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destitute of help Our eyes saith he are unto thee O Lord we know not what to doe Let the Lord sâ—e that our hearts are withdrawn from the creature and those helps which we leaned upon and that we doe faithfully relie upon him and then will hee ride upon the heavens for our help as Deut.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
together yet the grace of God is revealed unto us Be aboundantly thankfull for it that we which were dogs before are now set at the childrens table He hath made knowne his Covenant to us which was kept secret from ages before wherein though they would have been glad to have seen and heard the things which we doe yet they could not what doe wee owe unto God for this mercy Doe therefore as they in Acts 13.48 Acts 13.48 they were glad and rejoyced that the Gospel was preached to them so let us Let us also praise and glorifie God for it as the Gentiles are stirred up to doe Rom. 15.9 10. when the Jewes heard that God had given the Gentiles repentance unto life they glorified God much more should we doe it for our selves And thirdly Let us learne to give up our selves to the obedience of Grace as they did Rom. 1.5 This is that the Gospel teacheth 2 Tit. 11.12 There is much profession of faith in New England but let it appeare in the life manifest our thankfulnesse in our obedience of the Gospel of Christ or else the more the Grace of God is revealed to us the heavier will our judgement be 2 Thes 1.8 God will come in flaming fire rendring vengeance to them that obey not the Gospel of Christ 5. Here might be noted a fifth Difference that the old Coveâ—â—nt was to last but for a time till the time of reformation Heb. â— 4 but the new Covenant is to last for ever to the end of the world Which makes against the opinion of those which teach the abolition of the ordinances of the New Testament at the setting up of Christs kingdome which they plead for but this I passe by It is an everlasting Gospel and the ordinances of it everlasting to last as long as the world shall last 3. Now follows a third point concerning the covenant of grace to be spoken to and that is touching the blessings and benefits of the Covenant And these are necessary to be considered of and looked into for sundry reasons First That those that are in covenant with God might know the great things which are given unto us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we can never know the things which are given unto us of God but by knowing of the covenant which conveys all the blessings which God doth impart unto his people therefore it is necessary that we should know the blessings of the Covenant that so wee may take comfort in them rejoyce in them and see our owne happinesse what an happy thing it is to be in covenant with God Men that have great possessions will sometimes get upon the top of some high place to take a view of their large revenewes so should wee ascend on high in our Meditations to consider the great blessings which the Lord passes over unto us by his Covenant Wee should doe as Mâ—ses get up to the top of Mount Nebo and view all the land all the severall blessings of the Covenant And as God bids Abraham Gen. 13.17 to view the length and breadth of the land which he would give unto him so should we view the length and breadth of the promise Walke through the Covenant as wee are able to see the heighth and depth of it that so we may know what great things the Lord hath made us possessors of and so rejoyce in our portion and take consolation therein Indeed we can here behold them but as in a Map darkly wee must reserve the full view of them till wee come to injoy them as they shall be exhibited to us hereafter Secondly It may be usefull also to others that are strangers to the Covenant and promises that they by hearing how great the blessings of the Covenant are they may be allured and drawne thereby to come and take hold of the covenant whereby such great and wonderfull things are communicated unto them This drawes some when they see the goodnesse of God unto his people Zach. 8.23 Zach 8.23 Isai 60.9 And thereby they are encouraged to joyne unto them and become one people with them This stird Balaam himselfe to consider their happinesse and to say How goodly are thy Tents O Jacob and therefore wished Let me dye the death of the righteous This doth many times efficaciously worke upon the hearts of those that are without the Covenant Thirdly The consideration of the Benefits of the Covenant will helpe to make the burthen of it as it seemes burthensome to flesh and bloud more light and the bonds more easie If we looke at the bond of the Covenant alone we shall be ready to say as Psal 2.3 Psal 2.3 Let us breake these bonds and cast these cords from us But if we look into the blessings of the Covenant which it brings these will make the bonds more easie that the soule will say Lord bind me as fast as thou wilt that I may never start from thee knit my heart unto thee that I may feare thee for ever It will make the service of the Covenant an easie servitude yea it will make us see glorious libertie in it If this be considered we shall not say as Mal. 3.14 and Job 21.15 What profit is it that wee have served the Lord and kept his ordinances c but that in keeping his Covenant there is great reward Psal 19. Psal 19. Fourthly Whereas the Lord doth cast in many blessings upon his people spirituall and temporall the Lord dealing in all his wayes towards his people according to his Covenant with them now the consideration of the many blessings which wee doe enjoy by the Covenant will lead us to the right fountaine from whence we doe receive them even to see the faithfulnesse of God in them who keeps covenant and promise with his people Wee shall thereby see that as he hath spoken it with his mouth so he hath fulfilled it with his hand Fifthly The knowledge of the blessings of the Covenant will helpe to support our faith in all tryalls exigencies and straights which we fall into if we know what the promises of the covenant be it will beare us up that our faith faint not though for the present we be cut short of the blessings which wee have a promise for Herein faith is supported that though God may try us yet he will not forsake us if the blessing be not yet come yet it will come it cannot faile the Covenant being faithfull the Lord will perform mercy to Jacob and truth to Israel Micah 7. last Thus it is every way usefull and profitable to know the blessings of the Covenant And here lift up our hearts to looke for great things great blessings such as the great God hath promised the blessings are sutable to the person that we enter into Covenant withall The things of the Covenant are great things Hos 8.12 Hos 8.12 Princes and Monarches when they enter into Covenant with other Nations they doe not make
light and new truths we drinke not in old poysoned errors and be fed with windy fancies in stead of bread Aske for the old way Jer. 6.16 Jer. 6.16 The old way is the good way wherein you must finde rest to your soules Men have itching eares itching mindes and itching tongues also itching to be fed with and to be venting novelties It hath been the blemish of our English Nation that they have been alwayes new-fangled running after new fashions taking up the fashions of every Nation The poverty of our estates will not here permit us to follow new fashions but yet still the vanitie of our mindes is working and doating upon our new opinions whereby men are led into pathes that were not troden by the Fathers of old God charges the false Prophets Jer. 18.15 Jer. 18.15 that they led his people from the ancient wayes Whiles every one is forward to vent his own imagination and hath libertie so to doe every one saying I have seene I have seene when indeed they have seene nothing but the vanitie and lying imagination of their own heart they fill the world with idle fancies which breed questions rather then godly edifying Aske therefore for the way which Abraham David Moses Isaiah and Jeremy with the rest of the Prophets walked in and departed not therefrom Though we have cause to praise the Lord for the aboundant manifestation of the Doctrine of Grace in these dayes more then before Christs coming in the flesh yet the Doctrine is the same As the light of the Sun which shines at noone-time or mid-day is the same light which shined in the morning onely more cleare and bright then before so the Doctrine of Grace though more clearly manifested then formerly when hid under types and shadowes yet the truth is the same Wee hope to be saved by grace as they did and they had the same Doctrine of Grace as we have therefore seeke we after the old way 2. But though the substance of the Covenant was the same then and now yet there is a difference in regard of the manner of dispensation and revealing it being diversly propounded according to the severall times ages states and conditions of the Church delivered one way before the coming of Christ and another way afterward And therefore in regard of the old way and manner of administration of it it 's called the old Covenant and in regard of the new manner of dispensing it 's called the new Covenant The same Covenant therefore is called both new and old as is evident Heb. 8.8.13 Heb. 8.8 13. But lest any should thinke that the old Covenant there spoken of was properly and strictly the Covenant of workes see what is said before Pag. 59 60. c. Wherein stands the difference between the old and new manner of the dispensation of the Covenant of grace Quest It stands principally in foure things Answ 1. One more burthensome another more easie 2. One more darke the other more cleare 3. One more weake the other more lively and strong 4. In regard of the extent of the dispensation one dispensed to that one people of the Jewes the other to all Nations First The Covenant in the former dispensation of it was more burthensome and heavie to be borne and is now made to us more easie which appeares by those places of Scripture-speeches which the Holy-Ghost useth of the Ordinances of the old Testament Acts 15.10 Acts 15.10 They were a yoke which neither we nor our Fathers could beare and Colos 2.20 Colos 2.20 If saith the Apostle you be freed from these worldly Ordinances why are you burthened with traditions He did not say Why will you take upon you the observation of traditions but why are yee burthened with them implying they were an heavy burthen So Galat. 4.3 Galat 4.3 he comparing the state of the Church then and now he saith they were then in a kinde of bondage in respect of us now In the dayes of the New Testament the burthen is made light c. Therefore saith Christ Mat. 11. Take my yoke upon you for my yoke is easie and my burthen light He taketh off the burthen of the Ceremoniall Law that we need not be bâ—â—thened with it Consider the burthen that lay upon them First The burthen of their costly Sacrifices that if any had but touched an uncleane thing he must come and offer sacrifice sometime a bullock sometime a lambe If we were for every offence to offer such sacrifices we should count it an heavie burthen Secondly They had long and tedious journeys to Jerusalem the Land lay more in length then breadth and Jerusalem stood almost at one end of it and thither thrice a yeare all the males were to goe and appeare before God Deut. 16.16 Thirdly They were restrained from many liberties which wee now enjoy we are allowed many creatures for meat which they might not eat as the Hare swine c. Difference of meats is now taken away Fourthly They were tyed to the observation of many dayes the new Moones and many Ceremoniall Sabbaths to which they were bound and not at libertie as we are Now whether wee respect one of these or all together it was a burthensome thing to them But now the yoke is made more easie therefore Christ compares the Jewish Church to a childe that in his nonage is under tutors and governours till the time appointed by the Father But the Church now is like a man growne up that hath his patrimony in his own hand Gal. 4.1 2. Gal. 4.1 2. Though we be bound to the duties of the Morall Law as well as they yet a great yoke is taken off from us Vse Seeing we have so much libertie in the dayes of the Gospel and are eased of the burthen that lay upon them it must teach us with the more freedome and willingnesse to offer up those spirituall sacrifices unto God which he calls for at our hands He hath taken off from our shoulders the heavie yoke which lay upon them Let us not therefore be as the people of Israel of whom the Lord complains Hosea 11.3.4 Hosea 11.3.4 that though he had taken off the yoke and laid meat before them yet they were like an unruly beast that kicketh with the heele If now when the Lord hath taken off the yoke of the Ceremoniall Law and hath given us the Covenant of his grace without those burthens that lay upon them if yet we deale unkindly with him and count those spirituall services which he requires from the inward man to be a burthen unto us how may the Lord complaine of us much more Let us therefore give unto the Lord voluntary and spirituall sacrifices the lesser that our burthen is the greater is the sin if we serve not the Lord with a chearfull heart in the services he requires from us Secondly The Covenant was then revealed more darkly and obscurely but now the dispensation of it is
more cleare and evident the light now is marvellous it is as the Sun shining at noone-day Hence Rom. 16.25 26. Rom. 16.25 26. the Gospel is called the revelation of the ministery which was kept secret since the foundation of the world but it is now made manifest c. Though it was revealed before yet it was but darkly but now it is revealed more clearly since the coming of our Saviour Christ so also Ephes 3 4 5. Ephes 3.4 5. and Colos 2.26 Colos 2.26 Consider the truth of this in some particulars First Consider the promise of eternall life it was darkly covered over not clearly promised to them The promise of eternall life is very rarely in expresse termes mentioned in the old Testament I know but one place which is in Dan. 12.2 Dan. 12.2 where plaine mention is made of life eternall It was shadowed out to them in the promise of inhabiting in the Land of Canaan which was a shadow of eternall life so the threatning of eternall death was typed out by the threatning of exclusion out of the Lords Land Hosea 9.3 Hosea 9.3 When they should be driven into captivity it was a type of their sending into hell if they did not returne to walke with him in his Covenant And hence are those promises They shall inherite the land and dwell in the earth Psal 37.11 Psal 37.11 Not as if that were all they were to looke for but because it was the type of another and better inheritance in heaven This was the cause that made Jacob Gen. 49.29 Gen. 49.29 give that charge to his sonnes that they should not bury him in Aegypt but carry him into the land of Canaan And Joseph Gen. 50.24 25. tooke an oath of his brethren that they should carry his bones with them And why was this done but because they looked at that Land as more then an earthly possession taking it as a type of heaven and by giving that charge they testified their faith in the promise of God concerning the possession of life eternall Therefore also it was that Abraham though he indured many troubles and injuries in the land of promise and had time to have returned into his own Country yet he would not Heb. 11.15 Heb. 11.15 because he looked at that as a land of promise and a type of the rest that remained for him in the kingdome of God Thus was the promise of eternall life obscurely propounded Secondly Consider the revealing of Christ either the person of Christ or his offices and wee shall see that they were darkly propounded unto them in respect of what they are to us Christ was but shadowed out to them in types and figures and dark prophesies Concerning his person it was revealed unto them that he should be God as Isai 9.6 Isai 9.6 where he is called the mighty God and also that he should be man and therefore said to be borne Isa 9.6 But how he should be both God and man in one person was very darkly revealed Which made the Jewes that they could not answer to that question how Christ should be both Lord and sonne to David So for his offices his Mediatorship was typed out by Moses his being between God and the people his Priesthood typed out by Melchisedek among the Canaanites and Aaron among the Jews and his sacrifice by their sacrifices his Propheticall office shadowed to them by Moses who revealed the minde of God to the people Therefore saith Moses Deut. 18.18 Deut. 18.18 A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me which is applyed unto Christ Acts 3.22 Acts 3.22 His Kingly office typed out in the kingdome of David and Solomon Luk. 1.31 Luk. 1.31.32 God shall give him the kingdome of his Father David But how darke these things were unto them you may perceive by the speeches of the Disciples unto Christ who knew not how he should execute those offices they knew not that he should dye they dreamt of an earthly kingdome they saw Christ under a vaile but wee see him with open face 2 Cor. 3. 2 Cor. 3. end Thirdly The benefits that come by Christ were not so clearly made knowne to them as they are to us Justification was signified by the sprinkling of the bloud of the sacrifice Exod. 24.7 8. Exod. 24 7 8. So sanctification was typed out by the water of purification The benefits which are so clearly revealed unto us that Christ is our wisdome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption were but darkly propounded unto them So that the light now is become like the light at noone day the light that they had was but like the dawning of the day or the light of the starres Hence is that of Christ Mat. 13.16 17. Blessed are your eyes for they see and your eares for they heare c. Quest Why was the Covenant revealed more darkly then and more clearly now 1. Answ Because the work of our redemption was not then transacted and accomplished the things were not then passed as now they be and therefore as the light of the Sun is lesse before its rising then afterward so Christ before his rising in the world was not so fully knowne as since 2. The Church was then in its minority and infancy but now it is of full age Gal. 4.1 2. Galat. 4.1 2. Therefore as a Father gives some hints of his purpose and will to his childe when he is under age but makes knowne all his minde to him when he is growne up so dealt the Lord with his Church then as with children c. 3. It was meet that this glory should be reserved to Christ himselfe he being the great Prophet of the Church that he should reveale more to the world then ever was knowne before It was not meet that all should be revealed before his coming but that he should have the glory of revealing those deepe things which were hid with God making them knowne to his Church and people And therefore they were more darkly revealed before Onely this observe that the further the times were from Christs coming the lesse light they had and the nearer to Christ the more light sprung up The promise to Eve was more darke more cleare to Abraham and still more cleare to David c. And the reason of this is First Because Christ is the light of the world Now as the Sunne the further it is from rising the lesse light it gives and the nearer to rising the more so did Christ the Sun of righteousnesse Secondly The more light was discovered neare the coming of Christ to stirre up the mindâ— of people to wait for Christ and his coming The more knowne the more desired Ignoti â—â—lla câ—pido the lesse knowne the lesse desired Thirdly Before the Law was given there was lesse sense of sin and therefore the lesse revelation of Christ But as the sense of sin increased by the
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
great increase as Zach. 8.10.12 The reason is it is the Lord who giveth us to possesse all things Secondly Sometimes the Lord gives us the meanes by which we live but it is in such a strange and unwonted manner and way that the hand of God is as evidently seene in the giving of the meanes as if he had upholden our life without meanes Thus Exod. 16.12 Exod. 16.12 the Israelites had a kinde of bread in the wildernesse but it was in such a strange and miraculous manner as though they had lived fortie yeares without any food The usuall way by which we have bread is out of the earth according to that in Psal 104.14 Psal 104.14 But the bread by which God fed them was bread from heaven Psal 105.40 As if God had made heaven a garner or store-house to lay up Corne for the necessities of his people So Elijah was fed with bread and flesh which are ordinary food but the meanes by which he had them were as strange as though he had lived without them God appointed the Ravens there to feed him 1 Kings 17.4 Thirdly Sometimes God gives some meanes to his people to enjoy but the meanes are weake and feeble and unable to worke for our good and comfort without a speciall blessing from himselfe Here therefore the Lord comes in and puts his own strength to the weaknesse of the meanes and makes them worke for us aboundantly above that which we could expect or thinke Thus when Daniel refused to eat the Kings meat and chose pulse thin grewel or hearbs or such course stuffe yet his countenance was better liking then they that did eat of the Kings meat their well liking came not from the meat but from an extraordinary blessing that came from God Dan. 1. Dan. 1. So Gideon must have Souldiers and weapons of warre and yet such a small company and weake furniture that Israel must be forced to say I have not wrought salvation for my selfe but it is the Lord that hath done it So it is in spirituall meanes God sometimes gives but weake meanes to a people in comparison of what others doe enjoy yet many are turned to God by their ministry As by the sound of the trumpets of Rammes hornes the walles of Jericho fell downe so by the ministry of weake man the Lord throwes downe the strong hold of Satans kingdome to the end that the excellency of the power may appeare to be of God not of man 2 Cor. 4.7 2 Cor. 4.7 Fourthly Againe sometimes the Lord increaseth and lengthens out the little and short provisions which he makes for his people so that by reason of the increase which it receiveth from God it is made as sufficient as if it were an hundred or thousand-fold more Thus with the woman of Sarepta 1 King 17.14 1 King 17.14 the Lord increased the meale in the barrell and the oyle in the cruse that it failed not till the day that the Lord sent raine upon the earth Thus it was also with the widow that was in debt 2 Kings 4.3 shee had nothing to pay withall but a pot of oyle yet the Lord so multiplyed it that there wanted not oyle till there wanted vessells to receive it The Lord sometimes causeth the little provisions which he maketh for his people so to last that they want not meat till they want bellyes to receive it Thus also it was with those five thousand that our Saviour fed with a few loaves Mat. 14. And so also with the Israelites in the Wildernesse Deut. 29.5 that when no supplies of cloathing could be made to them then the Lord made that suit of apparell upon their backe and those shooes which were upon their feet to continue this was by the blessing of the Lord. Fiftly Sometimes the Lord giveth the same meanes to one as to another But there is a great difference in the comfort and blessing which is injoyed by the one and by the other One hath food so hath another but one eates and is satisfied as the Lord promiseth that his people shall be Joel 2.26 Joel 2.26 the other eates and is not satisfied as he threatneth Hos 4.10 One is strengthned and growes strong to labour the other is impotent and feeble The Lord hereby shewes that the being satisfied and receiving strength is not from the meanes but from the blessing which he is pleased to communicate to his people from himselfe So it is also in the meanes of grace many people enjoy the same externall meanes the same ministry the same exhortation and promises some are thereby converted and turned unto God others remaine blind ignorant and carnall the reason is because that as the one seekes not unto God but onely unto man so man onely speakes to the one but to the other God speakes by his own Spirit and workes from himselfe over and above that which man doth or can doe Thus we see that both in the want and in the possession of the meanes the Lord is all to his people from himselfe Now the reasons why the Lord doth thus worke from himselfe are First for the glorifying of himselfe Secondly for the comfort of his people For the glorifying of himselfe to make his goodnesse and sufficiency Reason 1 the more to appeare to his people that they may know that he is not as man tyed to meanes or to the greatnesse and power of them but he is an all-sufficient God and therefore should give him all the praise and for this very end doth the Lord sometimes bring his servants into straits beyond the helpe of any creature that when they are brought forth it might appeare that it is the hand of the Lord that hath done it When as the Lord either puts us besides the meanes or cuts them short he doth in effect thus say to us I have hitherto wrought for you but it hath been by such and such meanes which have been as a vaile between me and you that you have not seene my power and goodnesse towards you so clearely but now I will shew my selfe more fully to you Now I will take away those things which though you counted helps to your selves yet are hindrances to hinder me that I cannot shew my selfe so familiarly to you I will now therefore lay them aside and by my selfe I will work for your good The Lord herein deales with his servants as Joseph did with his brethren Whilest he walked more strangely towards them and spake to them by an Interpreter so long he suffered his servants and as many as would to bee present he cared not how many were standing by but when hee meant to let them know that he was Joseph their brother when hee would open all his heart to them and let them see his abundant love then saith Joseph Cause every man to goe out from me Gen. 45.1 So it is here whiles the Lord comes to us by so many outward and ordinary means he
Grace and peace goe hand in hand There is a raigne and rule of grace Rom. 5.21 Rom. 5.21 And so there is of peace Colos 3.15 Colos 3.15 As under the raigne of Solomon there was abundance of peace so there is under the government of Christ he is the King of Salem And the more the soule is subjected unto his government the more peace it finds And that may be seene in these two things First In the dispensations and administrations of Gods providence though things goe crosse against us we meet with many troubles Gods providences seeme to crosse his promises yet there is peace to the soule in it therefore saith Christ Joh. 16. last In the world you shall have trouble but in mee you shall have peace Certain it is that if ever our hearts be out of quiet it is because there is some sedition and trayterous conspiracy which hath been rising up against the kingdome of Christ and this workes trouble but where the soule is subjected to the regiment of grace it maketh it to rest in peace In all wrongs injuries and crosses it knowes the Lord will right them In all wants it knowes that he will provide In all kind of tryalls that he will with the temptation give an issue in due time But the heart that is unsubdued to Gods kingdome is ready to fret against God and sit downe discontented when any thing crosseth him Secondly As it resteth in peace under the dispensations of Gods providences so it rests in peace in regard of the spirituall enemies of our salvation which fight against our soules Whatsoever threatens our ruine the soule shrowds it selfe under the wing of the Almightie and concludes with the Prophet Isai 33.22 The Lord is my Judge he is my King and he will save me Let us examine our selves by these things and we may see whether we be under the government of God and so whether we be in Covenant with him Vse 3 This may serve for a rule of direction and withall for a ground of consolation to the Lords servants when they feele the strength of their corruptions working in them and their lusts prevailing against them that they make them groane and cry with Paul O wretched man that I am c. when they find themselves foyled againe and againe and can get no helpe against those evills let them fly to this promise of grace let them lay this promise of the Covenant before them and remember what the Lord hath said I will rule over you with a mightie hand Ezek. 20.33 Ezek. 20.33 Remember the Lord of his promise and claime it that it may be made good unto thee And say Lord thou hast promised that thou wilt rule over me why is it then that these tyrants rule and raigne in my soule why doth unbeliefe pride worldlinesse rule Thus make we our refuge to the throne of Grace and then as the Lord will fulfill the other promises of his Covenant so he will also fulfill this and will rule us by his Grace he will come and plead the cause of his people against all their enemies and say as Isai 52.5 Isai 52.5 What have I to doe here that my people are taken away for nought they that rule over them make them to howle c. His meaning is as if he should say What doe you meane Aegypt and Ashur to trouble my people that you put me also to trouble in rescuing them let them alone or else I will make you feele my power c. So it is in the enemies of our soules when we are forced to howle unto God by reason of the bondage of our corruptions he will set us free he himselfe will be a God over us to rule us by his Spirit This being one of the blessings of the Covenant of Grace to have Vse 4 God to be Lord over us let us then all be admonished to give up our selves to the regiment of his grace as the Macedonians 2 Cor. 8.5 2 Cor. 8.5 They gave themselves to the Lord. The Lord gives himselfe to us good reason that we should give up our selves to him O happy day when the soule is perswaded to give up it selfe into such an hand Thinke it enough that yee have spent the time past in the service of sinne and Satan those cruell Lords which you have obeyed 1 Pet. 4.3 1 Pet. 4.3 and now for time to come give up your soules to him that is ready with stretched out armes to receive those that come to him When God calls to us to returne then let us answer Behold we come unto thee Jer. 3.22 Jer. 3.22 And for a motive consider First That though you may stand out against the government and authoritie of Gods grace yet you cannot resist the government of his power but there the Lord will be above you as he was above Pharaoh and the Aegyptians Exod. 18.11 Exod. 18.11 He thought to have been above God and to have kept the children of Israel in bondage but wherein they dealt proudly he was above them If thou wilt not be subject to his grace yet thou shalt be subject to his power which no creature can resist therefore all the while that thou standest out against the government of Gods grace thou dost but spurne against the prick which is hard to doe Secondly Looke at this as one of the great blessings of the Covenant to be under the Lords government and guidance Is it not better to be under the government of the blessed holy gracious and mercifull God then under the uncleane wicked and cruell enemy Satan the Devill But it may be some will say they will be under neither but that cannot be there are no more spirituall regiments in the world he that is not subject to the government of Gods grace is a subject to the Devill What a glorious priviledge is this that a Christian may say that no creature nor Angel nor Devill nor sin hath power over him but God alone This is even to be a King upon earth Let every soule therefore be exhorted to come under this government and let us not doe as the Israelites 1 Sam. 8.7 1 Sam. 8.7 who cast off God from being their King Cast not off the Lord lest he cast off you and you become a reprobate people but if you will be your owne men you will not have God to be over you if it seeme evill unto you to serve the Lord then choose you whom you will serve goe every one and serve his own Idolls as Ezek. 20.39 Ezek. 20.39 and walke after your own counsell but withall remember what Samuel told the Israelites that if they would have a King they should at last cry out for the King that they had chosen so you that will not have God to rule over you but your own lusts you will cry out one day and howle for the King that you have chosen and you shall then
hee makes them able to lend unto others makes them the head and others the taile c. sets up his own above and the other beneath 7. God is in Covenant with our whole man he is the God of our body as well as soule and spirit we are wholly his he hath taken us wholly to be his own and therefore even as our Saviour Christ in Matth. 22. doth hereby prove the resurrection of Abrahams body because God was in Covenant with Abraham he was the God of Abraham of whole Abraham body as well as soule and therefore God being the God of the living and not of the dead Abrahams body must live and rise againe so by the same argument we may gather assurance that God will provide for our outward man because he is the God of the whole man he is a God to us not only to pardon our sinnes to sanctifie and save our soules but he is the God of our bodies also to feed and to cloth them to minister to them such things as are convenient for them And hence is that in 1 Cor. 6.13 as our body is for the Lord to serve and glorifie him so is the Lord also for the body to redeem it to nourish it to glorifie it 8. The Lord knowes how many discouragements we meet with here to dishearten us in his service And therefore he casts in these outward blessings as encouragements to provoke us to serve him with more willingnesse and cheerefulnesse of Spirit As Hezekiah caused the Levites to have provision brought in unto them that they might be encouraged in the service of the Lord 2 Chron. 31.4 so will the Lord doe much more hee will have his servants to know that they shall not serve him for nought Iob 1. not so much as to shut a doore in his house in vaine Mal. 1. 9. The Lord hath commanded such duties unto his servants as they cannot performe without a supply in these outward things works of love mercy kindnesse helpfulnesse one to another yea he would have us to abound in these things and as examples to goe before all other people And therefore he will also furnish us with sufficiency that we may be compleat unto every good work He will not send on a message and cut off the feet of him whom he sends Prov. 26.6 10. The Lord looks for service from our outward man give up your body as an holy living Sacrifice unto God Rom. 12.1 Glorifie God in your bodies and spirits for they are God's saith Paul 1 Cor. 6. but he will not reap where he hath not sown nor look to gather where he hath not scattered he will sustaine us if he look for service from us 11. We are Gods houshold and family and therefore hee will provide for his own If he have charged us to provide for our own 1 Tim. 5.8 he will not he cannot be wanting to his If he feed the Ravens Job 39.3 and cloath the Lilies Matth. 6.26 he will not suffer his children to want bread 12. By giving us these outward things the Lord would nourish our faith in the hope of things spirituall and heavenly for when we see his care over us in these lesser things it may assure us that he will not neglect us in those that are of greater moment The outward blessings which God gave unto Israel were not outward blessings alone but pledges and tokens of better things he gave them bread from heaven and it was an outward bodily food but not that only but it was a pledge to them of the true bread from heaven he gave them water out of the Rock which did quench their bodily thirst but not that only but was a sign and pledge of Christ the true Rock out of whom springs the water of life he gave them a good and fat land to dwell in where they had vine-yards orchards gardens and lived in pleasure therein through his great goodnesse Neh. 9. but not as an outward blessing only but as a pledge of a better inheritance And thus doth he unto us though every thing is not now typicall to us as to them yet thus far we may go to say that these outward blessings are made pledges unto us of Gods love towards us in better things so as we may argue from the lesse to the greater that if he be so mindfull of us in these smaller things of this life then doubtlesse he will not neglect us in those greater things which concerne the eternall salvation of our soules 13. He knowes we have need of these things Matth. 6.32 and therefore he having commanded us to give unto him that needeth Ephes 4.28 and open our hand wide unto the poore Deut. 15.11 surely he will not shut up the bowels of his compassion from his own needy servants but will open his good treasure unto them to satisfie them with good things Deut. 28.12 Quest But sometimes wee see Gods faithfull servants to bee kept short in these outward blessings how comes this to passe the Lord having made such ample promises unto them and how farre forth may any bee assured to have a sufficiency in these things Answ To the first I conceive thus First all the promises of things pertaining to this life are subordinate and subservient to the promises which concern our inward man and our eternall salvation God doth not promise us these outward things so as to make against our spirituall good but so as to further and help it forward he promiseth them with Christ not against Christ nor to hinder his Kingdome in our hearts Rom. 8.32 If it so fall out that sufficiency in these may better us in the inward man wee shall not want them but because the Lord sees us sometimes to abuse them to the fulfilling of our wanton desires to pride security confidence and trusting in them here the Lord is free from his promise least by filling us with those things that are outward he should empty us of that little grace that is in us Secondly there are times of tryall in which the Lord will try all his children The Lord will try the righteous saith the Prophet Psal 11.5 thus he tryed them in Heb. 11.36 37. they were tryed with mockings and scourgings being destitute afflicted and tormented Thus also he tryed Israel in the wildernesse Deut. 8.2 16. and thus he tryed holy Job God will know what is in us he will see whether we serve him for wages yea or no or whether wee would continue to serve him out of love though he should give us nothing Hee will see whether we follow him for loaves or whether we can be content to cleave to him in wants and necessities having nothing But though the Lord will thus try us yet these times of tryall last not alwayes these are not the wayes of Gods ordinary dispensation towards his people During these times of tryall the Lord doth sometimes cut short his servants in outward things but it is to do
them good in the later end Deut. 8.16 The hardships which Israel suffered for awhile in the wildernesse was recompenced with a Land flowing with milke and honey Thirdly sometimes God withholds good things from us for a chastisement of our sinne according to that in Jer. 5.25 your iniquities have hindred good things from you when wee goe out of the way in which the blessing falls it s no marvell if it fall beside us In these cases when either by sin we turn aside from the path of righteousnesse or if the Lord will take a time to try our uprightnesse before him or if he see our enjoying of these outward blessings would be an hinderance to our spirituall good in these cases I say Gods children may be exercised with wants and necessities and yet the promise of God failes not not in the first case because the promise of outward things in the making of it is subservient to the spirituall good of our inward man nor in the second case because the Lord hath put an exception of tryall by which he will try all his Nor in the third case because these outward good things are promised as rewards of Grace whereby the Lord doth recompence the love and obedience of his people But to the third part of the demand if it be further questioned how farre forth a childe of God out of these cases forenamed may assure himselfe of the fulfilling of these promises unto him hereunto I answer thus Wee must consider two things first what is promised secondly how and in what manner First consider what is promised for here may be a mistake in taking the promise to containe more then indeed it doth when the Lord promiseth that riches and treasure shall be in the house of the righteous what doth he meane by riches and treasure not the riches of a Kingdome or that which shall be sufficient for a man of high degree but such a sufficiency as is sutable to every ones estate and condition which God hath set them in That which is want and poverty to one may be fulnesse and abundance to another That then is riches to any man when God gives him so much as is sufficiently enough for him in his estate and condition though he may still come short of many others of higher ranke this is that which is promised Secondly consider in what manner God promiseth these things and that is as was said before as rewards and as fruits of that faith and obedience which he requires of his people Dwell in the land and doe good and thou shalt be fed assuredly saith the Prophet Psal 37.3 But what is this good that we must doe Answ 1. In generall Be upright with God in our conversation before him 2. Walk diligently and faithfully in our particular callings be not slothfull and unprofitable unto our selves It is the diligent hand that hath the promise of abundance The talk of the lips brings nothing but want Prov. 10. 3. And then we must depend upon God by faith in the use of meanes not trusting either to our own uprightnesse or to the meanes used but rest by faith on the grace of the promise as knowing that when we have done all that wee can both in our generall and particular calling yet the Lord might justly blast all our endeavours so as all our labour and strength might be spent in vaine Here therefore our confidence must be pitcht not upon our selves nor meanes but look by faith to the blessing promised which blessing is all in all Believe and yee shall prosper said Iehoshaphat 2 Chron. 20.20 and contra if yee believe not yee shall not be established said Isaiah Isai 7.9 There is much in the faith of Gods people It s a speciall meanes to obtaine the blessing It was usuall with Christ when any came unto him for help in outward things to ask them whether they believed or no and then he would tell them according to your faith be it unto you All Gods blessings are wrapt within his promises And faith is the hand to receive all whether they be spirituall blessings or outward concerning this life whatsoever the blessings be if they spring from Grace they must be received by faith The hand of Grace gives them and the hand of faith receives them And sometimes the want of faith onely cuts us short of the blessing we might enjoy we prosper not because we believe not The summe is this Let a man walk uprightly before God in his generall calling Let him be provident and diligent in his particular calling Let him withall in both these look by faith to the faithfulnesse of the promise of God believing that in this way he will give that which is sufficient for him Then I say that in the ordinary course of Gods dealing hee may be sure the Lord will not be wanting to him in such things as his state and condition doth require Vse 1. For confutation Are these outward blessings pertaining to this life blessings of Grace promised in the Covenant of Grace then first eternall life cannot come by merit when lesse blessings then that must come from Grace 2. Hence also falls down Popish satisfactions which they think are made by almes-deeds and such like works What satisfaction can we make to justice from that which we receive of meere grace of his own hand give we unto him 1 Chron. 29. 3. It makes against placing perfection in a state of voluntary poverty as if perfection could stand in renouncing the blessings of Gods Covenant Vse 2. For information 1. Concerning wicked men this may let us see that they have no true right before God unto the good things of this life I speak not of right before men but before God for if they have I ask by what Covenant Is it by the Covenant of works then they must fulfill it which they doe not nor can doe is it then by the Covenant of Grace but they are not within that Covenant They are within the Covenant of works but cannot fulfill it they are without the Covenant of Grace and therefore they can claime nothing by it But they say there is debitum naturae nature may claime so much as tends to the upholding of naturall life and being But I say again what claime can they have to life or to any thing which concernes life which have deserved to be destroyed and brought to nothing for ought I can see the old opinion herein must stand as truth that wicked men are but usurpers of the things they doe enjoy And if Christ bee the Heire of all things and we come to our right to them onely by Christ then those that are not Christs have no right unto them 2. Whereas some weak ones doe think they should pray only for spirituall blessings and not for outward things of this life they may hence see their errour They may lawfully pray for outward things look what God doth promise we may lawfully
the Covenant of Grace which he hath made with us in Christ They are not so unto the wicked who are not in Covenant with the Lord but to the Saints they are in Gen. 33.5 when Iacob speaks of his children these saith he are the children which God of his Grace hath given thy servant Iacob saw Grace in this so should we see Grace in every outward blessing wee enjoy Object But these outward blessings are common to good and bad and no man can know love or hatred by these things which are before him how then may I know that God gives me these things out of Grace and love Answ 1. If we come by them in the way of the Covenant we walking before God in the way of holy obedience and dependance upon him It s certain they doe then come to us as blessings and are given us by vertue of his Covenant And therefore it is that in Deut. 28.1 2 8 12. If thou shalt diligently observe the Commandements of the Lord thy God saith Moses then shall he command the blessing to come upon thee and all these blessings shall overtake thee c. he doth not say thus shall thou be enriched thus shalt thou encrease in goods c. but thus shall the Lord blesse thee and these blessings shall come upon thee to note unto us that when we walk with God in this way of obedience conscionably then what ever good things come unto us they come as a blessing The Lord not only gives the blessing it selfe but hee gives it as a blessing and a blessing of Grace comming through his Covenant 2. If they be as bands and cords of love betwixt God and us as bands to draw us nearer unto him and as cords to tie us faster unto him causing us to love him more and to honour him in the use of those good things which we have received from him doubtlesse they doe then come from his Grace towards us and are blessings of the Covenant I have loved thee saith the Lord in Jer. 31.3 and with mercy have I drawn thee If God draw us unto him by any meanes there is mercy in it and there is a blessing in it Take this as a rule for ever what ever brings us to God is a blessing as contrariwise whatever separates us from God is a curse And that which causeth love comes from love If these things work love in our hearts towards God then doe they come from his love towards us Consider then are our hearts carried away from God by the things we enjoy this is dangerous But are our hearts thereby more drawn and knit unto him then own them as blessings of the Covenant as springing from the fountaine of Grace which God hath opened to us in Christ 2. Seeing these outward good things are given to Gods people by Covenant as blessings and as springing from Grace this must teach us to be content with such a measure of them as our Father seeth meetest for us though we have lesse in outward things yet there is the same grace in that little as if we had an hundred fold Sometimes there is much love seen in a little thing and so it is in these gifts which God gives to his children The gift may be small but the love is great from which it comes This love should satisfie whether the gift we receive from it be lesse or more As a younger childe which his Father loves tenderly though he have not so large allowance and liberall maintenance as his elder brother that is grown to yeares yet he comforts himselfe in this he saith in his heart I know my Father loves me as well as any childe he hath and thus satisfies himselfe in his Fathers love though his yearely allowance bee not equall with some other so should we Though we have not so much wheat and wine and oyle c. yet we may satiate our soule with the Lords goodnesse Ier. 31.12 14. that goodnesse of his being the same towards us in our little as if our portion were much more abundant And this contentation we should the rather labour for because if we be not satisfied with that lesser portion which the Lord bestows upon us untill we abound it is suspicious and we have cause to doubt whether our contentment be not more in the gift then in the grace and love of the Giver For if it be his love that satisfies us why are we not satisfied when we have lesse as if we had more if we have food and rayment having them from the gift of his Grace let us therewith bee content Satisfie us with thy mercy saith Moses Psal 90.14 Moses could be satisfied with mercy though he had but little else there is a satisfying sufficiency in it if wee can but see it and rellish it in the things we enjoy Let us make sure of this that what we have it may come from the hand of Grace and then let us be contented with it be it lesse or more 3. Doth the Lord thus provide for his servants in these outward things let us then serve him with our outward man Hee blesseth us with all kinde of blessings in spirituall things pertaining to our inward man and in outward things pertaining to our outward man to the end that we might serve him and glorifie him in both he feeds and cloaths our bodies he maintaines the health and strength of them therefore give them up as a living sacrifice unto him Râ—m 12.1 Let him be magnified in our body Phil. 1.20 Our body must be for the Lord as the Lord is for the body 1 Cor. 6.13 And it is the Apostles exhortation Let us glorifie him both in body and Spirit for they are God's 4. This same consideration before named may teach us how to use the good things of this life which we doe enjoy For 1. Doe we receive them from Grace doe not then abuse them unto sinne to pride wantonnesse excesse c. This is to turn the Grace of God shewed in giving of them to us into licentiousnesse In Hosea 2.8 the Lord complaines there that when he had given them corne and wine silver and gold they bestowed them upon Baal abusing them to Idolatry and to sinne And it s noted as the sinne of wicked Athaliah that the dedicate things which should have been to the honouring of God these shee bestowed upon Baalim 2 Chron. 24.7 When we thus abuse his blessings unto sinne we turne that against God which we have received from him for good And in so doing we may justly feare least they become testimonies against us in the day of our account Therefore do not so requite the Lord Deut. 32. Remember from what hand wee have received them and take heed we abuse them not 2. Hence learn to return part of our substance unto God Give up that unto him which we have received from him The Lord gives us leave to eat and to drink and to cheere our
hearts by partaking in the portion we enjoy under the same wee may take the comfort of what hee hath given us and make use of it for our own good But he never allowed us to keep all unto our selves but commands us to distribute them as good Stewards one part to the reliefe of his poore Saints another part for the benefit of the Common-Wealth either in peace or warre as occasions require and part also for the upholding of his worship and service and the good of his Church Thus Prov. 3.9 honour God with thy riches and with the first fruit of all thine encrease He doth not say honour thy selfe with thy riches but honour God with them as they come from his Grace so they should be used to his glory All things are of him and for him when we are in any need the Lord fulfils all our necessities Phil. 4. So when the Lord stands in need of any thing we must let goe that which he stands in need of according to that of our blessed Saviour in Matth. 21.3 Tell them the Lord hath need of him and then straight way they will let him goe we doe willingly receive from God and we should as willingly give back unto God wee are ready to say with Abraham Loâ—â— wâ—â—â— wâ—lt thou give me Gen. 15.2 but we should be as ready to â—â—y with David What shall I render unto the Lord Psal 116.12 And if any shall say the Lord needs not any thing Acts 1â— 25 It s true he needeth not for himselfe but in his Saints in his servants these may stand in need And this know that what we have done to them for his names sake the same will he acknowledge as done to himself he will say In as much as yee have done it to these yee have done it to me 5. Lastly whether wee want or whether we abound let this teach us to depend upon the faithfulnesse of Gods Covenant either for the supply of these outward things if wee want them or for the continuance and maintenance of that portion which he hath given us we have his promise believe it rest upon it and though all things may seeme to make against us yet his promise will hold it cannot faile The Lord now calls for this exercise of faith to live by faith in his promises we are here in a wildernesse and we may think as they Psal 7â— 19 20. Can God prepare a table in the wildernesse c. but though they were in a wildernesse then as we are now yet God was not a wildernesse to them nor will be to us if we trust upon his mercifull and faithfull promise The Lord will not forsâ—ke his people 1 Sam. 12.22 His name would suffer in our suffrings and wants if he should then forsake us when wee walk before him in faith and obedience according to his will yea though we for our parts have deserved to be forsaken by reason of our great departings away from him yet if we return unto him with all our soul he will not forsake us for his own great names sake because it hath pleased him to make us his people 1 Sam. 12. Therefore cast we our care upon the Lord and he will care for us and though we see our wants encreasing upon us yet remember the earth is the Lords and the fulnesse of it he hath an hid treasure that we know not of he fed Israel with Manna which neither they nor their Fathers knew Deut. 8.3 And he will finde out such wayes for our supply as neitheir we nor our Fathers before us ever knew of only believe and be obedient to his word and then let not our hearts bee troubled nor feare the Lord will rather make the Rocks to flow forth with honey and the clouds to drop down milk and the grasse of the wildernesse to become as wooll to provide us cloathing rather then we shall want those things which we stand in need of This word is a sure word a faithfull saying The Lord will not forsake his people and what he hath spoken concerning all in generall he speaks to every one in particular I will not faile Thee nor forsake Thee Thus we see what promises the Lord makes unto us what benefits he conveyes by his Covenant both spirituall and temporary for the inward and outward man all which are communicated unto us in this life But besides these forenamed benefits there are greater things to come which the Lord hath promised and will make good to his Covenanted people And these things which are to come are the great benefits of the Covenant these which we now enjoy in this life present are sweet and precious yea and great also if compared with the things of this world But if we compare them with the things to come then are they but as the first fruits to the rich harvest the whole crop The best part of that which God hath promised us in his Covenant it is to be waited for by hope it is laid up it is reserved for us to be revealed in the last times 1 Pet. 1. They are within the vaile whither our eye cannot pierce to see and say what they are they are things which in the fulnesse of them can neither be uttered by tongue nor can heart conceive them Neither doth the world know no nor Gods people themselves do not know the things which are prepared for them It s a sweet gradation which the Apostle hath in that speech of his 1 Cor. 2.9 where he saith That neither eye hath seen nor eare heard nor did they enter into the heart of man c. Did never eye see such things Many men have seene strange things A man may see all the excellency and glory the world hath though he possesse it not But though a man may see much yet he may heare more by the hearing of the eare then ever his eye saw And yet more when he hath seen and heard all that can be seene or uttered yet his heart may conceive greater things then all these But here is the surpassing excellency of the things to come which God hath prepared for his people that neither eye hath seene them no nor yet did ever eare heare of them no nor can they be conceived by the heart of man they are above all that ever was seen heard or thought we are now sons heirs but it is only in hope Tit. 3.7 but though our portion be by hope to be waited for yet it is a blessed hope Tit. 2 1â— which when it comes to be enjoyed in present possession will be sound to be above all that we heard conceived or could have hoped for There is life to die no more there is glory no more shame nor contempt there is pleasure no more sighing or sorrowing there is life and that in abundance Joh. 10. Glory and that surpassing the glory of the Sunne Matth. 13.43 pleasure and that in all fulnesse And all these not for
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