euery mans conscience and therefore when the people then desired a Mediator that might speake and that GOD might speake no more another thing was signified by it that no man is able to come to God by yeelding obedience to the Law but he must needs haue a Mediator to goe between GOD and him The other obiection is from the Ceremonies of the Law they were ready to say We haue a Priest we haue Sacrifices we haue diuers washings and Rites c wee were wont to bee saued by them why may we not so still The answer to it is That these were but the oldnesse of the letter for indeed all these did but cloathe the Couenant of Grace the Couenant of Grace was deliuered to the Iewes the Ceremonies did indeede but set it out they were but types and shaddowes by which it was expressed to the Iewes the Iewes by reason of their ignorance were not able to see the body for the clothes they were not able to see the signification of the Spirit for the letter they were not able to see the sword for the sheath the kernell for the shell that is they could not see Christ himselfe the inward promises but stucke in the outward barke and rinde of Ceremonies in the shell of them and so they became vnprofitable but indeed those Rites did nothing but cloathe the Couenant of Grace and set it forth to them So much shall serue for the dispatching of those fiue things Now hence you see how those difficulties may bee answered that I mentioned before For example it is said the promise is made to the seede yet the promise is made to vs and yet againe the Couenant is made with Abraham How can all these stand together The promises that are made to the seede that is to Christ himselfe those are these promises Thou shalt bee a Priest for euer and I will giue thee the Kingdome of Dauid thou shalt sit in that Throne thou shalt be a Prince of peace and the gouernment shall be vpon thy shoulder likewise thou shalt bee a Prophet to my people thou shalt open the prison to the Captiâ—e thou shalt be anoynted c. and then shalt goe and preach to them These are the promises that are made vnto the seede The promises that are made to vs though they bee of the same Couenant yet they differ in this the actiue part is committed to the Messiah to the seede it selfe but the passiue part those are the promises that belong to vs You shall bee taught you shall bee made Prophets likewise you shall haue your sinnes forgiuen you shall haue the effect of his Priesthood made good vnto you you shall be subiect to his gouernment by an inherent righteousnes that he shall worke in you for you shall bee made Kings So the promise is made to vs. How is the promise made to Abraham for it is said In thee all the Nations of the Earth shall bee blessed The meaning of this is they are deriuatiue promises the primitiue and Originall was made to Iesus Christ but why is it said then that in Abraham all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed the meaning of it is this there was none that was euer partaker of these promises but the children of Abraham and therefore they were deriued from Abraham to all the men in the world besides that euer haue beene since Now what is it to be a childe of Abraham not to be borne of Abraham according to the flesh but to be like Abraham you are the children of the Deuill Why You are like him So that all that haue faith are the children of Abraham but more is meant then that I say all that doe partake of this promised Messiah are deriued from Abraham either deriued from him or grafted into him one of these two all that were saued before the comming of Christ were either such as descended from him or were ingrafted into the same Nation But what doe you say of the Gentiles that are now come in How doe they receiue from Abraham How can it be said in Abraham shall all the Nations of the world bee blessed Beloued you know it is said Rom. 11. that the naturall branches were broken off and the wilde Oliue is ingrafted in that is the reason likewise why the Law comes from Sion the Lord will haue the Gentiles to bee ingrafted into the stocke as it were he will haue the Law to proceede from Ierusalem he will haue them put into that Famely as the proselytes and so were all Nations for they receiued it from Ierusalem for they had the Oracles of God committed to them all the Nations in the world receiued them from them they drew that sap of knowledge from them so that they were grafted in thus all the Nations in the world were blessed in Abraham and Abraham was blessed in the seede it selfe But yet one obiection is behinde that is how comes this to passe that to be renewed in the spirit of our minds and to walke in the wayes of the LORD in the way of regeneration should be a part of the Couenant on our part you shall repent and beleeue and be renewed and then you shall be forgiuen c. you shall haue the Kingdome and yet for all this you see it is a paâ—t of the Couenant on Gods part saith the LORD I will giue you a new heart and a new spirit Ezek. 36. 26. I will giue you c. there is an expression of the Couenant and yet it is a condition that is required on our part Beloued to this I answer briefly the condition that is required of vs as part of the Couenant is the doing of this the action the performance of these things it is to repent to serue the LORD in newnesse of life but the ability by which we are able to performe these is a part of the Couenant on the LORDS paâ—t to haue new heaâ—tâ— and new spirits whereby we are able to repeâ—t and to bring forth fruite worthy of amendment of life I say the inward abilâ—ty the change of the heart the renewing of vs in thâ— spirâ—t of our mindes the wrâ—ting of the Law in the inward paâ—ts that is a branch of Gods Couenant but the doing of this the bringing forth the fruite of these inward abilities of these inward habits and graces that are planted in vs by the power of Christ that thing is required in vs. As for example the very habit of faith the very grace and power of beleeuing that God hath promised to giue it belongs to him but to beleeue to take the promises to accept of Iesus Christ and to receiue him and the gift of righteousnesse by him this is required as a condition on our part And so much shall serue for the opening of this and for this point The next question wee had to propound to you was this How a man should know whether he be within
for fits and for times as we see the Isâ—aelites did they would â—ollow GOD for such a time in the Wildernesse after hee had refreshed them and deliuered them but as soone as new trouble came when they wanted bread and water and flesh presently they murmured againe and grew discontented And so Ioram King of Israel when he was pressed with famine saith he I will waite no longer vpon the Lord but he would needes take away Elisha's head the man of GOD that exhoâ—ted him to waiâ—e on GOD. Thus it is with men they haue no constant good opinion of GOD but it is not so with the Saints they haue knowne the LORD himselfe hee hath shewed his owne selfe to them that good opinion they haue of him is fixed and established it is the Lord himselfe that hath taught it â—â—em and that which they haue beene confirmed in by long experience and therefore they will neuer forsake him noâ— part from him it is hee himselfe whom they haue chosen And this is the next difference betweene an vnsound-hearted man and he that hath a perfect heart that hee seekes the Lord himselfe his heart is perfect with him when another returnes not to the most high but returnes to serue him for other ends and for other respects but against the Lord himselfe when he hath serued his turne he is ready to rebell The next property you shall find 1 Cor. 2. 6. Howbeit we speake wisdome to those that are perfect not the wisdome of this world or of the Princes of this world but the wisdome of God in a mysterie euen the hidden wisdome that GOD hath ordained before the World to our glâ—rie Heere is another property the Holy Ghost sets downe of a perfect-hearted man the Apostle when he had said I come not among you with the excellency of wisdome or the words of man but my ayme is my desire is as to know Christ crucified alone so to teach nothing else to you and to preach to you in the plaine euidence of the Spirit and of power whereas it might bee obiected I but Paul euery man thinkes not so many men thinke you would doe better if you would preach as other men doe and bee curious and quaint of Oratory saith hee these things as I deliuer them whatsoeuer they may seeme to other men yet to those that are perfect they seeme wisdome though others may despise it and reckon it foolishnesse yet to the perfect it is wisdome So that I gather hence A perfect man in this is distinguished from another that is not sound-hearted that he hath eyes to see the wisdome of the Holy Ghost he knowes wisdome Now a perfect man is there so called in opposition to him that is meerely animalis that hath onely a reasonable soule and no more for that is the word the same word that is vsed in another place of this Chapter the naturall man it is translated but the word in the Originall signifies a man that hath onely naturall abilities and endowments and naturall perfections such a man is reckoned an imperfect man a man that is not sound But saith the Apostle to a man that is perfect that is to a man that hath besides the strength of naturall gifts the sanctifying Spirit that enlightneth him that the Spirit of God possesseth and informes his soule it ioynes with his soule it is dwelling in him such a one is a perfect man saith hee and you shall know him by this hee discernes the wisdome of GOD he iudgeth aright of it so that my beloued the meaning of it is this there is a certaine wisdome of God there are certaine things that no naturall man in the world reaches or relishes take the hypocrite that goes the furthest in the profession of holinesse euen as farre as the second or third ground euen as far as those Heb. 6. that were much enlightned and had tasted of the power of the world to come yet this wisdome that he speakes of here we speake the wisdome of GOD consists of such things as they neuer knew certaine things that the most knowing man that liues in the Church of God that is not regenerate can neuer know them as he saith Verse 9. such as eye neuer saw â— signifying thus mâ—ch the eye and the eare haue the sences by which knowledge is gathered yet mans eye aâ—d his eare neuer saw c. and his heart that is more actiue then eyther of â—hem neuer vnderstood them You will say what are these things They are expressed by diâ—ers names in this Chapter they are called the wisdome of God they are called the wisdome of GOD hid in a mysterie the deepe things of God the things of the Spirit of God the things that are giuen vs of God for our glory Beloued these are things that no vnsound-hearted man did euer sound and therefore I will bee bold to say to you if euer you knew thâ—se things if euer you reckoned these things wisdome certainely your hearts are perfect you are not meere naturall men but you haue receiued the Spirit of â—od that is the sanctifying and enlighning Spirit of God But you will say How can it be that a naturall man should neuer know these things Bâ—loued I say it may be very well for they are things that no Minister in the world can teach you we may propound them to you and you may heare them seuen yeeres and seuen you may reade the very same things in the Scriptures and in other Bookes a thousand times ouer and yet for all this not vnderstand them It is the wisdome of God in a mystery and they are the deepe things of God As a man may looke on a Trade and neuer see the mystery of it he may looke on artificiall things pictures or any thing else and yet not see the Art by which they are made as a man may looke on a Letter and yet not vnderstand the sense something there is that he sees and something that he sees not not it enters not into his heart and therefore it is said seeing they see not which argueth that there is something that they see Thus there are some things there is a wisdome of GOD that an vnsound-hearted man can neuer know it can neuer enter into his heart which wisdome therefore if thou hast certainely thou art a perfect man You will say How shall a man know whether he know this wisdome or no whether hee thus iudge of the wayes of God I answer You shall know whether the wâ—sdome you haue bee such as belongs to perfect men or no by these foure things which I will deliuer distinctly vnto you First you shall finde this that when this knowledge is discouered â—o a man it exceedingly humbles him all other knowledge doth not so it rather puffes him vp But this brings a man exceedingly out of conceit with himselfe it makes him to stand amazed at himselfe that is
an offensiue and a defensine League and when we seeke to him and put him in mind of it he can not deny vs. The people of Rome had other parts and Nations that were allyes with them and if they were to fight at any time the Romans were bound in honour to defend them and to assist them and they did it with as much diligence as they defended their owne City of Rome If we doe implore GODâ— ayde doe you thinke that God will breake his Couenant Will he not 〈◊〉 vp himselfe to scatter his and our 〈◊〉 Certainely hee will This great benefit you haue therefore you haue cause to magnifie your â—elues in this Condition and to blesse the Lord to magnifie him for his great goodnesse that he would eâ—ter into Couenant with you this was the greatest fauour that euer hee shewed to Abraham and it is the very scope of this place Abraham I am willing to enter into Couenant to tye my selfe to enter into bond and therefore since the LORD is not ashamed to make vs his people let vs not bee ashamed to call him our God to professe it and make it good vpon all occasions This is the first vse Secondly from this difference of the Couenants you haue these two things to obseâ—ue First in that the Couenant of Grace onely is the ministration of the Spirit when the other is but the ministration of the letter it should teach vs thus much to labour to grow to assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes If a man would deâ—ire to change his course to haue his heart renued to be made a new creature to be translated from death to life beloued the way is not to consider presently the Commandement for a man to thinke with himselfe this I ought to doe and I will set about it I haue made a Couenant I haue resolued with my selfe to doe it but the way is to labour to get assurance of forgiuenesse to labour to apprehend the Couenant of Grace for by that meanes thy heart shall be softned there shall be an infusion of the Spirit that shall write the Law of God in thy inward parts all those places of Scripture make this good wherein it is said faith purifieth the heart and by the promises we are made partakers of the godly nature as 2. Pet. 1. 4. and likewise Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ which through the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God purge your conscience from dead workes to serue the liuing GOD. The meaning is this if a man would haue his conscience purged from dead workes let him labour for faith whereby hee may bee iustified let him labour to be sprinkled with the blood of Christ to haue assurance of the forgiuenesse and pardon of his sinnes through that blood then he shall haue that Spirit put into his heart that eternall Spirit that shall purge and cleanse his conscience from dead workes So likewise Gal. 3. Did you receiue the Spirit by the workes of the Law Did you not rather receiue it by the hearing of â—aith preached And so Gal. 5. Faith that workes by loue that is it is faith that brings forth loue and loue sets vs on worke All these shew thus much vnto vs that the best way to heale any strong lust the best way to change our hearts to get victory ouer any sin that it may not haue dominion ouer vs to haue our conscience cleansed from dead workes to he made partakers of the diuine nature is to grow vp in the assurance of the loue of God to vs in Christ to get assurance of pardon and forgiuenesse for beloued know this if the heart doe no more but looke to the Commandement if you heare onely that there are such duties to be done and consider them and you compare your owne heart and the Commandement together there growes a quarell betweene the heart and the Commandement an exâ—lâ—eration betweene them and an enmiâ—y they looke one vpon another as enemies but when the heart is softned and reconciled to God it closeth with the Commandement as the soft clay doth with the mould and is ready to receiue any impression but till then it rebels against the Commandement and stands out as a hard stone that receiues no impression and therfore the way is not â—o go about to reforme our liues as morall men to thinke with thy selfe there are these duties I must take a course to keepe them and enter into vowes in particular courses with my selfe to doe them no my beloued the way is to get assurance of forgiuenes to labour to bee partaker of the Couenant of Grace your hearts will then be softned when you haue receiued the Spirit that hath wrought in your hearts a disposition answerable to the Law without when the Law is put into your minds And this is the first difference The 2. is in regard of the difference of the two Testaments the second Testament being stablished vpon better promises What is the reason that the New Testament is said to bee stablished vpon better promises Beloued you shall finde this to be the condition of the New Testament you shall finde in it very little expression of the promises of this life looke in all the Epiâ—tles of paul and the other Epistles looke to all the Doctrine of the Gospell and you shall see the things that are iâ—erated still they are these You shall bee saued you shall haue your sinnes forgiuen you shall bee iustified you shall bee sanctified you shall receiue the adoption of sonnes you shall receiue the high price of your calling c. These are the things that Paul euery where magnifies as the condition that exceeds and goes beyond the conditions in our forefathers times Now this great Mystery is reuealed now these great riches are opened that before were hid Whence you may gather this much that grace and spirituall things spiritual priuiledges things belonging to the Kingdome of God and of â—esus Christ exceed much all outward and temporall happinesse Why are they otherwise called better promises There are many other places I know to shew the vanity of outward things and to preferre spirituall things before them but let this be added to the rest this Couenant is established on better promises labour then to worke your hearts fully to that perswasion namely to thinke with your selues it is better to be rich in grace better to haue the priuiledges of Iesus Christ then to bee rich in this world Reu. 2. I know thy pouerty but thou art rich You must thinke with your selues this is the great riches and therefore the Apostle exhorts rich men that they-change these other riches they enioy to spirituall riches Now a man will neuer be exhorted to change except it bee for the better Charge those that are rich in the world that they bee rich in good workes let them so vse their
Wheat-haruest 1 Sam. 12 the people feared exceegingly and Ezra 10. when there was an exceeding great raine the people did exceedingly tremble and you know in that Earthquake though all were safe Act. 16. and there was no cause why he should be so vnquiet yet we see how the Goaler was amazed his heart was wounded this was not for these particular Iudgements there might bee a great raine there might be a great Earthquake and thunder in Wheat-haruest and yet mens hearts little moued but there went a spirit of bondage that bred a feare in them this is that I say no man can come to Christ without the Law either in it selfe or in afflictions which are but the executioners of it and these are not effectuall without the spirit of bondage and there is a very great reason for it because otherwise wee should neuer know the loue of Christ he that hath not knowne what the meaning of this spirit of bondage is what these feares are what these terrours of conscience are in some measure knowes not what Christ hath suffered for him or what deliuerance hee hath had by him besides he will not be applyable to Christ But I will not stand more vpon this Hast thou not had the spirit of bondage I say surely if thou hast not tâ—sted of this Christ hath not sowne the seed of grace in thy heart doth any man sow before he hath plowed doth any man make a new impression before there bee an oblâ—tâ—ration of the old Beloued before the heaâ—t be meâ—ted wâ—th 〈◊〉 the spirit of bondage there is no sence of a new spirit to make a new impression vpon it I confesse it is different it is sometimes more sometimes lesse but all haue it more or lesse sometimes the Medicine goes so close with the reuealing of sinne and of Iudgement that it is not so much discerned sometimes againe God meanes to bestow vpon some men a great measure of grace and therfore he giues them a greater measure of the spirit of bondage because God meanes to teach them more to prize Christ he meanes more to baptize them with the baptisme of the Holy Ghost and therefore hee baptizeth them with a greater measure of the spirit of bondage they shall drinke deeper of that spirit because his intention is that they shall drinke deeper of the spirit of Adoption and therefore Christ takes it for an argument concerning the Woman when he saw she loued exceeding much surely she had a great measure of the spirit of bondage she was much wounded for her sinnes there had beene exceeding much forgiuen her in her apprehension and so was Paul exceedingly wounded you know This must goe before The things which goe together with it are these three the testimony of the blood of the water and of our owne spirits First beloued there is the testimony of the blood there are three that beare record in the Earth the spirit the water and the blood though the spirit be set first as it is vsuall amongst the Hebrewes and in the Scriptures to put the last first if a man would know now whether hee be in Christ whether he hath receiued the promised seede or no let him consider first whether hee hath beleeued in the blood that is there is a word of promise that saith thus to vs there is a Sacrifice that is offered there is the blood of the Lambeshed from the beginning of the world and this blood shall wash thee from all thy sinnes when a man stands to consider this promise beloued this promise bath two things in it there is the truth of it and the goodnesse of it a man doth with Abraham beleeue the truth of it he beleeues God and saith it is true I beleeue it but withall there is a goodnesse in it and therefore as the vnderstanding saith it is true so the will saith it is good and therefore he takes it and embraceth it and is exceeding greedy of it for when the spirit of bondage makes a man feare it empties a man of all righteousnesse as a man empties a Caske that there is nothing left in it when it puls away all other props and stayes from it it leaues a man in this case that he sees nothing in the world to saue him but the blood of Christ when a man sees this hee takes fast hold of that he will not let it goe for any thing and though it be told him you shall haue many troubles and crosses you must part with all you haue you shall haue somewhat hereafter but you shall haue little for the present he cares not though it costs him his life so he may haâ—e this blood to wash away his sins it is enough this he layes fast hold vpon Beloued when a man doth this at that very houre he is entred into Couenant he is translated from death to life he hath now receiued the promised seede and he shall be blessed for God hath said it and sworne it and it cannot be otherwise and this is the testimony of the blood when a man can say I know I haue taken and applyed the blood of Christ I rest vpon it I beleeue that my sinnes are forgiuen I graspe it I receiue it this is the testimony of the blood Now when a man hath tooke the blood What shall he continue in filthinesse now and walke after the lusts of his former ignorance No the Lord comes not by blood onely but by water also that is by sanctification that is he sends the Spirit of sanctification that cleanseth and washeth his seruants that washeth away not onely the outward filthinesse but the euill nature the swinish nature that they desire no more to wallow in the myre as before for the Lord will not haue a sluttish Church and therefore Eph. 5. he washeth his Church and clenseth it he washeth euery man in the Church from top to toe there is not one place in the soule not one place in the conuersation but it is rensed in this water and then when a man comes to finde this that he hath not onely found the blood of Christ applyed to him by faith but hath found that he hath been able to purifie himselfe and by the worke of Christs Spirit ioyning with him when he goes about to purge himselfe that helpes to cleanse his conscience from dead workes There is the second testimony Now follows the testimony of our own spirits that gathers conclusions from both these and saith thus Since I haue receiued the blood and seeing I am able to purifie my selfe I conclude I am in a good estate I am a partaker of the Couenant if a man could say this truely it is said whosoeuer beleeues shall be saued but I beleeue this is the testimony of the blood onely but when a man can say I doe labour to purifie my selfe I desire nothing in the world so much I doe it in good earnest this is the testimony of the water to
of men is empty glory the applause of men that pleased him before he lookes now vpon it as a bubble blowne with the breath of men an empty thing hee esteemes it a thing that quickly liues and dyes and vanisheth hee seekes no more after it And so for the lusts of the flesh when a man before thought it the only life for a man to satisfie the flesh and the desires of it now hee beginnes to looke on it after another manner he begins to see the filthinesse and the bitâ—ernesse of those sinnes he beginnes to see that fleshly lusts fight against the soule as enemies hee lookes vpon them as things more bitâ—er then death more sharpe then a two-edged Sword Now when GOD hath enlightned a man thus and hath written his Lawe in his heart and hath taught him that hee iudgeth so of his sinnes and lusts now his sinnes and lusts are dissolued in him his heart is circumcised now they are cut off now the building of Satan is pulled downe and yet beloued this is but one part of this Couenant There is not onely this but likewise there followes this further when Christ hath written his Law in the heart that man hath not onely his heart weaned from all the finfull lusts that before he delighted in but there followes a wondrous forwardnesse and propensnesse to the Law of God to keepe it there is a wondrous desire to grow in grace to doe the duties of new obedience that by his good will hee would liue in another Element But in doing the duties and vsing the meanes by which he may receiue strength to doe them beloued when that Law is out of the heart when wee looke vpon the letter of the Law there is no such matter but when it is put into the heart when it is written within there is an inward disposition and proâ—enesse put into the heart If you looke vpon the Law without Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God and shalt feare him c. it is a hard Law who can keepe it but when thou hast it put into thy heart that is the grace of loue for that is to put the Law into the heart when there is such a habit planted in the heart a habit of feare and of euery good grace then there is a great pronenesse and aptnesse in a man and willingnesse to keepe the Law and therefore in that place 1. Tim. 1. 9. The Law is not giuen to the righteous they are a Law to them selues Beloued if thou fiâ—dest this to bee thy case that thou needest not the Law to set thee on with terrours and the threatnings of it but thou art now a Law to to thy selfe that is thou findest in thy selfe such an inward aptenesse and propensnesse to keepe the Law of God that if thou were put to thy choise if there were no necessity laid vpon thee if there were no threatning no Hell yet thou delightest in God and desirest exceedingly to haue communion with him there is nothing seemes to be so beautifull as Grace as the Image of God renewed in thy soule I say this will bee thy disposition and this is for a man to be a Law to himselfe for you know this common nature is betweene the Image of the old Adam and the Image of the new betweene the flesh and the spirit betweene those lusts that remaine in thee when thou art vnder the Couenant of Workes and betweene this Couenant of Grace and feruency in well doing I say common nature is betweene these two as a Bowle betweene two byasses Now the LORD when he comes to write his Law in the heart he doth not only knocke off the old by as of sinfull lusts that carried him out but he sets a new by as vpon thy soule that bowes and bends thee to the waies of God that still there is a strong inclination that carries thee on that way besides the Commandement that thou dost not euery thing as of necessity a man before this time it may be prayed it may be he was constant in prayer he would not let a morning or an euening goe without it it may be he would doe euery other duty but hee did it as a taske as a man that dares not omit it there is a naturall conscience in him that will be vpon him if hee doe he feares God will become his enemy hee shall taste of fearefull Iudgements if hee neglect it all this while he doth it out of feare but one that hath the Law written in his heart that is a Law to himselfe that hath a new byas put vpon his heart I say it still bends and inclines him to it he cannot doe otherwise hee longs after it exceedingly he is exceeding forward to it the inward inclination of his minde stands to iâ— This is the third way whereby you may know whether you be in the Coâ—enant or no if you finde that Christ hath thus taught you and hath written his Law in your hearts if you bee thus enlightned with knowledge that both the lusts of the former ignorance are dissolued and likewise there comes in the roome of them a wondrous pronenesse and propensenesse to well donig when there is a certaine connaturalnesse betweene good duties and thy heart when thou canst say indeed as Pâ—ul I delight in the Law of God in the inward man and if I might haue my desire if GOD would giue me my wish as hee did to Salomon that which I would desire aboue all things in the world is that I may haue a greater measure of the Spirit that my sinfull lusts may bee more and more mortified that I may excell more in grace and holinesse that his Image may be more renewed in mee and that it may shine more bright in all the parts of it I say when â—hou findest this be assured thou art in the Coâ—enant So much beloued for that point I will adde a second which is this from this difference whereas this is one of the differences betweene the old Coâ—enant and the new the Old Testament was made with the Iewes onely it was shut vp within the compasse of that Nation the New Coâ—enant is enlarged to the Gentiles there is now an open doore for them to come in there are now better promises more knowledge a larger effusion of the Spirit both for intention and for the extent of it it is to many more and beloued were it not for this Coâ—enant all you now that heare this Couenant of Grace preached vnto you and haue heard it often you had neuer heard it but this benefit you haue by the New Testament that now this good newes is come to your eares Beloued this God brings home to the Gentiles and they haue their seuerall times and this is the season that GOD hath brought it home to you euen when you heare these promises of Grace made And what vse should you make of it surely this Take heede of refusing the acceptable time
further First we are begotten by the word of truth it is the reuelation of the truth of GOD to a man at the first that renewes him in the spirit of his minde it changeth his iudgement it makes him thinke all things in a cleane other fashion then he was wont to doe thus he is begotten to God and he is made a new man a new creature now the increasing of the same truth that is it that builds vs vp further for whatsoeuer begets the increase of that also edifies and hence it is that Salomon so exceedingly magnifies wisdome and knowledge aboue all getting saith he get that There are many things that are precious in the world Pearle Gold and Siluer but this is beyond them all Why doe you thinke the Wiseman would magnifie wisdome so much Because this wisdome brings grace with it and therefore when Christ is said to be the light of the world he is said likewise to be the life the light he was 1 Ioh. 4. and Ioh. 8. he is the true light that lightens euery man And what is that light Why it is that light that brings life together with it Therefore Eph. 5. 14. Arise thou that sleepest c. and Christ shall giue thee light Now you know life is contrary to death but the Apostle expresseth it thus CHRIST shall giue thee light because when a man hath much light hee shall withall haue much life and grace and therefore this I will commend to you as one of the principall meanes of all other to grow strong in grace and in the inward man to grow much in knowledge Beloued it is another thing then wee are aware of if we were fully perswaded that it were a thing so excellent that it would bring so much grace with it certainely wee would study it more then we doe 2 Pet. 2. 20. saith hee You haue escaped the filthinesse of the world through the knowledge of Christ. That is that that deliuers you from the bondage of sinne that which enables you to escape the filthinesse that is in the world when other men are yet tangled with it it is because you know that that other men are ignorant of it is through the knowledge of Christ if you haue escaped and 2 Pet. 1. 2. Grace be multiplyed through the knowledge of God and of his Sonne Iesus Christ. Grace be multiplyed through that knowledge as if he should say multiply you that knowledge this is that meanes whereby Grace shall bee multiplyed to you That you may see the ground of all this there is no grace that any man hath but it passeth in through the vnderstanding For example What is the reason that any man loues GOD more then another but because God is presented to his vnderstanding in another maner then he is to another hee knowes God better then others and so for other graces Why is one man patient when another is not but because his vnderstanding is enlightned to iudge otherwise of the euill he suffers than another doth hee reckons them not so great and intolerable euils he sees another hand of prouidence hee sees another end in it And so What is the reason one is temperate and sober and meeke when another is not but because he hath another iudgement of pleasures and delights he lookes vpon them as on things that are enemies to his soule he sees a vanity and an emptinesse in them that another doth not I say all the grace that a man hath it passeth through the vnderstanding and therefore if a man would be strong in grace let him labour to get much light to get much truth much knowledge in his minde for certainely all the difference betweene Christians the difference of stature betweene men in Christianity the difference of degrees as one man hath a higher degree of faith and another a lower degree it followes from hence that one is more enlightned he hath more knowledge hee hath more truth reuealed to him which truth carries grace with it What is the reason that Paul exceeded other men in grace Because there was more truth reuealed to him then to other men but still remember that I deny not but that there may be much knowledge without grace but this is a sure rule there cannot bee much grace without knowledge the reason why any man is strong in grace and able to doe that which another is not able to doe that he is able to goe through those troubles and those crosses that another shrinkes at hee is able to ouercome those lusts that another is not able to grapple with it is still the strength of his knowledge that hee hath more vnderstanding of things that hee is better and more enlightned Ioh. 16. when the Apostles were to come into the world and CHRIST tels them what entertainement they should haue they beginne to bee exceeding fearefull alas what shall we doe in the world when wee haue such things to doe wee haue men to wrastle with that shall thinke they shall doe God seruice when they put vs in prison â—aith he feare not I will send my Spirit along with you and he shall helpe you to worke he shall coâ—â—ince the world of â—inne of righteousnesse and of Iudgement The meaning is this it is true when you come into the world you shall finde mens opinions exceeding false you shall finde Satan building vp strong holds in their deceipts and errours and their euill imaginations that they haue of things and saith he if you should goe alone without my Spirit truly you might besiege the City you might vse your spirituall Armour but you should doe no good but I will send my Spirit that shall conuince the word in the Originall signifies the refuting of an opinion that men had before drunke in and were possessed of the end of the Spirit is to sanctifie men now what is that way that the Spirit vseth to sanctifie men It is to weare out those old opinions to confute them to let men know they were exceedingly deceiued Alas they did not know that they were so exceedingly sinfull as they bee but when the Spirit comes he shewes them what natures they haue and what liues they haue liued they know they are other creatures then they imagined themselues to be for the Holy Ghost refutes that opinion and conuinceth them of sinne and of iudgement that is the Spirit shall shew men the beauty and the glory of sanctification of spirituall priuiledges and shall make them in loue with it so iudgement is to bee taken as you haue it taken in tâ—at place where it is said of Christ he shall not breake the bruised Reede nor quench the smoking Flâ—x till hee bring forth Iudgement to victory for it shall not cease till he haue brought forth Iudgement to victory that is by Iudgement is meant holinesse and beginning of grace or sanctification he cals the first part that doth but begin to smoke Iudgement saith he the Lord
rebellion against it I say this keepes men off from the life of God But on the other side when a man lookes vpon the promises he begins to see the Couenant that his sinnes shall be put a way he beginnes to see the goodnesse and the mercy and the tender compassion of God towards him hee begins to see a possibility of fulfilling the Law in such a manner as GOD now requires then his heart melteth hee becomes not onely applyable to the Commandement but is ready to delight in it this a man gets by applying his heart to the Couenant of grace or by applying the Couenant of Grace to himselfe that very applying of the promises of forgiuenesse I say it begets a disposition in the heart which the Scriptures call a new life that euen as you see the Sunne when it applies its beames to a fitly disposed matter and stayes vpon it when it pitcheth its beames vpon it with any continuance it begins to beget life and motion in it and makes it a liuing creature so doth the Couenant of Grace when it is applyed to the heart of a man it begins to beget life in him and to make him a new creature it makes him another man there is that power in the Couenant of Grace in the promises of the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins that it begets another life in a man it makes him a new creature it makes him a liuing creature to GOD which before he was not the ground of which you shall see 2 Cor. 3. 6. Hee hath made vs able Ministers of the New Testament not of the letter but of the Spirit for the letter kills but the Spirit giues life Marke it the meaning of it is this when the Couenant of works is deliuered to you that is when you heare the Law the Commands the duty you cannot performe there is no more deliuered to you but the bare letter that is you know the duty and no more And what doth this duty doe what doe these Commandements and precepts doe when they are applyed to the heart of man Saith hee they kill Now that which kills fights before it kills and that which fights must needs be an enemy so then the Commandement is an Enemy that is euery man esteemes it as an enemie to himselfe and therefore hath an enemy-like affection to it againe that is he hates it he would be rid of it he wisheth there were no such Law or Commandement hee desires it should be dealt with as he would haue an enemy dealt with he would haue it vtterly taken away when they grow in enmity one with another as indeed they doe the naked Commandement and the heart are at enmity for the Commandement would haue one thing and the heart would haue another there are contrary wils and there is a striuing betweene them the one striuing this way the other that way the one resisting the other and in the end the Law and the Commandement gets the victory because the sting of the Law is sinne now the Law is the cause of sinne as a straight Rule is the cause of crookednesse for without the Law there should be no sin now it causeth sinne for if there were no Law you know there could bee no feare no transgression because there could bee nothing against which the transgression should come this sinne is the death of a man so now the letter kils But come now to the Couenant of Grace saith the Text it is the ministration of the Spirit and the Spirit giues life that is when a man lookes on the Couenant of Grace he lookes not on it now as an enemy as hee did before vpon the Commandement but he sees in it much loue and much friendship to wards him he sees God intends not any hurt any euill to him as he apprehended before he sees God exceeding kinde and mercifull and willing to put away all his sinnes and willing to accept the sincerity of his obedience though there be not a perfection of obedience now he begins to change his opinion both of God and of all his Lawes and precepts when he sees Gods kindnesse towards him and his compassion and readinesse to forgiue him then his heart begins to relent towards the Lord againe he begins to magnifie Gods goodnesse and to condemne himselfe he beleeues those promises and thence he growes vp in loue toward GOD I say hee growes vp in faith and loue and in this act of faith is the Spirit infused into his heart this Spirit being thus infused writes the Law in his inward paâ—ts that is it that breeds in him a holy disposition that inables him in some measure to keepe the Law it prints in him all those graces that giue him strength to obserue the Commandements that God hath given him so my beloued if a man will goe about this great worke to change his heart and to change his life let him not goe about it as a morall man that is let him not onely consider what Commandements there are what the rectitude is that the LORD requires and how to bring his heart to it but let him goe about it as a Christian that is let him beleeue the promises of pardon in the blood of Christ and the very beleeuing of those promises will be able to clense and purge the heart from dead works in that place we then named and we could doe no more but name it you shall finde it Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ which by the eternall Spirit offered himselfe without fault to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing God The meaning of it is this when a man hath once applyed the blood of Christ for his iustification this effect will follow vpon it there will accompany it a certaine vigour a certaine vertue a certaine power and strength which will also purge his conscience from dead workes that is there shall goe a power of the Holy Ghost together with this blood that shall not onely forbid him and shew him that hee ought not to doe such and such euill things but it shall clense his conscience from those rootes of dead workes those corrupt lusts and sinfull affections that are in him that dispose him to that euill he shall find this power growing vpon him if hee doe but apply the blood that is if he apply the promise of pardon and forgiuenesse through the blood of Iesus Christ. The like you shall see Gal. 3. 5. He that ministreth to you the Spirit and workes miracles amongst you doth he doe it through the workes of the Law or through the hearing of faith preached That is saith the Apostle if I should onely deliuer to you the Commandements and the Precepts and the Rules by which you ought to walke I might preach long enough to you but you should neuer haue ability to keep any of these saith he you may obserue those that preach the Law to you did
you receiue the Spirit then no but when I preached to you the promises of pardon and forgiuenesse then you receiued the Spirit it was conueyed into your hearts Now I take it there is a double meaning of this infusion of the Spirit here in the time of the Apostles there was a miraculous infusion and giuing of the Holy Ghost that when they preached to them as Peter to Cornelius and Paul to others and laid their hands on them the Holy Ghost fell on them that is they were filled presently with an immediate infusion of knowledge they had some the gift of tongues some extraordinary manifestation of the Spirit saith the Apostle when this was done was it done by the preaching of the Law was it not done by the preaching of Christ and by offering to you the pardon and forgiuenesse of sins through him Therefore you see how hee expresseth it Hee therefore that ministâ—eth the Spirit to you and workes miracles among you how doth hee worke these miracles hee doth them not by the workes of the Law but by the hearing of faith preached that is by our preaching of it and your hearing it So my beloued looke how the Sâ—iâ—it was then conueighed to men after the same manner it must now bee conueyed to vs so that beleeuing the promises is the way to get the heart healed when a man hath any strong lust to conflict wiâ—hall hee must not thinke that setting himselfe with strong vowes and resoluâ—ions to resist it is the way to beginne with no the way is to get assurance of pardon to get assâ—rance of Gods loue to himselfe in Christ to labour to get communion betweene Christ and himselfe to labour to delight in God as he will when there once are â—ermes of reconciliation betweene them and when this is done his heart will grow to an application of the Commandement it will cloze with the Commandement Whereas before it resisted it and rebelled against it it will cleaue to it and loue it and delight in it and will receiue an impression from it this I take likewise to be the meaning of that 2. Pet. 1. 4. Hereby saith he we haue most gracious promises and are thereby made partakers of the Diuine nature that by them we shall be partakers of the godly nature that is by beleeuing the promises of pardon we are thereby made parâ—akers of the godly nature there is a renuing there is a change of the nature a man is made another nature euen while hee is looking vpon the promise of pardon and remission the promises of the New Couenant that offer Iesus Christ and the gift of righteousnesse through him euen by beleeuing those promises it is wrought That it is so you may compare this with that Rom. 6. where this obiection is made If there be a promise of pardon and of grace through Christ then belike we may liue as we list No saith the Apostle doe you but beleeue those promises of grace and the care is easie for the rest in 1 2 3. Verses What shall wee say then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid Shall we that are dead to sinne liue yet therein Know you not that as maâ—y as are baptized into Iesus Christ are baptized into his death The meaning is this if once you receiue Iesus Christ and the pardon and remission of sinnes through him you cannot be so baptized into him but you must be baptized into his death that is of necessity sinne must bee crucified in you you must be dead to sinne as hee was dead you cannot be baptized into him for iustification but you must be baptized likewise for mortiâ—ication of the flesh and for resurrection to newnesse of life Know you not that all that are baptized into Iesus Christ that is that are baptized into him for reconciliation with God of necessity they must also be baptized into his death Therefore saith he you are dead to sinne by being thus baptized with Christ it is impossible you should liue in in it So I say beloued hee that hath the strongest faith he that beleeues in the greatest degree the promiâ—es of pardon and remission I dare boldly say he hath the holiest heart and the holiest life for that is the roote of it it ariseth from that roote sanctification ariseth from iustification the blood of Christ hath in it a power not onely to wash vs from the guilâ— of sinne but to cleanse and to purge vs likewise from the power and staine of sinne And therefore I say the best way to get a great degree of sanctification and of mortification of sinfull lusts the best way to get a greater measure of the graces of the Spirit to grow vp to greater holinesse of conuersation is to labour to grow in faith in the beliefe of those promises of the Gospell for there is no other reason in the world why in the New Testament there is an infusion of the Spirit that giues life but because now there are more euident promises of pardon and forgiuenesse and reconciliation with GOD which by the Couenant of workes could not be And so much shall serue for this The fourth and maine Vse that wee are to make of this from this description of the Couenant is to learne to know the ground vpon which we expect saluation and the fulfilling of all the promises the ground of all is this Couenant My beloued it is the greatest point that euer we had yet opportunity to deliuer to you yea it is the maine point that the Ministers of the Gospell can deliuer at any time neither can they deliuer a point of greater moment nor can you heare any then the description of this Couenant of Grace this is that you must lay vp for the foundation of all your comforts it hath beene the corner stone vpon which the Saints haue beene built from the beginning of the world vnto this day there is no ground you haue to beleeue you shall be saued there is no ground to beleeue that any promise of God shall be made good to you to beleeue that you shall haue the price of the high Calling of God in Iesus Christ and those glorious Riches of the inheritance prepared for vs in him I say there is no other ground at all but vpon this Couenant all that wee teach you from day to day are but conclusions drawne from this Couenant they are all built vpon this therefore if euer you had cause to attend any thing you haue reason to attend to this I say this Couenant betweene GOD and vs. And therefore we will labour to open to you now more cleerely and distinctly this Couenant though a difficult thing it is to deliuer to you cleerely what it is and those that belong to it yet you must know it for it is the ground of all you hope for it is that that euery man is built vpon you haue no other ground but this GOD hath