The Covenant of Grace, Treatise 1 (3 of 3)

The Covenant of Grace · Treatise 1 (3 of 3)

p. 134Ʋſe 1. If any therefore ſhall accuſe the Doctrine of the Covenant of free grace, of Antinomianiſme, and ſay it teacheth men freedome from the Law of Moſes, and if they commit any ſin, they plead they are not bound unto the Law; we ſee how falſe ſuch an aſperſion would be, for all the people of God know that the Lord is an avenger of every ſuch wickedneſſe; There is none under a Covenant of Grace that dare allow himſelfe in any fin, for if a man ſhould negligently p. 135commit any ſin, the Lord will ſchoole him throughly, and make him ſadly to apprehend how unworthily he hath made bold to abuſe & imbeazle the treaſures of the grace of God. Shall we continue in ſinne that grace may abound? God forbid. None that have a portion in the grace of God dare allow himſelfe in ſin; but if through ſtrength of temptation he be at any time carried aſide, it is his greateſt burthen. 2 Sam. 12.8,9. compared with 13. Hath not the Lord (ſayth Nathan) done theſe and theſe things for thee? Wherefore then haſt thou deſpiſed the Commandment of the Lord? Then David confeſſeth, I have ſinned. It pierced him to the heart to conſider it, that he ſhould abuſe his neighbours wife, and kill her husband, and above all, that he ſhould commit that wickednes againſt God that had dealt ſo gratiouſly with him.

So that the children of the Covenant of grace will onelyonly tell you, that they are free from the Covenant of the Law, but not from the Commandment of it: for as it is given by Jeſus Chriſt, and ratified in the Goſpell, and as Chriſt hath given us his Spirit, enabling us to keep p. 136it, wee are under it, ſo farre as to take our ſelves bound by the Authority of it: and if we doe trangreſſe againſt it, we know it is ſin in the ſight of God, & therefore it is, that the ſoule in ſuch a caſe is ſenſible of the wrath and diſpleaſure of God, whether it be his own ſin, or the ſin of his brethren; therefore he runneth unto God for mercy, which he would not doe, if he did not know that his deſert according to the Law did utterly cut him off from mercy; elſe would he never pray for pardon of ſin, nor rejoyce when the Lord helpeth him to doe that which is right and juſt in his ſight, nor bleſſe the Lord for ſtrengthning him unto obedience, unleſſe he thought it to be his duty; and therefore.

Ʋſe 2. It is of uſe alſo to Teach the ſervants of God, how far we are freed from the Law; to wit, from the Covenant of it, ſo that we neither looke for juſtification, nor ſalvation from it; and let it not be grievous to any ſoule, that a Chriſtian ſhould ſay, he doth not feare condemnation by his diſobedience, he will be apt to feare in this kinde, untill he be aſſured of the favour of God; p. 137but when he knoweth his portion in the Covenant, then indeed he doth not feare condemnation by his ſin, nor doth he thinke, that the Lord will cleave unto him becauſe of his fruitfulnes: he caſteth not off his comfort, nor looketh at himſelfe as divorced from Chriſt, becauſe of his barrennes, nor doth he looke for his daily bread from all his obedience, but expecteth all goodneſſe and bleſſing from the treaſures of the free grace of God.

Ʋſe 3. This may alſo ſerve to Teach men ſome diſcerning of their owne ſpirits and ſtate; if you looke for juſtification no longer than you are obedient, and feare eternall condemnation, then you are diſobedient; if you are afraid of divorce from Chriſt becauſe of your ſins, or if you looke for any vertue or challenge right to any promiſe by vertue of any well-doing of your owne, in ſuch a caſe, either you are under a Covenant of workes, or you are gone aſide to a Covenant of works; and if ever the Lord open your eyes, and beſtow his free grace upon you, you will know your redemption from ſuch dependances as theſe be. I know a Chriſtian p. 138man that hath not been cleerely taught the diſtinct differences between theſe two Covenants, may be miſled into dangerous wayes that might tend unto the utter undoing of his ſoule; but it is a ſin of ignorance, and the Lord will not leave his ſervants, but cleare up his truth and grace unto them.

Ʋſe 4. May ſerve to Teach the ſervants of God, that deſire to walke in a way of conſtant obedience, how to build their faith and hope; truly if they be grounded upon your own obedience or righteouſnes of ſanctification, if they depend upon you, you will find your hearts ever unſetled: you may finde comfort, as under the Law you ſhall, for the Law will caſt in comforts upon a man becauſe of his obedience, if he be marryed to the Law; but if you ſhall believe that Chriſt is yours, and comfort your ſelves becauſe you have been by the power of the Law conſtrained to duties, and reſtrained from ſin, and thereupon build your conjugall communion with Chriſt, you will find your ſoules full of ſadnes and feare ere long; eſpecially if you have true grace in your hearts: and therefore it is the p. 139faithfullnes and tendernes of the grace of God unto his people, that when Chriſtians come into this Country, though they have been marvellous eminent in our native Country, yet here they cannot pray fervently, nor heare the word with profit, nor receive the Seales with Comfort, they wonder what is become of their old prayers, and hearings, and Sacraments, and of their lively ſpirits in holy duties, truly the Lord hath diſinabled them (as it were) from ſuch things, becauſe they did build their union and fellowſhip with Chriſt upon them; that ſo they might know the freedome of the grace of God, that juſtifieth the ungodly; then will the poore ſoule be glad to ſeeke after the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and ſay (as the people of God ſometimes did, Hoſ. 2.7.) I will goe and returne to my firſt husband, for then it was better with me, than now: now the ſoule will plainly ſee & diſcerne that he cloſed not with his true husband when as he built ſo much hope and comfort upon his duties; therefore he will finde himſelfe weake and dead (as it were) to all ſpirituall duties, and can finde no life in p. 140them, no comfort from them; and it is the marvellous goodnes and free grace of God unto ſuch a ſoule, whom the Lord will not ſuffer to bleſſe himſelfe in his works; for if a man ſhould lay the foundatiō of his comforts in them, and be ready as it were to take it ill, if he ſhould not finde God accepting his works; Wherefore have wee faſted, and thou regardeſt it not? Iſa. 58.3. If a man rejoyce in the ſparks which he hath kindled, this ſhall he have at the hands of God, he ſhall lie downe in ſorrow, Iſa. 50.11. Whereas the light of God ſhall gratiouſly breake forth unto the ſervants of God that wait upon him, though they be for preſent in darknes, and ſee no light; truſt not therefore in any legall comforts, but wait upon the free grace of God, both to juſtifie, ſanctifie, comfort and glorifie your ſoules. This is the way of conſtant peace, and if the Lord doe at any time checke his ſervants when they walke in by-wayes, it is that he might build them upon a ſure foundation, ſo that their ſalvation will not lye upon their obedience, nor damnation upon their diſobedience. This is the way of conſtant p. 141peace and ſ…ety unto all the Iſrael of God.

Queſt. 7. This Doctrine may ſerve in the next place to Anſwer a ſeventh Queſtion touching the neceſſitie of ſanctification. For it may be demanded, If the Lord will give himſelfe unto the ſoule in the Covenant of his grace, not onelyonly his Attributes but his Perſon, all that is God, is given by vertue of this Covenant; If God hath himſelfe not onelyonly choſen us to life and glory, but given his Sonne to redeeme us, and holy Spirit to ſanctifie us, Ezek. 36.27. What need is there then of Sanctification? for if the holy Ghoſt will dwell in us, he can take our wits and underſtandings, and underſtand all our meditations for us without any ſuch actuall concurrence of ours, as might be requiſite for that end; if the Lord give himſelfe to be my righteouſnes and holines, what need I then theſe gifts of holines? ſo that this in ſumme is the Queſtion, If the Lord will give unto us himſelfe, what need we theſe gifts to worke any thing, which God is much more able to performe than we can be? this ſpringeth naturally from the doctrine.

p. 142Though the Lord give us himſelfe and his holy Spirit to dwell in us, yet is it needfull that we ſhould be endued with all the gifts of the Spirit of grace that do accompany ſalvation. You will ſay what need is there then that the holy Ghoſt ſhould dwell in us, or will not theſe carry an end our ſoules unto immortality? Truly we have need that the Lord ſhould give us his holy Spirit to dwell in us, notwithſtanding all the gifts of his grace, though they indeed are neceſſary conditions to be found in the ſoules of all Gods ſervants, Heb. 12.14. Follow peace with holines, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord; as if he made it not onelyonly of abſolute neceſſity unto ſalvation in another world, but for a comfortable condition in this world; follow peace and holines: as if they were ready to fly away from a man; and indeed the Originall word doth imply no leſſe, for [foreign] doth ſignifie the purſuit of ſomething that fleeth from a man, as peace will many times fly from one, & a man ſhall have much adoe to attaine unto it, Pſal. 120.6,7. it is not eaſily attained unto, therefore ſhould not be ſuffered to depart, but p. 143held faſt when it is enjoyed: And ſo for holines, the Apoſtle would have us make an holy kinde of purſuite after it, as if it were ſtill withdrawing it ſelfe from us, which cometh through the corruptions of our hearts, for wee are ſoone weary of holy duties, as prayer, or conference, or the like: if holines be in any thing, it ſoone groweth weariſome to fleſh and bloud; but though our weake and feeble nature will be withdrawing us from holines, yet the Lord would have us to follow it, and purſue it; and ſo ſhall a man be withdrawn from the world, and from the temptations and bad examples thereof: doe not ſay, what, ſhall we be wiſer than our fathers, & is not moderation beſt in all things? but conſider what the Apoſtle ſaith, follow ſtill after it, even unto perfection, and his words doe intimate the Reaſon of it, Without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord; for what is holines in its owne nature? it is that which giveth God his due, as righteouſneſſe giveth man his due; this is a maine ground why we are ſo ſlow in works of holines; for were they of another nature, and did they ſerve our turnes more p. 144(as we thinke) we ſhould not then account them tedious; if a man were to ſit and tell money all day long, this is for my ſelfe (ſaith a man) and for my profit, and if it were for another, we ſhould not thinke the time long, it may be, about that work neither: but (mind you) when it cometh to any thing which doth concerne the Lord, then its ſo ſarre above a mans reach, whatſoever we have to doe in the things of God, that we ſhould ſoone be weary of reaching forth our hands all the day long unto the Lord, and to be conſtantly for God, from God, and with God in all our actions; our baſe ſpirits are ſoone ready to be withdrawing from the Lord, therefore the Apoſtle biddeth us, Follow after peace and holines without which &c. ſo that great is the neceſſity of holines, and worthy to be followed after; for though a mans owne heart, and the world, and men, and Satan withdraw us from it, yet follow after it; for without it no man ſhall ſee God; there is a kinde of holines which ſome men have attained unto many a faire day agoe, but tis a thouſand to one whether it be the holines that doth accompany p. 145ſalvation, for that holines is not eaſily attained unto, but the other will eaſily cleave cloſe unto a man. Now if you ſhall aske me,

Queſt. Wherefore the Lord will have us purſue after holines? and what needeth it? if the Spirit of holines dwell in me by an Everlaſting Covenant (if it did withdraw from us as it did from Adam, it was another matter, but) though it may be quenched in us, yet it abideth for ever; what need then of gifts of holineſſe?

Anſw. That one word may be ſufficient which we finde, 2 Tim. 2. If any man purge himſelfe from theſe evills, he ſhall be &c. This ſheweth us why gifts of holines are requifite to be in Gods people, namely, that they might become meet inſtruments in the hand of God, and fitted unto every good word and worke; therefore it is, that the Lord will have us to be filled with all the gifts of righteouſnes, and fruits of his Spirit; that we might be the more fit Temples for the holy Ghoſt to dwell in, and this is the principall Reaſon of the point.

Queſt. If then there be ſuch gifts of holines, p. 146what need the holy Ghoſt dwell in us? is it not enough that he ſhould ſhed abroad theſe things into our hearts? cannot the Lord carry an end the worke of our ſalvation by theſe gifts?

Anſw. There is need that the holy Ghoſt ſhould dwell in us notwithſtanding. 1. To keepe theſe gifts in us. 2. To Act them in us. 3. To witneſſe unto our ſoules by theſe, for our comfort, and the good one of another. Some Scriptures for all theſe.

1. That there is need of the holy Ghoſt, that he ſhould keepe theſe in us. 2 Tim. 1.14. there is a worthy thing committed unto us; how ſhall wee keepe it? not by our owne wit or wiſdome, carefull watchfullnes and faithfullnes (though ſuch things ought not to be wanting) but the charge is, Keepe thoſe things, by the holy Ghoſt which dwelleth in us; we ſtand in need of gifts to be fit inſtruments in the hand of God: we ſtand in need of the Spirit of God to maintaine that which God giveth us; though Adams gifts were in perfection, yet not having the holy Ghoſt to keepe them for him, they all p. 147fly from him as ſoone as ever he had taſted of the forbidden fruit, and left him naked and deſperate; therefore in the Covenant of grace, the Lord giveth the holy Ghoſt to keepe ſtrong poſſeſſion in his ſervants againſt the ſtrong man armed.

2. Its the holy Ghoſt that Acteth the gifts given to us, and enableth them in us: for the holy Ghoſt, who keepeth poſſeſſion, doth derive continued ſtrength into our faith, which putteth life into all the gifts of God: and if you ſhall aske, how love, and patience, and all the reſt of the gifts of God doe worke? The holy Ghoſt ſtirreth up faith to looke unto Chriſt, who returneth ſtrength by his Spirit unto faith, & ſo faith worketh by love, and by meeknes, and by all the reſt of the fruits of the Spirit: thus the Spirit of God acteth according to what we read, Rom. 8.14. Come to any holy duty, and it is the holy Ghoſt that leadeth you along and acteth in you; ſo Ezek. 36.27. & 2 Pet. 1.2…. it is the Spirit of God that moveth us to any good worke, and that acteth the gifts of his grace in us.

3. It is the ſame Spirit of God alſo p. 148that witneſſeth to theſe gifts, and ſheweth what gifts he hath given us; for ſuch is the blindnes of the nature of all the ſons of men, and it is a wonder to ſee, that generally Chriſtians, when the Lord firſt worketh theſe gifts in them, not one of a thouſand but they thinke they are in a ſad and fearefull condition, and ſo they are very uncomfortable when they have greateſt cauſe of rejoycing. But now leaſt that we ſhould alwayes miſtake that which the Lord hath given us, wee have received the Spirit of God, that wee might know the things that are freely given unto us of God, 1 Cor. 2.12. He indeed taketh his owne time to diſcover it unto us, to ſome ſooner, to ſome later; but this is his intendment, that he might honour his grace upon us by all the rich and gracious gifts, which he hath given us. He doth alſo reveale unto us the duties which he helpeth us to doe; …om. 9.1. The holy Ghoſt, that wrought in him this brotherly love, beareth him witnes alſo that he doth not lye, and that he had continuall ſorrow in his heart, and that he could have wiſhed to have been accurſed from Chriſt, that p. 149they might be ſaved; it grieved him ſo much that the whole Nation ſhould be deſtitute of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.

Thus we ſee what need there is that the holy Ghoſt ſhould dwell in us, to keepe all the gifts of his grace in us, to Act them according to his will, and to diſcover to us what gratious gifts the Lord hath wrought in us, and what duties he hath helped us to doe, that we may be able to give Account of them, by the holy Ghoſt that dwelleth in us, and beareth witneſs with us. We ſee there is a neceſſity both of the gifts of grace, that we may be fit Temples for the holy Ghoſt to dwell in, and fit inſtruments for him to work by; there is need alſo the holy Ghoſt ſhould dwell in us, for the cauſes we have ſpoken unto; And I might adde this, to comfort us in all the changes that may come upon us; it is a ſtrong Scripture which we read in John 15.26. When the Comforter is come, whom I will ſend unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he ſhall teſtifie of me (our Divines have no place of more cleere evidence to prove the proceſſion of the Spirit from p. 150the Father) And the ſame Spirit teſtifieth to us, both what mighty redemption he hath wrought for us, and what grace he hath wrought in us; this the holy Ghoſt ſhall teſtifie, even he that proceedeth from the Father; and this is the comfort of Gods people. Thus wee ſee both theſe poynts opened to us.

Queſt. 3. How may we then imploy and improve this ſanctification w^ch the Lord hath given us, and which he keepeth and acteth in us by his Spirit, and whereunto he beareth witneſſe? How, or to what end ſhall we employ it, ſeeing the Lord undertaketh to doe theſe things for us?

Anſw. If the Lord Jeſus Chriſt by his Spirit giveth us theſe gifts, it is our part then firſt to ſee that we doe not reſt in any Sanctification which doth not ſpring from Chriſt, conveyed unto us by his Spirit conveying us to him, the Spirit knitteth us unto Chriſt, & Chriſt unto us; he worketh Faith in us to receive whatſoever the Lord giveth unto us, and by the ſame Faith worketh all our holineſſe for us, 1 Cor. 1.30. Chriſt is made unto us, &c. Therefore we p. 151are to ſee him the principall author of all theſe things in us, and for us; this is the principall comfort of all gifts (Chriſt given in them) and the glory of all our ſafety; and ſo far as any of theſe lyeth in our Sanctification, we ought to ſee that it be Sanctification in Jeſus Chriſt; and then it is ſo, when the Lord giveth us to look unto the Lord Jeſus in it, and to it in him; and as we look for our holineſſe to be perfect in Jeſus Chriſt, ſo we look for continuall ſupply of it from him; and this it is to make Chriſt our Sanctification, when as whatſoever gift the Lord giveth us, we goe not forth in the ſtrength of it, but in the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt. There may be a change in the ſoule, which may ſpring from a ſpirit of bondage, and may captivate our conſciences unto the Law, that may reſtraine us from ſin, and conſtraine us unto duty: but ſuch holineſſe ſpringeth not alwayes from our union with Chriſt, for there may be a conſcience of duty without ſenſe of our need of Chriſt; as it was with the Iſraelites at Mount Sinai, Deut. 5.27,28,29. Goe thou neer (ſay they to Moſes) and hear p. 152all that the Lord our God ſhall ſay, and ſpeak thou unto us, all that the Lord our God ſhall ſpeak unto thee, and we will heare it, and doe it. They have well ſaid, all that they have ſpoken, ſaith the Lord. O that there were an heart in them, that they would fear me, &c. This I ſay therefore is the firſt thing to be attended unto, as ever ye would make a right uſe of your holineſſe, ſee that it be ſuch as floweth from Jeſus Chriſt, and that there be not onelyonly an heart awed with the Law, but waiting upon Chriſt to be all in all in us and to us, ſo ſhall we neither neglect the gifts of God in us, nor Chriſt and his Spirit, but ſhall give due honour unto all of them together.

2 This may alſo Teach all Chriſtians, not to truſt upon the gifts of their holineſſe, though they doe ſpring from the Holy Ghoſt himſelfe, though they be ſuch as are unchangeable, though they ſpring from Jeſus Chriſt, and knit our ſoules in union with him; yet truſt not in the gifts themſelves; the Lord layeth it down as the Apoſtacy of Iſrael, Ezek. 16.14,15. Truſt not therefore in any of theſe, but let all our confidence be in Jeſus Chriſt, not in any p. 153of the gifts of his Spirit whatſoever. For a little further opening of it.

1 Truſt not in any gifts that you have received for the performance of any duty; for it is not the ſtrongeſt Chriſtian that is able to put forth a good thought, 2 Cor. 3.5. but our ſufficiency is of God, John 15.5. And the Apoſtle Paul cannot onelyonly not doe any great matter by his owne ſtrength and grace, but nothing at all without Jeſus Chriſt; and therefore he giveth us to underſtand, that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do, Phil. 2.13. If therefore we have any new work to doe, look to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt afreſh by Faith, that he may carry an end all our works in us and for us; otherwiſe it is not any ſtrength or grace in us, that can produce any good work, word, or thought; and therefore (mind you) the Apoſtle maketh it a principle of Chriſtian Religion, that the juſt man liveth by faith, and he often mentioneth it, Gal. 2.20. The life which I now live in the fleſh, I live by the faith of the Sonne of God; where he putteth it into his owne experience: Why, did not he live by love, and patience, p. 154and zeale? &c. Yes, truly they were lively in him, if ever in any man, beſides our bleſſed Saviour: and yet notwithſtanding he never attributeth life to any of theſe gifts of his, but if he ſpeak of life, he maketh this his univerſall life, I live by the faith of the Son of God; and I am able to doe all things through Chriſt which ſtrengtheneth me, Phi. 4.13. This is the true ſavour of a Chriſtian ſpirit, that when gifts are at the higheſt, the heart is then at the loweſt, 1 Cor. 15.9,10. the Apoſtle Paul there acknowledgeth himſelfe to be as one born out of due time; for (ſaith he) I am leſſe than the leaſt of the Apoſtles, not meet to be called an Apoſtle, becauſe I perſecuted the Church of God; yea but by the grace of God I am what I am and his grace, which was beſtowed on me, was not in vaine, but I laboured more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God in me. This is truly ſpirituall ſanctification, that when the ſoule is full of the Holy Ghoſt, and gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, yet he is like a man in great penury, as having nothing of himſelfe, this is a marvelous ſpirituall poverty, and you ſhall ever find (and I deſire the Lord p. 155would open the hearts of his people to know what I ſpeak) that if Chriſtians have fallen, their greateſt falls have been in their moſt eminent and exemplary gifts. If you ſhall mark the ſins of all the ſervants of God, they have been chiefly found in the very exerciſe of their beſt gifts; let us take a little taſt of them, that we may learn to uſe our gifts in the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt. Abraham a man full of Faith, none went beyond him in the old nor new Teſtament, yet if you read of any failing in him, it is in regard of the acting of Faith: what made him afraid not once but the 2^d time, that his wife would be taken from him by Pharaoh? Gen. 12. by Abimelech, Chap. 20. had not the Lord promiſed to bleſſe him whereſoever he came, Gen. 12.2. He had ſo much of the knowledge and grace of God ſhining in him, that Sarah needed not to have diſſembled, and Abimelech (a poor Heathen) could ſay as much, Chap. 20.16. Behold thy Husband is to thee a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee, and with all other: thus ſhe was reproved: As if he ſhould ſay, thou needeſt no ſhifts and lyes for thy protection, p. 156and to be a vayle unto thee. This a poor Heathen can diſcern, that a man that hath God with him, needeth no other ſhifts nor covering to defend and ſhelter him. Thus we ſee that theſe great failings of Abraham were proper acts of unbeliefe.

Moſes a meek man, none like him for meekneſſe on the face of the earth, there is but one ſin ſtoried of him after he came to the Government of that ſtate, and this was his failing, Heare now you Rebells, muſt we fetch you water out of this rock? ſo he lift up his hand, & with his rod he ſmote the rock twice, Numb. 20.10,11. They provoked Moſes as meek as he was; ſometimes when Aaron and Miriam dealt as peremptorily with him, he was not moved from the meekneſſe of his ſpirit: But now he falleth into paſſion, and this was the very ſin for which the Lord excluded him out of Canaan, Numb. 27.12,13,14. it was the breach of this royall grace, Chap. 20.12. Becauſe ye believed me not, to ſanctifie me in the eyes of the Children of Iſrael, therefore you ſhall not bring this Congregation into the Land which I have given them. Which p. 157words ſhew us the reaſon of his failing in the grace wherein he ſo much abounded, Becauſe yee believed me not. The Lord will have him know, that he muſt live by his Faith in his meekneſſe; if any man think himſelfe to be a meek man, and nothing ſhall over-wraſtle him there, if you believe not in God, but in your meekneſſe, your confidence will ſoon faile you.

Peter. a man full of courage, and you read of two of his principall failings, and both in point of courage; he failed in the high Prieſts hall at the voyce of a damſell; and in the porch at the ſpeech of another maid, and the third time, at the voyce of one that ſtood by. Math. 26.69. &c. Whereas afterwards, when he lived by faith, he became undaunted before the whole Councell, Act. 4.13. Another failing of his in point of courage we read of Gal. 2.12. He feared thoſe of the Circumciſion; whereas before he did eat with the Gentiles &c. Thus the Apoſtle Peters eminent gifts, did not bring forth their fruits. Know therefore that the beſt of all your gifts, faith, courage, meeknes, wiſdome, love to your brethren, will faile, p. 158if you truſt in them, and you will be moſt apt to faile there wherein you do moſt excell.

If a man be wiſe, he ſhall faile in that point, and it may be in nothing ſo much as in that, even in thoſe things wherein he thinketh he walketh moſt wiſely; and ſuch an one will find moſt tryalls in point of his wiſedome, and the like will be found in all other graces, and all to this end, to teach the Iſrael of God to know that no man liveth by his wiſdome, nor by any thing in himſelfe, but by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, whom God hath given unto his people, and who is onelyonly able to give new ſupplyes of his ſpirit unto his ſervants, to act every gift which he hath given them.

I might have mentioned the example of Sarah, a meek and a quiet godly ſpirited woman, ſubject and obedient to her Husband, and called him Lord, whoſe daughters you are while you doe well, 1 Pet. 3.6. and yet you know, one of her greateſt failings was in point of reverence to her Husband, Gen. 16.5. When ſhe ſaw that ſhe was deſpiſed, ſhe ſaid to her Husband, Thou doſt me wrong, &c. p. 159Where is the reverence of Sarah now? Will you have the daughters of Sarah to imitate her herein? What had her Husband done? There was no fault in him in this matter, ſhe had no reaſon to tax him upon this point, it was her owne Counſel, verſ. 2. that he ſhould goe in to her maid, that I may have Children by her; therefore there was no colour of any juſt complaint on her part, yet ſee this meek ſpirited woman failed in the point of her meekneſſe herein, and did expreſſe no greater failing all her life long, that we read of; ſhe was weak in Faith once, but there was great reaſon for that, her womb was dead, and her Lord (as ſhe called him) was old alſo: Nor doth the Angel ſo much blame her about it, but that action wherein ſhe moſt failed, was in that grace wherein ſhe moſt abounded. And though every grace of the Spirit be of great force when the Lord doth act and move it, yet let a man goe forth in the ſtrength of his greateſt gifts, and if ever his heart faile him, it will be in them. Thinke not when you have done all you can, that you are worthy of any thing, but ſay that you are unprofitable p. 160ſervants: For though ſanctification be the way wherein the Lord will poure out all his bleſſings upon his ſervants, yet he doth require them to boaſt in none of their excellencies, but look at them all, as freely given them of God; and conſider, that the right unto all, ſpringeth from fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt, that ſo not onelyonly the gift it ſelfe is grace, but the bleſſing that followeth upon the gift is grace alſo; and ſuppoſe that we have attained all that we pray for, ſhall we then exalt our owne gifts? No, but let us ſay with Jacob, I am leſſe than the leaſt of all the mercies and truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant.

Doe not truſt, as not upon gifts, nor upon duties performed by thoſe gifts, to reach the bleſſing; ſo look not for your Juſtification from thence at all; for the Apoſtle is plaine, that he looked not for any thing for his righteouſneſs before his converſion; and after his converſion, he counteth it all as droſſe and dung, that he might win Chriſt, Phil. 3.6,7,8. And, for our faith, they are not to be truſted upon as grounds of our Faith; for all the gifts of our ſanctification p. 161are fruits of our Faith; and therefore our Faith is ſaid to worke by love, Gal. 5.6. and ſo it doth by all other gifts of the Spirit, and if they be fruits of Faith, then Faith is not built upon them.

And thus much of the ſecond Uſe which Chriſtians are to make of their Sanctification.

3 There is in the next place a point of Witneſſe, which this Sanctification doth yield, and the Spirit of God with it; the water beareth witneſſe to the blood, and the blood to the water, and the Spirit unto both, 1 John 5.6,7,8. A mans owne Spirit beareth witneſſe alſo, Rom. 8.16. And therefore as a witneſſe of God unto our Faith, we may lawfully hear what it ſpeaketh: But this is the life of a true Evidence, that all theſe gifts of God doe not bear witneſſe any further then a man ſeeth the Lord Jeſus working them in him, and for him; for it is Faith that maketh all the graces of the Goſpel active; and it is a condition ſo requiſite, that unleſſe our works be of Faith, and flow from it, they are not acceptable before God, Heb. 11.6. Therefore unleſſe Faith carry p. 162an end our works, they are not works of holineſſe, ſuch as ſhould bear witneſſe to the ſoule; therefore the Apoſtle doth ſtir up the Corinthians unto this mainly, Examine your ſelves, whether you are in the faith, 2 Cor. 13.5. And if he doe exhort them to Examination, it is in point of Faith, & therefore Reverend Forbes of Middleburgh (who hath written a Sermon upon that Text) ſaith well, That unleſſe men find faith in their holineſſe, none of all their ſanctification will become a ſound witneſſe of the grace of God unto them; but if Faith be found, then you ſhall ſee Jeſus Chriſt accepting you, and breathing in you, except ye be reprobates.

There is a marvelous gratious witneſſe that Sanctification giveth unto him that liveth by Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, if it be in Chriſt, and work from him, and for him. This onelyonly is that ſanctification which the Lord commendeth unto his ſervants to ſeek after it.

4 A fourth Uſe of our ſanctification is, that the Spirit of God helpeth us by it in point of Rejoycing; and therefore it is that you ſhall ſee the Servants of God rejoycing in their holineſſe, p. 163ſo doth the Apoſtle Paul, 2 Cor. 1.12. — This is our rejoycing, the teſtimony of our conſcience, &c. He rejoyceth at what the Lord doth by him, and with him, Gal. 6.4. But what is it that maketh the Apoſtle rejoyce before God? When he rejoyceth in his work before the Lord, you ſhall ever find him rejoycing at the Lords acting theſe gifts in him, and bleſſing him in his work. Let us look upon two or three Scriptures for this end, 1 Tim. 1.12,13. So that (mind you) as he …eeth God giving him theſe gifts, and enabling him unto the work, ſo he bleſſeth God in that behalfe. You ſhall find him alſo bleſſing God that had proſpered this worke of the Miniſtry whereſoever he came, 2 Cor. 2.14. The Lord working in him and for him, maketh him to triumph and to over-wraſtle all the difficulties that he meeteth withall. The Lord had given him gifts, & taught him to exerciſe thoſe gifts, and doth accept him, and therefore he expreſſeth himſelfe in a marvelous ſtrong ſpeech, Phil. 1.20,21. I am in nothing aſhamed, &c. for to me to live is Chriſt, and to dye is gaine. To me to live is Chriſt; as if he had p. 164ſaid, I have no life but from Chriſt, I put forth no act of life but for Chriſt; this is the ſum of all his converſation; and if Chriſt be his life, then death will be his advantage, and Chriſt will be magnified in either.

Thus we ſee how the Saints of God have made uſe of their Sanctification; they are carefull to ſee that it flow from Chriſt, and yet when they have it they dare not truſt in their beſt gifts for the leaſt duty, neither doe they look for their Faith from their beſt gifts, but they expect their beſt gifts to flow from their Faith: They make uſe of the teſtimony of their holineſſe when they ſee Chriſt in it, and Faith in it, and the Spirit of God carrying them along in the ways and duties thereof. Thus they ſee their holineſſe, and take comfort in it, & from the witneſſe of it, as that by which the Lord diſpenſeth comfort unto his people, when they receive it from the hands of Chriſt, & by Faith in him, by which they are taught of God to carry an end their whole converſation in his name.

5 Furthermore, as we receive it from Chriſt, and truſt not in it, but in Chriſt, p. 165and receive the witneſſe of it in Chriſt, and in the Holy Spirit of Chriſt; and as we receive joy and comfort alſo which the Lord doth miniſter to us in a Sanctified courſe by his Holy Spirit, ſo we grow up and perfect our holineſſe which we have received in his name.

There is growth in grace, this Sanctification is not bedrid, Chriſtians are not as weak now, as they were ſeven years agoe, nor doe they ſtand at a ſtay, but goe forward in Chriſtianity; and hereupon the Apoſtle exhorteth the Epheſians, Chap. 4.16. To ſpeak the truth in love, that they may grow up into him in all things which is the head, even Chriſt: Implying, that men that enter into the wayes of holineſſe, ought to grow on unto perfection in the fear of God, Job 17.9. And many ſweet meanes the Lord hath appointed for this end; the communion of Gods people tendeth hereto, Prov. 13.20. He that walketh with the wiſe, ſhall learn wiſedome: All the Ordinances of God are appointed for this end alſo, to beget and encreaſe Faith and holineſſe; therefore a Chriſtian in the uſe of all theſe Ordinances, p. 166doth not ſtand at a ſtay, but is ſtill thriving and growing, and that not in his owne ſtrength, but in the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt, ſeeking for his acceptance and help in every duty he goeth about; and this is that the Apoſtle doth exhort the Coloſſians unto, Chap. 2.6,7. This ought Chriſtians mainly to attend unto, that as you ſee the branch, the more juice it ſucketh, the more fruitfull it is; ſo alſo it becometh the people of God to know, that the more need we ſtand in to be fruitfull, the more need we have to derive a continuall freſh ſupply from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; that by his Spirit renewing grace in us, we may be enlarged, and carried an end in the wayes of God; whereas otherwiſe, the hearts of Chriſtians would ſoon faile to goe on in thoſe things wherein they deſire to be growing up unto perfection.

What is the reaſon that ſo many ſervants of God are not ſo lively in their profeſſion as they were wont to be many yeares agoe? Truly wee attend upon Ordinances, but it is onelyonly upon the outward act of them, and not upon Jeſus Chriſt in them; this is many times p. 167wanting in the hearts of Gods people; but truly if this be our conſtant frame, and wee doe not recover our ſelves, then is not our ſanctification ſuch as floweth from fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt; for you ſhall finde this to be true, that there is no gift of Chriſt, nor no ſanctification accompanying ſalvation, but it doth knit us neerer and neerer unto Chriſt; and the more wee are filled with true ſpirituall gifts, the more empty wee are of our owne ſtrength, and ſelfe conceits; and ſo wee ought to be, otherwiſe we ſhall conſtantly finde this, that if the Lord doe not preſerve this empty frame in us, the more full we are of any gift, the more full ſhall we be of our owne ſtrength, and conſequently the leſſe need ſhall we feele of Chriſt; and if this be our conſtant frame, it will be a ſad argument that our beſt ſanctification will not endure but fall away, unleſſe we be knit unto Chriſt by the Spirit of his grace; for by all true ſanctification we are the more knit unto him, ſo that if any man would know whether the ſuperſcription of Chriſt and his Image be ſtamped upon his ſanctification, this p. 168you ſhall ever finde to be the ſtampe of the grace of Chriſt, that the more you receive from him, the more you ſtand in need of him; in ſo much that notwithſtanding all the gifts of the Spirit, there is not the ableſt Miniſter of the New Teſtament, but (if his gifts flow from the Spirit of Chriſt, and knit you unto Chriſt) you will finde as great need to cleave unto Chriſt, as ever you did the firſt day when you came trembling into the Pulpit. If therefore wee feele our ſelves full, ſo that the more we have received, the more ſufficient we are, and goe not about the duties we have in hand in feare & trembling, but in ſelfe-confidence, if this be our uſuall and conſtant practiſe, it is but counterfeit Chriſtianity; I doe not ſay that the gifts are counterfeit, for they are from the Spirit of God, and men may by them be very ſerviceable to Church and Common-weale, but this is certaine, that the ſtronger and the more your gifts are, if you ſit looſe from Chriſt, the emptier your hearts are of him. But you will ſay, may not a Chriſtian be full of himſelfe, and depend upon the ſtrength of his owne p. 169gifts? Yes, God forbid I ſhould deny that, for the beſt Chriſtians have gone aſtray in the exerciſe of their beſt gifts; and hereupon Abraham hath been wanting in faith, Moſes in meeknes, Peter in courage, and Sarah in her modeſty, they have been ſo apt to truſt upon thoſe graces of God, wherein they have moſt abounded, that they have principally failed therein: but this you ſhall finde, that (if they have been overtaken once or twice) as the burnt childe dreads the fire, ſo they grow to be more ſenſible of their need of Chriſt, more fearfull of departing from him, more carefull to cleave unto him, that they might grow up in his Name unto all well pleaſing in his ſight. If therefore there be a ſanctification that ſtandeth at a ſtay in any man, it is a great ſuſpition whether the gifts thereof flow from fellowſhip with Chriſt, or no; if gifts be truly ſpirituall, a man ſhall uſually grow up in them, Habenti dabitur. Imploy them, and multiply them; but if you imploy the gifts you have received, in your owne ſtrength, and you are now full of your owne ſanctification, truly this is but frothy work, and doth not convey p. 170true nor lively nouriſhment and comfort: but the comfort and life is to him that in his moſt ſpirituall gifts & beſt performances, is empty of himſelfe, and onelyonly full of Jeſus Chriſt, to live or dye is his advantage.

This is the Uſe which I would commend unto you touching your Chriſtian ſanctification. Thus we ſee ſundry things have been cleered from this doctrine concerning the Covenant of grace. There remaineth another thing to be reſolved and cleered from the doctrine; for if God in the Covenant of his grace doe give himſelfe to be a God to Abraham, and to his ſeede, It is then to be enquired, How God the Father giveth himſelfe, and how the Son, and how the holy Ghoſt giveth himſelfe; for theſe are the fundamentalls of the Covenant of grace, and neceſſary to be opened for cleering the doctrine of it.

Queſt. How God the Father doth give himſelfe to be a God in Covenant to Abraham, and to his ſeed, that is, to the faithfull ſeed of Abraham.

Anſw. All the Perſons in Trinity concurre in works ad extra, in works upon the p. 171Creature. They give themſelves by a Threefold worke or Act.

1. The firſt Act of God is (having choſen us in his Sonne) He gave forth his owne Sonne out of his boſome for the redemption of Abraham & his ſeed; that is the firſt and fundamentall of all the reſt that God doth put forth, or any other Perſon in Trinity, for the applying of the Covenant unto the hearts of his people; And God in giving his Sonne doth give himſelfe, Iſai. 9.6. Joh. 10.30. & 1 Joh. 2.23. Rom. 5.8. Joh. 3.16. And as God giveth us his Sonne, ſo he giveth us all things elſe in his Sonne, Rom. 8.32. So then this is the firſt and the great worke of God, that he hath given his Son out of his own boſome, to take our nature upon him, to lead a miſerable life, and to dye a curſed death, and in him hath given all his Attributes, his mercy, and power unto the ſonnes of men; an undoubted ſigne that God intendeth to give himſelfe in the Covenant of grace unto his people, when he giveth Jeſus Chriſt himſelfe in that Covenant, as he doth expreſſely, Iſa. 42.6. where wee may ſee that God giveth another, even that p. 172God the Father giveth God the Sonne. Thus it is a gift of the Covenant that God giveth his Sonne to be the foundation of the Covenant, and the chiefe bleſſing of it. And Chap. 49.8. He ſpeaketh to the ſame purpoſe. No man hath ſeene God at any time, (Joh. 1.18.) nor can ſee him; nor will God the Father have immediate fellowſhip with any creature; but the onelyonly begotten Sonne of the Father, the Lord hath given him that he might reveale him; Thus wee may perceive that the Lord is gratious and marvellous gratious in that he giveth us his Sonne, his deare Sonne, the ſecond Perſon in Trinity; and thus he ſaith to his Elect; I will be a God unto thee, and give thee my Sonne that ſhall redeeme thee out of all diſtreſſe and danger. Thus doth the Lord for his people, and it is a cleere evidence of his grace, and ſheweth that his love unto his people is beyond all banks and bottome; for the Lord to give us his Sonne, and this Sonne ſo ſoone as he was promiſed, his people ſaw him a farre of. Joh. 8.56. Your father Abraham rejoyced to ſee my day, and he ſaw it, and was glad. For when the Lord Jeſus Chriſt was promiſed unto p. 173him, Gen. 17.16,17. and the Lord had ſaid unto him, I will bleſſe Sarah and give thee a ſonne of her, yea I will bleſſe her, &c. Then Abraham fell upon his face and laughed; he did rejoyce that the Lord would give him a Saviour out of his loynes: how it could be brought to paſſe it may be he knew not, but by a ſpirit of Prophecy did he diſcerne it no doubt. This is the firſt worke of God in giving himſelfe by Covenant, and this was done long agoe before we were borne; he gave him in his eternall counſell when he did elect us in him: he gave him when he ſent him into the world. But this is more when

2. He giveth us unto his Chriſt by Covenant, and draweth us unto him, and giveth Chriſt unto us alſo. And this grace of God cometh neerer us; the other did leave us like lambs in a large paſture, but now as He giveth us unto Chriſt, ſo he giveth him unto us, and both in preſent poſſeſſion. And this the Father doth, Joh. 6.44. for no man (ſaith Chriſt) can come to me, except the Father which hath ſent me draw him; and every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me. Now this p. 174kinde of hearing and learning of the Father, is a ſtrange kinde of learning which the Lord Teacheth the ſoule by — when he draweth him unto Chriſt, an effectuall Teaching and powerfull. 1 Cor. 1.9. This is your effectuall calling; and this is the Lords giving us unto his Sonne, John 6.37. All this is properly the worke of the Father. Men are ſaid to be well given when they give themſelves to their bookes, to their works, and buſineſſe, but this we may well ſay, that we are indeed well given when the Lord giveth us unto his Sonne; for otherwiſe we are but in all ill ſtate, which way ſoever we are given.

Queſt. If you ſhall aske, How the Father giveth us, and calleth us, and draweth us into fellowſhip with his Sonne? (for they are Scripture-phraſes, and all of them of like value in Scripture-ſenſe.)

Anſw. In a word, The Lord draweth us unto his Sonne by his Spirit, and calleth, us as by his word, ſo by his Spirit alſo, and giveth us by his word and Spirit unto Jeſus Chriſt. In this thing I ſhall ſpeake no more unto you, than p. 175what you have often heard, and I ſuppoſe long agoe received; As that the Lord calleth his people out of their ſinnes by the light of the Law, and by the Spirit of bondage; he ſetteth home the Law effectually unto the ſoule, and thereby draweth us from ſin and from the world in ſome meaſure, that we have now no minde to thoſe things which before we were full of delight in, whether they be ſinnes againſt the Law, or ſinnes againſt the Goſpell: it is the Lords uſuall dealing by his Spirit to ſet home ſinnes againſt both in ſo much that thereby we come to be afflicted with ſome kinde of trembling and feare and torment about our ſpirituall eſtate. And thus it was with Saul (who afterwards was Paul) Acts 9.3,4,5,6. when Chriſt called unto him out of heaven, and challenged and convinced him of ſinne, he all trembling and aſtoniſhed ſaid, Lord, what wilt thou have me to doe? So it was with the Jaylor, Acts 16.29. After the Lord had ſhaken his heart with an earth-quake (which is a ſanction of the Law, and a ratification of it, as all Gods judgements are) he called for a light, and p. 176ſprang in, and came trembling to Paul and Silas. Thus the Lord draweth men out of themſelves, and their finfull wayes by a ſpirit of bondage, whereby they are convinced of ſinne, and deſert of Gods wrath, are greatly and deeply afflicted with feare: concerning which the Apoſtle Paul ſaith, 2 Tim. 1.7. God hath not given us the Spirit of feare (or bondage) but of power, of love, and of a ſound mind, &c. Such feare alſo the Apoſtle John ſpeaketh of, 1 Joh. 4.18. when he ſaith, Perfect love caſteth out feare, for feare hath torment; which commeth from the ſenſe of a mans eſtate; whereby he is forced to cry out many times, and to ſay, woe worth my ſoule, that ever I was borne, for the Lord cauſeth the to poſſeſſe all my ſinnes, and preſſeth me downe to the nethermoſt hell. This is one worke of the Spirit of bondage, by which the Lord draweth the ſoule out of it ſelfe and ſinnes, though of it ſelfe the ſpirit of feare goeth no further than to ſhake a mans carnall confidence; which is accompanyed with Anguiſh and Torment, 1 Joh. 4.18. Rev. 9.3. & 11.10.

p. 177Beſides this Spirit of Bondage, the Lord hath another work, which is called a Spirit of Burning, Mal 4.1. The day cometh, &c. This is a Spirit of burning; let us ſpeak unto it a little; the Prophet ſaith, I ſhall leave them neither root nor branch. There are two things in the root.

1. The firſt is the Roote of Abrahams Covenant, which this people much truſted upon; and that is it of which John Baptiſt ſpeaketh, Now the axe is layd to the roote of the Tree, &c. and this he ſpake (Mat. 3.9.) after he had ſaid, Thinke not to ſay within your your ſelves, Wee have Abraham to our father, verſ. 8. So that all the confidence that they had in Abrahams Covenant, and Temple, and Tabernacle, and ſuch things, is burnt up, and ſo they have no roote left them to ſtand upon. And this is one thing intended by the Roote. But

2. Secondly, there is ſomething more in it, for with this Spirit of burning, the Lord by the power of this Spirit doth cut us off from any power of our owne naturall gifts, and parts, and ſpirituall gifts alſo, whereby we thought to lay hold on Jeſus Chriſt; and we are p. 178cut off hereby from all the confidences that we have in our owne ſufficiency; when once the Lord intendeth to bring a ſoule unto himſelfe; for there is an uſuall pre…idence that we have in our owne ſtate, though the Lord have cut us off from hope in the righteouſneſſe of our parents, and from boaſting of his Ordinances, yet we thinke there is ſome power ſtill left us, and therefore we hope and will ſeeke in our owne ſtrength, that the Lord may reveale himſelfe to us in mercy and peace; but when the Lord cometh neerer unto us, he will ſhew us how unable we are to take up the leaſt good reſolution, we ſhall finde our ſelves, like bruiſed reeds unable to hold up our heads; for Chriſt came to ſeeke and to ſave that which was loſt, ſo that Chriſt will not declare himſelfe to ſeeke us untill we be loſt, and therefore he ſaith, Math. 16.24. If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelfe, and follow me; And according hereunto it is that thoſe converts, Acts 2.37. doe cry out when they were pricked in their heart, and ſaid unto Peter, and to the reſt of the Apoſtles, Men and brethren, what ſhall wee doe? p. 179Hence it is alſo that the poore ſoules that came unto Chriſt, Math. 12.20. were like bruiſed reeds that could not hold up their heads, for the Lord in this caſe bruiſeth them, & layeth them low, that they ſee no more hope of mercy, nor likelihood that God ſhould ſhew them any hope. Thus doth the Lord burne up the Root of Abrahams Covenant wherein men truſt, and the Roote of all our ſelfe-ſufficiency, that now wee find our ſelves dryed up & our ſtrength conſumed, that now we are not able to thinke as of our ſelves a good thought.

And againe the Lord by this ſpirit of burning doth burne up all our branches alſo, how faire and greene ſoever they have been; All our faſtings, and humiliations, and almſdeeds, and prayers, ſuch things as the Phariſees much boaſted in, Math. 6.1,2,3. &c. but theſe things are all burnt up. The fruit of bondage worketh unto feare, and now all the hope is that a man ſetteth upon reformation; but if the Lord love a mans ſoule, he will not let him ſtay there, but goeth further with him, and ſheweth him that his prayers and faſtings, p. 180are all empty and fall ſhort of the life and power of Jeſus Chriſt; but yet the ſoule is not quite out of hope, though the Law cannot ſave me, if it cannot, I muſt get me unto Jeſus Chriſt, and lay hold upon him for ſalvation; as if all were to be had by faith in Jeſus Chriſt, if once we can lay hold upon him, and nothing elſe were required but faith in Chriſt, and thereby my laying hold upon him: I ſee plainly (ſaith a man in this caſe) that there is no hope in me, as hath been rightly obſerved, and therefore Ile truſt upon Jeſus Chriſt, and give up my ſelfe to him: but now if the Lord love thy ſoule, he will not ſuffer thee there to reſt, he will not leave thee ſo, He will preſſe thee further. How comeſt thou by faith in Chriſt? Why, thou tookeſt it up of thine owne accord, thou thoughteſt all thy gifts a…d duties were in vaine, and therefore now thou wilt believe in Jeſus Chriſt: Is it ſo eaſie a matter? Can any man come unto Chriſt except the Father draw him? And is thy faith any more than a reſolution of thine owne, when thou waſt convinced of the emptineſſe of thine owne gifts and abilities? p. 181When this ſpirit of burning hath blaſted this thy faith alſo, and that by the cleere evidence of the Goſpel put upon it. Now ſaith the ſoule, I ſee that I am not in Chriſt, though I ſaid that I would truſt in Chriſt, yet I ſee, it is not every one that ſaith, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the kingdome of heaven. Now I ſee it is not my faith (ſuch a Faith as mine is) that will reach Jeſus Chriſt; it is not a faith of my own undertaking that will ſerve the turne. I ſee now Chriſt alone muſt worke this great worke in me, and Chriſt in the way of his owne Ordinances, therefore I muſt looke for it in his word, and in the fellowſhip of the Sacraments; therefore I will look up unto the Lord in all theſe, and waite for him, and ſeek him therein: And I hope I can ſeeke and waite in that way, though I can do nothing elſe, and ſo the poore ſoule maketh account that in time he ſhall finde Chriſt in the Ordinances, and ſo hammereth out a faith from thence, and therein bleſſeth himſelfe. Now (minde you) the Spirit of God (when the Lord God the Father will draw home the ſoule throughly to Jeſus p. 182Chriſt) will burne up all thy confidence; for if thy ſoule be not utterly loſt, ſo long as it hath any roote, or power in it ſelfe, it is not come to an utter ſelfe-deniall; though I cannot worke I will believe, and if I cannot believe, I can waite that I may believe, and ſo here is ſtill the old roote of Adam left alive in us, whereby men ſeeke to eſtabliſh their owne righteouſneſſe. This old roote putteth forth it ſelfe, and will not ſuffer the ſoule to be wholly from Chriſt and for Chriſt alone, and all becauſe there is a ſprigge of Adam left in the ſoule; whence it is, that the ſoule is marvellouſly apt to have hope and confidence more or leſſe from ſome vertue or power in himſelfe, therefore its no ſmall matter to be cut off from Adam; thats contrary to nature; As ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 11.24. this is a marvellous ſtrong work, when the Spirit of God comes to act things contrary to nature; for nature is fully poſſeſſed, that what God commandeth, I am able to doe it: nature will not be perſwaded to the contrary; If I heare God command any thing, I will doe it (ſaith a carnall heart) and if I cannot p. 183do it, I will believe, and if I cannot believe I will waite, and I can waite that I may believe; this is ſtill but nature: Now when the Lord cometh indeed to ingraffe us into Jeſus Chriſt, this is quite contrary to nature. Why, wherein is it ſo contrary? I anſwer, whereas nature is active for it ſelfe, now it cometh to paſſe, that whereas a ſoul hath been ſtirring and buſie in his owne ſtrength, at length the Spirit of God, by the mighty power of his grace, being ſhed abroad into the ſoule, doth burn up root and branch, not onelyonly the root of Abraham's Covenant, but all the fatneſſe of the root of the Wild Olive, by which we are fat and lively to all ſpirituall work in our owne apprehenſions; ſo that we work in our owne ſtrength, untill the Lord come and cut us quite down, and make us to ſee that there is not the leaſt good thought, as of our ſelves, and therefore unleſſe the Lord be wonderfully gratious unto us, we cannot be ſaved, till it come unto this, the ſoule is not fit for Jeſus Chriſt.

Thus the Spirit of God may worke powerfully in the hearts of men, and burn up their root and branch, and this p. 184a ſpirit of burning may doe, and yet leave the ſoule in a damnable condition for ought I know, and ſuch as many a ſoule may be in, and yet never come to enjoy ſaving fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt; therefore as this is one arm of God ſtretched forth for the ſalvation of his people, when he draweth them out of themſelves, by a Spirit Of

Bondage

Burning

towards Chriſt: So

2 There is a further work of God in drawing us home throughly and effectually to Jeſus Chriſt, when he giveth the Spirit of Adoption, which reacheth beyond all the former work; he hath cut us off from our ſelves, and now we ſtand in a ſtate quite contrary to nature, and if any ſaving work be wrought in us, it is quite contrary to nature; if any thing fall upon the heart and ſoule of a man, to bring his will to this paſſe, to lye downe at Gods feet, that he knoweth not what to doe, and yet whatſoever the Lord calleth him unto, he is willing, if it were poſſible to be done, he would run through fire and water to doe it: but he findeth himſelfe unable to doe any p. 185thing, and now he will tell you that to believe is as impoſſible for him as to build a world: why then bid him wait, waite? ſaith he, I, but I cannot waite, and if I ſeek the Lord, I cannot find him, and I ſee others of Gods ſervants wrought upon gratiouſly, but dead-hearted I, nothing will work upon me; now in ſuch a caſe as this, the Spirit of God cometh into the heart of a Chriſtian, and taketh poſſeſſion of the ſoule for Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo draweth the ſoule to Chriſt, and maketh it there to ſtay, and there to lye down, and to be willing to be drawne yet neerer and neerer unto Chriſt, and to be carried an end by him, to take all from him, & to give all the glory to him. This Spirit of Adoption doth give a man a Son-like frame to lye proſtrate at his Fathers will, like unto the Prodigall Son, Luke 15.17,18,19. who when he came to himſelfe, and ſaw how unable he was to provide for himſelfe, and how unworthy he was that his Father ſhould doe any thing for him, he came and lay downe at the feet of his Father, for he is unable and unworthy of any mercy. Now this ſtooping of the heart p. 186unto God, and yielding unto him to doe with us as ſeemeth good in his own eyes, is ſuch a proſtration of the heart, wherein the Lord hath taken poſſeſſion of the ſoule, that now a man is led unto fellowſhip with Chriſt, that there is None in Heaven but him, none in the earth in compariſon of him that the ſoule deſireth after; and now a man waiteth upon Chriſt to ſee what he will doe for him; and though he cannot tell you that he waiteth, yet he doth waite, that he may be helped of God, to depend upon him. Thus he receiveth all from Chriſt, and giveth all unto him. This is the Fathers drawing of the ſoule, which is expounded to be the hearing and learning of the Father, of which John ſpeaketh, ch. 6.45. He that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me; which is, when the Lord hath drawne the ſoule out of his naturall corruptions, legall reformations, pretences of Faith, and waiting upon Chriſt in his owne ſtrength for Faith, if it be wanting: Then when the ſoul doth lie at his feet to be diſpoſed of according to the will of God, and is in ſome meaſure ſubject unto the Lord, though not ſo much as p. 187he could deſire; and therefore now the ſoule doth not content or bleſſe himſelfe in any gifts or works of his own, but yieldeth himſelfe humbly to the Lord, to work in him both will and deed of his owne good pleaſure, and to teach him how to ſeek, and waite, and believe, and long after Jeſus Chriſt, theſe things he waiteth for: Otherwiſe untill he be thus taught of God, the ſoule will alwayes think that he can doe ſomething; and is not able to come out of himſelf to utter denyall of himſelfe; but if any man will come unto Chriſt, he muſt deny himſelfe, even all his owne gifts, and parts, and good works whatſoever; for a man is never utterly denyed, untill there be nothing left of which a man can ſay, This I am able to doe, or this is an hopefull thing in me; and when it cometh to this paſſe, then will the ſoule lie down at the will of God, and acknowledge, that if the Lord would never ſhew him mercy, juſt and righteous are his judgements. Now when the ſoule and will of a Chriſtian are convinced of theſe things, as well as his judgement, that now he waiteth upon Chriſt as well p. 188that he may be able to waite and ſeek the Lord, as he doth for any other good thing from the Lord, he waiteth now upon the Lord for a poor ſpirit, and cannot perke up himſelfe, no more then a bruiſed Reed can doe. Thus when it cometh unto ſaving work, the will and ſoule of a man is ſo caſt downe, that a man cannot tell what to make of himſelfe, but there he lieth to ſee what the Lord will doe with him, whether he will reach forth the hand of ſalvation unto him or no. In this caſe the ſoule is left utterly void, and hath in himſelf neither root nor branch, but ſeeth how unable he is in himſelfe to beleeve or waite; nor can he tell whether Jeſus Chriſt be his portion, and now doth the Lord take poſſeſſion, and fill the empty ſoule.

If you ask me how this ſpirit cometh into the ſoule to make it thus to ſtoop unto Chriſt?

You ſhall find that the Lord uſeth to convey himſelfe unto the ſoule in ſome word of Promiſe of the Goſpel that ſheweth unto the ſoule the riches of the grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt; ſomething or other is declared of p. 189Chriſt. This word being taught in the publick Miniſtry of the word, or brought to remembrance in ſome ſpirituall duty, as Prayer, or Conference, or the like, (for I will not limit the Holy One of Iſrael) yet uſually it is done in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel; and though the Lord doth not limit himſelfe, yet he doth limit us to attend upon the means which he uſually worketh by; but whatſoever the way be, this is the manner of Gods working, he doth univerſally come into the ſoul in ſome word or other of his grace; as for inſtance, that in 2 Cor. 5.19. or that in 1 Tim. 1.15. In ſome ſuch word of his grace he cometh and putteth life into the ſoule, and maketh it ſomwhat quies, and cauſeth it to ſee that there is hope in Iſrael, and the Lord is able, and there is riches enough in Chriſt to ſave me. By ſuch kind of work it is that the Lord bringeth the ſoules of his ſervants effectually to Chriſt, and now hath God the Father given us unto him, and untill now thou never cameſt unto him ſavingly. This is the ſecond Act whereby God the Father giveth himſelfe unto the ſoule.

p. 190The third act or work followeth both theſe, as ſoone as ever the Lord hath given this ſelfe-denying ſpirit unto the ſoule, and hath made it like unto a bruiſed Reed, or like a Traveller that is out of his way, and willing to take any man by the hand that will lead him into his way againe; when the ſoule is in ſuch a frame, the Lord cometh with a third act of Reconcilement. The firſt work was of Conviction, the ſecond of Proſtration, the third of Reconciliation. This is the third work of the Father, though there is in all theſe works a concurrence of the whole Trinity, yet ſome are more proper unto each Perſon, as our Catechiſmes teach us, and we are not wont to ſcruple ſuch expreſſions in them. God the Father created us, and we cannot expound it; but as God the Father created us at the firſt, ſo he doth again create you, or elſe if we acknowledg it in the one, and not in the other, we do wrong unto God, even to the Father. Well, he is then reconciled unto us, having given unto us the Spirit of his Son; & now he doth pronounce us reconciled unto him, this is the work which is ſpoken of Rom. 5.10. p. 191and this is the work of God the Father, according to that was before alledged, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Chriſt reconciling the world, &c. Now there are two acts of God as fruits that follow hereupon, and both of them done at once upon the ſoule.

1 The firſt is Adoption, whereby he maketh us his Children, as Gal. 4.4,5,6. & John 1.12. So that now we are the Brethren of Chriſt, and the Sons of the Eternall God; Adoption is properly the work of the Father, but Chriſt being the naturall Son of God, we muſt be knit unto him, before we can be accounted Sons.

2 The ſecond is Juſtification, Rom. 8.33,34. This is the Fathers work, and it is principally attributed unto him to forgive our iniquities, and to make reconciliation in Chriſt Jeſus. And look as it is in our naturall Being, ſo ſoon as ever we have received naturall life from Adam, we become the Sons of Adam, and his ſin is imputed unto us: ſo it is in the new birth, as ſoon as ever the life of Chriſt is ſhed abroad into our hearts, ſo ſoon are we Heires of Chriſt, and the righteouſneſs p. 192of the ſecond Adam is imputed unto us now to our Juſtification, as the ſin of Adam before was to our Condemnation.

Ʋſe 1. The Doctrine it ſelfe is but an Uſe, but I deſire that we may all of us apply it unto our ſelves. It will be a help to us for our Inſtruction, to Teach us how we came to ſaving fellowſhip with God in Jeſus Chriſt, and wherein lieth our ſpirituall union with Chriſt, and how it is wrought and obtained; and this is neceſſary, for as it hath been obſerved by others, ſo we may now gather it from what we have heard, that there be 4 ſorts of men that fall ſhort of this union with Chriſt.

1 You have ſome that bleſſe themſelves in their naturall eſtate, it may be they are rich, and honourable among men: well, they bleſſe themſelves in that eſtate, and will never goe any further.

2 There is another ſort that are convinced of the danger of their naturall eſtate, they dare not reſt there, and hereupon they fall upon Reformations, and ſo to duties of Humiliation, and ſuch like, wherein they find (as they conceive) p. 193ſuch a bleſſed change, and ſo much comfort as doth ſatisfie them: And indeed God doth comfort men in their Reformations, for God will have no man loſe by him, Mat. 6.2,5. Hypocrices have their reward for their Aime and for their Prayers. Herod when he heard John, reformed many things, and heard him gladly, Mark 6.20. Here was a great change, and doubtleſſe much comfort in that gladneſſe, yet theſe men never had the work of God the Father, to burn up all that they had received by any ſtrength of their owne.

3. A third ſort goe a ſtep beyond theſe, they have been convinced that they went forth …o Reformation in their owne ſtrength: they plainly ſee it, and diſcerne it, and therefore they know that it is impoſſible to be ſaved by the righteouſneſſe of the Law, and that it is not of works, neither of one kind, nor of another; they are convinced that Faith onelyonly muſt doe the deed, and upon this ground they will take up Faith to believe in Chriſt for ſalvation, and that Faith, which formerly they have pitched upon their good duties, they will now pitch upon Chriſt; p. 194but ſtill it is the ſame Faith, for the root is not yet burnt up, the old corruption ſtill remaineth in them, and ſo here is your old faith ſtill tranſlated from one object to another; it was faſtned before upon your duties and reformations, and now upon Chriſt (though by creature-ſtrength) and now a man is ready to plead and ſay, If God had not loved me, he would never have ſet me upon ſuch reformations, nor have enlarged me with ſuch comforts, if he had not been well pleaſed with me in Jeſus Chriſt. And though I have been ſometimes burnt up touching my hope in reformation, yet I have tranſlated my Faith to Jeſus Chriſt; but how came you to doe that? Why, I ſaw my hopes in my owne reformation would not ſerve my turne, and therefore I believed in Jeſus Chriſt, and now ſhall nothing draw me from him, nor pull me from my confidence, for I have built upon ſome word of God, and ſome Promiſe of his made unto ſuch reformation as I have ſet upon, and is not this true Faith in Jeſus Chriſt? This is far from true Faith, it is no other but a ſtrong fallacy whereby the Devil doth cheat p. 195men, and in truth this Faith is but a Faith of a mans owne making (that I may ſo ſpeak) it is no more than a ſpirit of Burning at the beſt, that hath burnt up his confidence in his owne works, and taught him to reſolve in his judgment to believe on Jeſus Chriſt.

4 There is a fourth ſort alſo that fall far ſhort of Chriſt too, and yet goe beyond all theſe; they goe beyond works, and beyond this Faith alſo w^ch we have ſpoken of, which was not a lively Faith in Chriſt whereby we are juſtified, but men juſtifie themſelves by it, God doth not juſtifie them. Now this fourth ſort come plainly to ſee that their Faith is ſhaken, and they dare not look God in the face, to juſtifie the truth of their Faith before him; it is true, many an heavenly ſpirited man cannot tell what will become of him, nor can he tell whether his Faith be ſound, but many an Hypocrite alſo is ſo far convinced, that he cannot tell what will become of him, nor can he ſay that his Faith is right, nor that he is able to believe: What ſaith the ſoule now in ſuch a caſe as this? He will ſay, I ſee it is not my Reformation, nor p. 196my Faith that will ſerve the turn, what is it then? I ſee that now I muſt waite upon Chriſt that I may believe, and unto him I muſt ſeek for helpe. Is not this ſoule in a ſtate of everlaſting fellowſhip with Chriſt? Truly this is that which the Lord many times bringeth the ſouls of his Servants unto, but he leaveth them not there, if he mean to doe them good; for I would examine again, how cameſt thou to waite upon Jeſus Chriſt? thou haſt been driven out of conceit of thy former Faith, and ſo haſt been forced, and haſt ſeen a neceſſity to wait upon Chriſt for Faith, or elſe thou canſt not believe; force of Argument hath conſtrained thee thus far; if thou haſt taken up a courſe of waiting onelyonly upon this ground, here is a ſpark of old Adam ſtill kept alive in thee: Thou art able to ſeek and wait upon Chriſt, and yet I cannot promiſe thee that thou haſt any part or portion in him. But a ſoule will ſay, Hath not the Lord made gratious Promiſes to all thoſe that ſeeke for him? Hath he not ſaid that all they are bleſſed that waite for him? Iſa. 30.18. And am not I wrapped up hereby in a bundle of grace and peace? Mind you, p. 197there is no promiſe of life made to thoſe that wait & ſeek in their own ſtrength, who being driven to it, have taken it up by their own reſolutions; though I grant it is true, that every one that waiteth for, and ſeeketh the Lord aright, is driven unto it by the Lord, yet if ever the Lord mean to ſave you, he will rend, as it were the caule from the heart, I mean he will pluck away all the confidence you have built upon; a as man would rend the intralls of a Beaſt from him, ſo the Lord will bring you to a flat deniall of your ſelves, and that you have neither good will nor deed, as of your ſelves: And, you will find, you know not what God will doe with you, but this you know, that whatſoever he doth he is moſt righteous. When the Spirit of God cometh as a Comforter, he will in this manner convince the ſoul of a man that he hath heretofore hung upon his reformations for hope & comfort, but now he is brought plainly to ſee and flatly to deny, that he hath ſo much as one drop of the fatnes of the true Olive tree in him, when he moſt truſted unto his own excellencies. Now a man being thus far brought on, doth not only deny p. 198himſelfe in his judgement, but in his will, and is ready to ſay as David ſometimes did, If the Lord ſay he hath no pleaſure in me, here I am, let him doe unto me as ſeemeth him good. The Lord is righteous in all that cometh upon me: this onelyonly the ſoul hath for his ſupport in ſuch a caſe, the Lord is able to doe all for me that I ſtand in need of: If he ſhew me no mercy, he is juſt, if he be gratious I ſhall live to praiſe him. Now when a mans will is thus ſubdued, that he hath no will of his owne to be guided by, but onelyonly the will of God; this is true brokenneſſe of heart, when not onelyonly the judgement, but the heart and will is broken. The ſoule being thus convinced, that neither his working, nor believing, nor waiting, nor ſeeking, as of himſelfe, will doe him any good, there is no mercy that he can chalenge for any goodneſſe ſake of his owne; then cometh the Holy Ghoſt in ſome declaration of Gods free love, and taketh poſſeſſion of the heart, and then the ſoule beginneth to pant after Jeſus Chriſt, and nothing in Heaven but him, nor in the Earth beſides him. The ſoule being thus wrought upon, beginneth to put forth it ſelfe towards the Lord Jeſus, but the Holy Ghoſt having taken poſſeſſion before, helpeth our infirmities, Rom. 8.26,27. He alone muſt help us, and no other.

FINIS.