sorts of truth of which the Spirit is the Authour and Divers sorts of truth of which the spirit is the authour Truth of Doctrine which he works in all those who do partake of him First The truth of Doctrine in opposition to erroneous and false Doctrines Joh. 17. 17. Thy Word is truth 1 Tim. 2. 4. Who would have all men to come to the knowledge of the truth The truth of Doctrine consists principally in knowing and understanding those points and wayes which do teach and guide us certainly unto salvation and this is called the truth in Jesus Epehs 4. 21. And the truth which is after godliness Tit. 1. 1. This truth doth the Spirit teach all unto whom he is given he makes them to know the Word of truth and which is the way of life he builds them upon Christ and roots them in Christ who is Joh. 14. 6. The way and life and truth and makes them to be sound in Christ Jesus Secondly The truth of judgement and understanding Joh. 17. 17. Sanctifie Truth of judgement them with thy truth by which some think is meant the true understanding of all things necessary to salvation This is called the Spirit of a sound mind 2 Tim. 1. 7. a mind not tainted not corrupted Sound in the Faith Titus 1. 13. and Chap. 2. 2. All who have the Spirit of God have truth of judgement they have the Spirit of a sound mind in the matters of salvation they are sound in the faith although they may mistake in other matters and differ in their Opinions yet they are all of them of a sound judgement in the Essential Points of salvation they are sound in the faith in the fundamentals Thirdly The truth of heart Psal 51. 6. Thou lovest truth in the inward Truth of heart parts This truth is that which we call uprightness and sincerity of heart in opposition to Hypocrisie the Apostle calls it the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth 1 Cor. 5. 8. This kind of truth also is the Spirit authour and worker of in all unto whom he is given he gives them true hearts of truth sincere and upright hearts even in the judgement of God himself Job 1. 8. Hast thou considered my servant Job that there is none like him in the earth a perfect and an upright man one that feareth God and escheweth evil Isa 58. 3. Remember now O Lord I beseech thee how I have walked before thee in truth and with a perfect heart Fourthly The truth of speech in opposition to lying fraud and falshood The truth of speech as Psal 15. 2. He that speaketh the truth in his heart Ephes 4. 25. Put away lying and speak truth every man to his neighbour They that hâ—ve indeed the Spirit of God dare not lye dare not be guilty of falshoods c. the spirit of truth ever causeth the lip of truth Psal 119. 163. I hate and abhor lying Fifthly The truth of faithful and righteous dealing between man and man in The truth of righteous dealing making and keeping just Covenants Promises and bargains Jer. 5. 3. O Lord are not thine eyes upon the truth i. e. of just and righteous dealing this also is in them who have the spirit Psal 15. 4. He that sweareth to his own hurt and changeth not But now what shall I say to whom shall I speak how few have the Spirit of God which is the Spirit of truth 1. How abundantly rife is the spirit of error Few have the spirit of God 2. How unsound are the judgements of men who do erre concerning the faith and contend to subvert it 3. How rotten and hypocritical the hearts of men they profess God in words and godliness in words but they deny him in works and though they have that shew yet they do deny the power of godliness 4. How lying and false and fraudulent 〈◊〉 are men in their speaking and dealings one hardly knows when many do speak truth because we find that they do constantly speak lyes with that boldness and confidence and impudency c. Jer. 9. 5. They will deceive every one his neighbour and will not speak the truth they have taught their tongue to speak lyes c. Sixthly The Spirit of God is the Spirit of love So Rom. 15. 30. I beseech you Gods spirit is the spirit of love brethren for the Lord Jesus sake and for the love of the Spirit c. 2 Tim. 1. 7. God hath given us the Spirit of love Gal. 5. 22. The fruit of the Spirit is love and he puts love in the first place In whomsoever the Spirit of God is in them is a holy and precious love kindled by that spirit A love First To God O love the Lord all ye his Saints Psal 31. 23. And I love the Lord saith David Psal 116. 1. We love him because he loved us first 1 Joh. 4. 19. Love to God The Lord direct your heart to the love of God 2 Thes 3. 5. It cannot be but that every one who hath the Spirit of God must love God For 1. The Spirit renews all the affections and carries them to their proper object God is the peculiar object of a renewed heart Reasons of it 2. The Spirit sets open unto us the precious thoughts of God towards us and the exceeding riches of his grace yea and sheds abroad the love of God in our hearts Rom. 5. 5. And makes us to know the things which are freely given us of God 1 Cor. 2. 12. Secondly To Christ Jesus Cant. 1. 4. The upright love thee Cant. 3. 3. To Christ Jesus Saw ye c. 1 Pet. 1. 8. Whom having not seen ye love Joh. 21. 17. Lord thou knowest all things thou knowest that I love thee why how can it be otherwise but that if one hath the very Spirit of Christ he must love Christ If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be an Anathema Mran-atha 1 Cor. 16. 22. Would you have this affirmed of any one to whom God gives his Spirit but it must if any of them should not love Christ The Spirit makes the match between Christ and us causeth that union and can this be without a mutual love can any man give in his heart to Christ and yet not love him Object But every man will say that he loves God and that he loves Christ c. Sol. 'T is true men generally say so but there are few only that do so To love God and to love Christ is What it is to love God and Christ First To have the heart entirely set upon them Secondly To have the heart most set upon them Thirdly To desire exceedingly their presence and communion Fourthly To take special delight and satisfaction in that communion Fifthly Not to love any thing that is contrary to this against them or offensive unto them Sixthly To take heed to walk before them in all well-pleasing such a
men destitute of the Spirit though we be civil and courteous and friendly and helpful if we be born of the Spirit c. Gal. 4. 29. as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Here is Ishmael born after the flesh i. e. an ungodly and wicked wretch and here is Isaac born after the Spirit i. e. according to the promise of the Spirit and according to the powerful and gracious renewing of the Spirit and presently he is persecuted by Ishmael That must needs be good which Nero persecutes so he must needs be good he must needs have the Spirit of God against whom all the scoffings and mockings and reproaches and persecutions of the wicked are raised Fourthly They that have the Spirit do walk in the Spirit and after the Spirit you read those expressions Gal. 5. 25. and Rom. 8. 4. We walk not afâ—er Such walk in the Spirit the flesh but after the Spirit Now as to walk after the flesh is to set anâ— order the course of our life after our corrupt reason and wills and affections following them as our guides so to walk after the Spirit is to dispose and order our conversation according to the rules and motions of the Spirit so to lead our lives and move on in our courses as the the Spirit of God doth teach us in the Word and stirs us up inwardly to follow Thus doth every one who hath the Spirit of God he walks after the Spirit his conversation is in heaven Phil. 3. 20. His course of life is the course of new obedience that newness of life which the Word sets forth He walks not as the men of this world walk nor according to his own lusts in the times of his ignorance but before God in Holiness and Righteousness for by the Spirit he is sanctified to obedience 1 Pet. 1. 2. 1. He prayes with David Psal 119. 133. Order my steps in thy Word Ephes 5. 10. Proving what is acceptabe to the Lord. 2. For the paths Psal 119. 101. I have refrained my feet from every evil way Ver. 8. I will walk in thy statutes Isa 26. 7. The way of the just is uprightnesse 3. For the end so as to advaace the Kingdom and advance the Gospel a living unto the Lord. Fifthly They that have the Spirit are spiritual worshippers The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and truth for the Father seeketh Such are spiritual worshipers such to worship him God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth John 4. 23. 24. So Paul in Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit in the Gospel of his Son Phil 3. 3. We are the circumcision which worship God in the Spirit Beloved take these two things for certain truths viz. 1. Carnal men are but carnal worshippers a form of worship satisfies them bodily service outward performance Isa 29. 13. This people draw near me with Carnal men are carnal worshipers their mouth and with their lips do honour me but have removed their heart farre from me c. Jer. 12. 2. Thou art near in their mouth and farre from their reins 2. But spiritual men or men of the spirit are spiritual worshippers they do worship God in spirit Object But you will say What is it to worship God in spirit Sol. I answer to worship God in spirit is First To have our inward man taken up imployed and acting in all those Religious duties which we do owe and which we do present unto him As when What it is to worship God in Spirit we draw near to him in prayer for power to repent to believe to obey c. not only our mouthes do pray but our very hearts also do pray and our prayers are the lifting up of our hearts Vnto thee O Lord do I lift up my soul Psal 25. 1. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto God in the heavens Lam. 3. 41. And the very desires of our souls Isa 26. 8. The desire of our soul is to thy name And when you come to him in confession of sins not only your lips do acknowledge them and condemn you for them but your very hearts are ashamed of them and bewail them and judge them And so when you come to hear the Word a bodily presence doth not satisfie you but your hearts do come with your bodies and your hearts do hear and your hearts are ready to receive the Word with gladness and fear Secondly To have an edge upon our hearts in the services of God a kind of heavenly vigor and strenuousnesse so that our souls do come in to it with all the actual strength which they have for the present Indeed a Christan hath sometimes a stronger and quicker keeness of spirit than he hath at other times but still he puts forth as least in his desires and endeavours what power he hath in his communion with God As he seeks God with his mouth so he seeks him with his whole heart Psal 119. 10. With my whole heart have I sought thee he doth not serve the Lord with a cold formal indifferent spirit but as the Apostle speaks Rom. 12. 11. He is fervent in spirit serving the Lord He prayes and hears fervently and repents fervently and believes fervently 'T is true that he falls very short yet what he doth to the Lord he doth the same in good earnest it is his work and his business and if he finds it otherwise with himseâ—f if he finds a dulness and deadness upon his spirit this troubles him and he strives to shake it off by stirring up himself as the phrase is Isa 64. 7. and that of 2 Tim. 1. 6. and by awaking of his heart and graces I my self will awake saith David Psal 108. 2. and beseeching of the Lord to quicken and to enlarge his heart I will run the way of thy Commandements when thou shalt enlarge my heart Psal 119. 32. Sixthly They who have the Spirit of God are most pleased and delighted in Such delight in spiritual ministrations spiritual and vigorous ministrations which deal most with their spirits and do in a spiritual power most reach their hearts and spiritual condition Beloved this you shall find in experience that a profane heart cannot endure but alwayes hates and despiseth a spiritual and searching Ministry A formal heart hath most satisfaction in a formal Ministry A gracious heart is alwayes best pleased with a spiritual and powerful Ministry with that Ministry which doth come in power and in the demonstration of the Spirit and makes it self manifest unto the consciences of men which is quick in operation and piercing even to the dividing asunder of the soul and spirit and of the joynts and marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart Heb. 4. 12. and which is mighty
iniquity I never knew you saith Christ These things being thus premised I will now shew unto you 1. How a man may so perform his obediential works that he may please God and they may be accepted How we may so perform duties as to please God 2. How he is to walk in Gods Statutes so c. 1. Case How a man must perform obediential works so that he may please God and that they may be accepted of God Sol. For this take these answers First He must be in Christ It is a sure rule That the person must be accepted The person must be in Christ before his works can be accepted Now no persons are accepted but so far only as they are in Christ He hath made us accepted in his beloved saith the Apostle Ephes 1. 6. If the Lord looks on any person as out of Christ what shall he find him what shall he behold in him nothing but a sinful cursed enemy an object of his justice and wrath an offending and offensive displeasing and provoking creature and he cannot but loath him and what comes from him only in and by Christ doth he look upon uw with grace and favour Secondly He must have the Spirit of Christ For they that are in the flesh cannot He must have the Spirit of Christ please God Rom. 8. 8. The Apostle in the precedent verse saith That the carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be whence he instances in this verse That they that are in the flesh cannot please God A wicked unregenerate man defiles every good work which he takes in hand Do men gather grapes of thorns or figs of thistles saith Christ Matth. 7. 16. Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit ver 17. That of Solomon is pertinent to our purpose Prov. 15. 8. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord but the prayer of the upright is his delight And ver 29. The Lord is far from the wicked but he heareth prayer of the Righteous By all which you plainly see that a person must be sanctified by the Spirit of Christ if he would have services or performances pleasing to God and accepted of him if God sees not something of his own work in our works he accepts them not but that cannot be unless our work comes from his Spirit within us c. Thirdly He must worship God in Spirit and in truth this our Saviour delivers He must worship God in spirit and in truth in Joh. 4. 23. The true worshippers shall worship the Father in Spirit and in truth for the Father seeketh such to worship him And ver 24. God is a Spirit and they that worship him must worship him in Spirit and in truth A bare external bodily service the Lord utterly dislikes if the soul and heart come not within our duties they are of no account to God Spiritual service is proper for God who is a Spirit and this pleaseth him Rom. 1. 9. God is my witness whom I serve with my spirit Ephes 6. 18. Pray alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit Fourthly He must perform all his duties of obedience in Faith For without He must perform them in faâ—th Faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Now to perform our duties in faith implies 1. That we know and discern the will and command of God concerning the duties which we do perform unto him This is a certain truth That what God requires not that God accepts not He appoints all the paths of obedience unto the sons of men and will not be obeyed according to our mind but according to his own mind and whatsoever we do if we do it not with faith i. e. being not perswaded that this is that which God requires of us it shall not be accepted For Rom. 14. 23. Whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne 2. That we rely upon the grace and strength of Christ to walk and perform the duties commanded For without him we can do nothing Joh. 15. 5. It was a good speech of Bernard upon that passage in Cant. 8. 5. Who is this that cometh up from the wilderness leaning upon his beloved Frustra nititur qui non innititur no good can be done but by leaning on Christ from him is the strength of your sufficiency and not from your selves 3. That we offer them up to God in the Name of Christ resting on his merits and not on our own duties on his doings not on our own doings and expecting acceptance for his sake Joh. 14. 13. Whatsoever ye shall ask in my Name that will I do Ver. 14. If ye shall ask any thing in my Name I will do it Col. 3. 17. Whatsoever ye shall do in word or deed do all in the Name of the Lord Jesus The prayers that were offered up with the incense upon the Altar were pleasing Rev. 8. 3. and came up with acceptance Ver. 4. The brethren were kindly used for Benjamins sake and David shewed respect to lame Mephibosheth for Jonathans sake Simile All our services and duties are pleasing to God and accepted of him not for their own sakes but for Christs sake 4. That whatsoever we do in the way of obedience let it be done to the glory of God 1 Cor. 10. 31. Do all to the glory of God For Rom. 11. 36. Of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be glory for ever Amen 2. Case Now I come to shew you the choice Rules which do concern us Rules concerning our walking in Gods statutes in walking in Gods statutes or the manner how we must walk in them if c. Sol. The Rules which I will propound all of them shall be taken from the VVord of God and they are these First VVe are to walk in them willingly As Ephraim is said in a contrary We must walk in â—hem willingly sense to walk willingly after the command he was not compelled oâ— forced but freely of his own accord gave up himself unâ—o idolatrous worship So should we in a true spiritual sense willingly walk after the commands of God The willingness of our hearts is all in all in the duties of obedience and the more of that the more precious and acceptable is our obedience to Gods statutes 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 mind for the Lord searcheth all hearts and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts q. d. Look well to this for God takes special notice of this and looks more at this than any thing else Psal 110. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power This is the choice Character of the people of Christ they shall be a willing people the word signifies they shall be
on mans part or by way of promise on Gods part And well he may do so inrespect of that Infinite Goodnesse and Wisdome in God who knows much better how to lay the frame of a Covenant betwixt himself and man than man can know how to draw a Covenant betwixt himself and God SECT II. 2. THat there is a Covenant which God makes betwixt himself and believers There is such a Covenant So you have it often expressed in Scripture Gen. 17. 2. I will make my Covenant betwixt me and thee verse 7. I will establish my Covenant betwixt me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations after thee to be good unto thee and to thy seed after thee Deut. 4. 23. Take heed unto your selves lest you forget the Covenant of the Lord your God which he made with you 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure Psal 50. 5. Gather my Saints together unto me those that have made a Covenant with me by Sacrifice Jer. 31. 31. Behold the dayes come saith the Lord I will make a new Covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah which is repeated by the Apostle Heb. 8. 8. all which places do manifestly prove that there is a Covenant betwixt God and Believers Against this a great objection will lie There are some who argue that there Sect. 2. Obj. The Covenant is only betwixt God and Christ is no Covenant made betwixt God and us there is only a Covenant betwixt God and Christ by vertue of which all Good is derived unto us The ground of this opinion is drawn from Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made he saith not And to seeds as of many but as of one And to thy seed which is Christ Whence they inferre there is no Covenant at all made to us but only with Christ or to Christ Sol. I desire not to make rents but where I find them I would willingly make them up againe but of necessity I must consider this present opinion for if This opinion considered and cleared in three particulars this were true how can this Text I am now upon be true which saith I will make an everlasting Covenant not only for you but with you For the better stating and clearing of this doubt and difficulty I will deliver my self in these Propositions 1. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God the Father and his Sonne Jesus Christ 2. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God and every believing person 3. That the place alledged doth not infringe this truth 1. That there is a Covenant made betwixt God the Father and his Son Jesus There is a Covenant betwixt God the Father and his Son Jesus Christ Christ touching the whole businesse of mans salvation Hence it is that Christ is called the Covenant I will give thee for a Covenant of the people saith the Lord speaking of Christ Isa 49. 8. In hope of eternal life which God who cannot lye promised before the world began Tit. 1. 2. This promise which was ante tempora seculorum was made to Christ I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me Joh. 17. 6. All that makes up a Covenant passed betwixt the Father and the Son On the Father part He dâ—signed Christ to the office of Mediatour 1. On the Fathers part 1. He designed his Sonne unto the office of Mediatour him hath God the Father sealed John 6. 27. Set apart marked out for that work and the Apostle Peter speaking of our Redemption by the precious blood of Christ saith that Christ was fore-ordained thereunto before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 20. And hereunto did Christ consent and agree Heb. 10. 7. Then said I lo I come in the volum of thy book it is written of me to do thy will O God and againe ver 9. lo I come to do thy will O God 2. He promised to give him the Spirit in abundant measure The Spirit of the He promised to give him the Spirit in abundant measure Lord shall rest upon him Isa 11. 2. I have put my Spirit upon him he shall bring forth judgement to the Genetiles Isa 42. 1. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me Isa 61. 1. God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him Joh. 3. 34. 3. He promised to assist him in that great work I the Lord have called thee And to assist him in that great work in Righteousnesse and will hold thy hand and will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles Isa 42. 6. What is that holding of Christ by the hand but his effectual supporting and strengthening of him to finish the work which he agreed to undertake 4. He promised a blessed successe to this undertaking he shall see his seed And a blessed successe to his undertaking and he shall see the travaile of his soul Isa 53. 10. Nations that know thee not shall run unto thee Isa 55. 5. 5. He promised him Dominion and Soveraignty His arme shall rule for him And dominion and soveraignty Isa 40. 10. He shall sit in judgement in the earth and the Iles shall wait for his Law Isa 42. 4. He shall judge amongst many Nations Mic. 4. 3. 6. He promised to glorifie him after all Joh. 17. 5. Now Father glorifie thou And to glorifie him after all me 2. Christ an his part consents to the Father undertakes the will and work of On Christs part He consents to him undertakes his work Depends on him dischargeth it and expects the glory promised There is a Covenant with Christ personally and mystically considered his Father Depends on his Father Trusts on him for help The Lord will help me Isa 50. 7 9. My God shall be my strength Isa 49. 5. And he dischargeth all the work agreed on for the Redemption and salvation of the elect I have finished the work thou gavest me to do And expects the glory promised by the Father I would be tedious to speak all that might be said concerning this high Covenant betwixt God the Father and Christ touching the elect and all that concerns them I might adde that as there is a Covenant betwixt God and Christ personally considered so also betwixt God and Christ mystically considered Take him as the Head of the Church his body the Covenant principally looks at Christ I will be your God this principally looks at Christ and I will be your Father this principally looks at Christ and so the maine promises as those of Life of Grace of Justification so they principally look at Christ As there was a respect to the people of God in the Covenant betwixt the Father and Jesus Christ so there was a respect to Christ in the Covenant
is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the Remission of sinnes Heb. 9. 15. For this cause he is the Mediatour of the New Testament that by means of death for the Redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament they which are called might receive the promise of an eternal inheritance Ver. 17. A Testament is of force after men are dead It is called a Covenant and a Testament 1. A Covenant in respect of God and a Testament in respect of Christ 2. A Covenant in respect of the manner of Agreement and a Testament in respect of the manner of confirming Jesus Christ died as a Testator and by his death confirmed the Testamentary gift before made of life and salvation 5. I might adde more demonstrations of this truth as the sealings of the Spirit The sealing of the Spirit and sealings of the Ordinances and the sealings of the Ordinances Baptisme and the Lords Supper which are the seals of this Will and the sealings of the people of God in their continual experience of the truth and certainty of the Covenant in the performance of the Covenant Psal 105. 8. He hath remembred his Covenant for ever Psal 119. 65. Thou hast dealt well with thy servant O Lord according to thy Word 2. Quest Why God makes a sute Covenant with his people Why God makes a sure Covenant Certainty is a ground of faith Sol. The reasons are these 1. Certainty is a ground of faith We are commanded to believe and to be perswaded and to stand and rest c. and to rejoyce in believing Rom. 15. 13. If the Covenant were uncertain and unsure your faith would never be certain and sure Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw nâ—â—r with a true heart in full assurance of faith But how could we draw near in that fâ—ll assurance of faith Surely by believing and being fully perswaded to enjoy what God hath promised unlesse there were a certainty in the Covenant viz. That God will certainly performe what he hath promised unto us there cannot possibly be a certainty of faith upon uncertain promises 2. Certainty is a ground of peace this Covenant is stiled a Covenant of peace Certainty is a ground of peace because it settles and quiets and establisheth our hearts yea and the Covenant breeds perfect peace it stills all the fears and doubts and thoughts of heart and therefore it must needs be a sure Covenant and being so we have strong consolation Heb. 6. 18. Two things are necessary to the settling of peace in the soul either 1. An actual fruition 2. A certain expectation Were the Covenant uncertain it may be God will be my God it may be he will not be my God it may be he will pardon my sins it may be he will not pardon my sins it may be he will save my soul and it may be he will not save my soul this uncertainty on Gods part would leave an uncertainty on our part and either of these uncertainties would certainly leave us to an uncertain distracted unsettled conscience O I can never be sure that God will be mine that mercy shall be mine c. 3. Certainty is the ground of hope and of patience God would have his people Certainty is the ground of hope and patience to hope in him and to wait for him to hope in his mercy and to wait for his promise Psal 130. 7. Lâ—t Israel hope in the Lord. Lam. 3. 26. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord. 1 Pet. 1. 13. Gird up the loynes of your mind be sober and hope to the end and therefore the Covenant is sure and must be so for hope is upheld by a sure and stedfast Anchor Heb. 6. 19. and patience by a sure word of promise wait for it for it will surely come Hab. 2. 3. God saith it twice in Joel 2. 26 27. My people shall never be ashamed and my people shall never be ashamed and Isa 49. 23. Thou shalt know that I am the Lord for they shall not be ashamed that wait for me and Rom. 5. 5. Hope makes not ashamed O but we should be ashamed of our hope and ashamed of our patience if we should look for a God and wait for a God who either could not help us or else would fail us 4. The certainty of the Covenant is the great glory of the Covenant it is more The certainty of the CovenaÌ„t is the glory of it glory to God to make a sure Covenant than an unsure Covenant to be certain in his word than uncertain to be a faithful God than an unfaithful God and we glorifie him more upon the account of the surenesse of his Covenant here is mercy promised and this mercy is sure all the mercies in this Covenant are the sure mercies of David here is Christ promised and this Christ is a sure foundation Isa 38. 16. Here is grace and glory promised and they are sure and here are necessary outward blessings promised and they are sure waters O how this exalts the goodnesse of God! all of it is sure and our poore souls if they come into Covenant shall surely enjoy all the good thereof mercy and grace and righteousnesse and joy and peace and spiritual life 5. God makes a Covenant that is sure because he would draw the hearts of his God would draw the hearts of his people to himself alone people to himself alone There are four things which will draw and fix the heart where it can discover them 1. One is goodnesse this is the good which I need 2. A second is fulnesse here is all the good which I need 3. A third is freenesse all this good is to be had freely 4. A fourth is certainty I shall not faile of any part of this good why these are apt to work on the heart and to draw it and to fix it and all these God puts into the Covenant which he makes with his people it is good it is full it is free and it is certain I will do you good saith God and I will do you all good and I will do it freely and I will do it assuredly why then to whom should we go thou hast all the words of eternal life on whom should we trust but on thy self alone O Lord who art so full a goodnesse and so sweet a graciousnesse and so unquestionable a faithfulnesse and truth 6. This Covenant which God makes with his people is sure because none of None of Gods people shall ever have cause to complain of him the people of God shall ever have cause just cause to complain of him or to blame him David in a distempered fit mutters out Psal 77. 8. Is his mercy clean gone for ever doth his promise faile for evermore But he corrects himself for this in verse 10. I said This is my infirmity c. But
you and I will walk among you and will be your God and you shall be my people and in the very Covenant Exod. 20. 6. shewing mercy to thousands of them that love me The Preface made before the renewing of the Law upon the breaking of the Tables 3. Upon the breaking of the Tables of that Covenant before they were written again there is such a preface made by God as can no way fit any Covenant but that of Grace as you may see in Exod. 34. 7. The Lord the Lord gracious and merciful long-suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiveing iniquity transgression and sin 4. The Ceremonies were Appendices of the Moral Law especially of the first and second Commandments as given to the Israelites and what did those The Ceremonies were Apendices of the moral Law ceremonies shadow out even Jesus Christ and Redemption and Reconciliation and Remission and Salvation by him c. Moses is said therefore to write of Christ Joh. 5. 46. 5. Many other Arguments might be brought as that if those people were not Many of them under that Covenant were saved in a Covenant of Grace then none of them could be saved for a sinners salvation is in no Covenant but that of Grace and yet many of them under the Covenant which God made with them were saved Acts 15. 11. We believe that through grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved even as they c. I now proceed to the Second Particular 2. Quest Wherein that Covenant of Grace under which the Fathers lived Wherein these Covenants agree doth consent or agree with the Covenant of Grace under which we now do live Sol. They do consent and agree in three Particulars 1. In the Parties God was one party and fallen sinners were the other party in the Old and so they are in the New Covenant Before the coming of Christ In the Parties which respects the Old Covenant none but sinnerâ— were lookt on and brought into Covenant and after the coming of Christ which respects the New Covenant none but sinners which work not but beâ—ieve in him that justifieth the ungodly are taken into Covenant The Grace of God is manifested towards sinners in the one and towards sinners in the other Covenant 2. Both these Covenants had a Mediator who stood between the parties at a In the Mediator distance and reconciled them even Jesus Christ who is said to be the same yesterday and to day and for ever You have him promised to Adam and made known to Abraham who saw the day of Christ and rejoyced Joh. 8. 56. and prophecied by of Moses Act. 3. 22. Moses truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren like unto me him shall you hear c. he was promised to the Fathers and expected oâ— them Luk. 1. 69. He hath raised up an born of salvation for us in the house of his Servant David Vers 70. As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been siâ—ce the world began And verse 72. To perform the mercie promise to our Fathers and to remember his holy Covenant Vers 73. The oath which he sware unto our Father Abraham c. 3. They do agree in the main Promises the spiritual promises of good things In the main Promises Rom. 15. 8. Jesus Christ was a Minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the Promises made unto the Fathers Some think that the Fathers under the old Covenant were fed only with temporal Promises Indeed they had many temporal Promises and some were of special Blessings and Gifts as the land of Canaan c. Nevertheless they had the same spiritual Promises which we have under the New Testament Forgiveness of sins besides that place formerly mentioned in Deut. 4. 29 30 c. you read of frequent Promises of forgiving of sins upon their Sacrifices in Levit. 9 and 2 Chro. 7. 14. If my people shall humble themselves c. I will hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin Eternal life both promised and enjoyed Many shall come from the East and West and sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of God Matth. 8. 11. They embraced the promises of a better Country even an heavenly vers 11 13 16. Prepared for them a City We hope to be saved even as they Acts 15. 11 c. 3 Quest Wherein they differ and wherein the betterness of the New Covenant Wherein they differ of Grace doth consist Sol. Although both these Covenants do agree in substance and end yet they differ very much as to the particular from of administration or dispensation I will touch only on Five differences 1 In Obscurity and Perspicuity 2 In Burdens and Liberty 3 In Weakness and Efficacy 4 In Restraints and Extent 5 In Time and Duration 1. The New Covenant is a better Covenant than the Old because there is a In Obscurity and Perspicâ—ity greater Perspicuity in the new Covenant and a greater Obscurity in the old Covenant Hence 't is that the Gospel is called The revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began But now is made manifest Rom. 16. 25 26. He doth not mean that it was kept secret or hid or covered absolutely from the beginning of the world to that time but he speaks comparatively that iâ— Now Jesus Christ and the way of salvation by faith in him appears most clearly the Sun is risen and shines without any cloud Behold the Lamb of God Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself He that believes shall be saved We are saved by grace c. I am the way the truth and the life There was not comparatively such clearness in expression in the Old Testament Hence it is that the Apostle speaking of both these Testaments in 2 Cor. 3. he tells us of a vail on the one Testament vers 14. and of an openness in the other Testament vers 18. We with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord c. Let me give you a few Instances that you may the better understand this 1. Consider Jesus Christ it is true that he was revealed in the Old and in the New Covenant but yet with a marvellous inequality of light he is called the Seed of the woman and the Root of Jess and the Oyntment and the Mighty God and the Childe to be born But the clear expression of him is in the New Covenant Luk. 2 11. This day unto you is bern in the City of David a Saviouâ— which is Christ the Lord. Joh. 1 14. The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten of the Father Acts 11. 38. God hath anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and
Scripture Joh. 3. 16. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life ye shall not perish if you do believe and ye shall have everlasting life if ye do believe Mark 16. 16. He that believeth shall be saved and he that believeth not shall be damned Isa 55. 3. Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant Exod. 24. 7. He took the book of the Covenant and read in the audience of the people and they said All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient verse 8. and Moses took the blood and sprinkled it on the people and said Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins Chap. 3. 19. Repent and be converted that your sins may be blotted out c. Chap. 13. 18. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins verse 39. And by him all that believe are justified c 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you Verse 8. and will be a Father unto you and ye shall be my sons and daughters saith the Lord Almighty 3. Every condition annexed unto a Covenant doth not make that Covenant to be a Every condition doth nor make the Covenant to be a Covenant of Works except it be the same condition The Covenant of grace Covenant of Works unless you do put the self same condition into that other Covenant which is placed in the Covenant of works But thus it is not in the Covenant of grace which 1. Puts not the same condition but another condition of a quite different nature from that condition in the Covenant of work There it is Do this and live Here it is Believe and you shall be saved 2. Puts such a condition which is compatible with the grace of God Indeed works that is a self perfect and absolute obedience is incompatible and inconsistent with salvation by grace but a saving by faith is not inconsistent with Requires another condition And a condition compatible with the grace of God grace Of which if any doth doubt let him but read the Apostle in Ephes 2. 5. By grace are ye saved verse 8. By grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace What can be can spoken more expresly to shew the consistence twixt grace and faith grace saves and yet faith saves ye are saved by grace through faith Now from all which hath been discovered it doth appear that the Covenant of grace can admit of a condition namely such a condition which is graciously given and such a condition which will in the nature and use of it exalt all the grace of God And truely this condition is Faith and no other thing for This condition is faith Faith 1. Is the gift of God Ephes 2. 8. and Phil. 1. 29. It doth not at all flow from our selves Therefore believers are said Joh. 1. 13. to be born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God 2. And it is such a gift of God as is compleatly adopted to the Covenant of Grace To no Covenant but that and to that it is For that Covenant on Gods part is all in offers and promises and givings and faith is all in receiving and is depending and acknowledging and magnifying the grace of God And that Faith is the condition annexed to this Covenant I shall present unto Demonstrations of it you a few Arguments besides the Scriptures above mentioned to demonstrate it 1. That without which God is not our God nor are we his people And upon Without faith God is not our God nor we his people which God is our God and we do become his people and children This is a condition of the Covenant But faith is that without which God is not our God nor are we his people and upon faith God is our God and we are his people and children See it in the particulars 1. Without Faith there is no Relation by way of Covenant twixt God and us 1. For God and unbelievers are not in Covenant 2. Refusers of the Covenant are not in Covenant 3. Persons under wrath and condemnation are not in Covenant He that believes not is condemned and he shall not see life but the wrath of God abides on him Joh. 3. 18. Ephes 2. 11. Remember that ye being in times past Gentiles in the flesh c. verse 12. That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world This was their condition before they were quickned from the dead and had obtained faith 1 Pet. 2. 10. Which in times past were not a people but are now the people of God which had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy 2. Upon faith God becomes our God in Covenant and we become his people and children He upon believing becomes our God in Covenant Isa 55. 3. Incline your ear and come unto me Hear and your soule shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you And Rom. 8. 15. Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father And that spirit of Adoption presupposeth faith None are sons but by faith And we upon believing do become his people and children Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus 2. That which gives you an interest in Christ the same thing gives you an interest in Faith gives an interest in Christ the Covenant of Grace For this is a sure truth that according to your interest in Christ so is your interest in God and in the Covenant Out of Christ you shall finde no God to be your God But Faith is necessary to give you an interest in Christ forasmuch as Christ becomes ours by faith By faith we are planted into Christ and built upon Christ and married unto Christ he is ours and we are his 3. If all the good of the Covenant comes unto us upon believing Then Faith is All the good of the Covenant comes to us upon believing the condition annexed unto the Covenant you can have none of the good of it but upon believing unbelief cuts you off from all title and all fruition but all the good of the Covenant comes to be setled upon you by believing If you believe you shall be saved If you believe you shall be justified and pardoned you have the
to form it in himself Indeed God doth require faith in Christ but God doth not require of the sinner to create this faith in his own heart 2. Though faith be the condition of the Covenant yet it is such a condition God himself doth promise to give it which God himself doth promise to give unto the sinner As it is a condition on our part so it is a gift on Gods part we are to have it but God is to give it according to his promise and undertakes to work it in us according to his power 3. Though faith be the condition yet it is such a condition that God affords all And affords means for the working of it the means for tâ—e working and deriving of it unto the sinner There is no sinner in all the world upon whom God calls for faith in Christ but unto that sinner God affords the Gospel which is the meanes as you have heard designed by God to work faith 4. As God affords the means unto sinners by which faith is wrought so his And his Spirit doth assiâ—â— those meâ—â—â—â— Spirit upon whose operation faith depends doth ordinarily accompany and assist and blesse those meanes to make them to be the power of God to the production of faith in the hearts of sinners so that the Gospel is never sent unto any people but there are some of them effectually called so as to believe through grace 5. And fifthly as there is no sinner unto whom the Gospel of Faith is sent who can No sinner to whom the Gospel is preached can conclude that God never intended to give him faith nay every sinner is some time or other invited properly conclude that God never intends to give him this faith so every sinner may and doth some time or other finde that the Spirit doth by the Gospel earnestly deal with his heart to believe and receive Christ The Spirit by the Gospel doth let in so much light of conviction and doth so far act upon his heart by motions and arguments and perswasions to receive Christ that if yet he continue unbelieving this fault cannot be charged on God who doth work so wonderfully with him to believe but only on himself who slights those means and quenches those motions of the Spirit and wilfully opposeth and resisteth the Spirit in this working Hence it is that you never read of an impossibility on Gods part for with him all things are possible nor yet of an impotency on the sinners part why he believes not though that be true that the sinner in himself considered is insufficient but still the charge lies against the sinner for his wilfulnesse and unwillingnesse ye would not and ye will not come unto me that ye might have life and we will not have this man to reign over us Because God puts forth so much of power by his Spirit in the Gospel as may satisfie us that believing is a pâ—ssible work and that our unbelief sticks unto us not only from a want of power but only from the presence and redundancy of perversenesse in our wills 6. Let me add one conclusion more That this faith which is the condition admitting God will never deny faith to them that cordially ask it into the Covenant is such a condition as God never did nor will deny tâ— any sinner seriously and cordially asking it of him even in this it holds true also aske and it shall be given unto you If God sometimes gives this faith to them that do not ask will he deny it unto them to whom he gives an heart to ask Especially seeing that he therefore gives us an heart to ask because it is his purpose to give us this faith which we do ask See now you have the comfort in the general from this that faith is the condition of the Covenant of grace namely that then a sinner is capable and hopeful of being brought into the Covenant notwithstanding all his former sinfulness and present unrighâ—eousnesse and unworthinesse none of which do hinder faith from inteâ—esting of us in Christ And this Faith also is such a condition as God himself doth promise to give and set apart peculiar meanes to work it in us aâ—â—pon our serious asking of him will give unto us 2. I shall now speak of the particular comforts which do belong unto Believers Comforts to believers who stand possessed of this faith which unites to Christ and is the condition of the Covenant of Grace I grant that distinction of weak believers and of strong believers and that by reason of this gradual diversity there is therefore a different apprehension and perception of your comforts But if your faith be such as indeed brings you into union with Christ be that faith weak or strong then I confidently assure you that your condition is very comfortable and blessed Quest But what are those comforts and what is that blessednesse for all who What those comforts are are by faith united with Christ Sol. I will mention some of them unto you If you be by faith united to Christ so that he is yours and you are his Then 1. Vnquestionably God is your God for union with Christ infallibly takes in union Unquestionably God is your God with God if Christ be yours then God is yours Ye are Christs and Christ is Gods 1 Cor. 3. 23. Our fellowship is with the Father and with his Sâ—nne Jesus Christ 1 Joh. 1. 3. Beloved this is a truth that you can never have union with one Person of the Trinity alone as the union of those persons is common and mutual between themselves the Father hath union with the Son and the Holy Ghost and the Son hath union with the Father and the Holy Ghost and the Holy Ghost hath union with them both so is our union with them If we be united to Christ we are united to God the Father of Christ and to the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Christ If Christ be yours then God the Father is yours and if Christ be yours then God the Holy Ghost is yours As Christ is in you of a truth so God is in you of a truth and the Spirit of Christ is in you also And as you are in the Son so are you in the Father and so are you in the Spirit And as the Son is in you so the Father is in you and the Holy Ghost is in you And because this one thing is the Caput the summe and heighth and depth of all our comfort and blessednesse I shall therefore crave the favour to speak some few words unto it 1. First then our union with Christ draws in with it our union with God so that Our union with Christ draws in with it our union with God we and God himself are no longer enemies by way of difference nor strangers by way of distance but we are made nigh bâ— Christ not only nigh in a way of pacification by removal of
By pleading the Covenant he hath promised unto all his people in Covenant with him the strength to keep the Covenant lies in the Covenant and by faith you get it Thou said'st that thou wouldst do me good said Jacob Gen. 32. 12. So Lord thou said'st that thou wouldest give me thy Spirit to cause me to walk in thy statutes and to do them Ezek. 36. 27. Thou said'st thou would'st write thy Law in my heart Now Lord according to thy word and Covenant help strengthen keep direct establish my heart subdue mine iniquities suffer me not to be tempted above what I am able let thy grace be sufficient for me make thy power manifest in weakness c. 2. By keeping up communion with Christ and drawing vertue and influence from By keeping up communion with Christ him without me ye can do nothing said Christ I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me said Paul Why It is in and by Christ that we are what we are that we do what we do that we are strengthened with all might that we stand that we walk that we work that we run our race that we finish our course that we continue in wel-doing to the end Now faith keeps up our hearts and keeps up communion with Christ our Head our Root our Life our Fountain our Strength and our Sufficiency and receives out of his fulnesse and makes us partakers of his life and of his death and of his victories over sin and Satan and the world and of his strength for active and passive obedience 3. By taking us off from all our own self-sufficiencies and self-confidences which By taking us off from our own self sufficiency breed nothing but pride and presumption and hypocrisie and apostasie and carelesness and exciting our hears to pray and to fear and to watch and diligently to attend the Ordinances of Christ all which are meanes to strengthen and preserve us in well-doing c 4. By observing the continual mercies of God to us in the things of this life and By observing the continual mercies of God to us the gracious performance of his promises unto us both which are as so many cords to bind us faster unto God and are of great force with a believing heart to engage it more unto God and to walk the more closely and faithfully and exactly and fruitfully before him to be the more ashamed to sin against him to be barren and uneven with so blessing and encouraging a God! 5. By letting in the love of God in Christ the goodness and sweetness of his favour By letting in the love of God in Christ into our hearts into our Consciences It is faith which hath the sight of all the kindness of God and conveyes unto us the tasts of all the mercy of God how God stands affected to us how accepted we are with him what grace our poor souls have found in his eyes what his thoughts are of us and how dear we are to his soule And verily if Faith be the glasse as it were for us to see the face of our loving God O how will this inflame and knit our hearts in love to God again and how will that love continue us to the choisest to the fullest to the chearfullest to the faithfullest service of obedience 5. By holding out before us both the honour of God and the reward of God By holding out before us the honour of God Our faithfull walking with him is an honour to him and a delight to him These are my people these live like a people of God they glorifie him and that is the great Argument which faith useth to make the people of God and the rewards of God to be faithfull and stedfast Herein is my Father glorified Joh. 15. 8. And besides that it holds out the crown of life the great recompence of reward that Well done good and faithful servant enter thou into the joy of thy Lord Hold fast that which thou haâ—â— that no man take thy 〈◊〉 He that continues to the end shall be saved And faith he 〈◊〉 wâ—aâ— God hath done for us and what God â—s still to us and what an immortal inheritance and exceedingly exceeding weight of Glory he hath prepared and reserved for us doth thereupon quicken encourage support draw out our hearts to be industrious obedient diligent and faithful 3. The third and last duty from this that you are by Faith united to Christ Remember Jesus Christ and brought into the Covenant is this Remember your Jesus Christ remember that it is Christ only upon whose account you and God are in Covenant he is the door of your hope he is the Way the Truth and the Life in him are ye found and in him have you found life and love and mercy and grace and peace and salvation You could never have seen the reconciled loving gracious God as your God but in and by him He hath made you near and accepted and beloved and blessed He alone Therefore 1. Never magnifie your selves but Christ never ascribe any thing to your To magnifie him worthiness but ascribe all to Christ O Christ I had never seen nor tasted nor enjoyed this nor that nor any thing but for thy sake 2. Love Jesus Christ exceedingly for himself and for all the treasures of To love him the Covenant opened for you and laid out upon you c. 3. Go still in his Name unto the Father By him you come into Covenant Go unto the Father in his Name and by him you obtain successively every good 〈…〉 Coâ—enant c. Jesus the Mediatour of the Covenant Hebrews 12. 24. And to Iesus the Mediatour of the New Covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel THE Apostle in the 14. verse of this Chapter exhorts the believing Hebrews unto whom he wrote this Epistle to the serious study and practice of peace and holinesse And in the 15. verse he dehorts them from all bitternesse of spirit and profanenesse of life This latter he doth enforce by an argument ab exemplo in verse 16. from Esau that loose and profane person who for one morsel of bread sold his birth-right preferring the satisfaction of his sensual appeâ—ite before the fruition of so a great blessing and dignity the which he therefore forfeited and could never obtain although he sought it carefully with tears verse 17. The former duty of holinesse he urgeth upon them from the consideration of their evangelical estate that is of the excellencies blessings and priviledges which they had obtained by the Gospel of Grace To illustrate this the more he makes a comparison between the Law and the Gospel and the condition under the one with the condition under the other from verse 18. to verse 25. wherein he doth represent unto them their admirable advantages by the Gospel and therefore their stronger obligation to embrace it and to live answerable
for God to have There cannot be a New Covenant without a Mediatour set up a Covenant a New Covenant if he had not set forth a Mediatour for that Covenant Because neither can a sinner come into a New Covenant without a Mediatour the sinners accesse to God and union with him requires one Nor can there be any acceptance of the person or of the services of any sinner without a Mediatour who must bear his name before God and take away the iniquity of his holy offerings Nor can he continue in that Covenant without the presence and help of a Mediatour For if Adam who had a perfect righteousness suitable to his created condition could not make good the Covenant with him much lesse can the sinner by his own strength either perform the duties or persevere in the performance of them against so many inward oppositions of his own sinful nature and so many outward temptations of Satan without the power and sufficiency of a Mediatour SECT II. 2. THat Jesus Christ is the Mediatour and he only There are two Branches Jesus Christ and he only is the Mediatour Jesus Christ is tâ—e Mediatour proved by the 〈…〉 God in this Assertion 1. One that Jesus Christ is the Mediatour which will appear to be a truth whether you consider six things 1. The counsel and purpose of God to save sinners by Christ as Mediatour Ye were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish and without spot who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world 1 Pet. 1. 19 20. Whose names are written in the book of Life of the Lamb slain before the foundation of the world Rev. 13. 8. Him being delivered by the determinate counsel and for eknowledge of God ye have taken and by wicked hands have crucified and slain Acts 2. 23. 2. The voluntary consent and compact between God the Father and Christ The The voluntary consent and compact betwixt God and Christ Father was willing to give Christ his Son to be the Head and to be the Ransome of the Elect and Christ the Son of God presented himself most willing to procure that salvation for them The Father agreed with him for an obedience even to the death to bring this about and promised him a Spiritual Kingdom and seed upon the performance And the Son came up to this Then said I Loe I come in the volume of thy Book it is written of me I delight to do thy will O my God yea thy Law is within my heart 3. The promise of this unto Adam Gen. 3. 15. It shall bruise thy head and thou The promise of this to Adam shalt bruise his heele This is directly meant of Christ who as our Mediatour should suffer death for us c. And unto Abraham in Gen. 18. 18. In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed 4. The Legal figures and shadows in Sacrifices and Offerings all which Typified The Legal figures and shadows of it Jesus Christ the Mediatour who offered himself shed his blood took away sinne and made peace as in the Hebrews is a bundantly expressed 5. The actual exhibition and presentation of Christ unto the world and for this The actual exhibition of Christ purpose to be a Mediatour Gal. 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law verse 5. To redeem them that were under the Law that we might receive the adoption of sons 6. The real executing of that Office of Mediatour in fulfilling all Righteousness The real execution of that Office and in giving himself for a Ramsome and by his blood reconciling and making Peace 2. And as Christ is that Mediatour so he only is that Mediatour 1 Tim. 2. 5. Christ only is that Mediatour There is one God and one Mediatour between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus but one God and but one Mediatour Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other for there is no other Name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved None was ever called to that Office but Christ and none was ever fitted for that Office but Christ and none were ever able to discharge that Office but Christ Him the Father sent and gave and sealed and on him was laid our iniquities c. Read you of Man or Angel called by God to be a Mediatour 'twixt him and sinners Was ever any so fitted for that work but Christ He who is a Mediatour at least three conditions must lie upon him 1. He must not be of the number of those who are to be reconciled Therefore Three conditions in a Mediator agree only to Christ no simple man can be a Mediatour 2. He must partake of the nature of them who are to be redeemed and reconciled He must be of the same seed with them Heb. 2. 16. and therefore no Angel can be a Mediatour 3. He must be more than a meere Creature For a meere creature cannot satisfie nor can his righteousness be imputed to any but himself and he must be able to overcome sin and death and raise himself which no creature can do therefore neither men nor Angels can be Mediatours SECT III. 3. NOw let me speak unto the third particular viz. How Jesus Christ is to How Christ is to be considered as being-Mediatour As God Man be considered or look't upon as being a Mediatour I answer not as God only not as the second Person in the Trinity only not as man only but as Theanthropos as God-Man As God manifested in the flesh 1 Tim. 3. 16. As the Word made flesh which dwelt amongst us and we beheld his glory as the only begotten of the Father Joh. 1. 14. As the second Person of the Trinity incarnated as Immanuel God with us A Virgin shall conceive and bring forth a Son and thou shalt call his Name Immanuel Isa 7. 14. with Matth. 1. 23. and so the Angel to Mary in Luke 1. 31. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and bring forth a Son and shalt call his Name Jesus verse 32. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest and the Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of his Father David verse 33. And he shall raign over the house of Jacob for ever and of his Kingdom there shall be no end So Gal. 4. 4. When the fulnesse of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman c. to redeem them that were under the Law And Christ is said to bear our sins in his own body 1 Pet. 2. 24. And to make his soule an offering for sin Isa 53. And by his death and blood to reconcile us Rom. 5. 9. Col. 2. 22. As Christ was God from all eternity so in time he was made Man True God he was Joh. 1. 1. The Word was God and true Man also be was
blood hath satisfied you and mercy longs to help and pardon the poor sinner it shall come saith Christ for my blood hath purchased it Secondly Jesus Christ must make good his bargain and agreement he did agree with Christ must make good his bargain his Father to be a Surety for all his people and was content to stand in their stead and to have all their iniquities laid upon himself and to answer for them and to suffer for them and to clear and discharge them and to reconcile and save them by his death and therefore even upon that account it was necessary that Christ should dye and shed his blood that the agreement 'twixt him and the Father might be performed Thirdly It was necessary also in this respect To convince us of the hainousness To convince us of the hainousness of sin of sin we ordinarily look on sin as a small matter as if God were not offended and provoked by it and if he be â—et a small matter will serve the turn to satisfie God to pacifie him towards us and get forgiveness but we do extraordinarily delude our selves for without shedding of blood there is no remission it cost Jesus Christ the Son of God his precious blood and if that had not been shed never could any have got the forgiveness of any one sin Fourthly It was necessary likewise as to the acquiescing quieting or satisfying To satisfie conscience of conscience which would never come to any rest or peace unless Jesus Christ had shed his blood for still the conscience cries out Gods justice must be satisfied and who will undertake that great work Lo I come saith Christ I have laid down a price I became sin I was made a curse I wrought redemption I have satisfied the just God and purchased the forgiveness of your sins and now conscience is quieted Who shall condemn it is Christ that dyed How it may be demonstâ—ated Quest 3. How it can be demonstrated that the blood of Christ is the cause of forgiveness of our sins though many and great Answered Sol. Besides the clear Scriptures already mentioned these Arguments may help us to demonstrate it First We are set free by the blood of Christ Zach. 9. 11. By the blood of thy Covenant I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit Secondly We are justified by his blood and saved from wrath Rom. 5. 9. Much more being justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath by him Pray tell me what is it to be justified but to be pardoned and what is it to be saved from wrath but to be delivered from all punishment and both these depend upon the blood of Christ Thirdly So we are said to be made nigh by the blood of Christ Ephes 2. 13. and to be reconciled through the blood of his Cross Colos 1. 20. Secondly Now I come to the second Branch of the Assertion that as Jesus Christs blood the only cause of pardon Christs blood is the cause so it is the only cause for which God forgives the sins of his people Yet let me distinguish causes of forgiveness are of two sorts First Internally moving God and that is his own free grace only Secondly Externally meriting and that is the death or blood of Christ only Isa 63. 3. I have trodden the wine-press alone and of the people there was none with me Acts 4. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other Name for there is none other Name under heaven given amongst men whereby we must be saved Acts 13. 38. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins Ver. 39. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses 1 Cor. 3. 11. Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid which is Jesus Christ The truth of this will easily appear if you consider Demonstrated First The works of God the Father who laid on Christ and none but Christ the iniquities of us all Isa 5. 3. 6. and sealed him John 6. 27. and set him apart authoritatively commissioned him and set him forth to be a propitiation Rom. 3. 25. Secondly The office of Christ amongst the rest to be our High Priest and in this respect two things are proper unto him 1. The oblation of himself for sin 2. His intercession for transgressions Thirdly The nature of merit which 1. Must be opus indebitum for he who doth do no more than he ought to do or suffers but what he deserves to suffer merits nothing by his doing or by his suffering 2. Must be opus perfectum against which no exception can be taken nothing is meritorious which is short and faulty 3. Must be opus infinitum a work of infinite value and worth which cannot only stand before justice but plead also with it and challenge it for the dignity of what is done or suffered Now these qualifications not to mention any more set the Crown on the head of Christ alone and strike it off from us and all our works yea the best for they are 1. But debts our best obedience is but so and our best repentance is but so 2. But imperfect when we have done all we are but unprofitable servants and so much iniquity accompanies our holy offerings that we need Jesus Christ to be our Aaron to bear them and have need to pray as he that mourned for his sins Domine Lava lachrymas me as 3. Were they perfect yet they are but of a finite worth and rise not to the far more exceeding mâ—rit in sin nor yet to the surpassing worth of Divine mercy If Jacob were not worthy of the least of mercies much less are we of the greatest of mercies Fourthly The purpose of grace which is universally to be exalted in the forgivenâ—sâ— of sins with which though Christs merits can well consist Rom. 3. 23. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ yet our merits are contradictorily repugnant Rom. 11. 6. If by grace then it is no more of works and if it be of works then it is no more grace SECT II. Vse 1 BUT let us now make some useful Application of all this unto our selves Is the blood of Christ the cause and the only cause for which the people of God come to have their sins forgiven from thence let us learn two things Hence learn To judge of the hainousness of sin First To judge in another manner of our sins than in former times we have done how hainous they are and how high the â—uilt of them is There are five glasses in which we may behold the hideous guilt of our sins of which yet many persons do but yet make a work of pastime 1. One is the dreadful threatnings of the Law of God which reveals and discharges the wrath of God and all sorts of curses corporal and spiritual and eternal
will never be quiet untill repentance be renewed and God appears to be pacified Thirdly If we have hearts spiritually soft and tender this will appear by the respectiveness of our hearts to the word of God And there are ten Properties of a tender heart in relation to the Word of God 1. It sets up the Word as a Light and Rule So Psal 119. 105. Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my paths ver 133. Order my steps in thy Word 2. It studies the Word and meditates therein to understand the mind of God concerning it Psal 119. 15. I meditate in thy precepts and have respect unto thy ways ver 148. Mine eyes prevent the night watches that I might meditate in thy Word 3. It layes up and gives special heed unto what God saith in his Word 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have also a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed Psal 119. 11. Thy Word have I hid within my heart that I might not sin against thee Prov. 7. 1. My son keep my words and lay up my commands with thee ver 3. Bind them upon thy fingers write them upon the table of thine heart 4. It stands in awe of the Word Psal 119. 161. My heart stands in awe of thy Word 5. It is led and guided by the Word Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel Psal 73. 24. Thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors Psal 119. 24. My sheep hear my voice and follow me Joh. 10. 17. 6. It keeps close to the Word in all matters of faith and practice receives all and admits no more will not go without it and dares not strive against it 7. It conformes itself unto the Word Teach me O Lord the way of thy statutes and I shall keep it even to the end Psal 119. 33. All that the Lord hath said will we do and be obedient Exod. 24 7. O that my wayes were directed to keep thy statutes Psal 119. 5. He will teach us his wayes and we will walk in his paths Isa 2. 3. Ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine whereto ye were delivered Rom. 6. 17. Moulded cast 8. It is quickly reduced wrought upon and recovered by the Word As in Davids case when Nathan said Thou art the man 2 Sam. 12. 7. David said unto Nathan I have sinned against the Lord ver 13. So Judges 2. 2. Ye have not obeyed my voice why have you done this ver 4. And it came to passe when the Angel of the Lord spake these words unto all the children of Israel that the people lift up their voice and wept ver 5. And they called the name of that place weepers Bochim and they sacrificed there unto the Lord. 9. It will often review and try itself by the Word lest it hath sinned or lest it should sin against God Psal 77. 6. I communed with my own heart and my spirit made diligent search Psal 119 59. I considered my wayes and turned my feet unto thy testimonies 10. It desires and endeavours to comply with all the Word of God and to fulfill all the will of God and to walk according to it in all things I have lived in all good Conscience unto this day Act. 23. 1. We trust we have a good conscience Heb. 13. 18. I have respect unto all thy commandements Psal 119. 6. Zachary and Elizabeth walked in all the Commandements and Ordinances before the Lord blameless Luke 1. 6. Fourthly If we have hearts Spiritually soft and tender this will appear by By our sensibleness in cases of Gods honour or dishonour our sensibleness and choice behaviour in the cases of Gods honour and dishonour This I think is one of the fullest discoveries of a soft and tender heart and therefore I will insist the more upon it by shewing unto you 1. The several wayes how God is honoured 2. The several expressions of a tender heart in relation unto Gods honour 3. The several wayes of Gods dishonour 4. The several affections and workings of a tender heart in the case of Gods dishonour First The several wayes of Gods being honoured God may be and is honoured How God is honoured As â—â— his Name and Attribuâ—es 1. As to his glorious Name and Attributes Deut. 28. 58. That thou mayest fear this glorious and fearful Name the Lord thy God When we do acknowledge and admire and exalt God in his holiness and goodness and mercifulness and Omnipoâ—ency and wisdom and greatness and authority and justice and faithfulness c. Exod. 15. 11. Who is like unto thee O Lord amongst the Gods who is like thee glorious in holiness fearful in praises doing wonders Job 9. 4. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength Exod. 34. 6. The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long-suffering abundant in goodnesse and truth Ver. 7. Keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquiâ—y transgressions and sins and that will by no means clear the guilty Deuter. 7. 9. Know that the Lord thy God he is God the faithful God which keepeth Covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandements to a thousand generations 2. As to his worship and service Psal 29. 2. Give unto the Lord the glory due unto his Name or as it is in the Hebrew the honour of his Name worship the As to his Worship Lord in the beauty of holiness When we set up the true worship of God and serve him only and worship him only in Spirit and in truth and keep faithful unto it now we do honour and glorifie our God Thou hast not honoured me with thy sacrifices Isa 43. 23. The place where God is worshipped is called the place where his honour dwelleth 3. As to his Word and truths when they are magnified believed and embraced At his Word and upheld and obeyed when they have liberty and prosperity and success of efficacy 4. As to his works of Providence whether merciful respecting the good As to his Works of his people or judicial respecting the punishment of his adversaries in both which very much of God is to be seen and admired and blessed Secondly Now a soft and tender heart is exceedingly affected with Gods honour How the tender heart is affected in case of Gods honor and glory and with all the wayes publick and private for the honouring of God Such a person will take much pains to recover and restore the honour of God as you may see in Jehoshaphat and Hezekiah and Josiah to restore the true worship of God such a person will be at much cost to promote the honour of God 1 Chron. 29. 3. Because I have set my affection to the house of my God I have of mine one proper goods of gold and silver which I have given to the house of my God over and above all that I have prepared for thy holy house even three thousand talents of gold of the
through God to the pulling down of strong holds 2 Cor. 10. 1. Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ ver 5. This spiritual Ministry is that with which a spiritual heart doth and can most close O a Ministry which doth most dive into the heart and discovers the depth of sin and the hidden things of the heart and the secret guiles and hypocrisies of our spirits And that Ministry which shames our sins most and rents them out of our bosomes and makes our souls to loath them And that Ministry which like a spiritual Adamant draws a heart to Christ breaking down all the powers of unbelief And that Ministry which discovers and dashes in pieces all our self-deceits and all our self-confideace And that Ministry which presseth and leadeth one to the power of godliness and to the practical expressing of the virtues of Jesus Christ and of him that calleth us And that Ministry which raiseth a drooping soul with spiritual truth and rules though never so strict and contrary to flesh and blood This is a Spiritual Ministry and this is a Ministry of the Spirit and this is the Ministry which every one who indeed hath the Spirit of God doth highly prize doth cordially close with and desires from his soul to live under Psal 139. 23. Search me O God and know my heart try me and know my thoughts Ver. 24. And see if there be any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting Such are singularly tender as to the spirit Seventhly They who have the Spirit have this property also that they are singularly tender as to that spirit which appears in four things 1. In no case will they part with the Spirit Psal 6. 11. Take not thy holy Spirit from me 2. They are afraid by anything to grieve the Spirit Ephes 4. 30. Grieve not the holy Spirit of God by whom c. 3. If they have grieved him so as to withdraw himself they are not at rest untill the Spirit returns again in his gracious operations and manifestations Psal 51 10. Renew a right Spirit within me And Ver. 12. Vphold me with thy free Spirit 4. They strive more and more after purity of Spirit that so that good Spirit may take more and more delight to dwell in his temple Thus have I at length finished the Tryals and Characters by which we may know whether the Lord hath given his own Spirit unto us SECT III. 2. Use I Now proceed unto a second Use which shall be of Comfort unto all and every one unto whom the Spirit of God is given who do find him in their hearts in any of those works and saving effects before-mentioned Not without cause doth the Apostle Paul take pleasure in this I have the Spirit of Christ and we have received the Spirit of God and the Holy Ghost is given unto us Yea Christ himself look't upon the sending and giving of the Spirit to be the Comforter unto his Disciples as equivalent unto his own presence with them and as a sufficient cordial against all the troubles of their heart and against all the temptations of the world Quest But will some say What benefit and happiness is there by having the Spirit of God given unto us Sol. I will answer you 1. In the general 2ly In particular unto this Question 1. In the General The presence of the Spirit of God within you it is an infallible evidence of The benefits which come by having the spirit Such are assured of their election your happiness in the whole estate of it from first to last from eternity to eternity from the time past to the time present and the time to come First For the time past Beloved our happiness begins long before we do begin it begins in the eternal love of God and in the election of God before the foundation of the world Ephes 1. 4. The Records of election are Records of Eternity that is the date of writing our names in heaven and in the book of life And questionless this is a great part of our blessedness it is the first stone thereof which is said that we are out of a free and an immutable love and purpose set down and infallibly chosen and ordained for blessedness of which gracious act the presence of the Spirit is a sure evidence unto us 2 Thes 2. 13. God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit Ephes 1. 4. He hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy Secondly For the time present it is you know a common doubt and debate among serious and solid Christians whether their present spiritual condition Such have the spirits presence to assure them that God is their Father be right and sound whether or no they have a real relation to God as their Father and whether Christ be in them of a truth and verily that estate is really good and sound and sure in which there is such a relation and such a profession Now when the Spirit of God is given his presence and work are undoubted evidences of him Rom. 8. 15. We have received the Spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father Ver. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God 1 Joh. 3. 24. Hereby we know that he abideth in us by the Spirit which he hath given us Thirdly For the time to come there is reserved for all the people of God in heaven an incorruptible and undefiled inheritance that fadeth not away 1 Pet. 1. 4. Assured of their salvation A Crown of life Rev. 2. 10. An exceedingly exceeding and eternal weight of glory 2 Cor. 4. 17. And of this also is the presence of the Spirit a sure evidence unto us Ephes 1. 13 14. The holy Spirit is the earnest of our inheritance q. d. The Lord will hereafter give you full possession he hath promised you no less than an heavenly kingdom and a glorious inheritance for you are his Children and Heirs and to satisfie and assure you of this he hath given you a pledge or earnest and that earnest is his own Spirit in that you have for the present the Spirit of God this is your earnest that you shall hereafter fully enjoy the kingdom of God And now I beseech you tell me whether the enjoying of the Spirit of God be not very happy and comfortable If you look back by this you know that your names are written in heaven If you look on your present condition by this you know that God is your Father and you are his children Christ is yours and you are Christs If you look forward by this also you know that heavenly glory is yours and shortly you shall perfectlâ— anâ— eternally possesse it and all this you may look on
The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned Jer. 4. 22. Tbey are sottish children and they have no understanding they are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge Hose 8. 12. I have written to him the great things of my Law but they were counted a strange thing Psal 14. 1. The fool hath said in his heart there is no God they are corrupt thy have done abominable works there is none that doth good Prov. 13. 19. It is abomination to fooles to depart from evil Levit. 26. 43. Because they despised my judgments and because their soul abhorred my Statutes Jer. 13. 23. Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his spots then may ye also do good that are accustomed to do evil Tit. 1. 16. Being abominable and disobedient and unto every good work reprobate By all these places it doth appear that there is no power and sufficiency in any natural man to any spiritual good but a total want thereof and a total opposition unto it Secondly That then God is no hard cruel or rigorous master unto his servants but very kinde and gracious we have no reason to complain at all but rather to bless him and cheerfully to serve him There are seven things which do respect the people of God c. 1. Enterance which takes in 1. Union Of him are ye in Christ Jesus 1. Cor. 1. 3. 2. Regeneration 3. Repentance This God works in them of his own grace Jam. 1. 18. Of his own good will begat he us with the word of truth Phil. 1. 29. Unto you it is given to believe Acts 11. 18. Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life 2. Performances this likewise doth God work in his people Phil. 2. 13. It is God which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleasure God is no hard master 3. Sufferance Phil. 1. 29. Unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him but also to suffer for his sake 4. Resistance 1. Of sinful works 2 Tim. 4. 18. The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work 2. From sinful temptations 1 Cor. 10. 13. God is faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able 5. Perseverance Phil. 1. 6. Being confident of this very thing that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Christ 1 Pet. 1. 5. We are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation 6. Acceptance 7. Recompence Thirdly Then you see the same reason why when the same truths of God Why some receive the truth and others do not Why not all God leaves some to themselves and not others They which walk not in Gods wayes are none of his are preached and the same wayes of life are revealed some do receive those truths but others do not and some do walk in those wayes and some do not Quest Why do they not all do so The Reason is Sol. Because God leaves some unto themselves and others he doth not leave unto themselves they do both of them hear the way to heaven but they have not both the same grace and strength given to walk in the way to heaven Fourthly Then they are none of Gods people who never found any sufficiency any ability any actual strength to walk in the wayes which God hath Commanded why so because God promiseth to cause his people to walk in his Statutes and to do them I grant that all the people of God do not walk alike in his Statutes some are more lively some are more forward some are more high and full and vigorous and exact then others are nevertheless every one of them hath obtained grace and strength in his proportion to walk in Gods Statutes every one of them doth pray and every one of them doth repent and every one of them doth believe doth walk in newness of obedience and every one of them doth fear the Lord and makes conscience of his wayes and strives after perfection Simile You see that the least finger in the body receives an influence from the head by which it moves and stirs and performs the office of its place And so doth the meanest and weakest servant of Christ receive a virtue and power from Christ to act and walk in his proportion Therefore those men who still continue in their wayes and have no power to leave them and who are still charged to walk in Gods wayes and have no heart nor power to obey him no power or ability at all to bewaile their sins to forsake their sins to poure out their hearts in prayer to long after Christ to love the Lord Jesus Christ to prize and hold communion with God these persons are not as yet the people of Gods Covenant There is nothing in the world to evidence it to their souls that they are so nothing in practice for they â—eglect all holy walking with God and nothing in their natures and hearts for if they were renewed and changed by grace presently there would be an ability an inclination a desire an endeavour to walk with God according to his word Take it for a certain truth that all persons actually in Covenant with God have a power given them more or less to walk as God would have them walk and to do what God would have them to do therefore consider your selves and your conditions all of you who are still without strength to walk assuredly you are without life to quicken all the children of God are alive and are thus far enabled by his grace to chuse his way and to walk in his way with upright hearts Fifthly Then the wayes of God are possible and passable wayes why so Gods wayes are possible and passable because the promise of God is annexed unto them There are two errors opposite unto this truth 1. One is of the Papists who make the wayes of God concerning us so passable Papists confuted that a man may perfectly fulfil the Law of God nay as if this were a poor business they teach that a man may do yet more then God requires he may do works of supererogation by which he may merit for himself and for his friends this is a proud and false doctrine for no man except Christ ever did or could with a legal exactness fulfil the will of God In many things we offend all saith the Apostle Jam. 3. 2. And what man is he that liveth and sineth not there is no man that sinneth not 1 Kin. 8. 46. And who can say My heart is clean or I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin Prov. 20. 9. 2. The other is of carnal and lazy Protestants who when they are pressed to Carnal Protestants confuted leave their sinful wayes and to walk