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destitute of help Our eyes saith he are unto thee O Lord we know not what to doe Let the Lord sâ—e that our hearts are withdrawn from the creature and those helps which we leaned upon and that we doe faithfully relie upon him and then will hee ride upon the heavens for our help as Deut.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
not regarded It 's a thundering speech of the Apostle in Heb. 10.29 where he saith That those that sinned under Moses Law dyed without mercy and yet much sorer vengeance shall be unto those that despise the Gospel of Christ Can any thing be worse then to dye without mercy Yes saith the Apostle those shall have sorer vengeance It shall be vengeance that they suffer yea sore vengeance and sorer then those suffered which under Moses law dyed without mercy and yet more it shall be much sorer yea so much sorer as cannot be uttered but is left to our consideration to thinke How much sorer vengeance saith the Apostle and it must needs be such when the Lord himselfe professeth he will laugh at such mens destruction and mocke when their misery comes Prov. 1. And saith that he will rejoyce over them in destroying of them Deut. 28.63 No plagues like the plagues of such as reject the Gospel of Christ Reason 1 This sin sets more of God against us then was before before the Gospel came unto us we had justice against us armed with power both which were provoked by us but yet mercy was ready to save us if we would come in and accept of the grace offered mercy was not yet become our enemy as not yet being provoked by us but when it is brought to us by the Gospel and is despised by us now mercy and grace it selfe also is against us and is made our enemy now mercy joynes with justice and increased wrath Reason 2 There is in this sin a speciall indignitie offered unto Christ himselfe the Son is despised in it which the Father will not suffer It is one great part of the Fathers counsell to honour and advance his Son for the Father loveth the Son and will have all men to honour the Son as they honour the Father Joh. 5.23 As the Son did all things to honour the Father Joh. 8.49 Joh. 17.4 So it is the Fathers purpose and will to honour the Son Acts 3.13 2 Pet. 1.17 This contempt therefore which is offered unto Christ when he is offered in the Gospel and is set light by God the Father will avenge to the full As the bloud of Abel cryed to God for vengeance against Cain so doth the contempt done to the bloud of Christ cry to heaven against the despisers of it much more Christs bloud hath a double cry and it will prevaile both wayes First To prevaile for mercy towards those that count it precious and trust in it for them it saith Father forgive them But it cryes also for judgement against the despisers of it that God would avenge the contempt of it upon them and this bloud will be heard whatsoever it calls for whether for mercy or judgement Vse This may serve to be a warning to all such people to whom the Gospel of Christ is come let them in the feare of God take heed lest they neglect so great salvation Heb. 2. and let them with thankfulnesse and love entertain the grace which is brought unto them by the revelation of Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 1. If you become despisers God will work such things among you as who so heareth them his eares shall tingle Acts 1. and your hearts shall ake in the suffering of them much more Heb. 2. for if every transgression and disobedience committed against the Law or against the dim light of nature doe receive a just recompence of reward if those which are without the Law perished in those sinnes which they committed without the Law and if those which are without the Gospel perish in their ignorance because they know it not how then shall those escape which have both law of grace and Gospel of grace revealed unto them and yet doe neglect those great things Be warned and take heed It will be your wisdome now in this your day to consider the things which concern your peace 2 Cor. 6.1 feare lest you should receive the grace of God in vaine take heed of despising and setting light by the tydings of your salvation lest the same things which were ordained to be unto life be found to be unto you unto death Rom. 7. and then the greater meanes you have had to bring you to life the more bitter will your death be This is the great condemnation of the world that when grace is revealed and tendered unto men yet it is not received with love that they might be saved by it Joh. 3.19 It 's put away and is not esteemed lamentable is the case of such people This made Christ to weep over Jerusalem Luk. 19.41 42. because they knew not they regarded not the things of their peace no peoples case more to be pitied and mourned for then theirs that injoy the Gospel but esteeme it not Let such consider what is said of the Jewes when they put away the Gospel from them they did thereby judge themselves unworthy of eternall life Acts 13.46 Not that they did thinke themselves unworthy of life nor did they with their mouthes speake any such thing but as a man may shew hâ—s judgement of a thing as well by his fact as by his words so did they by their fact in that sinfull rejecting of the Gospel of salvation they did as it were pronounce a sentence against themselves by which all men might see that they were unworthy of the salvation preached to them such therefore as do reject the Gospel do by that contempt testifie and pronounce judgement against themselves that they are unworthy to be saved These as they love not the blessing of the Gospel so it shall be farre from them and as they choose the wayes of sin and death so it shall come unto them they shall dye in their sinnes with a double destruction And heare O England my deare native Countrey whose womb bare me Admonition to England whose breath nourished me and in whose armes I should desire to dye give eare to one of thy children which dearely loveth thee Be thou exhorted thankfully to accept the grace which is now ready to be revealed unto thee The way is now preparing the high mountaines which with their shadowes caused darknesse are now a laying low and the low valleys ready to be exalted the crooked things to be made straight that all flesh that lives within thy borders may see the salvation of our God Thy light is now coming and the glory of the Lord is now rising upon thee though darknesse hath covered a part of thee hitherto through the wickednesse of those that hated light yet now the Lord himselfe I trust will rise upon thee and the glory of the Lord shall be seene upon thee Now therefore stirre up thy selfe with thankfulnesse and joy of heart to embrace the things of thy peace which shall be brought unto thâ—e See that thou love the Gospel not in word and in shew onely but in deed and in truth and not for novelties sake
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
but unto the disobedient shall be tribulation and wrath whether Jewes or Gentiles c. Where actions are alike God will deale alike with all such as are under the Covenaâ—t of workes What is just towards one is just towards another when actions and workes are alike Now God will deale justly with all He that commands us to give to every man his due Rom. 13.7 will not himselfe withhold due from any here therefore God will deale alike with all Let one fulfill the Law and he shall live thereby Let another fulfill it and he also shall have the same life Let one breake it and he shall dye and as many as breake it shall lye under the same condemnation But now it is otherwise in the Covenant of grace grace deales diversly with men that are equall in themselves where there was no difference before grace makes a difference as Rom. 3.23 24. Rom. 3.23 24 All have sinned c. there is no difference in our selves wee are all shut up in condemnation by sin but are all justified No but onely those that are of the faith of Jesus Hence saith the Apostle Rom. 9.10 11 12 13. that when Jacob and Esau were both in the same condition neither of them having done either good or evill yet grace put a difference betwixt them and preferred one before the other They were alike in themselves but yet they had not the like grace vouchsafed to them from God Justice is due but grace is free Justice must doe right but grace may communicate it selfe to whom where and in what measure it will Hence is that in Rom. 9.15 Rom. 9.15 I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy c. He doth not say I will deale justly with whom I will he cannot deale unjustly with any But concerning grace he saith I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy Therefore to manifest the freenesse of his grace the Lord sometimes preferreth those that seeme least worthy he sets the younger before the elder Jacob before Esau Ephraim before Manasseh and the Gentiles which were aliens from God before the Jewes which counted themselves to be the onely people Consider those two speeches in Mat. 20. Mat. 20.14 15 The one ver 14. Take that which is thine owne and goe thy way the other ver 15. I will doe with mine owne as I will Here is our owne and Gods owne our owne is that which we looke for according to our agreement which wee have made with God for the worke done As those hyred into the Vineyard they agreed with the Master of the Vineyard for so much and that which they so agreed for for their worke that was their owne due by Justice But that which was not by agreement nor for worke but comes by grace that is Gods owne with which he may doe even as he will our owne is that which is due from Gods justice Gods owne is the gift of his free grace To every one God will say take thine owne And where there is no difference in worke Justice will make no difference in wages And if any begin to complaine that others are better dealt with then they the Lord answers to such I will doe with mine owne as I will Grace is mine owne and I owe it to none I will shew it where I will It is grace which makes the difference herein may God deale diversly giving more to one lesse to another as pleaseth him And hereto agrees that in ver 16th He that is first shall be last and the last first He that should be last in a way of Justice shall become first in a way of grace Those that Justice would set last and lowest Grace will advance and set highest This may serve to stop every mouth that is ready to open it selfe Vse 1 against God and apt to wrangle against the dispensation of his grace you have your owne therefore complaine not you have what you can require in a way of Justice and more and therefore let God doe with his owne what he will What if God will shew more grace to another then to you Is he therefore unrighteous you your selves will take the same liberty to shew the fruits of your kindnesse and courtesie where you will And will you be more free then God Let not your eye be evill because his is good murmure not against God repine not against men if they have received more if God have given them more gifts then unto you grudge not The spirit that is in us lusteth after envie James 4.5 James 4.5 And the Jewes were moved with envie when they saw the Gentiles preferred before themselves But learne to submit to the Lords dispensation neither murmure against him nor envie against men remembring grace is free to give to whom and wâ—â—re he will Vse 2 For incouragement to such as are yet under the condemnation of the Law though you have deserved to perish and have been as deepe in sin as many of those that are now in hell so as Justice can make no separation no difference between you and them yet grace may Consider how it was with those two malefactors Luk. 23.39 to 44. Luke 23.39 to 44. they were both in the same condemnation yet one flying to grace found mercy with the Lord one went to Paradise the other to hell Though you are as vile as the damned in hell yet grace may save you Vse 3 For all such as goe on in their sinne in an impenitent course marke what you must looke for what ever plagues or judgements have befell any sinner you going on in the same sinnes must looke for the same judgements Except you repent you shall likewise perish Luk. 13.2 3. Luk. 13.2 3. God is the same his justice the same now as before It followes the same rule to judge by therefore where the sinnes are the same if you be not under grace you must look for the like vengeance Consider what the Apostle saith 1 Cor. 10.7 8 9 10. Be not you murmurers idolaters fornicators as they were lest you meet with the same judgements as befell them Therefore take heed how you goe on in an impenitent course in any sinne lest the same plagues be inflicted on you Take heed of the covetousnesse of Judas the hypocrisie of Ananias the obstinacy of the Jewes the pride of Nebuchadnezzar the murmurings of the Israelites the lukewarmnesse of Laodicea lest yee taste of the same miseries Justice can make no difference The seventh difference is this That the Covenant of workes is Differ 7 disanulled and broken by one transgression never to be made up any more But the Covenant of grace is not broken asunder by many transgressions so long as wee follow God in a way of faith and repentance After many offences the Covenant of grace may stand firme still This difference is made by the Apostle Rom. 5.16 Rom. 5.16 The guilt came of one offence unto
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
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
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