were brought under and the children of Judah prevailed and yet this Kings heart was not perfect with the Lord his God 2 King 15.3 and yet minde you a strong confidence he had that the Lord was with him and that he would be present with his own ordinances there Faith built upon fellowship with Ordinances like unto that Faith in the Scripture before alledged Luk. 8.13 Men are affected with the Word and beleeve and finde comfort and all this springeth from that Relative communion which they have with the Lord they finde refreshing in their way and work and many times take it for the very Seal of the Spirit of God all which may be and often is found in Hypocrites but here is the difference In a Covenant of Works God giveth himself conditionally in that of Grace absolutely in both he maketh a Covenant in the one of Grace the other of Works in which the voice of the Lord is If you be true to me then I will not renounce you and in this Covenant is Faith found but it is only built upon such changes as they finde in themselves and will in the end vanish utterly away There is a Difference also that springeth from the fruits of these two Covenants in their continuance Diff. 3 for though in the Covenant of Works there be a semblance of Justification and Adoption and a kinde 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 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 Mat. 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 I will pay thee all his Lord was moved with compassion and loosed him and forgave him the Debt but when he had not like compassion on his fellow servant then his Lord was wroth and charged all his iniquities upon him and cast him into prison until he should pay all that was due unto him So that this pardon is not everlasting but only respite from outward punishment and from inward pangs of conscience many times and this they take for pardon of sin and acceptance in Jesus Christ when indeed they are deluded So likewise their Sanctification is but for a moment they come at last some of them to tread under foot the Bloud of the Covenant wherewith they were sanctified Heb. 10.29 For Christ was but a conditional Redeemer unto them they had only gifts of Tongues and utterance and wisdome and discerning of Spirits and a common Faith which things are not that Sanctification which is a fruit of Saving Faith but only such gifts as do sanctifie them unto the work of the Ministery perhaps or Magistracy and fit them for houshold-government or the like and so much positive work there is in them as doth make them in some measure fit for the work or service which they are called unto For a little more explaining of this Quest Is it the same with that Sanctification which is in Gods children God forbid Answ All the men in the world are divided into two Ranks Godly or Ungodly Righteous or Wicked of wicked men two sorts some are notoriously wicked others are Hypocrites of Hypocrites two sorts and you shall finde them in the Church of God some are washed Swine others are Goats 1. The Swine are those of whom our Saviour Christ saith that they return unto their wallowing in the myre like unto these are such men as at the hearing of some Sermon have been stomack-sick of their sins and have rejected their wicked courses but yet the swines heart remaineth in them and as a swine when he cometh where the puddle is will readily lie down in it so will these men wallow in the puddle of uncleanness when their conscience is not pricked for the present but these are a grosser kinde of Hypocrites 2. There is another sort that go far beyond these and those are Goats so called Mat. 25.32 33. and these are clean beasts such as chew the cud meditate upon ordinances and they divide the hoof they live both in a general and particular calling and will not be idle they are also fit for sacrifice what then is wanting Truly they are not Sheep all this while they are but Goats yet a Goat doth loath that which a Swine will readily break into but where then do they fall short of the nature of Sheep A difference there is which standeth principally in these Particulars 1. The Goat is of a capricious Nature and affecteth eminency his Gate also is stately Prov. 30.31 Agur reckoneth the Hee-Goat among the four things that are comly in going 2. And they are full of Ambition they cannot abide swamps and holes but will be climbing upon the tops of mountains there is not that plain lowly sheep-like frame that attendeth unto the voice of the shepherd to be led up and down into fresh pastures they attend upon their own ends and will outshoot God in his own bow and therefore when they have done many things for Christ he will say unto them Depart from me ye workers of iniquity more eminency they did affect then they were guided unto thus it was with Jehu who in his zeal for God thought to promote himself and herein he will not be perswaded of his sin and therefore walking along in crooked waies the Lord led him forth with evil doers he cometh at length to cleave unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat who made Israel to sin notwithstanding you may receive a Goat into Church-fellowship for all his capricious Nature and he will be a clean creature and of much good use the five foolish Mat. 25.2 were all of them virgins all of them abhorring Idolarry and all go forth to meet the Bridegroom and yet they are foolish and never shall you make them wise to be all for Christ in him and from him only hearing and obeying his voice 3. They are of a rankish nature all of them specially the old Goats will have an unsavoury relish far from the pleasant sweetness that is in a Sheep and herein hypocrites are greatly different from the Sheep of Christ and many times also they do push with the shoulder the poor sheep of Christ as the Prophet speaketh Ezek. 34.21 And they mar the pastures with their feet and will be at length mudling the fair waters of the Sanctuary also And in their best sanctification they fall far short of a sheep-like frame of spirit diligently to hear the voice of the shepherd this will not be found in the
are only fitted to some work of God and therefore only attain to some work of common Grace but not such as doth accompany salvation you will finde this difference between them and Gods own children the Spirit of God indeed comes upon them as he did upon Saul 1 Sam. 10.10 so that he prophesied and more then so he doth sometimes continue with them for a season and so journeth a while in them according as sometimes it is said Jer. 14.8 he is like a stranger or a wayfaring man that tarrieth for a night thus we read 1 Sam. 16.14 The Spirit of the Lord departed from Saul and an evill spirit from the Lord troubled him a sign the Spirit of God had been with him before So Zedekiah when he smote Micaiah on the cheek and said Which way went the Spirit of God from me to speak unto thee 1 King 22.24 a sign it may be that he had sometimes found the Spirit of God but now he was departed however it be the Spirit of God is in them but for a season until he be grieved by them and then he doth depart and indeed did never bestow any regenerating grace upon them but only fitted them for some kinde of service for his Church or the Common-wealth So likewise Jehu and Judas and Demas did much for a season by the Spirit of God he did enlighten their minds and open their mouthes and gave free passage to their administrations and you may sometimes wonder how men have been assisted in the pulpit both in prayer and preaching that have been notorious in wickedness thus it pleaseth God to come and sojourn in them and work great works by them such as may be of great use among his people and may leave themselves without excuse but you see where the difference lieth even as it lay between the anointing of Saul and Jehu David and Solomon the anointing of Saul was with a Vial of Oyl and of Jehu with a Box of Oyl 1 Sam. 10.1 2 King 9.1 the word in the Original is the same in both places and it was not an empty Ceremony Gods Ceremonies are accompanied with gifts sutable unto them his Spirit came upon them both and they did mighty service in their times but when David was to be anointed God commanded Samuel to fill his horn with oyl in 1 Sam. 16.1 and in like manner did Zadok unto Solomon 1 King 1.39 Now an horn is not of a brittle Metal but a glass is soon broken the horn is the beauty and power of the Beast so that when the Spirit is conveyed in the horn and power of Jesus Christ it now giveth beauty and strength unto the soul and is not dryed up nor broken in pieces but abideth in the Saints unto the heavenly Kingdom This is the first work of the Spirit of God he doth give himself unto his people in a way of Inhabitation he dwelleth in them and unites them to Christ and keeps them from being drawn away from God by men or Angels I mean evil Angels and preserves alive all their gifts and graces and acts and quickens them so as may be for the edification of those that are with them in Church and Commonwealth 2. Secondly as the Spirit of God gives himself in a work of Inhabitation so doth he give himself in a work of sanctification and that is a work usual in all our Catechisms the Holy Ghost doth sanctifie and preserve us Let us look into some places of Scripture for the proof of it 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you through sanctification of the Spirit c. he chose us to be saved through a course of sanctification it is not the cause of election but the way of salvation in which the Spirit leadeth us so 1 Pet. 1.2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God through sanctification of the Spirit unto obedience So that it is the Spirit that sanctifieth us to be obedient and a notable place to this purpose have we in the delivery of the Covenant of Grace Jer. 31.33 I will put my law in their inward parts and write it in their heart he means the law of holiness and righteousness and he will so write it in the hearts of his people that it shall be carried an end with power in them accordingly doth the Apostle testifie concerning the Corinthians 2 Cor. 3.3 Ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ ministred by us written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone but in fleshly tables of the heart it is the Spirit of God therefore that writeth these laws in our hearts and leaveth an impression of some measure of power to be guided by them He worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good pleasure he stampeth upon the soul such gifts of his grace as make us serviceable in our course to his heavenly Kingdom and hence it is that we read Ezek. 36.27 I will put my Spirit with in you and cause you to walk in my statutes c. this is a spirit of sanctification To make it somewhat more plain The Spirit of God is said to be our sanctifier partly as he doth work the work of the two other persons and partly as he worketh his own work though in all these works they all concur yet they have their several characters wherein they more peculiarly shine forth whatever work any of the persons do they do it by the Spirit and yet he doth a peculiar work wherein though they concur yet he is eminent in it It is the proper work of the Father to draw us unto Christ Joh. 6.44 1 Pet. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope that is the proper work of a Father to beget he sheddeth abroad the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3.6 thus doth the Holy Ghost sanctifie us as the Father doth regenerate us and frame us to be new creatures though it be the Father's work in us yet he worketh it by the Holy Spirit And for the work of the Son the proper character of a son is liberty a servant is in bondage a child in the way of child-like liberty may expect much from his Father this the Lord Jesus properly giveth Mat. 11.28 Come unto me and I will give you rest freedom and ease of Conscience he gives his servants and how doth he work this ease and liberty but by his Spirit the same Spirit that is in him dwelleth in us and breaths a kind of liberty in us which it hath from Jesus Christ For where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 and where he is you may see the soul hath liberty from the anguish of Temptations so that is there any ease any liberty It is from Jesus Christ the Son of liberty who hath spoken
grace Object doth one grace hinder another such is Bellarmines reason against justification by grace what saith he doth grace fight against grace if we say We be justified by our works it is grace that gives us those works and a will unto them thus doth he confess Our Divines answer is That if our justification be of grace it is not of works and if it be of works it is not of grace so in like manner if the Lord do shew himself in a matter of grace let all our works be silent for if Abraham hath whereof to glory it is not before God so then if grace appear it is not in our works and therefore if God do speak any comfort unto sanctification he will put his servants quite off from the conceit of their own holiness Thus we finde it 2 Sam. 7.18 Lord saith David what am I or what is my fathers house c. though at that time the Lord took notice of his sanctification and so indeed it is usual with the faithful when the Lord pronounceth any mercy to them they see no reason in themselves why the Lord should vouchsafe it as you see when the light of the Sun shineth upon a candle it dampes the light thereof so it is in this case when the riches of Gods mercy shineth upon the soul he is not so taken up in the consideration of his own works and holiness because his heart is lifted up higher in the consideration of the grace of God and yet let me say thus much There is a kinde of revelation that is under the Law Ezek. 18.5 6. If a man be just and do that which is lawful and right and hath not eaten upon the mountains neither hath lift up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel c. he is just he shall surely live saith the Lord God Thus a man is pronounced just upon his righteousness that is to say so far just as the Law declares him just if either he keep the Commandment or if he break the Commandment and come and bring his Sacrifice then his sin shall be forgiven him Lev. 5.10 13 16. somewhat sutable unto what we read Mat. 18.23 24 25. c. when the servant was required to make payment to his Lord and had nothing to pay he falleth down and worshippeth his Lord saying Have patience with me and I will pay thee all so out of compassion he forgave him the debt just as when the Lord taketh hold of a man by sickness and is ready to expose him to death then he cryeth Lord be merciful to me and I will become a new man and all the world shall know it and all my friends shall see it then the Lord out of compassion delivereth him from his sickness according to Psal 78 34 35. c. when God slew them then they sought him and returned and required early after God and though they did but flatter him with their lips yet he being full of compassion forgave their iniquity and destroyed them not Thus the Lord may let men see that he doth forgive them and no small comfort sometime doth arise and all this from some works that they have done but when the Lord revealeth himself graciously by his Spirit in our justification he doth banish the sight of our works so that the soul doth look at himself as the chiefest of all sinners as not having so much as the crawling or creeping of any work of sanctification Yea when the Lord revealeth to his people their sanctification the manifestation of his love unto their souls upon that point doth take them off from the sight of their own works and move them to wonder that ever the Lord should manifest himself graciously to such as they are Now for the Use of this Use 1 Let me apply it to teach Christians not to be afraid of the word Revelation you have heard of many that have attended to Revelations that have been deceived it is true for the Devil himself will transform himself into an Angel of light he will be foisting in delusions yea many times when the soul waiteth for the revelation of Gods mercy the Devil will be apt to foist in such revelations from whence many delusions may grow but yet on the otherside let not men be afraid and say That we have no revelation but the word for I do believe and dare confidently affirme that if there were no revelation but the word there would be no spiritual grace revealed to the soul for it is more then the Letter of the Word that is required to it not that I look for any other matter besides the word But there is need of greater light then the word of it self is able to give for it is not all the promises in Scripture that have at any time wrought any gracious change in any soul or are able to beget the faith of Gods Elect true it is indeed whether the Father Son or Spirit reveal any thing it is in and according to the word but without the work of the Spirit there is no faith begotten by any promise the word of God and all his works may beget you some knowledge if you be not mistaken in them but to beget the faith of Gods elect that may be able to stand against all the powers of darkness and to crush all the temptations of that wicked one it is not all the works of God nor all the word of God of it self that is able to beget such faith if there be any it is but an historical faith a dead faith that is not able to bring the soul neerer to God I beseech you therefore consider of it as a mystery of God indeed yet marvelous plain in Scripture as I conceive That neither the word of grace nor all the works of grace are able to clear up the grace of God unto the soul it is the Spirit of God that must do it he must reveal the grace of God if ever we see it otherwise it is not possible that we should believe for though we should attain unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulness of knowledge we shall not attain unto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fulness of faith As for our works in justification the Lord will dash them to pieces and cast them out of his sight and though faith comes by hearing yet it is the Spirit in the word that maketh the New Testament a lively Letter otherwise as not the flesh of Christ so nor the word of Christ profiteth any thing it is the Spirit that quickeneth therefore look for this revelation of the Spirit to shew you the need of Christ and the Lords offering and presenting Christ unto you and his drawing your hearts to believe upon him otherwise you neither can have any faith nor can you discern any gift of God bestowed upon you In the second place Use 2 Let this teach and exhort us not to look for any revelation out of the Word for
the Spirit comes in the mouth of the Word and the Word in the mouth of the Spirit take heed therefore of all Revelations in which the Word of God is silent for the Spirit of God will speak Scripture to you when he comes he will not bring a new Gospel and new Revelations but he alwaies speaks in the Word of the Gospel of Jesus Christ which is given unto us therefore if any Spirit shall speak and not according to the Word it is but a delusion rest not therefore in any assurance nor revelation unless thou hast a word for it In the third and last place Use 3 This may teach and exhort us in Justification to look for no word but such as holdeth forth some absolute Promise of Free-grace for the Lord looketh for no work in our Justification but the Works of the Son it is the work of his free grace to justifie the ungodly therefore if any man having been in desperate anguish of soul have built his faith upon some Promise made unto some such work as he findeth in himself this is no other but a legal righteousness for when the Lord doth pronounce Grace in a way of Justice he will pronounce it unto that soul that he is most ungodly and that he himself doth justifie him freely for example take that promise which we read Acts 10.43 44. To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever beleeveth on him shall receive remission of sins there is a promise of remission of sins unto them which believe But was this faith in them before Nay but while he spake these words the Holy Ghost fell upon all them which heard the word and this Holy Ghost it was that did beget that Faith by this Promise whereby they did receive the Promise So in like manner if the Lord do promise that he that confesseth and forsaketh his sin shall finde mercy as Prov. 28.13 if he doth manifest his free grace in such a promise to any soul that soul will look at his old confessions as marvellous poor works and will not challenge this mercy promised by vertue of them for when the Holy Ghost doth apply a conditional promise to the soul he doth work the condition by the promise in the soul therefore when the Lord comes to testifie his acceptance of our persons it is freely of his Grace and thou canst not build any thing thereof upon any of thy works and if he do acknowledge our sanctification in any word of his grace he will let us see that every such gift or work of grace is freely given unto us so as that we shall be ready after all this to say with David Who are we or what are our fathers houses that the Lord should ever accept such as we are and such poor sacrifices as we offer unto him Thus having spoken of three distinct Works wherein the Holy Ghost doth give himself unto the soul to wit 1. In a work of Inhabitation 2. In a work of Sanctification 3. In a work of Revelation It now remaineth The fourth work of the Spirit that we speak unto the fourth work wherein the Holy Ghost gives himself unto the soul and that is a work of Consolation This is one of the great Characters of the Holy Ghost and this the Lord Jesus doth in special ascribe unto the Spirit Joh. 14.16 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter so vers 26. and this is no other but the Spirit of Truth Joh. 15.26 thus doth he stile the Holy Ghost the Comforter Why had the disciples no comfort before think you was there no comfort in the Fathers drawing them to Christ and revealing Christ in them Mat. 16.17 Was there no comfort in Christ his revealing the Father to them doubtless there is comfort in all these works the work of the Father mentioned in Joh. 6.44 is the same with what we read Isai 54.13 All thy children shall be taught of God and great shall be the peace of thy Children though it be but peace for the future yet light is sowen for the righteous herein and gladness for the upright in heart Psal 97.11 there is some ground-work of light and comfort in the Fathers work and some sparkles of it do appear for the Father reveals the Son and the Son is no sooner seen but hope is seen for Jesus Christ is our hope 1 Tim. 1.1 and hope it self I mean the grace of hope is a comfortable blessing so that the soul hath supportance in the very work of our being drawn to Jesus Christ and moreover the Father addeth further comfort in his Justifying grace for by it we have peace with God Rom. 5.1 and chap. 8.34 it is God that justifies who shall condemn such gracious supports and more then transient tastings of his mercy not such as hypocrites may have but such as do more or less stay with the Saints and people of God so that at the least there doth ever remain a seed of consolation in the hearts of all those whom God hath by his Spirit drawn home unto his Son And when the Son receives the soul he doth amplifie this comfort he reveals the Fathers work unto the soul Mat. 16.16 17. Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Jona flesh and bloud hath not revealed this unto thee but my Father which is in heaven and Luk. 10.20 Rejoyce in this because your names are written in heaven So that there is consolation also in the work of the Son but you shall finde it true that it is by the Holy Ghost that both of them work and that either of them comfort the soul with those beginnings of consolation that afterwards break forth into more abundant riches of increase But what doth the Holy Ghost do more 1. For Answer He doth bear witness with a more abundant measure of consolation Rom. 14.17 The kingdome of God is not meat and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Ghost He doth so clearly reveal our acceptance through the righteousness of Christ that from thence springeth peace unto the soul which groweth up until it passeth understanding and bringeth us unto joy unspeakable and full of glory 1 Pet. 1.8 therefore he is called by way of eminency The Comforter because when he comes he doth so clearly ratifie unto you your righteousness to be in Jesus Christ 2. Secondly The comfort of the Holy Ghost is more constant and abiding as Christ speaking of the Comforter promiseth unto his Apostles Joh. 16.22 I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your joy shall no man take from you not but that God may sometimes eclipse it for the trial of his servants yet ordinarily it is more constant and leaveth faith even then more constant and firm Nehem. 8.10 The joy of the Lord is your strength when the Holy Ghost taketh in hand to comfort his people he doth abundantly strengthen them with his consolations 3. Thirdly As
is not a covenant of Works but a commandment of well-doing and he having given it we take our selves bound to be subject to it The Apostle also presseth the Moral Law upon several relations of men Ephes 6.1 2 3 c. It is an honour to Jesus Christ that his servants should be holy as he is holy it is for the glory of God and he requireth it The Apostle James presseth it Chap. 2.8 to the end of the chapter If you fulfil the Royal Law according to the Scripture Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self ye do well And again Whosoever shall keep the whole Law and yet offend in one point he is guilty of all Thus we see the Apostles of Jesus Christ put it upon Christians to keep the Law of God and Christ himself beareth witness to the Law for God will never justifie sin to be no sin though he will justifie the person of a sinner Now as the Lord Jesus giveth the Law and as it were reneweth it so he doth also give his Spirit unto his servants enabling them to keep it Jer. 31.33 Ezek. 36.27 I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgements and do them And again I will put my law in their hearts and write it in their inward parts Now this Law would he not write in the hearts of his people nor give unto them his holy Spirit enabling them to keep his Law were it not his will in Jesus Christ that the Law should be the rule of holiness and righteousness unto his people hence it is that the children of God though they be not under the Covenant of the Law yet take themselves to be bound to the obedience of it for if Jesus Christ have given the Law as well as Moses and if he have ratified it by giving them his Spirit to teach and strengthen them to keep it though not perfectly yet sincerely then they take themselves bound to obey the Law though they be under the Covenant of Grace for do we make void the law through saith God forbid yea we establish the law For what need have Christians of free Justification by Christ if they were not bound to obedience by the Commandment of the Law Therefore the free Justification of men under a free Covenant of Grace doth establish the obedience of the Law otherwise what need they run to Christ to save them from the curse of the Law Why do we still run to Christ for the continuance of our justification But that we find our selves ungodly creatures against the righteous and holy Law of God therefore if God have given men the Law and his holy Spirit to strengthen them in the obedience of it and his grace to save them from the curse of it then Christians are to know that they are bound to keep the Law they lie under the authority of it and dare not pluck their necks from under that yoke Now there are two Effects springing from the subjection of Gods people to the Commandment of the Law 1. As they take themselves bound to the obedience of it so they believe and many times feel the fatherly displeasure of God when they transgress the Law now the transgression of the Law could not bring them under Gods displeasure unless they were bound unto the Commandment of the Law this displeasure David was sensible of Psal 38.1 2 3. c. There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin And many complaints of like nature doth he there make which do all of them spring from the conscience of the disobedience of the Law which God hath framed in the hearts of his servants whereby they reflect upon their sin as the ground of all the distempers which lie upon their bodies or minds This is the first effect of the subjection of Gods people to his Law they lie under the faith and sence of the danger of the disobedience of it 2. They are under the faith and sence also of Gods gracious acceptance of their waies when they are suitable to the blessed directions of his word not that they can raise therefrom the assurance of their justified estate but by the same Spirit of God whereby they are helped to obey the Commandment they do see the Lords gracious approbation of them in their poor and weak endeavours for the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous that is acknowledgeth and approveth it Psal 1.6 when the Lord by his Spirit boweth the hearts of his servants to obedience then he knoweth and accepeth their obedience Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest me seeing thou hast not withheld thy son thine only son from me thus the Lord beareth witness to his servants that he doth accept their works so that they sensibly know and believe that the Lord doth acknowledge their poorest and weakest endeavours unto which they are carried forth by his Spirit in the obedience of his word This the Prophet David confirmeth Psal 18.20 to 26. The Lord rewarded me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands hath he recompensed me for I kept the waies of the Lord have not wickedly departed from my God for all his judgements were before me and I did not put away his statutes from me I was also upright before him and kept my self from mine iniquity therefore hath the Lord recompensed me according to my righteousness according to the cleanness of my hands in his eye-sight with the merciful thou wilt shew thy self merciful and with the upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright c. This David speaketh of his righteous dealing with Saul and whereas his enemies laid it to his charge that he was an enemy unto Saul the Lord beareth him witness that he had walked toward Saul with a good conscience now the Lord having led him an end to deal justly and righteously and purely with Saul having kept him from all the malice and outrage of Saul and maintained his cause against Saul and delivered him out of the hands of Saul whom the Lord had now rejected herein the Prophet seeth the Lord accepting him when in the name of his Son by the power of his Spirit he is helped to attend unto the Commandments of God This is comfortable unto a Christian spirit when the Lord beareth witness to his soul that he hath an eye to all the Commandments of God And all this argueth that the servants of God being in a state of grace in Jesus Christ have looked at themselves as bound by the Commandments of the Law and as being under the law to Christ who hath given the Law and power unto his servants sincerely to keep it both by writing in their hearts a law of obedience and by putting his holy Spirit within them for if the people of God were not sensible of their bounden duty to the observation
should dwell in us for the causes we have spoken unto And I might add this to comfort us in all the changes that may come upon us it is a strong Scripture which we read in Joh. 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 clear evidence to prove the procession of the Spirit from the Father both of 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 this is the comfort of Gods people Thus we see both these points opened to us How may we then imploy and improve this Sanctification which the Lord hath given us Quest 3 and which he keepeth and acteth in us by his Spirit and whereunto he beareth witness How or to what end shall we imploy it seeing the Lord undertaketh to do these things for us If so be it Answ that the Lord Jesus Christ by his Spirit giveth us these gifts it is our part then first to see that we do not rest in any sanctification which doth spring from Christ conveyed unto us by his blessed Spirit The Spirit knitteth us unto Christ and Christ unto us he worketh faith in us to receive whatsoever the Lord giveth unto us and by the same faith worketh all our holiness for us 1 Cor. 1.30 Christ is made unto us of God wis dom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption therefore we are to see him principal author of all these things in us and for us This is the principal comfort of all and the glory of all our safety and so far as any of these lieth in our Sanctification we ought to see that it be sanctification in Jesus Christ and then it is sanctification in Jesus Christ when the Lord giveth us to look unto the Lord Jesus in it and to it in him and as we look for our holiness to be perfect in Jesus Christ so we look for continual supply of it from him and this it is to make Christ our sanctification when as whatsoever gift the Lord giveth us we go not forth in the strength of it but in the strength of Jesus Christ There may be a change in the soul which may spring from a spirit of Bondage and may captivate our consciences unto the Law that may restrain us from sin and constrain us unto duties but such holiness springeth not from union with Jesus Christ for there may be a conscience of duty without sence of our need of Jesus Christ as it was with the Israelites at Mount Sinai Deut. 5.27 Go 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 hear it and do 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 and so forth This I say therefore is the first thing to be attended unto as ever you would make a right use of your holiness see that it be such as floweth from Jesus Christ that there be not only an heart awed with the Law but waiting upon Jesus 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 their due honour unto all of them together 2. This may also teach all Christians not to trust upon the gifts of their Holiness though they do spring from the Holy Gbost himself though they be such as are unchangeable though they spring from Jesus Christ and knit your souls 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. Thy renown went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty for it was perfect through my comeliness which I had put upon thee saith the Lord God But thou didst trust in thine own beauty and playedst the Harlot c. 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 of God He that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing Joh. 15.5 And the Apostle Paul cannot onely not do any great matter by his own strength and grace but nothing at all without Jesus Christ and therefore he giveth us to understand that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do Phil. 2.12 if therefore we have any new work to do look to the Lord Jesus Christ afresh by Faith that he may carry an end our works in us and for us otherwise it is not any strength or grace in us that can produce any good work word or thought And therefore mind you the Apostle maketh it a Principle of Christian Religion that The just man liveth by his Faith and he often mentioneth it Gal. 2.20 The life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God where he putteth it into his own experience why did he not live by Love and Patience and Zeal c. yes truly they were lively in him if ever in any man besides our blessed Saviour and yet notwithstanding he never attributed life to any of these gifts of his but if he speak of his Life he maketh this his Universal Life I live by the Faith of the Son of God and I am I am able to do all things through Christ which strengthneth me Phil. 4.13 This is the true savour of a Christian spirit that when gifts are at the highest the heart is then at the lowest 1 Cor. 15.9 10. The Apostle Paul there acknowledgeth himself to be as one born out of due time for saith he I am less then the least of the Apostles not meet to be called an Apostle because I persecuted the Church of God I but by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain but I laboured more abundantly then they all yet not I but the grace of God in me This is truly spiritual sanctification that when the soul is full of the Holy Ghost and gifts of the Holy Ghost yet he is like a man in great penury as having nothing of himself This is a marvelous spiritual poverty and you shall ever find and I desire the Lord would open the hearts of his people to know what I speak that if Christians have fallen their
had done they wrought from themselves and for themselves and so those many that were called Mat. 20 they had denied father and mother and wife and children and therefore they looked for great reward having borne the burden and heat of the day and this is the proper character of an hypocrite he doth challenge his reward out of the worth of his work whereas the chosen ones of God are taught to say When we have done all that is commanded us we are unprofitable servants Luk. 17.10 this is one difference in the rise of the work Again there is a difference in the work it self Gods chosen ones work the will of Christ and not their own though their will also goeth along with it others work the will of Christ as far as it will stand with their own Jebu's zeal did root out Baal and the house of Abab freely he drove on furiously for it was an act of his own ambitious heart to settle his own Kingdom this he aimed at no further would he go from the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat he departed not And Lastly Hypocrites will out-shoot Christ in his own bow they will aim at their own ends in Christs works Jehu will root out Ahab and Baal but it is to establish his own Kingdom to walk in all the Lords Commandments he did not regard while Gods will accomplisheth his will he goeth along with it but no farther Thus we see there is a work of sanctification under a Covenant of works such as whereby men have another heart and many gifts of courage and wisdom and zeal and power come upon them for the service of the Church and yet you will find that they will work from themselves and for themselves and for God they will not work beyond their own ends and though they seem to walk with him for a while yet you shall soon see the Lord will take one course and they will take another 3. We now come unto a third work of the Holy Ghost in which he doth give himself as God unto his people for in all these works he doth work as God and so expresseth himself this work is Divine revelation he doth reveal himself like a God in the soul that so you may acknowledge his presence power and truth a very clear place we have for it Eph. 1.17 18. c. I cease not to make mention of you in my prayers that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of glory may give unto you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him c. mark how the Apostle doth consider God in regard of his most eminent glory and power as he is the God of Jesus Christ and the Father of glory That he might give us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him that is of the Father Son and Spirit That the eyes of your understanding being enlightened ye may know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints c. minde what Divine revelation here is see how gloriously God is set forth that giveth it and also the gift that is given and these things the Apostle prayeth not only for glorious and transcendent Christians men of renown but for all the Ephesians for all ordinary Christians among them he would have none of them destitute of a Spirit of wisdom and revelation and what should this Spirit do it should enlighten the organ even the eyes of their understanding otherwise it is beyond the power of created gifts to reach the clear discerning of the mysteries of the Kingdom of God as they are dispensed in the Gospel of Christ and as in all sight there is the Organ and the Medium and the Object the eye is the organ the air is the medium the thing seen is the object so doth the Apostle here pray that the eyes of their understanding might be enlightened far above the capacity of Reason yea above the capacity of the spiritual gifts which they had received for he desires that a spirit of wisdom and revelation might be given them though the Lord had blessed them with all spiritual blessings already they had believed and had been sealed yet here is something more to be attained they want a further enlightening by the clearing of the word of God which is the medium by which we discern all things therein and for the Object he doth express what it is that you may know what is the hope of his calling and the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward which believe c. these things the Apostle prayeth that the Spirit would reveal even the hope that God hath laid up for his Saints glorious things are spoken of the church of God great and glorious hopes are prepared for them and they are begotten unto them even to an inheritance incorruptable and undefiled that by vertue of our calling we might have fellowship with God the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1.2 3. some degree of fellowship we have already but the hope of that which is to come is beyond all our comprehension and beyond what any created understanding can search into the depth of and yet we may see much in the hope of preservation and quickening to that which is good in the hope of God's turning all things to the best for us we may see much of the rich and plenteous redemption which God hath wrought for us and what goodness of God is reserved to every poor servant of his and what is the riches of his glorious inheritance in his Saints and what is the exceeding greatness of his power to usward who believe even that mighty power which he did put forth to bring us to believe that ever he should bring such hearts as ours were to be enlightened to see the blessings of his heavenly calling to be called unto fellowship with the Father and with the Son and with the Spirit and with the Church of God in all the promises of God and gifts of grace and duties of sanctification our calling is to be exercised in them all until at length all their enemies be subdued and death at length swallowed up in victory This the Apostle prayeth for that their eyes might be opened to behold all these mysteries And thus doth the Holy Ghost clear up our understandings and the Scriptures whereby we understand and the objects which are to be understood by us even the riches of grace here bestowed upon us and laid up in heaven for us But how doth the Holy Ghost work these things Quest indeed they are unconceivable mysteries better felt then told The Spirit doth reveal himself partly in witnessing unto our spiritual estate Answ and partly by revealing all other counsels of his truth needful for us to know in this our age and time wherein any Christian man
the comfort of the Holy Ghost is more abundant and constant so it is more powerful Luk. 24.49 Behold I send unto you the promise of the Father tarry ye at Jerusalem until you be endued with power from on high so Act. 1.8 You shall receive power from on high after that the holy Ghost is come upon you not by the gift of him nor by his inhabitation nor by sanctification nor by revelation only but in the power of all these that in the middest of strong opppositions you might have strong consolation therefore this is the ground of the Apostle Pauls thanksgiving 2 Cor. 1.5 and chap. 2.14 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us so also our consolation aboundeth by Christ and thanks be to God who alwaies causeth us to triumph in Christ Thus you see the truth of the Point that the work of consolation doth in special manner belong unto the Holy Ghost yet for the further clearing of it there is a Question or two to be answered There is mention made Ephes 1.13 14. of the seal of the Spirit and of the earnest of the Spirit Therefore it may be demanded 1. What is the seal of the Spirit 2. What is the earnest of the Spirit What is the seal of the Spirit Quest 1 for so he is called Ephes 4.30 Grieve not the holy Spirit whereby you are sealed unto the day of redemption so likewise there is mention made both of the seal and earnest of the Spirit 2 Cor. 1.21 22. For answer hereunto Answ to speak properly what I conceive the Scripture to hold forth I take the seal of the Spirit to be nothing else but the Spirit it self as the name of Christ is often put for Christ himself for you shall not read in Scripture that it is called the seal of the Spirit but they were sealed by the Spirit He hath sealed us and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts 2 Cor. 1.22 So that as the Spirit is the anointment and the earnest so he is also the seal when the Angel mentioned Revel 7.2 is said to have the seal of the living God it is meant of the Spirit But Quest how is the Holy Ghost said to be a seal and in respect of what workings of his is he so called I Answer Answ There is a threefold respect in which he is called The seal and he doth expresse the nature of a seal in them all 1. First He doth confirm and ratifie all the gracious promises of God unto the soul bearing witness in truth and power of them unto the soul and thereby begetting and confirming faith in the soul for the use of the seal is to confirm and this is the principal work of the Holy Ghost to confirm all the promises of God as an authentick seal There is a place of Scripture which being a little miss-translated leadeth I cannot say into a little but into a great inconveniency Ephes 1.13 In whom after that ye believed ye were sealed Calvin is much troubled about it and so is Piscator the truth is it implyeth thus much that in believing they were sealed this is the true English of those Greek words so that it is the Holy Ghost that comes in every promise of grace wherein Jesus Christ is conveyed unto the soul he setteth it home and confirmeth it to the soul by begetting faith in that grace and so setteth to his seal that it is true to thee and hence it is that the faith which is wrought by the Holy Ghost is said to be a seal Joh. 3.33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true so then the Holy Ghost setteth his seal to it when he gives us faith and thus he is the seal as he doth confirm all the word of Gods grace unto us and hence it is that faith is called the spirit of faith 2 Cor. 4.13 Calvin disputes this point at large when he speaketh touching the authority of the word of God which though it be none of the most learned nor elegant of his works yet I think there be so many plain arguments that they may convince the most arrogant Atheist yet to make him believe it you cannot except the Holy Ghost set in to convince a gain-sayer for it is the Spirit that gives the seal and confirmation of every word of the Gospel And to speak a little more plainly in this point although the Apostle John 1 Epistle chap. 5. ver 7 8. speaketh of six witnesses that bear witness unto Jesus Christ yet you shall finde this to be true that there are none of all that do set it home unto the soul but the Holy Ghost only when the Father beareth witness he doth it by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.9 10. c. God revealeth the hidden things of his love unto us by his Spirit c. when the Son doth shew us the Father and so setteth the soul at liberty and easeth our consciences thereby The Lord is that Spirit and where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty 2 Cor. 3.17 And it is the Spirit that setteth on his own work much more plentifully by the powerfull efficacy of himself upon the soul Act. 1.8 and for the water and the bloud who applyeth them as for the water of sanctification it is but a creature and it is not in the power of any creature to beget faith for the word of God it self cannot beget faith can any work of God do it no no it is neither the bloud of justification nor the water of sanctification that can beger faith but the Spirit only otherwise you will ever and anon suspect your faith and your sanctification and every Christian knows what I say That if a man have nothing but his works of sanctification to trust unto they will fail him unless the Spirit of God do breathe in them testifie the Lords acceptance of you All the works of creation though they may convince my judgement that there is a God yet they cannot beget lively faith in me unless the Holy Ghost set in with them for the word of God cannot do it no nor the Sacraments though they be seals but when are they seals only then when the Holy Ghost is conveyed in them and therefore we see why the Holy Ghost is called a seal because he doth confirm our faith in the works and word of God You will say But may not a soul comfort himself in the former experiences of Gods mercy True but the Holy Ghost must then breathe in them and his work it is also to bring them to remembrance Joh. 14.26 if he will reveal his loving kindness in these footsteps of his grace then they do come in to confirm your faith otherwise both word and works are dead unlesse the Spirit of God breathe in them he it is that revealeth free grace justifying the ungodly and afterward will let you know the works of your sanctification he
teacheth and none like him 1 Joh. 2.20 27. You have an unction from the holy One and ye know all things c. and in this respect every Christian is a sealed one of God more or less when as the Angel was sent to set the seal of God upon his servants Revel 7.2 3. he did not leave out weak Christians doubtless but did seal all the servants of God Christ is careful to keep his weak servants from inundations of evil as well as others so in Ezek. 9.4 The mark of God is set upon all that mourn for the sins of the times therefore in some work of this seal the Holy Ghost is not wanting to seal all believers otherwise thou couldest not believe that the Father hath drawn thee to Christ unless the Lord had revealed it nor couldest thou believe that the Father is thy Father unless the Holy Ghost hath sealed thee thou canst not know that thy faith is accepted of God that thy sanctification is in truth unless the Spirit of God do clear up these things unto thy soul though thou hadst many promises before thee yet unless the Lord by his Spirit apply them thou canst not see thy right in them But is not that my sin Object It is your sin Answ but it is such a sin as the power of the creature cannot help you out of for unless the Lord be pleased to discover Jesus Christ unto you and your faith in him and your deriving of your works from him you will neither know your justification nor your sanctification to be true therefore there is ever a sealing work of Gods Spirit upon the souls of his Saints though this may be done before the Holy Ghost come to seal you in his own proper work for you have many gracious workings of God about you before he come to seal his own work in your soul 2. The second work of the Spirit in respect whereof he is called a seal is his ingraving the likeness of Jesus Christ upon the soul for the Lord hath predestinated us to be conformed unto the image of his Son Rom. 8.29 and how come we to be so conformed even by the Spirit of God who writeth as it were Jesus Christ in our hearts as with the finger of the living God and hence Christ is formed in us Gal. 4.19 and this image of Christ the Holy Ghost writeth in us by making us conformable unto the death and resurrection of Christ and unto that end he doth breathe in both the Sacraments Rom. 6.4 5 6. for he is both a Spirit of mortification and vivification so as that through him we do not onely finde sin mortified but do live by the faith of the Son of God and the Spirit it is that doth preserve these gifts and acteth and stirreth up our faith to look unto Christ this is another use of the seal not only to confirm but to conform so that of his fulness we all receive grace for grace Joh. 1.16 and we live yet not we but Christ liveth in us and this seal the Holy Ghost doth set on more or less in every Christian but in his own proper work he doth it with more power 3. The third work whereby the Holy Ghost doth express the nature of a seal is in distinguishing the Saints from other men Rev. 7.2 3. the servants of God were sealed and in sealing them he doth conceal them as a seal doth so that the world knows them not Joh. 14.17 and 1 Joh. 3.1 we are called the sons of God therefore the world knows us not c. and the more the Spirit doth distinguish a man from the wicked of the world the less they do discern him to be a gracious man the more lively grace is the more it is hidden from the world as men grow more in godliness so they grow more and more to be suspected by the world this is sealing work to distinguish and yet to conceal these things doth the Spirit of God as a seal upon the hearts and consciences of his people he begetteth and confirmeth all their faith more or less he doth conform them to the image of Christ more or less he doth also conceal and distinguish them from the world The second Question needful for the clearing of this point Quest 2 is How is the Holy Ghost an earnest For Answer Answ He is called an earnest in two respects 1. First As he bindeth the bargain between God and the soul he doth confirm all the promises of God to us and fasteneth them upon our hearts and settleth our hearts with an unmovable faith God having given us his Spirit doth give us all in him for he bindeth our union with Christ and our relation to the Father the Covenant of Gods grace unto us and us unto it the Gospel to us and us unto the Gospel 2. Secondly He is an earnest as he is the first fruits of the payment if a man give a pledge he meaneth to take his pledge again but if he gives money in earnest he meaneth not to take that again for it is part of the payment and the whole is but a greater payment of the same kinde so in like manner what is all our inheritance surely a fulness of the fruition of God the Father and of Jesus Christ and of the blessed Spirit of God this is all our inheritance that we look for in another world Eph. 1.14 He is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession unto the praise of his glory here we have but a little portion of the Spirit a little earnest-peny but this little portion is an assurance unto us that he will make it up until we be able to receive no more Now for Application of this Point Use 1 let it first teach us how to speak of the seal of the Spirit all those that desire to speak the language of Canaan no man hath part in Christ but he hath the seal of the Spirit also for if the Holy Ghost had not given thee Christ in this or that promise thou couldest never have believed it True it is indeed there are many Christians yea and sealed Christians which are not sealed with the proper work of the Spirit I mean with that full consolation and universal conformity to Gods image every Christian hath not received that measure of power but every Christian waiteth for it and is sealed by the blessed Spirit having set home some word of Gods grace wherein Jesus Christ is brought unto the soul In the second place Use 2 let it teach us thus much that it will come short of bringing us unto Christ if we lay claim to a promise of God by any work of grace such as we can have before we have the seal of the Spirit I mean such a work of the Spirit as wherein he doth come in with power upon the soul above the power of the word and works of God for they are both creatures and
your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David wherein you see the Lord putteth it upon such terms that if the soul come not by it it is because he would not not that any can come when they will as by the power of their own will but this the Lord will leave upon the children of Christian Parents that they shall not say that God forsook them until they have forsaken him and that when there lay no necessity upon them but voluntarily they did despise the grace of the Covenant for do but observe the causes wherefore the Lord hath discovenanted the children of gracious Parents 1. The first that ever fell off from the Covenant of grace made with Abraham it was Ishmael and what was the ground of it he mocked Isaac Gen. 21.9 10. what mocking was it in regard of humane frailty no no it was a plain persecution and that implies such a persecution as was cast upon him in respect of the Covenant of grace made with him as if he should say Here is the child of promise or the like insomuch that Sarah could not endure he should tarry any longer in the house for this was not humane frailty but humane insolency against the Covenant whereas happy he if he might have fallen under the wing of it 2. The second that you read of who fell from the Covenant fell not upon those terms but the love of worldly sensual blessings did choak the affections of Esau toward the Covenant of grace which was the chief blessing of the first born in the days of Abraham and Isaac but he coming in hungry selleth his birthright for a mess of red pottage Gen. 25.31 c. Thus Esau despised his birthright so this sort of children despise the grace of God not out of a malicious frame of spirit but they are choaked with the cares of this world and the best seed that was sown in them becomes unfruitful and this is the case of all the good husbands of the world that despise the Covenant of grace for when once a man is taken up with the profits and pleasures of this life he then cares not a rush for the Covenant of grace mount Sion is not now commodious for him so prophanely do they undervalue the Covenant of grace in comparison of sensual lusts and do men thus fall from the Covenant of grace because it is a duty above the power of nature no no the very common gifts they had might have restrained the one of these from mocking and the other from selling his birthright for a mess of pottage it is evident that the children of Christian Parents when as they come to fall off from God they do not fall upon such things as they are not able to prevent but either they scorn and persecute the things of God or else they prefer sensual lusts before them 3. A third way whereby the children of Christian Parents fall from the Covenant of grace is a self-confident cleaving unto those gifts of grace which by the Covenant they have received besides these causes of their falling from the Covenant of grace I have observed no more in Scripture nor have I found any more in mine own experience When men are invested with many spiritual blessings sweetly indowed with many sprinklings of the bloud of the Covenant whereby they come to be great in knowledge and sometime excel in a spirit of prayer and some are good at one thing and some at another and being full of such gifts it may easily come to pass that they may grow so confident of these that they will not subject themselves unto the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus And this was the rejection of the whole house of Israel Rom. 10.3 They being ignorant of Gods righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God and hence the Covenant of grace is unto them turned into a Covenant of works they are now become the children of the bond-woman and not the children of the free-woman for they that have their faith in themselves and not in Christ they fall under a Covenant of works So that minde you the Lord is just and righteous in all these his dispensations I said before God did receive Abraham and his seed into this Covenant I mean the faithful seed and they are received into the second sort of blessings of the Covenant which are truly saving for the Lord receives them into inward fellowship with his Son so as that they shall be justified sanctified and glorified But are the carnal seed then rejected no but they partake in many bounties of God and grow up and live in his sight what in the enjoyment of outward blessings only no of spiritual blessings also I but the Lord gives them not the spiritual blessing of saving grace by the Covenant doth he not and why is it not because he doth not offer it to them but because they fall off from it upon such terms wherein there lay no necessity upon them that they should so fall off Ishamel needed not have mocked Isaac Esau needed not have sold his birth-right for a mess of pottage never let them pretend the necessity of corrupt nature corrupt nature putteth no such necessity upon us to sell away such blessings upon such terms And for others that trusted in their own righteousness had not the Lord convinced them that it was not their own righteousness that could save them did not David say If thou Lord mark iniquity Lord who shall stand Psal 130.3 and in thy sight shall no flesh living be justified Psal 143.2 so that it is not the blindness of mans nature that excuseth but this flows from a malignant and affected self-confidence therefore now they are justly disinherited for the Jewes were not rejected until it was made plain to them that their righteousness would not stand before the Lord therefore saith the Apostle Act. 13.46 It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken unto you but seeing you put it from you c. and he had said before They contradicted and blasphemed and why was it necessary that the word should be spoken unto them truly that God might be faithful in his Covenant for if all the children of Christian Parents may not have liberty in the means of grace then the Lord should be wanting to his Covenant so that if they be Jewes by nature the Lord is bound by Covenant that they shall not for want of means perish nor upon such grounds as are far above the nature of creatures to reach unto for though it be above the power of the creature to repent and believe yet it is not above the power of nature to abstain from prophaneness and malignity and such strong confidence in their legal righteousness therefore doth he call them to Church-priviledges and common gifts and graces things that are
the Lord doth in giving himself give us all his Persons Attributes Ordinances Providences for he is the Lord of hosts and therefore all that is Gods is ours also It will follow semblably that we must be as God is and our children as his children and our servants as his servants and our wits and parts and authority and power and times must all be for God and not for our selves moreover all that is in our Churches is for God Cant. 7. ult At our gates are all manner of pleasant fruits both new and old which I have laid up for thee O my beloved Now from hence two things follow 1. First Here is a ground for family-duties for if all that I have must be the Lords for he takes me as he gives himself then it is for us to give up all our relations unto him as much as lies in us we can do nothing but set them before the Lord but it will be requisite that we should constrain them to duty pray with our children and servants teach them the will of God restrain them from wickedness I know Abraham saith the Lord That he will command his children and his houshold after him and they shall keep the way of the Lord c. Gen. 18.18 and the Lord commandeth Parents to bring up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord Ephes 6.4 we must therefore teach them to know the God of their Fathers as David 1 Chron. 28.9 And thou Solomon my son know thou the God of thy father and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing minde c. and so old Lois and Eunice were careful to train up Timothy in the knowledge of the Scriptures from a child this the Lord requireth of us as ever we look to have right in his Son he will have right in our sons if we have right in his Spirit he hath right in our spirit if you have any right in his servants he hath right in your servants and therefore use the means to draw them home to him and leave the blessing unto the Lord but if Parents be watchless in conveying the blessing to their children and children careless in receiving it God is faithful and his Covenant faithful though they fall short of it 2. Secondly This also follows that as God betrusteth us with any gifts or parts or talents with honour wealth health strength beauty liberty or what else soever if the Lord have given us any blessing it is wohlly his for we must be unto God as we would have him be unto us and therefore the Lord took it unkindly from his people Hos 2.8 That the corne and wine and oyl and silver and gold which he had given them they prepared for Baal Israel is an empty vine when he bringeth forth fruit unto himself Hos 10.1 so likewise he taketh it ill Ezek. 16.20 21. that they took his sons and his daughters and sacrified them unto Moloch so sometimes men count it a gentile thing to train up their children to idleness and other vanities whereas in truth it is as if they trained them up to Moloch and this the Lord doth abhor and will sadly require it in his own time If therefore we must give up our selves and ours unto God then here is a foundation for family-duties and also to improve our selves and all that we have wholly to advance the glory of the grace of God in Jesus Christ else we pluck asunder the Covenant of grace In the fourth place Use 4 If the Lord in this Covenant receive us to be a peculiar people unto himself something we are to learn in the manner of the performance of all holy duties for as we are still to be doing in the use of means to help our knowledge and faith so in all let us still be expecting from the Lord to lay hold upon us and ours and to receive us for our hope standeth more in Gods receiving us then in our giving our selves unto him rest not therefore in all the good means that you use for that will not hold unless the Lord be pleased to receive us and ours Joh. 6.37 All that the Father gives me shall come unto me so that unless the Lord give our children to his Son though we devote them to him it is a question whether he will take them or no look we up therefore unto the Lord that he may take them graciously unto himself the Prophet exhorteth Israel to return unto the Lord Hos 14.1 2. But how shall they return not unless the Lord take away their iniquity and receive them graciously and thus the Propher teacheth them to pray so that they do not stand upon their own reformations nor look to this and that which they can do no no take with you words and say Take thou away our iniquity otherwise we shall never get it out he also must receive us graciously and so shall we render unto him our selves and all that we can do This is the way of the Covenant of grace whatsoever duties the Lord requireth to be done on our parts let us look unto him in all to receive us and ours otherwise we and ours shall soon turn our backs upon God and upon his Covenant which he hath so graciously invited us unto in Jesus Christ We now come to the third and last Branch of the Doctrine Third Branch of the Doctrine which is That the Lord took the chief of Abrahams seed the Lord Jesus Christ to be the mediator and surety of the Covenant between God and Abraham this is expressed Gal. 3.16 To Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not And to his seeds as of many but as of one And to thy seed which is Christ so that he is the chiefest of the seed with whom the Covenant is established as also the Prophet Isaiah testifieth chap. 42.6 and 49.8 I will give thee for a covenant of the people and a light of the Gentiles c. and the Apostle speaketh fully when he saith Heb. 8.6 that he is the mediator of a better covenant and a surety of the Covenant Heb. 7.22 Christ is therefore the chiefest of the seed and the Mediatour and Surety of the Covenant Now a Mediatour he is between both parties partly in respect of his person and partly in respect of his Office 1. In respect of his person as he is God and man he is a fit person to be the ground of our union with God and to maintain our communion with him for what is a Mediator but a middle person to bring two persons that are at difference into one now Christ as he is God-man is most fit for this work 1. First To be the ground of our Union for being God-man he hath united both the differing natures into one so he is a middle person and fit to be the foundation of our union and therefore he is called Immanuel Isa 7.14 That is God with us 2.