The New Covenant, Part 1 · Sermon 10
THE TENTH SERMON.
G…NESIS 17. 1, 2.
Walke before mee, and be thou perfect. And I will make my Couenant betwenne me and thee.
I Will not repeate what hath beene deliuered, but come to that which remaines, and so proceede to the second Verse.Last effect of sincerite, To see God. The last effect therefore of this sincerity, or integritie of heart, is that which wee finde expressed,Mat. 5. 8. Mat. 5. 8. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. That is, this ariseth alway as an inseparable effect of purenesse of heart, that it is able to see God; to see him heere, and it shall see him face to face hereafter. When the heart is yet vnsound and impure, it is not able to see him; but when a mans spirit is cleansed from that drosse, from that corruption, a man is growne pure, and entire, and faithfull, he is able then to see God, that before hee could not doe; that is, he is able to see God in his attributes,1. In his attributes. as Moses saw him that was inuisible; that is, he saw in him more then he could see in Pharoah, he saw him in his power to recompence him; he saw him in his wrath, and fearefulnesse, if he had disobeyed him; he saw him in his goodnesse and mercy, and therefore hee chose him rather then Pharoah, or his fauour.
Againe,2. In his works of prouidence. they are able to see him in his works, as Iacob did; it is said of him, hee was a plaine man, and he was able to see the LORD, he was able to see him in the workes of his prouidence, he was able to see him when he got the goods of Laban; saith hee, God hath tooke the goods from your Father, and hath giuen them to me; it is his speech to his wiues: hee did see him, when he met with Esau, (saith the Text) he saw the face of God, when hee saw the face of Esau; he saw him in his cattell, and in his children that he had gotten: these are the cattell, and these are the wiues, and the children, and the bands, that God of his goodnesse hath giuen mee: hee was able to see God in all these; hee saw him in all his workes of prouidence and goodnesse: so likewise in all his chastisements. Dauid saw God in the cursing of Shimei; It is the LORD that hath bid him doe it: And so Iob, hee saw God, it is he that hath giuen, and he that hath taken away, he ouerlooked those that were the im…mediate instruments.
Thirdly,3. In his guidance and direction. they see him in his guidance and direction, they are able to see the fiery cloudy Piller, which way they are led by him; they are able to see which way he would hauehave them goe, vponupon all occasions, when others walke in darknesse, and they see not the way that God would leade them.
Lastly,4. In his Ordinances. they see him in his ordinances, they see God in the preaching of the Word, they receiue it not as the word of man, but, as it is indeed, the word of God: they see him in the Sacraments, for they are able to discerne the Lords body, that is, they able to see Christ crucisied, to esteeme him, and to set that price vponupon him as they ought, and so they come prepared; this they are able to doe, because they are pure: but when the heart is yet vnsound and impure, they are not able to see God cleerely; a sight and a knowledge they hauehave, but it is another kinde of knowledge. So much shall serue for that point.
And I will make my Couenant, &c.
These words containe a further and a greater fauour expressed to Abraham, then the former words doe: it was a great merc… to him, to expresse thus much to him, I am al-sufficient, I am able to helpe thee, I am thy exceeding great reward, I am able to be a Sunne▪ and a Shield vntounto thee, to fill thee with all comfort, and to deliuer thee from all euill: but yet this which is heere added, is a mercy of a much higher nature, (saith the Lord) I will make my Couenant betweene mee and thee; that is, I will not onelyonly tell thee what I am able to doe, I will not onelyonly expresse to thee in generall, that I will deale well with thee, that I hauehave a willingnesse and ability to recompence thee, if thou walke before me, and serue mee, and bee perfect; but I am willing to enter into Couenant with thee, that is, I will binde my selfe, I will ingage my selfe, I will enter into bond, as it were, I will not be at li…erty any more, but I am willing euen to make a Couenant, a compact and agreement with thee.Gen. 17. 7. I will make my▪ Couenant betweene mee and thee: that is the generall. You shall finde it expressed more at large, Vers. 7. Moreouer I will establish my Couenant betweene mee and thee, and thy seed after thee, in their generations, for an euerlasting Couenant, to be a GOD to thee, and to thy seed after thee: that is, as if hee should say, First, I am not onelyonly willing, to make it with thee, but with thy seed.
Secondly, I will not make a temporary Couenant, but an euerlasting Couenant, there shall be a mutuall ingagement betweene vsus, and it shall continue for euer, both to thy selfe and to thy posterity: in particular, it is added I will multiply thee exceedingly, that is but a branch of the Couenant, I will make thee a Father of many Nations, thou shalt hauehave a Sonne, and his children shall grow in number as the starres of heauen, and as the dust of the earth; that is but a particular: whence, this is the point that wee hauehave to obserue, that God enters into Couenant with all those that are faithfull.Doct.
For it was not with Abra…am, as he was Abraham, but as hee was a faithfull man; and therfore all the faithfull are reckoned to be the seede of Abraham. For the opening of this to you, which is one of the maine points in Diuinity, I will shew you these fiue things:
First, what this Couenant is.
Secondly, with whom it is made.
Thirdly, how we shall know whether we bee in the Couenant or no.
Fourthly, what the breach of this Couenant is.
Lastly, the reasons why God is willing to make a Couenant with men.
1. What this Couenant is. Twofold Couenant, 1. of workes, 2. of grace.You must know that there is a double Couenant, there is a Couenant of workes, and a Couenant of grace: The Couenant of workes runnes in these termes, Doe this, and thou shalt liue, and I will be thy GOD. This is the Couenant that was made with Adam, and the Couenant that is expressed by Moses in the Morall Law, Doe this, and line. The second is the Couenant of Grace, and tha… …unnes in these termes▪ Thou shalt b…leeue, thou shalt take my Sonne for thy Lord, and thy Sauioar, and …hou shalt likewise receiue the gift of righteousnesse, which was wrought by him, for an absolution of thy sinues, for a reconci. liation with me, and thereupon thou shalt grow vp into louelove, and obedience towards me, then I will be thy God, and thou shalt be my people. This is the Couenant of grace, Thou shalt beleeue, and take my Sonne, and accept of the gift of righteousnes, A threesold difference between them.and I will be thy God. The difference between them you shall find, 2 Cor. 3. where you shall see 3. differences, to reduce them to those heads, I will not trouble you with particular places, lest I stay too long vponupon them.
The first Couenant was a Ministration of the Letter; 1. Difference.that is, in the first Couenant, there was no more heard nor seene, but the naked Commandement, it was written in Tables of stone, and presented to them, there went; with it no aptnesse, no disposition to keepe it; they heard what the Law was, they saw what God required, but there was no more and those that were decla…ers of it, were but the Ministeri of the letter, and not of the Spirit.
Secondly,2. Difference. this Couenant, it brings onelyonly a seruile feare, and an enmitie; for when a man lookes vponupon the Author of this Couenant, & he heares no more but the Law, and what it requires; he lookes vponupon God as a hard Master, as an enemy; againe, he lookes vponupon his Law as a hard and cruell Law, as a heauy yoke, as an vnsupportable bondage, and therefore he hates i…, and wishes there were no such law; he runs from it, as a Bond-slaue runnes from his master, as far as it is in his power. This is that which is said Gal. 4.Gal. 4. 24. Hagar gendreth to bondage: that is, the Couenant of workes it begets bond-men and slaues, and not sonnes, and freemen: and likewise that, Heb. 12. 18.Heb. 12. 18. saith the Apostle, You are not come to Mount Sinai, to the burning of fire, to clouds, to darknesse, and tempest, to the sound of a Trumpet, so that Moses himselfe did quake and tremble. That is, when a man lookes vponupon this Couenant of workes, it causeth in him a feare, and an enmitie: that is the 2. difference.
The third is,3. Difference. That it is a ministration of death, as it is called, 2 Cor. 3. a ministration of death, that is, it propounds a curse to all those that doe not keepe it, and it shewes no meanes to auoyd it; and therefore a man is affected to it, and to God the Author of it, as one is to an enemy that seekes his destruction; and therefore the ministratiō of it is said to be the ministratiō of death. The reason of all this is, not because there is any ill in the Law, it is a ministration of the letter, it begets feare & emity, it is a ministratiō of death; I say this ariseth not frō hence, that the Law of God is a cruell deadly Law: for the Law is good, but it ariseth from the weaknes and the infirmity of the flesh: As for example, if you would take a Pot…ers vessell, and dash it against a firme wall; the reason why the wall is the destruction of the vessell, is not any infirmity or weaknesse in the wall, for it is the excellencie and vertue of the wall to bee hard, it should bee so; but it is the weaknesse, and fragility, and brit…lenesse of the Vessell, and thence comes it to bee broken asu…der: and so in this case, the reason why this Law, or Couenant of workes (is a ministration of death, and of enmity, is not because there is any imperfection in the Law, it ariseth rather from the perfection of it, but) is from the weaknesse of the flesh, that is not able to keepe the Law; it is the excellencie of the Law, that it is so perfect, that a man is not able to keepe it; and so it ariseth from the weaknesse and in…irmity of the flesh, that is not able to obserue this Law.
Now, on the other side, as this is the Couenant of workes, so you shall finde that the Couenant of grace,
First, is a ministration of the Spirit, and not of the letter.
Secondly, a ministration of louelove, not of enmity; of freedome, not of bondage; it is a ministration of righteousnesse, as it is there called the ministration of righteousnesse; for if the ministration of condemnation were glorious, much more shall the ministration of righteonsnesse exceed in glory.
Thirdly, a ministration of life and iustification, and not a ministration of death and condemnation. The ground of this, and how it is thus, we shall shew shew you, by expressing to you, he order how these depend, and follow one vponupon the other: when a man hath looked vponupon the Couenant of workes, and sees death in it, sees a strict Law that hee is not able to keepe; then come… the Couenant of grace, and shewes to him a righteousnesse to satisfie this Law, that himselfe neuer wrought, shewes him a way of obtaining pardon and remission for the sinnes that hee hath committed against this Law, by the death and satisfaction of another; when he sees this, hee sees withall the goodnesse and merciemercy of GOD, giuing this to him, for his saluation, out of his free grace and merciemercy; when he sees this, the opinion of a sinner is changed: marke; I say, his opinion, his disposition and affection is altered, he lookes not vponupon God now as vponupon a hard and cruell Master, but he lookes vponupon him now as a God exceeding full of mercy and compassion; whence this followes, that his heart melts towards the Lord, it relents, it comes to be a soft heart, that is easie and tractable, it is not haled now to the Commandement, but out of an ingenuity and willingnesse, he comes and serues the LORD with alac…ity and cheerefuln…sse: this disposition is wrought vponupon him, because now hee sees another way, his apprehension is altered, euen as a seruant, when it is reuealed to him that he is a sonne, and that those hard taskes that are laid on him, are the best way to leade him to happinesse, they are but rules of direction, for his owne wealth, and for his owne aduantage, he doth them now with all willingnesse, the case is altered, hee lookes not now vponupon the Law of GOD as an enemy, or as a hard bondage, but he lookes vponupon all the Law of God, as a wholsome and profitable rule of direction, that hee is willing to keepe for his owne comfort: now when the heart is thus softned, then the Spirit of God is sent into his heart, and writes th… Law of GOD in his inward parts, as you shall see, if you compare these two places together, Heb. 8. 8, 9, 10.Heb. 8. 8, 9, 10. Behold, saith the Lord, I will make a new Couenant, and this is the Testament that I will make with the House of Israel: After those dayes, saith the Lord, I will put my Lawes into their mindes, and in their hearts will I write them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people: If you compare it with that 2 Cor. 3. 2, 3. You are our Epistle written in our hearts, which is vnderstood and read of all men, in that you are manifest to bee the Epistle of Christ, manifested by vsus, and written, not with inke, but with the Spirit of the liuing God, not in Tables of stone, but in the fleshy Tables of the heart. The meaning of it is this, when the heart is once softned,The Metaphor of writing the Law in mans heart, explained 3. wayes. God sends his Spirit to write his Lawes in the heart: which Me…aphor will bee expressed to you in these three things:
First, the meaning of it is this, looke what there is in the outward Law, as it is written and laid before you, there shall be a disposition put into their heart, that shall answer it in all things, there shall be a writing within, answerable to the writing without, that, euen as you see in a seale, when you hauehave put the seale vponupon the wax, and take it away againe, you finde in the wax the same impression that was vponupon the seale; you shall see in it, stampe answering to stampe, character to character, print to print; so it is in the hearts of the faithfull, after they are once thus sof…ned, the Spirit of God writes the Law in their hearts, so that there is a Law within, answerable to the Law without, that is, an inward aptnesse, answering eueryevery particular of the Law, an inward disposition, whereby a man is inclined to keepe the Law in all points; which Law within, is called the law of the mind: therefore, if you adde to this, that Rom. 7. I see a law in my members, rebelling against the law of my minde, so there is a Law in the mind within, answerable to the Law of GOD without; it answers it, as Lead answers the mould, after it is cast into it; it answers it, as Tallie answers to Tallie, as Indenture answers to Indenture, so it agrees with it in all things; that is, there is an aptnesse put into the minde, that it is able, and willing, and disposed in some measure to keepe eueryevery Commandement, that answereth to all the particular Commandements of the Law of GOD; this is to hauehave the Law of GOD written in the minde: and this is that which is first meant by it, there is a Law within, answerable to the Law without in all things.
The 2. thing meant by it is, that it is not only put into the mind, as acquisite habits are, but it is so ingrasted as any naturall disposition is, it is so rooted in the heart, it is so riuetted in, as when letters are ingraued in Marble, you know, they continue there, they are not easily worne out, and that is meant by it, I will plant my Law in thy heart, it shall neuer out againe, there I will write it, there it shall continue: so that is the second thing that is meant by it, it shall bee naturall to you; for that is meant by this, when it is said, it shall bee printed, it shall be grauen and written in the heart; and likewise it shall be perpetuall, it shall neuer weare out againe, as things that are written in the dust, but it shall be written so as it shall neuer againe be obliterated.
The third thing to be expressed, is the manner of the writing of it; the Apostle here compares himselfe and all other Ministers to the pen, but it is Christ that writes the Epistle, the Epistle is his, for these workes he doth in it, it is he that takes the pen, it is he that handles it, and vseth it, it is he that puts inke into the pen, it is he that applyes it; so that though the Minister be the immediate writer of these Lawes in the heart, yet the inke is the Holy Ghost, and it comes originally from Christ; and besides, they are not left to themselues, but the LORD must concurre with them immediately; we are but coeworkers with him, he holds our hands, as it were, when we write the Epistle in any mans heart, it is hee that guides the penne, it is hee that puts inke into it, it comes originally from him, and therefore the Epistle is his. Besides, this is further to bee considered in this Metaphor, that God will write his Lawes in our hearts, that we may see these Lawes, wee may reade them, and vnderstand them: for when a thing is written, God may see it, and man may see it; a man himselfe may see it, and others also may reade it: God sees it himselfe, for he hath written it: man sees it, for hee is able to see the Law in his minde, he is able to see that habituall disposition that is infused into him: and others are able to see it; for, saith he, you are our Epistle, euident to all men; that is, they see the fruits and effects of it, as you may see letters grauen in stone, so they see this Law written in your hearts. So, beloued, you see now what this Couenant of Grace is, and how it differs from the Couenant of Workes; it is the ministration, not of the letter, but of the Spirit, because it doth not onelyonly present the o…tward letter of the Commandement, but there is a Law written within, and that is done by vertue of the Spirit. So that the order is this; first, it reueales righteousnesse; secondly, it softens the heart, it is the ministration of the Spirit; and thirdly, it is a ministration of louelove, it is a ministration of freedome, and not of bondage and enmity: for when the Law is thus written, a man is not haled to it, he comes not to it as a bond-slaue, to doe his worke, but hee comes willingly, he finds he hath some ability to doe it, he findes a delight in it, as Paul saith, I delight in the Law of God according to the inward man. So you …ee the difference betweene the Couenant of Grace, and the Couenant of Workes. Now this Couenant of Grace is two…old,Couenant of Grace twofold it is eyther the Old Testament or the New: they both agree in substance, they differ onelyonly in the manner of the administration; that, which is called the New Testament, Heb. 7. 8▪ 9. which is opposed to the Old Testament, for substance, is the same Couenant, they are both the Couenant of Grace, onelyonly they differ in the manner; and you shall finde these 6.Six differences between them. differences between them.
First, the New Testament, or the New Couenant, is larger then the Old, it extends to the Gentiles, whereas the first was confined onelyonly …o the Iewes, it was only kept within the walles of that people, and extended no further.
Secondly, the Old was expressed in types, and shaddowes, and figures; as for example, they had the blood of Bulls and Goats, they had the washings of the body in cleane water, they had offering of Incense, &c. by which things other things are meant, as, namely, the d…a…h of Christ, and that satisfaction he gaue to his Father by his death, and likewise the inward sanctificatiō of the Spirit, signified by the washing of water, and also the workes and the prayers of the Saints, that are sweet as Incense: now (saith the Text, Gal. 4.)Gal. 4. these were clements, and rudiments that God vsed to them as children; that is, as children hauehave their A, B, C, …heir first elements, so GOD did shew to the …ew…s …hese spirituall mysteries, not in themselues, but in these types and shaddowes they were able to see thē from day to day: for therin was their weaknesse, they were not so able as to conceiue spirituall things without a mediate view; they saw the blood shed, and againe, they saw the washings, and the rites, these were in their eye; whereas now in the time of the Gospell, these things are taught to vsus, these we comprehend in our minds, wee serue the Lord in spirit and in truth, but there is not that visible sight, that was a helpe to their weaknesse; so that these differ, as the Image, and the substance it selfe, euen as you see things in prospectiue shewes, and in painting, that are different from the things themselues, when you come to see Countries, and Cities, and Mountaines, and Woods, it is another thing. And this is the second difference betweene the Testaments, the one was expressed but in types and shaddowes, the other hath the substance it selfe.
Thirdly they differ in this; the Old Testament in it selfe is but weake and vnprofitable, (as you shall see likewise in the same place, Heb. 8. 18.)Heb. 8. 18. for the Commandement that went before was dissanulled because of the weaknesse and vnprofitablenesse thereof: for the Law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope makes perfect, by which wee draw neere to GOD; that is, this was able of it selfe to doe nothing, further then as it did leade to that which was effectuall, therefore it waxed old, and vanished away; so he puts them together; it was weake and vnprofitable, and therfore it co…tinued no…, it had an end, as you know, the second proued eff…ct…all to take a way sinne, and to sanctifi… vsus, and therefore it is an euerlasting Couenant, the Testament that continues for euer.
Fourthly, they differ in the confirmation; this second Testament, the New Testament, was confirmed by an Oath, and confirmed by the blood of the Testator, by the blood of Christ, whereas the other was confirmed by the blood of Goats,Ex. 2…. as we see, Exod. 24. it is called the bloud of the Couenant▪ wherewith the Booke of the Couenant was sprinkled, that is, the shedding of the blood of beasts confirmed the Couenant; but this is confirmed by the death of Christ himselfe, and accordingly, it hath new seales put to it, Baptisme and the Lords Supper, when the Old Testament had other seales, Circumcision, and the Passeouer.
Fiftly, they differ in this; in the New Testament there is a more cleere perspicuo…s knowledge of things, there are better promises, a larger effusion of the Spirit, there is more cleerenesse, as we see, Heb. 8. 10.Heb. 8. 10. After those dayes, saith the Lord, I will put my Lawes into their mindes, &c. And they shall not teach eueryevery man his neighbour, and eueryevery man his brother, saying, know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest of them. That is, they shall know much more, and that which they doe know, they shall know in another manner: they shall know it more distinctly, more particularly. Moreouer, as the knowldege is greater, so the promises are better promises, Heb. 8. 6.Heb. 8. 6. But now our high Priest hath obtained a more excellent office, in as much as he is the Mediator of a better Testament, established vponupon better promises. The meaning of it is this, the promises which were made in the Old Testament, (though the promise of saluation was not excluded, yet) the maine of them, the most appearing and insisted on, were, they should hauehave the Land of Canaan, & they should hauehave an outward prosperity, you see the old Testamēt much insists vponupon that; the New Testament meddles little with them, but with promises of saluation, remission of sinnes, sanctification by the Spirit: therefore, saith the Apostle here, it is established vponupon better promises. And againe, there is a larger effusion of the Spirit, the Spirit is now powred on vsus in a greater measure, then it was distilled by drops, now the Lord hath dispensed it in a greater abundance to the sons of men, in the time of the Gospell, there is greater measure of grace, and it followes vponupon the other, Grace & truth come by Iesus Christ; that is, because there was more truth, and more knowledge, there went likewise more grace with it; as there is a greater reu…lation, so likewise there goes more grace: that is a sure rule, that al knowledge, when it is increased, when it is sauing knowledge taught by GOD, it carries grace proportionably with it. This is the fift difference.
The last difference was in the Mediator; Moses was the Mediator of the Old Testament, that is, it was hee that declared it, it was hee againe that was the executioner of it; but wee hauehave a high Priest, that hath obtained a more excellent office, in as much as he is the Mediator of a better Testament; that is, now Christ is the Mediator of the Couenant, it is he that declares the Couenant; and, secondly, it is hee, that by the interuention of a certaine Compact, of certaine Articles of agreement, hath reconciled the disagreeing parties, he hath gone between them, as it were, and hath vndertaken for both sides; hee hath vndertaken on Gods part, these and these things shall be done, all his promises are Yea, and Amen, in him: and againe he hath vndertaken on our part, to giuegive satisfaction by his death, and likewise to make vsus obedient to his Father: This hee doth, this is to be a Mediator of the Couenant. I will not stand longer on this; I come briefly to make some vse of it, and leaue the other 4 things (that is, With whō this Couenant is made; How a man shall know whether he be within the Couenant; When this Couenant is broken; and The reason why God will make this Couenant with men) to another occasion.
Now this vse we will make of it:Vse 1. First, we may consider hence the great goodnes of GOD, that he is willing to enter into Couenant with mortall men. My beloued, it is a thing that is not sufficiently considered of vsus, how great a mercy it is, that the glorious GOD of Heauen and Earth should be willing to enter into Couenant, that he should be willing to indent with vsus, as it were, that he should be willing to make himselfe a debtor to vsus. If we consider it, it is an exceeding great mercy, when wee think… thus with our selues, hee is in heaue…, and wee are on earth; hee the glorious GOD, w…e dust and ashes; hee the Creator, and wee but creatures; and yet he is willing to enter into Couenant, which implyes kinde of equality▪ betweene vsus; as when Ionathan and Dauid made a Couenant, though there was a difference, the one was a Kings sonne, yet, notwithstanding▪ when the Couenant of friendship was made, there did arise a kind of eq…ality between them; so it is betweene the LORD and vsus, when hee is once willing to enter into Couenant with vsus. Beloued, this should teach vsus to magnifie the merciemercy of God, and to be ready to say, as Dauid did, What am I, or what is my Fathers House, that I should be raysed hitherto, that I should enter into Couenant with the great GOD, that hee should come to a Campact and agreement with mee, that he should tye himselfe, and bind himselfe to become … You know, … small thing to enter into Couenant with GOD, to be in Couenant with the King of Kings: we commonly reckon it a great adua…age to hauehave allyance▪ to bee in confederation with strong Princes. You see what a Couenant there was betweene Iehoshaphat and Acha…, see how Iehoshaphat expresseth himselfe, Truly, saith hee▪ there is a League betweene vsus, (What then?) therefore my horses are thy horses, and my people are thy people; and so it is betwe…ne God and vsus▪ when there is a Couenant betweene vsus, then his strength is our strength, and his Armies are our Armies, we hauehave interest, in all; there is an offensiue and a defensine League; and when we seeke to him, and put him in mind of it, he can not deny vsus. The people of Rome had other parts and Nations, that were allyes with them, and if they were to fight, at any time, the Romans were bound in honour to defend them, and to assist them, and they did it, with as much diligence, as they defended their owne City of Rome. If we doe implore GOD… ayde, doe you thinke that God will breake his Couenant? Will he not … vp himselfe, to scatter his and our … Certainely hee will. This great benefit you hauehave; therefore you hauehave cause to magnifie your …elues in this Condition; and to blesse the Lord, to magnifie him for his great goodnesse, that he would e… ter into Couenant with you; this was the greatest fauour that euer hee shewed to Abraham, and it is the very scope of this place; Abraham, I am willing to enter into Couenant, to tye my selfe, to enter into bond; and therefore, since the LORD is not ashamed to make vsus his people, let vsus not bee ashamed to call him our God, to professe it, and make it good vponupon all occasions. This is the first vse.
Secondly,Vse 2. from this difference of the Couenants, you hauehave these two things to obse…ue: First, in that the Couenant of Grace onelyonly, is the ministration of the Spirit, when the other is but the ministration of the letter, it should teach vsus thus much, to labour to grow to assurance of the forgiuenesse of our sinnes. If a man would de…ire to change his course, to hauehave his heart renued, to be made a new creature, to be translated from death to life; beloued, the way is not to consider presently the Commandement, for a man to thinke with himselfe, this I ought to doe, and I will set about it, I hauehave made a Couenant, I hauehave resolued with my selfe to doe it, but the way is, to labour to get assurance of forgiuenesse, to labour to apprehend the Couenant of Grace: for by that meanes thy heart shall be softned, there shall be an infusion of the Spirit, that shall write the Law of God in thy inward parts: all those places of Scripture make this good, wherein it is said, faith purifieth the heart, and by the promises we are made partakers of the godly nature, as 2. Pet. 1. 4.2 Pet. 1. 4. and likewise, Heb. 9. 14.Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, which, through the eternall Spirit, offered himselfe without fault to God, purge your conscience from dead workes, to serue the liuing GOD. The meaning is this, if a man would hauehave his conscience purged from dead workes, let him labour for faith, whereby hee may bee iustified, let him labour to be sprinkled with the blood of Christ, to hauehave assurance of the forgiuenesse and pardon of his sinnes, through that blood, then he shall hauehave that Spirit put into his heart, that eternall Spirit, that shall purge and cleanse his conscience from dead workes. So likewise, Gal. 3. Gal. 3.Did you receiue the Spirit by the workes of the Law? Did you not rather receiue it by the hearing of …aith preached? And so, Gal. 5.Gal. 5. Faith that workes by louelove; that is, it is faith that brings forth louelove, and louelove sets vsus on worke. All these shew thus much vntounto vsus, that the best way to heale any strong lust, the best way to change our hearts, to get victory ouer any sin, that it may not hauehave dominion ouer vsus, to hauehave our conscience cleansed from dead workes, to he made partakers of the diuine nature, is to grow vp in the▪ assurance of the louelove of God to vsus in Christ, to get assurance of pardon and forgiuenesse: for, beloued, know this, if the heart doe no more but looke to the Commandement, if you heare onelyonly that there are such duties to be done, and consider them, and you compare your owne heart and the Commandement together, there growes a quarell betweene the heart and the Commandement, an ex…l…eration betweene them, and an enmi…y, they looke one vponupon another as enemies; but when the heart is softned, and reconciled to God, it closeth with the Commandement, as the soft clay doth with the mould, and is ready to receiue any impression; but, till then, it rebels against the Commandement, and stands out as a hard stone, that receiues no impression; and therfore the way is not …o go about to reforme our liues as morall men, to thinke with thy selfe, there are these duties, I must take a course to keepe them, and enter into vowes in particular courses with my selfe to doe them: no, my beloued, the way is to get assurance of forgiuenes, to labour to bee partaker of the Couenant of Grace: your hearts will then be softned, when you hauehave receiued the Spirit, that hath wrought in your hearts a disposition answerable to the Law without, when the Law is put into your minds. And this is the first difference.
The 2.2. Difference. is, in regard of the difference of the two Testaments, the second Testament being stablished vponupon better promises. Quest.What is the reason that the New Testament is said to bee stablished vponupon better promises? Beloued,Ans. you shall finde this to be the condition of the New Testament, you shall finde in it very little expression of the promises of this life; looke in all the Epi…tles of paul, and the other Epistles, looke to all the Doctrine of the Gospell, and you shall see the things that are i…erated still they are these; You shall bee saued, you shall hauehave your sinnes forgiuen, you shall bee iustified, you shall bee sanctified, you shall receiue the adoption of sonnes, you shall receiue the high price of your calling, &c. These are the things that Paul eueryevery where magnifies, as the condition that exceeds, and goes beyond the conditions in our forefathers times: Now this great Mystery is reuealed, now these great riches are opened, that before were hid. Whence you may gather this much, that grace and spirituall things, spiritual priuiledges, things belonging to the Kingdome of God, and of …esus Christ, exceed much all outward and temporall happinesse:Quest. Why are they otherwise called better promises?Ans. There are many other places, I know, to shew the vanity of outward things, and to preferre spirituall things before them; but let this be added to the rest; this Couenant is established on better promises; labour then to worke your hearts fully to that perswasion, namely, to thinke with your selues, it is better to be rich in grace, better to hauehave the priuiledges of Iesus Christ, then to bee rich in this world, Reu. 2. Re…. 2.I know thy pouerty, but thou art rich. You must thinke with your selues, this is the great riches; and therefore the Apostle exhorts rich men, that they-change these other riches they enioy, to spirituall riches. Now a man will neuer be exhorted to change, except it bee for the better. Charge those that are rich in the world, that they bee rich in good workes: let them so vse their riches, so dispense them, so mannage them, that they may turne to other riches. When a man is rich in knowledge, as it is said of the Corinthians, that they were rich in all knowledge, and in eueryevery grace, These are the better promises, this is the better and more glorious condition. So that, if there should be a Census of men, as one may so say, if there should be an estimation of men, as there was wont to bee amongst the Romanes, they were put into seuerall conditions, and one was worth thus much, and another so much. Indeed, If God should make such a Census; as eueryevery man is richer in grace, as hee excels in these better priuiledges, as he hath had these better promises fulfilled more or lesse to him, so hee should bee reckoned a more excellent man, and so should eueryevery man esteeme both of himselfe and others: and there is very great reason for it; because when a man is rich in grace, rich in spirituall blessings, when hee hath the spirituall promises, he hath Go… Image renued in him, he hath God to be his friend, who is the Gouernour of the world, and hee is rich (as I said) whom God fauours; he hath grace that heales his soule, which is that that makes his happinesse: It is that, which is the inward fashioning of eueryevery mans appreh…sion▪ that makes him happy, that brings comfort to him. Now they are these better promises, they are the graces, the consolations of the Spirit, the worke of the Holy Ghost, the vertue of regeneration; I say, it is that that fashions the heart, and the inward apprehension; it is tha… that heales the soule, and adornes it; it is that tha… puts it into another, a fitter condition, and it farre goes beyond all other …emporall felicity; that reacheth not to the inward man, it makes … is the Gouernour of the world to be his friend; other friends he may hauehave, tha… may make him potent vponupon the earth, but God, in whose hand is his life, and all his wayes, it mak…s not… him his friend. Beloued, learne thus to iudge of the condition of the Church. You thinke the Church is in a miserable▪ estate, when you see it a little vnderunder hatches, when you see in downe, when you see it harrowed, and plowed by the enemies; the condition of the Church in the New Testament is to be so; they hauehave a poore ou…side, yet …; they hauehave a sorrowfull ou…side, though alway reioycing▪ as … himselfe, and all the Apostles wer… herein exemplary for after Ages of the Church, yet wee must not thinke, because the Church is downe a littl… because i… wants that outward prosperity that before it enioyed, that therefore it is the worse, It is a true obseruation of one, when there were but woodden Chalices, then there w…r… golden Priests; and in after time▪ when there w…re golden Chali…es▪ they had woodden Priests: so it is, when the Church is in a lower condition, commonly it prospers best; and indeed, properly the prosperity of the Church consists in these better promises, the▪ outward peace is not so proper and so peculiar to it. A…d, as of the Church, so I may say of eueryevery particular man: Thinke not, beloued, with your selues, when your outward condition is base and low, that it is more miserable; your happinesse stands in better promises: when a man hath Gai…s prosperity, that is, when his soule prospers, that is his best condition; and commonly his soule prospers best, when his outward estate fares the worst: the winter of his outward condition is vsually the spring time of his soule; we should learne to iudge thus. You know, it is an obseruable thing, that the promises of outward prosperity were made to the Church of God, whiles it was yet in its infancie, while it was weake; so that this you may obserue from it, that it is a signe of childishnesse, and weaknesse, and infirmity, that a man is not growne perfect, that he is not growne to maturity, to thinke outward prosperity to be the better condition. The Iewes had these promises, but in regard of their infancy, and when the Church grew vp to a greater height, when it grew to manbood (as it were) we hauehave little mention of any such promises as these; the promises are quite of another nature; and therefore when you are able to outgrow those opinions, when you are able to looke on things with another eye, when you thinke this outward prosperity to be but a trifle, in comparison of the better promises, it is a signe you are growne vp to more strenght. You see, Salomon, when hee came to himselfe, when his wisdome returned to him, (as I may so say) you see how he looked on all outward things, how he goes through all the particulars, they are vanity and vexation of spirit. Salomon, when he was old, when he had the wisdome of experience ioyned together with that infused wisdome that hee had from the Holy Ghost, made this the summe of all, that outward prosperity is meere vanity, an extreme vanity, a vanity that hee could not enough expresse, and only he magnifies these better promises; this hee magnifies as the better condition, to feare God and keepe his Commandements, &c.
FINIS.