and his people back againe to receive him Answ 1. They being thus prepared the Spirit of God taketh up his seat in the soule by making it a Temple unto himselfe in the name of the Father and of the Son and so are they made an habitation of God through the Spirit Eph. 2.22 Gal. 4.6 And because yee are Sons c. where he speaketh not of Sons by actuall regeneration but by Gods Eternall Counsell The same Spirit is also called the Comforter whom Jesus Christ hath promised to send John 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 righteousnesse and of judgement Of sin because they beleeve not in me This the holy ghost convinceth men of to be the greatest misery of the soule that they have not beleeved upon Jesus Christ And look as a Talent of gold or some weighty mettall falling into a Vessell of water dasheth out all that is in the vessell to make room for it selfe So the Lord Jesus Christ coming into the soule dasheth out all watry confidences and maketh room for himselfe so as that you may say the Eternall God is there and in very deed because the heart of man is not onely like unto water but is hard and stony therefore the Spirit of God cometh like fire and melteth the iron stone of the heart and softneth it into flesh that now the soul is utterly at a losse not onely in regard of his sins but in regard of his best works also and is most of all convinced of his unbeliefe Now the Holy Spirit of God bring thus shed abroad into the heart at the very first entrance of it into the soule us it doth chiefly convince the soule of Unbelief so 2 The same Spirit worketh faith in the soule to yeeld himselfe unto the Lord and the soule being emptied of himselfe now the Holy Ghost hath infused Faith to receive the Lord Jesus Christ and this is a true saving work though the soule thinketh it selfe in a very sad condition that he should so long live without beleeving in Jesus Christ But he is cleerly convinced what his case is and how vaine his best works are and he lyeth under this work not onely in his judgement but in his heart he now freely submitteth unto the will of God So that the Spirit of God becometh unto the soul not onely 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 soule can plead with God by faith in prayer he seeth there is no former Covenant that he can plead nor any righteousnesse of his owne but such as Hypocrites will quarrell for and rise up to maintaine as they did against John Baptist pleading their Covenant and their righteousnesse with these things a poore soule is not satisfied but unto you that feare my name shall the Sun of righteousnesse arise with healing in his wings c. Mal. 4.2 Herein is implyed such a reverent fear that dare not disaffect this kind of yeeldingnesse to the Son In the old Testament it is called Fear in the new Testament it is more generally called Faith yet the Apostle saith Rom. 11.20 Be not high-minded but fear whereby he provoketh them to live by Faith and indeed it is that whereby the soule doth yeeld unto the Lord and this is indeed our Effectuall Calling the Spirit of God taking possession in our hearts and working this faith in us whereby we submit unto the Lord. This is that faith in Jesus Christ that maketh us one with Christ for our effectuall calling bringeth us to be one with him 1 Cor. 1.9 God is faithfull by whom ye are called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ This fellowship or communion standeth in two things 1 In the Unity of the Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 2 In the receiving of Faith on our parts so that by beleeving which is the first thing we doe we yeeld unto the first work of God when this stronger man cometh 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 legall righteousnesse 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 possest us with his powerfull presence and this is true spirituall Union between the Lord our souls By this faith the Creature doth yeeld up it selfe unto the Lord which is also the work of the grace of God in us having brought us unto holy union w th himselfe Now this faith thus wrought in our effectuall calling is not built upon any Conditionall Promise I mean upon any Promise made to any gracious Condition penitent in us nor can it be built upon any but upon the Absolute free Promise unto the soule according to what we read Isa 43.22 to 2â— Thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel thou hast not brought me the small Cattell c. See Calvin l. 3. justiâ— c. 2. s 29. In all which we see the absolute freenes of the grace of God So Ezek. 36.26 Object But you will say Though some may be converted by such an absolute Promise yet some mans faith may be built upon a conditionall Promise unto a gratious condition Answ I pray you consider it 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 workes wrought before Conversion are but drosse and dung to apply Promises to such works were indeed to build upon a sandy foundation What say you then to works after Conversion All works after Conversion are fruits of Faith and if they proceed from faith then faith went before then a mans faith was not built upon a conditionall promise how is it possible that it should when as all works after Conversion are fruits of faith or else they are no true sanctification then faith went before in order of Nature and so was not built upon works but works upon it And therefore all our best Divines doe carry it thus That faith closeth with Christ upon a Promise of free grace otherwise as saith Calvin Justiâ— l. 3. c. 2. s 29. my faith would alwayes be trembling and wavering as my works be Upon a Promise of free grace therefore my faith is built as upon the Promise of God in Christ reconciling the world unto himselfe 2 Cor. 5.18,19 The word is it may be spoken outwardly unto
expresse Restipulation pre-required on Abrahams part We see this likewise held forth Deut. 29.1.13 where the Lord entreth into another Covenant with them in the Land of Moab besides the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb and in this Covenant he doth establish them to be a people unto himselfe as well as give himself to them to be thrir God vers 13. and as God required it of them to circumcise the outward man even the foreskin of their Children so he will also circumcise them taking possession of them and circumcising their hearts and taking away the stonynesse of them and so fit them to be a Temple for himselfe to dwell in 3 The Lord in this Covenant taketh the chiefest of Abrahams seed even the Lord Jesus Christ to be the Mediator and surety of the Covenant and unto him doe all the Promises belong so the Apostle doth expound it Gal. 3.16 and so by him are all the Promises and blessings of the Covenant conveyed unto Abraham and to his seed his faithfull seed all the world over and therefore he is called the Mediator of a better Covenant Heb. 7.22 meaning of the Covenant of Grace Heb. 8.6 These three things doe containe the sum of the Covenant of Grace and of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and would therefore be plainly discovered unto Christians as 1 What is the meaning of this that God gave himselfe unto Abraham 2 How doth he take Abraham and his seed and make them his people 3 How doth he take Jesus Christ and make him the Surety of the Covenant between them both for the Covenant is established and so is a sure firm and everlasting Covenant Now in this gift that God gave himself unto Abraham observe three things 1 The Blessing given 2 The Order in which it was given 3 The Manner of giving it In the Blessing given When God doth by Covenant give himself to be a God it doth imply two things 1 That God doth give Himselfe the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost the whole Nature of God and all the Persons the God-head with all the Attributes of that Nature and all the Offices of those persons for it is not a confused God that vanisheth away in a generall imagination but God distinctly considered in his Persons Attributes Properties c. Thus the Lord giveth himselfe to Abraham and to his seed I will be a father unto you 2 Cor. 6.18 and that is not spoken unto the Jewes onely but unto all the Israel of God He giveth the Son also Isa 9.6 Joh. 3.16 And for the Holy Spirit Jo. 16.7.13 Isa 59.21 This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my words that I have put into thy mouth shall not depart c. And this is it which the Apostle also saith Gal. 4.6 Thus the Lord giveth himselfe unto his Servants from one Generation to another If therefore the Lord God the Father give himselfe he will not be wanting to draw his people unto the Son Jo. 6.44 and what is the chief businesse and work that the Son hath to doe about us No man can have fellowship with the Father but he must have fellowship with Jesus Christ so our Saviour himselfe saith John 14.6 No man can come unto the Father but by me This therefore the Lord Jesus Christ will doe for all the elect seed of Abraham he will open their eyes to see that the Father did not draw them to damnation or utter desolation though at first that be their greatest fear but unto salvation by him This hath he promised to doe and if it be the work of the Spirit of God to establish us both in the Father and the Son then will he convince the world of sin of righteousnesse and of judgement John 16.8 to 11. and so will establish our hearts in the comforts of the Lord our God and this is that which the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians Chap. 3.16 Hence it cometh to passe that what the Lord would have us to doe he is present by his Spirit to teach us and to strengthen us and so to doe it for us All these things doth the Lord work for Abraham and for his Elect seed So that look what is meet for a Father to do or for a Brother to doe or for the Spirit of God to doe that will the Lord doe unto his elect ones and so he giveth all his attributes and they are even God himselfe and therefore when Moses desired to see his glory and he desired it from the grace that God had shewed him Exod. 34.6 the Lord proclaimed his Name before him Jehovah Jehovah strong mercifull and gracious c. Thus doth the Lord give himselfe and all the Persons in the God-head as they are truly called and Attributes they are no more nor no other then God himselfe 2 And as God himself is implyed so when God is given by Covenant all the Ordinances and Creatures and works of God are given also for so it was in all Covenants of old time when Jehosaphat maketh a Covenant with Ahab King of Israel 2 Kings 22.4 then I am as thou art and my people as thy people and my Horses as thy Horses and all that he hath is for Ahabs service as the King goeth so goeth his strength so thus it comes to passe that if the Lord of Hoasts be for us and give himself unto us then also he gives unto us his Eternall Election and Redemption and whatsoever he hath wrought for the salvation of his Elect He hath not so dealt with any Nation Psal 147.20 but only with the Israel of God unto them hath he given his Laws and shewed them his judgements And for his Creatures they are all given to be for his People to whom he hath given himself If God be a God unto Abraham then shall all Gods people be for him Melchisedeck shall blesse him Aner Eshcot and Mamre shall be Confederates with him the Sun Moon and Stars shall fight in their courses for the people of God the Sea shall give way to passe through it on dry ground What ailed you ye streams of Jordan to goe back Why all the Creatures of God must stoop unto the people of God wâ—… he is in Covenant with them This is that which the Lord promiseth unto his people Hos 2.18 to 22. when the Lord shall marry them to him in faithfullnesse and 1 Cor. 3.22 This is the large gift of Gods Covenant Nay and which is wonderfull and beyond all comprehension when I say all the Creatures and Ordinances of God are ours the very expression of the phrase doth imply that the Lord giveth himselfe to be the staffe and strength of them so that you shall see the presence of God in them he will not only give a man wife and children and Ordinances and providences but he will be in all these and blesse his people in the enjoyment of them all so as that
is not possible that God should lye Mal. 3.6 Hence springeth our eternity perseverance Rom. 11.29 Phil. 1.6 Though the sence of the Covenant doth require it of Abraham to give himself back again unto the Lord though that be Abrahams duty and the Lord doth intend it yet his intendment is to imply that he doth receive Abraham and his seed to be his people for ever Josh 24.3 Thus mind ye the Lord dealeth in the Coven of Grace he looketh towards those that look not towards him as is held forth Hos 3.3 where the Lord biddeth the Prophet love a woman that was an Adulteresse and say unto her Thou shalt be for me and I will be for thee This is a branch of the Covenant when the Lord doth undertake to receive Abraham and his seed unto himself his giving himselfe unto them doth breed a reciprocall returning of them unto him Quest Now it may be demanded How did the Lord take Abraham and his seed to be his people Answ By a double Act as 1 Of Preparation not on Abrahams part or on his seeds part but on his own part the Lord prepared them 2 The Lord did invest him with the blessings of this Covenant 1 For Preparation the Lord prepareth them by a double work of his Spirit which are manifest in all the seed of Abraham Elect of God 1 By a Spirit of Bondage whereby he cutteth off the seed of Abraham from all worldly intanglements and delights thus God took Abraham and brought him from beyond the Flood and so doth he take men off from their Countreys and Fathers houses he seperates them from all such things that he might draw them unto himselfe Thus he dealt with the Children of Israel and called them to be a singular people unto himselfe and yet but in a Covenant of works Deut. 7.6,7,8 Thus doth the Lord deale with all those whom he receiveth to be a people unto himself and by this spirit of bondage he draweth them from all their sinfull lusts and passions so as that they can find no hope of mercy in any thing and this is properly a Seal of the Covenant of works as the Spirit of Adoption is a seale of the Covenant of Grace Rom. 8.15 Now by this bondage the Lord first setteth home unto the Consciences of men the weight and danger of their sins and it is the usuall manner of God to give a Covenant of Grace by leading men first into a Covenant of works as it is his constant manner to work by contraries and so to thrust men out of doors that they may have fellowship with himselfe at length I had a gratious father will the poor soule say but now I may goe and shake my ears like a poor wretch for so indeed he is cast out of the Covenant and favour of God to his sense and feeling but thus the Lord doth even shut him out of doors that he may open to him another and a better way 2 The Lord also Prepareth his people by a Spirit of Burning which upon a spirit of bondage he doth shed abroad into the hearts of men This we read of Mal. 4.1 It is spoken of the Ministry of John the Baptist which did burn like an oven against all the Scribes and Pharisees and left them neither the root of Abrahams Covenant nor the branch of their own good works he cutteth them off from the Covenant of Abraham Mat. 3.9 Think not to say that you have Abraham to be your father c. and so by cutting them off from the root he leaveth them no ground to trust on From their good works the Lord Jesus Christ also cutteth them off Mat. 6.2.5.16 This was a Spirit of Burning which the Lord conveyed by the M nistry of Christ and of John Baptist to burn up all the Hypocrites like stubble and the beauty of their works was blasted by it and this is Gods usuall manner of dealing Now there are many under a Spirit of bondage that never came under a Spirit of burning yet many under a Spirit of bondage doe fear the Lord with some kind of reverence unto his Ordinances for as an Angel of God they received Paul and yet for many of them they were but under the Law and therefore the Apostle saith He is afraid of them least he hath bestowed his labour in vaine Gal. 4.9,10,11 compared with ver 21. where he saith Tell me ye that desire to be under the Law c. A signe that this bondage under which they were did not onely bind them under fear of wrath but did bind them also to obey the Ordinances of God with some kind of devout reverence Now you have many men that rest there but when the Lord doth carry men further then he sendeth a spirit of burning thereby to blast all the fruits and branches of their righteousnesse and to burn up all that under a Covenant of works a man hath wrought and this is that which the Prophet Esay speaketh of Isa 4.4 that the Lord will purge away the filth of the daughter of Sion with a spirit of judgement and of burning The one is a spirit of sanctification and the other is a consuming fire which forceeth them not to build any comfort upon any works that they have done This may Hypocrites reach unto in their judgements so as that they may be convinced that they have neither root within them nor branch growing upon them and yet in the mean while they may not come unto a Spirit of Adoption but hereby also the Lord useth to prepare his people Some blesse themselves in worldly courses and never come unto a spirit of bondage some doe find comfort in their performances and never saw the vanity of their own righteousnesse but there are those whom the Lord doth carry further unto a spirit of burning even unto a sensible feeling of Gods wrath burning against whatsoever is as stubble such is a mans own gifts and parts and worth so that now the poor soule findeth that he hath no root of any good Covenant but seeth it to be an outward face of the Covenant that he doth rest upon and now he seeth no green branch of righteousnesse remaining but all is blasted and broken in pieces according to what the Prophet Esay saith Chap. 40.6,7 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 goodlinesse of flesh that is consumed by a Spirit of burning 2 As God thus prepareth us for himselfe 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 cleering of it this may be demanded Quest How doth the Lord give himselfe unto his people
deliver unto us another Gospel for it is not of Grace that Faith is given us Vse 3. This may also teach the people of God to bear a gratious respect unto those that are under a Covenant of works and not forthwith to condemn them as if there were no hope of their Salvation For God doth not call any into fellowship with himselfe in a Covenant of Grace but ordinarily he first bringeth them into a Covenant of works and casteth them out of doors by a spirit of bondage and of burning and then bringeth them in by the true door and Jesus Christ is that doore Joh. 10.9 Though the Children of the Faithfull be born under the outward dispensation of the Covenant of Grace yet if they be not of the Elect seed they will chose life by their works and so fall under the Covenant of works Gal. 4.24 to 30. So will Professors also Gal. 4.21 yea the Elect themselves before their Effectuall Calling will seek life by their works Hence those that are under a Covenant of works may belong unto the Lord as well as my selfe pray for them therefore Paul was under a Covenant of workes Steven prayeth for him and as most conceive that Prayer was effectuall unto his Conversion and Paul was as dear unto the Lord in his Eternall purpose as Steven himselfe was And thus Paul himselfe speaketh of Onesimus He therefore departed for a season that he might be received for ever So may we say of men under a Covenant of works the Lord may bring any of them home unto himselfe by dashing all his works in pieces and shewing him the presidence of his Spirit though the Lord hath melted him formerly in his Prayers and Preachings and Hearing and Sacraments by a Spirit of burning yet the Lord will discover that he is but hardened by it into another lump of pride against the Lord his God And the Lord will also pluck away the caul from their hearts and then they will have none in Heaven but Christ nor in the earth in comparison of him and then the Holy Ghost convinceth them of this sin above all their other sins that they have not believed on Jesus Christ Doe not therefore censure any such as to say there is no likelihood that they should have fellowship with Christ for if the Lord make them to fall down before him and to yield up their spirits unto the Lord in holy reverence and feare these have now received some secret smoking affections besides a Spirit of burning which the Lord will not quench Vse 4. It may serve in the next place to clear up our judgements in sundry passages that doe concerne the Covenant of Grace by Answers unto these 6 Questions following Quest 1. What is the first gift that ever the Lord giveth unto his Elect Answ First of all he giveth Himselfe the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit this is the foundation and if you shall lay saving Qualifications in the foundation before these the foundation will lye uneasily and the spirit of a true Christian shall not lye long in peace Christ must therefore be first and with him Faith to receive him first he will make a Covenant with us and put his holy Spirit within us and he cometh in with Faith and Fear that we never may depart from him He giveth us his Son and all things else in him he giveth us in him pardon of sins in our Justification and in him some degrees of glory also and in him right unto all the Promises of the Covenant no other foundation but him Take him first for he is the first thing given He taketh us by giving us Faith and we take him by exercising our Faith on him Object But whether doth not the Lord give us some saving Preparations before Jesus Christ for there be those that are gratious Saints that have conceived that there are some gratious Qualifications which the Lord giveth to prepare for Jesus Christ Answ There be saving graces which doe sanctifie us unto God our Father but whether they doe make way for Jesus Christ there proveth a difference but you may discern the truth of the point If the Lord doe give any saving Qualification before Christ then the soule may be in a state of Salvation before Christ and that would be prejudiciall unto the grace and truth of Christ for if there be no name given under Heaven whereby we must be saved but onely Jesus Christ nor his name but in a way of fellowship with him then it will unavoidably follow that whatsoever saving work there be in the soul it is not there before Christ be there it is true John Baptist was sent to subdue all flesh by a spirit of burning which burneth up the Covenant of Abraham I mean their carnall confidence in it and all their fruits of righteousnesse here were indeed preparations for Christ but these were not saving they were still Children of wrath Ye Serpents ye Generation of Vipers notwithstanding all this John did indeed dispense poverty of Spirit and yet though they had received the Holy Ghost they were not sensible of it yet the poverty of spirit was there unto which the Promise was made but then Jesus Christ was there also whether they knew it or knew it not that is not greatly materiall in this Argument But if the Kingdome of Heaven was there Jesus Christ was there first otherwise it will prove dishonourable unto the name of Christ Indeed there is a saving preparation before consolation in Christ and the manifestation of our gratious union with him but for our first union there are no steps unto the Altar Exod. 20. last But Christ doth prepare his Tabernacle for himselfe to dwell in This is in the first place for Instruction concerning what is the first gift which the Lord giveth unto the soule before any work or Promise he giveth saving communion in spirituall union with his Son this standeth firm from the Tenor of the Covenant and the nature of it to my best understanding and therewith giveth us Faith and all other saving Qualifications and Conditions as it is held forth in the Scriptures of God Quest 2. In what order the Lord giveth the Covenant and the blessings of it whether Faith before them or those blessings before faith be able to apply them Answ He doth give himselfe in working Faith before Faith can be there and therefore it is the fruit of the Spirit that Faith is wrought in the soule and this Faith doth receive the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ himselfe by his Spirit and it doth also receive Adoption and Justification but to be able actually to apply it our first birth will not bear it for a man is as passive in his Regeneration as in his first generation onely the Lord giveth us his Spirit that doth unite us unto Christ which is received by Faith together with Adoption and Justification And yet by the Act of believing we are justified
the gifts of God and if you shall aske how love and patience and all the rest of the gifts of God doe worke The holy Ghost stirreth up faith to looke unto Christ who returneth strength by his Spirit unto faith so faith worketh by love and by meeknes and by all the rest of the fruits of the Spirit thus the Spirit of God acteth according to what we read Rom. 8.14 Come to any holy duty and it is the holy Ghost that leadeth you along and acteth in you so Ezek. 36.27 2 Pet. 1 2â— it is the Spirit of God that moveth us to any good worke and that acteth the gifts of his grace in us 3. It is the same Spirit of God also that witnesseth to these gifts and sheweth what gifts he hath given us for such is the blindnes of the nature of all the sons of men and it is a wonder to see that generally Christians when the Lord first worketh these gifts in them not one of a thousand but they thinke they are in a sad and fearefull condition and so they are very uncomfortable when they have greatest cause of rejoycing But now least that we should alwayes mistake that which the Lord hath given us wee have received the Spirit of God that wee might know the things that are freely given unto us of God 1 Cor. 2.12 He indeed taketh his owne time to discover it unto us to some sooner to some later but this is his intendment that he might honour his grace upon us by all the rich and gracious gifts which he hath given us He doth also reveale unto us the duties which he helpeth us to doe â—…om 9.1 The holy Ghost that wrought in him this brotherly love beareth him witnes also that he doth not lye and that he had continuall sorrow in his heart and that he could have wished to have been accursed from Christ that they might be saved it grieved him so much that the whole Nation should be destitute of the Lord Jesus Christ Thus we see what need there is that the holy Ghost should dwell in us to keepe all the gifts of his grace in us to Act them according to his will and to discover to us what gratious gifts the Lord hath wrought in us and what duties he hath helped us to doe that we may be able to give Account of them by the holy Ghost that dwelleth in us and beareth witness with us We see there is a necessity both of the gifts of grace that we may be fit Temples for the holy Ghost to dwell in and fit instruments for him to work by there is need also the holy Ghost should dwell in us for the causes we have spoken unto And I might adde this to comfort us in all the changes that may come upon us it is a strong Scripture which we read in John 15.26 When the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Father even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me our Divines have no place of more cleere evidence to prove the procession of the Spirit from the Father And the same Spirit testifieth to us both what mighty redemption he hath wrought for us and what grace he hath wrought in us this the holy Ghost shall testifie even he that proceedeth from the Father and this is the comfort of Gods people Thus wee see both these poynts opened to us Quest 3. How may we then imploy and improve this sanctification which the Lord hath given us and which he keepeth and acteth in us by his Spirit and whereunto he beareth witnesse How or to what end shall we employ it seeing the Lord undertaketh to doe these things for us Answ If the Lord Jesus Christ by his Spirit giveth us these gifts it is our part then first to see that we doe not rest in any Sanctification which doth not spring from Christ conveyed unto us by his Spirit conveying us to him the Spirit knitteth us unto Christ Christ unto us he worketh Faith in us to receive whatsoever the Lord giveth unto us and by the same Faith worketh all our holinesse for us 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made unto us c. Therefore we are to see him the principall author of all these things in us and for us this is the principall comfort of all gifts Christ given in them and the glory of all our safety and so far as any of these lyeth in our Sanctification we ought to see that it be Sanctification in Jesus Christ and then it is so when the Lord giveth us to look unto the Lord Jesus in it and to it in him and as we look for our holinesse to be perfect in Jesus Christ so we look for continuall supply of it from him and this it is to make Christ our Sanctification when as whatsoever gift the Lord giveth us we goe not forth in the strength of it but in the strength of Jesus Christ There may be a change in the soule which may spring from a spirit of bondage and may captivate our consciences unto the Law that may restraine us from sin and constraine us unto duty but such holinesse springeth not alwayes from our union with Christ for there may be a conscience of duty without sense of our need of Christ as it was with the Israelites at Mount Sinai Deut. 5.27,28,29 Goe thou neer say they to Moses and hear all that the Lord our God shall say and speak thou unto us all that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee and we will heare it and doe it They have well said all that they have spoken saith the Lord. O that there were an heart in them that they would fear me c. This I say therefore is the first thing to be attended unto as ever ye would make a right use of your holinesse see that it be such as floweth from Jesus Christ and that there be not onely an heart awed with the Law but waiting upon Christ to be all in all in us and to us so shall we neither neglect the gifts of God in us nor Christ and his Spirit but shall give due honour unto all of them together 2 This may also Teach all Christians not to trust upon the gifts of their holinesse though they doe spring from the Holy Ghost himselfe though they be such as are unchangeable though they spring from Jesus Christ and knit our soules in union with him yet trust not in the gifts themselves the Lord layeth it down as the Apostacy of Israel Ezek. 16.14,15 Trust not therefore in any of these but let all our confidence be in Jesus Christ not in any of the gifts of his Spirit whatsoever For a little further opening of it 1 Trust not in any gifts that you have received for the performance of any duty for it is not the strongest Christian that is able to put forth a good thought 2 Cor. 3.5 but our sufficiency is
duty as Prayer or Conference or the like for I will not limit the Holy One of Israel yet usually it is done in the Ministry of the Gospel and though the Lord doth not limit himselfe yet he doth limit us to attend upon the means which he usually worketh by but whatsoever the way be this is the manner of Gods working he doth universally come into the soul in some word or other of his grace as for instance that in 2 Cor. 5.19 or that in 1 Tim. 1.15 In some such word of his grace he cometh and putteth life into the soule and maketh it somwhat quies and causeth it to see that there is hope in Israel and the Lord is able and there is riches enough in Christ to save me By such kind of work it is that the Lord bringeth the soules of his servants effectually to Christ and now hath God the Father given us unto him and untill now thou never camest unto him savingly This is the second Act whereby God the Father giveth himselfe unto the soule The third act or work followeth both these as soone as ever the Lord hath given this selfe-denying spirit unto the soule and hath made it like unto a bruised Reed or like a Traveller that is out of his way and willing to take any man by the hand that will lead him into his way againe when the soule is in such a frame the Lord cometh with a third act of Reconcilement The first work was of Conviction the second of Prostration the third of Reconciliation This is the third work of the Father though there is in all these works a concurrence of the whole Trinity yet some are more proper unto each Person as our Catechismes teach us and we are not wont to scruple such expressions in them God the Father created us and we cannot expound it but as God the Father created us at the first so he doth again create you or else if we acknowledg it in the one and not in the other we do wrong unto God even to the Father Well he is then reconciled unto us having given unto us the Spirit of his Son now he doth pronounce us reconciled unto him this is the work which is spoken of Rom. 5.10 and this is the work of God the Father according to that was before alledged 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world c. Now there are two acts of God as fruits that follow hereupon and both of them done at once upon the soule 1 The first is Adoption whereby he maketh us his Children as Gal. 4.4,5,6 John 1.12 So that now we are the Brethren of Christ and the Sons of the Eternall God Adoption is properly the work of the Father but Christ being the naturall Son of God we must be knit unto him before we can be accounted Sons 2 The second is Justification Rom. 8.33,34 This is the Fathers work and it is principally attributed unto him to forgive our iniquities and to make reconciliation in Christ Jesus And look as it is in our naturall Being so soon as ever we have received naturall life from Adam we become the Sons of Adam and his sin is imputed unto us so it is in the new birth as soon as ever the life of Christ is shed abroad into our hearts so soon are we Heires of Christ and the righteousness of the second Adam is imputed unto us now to our Justification as the sin of Adam before was to our Condemnation Vse 1. The Doctrine it selfe is but an Use but I desire that we may all of us apply it unto our selves It will be a help to us for our Instruction to Teach us how we came to saving fellowship with God in Jesus Christ and wherein lieth our spirituall union with Christ and how it is wrought and obtained and this is necessary for as it hath been observed by others so we may now gather it from what we have heard that there be 4 sorts of men that fall short of this union with Christ 1 You have some that blesse themselves in their naturall estate it may be they are rich and honourable among men well they blesse themselves in that estate and will never goe any further 2 There is another sort that are convinced of the danger of their naturall estate they dare not rest there and hereupon they fall upon Reformations and so to duties of Humiliation and such like wherein they find as they conceive such a blessed change and so much comfort as doth satisfie them And indeed God doth comfort men in their Reformations for God will have no man lose by him Mat. 6.2,5 Hypocrices have their reward for their Aime and for their Prayers Herod when he heard John reformed many things and heard him gladly Mark 6.20 Here was a great change and doubtlesse much comfort in that gladnesse yet these men never had the work of God the Father to burn up all that they had received by any strength of their owne 3. A third sort goe a step beyond these they have been convinced that they went forth â—o Reformation in their owne strength they plainly see it and discerne it and therefore they know that it is impossible to be saved by the righteousnesse of the Law and that it is not of works neither of one kind nor of another they are convinced that Faith onely must doe the deed and upon this ground they will take up Faith to believe in Christ for salvation and that Faith which formerly they have pitched upon their good duties they will now pitch upon Christ but still it is the same Faith for the root is not yet burnt up the old corruption still remaineth in them and so here is your old faith still translated from one object to another it was fastned before upon your duties and reformations and now upon Christ though by creature-strength and now a man is ready to plead and say If God had not loved me he would never have set me upon such reformations nor have enlarged me with such comforts if he had not been well pleased with me in Jesus Christ And though I have been sometimes burnt up touching my hope in reformation yet I have translated my Faith to Jesus Christ but how came you to doe that Why I saw my hopes in my owne reformation would not serve my turne and therefore I believed in Jesus Christ and now shall nothing draw me from him nor pull me from my confidence for I have built upon some word of God and some Promise of his made unto such reformation as I have set upon and is not this true Faith in Jesus Christ This is far from true Faith it is no other but a strong fallacy whereby the Devil doth cheat men and in truth this Faith is but a Faith of a mans owne making that I may so speak it is no more than a spirit of Burning at the best that hath burnt up his confidence in
giving him to be a Covenant or a Mediatour of it In filling him with all fullnesse to be a King Priest and Prophet 37. In his performing whatever is required on our parts ibid. Use 1 It teacheth the difference between the Covenant of Works of Grace 39. 1 In the one all is given upon the condition of obedience in the other not ibid. 2 The Covenant of Grace is built upon a free Promise of Grace the other upon something else as Ordinances Duties c. 40. 3 In the Continuance the Benefits of the one as Justification and Sanctification doe abide the other not so 42. Two sorts of Hypocrites have a kind of Sanctification Viz Washed Swine and Goates 44. The Goates fall short of Sheep in two things 45. 1 Goats are Capricious affecting eminency ibid. 2 They are Rankish not having the sweetnesse of sheep 47. 4 In respect of the Mediator both of the one and the other ibid. 2 It yieldeth an Argument against the Body of Arminianisme 48. 3 Gods people 〈◊〉 to respect them that are under a Covenant of Workes and not be hopelesse of their Salvation 49. 4 It helps to clear sundry Questions about the Covenant 51. 1 Qu. What is the first Gift that ever the Lord giveth to the Elect 52. Ans He giveth Himself and not saving Preparations fiâ—st ibid. 2 Qu. Whether are the Blessings of the Covenant given before faith to apply them 55. Ans The Spirit is given to work faith ibid. 3. Qu. Whether the Promise wherein the Lord giveth Himselfe be absolute or conditionall 56. Ans ' Tiâ— absolute ibid. 4. Qu. Whether a mans Union with Christ may be evidenced by his Sanctification Answered in foure Propositions 58. 1 Propos That a Sanctification which the Terrours of the Law may produce is no evidence of Union with Christ ibid. Here three things are to be attended unto concerning Sanctification 60. 1 The Root from which it springeth 61. 2 The Rule by which 't is guided 67. 3 The End at which it aimeth 70. 2 Propos That true Sanctification is many times dark unto a Christian 74. 3 Propos That true Sanctification is not discernable before Faith be discerned 75. 4 Propos There is a reall Difference between legall and Evangelicall Sanctification and wherein it lyeth 77. 5 Qu. Of what use are Promises especially Conditionall if not to bring us unto Christ 86. Ans There is a three fold use of them 1 Before Union with Christ both for Doctrine 87. Instruction 88. Exhortation 89. And a three-fold Effect also the Promises have before Union Viz. Of Illumination 90. Affection to despise all other things ibid. Conviction so as to leave without excuse 91. 2 In our Union with Christ 92. 3 After our Union with Christ and that many wayes Viz. 1 For Doctrine that all treasures are in Christ 96. 2 For Instruction where to looke for Qualifications ibid. 3 To stir up to Prayer 97. 4 To help to discern our spirituall estate 98. 5 To worke the Qualifications and Conditions of the Promises in us 100. 6 To provoke to such Duties as to which blessings are promised 101. 7 To strengthen Faith ibid. 6 Qu. To what use then serveth the Law of God which requireth such and such Conditions in us Is not this to make it voyd unto Christians as if they were not under the Law at all 106. Ans 'T is of speciall use both unto them that are Carnall either Elected to make them see their sin 108. Not Elected to harden them 111. Both by their Obedience to it 112. Comfort in their Obed ib. Spirituall being under the Rule of it 114. And the effects of their subjection to it are 1 They feele the Fatherly displeasure of God for their transgressing of it 119. 2 They beleeve Gods gracious acceptance of their Obedience unto it 120. 2 A Christian is not under the Law i. e. under the Covenant of it so as he is not to 1 Look for life by his Obedience nor to fear condemnation by the breach of it 124. 2 Seek for any blessing from his obedience nor fear any curse from his disobedience 128. 3 Look for Conjugall Comfort from his Obedience 130. Divorce from his Disobedience 130. 4 Claime his right to any Conditionall Promise by his Obedience Deny himselfe the Blessing of the Promise because of his disobedience 132. Hence therefore 1 Let none accuse the Doctrine of the Covenant of Antinomianisme 134. 2 The Servants of God may see how far they are freed from the Law 136. 3 Men may come to have some discerning of their spirituall states 137. 4 Gods people may learn how to build their Faith and Hope 138. 7 Qu. If God gives Himselfe and so if his Holy Spirit be in us what need we Gifts or Grace to work by 141. Ans 1. We cannot see God without the same 143. 2 Thereby we are made fit Temples for the Holy Ghost 145. Qu. But if there be Gifts of Holinesse in us then what need the Holy Ghost to dwell in us ibid. Ans 1 To keep those gifts in us 146. 2 To act them in us 147. 3 To witnesse to us by them to our comfort ibid. Qu. How are we to imploy the gifts of Sanctification in us 150. Ans 1 See that we receive them from Christ and that Christ be all in all in them ibid. 2 Trust not on them 152. Either for The performance of any duty 153 Justification from them 160. 3 In point of witnesse and how 161. 4 In point of rejoycing 162. 5 We are to grow up in them to perfection 164. 9 Qu. How doth God give Himselfe to be a God Covenant with us 170. Ans 1 He gave his Son out of his bosome for our Redemption 171. 2 He giveth us unto Christ and Christ unto us 173. Qu. How doth the Father give and call us to Christ 174. Ans By his Word ibid. Spirit Of Bondage 175. Burning 177. Adoption 184. Hence we may learne to discerne how we came to saving fellowship and union with Christ 192. There are foure sorts that fall short of this Union with Christ ibid. Viz. Such as 1 Doe blesse themselves in regard of outward blessings ibid. 2 Find comfort in their Reformations ibid. 3 Rest in a Faith of their owne making 193. 4 Waite upon Christ for Faith in their owne strength 195. FINIS Some Faults to be Corrected by the Reader In the first Treatise Page Line  1 16 read through 11 25 read Eschol 29 14 for penitent read president 31 2 blot out is it 33 22 after us make a period 38 18 for persons r. person 43 26 r. their 44 22 r. Hypocrites 46 23 for recrive r. receive 48 1 for the r. their 49 21 for it is r. is it not 51 3 r. prefidence 53 2 after Christ make 60 7 for attained r. attended   last line but one r. no easie 71  last line in the marg for Answ r. Quest 77 2 for
all Christians but if God doe set it home particularly unto any soule that man receives this gift of God it is made his own first he beleeveth this Promise of free grace and then afterward come other Promises that doe bear witnesse unto the right application of that Promise unto the soule but I am first buâ—… upon a Promise of free-grace or else there is no true closing with Jesus Christ Well then being thus united unto Christ from this Union with Christ do flow all other blessings and benefits of the Covenant of grace and from hence springeth Communion with Christ in all spirituall blessings that the Lord hath wrought for us in him and they are two of them Relative blessings as they are called by Divines and two of them Positive blessings The two former are laid up in Gods owne hand and are not created in us as the other two are 1 For the Relative blessings they are 1 Adoption 2 Justification And they spring immediately simul semel from the former Union with Christ for as soon as ever the spirit of God is in our hearts and hath wrought faith that we doe not spurne against Jesus Christ now is the Divine nature of Christ in us and we are now become the Sons of God as Christ himselfe is Look as in a mans first naturall conception as soon as ever Adam doth live there is an heir of Adam even so soon as the soul liveth So it is in this new spirituall birth as soon as the Holy Ghost cometh and hath wrought this faith now is the seed of God in us and the life of Christ and the Spirit of God and now are we the Sons of God Jo. 1.12 Immediately upon this Union with Christ we are Sons by Adoption and as we are Adopted so likewise our sins are now imputed unto Christ and his righteousnesse unto us and so our persons are justified For how and when was Adams sin imputed unto us Psa 51.5 Behold I was shapen in iniquity c. so soon as ever there was life it was the life of Adam now the imputation of Adams sin falleth immediately upon the soule So when we doe receive Christ by this living faith having the life of Christ in us we have the righteousnesse of Christ also imputed to us for what doth the Child in the womb though it doth neither good nor evill but is meerly passive yet sinfull it is and a Child of Adam So also in this our Regeneration the soule acteth not but onely receiveth Christ by that faith which the Lord hath wrought in it whereby also it is made capable of the priviledge of Adoption and so the Lord accounteth us his Children and imputeth the righteousnesse of his Son unto us whereby we are justified These things doe dwell in Gods bosome and the meaning of them is afterward revealed unto the soule but communicated they are both that of Adoption and this of Justification by the gift of faith wrought in us but we are still upon the first worke of Conversion wherein a Christian is onely passive and receptive and truly it must needs be so in the first work of God upon us 2 Now for the Positive blessings that are wrought in us they are 1 Sanctification 2 Glorification When we are called then are we sanctified then are we glorified 1 Cor. 1.2 As in our naturall conception as soon as ever the Child liveth Adams sin is first imputed and then there is a pronenesse in it to carry it captive unto sin and to make it backward unto any goodnesse so when the life of Christ is dispensed unto the soule now the Lord cometh to convey with it Justification and in it pardon of sin and then there is a pronenesse in a justified person to be lively in duty If we live in the Spirit let us also walk in the Spirit and by faith our hearts come to be purified Acts 15.9 and the same Spirit quickneth us unto holy duties so that we live yet not we but Christ liveth in us yea the Spirit sanctifying draweth us into an holy Confederacy to serve God in family Church Common-wealth and this sanctification groweth and encreaseth more and more for as corruption of Nature springeth from the imputation of Adams unrighteousnesse so doth sanctification spring from the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and thence floweth a pronenesse unto that which is good and a backwardnes unto that which is evill this is Sanctification 2 The other Positive gift is Glorification which we read of Rom. 8.30 This the Apostle Peter mentioneth 1 Pet. 5.10 as that whereunto we are called and in truth he hath begun the work from the time that he first began to call and sanctifie us 2 Tim. 1.9 From the very first time that God worketh upon the soule gratiously there is a glorious work in that soul and others may see it though himselfe seeth nothing that he hath received Thus we see the second branch of the Doctrine opened how the Lord doth receive Abraham and his seed unto himselfe preparing them by a spirit of bondage and of burning and then savingly by the inhabitation of the blessed Spirit the same Spirit begetting Faith we are alive in Jesus Christ and so come to be adopted and justified in him Afterwards the same Faith which at first onely receiveth Adoption and Justification doth now begin to stir a little and to breath forth into gratious desires and some holy mourning and beginneth now to put forth such works as the Holy Ghost carryeth the soul an end in working all our works in us and for us Now for the third and last part of the Doctrine the Lord took the chiefest of Abrahams seed to be the Mediator of this Covenant unto whom all the Promises were made Gal. 3.16 Quest If the Lord gave him to be Mediator how did he constitute him so to be Answ By a double Act First by receiving Jesus Christ the Son of the Virgin Mary to be one person with the second in Trinity hereby laying a ground of a firm Mediation between God and us for now cometh Jesus Christ to be of Gods Nature and therefore he wil be faithfull unto God and of our nature and therefore he wil be compassionate towards us And here is the Root of all the life and power of this Mediation to wit this personall Union betweene Jesus Christ and the Father which maketh up a firm and everlasting communion between God himselfe and Jesus Christ Secondly by Gods giving him to be a Covenant Isa 42.6 I will give thee for a Covenant of the people c. That is to be a Mediator of this Covenant 1 To receive from God all the Offices and gratious gifts whatsoever is requisite to a King Priest and Prophet all things he receiveth from the hand of the Father Col. 1.19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullnesse dwell thus he becometh a plentifull Redeemer And as the Lord gave him
to be a Covenant so he giveth him also to worke all things needfull for our Redemption partly by his Passion and obedience unto the death of the Cross and partly by fulfilling the whole Law all righteousnesse for us The Lord Jesus Christ did fully accomplish whatsoever was requisite for him to accomplish in his owne Person 2 He doth perform all things needfull for the Application of this redemption unto our soules and to this end he it is that sheddeth abroad his Spirit into our hearts John 15.26 16.7 and when this blessed Spirit cometh he applyeth unto the soule all the gratious redemption of Jesus Christ by giving him and all the fruits of his redemption and by working all those blessed works that the souls of his people come to be partakers of and so performeth all those Conditions that are required on our parts If it be needfull for us to have faith he will work it in us If it be needfull for us to live a life of Faith he will help us so to live for it is not of our selves it is the gift of God Ephes 2.9 Thus hath the Lord made him a compleat Mediatour of this holy Covenant and whatsoever we receive we receive it from him for unto him first as the head of the Church are all blessings given and unto us all Promises in him are Yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1.20 for though Christ be not a sinner in his owne persons yet in respect of his Members he is many times lost in them though not in himselfe and poor in them though not in himselfe for us therefore he receiveth the Promises of God and that is the great security of them that they are laid up safe in him and belong unto us if we have Union with the head and in him we perform whatsoever God requireth whether we Pray or Preach or hear we doe all in the Name of Christ going forth in his strength and power Col. 3.17 Thus is the Lord Jesus Christ a firm Surety of the better Covenant Stablished upon better Promises Heb. 8.6 Vse 1. In the first place This may teach us a broad difference between the Covenant of works and the Covenant of Grace In the Covenant of works the Lord offereth himselfe as a Father his Son as a Redeemer his Spirit as a Sanctifier but this upon a condition of works Thou shalt have no other Gods but me and If they shall keep his Lawes and obey his voyce then they shall be a peculiar treasure unto him above all people Exod. 19.5,6 This also they undertake to doe Deut. 5.27 All that the Lord our God shall speak unto thee we will heare it and doe it But O that there were such an heart in them vers 29. When they rebelled he did not pardon them gratiously but the Angel whom he sendeth with them he biddeth them beware of him and obey his voyce and provoke him not For he will not pardon your Transgressions for my Name is in him In the Covenant of Grace he will but not in this here is indeed a Conditionall Redeemer and Saviour and so it is expressed Isa 63.8,9,10 with many of them God was not well pleased almost with none of them but overthrew them in the wilderness Thus in the Covenant of works all is given upon condition of obedience 2 The Lord giving Himself his Son his Spirit upon condition though it be but to works yet he is pleased to receive them into some kind of relative Union expressed Jer. 32.32 Which my Covenant they brake although I was an husband unto them He was marryed unto them in Church-Covenant this was some kind of Union he was their God and they were his peculiar people and yet the Lord cast them off a Generation of his wrath from this Marriage Covenant between them and him from this Union there springeth a kind of Faith by which the soule cleaveth unto the Lord in some measure else there could not be this marriage union and this faith is that which you read Psal 106.12,13 They beleeved his words they sang his praise c. So also Exod. 14.31 it is said They beleeved the Lord and his servant Moses This is that faith which men may receive and yet may Apostate from it spoken of Heb. 6.3 to 6. and Luk. 8.13 but all that faith was never grounded upon any free promise of grace but all was built upon Ordinances and Duties and upon no higher ground In the 2 Chron. 13.8 to 12. marvelously strong are the expressions of Abijah when Jeroboam came against him You think to withstand the Kingdome of the Lord in the hand of David c. Where we see what faith he did expresse and hereupon vers 18. The Children of Israel were brought under and the Children of Judah prevailed and yet this Kings heart was not perfect with the Lord his God 2 Kings 15.3 and yet mind you a strong confidence he had that the Lord was with him and that he would be present with his owne Ordinances there was faith built upon fellowship with Ordinances like unto that Faith in the Scripture before alleadged Luke 8.13 Men are affected with the word and beleeve and find comfort and all this springeth from that Relative Communion which they have with the Lord they find refreshing in their way and work and many times take it for the very Seale of the Spirit of God All which may and oftentimes is found in Hypocrites but here 's the difference in a Covenant of workes God giveth himselfe Conditionally in that of grace Absolutely in both he maketh a Covenant in the one of Grace the other of works in which the Voyce of the Lord is If you be true and faithfull to me then I will not remove you and in this Covenant is Faith found whereby they lay hold upon the head of the Sacrifice but not on Christ it is onely built upon such changes as they finde in themselves and will in the end vanish utterly away 3 There is a difference also that springeth from the fruits of these two Covenants iâ—… their continuance for tho in the Covenant of works there be a semblance of Justification and Adoption and a kind of Sanctification yet they endure but for a season and therefore he calleth them Lo-ammi for ye are not my people and Lo-ruhamah for I will no more have mercy though sometimes they were his people and he then had mercy on them They may also have pardon of sin that is forbearance of punishment for a season Psal 78.37,38 Being full of compassion he forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not yet they were such whose heart was not upright with him neither were they stedfast in his Covenant This is plainly held forth in the Parable Matth. 18.23 to the end When the Servant had not wherewith to pay his Lord he fell down and worshipped him saying Lord have patience with me and I will pay thee all his Lord was moved with compassion
also Gal. 2.26 that is manifested to be justified in our owne consciences Quest 3. Whether doe we receive the Lord Jesus Christ in an Absolute or in a Conditionall Promise Answ We know the Lord can convey himselfe in an Evangelicall Commandement as well as in a Promise as we find it Isa 41.14 Feare thou not worme Jacob I will help thee c. He can also convey himselfe in a threatning to the Devill as unto our first Parents he did convey himselfe wrapping up a Promise in it as Gen. 3.15 from whence the Lord gave them to suck a sweet and comfortable Promise of his free grace And when the like is conveyed in a Commandment the Lord undertaketh to work that which he so commandeth But now it is questioned Whether the Promise wherein the Lord giveth himselfe be Absolute or Conditionall Faith to receive Christ is ever upon an Absolute Promise if you will say it is a Promise to a Condition what kind of condition was it there is no Condition before Faith but a conditon of misery a lost condition or if a gratious Condition it is a Condition subsequent not prae-existent no Condition before it whereby a man can close with Jesus Christ and if it was a Condition after Faith unto which the Promise was made then faith was there before and whatsoever followeth Conversion is no ground of Faith but a fruit and effect of it therefore I say our first coming on to Christ cannot be upon a Conditionall but upon an Absolute Promise And if ever the Lord minister comfort unto any man true comfort upon good grounds is ever built upon a Promise of free grace If the witnesse be unto Justification received it is true indeed a gratious Qualification and a Promise to it may give good Evidence of it a posteriore And so for Sanctification if the Lord come to bear witnesse unto a mans Sanctification then he doth it from some work or other of his grace in him as unto Abraham Gen. 22.12 There is a fourth Question which is as a further branch of this fourth Use which I would not speak to but that I might through the good hand of God the better clear things that we may not stumble in our expressions in any conference about the Covenant of Grace and works Quest 4. Now forasmuch as you heare of a Sanctification under a Covenant of works it doth imply that there is a Sanctification that is but transitory and not everlasting nor immortall Whether then may a man evidence his Vnion with Christ by his Sanctification Answ I answer in foure Propositions that I might not leave any occasion of scruple or difference about what is held forth in our Congregation as being that which doth yield as much Agitation as any other Doctrine that is taught among us let me therefore shortly and plainly discover it and let it be so far received as we see the life and presence and truth of the Spirit of God revealing the doctrine of free Grace according to the Scriptures Prop. 1. That a Sanctification which the terrors of the Law may produce that is to say such a Sanctification as may be found in a Covenant of works is no evidence or witnesse of our union with Christ And I suppose there is no difference there but though there be no difference in mens judgements in this yet it is an easie thing for Christians to abuse their Evidence upon this very ground and as much upon this ground as upon any For when Christians come to be really wrought upon and find themselves discouraged from sin and so reforme their lives and give up themselves to obey the word and find comfort therein and great consolation many times in such a case as this Christians doe much differ upon the point yet I doe not know any of all the Teachers in the Country that withdraw their consents from this doctrine that such Sanctification as is wrought in Hypocrites though it may reach to great improvements yet it is no evidence of Justification at all And it hath been handled in another Congregation and I thinke not without weight of truth that to distinguish in men between that Sanctification which floweth from the Law and that which is of the Gospel is a matter so narrow that the Angels in Heaven have much adoe to discern who differ a work fitter for Angels to cut the scantling in it then for the Ministers of the Gospel though indeed there be great difference of the one from the other Now though this doe not tend to heale any difference in judgement yet it is usefull to heale a misprision of sanctification that may be found in all Hypocrites of this Country and elswhere Three things are to be attained unto in all sanctification 1 From what Root it springeth 2 By what Rule it is guided 3 At what End it aimeth And commonly under one or other of these three are put all the differences between the one sanctification and the other I speak it that it may be searched and God is my witnesse not to unsettle the well-grounded comfort of any soule but if any have built upon an unsafe ground or have built Hay or stubble better it is to know it at first whilst there is hope in Israel than when it is too late In those three things formerly mentioned are all the differences between the sanctification of Hypocrites and of the Children of God and they goe so close together that you will say it is an easie matter to discerne justification by sanctification 1 For the Root of it the soule having fellowship with Christ the Holy Ghost cometh into the soule worketh Faith in Jesus Christ and this is the root of all Christian sanctification Ezek. 36.27 and for Faith it is that which purifieth the heart Acts 15.9 without faith it is impessible to please God Heb. 11.6 So that Faith must concur unto the rootednesse of our sanctification in Christ And the Apostle doth attribute both these Roots unto both sorts Unto those Christians that shall afterwards fall away to sin the sin against the Holy Ghost Heb. 6. They have tasted of the heavenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost that heavenly Gift was Faith which the Apostle reckoneth chiefly among the Principles of Christian Religion vers 1. A tast they had both of Faith and the Holy Ghost yet from both these they fall away You know what was said of Saul 1 Sam. 10.10 The Spirit of God came upon him and so did it likewise upon Judas and Demas acting them mightily in their Administrations and as they were thus carryed along by the Spirit so likewise the spirit of bondage will marvelously prevaile with the Sons of men to draw them on to strong works of Reformation from whence they reap no small Consolation but think and say as Abijah did that the Lord is with them whilst they are with him And as sometimes David said of himselfe I believed
that is the first and fundamentall of all the rest that God doth put forth or any other Person in Trinity for the applying of the Covenant unto the hearts of his people And God in giving his Sonne doth give himselfe Isai 9.6 Joh. 10.30 1 Joh. 2.23 Rom. 5.8 Joh. 3.16 And as God giveth us his Sonne so he giveth us all things else in his Sonne Rom. 8.32 So then this is the first and the great worke of God that he hath given his Son out of his own bosome to take our nature upon him to lead a miserable life and to dye a cursed death and in him hath given all his Attributes his mercy and power unto the sonnes of men an undoubted signe that God intendeth to give himselfe in the Covenant of grace unto his people when he giveth Jesus Christ himselfe in that Covenant as he doth expressely Isa 42.6 where wee may see that God giveth another even that God the Father giveth God the Sonne Thus it is a gift of the Covenant that God giveth his Sonne to be the foundation of the Covenant and the chiefe blessing of it And Chap. 49.8 He speaketh to the same purpose No man hath seene God at any time Joh. 1.18 nor can see him nor will God the Father have immediate fellowship with any creature but the onely begotten Sonne of the Father the Lord hath given him that he might reveale him Thus wee may perceive that the Lord is gratious and marvellous gratious in that he giveth us his Sonne his deare Sonne the second Person in Trinity and thus he saith to his Elect I will be a God unto thee and give thee my Sonne that shall redeeme thee out of all distresse and danger Thus doth the Lord for his people and it is a cleere evidence of his grace and sheweth that his love unto his people is beyond all banks and bottome for the Lord to give us his Sonne and this Sonne so soone as he was promised his people saw him a farre of Joh. 8.56 Your father Abraham rejoyced to see my day and he saw it and was glad For when the Lord Jesus Christ was promised unto him Gen. 17.16,17 and the Lord had said unto him I will blesse Sarah and give thee a sonne of her yea I will blesse her c. Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed he did rejoyce that the Lord would give him a Saviour out of his loynes how it could be brought to passe it may be he knew not but by a spirit of Prophecy did he discerne it no doubt This is the first worke of God in giving himselfe by Covenant and this was done long agoe before we were borne he gave him in his eternall counsell when he did elect us in him he gave him when he sent him into the world But this is more when 2. He giveth us unto his Christ by Covenant and draweth us unto him and giveth Christ unto us also And this grace of God cometh neerer us the other did leave us like lambs in a large pasture but now as He giveth us unto Christ so he giveth him unto us and both in present possession And this the Father doth Joh. 6.44 for no man saith Christ can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him and every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Now this kinde of hearing and learning of the Father is a strange kinde of learning which the Lord Teacheth the soule by when he draweth him unto Christ an effectuall Teaching and powerfull 1 Cor. 1.9 This is your effectuall calling and this is the Lords giving us unto his Sonne John 6.37 All this is properly the worke of the Father Men are said to be well given when they give themselves to their bookes to their works and businesse but this we may well say that we are indeed well given when the Lord giveth us unto his Sonne for otherwise we are but in all ill state which way soever we are given Quest If you shall aske How the Father giveth us and calleth us and draweth us into fellowship with his Sonne for they are Scripture-phrases and all of them of like value in Scripture-sense Answ In a word The Lord draweth us unto his Sonne by his Spirit and calleth us as by his word so by his Spirit also and giveth us by his word and Spirit unto Jesus Christ In this thing I shall speake no more unto you than what you have often heard and I suppose long agoe received As that the Lord calleth his people out of their sinnes by the light of the Law and by the Spirit of bondage he setteth home the Law effectually unto the soule and thereby draweth us from sin and from the world in some measure that we have now no minde to those things which before we were full of delight in whether they be sinnes against the Law or sinnes against the Gospell it is the Lords usuall dealing by his Spirit to set home sinnes against both in so much that thereby we come to be afflicted with some kinde of trembling and feare and torment about our spirituall estate And thus it was with Saul who afterwards was Paul Acts 9.3,4,5,6 when Christ called unto him out of heaven and challenged and convinced him of sinne he all trembling and astonished said Lord what wilt thou have me to doe So it was with the Jaylor Acts 16.29 After the Lord had shaken his heart with an earth-quake which is a sanction of the Law and a ratification of it as all Gods judgements are he called for a light and sprang in and came trembling to Paul and Silas Thus the Lord draweth men out of themselves and their finfull wayes by a spirit of bondage whereby they are convinced of sinne and desert of Gods wrath are greatly and deeply afflicted with feare concerning which the Apostle Paul saith 2 Tim. 1.7 God hath not given us the Spirit of feare or bondage but of power of love and of a sound mind c. Such feare also the Apostle John speaketh of 1 Joh. 4.18 when he saith Perfect love casteth out feare for feare hath torment which commeth from the sense of a mans estate whereby he is forced to cry out many times and to say woe worth my soule that ever I was borne for the Lord causeth the to possesse all my sinnes and presseth me downe to the nethermost hell This is one worke of the Spirit of bondage by which the Lord draweth the soule out of it selfe and sinnes though of it selfe the spirit of feare goeth no further than to shake a mans carnall confidence which is accompanyed with Anguish and Torment 1 Joh. 4.18 Rev. 9.3 11.10 Besides this Spirit of Bondage the Lord hath another work which is called a Spirit of Burning Mal 4.1 The day cometh c. This is a Spirit of burning let us speak unto it a little the Prophet saith I shall leave them neither root nor branch
There are two things in the root 1. The first is the Roote of Abrahams Covenant which this people much trusted upon and that is it of which John Baptist speaketh Now the axe is layd to the roote of the Tree c. and this he spake Mat. 3.9 after he had said Thinke not to say within your your selves Wee have Abraham to our father vers 8. So that all the confidence that they had in Abrahams Covenant and Temple and Tabernacle and such things is burnt up and so they have no roote left them to stand upon And this is one thing intended by the Roote But 2. Secondly there is something more in it for with this Spirit of burning the Lord by the power of this Spirit doth cut us off from any power of our owne naturall gifts and parts and spirituall gifts also whereby we thought to lay hold on Jesus Christ and we are cut off hereby from all the confidences that we have in our owne sufficiency when once the Lord intendeth to bring a soule unto himselfe for there is an usuall preâ—idence that we have in our owne state though the Lord have cut us off from hope in the righteousnesse of our parents and from boasting of his Ordinances yet we thinke there is some power still left us and therefore we hope and will seeke in our owne strength that the Lord may reveale himselfe to us in mercy and peace but when the Lord cometh neerer unto us he will shew us how unable we are to take up the least good resolution we shall finde our selves like bruised reeds unable to hold up our heads for Christ came to seeke and to save that which was lost so that Christ will not declare himselfe to seeke us untill we be lost and therefore he saith Math. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himselfe and follow me And according hereunto it is that those converts Acts 2.37 doe cry out when they were pricked in their heart and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall wee doe Hence it is also that the poore soules that came unto Christ Math. 12.20 were like bruised reeds that could not hold up their heads for the Lord in this case bruiseth them layeth them low that they see no more hope of mercy nor likelihood that God should shew them any hope Thus doth the Lord burne up the Root of Abrahams Covenant wherein men trust and the Roote of all our selfe-sufficiency that now wee find our selves dryed up our strength consumed that now we are not able to thinke as of our selves a good thought And againe the Lord by this spirit of burning doth burne up all our branches also how faire and greene soever they have been All our fastings and humiliations and almsdeeds and prayers such things as the Pharisees much boasted in Math. 6.1,2,3 c. but these things are all burnt up The fruit of bondage worketh unto feare and now all the hope is that a man setteth upon reformation but if the Lord love a mans soule he will not let him stay there but goeth further with him and sheweth him that his prayers and fastings are all empty and fall short of the life and power of Jesus Christ but yet the soule is not quite out of hope though the Law cannot save me if it cannot I must get me unto Jesus Christ and lay hold upon him for salvation as if all were to be had by faith in Jesus Christ if once we can lay hold upon him and nothing else were required but faith in Christ and thereby my laying hold upon him I see plainly saith a man in this case that there is no hope in me as hath been rightly observed and therefore I le trust upon Jesus Christ and give up my selfe to him but now if the Lord love thy soule he will not suffer thee there to rest he will not leave thee so He will presse thee further How comest thou by faith in Christ Why thou tookest it up of thine owne accord thou thoughtest all thy gifts aâ—d duties were in vaine and therefore now thou wilt believe in Jesus Christ Is it so easie a matter Can any man come unto Christ except the Father draw him And is thy faith any more than a resolution of thine owne when thou wast convinced of the emptinesse of thine owne gifts and abilities When this spirit of burning hath blasted this thy faith also and that by the cleere evidence of the Gospel put upon it Now saith the soule I see that I am not in Christ though I said that I would trust in Christ yet I see it is not every one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heaven Now I see it is not my faith such a Faith as mine is that will reach Jesus Christ it is not a faith of my own undertaking that will serve the turne I see now Christ alone must worke this great worke in me and Christ in the way of his owne Ordinances therefore I must looke for it in his word and in the fellowship of the Sacraments therefore I will look up unto the Lord in all these and waite for him and seek him therein And I hope I can seeke and waite in that way though I can do nothing else and so the poore soule maketh account that in time he shall finde Christ in the Ordinances and so hammereth out a faith from thence and therein blesseth himselfe Now minde you the Spirit of God when the Lord God the Father will draw home the soule throughly to Jesus Christ will burne up all thy confidence for if thy soule be not utterly lost so long as it hath any roote or power in it selfe it is not come to an utter selfe-deniall though I cannot worke I will believe and if I cannot believe I can waite that I may believe and so here is still the old roote of Adam left alive in us whereby men seeke to establish their owne righteousnesse This old roote putteth forth it selfe and will not suffer the soule to be wholly from Christ and for Christ alone and all because there is a sprigge of Adam left in the soule whence it is that the soule is marvellously apt to have hope and confidence more or lesse from some vertue or power in himselfe therefore it s no small matter to be cut off from Adam that 's contrary to nature As saith the Apostle Rom. 11.24 this is a marvellous strong work when the Spirit of God comes to act things contrary to nature for nature is fully possessed that what God commandeth I am able to doe it nature will not be perswaded to the contrary If I heare God command any thing I will doe it saith a carnall heart and if I cannot do it I will believe and if I cannot believe I will waite and I can waite that I may believe this is still but nature Now when the Lord cometh indeed
to ingraffe us into Jesus Christ this is quite contrary to nature Why wherein is it so contrary I answer whereas nature is active for it selfe now it cometh to passe that whereas a soul hath been stirring and busie in his owne strength at length the Spirit of God by the mighty power of his grace being shed abroad into the soule doth burn up root and branch not onely the root of Abraham's Covenant but all the fatnesse of the root of the Wild Olive by which we are fat and lively to all spirituall work in our owne apprehensions so that we work in our owne strength untill the Lord come and cut us quite down and make us to see that there is not the least good thought as of our selves and therefore unlesse the Lord be wonderfully gratious unto us we cannot be saved till it come unto this the soule is not fit for Jesus Christ Thus the Spirit of God may worke powerfully in the hearts of men and burn up their root and branch and this a spirit of burning may doe and yet leave the soule in a damnable condition for ought I know and such as many a soule may be in and yet never come to enjoy saving fellowship with Jesus Christ therefore as this is one arm of God stretched forth for the salvation of his people when he draweth them out of themselves by a Spirit Of Bondage Burning towards Christ So 2 There is a further work of God in drawing us home throughly and effectually to Jesus Christ when he giveth the Spirit of Adoption which reacheth beyond all the former work he hath cut us off from our selves and now we stand in a state quite contrary to nature and if any saving work be wrought in us it is quite contrary to nature if any thing fall upon the heart and soule of a man to bring his will to this passe to lye downe at Gods feet that he knoweth not what to doe and yet whatsoever the Lord calleth him unto he is willing if it were possible to be done he would run through fire and water to doe it but he findeth himselfe unable to doe any thing and now he will tell you that to believe is as impossible for him as to build a world why then bid him wait waite saith he I but I cannot waite and if I seek the Lord I cannot find him and I see others of Gods servants wrought upon gratiously but dead-hearted I nothing will work upon me now in such a case as this the Spirit of God cometh into the heart of a Christian and taketh possession of the soule for Jesus Christ and so draweth the soule to Christ and maketh it there to stay and there to lye down and to be willing to be drawne yet neerer and neerer unto Christ and to be carried an end by him to take all from him to give all the glory to him This Spirit of Adoption doth give a man a Son-like frame to lye prostrate at his Fathers will like unto the Prodigall Son Luke 15.17,18,19 who when he came to himselfe and saw how unable he was to provide for himselfe and how unworthy he was that his Father should doe any thing for him he came and lay downe at the feet of his Father for he is unable and unworthy of any mercy Now this stooping of the heart unto God and yielding unto him to doe with us as seemeth good in his own eyes is such a prostration of the heart wherein the Lord hath taken possession of the soule that now a man is led unto fellowship with Christ that there is None in Heaven but him none in the earth in comparison of him that the soule desireth after and now a man waiteth upon Christ to see what he will doe for him and though he cannot tell you that he waiteth yet he doth waite that he may be helped of God to depend upon him Thus he receiveth all from Christ and giveth all unto him This is the Fathers drawing of the soule which is expounded to be the hearing and learning of the Father of which John speaketh ch 6.45 He that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me which is when the Lord hath drawne the soule out of his naturall corruptions legall reformations pretences of Faith and waiting upon Christ in his owne strength for Faith if it be wanting Then when the soul doth lie at his feet to be disposed of according to the will of God and is in some measure subject unto the Lord though not so much as he could desire and therefore now the soule doth not content or blesse himselfe in any gifts or works of his own but yieldeth himselfe humbly to the Lord to work in him both will and deed of his owne good pleasure and to teach him how to seek and waite and believe and long after Jesus Christ these things he waiteth for Otherwise untill he be thus taught of God the soule will alwayes think that he can doe something and is not able to come out of himself to utter denyall of himselfe but if any man will come unto Christ he must deny himselfe even all his owne gifts and parts and good works whatsoever for a man is never utterly denyed untill there be nothing left of which a man can say This I am able to doe or this is an hopefull thing in me and when it cometh to this passe then will the soule lie down at the will of God and acknowledge that if the Lord would never shew him mercy just and righteous are his judgements Now when the soule and will of a Christian are convinced of these things as well as his judgement that now he waiteth upon Christ as well that he may be able to waite and seek the Lord as he doth for any other good thing from the Lord he waiteth now upon the Lord for a poor spirit and cannot perke up himselfe no more then a bruised Reed can doe Thus when it cometh unto saving work the will and soule of a man is so cast downe that a man cannot tell what to make of himselfe but there he lieth to see what the Lord will doe with him whether he will reach forth the hand of salvation unto him or no. In this case the soule is left utterly void and hath in himself neither root nor branch but seeth how unable he is in himselfe to beleeve or waite nor can he tell whether Jesus Christ be his portion and now doth the Lord take possession and fill the empty soule If you ask me how this spirit cometh into the soule to make it thus to stoop unto Christ You shall find that the Lord useth to convey himselfe unto the soule in some word of Promise of the Gospel that sheweth unto the soule the riches of the grace of God in Jesus Christ something or other is declared of Christ This word being taught in the publick Ministry of the word or brought to remembrance in some spirituall