Evangelical Sacrifices, Text 9 – Title page 10

Evangelical Sacrifices · Text 9 – Title page 10

p. 107THE FAITHFVL COVENANTER.

GEN. 17. 7.

I will establish my Covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee.

GOD having framed man an understanding creature, hath made him fit to have communion and entercourse with himselfe, because hee can by his understanding discerne, that there is a better good out of himselfe, in communion and fellowship with which, happinesse consists: other creatures, wanting understanding to discerne a better good out of, then in themselves, their life being their good, desire only the continuance of their owne beeing, p. 108without society and fellowship with others. But man, having the knowledge of God, the Creator of heaven and earth, but especially of God the Redeemer, providing for him a second beeing, better then his first; understandeth that his best and chiefest good dependeth more in him, then in himselfe, and because his happinesse standeth in acquaintance and fellowship with this God, which is the chiefe good, he desireth a communion with him, that he may partake of his good.

This communion and fellowship of man with God, was first founded on a Covenant of workes made with Adam in Paradise, if he did obey, and did not eat of the forbidden fruit, he should have life, both for himselfe and his posterity; the which Covenant, because God would not have forgotten, hee afterward renewed in the delivery of the ten Commandements, requiring from man obedience to them in his owne person, exactly at all times, perpetually, promising life on the obedience, and threatning death, and cursing, if hee continued not in every thing the law required to doe: But this fellowship being placed in mans owne freedome, and having so weake a foundation, he lost both himselfe and it, so that now by the first Covenant of workes, Adam and all his posterity are under a curse, for we cannot fulfill the law, that requireth personall obedience, perfect obedience, and exact obedience, hee that continueth not in all is cursed. The Law then p. 109findeth us dead, and killeth us, it findeth us dead before, and not onelyonly leaves us dead still, but makes us more dead.

Now after this fall, mans happinesse was, to recover againe his communion and fellowship with God, and therefore we must have a new Covenant, before wee can have life and comfort, God must enter into new conditions with us before wee can have any communion with him.

God therefore, loving man, doth after the breach of the first agreement and Covenant, when Adam had lost himselfe by his sinne, and was in a most miserable plight as ever creature was in the world, falling from so great a happinesse into wondrous misery: hee raysed him up, and comforted him, by establishing a second, a new and better Covenant, laying the foundation of it, in the blessed seed of the woman, Christ, the Messiah, who is the ground of this new Covenant, and so of our communion and fellowship with God, without whom there can be no intercourse betweene God and us in love; and because this Covenant vvas almost forgotten, therefore now in Abrahams time God renewed it to Abraham in this place, I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed after thee, &c.

There are foure periods of time, of renevying this Covenant: first, from Adam to Abraham, and in those first times of the vvorld, those that were under the Covenant, vvere p. 110called the sonnes and daughters of God, the children of the promise, and the covenant of grace was called a promise of the blessed seed.

Secondly, from Abraham to Moses, and then it was called a covenant, and they the children of the covenant: I will establish my Covenant. A covenant is more then a promise, and a more solemne thing, because there be Ceremonies.

The third period of renewing the covenant of grace was from Moses to Christ, and then it was more cleare, when as to the covenant made with Abraham, who was sealed with the Sacrament of Circumcision, the Sacrament of the Pascall Lambe was added, and all the Sacrifices Leviticall, and then it was called a Testament; that differeth a little from a Covenant: for a Testament is established by blood, it is established by death: so was that, but it was onelyonly with the blood and death of Cattle sacrificed as a Type.

But now to Christs time to the end of the world, the covenant of grace is most cleare of all, and it is now usually called the new Testament, being established by the death of Christ himselfe: and it differs from a Covenant in these respects.

First, a Testament indeed is a covenant, but something more, it is a covenant sealed by death, the Testator must die before it can be of force: so all the good that is conveyed to p. 111us by the Testament, it is by the death of the Testator Christ: Gods covenant with us now, is such a covenant as is a Testament, sealed with the death of the Testatour Christ, for without blood there is no redemption, without the death of Christ there could be no satisfaction, and without satisfaction there could be no peace with God.

Secondly, a Testament bequeatheth good things meerely of love, it giveth gifts freely. A covenant requireth some thing to be done, in a Testament there is nothing but receiving the Legacies given. In covenants ofttimes, it is for the mutuall good one of another, but a Testament is meerely for their good, for whom the Testament is made, to whom the Legacies are bequeathed, for when they are dead, what can they receive from them? Gods Covenant now is such a Testament, sealed with the death of Christ, made out of love, meerely for our good, for what can God receive of us? all is legacies from him, and though hee requireth conditions, requireth faith and obedience, yet he himselfe fulfilleth what he asketh, giveth what he requireth, giveth it as a Legacie, as we shall see afterward.

Thus you see that the communion and fellowship of man with God, must either be by a covenant of workes, or by a covenant of grace. And we must distinguish exactly betweene these two covenants, and the periods of them.

p. 112When the covenant of workes was disanuled by ours sinnes, because we could not fulfill the Law exactly, and perpetually, God will have a new Covenant, if wee beleeve in Christ, we shall have everlasting life. Now if wee sticke to the one, we must renounce the other, if it be of faith, it is not of workes, and if it be of workes, it is not of faith. This was excellently signified by Ioshua and Moses. Ioshua bringeth the people to Canaan and not Moses, Moses doth not bring any to heaven, it must be Ioshua, the Type of the true Jesus, that must bring them through Iordan to Canaan. This was typified also in the Arke: there was the Law, the Covenant of workes in the Arke, but the propitiatory, the Mercy-seate was above the Arke, above the Law, and from thence, God made all his Answers, to signifie to us, that we can have nothing to doe with the Law without the Propitiatory: Christ is the Propitiatory, the Mercy-seate; in Christ God heareth us, he makes all his Answers in the Propitiatory, Christ. Therefore when the question is of salvation, how wee have title to heaven; Not by the merit of workes, for then we reverse the Covenant of grace, but our title is meerely by Gods mercy in Christ apprehended by faith. The evidence indeed to prove our faith to be a true faith, is from workes, but the title we have is onelyonly by Christ, onelyonly by grace. Here we must appeale from Sinai to Sion: from the Law to the Gospell, from Moses to Christ; p. 113we must flie with Ioab to the homes of the Altar, that must be our refuge; flie to Christ in the Covenant of grace, and wee shall not be pulled from thence as Ioab was from the Altar, there let us live and die.

Remember (I say) that the Covenant of grace is distinct in the whole kind, from the Covenant of workes, yet this; They are both in the Church, and both taught one subordinate to the other: As thus. The Covenant of workes is taught to shew us our failing, that seeing our owne disability to performe what the Law requireth we may be forced to the new Covenant of grace: And therefore saith Gal. 2.Gal 2Paul, By the Law I am dead to the Law. It is an excellent speech, by the Law I am dead to the Law, by the Covenant of workes I am dead to the Covenant of workes: that is by the Lawes …acting of me exact and perpetuall obedience, in thought word and deed, I come to see that I cannot fulfill it, and therefore am dead to the Law, that is, I looke for no salvation, for no title to heaven by that, and therefore he saith, the Law was added for transgression: why was the Law added to the promise of salvation by Christ made here to Abraham, why was the Covenant of workes added in the wildernes afterwards? it was for transgression, to increase the sense of transgression: that wee by the Law might see what we should doe, and what we have not done, and that we are by that come under a curse, and so might flie to the promise p. 114of grace in Christ. I have stood the longer in the clearing of this, because it is a maine point.

But to come to that which I specially intend, the words (as I said before) containe therenewing of this blessed and gracious agreement, betweene God and man, to Abraham the father of the faithfull.

I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their Generations, for an everlasting Covenant, to be thy God, and the God of thy seed after thee.

The words (you see) containe a Covenant: and here are all things, all the Articles and circumstances that agree to any Covenant whatsoever.

Here are the parties, both that makes the Covenant, and that are covenanted with.

Here is the substance of the Covenant, and the qualities of the Covenant, and the condition of the Covenant.

The party making the Covenant, is God; I will be thy God.

God is the party covenanting: God indeed is both the party covenanting, and the substance of the Covenant, I will be a God to thee, they fall both together in one. It is a most sweet signe of Gods great love, that he will stoope so low, as to make a Covenant with us, to be our God, to be himselfe all in all to us. For consider but both these parties, God and we, the Creator and the creature, the immortall p. 115God and mortall man, the glorious God, and dust and afhes, the holy God, and sinfullman, the great King of heaven and earth, and Rebels and traytours as wee are. For him to condescend so low, as to make a Covenant with us, to enter into Termes and Articles of agreement with us, it is a wondrous signe of his gracious mercy and love; what can we but hope for from so gracious a God? But I shall have occasion to touch that afterward.

The parties covenanted with, are Abraham …d his seed, his seede by promise.

The substance of the Covenant is, I will be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee.

The qualities of the Covenant are, first, it is a sure Covenant, I will establish my Covenant.

Secondly, it is an everlasting Covenant, I will establish my Covenant for an everlasting Covenant.

Thirdly, it is a peculiar Covenant, I will establish my Covenant betweene me and thee, and thy seed: that is, onelyonly betweene me and thee and thy seed, not with the refuse of the world, but onelyonly with thy seed by promise, onelyonly beleevers, whether Iewes or Gentiles.

Fourthly, it is a most free Covenant: it was made to Abraham, whom God called out of Vr, of the Chaldees, out of an idolatrous nation, out of an idolatrous family. Even as it was at the first most freely made to Adam in Paradise, when he was in a most desperate estate, when he was as low as hell in a manner, ready to p. 116sinke into de spaire, then the Seede of the woman was promised; so here it was freely made to good Abraham. First, the love of God was free to him, when he call'd him being an idolatour, and then it was freely renewed afterward when hee was good, as wee shall see anon.

And lastly, It is a Covenant consisting most of spirituall things, it is a spirituall covenant, I meane especially, promising spirituall favours, although the other things as appendices of the maine are likewise meant: For after that the covenant was made to Abraham and his posterity, they endured many afflictions: after the promise was renewed to Iacob, wee know hee fled from his brother Esau to whom the Covenant of grace was not made, and yet of Esau presently came Duke such a one, and Duke such a one, and poore Iacob was faine to flie for his life in regard of the promise. So that I say, it must be specially of spirituall blessings.

These are the qualities of the Covenant, It is a sure, an everlasting, a peculiar, and a most free Covenant, ayming specially at spirituall things.

And then lastly, you have the condition of the Covenant, and that, though it is not exprest, yet it is implyed: I will be thy God, and the God of thy seede, therefore thou shalt take me for thy God, carry thy selfe to me as to thy God, &c. It is usuall in other places of Scripture, p. 117where mention is made of this Covenant, to imply the condition required on our parts, sometimes both the Covenant and condition are mentioned together, as in Zach. 13. Zach. 13.Zech 13last: I will say (saith God) It is my people, and they shall say, the Lord is my God, the one springeth from the other; when God is a God to any, he makes the heart to answer; thou shalt be my God, and I will be thine alwayes. This is the condition on our part, that we make with God in this Covenant, to take him for our God, to be his people, and his pecuilar ones. I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed.

Though these words, I will be a God to thee, and to thy seed, be the last words of the Text, yet being the substance of the Covenant, I thinke it shall be best to speake of that before I speake of the qualities of the Covenant, or any thing else. I will be thy God.

This is the Covenant in the Messiah: but first, what is it to be a God?

I answer: To be a God, take it in the generall, is to give being to the creature that had no being of it selfe, and to protect and preserve the creature in its being, in a word, to be a Creatour; for providence is the perpetuity and continuance of creation; this is to be a God. The office of God, as God, is a most glorious function: to be a King is a great p. 118matter, but to be a God, to give being to the creature, to support it when it hath a being, to doe all that God should doe, this is a most glorious worke: but this is but creation, this is not intended especially here, for thus hee is the God of all his workes; thus by creation and preservation, he is the God of all the men in the world out of the Church.

What is then to be thy God? I will be thy God.

I Answer, to be a God in a more peculiar manner, is to be a God in Covenant, that is, not onelyonly to be a God to preserve and continue this being of ours in a civill life, but it is to be a God in a higher relation to us, to be a God in a reference to an eternall, supernaturall estate in heaven, to be a God here in grace, and hereafter in glory: and thus God is a God in a gracious covenant onelyonly by Iesus Christ, and to those that beleeve in him. I will be thy God: that is, I will be thy God in Christ, to give thee a better being then this world can aford, to free thee from the cursed estate thou art in by nature, to deliver thee from all ill, spiritually and eternally, especially to bestow on thee all good, spiritually, and eternally, especially as wee have it in the words of the Covenant Gen. 15. 1. I will be thy shield and thy Gen 15. 1.Gen 15:1exceeding great reward, a shield to keepe off all ill, and a reward for all good. So in the 84. God will be a Sun and a shield, &c. a Sun Psal. Psal. 84.Ps 84for all sweet comfort and good, and a shield, p. 119in regard of defence from ill; a Sunne and a shield, till wee come to the possession of eternall happinesse. This is to be a God in a peculiar manner, to give all things necessary for grace and life too, for this life and for a better; to doe all things requisite to bring us to heaven and happinesse through Christ, in whom all the promises are, yea and Amen, to be all in all, to direct the protections and provions of this life, of our estate here to a supernaturall happinesse hereafter, to a state beyond nature: for God directs the favours of this life, so that he takes them away or hee giveth them, as he seeth them advantageous or hinderances to a better estate. So is God a God to those that are in convenant with him, to doe all this, and to doe all this in opposition of all enemies whatsoever, to doe all this in weakenes and in the impotency of the creature, to doe all this when all second causes are contrary as it were, to bring a man to heaven in spite of the Devill, & of our owne corruptions, or all oppositions whatsoever. This is to be a God indeed.

But why doth he say onelyonly, I will be thy God; why doth he not say, I will give thee grace and protection, I will give thee heaven and life everlasting?

Because all is one: for all things in the world are in this one promise I will be thy God. See the wisedome of heaven, how much he speakes in how little, there cannot be more spoken then p. 120thus, I will be thy God, for in saying, I will be thy God, he implies that, whatsoever he is, or hath, or can doe, shall be thine too, I will be thy God, that is, my wisedome shall be thine to watch over thee, to find out wayes to doe thee good, my power shall be thine to keepe thee from danger, to defend and rescue thee from all enemies, and to subdue them by degrees unto thee: my providence shall be thine to turne all things to thy good: my mercy shall be thine, to forgive thy sins: my love shall be thine, to bestow on thee all necessary comforts; there is no phrase in the Scripture that hath so much in so little as this here, I will be thy God, if wee could unfold and lay open this excellent promise, all other particular promises in the covenant of grace are members of this: what is the reason (as Saint Paul saith) all things are yours, because you are Christs, and Christ is Gods, God is the God of Christ and our God, wee are in covenant with the God of Christ, Christ is the heire of all, and we are members of Christ: God who is the God of all things is ours. It is a wondrous comprehensive promise. I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed.

The substance of thy Covenant then is, that God will be a God to us; the point to be observed is this, That God graciously in the blessed seed, the Messiah, Christ Iesus, he takes …pon p. 121him to be a God to all those that are in Covenant with him; that is, to be All-sufficient to bring us to happinesse, All-sufficient in this world, and in the world to come, to be our portion, to be all in all.

This is the first and fundamentall promise of all other, indeed it is the life and soule of all the promises, and it is the life and soule of all comfort whatsoever: for all other relations spoken of God tend to this, that hee is our God, this is before to be a Father, before to be any thing. God first is a God, and then a Father, and then all in all to us. As he is first, the God of Christ, and then the Father of Christ, as you have it usually in the beginnings of the Epistles, God the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, first the God, and then the Father: to be a God then, is the fundamentall and principall favour, from thence commeth our Election, his chusing of us to eternall salvation before all time, his protection and preservation of us in time, unto heaven.

I shall not need to speake more of this, having unfolded it before.

But you will say, how shall we know, that this Covenant belongeth to us, that wee are such as we may say, God is our God?

I answer, first, to lay this for a ground, you must know, that to be a God, is a relation: whosoever God is a God to, he perswadeth them by his Spirit, that hee is a God to: the p. 122same Spirit that perswadeth them, that there is a God, that Spirit telleth them that, God is their God, and works a qualification and disposition in them, as that they may know, that they are in covenant with such a gracious God, the Spirit as it revealeth to them the love of God, and that he is theirs, so the Spirit enableth them to claime him for their God, to give up themselves to him, as to their God.

And the Spirit doth this, because friends cannot be in convenant and confederate without there be a likenesse, or an agreement: there must be more word: then on to a Covenant, though Gods grace doe all, yet wee must give our consent, and therefore the Covenat is exprest under the title of marriage, in marriage there must be a consent of both parties: In reconciliation betweene a King and subjects, that are fallen out when they are Rebels, there must be an accepting of the pardon, and a promise of new subjection. So then if God be our God, there will bee grace given to take him for our God, to give him homage as a King, to give him our consent as to our Spouse; thou shalt be my God and I will cleave to thee, as to my Lord and Husband: Can two walke together (saith the Prophet) and not be friends? there can bee no friendship with God, except there be somewhat wrought in us by his Spirit, to make us fit for friendship, that we may looke on p. 123him as an object of love and delight: if wee looke on him as an object of hatred, what termes of friendship can there be? Now, that we may looke on him as an object of love, fit for converse with him, hee must make us such by consent, and yeelding to him, by framing the inward man to his, likenesse that so there may a peace be maintained with him: you see the ground of it, of necessity it must be so.

Well, to come to the tryalls, but let me first adde this to the former; whomsoever God is a God to, it is knowne, specially by spirituall and eternall favours: a man cannot know certainely that God is his God by outward and common things, that cast-awayes may have; for a cast-away may have Ishmaels blessing, and Esaus portion, blessings of the left hand, common graces. To know undoubtedly therefore, that God is our God, must be by peculiar matters; for those whose God, God is, are a peculiar people, a holy nation, severed from others. First of all then know, what the Spirit of God saith to thy soule, for they that are Gods have his Spirit, to reveale to their spirits, the secret and hidden love of God; but if the voyce of the Spirit be silent in regard of testimony, goe to the worke of the Spirit, but goe to the peculiar worke of the Spirit. For though the Spirit may be silent in regard of his testimony, yet there are some workes or other of the Spirit in a man, p. 124whereby hee may know that God is his God. As the Spirit of God workes in some sort, a proportion in him unto God; and none can know better what God is to him, then by searching of his owne heart, what hee is backe againe to God; for as God saith to him by his Spirit, thou art mine, so they say to God, thou art mine. Let us then come to the tryall, by our carrying our selves to God. Can we say with David, Whom have I in heaven but thee, or what is there in earth in comparison of thee? when the conscience can tell us, that we make God our treasure and our portion above all earthly things, then wee make him our God. A Christian singleth our God, above all things in the world, for his happinesse. Lord, thou art mine, whatsoever wealth is mine, or riches mine, or friends mine, I stand not upon that, but thou art mine. A rich man runneth to his wealth, and make flesh his arme, he runneth to friends, to beare him out in ill causes, but a true Christian that hath God for his God, he may know it by this, he singleth out God for his portion, runnes to him in all extremities; Lord, thou art mine: this is a signe that God hath said to his soule, first, I am thy salvation. How can the soule appropriate God to himselfe? how can he say as Thomas did, My Lord and my God? except the Lord have spoken peace to the soule before, and have said, I am thy salvation? It is a signe we have made God our God, when wee p. 125prize him and value him above all the world, and when with Saint Paul, Phil. 3. wee count all things dung and drosse, in comparison of Jesus Christ our Lord: what we will doe most for, that is our God; if wee will doe most for God, he is our God; if we doe most for pleasures, they are our God, if wee doe most for riches, breake o…r rests and cracke our consciences for them, that is our God. In a word, whatsoever we value highest, that is our God.

Examine what affections wee have to God: (for it is affection, that makes a Christian) single out some few that we are most offending in. As first, for feare, it may shame us all, (indeed a Christian upon his best resolutions is better) but the ordinary carriage of men is, they feare men more then God, they feare every thing more then him that they should feare above all. For instance, is the retyred carriage of men to God, such as their carryage is to the eye of the world? will not they doe that in secret ofttimes, that they will not doe openly? in secret they will commit this or that sinne, and thinke, who seeth? there are secret abominations in the closet of their hearts, they will not feare to doe that in the eye of God, that they feare to doe in the eye of a child of sixe yeares old, that is of any discretion: Is this to make God our God, when wee feare the eye of a silly mortall creature more then the eye of God, that is tenne thousand times brighter then the Sunne, that p. 126is our Judge, is God our God the whiles? undoubtedly, when God is made our God, there is an awe of the eye of heaven upon a man in all places, therefore this is the condition of the Covenant, Walke before mee, or walke as in my sight; how doe wee walke before God as in his sight, when there is such a great deale of difference in our carriage secretly, and before the eyes of men? when wee labour more to approve our carriage to men, then we make conscience of our spirits to God? This may shame us, even the best of us who are in Covenant with God, and have made God our God, we have cause to be abased for this: and surely one of the best wayes to make Gods children abased and humbled, is to compare the different proportion of their carriage, how they carry themselves to men, whom they respect, and to outward things in the world, and how they carry themselves to God: if God be our God, there will be an universall feare and care to please God in all times and in all places, because hee is everywhere, darkenesse and light are all one to him.

Trie your selves therefore by this affection: if we make God our God, wee will feare him above all; for there being such a distance betweene God and us, He the mighty God, and we creatures whose breath is in our nostrils, there can no other way be a Govenant of peace betwixt us, but with much reverence: therfore p. 127all Christians are reverent creatures, they doe all in feare, they passe the whole time of their conversation here in feare, they make an end of their salvation with fear… and trembling, they enjoy their liberties in feare. Saint Iude makes mention of a number of wretched people in his time, that eate without feare: you may know a man that hath not this grace of God in his heart, by his unreverent carriage, hee never thinkes of the presence and All-seeing eye of God. A Christian that hath God to his God, knowes that wheresoever hee is, hee is in the eye of heaven, therefore he is jealous, even of his owne most secret corruptions, he knowes that they are lawlesse of themselves, and therefore he alwayes sets himselfe in the presence of God, he is full of reverence, full of feare, even in the enjoying of his Christian liberties.

So likewise for the affection of love: if God be thy God, thou hast grace given thee to love him above all things; with whom God is graciously reconciled, he giveth them his Spirit to be reconciled backe againe to him, He loveth us, and we love him againe: for wee are by nature enemies to God, as hee is to us, there is no wicked man in the world can love God; indeed as God is a God, that promiseth salvation he loveth him, hee would faine have that, and therefore would faine be in his favour, but hee cannot love God as he is in all respects, but he hateth him, and hee hateth p. 128his children, hee trifleth with his name by oaths and blasphemy, and the like, hee scorned God, hee wisheth that there were no God; can this man say, that God is his God, when he doth not carry himselfe backe againe to him in his affection as his God? no such matter, he is Gods enemie, and God is his enemie. So if God be our God, if hee have set his love upon us, wee cannot but love him againe, if hee be reconciled to us, wee are reconciled to him. This is a sure signe that God is our God, if we love him above all.

Now, that may be knowne, if wee be zealous, when God is dishonored any way, for whatsoever we make our God, wee will not endure to have touched; if a man make his lust his God, if that be touched, hee is all in a chafe, when that which a man loveth is touched) experience shews it) hee is presently all on a fire. And here the best Christians have cause to be abased; hath God their love, when they can heare him disgraced, and his name abused, without being greatly mooved, and yet notwithstanding in the meane time, will not endure their owne credit to be touched? but they are (as I said) all on a fire: where there is no zeale, there is no love: certainely when vvee can heare Gods children misused, and Religion indangered, and profession scoffed at, &c. and yet not be affected, nor cannot take Gods cause to heart, this is great fault in our love.

p. 129And so for joy and delight, wee make God our God, when we joy in him above all things in the world, when wee make him our boast all the day long, as it is, Psalm. 44. 8. when we make him our glory, as he is called our Glory in Ierem. 2. 11. They changed their glory: God is our glory if hee be our God, wee count it our chiefest glory, that we are his, & that he is ours: whatsoever our estates be, we glory in God, and not in our selves: a Christian when he would joy and glory, hee goeth out of himselfe to God, He is his joy. But doe not men joy in the creature and delight in it ofttimes more then in God? It is a great shame for us, and that for which even the best of us all may be abased, to consider what a deale of delight and comfort wee take in the creature more then in God. We see Ionah, a good man, when his Gourd was taken from him that God raised up to be a shelter for him; a poore simple defence it was, and yet we see how pettish the good man was, all the comfort he had, could not keepe him from anger and fretting when the Gourd was gone, and yet God was his God. So many men, whereas they should joy in God above all things, yet if God take outward comforts from them, they are as if there were no God in heaven, no comfort there, as if there were no providence to rule theworld, as if they …ad no Father in covenant with them. I say this is a great shame for us.

Againe, if God be our God, wee will trust p. 130in him, relye and depend upon him above all things; for whatsoever our trust is most in, that is our God: now if our conscience tell us, that wee trust most in God, more then in wealth, or friends, and will not to displease God please any man, it is a signe that we have make God our God, because we trust in him. And surely, if we would examine our selves, the best of us all, it would bring us on our knees, & make our faces be confounded, to consider what a deale of Atheisme there is in our hearts (though we are not altogether Atheists, yet what a deale there is) that must be mortified and subdued. For if an honest man, and that we know is faithfull, should say to us, I will be yours, I will take upon me to provide for you, to defend you, to protect you, to stand by you against all adversaries, wee beleeve and hope that hee will doe it, but doe we so to God? hath he our trust and affiance? Alas no; so farre forth, I meane, as wee are not subdued to God: a Christian indeed, in some measure is inabled to make God his trust and confidence, but there remaines abundance of Atheisme, even in the best of us. If God be our God, why doe we not trust in him, depend upon him for all things, depend upon him for protection, and deliverance from all ill (spirituall ill specially) from sin, Satan, hell, and wrath, depend upon him for all good (the good of grace specially) for the change of our nature, and the forgivenesse p. 131of our sinnes; for spirituall priviledges, adoption and sonneship, for the inheritance of heaven, &c. It is a signe I say, that God is our God, when wee trust in him above all the world, and trust other things onelyonly from him and for him, I will trust man, but man may deceive me, I will not trust him therefore with an absolute confidence, no, that were to make a God of him. What is the reason that God confoundeth proud men at last? David shewes the reason, this man he tooke not the Lord for his God: when men will in contempt of Religion, set up themselves, and somewhat else to relye on besides God, God at the last brings it to passe, that the world shall note them out, this man trusted in his greatnesse, he trusted in his policy, in his wit, in his friends, this man tooke not the Lord for his God.

Againe, if we make God our God, we may know it by our obedience, especially by the obedience of the inward man; when the inward man is vowed to God, when a man yeeldeth inward obedience to God, it is a signe that God is his God; when a man can araigne his thoughts and desires before God, & when lusts rise in his heart contrary to the Spirit, he checks them presently, this becommeth not those that are Gods, it beseemeth not those that walke after God, that have Gods Spirit for their leader, therefore he is ashamed presently of base tentations. A Christian p. 132can performe the first and last Commandements, which are the most spirituall Commandements, hee can make God his God in his affections, his affections are placed upon him alone, (as I have shewed before) he can yeeld up all his inward affections of feare and love and joy, and such like unto God, which is the summe of the first Commandement, and hee can be content not to have his lusts rage and range, suppresses his very thoughts and desires, will not suffer any thing to rise in his heart unchecked and uncountrouled, which is the summe of the tenth Commandement, I meane he can doe it in some measure. And there is a inward passive obedience too: It is God (as David and other Saints said) It is the Lord, let him doe what seemeth him good in his owne eyes. I am Gods and he shall dispose of me; the soule that knoweth God to be his God, hath an inward obedience of contentation with his estate: God is my portion, and it is large enough, the earth is his and the fulnesse thereof, therefore I will be content to be at his disposing whether it be more or lesse, and if any murmuring arise in his heart against God, in respect of his estate or otherwise, he presently suppresseth it, as being contrary to the blessed government that a Christian is under, that should resigne his whole soule unto God.

Thus by our affections, by the tryall of them, wee may know whether God be our p. 133God; if wee give him the affections of the heart, which Religion most stands in, when we make the whole inward man stoope and bow, and bend unto him, when we make him our King, and give him the supremacy, when we set the Crowne upon his head, when hee hath our feare, our joy and delight, our love, our trust, I meane, when he hath the supreame of all, for we may love man, as God deriveth good to us by him, and so for the rest, but God must be supreme, others must be loved and feared, &c. in him and for him, but hee chiefely, when wee depend upon him for all deliverance out of ill and for all good, and shew our dependance on him, by our subjection to him in all his wayes, by our yeelding to him obedience answerable to all this, and especially when we shall shew it by performing inward worship to him, when we walke before him pefectly & sincerely, as it is in the beginning of this Chapter, I am God All-sufficient, walke before me and be perfect: By this we may know, that God is our God. I need not enlarge it, the practise of the first Commandement will teach us what is our God, whatsoever we give the supremacy of the inward man to, whatsoever we love most, whatsoever wee trust most, whatsoever we feare most, whatsoever we joy and delight most, whatsoever wee obey most, that is our God. I am the Lord thy God, (in the first Commandement) there is the ground, what followes? Thou shalt have no p. 134other Gods but me, that is, thou shalt love nothing in the world, nor feare nothing, nor trust in nothing, nor joy in nothing more then me, no, nor with me, but all things else thou shalt trust them, and feare them, &c. in me and for me: otherwise what is our love is our God, what is our trust is our God, what is our greatest feare is our God: if wee feare man, feare him to doe ill, man is our God; if we love the creature, or sinne, that is our God; if wee cracke our consciences for wealth, the covetous mans wealth is his God; if wee cracke our consciences for pleasures, or for our bellies, our pleasures and our bellies, and our lusts are our God: we make not God our God except we give him the supremacy of the inward man.

But to proceed, and to come to some few familiar signes more that will try us, though these may try us, in the intercourse that is betweene God and us.

Whosoever hath God for their God, they have the spirit of supplication & prayer, to cry unto God, to run unto him, specially in extremity, all Gods children have the spirit of adoption to crie, Abba Father; they have the spirit to give them boldnesse to God, when otherwise their nature, and likewise trouble joyning with nature, and tentations would make them runne from God, yet the Spirit of God in them makes them bold to goe to God in Jesus Christ; Gods children that are in Covenant p. 135vvith him, can at all times pray to God; if they cannot pray, they can chatter and sigh to God: there is somewhat they can doe, there is a spirit in them that groaneth and sigheth, as Rom. 8. and God heareth the voyce of his owne Spirit, they are cryes in his eares: My groanes and sighs are not hid from thee, saith the Psalmist. The spirit of supplication vvill shevv God to be our God, because if he vvere not ours, vvee could not be bold to goe to him, in the time of extremity especially; this signe you have in the 13. Zach. last, They shall call upon my name, and I will heare them; they shall be my people, and I will be their God: Invocation & prayer is a signe that God is our God, vvhen vvee goe to God presently in all our vvants and necessities by prayer. Pharaoh and reprobate spirits, say to Moses, pray you for me; but as for a spirit of supplication in themselves they have not; they may speake of prayer, but they cannot pray, whosoever is Gods, he can crie to God; a child wee know the first voyce it uttereth as soone as it is borne, it cryes, so Gods new borne children they can crie unto God. Paul in the 9. Acts, you shall find him praying as soone as ever he was coverted; and certainely those that use not to pray morning and evening, and upon all occasions, that acquaint not themselves with God, God is not their God; if he were their God, they would seeke to him, and be acquainted with him, the Spirit will teach p. 136them to goe unto God as to a Father.

Againe, wee may know that God is our God by this, by our separating from all others, in our selves, and out of our selves, there is a separation in our selves, for there is the first separation. God whose God hee is, hee giveth them his Spirit, and that like fire severeth the drosse, and gathered the sold together, and as heate in the body, that severeth good nourishment, and separateth that which doth not nourish the body, sowhere the Spirit of God is, hee workes a separation betweene the flesh and the spirit, the spirit will know what is spirituall, and vvill discerne vvhat is in us that is fleshly, and vvill joyne to spirituall things, and the spirit vvill be one as it vvere, there vvill be a sweet agreement in the vvord, in the Sacraments, in good company, in holy meditation and the like, and a separation from the flesh. A Christian knowes, that hee is redeemed from himselfe, (as farre as hee is naught) we are redeemed from our selves and our owne base nature, as vvell as from hell and damnation, therefore there is first a separation in our selves from our selves, it begins there, vve have nothing to doe vvith our corruptions, we will not owne them.

And vvhere this sweet Covenant is, that God is our God, as there is a separation from our selves and our corruptions, so there is a separation from all that joyneth with our corruption, a separation in affection, from delighting p. 137in all that is not God, from all such occasions and company, as strengthneth our corruption. A Christian knowes what hee hath of Gods in him, and what he hath of Satan, and that he must weaken, therefore he severeth himselfe from that which strengthneth the one, and weakeneth the other: this tryall is exprest in 2. Cor. 6. last, Comeout from amongst them, separate your selves, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people; (he speakes for direction, especially in our society and acquaintance, for that is the thing hee aymeth at) how shall wee know that God will be our God? we must separate our selves, and touch no uncleane thing, nothing that will helpe rebellion: therefore those that have an indifferent disposition to all companies, and can so…ace themselves in any society, though never so corrupt, that beare themselves plausible to all, and would be thought well of all, and so will venter upon all occasions, it is an ill signe that they are carnall people, when in the nearest league in friendship or amity, or in intimate familiarity, they will joyne with any, all are alike, it is a signe they have not God for their God, for then they would have common enemies and common friends with God: common enemies with God, whom God hated, they would hate: as God in Covenant blessed them that blesse us, and curseth them that curse us; so they that are in Covenant and friendship with God, will hate p. 138with a perfect hatred whatsoever it is that hateth God, they will have nothing to doe in intimate familiarity further then their callings presse upon them, they will give them their due in humanity and curtesie, but no more; their love and delight will be in God, and those that are his, that represent him, that have his Spirit and Image. How oft is this, I am the Lord your God, repeated by Moses as a ground of separation from Idolatry? it is exprest almost every where, and indeed if the Lord be our God, there is ground enough of separation from all that is not God, it cannot be otherwise.

Another signe and evidence that God is our God, is victory over our base corruptions in some measure: this you have in Rev. 21. 7. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, I will be his God, and he shall be my sonne: how shall I know that God is my God, and that I am his sonne? if by the power of his Spirit, I am able to overcome and conquer in some comfortable measure, base tentations, and my base corruptions and lusts, when I lye not as a beast, or as a carnall man under sinne, but God hath given me in some measure spirituall strength over sinne.

Vndoubtedly these and such like workes of the Spirit together with the testimony of the Spirit will be wheresoever God is our God.

In a word, to name no more tryalls but this, whosoever God is a God to, there will be a transforming p. 139unto God, a trans…orming unto Christ, in whom God is our God: for wee must know that we are renewed according to the Image of the second Adam, our comfort is by God revealed in Christ: If God be our God in Christ, we will be like to God, and that will be knowne that we are like to God, if wee be like to God in the flesh, God incarnate: for we are predestinated to be like God incarnate, God first hee is Christs God before hee is ours, and as Christ carryed himselfe to God, so if wee be Gods, wee must carry our selves like Christ, be transformed unto him: how did Christ carry himselfe to God? God was his God, My God, my God, saith Christ upon the Crosse. Now the Gospell sheweth that be obeyed his Father in all things, in doing and suffering, Not my will, but thy will be done. You know how full of mercy and compassion he was, how hee prayed all night sometimes, though he knew God would bestow things on him without prayer, yet hee would pray in order to Gods appointment, you know how full of goodnes he vvas, going about continually doing good, and that in obedience and conscier ceto Gods command: in a vvord, looke how Christ made God his God, and carryed himselfe to God, so must we, for wee are predestinated to be transformed to the Image of the second Adam, Christ. Especially observe one thing, (I touched it before) whom vve runne to and trust to in extremitie, is our p. 140God: Christ in extremitie, vvhen hee felt the anger, and indured the wrath of God being a surety for our sinnes, yet My God, my God still, so if wee make God our God, chiefly in the greatest extremitie, in the time of desertion as Christ did, it is a good signe. I doe but touch these things, the point you see is large, I onelyonly give you matter of meditation, you may inlarge them your selves in your owne thoughts. These I thinke sufficient tryals, whereby you may know vvhether God be your God.

Having now thus unfolded these Termes, let us see vvhat vve may draw from thence for our use and comfort.

First then, if by these tryals wee find that God be not, or have not beene our God: Alas, let us never rest, till wee make it good, that God is our God: For vvhat if vvee have all things, if wee have not God vvith all things? all other things are but streames, God is the Fountaine; if vve have not the Spring, vvhat vvill become of us at last? Achitophel had much vvit and policie, but hee had not God for his God, Ahab had power and strength, but hee had not God for his God: Saul had a Kingdome, but he had not God for his God: Herod had eloquence, but he had not God for his God: Iudas vvas an Apostle, a great professour, but hee had not God for his God; vvhat became of all these? vvit they had, strength they had, honour they had, friends p. 141they had, but they had not God, and therefore a miserable end they made: vvhat miserable creatures are all such, when they shall say, friends have forsaken me, wealth hath forsaken me, and health hath forsaken me; terrours lay hold upon me, the wrath of God hath over-taken me, but they cannot say, God is my God; oh such are in a miserable case, in a fearefull estate indeed: nay suppose they have all these, suppose they could say, they have a vvorld of riches, they have inheritances, they have friends, &c. yet if they cannot say, God is my God, all is vanity: the whole man is this, to have God to be our God: this is the whole man, to feare God & keep his Commandements, Eccles. 1…. l…st, If a man have all the world, and have not God for his God, all is but vanity and vexation of spirit: never rest therefore till wee can proove our selves to be in the Covenant of grace, till we can say, God is my God.

But secondly, when wee have found God to be our God, then make this use of it, a use of resolution: is God my God? then I will resolve to please him, though all creatures bee against me; this was their resolution in the 4. Micah, Every Nation walketh in the name of his God, but we will walke in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever: resolve with Ioshuah and others to please God, whosoever saith the contrarie, to walke after the Commandements of God, whatsoever others do or say. In all discouragements p. 142from men or Devils, let us set this as a buckler, God is my God. Arme our selves with resolution against all feares and threatnings of men, of men of terrour, against the Arme of flesh, they say they will doe this, and this; I but God is my God, all that they doe they must doe in his strength: Arme our selves with this, against the power and gates of hell: feare not the Devill, if wee feare man or Devill more then God, feare them so, as to doe any thing to displease God, we make them God: If our conscience rightly tells us, that what is to be done by us, is the will and command of God, and that herein I serve God, wee need not feare any opposer, but oppose this as an Armour of proofe against all creatures, against all discouragements whatsoever: And certainely experience telleth us, and approoveth it to be true, that nothing can dismay a man that doth things in conscience to God, and knowes God will beare him out in it, though not from danger in this world, (and yet for the most part he doth that too, those that are the stoutest men for God, are oftentimes most safe, alwayes freed from inward dejection) yet God disposeth of it so, as that he that keepes a good conscience, shall alwayes be a King and rule over the world, and therein hee performes his promise, whatsoever discouragements hee endureth outwardly, yet no discouragement can cast downe that soule that lookes to God; In his conscience hee knowes that he takes God p. 143to be his, that hee serveth him, and that it shall goe well with him at last, that God will be Alsufficient to him, and this rayseth him above all, makes him rule and raign over his enemies, and be a terror to those that doe him hurt.

Againe, if God be our God, then let this stop all base and covetous desires after earthly things, if God be our portion, why should we grapple too much after the world then? what need we cracke our consciences and breake our peace for the mucke of the world? is not God our portion? is he not rich enough? is not hee Lord of heaven and earth? hath not hee promised that hee will not faile us nor forsake us? I am thy exceeding great reward, saith God to Abraham, is not this enough? what doth Satan for us when hee getteth us to crack our consciences by griplenesse after earthly things? hee promiseth, thou shalt have this and that, but I will take God from thee, as he did Adam in Paradise, thou shalt have an Apple, but thou shalt loose thy God: All his solicitations to base and earthly courses tend to nothing else but to take God from us: Now when God is our God, and he hath promised to be our portion, let it be sufficient for us, let us not for the displeasing of him, take any condition from Satan or the world upon any termes.

Againe, if so be wee know this for a truth that God is our God, then let it be a use of exhortation, to stir us up to keep and maintaine p. 142and cherish acquaintance and familiarity with him; as it is in Iob. 22. Acquaint thy self with God, if we be acquainted with him now, hee will be acquainted with us in time of sorrow, in the houre of death, therefore cherish acquaintance with him, wheresoever wee may meete with God be there much, bee much in aring, inreceiving the Sacrament, in praying to him and making our suits known to him in all our necessities, be much in the society of Saints, God hath promised to be there, therefore cherish the society of all that are good: what a friendly course doth God take with us? he seekes for our acquaintance, and therefore giveth us his Ordinances, the Word and Sacraments, sendeth his messengers, the good motions of his Spirit to our hearts, to leave the world and vanities of it, to make us out of love with bad courses, and joyne with him in friendship and familiarity, oh let us make use of these blessed meanes, checke not these good motions, but yeeld unto them and obey them, grieve them not, the Spirit is sent to make God and us friends, who were enemies, grieve not the Spirit, entertaine his motions, that we may be acquainted with God. But doe we doe so? truly no, indeed if God will be our God to save us, and let us live in our swearing and lying, and deceiving, and in other base courses, wee would be content with him upon these tearmes, but to be our God so that wee must serve him and love him, and feare him, p. 143and joy in him above all, and have nothing in the world without his favour, then let him take his favour to himselfe, wee will have none of it: though men speak it not with their mouths to the world, yet the inward speech of their hearts, is to this purpose, if wee must bee the people of God, upon these tearmes, to renounce our pleasures and profits, let him bee a God to whom he will for us, if he will save us, then welcome his favour, we will bee glad of his acquaintance, otherwise we will have none of it, what is the speech of the world but this? these men when they shall at the day of judgement clayme acquaintance with God, and say, Lord, Lord open to us, wee have knowne thee in the streetes &c. what will God say? depart from me, you workers of iniquity, I know you not, you were acquainted with me indeed outwardly in the ministery of my word, but you kept not an inward and spirituall familiarity with me in my ordinances, you used not the society of the saints, you entertained not the motions of my spirit which I sent to you, to leave your ill courses, I know you not, this shall bee the answer to such wretched persons.

Lastly, if by these comfortable signes wee finde God to be our God, then here is a spring of comfort opened to a Christian: if God be mine, then all that he hath is mine, hee is my Father, hee is my husband, hee is my rocke, his goodnesse, his wisedome, his providence, his mercy, whatsoever hee hath is mine: If wee had p. 146any man in the world that had all wisedome in him, and all the strength of the world, and all goodnesse, and all love in him, and all this for us, what an excellent creature were this? God hath all this, and a Christian that hath God for his God hath all this and much more, for whatsoever is in the creator, is much more in him. Hereupon commeth all those styles, and sweet names, that God hath taken upon him in the scripture, because he would have us to know that all comforts are together in him, the names of all the creatures that are comfortable, God hath bin pleased to take upon him, to shew us what a God he is, he is water to refresh us, a sun to comfort us, a shield to keepe evill from us, a rocke to support us, chambers to cover us in the time of danger, and such like, and in every creature God hath left foot steps and beames of himselfe, that man being an understanding creature, might finde out God in them: In water there is a beame of his refreshing power, in the sunne, a beame of his cherishing power, and the like, and when we receive comfort from the creature, which hath but a droppe, a beame of his goodnesse, wee should consider how good God himselfe is, if this bee so comfortable, what is God that is my God, here wee use the creatures to refresh us, and God deriveth his goodnesse usually to us by them, what will he be to us in heaven, when he will be all in all: and whatsoever comfort God hath, Christ hath, because God and Christ joyne together for our p. 247good, for God is in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe, and if God be ours, Christ is ours, and if God and Christ be ours, all things are ours, because all things are Gods, Angels are ours, Cherubins are ours, because God is ours. It is a point of wondrous comfort, a poor christian when he hath nothing to trust to, he may perhaps say sometime, that hee hath no friend in the world, and hee hath many enemies: I but hee hath a God to goe to, if hee have not the beame, yet he hath the Sunne, if he have not the streame, yet hee hath the fountaine, if wee have not particular benefits that others have, yet hee hath better, whatsoever portion hee have in the world, hee hath a rich portion, for God is his portion: God is my portion saith the Church, in the 3. Lumenta. therefore will I hope in him: The poor Church had nothing else in the world to comfort it, for it was in captivity, in the middest of enemies, had no wealth nor friends, nor any thing, yea but God is my portion saith my soule, and therefore God being mine, in him I have friends, and wealth, and pleasure, and all whatsoever, and so hath every Christian soule, and never more then when the creature and the comfort of it is taken away: hee never findes God more his God, then when hee is deprived of those meanes that usually derive comfort to him, for then God immediately commeth to the soule, and comforteth it, and the disposition of a true Christian is at those times to p. 248take advantage by grace to get nearer to God, to cling faster to him, to solaae himselfe more in him as his portion. What a spring of comfort is here arising to a Christian in all estates? If God be his God, then hee may claime him upon all occasions, and at all times, as the saints in the Scripture have done. David, Iehosaphat, and all the saints what doe they alledge in their prayers to God? thou art our God, we are thy people, the sheepe of thy pasture, the vine that thy right hand hath planted, the Lord is my shepherd &c. What made the disciples when they were ready to bee drowned to cry out, Master save us? but because they knew that they were servants in Covenant, that hee was their Master, we should use this as a plea to God in all the Calamities of the Church, we are thine, thou art ours: doubtlesse thou art our God (saith the Church) though Abraham have forgotten, and Israel be ignorant of us. It is a point of spiritual wisedome, when we know we are in Covenant with God, to improve it as an argument to perswade God to helpe us in any streight: I am thine, Lord save mee saith David, Psal. 119. Thou art my God, Lord looke to me, protect me, direct me, ease me, recieve my soule, this is a plea that obtaineth any thing of God in all extremities whatsoever. I will establish my Covenant betweene me and hee, and thy seed after thee, &c.

I come now to the qualities of this covenant, p. 249and before I speak in particular of them, I beseech you observe one thing (which I will but touch, to make an entrance to that which followes) from the manner of setting downe the Covenant: it is not here set downe as it is in other places of Scripture, I will bee thy God, and thou shalt bee my people, but here is only the first part, the maine of the covenant of grace recyted, I will be thy God, why doth he not say too, thou shalt take me for thy God, because where the first is, he ever works the second, our part depends upon his: all our grace that wee have to answer the Covenant is by reflexion from God, hee chuseth us, and then we chuse him: he knoweth us, and therefore wee come to know him, he loveth us first, and then we love him, he singleth us out to be a peculiar people, and we single out him above all things to be our portion, whom have I in heaven but thee?

It is therefore (to come to the first quality) called a free Covenant, it cometh from God, meerely of grace, it is of grace, that he would enter into any tearmes of agreement with us; it is of grace that he would send Christ to dye, to be the foundation of the covenant; it is of grace that he giveth us hearts to take him for our God, to depend upon him, to love him, to serve him, &c. All is of grace, and all commeth from him.

So you see, that it is a free Covenant, that's the first quality.

p. 250Againe, secondly it is a sure, a certaine Covenant. I will establish my covenant. But in whom it is established, how commeth it to be sure? It is established in Christ, the Mediator of the covenant, in the Messiah: for in thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed. That's the fundamentall promise, all other promises, the promise, of the Land of Canaan, the promise of the multiplying his seed, as the starres of Heaven, they were all but accessary, this is the grand promise, in thy seed, in Christ, shall all the Nations of the earth bee blessed. So it is a sure Covenant, because it is established in the Messiah, Christ, God-man. And Christ being God and man, is fit to be the foundation of the Covenant, betweene God and man, for he is a friend to both parties: as man, hee will doe all that is helpefull for man, and as God, he will doe nothing that may derogate from God; and so being God, and being God and man, he brings God and man together comfortably, and sweetly, and keepeth them together in a sure and firme agreement. For first of all hee takes away the cause of division that was betweene God and us, because by his sacrifice and obedience, he did satisfie Gods wrath, and that being satisfied, God and us are at peace, and friendship: for God till then, though he bee a fountaine of goodnesse, yet he was a fountaine sealed, the fountaine was stopped by sinne, but when there is a satisfaction made by Christ, and we believing p. 251on him, the satisfaction of Christ is made ours, it is a sure Covenant, because it is established in Christ, the blessed seed.

And as it is a sure Covenant, so thirdly it is an everlasting Covenant, I will make an everlasting Covenant with thee, so it is set downe here.

Everlasting in these respects. For when wee are in Christ, and made one with him by faith, hee having satisfied Gods wrath for us, and made him peaceable, then God is become our father, and he is an everlasting father, his love to us in Christ is like himselfe, immutable. For even as Christ, when hee tooke upon him our nature, he made an everlasting Covenant with our nature, married our nature to himself for ever, and never layeth aside his humaine nature, so he will never lay aside his misticall body, his Church. As Christ is God-man for ever, so misticall Christ, the Church, is his body for ever. As Christ will not lose his naturall, so he will not lose his misticall body, I will marry thee to my selfe for ever (saith God in the Prophet) so then it is everlasting in respect of God, hee being Immutable, I am God saith he, Mal. 3. 6.) and I change not, and Christ, the foundation of the covenant, is everlasting.

And then againe it is everlasting, in regard of us, because, if wee bee not wanting to our selves, wee shall bee for evermore, in Grace heere, and in Glory for ever: the fruites of Grace in us, that is, the work of the Spirit, it is p. 252everlasting, for howsoever the graces we have, be but the first fruits of the spirit, yet our inward man growes more and more, till grace end in glory, till the first fruits end in a harvest, till the foundation bee accomplished in the building, God never takes away his hand from his owne worke.

Everlasting also in regard of the body of Christians, God makes a covenant with one, and when they are gone, with others, alwayes God will have some in Covenant with him, he will have some, to be a God to, when we are gon, so long as the world continueth.

So that we see it is in every respect an everlasting covenant, God is everlasting, Christ is everlasting, the graces of the spirit are everlasting. When we are dead, he will be a God unto us, as it is said, I am the God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Iacob, their God when they were dead: he is the God of our dust, of our dead bodies; he will raise them up, for they are bodyes in Covenant with him, I am the God of whole Abraham, and not of a piece, therefore his body shall rise againe. It is an everlasting Covenant. That is the third quality.

Lastly, it is a peculiar Covenant. I will be thy God, and the God of thy seed. All are not the children of Abraham, but they that are of the faith of Abraham, God is in Covenant only with those that answer him, that take him for their God, that are a peculiar people: It is not glorying in the flesh, but there must p. 253be somewhat wrought that is peculiar, before we can be assured we are of Abrahams seed, and in Covenant with God.

And we may know that we are Gods peculiar by some peculiar thing that wee can doe: what peculiar thing canst thou doe? (to speak a little of that by the way) thou lovest, and art kind, but saith Christ, what peculiar thing canst thou doe? A heathen man may be kind and loving, but canst thou overcome revenge, canst thou spare, and doe good to thine enemies? canst thou trust in God when all means faile? what is the power of the spirit in thee? doth it triumph in thee over thy naturall corruption? canst thou doe as Abrams did? hee left all at Gods command, canst thou doe that if need should be? canst thou leave children, and wife, and life, and all at Gods command? Canst thou sacrifice Isaac as he did? canst thou more trust in the promise of God, then in the dearest thing in the world, yea, then in thy own feeling of grace? whatsoever is not God, canst thou be content to be without? canst thou relye upon God, when he appeareth to be an angry God? Abraham knew that there was more comfort in the promise, than in Isaac, if thou have comfort in the promise more than in any thing else, then thou art one of Abrahams seed, thou hast sacrificed thy Isaack, never talke of Abraham else, never thinke that thy portion is great in God, be what thou wilt by profession, if there be no particular thing in thee which p. 254is not in a naturall man, if thou art covetous, as gripple for the world, as very a drudge in thy calling; as licentious in thy course as carnall men are, thou art none of Gods peculiar ones, thou art none of Abrahams seed. Gods people have somewhat peculiar that the world hath not. It is a peculiar Covenant.

Thus you see the qualities of this Covenant, it is a free Covenant, a sure Covenant stablished in the blessed seed, the Messiah, it is an Everlasting Covenant, and it is a peculiar Covenant. To make some vse of this in a word.

Heere then you see is another Spring of blessed comfort opened to a Christian. If hee findeth God (though this assurance bee little) to be his God in regard of peculiar favours, let him remember it is an everlasting favour, his love is everlasting, the foundation is everlasting, the graces of the spirit are an everlasting spring, alwayes issuing from Christ our head, grace is never drawne dry in him. God is our God to death, and in death, and for ever: all things in the world will faile us, friends will faile us, all comforts will faile us, life will faile us ere long, but this is an everlasting covenant which will not faile.

It is a point of comfort in the losse of friends, in the losse of estate in this world: If I lose friends, yet I cannot lose God, if hee be mine, he is mine for ever, a friend now, and a friend p. 155ever, my portion now, and my portion for ever, whatsoever God takes away, hee never takes away himselfe, and in him I have all that is taken away, all the comfort that hee doth still derive to mee by friends, hee resumeih to himselfe, it is not perished with the party, he can immediately by himselfe convey whatsoever comfort was derived to me by others: he is God Al-sufficient, that is, put the case all the world were taken away, not only friends, but the sun, the light, the earth, food and rayment, all, as it shall be at the day of judgement, if all bee taken away, yet I have him, yet I have him that made all, that supporteth all, cannot he doe all in a more excellent manner, is not he Al-sufficient, though I lose all things else? It is a point of wondrous comfort, God knew it well enough, therefore he laboureth to stablish the heart of the father of the faithfull, good Abraham, here with this instead of all. I am God Alsufficient, and I will be thy God.

Againe, if this be so, that God will be a God to us for ever, let us comfort our selves hence in all the unfaithfull dealings of men, they are friends to day, and enemies to morrow, but God is my God, and whom he loveth, hee loveth to the end. An ingenuous spirit certainely esteemeth it the greatest crosse in the world, and if any thing will whet a man to heaven, this is one, that those whom hee trusteth will prove false, and at length deceive him: Man is but man, in the ballance hee is lighter then vanity, p. 156but he that is in Covenant with God, his promise and love, and faithfulnesse never faileth: A Christian in all the breaches of this world, hath this comfort, that he hath a sure God to trust to, hee that hath not God to trust to, and is unfaithfully dealt withall in the world, what a wretched man is hee? this was Davids comfort, when he was beset with calamities, and miseries, all tooke from him, and the people were ready to stone him, he trusted in the Lord his God. I come to the extent of it. To thee and to thy seed after thee.

Why doth he make the Covenant with his seed, as well as with himselfe?

I answer, we apprehend favours and curses more in our seed ofttimes, then in our selves; and it will humble a man to see calamities on his posterity, more then on himselfe, and a man more rejoyceth to see the flourishing of his seed, them of himselfe. It is said that Iosiah did dye in peace, though he dyed a bloody death, because hee saw not the ruine of his house and family, which was worse then death. God saw how Abraham apprehended and valued seed, when hee said, what wilt thou give me, since I am childlesse? therefore God intending a comfortable enlargement of the covenant of Grace to Abraham, extends it to his seed. I will be the God of thy seed. It is a great blessing for God to bee the God of our seed: it is alluded to by S. Peter p. 157in the new Testament, The promise is made to you and to your Children.

But what if they have not Baptisme, the seal of the Covenant?

That doth not prejudice their salvation, God hath appointed the sacraments to be seales for us, not for himselfe, hee himselfe keepeth his Covenant, whether we have the seale or no, so long as we neglect it not, therefore we must not thinke if a childe dye before the sacrament of baptisme, that God will not keepe his Covenant, they have the sanctity, the holinesse of the Covenant. You know what David said of his childe, I shall goe to it, but it shall not returne to me, and yet it dyed before it was circumcised. You know they were 40 yeers in the wildernes and were not circumcised, therefore the sacrament is not of absolute necessity to salvation. So, he is the God of our children, from the conception and birth.

But how can God bee the God of our children, when they are borne in corruption, Children of wrath? Can they bee Children of wrath, and the Children of God both at one time?

I answer yes, both as one time, for even as in civill matters, in our city here, a man may be a free-man of the city, and yet be borne lame or leprous, or with some contageous disease, this hindreth not his freedome: so the children of a believing father and mother, may bee freemen of the city of God, and in the covenant p. 158of grace, and yet be tainted with originall sin, that over-spreadeth the powers of the soul notwithstanding.

Whence we see a ground of baptizing infants, because they are in the Covenant. To whom the Covenant belongs: the seal of it belongs, but to infants the Covenant belongs, therefore the seale of it, Baptisme, belongeth to them: If circumcision belonged to them, then Baptisme doth, but circumcision belonged to them: for the eighth day they were circumcised, therefore Baptisme belongeth to them.

Anabaptisticall spirits would not have children baptized, if they believe not: why then were the Children of the Iewes circumcised? They were circumcised, because they were in Covenant: and is not the Covenant of grace enlarged? wherein doth the new Covenant differ from the old, but (among many other things) in the enlargement of it? there is now a new people, the Gentiles in Covenant, that were not before, new Priests, new sacrifices, new sacraments, all is new in the covenant of grace: if all be enlarged in the covenant, why should we deny the seale of the covenant to them in the new, that had it in the old, even children? It is sencelesse. The Scripture to meete with such, applyeth baptisme to them, and circumcision to us, to shew, that in the covenant of grace, they are all one in effect, 1 Cor. 10. All they were baptized under the cloud, and S. Paul saith, 1 Colos. Wee are circumcised with circumcision, p. 159without hands. We are circumcised, and they were baptized: to shew I say that all are one in Christ. Christ is all one, yesterday, to day, and the same for ever, yesterday to them that were under the law, and to day to us under the Gospell, and for ever to posterity; and therefore if Children had interest in Christ then, so they have now. This is cleare, and undeniable, God is the God of our Children.

This should bee an encouragement to parents, to bee good, if not for love of themselves, and their owne soules, yet for their Children and posterity sake, that God may do good to their children for them, they cannot deserve worse of their children, then to bee naught themselves.

How many examples are there in Scripture that God plagued and punished the children for the fathers sinnes? though in the maine matter hee will not doe it sometimes, because he is gracious and good, he will be good to the children, though their parents bee naught, as Ioshua, and Caleb came into Canaan, though their parents were rebels, and died in the wildernesse. Yet it is a discomfortable thing, when parents are naught, they may looke that God should punish their sin in their Children.

There is a great deale of care taken by carnall parents, here in the City, (and every where too; but in the City especially) by covetousnesse, a reigning sin: they will not make God their God, but the wedge of Gold to be their p. 160God. They labour to make their children great, if they can leave them rich men, great men in a parish, to beare office, to come to honour, that is their maine endeavour, for this they drudge and neglect heaven and happinesse. But, alas, what is this? Thou mayst leave them much goods; and the vengeance of God with them, thou maist leave them much wealth, and it may be a snare to them, it were better thou hadst left them nothing.

Looke into the state of the City, those that are best able in the City, doe they not rise of nothing? and they that have bin the greatest labourers for these outward things, that they may call their lands after their owne names, God hath blowne upon them, and all hath come to nought in a short time, because they have not made God their portion. Of all things parents should labour to leave them God for their God: to leave them in Covenant with him, lay up prayers in heaven for them, lay the foundation there, sowe prayers there, that may be effectuall for them when you are gone.

And this likewise should bee a comfort to poore Christians, that have not much to leave their children. I can leave my childe nothing, but I shall leave him in Covenant with God: for God is my God, and alwayes hath bin, and ever will be, he will bee the God of my seed. I shal leave him Gods blessing, and a little well gotten goods that the righteous hath, is better then a great deale ill gotten, God addeth no sorrow with that. p. 161There is no fearefull expectation another day, as there is, of that which is ill gotten, when the father and childe shall meet in hell, and curse one another, when the sonne shall say to the father, you insnared your selfe to make me happy, and that turned to my ruine: this shall make wicked wretches curse one another one day. A poore Christian that cannot say he hath riches to leave his children, yet he can say, God is my God, and I am sure he will be their God, though I have but little to leave them else, I shall leave them Gods blessing. Good parents may hope for a blessing upon their children, because God is their God, and the God of their seed. For the sacrament, a word.

The Sacrament is a seale of this Covenant, that God is our God in Christ, and wee are his people. God to his word addeth seales, to help our faith: what a good God is this? how willing is hee to have us believe him? one would thinke that a word from him, a promise, were enough, but to his promise hee addeth a covenant: one would think a covenant were enough, but to that hee addeth seales, and to them an oath too. I have sworne to David my servant. Thus hee stoopes to all conditions of men, he condescendeth so farre, to use all these meanes, that hee may secure us. You know that a promise secures us, if it be from one that is an honest man, wee say that wee are sure to have it because of his promise: but when wee have his Covenant, then wee are assured p. 162more because there is somewhat drawne. Now wee have Gods covenant, and his seale, the sacrament, and then his oath. If we will take him for our God, and renounce our wicked courses, wee shall lose nothing by it, wee shall part with nothing for God, but we shall have it supplied in him. If we lose honour, wealth, or pleasure, we shall have it abundantly in him▪

What doe we heare in the sacrament? doe we come only to receive his love to us? No, we make a covenant with God in the Sacrament, that hee shall be our God, and wee promise by his grace to lead new lives hence forth, wee have made a Covenant with God at first in Baptism, now we renew it in taking the Sacrament, and it is fit, for if he renew his covenant oft to us in love to be ours, we should renew ours oft with him, to take him to be our God. Seaven times in Gen. he renewed his covenant to Abraham, because hee would have him trust what hee said; then we should seven times, that is oft, come to the Sacrament, and renew our Covenant with him, to take him for our God: and remember what ti… to sin after the receiving the sacramē …. Sins against conscience break off a covenant renewed, sin hath an aggravation now, you that mean to receive, if you sin willingly after, 'twere better you had not received: what makes adultery worse thē fornication? saith Mal: Twas the wife of thy covenant: adultery breaks the covenāt of marriage, it is worse then fornication where there is not a covenant. So you have made á covenant p. 163with God in your Baptisme, and now you come to renew it; if you sinne now, it is an aggravation of the sinne, it is adulterie, it is disloyaltie against God.

Remember therefore, that we doe not onelyonly take here Gods kindnesse sealed in the Sacrament, but we repromise back againe to lead new lives. All must resolve by his grace to obey him henceforward; and to take him for our God. The way therefore will be to put this into the condition of your promise now, and prayer after: Lord, I have promised this, but thou knowest I cannot performe the promise I have made, and the condition thou requirest, of my selfe: but in the Covenant of grace, thou hast said that thou wilt make good the condition: thou hast promised to give the spirit to them that aske him; thou hast promised to Circumcise my heart, thou hast promised to teach me, thou hast promised to delight over me for good, thou hast promised to Wash me with cleane water, thou hast promised to put thy feare in my heart, thou hast promised to write thy Law in the affections; I would feare thee, and love thee, and trust in thee, and delight in thee: thou knowest I cannot fulfill the conditions, thou art able and willing; thou art as able to make me doe these things as to command me to doe them▪

Thus we should desire God to give the grace that he requires in the use of the meanes; for that must not be neglected, we must attend p. 164upon the Ordinances, use the parts that are given us, and in that, to him that hath, shall bee given: thou shalt not need any necessary good to bring thee to heaven, if thou wilt clayme the promise of the covenant in the use of meanes: wee shall want degrees perhaps, but in the covenant of grace, it is not degrees that brings us to heaven, but truth.

Now in our renewing the Covenant with God, let us not despaire of his performance, let not that hinder us from comming to the Sacrament, but come cheerefully, and know, that hee that hath made the Covenant with thee to be thy God, and to give thee all particular grace (in the use of all good meanes) will performe it: Hee will performe it, if wee come in sincerity of heart. If wee come to daube with God, and after to follow our sinfull courses, this is to mocke God. This made David take it to heart so much, that his familiar friend that eate at his table, lift up his heele against mee. May not God complaine of us, that we come to the communion, to his table, with false Iudas hearts, and afterwards betray him? hee may say, my familiar friends they came, and eat with me, yet they have lift up the heele against me, they are rebellious, they will leave no finne, that before they were enthralled to, so instead of a blessing, wee bring a curse upon us, a just reward of our disloyalty. Oh remember that it is a great aggravation of sinne, after the Sacrament.

p. 165I speake not this to discourage any, but to encourage us rather, if wee come with sincere hearts, and with resolution to please God, wee may looke for all the promises from God, all that hee hath promised, hee is ready to performe, if wee in faith can alleadge the promise. Lord remember thy promise, wherein thou hast caused thy servant to put his trust.

FINIS.

THE DEMAND OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE. In one Sermon upon 1 PET. 3. 21.

BY The late Learned and Reverend Divine, RICH. SIBBS: Doctor in Divinity, M^r of KATHERINE Hall in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher to the Honourable Society of GRAYES-INNE.

2 COR. 1. 12.

For our reioycing is this, the testimony of our Conscience, &c.

LONDON, Printed by E. Purslow, for N. Bourne, at the Royall Exchange, and R. Harford at the gilt Bible in Queenes head Alley, in Pater-Noster-Row. 1639.