Covenant with me by Sacrifice 2. The other is that they keep Covenant Psal 103. 18. To such as keep They keep Covenant with God his Covenant and this he expounds in the following words to those that remember his Commandements to do them When we enter into Covenant with God what is it that we do I suppose if we do understand our selves that we do then take him to be our God 1. In his Gracious Mercy 2ly In his Righteous Society that he and he alone shall be our Lord our King to Rule and guide and prescribe us laws and we will be his people to hearken unto him to be at his command to obey his voice and will Is any man so wild to make such a Covenant with God or to think that God will make such a Covenant as this with him I will have mercy and blessing from God but I will not obey him he shall be none of my Lord nor King or that God will yield to these termes I will be yours for all blessings but live as you list do what you please walk how you will serve your lusts regard not my Law Did God ever make such a Covenant as this Saith God to Abraham Gen. 15. 1. I am tby shield and thy exceeding great reward And Chap. 17. 1. I am the Almighty God I am able to do thee good and will do so but then he addes walk before mee and be thou perfect q. d. I will be a God to you for blessing and also a God over you for Ruling I expect that you should walk uprightly before me i. e. observe my wayes my Commandements and act them with sincerity of heart not willingly disobey and prevaricate So Exod. 19. 5. If ye will obey my voice in doing and keeping my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people And Verse 6. Ye shall be unto me a Kingdom of Priests and an holy Nation But a little more to demonstrate this truth unto you be pleased to consider these five particulars First Those several Relations which fall upon all people who come to be in The relations betwixt God and his people in Covenant require obedience Covenant with God and they are all such as lay obligations upon them to obedience to walking in his Statutes They are the children of God and have God to be their Father Now saith God to them that pretend to stand in this Relation but walk disobediently A son honoureth his Father Mal. 1. 6. And if I be a father where is mine honour They are the servants of God and God is their Lord and Master Now saith he in the same place a servant honoureth his Master And if I be a Master where is my fear should not a Lord and Master be feared and what is it to fear God but to have an awful respect to his Commandements and a tender care to do his will They are his subjects and he is their King he is the Lord that Reigneth over them gives Laws unto them and are not his Subjects a willing people in the day of his power Do not his Saints humble themselves sit down at his feet and receive of his words doth not the fiery Law proceed from his right hand for them whom he calls his Saints Deut. 33. 2 3. Secondly The Covenant mercies and blessings as their scope is to express the Rich bounty of God to his people so likewise the end of them is to quicken constrain And so do the Covenant mercies and indear them unto duty and obedience Psal 86 12. I will praise thee O Lord my God with all my heart I will glorifie thy Name for evermore Ver. 13. for great is thy mercy towards me Psal 130. 4. There is forgiveness with thee that thou mayest be feared Deut. 10. 12. And now Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but to fear the Lord thy God to walk in his wayes and to love him and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul Luke 1. 74. That we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear Ver. 75. In holiness and righteousness Rom. 12. 1. I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrificâ— holy acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service Nothing more usual in the Scripture than to press the people in Covenant to obedience by and from the mercies of the Covenant The full and clear Revelation of the New Covenant takes in with it an express institution of obedience Tit. 2. 11. The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men Ver. 12. Teaching us that denying ungodlinesse and worldly lusts we should live soberly and righteously and godly in this present world The full and clearest Revelation of the new Covenant was when Jesus Christ himâ—elf appeared in the world and taught and dyed and rose again and ascended into heaven and even thence is obedience chiefly urged the Gospel all along pressing duties upon the people of God to love the Lord their God and to love their neighbour and to walk as children of the light Ephes 5. And to be obedient children 1 Pet. 1. 14. And to be holy in all manner of conversation Ver. 15. And to walk worthy of the vocation wherewith they are called with all lowliness and meekness Ephes 4. 1 2. And to put off concerning the former conversation which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts Ver. 22. And to put on the new man which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness Ver. 24. And to walk circumspectly Ephes 5. 15. or exactly unto the highest pitch of holiness and obedience Fourthly The Mediatour of the Covenant concerning whom you And the Mediatour of the Covenant finde 1. That he professeth that he came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it 2. That he explicated the Law in the true and spiritual sense of it vindicating it from the false glosses of the Pharisees and pressing it in many branches upon us as you may see in Matth. 5. from ver 21. to the end 3. Himself to be under the Law and making special use of it in several parts aginst the temptations of Satan It is written thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God Matth. 4. 7. And it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God and him only shalt thou serve ver 10. 4. That he makes obedience the discovery of our real love unto him Joh. 14. 15. If you love me keep my Commandements Ver. 21. He that hath my Commandements and keepeth them he it is that loveth me Ver. 24. If a man love me he will keep my words 5. That it was one end of the giving of himself to deth for us Tit. 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar people zealous of good
in you may go to such a friend and say unto him Lend me so much money to pay a debt and he is able to help you and yet there are some wants that no friend nor man can be a help unto you in them When the famine was very grievous in Samaria a woman cryed to the King of Israel Help my Lord O King and he said If the Lord do not help thee whence shall I help thee out of the barne-floor or out of the wine-presse 2 Kings 6. 26 27. As if he had said In this thy strait I am not able to help thee Beloved our wants may quickly rise above the power of man but they can never rise above the power of God every spiritual want exceeds the power of all creatures but no corporal or spiritual want exceeds the power of God you need knowledge your God is able to give it and you need wisdome your God is able to give it and you need mercy and grace and comfort and strength and deliverance and faith patience love meeknesse joy peace and friends and bread and house c. God your God is able to supply every want that is present or that is possible We read of the Israelites that being in bondage they wanted liberty and God gave it them and being near the Red Sea they wanted salvation and God gave it and being in the Wildernesse they wanted water the Rock is smitten and water is given and they wanted bread and God rained down Manna and they wanted flesh and God sent them Quailes c. If any man had such a friend who had power enough for all sorts of supplies let his wants and straits be what they may be yet he were able to help all O saith he I am well I have a friend who can help me in all my wants and straits Such a friend amongst men cannot I confesse be found but such a God may be found who can perform all things for you who hath power enough to help against all temptations and against all corruptions and in all afflictions and in all necessities yea and in all extremities 2. He alone can do you good you need none but your God to do you good He alone can do you good Omnipotency is of it self sufficient for all your helps and supplies as it can do all things so it can do all things from it self No creature is alone able or sufficient to be an help unto you without God but God alone is able to help you without any creature for he is omnipotent Suppose you be in danger God alone is able to deliver you suppose you be under trouble of Spirit God alone is able to comfort you suppose you need mercy God alone is able to pardon you suppose you be under outward wants God alone is able to supply you Omnipotency needs the help of none unto your help it can create salvation and command loving kindnesses and deliverances and any good 3. When God will do you good none can hinder him or you from the enjoyment When God will do you good none can hinder him of that good If he will blesse you you shall be blessed is there any power able to hinder Omnipotency as the Apostle spake in another case 1 Cor. 10. 22. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousie are we stronger than he So say I Will any contend with the Almighty God Can they binde his hand Are they stronger than the Almighty and Omnipotent God Isa 46. 9. I am God and there is none els I am God and there is none like me verse 10. My Counsel shall stand and I will do all my pleasure Isa 40. 15. Behold the Nations are as a drop of a buckâ—â— and are counted as the small dust of the balance ver 17. All Nations before him are as nothing and they are counted to him lesse than nothing and vanity Beloved you cannot put any supposition as a prejudice unto Gods Omnipotency you cannot say were my Adversaries not so many or mighty were my temptations not so high and strong were my distresses not so deep and low were my wants not so many and great then God could do me good and help me These are vain and weak suppositions in reference unto God for although the power of men and divels and the greatnesse of want and distresses may exceed out power yet nothing is too hard for God there are no difficulties there are no impediments unto the Omnipotent God If God be for us who can be against us saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 31. As if he should say if God will preserve you you shall be safe if God will blesse you you shall be blessed if God will do you good none can hinder 4. Then all his promises shall be accomplished unto you Those promises All his promises shall be accomplished unto you which are so many and so great and so precious which are your treasures your munition of rocks your hopes and confidences and the bonds and security which God gives unto you they shall certainly be performed unto you There are three things concerning God which do assure you of the performance of his promises First His Will the will of his goodness is in the making of all his promises and the will of his resolution is for the performing of them Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob and the oath to Abraham Micah 7. 20. 2. His unchangeablenesse or unfaithfulness I will not suffer my faithfulnesse to faile Psal 89. 33. My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Verse 34. He is faithful that promised Heb. 10. 23. 3. His Power or Omnipotency being fully perswaded that what he had promised he was able to performe Rom. 4. 21. Beloved your God doth never over engage himself unto you his goodness doth not surpass his ability he promiseth unto his people in general riches of grace and glory and he hath promised to some of his people in particular such blessings as exceeded all the possible capacities of reason and yet he easily brought all about he performed all for he is an Omnipotent God infinitely able to do c. 5. He can then raise and advance the work which he hath wrought he can He can raise and advance the work which he hath wrought bring forth judgment unto victory as it was said of Zerubbabel the hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this house his hands also shall finish it Zach. 4. 9. Or as the Lord spake about the house of Eli 1 Sam. 3. 12. when I begin I will make an end So say I hath God begun in your hearts any work of grace hath he sowen the seed in rhe field hath he planted the Vineyard he is able to finish his work he who was able to give grace is able to make all grace to abound he that planteth grace is able also to water it and to increase it and to bring
your High Priest who offered himself for you and lives to make Intercession for you 1. All your sins were laid upon him for in that respect he was your Priest in by his oblation that respect also he was your Surety Heb. 7. 21 22. what 's that That That is All our sinâ—es were â—ayed upon him he became bound to God responsible unto him for all your sins for all that God in justice could charge upon you and demand for satisfaction Our salvation was laid on one that is mighty As Judah became a surety to Jacob for Benjamin he engaged himself to his Father I will be surety for him of my hand shalt thou require him if I bring him not unto thee and set him before thee then let me bear the blame for ever Gen. 43. 9. Thus Jesus Christ is our Priest and therefore our Surety with his Father Father I will take upon me all the sins of thy people I will be bound to answer for them I will sacrifice my self for them at my hands do thou require satisfaction for their sins and a full compensation unto thy justice I will die I will lay down my life I will make my soul an offering for sins I will become a curse I will endure thy wrath O what a Comfort is this that there is a Christ to answer for that which we could not answer Hâ— discharged all our debâ—s and bonds The debt of obedience and of punishment 2. He discharged all your debts and bonds There is a twofold debt which lay upon us one was the debt of obedience unto the Law And this Christ did pay by fulfilling all Righteousnesse Matth. 3. 15. The other was the debt of punishment for our transgressions and this debt also Christ discharged by his death on the Crosse and being made a curse for us to redeem us from the curse Gal. 3. 13. Hence it is that we are said to be bought with a price 1 Cor. 6. 20. and that Christ is called our ransome Lutron Matth. 20 28. and Antilutron 1 Tim. 2. 6. the words do signifie a valuable price laid down for anothers ransome the blood of â—hrist the Son of God was a valuable price a sufficient price it was as much as would serve the turn to take off all enmities and to take away sin and to satisfie Divine justice and indeed so it did and therefore you read that in his blood we have redemption even the forgivenesse of our sins Ephes 1. 7. and his death was such a full compensation to Divine Justice that the Apostle makes a challenge to all Rom. 8. 33 Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect and ver 3â— Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that died as if he had said Crist hath satisfied and discharged all O what comfort is â—his unto us to have such an high Priest who himself bare all our sins even all our sins left not one unsatisfied for laid down a full ransome a full price such an expiatory â—acrifice such a satisfactory â—acrifice as â—hat now we are out of the hands of justice and wrath and death and curse and hell and are reconciled and made near and deale altogether under the throne of Grace and Mercy 3. As our Priest in offering himself for us his Scacrifice being as the â—cripture There is not only satisâ—action buâ— merit in his oblation speaks the blood oâ— God that is of one that is God there is more therefore in it than meere payment or satisfaction there was merit also in it to acquire and procure and purchase all Spiritual good and all Eternal good for the people of God not only immunities from evil in sin and death but priviledges and dignities of sons and heires yea all grace and all love and all peace and all glory even that glorious inheritance purchased by his blood You may now look on â—od as your Father and on Heaven as your inheritance seâ—led on you by the love of God and purchased for you by the blood of Jesus Christ 4. What shall I say more Jesus Christ is your Priest for Intercession also Do Comfort from his intercession you know your happiness by this and in this your Christ is now entered into heaven and sits on the right hand of God the Father and therefore he intercedes for you he presents himself as your Surety â—s your Redeemer in all his susceptions and endurances and discharges and purchases for you in the price which he laid down and in the merits of that price and so negotiates and obtaines for you and still is effectually letting dâ—wn unto you the vertues and purchases of his life and death untill you come at length to â—he highest and full enjoyment of himself in glory Father I purchased this for him I paid dearly for it c. And therefore some not without ground ascribe all the purchases of Christ for the application of them untâ— us unto the Intercession of Christ I will say no more but thâ—s That all your communions with the Father all your audiences all your acceptances all your answers in graces in comforts in hopes in helps in present in future enjoyments owe themselves unto â—hrist as your Priest in the Oblation of himself for you and in the intercession of him unto the Father for you 3. Jesus Christ is a King and he is your King He is called a King Psal 2. 6. and Jesus Christ is a Kinâ— â—nd your King He mâ—kes subjects by his Word and Spirit He mâ—kâ—s all his Subjects free-men He mâ—kes all his Subjects Kings he is called King of Saints Rev. 15. 3. He is such a King as there is not the like A King by contract in respect of God by conquest in respect of us 1. He makes Subjects by the power of his Word and Spirit effectually calling us out of the kingdom of darkness into his own gracious Kingdom 2. He makes all his Subjects free-men If the Sâ—n shall make you free you are free indeed Joh. 8 36. 3. He makes all his Subjects Kings He hath made us unto our God Kings and Priests Rev. 4. 10 4. He rules all his Subjects by Righteous Laws therefore he is called Melchisedeck He rules them by righâ—eous Laws which signifies a King of Righteousnesse and his Kingdom is called a Righteous Kingdom 5. He is the King of Salem of peace as well as of Righteousnesse Men never He is a King of peace enjoy peace at least such a peace anywhere as in the Kingdom of Christ there is no man that obeyes him and is ruled by him but findes peace Gal. 6. His kingdom is righteousnesse peace and joy in the Holy Ghost 6. He as a King seeks your good and all that he doth hath a respect to your good all He seeks your good and all he doth is with respect to your good He will protect and secuâ—e you his dispensations are good and for
God power is necessary to give a being unto all undertakings The power of God If a poor man promiseth much yet there is no certainty of it because though he be very willing yet he is very unable the engagement exceeds his stock of ability But God is able to performe all the good promised to his people in the Covenant Rom. 4. 21. Abraham was fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able also to perform For the clear understanding of this remember four particulars 1. There is not any one promise of God but hath the power of God accompanying No promise of God but hath the power of God engaged for it it and engaged for it whether for temporal things see an excellent place for this Numb 11. 18. The Lord will give you flesh and you shall eat Ver. 19. Ye shall not eat one day nor two dayes nor ten nor twenty but a whole month Verse 20. And Moses said verse 21. The people are six hundred thousand footmen and thou hast said I will give them flesh for a whole month Shall ver 22. the flocks and herds be slain for them to suffice them or shall the fish of the sea be gathered together for them as if he had said But art thou able to make this promise good the Lord said unto Moses verse 23. Is the Lords hand waxed short Thou shalt see whether my word shall come to passe unto thee or not he did make it good Or whether the promise be for spiritual things there is the power of God accompanying it Micah 7. 18. Who is a strong God like unto thee that pardoneth iniquity He is able to pardon all our sinnes and able to change our hearts and to subdue our iniquities and to write his Law in our hearts and to make all grace to abound and to keep us from falling and to preserve us to his heavenly glory We are kept by the power of God 2. This power is a supreme and over-topping power it is an exceeding power This power is a supreme power a power that cannot be hindred If he will blesse who can curse If he be with us who can be against us No creature can raise up and stay it it is such a power as beares down all before it All that Pharaoh could do could not make or hinder the power of God from delivering his people according to his promise nor all the Kings could hinder their possessing of promised Canaan 3. This power is independent it takes not in any assistance to help it but is alone This power is independent sufficient to it self and unto all its works and unto all the purposes of God there is enough of his power as to creation so to conversion and pardoning and blessing 4. This power is an enduring power it still abides in strength Behold the Lords hand is not shortned that it cannot save Isa 59. 1. His power remains the same This power is an enduring power for ever 2. The Will of God in reference to the Covenant to perform what God hath promised Micah 7. 20. Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob. Jer. 33. 14. The Will of God I will performe that good thing which I have promised to the house of Israel 1 Thes 5. 24. Faithful is he that calleth you who will also do it Phil. 1. 6. He that hath begunne a good work in you will performe it untill the day of Jesus Christ God was never forced to make it or to enter into this Bond but out of his own accord willingly became ours and this willingnesse was not extrinsecal depending upon the perswasion of another but it was intrinsecal arising only from his own entire love unto us Quest But the question may be concerning the kinds of Gods Will as to the performance The kinds of Gods will of this Covenant Sol. For answer unto that take these particulars 1. The will of God for the performance of his Covenant it is a peremptory and perfect Will it is a Will resolved a Will of purpose or according to purpose It is a peremptory and perfect will not an incompleat Will it may be I will and it may be I will not not a wishing but this is my purpose my decree I am resolved on it to blesse my people to bring upon them all the good of my Covenant 2. This Will is grounded on it selâ— it is a well-guided Will it doth not depend It is grounded on it self on any thing in us for then it might not be sure but only the good pleasure of his Will which is most sure Ezek. 36. 22. Not for your sakes O house of Israel but for mine holy Name-sake Isa 48. 11. For mine own sake even for mine own sake will I do it Deut. 7. 8. Because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the Oath which he had sworne unto your Fathers hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand 3. This Will is fixed and unalterable must not the Covenant then be sure It is fixed and unalterable Psal 89. 34. My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Verse 35. Once have I sworn by my holinesse that I will not lye unto David And this willingnesse he hath expressed 1. In his promiseâ— yea promise upon promise that he will bring upon them all the good that he hath promised them Jer. 32. 42. and Jer. 33. 14. and Micah 7. 20 c. 2. In his Oath to all this I have sworn by my holinesse that I will not lye unto David Psal 89. 35. He confirmed it by his Oath saith the Apostle in Heb. 6. 17. and an Oath for confirmation is an end of all strife ver 16. Luk. 1. 72. To perform the mercy promised to our fâ—thers and to remember his holy Covenant Ver. 73. The Oath which he sware to our Father Abraham surely God will not break his word of promise and lye surely God will not break his Oath and be perjured 3. This Covenant is gracious and therefore it is sure as the Apostle speaks It is gracious Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might bâ— by grace to the end the promise might bâ— sure to all the seed The former Covenant was not sure because it was of works and rested upon our own strength and performance but this Covenant iâ— sure because it is of grace and rests not on any sufficiency in us but only on the goodnesse and the sufficiency of Gods grace God in this Covenant doth promise to give us all things freely to work all our works in us and for us not to deal with us according to our deserts but according to the riches of his mercy 4. This Covenant is confirmed by the blood of Jesus Christ which is called It is confirmed by the blood of Christ the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 20. Matth. 26. 28. This
act Restraining grace especially such as are scandalous and dangerous in the opinion of men With this do many men sit down and blesse themselves for renewed and changed persons for they are not as other men neither whore nor thief and dare not commit such and such sins But Beloved there is a vast difference between restraining grace and renewing grace they differ in six particulars Difference betwixt restaining and renewing grace Restraining grace is only an impediment to sinful actions First Restraining grace is only an impediment to sinful actions but renewing grace is an amendment of our sinful inclinations When a man is only restrained from sin Simile it is with him as with a thief in prison who doth not commit any thievish act yet even then he doth retain his thievish heart or as with a dogge that is chained up and cannot tear and devour but yâ—â— the same curst and revenging nature remains in him Simile So when a man is only restrained from sin although he forbears any visible acts of sin yet his heart is as wicked as ever and his sinful inclinations and affections the same as before But this it is not when the heart is renewed by grace for renewing grace is not only a cord to with-hold but it is likewise a plaister to heal and change as it is a preservative against sinful actions and works so it is a spiritual salve to cure our sinful natures the renewed Christian doth not only forbear sin but he doth also hate sin a restrained sinner at sometimes cannot sin a renewed sinner at no time would sin the one doth not commit the sin which yet he still loves but the other doth sometimes do the sin which yet his soul still hates It is an unvoluntary impediment Secondly when a man forbears sin by the sole power of restraining grace it is involuntary There is a secret regretting or rising of the heart against this restraining power Simile The heart looks on it as under a force or extreamly burdened or oppressed it is discontented and impatient like a horse that is kept in by a bridle or like water which is stopt it riseth and swelleth the more and the sinner counts it a great part of his misery that such awing and restraining circumstances are upon him but when a person is renewed by grace it is no grief or burden of heart to him that he may not sin but he prayes earnestly to be kept from sin Keep thy servant c. So David Psal 19. 13. and he heartily blesses God for being kept from sin Blessed be the Lord God of Israel c. 1 Sam. 25. 32. and is more troubled and discontented and burdened that he carries within himself a body of sin which rebels against the law of his mind than that he is hindred and kept from sin Thirdly A person acting only under the strength of restraining grace though a while he may hold off from gross sins yet he will not strive seriously to mortifie It doth not mortifie those sins it restraines from the lusts from which those sins do arise but he will give his heart leave to a delightful contemplation of them and to secret desires after them and will venture very near to the commission of them But when the heart is renewed by grace the person flies from sin yea from all appearances of evil and is so far from sparing of any sin that he layes the Axe to the root of the Tree and endeavours in good earnest the mortifying and crucifying of sin Fourthly when a person hath only that grace which we call restraining his Sin breaks out with more violence upon the removing of the restraint sinful corruptions upon the removing of those restraints do break out with more rage and violence if once it recover its liberty the course of it now is with more strength and fury Take you any child or servant or any other person loving of sin yet not daring to commit sin of their fear of those under whom they live if these once get but their liberty none prove more insolently and outragiously wicked But where the heart is renewed by grace it hath a constant tenderness and habitual fear a fixed contrariety and detestation of sin Though Parents be dead though Governours be absent though Friends be departed it is all one God still lives and God still sees and therefore how can the renewed person commit any wickedness and sin against God and the longer he lives the more he hates sin Fifthly Though men acting by restraining grace may and do sometimes forbear He forbears sin upon other grounds to sin yet it is upon other grounds than those do who abstain from sin from renewing grace In restriction men abstain from sin for fear of outward shame or of outward loss or for fear of Gods wrath or for fear of terror of conscience which hath formerly befallen them for sinning But in Renovation men abstain from sin out of a love to God and out of an hatred of the filthiness of sin because it will offend and grieve their God and defile and pollute their souls Sixthly Lastly though by restraining grace there is some temporary cessation from There is only a temporal cessation sinful evil yet there is no setled inclination unto nor delight in spiritual good no heart to prize God or Christ or holiness or the wayes or works of new obedience But where God gives renewing grace to the heart as there is more than a meere ceasing to sinne So there is another heart given inclining to God to 〈◊〉 his Will to love his Commands to walk in his Paths to delight to do his Will I delight in the Law of God after the inner man said Paul Rom. 7. 22. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes Psal 119. 5. And ver 112. I have enclined my heart to perform thy statutes alwayes to the end III. The presence of common gifts The presence of common gifts I call then those gifts common gifts which the Spirit of God doth give though not to every man yet unto men who are really bad and unconverted as well as to men who are really good and converted of which some do respect What those gifts are First The mind in light or knowledge of the Scripture in general and of Christ and the way of salvation by him in particular 1 Cor. 12. 8 9 10. Secondly The judgement in a credence or assent unto what God reveals in his Word as true King Agrippa believest thou the Prophets I know that thou believest Acts 26. 27. Thirdly The heart as those tasts you read of in Heb. 6. 4. The tasting of the heavenly gift ver 5. The tasting of the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come Fourthly The Conscience unto which may be given a deep sense of sin and extream trouble for it as you read in Ahab and Judas c. Fifthly The affections
commend to you that have the Envy not the gifts of the Spirit in others Spirit is this Do not envy the gifts and graces of the Spirit in any man nor speak evil of them Numb 11. 29. And Moses said unto Joshua Enviest thou for my sake Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit upon them The Spirit of God gives different gifts unto men to profit withall 1 Cor. 12. 7. To one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit Ver. 8. To another Faith by the same Spirit Ver. 9. And there are different measures of his gifts some do excell in one gift and some in another and this holds true in publick persons and in private persons all of us should rejoyce in all these manifestations of the Spirit It should not grieve us that any one is good nor that he can do good in his private way or in his publick way nor should it grieve and trouble us if any man hath more grace or that he can do more good bring more glory to Christ than we do or can The end of every Christian is Gods glory now every one should mind that and contribute towards that one man may contribute more and every man should contribute his utmost towards it is it not enough if Christ be magnified and thy soul saved Sixthly You should not be discouraged for any work which God puts upon Be not discouraged at hard tasks you though never so great and difficult for you have the Spirit of wisdom and power and sufficiency to assist you Zach. 4. 6. Not by might not by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts 2ly Now follows the Positive or affirmative duties for them that have received the Spirit of God The positive duties of such as have the spirit They should shew â—orth the vertues of the spirit As love First You should express the virtue of the Spirit which abideth in you you should walk like men of another spirit especially you should hold out those nine fruits or virtues of the spirit mentioned in Gal. 5. 22 23. The fruit of the Spirit is love joy peace long-suffering gentlenesse goodnesse faith meeknesse temperance these you should strive to act in your convesations 1. Love i. e. a loving behaviour especially towards the Godly nay and towards all men you should walk in love without hatred and emulation and envying and rash suspition and censoriousness 2. Joy i. e. such a behaviour as sets out a contentedness and well-pleasedness Joy with our worldly portion and a chearfulness and comfortableness in our spiritual relation unto and portion in God and Christ 3. Peace i. e. such a behaviour as exempts us from medling and wrangling and quarrelling and contentiousness and turbulency and tumâ—ltuousness and Peace variancies and that frames us to a quiet peaceable and unprovoking inoffensive carriage 4. Long-suffering i. e. we should bear much of the weaknesses and infirmities Long-suffering of those with whom we do converse and pass by slight injuries and forgive many a wrong done unto us as God for Christs sake hath forgiven us 5. Gentleness i. e. we should behave our selves towards others in speaking Gentleness or looking or dealing without pâ—ide austerity insolency scornfulness rigidness in a soft humble affable candid manner 6. Goodness i. e. we should not be hard-hearted and backward to do good Goodness to the souls or bodies of others but should be ready to distribute full of the fruits of mercy and be helpful and profitable and merciful to them that need especially to the distressed members of the body of Christ 7. Faith i. e. fidelity we should be just in our words promises and in all our Faith dealing with men by no means lye or deceive or over-reach or deal with guile deceitfully or falsly but squarely plainly and honestly and righteously 8. Meekness i. e. we should suppress all rash furious immoderate unlawful anger and frowardness and perturbation and passionateness and strive to Meekness manifest that we are in some measure able to deny our selves and to bear crosses and afflictions provocations injuries patiently and contentedly 9. Temperance i. e. we should not excessively lay out our cares and labours Temperance for any wordly thing whether honour or riches or pleasures but be soher in the desire and use of all the earthly blessings which God hath given unto us Secondly you should be wonderful thankful unto the Lord for giving of his We must be thankful for the spirit Spirit unto you Paul takes special notice of this mercy and often speaks of it We have received the Spirit of God and he hath given unto us his holy Spirit and his Spirit dwelleth in us c. There are four things for which God is eternally to be blessed viz. 1. For his free grace and love 2ly For his Christ 3ly For his Gospel And 4ly for his Spirit Quest And why for his Spirit Sol. Because what you are in relation to God you are by the Spirit First Are you in Christ this is by the Spirit are you new creatures born Reasons of it again this is by the Spirit are you delivered from Satan and your sinfull corruptions this is by the Spirit 2. What you can do this comes from the Spirit Can you mourn for sin can you poure out your hearts in Prayer can you at any time trust in the Name of the Lord can you look towards his holy place in times of desertion can you deny your selves can you do the will of God can you suffer the will of God all your spiritual strength is from the Spirit Thirdly Have you any discoveries of the Love of God have you any clearness of the love of Christ and of your propriety in him have you any satisfying evidences of your present relation to God have you any sealings and assurances of future blessedness have you ever tasted of joy unspeakable and glorious of a peace that passeth all understanding of recoveries out of sin of sweet refreshings under troubles of conscience then bless the Lord who hath given his own Spirit unto you Thirdly you should improve the Spirit that is given unto you and make Improve the spirit use of him 1. For works which he can do but hath not yet begun within you 2. For works which he hath begun but hath not as yet perfected and finished within you First For works which he can do but perhaps hath not yet begun within you He hath begun the work of humiliation and of vocation and of union and of regeneration but then perhaps there are other works wanting you have found him an healing Spirit but did you ever find him a sealing Spirit you have felt the power of his grace but did you ever tast the sweetness of his joyes you have found him a regenerating
salvation As are the sinews of all Religion As most concern our selves and families That concern righteousnesse and mercy That concern the avoiding of greater sins We should do all affectionately in or to observe Sol. I humbly conceive that our special care should be First Of those which do principally and immediately respect Gods Glory Summa ratio in summo fine Secondly Of those which do most absolutely and necessarily respect our own salvation as Regeneration Repentance Holiness Faith Thirdly Of those which are the bond and sinews of all Religion upholding it in the power and practice of it as the sanctifying of the Sabbath Fourthly Of those which do most concern our selves and such as are under our charge as family-duties Fifthly Of those which do require and enjoyn righteousness and mercy unto others and preserve publick society Sixthly Of those which do concern the greater sins which should be most carefully avoided Fourthly we should walk in Gods statutes and keep and do them affectionately we should affect the acts of obedience and be affected in them Suppose that a man did walk up to every statute of God yet if this were not done affectionately all were nothing Now there are four affections with which we should perform every service or duty that we do unto God 1. Love and delight 2ly Joy 3ly Fear 4ly Zeal First With Love and Delight We must love the Lord and his statutes and the With love and delight duties which he requires from us and take delight in obeying and doing his will Psal 119. 97. O how I love thy Law Ver. 167. My soul hath kept thy testimonies and I love them exceedingly Psal 40 8. I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart Secondly With joy and alacrity Psal 119. I have rejoyced in the way of With joy and alacrity thy testimonies as much as in all riches Psal 100. 2. Serve the Lord with gladness Our walking in Gods statutes should be our meat and drink we should find more satisfaction and soul contentment and refreshing when we are doing the will of God and are enjoying communion with him than we do find or take in any earthly enjoyment whatsoever Thirdly With fear Serve the Lord with fear Psal 2. 11. when ye are a performing With fear any duty to God ye must do it with a 1. Reverential fear Thou shalt fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord A reverential fear thy God Deut. 28. 58. God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the Saints and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him Psal 89. 7. Pray and hear with fear and trembling 2. Humble fear of our own sufficiency and of our own performance left Humble fear any thing should fall in with our duties by which God may be offended and our service of him may miscarry c. Fourthly With zeal or fervor of spirit The people of God must be zealous With zeal of good works and zealous in good works fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12. 11. It was said of Jehoshaphat that his heart was lifted up in the wayes of the Lord 2 Chron. 17. 6. And of Josiah that he made a Covenant before the Lord to walk after the Lord and to keep his Commandements and his testimonies and his statutes with all his heart and with all his soul c. 2 Chron. 34. 31. See also 2 King 23. 25. Wrestling and striving in Prayer attend earnestly in hearing We must not walk in Gods statutes with careless sloathful indifferent spirits but with heightned and lively and enlarged spirits doing his will with all our might and strength bringing out all the might and power that we have in his service stir up our graces and our hearts Fifthly We should walk in Gods statutes uprightly and sincerely Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou upright And 1 Kin. 3. 6. David my Father walked Walk in them uprightly before thee in truth and in righteousness and in uprightness of heart with thee Isa 38. 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart c. 2 Cor. 1. 12. Our rejoycing is this the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity and godly sincerity we have had our conversation in the world Quest But here now is the great Question how one may know that he walks Signs of sincerity uprightly in Gods statutes Sol. There are 〈◊〉 discoveries of this First The prevalent motive which alone sufficeth to his obedience and that If we obey because God commands is the will or command of God if a man be upright and walk with an unright heart then he will and doth act and move upon the sole account of Gods command that alone is reason enough and will prevail with him for obedience There are several Motives which induce men to do good works some do respect our selves and are drawn from a respect to our credit and profit as do such a work and perform such a duty and you shall have honour amongst men by it and you shall gain much by it these considerations are the prevailing Motives which men of unsound hearts to some things which God requires as it was with Jehu c. And some are drawn from God himself only from his Commandement and this is sufficient and this prevails with men of upright heart Psal 119. 4. Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts dilgently Ver. 5. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes Mark how his heart is drawn out to obedience upon the meer command of God Thou hast commanded us c. Isa 2. 3. He will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths Mark there is no more considered to move to walk in his paths than this he will teach us of his wayes i. e. he will make us to know that this or that is his will and command concerning us Paul relates that it was the earnest prayer of Epaphras for the Colossians that they might stand perfect and be filled with all the will of God Col. 4. 12. It is not Compleri but Repleri 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Some look upon that word as Metaphorical to be filled with the will of God as the sails of a ship are filled with wind which is enough to carry the ship in voyage so it is enough when the will of God fills our hearts and that carries them out to duty and David hath a singular expression in Psal 119. 6. When I have respect unto all thy Commandements you know that to have a respect unto a thing is this when that of all other swayes most with us as when a Master commands a servant he will do such a business because he respects him and at his command he will go and come though he will not at the command of any other this was Davids