whereof are the parties between whom this Covenant was made NOw I come to the Text it self the contents whereof as you see is an Oath wherein we are to consider both the parties between whom it was made and also the tenor of the Oath it self The parties as well him that sweareth viz. The Lord God of Israel as he to whom the Oath was made viz. Abraham our Father Concerning the tenor we are to know That whereas some Oaths are assertory wherein some truth is avouched others promissory wherein some promise is made this is of the latter sort containing the promise of a gift for so he saith That he would give us This gifs is twofold viz. Redemption in those words That we should be delivered from the hand of our enemies and the fruit and end of our Redemption which is the true worship of God in those words That we should worship him c. which worship of God is set forth both by the parts and properties thereof The parts are two Holiness and Righteousness for by Holiness we are to understand the duties of the first Table which we owe unto God and by Righteousnesse the duties of the second Table which we owe unto man The properties are three The first respecting our enemies from whom wee are deliveâ—ed in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without fear of them the second respecting God in the words before him the third respecting the continuance all the dayes of our life The first of these is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or spirituall security the second is uprightnesse and sincerity the third is constancie or perseverance Of these in order Concerning the party which did swear we are to consider these three things 1. By whom hee sware 2. How or after what manner 3. To what end For the first it is the manner of men in their oathes to swear by a greater But the Lord when he made this Covenant with Abraham because he could not swear by a greater he sware by himself Heb. 6. 13. By my self have I sworn saith the Lord c. Gen. 22. 16. Concerning the manner we may gather by that which the Lord requireth in our oathes what he performed in his own Ier. 4. 2. There are three properties required in an Oath Truth Iudgement and Righteousnes Truth opposed to falshood oâ— perjury Iudgement to rash and common swearing Righteousnesse to unjust and unlawful oaths For the first that the Lord did swear in Truth it is most certain because it is impossible that the Lord in his promise and in his oath should lye Hebr. 6. 18. and therefore we may be assured of that wherewith Micah concludeth his prophecy Mic. 7. 20. that the Lord will undoubtedly performe his mercy which by oath he promised to Abraham From whence we may learn this most profitable instruction That seeing the oath of the Lord whereby he promiseth to give to all them that are delivered from the hand of their spirituall enemies that is to all that are redeemed by CHRIST grace to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse is infallible we should therefore be carefull to bring forth these fruits of our redemption otherwise we can have no assurance that we are the redeemed of the LORD Yea on the contrary it may be verified of us that if we do live in sin and do not at the least desire and endevour to serve God in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse it is as certain as the Oath of God is true that as yet we have no part in the redemption wrought by CHRIST And the reason hereof is evident for to be a servant of sinne and to be redeemed from the bondage of sinne are things repugnant and imply a contradiction For whom Christ the Sonne of God maketh free they are free indeed Joh. 8. 36. but he that is a servant of sin is not freed indeed Now every one that committeth sin as habituated in sin that is in whom sin raigneth he is the servant both of sin Ioh. 8. 34. and of Satan 1 Ioh. 3. 8. Secondly in Iudgment a man is said to swear in judgment when he sweareth advisedly upon just and necessary occasion for Oaths are then only good when they are necessary This necessity of the Lords Oath ariseth from our weakness and infidelity who will not beleeve the Lord without an Oath and therefore the Lord in great mercy to relieve our infirmities hath confirmed his Promise which in it self needeth no confirmation as being truth it self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 6. 16. more abundantly then otherwise needed by Oath which as it argueth our great corruption so it ought to be a remedy for the same It is great infidelity not to beleeve the Word and Promise of God but greater not to beleeve his Oath In not beleeving his Promise thou makest him a lyar 1 Iohn 5. 10. In denying credit to his Oath dost thou make him any better then a perjured person And yet this is the estate and condition of many professing the Name of Christ. God hath swoâ—n and will not repent That to those whom he Redeemeth grace shall be given to worship him in holiness and righteousness These men do not so much as desire care or endeavor to worship God in holiness and righteousness but live in sin and go on in sin without repentance and yet for all this they will needs perswade themselves that they are the Redeemed of the Lord contrary to the express Oath of God Thirdly in Righteousness men are said to swear in righteousness when that which they promise by Oath is lawful and good and this goodness is measured by the reference which it hath to the glory of God and good of man Neither doth the Lords Oath want this property for what could be either more glorious to himself or more profitable unto us then that which by this Oath is promised For as touching the glory of God among all the works which God ever wrought there is not any that setteth forth more the glory both of his Mercy and of his Justice then the work of our Redemption with the fruits thereof For hereby appeareth his mercy to be such as that rather then he would suffer us most miserable sinners to perish in our sins he gave his own and his only begotten Son to die for us His justice such that rather then he would suffer the sins of his own elect children to go unpunished he hath punished them in the death and sufferings of his only begotten Son And if you consider our profit it is evident that as hereafter you shal hear in the things promised by this Oath our happiness doth consist Neither doubt I to affirm that by the things promised in this Oath our estate becometh better then that which we lost in Adam Adam though he were just stood righteous before God but in his own righteousness but we being redeemed by Christ stand righteous before God in the righteousness of Christ which far
1. 5. 3. Thirdly his fidelity in regard whereof he is also willing to performe his oath 1 Cor. 10. 13. 1 Thess. 5. 23 24. 4. Fourthly his Fatherly providence Esay 54. 17. Rom. 8. 28. and protection Psal. 91. 5. Fiftly CHRISTS protection of us as our King who having vanquished all the enemies of our salvation and deliveder us out of their hand none shal be able to hurt us Esay 54. 14. 17. and much lesse to pluck us out of his hand Iohn 10. 28. 6. Sixtly his intercession for us as our Priest Rom. 8. 34. 1 Iohn 2. 2. 7. Seventhly his union with us as our Head with whom our life is hid in God Col. 3. 3. Now as whiles the head as they say is above the water the members cannot be drowned so whiles our Head is in glory sitting at the right hand of his Father none of his members can perish but as himselfe hath promised because I live you shall live also Ioh. 14. 19. wherefore we are to thinke of our selves as of the members of CHRIST whom the Lord hath quickened together with CHRIST and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in CHRIST JESUS Eph. 2. 5 6. 8. Eightly the testimony of the Holy Ghost the Comfortor who shedding Rom. 5. 5. abroad the love of God in our hearts testifying with Rom. 8. 16. our spirits that we are the sonnes of God becometh the earnest 1 Cor. 21. 5. 5. of salvation sealing us Eph. 1. 13. 14. untill the day of our full redemption and not only freeth us from the spirit of bondage and of feare as being the spirit of adoption by whom we cry Gal 4. 6. in our hearts Abba father but also worketh in us peace of conscience Gal. 4. 6. Rom. 8. 15. Rom. 5. 1. 5. 14. 17. and joy in the Holy Ghost which St. Peter calleth unspeakable and glorious 1 Pet. 1. 8. CHAP. X. Of uprightnesse and of the worshipping of God in holinesse before him THe second property of our new obedience is uprightnes signified in these words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before him Whereby is meant that we are to serve God in holines and righteousnes not as before men in eye-services as men-pleasers but as before God in sincerity and truth And so the Lord himselfe seemeth to expound this phrase Gen. 17. 1. I am God all-sufficient walke before me and be upright For to walke before God or to walke with God both which phrases are used in the Scriptures sometimes joyntly as 1 Kings 3. 6. somtimes severally with God as did Henoch Gen. 5. 22. 24. and Noah Gen. 6. 9. and as we are required to doe Mich. 6. 8. before God Es. 57. 2. as did Abraham Gen. 24. 40. and Isaaâ— Gen 48. 15. David Ps. 116. 9. Iotham who prepared his wayes before the Lord 2 Chro. 27. 6. it is to behave our selves as in the sight and presence of God setting God before our eyes admitting him to be the beholder witnes and judge of our actions that is to demeane our selves uprightly And this property is required not onely in the duties of piety which we performe directly to God but also in the duties of righteousnes which we owe unto men for so it is here said that we should worship him in holines and righteousnes before him in which two being sincere and upright the image of God renewed in us doth consist Eph. 4. 24. in righteousnesse and holinesse of truth that is in true sincere upright and unfained righteousnesse and holinesse But first we are to speak of worshipping GOD in holinesse before him or of uprightnesse as it hath relation to GOD. In which sence it is opposed to hypocrisie and so what is upright is said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without hypocrisie or unfained What uprightnesse is Now what this uprightnes is we may gather by those divers words and phrases whereby it is expressed both in the Old Test. and in the New As first by the word josher Psal. 25. 21. which signifieth uprightnesse and jashar which signifieth right or upright as Psal. 37. 37. Iob. 1. 1 8. 2 3. but more plainly and fully when it is joyned with some other word as right in heart signifying the inward disposition or right in the way signifying the conversation For so the upright are called rectiâ—orde right or upright in heart as Psal. 7. 10. 32. 14. 36. 10. 64. 10. 94. 15. 94. 15. 125. 4. and uprightnesse rectitudo cordis 1 King 3. 6. Psal. 119. 7. they are also called recti via Psal. 37. 14. upright of way Psal. 119. 1. or perfecti via ambulans integer Integer vitae Horat. Psal. 15. 2. whose way is uprightnesse Es. 26. 7. their way being made straighy by God Both which do concurre in the upright for he is properly integer who is both outwardly straight that is rectus via and inwardly sound that is rectus corde Both must conâ—urre 2 Chron. 25. 2. 2. By the word Emeth which signifieth truth for as there is truth in words opposed to lying so also in deeds opposed to dissembling and hypocrsie which is uprightnesse as Ioâ— 24. 14. Psal. 51. 6. Es. 8. 3. Psal. 145. 18. and as there is a saying â—2 Chron. 31. 20. so also a doing of the ruth Ioh. 3. 21. 1 Ioh. 1. 6. and walking â— truth 2 Joh. 4. and 3 John 3. hence to walk uprightly is to walk before God in â—ruth 1 King 2. 4. and 1 King 3. 6. in â—ruth and righteousnesse and uprightnesse of heart 2 King 20. 3. in truth with a perfect heart and to worship God uprightly is to worship him in Spirit and in truth Joh. 4. 23 24. or as Samuel exhorteth in truth with all our hearts 1 Sam. 12. 24. 3. The most usuall word to signifie either the upright is Tham or Thamim which commonly is translated perfect as Gen. 17. 1. Deut. 18. 13. Psal. 15. 2. 37. 37. 119. 1. 〈◊〉 uprightnesse is Thom or thamim which â—sually is translated perfection whereby â—ot legall perfection is meant which is â—bsolute and compleat not only in respect of the parts but also of degrees but evangelicall according to the covenant of grace which is nothing else the Lord 2 Cor. 8. 18. Gen. 22. 16. 2 Sam. 7. 2. c. accepting in his children the will for the deed but integrity or uprightnesse and is so expounded Psal. 25. 21. Ios. 24. 14. Iob. 1. 1. 8. 2 3. Psal. 37. 37. For very many in the Scriptures have this perfection attributed to them who notwithstanding had their imperfections as Noah Gen. 6. 9. Job 1. 1. 8. 2 3. Iacob Gen. 25 27. c. Of Asa it is said 2 Chron. 15. 17. that his heart was perfect all his dayes and yet in the next Chapter there are recorded three foul sinnes which he committed 2 Chron. 16. 7. 10. 12. 4. By the word Shalem which is the Greek is translaned sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
all manner of riches This affection towards Gods Word David expresseth psal 119. 14 15 16 24. 47. 72. 111. 127. 143. 162. We must give our selves to prayer as devoted thereunto Psal. 109. 4. taking delight to conferre with God in prayer and offering up our prayers and thanksgivings as a willing sacrifice Psal. 119. 108. We must praise God with joyfulness and give thanks with chearfulness Psal. 9. 2. 95 2. 95. 1. 2. 63. 5. for as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is thanks cometh of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to reâ—oyce so it must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is with joy Phil. 1. 3. 4. we must esteeme it a blessed thing wherein we resemble the blessed Saints and Angels in heaven Psal 84 4. We must call the Sabbath our delight Esay 58. 13 And we must esteeme one day spent in the house of God as better then a thousand Psal. 84. 10. Psal. 26. 8. 27. 4. 84. 1 2 3 4. 10. The duties of charity are also cheerfully to be performed Rom. 12 8. he that sheweth mercy let him doe it with cheerfulnesse drawing forth his soule to the hungry and afflicted Esay 58 10. id est ex animo liberaliter hilariterque communicans ejus necessitatibus For the Lord loveth a cheerfull giver 2 Cor. 9. 7. Finally in doing the will of God wee are to imitate the holy Angels according to our daily prayer that we may doe the will of God upon earth as it is done in heaven that is willingly readily cheerfully following also the example of all examples our blessed Saviour whose delight it was Psal. 40. 8. and whose meat it was to doe the will of his heavenly father John 4. 34. As for that obedience or service which is extorted from men by servile feare because it is forced it is but momentany For no violent thing is of continuance and being momeâ—tany it is but counterfeit whereas true piety is constant and permanent Such is the obedience and repentance of hypocrites who when they are affrighted with Gods judgements or afflicted with his heavie hand pretend repentance and promise amendment but when the hand of God is removed from them they returne to their former courses and are so farre from learning obedience by that which they have suffered or feared that like anviles with often striking they are more and more hardned according to that Esay 1. 5. why should you be shricken any more you will adde revolt A notable example hereof we have in Pharaoh who as upon the inflicting of the severall judgements promised obedience Exod. 8. 8. 25. 9. 27. 10. 16. 12. 31. so upon the removing of the plagues he returned to his former obstinacy Exod. 8. 15. 32. 9. 34. 10. 20. 14. 5. Yea in the Israelites themselves who when God slew some of them they sought him and they returned and enquired early after GOD c. Nevertheles they did but flatter him with their mouth and with their tongues they lied unto him for their heart was not right with him neither were they stedfast in his covenant Psal. 78 34 36 37. This therefore ought to teach men not to put off their repentance to the time of sicknesse or old age or to the houre of death lest the repentance which then they hope to performe prove counterfeit Now that our obedience may be voluntary and cheerfull and our service of God without servile feare we are to be adorned with the three Theologicall Vertues Faith Hope and Charity for according to the measure of these three graces in the measure of our spirituall security and assurance which is the ground of our cheerfulness Faith for no man can worship the Lord with a willing mind and cheerfull heart that is not by Faith perswaded that his service is accepted of him The perswasion of Gods love shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit that is to say Faith maketh us to love him againe and in love to serve him willingly to whom much is forgiven they love much Luke 7. 47. That charity wherby the whole law is fulfilled proceedeth from Faith unfained 2 Tim. 1. 5. and without Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Hope for they that have fastened their anchor of hope in Heaven performe the duties of piety and righteousness with a comfortable expectation of everlasting happiness The hope whereof maketh them easily to swallow all the difficulties and troubles of this life for the joy that is set before them and with cheerfulnes to serve the Lord and to finish their course with joy Act. 20. 24. whiles we hold fast this hope nothing shal be able to discourage or to with-draw us from the voluntary worshippe of GOD. Not the desires of this world which to him that hath this hope seeme meer vanities in comparison of the happines hoped for Not the terrours or bugg-beares of this world which are not worthy of the glory expected see Rom. 5. 2. 3. Consider the example of Moses who when hee was come to yeares refused to be called the sonne of Pharaohs daughter choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of GOD then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season esteeming the reproach of Christ in his members greater riches then the treasures of Egypt the reason of all which is this for he had respect to the recompence of reward Heb. 11. 24 25 26. Charity 1 John 4. 18. which expelling fearfulness causeth cheerfulness To him that loveth the commandments of God are not grievous 1 Iohn 5. 3. nor the yoake of CHRIST tedious Nothing is hard to him that loveth Iacobs 7 years of hard service for the love of Rachel seemed to him but a few dayes Gen. 29. 20. The third use is a singular comfort which from hence ariseth to the Faithfull For whereas the Lord in other places when he would comfort his servants bideth them not to feare as Esay 43. 1. feare not for I have redeemed thee Luke 12. 32. feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to give you a Kingdome Here in this covenant of grace he promiseth and that by oath that hee will give us to worship him without feare or at least without cause of feare so Esay 54. 4. which must needes be a singular consolation unto us whether we respect our condition by nature or by grace For by Nature we are obnoxious to our enemies subject to the terrour of the law and to the feare Heb. 2. 15. of death and damnation And though we be in the state of grace yet are we infirme and weake not able by our owne strength to resist our enemies The ground therefore of this our being without feare is not any confidence of our owne strength but first of all the truth of God Heb. 6. 17 18. who by oath hath promised that wee shall worship him without feare 2. Secondly the power of God whereby he is able to make good his promise 2 Tim. 1. 12. 1 Pet.
â—ight and in his presence it is necessary that we shoâ—ld effectually acknowledge believe and remember and upon all occasions meditate of the omâ—â—science and omnipresence of God after the example of David who was in respect of his integrity and uprightnes a man according to Gods owne heart Ps. 139 the first 12. verses â—or if we doe powerfully acknowledge and effectually believe and remember 1. that the eye of the Lord is in every place beholding the just and unjust Pro. 15. 3. 11. and that he knoweth all things even those which are most hidden and secret and namely that he knoweth the â—eart and scarcheth the reynes that he knoweth our thoughts before we think them Ps. 139. 3. and that no thoughts can be hidden from him Iob 42. 3. we thereby be moved to behave our selves as in the sight of God labouring to approve not onely our words and deeds but also our inward thoughts and affections to God who not onely knoweth the heart but especially looketh to the heart It is the argument which David useth to move Solâ—mon to uprightnesse 1 Cor. 28. 9. And thou my son Solomon saith he Know thou the God of thy father and serve him with an upright heart and willing minde for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all imaginations of the thoughts 2. If we would meditate of the omnipresence of God that God is at all times in all places present with us and that we cannot Psal. 139. 7. possibly avoid ouâ— of his presence that would make us behave our selves as in the presence of God Inferiours when they are in the sight and presence of their Superiours are very carefull of their behaviour He were an ungracious sonne or a lewd servant that would misdemeane himselfe in the sight and presence of his father and of his Lord She were a very lewd and impudent wife that in the sight and presence of her husband would prostitute her selfe to another man This is our case God is our father we are his children he is our Lord and we are his servants he is our husband we are his spouse and we alwayes are in his sight and presence If therefore we could truly and effectually believe and remember this which is a most certain and undoubted truth and no lesse certain then that there is a God which of all truths is the most certaine truth we would abstain from sinne neither would we be so shamelesse as in his sight and in his presence to sinne against him see Job 31. 4. 34. 21. Psal. 119. 168. Prov. 5. 21. To this purpose Seneca Epist. 11. admonisheth his friend Lucilius that he would set before him Cato or Laelius or somâ— other grave and reverend person that so he might behave himselfe as in their presence for magna pars saith he peceatorum tollitur sâ— peccaturis testis assistat a great part of sins would be prevented if when we are about to sinne there were some witnesse present with us How much more would the presence of almighty God restraine us from sinne if we had the eye of Moyses the eye of faith to see him who is invisibly present with us alwayes and in all places Heb. 11. 27. 4. To the meditation of Gods omniscience and omnipresence let us joyne the consideration of his all-sufficiency For this is the argument which not onâ—ly the Prophet Hanani used to Asa 2 Chron. 16. 9. the eyes of the Lord perlustrate the whole â—arth to shâ—w himselfe strong in their behalfe whose heart is upright towards him but also which God himselfe used to Abraâ—am Gen. 17. 1. I 〈◊〉 God all-sufficient walke before me and â—e upright For what is the reason why men doe play the hypocrites Is it not because they desire to please men and to approve themselvs to them rather then to God And why doe they seek to please men rather then God is it not because they feare men more then God or trust in men more then in God But if we did effectually acknowledge Gods all-sufficiency we would learne to feare him and to trust in him above all knowing that no creature is able either to doe us good unlesse God use him as his instrument for our good or to hurt us unlesse God use him as his rodde to scourge us and therefore as we would feare him and trust in him rather then in his instruments so would we labour to please him above al. 5. Let us meditate of Gods bounty towards us whereby he hath shewed himselfe all-sufficient to us Deut. 33. 16. and for our good which argument is â—sed both by Samuel 1 Sam. 12 24. and by Iosua c. 24. 14. where having recounted Gods bleffings towards them even from Terah Abrahams father he inferreth this use Now therefore feare the Lord and serve him in uprightnesse and in truth But cheifly we are to meditate of his spirituall blessings and of the end for which he hath bestowed them For why did he elect us was it not that we should be â—oly and blamelesâ—e before him Eph. 1. 4. that is to say upright why did he redeeme us was it not that we should serve him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him hath he not reconciled us unto God that we should be holy and blamelesse before him Col. 1. 22. hath he not regenerated us according to Gods image that we should worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse of truth that is true and upright holinesse and righteousnesse Ephes. 4. 24. In vaine therefore do men professe themselves to be elected in Christ redeemed by him reconciled unto God regenerated by his Spirit if they be not upright For the end which God propoundeth to himself cannot be frustrated 6. Finally if the consideration of Gods benefits will not move us let us consider the terrour of the Lord as the Apostle calleth it 2 Cor. 5. 11. Let us set before our eyes our Saviour Christ sitting in judgement at the last day at which time he shall judge the secrets of men Rom. 2. 16. Eccl. 12. 14. that so we may endeavour in the meane time to walk uprightly before him and approve our selves to him that judgeth secrets that when he shall appeare we may have confidence and not be ashamed John 2. 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is not depart from him as hypocrites shall flying from the face of the lambe and desiring that the hilles would fall upon them and hide them from the face of him that sitteth on the throne and from the wrath of the lambe Apoc. 6. 16. For horrible will thy shame and confusion be if having profâ—sâ—ed religion and made shew of christianity before men thou shalt then before all the world not onely be discovered and convicted to have been an egregious hypocrite but also be condemned to have thy portion with hypocrites where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth But on the other side if we shall walk uprightly in GODS Tabernacle we shall rest in the mountaine of his