sent which is a term of Office the Father sends the Son and the Son from the Father sends the Spirit Joh. 14. When the Comforter is come which I will send from the Father Now Christ is the Mediator of the Covenant Heb. 12.24 and the Spirit the seal of the Covenant Ephes 1.13 the Covenant is the Covenant of Promise and the Spirit of the Covenant is the Spirit of Promise and the Person that transacts all from each Person within us in reference to this Covenant as Christ does all with God without us in reference to this Covenant Thence in Prayer we are said chiefly to pray to God the Father and Christ teacheth us to say Our Father c. not that we are not to pray to all the Persons but because the other Persons have undertaken their peculiar Offices in reference to the Prayers of the Saints the Spirit within us as a spirit of supplication indites our Prayers and stirs up affections answerable to our Petitions and groans unutterable and Christ as our High Priest receives this Incense and offers it and as the great Master of Requests tenders our Prayers unto the Father and they are received out of the Angels hand therefore in Scripture we are chiefly directed to pray unto the Father so though all the Persons Father Son and holy Spirit do enter into Covenant with the Saints yet the Covenant in Scripture is said to be chiefly made with God the Father because of the Offices that the other Persons have undertaken in the administration of this Covenant and the Grace thereof 3. It will appear by this because all things in this Covenant are from him and the other Persons in all the Offices that they undertake do it by his appointment the original of all is in the Father 1. The plot and the project was his to reconcile sinners to himself by a second Covenant and all that the Son does therein is not his own will but the will of him that sent him and it is by this will of the Father that we are sanctified the original and foundation of all the benefits that we have from Christ in this Covenant is from this will of the Father Heb. 10. the Son can do nothing of himself but what he sees the Father do The plot and platform was by him laid and as with reverence be it spoken David said the platform of the building of the Temple was shewed unto him and the design was his though Solomon his Son built it so it is here the plot and the form was laid by the Father but it was the Son that did build the Church 2. The Person with whom he would make this Covenant he did design Joh. 17.6 Thine they were and thou gavest them me And he shall give eternal life to as many as thou hast given me Rev. 13.8 2 Tim. 2.19 And therefore there is Gods book of Life and the Lambs book and they do exactly answer one another the latter being but a transcript only out of the former The foundation of the Lord remains sure and hath this seal c. 3. He doth appoint how much Grace and how much Glory he will dispense unto every one of them by this Covenant the Lord has made Christ the Treasurer 1 Joh. 5.11 and as it were a Feoffee in trust Ephes 4. but Christ does not dispense Grace unto all alike there is a fulness of the age of the stature of Christ but all Saints do not attain to the same stature in Grace neither shall they in Glory the difference is in the appointment of the Father for in dispensing of Grace as well as in meriting of the same Christ is but the Fathers servant and does his will To sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to give but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared of my Father 4. It was the Father that employed Christ in this great work to be the Mediator of this Covenant he did not take it of himself and of his own motion but as the Father enters into Covenant so he appoints the Mediator of the Covenant Isa 49.8 He gives him as a Covenant and he did call him to be a Priest therefore you read Mat. 12.18 My servant whom I have chosen 5. He did confirm this Covenant by an Oath and thereby made it unchangeable or else it could never have been And there is a double Oath 1 An Oath to Christ Psal 110.4 making him a Priest by an Oath 2 An Oath to all his federates Heb. 6.17 18. 6. He has delighted in this Covenant and spent infinite thoughts upon it and it is therefore called the pleasure of the Lord. Isa 53.10 How many are thy thoughts to us ward c. Psal 40.5 it is the speech of Christ unto his Father as appears afterwards If I should speak of thy thoughts unto us they are more than can be expressed and all these thoughts are in reference unto this Covenant and his thoughts of peace towards the Elect which he delighted in from everlasting And by all this it will appear that though all the persons be in Covenant with the Saints under the second Covenant yet it is chiefly God the Father § 2. God will after the fall deal with his people in a Covenant-way though mankind did prove unfaithful and break the Covenant of their Creation and so should have perished for ever under the curse of it Covenant breaking being the great aggravation of all transgression and therefore though it was an act of grace and meer goodness before yet now a man would have thought the Lord should have tried man in a way of Covenant no more but only have ruled him in a way of Soveraignty and given him a command and if he did not obey to have taken him away as he saw good but God will deal with man in a Covenant-way Mic. 7. ult Rom. 15.8 1. The Lord will do it thereby to make known his mercy and his truth and he doth manifest both these in the Covenant there is mercy in making the Covenant and mercy infinitenitely the more because it is now with a perfidious and sinful people whose hearts have not been stedfast with the Lord and there is truth and faithfulness in keeping it and there was no way for God to shew forth his faithfulness but this by continuing a Covenant and to be constant in it from a mans conversion unto his glorification for spiritual mercies and for temporal Psal 111.9 he is always mindful of his Covenant he has commanded his Covenant for ever that is to stand fast for ever his Faithfulness is as the Mountains and as the Ordinances of Heaven and you may as soon change the one as the other and this Faithfulness under the second Covenant is so much the more seen because of our unfaithfulness unto him when the unfaithfulness of man cannot make the faithfulness of God of none effect 2.
temptations shall quicken them to wisdom and watchfulness 8 And tend to the greater increase of their glory Pag. 406 The Providence of God as it respects men is for the good of the Saints Pag. 409 Providence orders all things in reference to their own spiritual good 1 For conversion 2 Instruction 3 Deliverance out of danger 4 Preservance when there is no visible support 5 Consolation 6 When lusts are high and temptations impetuous Pag. 410 There is a special Providence over godly men for the good of others that are good in present and after-generations 1 In improving their parts 2 In drawing out their graces 3 In their sufferings 4 Labours 5 Examples 6 Prayers 7 Faith Pag. 411 The Providence of God over-rules all things for the good of the Saints in reference to evil men 1 They have a being in the world and a standing in the Church for the Saints good 2 God stirs up the spirits of wicked Magistrates for the good of the Saints 3 He stirs up the spirits of wicked men to stand for a good cause and to assist the Saints 4 He doth them good by their persecutions 5 By their sins 6 Their desertions 7 Their restraints Pag. 414 The Providence of God is also concerned in the smallest things for the good of the Saints Pag. 417 Whatever the Lord doth by means he can work immediately by his own hand without means Pag. 420 In the means he uses there is an immediate concurrence of his own Power to the producing the effect Pag. 421 God doth sometimes delight to work without means by his own immediate hand ibid. This immediate acting of Providence is wholly for the good of his people Pag. 422 Gods immediate promise or ordering things in the use of means is for the good of his people 1 He appoints the means 2 He blesses the means 3 He raises up means unexpectedly 4 Most unlikely Pag. 425 The Providence of God orders all things that work from a necessity of nature for the good of his people 1 The Sun 2 The Stars 3 Rain 4 The Earth 5 The Seas 6 The Winds Pag. 427 All casual providences are for the good of the Saints as dreams lots ordering the wills and affections of men the fall of a house c. Pag. 428 The Providence of God doth order all good things for the spiritual good of his people 1 Their calling 2 Their habitation 3 Opportunities to exercise grace 4 Society 5 Preservation in service dismission from it 6 Posterity Pag. 429 The Providence of God orders all evil things either of sin or punishment for the good of his people Pag. 432 The Providence of God orders the sins of the Saints themselves for their good and that 1 In respect of the being of sin 2 Rising of sin 3 Actings of sin 4 Raging of sin ibid. In respect of the being of sin in them that thereby 1 He may exalt the grace of Justification to them 2 That there may be a continual conflict in them 3 That they may be kept humble 4 Be exercised in prayer and repentance daily 5 That the patiente and forbearance of God may be more exalted 6 To shew how great a grace the gift of perseverance is 7 To keep them in a continual longing for glory Pag. 433 In respect of the rising of sin in them 1 That all lusts break not forth continually 2 When lust doth not rise when the object is present 3 To shew them such a sin is in their nature which they either never considered or repented not of 4 To make them hate sin more 5 To awaken them 6 To be matter of continual repentance Pag. 435 In respect of the actings of sin 1 That they may see the power and tendency of sin 2 That if they be deserted of God they shall be drawn into all kinds and degrees of sin 3 That they may see how weak all means are against it 4 That they may fear to be delivered up unto the power of Satan 5 That they may exercise repentance of all kinds 6 That they may be willing to dye Pag. 437 In respect of the rising of sin This tends 1 To a new conversion in them 2 To discover the strength of sin the power of temptation and of Christs Intercession 3 To bring them to confession 4 To make them diffident of their own strength 5 To make them walk in fear ever after 6 To fit them for service 7 To be matter of humiliation to them all their days 8 To put them upon the greater mortification of sin 9 To make them more tender towards others 10 To be an argument for their consolation Pag. 439 The Providence of God orders the sins of other men also for the good of his people In general 1 Hereby they may read what they were 2 What they are delivered from 3 Hereby they are admonished what they are in their own nature if God leave them to themselves 4 And be minded of the ends sin brings men to to fear them 5 And put them upon many duties towards them which will turn to their account Pag. 442 In particular the Saints are gainers by the plots of wicked men by their counsels by their attempts against them and by their executions Pag. 443 TABLE Of SCRIPTURES more distinctly explicated Genesis Ch. Vers Pag. 2. 17 1-4 3. 15 195 3. 20 198 3. 22 23 4. 1 199 4. 7 18 4. 14 205 208 4. 25 199 5. 24 378 6. 5 434 8. 21 ibid. 9. 9 198 9. 27 199 208 210 11. 17 4 12. 2 194 17. 1 343 377 378 17. 2. 113 17. 7 8 160 260 21. 12 205 45. 5 6 7 432 50. 20 ibid. Exodus 19. 5 217 24. 7 10 283 38. 8 epist p. 2 Numbers 7. 7 8 9 169 14. 24 378 Deuteronomy 4. 23 185 4. 27 176 4. 51 194 5. 2 3 184 5. 5 87 6. 7 185 29. 14 15 202 29. 19 57 Joshua 24. 22 23 376 Judges 2. 1 398 5. 20 427 2 Samuel 23. 5 156 2 Chronicles 13. 5 182 30. 8 161 Job 1. 6 407 29. 4 17 38. 31 427 Psalms 12. 6 163 25. 14 186 44. 17 18 192 50. 5. 190 63. 8 192 74. 20 183 76. 10 393 83. 3 402 84. 11 347 87. 4 5 235 91. 3 407 110. 3 388 110. 7 172 144. 15 253 Proverbs 6. 14 443 8. 22 23 135 310 11. 16 epist p. 1. 17. 16 430 18. 10 373 21. 16 7 Ecclesiastes 1. 15 444 5. 6 398 Canticles 6. 3 188 6. 8 392 Esaias 4. 5 422 9. 6 235 10. 6 7 432 10. 24 404 17. 1 343 28. 15 187 35. 6 424 38. 14 188 42. 6 424 49. 1 2 128 50. 5 188 57. 6 297 60. 20 347 Jeremy 9. 25 207 11. 16 210 14. 22 372 17. 1 18 18. 18 443 31. 14 346 33. 20 418 35. 6 7 178 Ezekiel 1. 12 20 383 48. 35 218 Daniel 4. 17 380 7. 2 3 210 9. 24 329 9. 26 348 9. 27 165 239 Hosea 1.
of promise who is the earnest of your inheritance And so 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the fore-knowledge of God through the sanctification of the Spirit and the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ therefore by reason of the special interest that they have given unto the Saints in themselves they have undertaken distinct offices and this is plain in Son and Spirit which are terms of office He that is sent doth imply as much as to be imployed in the business of another and to receive his commission from another This will appear 1 in the work of Conversion and Election the Father begets calls draws For no man says Christ can come to me except God the Father draws him Christ he receives men but he receives none but those that the Father has given him he gives him the souls that he must save and they that come to him are so given him of the Father these shall come and none else he will in no wise cast them off And as Christ receives them so the Spirit unites God and the soul for he is the bond of union between them and their Head he that is joyned unto the Lord is one Spirit and we are one Spirit baptized into one body and therefore in the work of Election each of them have their distinct acts and office 2 In all the duties of the Saints they have their proper and distinct works as in hearing it is God the Father whose the truths are that they hear Eph. 3.9 they are a mystery hid in God from ages and from generations The book of his counsels are in the hand of him that sits upon the Throne who is the Word of God that is the Interpreter of the Fathers mind as the word of a man is of the mind of a man which I conceive is the proper meaning of that expression and so Joh. 1.17 The law came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ meritoriously for there is not a truth revealed but cost the blood of Christ and it is as the Lamb that was slain by virtue of his Priesthood that he doth open the book Rev. 5. And so the Spirit is the Eye-salve that gives us an understanding to receive the truths that are revealed and doth ingraft the word into the heart so in prayer also Joh. 5.20 the Father is prayed unto and therefore Christ teaches us in our prayers to look up unto God and to cry Our Father not but that Christ and the Spirit may be prayed to for they are God they are believed in and therefore are to be prayed unto but yet because of the different offices of the persons in this work of prayer therefore we are mainly directed to pray unto the Father so that he hears prayers and the Spirit indites them Rom. 8.26 and the Son he offers them with his own odours Rev. 8.3 3 It will appear also in the sealing of the Saints which I conceive is not the working of grace as some say and so the allusion is of a seal modo naturali and so the Spirit in working an impression of the image of Christ upon the soul is said to seal it leaving the like impression in the man but it is after a man believes Eph. 1.13 and I conceive that sealing is used in Scripture chiefly in a metaphorical sense to assure and to mark out a person as it 's said Ezech. 9. They were sealed that is set apart for it and seal the stone that is to make it sure to ratifie and confirm it Now there are the distinct seals of all the persons unto the evidences of the Saints they have all of them a distinct witness 1 Joh. 5.7 The Father the Word and the Spirit and they three agree in one they do all of them testifie the same thing but yet they do all of them give a distinct witness in the hearts of the Saints as they did witness unto Christ the Father from Heaven and the Son in his Baptism and the Spirit descending as a Dove so they do also unto the souls of the Saints and therefore Sacraments are called Seals not that they do work the righteousness of faith in any man for they do not work grace but strengthen and witness grace but because they do assure it unto the man that doth receive them and for that cause are said to be sealing Ordinances § 2. Now these distinct acts of office they do perform are grounded upon the distinct interest that the Saints have in them all and I call these acts of Office upon a double ground 1 Because they are but for a time during the present administration of the mediatory Kingdom which shall have its period and then the Father will draw souls to Christ no more the Son will present sacrifice to God no more 1 Cor. 15.24 the Spirit will no longer assist call purge sanctifie seal but all the graces of the Subjects of the Kingdom of Christ shall be perfected and all Gods ends in the Covenant of grace attained and then the offices that were undertaken but for the accomplishment of these ends shall be laid down 2 Because there is a personal glory that doth redound unto each person by these offices there be natural acts that do add to the essential glory the glory of the nature but acts of Office being personal they add unto the glory of the persons that do perform them 1 Cor. 5.17 18. God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself the Father hath the glory thereof and the Son he hath taken the form of a servant and paid the service and made a purchase and he has the glory thereof all Nations are given unto him and the honour of it in the hearts of all the Saints Joh. 5.23 That all men may honour the Son c. And the Holy Ghost he works all in the hearts of the Saints he begins the good work Phil. 1.6 and he perfects it for all the graces of the Saints are but fruits of the Spirit and therefore he has a distinct glory also The great end and intent of God in the new Covenant was not only to shew forth the Attributes of his Nature and to glorifie them in a higher way than ever they were formerly under the first Covenant discovered as we have formerly seen but also to exalt the glory of all the persons in the hearts of the Saints that they might with hearts ravished with the love goodness and the offices of them all cry out Glory be unto the Father Son and holy Ghost and pray unto them all Rev. 1.5 6. Grace be unto you and peace from him which was and is and which is to come and from the seven Spirits before the Throne and from Jesus the faithful and true witness the first begotten of the dead and the Prince of the Kings of the Earth who has loved us and washed us from our sins by his own blood and has made
do the Saints that are of the same body with themselves for they do none of them live barely as private men though they are not all publick persons in respect of office and function yet they are in respect of their relation and they have all of them reference unto the body and they do pray as members of the body and have in all things respect unto the good of the body for as the Spirit that doth interpret the Scripture is not a private Spirit so the Spirit that doth act the Saints is not a private Spirit therefore as in the good of every member the body is interessed so also in the prayers of every one the body is interessed therefore as we are to look upon all the prayers of Christ not as the prayers of a private man but as put up by him who is the Churches Head so we are also to look upon the prayers of all the Saints not as of private men but also as under the relation of membership under which they stand in the body of Christ and as we are to look upon their sufferings as being of the body so are we also to look upon their services as being done by the members of the same body and all of them for the good and benefit of the body Moses obtained great benefits to the people of Israel by his prayers their blessings depended much upon his prayers Pardon them as thou hast done it from Egypt till now and the Lord answers I have pardoned them according to thy word and again Moses prays Go before them or carry us not from hence the Lord answers My presence shall go with you and I will give you rest The blessings that godly men attain are not barely the fruit of their own prayers and yet they that are godly do pray also but they are a concurrence of prayers and by them we do attain mercy yea sometimes when we are little able to pray for our selves when the spirit of prayer is low in its actings in us yet then the souls of some of the Saints are upon the wing and the Lord will have respect unto them for they are of the body As we rejoice not in the gifts of others because we look upon them as given unto other men and do not look upon them as a part of the body and so see our interest in them that they are given them for our good and therefore they are to us rather matter of envy than of rejoicing so we take no comfort in the prayers of the Saints upon this ground because we look not upon them as praying upon the same common interest with us and as praying for us as fellow-members who have with them an equal interest in the good of the body and its prosperity And as they obtain mercy so they keep off judgment if Noah Daniel and Job stood before me he speaks it as the most effectual way of prevailing with him and as that which he would least of all deny and yet the Decree being gone forth his heart could not be towards them The Saints have in their ages attained great mercy for the body and therefore Elijah is called the chariot of Israel and the horse-men thereof their main defence lay in him under Heaven they had not so great a one and therefore godly men in all ages have looked upon it as a great misery for the godly of the age to be removed as having their party and their interest upon earth weakned as if an eminent man of any party be taken away it 's looked upon as a great weakning to them and he is thereupon greâ—â—y bewailed by them Wherefore it is reproved as their sin Esa 57.1 That the righteous perish and no man layeth it to heart c. and Mic. 7.1 it is expressed by the Prophet as a duty and so it was with Austins mother he saies of her Orationibus vivebat and it was in answer to her prayers that he was new-born unto God Parturivit me carne ut in hanc temporalem corde ut in aeternam lucem renascerer Tom. 9. cap. 8. She travailed with me as in her flesh to bring me forth to a temporal life so in her heart to an eternal life he was an eminent instrument in the Church in the age in which he lived and mightily confuted the false Teachers of the time and did gloriously defend the truth and appeared for it and all this he did attain by the benefit of his mothers prayers And they do bring upon the Churches enemies very great and terrible judgments by their prayers there is a fire that comes out of their mouths and consumes their enemies and that not as they are theirs but as they are the Churches enemies And not only the prayers of the present age shall have power against Antichrist but the prayers of the former ages as to instance in the prayers of David taking place against Judas Act. 1. so there have been prayers for many years that have been going for the Reformation of England from Popery which have been answered eminently in our daies and will be more and more answered in succeeding generations the people of God pray continually for more degrees of grace and light Now it 's true that when men strike an Oak with many blows yet it doth not fall till the last blow and yet we say that it is not the last blow that fells the Oak but all that went before so 't is here as it was in the death of Christ his last act was the full payment but yet all his former obedience and sufferings did concur thereunto to all that full satisfaction that was given by him to the Father and it 's dreadful when the prayers of all the people of God do fall upon a man surely vengeance will overtake him as an armed man Look as all the prayers of the Saints do at the last day meet together in the Devils destruction so it shall be in the destruction of any great and eminent instrument of his as in attaining special deliverances the Lord stands upon number so it is in bringing in eminent judgments also and therefore Hezekiah sends for Isaiah and tells him That the children were come to the birth the promises did travail with deliverance but there was no strength to bring forth unless he would add his prayers also and so it is with the people of God it is much more to lose one praying man than a plotting or a fighting man and that is the meaning that great Babylon came into remembrance before God how was it it was from the Lords remembrancers for the Vials did come out of the Temple Rev. 16.1 all their prayers met together Rev. 16.1 and there is a full cry that the Lord is put in remembrance which by his long delay and forbearance he had seemed to neglect and forget 8. By their Faith the people of God attain much mercy to others as well as by their
ground of a mans judgment in reference to persons Pag. 200 The parents covenant takes in all their seed Pag. â—04 The covenant of grace hath two parts viz. spiritual priviledges and saving graces Pag. 206 All mankind for the state of their persons are either under the covenant of works or of grace Pag. 207 It is a special priviledge for parents and children that they are taken into their parents covenant Pag. 208 What the federal holiness of children is shewed negatively and positively Pag. 214 Parents only can give their children a federal right Pag. 219 Objections against it answered Pag. 225 None can have a right to the seals of the covenant but those that are members of the Church Pag. 226 Right of membership conveyed unto children from immediate parents is a truth the whole Scriptures hold forth ibid. The right of membership consists not barely in being baptized Pag. 227 Whether it be converting grace or external profession that gives children this federal right Pag. 230 The reasons why God will have the covenant run by way of entail as to its outward priviledges and not inward graces Pag. 234 How far arguments drawn from circumcision can by way of rule determine any of the essentials of baptism Pag. 236 How far the Jews by being Abrahams seed might pretend right to Evangelic Ordinances Pag. 238 1. The covenant the same for substance both to Jews and Gentiles ibid. 2. The covenant under different administrations as to its external ordinances Pag. 239 3. The Jews and Gentiles on equal terms as to the new administration ibid. How can children who cannot restipulate be taken into covenant with God ibid. 1. Whether consent be essential to a covenant ibid. 2. That infants may enter into covenant with God demonstrated ibid. 3. The consent of the parents is in Gods account accepted for the childrens being in a covenant Pag. 240 Whether it were not better to leave children out of this federal consideration ibid. 1. Gods command not to be disputed ibid. 2 3. To be taken into the parents covenant a great priviledge and dignitie to children ibid. 4 5. The influences of baptism many and great ibid. 6. It lays a great obligation on parents and children ib. 7. Why Christ deferred his baptism so long ibid. SECT III. The Covenant-right of Children applied Pag. 241 Use 1. For information 1. To shew the evils of Anti-pedobaptism 1 Hereby is framed such a covenant as God never made ibid. 2 By this means great injury is done to children ib. 2. The cruelty of unbelieving parents ibid. The Church of Rome no true Church ibid. Use 2. For exhortation 1. Vnto parents to take hold of the covenant for their children Pag. 241 2. Vnto children that they would walk worthy of this covenant-relation ibid. 3. Vnto the Churches of Christ to take care of their members children that they be brought up in the fear of the Lord. ibid. Use 3. For consolation to the people of God ibid. BOOK III. The Covenant of Grace its Nature and Benefits CHAP. I. THE difference between a Law Testament and Covenant Pag. 241 Gods part of the covenant consists in promises 1 Because in Scripture covenant and promises signifie the same thing 2 Because a people taken into covenant are thereby entitled to the promises 3 Because when God performs a promise he is then said to keep his covenant 4 The end of the covenant is but to inherit the promises Pag. 242 A promise is a declaration of Gods eternal purpose concerning good things to come which he ingages his faithfulness freely through Christ to bestow upon his people ibid. The reasons why Gods part of the covenant mainly consists in promises 1 Because Saints life here is a life of faith 2 Promises are great grounds of their hope 3 Great means of their souls purification 4 They are the rule of their prayers Pag. 244 Of Gods promises some are absolute some conditional ib. Absolute promises not formally made unto us but unto Christ Pag. 245 In them the creature is meerly passive ibid. The state of faith is double of affiance of assurance ibid. The ways of assurance are 1 By immediate testimony 2 By mans own graces ibid. The promises of the first covenant were all conditional and supposed grace In the second there are promises of giving grace where there is none ibid. Absolute promises have their degrees of accomplishment as well as conditional Pag. 246 Saâ—â—s should look on the promises as precious and store their souls with them stay their sinking souls upon them and wait for their accomplishment ibid. The way to attain promises is 1 To be sensible of the want of them 2 To get a strong faith 3 To be much in prayer 4 Patiently to wait for them Pag. 247 Grounds to assure the soul of attaining the promise at last 1 Gods faithfulness 2 The covenant made with Christ confirmed by an oath 3 The Intercession of Christ 4 The experience of the Saints Pag. 249 Signs of the near accomplishment of the promise 1 When extremity increases 2 An earnest expectation in the soul which makes him more earnest for it 3 When notwithstanding the heart is brought to a holy indifferency to be content with God alone Pag. 250 The great promises of the covenant on Gods part are personal promises ibid. That there are such promises in which the three Persons in the Godhead are made over to the soul Pag. 251 These promises import a gracious propriety in the persons which God by covenant makes over to the creature ibid. The reasons why the second covenant must have personal promises 1 Because man in his Fall lost all his relation to God 2 Without this he caâ— never be happy 3 These Promises are the grounds of our Vnion with all the Persons in the Trinity Which 4 is the Foundation of all communion Pag. 251 Adam had not such a personal interest in God as the Saints now have Pag. 253 To deny any of the Persons in the Trinity is a devilish Doctrine Pag. 255 c. Saints should exercise faith upon all the Persons grounded upon these Promises 1 As all have a special hand in the sinners Salvation 2 Gods main intendment in the Gospel is to glorifie the three Persons in the Trinity in believers hearts Pag. 257 Saints should exercise Love towards all the three Persons Pag. 258 CHAP. II. The Covenant of Grace makes God to be our God Two things to be considered in God His Essence his Subsistence Pag. 259 To be a God is a Term of Sufficiency and Sovereignty Pag. 260 It notes the manner of fulfilling Promises even as becomes a God ibid. All mankind that are out of covenant have no interest in God ibid. When men are in Covenant with God they change their God Pag. 261 Three things in the New Covenant give a man Propriety in God 1 Gods gracious and free making over of himself 2 Vnion with Christ 3 A free and voluntary giving up the Soul
to him and consent to perform all acts towards him as God ibid. Those who are out of Covenant are very miserable Pag. 261 262 The baseness and unworthiness of a mans spirit is seen in nothing so much as in taking any thing for a God ib. It is more to lose God than all other blessings ibid. He that hath not the Lord for his God shall surely have him for his enemy Pag. 263 Those who have God to be their God are a happy people for he is a perfect proper and eternal Good ib. Interest in God is the ground of all the great things God hath done and will do for his people ib. A man may know he hath Jehovah for his God 1 If he hath chosen him for his God 2 If he hath no other God 3 If he exercise all those acts of Soul towards him as becomes a God Pag. 265 God hath made over all his Attributes unto the â—â—ints Pag. 266 That God should thus do is peculiar to the second covenant Pag. 268 Vnder this covenant there is a fuller and more glorious discovery of all Gods attributes than under the first ib. The manner how God makes over all his attributes unto his people Pag. 269 The end for which God hath in covenant made over all his Attributes unto his people Pag. 271 The Attributes of God made over to his people is a glorious Inheritance 274 When God takes away the Creature from his people they should retire to him as their portion Pag. 278 Those that have an interest in the attributes of God should not give place to carnal fear ibid. The wicked shall never prevail against the Saints because all the attributes of God are engaged for them Pag. 280 Saints should exercise Faith in every Attribute Pag. 281 Such a Priviledge should raise an holy greatness of mind in the Saints above all their fear and dangers Pag. 282 Saints should get a resemblance of every attribute stampt upon their hearts ib. CHAP. III. The Beatifick Vision of Gods Essence explicated and applyed All the happiness Saints shall have in glory is nothing else but that which is here made over to them in the Promises Pag. 283 Saints have a threefold title to Heaven 1 In its Purchase 2 In the Promises 3 In its first-fruits Pag. 284 The Portion of the Saints lyes in the very Essence of God ibid. God becomes the Happiness of his people by way of Vision Pag. 286 The Nature and Properties of this Vision We see God 1 In all his positive excellencies 2 Immediately and intuitively 3 As our own 4 We see our selves in God 5 All things that concern our selves in God 6 This Vision shall be everlasting ibid. Eternal Happiness consists in Vision of God 1 Because this is the Only way agreeable to the rational Nature 2 Because the essential part of Glory consists in Contemplation 3 Because the Vnderstanding is the leading faculty Pag. 288 The Essence of God in Glory cannot be seen with bodily eyes proved by Scripture and Reason Pag. 290 There is an Intellectual Vision of God ibid. Though Saints shall see God in his Essence yet they shall not see the Essence of God unto perfection Pag. 291 The Vision of Gods Essence makes the Creature happy 1 In that thereby there is a full and perfect accomplishment of all the Promises And 2 of the whole purchase of Christ 3 Then God shall be all in all 4 Our Sanctification shall then be perfect 5 Our Communion shall be perfect and 6 There shall be fulness of Fruition Pag. 291 The folly and misery of all who place their happiness in any thing else but God Pag. 293 Our hearts and thoughts should rise unto this height to seek God for himself and to be satisfied with nothing else Pag. 299 CHAP. IV. In the Covenant of Grace God makes over all the Persons in the Trinity When God promises to be the God of his People he makes over to them in Covenant all the Persons in the Divine Nature as appears 1 From their having all given themselves 2 From the Vnion a Saint hath with them all 3 From the distinct communion of the Saints with them all 4 From the distinct Acts and Offices which they have undertaken for the good of the Saints 5 When the Saints come to Glory their communion with all shall be perfected Pag. 301 The Reasons why all the Persons are so made over 1 That our Happiness might appear to consist in the vision and fruition of them all 2 That the Soul may honour them distinctly 3 That in this life distinct Acts of faith may be exercised upon them all 4 That we may honour them in our Prayers distinctly 5 That we may have a distinct fellowship and communion with them all 6 That we may draw Arguments unto Duty and against Sin from them all Pag. 304 God the Father makes over himself in covenant unto the Saints as he is the Father with which Relation they are greatly affected Pag. 306 The Actions that the Father hath undertaken in this Covenant are some before time and some after Pag. 309 Those before time are 1 A purpose to glorifie himself in the Son 2 To glorifie the Son in the Saints that he might make him the Head both of Angels and men 3 To glorifie the Elect which he chose to himself out of both 4 The Father made motion to Christ 5 He proposed it to him by way of a covevenant In which 6 He appointed what glory Christ should have and what the Saints 7 He appointed the souls he should save 8 And what degrees of grace and glory they should have here and hereafter ibid. Those acts that take place in time are 1. Such as concern Christ as 1 That in the fulness of time he should be sent into the world 2 He commands him to undertake the actual administration of all things 3 He prepared the nature Christ was to assume 4 He filled it with all habitual grace 5 Then he sent him into the world and owned him to be his Son 6 He appointed how long he should live in the world 7 He becomes his Executioner 8 Being satisfied by his Sacrifice he raises him from the dead 9 He exalts him above Principalities and Powers 10 Gives him the fulness of the Spirit 11 Puts him into actual administration of his government as he is man Pag. 311 2. They are such acts as more immediately respect the Saints As 1 Vocation 2 Reconciliation 3 Justification 4 Adoption 5 Acceptation with God 6 Communion with him Pag. 315 The Father having made over himself in covenant to his people they have an interest in all the relations of the Father to Christ 1 He is their Father 2 He loves them as children 3 He acquaints them with his secrets 4 He delights in them 5 Holds communion with them 6 Hears their prayers 7 Gives them an inheritance 8 When they die they go to the Father Pag. 317 As the Father
Sub gratia under Grace though many times in the flesh they serve the law of sin consuetudine paenali by a penal custome yet they do strive against it and they are not wholly overcome sin doth not reign in their mortal bodies 4 In pace in peace when the conflict is perfectly ended the victory is won and sin is perfectly overcome as it is in Heaven when they shall enter into rest and peace c. Every man out of Christ is in the first or the second rank either he is without the Law as Paul was and does go on in sin without controul because without the Law sin is dead or else he is under the Law in the condemnation of it and in the rigor and coaction of it They that are in Christ here are under grace and the souls of just men made perfect that are translated into Glory they are entred into peace each walking in his uprightness while they were here below The best way to open this rigor and coaction of the Law will be to shew wherein it does consist and how a man out of Christ is under it and how in Christ he is delivered from it The Law exacts of a man perfect obedience or else there is no acceptation either of his person or his works God had no respect to Cain and to his offering Gen. 4.4 because of the failing that was in it had he done well he should have been accepted and therefore see the glorious service of Jehu to which God gave so great a testimony 2 King 10.31 that he had done what was right in Gods eyes and according to all that was in his heart and yet Jehu had a by-end which blasts all his service and turns it into murder in Gods account for Hos 1.4 he says He will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu Bona opera non renatorum mortalia So in all the services of unregenerate men their good works are mortal sins God rejects them all for the least failing and there is nothing counted a prayer or an alms or hearing or any duty and this is a rigor and a great straight that every unregenerate man is in he must pray and yet because he cannot pray without sin therefore his prayer is an abomination to the Lord and there is nothing that he can do is accepted with the Lord. Now from this rigor a man in Christ is freed there is an imperfection in the best services of the Saints which they desire God not to enter into judgment with them for and Nehemiah can pray to be pardoned and yet to be remembred and rewarded for the same actions for there is flesh and spirit in the same man Terret me vita mea c. Anselm and they act and lust one against the other in whatsoever the man does which have made some of the Saints look upon their life with horror and yet if the man be in Christ the duty is accepted and the other rejected that is out of Christ Apparet mihi aut peccatum aut sterilitas tota vita mea Phil. 4.18 2 Cor. 8.12 because their persons and services are not accepted in the beloved and if found in him the meanest service is accepted if it be but giving an alms it is an offering of a sweet smelling savour and is well-pleasing unto God a willing mind is accepted according to what a man has but a man out of Christ is under the rigor of the Law for the acceptation of his services they must be perfect or else they shall be rejected of God for their least failings 2. The Law exacts duties of every unregenerate man but it gives a man no strength to perform them for Lex respicit hominem conditum the Law regards man created as having received strength from God to perform it and requiring strength gives it not Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart with all thy might not only with all the strength thou hast but with all that I gave thee in thy creation But the Gospel does respect man fallen and therefore requires not duty by a mans own strength The Law forbids sin and lays the burden of duties upon a man but gives no strength to bear it which because a man through sin has lost therefore he sinks under it for ever So that the Law to a natural man is like the Egyptian task-masters it calls for the whole tale of bricks but yet there must no straw be given The Law gives a man no strength and yet it calls upon every unregenerate man for perfect obedience though he be dead in trespasses and sins and cannot so much as think a good thought But to a man in Christ it is far otherwise the Law calls for duty and the Gospel gives the ability to perform it for there is a promise goes with the command if the Lord command you to cleanse your selves he saith I will pour out clean water and you shall be clean from your filthiness if he requires that you should be fruitful in every good word and work he does promise that you shall grow up as willows by the water-courses and as calves of the stall c. The desart shall blossome as a rose they shall bring forth fruits in their old age they shall be fat and flourishing their beauty shall be as the olive-tree and their smell as Lebanon He says Make you a new heart c. a new heart also will I give you Again saith he Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God and he promiseth I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall never depart from me He saith Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and he promises I will circumcise your hearts to love c. It is in Gospel as it is in the body there are veins and arteries the blood is conveyed in the one and the spirits in the other if there were blood without spirits there would be nothing but weakness but the Gospel takes both together the spirits with the blood so that a man in Christ is free from the rigor of the Law also in this respect that it requires duty but gives no strength to perform what it requires 3. To an unregenerate man though it command duty yet it lays it upon him as a burden which he hates it commands duty but it gives him no inward love to it or delight in it and yet he must do it though he hates it a duty without is required but a principle of love within is not ingrafted so that a wicked man doth duties as a godly man does commit sins Rom. 7 That which I hate that do I. 1 Tim. 1.9 The law is not made for a righteous man Some place the emphasis in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is not laid upon him as a burden which he hates and desires to be freed from but he has a law of love within him an
promise higher things the Lord to be your God and Christ to be your head your Husband his Spirit to be the guide of your way and also the earnest of your inheritance a higher Righteousness a higher Sonship a nearer Union a fuller Communion as the Spouse of Christ and as his Members and a more exceeding eternal weight of glory being rewarded not according unto the Covenant of man but according to the Covenant of Christ 3 Better promises because of their assurance and stability the promises of the first Covenant might come to an end and be swallowed up in the Curse as they were but the promises of the second are the sure mercies of David for the righteousness of it is an everlasting righteousness and therefore the promises are eternal promises 4 But there is one thing as great as any of these and that is they are all of them the promises made unto Christ and by vertue of the Covenant belong unto him 2 Cor. 1.20 In him are all the promises yea and Amen That is they are made unto him and they belong unto us and unto us are fulfilled only by vertue of our Union with him as we live in him and dye in him so we receive promises in him and this is the sweetness of all Gospel promises they do every one of them carry a man to the fountain of his interest and that brings into the Soul infinitely the more sweetness As if a Wife take a favour from her Husband and look no further there is not so much in it but yet in every favour she is carried back unto the Marriage Covenant which assures her not only of this but also of all others whatever is his she has a right to because of the Covenant past between them this is sweet to her And so here it brings into the Soul the sweetness of all the promises together with the present mercy As to a wicked man in Hell that hath the terrors of God upon him every evil doth carry him unto the fountain of it and that is to the anger and hatred of God and the curse of the Covenant that he hath broken and this imbitters his misery a Thousand times more for now the Soul saith this is but a pledge of infinitely more wrath So it is here every promise carries him to the fountain and that assuring him not only of this supply but whatever else he can stand in need of for in a mans interest in Christ is infinite more sweetness than in any blessing or benefit we receive by him Now when a man shall look upon this promise not only as sweet but as his inheritance as he is a Son of Abraham and an Heir of Promise it brings with it infinitely more sweetness than the promises of mercy it self abstractly and in it self injoyed 5. For all the duties and obedience to the Covenant And this is commonly the great affliction of the people of God the Gospel requires obedience as well as the Law and there is a Law of Christ to be kept and there is a yoak of Christ to be born and Christ that hath abolished the Law as a Covenant and a Curse has established the Law as a rule of Gospel obedience and hath therein made it a hand-maid to the Gospel and therefore the Law upon Mount Sinai was given in the hand of a Mediator Gal. 3.19 And how shall we be able to perform this duty by the power of inherent grace It is impossible 1 from the remainders of sin Rom. 7. There is a law in the members rebelling against the law of the mind and the fulfilling of the Law requires a holy nature as well as a holy life 2 From the imperfections of Grace Says the Apostle Paul Not that I have already attained not that I am already perfect c. And how then shall a man appear before God Now comes in the Covenant of Christ and of this Covenant he is a surety Heb. 7.22 not only to pay the debt that we did owe under the old Covenant but also to perform the duty that is required of me under the new and therefore the Lord did lay help on one that is mighty we should have failed Psal 89. for we could neither pay the debt of the one nor do the duty of the other therefore the Lord hath laid all upon Christ and will expect all of him and he must present us unto his Father as a glorious Church without spot or wrinkle and what imperfection soever there be in our duties he must offer them pure before God with his odours and all this is from the Covenant made with him In him is our fruit found Rev. 8.3 6. The stability of the Covenant can never fail it is an everlasting Covenant and sure mercy 1 Upon the faithfulness of God it 's confirmed with an Oath 2 From the obedience of Christ who hath performed all that is required in this Covenant 3 From the promise made unto him for the Oath is made first to Christ Heb. 7. Psal 110. and if the Lord could fail with you he could not fail with him There are Three things that amongst men are in a special manner noted as the acts of the highest injustice and wickedness 1 To keep back the hirelings wages 2 Not to fulfill the will of the dead 3 The cry of innocent blood going unrevenged and all these the Lord abhors in men and they shall not be found in him Now Christ is Gods hired servant and his reward is Heb. 9.15 16. to see the travail of his soul it is his last Will and Testament when he died that by means of his death they that are called might receive the promise and it 's a blood that speaks better things than the blood of Abel Adams Covenant did change because it was established with a mutable head And hence as the Lord doth make suppositions Isa 54.10 The Mountains may depart and the Hills remove if you can change the Covenant of the day and of the night then may the Covenant of my peace be broken And in assurance thereof the Saints do make supplications The Lord is our God we will not fear though the earth be removed and the mountains cast into the sea Psal 46.1 2. And the root of all the stability of the Covenant lyes in Christ the foundation of the Covenant 7. The acceptation that you find with God is grounded hereupon 2 Cor 5.9 We labour whether present or absent to be accepted of him and there is a double acceptation one of persons and the other of services 1 Of persons as we find Gen. 4.4 If thou dost well thou shalt be accepted says God offer it to thy Prince will he accept thy person 2 Of services Mal. 1. Heb. 12.28 They are acceptable services As God delights in the plagues of wicked men Psal 120. Coals of Juniper which burn sweetly and fiercely so in the services of the
order of Gods as we see in David the Lord was provoked against him that he smote Vzzah with death because they sought not God according to the due order and if matters of order be so great what is it for men to vary in matters of faith Col. 2. and to change the covenant of God it's made a great offence Esa 24.5 To change the ordinances of God much more that which is the foundation of all Ordinances the everlasting Covenant A man could not act upon a more dangerous way of sinning than to change the covenant of God that he hath made with his people 2 By this means there is a great injury done unto children which are the Embryo's of the Church of God and Christ saith It 's dangerous to offend one of these little ones they shall be sure of a rebuke from Christ for of such is the kingdom of God to admit any into the Church of God that the Lord would have secluded is a high provocation and a great unfaithfulness in them that have the power of the Keys but to seclude any that the Lord would have admitted is a greater provocation The covenant of grace is not only a covenant Gal. 3.15 but a testament and that is amongst men accounted so sacred that no man disanulleth it or addeth thereunto and if we could say that children were secluded from the covenant because they cannot restipulate then to blot their names out of the last Will and Testament of Christ is a horrible injury to the persons and a very great presumption in the man But there are two special places that I would name to you for this one in 1 Cor. 10.1 2. Our fathers all passed under the cloud and through the sea were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea The scope I conceive to be this where there are the like priviledges of grace there will be the like punishments but we have the like priviledges of grace that they had therefore we may expect altogether with them the like punishments Estius so Estius says of the benefits that they received they were eorum praefigurativa prefigurative of those which we now receive by Christ and therefore he pitches upon two extraordinary Sacraments of the Jews in which if in any thing they might seem to be priviledged but he says that they were also as types and examples unto us and that the Apostle had such an intention is plain to me and that he intended them as sacramental types 1 else he would never have called them spiritual meats and drinks 2 Else he would never have singled out barely these two giving to one the name of Baptism and to the other the name of spiritual Meats The first noted protection for them and their children passing under the cloud and direction also for the cloud did not only go before them as a guide but it was spread also over them as a covering it 's said Num. 9.15 16 19. That the cloud covered the Tabernacle and so it was always that the cloud covered it by day and this was a type of that special protection that the Lord seals unto parents and their children in their Baptism for they are baptized in the cloud and their passage through the red Sea and their preservation from Pharaoh doth signifie properly our deliverance from all our spiritual enemies and is commonly made a type of it in the Scripture and this was a mercy that was vouchsafed unto them and unto their children Now if the Apostles reason shall be of force we must have the same priviledges in Baptism that they had in these or else the Apostles reason doth nor can not conclude Again Baptism is typified by the salvation of Noah and of his family in the Ark and the resemblance seems to lye in this that as the Ark was the Ordinance of God appointed for the safety of the Church in the general Deluge and a family-salvation the father with the child so Baptism is the Ordinance that the Lord has appointed for the salvation of the Church from the general destruction that shall befal the world of ungodly and it doth run by families also Now by this means all these incouragements are denied unto the infants and the families of the Saints which are the great priviledges in the Scripture given unto them as they were unto Israel and happened unto them but for types only and therefore have their accomplishment in their antitypes under the Gospel 3 Hereby the practice and prayers of the Churches of Christ and all the ancient Saints of God are without any Scripture-ground causlesly condemned and rejected as profanations of the Ordinances of God Consuetudo Ecclesiae matris in baptizandis infantibus nequaquam spernenda est nec divina credenda nisi Apostolica esset traditio Aug. de Genes ad literam Tom. 3. p. 464. And it is a dangerous thing for men to blaspheme the Tabernacle of God and them that dwell in Heaven Rev. 13.6 it 's an expression of the true Church of God and to have a mouth given to a man for that end is not the least spiritual judgment as vers 5. there was a mouth given him so to speak and he opened his mouth this way 2. Hereby we may be informed of the cruelty of unbelieving parents men that do not only exclude themselves from the grace of the Covenant but as much as in them lies their posterity also Non parentes sed peremptores Bern. as far as concerns the ordinary way and means of bringing them into Covenant with the Lord. And these are of two sorts 1 Some that are actually without the Church of God 2 Some that are not cast out through the neglect of the Church but yet they ought so to be 1. Unto them that are actually cast out from being a Church unto God and of this number I look upon the Papists to be Abest ut eos baptizemus qui corporis integri membra conseri negarunt Quum in hoc ordine sint Papistarum liberi quomodo baptismum illis administrare liceat non videmus Calv. epist p. 175. whose children are to be secluded from Baptism themselves being not in Covenant nor owned as a Church of God for I cannot but assert with Doctor Whitaker and many others of the Worthies of this Nation Ecclesiam Romanam non esse Catholicam imò ne veram quidem Ecclesiam particularem sed deserendam esse dicimus ab omnibus qui servari volunt tanquam Antichristi Satanae Synagogam De Eccles q. 6. 1 That Church which the Lord has cast off as a Harlot and as the greatest enemy to the Church of God that ever was that he does not owne unto himself as a Church but so has the Lord cast off the Churches of Rome therefore he does not owne them as Churches unto himself it 's Babylon the great the mother of Harlots and she is set every where in opposition to
heart hast thou done these great things that is of thy own free grace and unexpected Love because thou wouldst have mercy and yet it is Mercy to Abraham but it is Truth to Jacob c. Mic. 7. v. ult and therefore Austin calls the promise Chirographum Dei Gods Bond it is the bond or hand-writing that God has given the creature to assure him of Heaven so that as the Apostle calls the Law Chirographum contra nos Col. 2. a bond against us so are the promises the bond that is for us because they do speak God to be with us 4. All this is through Christ both making and performing 2 Cor. 1.20 so it is in him that the promises are Yea and Amen as all the precepts of the Law though given to us yet they are principally required of Christ as our surety and the transgressions of them are laid upon him so all the promises of the Gospel though they be made unto the Saints yet they be primarily made unto Christ as our head and representative for as we have heard he is the seed with whom the covenant is made and he is given unto us as a covenant so he is primarily the Heir of promise and as in respect of possession Esa 49.8 we enter into his inheritance called our masters joy so in respect of the promise and reversion we come under his covenant and so partake of his inheritance and have no further any promise made to us than as we are one with Christ and no promise is performed to us but by virtue of union with him and therefore it's Christus in aggregato Christ mystical that is the proper subject of all the promises and their accomplishment is to himself as the head and to the Saints as the body § 2. Why doth Gods part of the Covenant in this life mainly consist in promises It 's true that these promises shall end in performances and Heaven is the accomplishment of all the promises it is a promised as well as a purchased possession when the Saints are all gathered home all the promises shall be at an end and therefore in that respect faith shall cease for the object of it shall be taken away and therefore the acts of it must needs come to an end though it 's true that the habit of faith as well as all other graces being a part of the image of God and the new creation of Christ is of an eternal nature but yet the Lord does mainly dwell with his people in a way of promise and the covenant on his part doth run in promises 1 Cor. 2.5 7. 1. The life that the Saints live in this world must be a life of faith and not by sight there is another life though we live by faith and not by sight here that in glory is reserved for us and another manner of living and the main objects of faith are the promises Rom. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4.19 21. He staggered not through unbelief He did not reason pro and con about it because faithful is he that has promised and he will also do it he is able to perform It 's true there is a faith that rests upon the whole Word of God as true and good and so the soul receives it but yet the object of faith by which the soul rests on God is mainly the promise so that as obedience is the Law written in the heart so also the object of faith is the promise written in the heart the Lord lets in the promise and the soul rests thereupon and if the Lord had not dealt so in a way of promises our life could never have been a life of faith 2. They are the great grounds of our hope and thereby the Lord will sweeten our obedience he doth not give forth a bare command as an act of Soveraignty but he adds thereunto a promise as an act of Grace Heb. 6.18 The Lord willing to shew the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that we might have strong consolation who are fled for refuge to the hope set before them which hope we have as an anchor to the soul And the Anchor is cast under water and takes hold of something that is not seen as yet for if I see it why do I yet hope for it Now though it 's true a godly man should not yield obedience meerly for reward yet a man may have respect to the recompence of reward and though it is true that this should not be the great thing that should launch them forth in duties of holiness yet this is a good wind to fill the sails the Lord letting him see that there is an inseparable communion of Gods glory and our good also duty and mercy 〈◊〉 hand in hand and that the Lord requires no duty but it is for our good always t◠he may perform unto us the promise that is annexed thereunto There is an amor merc◠〈◊〉 love of reward that is not mercenary Heb. 12.1 Christ had the joy set before him that did sweete 〈◊〉 sufferings he had a glory and a posterity promised him and Moses had respect also to the recompence of the reward Heb. 11.25 And the Apostle saith 2 Cor. 4.18 While we look at the things that are not seen that is the scope and the main aim of the soul in all our obedience active or passive and by this the Lord doth delight to sweeten our way 3. The promises are the great means of the souls purification 2 Cor. 7.1 Let us purge our selves having these promises and perfect holiness And by these great and precious promises we are made partakers of the Divine nature The promises are the Treasury of all that grace that God doth intend to bestow upon his people and from thence do the Saints fetch it Isa 12.3 for they are the wells of salvation and it is by this that the soul is fitted for the performance there is a being made meet and 't is the promise that made them so as a mans beholding of God in himself doth transform him perfectly into the image of God Col. 1.12 2 Cor. 3.18 so beholding God in the promise does transform a man by degrees into the image of that holiness that is in the promise A man looking upon himself sees his heart as a barren wilderness as empty of grace as the first Chaos was of form and beauty Now he says what is impossible with man is possible with God and the soul sucks a promise and is thereby changed into the image thereof 4. That they may be the rule of the prayers of the Saints for his will must be the rule of our prayers as well as of all other acts of our obedience the precepts of the one and the promises of the other we must ask according to his will if we hope to speed and therefore our prayers should be nothing else but pressing God with
his promises and thereby we put his bonds in suit before the Throne of his own grace so doth Jacob Lord this is that which thou hast said Return into thy own country and I will do thee good and so doth Nehemiah Neh. 1.8 This is that thou hast promised unto thy servant Moses A soul that can bring unto God his own promise and can plead it before God has a certain argument that it shall be fulfilled It 's the great ground of the prayer of Christ and of his Angels and Saints in Heaven for the Angels do pray and so do the Saints in Heaven the souls under the Altar cry Dan. 4.16 17. Zac. 1. How long Lord Rev. 6. and they have no ground to offer a prayer to God but meerly the promise of God and therefore all their prayers are prayers of faith to this day § 3. The promises of God in Scripture are of two sorts some are absolute some conditional and the grounds of these distinctions of promises are these 1. There is a twofold love of God unto the creature 1 antecedent Love that is set upon the creature for love sake and out of his own free choice and election Rom. 9.18 he will have mercy on whom he will have mercy and upon this are grounded all absolute promises 2 there is a consequent Love as the Lord delights to crown the acts of his own Love in the creature having wrought his own image he doth love it and delight in it more than in all the rest of the works of his hands and this is the ground of all conditional promises 2. Absolute Promises are not formally made unto us though they be fulfilled in us but unto Christ for no promise can belong unto him that is not an heir of promise and though a man be so in the Election of God yet he is not actually so till he be united unto Christ and therefore it is unto him that all the absolute promises do belong If we look upon man in a state of Nature so there are absolute promises of grace for a mans conversion but look upon a man in a state of Grace and so there are conditional promises that do belong unto him for his consolation and salvation 3. In absolute promises the creature is meerly passive and there is no prerequired condition in the creature for the accomplishment of it it 's perfectly an act of Gods grace to the creature to promise him to be his God to pardon his sin and take away his heart of stone there is no concurrence of the endeavour of the creature in it for all the works of God in this kâ—l are a new creation but in conditional promises there is a condition prerequired in the creature and there is an actual concurrence of the creature to their performance without which God will never perform the condition he that converts thee without thee will not save thee without thee we must be built as living stones in the Church of God 4. There is a double state of Faith a state of Recumbency or Affiance and a state of Assurance and the promises of the Gospel are suited unto both these states A man that can see no grace in his own soul he comes to the promise for grace and resolves to cast himself upon it he does â—e to Christ that he may have life and casts himself upon the promise that his sins may be pardoned and the truth is in this doth properly the application of faith in a mans first conversion lye in leaving a mans soul with the promise that he may receive grace and pardon not in believing that Christ is mine but in relying upon him and giving up my self to him There is a kind of personal Application and that is direct and there is an axiomatical Application of faith when the soul being in Christ and having received grace is able to see and to conclude its own interest Unto faith of Recumbence the absolute promises do fitly suit But there is a state of Assurance when the soul looks into his own heart and finds the image of Christ written there and sees promises made to a broken and a believing heart one poor in spirit and he finds the condition in himself and now all the conditional promises come in with comfort to him who before could taste no sweetness in them because he could not find in himself the condition 5. There are two ways of assurance answerable to the twofold witness of it there is a witness in Heaven and there is a witness also in the heart 1 There is an immediate testimony Rejoyce in this that your names are written in heaven saith our Lord again the Lord says to a man Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee and thou art greatly beloved Such immediate testimonies there have been given to the Saints and surely the bowels of the Lord are not straitned 1 Joh. 5.7 Thus there is a testimony of the Spirit that is distinct from the witness of water and blood the Spirit is the seal in both but in the one he is the seal of his Office and in the other the seal of his Officers a particular seal and a privy signet in the one he testifies the love of all the persons and there is testified that his own love and the love of God is shed abroad in the heart there is illuminatio quaedam è montibus aeternis an illumination from the eternal mountains as Gerson speaks 2 There is an Assurance that comes from the witness of a mans own graces the Spirit of God witnessing with our spirits Now the first assurance is in an absolute promise I am thy God thou art greatly beloved thy sins are forgiven thee and the latter kind of assurance is in a conditional promise the Lord discovering to a man the signs of grace in his own soul and the glorious works of the Spirit of Christ upon his inward man conforming him to the image of Christ 6. The great difference between the first and second Covenant lay in this the promises of the first Covenant were all of them conditional being given unto grace received and did suppose grace in the person to whom they were made but there were no absolute promises to give grace that Covenant did suppose grace but it did not give grace But under the Gospel as there are promises of reward of grace received so there are promises of giving grace where there is no grace and herein lies the great glory of the promises of the new Covenant and the grace of them it gives grace and then it crowns grace and therefore they are said to be better promises 7. Absolute promises have their degrees of accomplishment as well as conditional though a man has a right to them all at once yet the Lord doth perform them by degrees to us there is no promise that is fully and perfectly accomplished till we come to Heaven our justification is not perfect
to perform the promise is Gods part and to press God with his promise is our part I will do it for you says tne Lord yet I will be inquired of by you that I may do it for you ask and you shall receive knock and it shall be opened and there is no way that ever any creature could attain any thing of God but this way Upon this very ground Christ himself if he will attain from God he must ask and so 't is with the Angels and so 't is with the Saints in Heaven Dan. 4.17 they cry How long Lord How much more is it to be with dust and ashes 3. That the Lord may honour his own Ordinance and testifie how much he doth delight in the worship of a creature and that thereby he might make it a double mercy For ungodly men to receive blessings as a fruit of Providence unto them it comes always single that is in the thing only but unto a godly man that has it as a fruit of the promise it 's always a double mercy mercy in the thing and mercy to the man not only an accomplishment of Gods promises but the return of the mans prayers the exercise of Gods faithfulness unto us and of our graces towards God and there are no mercies so sweet as those that come in with the exercise of grace in the attaining of them Deum orationibus ambiamus coelum tundimus misericordiam extorquemus as Tertullian says of the power of the Saints prayers because of his delight in the exercise of their graces And there is no duty wherein the graces of the Saints do act with more life and power than they do in prayer there is magna conjunctio a great concurrence of grace in them as we see it in Abraham in his prayer what strong acts of grace he puts forth Gen. 18. The nearer the soul draws to God the fountain of its life the more lively it works and moves the swifter the nearer the centre and there is no duty in which the soul draws nearer to God than it doth in prayer and hath more immediate communion with him than when he is upon his knees before the Throne of grace 4. And lastly the way to attain promises is a patient waiting for them till the Lords time come for it 's true of promises as it is of prophecies though the vision be for an appointed time Hab. 2.3 yet wait for it for it will come and will not tarry It 's a speech like unto that in Luk. 18.7 8. though he bear long with them yet he will avenge them speedily it may tarry long in respect of the time prefixed by us and may seem long to us but it shall not be long when the time comes that is appointed by God The Lord commonly does in the answering of prayers as he does in the fulfilling of Prophecies it 's a great while before the Prophecy seems to speak or to give any hope of its accomplishment as it was in the deliverance out of Egypt and Babylon but yet when once it begins but to dawn its day immediately in a manner it strangely and suddenly breaks forth that the Saints of God can scarce believe their own eyes they are like unto them that dream And so it is in the return of their prayers also as in the calling of the Jews they are as dry bones and they are scattered here and there all the world over but the bones shall come together and it shall be so suddenly done that the Lord saith A Nation shall be born at once and before Sion travelled she brought forth and so it is in the answer of Prayers as it was with Elijah he prayed seven times and his servant looked and there was nothing and yet he continued praying at last there appeared a Cloud like unto a mans hand and by and by the Heavens were covered over with Clouds and then the rain fell when it begins once to appear that the Clouds do break away a little the Lord doth strangely hasten the work and there is a glorious concurrence and falling in of all causes to its accomplishment there is a time of the Promise's accomplishment Acts 7 1◠and a great part of the Mercy is in the season of it the Lord doth not delay because he is unwilling to bestow it or because the Mercy comes hardly off for he knows that to our hasty Nature bis dat qui citò but the Lord doth defer it that he may improve the Mercy by the season of it for Gods time is best and not ours my time is not yet come though your time be alwayes ready all Christs Miracles were so much the more glorious by the seasons of their putting forth and so are Gods Mercies also the more magnified in coming to us in the fittest time he does wait to be gracious that is that he may bestow the Mercy when we are fittest to receive it and our hearts are best prepared for it As in judgement to a wicked man the Lord does watch over him for evil and he shall be ensnared in an evil time as a Bird in an evil snare judgement shall come upon him when he least expects it and is least prepared for it he shall be cut off as the foam upon the waters Hos 10.7 sicut aquae superiores ferventis ollae Jerome for the word spuma doth signifie a bubble that does arise from heat c. when they are swelled up and hold up their heads on high and be lifted up above the rest of the waters then they shall suddenly be cut off As I say there is a time for judgment that Justice doth watch over men for evil so there is also a time for Mercy that Grace does watch over men for good there is a time for the Promise to bring forth as well as the threatning and therefore it 's said That by Faith and Patience the Saints have inherited the Promises and there is as well a Patience in waiting as in Suffering Zeph. 2.1 2. let Patience have its perfect work in you in this respect also that you may be intire and perfect wanting nothing Hebr. 10.36 But the Soul will be ready to say I could be willing to wait Gods time if I could be sure to attain the Promise at the last but what grounds are there to support and underprop my heart that I shall receive the Promise and not miss of it in the end Now the grounds to assure the Soul thereof are these 1. The faithfulness of God the Promises are therefore confirmed by an Oath Heb. 6.17 that by two immutable things wherein it 's impossible for God to lye we might have strong Consolation Quid est Dei juratio nisi promissi confirmatio Aust. infidelium quaedam increpatio An Oath amongst Men puts an end to Controversie much more should the Oath of God put an end to all Controversie and Disputes in the Soul and
and the spirit teacheth us to come unto him as our Father so in all our addresses unto God he teacheth us to cry Abba Father and so the Saints in Scripture O Lord thou art my God early will I seek thee 7. Hence comes that glorious communication of properties that is between God and the Saints That as Divines do observe by reason of the hypostatical Union there is a communication of properties that what is done by the humane nature is attributed unto the persons and the blood of the humane nature is called the blood of God Acts 20.28 and God is said to be received up to glory 1 Tim. 3. and Christ is called the Son of God which is proper only to the Divine Nature Luk. 1.35 and the Humane Nature being taken into the same person it comes under the same filiation for the rule of the School-men is filiatio est suppositi filiation is of a person the Son-ship belongs and relates unto the person and not unto the nature so from our Union with Christs person arise those strange communications which some observe the Lord calling himself by the name of a Creature Psal 24.6 This is the generation of them that seek him that seek thy face O Jacob and that glorious and which some say is an incommunicable name of God Jehovah yet it is said to be attributed to the Creature through his interest in the person of God it 's the name of Christ Jer. 23.6 And in his days Judah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely and this is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord our righteousness and this name is also given to the Church Jer. 38.16 And in those days shall Judah be saved and Jerusalem shall dwell safely and this is the name wherewith she shall be called The Lord our Righteousness c. and all this flows from interest in the person through personal promises 8. Our interest in the persons is always the same and varies not though the dispensations are very various and there is no Saint of God but doth find changes of the right hand of the most High though the Lord in himself changes not Sometime he lifts up the light of his countenance and sometimes he hides his face but yet in the middle of all this here is the comfort of the Saints the Lord is still their God and they have an interest in him And so did Christ himself find a change of dispensations there was substractio visionis a substraction of vision but yet not unionis of union and when the Lord hid his face from him then Christ flyes to a personal promise and in that he looks upon God when he could look upon him no other way my God my God c. and so doth the Church doubtless thou art our Father And there is a special Art and Mystery that the people of God have learned when they are in the deepest desertions to recover themselves out of it Cant. 5. there the Church falls in love with the person of Christ and looks upon her own interest in him and then she breaks out this is my beloved and this is my friend and this recovers her again so that she glories in Christs interest in her and hers in him I am my beloveds and my beloved is mine the comfort of the Saints in their worst estate is that God has an interest in their persons I am thine O save me may every Saint of God say and so they also have an interest in the person of God this God is our God for ever and ever Psal 48.14 if there be never so great Changes or Dispensations yet our relation unto the person is still the same and therefore so should our claim be 9. The highest objects of Faith are Persons for there is a three-fold object of Faith 1. Primarium primary and that is all Divine Truth 2. Mediatum mediate that is Christ as Mediator 3. Vltimatum ultimate for through Christ we believe in God 1 Pet. 1.21 therefore the ultimate and the highest object of Faith is a Person Objectum fidei est jus incomplexum the object of faith is an incomplex right Now that which is the highest object of Faith that is the most perfect in which only Faith can rest and therefore must be the greatest ground of Hope and Love as that wherein our happiness doth ultimately consist 10. The highest act of Gods Love to us is in accepting our persons Electing Love was set upon the person and in Christ he doth accept our persons and has respect unto them therefore if he respect our persons so highly being made over to him in Covenant how much more should we set a high price upon his excellent person being made over to us in Covenant It is his Love unto our persons that doth incline his heart to accept our services and reward them and to bestow all good things upon us and so should our Love unto the person of God be that which should sweeten all his benefits towards us he has not this Treasure only but he has the root also upon which it grows Revel 21.6 He shall inherit all things I will be his God and it is much more than all the Creatures can be to him for he shall receive a hundred fold more in this life it is not to be understood formalitèr formally sed eminentèr but eminently that is they shall have all made up in God that the Creatures could supply if they were a hundred times multiply'd God shall be all in all to them so that they can complain of no want for the Lord is their God Vse § 2. First we may hence gather the devillishness of that Opinion that denies all persons in the Trinity they do thereby make void the main of the New Covenant on Gods part which doth consist in personal promises for if there be no persons then the promises of making of them over by way of interest unto the Saints is void and of none effect And truly of all the Abominations of this last Age which Satan has cast forth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Athanasius calls it Orat. 1. cont Arian there is not any so desperate an Opinion that strikes more at the root of all Religion than this doth all Heresie is the smoak that arises out of the bottomless pit and it is commonly vented by some Star that falls from Heaven some Man Eminent in the Church and he making an Apostasie and Defection from the Truth the Key of the bottomless pit is given him in judgment a Key is potestatis symbolum a symbol of power as we know and unto one man it 's given as a special Mercy and unto another it 's given as a special Judgment Revel 20.1 to the one it 's given to bind Satan and to the other to let out his smoak and wo to the man to whom such a power is given as Revel 20.1 Satan is ready enough to
c. Thou art Christ the Son of God it 's the confession of Peters faith and is also called the Foundation of the Churches faith 1 Cor. 3.11 And so there is Divine Worship given to Christ as Mediator they worship the Lamb this is by reason of union and yet it is evident Rev. 4. that the humane nature remains a creature after its union and therefore it is as he is the Son and so is coessential with the Father this is the formalis ratio the proper cause of this Divine Faith and Worship and so the Holy Ghost also he is to be believed for himself and his own testimony the Spirit is truth 1 Joh. 5.6 and the Scriptures are to be believed only for the testimony of the Spirit 2 Pet. 1.21 But holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost therefore we are commanded to hear what the Spirit says unto the Churches he is called therefore the Spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 4. That we may honour them in our prayers distinctly for whomsoever a man is to believe in him he may pray unto Rom. 10.14 How can they call on him in whom they have not believed And therefore in our prayers we are not only to go unto God but unto each of the persons with distinct petitions suitable unto the acts that they have undertaken and the offices in which they have made over themselves unto the Saints under the new Covenant Christ he prays to the Father Holy Father righteous Father I will that those that thou hast given me be with me sanctifie them by thy truth And Stephen at his death Lord Jesus receive my spirit And the Disciples Lord increase our faith And so doth the Church Tell me where thou feedest c. The Apostle commonly speaks of them all together The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God the Father and the fellowship of the Spirit be with you And Rev. 1.5 6. Grace from him that is and was and is to come and from the seven Spirits that are before the Throne and from Jesus the faithful and true witness And as it is a mans duty to believe in the Son as well as the Father so it is to pray to the Son distinctly as also unto the Father for as our faith must distinctly take in all the objects of faith or else it is imperfect for there are two things that tend to the perfection of any grace 1 When it takes in all the objects in their extent and latitude 2 When they do put forth compleat and perfect acts upon these objects thus I say as faith must take in all its objects or else there is something wanting in it as the Apostle speaks of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wants of faith so must faith give unto each of these their due and proper glory and Christ being to be believed in he may be prayed unto nay it 's an honour that belongs unto him and therefore our faith must give it to him 5. That the soul may have a distinct fellowship and communion with them all and there is a fellowship with the Spirit 1 Joh. 1.3 we are by the Gospel brought into communion with God and it 's a distinct fellowship and communion that we are to have with all the persons our communion is as large as our relation and the soul is to look upon himself as reconciled to them all and therefore all of them are become our friends and we have a particular and distinct interest in them all Now how is a man said to have fellowship with God or to walk with God it is when the thoughts of a mans heart are taken up with God and he has an eye unto him and unto his glory from day to day As a man is said to have communion with the Devil when he walks with his temptations and the desires and thoughts of his heart do run out towards the unfruitful works of darkness a man has fellowship with the Devil in all things as it is said Prov. 6.22 The law shall talk with a man waking and keep him when he is asleep and lead him when he goes how is this is it is but in the thoughts and the meditations of a mans own heart by the suggestions and directions thereof where it doth richly dwell so it is in this also it is communion with God and Gods dwelling in the soul animus ascendit frequenter c. the soul frequently ascends there is gratiarum decursus recursus a flowing down and reflowing of graces and in this doth our communion lye Now a man having an interest in all the persons all of them having undertaken something for a mans good by way of office and a man receiving something from them all and returning praise to them all there is in the soul a distinct fellowship to be exercised with them all sometimes the thoughts of his heart being drawn out to the Father and sometimes unto the Son and sometimes unto the Spirit and observing the witnessing of them all and the sealing of them all unto the evidences of the Saints sometimes we walk with the Father and sometimes with the Son and sometimes with the Spirit and the more distinct a mans communion is the more sweet it is 6. That a man may draw arguments and motives unto duty and against sin from them all and a mans interest in them all We are said to be baptized in the name of them all Mat. 28.20 Mat. 28.20 Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Now what is it to be baptized into the name of the Father it's conceived to be taken from the manner of marriage wherein the wife doth transire in nomen in familiam c. into the name and family of the husband or of servants who had their masters name called upon them 1 Cor. 1.13 and therefore no man might be baptized in the name of a creature it is that which Paul detests that he should baptize in his own name and therefore the meaning is to be baptized in fidem in cultum into the faith and worship of God and so you are unto them all and give up your names unto them all and therefore unto each person we owe both faith and worship distinctly all manner of duty and obedience because we are distinctly baptized unto the faith of them all to believe in them and worship them and a man should draw arguments to keep him from sin from them all and his interest in them all the Father is greater than all and it is by his will we are sanctified If we call him Father who without respect of persons judgeth every man according to his works Pass the time of your sojourning here in fear 1 Pet. 1.15 And he says of Christ I send my Angel but take heed of him obey his voice provoke him not for my name is in him And grieve
of persons they may as Eli did misreprove a Hannah in the Church of God and as David believe a Zibi against the son of his friend for commonly the best deserving Christians are clouded by the glaring light of the lamps of Hypocrites who make it their business to raise false reports against such as outshine them in true grace and holiness but at last God will discover them and cast them out of the Churches prayers and affection they shall not always abide with them 1 Joh. 2.18 that they may be made manifest not to be of them and they that are approved shall be made manifest and so shall they that are corrupted also they shall be found lyars and they shall be cast out the Lord will cut them off that they may deceive the expectations of the Saints no more the Lord doth delight to do it and we should wait his leisure in it who will certainly shew himself a God that judges in the earth 3 That thereby the Saints may be awakened and admonished when Hymeneus fell then 2 Tim. 2.7 is that exhortation most seasonable Let him that names the name of the Lord depart from iniquity and let him that thinks he stands take heed lest he fall when a man observes horrendas tempestates flenda naufragia horrid tempests it is a hint to the Saints look to your standing see that you be built upon a Rock that storms and tempests may not overthrow you 5. In their judgments for they are terrible judgments that the Lord doth execute upon unregenerate men in the Church there are no mercies like those out of Sion and there are no judgments like them no men are so eminently under the curse as they are Out of the Throne came thundering and lightning and voices Rev. 4.5 for the Churches sake and by their prayers And this is 1 that the Saints may be thankful how great a mercy is it that I had not fallen away as well as he Joh. 14.22 2 That they may take heed of the same sins lest they be overtaken by the same plagues Remember Lots wife the natural branches are broken off thou standest by faith be not high-minded but fear they entred not through unbelief let us fear lest we also come short c. Heb. 4.1 § 3. There belongs also unto the spiritual Kingdom reductivè all the works and the dispensations of God amongst the creatures for though only men that live in the Church be the proper subjects of the spiritual Kingdom and in respect of the spiritual part of it only the Saints yet as the Mediator undertook the government of all other things for the Churches sake so in the government of all things he has a special respect unto their good Eph. 1. ult Joh. 17.2 so that all the creatures and the government of them all comes under the spiritual Kingdom two ways 1 As they tend to perfect the graces of the Saints 2 As they belong unto the priviledges of the Saints so reductivè they belong to the spiritual Kingdom 1. Christ in the spiritual Kingdom doth so order and dispose of all the creatures that they do all tend to perfect and increase the graces of the Saints Rom. 8.28 Rom. 8.28 All things shall work together for good to them that love God the Apostle speaks it in reference unto affliction but yet because there was a general doctrine in it he would not restrain it and therefore he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is all creatures and all events 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. 1 they shall not work so of themselves but by a blessed and gracious concurrence of God with them all as it is said That Ministers are workers togethers with God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 6.1 Alas it is not any thing we can do or by any power that is in us but only there is a concurrence of the principal with the instrumental cause for instrumentum agit dispositivè in virtute principalis agentis 2 Some refer it unto the creatures themselves that they do not do this apart as if any one action or any one dispensation meerly did it but they do it as it were in a conspiracy or concatenation they all joyn together in the work that if we take any one particular we may seem to go backward and it may tend to the disadvantage of the spiritual Kingdom but we must take them all together as we are not to judge of the works of God ante quintum actum so neither are we to judge of the fruits of his works but by laying of them all together and see how they work in a due order and subordination one to another c. and unto what is it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is ad aeternam piorum salutem for sine summo bono nil bonum As there is nothing good without the chiefest good so there is nothing good that doth not lead a man unto the chief good and therefore when it 's said That all things work together for good the meaning is they shall all make for the increase of their grace here and their glory hereafter all of them shall work for the eternal good of their souls whereas unto all wicked men all the creatures and all the dispensations of God in the ordering of the creatures cedunt in perniciem tend to their perdition they are unto the one in praemium for a reward unto the other in supplicium for punishment as Prosper has it Or as Cyprian saith of the Sacrament it was Petro in remedium Judae in venenum a remedy to Peter but poyson to Judas so it is here all the creatures that the wicked do enjoy they are indeed seemingly blessings but really curses outwardly bread but in verity a stone a fish in shew but in truth a scorpion for they do all of them tend to the ripening of their sins and the hastning of their ruine but to the Saints 1 Cor. 3.21 22. All things are yours he was speaking of glorying in men they should not boast of their Teachers though it is true indeed that the Primitive Church had their Crown of twelve Stars yet they were all the servants of the Churches debent tam corpori quà m capiti servire they ought to serve the body as well as the head and therefore some will have it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the Apostle doth speak here as in the fore-quoted places as I conceive where though speaking of one particular yet there being a general truth in it he doth propound it generally for it is not to be restrained to persons as the after-enumeration shews for he speaks of life and death things present and things to come now how doth he mean that all is ours that is aedificationi saluti destinata as ordained for our edification and salvation there is a special design of grace in ordering and disposing of them all so as
the hearts of men to bring such a design to pass c. 2 They fight for them against their enemies Dan. 10.20 I return and fight against the King of Persia and when I am gone forth c. the Lord goes forth before a people for they go forth under the conduct of the Angels and they do oppose themselves in a secret way that we know not now as it is sometimes a terror to the Saints to consider they fight not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness so it is a mighty terror unto wicked men that they fight against principalities and powers and spiritual holiness in heavenly places those that will be sure to watch over you for evil for the same intention that the Angels had after the Fall with a flaming sword to keep man out of Paradise the same intention they bear still to all that are not the members of Christ and of the same body with them and fellow-servants with them 3 They do execute vengeance upon the enemies of the Saints Zac. 6.6 7. there are black Horses instruments of vengeance and they go forth into Persia but it is to destroy them and to execute upon them the vengeance of the Temple for all the wrong that they had done unto the Saints all was by an invisible virtue that they saw not there the Spirit of God was displeased and would not be pacified till wrath was executed upon them for the same Spirit orders the Kingdom of Providence that doth order the Kingdom of Grace c. and therefore they have their special charge Ezech. 9.1 it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the visitors of the city that draw near first the Angels came and then the instruments of vengeance came they do perform that great work upon them 4 The Angels over-rule the creatures for the good of the Saints even beyond their nature and they are very instrumental in their deliverance and preservation as we see Dan. 3.28 the fire cannot burn the Lord sent his Angel Dan. 6.22 and stopped the Lions mouths there is a secret work that Angels have in all these great things for the Saints deliverance and preservation and therefore it is the Angel that rowls away the stone from Christs grave and it 's an Angel opens the prison for Peter Acts 12. The prayers of the Saints do prevail with God and he commands Angels to do their office it was an Angel that said unto the Christians at Jerusalem Ite ad Pellam and by that means they were preserved in the destruction of the City so that in the ordering of all things they are imployed by God for the good of the Saints 5 It is the Angels that guide them in their way and succeed their business and all their undertakings as we see Gen. 24.7 The Lord of Heaven which brought me out of my fathers house he shall send his Angel before thee and the business shall surely prosper that they do undertake a godly man goes no where without such a guard for his protection and without such an assistance and therefore it was a certain argument Dan. 10. ult that the King of Grecia should prosper because the Angel was gone out before him blessed is he that hath such a guide he shall not dash his foot against any stone c. Lastly They do compass the earth visit all the parts of it for the Saints sake to see how it is with the Churches Zac. 1. All the earth is quiet and still as the Devils do so do the Angels also compass the earth and they do lie in ambush for the Saints that when there is no eye to pity them and there is no remedy or relief for them then they do appear Zac. 1.8 They are behind the myrtle-trees in the bottom and they do watch the fittest season for the deliverance of the Saints which is when they are lowest and when their enemies are highest then they do appear for them therefore the people of God that have such a guard still near at hand that hath been so successful in all ages need not fear what Satan and his Angels are continually plotting against them § 2. We now proceed unto those arcana imperii in reference to the Providence of God in the government of the evil Angels and this also is for the good of the Saints the Soveraignty of God over the Devils in his government of them is wholly for the sake and for the good of the Saints In the opening of this I will lay down these Conclusions 1. That Satan hath a power over all mankind by nature to rule and order them according to the pleasure of his own will for when man at first did freely subject himself unto the Devil God did judicially give him up into the power of the Devil and therefore 2 Tim. 2.26 they are said to be led captive by him at his will 1 Joh. 5.19 they are said to lye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the wicked one that is to be under his power and to be subjected unto his will and it is just with God so to do Illud appensum est aequitatis examine ut nec ipsius diaboli potestati negaretur homo quem sibi malè suadendo subjecerat Aust For of whom a man is overcome unto him he is brought into bondage it 's the manner of Conquerors to use men as slaves whom they have subdued and this was the Devils intent not first to destroy men but to take them alive 2 Tim. 2.26 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he might use them for service and so rule over them yet the meaning is not as if he had received a commission from God and the Lord had commanded Satan to rule over man for he will surely judge the Devil for it at the last day Non ità debet intelligi tanquam hoc Deus fecerit aut fieri jusserit sed quòd tantùm permiserit justè tamen Aust Tom 3. p. 295. The command unto Ahabs false Prophets was not a commission from God but a permission Thou shalt perswade him and prevail go forth and do so and his going into the herd of swine was not a commission but a permission only when he said unto them Go c. like unto that of Balaam Go with the men and yet the Lord was angry because he went so it is here also 2. This power of Satan is very great and therefore he is called Principalities and Powers the Ruler of the darkness of this world yea he hath the power of a God for he is said to be the God of this world which doth set forth a high condition not the highest power credo posse occidere in una hora quemcunque in terra viventem Luth. for the power that Satan hath is from God and that in just judgment Now if the Lord give so much power to a man as he did to Nebuchadnezzar that none could stand before him but he was the hammer of the whole earth
water and it 's all but the vain presumption of his own spirit 2 Cor. 12.9 My grace is sufficient for thee my strength shall be perfected that is shall be declared to be perfect in weakness therefore I take pleasure in infirmities for when I am weak then am I strong it is an easie thing for the potsherds to contend with the potsherds of the earth but when we come to contend with Spirts and they strengthned by the darkness that is within us now the strength of grace is put to it indeed now we see what power of Christ is in us for there is no power but Christs power that can hold out against temptation 5. That we may know the benefit of Christs Intercession that having so great an Accuser as Satan is we may go to him and strive to find the benefit of such an Advocate O what an advantage was it to Peter to hear this sweet word of Christ to him But I have prayed for thee that thy faith fail not Christ was tempted in all things like unto us and he is sensible of our infirmities and with the temptation we shall find a way to escape for this very end Christ suffered himself to be tempted by Satan that he might succour us in all our temptations he is pleading for us against the accusations of our subtle adversaries and if he had not undertaken to be our Advocate we had been undone but he still saith to Satan The Lord rebuke thee c. 6. And truly hereby we have experience of the power of our own prayers how many times have the prayers of a Saint stilled the enemy and the avenger that pursued them furiously how many times hath Satan fallâ—n before them like lightning and all the devices of the enemy have come to nought Rev 11.7 And if any man will hurt them fire proceedeth out of their mouth and devoureth their enemies c. and they shall not only kill men but Satan shall also be trod under their feeâ— and it 's a great honour to the Saints that in their conquests they can overcome Satan for resist the Devil and he will flye from you that so proud a Spirit should be so subdued by mankind in fide fortes Diabolum despiciunt quasi vermiculum c. Bern. pag. 1309. cùm viderint contemnunt 7. It quickens the people of God to wisdom and watchfulness to wisdom that they may discern the devices of Satan and to watchfulness as the exhortation is 1 Pet. 5.8 Watch therefore and put on the whole armour of God because he is as a roaring lyon seeking whom he may devour Austin observes that there are two ways that Satan hath 1 In times of persecution cogit Christianos negare Christum he compels Christians to deny Christ 2 In times of peace and prosperity he raiseth up Hereticks and so docet Christianos Christum negare teaches Christians to deny Christ Tom. 8. pag. 233. therefore we had need be wise and watchful 8. There is a time coming when this over-ruling power of Christ will put an end unto this dominion of Satan he shall not be the god of this world always but when Christ puts down all rule and all authority and power his Kingdom will for ever be broken it must last no longer than the day of Judgment for there will be no further use of him either in tempting accusing or tormenting but as after the day of Judgment Christ in glory shall make up the head of that great body the Church which shall be gathered unto glory by him as they were here on earth gathered into his Kingdom of Grace so Satan in Hell also shall make up the head of that great body of the wicked that he hath been gathering into his Kingdom here upon earth and he shall be tormented together with them and it is no small comfort that we can look beyond the power of the enemies though they be so powerful for the present it is but for a while Nebuchadnezzar had power to do what he pleased in the world but after a little while this great Monarch shall be destroyed My anger says the Lord shall cease in his destruction c. Lastly The temptations and accusations of Satan shall tend to the greater increase of the glory of the Saints for if these light afflictions that all Saints meet with in the world from lesser evils do work for us much more will such great afflictions Potest inimicus excitare tentationis motum sed quoties restiteris toties coronaberis Bern. p. 11 15. They had their several Crowns in their Triumph answerable unto the several Victories that they won therefore Christ hath upon his head many Crowns because of his many Conquests so it shall be unto the Saints matter of great triumph Satan himself who did above all things desire to keep them from glory his very temptations and his accusations shall be so far useful as that they shall add unto our glory and they that have been most tempted and accused by him and have by grace resisted him shall be most glorified in the day of the Lord. § 3. The next thing propounded was Gods providential Kingdom as it respects men and these either good or bad which belong both unto the providential Kingdom and the Soveraignty of God over them is laid out wholly for the good of the Saints And here first we are to consider Providence ordering all things either in reference unto the Saints own spiritual good that the ordering of all things towards them shall tend unto it or else in reference unto the good of others Providence shall so order things that they shall become a common and a publick good unto others in the generations in which they live yea and it shall extend also unto after-ages 1. Providence shall so dispose of all things as they shall tend unto their own spiritual good and all by reason of their interest in the Soveraignty and the Supremacy of God as 1. If we look upon their conversion Providence doth strangely order things so that they shall be cast upon such societies and opportunities which they never thought of nor lookt after and in these they shall be converted and brought home unto God there is an instance in Onesimus Philem. 10 11. he ran away from his master and by this means was brought to Rome unto the Apostle Pauls ministry and there the Lord was pleased to convert him unto the faith a thing that he little thought of or aimed at in going from his master and yet now he that was before 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unprofitable Is profitable both to thee and me says the Apostle Paul to Philemon c. And so it was with Junius his father laying the Scripture before him Joh. 1.1 he fell occasionally and carelesly upon Joh. 1.1 In the beginning was the word c. he was so taken with the majesty of the stile and with the excellency of the matter that he did
their life to the destroyers the Lord hath caused light to shine out of darkness and hath made their light to break forth out of obscurity and when they have walked in the shadow of death a light hath risen upon them as the Martyr that was in prison in his own spirit till he came into prison and the prison was that which the Lord made use of for his enlargement Schola crucis lucis fenestra and so we read of another Martyr who upon this ground did wonderfully bless God that he came into prison that thereby he became acquainted with that Angel of God John Bradford The providence of God is as wonderful in the consolations as in the conversion of his people for it is a creating of the fruit of the lips peace Esa 57.19 and that is ex nihilo 6. In temptations when the lust hath been high and the temptation impetuous and the man about to yield the Lord hath sometimes appeared and struck the lust as it were from Heaven immediately and said Stay thy hand and the lust hath vanished for the fashion of the world passeth away and the lust thereof that a mans heart hath been dead unto that which before it was with the greatest violence set upon the Lord hath hedged up a mans way with thorns so that he could not sin with security as other men do Hos 2.6 7. but still when he would have sinned there were stumbling-blocks in his way and some providences that did concur to cross him in a way of sinning and some to pull him out of the fire when he was falling in as the instance of Vzthazares the Persian and the story of Ambrose of a young man that met with his mistress with whom he had formerly had dalliances and when she met him again the Lord struck his lust so that when she said Ego sum I am she he answered Ego non sum I am not he 2. There is a special Providence over godly men for the good of others that are good in their present and in after-generations 1. There is a strange Providence in improving their parts Moses being to be a man of great imployment for the good of the people of God he must be learned in all the learning of the Egyptians and so the parts of Austin and his learning and so of Luther how strangely did God make use of for the good of his people and Luk. 11.22 't is said he takes from him all the armour wherein he trusted c. that learning and those abilities and improvements the Lord doth imploy for the good of his people and he hath strange ways of improving of those that he doth intend to imploy and men see not the reason of it till afterward 2. In drawing out of their graces as in Joseph by the temptation of his mistress and the persecution that he met with his bow abode in strength and his arm was made strong and so it was with Job that we might hear of his patience and what end the Lord made with him and we know how strangely the Lord did order things that the height of Luthers spirit did rise by the opposition that was against him that he that at first would have accepted of easie terms afterwards resolved that nothing but the utter overthrow of Popery should satisfie him Efficiam ut Anathema sit esse papista◠3. Thereby there is a Providence that doth turn them to the good of his people that are to succeed partly for admonition that they may be warnings unto them Remember Lots wife remember Peter and David and Solomon that you may take heed to avoid the same snares in which they were taken and partly for their consolation that God might shew in them a pattern of all long-suffering unto them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting as Beza said when one derided him for his wanton Poems in his youth Hic homo invidet mihi gratiam Christi c. 4. Their sufferings so it was with Joseph Gen. 50.20 Ye intended evil but the Lord turned it unto good to save much people alive it was your good that God intended in my affliction and so Johns banishment into Patmos it was that he might receive the Book of the Revelations which hath been the great stay of the hearts and faith of the people of God ever since and though it may be obscure yet Conrad Graserus speaks of it by his own experience Me non ex ullius libri canonici lectione ad instructionem consolationem plùs proficere pag. 2. I have not profited more by any book c. 5. Their labours As 't is said that Moses wrote the Book of Job for the consolation of the people of God when they were in Egypt and of what use hath that been in general to the Church of God ever since so many of the pains of the people of God in writing the lives of the godly and the Sermons and sayings of the Ministers of God and their own observations of the signs of the times and whatever they have of that kind been put upon in particular cases providence hath so over-ruled things that they have been as a standing benefit unto the Church of God in after-ages and they have lived when the men have died There are many defences of the people of God and Apologies that they have been put upon in all ages when men of corrupt minds have aspersed the writings and persons of those that have been eminent in their places for asserting the Truths of God and witnessing against the corruptions of the times c. 6. Not only their labours have been very useful in all ages but also their Examples of well-doing Povidence doth put the Saints upon many things and conditions that they may leave their example as monuments in the ages to come as the Apostle saies Phil. 1.14 By my bonds many of the brethren wax confident are much more bold to speak the truth without fear 1 Tim. 4.12 Be thou an example of the believers in word in conversation in charity in spirit in faith and in purity they must be exemplary in every generation that they may leave their footsteps behind them that the people of God may walk after them and go forth by the footsteps of the stock in after-ages and that they may be so the Lord doth in his providence so order things that they shall have occasion to shew themselves examples in all things so that there is an over-ruling providence by virtue of the interest of the Saints in the Soveraignty of God that orders all things towards good men for their own good and all providences over them for the good of his people in the present and in after-ages that so a good man may be every way a common good 7. They have great advantages by the prayers of the Saints for even the wicked of the age yea and of after-ages do attain benefits by their prayers much more
prayers for as by their prayers they do not only attain mercy for themselves so they do not only by their faith attain mercy for themselves it is said of the men that came to Christ Jesus That when he saw their faith he said to the sick of the palsie Son thy sins are forgiven thee c. Mark 2.5 There is a question put by Interpreters whether any man be saved by another mans faith or what benefit a man may have by the faith of another to which they commonly give this answer That the faith of others may be very useful unto men though they be sinful in reference unto temporal mercies and deliverance as the Saints are said by faith to subdue kingdoms attain promises stop the mouths of lyons out of weakness were made strong Heb. 11.33 waxed valiant in fight and turned to flight the armies of the aliens c. in which works there were many others had the benefit of them besides themselves and yet all is attributed to their faith And therefore if by the faith of one many even ungodly men may fare the better how much more may all the Saints who are one body and live not only for their own good but also for the good one of another by their faith attain very many temporal blessings one from another and by the faith one of another Yea they go further though it 's true that no man can be saved but by his own faith and it was by this mans faith also laying hold upon pardon that his sins were forgiven him yet ubi est mutuus fidei consensus ab aliis juvari aliorum salutem Calv. The Lord even in granting spiritual blessings to his people hath as well respect unto the faith of others as unto the prayers of others as when we pray and others pray for us the mercy is granted as a return unto both prayers so when we believe and others also do believe the mercy is given with respect to the faith of both parties and this is the blessed condition of Saints that they do not only attain temporal mercies one for another and are the better in temporal things but even in spiritual and eternal things they do attain mercy as by their prayers so by the faith one of another as they may pray one for another so they may also believe one for another and the mercies be granted to them so there be a concurrence also of the faith of the person that receives the mercy It was a great mercy that the people of Israel should enter into â—anaan by the faith of Abraham and Jacob and Joseph they only believing and embracing those promises which they never lived to see fulfilled and accomplished But if it be so great a mercy to enter into the earthly Canaan and yet some entred not because of their unbelief for a mans own proper unbelief may deprive him of those temporal blessings which a man might else attain how much more a mercy is it to enter into the spiritual Canaan that of the Gospel even the promised Land the spiritual Priviledges of the Gospel and those that are eternal and that with the assistance of another mans faith It is ordinary with us to desire the prayers one of another and by the same reason that we have an interest in the prayers of the faithful we have an interest in the faith of the faithful also and we may as well desire them to improve and exercise their faith for us as their prayers and so did Monica for her son and parents should do it for their children as well as for their own souls and so for our friends also Austin speaking of the former experiences that his mother had in the answer and return of her prayers saies of her Semper orans tanquam chirographa tua ingerebat tibi c. And truly the returns of the faith of the faithful would be as great though they be not so commonly known as the return of their prayers and yet their prayers will avail nothing if they be not the prayers of faith § 4. Thus we have spoken something of the providential Kingdom in over-ruling all things for the good of the Saints in reference unto Good men now follows that we speak something also in reference unto Evil men for there is a Government and Soveraignty that the Lord doth also exercise towards them and all for the good of his own people Now the Lord Jesus hath a rule and dominion not only over his own house but also over the world and he doth rule them with a rod of iron Psal 2.9 and it is in this only that the people of God when they look upon wicked men in the world can comfort themselves that the Lord reigns and the power and the government of themselves is not in their own hand even the vessels of dishonour in his great house whether we understand it of the Church or of the world are for the masters use and at the masters command even wicked men as well as Devils are not at their own dispose there is a government that he doth exercise over them for he hath undertaken the government of all things for the good of his people and for their sake and if he do administer all for their good he must rule their enemies in all things as well as the Saints that the people of God may say That neither Angels nor principalities nor powers nor any creature shall be able to separate them from the love of God in Christ Rom. 8.38 he orders all the motions of enemies as well as the motions of his people as the Captain of the Lords Host and he orders all things so as it shall be for the destruction of the enemy at the last for all things are put under his feet the last enemy that is destroyed is death therefore all is put under his government and he doth rule them so as that in their own actings they do find their own destruction his government over them is that they might be destroyed and in their own way find their destruction but yet so as they shall be wholly ruled and ordered for the good of his people and that will appear in these particulars 1. That they have a being and standing in the world is for the good of the Saints caeteri mortales qui ex isto numero non sunt ad utilitatem nascuntur istorum August They had never been born if God had not had some use to make of them for the good of the Saints non enim quenquam istorum Deus temerè aut fortuito creat God creates none of them in vain as if he knew not what use to make of them it is for the Saints sake that they have their standing in the world for it is for them that the world stands it is but that the number of the Elect may be gathered and perfected and when that is done the stage of this world shall be taken down
coming from Italy meeting with him and they instructing him in the way of the Lord more perfectly this was happy for him to meet with such company hoc providentiae meritò tribuendum est insomuch that the people of God bless God unto Eternity one for another as the Martyr acknowledged it as a wonderful glorious providence unto him that he was cast into prison for there he became acquainted with that Angel of God John Bradford so Austin doth acknowledge much of the goodness of God to him in the society of Nebridius But there is an excellent story of Junius in this kind he being in Leyden for his studies sake there arose a great stir and tumult in the City insomuch that many of the inhabitants fled away for safety and he amongst the rest fled to save his life and being in the country thereabouts he came to a country-mans house to beg some victuals the country-man received him and very courteously entertained him and he began to talk with him about matters of Religion which the country-man performed with so much zeal and affection ego malus Christianus siquidem Christianus c. una eadem hora gratiam suam in utroque explicavit Deus à me scientiam rusticus ego ab eo zelum c. And he saith it did abide upon him mente fixâ that he was not able to put the impression out of his mind and the Lord made it useful to him all his life after c. 5. In their preservation in service and their dismissions from service 1 There is a preservation in service that they shall be continued to do the work for which the Lord has appointed them and they shall not be cut off till they have finished their work so it was with the Lord Jesus Christ Luke 13.32 Go tell that Fox It 's true Luk. 13.32 that he was a subtle enemy and one that did want no skill to bring those bloody designs he had to pass but yet there was a time set for Christs work to day and to morrow and the third day and during that time all his enemies were not able by power or policy to reach him and then afterwards I shall be perfected 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is I shall have perfected the work of my ministry and the perfection of a mans work is the perfection of the man he is never perfected till then and so it is with the two Witnesses they shall not be killed till they have fulfilled their Prophecy there is no putting any man out of imployment till the Lord discharge him a man that has any work to do for God no man can stop him in it before it is finished 2 When their work is done they shall have a very gracious dismission and they shall lie down with honour the best of the Saints have but their time of service and they shall receive their discharge but they shall come to their grave in a full age as a shock of corn in the season thereof Job 5.26 Some men have a longer and some have a shorter time of service but all have but their time As sinning is a warfare and wicked men in that do receive their discharge and it is in providence ordered so that they dye when it is in judgment to them when they least expect it and are least prepared for it so godly men dye when their graces are perfected and their work is finished and never till then and therefore when they sought Luthers life so much yet he could write this upon the wall of his Study I shall not dye but live and declare the works of the Lord c. And there are some men upon this account can laugh at dangers in a way of service and deride threatnings as the crackling of thorns under a pot because they say My time is not in your hands neither the time of my life nor of my service and he that imploys me will uphold me and will maintain me till the time of my dismission shall come and then I shall go off the stage of this world in mercy and lye down in peace and rest upon my bed after the time of my labour is ended 6. There is a special Providence in blessing and providing for their posterity God has a special providence over those that come out of the loyns of his own for indeed he has so ordered all his Decrees as that the greatest part of the Elect comes out of the loyns of the Saints Prov. 20.7 His children are blessed after him there is grace in a special manner that is promised unto them but 't is a blessedness that doth descend upon them by virtue of their parents Covenant Esa 59.21 My words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever and Esa 44.3 I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thy off-spring c. as Austin was filius lacrymarum the son of his mothers prayers and tears and the Lord did give an answer by giving the soul of her son unto her that he was graciously converted unto the Lord and proved an eminent instrument for service in the Church of the Lord. The Saints can with Jacob pronounce upon them a blessing when they dye and that out of faith in the promise and the Lord willsurely make it good unto them but we are begotten not of blood Joh. 1.13 And therefore though many times ungodly men may and do come out of the loyns of the Saints and the spiritual part of the Covenant is not made good unto many of the posterity of his own people yet the outward part of the Covenant surely is though the Covenant for matter of grace be unto Isaac yet there is another part of it that is made good to Ismael Twelve Princes shall he beget he hath the dew of heaven and the fatness of the earth God doth in outward things strangely supply them and provide for them when the children of the wicked are vagabonds and beg their bread Psal 37.25 Yet I never saw the righteous forsaken nor his seed begging bread Psal 37.25 Not that a godly man may not be brought to beggery or to live upon the charity of another Jesus Christ himself was so he was poor and so poor that the women Luke 8.3 his followers did minister unto him of their substance to supply his necessity in this life but there is a fourfold interpretation of that place of Scripture 1 Begging of bread is taken for extremity of poverty the seed of the righteous are never so poor but the Lord doth find out a way of support and supply for them he has said That the just shall inherit the earth 2 It is not meant that it was never so that they were never poor but in Davids experience he had never found it so 3 There is another interpretation of Muis
but when once they began to turn the head of their policy against the Saints they did very speedily find their ruine therein the Lord did go beyond them and they were taken in their own craftiness For when Satan has ingaged their spirits against the Saints Satan never leaves but he makes them restless raiseth up in them both great plots and great hopes and so they never cease till they meet with the Church as a burdensom stone at which they will always be lifting till they be broken therewith for in their very policy they do perish and in their own plots as in the net which they had privily laid is their foot taken Zac. 12.1 2. Behold I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and Jerusalem 2. How doth the Lord turn these plottings of wicked men be they never so deep unto the good of his people 1. God doth set Divine wisdom on work for them for they have an interest in all the Attributes of God and they shall be put forth for them as their necessities do require Psal 119.120 It is time for thee Lord to work for they have made void thy law The Saints may desire God to put out an Attribute then and they do flye unto their strong hold unto their chambers as Esa 26. as when the power of man is exalted against them now it is time for them to say We have no might against this multitude but our eyes are upon thee it is all one to thee to save with few or with many so when carnal wisdom is exalted now is the time for God to put forth his wisdom for them that are his people for they say We have no wisdom against this wise and subtle generation but our eyes are upon thee and in thee is our wisdom laid up Herod had a plot against Christ and he will come and worship him that is he would come and destroy him and the Wise-men also that came to seek him now is the wisdom of God put forth for Christs preservation one is sent into Egypt and the other are admonished by God and they return into their own country another way And the people of God have more benefit by seeing the wisdom of God acting for them than they can have disadvantage or discouragement by seeing all the wise men of the world against them O great is the sweetness that the people of God have by seeing any Attribute act for them and for their good that by this means they may come to understand their inheritance in Attributes which is far beyond that of creatures or promises as a father his bowels are moved for a child when he sees him in danger and then his affections do discover themselves so do the Saints expect that the Lord shall fulfil his relation in that respect when dangers are pressing upon them c. 2. In the middle of all their plots they comfort themselves in this that they shall take no effect against them till they have done the service which the Lord hath appointed them unto Luke 13.32 they told Christ that Herod had a plot upon him to kill him he saith Go tell that Fox Luk. 13.32 behold I cast out devils and I do cures to day and to morrow and the third day I shall be perfected Franc. in his History Animalium gives us three properties of a Fox he is animal dolosum crudele gulosum subtle and deceitful all for death cruel and all for the prey and there is a double property of him as deceitful 1 Noctu prorepit he only goes forth in the night doth all things secretly and so do Plotters they must not be seen and a great part of their wisdom is to be undiscovered 2 Nunquam rectis incedit itineribus sed ambagibus He doth never go right on but always he hath his windings and turnings so Politicians they love to walk unseen and they never love to go in plain paths but in secret ways to ensnare men But Christ when they told him of the design of this Fox Herod he comforts himself with this there is a set time for my work and then when that is done my service is perfect then shall I dye and I know all his policy shall be able to avail nothing against me till I have finished the work that the Father has given me to do And so may all the Saints comfort themselves against all the plots of wicked men against them they shall finish their work notwithstanding 3. This shall sometimes make way for their service in a wonderful manner the Jews had a plot against Paul and they had taken an oath That they would neither eat nor drink â—ill they had killed him this occasioned his being sent unto Caesarea first and afterwards to Rome where the Lord told him he must bear witness of him also and glorious was the service that he did there and the souls that he converted were many and in a special manner even in Caesars family there were souls brought home unto the Lord Phil. 4.22 All the Saints salute you chiefly those that are of Caesars houshold it was Nero that opprobrium humani generis and yet the Lord had some to pluck out there and the Lord made the plot which they had against him the occasion of all this great work what loser was Paul by it nay how much honour did it bring unto tâ—â— Lord and how great thanksgiving was given unto God by these pâ—or converted souls who came unto the knowledge of the Gospel and the way to life by this means 4. What they do plot to hinder shall by their very plots be advanced Esa 44.25 he turns wise men backward that is they shall see a quite contrary effect unto that which by their wisdom they intended to bring to pass against the Jews and the raising persecution against the Christians since was to hinder the Gospel and to suppress it but this did further the Gospel for it did occasion their going forth unto the Gentiles and by this means the sound went forth into all the earth and their words unto the ends of the world and 〈◊〉 the casting off of the Jews became the inriching of the Gentiles by this means which else had never been so gloriously and fully done and I do not doubt but the very opposition that is against the Ordinances of the Gospel shall establish them in the Lords time and the opposition against any truth hath ever established that truth for they are but as winds that root the trees by shaking of them they fasten Jer. 20.10 Report say they and we will report it the wicked plot to take away the good names of the Saints by casting out slanders against them as if they were the vilest wretches upon earth but there is not such a way to bring an honour upon them and to cause the Lord to make their light to break forth out of darkness unto after generations as to reproach them 5. Hereby they have experience of those glorious promises that God has made to his people of frustrating the plots of their enemies Esa 8.10 Consult but it shall come to nought speak the word but it shall not stand for God is with us Prov. 6.14 Frowardness is in his heart he devisâ—th mischief continually he sowed discord therefore shall his calamity come suddenly suddenly shall he be broken without remedy and Psal 19.21 Many devices are in the heart of a man but the counsel of God that shall stand Psal 64.6 7. They search out iniquity they accomplìsh a diligent search the inward thoughts of every one of them and the heart is deep but God shall shoot at them with an arrow and suddenly shall they be wounded Hereby the Saints flye unto those promises and they have experience of their interest and the prayers of the ancient Saints against all the enemies that ever plotted mischief against the Church as the instance of Judas they are answered in after-generations and there is a Communion of Saints that the people of God have with Saints departed upon this ground also they have a benefit by the prayers which they did put up upon earth which are accomplished upon the enemies of the Church and people of God in after-ages Lastly They have experience of strange secret and glorious deliverances by this means and truly experience of God in any kind is no small advantage to the Saints they make much of their own experiences and live upon them afterwards Possidon tells us in the Life of Austin that as he was travelling there were certain of the Donatists whom he calls Circumcelliones that did lay wait for him armed to kill him obvenit Dei providentia sed ductoris errore but he missed the way per hunc errorem manus impias evasit and so escaped This drew forth in him and in many others of the people of God many praises unto God for so great and unknown deliverance and I did the rather insist upon this because the enemies of the people of God are very busie in plotting against the Saints and we have cause to fear the fraud of the enemy as well as their force though if hand joyn with hand yet the wicked shall not be unpunished and the God that has delivered will again deliver These things may one day be worth thinking of when we are cast upon such providences that we know not what to do then the Lord will arise for the help of those that wait on him FINIS
is Christs King and Lord so he is the Saints 1 He gives them a Law 2 Carries them through their service 3 Destroys their enemies 4 Receives their accounts 5 Rewards them Pag. 321 As the Father stands unto Christ in the relation of a friend or companion so he doth to the Saints Pag. 323 As Christ is the true Vine so the Father is the Husbandman Pag. 324 The visible Church is in Scripture compared to four trees 1 To an Olive-tree 2 To a Palm-tree 3 To a Cedar 4 To a Vine Pag. 325 The Church is compared to a Vine 1 For its excellency 2 Spreading nature 3 Fruitfulness 4 Want of continual husbandry ibid. God the Father is said to be the husbandman 1 Because he plants the Vine 2 Fences it 3 Hires labourers 4 Waters it 5 Prunes it 6 Purges the fruitful branches that they may bring forth more fruit Pag. 326 As the Father is the fountain of the life of Christ so in him he is the fountain of spiritual life unto his Saints Pag. 328 Joh. 6.57 largely explained ibid. Whoever hath an interest in one Person of the Trinity hath at the same time an interest in them all Pag. 331 Yet there is a distinct interest in them all to be attained Pag. 332 The high advancement of the creature lies in union with the Persons Pag. 333 There is more in union with the Persons than in all other benefits whatever ibid. It is our title unto the Person that gives us a title unto all the benefits ibid. If there is such an interest in the Persons every man should examine himself whether he hath that interest Pag. 334 The way of getting this interest is by closing with the Son Pag. 335 If a man be entitled to the Persons there will be the drawing out of his heart towards each Person ibid. There will never be a fulness of assurance till the Persons that have given an interest in themselves do also witness their interest Pag. 336 We are to exercise faith upon all the Persons thus made over under the second covenant ibid. The objects of saith that the soul is to take in in each of the Persons are 1 The Persons themselves we are to believe the record of them all 2 The soul is to rest upon all the promises that in Scripture are made concerning these Persons 3 Faith is to rest upon the love of them all 4 Also upon the appropriated acts of each Person and rely upon them for the performance of them 5 Faith should expect all the Attributes of God to be distinctly exercised by all the Persons 6 Also it should distinctly close with them all in their witnessing ibid. The acts of faith that are distinctly to be put sort upon them all are 1 A fiducial knowledge that the Persons are made over to us 2 A casting of our selves by distinct thought upon each of these Persons 3 A drawing virtue from all the objects of faith 4 A resignation of the soul to God 5 An exercising distinct acts of communion with all the Persons Pag. 339 That there is a distinct communion with all the Persons proved Pag. 340 This communion doth consist 1 In the love one of another 2 In acting one for another 3 In visitations 4 In imparting of counsels 5 In mutual delights in their interest one in another 6 In calling upon one another for further fellowship and communion ibid. Arguments to stir up hereunto 1 This is the great end of the covenant of grace 2 All Christ hath done and suffered was a preparation hereunto 3 There is sweetness in fellowship 4 All mercies are obtained by it Pag. 342 CHAP. V. God in the Covenant of Grace makes over himself in his Alsufficiency That there is enough in the Alsufficiency of God to supply all a mans wants in this life and in the life to come proved at large Pag. 344 That the Alsufficiency of God is by covenant made over unto the Saints proved 1 By promises 2 By instances Pag. 347 The grounds and reasons of it are 1 His own love 2 The insufficiency of all things else 3 Because God would have the happiness of the creature to concenter in him alone 4 Because he will have the creature perfect with him 5 To make up the banks against the greatest temptation that ordinarily befals men 6 To make the soul fear to lose God above all things because its alsufficiency is in him 7 That the creatures may thereby be kept in their own place 8 That the soul may hereby live on God immediately Pag. 349 The Alsufficiency of God belongs unto none but his own covenant-people Pag. 353 The reasons why God suffers his own people to be in as great wants as other men are 1 That their alsufficiency may be in him alone and that they may trust perfectly in him 2 That they may be made partakers of the sufferings of Christ. 3 That God may be alsufficient to them in the loss of all things and want of all things 4 Because it is very sweet to God when we follow him through a wilderness 5 Gods great glory is to manifest his Attributes in their sufferings 6 As our supplies come from God so there is a special token of love and interest discovered in his sufficiency that is sweeter than the mercy it self Pag. 354 Though wicked men may have great sufficiency in outward things yet 1 It is not from their interest in his alsufficiency 2 It is their portion 3 It is given as a snare to themselves and others Pag. 356 Those are justly reprovable that claim an interest by covenant in God and yet expect a sufficiency in the creature 1 Hereby they dishonour God 2 Themselves 3 The creature to whom they flye for sufficiency can do neither good nor evil 4 The creature cannot reach unto the best in man his soul 5 The creatures have no good in them but what is borrowed 6 Retiring to creatures in straits causes God to leave them Pag. 358 Those that place any sufficiency in themselves are also justly reprovable Pag. 361 There is a twofold sufficiency the heart is apt to go out unto 1 In respect of gifts and inward abilities either acquired or infused 2 In respect of grace received ibid. The evil of a self-sufficiency in respect of gifts 1 They are anothers and not our own 2 They are given to wicked men 3 It is to serve Satan in the highest way that can be 4 These gifts cannot be exercised without Divine aid 5 Nor made successful 6 It will provoke God to take them away ibid. In respect of grace received 1 It is quite contrary to the nature of grace 2 No man can act his own grace 3 Grace is but a creature 4 It makes grace an Idol Pag. 363 There is a great proneness in the best to place their sufficiency in grace received both as to matter of strength and comfort Pag. 364 The great policy of Satan therein Pag. 365 To
take Saints off from a dependence upon their own graces they should consider 1 That though grace be the best of all the creatures yet it is but a creature and therefore defectible and subject to decay 2 It is contrary to the very nature of grace to be made the ground of a mans dependence because grace in its own nature is properly to be dependent upon another 3 No man is able to act the grace he hath received without a continual influence from Christ. 4 All the grace a man hath cannot free him from temptations nor secure him from falling into great sins 5 This will certainly provoke God against his grace so as to let it decay 6 The more immediate supplies of grace are the sweeter they are ibid. All that have chosen the Lord for their God should be content with him alone though they have nothing else Pag. 368 This contentment of soul consists 1 In laying up all in God 2 In not running out after other things in an anxious and solicitous way 3 In only fearing the loss of God 4 In not being much troubled with the loss of other things 5 In not envying the prosperity of the wicked 6 In rejoycing in God 7 In making their boast of God Pag. 368 Those are in a happy condition that have an interest in the Alsufficiency of God 1 It is the highest way of honouring God that can be in this life 2 This makes a man set light by the scorns and derisions of the world 3 This gives the soul in all its straits and necessities a city of refuge 4 This will guard the heart from going out unto any thing else whatsoever Pag. 371 Their happiness by reason of their interest in Gods alsufficiency consists 1 In a supply of all their wants 2 In enabling them for all their work 3 In disburdening their souls of all their troublesom afflictions 4 In fulfilling all their desires Pag. 373 They that have an interest in the alsufficiency of God 1 Have an interest in Christ. 2 They chuse this for their portion to place their happiness in 3 They honour and exalt that Attribute in their hearts 4 They will be raised up in their souls to an holy self-sufficiency Pag. 375 Those that have this interest in Gods alsufficiency should walk before God and be upright Pag. 377 CHAP. VI. The Soveraignty of God made over to the Saints in the new Covenant The Soveraignty of God is that absolute and universal Authority which he hath over all things as being the works of his own hands Pag. 378 This Soveraignty is 1 Vniversal 2 Supreme 3 Absolute Pag. 379 This Soveraignty of God is during this world committed into the hand of Christ as Mediator And is 1 Spiritual 2 Providential Pag. 381 The government of all things in his Kingdom is exercised by him in the behalf of the Saints and so they have a right to the Soveraignty of God and it is made over to them Pag. 385 The Soveraignty of God in reference to the spiritual Kingdom which is either in grace or glory is made over to the Saints Pag. 386 The subjects of this spiritual Kingdom are only those that live in the Church and belong unto it Pag. 387 Christ hath a spiritual Kingdom in the souls of the Saints Pag. 388 This spiritual Kingdom consists in a Throne that Christ sets up in the conscience which doth order and command the whole man and that in the Name and by the Authority of God ibid. This rule and dominion Christ only hath in the hearts of the Saints Pag. 389 Christ hath the rule and government over the spirits of those that are under the spiritual Kingdom by profession only Pag. 391 This government Christ by his spirit doth exercise towards them and over them for the good of his Saints 1 Their graces are ruled by Christ for the Saints 2 Their gifts 3 Their services 4 Their sins 5 Their judgments Pag. 392 There belong unto this spiritual Kingdom reductively all the works and the dispensations of God amongst the creatures 1 They tend to perfect the graces of the Saints 2 They belong unto the priviledges of the Saints Pag. 395 Christ the Mediator in this spiritual Kingdom doth also rule and order the Angels that they have an influence and do conduce to the advancement of this spiritual Kingdom Pag. 398 Angels on earth the Ministers and Messengers of God conduce to its advancement 1 By the gifts and abilities which Christ gives them for the good of the Saints 2 By suitable affections and dispositions of heart towards them 3 By performing the work Christ appoints them 4 Christ over-rules and orders their ministry for the good of his people 5 Gives efficacy and success to their labours 6 Their sufferings are for the Churches sake and good ibid. Christ also uses the Angels in Heaven for the advancement of this spiritual Kingdom 1 They pray for us 2 Joyn with us in our praises 3 Instruct us â—n the things of God 4 Watch over us to keep us from sin 5 Comfort and chear us in dejections 6 At death carry our souls into Abrahams bosom Pag. 401 The Saints have an interest in Christs providential Kingdom Pag. 402 There is a special Providence over them above all the rest of the creation 1 In over-ruling all things for their good that nothing shall do them hurt 2 Every thing shall act for their preservation ibid. The greatest things in the world are not above the Providence of God nor the smallest below it Pag. 403 The Providence of God hath two parts 1 He upholds the creatures in their beings 2 He orders their actions ibid. The Providence of God is either 1 What he doth immediately by an extraordinary providence or 2 In an ordinary way by second causes ibid. The Providence of God is either seen 1 In things which have a necessary dependence upon their causes or 2 In things that fall out so that we can give no reason of them Pag. 404 Providence is either about good or evil ibid. The Providence of God about the greatest things for the good of the Saints 1 His government over the Angels 2 Over men in all the changes of the world ibid. The good Angels are for the good of the Saints 1 They secretly suggest things to the hearts and wills of men 2 They fight against their enemies 3 Execute vengeance upon them 4 Over-rule the creatures for their good beyond their nature 5 Guide them in their way and succeed their undertakings 6 Compass the earth for their sakes Pag. 405 The Providence of God governs evil Angels for the good of the Saints 1 They shall not tempt them more than is for their good 2 Nor further than shall be for subduing corruption 3 Their temptations serve to improve their graces 4 And giving the Saints experience of the power of Christ 5 And the benefit of his Intercession 6 And of the power of their own prayers 7 Their
to heal thee but there is something of God made over in the personal promises of the Gospel that never saw light before and that is Mercy and Grace which is the Glory of the Gospel an Attribute that was never known but under the second Covenant And as all Gods Attributes were not made known to Adam by his personal interest so neither were all the persons unto those perfect high and compleat ends that now they are unto the Heirs of Promise The Lord did give Adam an interest in his Son but not his Son to take the Nature of Adam to be made lower than the Angels for the suffering of death He gave him also an interest in his Spirit but not to heal his corruption and to perfect his Graces or help his infirmities or be an Advocate to plead his Cause before God and his own Soul also for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also signifies an Advocate as well as a Comforter Christ is an Advocate without us and the Spirit within us inabling us to plead for our selves before his Throne Now in these respects though Adam had personal promises yet these of the Gospel are now more glorious and of a higher nature and of a larger extent and therefore they are better promises 2. The greatest Gift that ever God did bestow upon a Creature is a Person and therefore the giving of Christ is call'd by way of excellency The gift of God Joh. 4.10 If thou knewest the gift of God And unto us a Son is given It was a great gift that the Lord should give to Adam the Lordship of the whole world the inheritance of all the Creatures but there is no excellency in Creatures in comparison of the glorious persons in the Trinity Answerable to the excellency of the thing given we do rightly value the gift and answerable unto the gift of his Son we may also conclude of the Father and the Spirit for the gift of the Son is upon that ground so great because he that has once attain'd an interest in the Son the whole God-head is become his 3. All the interest that a Soul has in the blessings of God and benefits by him have their foundation in our interest and propriety in the persons themselves they are made over to us by these personal promises and a man can have no more benefit by God than he has interest in him as the Psalmist having spoken of all the benefits and blessings that they have by God he comes at last to shew the title and the conveyance of them all Psal 144. ver the last and that is Happy is the people whose God is Jehovah The ground of all our benefits by Christ is our Union with him and the intendment of Union is Communication and till a man become one with him he can savingly have no benefit by him as 't is said 1 Cor. 3.22 All things are yours and you are Christs it 's your interest in his person that gives you a title to his inheritance as the Wife can have no claim to the estate and the honours of her Husband but by her Union with him and interest in his person and answerable unto mens interest in persons such is their title unto benefits by them and they that have no interest in God can have no title to any of the blessings of God and therefore the fundamental promises and mercies are those that are personal He that hath the Son hath life 1 Joh. 5.12 there is no life from the Son but by Union with him you must eat his flesh and drink his blood which are terms of Union if ever you hope for everlasting life by him 4. From our interest in the Persons the personal promises give us boldness and access to him we have says the Apostle boldness and access to come to God by Christ Ephes 3.12 Now a Child comes to the Father with boldness because he has an interest in his person as a Father and a Wife has access unto her Husband with boldness because she has an interest in him whereas all ungodly men are strangers to God and therefore cannot ingage their hearts to draw near to him for they have no interest in him and therefore must stand without and can have no access 5. The great promises to Christ as Mediator lye in this that he has an interest in persons and by personal promises they are made over to him Psal 89.26 He shall call me my Father Psal 16.5 my God and this Christ glories in the Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup and it is this Christ takes hold of in his desertion my God my God that high speech of Faith taking hold of these personal promises It 's a glorious inheritance that God has given to Christ for he hath made him heir of all things but yet his inheritance in all the Creatures is nothing in comparison of the inheritance he has in the Lord as he is his God Joh. 3.35 and in the Spirit which is therefore called the Spirit of Christ because he received not the spirit by measure As the great delights of the God-head from everlasting were in the persons one of another Prov. 8.30 I was by him as one brought up with him and I was his delight daily so the great delight of Christ is in his interest in the person of the Father He has also a great delight in the Saints because they are his Seed and his Spouse and therefore he doth rejoyce over them as a Bridegroom over his Bride but yet the main delight of Christ as Mediator doth lye in his interest in the person of the Father and of the Spirit and as God made over his person first unto Christ by the Covenant of Redemption so by that Covenant in him he made it over unto us for he is Christs Father and our Father he is Christs God and he is our God Joh. 20.17 I ascend to my Father and your Father my God and your God 6. The main comfort of a Christian comes in from personal relations of the Covenant and they are all of them grounded in personal promises He is our Father and our Husband and our Friend and all of these are personal relations and speak an interest in the person and the great support of Faith in the worst times lyes in this as we see in the Church Isai 63. doubtless thou art our Father When the Lord was displeased with them and had hid his face and poured upon them spiritual judgments hardned their hearts from his fear and variety of temporal judgments for the Adversary had trodden down their Sanctuary yet now when they have nothing else to lay hold of it is upon a personal relation that they pitch doubtless thou art our Father and it 's according to our relation to his person that the Lord exhorts us to come to him All our Prayers when we pray is Our Father