sharpned by Satans working in them and with them doe strike such a fear into the heart as was in Israel then that though desires be stirring and working yet hope is very feeble causing us to doe as Israel did there who though they heard the Lord say I am the Lord your God yet the terror of the thunder made them to stand afar off and so we we hear the Lord offering to be our God in covenant with us but such are the discouragements that we dare not come near to seek after the grace which is revealed Hitherto therefore the mind of the poor sinner desiring to bee in Covenant with God is unquiet within it selfe hurried too and fro finding no rest it heares of peace with God but feels it not but in stead of peace finds trouble feare doubtings discouragements to keep it off from the way of peace faith being yet yong and faint hath much adoe to sustain the heart in any hope that it sink not down in discouragement But yet though it bee weak it will be doing what it is able setting the minde to consider the promises and encouragements which God hath given us in his word how hee invites all to come unto him even every one that thirsts Esay 55. telling us That whosoever comes unto him he will not cast away Joh. 6.37 And hence while the minde is possessed with these things because so great a businesse as making a Covenant of peace with the high God and about so great an affaire as the life and salvation of our soule cannot be transacted in a tumult Therefore 4. In the fourth place faith takes the soule aside and carries it into some solitary place that there it may be alone with it selfe and with God with whom it hath to doe This businesse and multitude of other occasions cannot be done together and therefore the soule must be alone that it may the more fully commune with it selfe and utter it selfe fully before the Lord Thus the poore Church in the time of her affliction when the Lord seemed to hide himselfe from her shee sate alone as she speaks Lament 3.28 29. and Jer. 15.17 I sate alone because of thy plague The way of the Lord is prepared in the Desert Esay 40.3 when the Lord will come to the soule and draw it into communion with himselfe he will have his way hereto prepared in the Desert not in the throng of a City but in a solitary Desert place he will allure us and draw us into the Wildernesse from the company of men when he will speak to our heart and when he prepares our heart to speak unto him Hoseah 2. Not that such a one doth despise or neglect the fellowship of Gods people but he now sees and knows full well that his help is not in man and therefore waits not upon the sonnes of Adam Mich. 5.7 He is glad to hear of any hope and how others have beene succoured and pulled out of the like distresse c. but though he hath an eare open unto these and the like helps yet the soule cannot rest in them but must retire it selfe and get alone where it may think its full and satisfie it self e in thoughts of its own estate and of the offers and promises of Grace which God hath made to such lost sinners And whiles the soule is thus alone with it selfe and with God sometimes thinking of its own misery and sinne sometimes of the Lords mercy now presented in such and such promises sometimes calling to minde how others have found favour with God notwithstanding their sinnes sometimes thinking what should move the Lord thus to invite us and call us unto him and to give us these desires after him why thinks the soule should the Lord doe thus if there were no hope that he would receive me whiles I say the soule being alone is thus exercised in these thoughts at length the fire kindles so as the soule can now rest no longer but a spirit of faith being within like fire in the bones the heart hitherto having beene as a Wine-vessell which hath had no vent yet now the spirit within compels him to open his lips and to utter before the Lord the meditations of his heart And therefore 5. In the fifth place the soule resolves now to go to the throne of Grace suing for Grace proving whether the Lord will bee gracious and mercifull to accept of a reconciliation faith speaks within as they did in Jonah 3.9 who can tell whether the Lord will return c. and as Amos 5.15 It may be the Lord may yet be mercifull such an one cannot yet say that he will yet knowes not but he may be gracious and therefore doth as those lepers in 2 King 7.3 who knowing that they were sure to perish if they sate still resolved to try what might befall them in going into the Camp of the Aramites and as Esther who would try whether the King would hold out his golden Sceper towards her yea or no so the poore sinner knowing how it is with him and thinking hee must perish if he thus continue and hearing also such gracious invitations c. thereupon resolves to goe and seek the Lord begging Grace and acceptance before him Doth the Lord say seek yee my face the heart answers within Lord I will seek thy face Doth the Lord say Come unto me the heart answereth Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God Ier. 3.22 And now the soule betakes it selfe unto God sending up complaints against it selfe with lamentations for its own sinfull rebellions accompanyed with strong cryes to heaven with sighes and groanes of Spirit which cannot be expressed it confesseth with grief and bitter mourning all former iniquities smites upon the thigh with repenting Epharim lies down at Gods foot-stoole putting its mouth in the dust acknowledging Gods righteousnesse if he should condemn and cast off for ever and yet withall pleads for Grace that it may be accepted as one of his It sayes unto God Lord I have nothing to plead why thou maist not condemn me but if thou wilt receive me thy mercy shall appeare in me thou maist shew forth all thy goodnesse take away therefore all mine iniquities and receive mee graciously Hoseah 14.3 It pleads Gods promise Lord thou hast said thou wilt be gracious Lord make good this word to the soule of thy servant be my God my mercifull God and make me thy servant thus the soule lies at the throne of Grace and pleads for Grace 6. As faith is thus earnest in suing to God for Grace and
acceptance with him so it is no lesse vigilant and watchfull in observing and taking notice what answer comes from the Lord how he answers the desires we have presented before him As the prisoner at the barre not only cries for mercy but marks every word which falls from the Judges mouth if any thing may give him hope and as Benhadads servants lay at catch with the King of Israel to see if they could take occasion by any thing which fell from him to plead for the life of Benhadad so doth the poore soule that is now pleading for life and grace it watcheth narrowly to see if any thing may come from God any intimation of favour any word of comfort that may tend to peace thence it is that the Saints have so often called upon God for answer of their prayers they thought it not enough to pray but they would see how the Lord answered them Psal 102.1 2. Thus Psal 51.8 O let me heare joy and gladnesse c. David did not only pray for mercy but desires to heare from heaven a word spoken to his conscience by which he might know he was accepted though David was not in the beginning of that work we now speak of yet the case is alike he was now in his own sence as if he had been to begin anew and thus in Psal 85.8 I will heare what the Lord will say for he will speak peace unto his people c. 7. As faith doth thus wait for an answer from God so likewise according as the Lord doth either answer or not answer so doth faith demeane it selfe First Sometimes he answers not to our sence I mean and discerning as we see in Davids case he felt himselfe as one forsaken and prayed unto God but found no audience Psal 22. What doth faith in this case it followes God still and cryes after him with more strength and earnestness as resolving never to give over till the Lord either save or destroy if the Lord will destroy yet the soule chuseth to die at Gods foot as Joab did at the hornes of the Altar when he was bidden to come forth from thence to take his death in another place Nay saith Ioab but I will die here Here the humbled soule doth as that woman did in Mat. 15. shee sues to Christ but Christ seemes to have no regard of her gives her not one word but shee seeks still still she cryes after him and though still repulsed yet shee comes a third time and cryes Lord help me and though still the Lord gives her another repulse yet still she hangs upon him and follows him for mercy and would never give over till she he had gotten even what shee desired Even as Christ in his agony when he saw deliverance came not he prayed more earnestly Luk. 22.44 so doth the poore sinner in the time of his agony when he is striving as for life and death if help come not at first call he prays againe and that more earnestly faith will be urgent with God with an humble importunity and the more slack the Lord seemes to be in answering the more instant is faith in plying God with prayers It will be wrastling with God as Iacob did with the Angel it will not rest without a blessing it will take no denyall but will crave still as hee did blesse me even me also send me not away without a blessing it resolves to wait and look up untill the Lord shew mercy Psal 123.2 Lament 3.49 50. Secondly Sometimes againe the Lord doth answer but yet he speaks but as out of the dark cloud giving somâ— little ease but not speaking full peace much like as he spake to the woman Ioh. 8.11 Goe thy way and sinne no more saith Christ he doth not say goe in peace thy sinne is forgiven thee that had been a word of full comfort but goe thy way and sinne no more a middle kind of expression neither assuring her that her sinne was pardoned nor yet putting her out of hope but it might be forgiven And hereby faith gets a little strength and looks after the Lord with more hope and begins to plead with God as Moses did Lord thou hast begun to shew grace unto thy servant goe on Lord to manifest in me all thy goodnesse here faith takes a little hold on the Covenant though with a feeble hand as yet shaking and trembling for want of strength and yet now it begins to follow the Lord with more encouragement as finding that its former seeking hath not been wholly in vaine Thirdly Sometimes againe the Lord speaks more fully and satisfactorily to the soules of his people applying some promise of Grace to the conscience by his own spirit letting the soule feele and taste the comfort of such a promise more effectually then ever it could before it hath often heard and thought on such a promise but could never feele any peace in it because it could never apply it to its own particular but now being applyed by the help of the Spirit it finds and feeles peace Here then the Lord doth not any longer hold the soule in suspence and doubting by propounding unto it such promises of hope as I may so call them It may be yee shall bee hid in the day of wrath Zeph. 2.3 but he speaks full peace as Esay 41.10 Feare not for I am thy God I will subdue your iniquities and cast all your sinnes behind my back and I will remember them against you no more I have received a reconciliation Iob 33. Goe in peace Here â—aith waxeth bold and with a glad heart entertaineth the promise thus brought home unto it the Apostle expresseth this with a word very significant calling it an embracing of the promise Heb. 11.13 embracing implyes an affectionate receiving with both armes opened to shew an heart enlarged to those that come unto us and now the soule having thus embraced the promise and the Lord Iesus Christ in the promise and having him like Simeon in our armes it layes him in the bosome and having before gone forth to meet him hee being now come it brings him into the chamber of the heart there to rest and abide for ever now the soule possesseth him as her own rests in him and is satisfied with him layes it selfe down in a holy rest after all its former troubles praysing God for his mercy as Simeon did when he had Christ in his armes and committing it selfe for ever to that mercy and goodnesse which hath been thus revealed unto it And thus the poor soul which hath been at emnity with God comes by little and little to touch the top of the golden Scepter and to enter into a Covenant of peace with the high God now the hand is given to the Lord as Hezekiah spake 2 Chron. 30. As God reacheth out to us the hand of Grace and of saving help so doe wee give unto him the hand of faith yeilding up our selves unto him committing our selves
holy and sanctified also Now this holinesse of conversation must be shewed first in duties of Religion which are acts properly holy holinesse of disposition will as naturally put a Christian upon duties of holinesse prayer meditation and other spirituall exercises as a sinfull disposition doth put us upon acts that are sinfull Holinesse will make us minde the things that are holy and to exercise our selves in them in a holy manner with holy reverence holy seare holy desires of enjoying the Lord in them with holy rejoycing in his presence and an holy zeale for his glory And though holinesse begins here yet it doth not end here therefore secondly holinesse planted in the heart will cause holinesse to shine forth in our actions of common life so that though the things we deale in be but outward and civill yet our manner of dealing in them shall be spirituall and holy As those that are unholy doe by an unholy use of them pollute unto themselves the holy things of God which they take in hand they dealing in those holy things in an ordinary and common manner so contrariwise whom God hath sanctified they doe sanctifie to themselves the common and ordinary actions of this life by using them not in an ordinary prophane manner but holily to the one the things that are holy become as if they were prophane to the other the prophane and common as if they were holy If we eat holinesse causeth us to eat as before God and to eat for God Exod. 18.12 Zach. 7.5 6. Rom. 14.6 1 Cor. 10.31 If we exercise our selves in our calling holinesse directs a Christian to referre it to the glory of God The man of warre hath holinesse written upon his horse bridles Zach. 14.20 he goes to warre before the Lord Numb 31.6 and fights the battels of the Lord as fighting not for men but for God 2 Sam. 25.28 when he handles the sword he consecrates his hand unto the Lord Exod. 32.29 and therein doth the work of the Lord of Hosts Jer. 48.10 The Merchant in time of peace turns his merchandizing to be holinesse to the Lord that there may be sufficient for them that minister before the Lord to eat sufficiently and to have durable cloathing Esay 23.18 Every one in their severall places and callings walking holily before the Lord so that whether the things they deale about be holy or common yet those which are holy must and do walk holily in both the inward holinesse of the inward man manifesting it selfe in all our outward conversation whether towards God in the things of God or towards men in the things wherein we have to deale with men Vse 1. This lets us see the true cause whence it is that so few among the multitudes of men that are in the world are willing to embrace this Covenant which the Lord offers to enter into with men It might justly be wondred at that it containing such admirable and high priviledges as it doth it should not draw all men unto it that they might enjoy the benefit of it But here is the reason of it It is a holy Covenant though it offer much grace yet it hath this property it is holy and requireth holinesse in all those that claime any part in it and this makes men to withdraw themselves from it because it calls for holinesse in all that look to live by it They are fleshly carnall prophane unholy loathing the way of holinesse and therefore they forsake the holy Covenant Dan. 11.30 They like well to heare of the offers and blessings of the Covenant which it brings and the salvation which it promiseth But when it comes to require holinesse of them that lay hold on it telling them that they must be holy as God is holy this makes all to be unto them of a deadly favour and proves to be unto them a stumbling stone at which they fall to their eternall ruine This is that which makes the breach betwixt God and man men would willingly have God reconciled unto them But this holinesse of the Covenant they cannot submit unto the prophane heart of man is not subject to this law of holinesse nor indeed can be That one clause of the Covenant Touch no unclean thing is the barre which cannot be broken through which keeps the distance and maintaines the enmity betwixt him and them Vse 2. To teach us hereby to try our selves whether we be in Covenant with God or no and have any share in the grace and blessing of the Covenant If we partake in the holinesse of it then doe we also partake of the grace and blessing The way and end must not be separated the holinesse of the Covenant is the way eternall life is the end we must have our way in holinesse that our end may be eternall life Rom. 6.21 Let such then as are pure and undefiled in their way let them rejoyce in their portion all the blessings of the Covenant are theirs God is yours life is yours heaven is yours It is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome feare not though you suffer affliction here for a season yet having the anoynting the holy oyle being already poured upon you you are in the way and have a pleadge of the everlasting inheritance But as for all such as are unholy unsanctified they may take Gods Covenant in their mouth and may hope for the life and blessing which it promiseth but all their naming of it will stand them in no more stead then did their naming of Christ who had their mouthes full of Lord Lord but being workers of iniquity were bidden to depart from him Matth. 7.22 It is strange that any such should flatter themselves with hope as looking to enjoy the blessing of the Covenant neglecting the way of it which is holy that men should promise themselves peace whiles they walk after the wicked imaginations of their own heart seeing God never made Covenant with any to bring any unto life but only in a way of holinesse carnall Libertines mistake the nature of this Covenant and doe indeed take hold on the Devils covenant instead of Gods as if Gods Covenant were thus that he would forgive us our sins and save us and yet suffer us to walk in our own wayes fulfilling the will of the flesh and of the minde as if he that had been unjust might be unjust still and he that had been unholy might be unholy still and yet might hope for that undefiled inheritance of the Saints This had been a pleasâ—ng Covenant unto flesh and bloud but this is the Devils covenant not Gods That article you shall be saved and yet live in your sinnes is foysted in by that false deceiver the Devill who hath thus interlined and falsified and changed the Covenant of God thereby to deceive the wicked and ungodly of the world making that which sounds forth nothing but holinesse to seeme a carnall and loose covenant nourishing men up in all impurity but this
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