The New Covenant, Part 1 · Sermon 12
THE TVVELFTH SERMON.
G…NESIS 17. 2.
And I will make my Couenant betweene mee and thee. And I will multiply thee exceedingly.
YOV hauehave heard what the Couenant is in the generall.
The fourth thing is, What the particular branches, and parts, or gifts, and priuiledges of this Couenant are; and those we will reduce vntounto three heads.
Now the three parts of the Couenant are answerable to the three Offices of Christ: for, we told you, it is Christ▪ himselfe, to whom the promises are immediately made; he is a Priest, a King, and a Prophet; it is hee that makes good all the parts of the Couenant, and he doth …t according to all his three Offices; remission of sinnes, he giues as a Priest: The other Priests were but a shaddow of this Priesthood of Christ, he is the great High Priest, that is holy, and harmlesse, and vndefiled, that is higher then the heauens; the great High Priest, that is en…red (saith the Text) into the very heauens themselues; hee that sits at the right hand of God, and is now present with him; he that is not entred in by the blood of Bulls, and of Goats, but by his owne blood. This is such a High Priest, as is able indeed to giuegive remission of sinnes; and therefore, saith the Apostle, Heb. 10. 22. Seeing wee hauehave such an high Priest, doub… not, but now come with full assurance of faith, when you see such an High Priest as this: if they were able to beleeue, that had but a weake man to bee their Priest, before the comming of Christ, that offered for his owne sinnes, as well as for the sinnes of others, that often repeated his Sacrifice, that that had but the blood of Bulls and Goats, that did but enter into the Tabernacle; saith hee, when you see Iesus Christ himselfe come, that hath no Si…ne of his owne, that offered one perfect Sacrifice, that he needes not to repeate, that entred not into the Tabernacle, but into the Heauen it selfe, that did this with his owne blood, and not with the blood of beasts, saith hee, draw neere now …with assurance of faith: …hat is, Why should you make question now? you hauehave great ground of assuring your selues, that your sinnes shall bee forgiuen; now you may trust perfectly to the grace reueiled through him. This is the first.
The second is, I will teach you knowledge, and that he doth as a Prophet; you shall no more teach eueryevery man his brother, but all shall bee taught of mee. Beloued, it is another kinde of teaching, when the LORD teacheth vsus knowledge, then that is that wee can hauehave from the hands of men; Christ is another kinde of Prophet, you come not to heare him speake, to heare him teaching as a man heares other Lectures, where his vnderstanding is informed, but hee is such a Prophet, as enlightens eueryevery man within, that comes into the world; that is, eueryevery man that is enlightned, is enlightned by him, he is such a Prophet, as baptizeth you with the Holy Ghost, he is such a Prophet that makes mens hearts to burne within them when he speakes to them; such a Prophet as saith to Matthew and Leuy, Follow me, and they doe it; such a Prophet as saith to his Ministers, G…e teach all Nations, and I will bee with you, and I will make you able Ministers, not of the letter, but of the Spirit; there is no man in the world can say this, but this great Prophet; and this is the Prophet that the Lord hath raised vp, the Prophet that he promised hee would raise another like Moses, that great Prophet that should teach men after another fashion, then all the Prophets before were euer able to doe. And that is the second part of the Couenant.
Beloued, we may know many things, but it is a hard thing to know as we ought to know. It is said of an vnregenerate man, 2 Cor. 8. Hee knowes nothing as hee ought to know. For example, thou mayst know sinne, and know it most exactly, but if this doe not worke vponupon thy heart, if the sinne lye not exceeding heauy vponupon thee, if it breed not in thee godly sorrow, for it, if it doth not amaze thee, as it were, with the filthinesse and vilenesse of it, it is, because thou dost not yet know it, as thou oughtest to know it: And how shall a man doe then? Goe to CHRIST, hee is the Prophet, that is, hee teacheth a man to see things so, that his heart, his will and affections shall likewise be moued with it: You are to consider the Couenant when you goe to the LORD; and therefore that man that saith, I can looke vponupon my sinne with dry eyes, I can looke vponupon it, and neuer be affected with it, this is because he is taught but with the teaching of men; hee must remember that this is a part of the Couenant, and God hath bound himselfe by an Oath to performe it. Iesus Christ, as he is a Prophet, God hath sent him to teach thee all things belonging to saluation, and so to teach thee, that thou shalt be in a right manner affected with it. And so likewise put the case thou know God, thou seest him in his attributes, thou hearest him often described, and art able to describe him to others, but for all this, thou findest not thy heart affectioned towards him, thou seest not that excellency and beauty that is in him, so that thy heart is not enamoured with him, thou canst not say thou louest him with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy strength, What wilt thou doe in this case? Goe to Christ the Prophet, and beseech him that hee would teach thee to know the LORD, this is his promise; if thou pray to him, and he doe not doe it, vrge him with this, it is a part of his Couenant, that hee hath confirmed by Oath, and must doe it, and, beloued, be assured of this, if wee seeke, and be earnest with him, he will teach vsus to know the Lord, and to know him so, that wee shall louelove him with all our soule, and with all our strength. The like may I say of any thing else; put the case afflictions come vponupon thee, and thou bee not able to bee patient vnderunder such afflictions, suppose that it be a matter of disgrace and discredit, that so wounds thee, that thy heart cannot be at rest, what is the reason of this? thou callest to minde, it may bee, all the rules of patience, that should teach thee to beare afflictions; well, and yet thou art not able to doe it: the cause is, because thou dost not yet know these outward temptations, these outward euils, as thou oughtest to know them, if thou diddest, they would seeme small to thine eyes, sinne would be an exceeding great griefe, but these would be but trifles and flea-bitings, in comparison of the other: goe to Christ now, and beseech him to shew thee what is the nature of these outward crosses and losses, that thou mayst be taught of him once: hee is the great Prophet, that teacheth a man so, hee so presents things in their owne colours to the vnderstanding, that the will and affections follow and apprehend them aright; goe to him, and beseech him that thou mayst know them as thou oughtest, and thou shalt finde, that thou shalt be able to bea…e the greatest crosse with patience, it shall bee nothing then to thee, it will appeare to be a small matter, when he hath taught thee to iudge aright, thou shalt not be deceiued in it.
So likewise, for pleasure, when a man finds his heart so wedded to any sinfull lust, to any euill haunt, wher…in his heart is held inordinately, that it cannot diuorse it selfe from it, goe to Christ, hee is the great Prophet. Thus we may doe, beloued, with the rest. This is the second part of the Couenant.
The third part of the Couenant is, that which he will performe to vsus, as he is King, and it consists in these 3. things.
You know the Office of a King is to guide and rule; now, if thou finde thy heart vnruly, if thou finde thy selfe subiect to vnruly affections, to sinfull inordinate lusts, which thou canst not master, it is a part of his Kingdome, now to set vp his owne gouernment in thy heart, to put his Law into thy minde, and to write it in thy inward parts, that so thou mayst bee indeed subiect to the Kingdome of Christ in a willing manner. When a man sees nothing (as wee said before) but the outward letter of the Law, he will neuer be subiect, he will neuer yeeld obedience, but Christ comes as a King now, and puts an inward disposition into the minde, that shall answer the letter without, and so he makes a man subiect to his gouernment. Beloued, that Phrase is to be marked, Heb. 2. 10. Saith the Lord, I will put my Law into their mind…; there are Lawes out of mens minds, Lawes without, that eueryevery man may see; but it is another thing to hauehave the Law put into a mans minde: for example, this is the Law without, Thou shalt louelove the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy strength. To answer which, you shall see, Deut. 30. 6. I will circumcise thy heart, and then thou shalt be able to louelove the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soule, and with all thy strength. That is, I will put this affection, or this grace of louelove within thy heart, it shal not be without onelyonly, but I will put it within, that there shall bee a grace within, a habit of louelove within, answerable to the Commandement without; this is to put the Law into the minde: and so likewise, Ier. 32. 40. you know, this is the Commandement of the LORD, You shall feare the LORD, and keepe his Ordinances, and his Statutes, and his Commandements to doe them. Well, saith the Lord there, I will make a Couenant with you: and what will I doe? I will put my feare into your hearts. I will not onelyonly giuegive you this precept, that thou shalt looke on without, Thou shalt feare mee, and keepe my Commandements, but I will put the affections of feare into thy heart, there it shall bee, and then thou shalt easily feare mee, and keepe my Commandements; thou shalt feare to disobey me, thou shalt feare and tremble at my Word, and take heed how thou doe any thing contrary to my mind: and beloued, when this is done, hee makes indeed Kings, as hee makes vsus Priests and Prophets: for when a man is thus taught, he is a Prophet, other men need not to teach him, for hee is a spirituall man then, and is able to iudge of all things; I say, when this gouernment is set vp, and the Law is put into his minde, when it is put into his inward parts; I say, when this is done, then he makes vsus Kings: for when men hauehave so much strength within themselues, that they can guide and rule themselues▪ and walke in the way of righteousnesse, now they are made Kings, and such Kings the Lord makes all those that come to him. This is the first part of this Kingdome.
The second part is, to giuegive vsus abundance of all things, to giuegive vsus peace: for the Office of a King, you know, is to keepe his people in peace, as it is said of Saul, hee cloathed them with scarlet▪ that is, he made his people to abound with wealth, and peace, and quietnesse: this the Lord doth likewise, and this is a part of his spirituall Kingdome. Now his Kingdome is spirituall; therefore the maine worke of it is to giuegive vsus inward peace and ioy; you may hauehave troubles in the world, but my Kingdome is not of this world, and therefore wee are not so much to expect an outward worldly peace, though we hauehave likewise a promise of that, but in mee you shall hauehave inward peace, saith hee, the Kingdome of God is in righteousnesse, that is the first part, when God workes righteousnes, as I hauehave named before, the second is peace, and ioy, so that that is a part of the Couenant, GOD, promised inward peace and ioy; beloued, when you want it, know it is a part of the Couenant, you may goe to GOD, and beseech him to fill your hearts with this peace that passeth vnvnderstanding, and with this ioy which is vnspeakable, and glorious; goe, and beseech him to enrich your hearts with those spiritual riches that belong to saluation, this is a part of his Kingdome, and that which hee hath promised to vsus: now this is not all, but likewise an outward peace he promiseth, hee hath promised we shall be heyres of all things, all things are yours, he hath promised outward riches, we are heyres of all the world; so that it is likewise a part of his Couenant, when a man wants any outward comfort, any outward helpe, any blessings, or deliuerance, he may goe to Christ, that is the King of all Kings, as hee is Lord of all things, as he himselfe is heyre of all things, and beseech him to grant it vntounto him: for it is a part of his Couenant.
And the third and last is, that we shall ouercome our enemies, that is the third branch of this Kingdome; And that which was promised to Abraham, thou shalt possesse the gates of thine Enemes▪ when hee renewed his Couenant, vponupon the offering of his sonne, and you shall finde it, Luke 1. 74. repeated againe, this is the great promise that God hath made, that being deliuered from the hands of all our enemies, wee might serue him in righteousnesse and holinesse all the dayes of our life. Now as his Kingdome is spirituall, so the chiefe part of this Kingdome stands in ouercoming our spirituall enemies; and therefore you may challenge this Couenant at his hands, when you are to wrastle with Satan, or any temptation and lust, LORD, hast thou not said that thou wilt deliuer me out of the hands of all mine enemies? Is it not a part of thy Couenant? But, beloued, that is not all neither, there is a promise, and that is a part of the Couenant likewise, that wee shall ouercome our outward enemies, thou shalt possesse the gate of thine enemies, so farre as it is good for vsus, as farre as God sees it meet, he dispenseth these in a different manner, but yet it is a part of the Couenant, and therefore a man may goe and challenge this at Gods hands; LORD, if it be good, if it be fit, and meet for me to hauehave it, thou hast promised it, I shall hauehave victory ouer them also. So now you see what the Couenant is: But now there is one maine generall, that likewise is a branch of this Couenant, that is generall to all the three, that is the giuing of the Spirit, it is a branch of the Couenant, as wee see, Ioel 2. which is repeated, Act. 2. I will powre out my Spirit vponupon all flesh in those dayes, and your yong men shall see visions, &c. Beloued, know that this was a part of the Couenant that was made with Abraham, It was expressed to Abraham in generall, I will blesse thee, afterwards there were seuerall branches of it; now one thing was expressed, as part of the Couenant, and then another; among the branches, this was one, I will powre out my Spirit vponupon all flesh, which is that which you hauehave likewise, Esay 44. 3. I will powre out my Spirit as water vponupon the dry ground, and you shall grow as the grasse, and as the Willow by the Riuers of water. Whereof that this is the meaning, Peter makes it good, Acts 2. and so likewise our Sauiour Christ, the great promise that he made to them was, I will bapize you with the Holy Ghost, this promise was made before hee departed in the flesh, but it was fulfilled after, when hee powred forth his Spirit. Beloued, this is that great part of the Couenant, that which comprehends the life of all the other three, that which inabled vsus to doe all the rest, that which makes vsus Kings, and Priests, and Prophets, this powring out of the Spirit vponupon vsus, euen as Christ himselfe was anoynted with the Spirit without measure, that he might be able to teach vsus, that he might bee a Prophet, a King, and a Priest, that which enabled him to performe all those Offices, was the effusion of the spirit vponupon him without measure: Beloued, that which makes vsus able to be partakers of those three parts of the Couenant, is likewise the same Spirit, wherewith wee are anoyn…ed according to our measure. So much shall serue for this, namely what the particular branch…s, and parts, and priuiledges of the Couenant are.
The fift and last is,5. Obiections against it. the obiections that are made against this Couenant. There were two great obiections that Paul eueryevery where met with, (for our scope is, that when wee put all this together, that we hauehave deliuered about this Couenant, you may reade at leasure Rom. 3. 4. and Gal. 3. 4. and all the promises made to Abraham, and when you hauehave this before you, will be able then to vnderstand i…) I say, there are two great obiections that Paul eueryevery where met with.
The one is from the Law,1. Obiect. Is it not said eueryevery where, Those that obey the Commandement shall liue, and eueryevery promise is made still to them that feare the LORD, and keepe his Commandements? and therefore it is by the Law.
Nay,Ans. saith the Apostle, Gal. 3. it is impossible that it should be by the Law: for the Law was giuen 430. yeeres after the promise, and Couenant was established with Abraham long before it; it cannot bee now, that that which comes after can dissannull that which went before: but besides there is another great reason, and that is this, saith the Apostle, you were neuer able to keepe the Law, you could neuer be saued, if you would hauehave it by the Law, to what end is the Law giuen then? By reason of transgression, that you might learne to know how impossible it is for you to come to God, to be partaker of the Couenant any other way, then by faith; saith he, you might remember that Adam, when he was in innocency and perfection, was much stronger then you, yet did not keepe the Law; but, because that was easie for people to forget, the Law was giuen againe by Moses, vponupon Mount Sinai, that the LORD by that meanes might reminde you of the Commandement, and of your sinnes, and of the curse belonging to you; and therefore, saith hee, when the Law was deliuered, it was so terrible, that Moses himselfe did tremble; and therefore, said the People, Lord, doe not thou speake to vsus any more, deliuer not the Law to vsus any more, but let Moses come, and bee as a Mediator betweene vsus, let him speake; for we are not able to see these fires, these burnings, wee are not able to see this and liue. The meaning of it is this, the Law, if any man looke on it, it is so terrible, when GOD comes to speake to a man in his Law, and in his Commandements, that there is nothing to be expected but death: that same fearefulnesse at Mount Sinai, was but onelyonly an expression of that feare which the Law of God puts vponupon eueryevery mans conscience; and therefore, when the people then desired a Mediator, that might speake, and that GOD might speake no more, another thing was signified by it, that no man is able to come to God by yeelding obedience to the Law, but he must needs hauehave a Mediator to goe between GOD and him.
The other obiection is from the Ceremonies of the Law;2. Obiect. they were ready to say, We hauehave a Priest, we hauehave Sacrifices, we hauehave diuers washings and Rites, &c, wee were wont to bee saued by them, why may we not so still?
The answer to it is,Ans. That these were but the oldnesse of the letter; for indeed all these did but cloathe the Couenant of Grace; the Couenant of Grace was deliuered to the Iewes, the Ceremonies did indeede but set it out, they were but types and shaddowes, by which it was expressed to the Iewes: the Iewes, by reason of their ignorance, were not able to see the body for the clothes, they were not able to see the signification of the Spirit for the letter, they were not able to see the sword for the sheath, the kernell for the shell; that is, they could not see Christ himselfe, the inward promises, but stucke in the outward barke, and rinde of Ceremonies, in the shell of them, and so they became vnprofitable; but indeed those Rites did nothing, but cloathe the Couenant of Grace, and set it forth to them. So much shall serue for the dispatching of those fiue things.
Now hence you see how those difficulties may bee answered, that I mentioned before. For example, it is said, the promise is made to the seede, yet the promise is made to vsus,Obiect. and yet againe the Couenant is made with Abraham, How can all these stand together?Ans. The promises that are made to the seede, that is to Christ himselfe, those are these promises: Thou shalt bee a Priest for euer, and I will giuegive thee the Kingdome of Dauid, thou shalt sit in that Throne, thou shalt be a Prince of peace, and the gouernment shall be vponupon thy shoulder; likewise thou shalt bee a Prophet to my people, thou shalt open the prison to the Capti…e, thou shalt be anoynted, &c. and then shalt goe and preach to them: These are the promises that are made vntounto the seede.
The promises that are made to vsus, though they bee of the same Couenant, yet they differ in this, the actiue part is committed to the Messiah, to the seede it selfe; but the passiue part, those are the promises that belong to vsus, You shall bee taught, you shall bee made Prophets, likewise, you shall hauehave your sinnes forgiuen, you shall hauehave the effect of his Priesthood made good vntounto you, you shall be subiect to his gouernment, by an inherent righteousnes that he shall worke in you; for you shall bee made Kings; So the promise is made to vsus. How is the promise made to Abraham? for it is said, In thee all the Nations of the Earth shall bee blessed.
The meaning of this is, they are deriuatiue promises, the primitiue and Originall was made to Iesus Christ; but why is it said then, that in Abraham all the Nations of the Earth shall be blessed? the meaning of it is this, there was none that was euer partaker of these promises, but the children of Abraham, and therefore they were deriued from Abraham to all the men in the world besides, that euer hauehave beene since. Now what is it to be a childe of Abraham? not to be borne of Abraham according to the flesh, but to be like Abraham; you are the children of the Deuill, Why? You are like him. So that all that hauehave faith, are the children of Abraham: but more is meant then that; I say, all that doe partake of this promised Messiah, are deriued from Abraham, either deriued from him, or grafted into him, one of these two; all that were saued before the comming of Christ, were either such as descended from him, or were ingrafted into the same Nation. But what doe you say of the Gentiles, that are now come in? How doe they receiue from Abraham? How can it be said, in Abraham shall all the Nations of the world bee blessed? Beloued,Rom. 11. 17. you know it is said, Rom. 11. that the naturall branches were broken off, and the wilde Oliue is ingrafted in: that is the reason likewise why the Law comes from Sion, the Lord will hauehave the Gentiles to bee ingrafted into the stocke, as it were, he will hauehave the Law to proceede from Ierusalem, he will hauehave them put into that Famely as the proselytes, and so were all Nations: for they receiued it from Ierusalem: for they had the Oracles of God committed to them, all the Nations in the world receiued them from them, they drew that sap of knowledge from them, so that they were grafted in: thus all the Nations in the world were blessed in Abraham, and Abraham was blessed in the seede it selfe. But yet one obiection is behinde, that is, how comes this to passe,Obiect. that to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and to walke in the wayes of the LORD, in the way of regeneration, should be a part of the Couenant on our part, you shall repent and beleeue, and be renewed, and then you shall be forgiuen, &c. you shall hauehave the Kingdome, and yet, for all this, you see it is a pa…t of the Couenant on Gods part, saith the LORD, I will giuegive you a new heart, and a new spirit, Ezek. 36. 26. I will giuegive you, &c. there is an expression of the Couenant, and yet it is a condition that is required on our part?
Beloued, to this I answer briefly,Ans. the condition that is required of vsus, as part of the Couenant, is the doing of this, the action, the performance of these things, it is to repent, to serue the LORD in newnesse of life, but the ability by which we are able to performe these, is a part of the Couenant on the LORDS pa…t, to hauehave new hea…t… and new spirits, whereby we are able to repe…t, and to bring forth fruite worthy of amendment of life; I say, the inward abil…ty, the change of the heart, the renewing of vsus in th… spir…t of our mindes, the wr…ting of the Law in the inward pa…ts, that is a branch of Gods Couenant, but the doing of this, the bringing forth the fruite of these inward abilities, of these inward habits and graces, that are planted in vsus by the power of Christ, that thing is required in vsus. As, for example, the very habit of faith, the very grace and power of beleeuing, that God hath promised to giuegive, it belongs to him, but to beleeue, to take the promises, to accept of Iesus Christ, and to receiue him, and the gift of righteousnesse by him, this is required as a condition on our part. And so much shall serue for the opening of this, and for this point.
The next question wee had to propound to you,Quest. was this, How a man should know whether he be within the Couenant, or no?Ans. You shall know it by this, How did Abraham know whether he was in the Couenant, or how will you know whether Abraham, or any other were? saith the Text, Abraham beleeued God, and therefore God reckoned him as a man that was righteous, and accepted him to bee a partaker of the Couenant: and so, if thou beleeue, it is certaine then, thou art within the Couenant; but how shall a man know that? Gal. 5. 5. Neither Circumcision auaileth any thing, nor vncircumcision, but faith which worketh by louelove. If thou canst finde this now, that thou art able to take Iesus Christ, to take him as a LORD and Sauio…r, thou art able to beleeue all the Couenant of Grace, thou art by that put into the Couenant.
But how shall a man know whether this faith be right or no? for, you know, there is a false, dead, and counterfeit faith: if it be right, thou shalt finde it to be of a working and liuely nature, but many times we may bee deceiued in that. A woman many times thinkes she is with childe, but if she finde no motion nor stirring, it is an argument she was deceiued: So, when a man thinkes that hee hath faith in his heart, but yet he finds no life, no motion, no stirring, there is no worke proceeding from his faith▪ it is an argument he was mistaken, hee was deceiued in it: for, if it be a right faith, it will worke, there will be life and motion in it. As Abrahams faith, you see, it enabled him to doe whatsoeuer GOD appointed him, to offer his sonne, to excommunicate Ismael, when GOD bid him cast him out, though hee loued Ismael exceeding dearely, yet he did it, and did it readily; so, whatsoeuer God bade him doe; here was a working faith.
But yet a little further, a man may be yet deceiued in this, a mans faith may worke, and an Hypocrite may doe many workes, if it bee but bare working, a man may bee deceiued, and therefore this is added further, it workes by louelove. Beloued, a man may doe exceeding many duties, as you know, hee may suffer Martyrdome, he may giuegive all to the poore, hee may be a very diligent Preacher of the Gospell: for Paul saith, I may speake with the tongue of men and Angels, I may giuegive my goods to the poore, I may giuegive my body to be burned▪ and yet if these great workes be done, without louelove, they are nothing. But, on the other side, if you finde this, that you doe but the least worke, if it be but to giuegive a cup of cold water, and doe it out of louelove, if you abstaine from one sinne, if you ouercome any one lust whatsoeuer, that is deare and neare to you, because you louelove Iesus Christ, if you set your selues vponupon any worke, vponupon any imployment and endeauour, and thy heart witnesseth this to thee, it is because I louelove the LORD, and desire exceedingly to please him, he is one that I would faine hauehave communion with, my delight is in him, therefore I doe these workes: for it is my meate and drinke to doe his will; now thou art on a sure ground, now thou maist know thou art within the Couenant: for thou beleeuest as Abraham did, and therefore thou art within the Couenant, as hee was; thou maist know it, because thy faith workes, and then thou maist know that it workes right, because it is done by louelove. Well, yet there is another way to know this, that is in thy seede (saith the Text) shall all the Nations of the world bee blessed, if a man be then ingrafted into this seede, into the Messiah once, then he shall bee blessed, if once he belong to him. Well, how shall a man know that.
If thou hauehave receiued the Spirit of the Son: for whosoeuer is in Christ, hath receiued the Spirit of Christ, if he hauehave not receiued the Spirit of Christ, he is not in him. Consider whether you hauehave receiued the Spirit of the Sonne, the Spirit of the promised seede, that is, thou art made like Christ by the Spirit: for the Spirit will assimulate thee, and renew this Image in thee, he makes thee such another in some degree, as he is; yea, he will not onelyonly doe this, but he will witnesse to thee, that he is thy God, and that thou art of those that are partakers of the Couenant, and therefore that is the way to finde it out, that is the thing I intend to insist vponupon, to finde out whether you hauehave this Spirit, you shall finde it, this is the great marke that the Apostle Paul insists vponupon, still in all his Epistles, by which a man may know whether he be within the Couenant, or no, still it is this, we hauehave receiued the Spirit, and the Spirit seales vsus to the day of redemption, we are established and sealed by the Spirit of promise, and wee hauehave receiued the Spirit, which is an earnest, &c. Now to know whether you hauehave the Spirit, I will commend these two places of Scripture to you to consider: one is, Rom. 8. 15. You hauehave not receiued the spirit of bondage, to feare againe, but the spirit of Adoption, whereby you cry Abba Father; the same spirit beares witnesse with our spirits, that wee are the sonnes of GOD. The other you shall finde, 1 Iohn 5. 8. And there are three that beare record in Earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood, and these three agree in one. If you would finde out whether you hauehave the spirit of the Sonne, or no, you shall know it by these three: In the Antecedents, the Concomitants, and the Consequents.
The Antecedent is the Spirit of bondage; beloued, that of necessity must goe before, so that if thou neuer hadst the spirit of bondage, certainely thou hast not yet receiued the spirit of the Sonne: for the Apostle speakes of it heere, as the common condition to all Christians, they doe not receiue the spirit of bondage againe; you had it once, but now you hauehave the spirit of Adoption: I say, eueryevery man must hauehave this spirit of bondage, and the ground of it is this, because no man can come to Christ, except the Law be a Schoolemaster to bring him to Christ; now the Law is not a Schoolemaster, it teacheth no man, except the spirit of bondage worke feare, except the spirit of bondage put an edge vponupon the Law, put a Sword into the hand of the Law, to pricke the heart, to wound the heart,Act. 2. as it is said, Acts 2. this is the spirit of bondage, Beloued, you may heare the Law, and the threatnings and curses, applyed to you 10000. times ouer, and yet no feare be bred in you, except the spirit of bondage ioyne with it, that makes it effectuall. Now in the Law are included iudgements and afflictions, which are but the execution of the Law, sometimes it goes with the Law it selfe, somtimes with the iudgement and afflictions, it is the spirits of bondage that must goe with both; as for example, when it thundred & rained in Wheat-haruest, 1 Sam. 12, 1 Sam. 12. 18.the people feared exceegingly; and Ezra 10.Ezra. 10. 9. when there was an exceeding great raine, the people did exceedingly tremble, and, you know, in that Earthquake, though all were safe, Act. 16.Act. 16. and there was no cause why he should be so vnquiet, yet we see how the Goaler was amazed, his heart was wounded, this was not for these particular Iudgements, there might bee a great raine, there might be a great Earthquake, and thunder in Wheat-haruest, and yet mens hearts little moued, but there went a spirit of bondage, that bred a feare in them, this is that, I say, no man can come to Christ without the Law, either in it selfe, or in afflictions, which are but the executioners of it, and these are not effectuall without the spirit of bondage: and there is a very great reason for it; because, otherwise wee should neuer know the louelove of Christ, he that hath not knowne what the meaning of this spirit of bondage is, what these feares are, what these terrours of conscience are in some measure, knowes not what Christ hath suffered for him, or what deliuerance hee hath had by him; besides, he will not be applyable to Christ: But I will not stand more vponupon this. Hast thou not had the spirit of bondage? I say, surely, if thou hast not t…sted of this, Christ, hath not sowne the seed of grace in thy heart: doth any man sow before he hath plowed? doth any man make a new impression before there bee an obl…t…ration of the old? Beloued, before the hea…t be me…ted w…th … the spirit of bondage, there is no sence of a new spirit, to make a new impression vponupon it; I confesse it is different, it is sometimes more, sometimes lesse, but all hauehave it, more or lesse; sometimes the Medicine goes so close with the reuealing of sinne, and of Iudgement, that it is not so much discerned; sometimes againe, God meanes to bestow vponupon some men a great measure of grace, and therfore he giues them a greater measure of the spirit of bondage, because God meanes to teach them more to prize Christ, he meanes more to baptize them with the baptisme of the Holy Ghost, and therefore hee baptizeth them with a greater measure of the spirit of bondage, they shall drinke deeper of that spirit, because his intention is, that they shall drinke deeper of the spirit of Adoption: and therefore Christ takes it for an argument concerning the Woman, when he saw she loued exceeding much, surely she had a great measure of the spirit of bondage, she was much wounded for her sinnes, there had beene exceeding much forgiuen her, in her apprehension; and so was Paul exceedingly wounded, you know. This must goe before.
The things which goe together with it, are these three, the testimony of the blood, of the water, and of our owne spirits.
First, beloued, there is the testimony of the blood▪ there are three that beare record in the Earth, the spirit, the water, and the blood, though the spirit be set first, as it is vsuall amongst the Hebrewes, and in the Scriptures, to put the last first, if a man would know now, whether hee be in Christ, whether he hath receiued the promised seede, or no, let him consider first, whether hee hath beleeued in the blood, that is, there is a word of promise, that saith thus to vsus, there is a Sacrifice that is offered, there is the blood of the Lambeshed from the beginning of the world, and this blood shall wash thee from all thy sinnes, when a man stands to consider this promise, beloued, this promise bath two things in it, there is the truth of it, and the goodnesse of it; a man doth, with Abraham, beleeue the truth of it, he beleeues God, and saith, it is true, I beleeue it, but withall, there is a goodnesse in it, and therefore, as the vnderstanding saith, it is true, so the will saith, it is good, and therefore he takes it, and embraceth it, and is exceeding greedy of it: for when the spirit of bondage makes a man feare, it empties a man of all righteousnesse, as a man empties a Caske, that there is nothing left in it, when it puls away all other props and stayes from it, it leaues a man in this case, that he sees nothing in the world to saue him, but the blood of Christ; when a man sees this, hee takes fast hold of that, he will not let it goe for any thing; and though it be told him, you shall hauehave many troubles and crosses, you must part with all you hauehave, you shall hauehave somewhat hereafter, but you shall hauehave little for the present; he cares not though it costs him his life, so he may ha…e this blood to wash away his sins, it is enough, this he layes fast hold vponupon.
Beloued, when a man doth this, at that very houre he is entred into Couenant, he is translated from death to life, he hath now receiued the promised seede, and he shall be blessed, for God hath said it, and sworne it, and it cannot be otherwise; and this is the testimony of the blood, when a man can say, I know I hauehave taken and applyed the blood of Christ, I rest vponupon it, I beleeue that my sinnes are forgiuen, I graspe it, I receiue it, this is the testimony of the blood.
Now, when a man hath tooke the blood, What? shall he continue in filthinesse now, and walke after the lusts, of his former ignorance? No, the Lord comes not by blood onelyonly, but by water also, that is, by sanctification, that is, he sends the Spirit of sanctification, that cleanseth and washeth his seruants, that washeth away not onelyonly the outward filthinesse, but the euill nature, the swinish nature, that they desire no more to wallow in the myre, as before: for the Lord will not hauehave a sluttish Church, and therefore,Eph. 5. Eph. 5. he washeth his Church, and clenseth it; he washeth eueryevery man in the Church from top to toe; there is not one place in the soule, not one place in the conuersation, but it is rensed in this water; and then, when a man comes to finde this, that he hath not onelyonly found the blood of Christ applyed to him by faith, but hath found that he hath been able to purifie himselfe, and by the worke of Christs Spirit ioyning with him, when he goes about to purge himselfe, that helpes to cleanse his conscience from dead workes. There is the second testimony.
Now follows the testimony of our own spirits, that gathers conclusions from both these, and saith thus, Since I hauehave receiued the blood, and seeing I am able to purifie my selfe, I conclude, I am in a good estate, I am a partaker of the Couenant: if a man could say this truely, it is said, whosoeuer beleeues, shall be saued, but I beleeue, this is the testimony of the blood onelyonly; but when a man can say, I doe labour to purifie my selfe, I desire nothing in the world so much, I doe it in good earnest, this is the testimony of the water to this signe, and testimony of the blood, which shewes that it is true, it is a linely hope: for he that hath a liuely hope, hee purifies himselfe, 1 Ioh. 3. But some man may say,1 Ioh. 3. 3. This testimony of a mans owne spirit may deceiue him. I answer, it cannot, because though it be called the testimony of our owne spirit, yet it is a spirit enlightned, it is a spirit sanctified with the Spirit of Christ, and then that Rule is true, 1 Ioh▪ 3. If our owne heart condemne not; 1 Ioh. 3.that is, if the heart of a man enlightned, if the heart of a man with which the Holy Ghost ioynes, if the heart of a man sanctified doe not condemne him, if hee hauehave the testimony of this Spirit, he shall be saued, he needs not doubt it, he hath boldnesse towards GOD, then againe hee must consider this worke, the testimony of the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree in one; it is not the testimony of the Spirit alone, but it is the testimony of the water ioyned with it; if it were but the testimony of one, indeed the ground were not good, but they all agree in one; and therefore if thou hauehave one sure to thee, it is enough. These are the things which goe before, and accompany it.
Now followes the testimony of Gods spirit; which we shall see described, besides the places I named to you,Eph. 1. 13. Eph. 1. Wherein after you beleeued, you were sealed with the spirit of promise. My beloued, when a man hath beleeued, and tooke lesus Christ; secondly, when hee hath washed and purified himselfe, that is, hee hath gone about this worke, and so his owne spirit gathers a testimony hence, that he is in a good estate; after he hath thus beleeued, then, saith he, comes the Holy Ghost, and seales the same things vntounto you; that is, the LORD leaues a man alone a while, as it were, to champ vponupon the bridle, as I may say, he lets a man alone to some doubts and feares, that so hee may purge himselfe the more carefully; but after a time, when a man hath put to his seale that God is true, then the LORD seales him againe with the spirit of promise, that is, the LORD sends the spirit into his heart, and that spirit giues witnesse to him, and when he hath put to his seale, that GOD is true, then the LORD puts to his seale, and assures him that hee hath receiued him to mercy. You will say, What is this seale, or witnesse of the Spirit? My beloued, it is a thing that wee cannot expresse, it is a certaine diuine impression of light, a certaine vnexpressible assurance that we are the sonnes of God, a certaine secret manifestation, that God hath receiued vsus, and put away our sinnes; I say, it is such a thing, that no man knowes, but they that hauehave it; you shall finde it expressed by all these places of Scripture,R…u. 3. 20. Reu. 3. If any man will open to mee, I will come in and sup with him; that is, when the Lord enters into a kinde of familiarity with a man, when he vouchsafes him so much fauour, as to come and suppe and dine with him, as it were,Reu. 2. 17. and to dwell with him▪ and so, Re…. 2. 17. To him that ouercommeth will I giuegive of the hidden Mannah; I will giuegive a white stone with a new name written in it, t…at no man knowes but he that hath it; that is, there shall bee a secret priuy token, as it were, of my louelove giuen him, a secret marke of it, that there is no man in the world knowes besides:Io…. 14. 21. So, Ioh. 14. 21. If any man louelove mee, and keepe my Commandements, I will shew my selfe to him; that is, hee shall hauehave an extraordinary manifestation of my selfe, hee shall hauehave such an expression of louelove and peace, that shall fill his heart with peace and ioy, such a thing that no man knowes but himselfe. Beloued, this is the testimony of the Spirit. I confesse, it is a wondrous thing, and if there were not some Christians that did feele it, and know it, you might beleeue there were no such thing, that it were but a fancie or enthusiasme; but, beloued, it is certaine, there are a generation of men, that know what this seale of the Lord is; indeed you must remember this, to distinguish it from all fancies and delusions, this Spirit comes after you hauehave the water and the blood, after you are beleeuers, after you hauehave purged your selues; and therefore if any man hauehave such flashes of light and ioy, that witnesse that hee hath receiued the promise, and that he is in the Couenant, and for all this he hauehave not the things that goe before it, now thou maist take it for a delusion; I will come and sup with him; but with whom? with him that first openeth to me. If thou open thy heart to the Lord, whensoeuer hee knocks, and comes to thee. And so, To him that ouercomes, I will giuegive of the hidden Mannah. If thou be one that art able to ouercome temptations, and vnruly affections, & sinfull lusts, thou maist conclude, it is a true testimony that thou ar… not deceiued; but if thou be one that art ouercome with eueryevery base lust, with eueryevery temptation, thou art deceiued, if thou art perswaded thou art in a good estate, this is not the witnesse of the Spirit; for it is to him that ouercomes. So againe, to him that loues me, and keepes my Commandemēts, &c. Now if thou be one that breaks the Cōmandements of God, that find'st not that holy fire in thy brest, that find'st not thy heart affectioned to him, and yet thou hast t…ese great flashes of assurance, and t…inkst thy state good, beloued, you deceiue your selues, whose case soeuer it is, the Lord hath not shewed himselfe to thee, b…t it is a delusion, a fancy, and therefore, I say, consider it; and this is the consequent of it, that he that hath it is able to pray. So I will conclude all, he is able to cry Abba Father. If thou hauehave such an assurance of a good estate, and yet art not able to pray, thou art deceiued likewise: for that is the property of the Spirit, it makes a man cry to God, and call him Father. You will say, Is this such a matter? eueryevery man can pray. Beloued, it is another thing then the world i…agines it to be▪ he that hath this spirit, is mighty in prayer, he is able to wrestle with God, as Iacob did, by the spirit of Adoption, hee had power with God, as it is said there, and he is able to preuaile with the Lord, and why? because he can speake to him, as to a Father, he can continue in prayer, and watch ther eunt… with all perseuerance; he can speake to him, as one that he is well acquainted with; he can not only speake remiss…ly, but he can cry Abba Father, that shewes feruency in his prayer; there is no man in the world that is able to doe it besides. We see a description of other men, Esay 33. 14. when they are troubled, they are not able to pray indeed, they may hauehave formes of prayer, that they may vse in times of peace, but, beloued let any great trouble come vponupon them, let them be put to it, and then you shall finde they are not able to doe it, but they runne away from God as fast as they can, at that time, they are not able to come and say, Thou art my Father, I beseech thee heare me, I beseech thee pitty me, and forgiue me: no, but they tremble at Gods presence, as the Thiefe doth at the presence of the Iudge; the sinners in Sion are afraid in that day when God comes, at the day of visitation, the sinners in Sion are afraid, &c. for who shall dwell with deu…ouring fire? That is, they tremble at such a day, when the day of death comes, when God begins to shew himselfe to them, in the fiercenesse of his wrath, when he begins to come neere them in the day of visitation, then they fly from him, as one would fly from deuouring fire, they fly not to him, as one would fly to a mercifull Father, that is ready to heare them, and helpe them, but they fly from him as fast as they can, as one would fly from euerlasting burni…g. The like place you hauehave,Iob 27. 8, 9, 10. Iob 27. 8, 9, 10. For what hope hath the Hypocrite when hee hath heaped vp riches, when God shall come and pull away his soule? Will God heare his prayer when he cryes, &c.? Will he call vponupon God at all times? A wicked man may make some shew of prayer to God in time of health, and in time of peace, but at that time, saith he, when he hath spent his time in gathering vp riches, in heaping vp them, and GOD comes vponupon him suddenly, and shall pull away his soule, he teares and rends it from him, (for so the word signifies in the Originall) that is, he is not willing to resigne it into Gods hāds, as the righteous man doth, but he is busie about his wealth, and God surprizeth him, and rends his soule from him. What will he doe in this case? What? will he pray? saith Iob, No, hee giues two reasons. He hath …o delight in the Lord, he neuerloued the Lord, there is no such louelove betweene the Lord and him, as there is betweene the Father and the Childe, betweene the H…sband and the Wife, he neuer had the spirit of a son, he cannot pray, for he delights not in God.
But he doth pray sometimes?Obiect.
Yea, for some fit,Ans. he may be in some extremity, he may cry as a Thiefe at the Barre may cry to the Iudge, as he doth sometimes exceeding hard, not because he loues the Iudge, but it is a cry that comes from extremity, and it is but in extremity, and by that the falsenesse and hypocrisie of them is known: So an Hypocrite may cry in the time of extremity, but it is a cry, it is not a prayer, and it is but in the time of extremity, it is not at all times that he doth it, hee is not able to doe it; for the Lord is a stranger to hi…, he lookes vponupon the Lord, as vponupon a terrible Iudge; and therefore if you would know whether you hauehave the spirit of the Sonne; As first thou shalt know it by that which went before; and as, secondly, thou shalt know it by that which goes together with it, the testimony of the blood, the testimony of the water, and of thine owne spirit,
So thou maist know it thirdly by this, by the Consequents, it makes thee able to pray, and in the time of extremity it makes thee able to goe to God as to a Father, when another flyes away from him, as from euerlasting burnings.
So much shall serue for this time.
FINIS.