The New Covenant, Part 1 · Sermon 14
THE FOVRTEENTH SERMON.
G…NESIS 17. 2.
And I will make my Couenant betweene mee and thee. And I will multiply thee exceedingly.
YOV remember how farre wee are proceeded in this point▪ for my purpose is not to repeate any thing of that which hath beene deliuered: onelyonly this wee must call to remembran…e, that the maine difference which is betweene the Old Testament and the New, it stands in this, that the Old Testament was hi… with shaddowes, and types; in the New T…stament, there is a more cle…re … of all things; The things that were …id, (…) Paul) from the beginning of the world, are …ow reuealed vntounto vsus; that is, the great difference betweene them, it lyes in this, that there is a greater abundance of knowledge discouered to the sonnes of men, now, in the time of the Gospell, then there was in the time of the Old Testament, and from hence it is, that now God makes a Couenant with vsus, and wee doe not breake it;Heb. 8. but, saith he, Heb. 8. I made a Couenant with your Fathers, when I tooke them by the hand, and led them out of the Land of Egypt; but they broke my Couenant; And what was the reason? Because their knowledge was exceeding slender, and therefore their grace and strength were exceeding little, and therefore they were not able to keepe the Couenant, there is no other reason and ground, why the Couenant is better now, as it is said to be a better Couenant, Heb. 8. 6. stablished vponupon better promises; I say, there is no other ground for it, but this, the difference of knowledge between the two Ce…enants; for, for substance they are the same, onelyonly in the administration of them, the glorious Mysteries of the Gospell are more openly and more cleerely reuealed to vsus in the New Testament, then in the Old.
Whence wee will onelyonly make this vse,Vse. that, if we would hauehave the benefit of the New Couenant, To labour for knowledge.wee must labour to get the knowledge of it; otherwise it is no aduantage to you at all, that you are borne in the time of the New Couenant, in the time of the Gospell, except knowledge abound, except you take the benefit of it, except you labour to vnderstand the vnsearchable riches of Christ, that are vnfoulded to vsus in the Couenant of Grace. What is the reason why the Apostle,Gal. 4. 9. Gal. 4. cals the Old Testament, those teachings that the people had then, impotent and beggerly rudiments? The reason is, because their knowledge was exceeding little, therefore it brought little profit to them, they were beggerly, they had little riches in them, and they were impotent, they could communicate little power, and strength, and efficacy to the inward man: On the other side now, the New Couenant is strong, and rich, and liuely, and effectuall; and the reason is, because there is more knowledge in it, wee are taught to know GOD better, and to know the whole mysterie of the Gospell better.
Therefore,Growing in kdowledge increaseth grace I say, if you would bee strengthned in grace, if we would be enabled to keepe the Couenant more then they were, labour to grow in knowledge, let it not be vnusefull vntounto you, whatsoeuer is deliuered, but make benefit of it. You see what riches of knowledge are deliuered to vsus in Pauls Epistles, let none of this be lost, it is thy benefit, that this is now discouered to thee, that was hid from all the world aforetimes. It is that benefit that the Apostle Paul so exceedingly magnifies, that to vsus, this mystery is reuealed, that wee hauehave this grace to make knowne to principalities and powers, the manifest wisdome of God, the vnsearchable rich…s Christ: make this vse of it, grow in know…edge, and thou shalt grow in grace, by that …, the strength thou gettest in grace, it is …om …he abundance of knowledge: beloued, this is an exceeding vsefull point. Those are …he complaints ordinary amongst men, they would faine doe otherwise, they would abstaine from such sinnes, and they would obserue such …uties, they intend it, and desire it, and purpose it, but they are not able to performe it. What is the reason of that? Because they want grace and strength, that is the immediate cause. But what is the cause they want grace? Because they …ake not paines to grow in knowledge. Beloued, that place,2. Pet. 3. 17. 2 Pet. 3. see how they are put together; Take heede you bee not plucked away with the errour of the wicked, but grow in grace. How shall we doe that? Grow in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. I deny not but a man may hauehave much knowledge, and want Grace: but, on the other side, looke how much grace a man hath, so much knowledge he must hauehave of necessity. Though there may be much wood that is not kindled, yet looke how much fire there is, so much fuell there must needs be. Knowledge is the Oyle, wherein the flame of …he Spirit liues, and you cannot hauehave more G…ace then you hauehave knowledge, though you …ay hauehave abundance of empty and vnprofita…le knowledge, without grace. Therefore, if … would hauehave the fruite of this Couenant, la…our to grow in knowledge. Ioh. 1. 17. that place is excellent for this purpose; The Lawe continued till Iohn Baptist, the Law came by Moses, but grace and truth came by Iesus Christ. Marke it, grace and truth. What was the reason there was more grace dispersed by Iesus Christ than by Moses? The reason is, because there was more truth reucaled to the sonnes of men by CHRIST, then there was by Moses; truth was hid in Moses time vnderunder vailes, and shaddowes, but was manifest in the time of Iesus Christ. Now because truth was more reuealed by him, hence it was, that there was a greater communication of grace, a larger effusion of the Spirit, because there is more truth: but that place comes as neere to this purpose, that you shall finde,2 Cor. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 3. you shall see there an expression of the difference betweene the two Couenants: Neuerthelesse when their hearts shall bee turned to the Lord, the vaile shall bee taken from before their eyes. Hee said before, To this day when Moses is read, there is a vaile laid ouer their hearts, but when their hearts shall be turned to the Lord, the vaile shall bee taken away: And what then? They shall behold as in a glasse the glory of God, with open face, and be transformed and changed into the same Image, from glory to glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord. The meaning is this; saith he, in the time of the Old Testament there was a vaile, that couered their hearts, and their eyes, that they were not able to see the truth cleerely; but now, saith he, that vaile is tooke away, and we see the truth with open face, euen as you see an Image in … Glasse. But what is the benefit of this knowl…d…e? Now the vaile is taken away, we know much more, saith hee, by seeing with open face, we are transformed into the same Image, that is, by the knowing of it, by looking vponupon it, by renewing those truths that are deliuered in the Gospell, by seeing the wayes of GOD, and the Image of GOD there described, and set forth to vsus; by this knowledge we are transformed and changed into the same Image, from glory to glory; that is, from one glorious degree of that Image to another; not that the very knowledge shall doe it, but it pleaseth the LORD to accompany that knowledge by the Spirit; this is done, saith hee, as by the Spirit of the LORD. So, my beloued, the way to grow in grace, and in strength, to receiue that immediate benefit of the Couenant, is to grow in knowledge,Ioh. 17. 17. Ioh. 17. it is a part of Christs prayer, vers. 17. Sancti…ie them with thy truth, thy Word is truth. The meaning is this▪ as if he should hauehave said, Oh Lord, I know, that the way to sanctifie them, the way to increase grace and holinesse in their hearts, is to reueale more truth to them; now, Lord, I beseech thee, reueale thy Word to them; for thy Word is that truth, teach them to know thy Word, acquaint them with it more and more; for by that meanes they shall get grace and sanctification. So then, if you would receiue the strength of the Couenant, you must labour to grow in knowldge, labour to vnderstand it more and more: for, beloued, this is a very sure rule, there is not a new notion that a man gets, there is not a beame of truth, of new truth, there is not a further enlargement of knowledge, and illumination, but it brings some riches of grace with it, it comes not empty, but it comes loaded with something, it hath some power, and strength, and it giues a new vigour to the inward man; and therefore if thou wouldest abound in grace, study the Scriptures, much attend to them, much meditate in them day and night, labour still to get some new sparke of knowledge, some new light out of them, and thou shalt finde this, that grace will follow, as it is the Apostles exhortation to Timothie, saith he GiueGive attendance to reading, and to learning, so thou shalt saue thy selfe, and shalt be able also to saue others. The meaning is, the way to get that grace that will saue a man, is to giuegive much attendance to reading and to learning: for, beloued, whatsoeuer it is that begets a man, the increase of that likewise edifies and builds him vp further. First, we are begotten by the word of truth, it is the reuelation of the truth of GOD to a man at the first, that renewes him in the spirit of his minde, it changeth his iudgement, it makes him thinke all things in a cleane other fashion then he was wont to doe: thus he is begotten to God, and he is made a new man, a new creature: now the increasing of the same truth, that is it that builds vsus vp further: for whatsoeuer begets, the increase of that also edifies; and hence it is that Salomon so exceedingly magnifies wisdome and knowledge: aboue all getting, saith he, get that. There are many things that are precious in the world, Pearle, Gold, and Siluer, but this is beyond them all. Why doe you thinke the Wiseman would magnifie wisdome so much? Because this wisdome brings grace with it; and therefore when Christ is said to be the light of the world, he is said likewise to be the life: the light he was, 1 Ioh. 4. and, Ioh. 8. he is the true light, that lightens eueryevery man. And what is that light? Why, it is that light that brings life together with it, Therefore,Eph. 5. 14. Eph. 5. 14. Arise thou that sleepest, &c. and Christ shall giuegive thee light. Now, you know, life is contrary to death, but the Apostle expresseth it thus, CHRIST shall giuegive thee light; because when a man hath much light, hee shall withall hauehave much life and grace: and therefore this I will commend to you, as one of the principall meanes of all other to grow strong in grace, and in the inward man, to grow much in knowledge. Beloued, it is another thing then wee are aware of: if we were fully perswaded that it were a thing so excellent, that it would bring so much grace with it, certainely wee would study it more then we doe:2 Pet. 2. 20. 2 Pet. 2. 20. saith hee, You hauehave escaped the filthinesse of the world, through the knowledge of Christ. That is, that that deliuers you from the bondage of sinne, that which enables you to escape the filthinesse that is in the world, when other men are yet tangled with it, it is because you know that, that other men are ignorant of, it is through the knowledge of Christ, if you hauehave escaped; and, 2 Pet. 1. 2.2 Pet. 1. 2. Grace be multiplyed through the knowledge of God, and of his Sonne Iesus Christ. Grace be multiplyed through that knowledge, as if he should say, multiply you that knowledge, & this is that meanes whereby Grace shall bee multiplyed to you.
That you may see the ground of all this, there is no grace that any man hath, but it passeth in through the vnderstanding: For example, What is the reason that any man loues GOD more then another, but because God is presented to his vnderstanding in another maner then he is to another? hee knowes God better then others; and so for other graces. Why is one man patient, when another is not, but because his vnderstanding is enlightned to iudge otherwise of the euill he suffers, than another doth? hee reckons them not so great and intolerable euils, he sees another hand of prouidence, hee sees another end in it. And so, What is the reason one is temperate, and sober, and meeke, when another is not, but because he hath another iudgement of pleasures and delights? he lookes vponupon them, as on things that are enemies to his soule, he sees a vanity and an emptinesse in them, that another doth not; I say, all the grace that a man hath, it passeth through the vnderstanding; and therefore if a man would be strong in grace, let him labour to get much light, to get much truth, much knowledge in his minde: for certainely all the difference betweene Christians, the difference of stature betweene men in Christianity, the difference of degrees, as one man hath a higher degree of faith, and another a lower degree, it followes from hence, that one is more enlightned, he hath more knowledge, hee hath more truth reuealed to him, which truth carries grace with it.
What is the reason that Paul exceeded other men in grace?
Because there was more truth reuealed to him then to other men: but still remember that I deny not, but that there may be much knowledge without grace; but this is a sure rule, there cannot bee much grace without knowledge. the reason why any man is strong in grace, and able to doe that which another is not able to doe, that he is able to goe through those troubles, and those crosses that another shrinkes at, hee is able to ouercome those lusts that another is not able to grapple with, it is still the strength of his knowledge, that hee hath more vnderstanding of things, that hee is better and more enlightned: Ioh. 16. when the Apostles were to come into the world, and CHRIST tels them what entertainement they should hauehave, they beginne to bee exceeding fearefull, alas, what shall we doe in the world, when wee hauehave such things to doe? wee hauehave men to wrastle with, that shall thinke they shall doe God seruice when they put vsus in prison; …aith he, feare not, I will send my Spirit along with you, and he shall helpe you to worke, he shall co…ince the world of …inne, of righteousnesse, and of Iudgement. The meaning is this, it is true, when you come into the world, you shall finde mens opinions exceeding false, you shall finde Satan building vp strong holds, in their deceipts and errours, and their euill imaginations that they hauehave of things; and, saith he, if you should goe alone without my Spirit, truly you might besiege the City, you might vse your spirituall Armour, but you should doe no good; but I will send my Spirit that shall conuince, (the word in the Originall signifies the refuting of an opinion that men had before drunke in, and were possessed of) the end of the Spirit is to sanctifie men; now what is that way that the Spirit vseth to sanctifie men? It is to weare out those old opinions, to confute them, to let men know they were exceedingly deceiued. Alas, they did not know that they were so exceedingly sinfull as they bee, but when the Spirit comes, he shewes them what natures they hauehave, and what liues they hauehave liued, they know they are other creatures then they imagined themselues to be: for the Holy Ghost refutes that opinion, and conuinceth them of sinne, and of iudgement▪ that is, the Spirit shall shew men the beauty and the glory of sanctification, of spirituall priuiledges, and shall make them in louelove with it: so iudgement is to bee taken, as you hauehave it taken in t…at place, where it is said of Christ, he shall not breake the bruised Reede, nor quench the smoking Fl…x, till hee bring forth Iudgement to victory▪ for it shall not cease till he hauehave brought forth Iudgement to victory: that is▪ by Iudgement is meant holinesse, and beginning of grace or sanctification, he cals the first part, that doth but begin to smoke, Iudgement: saith he, the Lord shall not put it out, but shall blow that sparke, he shall put new fuell to that sparke till it ouercome, till hee hauehave brought forth this beginning of Iudgement, or integrity, or sanctification, to victory; that is, to get the victory ouer sinfull lusts: now this is done by conuincing, by dealing with the vnderstanding, it is the worke of the Holy Ghost, with the minds of men. Now, beloued, the vse you may make of it is this▪ If this bee the way by which the Holy Ghost sanctifies, and infuseth, and communicates to the hearts of men, the graces of his new Couenant, if it bee by the altering of the opinions of mens vnderstanding, the way then that thou must take to grow excellent, to grow strong in grace, is to grow much in knowledge, to study the Scriptures much, and therefore let not this exhortation be in vaine to you, make this vse of it, still to meditate in the Law of God day and night, still to doe somewhat therein, to be trading therein, to be busied in speaking, or reading, or in thinking on it.
Beloued, if you doe but take any piece of this word, and stay vponupon it, as the Bee doth vponupon the Flower, and will not off till you hauehave got somewhat out of it; if you be still digging in this Mine, here is enough, it is a large, it is a deepe Mine, this would make you rich in knowledge, and if you be rich in knowledge, it will make you rich in grace likewise: it is the expression that is vsed,1 Cor. 1. 5. 1 Cor. 1. Therefore be assured of this, we hauehave many businesses to doe in this world, and eueryevery man bestowes himselfe on something, he spends his time, and placeth his intentions some where: now there is nothing in the world that you can bestowe it so profitably on, as to get n…w light daily; get new truths: if a man gather knowledge of other things, they are but trifles; and yet that is a thousand times beyond the gathering of wealth, but yet that is nothing to the other knowledge, it is beggerly, and impotent, and poore, as the Apostle saith: for the things themselues are poore. Is there any thing in the world can helpe a man to happinesse to any purpose? if the things cannot doe it, the knowledge cannot bee better then the thing. I say, the best naturall thing you can doe is to gather wisdome, that will serue for this present life, but to get that wisdome that will build you vp in grace, that will make you strong in CHRIST, that is farre more to bee chosen; remember that which Salomon saith, that it is aboue Pearles, and that is not enough to expresse it; but, saith hee, goe through all the precious things in the world, it goes beyond them; Why? because it exceedingly increaseth grace; And what is the profit of it? It makes God to set a high esteeme of you, it makes the mighty God, who is able onelyonly to doe thee good, to delight in thee, it makes him ready to doe thee much good; which I gather out of that Heb. 8. saith the LORD there, When I tooke your Fathers by the hand, and led them out of Egypt, saith hee they broke my Couenant, and I regarded them not, saith the LORD; marke it, but I will make another kinde of Couenant with you. Now, by the rule of contraries, these men had little knowledge, and by that meanes, they had no strength, and therefore they broke the Couenant of the LORD, and therefore the Lord regarded them not, but cast them away, as you refuse things: on the other side now, there is much knowledge, that brings men much grace, that makes them keepe the Couenant of God in a greater measure; if hee regarded not them that brake the Couenant, certainely now he will regard them that keepe the Couenant, those that are his peculiar people, the men of his delight, the men whom he loues, vponupon whom hee meanes to bestowe all his fauours, they are fauourites to the Court of heauen; this you shall hauehave, if you excell in grace, there are many other benefits, but still, I say, remember this; if thou wouldest hauehave much grace, reade the Scriptures exceeding much, make it thy chiefest study from day to day enquire into them, if thou canst liue vnderunder a good Minister, that is liuely, and powerfull, and enlightning, set a higher price vponupon him then thou hast done; if thou hast an estate, spare nothing for thy soules good: for if wisdome be better then Gold, and Siluer, why should you not part with them for it? and so by conference be doing something. Wee see, Psal. 1. …what they are that are pronounced blessed, that meditate in the Law of God day and night; it is vponupon this ground, when a man meditates, that is, when he delights in it, (he will not meditate in it else) grace will follow: for there is no man bleffed, except he hath grace, and the proposition should not bee sure, except a man doe settle himselfe to meditate day and night, it brings ability to keepe the Law; and therefore, Ios. …. 8. you shall finde it so expressed, saith the Lord to Iosuah, Let not the Law depart out of thy mouth, but meditate in it day and night, that thou maist obserue and doe it, that so thou maist make thy wayes to prosper, then thou shalt hauehave good successe. Marke, if a man be still taken vp in doing something, in the things that belong to the Kingdome of God, that hee make that the element that hee liues in, as it were, that hee make it his chiefe and principall study, that he busie himselfe about it from time to time, as much as possibly hee can get leasure, that hee preferre it before all things else, doing it both day and night, by this hee shall bee more abl… to keepe the Law, he shall be more able to obserue it, and when that is obserued, it makes way for prosperity, then God will blesse thee, and giuegive thee good successe. So much shall serue for this.
The next thing to be considered, which wee propounded, is, When the Couenant is dissolued.
You must know,When the Couenant … broken. that the Couenant is then dissolued, when that is dissolued that did make the Couenant. Looke what it is that puts a man into the Couenant of Grace at the first, when that is taken away, then the Couenant is disannulled betweene God and vsus, but till then the Couenant remaines sure. Now, what is it that makes the Couenant? Marke it, This is that that makes the Couenant, when Iesus Christ offers himselfe to vsus, and makes knowne his consent, he is the promised seede, in whom all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed; when wee againe come, and take this promised seede, and giuegive our consent, and make him our LORD, and we be subiect to him to be his; when we say to the promised seede, he shall be my God and my Gouernour, and I will be among his people, and be subiect to him; I say, when the heart giues a full consent to this, when the heart hath thus tooke the promised seede, and receiued him, and lookes for all from him, now the Couenant and Contract is made betweene them. Now, beloued, as long as this vnion continues betweene CHRIST and vsus, the Couenant is not disannulled; so that, in a word, the Couenant is neuer nullified, vntill thou hast chosen to thy selfe another husband, till thou hast taken to thy selfe another Lord. In a marriage, there may be many failings of a Wife towards her Husband, many neglects, many disobediences, many fits of passion, many offences shee may giuegive him, but till she commit adultery, the bond cōtinues sure, there is no diuorse between them; the Couenant of God still remaines betweene them, there is no dissolution of the Couenant: Beloued, so it is here, thou committest many transgressions, thou offendest God oft, thou failest much in thy seruice thou owest him, but till thou shalt commit spirituall adultery, till thou leaue him, as it were, and shalt select and choose to thy selfe another Master, another Lord, another Husband, the Couenant remaines sure betweene you, there is no dissolution of the Couenant. Beloued, this is a point exceeding full of comfort: thou must not thinke, that vponupon eueryevery sinne the Couenant is ouerthrowne betweene GOD and thee: no, the Couenant remaines sure, the bond is not vntyed as yet, though thou faile exceeding much, though thou fall into many actuall rebellions against him, yet the Couenant is not dissolued.
But you will say to me,Obiect. If this bee to breake the Couenan…, to chuse another Husband, I hope there are none of vsus that are breakers of the Couenant then, wee hauehave not chosen another GOD, we are willing enough to serue the Lord? Ans.Beloued, the rule is exceeding true, if thou deceiue not thy selfe in applying it: therfore I say this to thee, take heed▪ thou deceiue not thy selfe: it is certaine the Couenant remaines sure, notwithstanding all infirmities, as long as thy heart cleaues to thine Husband, as long as thou takest not another in his stead: therefore if thou wilt not be deceiued,Two rules to know whether we hauehave broken the Couenant. as many doe deceiue themselues, I will giuegive thee but these two rules to know it by.
The first is an immediate examination of thine owne heart,1 Rule. …ooke to thy heart. looke narrowly to this, if there bee any creature in the world, any pleasure, any profit, any matter of credit, or honour, or whatsoeuer the thing be, any delight, or sport, or inclination, or lust, wherewith thy heart commits adultery, certainely thou hast chosen another Husband, whatsoeuer thou pretendest: If there bee any sinne that thou art in league with, wherewith thou art entred into Couenant, as I may so say, thou hast broken the Couenant with thy first Husband, as you shall see an expression thereof,Iam. 4. Iam. 4. Yee adulterers and adulteresses, if you louelove the world, you louelove not GOD. That is, if there bee any thing in the world that you louelove in that manner, it is enmity to GOD, the Couenant is broken. Now, you will say, How shall wee know this? You shall know it by this, if it di…ert, and put out, and quench the louelove to your Husband. You shall see a wife oft times, her heart is stolne from her husband, she comes to be in his presence from day to day… to doe all seruice to him, she performes, it may be, eueryevery duty, as carefully, and as diligently as the best wife in the world, and yet for all this her heart is gone, here is but a shaddow of performance, she doth them, but not with louelove, and delight, she doth them not with cheerefulnesse and willingnesse, she would be free: if thou finde this thy case, that thou art so in louelove, that thy heart is stolne away with any thing in the world, with matter of estate, pleasures, or whatsoeuer it is, any outward excellency that thy heart is set vponupon, any haunt, any delight, any lust that hath dominion in thy soule, that thou hast made a league with it, so that thou commest indeede to performe holy duties from day to day, but they hauehave no taste, no relish, thou dost them not with liuelinesse and quicknesse, thou dost them as one that must doe them of necessity and preforce; but thou delightest not in thy Husband; thou comest before him, but thou delightest not in his company, thou d…lightest not in his presence, but the louelove of other things, worldly mindednesse, quencheth that delight, it is certaine thou hast commited adultery, thou hast chosen another husband.
You must know this, beloued, that a godly man that is once entred into the Couenant, though he faile exceedingly in many things, yet his delight is still in the LORD, hee desires exceedingly to please him, hee had rather be in his company, hee had rather hauehave communion with him, then with any other in the world besides; hee had rather bee doing seruice to him then to any other; he had rather be employed in any thing that …ends to him; so that if it could be, (I make that supposition) if there were such a proposition as there was in the old Law, eueryevery seuenth yeere, those that had serued an Apprentiship, that were bondslaues, they might goe free, yet we see some so loued their Masters, that they would not goe free, but would be their seruants for euer, and they were bored thorow the …are, and were their seruants: for, saith the Text, they loued their Masters, and would stay with them. Beloued, so it is in this case, take a man that commits adultery with any thing in the world, let him hauehave such a Proclamation, that hee might goe free, he would, were it not for the losse of heauen, and for going to hell, (but suppose it were free to him) hee would goe free with all his heart, he would choose another Master, and would be free from that bondage, (for so hee accounts it;) but he that loues the LORD, will not goe free if he might: for hee reckons that seruice the greatest freedome, and delight, hee had rather liue in His Family, then in any seruice in the world; it is not a seruice, but a friendship; it is a marriage, he liues as a sonne in the Family, and therfore he is willing to continue: for, beloued, as soone as a man is gotten into the Co…enant once, (this is the ground of it) there is such a disposition put into his heart, there is such a disposition grafted in him and rooted in his inward parts, that he longs after the LORD, as looke what disposition and inclination there is in the Loadstone, in lingering after the Iron, if you pull it from it a thousand times, still it lookes after it, and it cannot choose, it is the disposition of the Iron: so, such a disposition there is in the seruants of the Lord, to chuse him for their Lord, and Husband; and it is not an empty choice, that c…sists onelyonly in affection, or in the naked resolution of the mind, but it is such a choice as hath strong affections running together with it, a strong inclination carrying the soule to him, so that though he be hindered many times, and often in his life, vnruly lusts come, and make a separation betweene the LORD and him, yet he cannot abide to bee long from him; it is the Lord that hee loues, he cannot for his heart choose another Master, hee cannot choose another Husband, another Lord, another friend, but it is hee with whom he will dwell, liue, and dye: if this be thy case, know, that thy continuall failings make not a breach of the Couenant: for thou knowest that thy heart hath not chosen another Husband: for though thou be forced sometimes, through the violence of temptation to serue another, yet thy heart cleaues to thy right Master, it cleaues to him, it inclines to him, it bends that way: this is one way to finde it, looke to thy heart immediately.
If thou canst not doe it by this, if this be too obscure a rule for thee, (I will adde but this for the making of it plain) Looke to the effects.2. Rule. Looke to the effects. Thou pretendest, I hauehave not chosen another husband, I hauehave chosen the Lord for my God, and him will I serue. It is very well, it is a good profession, but take heede you bee on a sure ground. Now, saith our Sauiour, Ioh. 8. You pretend that you are the children of Abraham, that you hauehave him for your Father, and not the Deuill, but I say vntounto you, hee that committeth sinne, is the seruant of sinne: and so likewise, Know you not, that to whomsoeuer you obey, his ser…ants you are, to whom you obey? Rom. 6. And againe, 2 Pet. 2. Of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome, to that he is in bondage. Looke to it now, art thou ouercome with sinne? dost thou obey sinne, when it comes with a command vponupon thee? dost thou commit sinne? Certainely thou hast chosen another husband, thou dost but deceiue t…y selfe.
Alas▪ you will say,Obiect. is it eueryevery committing of sinne?
No,Ans. beloued, that is not the meaning of it, but take heed of this, when a sinne is drawne out as a thread in the course of thy life, now intruth thou obeyest it, now thou art ouercome of it, now it hath dominion whensoeuer it commands thee; when there is, I say, a tract of sinne, when a man is still giuen to such a way, to such an infirmity, (I cannot properly call it an infirmity) that you may say it is such a mans trade, he walkes in it, now a man obeyes sinne, he is ouercome of it, it hath gotten the victorie ouer him; as we vse to say of men, he is a worldly-minded man, goe to him when you will, you shall finde him so disposed, you shall finde him in all his carriage to shew himselfe to bee such a man, this sinne it runnes as a thread through his whole life, still he mindes earthly things, he is taken vp about them, he disrelisheth the Word, he doth not minde it, hee doth not delight to reade it, or to heare it, hee doth not louelove the company of the Saints, and the like; and so for any other sinne. If this will not serue the turne, thou maist iudge it by one sinne, but that is somewhat more difficult: I will giuegive you 3. examples, you shall see Adam, and Balaam, and Saul, you shall see eueryevery one of them in one sinne breake the Couenant, and if you can finde yours the same case, you shall know whether you hauehave broken it by one miscarriage. Take Saul first, he was commanded to goe and kill the Amalekits, and God would hauehave him destroy them vtterly; Saul goes about his Commandement, he seemes to keepe it exceeding well, and where he failed in it, he seemed to hauehave a faire excuse, saith he, I did but saue the King, the whole body of the people was destroied: again, he saued but a few of the fattest of the cattell, and for what purpose? not for his owne profit, to make him rich, but to offer sacrifice to the Lord, and he hoped there was no fayling in this. Well, saith Samuel, thou hast cast away the Lord, thou hast chosen another God. Samuel charged him with no lesse; for, saith hee, thy sinne is as witchcraft, it is as Idolatry, that is, thou hast now cast God quite away, thou hast chosen to thy selfe another Lord, another Husband to obey, How shall this be made good? The meaning is this, when a man receiues a Commandement from God, (marke it) when a man knowes it is the Lords will, that I should walke thus, and thus before him, that I should abstaine from such and such sinnes, I cannot deny but this is his Commandement; well, when a man comes to the keeping of it, & his heart finds out excuses, and saith in such and such a case, I hope I may be somewhat excused from a strict performance of it; I say, when the heart at any time deliberates, and yet that word is not sufficient to expresse it, but when the heart workes according to its owne proper inclination, and then disobeyes the Lord in any Commandement, certainely then it casts God away. Beloued, it is not such disobedience, as when a man is transported with a strong affection, a strong temptation, when he is not himselfe for a time, and his sinne be discouered, he easily returnes, and will be the same man he was; but, I say, when a man deliberately commits sinne, when a man considers himselfe well, and hee is not transported with the strength of temptation, but his heart workes at liberty, so that hee acts himselfe, in this case he doth as Saul did, hee casts God away, and God sent him word that he had cast him away.
The like was the case of Balaam, hee carried it exceeding fairely, I will not, if Balaac will giuegive me his house full of gold, curse the people: I cannot doe that which God hath not said to me, yet Balaam desired much to doe it, hee thought hee would make tryall, he would goe as farre as he could, God saw it, and found it out, and you see what iudgement was giuen vponupon him, and this was presently discouered, he gaue aduice to Balaac to put a stumbling blocke before the children of Isra…l, that is, by offering with the Moabites, and committing fornication with their women; and so, saith he, I shall be able to curse them, when they hauehave committed sinne once, then I may curse them to purpose. I say, there was the naturall, the proper inclination of Balaams heart, it was not a thing that he was drawne to; but when his heart was left to it selfe, to goe which way it would, that way it went: it is not so with a man that is in the Couenant: for grace, it still preuailes, and hath power ouer him, it is that which hath dominion and possession, it is that which is the Lord of the house, and whensoeuer he is lest simply to himselfe, that his heart workes which way it would, certainely then he pleaseth God, he cannot, he doth not sin against him. I cannot stay to presse this further, but rather come to make some vse of it; but this remember, so long as a man doth not chuse another Husband, so long the Couenant is not broken▪ though the failings be exceeding many.
The vse wee are to make of it is this,Vse. If there be this comfort, that though a mandoe commit many sinnes, yet, so long as he hath the Lord for his husband, as long as he is not willing to chuse another Master, still the Couenant is sure; Beloued, then comfort your selues with these words, and make vse of the Couenant, and apply the promises of the Couenant, say this with thy selfe, it is very true, I am sinfull, I prouoke God from day to day, yet, for all this, I am not out of the Couenant, and therefore the promises of the Couenant belong to me, and therefore, notwithstanding my sinnes, I will go boldly to the Throne of Grace, and I will lay claime to the promises, and to all the parts of the Couenant, for they belong to me. Beloued, this vse you should make of it, whē you heare the Couenant is not broken.
Now the promises of the Couenant are of 3. sorts; the promises of iustification, the promises of sanctification, and the promises of blessings of all sorts, that belong to this life, and to the life to come. This threefold vse then thou shouldst make of it, First, put the case there lies vponupon thy heart the conscience of any sinne that thou hast committed, that troubles thee, thou art afraid that this sinne should make a s…paration betweene God and thee, thou hast yet no assurance of the forgiuenes of it, but the conscience of the sinne lyes vponupon thee, as that expression you hauehave Heb. 10. Heb. 10.what wilt thou doe in such a case? Goe to the Lord, and say to him, Lord, notwithstanding this, I know I am in Couenant with thee, and Lord, this is one part of thy Couenant, that thou wilt remember our sinnes no more, but, when they are sought they shall not be found. My beloued, as you hauehave heard before, they are the very words of the Couenant. I say, if thou come to the Lord thus, and bring Christ in thine armes, (for that is the nature of …aith, faith first seizeth vponupon the dead body, as the Vul…ures and as the Eagles doe first seize vponupon the body; so faith first seizeth vponupon Christ) I say, if thou canst go to him, and say, Lord, I hauehave thy Sonne, he hath offered himselfe to me, he is freely offered, and I hauehave tooke him, and all thy promises in him are Yea and Amen, and this is one of thy promises, that thou wilt forgiue me: if one plead the Couenant hard with God, and tell him it is a part of his Couenant, and he must be iust, hee cannot be a Couenant-breaker; doe you thinke that God will breake his Couenant with thee, or any man? he cannot deny thee, he will put away thy sins: strengthen thy selfe with this: for this Couenant is continuall, the Mediator of this Couenant is Iesus Christ, who is such an High Priest that is able perfectly to saue those that come vntounto him, when a man hath commit…ed the greatest sinne, and sees but the blood of Buls and Goates, he might thinke thus with himselfe, alas, what can this poore and beggerly Ceremony doe, to deliuer me from the conscience of my sinne? Well, saith the Apostle, we hauehave another kind of Sacrifice, and another kinde of Priest,Heb. 7. Heb. 7. We hauehave such an High Priest, as is able perfectly to saue those that come to him: And why? For, saith he, he is gone, not into the Tabernacle, as the other Priests, but he is entred into the very heauens. Besides, saith he, he goes not once a yeere, as they did, but he liues for euer to make intercession for vsus, hee is not gone with the blood of Buls and Goates, but with his owne blood, he is a High Priest, holy, harmlesse, vndefiled, separated from sinners, higher then the heauens, and therefore doubt not but hee is able perfectly to saue those that come vntounto him.
Beloued, consider this, it is the very Vse that the Apostle makes, Heb. 10. 22.Heb. 10. 28. saith he, seeing these things are so, since we hauehave such an High Priest as we hauehave described, since it is the very Sacrifice of his blood it selfe, let vsus draw neere in the assurance of faith; that is, if the conscience of any sinne lye vponupon vsus, let vsus not goe to God with a quarter wind, or w…th a halfe wind, but with a full assurance of faith, let vsus make no question, but trust perfectly to the grace that is reuealed. You must thinke so of Iesus Christ, hee would hauehave you thinke so, and conceiue of him, that he is now in heauen, that he is able perfectly to sau… you, that there is nothing you hauehave committed, that can doe you hurt; he is like a friend in the Court; if a man were sure that hee had one that were neuer from the King, that hath his eare continually, that is alway in his presence, that is such a Fauourite, of such power with him, that certainely he can deny him nothing, a man would be secure: put the case there were some whispering fellows that would be ready to informe against him, yet, saith hee, I hauehave one there, that will be ready to take care for me. My beloued, this is thy very case. Christ Iesus is gone to Heauen, it is a thousand times better for thee, that he should be there, then that he should be here in this world still, there he is thy Attorney, as it were, he takes care of thee, hee sees all the accusations that are brought against thee, and he is ready to answer for thee, saith the Text, he makes intercession, if there come any thing that tends to make a breach between God and thee, he is the Mediator for thee, he dwels there for that end, if there be any offence, any breach comes, that he may make it vp betweene God and thee; consider this, and when thou hast committed a sin, go to this high Priest, that is able to saue thee perfectly, and remember that it is a part of his Couenant, and so labour to grow vp in full assurance of faith, that no conscience of sinne may lye vponupon thee, to make a separation betweene God and thee: for, beloued, you ought to trust perfectly to the grace that is reuealed through him.
And as I say for sinne, so in the second place you are to make vse of the Couenant, as put the case there bee some strong lust, some violent temptation, that thou art not able to outwrestle, it is too strong for thee, thou wouldest faine be rid of it, but thou art not able, why what shalt thou doe in this case? remember that it is a part of the Lords Couenant, that he will deliuer thee from all thine enemies, that thou maist serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of thy life. It is a part of his Couenant to remember it, he hath sworne to remember it, he hath said he will write his Law in thy heart, and that can neuer be, without he obliterate all old writing, he hath said he will giuegive the Holy Ghost, he hath promised to giuegive thee a new heart, and a new spirit▪ now consider this, it is a part of his Couenant, goe to the Lord, and beseech him to make good his Couenant, this is the way for thee to ouercome it; if thou go about it any other way, thou shalt neuer be able to out-wrestle it. Beloued, for a man to thinke thus with himselfe, to say, I hauehave receiued grace, I hope I hauehave some strength, therefore I will be bold to venture vponupon such a temptation; or, at least, I hope by my promises, by my vowes, & prayers, and reading, one way one way or other to master it, and ouercome it, this is not the way; thou must goe to GOD, and make vse of this Couenant, and beseech him to giuegive thee strength: for, marke it, GOD would not take this vponupon him, to giuegive vsus new hearts, and new spirits, to sanctifie vsus, to make vsus new creatures, to crucifie the flesh, to weaken the dominion of sinne, hee would not take this vponupon him, and make a promise, if wee were able to doe it: but hee knowes it is in his owne power, and he must doe it for vsus; and therefore in such a case we must goe to him, and beseech him to doe it: for know this, when a man is in CHRIST once, when he is in the Couenant, he liues by a principle without himselfe, and not by one within himselfe, as Paul saith, I liue by Iesus Christ, that is, he is without me, and it is he still that giues me strength, therfore goe to him.
If you aske the reason, why will the LORD hauehave it so? why may not a man hauehave a sufficient habituall strength in himselfe, by which he may be able to out-wrestle lusts, and to ouercome temptations? The reason is, because no flesh shall reioyce in it selfe; and therefore Christ is made sanctification; that is, you deriue it from him, from day to day, from time to time, that you might not reioyce in your selues, but in him: therfore let no man goe about such a businesse in his own strength: for a man to thinke, beloued, by vertue of that habituall grace hee hath receiued, to be able to ouercome sinne, and to worke righteousnes, it is all one as if a man should say thus with himselfe, I see my house is full of light, now I will shut vp my doores and windowes, I hope to hauehave light enough; when he hath done so, you know, the light perisheth presently, because the Sun is shut out, that which giues light: I say, so it is, when a man thinks, now I am some body, I hauehave now gotten some strength, now, I hope, I may walke with some confidence more then before; this is to shut vp the windowes, as it were. No, thou must hauehave continuall dependence vponupon Christ, otherwise, if thou goe to ouercome any sin, and thinke to doe it with thy owne strength, it shall be too strong for thee: for you wrestle with spirituall things, and without a strength from one without thee, they will be too strong for thee: goe to the Lord, and say, Lord, I confesse, I am able to doe nothing of my selfe, but I bring my heart to thee, as an empty Caske, beseeching thee to fill it with grace; Lord, I want much grace, Iesus Christ is full of grace, and hath filled himselfe for that purpose, that he might communicate it to vsus: I say, in such a case, now, if thou goe to the Lord, and beseech him to make good his Couenant, tell him thou restest vponupon his strength, thou goest against sinne, as Iosuah went against the Ca…ites, not because he was able to ouercome them: for they were Giants, and had cities walled vp to heauen; but hee went in the Lords strength; I say, if a man goe in this manner, bee assured that the Lord will not faile thee, he will giuegive thee ability to ouercome.
The third case is, when any outward trouble lyes vponupon a man, let him goe and remember it is a part of Gods Couenant to blesse him, To blesse him with what? Withall kind of blessings, and to be a Buckler to him; there is no euill in the world, but God hath promised to bee a Buckler to shield him, and to defend him from it: put the case thou lye vnderunder any pressure, any calamity, any crosse, any disease, any affliction of minde, or of body, or estate, or of name, why goe to God now, and tell him it is a part of his Couenant to deliuer thee, and labour to find out, if thou canst, beside the generall Couenant, some particular. The Lord hath said, if thou bee in trouble, call vponupon mee, and I will deliuer thee; if thou be in a strait, in extremity, the Lord hath said he will worke thy workes for thee, and so yo… may goe to him in particulars. But when fait… hath once gotten a promise, be sure that thou keepe thy hold, pleade hard with the Lord, and tell him it is a part of his Couenant, and it is impossible that he should deny thee; doe as the woman of Canaan, when thou art on a sure ground, take no denyall, though the Lord may deferre long, yet he will doe it, he cannot chuse; for it is a part of his Couenant. Beloued, therefore in this case, doe, as you see two Metaphors vsed in Scripture, they are excellent for this purpose, Esay 66. 11. there is a Commandement of the Lord for the children of Israel, that they should sucke, and be satisfied with the brests of consolation, &c. the words are obscure, as they are read to you, but the Originall makes them exceeding cleere; there are two Metaphors vsed, one is to milke consolation out of the promises, the meaning is this, that the promises are full of comfort, as a dugge is full of milke; now, if thou be ready to faint, goe and milke out consolation out of the promises, that will relieue thee, that will stay thy heart; goe, saith he, and sucke, draw out consolation from the dugges, from the promises, (for that is the meaning) which he cals the brests of consolation (for hee repeates the promise presently after,) thus saith the Lord, behold, I will extend peace ouer her like a Flood, &c. The other Metaphor is to extor…, to oppresse the promises, that, as a rich man oppresseth a poore man, and gets out of him all that he is worth, he leaues him worth nothing, he playes the extortioner with him; after that manner deale thou with the promises, for they are rich, there is a price in them, be thou as an extortioner to them, take out whatsoeuer thou needest, or wring it out of the promises, as it were. Now when a man is poore and needy, let him goe to the rich promises, and bee as an oppressor to them, that is, consider the promises to the vtmost, see the vtmost riches that is contained in them, and they will make thee rich againe; draw out the vtmost of that milke that is in them, and it will exceedingly reuiue & comfort thee: for example, (that I may a little open it to you) Iacob, when Esau met him, and his heart began to faint, (for, saith the Text, he feared exceedingly) his heart began to faile him now, and what did he? he did goe and sucke consolation out of the promises: for thus he reasons with the Lord, Lord, thou hast said thou wilt doe me good; now hee stayes himsel…e vp with this, and hee got so much strength with this milke, that hee was able to wrestle with the Lord all night, and would not let him go without a blessing; this promise sustained him, from whence he sucked consolation and strength for thou hast said thou wilt doe me good, therfore I am resolued, I am sure I am vponupon good ground▪ I will not let thee go without a blessing. And so Abraham, when he was to offer his onelyonly sonne, what should he doe now? here he was dessolate, poore, and needy, certainely his heart could not but be ready to faile, & what should sustaine him in this case? there was a promise, you see,Heb. 11. Heb. 11. he was sure God had made a promise, and hae said vntounto him, this is Isaac, and this Isaac I will multiply, and with him I will establish my Couenant, and his seede shall be as the Stars of heauen; saith Abraham, God promised it, and though I should kill him, God can put a new life into him; he went, you know how farre from his house where hee dwelt▪ surely he sustained himselfe by the promise, he rested vponupon this promise, he drew consolation from it, and he drew it to the full, there was much milke in that promise, and that sustained and comforted him. I might giuegive you many instances. So Dauid, when hee comforted himselfe at Ziglag, what was it that he comforted himselfe in? Surely Dauid remembred this, the Lord hath annoynted me King ouer Israel, he hath said that I shall be King, and shall sit in the Throne of Saul; it is true, I hauehave lost all that I hauehave, and the Souldiers that should bee my strength, are now at this instant ready to stone me; yet he remembred this promise, and comforted himselfe in the Lord, that is, in the promise that the Lord had made to him, whereof this was the maine that he had to comfort himselfe with.
Beloued, learne to doe this when you are in any strait, if there be any thing that you need, remember this, if thou can but get a promise, if faith can but get this footing, the LORD hath made it a part of his Couenant, and there is his hand and seale to it, the Sacrament that thou receiuest from time to time, is but a seale of that Couenant, and if he seeme to forget it for a time, …e will remember it, hee cannot forget it long, be assured he will performe it, it is impossible but he should, let not your hearts faile, if thou hauehave a promise, he will doe it in due season, although not in thy season, yet he will doe it in the best manner, though not in that manner and fashion that thou imaginest.
Beloued, one thing more we should hauehave added, that is, to exhort men to enter into Couenant; this I should hauehave pressed to you, the miserable condition of a man that is without it, and the happines of the man that is within it, with this we…should hauehave concluded the point. Beloued, consider this, in what a miserable condition men are without the Couenant; it is enough that is said,Eph. 2. Eph. 2. without God in the world, and without the Couenant, they are put together, they are aliens and strangers from the Couenant, without the Couenant, without God in the world: is it a small thing to be without God, and without the Couenant? when thou con…iderest this Booke, and the many precious promises in it, that we spake of before, and thou hast not right to one of these promises, if thou be without the Couenant; when thou art in a straite, if thou be a stranger to God if thou be out of the Couenant with him, what wilt thou do? whither wilt thou goe? we are subiect to 1000. straits; you know what a weake creature man is, what neede hee hath of assistance; What wilt thou doe in the time of extremity? thou canst not goe to GOD, thou art not in the Couenant with him, but thy case is as that of Zedekiahs, Micaiah tels him, thou shalt goe from chamber to chamber; so thou shalt goe from place to place, GOD will not receiue thee: for thou art not in Couenant with him. But is that all, that thou shalt want the comfort of God? No, know, if thou be not in Couenant with GOD, he is thine enemy: if thou come neere to him for refuge and comfort, he will be to thee as a deuouring fire, and when thou commest to him, thou shalt bee as soft wax to the scorching flame, as stubble to the fire; and not only so, but thou shalt come to euerlasting burnings, such fire as shall neuer goe out; such the Lord shall be to thee, if thou be not in the Couenant with him. You will say to me, this is to come, if it may be well for the present, I shall beare it the better, I will goe one step further therfore. If thou be out of Couenant with GOD, all the creatures are at enmity with thee, there is neuer a creature in heauē or earth, but it hath liberty to do thee hurt: for if thou be out of League with GOD, thou art out of the protection of the Law, if any creature doe thee mischiefe, it shall neuer be required at his hands, but there is a liberty giuen them, Satan may hurt thee, men may hurt thee, beasts may hurt thee, all the insensible creatures may hurt thee; for there is no prohibition. Besides, thou hast no Shield, nor Buckler to defend thee from them: for thou art not in Couenant with GOD, he is no Buckler to thee: all this is the case of eueryevery man that is out of the Couenant; and this is not a small thing, to be out of the pales of Gods protection, to hauehave eueryevery creat…re ready to do a man a shewd turne, and he to hauehave no immunity, nothing to deliuer him; it is not so with the Saints, all the creatures are at peace with them.
To draw this a little neerer, if there bee any thing in the body, or out of the body, that troubles vsus, if there be imaginations in the minde, that be to the soule, as the Gout is to the body, if thou be in Couenant with God, all these are at peace with thee: for all these are at Gods command, it is a part of his Couenant; when thou art in Couenant and League with him, thou art in League with them, and therefore they shall neuer doe thee hurt. Bee assured of that, when thou art within the Couenant, there is no creature in heauen or earth can doe thee hurt: for thou art at peace with it, it is not an enemy, and that which is not an enemy, it neuer doth hurt; but if thou be not in Couenant with God, now these hauehave a power to hurt thee, there is no prohibition vponupon them, there is no restraint, but they may doe thee hurt, they are enemies to thee, both those things, and whatsoeuer else is in heauen or Earth; Satan, and eueryevery creature hath power to doe thee hurt: when thou walkest in the way, when thou sittest in thy house, wheresoeuer thou art, thou walkest in thee middest of 1000. dangers, because thou art not in Couenant with God, therefore thou art exposed to the enmity of all the creatures.
But this obiection will be made,Obiect. Yea, but many or those that are within the Couenant, receiue hu…t from the creatures, & many of those that are out of the Couenant, liue peaceable and quiet liues?
I will answer it in a word;Ans. It is very true, they may be exercised, though all the host of heauen and earth be at peace with them, and there is not any creature can doe them the least hurt; no, they neither will, nor can goe about it, to lift vp their hand against them; yet they may be exercised with many afflictions, but there is a very great difference betweene these two, the same disease, the same griefe, the same apprehension, lyes on the heart, and wounds the spirits of the one man, but to the other that is in Couenant, it is a rod in the hand of a father, enabling him to keepe his Couenant the better, it is as a Medicine in the hand of a Physician, to heale him, to comfort him, to doe him good; that very disease to another is as a sword in the hand of an enemy, as poyson in the hand of the destroyer to hurt him. As, for example, the Deuill had power to vexe Saul, and to vexe Iob, here was the same instrument, the Deuill had power ouer both, but there was a great deale of difference, you know, he had power ouer Saul as an enemy, he had power ouer Iob as a friend: and so likewise Iudas had a messenger of Satan, to fill his h…art, and Paul had a messenger of Satan too, to sollicite him, and to trouble him, and to ioine with his lusts, to make them as pricks in his sides, but there is much difference; to the one he had a restraint, the Lord saith to the De…ill, What hast thou to doe with Iob? thou shalt …oe thus far, and no further, thou shalt not hurt …ob To Paul there was a restraint too, thou shalt goe th…s far, for what purpose▪ as there was a restraint, so there was another end likewise, so far it shall goe, as till it hath humbled him; Iob and Paul were humbled by it, a iot further it cannot goe: for the deuill in truth, though hee be hostile to them in affection, yet cannot hurt them in action, because God only vseth him to doe them good, and to humble them; Iob was the better, and Paul was an exceeding gainer by it, but Saul and Iudas were great Iosets; so there is a great difference betweene these two. The Shepheard sets his Dog vponupon the Sheep to bring them in, another man sets his Mastiffe on another creature to worry it, and to destroy it; the Lord sets the creature vponupon his own seruants, but as the Shepheard sends out his Dogge, to bring them in; as soone as they are brought in, he rates the Dog, and will not suffer him to doe them the least hurt. A man will not hauehave his seruants, nor children, nor his friends hurt, but he will rate the Dog when he fals vponupon them; so the Lord doth with eueryevery creature whatsoeuer, when it comes to hurt them, he rebuker it, as he did the stormes and winds: on the other side, when a man is out of Co…enant with GOD, then God vnlooseth the coller of the creature, as it were, and sets him vponupon such a man, and saith vntounto him, go & worry such a man, wound him, be an enemy to him, hurt him. This obiection is so to be answered, that those that are within the Couenant, they are often molested and troubled, the creatures seeme to hurt them, though they be in League and at peace with them, and can doe them no hurt.
Secondly it is obiected,Obiect. that others that are out of the Couenant, they liue in peace?
Beloued,Ans. I beseech you, consider this, and it is profitable to cōsider, that he that belongs not to the Couenant, he may liue in his fathers house, he may sit at Table with the children, he may hauehave the same maintenance, the same clothing, the same vsage, the same liberty, the same priuiledges of the family as the children hauehave, and yet for all this, this is one that belongs not to the Couenant, but one whom God intends to cast out. Ismael, you know, liued in the family, as well as Isaac, and was as well vsed as Isaac, till the time came that God would cast him out; and therefore deceiue not thy selfe with out ward peace, to say, God and the creature are at peace with me; for I hauehave prosperity in all that I doe. No, it may be, the time of casting out is not yet come, but in due time, when the right season shal come, then Ismael shall bee cast out, and eueryevery one with whom the Couenant indeed is not established. Caine remained for a time, but he was cast out, and made a Vagabond vponupon the earth. Saul remained for a time in the house, but in due season God cast him off: so, I say, God may nourish, and cherish, and defend thee, as if thou wert one of his owne children, but he will cast thee off in the end. We hauehave a notable example for it, in his dealing with the children of Israel, they were such as belonged not to the Couenant, a great part of them, and yet see how he vsed those very men;Deut. 32. Deut. 32. it is said, hee carried them on Eagles wings; that is the expression, that is, the Lord carried them so safely as the Eagle carries her yong on the top of her wings, that no Fowle can reach them, but she is aboue all Fowles, and stronger then all Fowles, and flyes higher, and so they were safe as on Eagles wings, nothing could reach them; After that manner I carried you out of Egypt, I kept you so safe: besides, I did not onelyonly defend you, but fed you with the finest Wheat, with the purest Oyle, with the liquor of the Grape; and yet notwithstanding all this, these men were such as God hated, such as were not in League, as belonged not to the Couenant: deceiue not thy selfe, God may doe all this, and yet cast thee out; he may feed the with riches in abundance, and yet if thou be not a sonne, if the Couenant be not established with thee, thou shalt be cast out; the sonne abides for euer, but hee with whom the Couenant is not made, though he may continue in the Family for a while, hee shall not abide long, but shall be cast forth.
FINIS.