they did hear the Law and this was the language thereof that those who are born by it or are the seed of it are not of the Free Promise and must be cast out they are excluded even by the Law it self from the eternal inheritance therefore it was alwaies an abuse of it to expect the dispencing out of Spiritual blessings thereby the Lord ordained another way viz. the Free Promise for that end CHAP. VIII Of the Sinai Covenant whether ceased or continuing IT is Questioned by some Whether the mount Sinai Covenant be still continuing so as Christians are laid under the obligation of it in Gospel times I may premise that it is called the Law Mal. 4. 4. Rom. 7. and a Covenant or Testament Exod. 34. 23. Deut. 4. 13. Jer. 31. 31 32. Gal. 4. 24. Answ The moral Law which was contained in the Sinai dispensation is still obliging but consider it as a Covenant or Testament and so it is not continuing Cessavit lex ut norma est operum naturae ex formula foederis operum manet vero iis qui in Christo sunt ut est regula operum gratiae saith Rolloc de Vocat Cap. 2. 1. The moral Law as an external Rule of obedience is universally and perpetually obligatory to the Sons of men Some circumstances as the coming out of Egypt and prolonging the daies in the Land i. e. in Canaan Exod. 20. 2 12. were peculiar to the Children of Israel and it is union with Jesus and an internal vital principle that all acceptable obedience no weth from Joh. 15. 5. but the substance of the ten Commandments is still obliging For 1. The moral Law is a perfect rule of righteousness and conformity to the Will of God and therefore is perpetual All good is commanded and all evil forbidden there 1 Joh. 3. ver 4. Sin is the transgression of the Law The very description of sin is fetched thence that if we be bound not to sin then we are to keep the Law Mat. 4. 4. Remember the Law of Moses and this referreth to the times of the Gospel when the Sun of righteousness ariseth with healing in his wings Indeed it is a repetition of the Law of Nature which is ingraven upon the hearts of those which are most barbarous Rom. 2. 14 15. The work of the Law is upon their hearts and therefore so long as the Nature continueth the obligation to the Law of it must also be continuing Rom. 7. 13. The Law is holy and the Commandment holy just and good whatsoever therefore is opposite to it must be unholy unjust and evil The same moral Law that was delivered at mount Sinai was before and since as it referred to the Free Promise a rule of inward holiness Sanctification and obedience and had Spiritual injoyments attending of it as it had relation to the Sinai Covenant and its end so it ushered in temporal mercies unto Israel 2. The Lord hath declared his approbation of conformity to the moral Law and with great severity witnessed against disconformity to it in all Ages Long before the Sinai ministration Abel is commended for his Faith owning and Worshipping the true God and Cain for the contrary disapproved Gen. 4. 4. Heb. 11. There was a reverend use of the Name of God Gen. 14. 19 20. The Sabbath Instituted Gen. 2. 3. Superiours honoured Gen. 9. 23. and 22. 7. Murther witnessed against in Cain Adultery and Unchastity punished in raining Fire and Brimstone on Sodom and Gomorrah Abraham reproved for bearing false witness saying of Sarah she is my Sister Laban accused for defranding and coveting Gen. 31. 7 8 9. So that though the wording of it in the formality of ten Commandments was at mount Sinai yet immoralities were ever sinful Yea in the times of the New Testament Jesus Christ declareth his observing the waies actings and inclinations of men and some are blamed others commended even in his Churches Rev. 2. and 3. the least swarvings from the rule are sinful 3. The Natural tendency of the moral Law is to promote love Jesus Christ himself is giving the Epitome and summ of the Law and reduceth all the ten to two great Commandments Mat. 22. ver 36. to 41. viz. Love to God and the Neighbour Doubtless men are obliged at all times to let the Streams of their Love run out towards God to Love him with all their Heart with all their Soul with all their Mind and to Love their Neighbours as themselves and upon these two hang all the Law and Prophets ver 40. Yea the fulfilling of these is the keeping of the Law 4. The moral Law is explained and obedience to it earnestly pressed in the times of the Gospel to free it from the false glosses of the Jewish Rabbins Jesus Christ himself giveth an explication of it Mat. 5. declaring that not only grosser acts are to be avoided but whatsoever hath a tendency that way unchast looks unclean thoughts are sinful ver 28. Christians are under an obligation not only to sincere but to perfect obedience unto the royal Law of liberty Jam. 1. 15. so as the least failing of it it sinful though it doth not bring believers under condemnation Yielding Worship to God is duty still Mat. 4. 10. as the way to withstand Satan in his temptations and the duties of the second Table are plainly urged Eph. 6. 3. Rom. 13. 8. Love is undeniably a duty in Gospel times and the fulfilling of the Law is wrapt up in it ver 9. Thou shalt not commit Adultery thou shalt not Steal thou shalt not bear false Witness thou shalt not Covet These Commandments then are in force still and the Romans who were Christians of the Gentiles were under the obligation of them and therefore they are perpetual Yea Jesus Christ owneth them as his Joh. 15. 10. If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love c. keeping these by believing and loving one another is the way to the manifestations of his Love this of Love he calleth a new Commandment Joh. 13. 34. Indeed this putteth sweetness into it Christians are under the Law but it is to Christ 1 Cor. 9. 21. to their Mediatour who satisfied for their breaking of it they take it not from the hand of Moses in its terrour and rigour but from the hand of Jesus Christ who hath Redeemed from the curse of it The first Tables which were the work of God were quickly broken Exod. 32. 16 19. but the second Tables that were to be hewed by Moses a typical Mediatour they were more durable of longer continuance and then the Lord proclaimeth his pardoning Mercy Exod. 34. 1 4 6. The moral Law in the hand of Jesus Christ the true Mediator is abiding and pardoning Grace and mercy experienced under it Of old the Ark of the Covenant had only the moral Law put into it not the ceremonial Deut. 10. 2. to note this was to be abolished but the Moral to abide with the
means which he sanctifieth and blesseth to that end for the working or begetting of Faith If any will neglect abuse and misimprove or make light of it Mat. 22. v. 5. and intreat spightfully the messengers that are sent with that blessed tidings or if they will be attended to their worldly matters their Farms and Oxen They sinning against the means of grace it is a putting a slight upon the grace and salvation tendred in the means and this leaveth inexcusable and will expose the sinners to just condemnation They had power to forbear such acts of sin against the means though they had not power to render it effectual and who either Speaker or Hearer knoweth that he is not of that number which Jesus Christ Covenanted for and will make it effectual to however the Lord is not bound to abatâ— of his demand of duty because of mans impotency and sinfully contracted disability to obey All therefore ought to give utmost attendance to the general call of the Gospel as a matter of highest concernment to their souls for Eternity and the neglecting hereof is a despising of Jesus Christ and his benefits Luk. 10. 16. And then no wonder if the wrath of God abideth on them Corol. 4. Hence there were glorious transactions in order to the salvation of the Elect long before their believing though the actual application of federal blessings to them is not one moment of time before the gift of Faith yet before that there are glorious advantages arising from the Covenant as between the Father and the Son on their behalf Vertually and ex faedere all conducing unto happiness was secured for them from Eternity then there was not only a passing such an act as they cannot eventually be damued which is so far from proving an actual justification as that a meer decree of Election would have been sufficient unto this seeing that must certainly have its execution but by a federal act so early was the undertaking of Jesus Christ on their behalf then was the Covenant made between the Father and the Son which had all blessedness in the womb of it Tit. 1. 2. Indeed he had not actually our sin upon him nor was so justified before his incarnation Isa 50. 7 8. For his coming in the flesh had been vain and unnecessary if he had been actually discharged before And this may shew that our justification doth not every way run parallel to his For believers under the Old Testament were actually justified before Jesus Christ was so but so early the Elect did in some special way belong unto God being federally made over by him to Jesus Christ for gratious ends Job 17. 6. Thine they were and thou gavest them unto me And this was a great business for he was appointed to be their representative and to pay their ransom money so as when he did it they were virtually deemed as justified yea sanctified and glorified there not in their own persons but in him Eph. 2. 5 6. Hath quickened us together with Christ and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Corol. 5. Hence there was some love in the bosom of God towards the Elect from all Eternity Sending Christ himself who is given for a Covenant and is the sum of it is the fruit and effect of it Joh. 3. 16 God so loved the world that he gave hiâ— only begotten Son And if the Covenant was from everlasting then that Divine love which is the Fountain and first spring from whence it floweth must needs be so early also God doth actually love the Elect before they are regenerate or can actually believe with a love of benevolence or good will though not with a love of complacency and delight He beareth love to their persons though not to their qualities and actions nor to their state and condition Yea God owneth them not only with electing but with redeeming love Rom. 5. 8. God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us This extolleth his love and maketh it surmount all others that he gave his Son to die for them whilst they were in a state of sin and misery There was some federal love so far as to give them unto Jesus Christ to be redeemed by him Job 6. 37 39. So as to owne them as the persons which should share in Covenant grace afterward when others were left out The love of God is an unchangeable and eternal act of his Will ever one and the same admitteth of no increase or decrease in him he doth not begin to love any person that he hated before be changeth not Mal. 3. 6. But to help our weak understandings according to his acting towards us and to the change that is made in us and as we partake of his benefits so he is said to let it out to us 1 Job 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed on us that we should be called the Sons of God Thus the Lord loveth not his creatures equally or all alike but some more than others the regenerate more than the unregenerate and those most who share most in the effects of it both for this life and that which is to come From Eternity although God had not a love of approbation to the state of the Elect unconverted yet he had a love of commiseration unto their persons Psal 103. 17. But the mercy of the Lord which hath miserable creatures as the proper objects of it is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him c. Before the foundations of the earth were laid he considered them as possibly miserable and was a God of mercy Then he had such a love of benevolence to them as certainly issueth in a love of beneficence or soul inriching bounty Eph. 2. 4 5. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us even when we were dead in sins hath quickened us together with Christ c. Here the first operations of Divine grace the recovery of a soul out of a dead state unto spiritual life the first quickenings of a soul from the death of sin are made the issues of Divine favour they spring from mercy and rich mercy from love and great love Corol. 6. Hence the Covenant of grace as made with Jesus Christ hâ—d the precedency was before the Covenant of works that was first this after For though there was a Divine Decree concerning the Creation and the Covenant of Works to be in time yet that was not actually made so early because Adam who was to be the head of it was not then existing had not a being for it to be made with Whereas Jesus Christ who was the head of the Covenant of grace was not only really existing but undertaking from Eternity The Covenant of grace without any incongruity may be asserted in its constitution and making to be first or before the Covenant of
seed upon earthly comforts but Christians live by Faith by what is laid up in Divine Promises by these things they live they know not how to subsist in any state or condition without a Promise they would count themselves dead creatures without that whatever earthly enjoyments they had in possession Neither will a Promise alone satisfie without Jesus Christ in it Christ liveth in me he is the very Life of their lives without him nothing but spiritual swoonings faintings dyings and all from the want and failings of Faith That fetcheth in all influences from Jesus Christ for the supporting and hath the great hand and stroak in all the actings of spiritual Life all spiritual motions are managed thereby Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God And therefore Sanctification is but a secondary or after evidence That is not discernable till first there be a discerning Faith which speaketh Justification If Faith be inevident all other Graces will be so also Faith may be shewed unto others by Works Jam. 2. 18. A man may be Declaratively justified by Works but if a man doubteth of his Faith he will as well doubt of his Works whether they be from a Gospel root or not For no Love of the right stamp and so no due obedience but what is the fruit and issue of Faith in the Lord Jesus For that worketh by Love Gal. 5. 6. As first acts of Faith do not consist in believing that our sins are pardoned but in a receiving Jesus Christ and his righteousness as the way to pardon Joh. 1. 12. So if Christians kept up in acts of Faith by outgoings of heart to him in the way of the Promise for all that is wanted there would be not only sweet flowings of Love and Evangelical obedience issuing thence but also they would be filled with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15. 13. I have often thought if Christians did give more attendance to such direct acts of Faith and spent less time in questioning their conditions or giving way to doubtings about them they would find their interest in the Covenant cleared up yea and consolation also coming in as by the by 3. By Faith Souls are venturing upon the Free Grace and faithfulness of God in his Covenant in the greatest distresses with good success The New Covenant is made up all of Promises and the Gospel is called the Word of Faith because it is the Work of Faith to draw out what is vesseled up there Heb. 10. 38. Now the Just shall live by Faith Not only as to Justification but as to expectation of mercy promised Many would be acting Faith in the concluding interest in Christ and Eternal Life but they should be acting it by a cordial owning of Evangelical principles Yea Christians should lead their whole Life in looking to the Love and Faithfulness of God in his Promise for all their relief and succour in any condition they come into here yea even for Eternal Mercy Heb. 6. 18. They are pursued by spiritual enemies corruptions and Temptations and are in great danger but by hope which floweth from Faith and can act no higher than Faith doth they go yea run for refuge to the hope to the heavenly glory that is set before them so as they lie as at Anchour in such stormy daies and here are two immutable things the Promise and the Oath of God that by these they might have strong consolation By Faith they realize the very things contained in the Promise or Covenant and so their interest in it is experimentally witnessed to them They can say at such a time when we were in Soul distress so as all the means in the World could contribute nothing towards inward ease quietment and consolation then we being inabled by Grace to bear the weight of our Souls and our conditions upon the Faithfulness of God in his Covenant or Free Promise we found relief and refreshment It was not meerly our own fancy and imagination but we were delivered out of our distresses by Faith we were inabled to draw out of the Promise the Milk of consolation which it was beyond the power of all creatures to afford us and thus they find that the Covenant or Promise is their own 4. By Faith in the Free Promise there is a standing Conquerours in Jesus Christ over all spiritual enemies it is a great matter of the Covenant that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents bead Gen. 3. 15. And therefore there is through Grace a vanquishing all the enemies of Salvation Sin and Satan through the blessed Seed the Lord Jesus The Promises are accomplished within the Soul but the way is Ephes 6. 16. Above all take the Shield of Faith That not only is best for descrying Satan in all his Stratagems but for the withstanding of him also Joh. 5. 4. This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith When the Soul hath Combates or Spiritual Conflicts and reason is foiled cannot bear up then Faith appeareth as Victorious not in its own strength but in the strength of Christ and his conquest which it maketh use of in these encounters And thus conquering acts of Faith as before venturing relieving and discovering acts are useful for witnessing interest in the Covenant I might shew that Faith hath other acts as acts of assurance drawing up conclusions he hath loved me and given himself for me Gal. 2. 20. But I have said enough to shew that it giveth a knowledge of being within the New Covenant CHAP. XIII Of the Use of Absolute Promises THe Question will now be What Use is there of absolute better Promises When or in what cases are they to be made use of Answ 1. They are of Use for the manifestation of the riches of Divine Grace and Love to sinners if there may be some Grace in promising great blessings upon a very small condition certainly there must be more Grace and Love in promising the same absolutely without any condition This maketh to the magnifying of the Lord in his owning Israel above all people that he loved because he would love Deut. 7. 6 7 8. not because they were greater or more lovely than others or had any beauty or comliness in them but for his own sake as is often intimated Absolute Promises are high expressions of Divine Love as Heb. 8. 10 11 12. They proclaim rich mercy and great Love Eph. 2. 4 5. That the Lord should break through all unworthiness and undeservings this may work into the greatest self-emptiness and self-abasement The Lord peremptorily promised the establishing of Davids throne for ever 2 Sam. 7. 13 16. and this Grace melts his heart into a deep sense of his own nothingness ver 18 19. Who am I O Lord God what is my house c. Thou hast spoken also of thy Servants house for a great while to come and is this the manner of man O Lord God So that absolute Promises of Divine