Son and that he will adorne him with his grace as a bride of Jesus Christ Thus while the soul looketh towards Jesus Christ and grace in him the Lord doth secretly transform him into the image of Christ by working such qualifications in him and then beareth witnesse to that sanctification which is wrought in his heart thereby inlarging his soul with strong consolation in Jesus Christ and in the same way it is that the Lord doth strengthen the faith of his people to believe that all those things which God hath promised are accomplished in Jesus Christ and the Law fulfilled in me so farre as Christ is in me and therefore I come unto God in prayer to make good those promises unto me in a right way which would have been preposterously applied before Christ was given And this may serve for answer unto this fifth question We come now unto a sixth question Quest 6 If the Lord do give himself first in the Covenant of his Grace this may then be a doubt and a question in a Christian soul If God gives himself before any blessing before any promise in order of nature though he giveth himself alwayes in a promise or in a word that is equivalent to a promise as Cant. 5.9 16. ch 6.1 if we cannot claim any blessing from God at the first in any conditional promise therefore not by any condition in our selves but as we received all things from God so we claim all things from God in Jesus Christ and so do first seek for him and for all things in him If thus to what use then serveth the Law of God which requireth such and such conditions in us do we not abrogate the Law and make it of none effect and root it out from having any power over Christians And truely some under pretence of the Covenant of Grace have thought it altogether bootlesse to bind Christians unto the Law of God and to look at it as any part of the direction of their course because this is an imputation usually reflected upon the Covenant of Grace let us consider therefore and enquire to what use serveth the Law of God if God give himself first unto his people in the Covenant of his Grace Though the Lord giveth himself freely to the soul Answ and his Son and all the blessings of the Covenant of Grace without respect unto any work of the Law yet the Law is of special and notable use unto all the sons of men both unto them which are not yet brought home unto God by converting grace and also to those that are regenerate in Jesus Christ The Apostle Paul did observe that the question would arise upon the Doctrine of the Covenant of Grace Gal. 3.16 17 18. for if the blessing of Abraham cometh upon the people of God by Jesus Christ to what end then serveth the Law which came 430 after it cannot disannul to make the promise of God of none effect to what end then serveth it some say it is of no use others say that it is of such use that they had rather renounce the Covenant of Grace then it but the answer is It is of especial use both unto spiritual and carnal men First unto carnal men and they are of two sorts some belong unto the election of grace though they he not yet called others are not written in the Lambs books of life but will in the end finally perish and yet the Law is of use unto both sorts of them 1. For those that are the elect of God it is of use unto them to aggravate their sin and to multiply it unto them as it were that is to say to aggravate the apprehension of the hainousnesse of sin upon their consciences and to set home the burden of their sins unto their souls thereby to drive them to feel their great need of the Lord Jesus Christ whom otherwise they should for ever have despised Thus the Apostle answereth in the place forenamed The Law was added because of transgressions that they might clearly appear and be aggravated thereby that a man might plainly discern how be hath made himself liable unto the wrath of God by so manifold breaches of so many Commandments in one kinde or other the Law giveth clear knowledge of sin and so much the more doth it set on the weight of it upon the conscience working fear in the heart Rom. 8.15 and hence it is that the Apostle telleth us Gal. 3.24 that the Law was our School-master to Christ as a School-master driveth his Scholar through fear unto this or that duty so the Law of God driveth the soul through fear unto Jesus Christ not that it doth reveal Christ a Saviour and Redeemer of free grace but the soul being once brought down under the sence of sin by the terrours of the Law will readily and diligently hearken unto the news of Christ a Saviour for being once made sensible of his own inability to redeem himself and unworthinesse to be redeemed from the wrath of God now is the Soul fitted to hear the voyce of the Gospel now is the news of Jesus Christ beautifull and glad tidings and of this use is the Law unto the Elect of God before they come under the Covenant of the Grace of God 2. But of what use is the Law unto other men Answ First In regard of disobedience it is of use unto them and 2. the obedience to it is of use 1. In regard of disobedience for if men had not known sin it had been some pretence though they had committed sin but when men have the knowledge of the Law and yet commit sin willingly now they have no Cloak for their sin Rom. 1. vers 21. compared with 32. where the Apostle speaketh of the great sin of the Gentiles and much more of the Jews who though they knew God and the judgement of God and that they which commit such wickednesse are worthy of death yet not onely do the same but have pleasure in them that do them When a man shall not onely do such wickednesse but blesse himself in it this aggravateth a mans condemnation if men will not come unto Jesus Christ that they might have life Joh. 5.40 what saith our Saviour in such a case vers 54. Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom you trust Moses will judge all those that please themselves in wickednesse and will not turn to the Lord Jesus Christ thus there is use of the Law unto disobedient persons their disobedience will leave them without excuse when they sin against their consciences against the means which the Lord hath administred unto them for though the Lord never gave them such grace as did accompany salvation yet such Illumination he did give them that they needed not to have broken his Law so many wayes with such wicked hands as they have done therefore when they have been enlarged to
perform many duties and might avoid much sin and yet will sin against their consciences and tread under foot those means of grace that were committed unto them It is then most righteous with God that they should be condemned 2. Of what use is the obedience of the Law unto such whom Gods Soul taketh no pleasure in Truely it is of sad and dreadful use unto unto them for it serveth to harden them in their sins though that be but an accidental use thereof their sins are thereby made out of measure sinful Rom. 7.13 They harden their hearts 1. by their obedience to the Law 2. by the Comfort which they take in that obedience both these do marvellously harden their hearts For the first of these The Apostle Paul Acts 23.1 had kept so good a conscience that he knew not any sin against the Law that he lived in but though he was unrebukeable he did count it all losse afterward Phil. 3.7 8. those things that before he thought had been his gain now he counteth them but dung that he may win Christ when a man attaineth to outward conformity unto the Law he is then ready to think it is indeed good for poor sinfull men to look for salvation by Jesus Christ but for himself he hopeth in his devotion and that he is able to save himself these are such as justâ—fie themselves before men to whom our Saviour speaketh Luke 16.15 and of whom he saith That Publicans and Harlots shall go into the Kingdom of heaven before them Mat. 21.31 32. for many times you shall have the most deboist and profane wretches more humbled and readier to hearken to the voyce of Christ and sooner convinced of the necessity of the Covenant of Grace then those that are but morally righteous by the Law Rom. 9.30 31 32. the Gentiles which followed not after righteousnesse have attained to righteousnesse even the righteousnesse which is of faith but Israel which followed after the Law of righteousnesse hath not attained to the Law of righteousnesse wherefore because they sought it not by faith but as it were by the works of the Law and chap. 10.31 They being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse and going about to establish their own righteousnesse have not submitted themselves unto the righteousnesse of God Thus the Law becometh a snare unto them and that which is of singular and wholsom use unto the Children of God is made death unto them And as their obedience to the Law is thus a snare unto them so secondly the delight and comfort which they take in their obedience is a greater snare then the other The stony and thorny soyl did hear the word with joy and so those Hypocrites Isai 59.2 did delight to approach unto God but what followed upon the delight which they took in God and in holy Duties it made them ready to expostulate with God why he did not answer them according to their works the delight which they found did so fill their hearts with assurance of the grace of God that they looked at their Duties as so many tokens of the love of God unto their souls and then when men come to find more comfort in their obedience then in the grace of God in Jesus Christ it maketh them ready to expostulate with God touching the worth of their own Righteousness Isa 57.10 Thou hast found the life of thine hand therefore thou wast not grieved as long as a man findeth life and comfort in his own duties and performances what need can he see to be grieved for the want of Jesus Christ or at the best if he do grieve and find his heart comforted in grieving and delighting in the course of humiliation he then thinketh he hath no need of being farther solicitous about his spiritual estate Thus we see plainly that the Law of God is of marvellous use in the days of the Gospel of great use unto those that belong unto God to break their hearts for sin and to drive them to Jesus Christ and for others the disobedience of the Law leaves them without excuse that so disobey it again the obedience of it and comfort in that obedience doth harden the hearts of others from Jesus Christ But what say you then unto men that are under a Covenant of Grace and brought unto fellowship with Christ therein of what use is the Law of of God unto such is it utterly antiquated or is there any more to be done with it The Apostle answereth this Question Answ when he saith I am not without the Law to God but under the Law to Christ 1 Cor. 9.21 so minde you the Law is of use unto the Apostle Paul but how as the Law cometh under Christ so Paul cometh under the Law this is the sum of the Answer but that would be further explained What meaneth he when he saith I am under the Law to Christ In some sence a Christian is wholly freed from the Law In some sence he is yet under the Law So far as the Law is any way besides or out of Christ so far the Apostle is without the Law So far as the Law is under Christ so far he is under the Law Keep close to these two Principles and you shall safely avoid Rocks on every hand thus by the use of the Law shall you not go aside to a Govenant of Works nor by attendance unto Grace shall you need to neglect the Law How far is the Law under Christ when it hath brought the soul neerer unto Christ and in a remote manner prepared him the Law is in Christ and you subject to it in him 1. As the Law is given by Christ 2. As in Christ help is given to perform it First as the Law is given by Christ as 1 Thes 4.2 3. You know what Commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus for this is the will of God even your Sanctification c. and many other commandments he gave them all which are legal commandments and yet the Apostle gave them by the Lord Jesus so Mat. 5.17 to the end of the chapter our Saviour Christ would not have us think that he came to destroy the Law or the Prophets but to fulfil them And to that end he doth there expound the spiritual and true meaning of the Law that whereas the Pharisees held forth the outward letter of the Law to be observed onely as thinking that unless a man did commit the Act of Murder he was not guilty of the breach of the sixth Commandment and if he committed not the Act of Adultery he transgressed not the seventh Commandment and so of the rest Our Saviour Christ expoundeth the Law more spiritually shewing that anger against a mans brother is the breach of the sixth Commandment and whosoever shall look on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her in his heart and broken the seventh commandment thus Christ hath as it were revived Moses but as the Law is given by Christ it
obedience unto it will supply comfort unto him but if we be dead unto the Law we have no life in it nor by it but only in Jesus Christ from whom we expect our comfort indeed we are troubled that we should sin against the grace of God otherwise we look not at our obedience or disobedience to make us accepted or rejected 4. And finally the soul doth not claim his right unto any conditional promise by his performance of the condition nor doth he deny himself the blessing that the promise may reach forth unto him though he be wanting in obedience to this or that Commandment pregnant for this purpose is the example of Jacob which we mentioned before Gen. 32.9 10. who though he had a plain and a full promise of God to do him good if he would return to his Country and to his kindred yet when he did return according to the word of God he claimed not his interest in that promise for that he had done as God commanded him but I am less then the least of thy mercies and yet he cometh unto the Lord for the performance of his promises but not upon this ground only for the sake of mercy and truth Deliver me I pray thee for thou saidest I will surely do thee good ver 11 12. so that mind you though the soul can make use of a conditional promise and come to God for the blessing of it yet not expecting it in the least manner by vertue of his obedience and truly this is the freedom of a Christian soul whereas another man if he have kept the Commandment and performed the condition he then looketh for acceptance from God as if the Lord make this promise that he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall find mercy this man confesseth his sin unto God and forsaketh it and therefore he looketh for mercy but this is not the manner of Gods people and yet if they look for any mercy it is in the way of God but not because of their own goodness their hope is in the faithfulness and free grace of God they may make mention to the praise of God how he hath guided them and carried them an end in his own waies yet they challenge nothing from any thing that they have done but put the Lord in mind of his free promise that as of his free grace he hath freely promised so from the same grace he may make good what he hath promised Vse 1 If any therefore shall accuse the Doctrine of the Covenant of free Grace of Antinomianism and say it teacheth men freedom from the Law of Moses and if they commit any sin they plead they are not bound unto the Law we see how false such an aspersion would be for all the people of God know that the Lord is an avenger of every such wickedness There is none under a Covenant of Grace that dare allow himself in any sin for if a man should negligently commit any sin the Lord will school him throughly and make him sadly to apprehend how he hath made bold with the treasures of the grace of God Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid none that have a portion in the grace of God dareth therefore allow himself in sin but if through strength of temptation he be at any time carried aside it is his greatest burthen 2 Sam. 12.8 9. compared 13. Hath not the Lord saith Nathan done these and these things for thee wherefore then hast thou despised the Commandment of the Lord then David confesseth I have sinned It pierced him to the heart to consider it that he should abuse his Neighbours wife and kill her husband and commit such wickedness against God that had dealt so graciously with him So that the children of the Covenant of grace will only tell you that they are free from the Covenant of the Law but not from the Commandment of it for as it is given by Jesus Christ and ratified in the Gospel and as Christ hath given us his Spirit enabling us to keep it we are under it so far as to take our selves bound by the authority of it and if we do transgress against it we know it is sin in the sight of God and therefore it is that the soul in such a case is sensible of the wrath and displeasure of God whether it be his own sin or the sin of his brethren therefore he runneth unto God for mercy which he would not do if he did not know that his desert according to the Law did utterly cut him off from mercy else would he never pray for pardon of sin nor rejoyce when the Lord helpeth him to do that which is right and just in his sight nor bless the Lord for strengthening him unto obedience unless he thought it to be his duty and therefore It is of use also to teach the servants of God how far they are freed from the Law Use 2 to wit from the Covenant of it so that they neither look for justification nor salvation from it And let it not be grievous to any soul that a Christian should say He doth not fear condemnation by his disobedience he will be apt to fear in this kind untill he be assured of the favour of God but when he knoweth his portion in the Covenant then indeed he doth not fear condemnation by his sin nor doth he think that the Lord will cleave unto him because of his fruitfulness he casteth not off his comfort nor looketh at himself as divorced from Christ because of his barrenness before the Lord nor doth he look for his daily bread from all his obedience but expecteth all goodness and blessing from the treasures of the free grace of God Use 3 This may also serve to teach men some kind of discernment of their own spirits and state if you look for justification no longer then you are obedient and fear eternal condemnation when you are disobedient if you be afraid of divorce from Christ because of your sins or if you look for any blessing and challenge right to any promise by vertue of any well-doing of your own in such a case either thou art under a Covenant of works or at the least thou art gone aside to a Covenant of works and if ever the Lord open your eyes and bestow his free grace upon you you will know your redemption from such dependances as these be I know a Christian man that hath not been clearly taught the distinct differences of the two Covenants may be misled into dangerous waies that might tend unto the utter undoing of his soul but it is a sin of ignorance and the Lord will not leave his servants but clear up his truth and grace unto them May serve to teach the servants of God Use 4 that desire to walk in a way of constant comfort how to build their faith and their hope truly if they be grounded upon your own obedience or righteousness or
is blasted and broken in pieces according to what the Prophet Isay saith chap. 40.6 7. All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field the grass withereth and the flower fadeth because the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it and so the Lord cometh to leave a man neither Root nor Branch For by a spirit of Bondage the Lord blasteth all flesh but when it cometh unto the goodliness of flesh that is consumed by a spirit of Burning 2. As God thus prepareth us for himself so he doth give himself unto us and taketh possession of us by his blessed Spirit the Father giveth himself and his Son by his blessed Spirit for the Spirit it is by which he doth visit the hearts of his people and this is the main Blessing of the Covenant of Grace For the better clearing of it it may be demanded How doth the Lord give himself unto his People Quest and his People back again to receive him 1. They being thus prepared Answ the Spirit of God taketh up his seat in the soul by making it a Temple unto himself in the Name of the Father and of the Son and so are they made an habitation of God through the Spirit Ephes 2.22 Because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts c. Gal. 4.6 He speaketh not of sons by actual Regeneration but by Gods eternal Counsel The fame Spirit is also called the Comforter whom Jesus Christ hath promised to send Joh. 16.7 8 9. If I depart I will send you the Comforter and when he is come he will reprove the world of sin of righteousness and of judgment of sin because they beleeve not in me this the Holy Ghost convinceth men of to be the greatest misery of the soul that they have not beleeved upon Jesus Christ And look as a talent of gold or some weighty metal falling into a vessel of water dasheth out all that is in the vessel to make room for it self so the Lord Jesus Christ coming into the soul dasheth out all watry confidences and maketh room for himself And in very deed because the heart of man is not only like unto water but is hard as yee and strong therefore the Spirit of God cometh like fire and melteth the iron stone of the heart and softneth it into flesh so that now the soul is utterly at a loss not only in regard of his sins but in regard of his best works also and is most of all convinced of his unbelief Now this holy Spirit of God being thus shed abroad into the heart at the very first entrance of it into the soul as it doth chiefly convince the soul of unbelief so 2. The same Spirit worketh Faith in the soul to yeeld himself unto the Lord to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and this is a true saving work he now submitteth unto the will of God so that the Spirit of God becometh unto the soul not only as a Spirit of burning to consume all that is like stubble but doth also melt the iron stone of the heart and softneth it into flesh that the word may take deep impression in it Now there is room for Jesus Christ now Faith is wrought there and now a soul can plead with God by Faith in Prayer he seeth there is no former safe hold of his Covenant that he can plead nor any righteousness of his own but such as hypocrites will quarrel for and rise up to maintain as they did against John Baptist pleading their covenant and their righteousness with these things a poor soul is not satisfied but unto you that fear my Name shall the Son of righteousness arise with healing in his wings c. Mal. 4.2 Herein is implied such a reverent fear as distrusting our selves giveth all the honour to the Lord Jesus this Fear of the Lord accompanieth Faith and is of like nature to it both of them distrusting our selves and both of them giving all honour to Christ the one out of confidence in him the other out of reverence to him Thus it is in our Effectual calling the Spirit of God taking possession in our hearts and working this Faith in us thereby we submit unto the Lord and this is Faith in Jesus Christ that maketh us one with Christ for our Effectual calling bringeth us to be one with him 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithful by whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ This fellowship standeth in two things 1. In the unity of the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 2. In a lively Faith on our parts So that by Beleeving this is the first thing we do we yeeld unto the work of God when this stronger man cometh to wit Christ by his Spirit we yeeld up all our armour to him and herein standeth our coming on to be in Christ and in God the Father by this Spirit of God that taketh possession of the heart and hath not only burnt up root and branch of our Legal righteousness but hath also melted us unto a soft frame to yeeld up our selves unto the Lord and now we are fit for any duty the Lord having possessed us with his powerful presence herein lyeth our Effectual calling and this is true spiritual union between the Lord and our souls Now this Faith thus wrought in our Effectual calling is not built upon any conditional promise of Grace pre-existent in us nor can it be built upon any but upon some absolute free Promise of God unto the soul according to what we read Isai 43.22 to 25. Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel thou hast not brought me the small cattel of thy burnt-offerings neither hast thou honoured me with thy sacrifices I have not caused thee to serve with an offering nor wearied thee with incense Thou hast bought me no sweet cane with money neither hast thou filled me with the fat of thy sacrifices but thou hast made me to serve with thy sins thou hast wearied me with thine iniquities I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake and will not remember thy sins In all this we see the absolute freeness of the Grace of God But if the Promise be conditional it is a condition subsequent to Faith not antecedent before it You will say Object Though some may be converted by such an absolute Promise yet some other mans Faith may be built upon a conditional Promise and the condition preexistent I pray you consider it Answ If it be a Condition it is to some good Qualification or other some good work or other of the Spirit of God in the heart of a Christian Was this work wrought before Conversion or after Every Christian knoweth that all works before conversion are but dross and dung to apply promises to such works were indeed to build upon a
have feared well enough but here is his confidence vers 15. God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave for he shall receive me But will not this make a Christian wanton against God and cause him to abuse his libety to hardness of heart no no brethren this is the kindly melting of a godly heart to consider a Redeemers love drawing him from the power of the grave and that he should by his sins pierce the Lord Jesus Christ this melteth his heart more then all his other sins specially considering the abounding Grace of God which where sin hath abounded grace aboundeth much more thus when a man doth not look for life by his own Righteousness but knoweth the Redemption of souls to be more precious then so this sheweth a man not to be under a Covenant of Works and then his very iniquity shall not make him afraid there is such a state in Christianity and let all men know it But will it not make men think the worse of Christian profession No David will have all to know it that they may see the difference between all worldly confidences and the confidence of Christians all their glory will leave them to be like the Beasts that perish and cannot redeem their souls that the Lord onely might be exalted 2. As a Christian looketh not for salvation by his obedience to the Law nor feareth condemnation by his disobedience so neither doth he seek for any blessing from his obedience nor fear any curse from his disobedience he seeketh not for blessings from his obedience and therefore if there be any promises of blessing made to any obedience though God should help him to as much obedience as might be he doth not look for any blessing from that obedience Rom. 4.4 5 6. To him that worketh the reward is not reckoned of grace but of debt but to him that worketh not but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted to him for righteousness even as David describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works He looketh not for his blessedness from his works though he should perform all the conditions to which the promises are made yet he expecteth all his blessing from free justification and union with the Lord Jesus Christ Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sin this is the blessedness of Christians It is true the Lord doth bless the workings of his servants and accept them Mat. 25.34 35 36. The king shall say unto them on his right hand Come ye blessed of my father inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world for I was an hungry and ye gave me meat I was thirsty and you gave me drink I was a stranger and ye took me in naked and ye cloathed me sick and ye visited me I was in prison and ye came unto me Thus Christ blesseth them but they are not sensible of their good deeds so as to expect blessings for their obedience sake and therefore they make answer and say Lord when saw we thee an hungry and sed thee or thirsty and gave thee drink c. neither do they fear the curse of God or that their sins should separate them from God those that are under the Law are cursed indeed if they do not continue in all things that are written in the Law to do them but this curse is removed from the elect by Jesus Christ 3. This also is a third effect of the freedom from the Covenant of Works that a Christian doth not look for conjugal comfort from his obedience nor fear conjugal divorce from his disobedience In a Covenant of works it is with a man as it was with Leah Jacob's wife who expected love and fellowship from her husband because of her fruitfulness Gen. 29.32 when she brought forth her first-born she said Now therefore will my husband love me and when she brought forth her third son ver 34. Now this time will my husband be joyned unto me but thus doth not a man under a Covenant of Grace for when he hath done all he can he is ready to say I am an unprofitable servant Luk. 17.10 and doth not challenge God for any of his dealing with him he seeth he deserveth not his daily bread and so looks for no reward from his good works though the Lord will graciously acknowledge his servants in what they do according to his will yet they are not wont to plead any such thing which is very observable in the practise of Jacob Gen. 32.9 10. c. O Lord God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac the Lord which saidst unto me Return unto thy country and to thy kindred and I will deal well with thee I am less then the least of all the mercies and truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant So he doth not press his performance of Gods Commandment to procure blessing but acknowledgeth his unworthyness and looketh for Grace from the Promise of God Deliver me I pray thee from the hand of my brother for thou saidest I will surely do thee good Nor doth a child of God fear divorce by his disobedience though it have been very great Sometimes the people of God have not onely rejected the servants of God but the Lord himself 1 Sam. 8.7 but when Samuel had pressed hard upon them for their sin Chap. 12. and they were truly humbled then Samuel said unto them vers 20 21 22. Fear not ye have done all this wickedness yet turn not aside from following the Lord but serve the Lord with all your heart and turn you not aside for then you should go after vain things that cannot profit nor deliver for they are vain for the Lord will not forsake his people for his great Name sake because it hath pleased the Lord to make you his people therefore fear you not he will not cast you off So that mind you a poor Christian doth not fear divorce from his disobedience for if we should look for blessing from the one or cursing from the other we were not under Christ but under the Law but he that is freed from the Covenant of Works is freed also from expecting salvation or fearing damnation from what he doth he knoweth the Lord will hide his face from him if he doe evil but he knoweth the Lord will not cast him off for ever yet he dares not commit sin but being under Grace he is the more affected if he shall at any time displease God and procure chastisement to himself and by this means the Lord doth mortifie his distempers On the other side if he do well he will not say Now my husband will cleave unto me and dwell with me no no we are freed from the Law Rom. 7.4 which we were not if we look for conjugal love from God for our obedience to the Law it is true if a man be married to the Law his