out of him so the Church was hid in Christ formed and drawn out of Christ cast into the deep sleep of death Ezek. 47.11 John 19.34 O rejoyce in Christs Testament glory in his Riches Triumph in his Salvation that when sin reigns over most unto death grace should reign over you thro' the Righteousness of Christ unto Eternal life 2 Cor. III. 6. Who also hath made us Able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit For the Letter Killeth but the Spirit giveth Life IN the words 1. we have a Subject spoken of and that is the New Testament as it is distinguished from the Old Testament which was not the Covenant of Works but the Covenant of Grace wrapt up in Types and Figures more darkly Administred Galat. 3.18 2. The Apostle insists on this New Testament and commends it that it is Spirit and not Letter 1 John 17. that is the Holy Ghost doth eminently and signally manifest himself in this New Testament Dispensation It is Filled it is Enriched it is Ennacted by the Holy Ghost he doth so breath in it and worketh it that it may well be called Spirit and not Letter The Gospel is not a meer Literal Doctrine or Command but mightily animated by the Spirit if it were only Letter it would kill us frail and weak Greatures exacting Duty And requiring Obedience of us that are Impotent yea dead Creatures but it is Spirit and so it gives Life The Holy Ghost enlightens Blind Minds softens Hard Hearts and Quickens Dead Souls The effectual Workings of the Spirit are called the Law of the Spirit and this Law of the Spirit of Life is said to make free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.2 This is a Law that is all Power and consists wholly in Execution 3. The Apostle informs us of the Honour and Dignity of Gospel-Officers for they are Ministers of this New Testament 4. The Apostle glorifies God and instructs us how it is that Officers do become able Ministers of this New Testament It is God that made Paul and others Able Ministers of the New Testament The words afford us Three Doctrines 1st That there is a New Testament 2dly That Gospel Officers are Ministers of this New Testament 3dly That it is God that doth make Men able Ministers of the New Testament 1. Doctrine that there is a New Testament We may observe and admire the Wisdom of God that first there was a Promise then a Covenant then a Testament this last the best and most Noble Edition of the Covenant of Grace this is called the New Testament to distinguish it from the Old Testament First The Old Testament was made with one Nation in the day that the Lord took Israel by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt but it is God's design by Christ and the New Testament to gather together into one all the Children of God that are scattered abroad John 6.52 Christ Preacheth now not onely to the Jews that were nigh but also to the Gentiles that were afar off Ephes 2.17 2. The First Testament had Moses for â Mediator Gal. 5.19 The Law was given by Moses but Grace and Truth comes by Jesus Christ 1 John 17. Jesus is the Madiator of the New Testament Heb. 9.15 The Old Testament was accompanied with Figures and Shadows of things to come 2 Col. 17. The Law had a shadow of good things to come and not the very Image of the Things that is Christ himself and the very Live Image of Spiritual things were not then exhibited Righteousness was not yet brought Atonement was not yet made the Fountain was not yet opened for sin and uncleanness The Law and Prophets Prophesied till John Matth. 1.13 they spake of Christ and foretold the Glorious things of the Gospel as yet to come but now the Kingdom of God is clearly discovered and is Preached as come Luke 7.16 I ourthly The Old Testament and the Ceremonial Law made nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 but did introduce the Hope of a better Priest and of a more Noble Sacrifice but Christ by one Offering hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified On the day of Atonement there was a remembrance of all the Sins committed that year which did shew the weakness and imperfection of those Sacrifices in that there was a Remembrance again made of Sins But in this the Excellency and Perfection of Christ's Sacrifice appears in that it did purge and put away Sin and God on the account of it made that Promise Your Sins and Iniquities I will Remember no more Heb. 10.17 18. Fifthly The Old Testament was confirmed by the Blood of Beasts Moses killed Sacrifices and took the Blood of them and sprinkled it on the People saying behold the Blood of the Covenant that God hath made with you But the New Testament was confirmed with better Blood Christs Blood is the Blood of Sprinkling and the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant Heb. 12.24 Heb. 13.20 Sixthly The Old Testament was weak and faulty it did not it could not purge Conscience by the Blood of Brutish Sacrifices neither could it introduce the Law of God into the Soul and write it in the Heart but the New Testament is strong and powerful it makes those that were barren to bear and rejoyce Isa 54.1 And by it the Law of God is writ in the Heart and put into the inward parts and the Soul is Renewed and Transformed to walk with and live to God 7thly The Old Testament waxed old and did vanish away but the New Testament remains abides and is Everlasting Heb. 13.20 the Blood of Christ is still fresh and therefore his Testament is still new He offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever Heb. 10.12 His Sacrifice is of an Everlasting Virtue and the way made by it to the true Holy of Holies is living and still new Heb. 10.19 and the Covenant and Testament built on this Everlasting Sacrifice must need be Everlasting This is God's last speaking to the World and it shall never give place to any other Covenant Heb. 7.1 This is a better Covenant or Testament established on better Promises than the Covenant of Works was Heb. 8.6 yea the Promises of the New Testament are clearer and exhibit more grace than the Promises of the Old Testament The Old Covenant is compared to and set forth by Hagar that was a young Woman and had Natural Strength to conceive and bare a Son Gal. 4.24 25. with Isa 54.1 but the New Testament is set forth by Sarah that was barren and was made fruitful by a supernatural power Acts 1.11 The Promises of the Law do respect the strength that God first put into Man and are built on the obedience to be performed by this strength but the New Testament is built on a Spiritual and Supernatural strength put into the Soul by the Holy Ghost For the opening and Explication of this New Testament I shall insist on these several
particulars First Who is the Testator Answer This must needs be he that by his Death doth confirm and establish the Testament and this is proper to the Son of God he is the only Mediator of the New Testament He procured it and gave force to it by his Sufferings and Death Luke 22.29 Christ speaks of himself as bequeathing and acting as a Testator 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I bequeath I dispose unto you a Kingdom Budaeus in his Comnentary on the Greek Tongue doth confess and acknowledge that this is Verbum Testamentale a word commonly used by the Grecians in making their Wills The Father is said to dispose a Kingdom to the Son the Son to us The Father hath made Christ heir of all things Heb. 1.2 He hath given him a Name above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow But in this God hath an eye and a respect to the Humiliation and Sufferings and Death of Christ because he became obedient to the Death of the Cross therefore God hath exalted and glorified him The Death of Christ seems to be the ground of the Fathers legacy to Christ and of all that Jesus Christ bequeathes and disposes to us Secondly In a Testament there must be an Estate to be disposed of and the Testator must have propriety and be interested in this Estate else he cannot dispose it Christ saith All things that the Father hath are mine John 16.15 Therefore Christ hath good right to dispose of them Testators do dispose of two sorts of things Money and Goods and Houses and Lands the Graces Christ bestows may be compared to Money and Goods The Glory he bequeathes is set forth by an Eternal House 2 Cor. 5.1 with Heb. 9.15 and an Everlasting Inheritance First Jesus Christ bequeathes Grace and a new Nature A new Heart will I give unto you a new Spirit will I put within you Ezek. 36.26.31 I will put my Law into your inward parts and write it in your hearts Jer. 33. The Law is put deep into the Soul and it is written for Perpetuity never to be blotted out and it is diffused through the Soul it spreads into the understanding and it is rooted and prevails in the Will The Soul is poor blind dead and all its Faculties are perverted and disorderly without this new Heart without the Law of God written in the Mind and Will How full large and comprehensive is Christs Testament It doth not only make Heirs but also raises up Children which no other Testament doth or can do True Believers are Children of the Promise Rom. 9.8 Isaac was born of the free and powerful Promise of God This was the word of Promise At this time I will come and Sarah shall have a Son Rom. 9.9 God would make an effectual visit he would put forth his Power in an excellent and extraordinary way and so Sarah should conceive though barren and Isaac tho' old be born So God comes to Souls dead in sins and Trespasses he beams in light and breathes in life and so they are Regenerated and born to God The Covenant of Grace the Testament of Christ is Sarah a Mother of which we are born and as there are Children of Promise that derive Grace and a new Nature from the Promise so there are Heirs of Promise Heb. 6.17.19 That do inherit the Kingdom and Eternal Glory by virtue of the free Promise God is said to Promise the Kingdom and to Promise Eternal Life Jam. 2.5 Tit. 1.2 Here are the Riches and fulness of this Testament that Christians are Children of the Promise and so partake of Grace and are Heirs of the Promise and so do inherit the Kingdom of Glory Thirdly Where there is a Testament there must be Legatees and Heirs Jesus Christ is the Mediator of the New Testament that those that are called may receive the Promise of the Eternal Inheritance Heb. 9.15 The Civil Law gives this description of an Heir that he is vocatus ad hereditatem one that is called to the Inheritance by the Testament of a dead Man Vid pacium If Christ had not died as a Testator there would have been no Inheritance to be enjoyed and there would have been no call to a Heavenly House and Possession How many are there in the World that were never called at all and others are not effectually called the Jews at this day are like such as the Civil Law calls Abdicati such as for Provocations given are disinherited the Gentile Heathen World are like such as the Civil Law calls Praeteriti such as are passed by and slipt over but such may come in for a share in the Fathers Goods and lay claim to his Inheritance the blind desolate Heathen World shall be called and converted The desolate Cities shall be inhabited Isa 54.3 And the desolate Heritages shall be inherited Isa 49.8 For the clearer explication of things I shall shew 1. Who are the Heirs 2. What they are Heirs of 3. How they became Heirs 1. Who are Heirs I Answer The Sons the Children of God there are some that are predistinated to the Adoption of Children Ephes 1.5 Christ is to gather together into one that is into one Kingdom City Family Body the Children of God that are scattered abroad John 11.52 These Sons these Children shall be Heirs the Inheritance is limited and restrained unto them to sit on the right and on th◠left hand of Christ in his Kingdom is not his to give but to whom it is prepared of his Father Matth. 20.21.23 That supplement but it shall be given to them should be wholly left out and the words be thus rendred To sit at my right hand and my left is not mine to give but to those for whom it is prepared of my Father Christ would give places in his Kingdom but he was limited by the decree of the Father to give to those he had predistinated to the Adoption of Children and so had prepared the Inheritance and Kingdom for them 2. What are Christs People Heirs of I Answer 1. Of the Kingdom Tit. 2.5 2. Of the World Rom. 4.13 1. They are Heirs of the Kingdom they shall have a Mansion in God's House John 14.2 3. They shall have a Lot and Inheritance in the Heavenly Kingdom in Emmanuels Land and Country Dan. 12. last Col. 1.12 They shall sit in the Throne with Christ and Reign in Life for evermore Rev. 3.21 Rom. 5.17 2. They are Heirs of the World God gave Abraham the Land of Canaan by Promise and this was a pledge and earnest of all Earthly Portions and Possessions given to Believers by God's free grace and bounty Wicked Men may be Possessors of and dwellers in the World but it is Believers that are Heirs of the World and have a Spiritual Right and Title to it Godliness hath the Promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come Tim. 1.4.8 He hath given meat to them that fear him He will ever
Ministers that Preach what they have Tasted and Experienc'd Christ in the 7th of St. Iohn v. 38th saith He that believes on me out of his belly shall flow Rivers of Living Waters This phrase out of his Belly is to be observed he that hath drank of Christ's Spiritual VVaters out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living VVaters that which hath satisfied and delighted him shall flow out to the Refreshment of others O how earnest and importunate should Christians be at the Throne of Grace that God would furnish the Church with a skilful and active Ministry Aaron was to have Golden Bells and Pomegranates on the Hem of his Garment round about Exod. 28.33 24 35. The Pomegranates might point at the Sweet Savour of Christ's Death and Sacrifice And this was to be sounded out by the Apostles Preaching as Golden Bells Justin Martyr doth apply these Bells to the Apostles and Gospel Ministers in his Dialogue with Tryphis the Jew These do depend on the Garment of Christ as High Priest of the Church They are by Preaching to sound out the Sufferings and Death of Christ to the World Solomon made a Molten Sea that contained a great quantity of Water and it was put upon Twelve Oxen three of which looked to each of the Quarters of the World And this Sea seems to point out the Blood of Christ and its abundant Merit and the Twelve Apostles as so many Spiritual Oxen were to bare and carry this Sea of Blood into the several parts of the World by the Preaching of the Gospel that Soules might be washed in this Spiritual Sea the Great Trumpet was to be blown Isa 27. last the Spiritual Jubilee was to be Proclaim'd and Who should do this but the Ministers of the Gospel Christ was to be lifted up Isa 49.22 Isa 11.10 Isa 53.1 2 Cor. 2.14 as a Standard and to stand as an Ensign to draw perishing sinners together to seek Righteousness and Salvation in him A Report was to be made of Jesus Christ the sweet Savour of his Knowledge was to be shed abroad And who are fit Spiritual Incense-Pans or Vessels to bear the Name of Christ before the World but the Ministers of the New Testament Though these are but as little Children in the Eye of the World because of mean Quality and Degree as to their outward State yet such Little Children shall be enabled by the Power of God to Lead Herds of those that have been Lions Tygers and Bears but now become Tame and Gentle Creatures Isa 1.6 7. They are to Reclaim Men from their Savage Cruel Barbarous Nature and Manners and to Reduce them to the Meekness and Gentleness of Christ They are to Hew Sinners out of the Common Quarry they are in to Fish and draw them out of the Dead Sea Ezek. 17.10 11. to cut them out of the Wild Olive not to be Burnt but to be Grafted they are to out the Navel of Sinners Ezek. 16.4 and to separate them from Old Adam They are to beget Men in Christ 1 Cor. 4.15 they are to Ingraft Men into Christ and to Espouse them to Christ 2 Cor. 11.2 They are to encourage the Dejected and Disconsolate In this sense the Breasts of the Church are as the Clusters of the Vine they contain excellent Wine of Consolation Isa 66.11 Soules may suck and be satisfied with the Breasts of her Consolation Cant. 7.8 They are to strengthen the weak hands to confirm the Feeble Knees to say to them that are of a fearful heart be strong and fear not Isa 35.3 4. They are to Feed Strengthen and Nourish Soules The Breasts of the Church are as Towers Cant. 8.10 The same Hebrew Word is used to fignifie a Pulpit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Migdal The Pulpits of Ministers are the Churches Breasts whereby Soules are Fed and Nourished Not only their Lips but their Souls must Preach Therefore it is put in the Feminine Gender Cokeleth Eccles 1.1 So Psal 68.11 They that Publish it is also put in the Feminine Gender to intimate it is Souls that must Preach There is need of a Mighty Power to work in Ministers that they may Pray Fervently Preach and Exhort Zealously 1 Col. last Have large and capacious Soules that may have room for all the concerns of the Church and be suitably affected with the Burdens Temptations Afflictions Soul-Troubles and Distresses of every particular Christian to Watch over the Members of the Church to care for them to Instruct Warn Reprove to deny themselves to spend and be spent for Christ O what a Presence Assistance and Powerful Influence of the Spirit doth this Require to fit and enable Ministers for the full Discharge of their Office O therefore wrestle with God cry mightily to him to Raise up such Able Ministers of the New Testament that may be filled with the Spirit and Preach in the Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power 1 Cor. 2.4 And be earnest to rescue Souls from the Power of Darkness and to Translate them into the Kingdom of God's dear Son That they may be Pens in the Hand of the Spirit 2 Cor. 3.3 to Write the Doctrine of the Gospel in the Mindes and Hearts of Men that their Mouthes may be a Sword in the hand of the Spirit to wound the Old Man to Death Ephes 6.17 Jer. 23.29 And that the Word they Preach may be a Hammer in the Hand of the Spirit to break the Rocky Hearts of Men in Pieces and as a Fire to burn up the Dross of Men and inflame their Soules with Love to and Zeal for God FINIS BOOKS Printed for Thomas Parkhurst at the Bible and Three-Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chapel THE Fountain of Life opened or a Displaâ— of Christ in his Essential and Mediatoral Glory containing Forty two Sermons on various Texts Wherein the Impetration of our Redemption by Jesus Christ is orderly unfolded as it was begun carried on and finished by his Covenant Transaction mysterious Incarnation solemn Call and Dedication blessed Offices deep Abasement and Supereminent Advancement A Treatise of the Soul of Man wherein the Divine Original excellent and immortal Nature of the Soul are opened its Love and Inclination to the Body with the necessity of its Separation from it considered and improved The Existence Operations and States of separated Souls both in Heaven and Hell immediately after Death asserted discussed and variously applied Divers knotty and difficult Questions about departed Souls both Philosophical and Theological stated and determined The Method of Grace in bringing home the Eternal Redemption contrived by the Father and accomplished by the Son through the Effectual Application of the Spirit unto God's Elect being the second Part of Gospel Redemption The Divine Conduct or Mystery of Providence its Being and Efficacy asserted and vindicated all the Methods of Providence in our course of Life opened with Directions how to apply and improve them Navigation spiritualiz'd or a New Compass for Seamen consisting of Thirty Two Points of pleasant Observations profitable Applications serious Reflections all concluded with so many spiritual Poems c. A Saint indeed the great Work of a Christian A Touchstone of Sincerity or Signs of Grace and Symptoms of Hypocrisie being the second Part of the Saint indeed A Token for Mourners or Boundaries for Sorrow for the Death of Friends Husbandry spiritualiz'd or the Heavenly use of Earthly Things All these Nine by Mr. John Flavell Sermons and Discourses on several Divine Subjects by the late Reverend and Learned David Clarkson B. D. and sometime Fellow of Clare-Hall Cambridge Folio Of Thoughtfulness for the Morrow With an Appendix concerning the immoderate Desire of foreknowing Things to come Of Charity in reference to other Mens sins A Sermon directing what we are to do after a strict Enquiry whether or no we truly Love God A calm and sober Enquiry concerning the Possibility of a Trinity in the Godhead A Sermon preach'd on the late Day of Thankâ—giving Decemb. 2. 1697. To which is persixâ— Dr. Bates's Congratulatory Speech to the Kingâ— All these Eleven by Mr. John Howe The Good of Early Obedience or the Adâ—vantage of bearing the Yoke of Christ betimeâ— Octavo The Almost Christian or the false Professoâ— Tried and Cast Duodecimo Spiritual Wisdom improved against Temptatâ—on Duodecimo The Vision of the Wheels seen by the Propheâ— Ezechiel Quarto A Sermon of Unity or Two Sticks made one Quarto All Five by Matth. Mead Pastor of Church of Christ at Stepney Discourses upon the Rich Man and Lazaruâ— Octavo Three last Sermons of Mr. Cruso To which 〈◊〉 added a Sermon on Novemb. 5. 1697. Octavâ— Both by Tim. Cruso M. A. His Funeral Sermon preach'd by Matth. Meaâ— Quarto The Life and Death of Mr. Philip Henry Miniâ—ster of the Gospel at Whitchurch in Shorpshire whâ— died June 24. 1696 Recommended by Dr. Bates David Jones's Sermon in Ember-Week preacheâ— before the University of Oxford The Qualifications requisite towards the Râ—ceiving a Divine Revelation A Sermon preacâ—ed in the Cathedral Church of St. Paul Januaâ—â— the 2d 1699. Being the First for this Year 〈◊〉 the Lecture Founded by the Honourable Robeâ— Boyle Esq By Samuel Bradford M. A. Rector 〈◊〉 St. Mary le Bow