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destitute of help Our eyes saith he are unto thee O Lord we know not what to doe Let the Lord sâ—e that our hearts are withdrawn from the creature and those helps which we leaned upon and that we doe faithfully relie upon him and then will hee ride upon the heavens for our help as Deut.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
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
seemes to have some speciall emphasis and force in it when it 's said As for thee also thou shalt be saved by the bloud c. I have sent forth thy prisoners c. He had told them before in verse 9th that Christ shall come then in verse 10. he tells them the Gentiles shall be called and then addes in verse 11. As for thee also thou shalt be saved c. As if he should say though thou O Sion for thy rejecting of Christ come unto thee shalt for a time be forsaken and cast as a prisoner into the pit into miserable thraldome yet at length even thou also shalt be delivered and brought back into glorious libertie for a while thou must be a poore prisoner or captive in the pit of the prison and the Gentiles set in the best roome but yet thou also shalt againe be brought out of the pit in which thou art holden Thus saith the Apostle in Rom. 11.23 Though for the present the Gentiles be taken in and Jewes broken off yet shall they also be graffed in again The Apostle putting in the word also in the same emphaticall manner as it is here used by the Prophet In the words are two things First The present estate and misery of the Jewes they are as prisoners in a pit Secondly A promise of restitution they shall be set free First They are prisoners in the pit of the prison-house they are now brought low they were sometimes the onely people It was said of them Blessed art thou O Israel Deut. 33.29 No people like thy people Israel 2 Sam. 7.23 But now they are become a people scattered and peeled spoyled and troden under-feet sometimes they had the high places of the earth in possession dwelling in a Land which was the glory of all lands but now they are brought downe into the lower parts of the earth prisoners in the pit they are a captive an enslaved people being made as a very footstoole for the enemy to tread upon This have they brought upon themselves for their sinfull rejecting of Christ and putting from them the Gospâ—l of salvation which was preached unto them Christ came unto them but they received him not Joh. 1.11 The Gospel was offered them but they would none of it Act. 13.46 and therefore the Lord hath also rejected them making them the lowest and basest of all people Observ See hence what the contempt of Christ and the Gospel brings a people unto where the Gospel comes and is received it magnifies a Nation sets it up on high it lifts them up to heaven in dignitie as Christ spake of Capernaum Mat. 11. It ennobles a people as it is said of the Beraeans that they were a more noble people then those of Thessalonica because they did with such readinesse high esteeme embrace the Gospel when it was brought unto them Act. 17.11 But on the other side when it is despised God will staine the glory of that people and make them to be despised and the greater the advancement was the greater will the abasement be the contempt of it brings utmost misery it finds us in misery when it comes unto us but when it leaves us being despised by us our misery is increased by it and made double to what it was before though we were prisoners then yet wee were prisoners of hope Zech. 9.12 But when we put it away then we are left without hope without helpe This sin is the sin of all sins it hath the guilt of all other sins in it and addes more unto them this is the killing sin the destroying and damning sin Ioh. 3.19 This brings the greatest and utmost wrath in 1 Thes 2.16 it 's said of the Jewes that for this sin the wrath of God comes upon them to the uttermost It 's a sweet speech of Paul in Rom. 5.20 That where sin abounds there grace aboundeth much more but it is as terrible on the other side that where grace doth abound in the offers of it by the Gospel there sin and wrath by sin abounds much more also where that grace is disesteemed therefore it is that Christ tells the Jews If he had not come unto them they should have had no sin but now they have no excuse nor cloake for their sin Joh. 15.22 The sins of harlots whoremongers swearers drunkards murderers are lesse then this sin of rejecting the Gospel of Christ Mat. 21. Publicans and harlots are better then they the filthinesse of Sodome and Gomorrah is knowne they were exceeding sinners against the Lord Gen. 13.13 their sins were not of the common sort but exceeded and therefore they perished not by the common visitation of all men but their judgement was exemplary to stand as a warning to all ages a fire not blowne by man as it is in Job 20.26 consumed them the fire of God fell upon them from heaven This was terrible and yet their sin was lesse then this sin of rejecting the Gospel and their condemnation shall be more easie in the day of Judgement then theirs shall be which receive not the grace of the Gospel when it is brought unto them Mat. 10. Heathens shall perish in their ignorance and those that dyed under the light of the Law shall have heavier punishment but those that neglect the grace of the Gospel shall exceed both when God punished the wickednesse of the Jewes before Christs coming it was a very heavie plague which was brought upon them it was an evill and an onely evill Ezek. 7.5 It was such a plague that under the whole heavens had not been the like as was done unto Jerusalem Dan. 9.12 And yet afterwards when Christ had come to them and was rejected by them his wrath was then more heavie Oh the miseries which then they endured then God stirred up all his anger and gave way to his wrath even to the uttermost then he fulfilled that which he had afore spoken Deut. 32.23 He spent his plagues and arrowes upon them as if he would emptie the treasure of all his plagues which he had laid up in store in executing them upon that people And this the Lord Jesus foretold them while he was with them Mat. 22.7 and forewarned them of what would follow if having the vineyard in their possession they did not yeeld the fruit of it he told them the Lord would miserably destroy those husbandmen Mat. 21.41 One of our translations reads it He will cruelly destroy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And certainly the Lord never shewed so great severitie against any people as he will doe against those which despise the message of grace brought by the Gospel even as that people is now become a spectacle of wrath above all people When the Scripture threatens a woe it notes the extremitie of that misery which is to come but here is woe upon woe threatned against this sin woe to thee Bethsaida woe to thee Chorazin woe to those places where the Gospel comes and is
consider is this sc That all the deliverances and salvation Doctr. 4 which the Lord communicates to his people he doth it by vertue of and according to his Covenant So in the Text by the blood of thy Covenant I have c. He doth not say by blood simply but by the bood of the Covenant because the blood goes with the Covenant betwixt God and us Hence it is that we reade in 2 Sam. 23.5 when David looked at the Covenant which God had made with him he makes that the ground and foundation of all the mercy and deliverance which he obtained Herein saith he is all my salvation that God hath made with me a sure Covenant Consider the truth of this point both in temporary deliverance and spirituall salvations as the Text points at both as we shewed before First concerning temporall deliverances see what God saith unto Noah concerning his deliverance from the flood Gen. 6.18 with Chap. 8.1 With thee will I establish my Covenant c. and then God remembers Noah and all that was with him in the Ark and brought them to dry land again his deliverance was given him by covenant See also Exod. 6.4 5 6. God promises to bring his people from under the Egyptian bondage and why so because he remembred his Covenant with their fathers in Lev. 26.25.44 45. The Lord tells them vers 25. that if they sinned against him he would avenge upon them the quarrell of his Covenant but yet in vers 44 45. if they returned to him he would remember the Covenant which he had made with them and deliver them out of their captivity Secondly all spirituall salvation is communicated by Gods Covenant Psal 111.9 he sent redemption to his people because he was ever mindfull of his Covenant he commanded his Covenant for ever as the word is there i. e. he commanded it to stand fast for ever So in Mic. 7.17 18. he will return and have compassion upon us and forgive our iniquities what is the foundation of this he will remember his Covenant which he hath made with us Luke 1.74 that he might shew himself mindfull of his holy Covenant therefore he sent the Lord Jesus to perform the work of redemption for his people as in the beginning when God first promised life to Adam it was not without a covenant made with him though not the same that we must look for life by as we shall see more afterwards yet God made a covenant with him Do this and live so it is now with us it is by vertue of the Covenant that we must expect life and salvation from Gods hand the beginning of our salvation which is begun in the first grace given to us in our conversion and turning unto God is given unto us according to the covenant begun with us in Christ and the end of our salvation is according to the covenant which he makes with our selves in our own persons The grounds and reasons why the Lord taketh this course to convey life and blessednesse to us by covenant are these Reason 1 God doth herein wonderfully glorifie himself in the manifestation of his faithfulnesse and truth in keeping covenant with his people God saith in Scripture sometimes he will do this or that and you shall know that I am the Lord Gods glory is in being known Rom. 2.5 and 9.22 God will have his wrath and power known and so also his faithfulnesse for that is a part of his name whereby he is made known unto us and he is not fully known neither can be glorified till his faithfulnesse be made known In Apoc. 19.11 God is called faithfull and true and that is his name now we could never have known Gods faithfulnesse and truth if he had not entred into covenant with us God might have shewed forth his power mercy and goodnesse without any promise or covenant but his faithfulnesse could not be known and therefore saith Moses Deut. 7.9 The Lord hath set his love upon you and chosen you above any other people that you might know he is the Lord the faithfull God c. therein God shewes his faithfulnesse in performing his covenant with their fathers by choosing their seed to be a people unto him And the Apostle also when he speaks of Christs coming in the flesh attributes it to Gods truth and faithfulnesse in keeping covenant with their fathers Rom. 15.8 9. It was mercy to the Gentiles as he saith that the Gentiles might glorifie God for his mercy but it was truth and faithfulnesse to the Jews if he had never entred into covenant with us he might have manifested mercy unto us but he could never have made known his faitfulnesse The Lord doth it to this end to bind his people the faster to himself Reason 2 that he might keep them in more faithfull dependance upon him and constant walking with him A covenant binds on both parts the Lord doth not binde himself to us and leave us free the confederacy is mutuall In Gen. 31.44 saith Laban to Jacob Let us make a covenant I and thou c. not I alone with thee nor thou alone with me but I and thou both one with another so it is betwixt the Lord and us there is a mutuall tie the Lord is pleased to tie himself to us and we are bound also and tied to him hence saith the Lord in Jerem. 13.11 I have tied the whole house of Israel to me In what bond were they tied in the bond of the covenant as it is Ezek. 20.37 The Lord sees how slippery and unstable our hearts are how apt we are to start aside from our duty towards him as Jer. 14.10 we love to wander like sheep that straggle from the fold and therefore to prevent this unconstancy and unsettlednesse and to keep our hearts more stable in our obedient walking before him therefore he bindes us in the bond of the Covenant Hence saith the Lord to Abraham Gen. 17.7 I will stablish my Covenant with thee and then in versâ— 9. he addes thou shalt therefore keep my Covenant Abraham must keep covenant with God as he looks for blessing from him The Lord doth it for the stronger consolation of his people that Reason 3 in all their distresses and difficulties they might ever have recourse to the faithfulnesse of the covenant which the Lord hath made with them he is a God that cannot lie nor alter the things which have gone out of his lips and therefore we have the stronger consolation Heb. 6.17 18. his promises beings yea and Amen which cannot fail 2 Cor. 1.20 This was Davids stay 1 Chron. 17. ult though friends be unfaithfull and many deceive yet the Lord is faithfull and cannot fail his people this is the foundation of their comfort a rock for them to stand upon when the storms blow and the waters beat and they finde themselves destitute of all other comfort and help Reason 4 The Lord doth hereby put an honour upon his people
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
all their hearts who are yet under a Covenant of workes with a feare of this just God who will judge them without mercy And let this cause them to fly to the throne of grace and there to enter into a new Covenant with God As the Angel counselled Lot so doe I counsell thee hasten to get shelter under the wing of grace that thou mayst be freed from the wrath of the just God Vse 2 Seeing Gods end in the Covenant of grace is to glorifie his grace in us we may by this in some measure discerne what part wee have in the grace of this Covenant And wee may doe it by this if our aymes and Gods aymes our ends and Gods ends meet in one when we come to seek grace in his sight Many an one comes before God begs mercy and yet obtaines it not as Prov. 1.28 Prov. 1.28 because they aske amisse they seek it not in Gods way Consider therefore what seekest thou in begging mercy at his hand Dost thou seek onely to have thy sin pardoned onely to be saved from wrath this will not argue thy peace that thou art under grace But dost thou as well seeke the glorifying of his grace towards thee as the obtaining of thine own peace with him if God have put this disposition of heart into thee that thou couldest be content to lie downe in the dust and to take shame for thy sin before Angels and men so that the aboundant riches of his grace may be glorified in taking away thy sinne if thy desire be not onely that thou maist see his salvation but that the Lord himselfe may be made marvellous and his grace magnified in thee then thou art herein another David a man after Gods own heart thy thoughts are as Gods thoughts thy intents and ends the same with Gods ends Take this therefore as a pledge of his grace towards thee Never couldest thou so desire the glorifying of that grace if God had not a purpose of grace towards thee Naturall desires of our own good may perhaps worke a desire to have our sin forgiven but nature though elevated to the highest cannot reach this to desire the glorifying of grace as our end Vse 3 For comfort unto such as see their own unworthinesse and are discouraged thereby from seeking after grace with God They are so vile in their own eyes that they thinke it is impossible that ever such as they are should find favour and acceptance with God But let me aske cannot the riches of grace when it shall set it selfe on purpose to glorifie it selfe to the full cannot such grace make thee accepted Thou darest not deny it Hold here then grace can make thee accepted if it will please to glorifie it selfe now then consider this is the very end which the Lord aymeth at in saving his people scil to glorifie his grace in such as seeing their owne unworthinesse doe fly to grace alone to be accepted in Christ Jesus I say more If thou wert not unworthy there could not be any communication of grace to thee for were there not unworthinesse in us there could be no grace shewen from God When God will glorifie himselfe in a way of justice he will abase all the haughtinesse of man no excellency of man can then stand in his presence so on the contrary when God will glorifie himselfe in a way of grace there is no unworthinesse of man can hinder it he will exalt the most vile the abject the most despised and contemptible that not we but grace it selfe may be glorified 1 Cor. 1.27 28. 1 Cor. 1.27 therefore doe not wrong the grace of God but fly thereto in the sense of thine own basenesse and this is the readiest way to find acceptance It may serve for direction unto all such as desire to enjoy the Vse 4 blessings of this grace which God offers in his Covenant let them seeke it with the same minde that God offers it with a purpose and desire to have grace exalted and magnified doe not onely seeke it that you may be exalted by grace but that grace may be exalted in you Goe to God for grace with the same minde as Moses did and then we shall obtaine it as he did Now Moses sought it for this end that his mercy might appeare Exod. 32.32 Exod. 32.32 If thou wilt pardon their sin thy mercy shall appeare this reading I chuse and embrace as the best as if he should say they have indeed committed a great sin but the greater their sin is the more shall thy mercy and grace appeare if thou wilt forgive Thus Moses prayes and see how it prevailes with God In ver 10. the Lord seemed to have been resolved to consume them and bids Moses let him alone that his wrath might wax hot against them I will destroy them saith God I will not be intreated for them yet Moses notwithstanding goes before God confessing their vile and hainous sin but withall prayes Oh yet forgive and then thy mercy shall be magnified And this prayer of his prevailed with God he stayed his hand he changed his minde as ver 14. and destroyed them not These are prevailing requests with God when wee plead for the glorifying of his owne grace In Joh. 12.28 Joh. 12.28 our Saviour prayes to his Father Father glorifie thy Name and there comes a voice out of the cloud I have glorified it and will glorifie it againe so let us seeke grace from God for this end that it may be glorified in us Father glorifie thy grace and then the Lord in his time will answer us I have both glorified it and will now glorifie it againe In this way wee cannot misse of obtaining the thing wee seeke for at Gods hand Differ 6 In the Covenant of workes God deales alike with all that are alike in themselves Looke how he deales with one so will he doe with another if they walke in the same way The same work shall have the same reward whether in good or in evill They that are alike in sin shall be alike in punishment Justice which is Gods rule in the Covenant of workes maketh no difference between persons that are equall in themselves It hath its ballance in its hand to give to every one according to their workes It is no respecter of persons Therefore God speaking of Bâ—asha 1 Kings 16.2 3. 1 King 16.2 3 saith that because he walked in the wayes of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin therefore God would make his house like the house of Jeroboam They both make Israel to sin and therefore they are both alike in punishment so also he speakes of Jerusalem Ezek. 23.31 Ezek. 23.31 that because shee walked in the way of her sister that therefore he would give her cup into her hand Hence saith the Apostle Rom. 2.6 to 17th Rom. 2.6 to 17 â—h That every soule that continues in well-doing shall have glory and honour
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
Jewes but now it is extended to the Gentiles also and free to bee revealed to all nations There was a long time wherein the Gentiles knew nothing of this covenant between God and man but walked in darknesse and in the vanity of their mind and therefore they are called The Gentiles which knew not God 1 Thess 4.5 1 Thess 4.5 And Gentiles in the flesh Ephes 2.11 Eph. 2.11 And said to be without Christ without promise without covenant yea to be without hope Ephes 2.12 Eph. 2.12 For being without Christ who is our hope they must needs bee without hope also We may see in the Scripture how that during all the time of the old Testament all the holy things of God by which life and salvation are conveyed are appropriated to the Jewes alone The law is called their Law John 8.17 John 8.17 And the inheritance of the children of Jacob Deut. 33.4 Deut. 33.4 To them were committed the Oraccles of God Rom. 3.2 Rom. 3.2 To them pertained the covenants and the promises c. Rom. 9.4 Rom 9.4 Thence also the Gospel in the first dispensation of it was promised unto them and also preached unto them and from them came to the Gentiles Salvation is from the Jews Ioh. 4. Hence also the spirituall things of the Gospel are called their spirituall things Rom. 15.27 Rom. 15 17. The calling of the Gentiles was such a mystery to the Jews though beleevers that when Peter preached to Cornelius and his family they contend earnestly with Peter about it Acts 11.2 Acts 11.2 And the Apostle himselfe durst not adventure to goe unto them till confirmed in the thing by vision and voyce from heaven The Jewes before Christs comming were the onely people of God except some few gleanings of the rest of the nations as the first fruits of the rest that should be called The Jews onely were the children the Gentiles were counted but as swine and dogges as our Saviour calls the Syrophanician woman Matth. 15. Matth. 15. The Jewes were the righteous Nation Exod. 19.6 Exod. 19.6 The Gentiles called Sinners of the Gentiles Gal. 2. Gal. 2. They were carried to serve dumb Idols in stead of the true and living God yea they sacrificed to Devils and not to God 1 Cor. 10.20 1 Cor. 10.20 Thus before Christs comming in the flesh the covenant of grace was dispensed onely unto the Jewes but now it is published to every creature or is free so to be Matth. 28.19 Goe and preach to all nations c. Now it is made manifest though before it was kept secret Before God was known in Israel but now his name is great in all the world Rom. 16.25 26. The Gentiles that were farre off are now made nigh by the bloud of Christ Eph. 2.13 Ephes 2.13 Hence also saith the Apostle Rom. 3.29 Hee is the God of the Gentiles also and not of the Jewes onely The covenant is now revealed unto all Quest When began the separation between Jew and Gentile Answer It was foretold by Noah Gen. 9.27 Gen. 9.27 God shall inlarge Japhet and he shall dwell in the tents of Shem but the accomplishment of it was long after and that in two degrees First the foundation of it was laid in Abrahams calling out of Vr where hee worshipped strange Gods Joshuah 24.2 into the land of Canaan Secondly the full accomplishment of it was at the bringing up of the children of Israel out of Egypt when he gave them the ceremoniall law When Abraham was brought forth of Vr then was the foundation laid of that partition wall and when God brought them forth of Egypt then was the wall fully finished and set up Quest How long continued this separation Answer This separation lasted till the time of Christs ascension and therefore it is that though Christ came and preached the Gospel of peace amongst men yet he did it only to the Jewes as he speaks Matth. 15.24 Matth. 15.24 I am not sent but to the lost sheep of the house of Israel Thence also is Christ called a Minister of Circumcision Rom. 15.8 But afterward Paul calls himselfe a Minister of the Gentiles Rom. 15.8 Rom. 15.8 This separation lasted long from Abrahams calling to Christs ascension was about a thousand eight hundred yeares and from the Israelites going out of Egypt was above a thousand foure hundred yeares Why did not God reveale the covenant of his grace as generally before Christ as since Christs comming Quest It was so because it so pleased him Matth. 11. Answer It was his good will to reveale it to any And if any ask Why not to all It was to shew the freenesse of his grace in which he is not bound to any he may shew mercy where he will shew mercy Rom. 9.15 Rom 9.15 he may reveale his grace to whom he will and conceale it from whom hee will In the Jewes therefore whom God chose to manifest his grace unto the Lord would shew forth a pattern of his free election of grace chusing them rather then any other people On the contrary on the Gentiles hee would shew forth an example of his just rejection leaving them to deserved wrath Why did God at last reveale his covenant to the Gentiles Quest To make his grace and goodnesse the more conspicuous and Answer 1 glorious in extending it selfe to such a rejected and forsaken people Rom. 11.32 He hath shut up all under unbelief that he might have mercy upon all That God should look upon such a people as they were this setteth forth the riches of his grace more abundantly For the further glorifying of Christ that his Name should bee Answer 2 more glorified Psal 2.8 Psalm 2.8 Isai 66.19 To teach us a double lesson First Humility secondly Vse Thankfulnesse First Humility the doctrine of grace is revealed to us that were Gentiles in the flesh without Christ without hope wee were aliens an abject a base and rejected people not the posterity of Abraham or Isaac Let us remember our base estate remember the rock whence we were hewen the wild nature of that Olive which wee grew upon and let this make us humble and lowly in our own eyes We are ready to think we are the onely people If we begin to be arrogant then call to minde what we were strangers from God and aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel This we had need to remember our selves of Paul thought it needfull to put the Ephesians in mind of it Ephes 2.11 Ephes 2.11 and the Romans cap. 11. and the Corinthians 1 Cor. 6.11 there is the same spirit in us we had need therefore to looke back to what we were that so we may not be high minded but feare least for our pride and unprofitablenesse we be left in the same estate we were in Secondly Thankfulnesse unto God that whereas our Fathers sate in darknesse for many hundred yeares
I will forgive let every soule say within it selfe Surely then I will try I will seeke I will sue for mercy that I may be forgiven But what should I doe that I may be forgiven Quest 1. Enter into thine owne heart Answ and search out all the sinnes of heart and life which thou art privie unto Lament 3.40 Lam. 3.40 This is the Lords owne direction Jer. 3.12 13. Jer. 3.12 13. when the Lord first promised that he would shew himselfe mercifull and not let his wrath fall upon them yet presently addes But know thou thine iniquitie for thou hast fallen by rebellion c. 2. When thou hast found out thy sin goe then before the Lord and confesse and judge thy selfe before him as Ezra 9.6 Ezra 9.6 Confesse thy selfe worthy to be destroyed Doe as the Prodigall did Luke 15. Luk. 15. I am no more worthy to be counted thine 3. Present before the Lord the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus bring no satisfaction of thine owne make no mention of thine own righteousnesse or good deservings but fly onely to the bloudy sufferings and sacrifice of Christ to find acceptance reconciliation through him without that bloud there is no forgivenesse Heb. 9. Heb. 9. 4. Come not before God with an heart purposing still to continue in thy sinne but together with prayer for pardon joyne prayer for a spirit of grace and holinesse to make thee a new heart and a new spirit that sin may live in thee no more be willing to bind thy selfe by Covenant to the Lord to glorifie that grace shewed on thee if he will please to be gracious towards thee in taking away this sin Hos 14.3 with 9. Hos 14.3 with 9. Thus come before the Lord and then as men that have any great legacy left them by the will of another they will intreat for it they will plead the Testament of the Testatour and if that will not prevaile they will bring it into the Court of Justice and there sue for it So let us doe beg intreat require the performance of this legacy of the new Testament which grace hath bequeathed unto us and if this obtaine not then bring our cause into the Covenant of grace and there sue and plead before the throne of grace There bring out the words of the Testament and say Lord here is thine owne Covenant and promise hold the Lord fast to his promise which he hath made and plead with him and say Lord why are thy mercies restrained from me where is thy faithfulnesse why dost not thou pardon mine iniquitie Though I be worthy to perish yet remember thy Covenant make good thy promise in which thou hast caused thy servant to trust Such importunitie the Lord will not take ill he delights thus to be overcome by the pleas of his people Doe thus and he that hath promised will also fulfill and will take away all thine iniquitie and receive thee graciously Hos 14.3 Vse 5 For singular comfort to all the people of God who doe in any faithfulnesse and truth of heart endeavour to walke according to the Covenant they have made with him To all such this word of Consolation doth belong that their iniquitie is pardoned their sin is forgiven It was a word of comfort Christ spake to the palsie man Mat. 9.2 Mat. 9.2 Sonne be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiven thee So Isai 40 1 2. Isai 40.1 2. And thence was that speech of Christ to Mary in Luke 7.48.50 Thy sinnes are forgiven thee goe in peace There is peace indeed when Christ promiseth sin to be forgiven Now so it is to all the covenanted people of God their sin is forgiven here is their comfort See Psal 103.17 18. Psal 103.17 18. If wee keepe his Covenant his loving kindnesse and mercy is ours to forgive us our sinnes Shall man saith Eliphaz be more just then God shall man be more pure then his maker Job 4.17 Job 4.17 So may we say in this case Shall man be more faithfull then God more mindfull of his Covenant and promise then his Maker No God is the faithfull God keeping Covenant and mercy with those that feare him If we then which are so apt to breake our Covenant with God and men if wee be carefull to keepe Covenant with him how much more will God performe this promise of his Covenant towards us to pardon our sinnes If wee be not unfaithfull towards him he cannot be unfaithfull towards us Nay though we were in part unfaithfull yet cannot he deny himselfe 2 Tim. 2.13 2 Tim. 2.13 Quest But how may I know that my sinnes are forgiven me Answ 1. A plainer evidence I cannot give then this before named scil a carefull conscionable and constant endeavour to walke in Covenant with God Psal 103.17 18. Psal 103.17 18. But I have many failings in the keeping of my Covenant Object Yet so long as you doe not renounce your Covenant Answ and breake the bond till you doe agree to the loosing of the knot in which you have bound your selfe chusing to turne back after your former liberties the substance of the Covenant is not yet broken though some article of the Covenant may be violated There be some trespasses against some particular clauses in Covenants which though they be violated yet the whole Covenant is not forfeited 2. An affectionate and cordiall love to the Lord Jesus who hath washed us from our sinnes in his bloud is a sure signe that our sins are forgiven us Luk. 7.47 when wee so thinke of Christ as that nothing is too much for him nothing enough all we doe or can doe is too little for him and as nothing to that which our soule desireth this love never goes alone but is accompanied with this blessing of forgivenesse And sure thus it is with those that feele in any measure the efficacy of Christs bloud easing their consciences from the guilt of sin They could be content to wash Christs feet not with teares onely but with their hearts bloud and to dye for love of him who hath loved them and given himselfe for them to save them from their sinne 3. The mortification and dying of sinne in our hearts is a signe that our sinnes are forgiven us When Christ takes away Jacobs sinnes he also turnes away ungodlinesse from Jacob Rom. 11.26 27. Rom. 11.26 27. If sin live in us the guilt of it remaines still upon us I meane if it live in us in full strength 4. If we have a tender heart to mourne over Christ whom wee have pierced Time was when we could tread under feet that precious bloud by which we are sanctified But now it melts the heart to thinke that that bloud which wee have so despised should yet be sprinkled upon us to wash us from our sinne This kindnesse of Christ towards us makes our hearts to mourne over him Zach. 12.10 Zach. 12.10 They shall mourne over
which above all other he desires to be delivered from And surely such is the disposition of all those whose hearts God hath effectually touched with his spirit of grace that if they had the kingdomes of the world for their own they could be content to forgoe all so they might be rid of sin and have their sanctification perfected in them Now as we have sâ—â—ne that this sanctification is a singular benefit and blessing unto us so let us consider also how it springs forth unto us out of the same fountain of grace as did the former benefit of forgivenesse of sins These two streames issue out of the same fountaine of grace When God sanctifies us adding this benefit to the former we may then say Grace grace wee doe herein receive a double grace Grace in forgiving grace in sanctifying of us here is grace upon grace It is a blessing of rich grace And this will appeare if we consider First How impiously and wickedly we have forsaken our first holy and blessed estate in which the Lord had created us God made man righteous Eccles 10. ult Eccles 10. ult but he would be finding out many inventions of his own and if he could not invent them in the shop of his own braine then he would take them out of Satans forge by those inventions thinking to make himselfe more excellent then God had made him and so did wilfully cast away that glory of grace with which he was clothed defaced the Image of God which was stampt upon him bringing upon himselfe a sinfull and shamefull nakednesse to the contempt of his person before all creatures cast off his God that had formed him setting light by the God of his salvation chusing to obey the cursed suggestion of Satan Gods enemy rather then to retaine his communion with God This did he and we in him and now the Lord might have said unto us all Let him that is filthy be filthy still Seeing you have thus defiled your selves you shall never be cleansed untill I have made my wrath to fall upon you Ezek. 24.13 It is wonderfull grace if ever the Lord will returne to such to renew us and sanctifie us by his grace Our sin was like the sin of Angels who kept not their first estate no more did we wee sinned as they did but we are sanctified and not they here is grace towards us not towards them They are suffered still to persist in their malicious wickednesse but we are renewed againe according to the Image of him that created us Ephes 4. Ephes 4. Secondly Consider the loathsomenes of the sin and corruption which we have brought upon our selves and doth now lie upon us A wicked man is loathsome saith Solomon Pro. 13.5 Prov. 13.5 So loathsome is the sin that is in us that we are made even to loath our selves and to count our selves more filthy then the dung of the earth Ezek. 6.9 When the Lord formed man in the beginning it was not silver or gold or any such precious matter out of which he fashioned him but it was out of the vilest of the Elements out of the earth the dregs setlings of all creatures The matter out of which man was then made was but vile and base Wonder it was that God would set the gracious Image of his holines upon so contemptible a creature But though it was then but vile yet it was as I may so speake innocent harmles The pollution of sinne had not as yet defiled it there was nothing in it as yet which should make the holy God to loath the creature which he had made sinne had not as yet stained the earth with its filthines But now by sin man is become abominable his uncleannesse is as the filthines of the menstruous the filthy leprosie of sin is not in his forehead alone but is spread all over him so that the Lord might say unto him Depart depart yee polluted stand apart the pure eyes of my holines cannot endure to behold such loathsome filthines But now behold and wonder even the God so glorious in holines Exod. 15.11 even he seeing us lye polluted in our bloud he doth not passe by on the other side but he takes pitie on us and takes us and washeth us with water he washeth us from our bloud and anoynteth us with oyle Ezek. 16.6.9 yea and cloaths us againe with white linnen of sanctity and holines adornes us with ornaments of grace which are as jewels of silver and jewels of gold c. ver 10 11 12 13. and makes us beautifull by his owne beauty which he puts upon us And is not this grace Had wee seene our blessed Saviour rise up from the table to wash the foule feet of his servants we would have wondred How much more wonderfull is this that he should take us filthy lepers and wash us in the waters of Jordan untill we be wholly cleane Consider that place in Ezek. 16.9 how the Lord himselfe amplifies this grace towards us in washing us from our polluted bloud No lesse then three times together doth the Lord there mention this When I saw thee polluted in thy bloud saith the Lord and againe When thou wast in thy bloud and a third time Even when thou wast in thy bloud then I took thee and washed thee and said unto thee Thou shalt live Why doth the Lord so ingeminate so double and treble this When thou wast in thy bloud but onely that we might the more observe his abundant grace towards us in purifying such loathsome uncleane ones as wee are Doubtles David when he had defiled himselfe by that great and foule sin he counted it mercy and rich grace to have a cleane heart renewed in him Psal 51. Psâ—l 51. Thirdly Consider how unable we are to cleanse and purifie our selves we are like little babes who can defile themselves but would lie in their uncleannes for ever should not the nurse wash cleanse them we once stript our selves of the garments of grace but now we know not how to put them on any more we were men at that time when in Adam wee laid them by and put them off But now like little children we should starve with cold and nakednesse should not the Lord pitie us and put these garments of grace upon us We are saith the Apostle of no strength Rom. 5.6 Rom 5.6 not able to thinke a good thought 2 Cor. 3. nor to will one good desire but it is God that worketh in us both will and deed of his good pleasure of grace towards us Phil. 2.13 Phil. 2.13 It is not in our willing or running but in God shewing mercy Rom. 9.16 Rom. 9.16 And it is not unworthy our observing how in ver 18. he opposeth mercy to hardening He hath mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardeneth to teach us to look at it as a speciall mercy when he is pleased to take away the hard
acceptance with him so it is no lesse vigilant and watchfull in observing and taking notice what answer comes from the Lord how he answers the desires we have presented before him As the prisoner at the barre not only cries for mercy but marks every word which falls from the Judges mouth if any thing may give him hope and as Benhadads servants lay at catch with the King of Israel to see if they could take occasion by any thing which fell from him to plead for the life of Benhadad so doth the poore soule that is now pleading for life and grace it watcheth narrowly to see if any thing may come from God any intimation of favour any word of comfort that may tend to peace thence it is that the Saints have so often called upon God for answer of their prayers they thought it not enough to pray but they would see how the Lord answered them Psal 102.1 2. Thus Psal 51.8 O let me heare joy and gladnesse c. David did not only pray for mercy but desires to heare from heaven a word spoken to his conscience by which he might know he was accepted though David was not in the beginning of that work we now speak of yet the case is alike he was now in his own sence as if he had been to begin anew and thus in Psal 85.8 I will heare what the Lord will say for he will speak peace unto his people c. 7. As faith doth thus wait for an answer from God so likewise according as the Lord doth either answer or not answer so doth faith demeane it selfe First Sometimes he answers not to our sence I mean and discerning as we see in Davids case he felt himselfe as one forsaken and prayed unto God but found no audience Psal 22. What doth faith in this case it followes God still and cryes after him with more strength and earnestness as resolving never to give over till the Lord either save or destroy if the Lord will destroy yet the soule chuseth to die at Gods foot as Joab did at the hornes of the Altar when he was bidden to come forth from thence to take his death in another place Nay saith Ioab but I will die here Here the humbled soule doth as that woman did in Mat. 15. shee sues to Christ but Christ seemes to have no regard of her gives her not one word but shee seeks still still she cryes after him and though still repulsed yet shee comes a third time and cryes Lord help me and though still the Lord gives her another repulse yet still she hangs upon him and follows him for mercy and would never give over till she he had gotten even what shee desired Even as Christ in his agony when he saw deliverance came not he prayed more earnestly Luk. 22.44 so doth the poore sinner in the time of his agony when he is striving as for life and death if help come not at first call he prays againe and that more earnestly faith will be urgent with God with an humble importunity and the more slack the Lord seemes to be in answering the more instant is faith in plying God with prayers It will be wrastling with God as Iacob did with the Angel it will not rest without a blessing it will take no denyall but will crave still as hee did blesse me even me also send me not away without a blessing it resolves to wait and look up untill the Lord shew mercy Psal 123.2 Lament 3.49 50. Secondly Sometimes againe the Lord doth answer but yet he speaks but as out of the dark cloud giving somâ— little ease but not speaking full peace much like as he spake to the woman Ioh. 8.11 Goe thy way and sinne no more saith Christ he doth not say goe in peace thy sinne is forgiven thee that had been a word of full comfort but goe thy way and sinne no more a middle kind of expression neither assuring her that her sinne was pardoned nor yet putting her out of hope but it might be forgiven And hereby faith gets a little strength and looks after the Lord with more hope and begins to plead with God as Moses did Lord thou hast begun to shew grace unto thy servant goe on Lord to manifest in me all thy goodnesse here faith takes a little hold on the Covenant though with a feeble hand as yet shaking and trembling for want of strength and yet now it begins to follow the Lord with more encouragement as finding that its former seeking hath not been wholly in vaine Thirdly Sometimes againe the Lord speaks more fully and satisfactorily to the soules of his people applying some promise of Grace to the conscience by his own spirit letting the soule feele and taste the comfort of such a promise more effectually then ever it could before it hath often heard and thought on such a promise but could never feele any peace in it because it could never apply it to its own particular but now being applyed by the help of the Spirit it finds and feeles peace Here then the Lord doth not any longer hold the soule in suspence and doubting by propounding unto it such promises of hope as I may so call them It may be yee shall bee hid in the day of wrath Zeph. 2.3 but he speaks full peace as Esay 41.10 Feare not for I am thy God I will subdue your iniquities and cast all your sinnes behind my back and I will remember them against you no more I have received a reconciliation Iob 33. Goe in peace Here â—aith waxeth bold and with a glad heart entertaineth the promise thus brought home unto it the Apostle expresseth this with a word very significant calling it an embracing of the promise Heb. 11.13 embracing implyes an affectionate receiving with both armes opened to shew an heart enlarged to those that come unto us and now the soule having thus embraced the promise and the Lord Iesus Christ in the promise and having him like Simeon in our armes it layes him in the bosome and having before gone forth to meet him hee being now come it brings him into the chamber of the heart there to rest and abide for ever now the soule possesseth him as her own rests in him and is satisfied with him layes it selfe down in a holy rest after all its former troubles praysing God for his mercy as Simeon did when he had Christ in his armes and committing it selfe for ever to that mercy and goodnesse which hath been thus revealed unto it And thus the poor soul which hath been at emnity with God comes by little and little to touch the top of the golden Scepter and to enter into a Covenant of peace with the high God now the hand is given to the Lord as Hezekiah spake 2 Chron. 30. As God reacheth out to us the hand of Grace and of saving help so doe wee give unto him the hand of faith yeilding up our selves unto him committing our selves
should have said unto us you have once broken my Covenant and yet if you will at last fulfill my Law which I gave unto you I will yet accept you as just unto life yet we could not have done it the condition was too hard for us to perform If we had been held close to this condition of fulfilling the Law we should have missed of life for ever The Lord therefore seeing and pittying of our infirmity was pleased to propound unto us another condition saying unto us only beleive Beleive on my son trust on my grace and thou shalt be saved herein the Lord hath condescended to our weaknesse taking compassion of our infirmities laying upon us no other burthen but this Beleeve my promise accept my grace and rest upon it and this thy faith shall save thee Thou shalt never perish 3. It serves for comfort to all Gods faithfull ones that have beleived through grace if you have received this first gift if it be given you to beleeve you shall not fail of a second gift even the gift of eternall life through Iesus Christ our Lord Though your repentance be lesse then to equall the measure of your sins though your obedience be imperfect yea though your faith it selfe be weak also yet if it be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unfained syncere and sound this your faith is accepted of God and is imputed to you for righteousnesse Those that are of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham saith the Apostle Gal. 3.9 Blessed is shee that beleeveth saith the Angell Luke 1.45 and the Son of God comes in as a third witnesse testifying that whosoever beleeveth in him shall not perish but is passed from death to life Iohn 3. Here are three witnesses from heaven and earth all witnessing the blessed estate of such as do beleive Faith is well termed precious faith 1 Pet. 1.2 Pet. 1.1 because it makes us partakers of all the precious blessings of grace which are contained in the Covenant The faithfull are inheritours of all the priviledges which God hath promised to his chosen and therefore it is that they are called heires of promise Heb. 6.17 and heires of blessing 1 Pet. 3.9 You beleevers be exhorted to see and owne your blessednesse take notice of the great things the Lord hath done for you he hath made a covenant with you even a Covenant of peace and blessing and life for ever God is become your God he will be all things unto you and when all helpes under heaven fail you yet from himselfe he will do you good all your sins are forgiven you his spirit is yours to lead you to sanctifie you and to heal the evils that be in you he will uphold you in that state wherein you stand and will keep you that you shall never perish and will at last bring you to a full injoyment of himselfe in his heavenly Kingdome where you shall for ever blesse him and be made blessed by him and shall rejoyce before him with joy unspeakable and glorious pluck up your hearts therefore and be glad lift up your heads strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees serve the Lord with gladnesse and joyfulnesse of spirit considering the day of our salvation draweth neer though now for a time you may be in heavinesse through manifold temptations and afflictions in this evill world yet faint not you being partakers of that precious faith you have the holy and faithfull God in Covenant with you to love you to blesse you and to save you and yet a little while and he that shall come will come and receive you to himselfe and then you shall fully know what it is to have beleived and to have been in Covenant with God what it is to have God to be your God when you shall see him and enjoy him as he is Only nourish your faith and live by faith make much of this precious grace cherish it by thinking often on the promises and of that grace which hath been shewed upon you from on high study to walke worthy of that mercy received and in so doing wait for the end of your faith the salvation of your soule 4. If faith be the condition of the Covenant then woe to all unbeleevers that go on in their impenitency and unbeleife Their unbeleife deprives them of that good which the Lord hath by his Covenant promised to his people they have no part nor portion in God they are without God without Christ without Covenant without promise without mercy their sins are unpardoned they are under the curse the wrath of God abides upon them there is nothing to take it away from them but if they abide in unbeleif wrath abides upon them for ever There is a wrath wherby God is angry with his own people but that anger lasts but for a little season it is but for a moment Isai 4.7 8. it passeth away and abides not upon them but the unbeleiver hath wrath abiding on him for ever John 3.36 In Iude 5. it is said that God afterwards destroyed those Israelites that beleived not when once they had had the means of grace made known then not beleiving God afterwards destroyed them you that tread in the steps of their unbeleif you are little troubled to thinke what misery is comming upon you as not knowing that you are in danger but you are under wrath your judgement hastneth and your damnation sleepeth not be awakened therefore be thinke your selves and consider what your end will be by your unbeleif you put a bar to exclude your selves from the blessing of life promised to Gods people you thus continuing the Lord neither will nor can save you You will thinke this an hard saying but you will finde it too true God cannot lye Titus 1.2 much lesse can he forswear but God hath sworne this that such shall never enter into his rest Psal 95. and Hebr. 3. ult In Mat. 13. ult It s said Christ did not many great works in his owne country for their unbeleifes sake But in Marke 6.5 it s said hee could not doe them he neither did them nor could do them unbeleif stops the course and diverts the stream of Gods goodnesse from comming unto us Christs usuall speech to those that expected any blessing from him was this According to your faith be it unto you faith makes all things possible Marke 6.23 It will reverse the sentence of death which is passed upon us and bring us back unto life but unbeleife makes it impossible so that we cannot be saved The Lord can do nothing against his own counsell and will and he hath concluded this with himselfe to save none but such as beleive and that whosoever beleeveth not shall perish all you unbeleevers consider this your unbeleefe will bee your destruction Secondly Is there such a work of faith in bringing us into Covenant with God and in enabling us to walk in Covenant with him 1. This serves to direct all the people of God