promâ—â—â—gation of the Gospel it should be explained what this blessedness is which was promised by the Messias 1. First for confutation of the erroneous and pernicious conceipt of the Iews who thinking that the Messias should be â— temporal Monarch expected only temporaâ— blessings from him But if our hope in Christ were only in respect of this life then were we of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. Secondly For prevention of a most dangerous scandal which otherwise would have ensued upon that erroneous conceipt For it beingâ— received opinioÌ„ among the Iews from which the Disciples of Christ were not free Mat. 20. â—1 Act. 1. 6. that the Messias should be a teâ—poral Monarch who should restore the Kingdom unto Israel and make his followers happy with external and â—emporâ— blessings If this opinion had been nourishâ—d in them it could not have been avoided but that they would have taken offence at Christs 〈◊〉 and poor estate when in stead of honours riches greatness and gâ—â—ry in this world which they expected from the Messias all things should happen contrary to their expectation Our Saviour therefore pronounceth them blessed who were not offended at him in respect of his mean condition and poor estate Mat. 11. 6. Thirdly For rectifying our judgment in that most weighty point concerning our happiness For the very foundation of a Christian conversation is the right belief concerning happiness For all men desire happiness as the supream end And such as is the end or happiness which they propound unto themselves such are the means which they use such are their studies and endeavours As for example if men place their happiness in pleasure their whole course of life is volumptuous if in riches covetous if in honour ambitious c. For these causes as I said it was necessary that it should be declared what this blessedness is Our Saviour therefore in the beginning of his gracious Sermon upon the Mount sheweth that the happiness which by him they were to expect did consist in spiritual grace and eternal glory Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor or beggers in spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven and so in the rest in every whereof two degrees of happiness are noted 〈◊〉 the one set down as the Schoolmen speak per modum meriti which I called grace the other per modum praemij which Lealled glory the one being be 〈◊〉 via or our happiness nâ—this life the other beatitudo patriae or our happiness in the life to come S. Paul likewise expoundeth the happiness which we have by Christ to be spiritual Ephes. 1. 3. Blessed be God saith he who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessingâ— in heavenly things in Christ. Thus S. Peter speaking of this Covenant which God made with Abraham and applying it to the Iewâ— expoundeth this blessedness to be their turning and consequently their freedom from sin Ye â—e saith he Act. 3. 25 26. the children of the Covenant which God made with our fathers saying unto Abraham and in thy seed shal all the families of the earth be blessed unto you first Gâ—d having raised up his Son Iesus sent him to bless you in turning away every one of you from your iniquities In like manner the Apostle Paul Galat. 3. expoundeth this blessedness of justification by faith redemption from the curse of the Law and receiving the promise of the spirit Those which are of faith saith he vers 7. 8. 9. are the sons of Abraham and the Scripture that is the holy Ghost who speaketh in the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the 〈◊〉 through faith preached the Gospell before to Abraham saying in thee that is in thy seed shall all nations be blessed Gen. 12. 2 3. chap. 13. 15. 17. chap. 15. 18. So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham Again vers 13 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ that we might receive the promise of the Spirit But most chiefly in this place where the Holy Ghost doth as it were ex professe expound what this blessednesse is viz. That he would give us that we being deliverâ—â— from the hand of our enemies should worship him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him al the dayes of our life Now that this is a most true perfect exposition I will prove by these two reasonâ— And first for the truth of it For wheraâ— there 〈…〉 called obtain in this life 〈…〉 and sanctification justification by 〈…〉 to the Kingdome of 〈…〉 with it concur redemption 〈…〉 adoption being all in substance the 〈…〉 only in some relation or respect For when God doth forgive our 〈…〉 of Christs righteousnes he doth both redeem and reconâ—â—â—e and justifie and adopt 〈◊〉 but with this distinction First that when fâ—rgiving our sins by which we are bound over to death and damnation and held 〈…〉 sunne and Satan he fiâ—eth us from this bondage he is said to redeeme us Ephâ—s 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. Secondly when forgiving 〈…〉 whereby we are the children of wrâ—th and enemies against God he receiveth us â—nto his love and favour in Christ he is said to reconcile us 2 Cor. 5. 19. Thirdly when forgiving our sins which exclude us from heâ—ven and make us guilty of 〈…〉 absolve and 〈◊〉 us from the 〈◊〉 and doth accept of us in Christ 〈…〉 and as heires of salvation he is said to just 〈…〉 Rom. 3. 24. 25. 4. 6 7 8. Fourthly wâ—en forgiving our 〈…〉 of the Devill he doth in Christ 〈…〉 to be his children he is said to adopt us The second degree is Sanctification by which we are prepared and made fit for Gods Kiâ—â—dome Now these two are the two parts of the gift which God by oath in this place promised to give to the faithful the sons of Abraham viz. deliverance from the hand of our spiritual enemies namely the law sin death and the devil which is our redemption or justification and grace to worship God without fear in holyness and righteousness before him all the days of our life which is our sanctification 2. And that it is a ful and perfect exposition it is easily proved because not only to the whole gift here promised but to every part and parcel thereof happyness is ascribed in the word of God As first to redemption for what is it to be redeemed by Christ but to have remission of sins by him Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. By him we have redemption even the remission of our sins But to the remission of sins the holy Ghost ascribeth blessedness Psal. 32. 1 2. Rom. 4. 6 7. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven whose sin is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity 2. Secondly to a godly life which is here termed the worship of God in holiness and righteousness in which
out Oathes sometimes in choler sometimes in pride and vain glory sometimes in deceipt to colour their falshood sometimes in a vain conceipt to win credit to their speeches wherein notwithstanding they are miserably deceived for he that sweareth much sometimes for sweareth and he that maketh no conscience of polluting the holy and dreadfull Name of God by common swearing will learn to make no conscience of swearing 〈◊〉 So much of the party that did swear Now we are â—o speak of the party to whom this Oath was made who is here described by his name Abraham and by his reâ—â—tion to us Our Father Abraham was so called by God himself Gen. 17. because he â—ade him Ab-hansâ—â— the Father of many nations that is to say of the faithful in all Nations Now whereas I shewed before That the Lord would not have taken an Oath unless it had been necessary in respect of our weakness and incredulity who will not beleeve him without an Oath It appeareth That Abraham himself needed to have the Promises of God confirmed to him by Oath From whence we learn this profitable lesson That the Faith of the best of as hath its imperfections and is mingled with Unbelief For if Abraham the Father of the faithful the most worthy pattern of a lively and a strong Faith had need to have his infirmities relieved as it is plain that he had not only as in this place by Oath but also Gen. 15. by a sign Gen. 17. by the Sacrament of Circumcision which was unto him a Seal of that Righteousness which is by Faith Rom. 4. 11. and almost in every Chapter of his story by the often repeating and renewing of the promises unto him What are we to think of our selves who are by many degrees inferiour to Abraham Surely we are to beware both of the proud phantasie of those who dream of perfection in this life and also of the câ—reless practise of others who thinking they have proceeded far enough sit still not seeking to go forward in the way of Christianity and therefore are not likely to come to the end of their way which is the salvation of their souls But we in the humble acknowledgement of our imperfections must with the Apostles Luk. 17. 5. pray unto the Lord to increase our faith and using all good means to proceede from faith to faith untill we come to a perfect man in Christ we must with the Apostle as not having attained Phil. 3. 12â— 13. forget those things which are behind and reach forth to those things which are before pressing forward towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Phil. 3. 14. and if the Apostle and those who are perfect that is adulti grown men in Christ are to be of this 〈◊〉 is the Apostle saith in the next verse much more thoft which are not so good 〈◊〉 ought to be so minded remembring that Religiâ—â—â—s compared to a way wherein we are still to go on untill we come to the end of our way which will not be before the end of our life And whereas Zachary calleth Abraham our Father this is not to be understood either of all the Iewes or of the Iewes alone â—ut of all the faithfull whether they be Iews or Gentiles For Abraham is the Father of all the faithfull Rom. 4. 11. and all which are of the faith are the children of Abraham Gal. 3. 7. In this sense Zacheus the Publican receiving our Saviour by faith became the son of Abraham Luke 19. 9. As for those who were of Abrahams seed according to the flesh and not according to his faith they are not accompted the seed of Abraham For â—s the Apostle saith Rom 9. 6 7. All they are not Israel which are of Israel neither are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham but in Isaak shall thy seed be â—allâ—d that is saith the Apostle vers â— They which are the children of the flesh are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are accompted for the seed So our Saviour Iohn 8. although he grant that the Iewes to whom he spake were according to the flesh the seed of Abraham vers 37. Yet he concludeth against them that they were not Abrahams sons indeed because they did not the works of Abraham vers 39 40. This must teach those who come of faithfull parents or are nobly descended from famous and worthy ancestors not to rely too much upon their parentage but to shew themselves to be their children by imitating their faith and their godly conversation For otherwise though their parents were the children of God they may notwithstanding be the children of the Devill as our Saviour telleth the unbeleeving Iewes Ioh. 8. 44. And therefore Iohn the Baptist warneth the Iewes not to stand so much upon this that they had Abraham to their father but willeth them to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance Mat. 3. 9. If therefore we would be able with Zachary to call Abraham our father we must follow the faith of Abraham Galath 3. 7. and imitate his works Ioh. 8. 39. Again from hence we observe that what is spoken in this Oath concerning us as that he would give us that we being delivered c. is not to be understood of all men but of us who have Abraham to our Father that is to say of the faithfull who only are the sons of Abraham the heires of the Promise CHAP. III. The Tenour of the Oath NOw I come to the Tenour of the Oath it self in these words That he would give us that we being delivered c. But here some mâ—n will say there is no such Oath as this recorded in the Scriptures of the old Testament which God did sweare to Abraham Whereunto I answer that it is not always the custome of the holy Ghost in the New Testament when he alleadgeth Testimonies out of the old to recite the very same words and syllables but sometimes as being the best interpreter of himself in stead of words he setteth down the true sence and meaning thereof so in this place For whereas Moses Gen. 22. 16. 18. recordeth this Oath in these words by my selfe have I sworn saith the Lord that in thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed Zachary verse 67. here being filled with the holy Ghost expoundeth what this blessedness is which was promised in Christ the promised seed viz. that the Lord would give us that we being delivered from the hands of our enemies should worship him without fear c. That this is the oath which Zachary meaneth it is most certain because he giveth thanks to God for the performance of his oath which he sware to Abraham concerning the Redemption of his people the Israel of God by the Messias or promised feed which can be no other 〈◊〉 that which I named In thy seed all 〈…〉 And surely great cause there was that in the beginning of the
the keeping of the law doth consist For when a woman out of the crowd cryed unto our Saviour blessed is the womb that bare thee and the papes that gave thee suck Our Saviour returned this answer Luke 11. 28. Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it The same hath Salomon Prâ—v 29. 18. and who knoweth not that which the Apostle teach 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godlinesse hath the promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come and consequently of the happinesse both of this life and of the other life 3 To the parts of Gods worship as namely to holiness Apoc. 20. 6. Blessed and holy is the man who hath his part in the first resurrection Which testimony yeeldeth unto us a double proof First because he useth the terms of 〈…〉 of life And not only to holiness in generall but to the severall branches thereof is blessedness ascribed as to saving knowledge Prov. 3. 13. Ioh. 17. 3. to faith Luke 1. 45. Ioh. 20. 29. to assiance Psal. 2. 12. 34. 8. 40. 4. 84. 12. to hope Esayâ—0 â—0 18. Ier. 17. 7. to obedience Apoâ— 22. 14. to the feare of God Psal. 112. 1. 128. 1. 4. to humilitie Mar. 5. 3. Ioh. 13. 17. to patience Iam. 1. 12. 5. 11. 4 To righteousness Ps. 106. 3. Es. 56. 1 2. and not only to righteousness it self but also to the true desire of it Mat. 5. 6. Yeâ— and to the several branches of it as to mercifulness Mat. 57. Psal. 40. 1. 2. Prov. 14. 21. to meekness Mat. 5. 4. to peace-making Mat. 5. 9. And not only to the parts of Gods worship but also to the properties Fiftly therefore to the worship of God without fear of our enemies that is in confidence Psal. 146. 5. Whether you understand it without cause of fear because there is no condemnation to theâ— that are in Christ Jesus Rom. 8. 1. or without servile feâ—r in expectation of eterâ—al happiness Tiâ— 2. â—3 for this indeed is the top of our happiness in this life to worship God as without fear of damnation so in a found expectation of eternal life And this seemeth to be implyed in the Hebrew word Hithbaracu which being of a reciprocal signification signifieth that in Abrahams seed all Nations should not only be blessed but also should bless themselves that is esteem and accompt themselves blessed Sixtly To uprightness and integrity or to the worshipping of God in holiness and righteousness as before him Psal. 1 19. 1. Blessed are the upright in the way that is who walk uprightly So Psal. 84. 11. and not only the upright themselves but their children also after them are pronounced blessed Prov. â—0 7. If therefore blessedness be ascribed first of all to redemption 〈…〉 secondly to the true worship of God in general thirdly to holiness fourthly to righteousness fiftly to the worship of God without fear sixthly to integrity or to the worship of God as before him seventhly to perseverance or to the worship of God 〈…〉 days of our life Then seven times happy is that man who being delivered from the hand of his enemies hath grace given unto him to worship God without fear in holyness and righteousness before him all the days of his life By this conference of places we learn what the happiness of a Christian is in this life not to abound in wealth not to attain to great honours not to wallow in pleasures 〈…〉 graces above all the things in this world for what is our happiness that is our chief good esteeming all wordly things as dross and dâ—ng yea as loss in comparison thereof Phil. â— 8. 9 For as without these spiritual graces all wordly things are â—ain and unprofitable yea to them that set their hearts on them hurtful and peâ—â—icious So having fought and obtained these graces all temporal blessings shal be added unto us or if we seem to want any of them our seeming want thereof shall not hinder our happyness And therefore our Saviour pronounceth the faithful though living in poverty hunger sorrow and persecution happy and blessed Luke 6. 20. 21. 22. CHAP. IIII. Of the gift promised by this Oath in general and of the two parts thereof joyntly THus much of Zacharies exposition of Gods Oath now we come to the words thereof that he would give us c. The thing then promised in this Oath is a gift Of this gift we are to speak first in general and then in particular In general we may observe first the main difference between the Covenant of works made with all mankind and the Covenant of Grace made with Abraham and his seed the heires of promise In the former the Lord 〈◊〉 perfect obedience to the performed by our selves to our justification and salvation and denounceth his fearful câ—rse against those that do not continue in a total and perfect obedience In the latter the Lord iâ— in stead of requiring perfect obedience to be performed of us to our justification and salvation promiseth to those which believe redemption and justification without works and being redeemed and justified by faith he promiseth to give them grace to walk in new obedience as being an unseparable fruit of our redemption and justification and as the high-way wherein we are to walk towards our glorification Of this new Covenant the holy Ghost prophesieth by Ieremy Chap. 31. vers 31. 32 33. Behold the days come saith the Lord that I wil make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah not according to the Covenant which I made with their fathers when I brought them out of Aegypt which was the covenant of works but this shal be the Covenant that I wil make with them I wil put my law in their inward parts write it in their hearts c. which is the covenant of grace recited by the Apostle Heb. 8. v. 8. 9. 10 of which being a better Covenant Christ is the mediator v. 6. according to that Iohn 1. 17. This Law was given by Moses but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. The same Covenâ—nt repeated by Ezekiel Chap. 36. 26. 27. The Gospel therefore or Covenant of Grace is not a new law nor Christ a new law-giver as the Papists absurdly teach confounding the Law and the Gospel saving that they teach that the Gospel requireth more perfect obedience to be performed by our selves then the Law it self doth prescribe unto justification but to them that are redeemed and justified by faith it promiseth grace to walk in new obedience Howbeit this is true that as men deprived themselves of what was promised in the Old Covenant by disobedience So if men do live in sin without faith and without repentance not so much as desiring caring and endeavouring to worship God in holyness and righteousness they can have no assurance that they are within the Covenant of grace made only with those that truly beleeve God having promised