Sacred Therapy, Book 1 · Chapter 8
CHAP. VIII.
Of the prudent application of divine covenants in general.
HAving spoken of these three divine covenants concerning mens salvation, it follows now to speak of the application thereof, first, in generall, and then more specially.
In the mater of application, we must, first, look upon Gods effectuall applying and working in the hearers of these covenants, such effects as he hath intended by these covenants to bring to passe: Next, we must look upon the means whereby he ordinarly doth convey and work his intended works in men. And thirdly, we must look upon the prudent way of use making of these means, both by Pastors and people for peoples good.
2. As to the first, the Lords effectuall application, is a reall and actuall bestowing the good of these covenants upon his own, by way of powerfull working on their spirits. Such as are, 1. the giving the grace of understanding of the Scripture; And, 2. the belief of what is understood; And, 3. the application of the doctrine of the law, concerning mens sin and misery, to their own conscience; And, 4. the making them judge themselves according to the law; And, 5. the raising of sorrow in their hearts and fear of wrath; And, 6. the setting of their eye upon Christ for delivery from sin and death; And, 7. the makeing them perceive a possibility and probability that they may be saved: And, 8. to have an earnest desire after reconciliation with God in Christ; And, 9. the making of his own to cast themselves over on Christ and to believe on him; And, 10. the making them to consecrat themselves to God in Christ, reconciling the world of meer grace to himself, not imputing transgression to the reconciled through Christ; And, 11. the making them to wonder at the riches of the free grace of God, who in a self-condemned sinner, desirous to be reconciled with him, requireth no personall dignity, no good work, which may commend him to God, but only that he would receive and welcome Christ offered in the Gospel, as the only necessary and sufficient remedy against all sin and misery, requiring no other condition, but that he flee from the curse of the law, and the wrath to come, unto Christ the Redeemer, who offereth himself unto lost sinners in the preaching of the Gospel, that through him the beleiver may be justified and sanctified, and saved for ever; And, 12. after wondering raised in the hearts of his children, the making them cleave closly to Christ, and to strive against all temptations, which might weaken their faith, and to rejoyce in believing, and to be zealous for the Lords glory, and carefull to bring forth more and more fruits of faith and love, and working such other gracious works of his Spirit in his children, as may more and more mortifie sin in them, and perfect the image of God in his new creature. This divine, magisteriall and effectuall application of reall blessings, belongeth to God only, and is the end of all ministeriall application, which is of the externall means appointed of God, to be made use of by men, the blessing whereof must be left to God to bestow, on whom, how, and in what measure, and in what time it pleaseth him, as the Apostle doth shew unto us, 1 Cor. 3. 6. I have planted, and Apollos hath watered, but God giveth the increase.
3. The externall means, which do serve unto the foresaid divine operations, are, 1. The doctrine of life and salvation, set down in the Scripture, to be heard and read by all men, and meditat upon with prayer for a blessing; And, 2. sent ministers, to whom God hath committed the word of reconciliation, by whose ministery disciples may be made unto Christ out of all nations; And, 3. the administration of the Sacrament, whereby they with their children are baptized, and gathered together in severall Churches, and put under the government of such Church-officers, as his Testament hath appointed; And, 4. these Churches joyned together in the most edifying way of mutuall communion, and strengthening one another in true doctrine, pure worship and discipline, which Gods providence doth make way for, that the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus may continue and grow in the world, and all his ordinances may be exercised publickly and privatly to the best advantage of the Church, for perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministery, and for the edifying of the body of Christ, as the Apostle requireth, Ephes. 4. 12, 13, 14.
4. In the use of these external means, and specially in the application of these three covenants, prudence is required, both in P…stors and people, to which intent and purpose these following considerations may serve.
1. The remedy of every sic…ness of the conscience, must be grounded on the doctrine of salvation set down in Scripture; which doctrine …, be known and believed by the porty …, before he can receive benefit thereby: And … a prudent application of wholsom and saving doctrine may be made, of necessity the party diseased must be acqu…ared with the doctrine to be applyed unto him, before he can make use thereof to his advantage: for, experience teacheth us, how hardly gross ignorants can be convinced of sin, add how hardly such can be comforted, when their conscience is wakened with the terrours of God, because they neither know from the Word of God, the cause of the terrour and anxiety wherein they are, nor can they be capable of the remedy of their evill, except they, first, be catechised in the heads of saving doctrine, h…ld forth in the Law and Gospel, which instruction can hardly be given or received in a short time; and howsoever, a prudent Pastor must make use of time as it is offered, yet when death is near to the party to be instructed, how little is it that can be expected to be done?
2. The order of applying saving doctrine, doth not begin at the application either of the covenant of Redemption, or at the covenant of Grace, but he that will follow a right order, must begin at the law and covenant of works, under the yoke whereof we are all born by nature, children of wrath. And if a man apply that covenant and law to his heart, and subscribe his own dittey and deserved condemnation, then may he turn up his soul to Christ Jesus the Redeemer, and flye to him for refuge, and accept the offer which he makes in his Gospel of a new covenant of grace for pardoning of sin and reconciling unto God in himself the person who is fled unto him, and for sanctifying and saving of him; which covenant, when a chased soul doth consent unto, and layeth hold on Christ offered for relief from sin, wrath, death and hell, then may he ascend by faith unto the covenant of Redemption, and apply to himself with Gods allowance all the saving graces purchased by Christ, by that covenant, to all that flye unto him and believe in him.
3. This order of making use of these three covenants, many do not follow, but they begin at the covenant of Redemption, and will either be satisfied about this, whether they be elected or not, given to Christ to be redeemed or not, (which is a secret and not to be inquired into, save in Gods order as we have shown) or else they will not enter upon the use-making of these means which God hath appointed to bring a man to repentance and faith in Christ. This is a tentation of Sathan, which if they yield unto, it shall lead them either to resolute profanity with Cain, or to anxious desperation with Iudas.
4. There are some also, who make leap-year of the covenant of works, and do take no notice of their own naturall sinfulness or wrath due to them, and lying on them by nature; but neglecting this order, do start a race, and run to a presumptuous avouching of their faith in Christ, and will thrust in themselves in the number of the elect, given before the world was, unto Christ to be redeemed and saved, pretending their believing of the Gospel, when they have not believed the doctrine of the law, and so do turn the grace of God into lasciviousness and wantonness, and go about the satisfying and fulfilling of their own lusts. Wherefore it is necessary, that every man who seeketh to be saved, and hath resolved to follow Gods way to attain unto salvation, do begin first, at the covenant of works, and examine himself according to the rule of the morall law, how he hath behaved himself in obedience unto the first and second table, and having sound a dittey great enough, that he judge himself and passe sentence on himself as guilty and worthy of everlasting wrath for his sins. Secondly, when he is convinced of sin and deserved wrath, and of his own utter impotency to deliver himself, then let him flee to Christ and lay hold on the grace offered in the Gospel, applying the same to his burthened conscience, according to the tennor of the covenant of grace, fully revealed in the Gospel. And, thirdly, when he hath in earnest consented unto the covenant of grace and reconciliation, and hath laid hold on Christ, with unfaigned faith, seeking in him remission of sin, and renovation of life, being resolved by the grace of Christ, to use the means appointed of him for that end; Now it is time and not till now, to look up unto the covenant of Redemption, and there to read his own name, as it were, written in the book of life, and to acknowledge that the measure of repentance and faith in Christ bestowed on himself now in experience, hath flowed from that fountain of Gods love and free grace through Christ.
Except this order be keeped, a man cannot warrantably, and with confidence and comfort, make application of these covenants. Hence it followeth, that it is a preposterous and perilous course which some do follow, and presse others to follow, that presently upon the hearing of the Gospel, every man should believe, that Christ hath died for him: for, Christ calleth no man, warrandeth no man to come to him, except he, first, do acknowledge his sins, and himself to be worthy of wrath, condemnation and hell for his sins, and to be utterly unable to save himself by any mean, save by Christ: for, (Luke, 5. 32.) Christ saith, I came not to call the righteous, but sinners unto repentance. Neither doth Christ require of any man, to believe himself to be of the number of Christs sheep for whom he laid down his life, except he come by faith as a lost sinner to him, and submit himself to his doctrine and discipline, and pastorall care over him: for, (Ioh. 17. 9.) Christ saith, I pray not for the world, but for these thou hast given me out of the world: and no man shall know, that himself is given of the Father to Christ, till first he come in the order foresaid unto Christ, and when he is come to Christ, resolveth to abide with him, then may he say, the Father hath given me to Christ, and drawn me to Christ: for, this is the mark which Christ giveth, Ioh. 6. 37. All that the Father hath given unto me, shall come to me. And again, vers. 44. No man cometh unto me, except the Father draw him.
3. There is an order al…o to be observed in the application of the graces offered in the Gospel; for, in the Evangel, first, Christ himself is offered, as the only and sufficient remedy against sin and misery; and next, unto the person that receiveth Christ heartily, all Christs benefits are promised to come to him by Christ, and are to be found in and through Christ, such as are Justification, Adoption, the indwelling of the holy Ghost, love, joy, peace, gentlenesse, bounty, fidelity, meekness, temperance and other Christian graces, Gal 5. 22. for, no man hath right unto Christs benefits, before he be a believer in Christ. But so soon as a man, in the foresaid order, is fled unto Christ, and hath laid hold on him by faith, straight way a door and entresse is opened unto him unto the rich treasure of grace, and right is given to him unto all the benefits of Christ; for, all the promises are yea and amen, not before a man come to Christ, not to a man without Christ, but they are all yea and a men in Christ.
4. Therefore they wrong both God and their own selves, who when they come unto the throne of grace, do prescribe unto God another order of working, then he hath set down in his word, craving, in the first place, consolation and sensible peace in their conscience, felt in their hearts; and that God would work some such saving graces in their heart, which the reprobat cannot counterfit: which directions, if God will take off their hand, and bestow his graces on them sensibly as they prescribe unto him, then they will stand oblieged to continue in the faith of Christ; but if they find not their directions obeyed, and their petitions in their order granted, then with grief of heart they begin to complain, and to pretend that they dare not approach unto God or Christ, so long as these petitions are not first granted and felt to be granted.
This temptation doth invert and overturn the order of Go…s calling: for, Christ doth not call unto him well-doers, or these that do found their faith upon their own good behaviour, and lean to their own works, which they desire to find in themselves, before they fasten faith on Christ; but Christ doth call sinners in their own sense and acknowledgment, who renounce all confidence in their own works, past, present or to come; He calleth such as are lost in their own sense, and do feel themselves utterly unable so much as to think a good thought of themselves, that they may be cloathed with the imputed righteousnesse of Christ, and indued with the spirit of sanctification by him; and Christs will is, that they who believe in him, abide in him, and suck by faith out of him (as the branches do suck sap out of the tree) grace to bring forth fruits more and more abundantly: for, this is the order which Christ doth prescribe unto his disciples, Ioh. 15. 5. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for, without me ye can do nothing. Whosoever therefore will not believe in Christ or do think it is not lawfull to approach unto him, till first they find in themselves amendment of life and evident fruits of saving faith, they do in effect change the condition of the covenant of grace, and do suspend their faith in Christ till they find works to build upon, when it were their duty, the more they feel their barrennesse, so much the more straitly to lay hold on Christ and hold him fast, and ply him with earnest supplications to make good his promise to them who do abide in him, Ioh. 15. 5.
5. It is necessary to presse every man, who doth believe his justification by faith, that he be carefull to observe the morall law, or ten commands, as the perpetuall and unchangeable rule of good works prescribed of God: for, Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it, Matth. 5. 17. He hath indeed unto believers in him, dissolved the covenant of the law, not only by his doctrine, teaching them, that by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified in the sight of God, because by the law, is the knowledge of sin gotten, but no absolution from sin, Rom. 3. 20. But also by absolving every believer in him, that walketh not after the flesh, but after the spirit, from all condemnation, Rom. 8. 1… Mean while he hath not broken the yoke of obedience of the law from off the believer, as he hath broken off the yoke of the covenant of works; but by the contrair, he prescribes to them who come unto him for remission of sin, that they take on his yoke upon them, and bring forth works of new obedience, Matth. 11. 29. and this is the order which the Apostle doth prescribe, Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithfull saying, and these things I will thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God, might be carefull to maintain good works: these things are good and profitable unto men.
6. The moral precepts of the law are so to be pressed, that the hearers, whether un-converted or converted, may, by them, whether in some measure obeyed or disobeyed, be driven to Christ, that the law may ever, in some sort, be a pedagogue unto Christ: for, before conversion, sin must be made manifest by the law, and the merit of sin committed, must be shown forth, that the man to be converted may see himself in a lost condition, and that he must certainly perish, except he flee for refuge to Christ the Redeemer, that by him he may have remission of sin.
And after a mans conversion, the believer must, by the precepts of the law, be convinced of his duty and inability to perform obedience, except, by grace, power be communicated unto him from Christ both to will and to do. And when he hath gotten grace to give obedience in some measure, yet must he examine his best works by the rule of the commands, and acknowledge the imperfection of his service, that he may be more and more humbled in himself, and glory only in the imputed righteousness of Christ, and withall give unto Christ the glory of any good thing which he hath in any measure done well.
7. The threatnings also all of them, must so be applyed in general, as both converted and un-converted may be forced to run to Christ, who only can deliver the un-converted from guiltiness and wrath, and death eternal deserved by sin; and who only can deliver those who are converted from the deserved punishment of their sins, and from the execution of the sentence which the law pronounceth; and who only can make them eshew and hold off the way which God hath cursed.
And it is easie to judge how much cause of humiliation the godly shall have, by daily comparing their actings with the law, and how dear and precious Christ must be to them, who giveth unto them, as many deliverances from death, as they commit sins, and do fail of their oblieged obedience to God.
8. A sinner already convicted of sin and impenitency, and hardness of his own heart, and who is grieved for the same, must not be skarred nor deterred from going unto Christ, till first he attain such a prescribed measure of contrition as he conceiveth his sins do call for; which measure, un-skilfull Physicians do rigidly exact of sinners, who are desirous of repentance, pretending for their rigidity, their fear, lest if such sinners should be so easily admitted unto Christ, the work of repentance should be marred in them, and presumption should have way and be fostered in them: this fear is needless, because it belongs to Christ alone to give repentance, and he came to call sinners (convicted of sin and destitute of repentance in their own estimation and sense) unto repentance, that he may give them repentance. We grant that there is a danger, lest a sinner, lightly touched with the sting of the conscience, do not well weigh the weight of his sin and the merit of it, and that he go to Christ with his lips only when his heart is far from him; but, on the other hand, there is no less hazard, left he who is destitute of repentance in his own sense, and not permitted to go to Christ to have it, may either be driven to dispair, or conceive, that by his own pains on his own heart, repentance must be wrought before he go to Christ, whom God hath exalted with his right hand, to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance unto Israel and remission of sins, Act. 5. 31.
We must be wary therefore, lest a burdened conscience in any measure, being excluded from going to Christ till he be in such and such a measure humbled, set himself so upon bodily exercise of ordinances, without daring to go to Christ, as that he put some merit in effect, upon his bodily exercise which he useth, to bring himself unto contrition, or else turn desperatly careless, and leave off all using of means.
We need not fear, that instantly upon a sinners coming to Christ, he shall find too soon consolation, and so not be humbled as need were: for, Christ is only wise, and can prudently deal with the sinner coming unto him; he hath eye-salve to give his proud merchant, to let him see his blindness, poverty and misery, as well as gold and garments to the poor and naked: but if any be proud and rich in their own conceit, and approach toward him without sense of sin, he can suspend them from comfort, till first he rebuke and chasten them, and keep them off from felt access a while, till they be truly humbled, and thirst in earnest after pardon and imputed righteousness.
9. As the narrow way to the kingdom of heaven must not be made straiter then God hath made it, So neither must the way be made broader then God hath made it, and reignies loosed to mens lusts, as if believers sins were either none, or but light ones: for, God is not a favourer of sin, and whosoever do turn the grace of God into wantonness, undoubtedly they are ignorant both of the Law and of the Gospel. Wherefore the Law and the Gospel must be so tempered, that on the one hand, none who would be at Christ, and through him at mortification of their sinfull nature, be discouraged; and on the other hand, that no man, boasting of his profession of faith, be strengthened in his iniquity: for, this is the true sense and intent of God, both in his threatnings and promises, that none despair, hearing threatnings, but repent and live; and that none presume to sin, upon hearing his gracious promises, but walk in fear before him, Ezek. 33. 10, 11, 12. to v. 20. and Christ doth blot out from the number of the saved, all them who break off and make void any of the precepts, and do teach men so to do, Matth. 5. 19.
10. Because God doth make use of the same arguments in his Word, both for moral swasion and for effectual operation of saving faith, and bringing forth fruits of new obedience; therefore the force of God's arguments and inducements (as occasion is offered) must so be opened up, and sharpned and pressed, that the hearers, being soundly convinced of the holiness, equity verity and necessity of the Lords commands, may at least be morally perswaded to yield unto them. And to this end, that hearers must be exhorted, that they call to mind and weigh such and such arguments unto duties, that by reasoning with themselves, they may prevail by Gods bl…ssing to believe the Word of God; So did Paul, directing his speech to the governour Felix, brash the castle of his conscience with this engine, that he near by took it in, Act. 24. 25. and so did he deal with Agrippa, whom he near-by perswaded to become a Christian, Act. 26. 28. and this was his endeavour to perswade all his hearers to believe the truth he taught, 2 Cor. 5. 11. Knowing therefore (saith he) the terror of the Lord, we perswade men. And the same Apostle hath taught all Christs disciples to exercise the faculty of reasoning, in the mater of strengthening their faith and purpose of obedience, that having set before them the arguments which the Word of God doth furnish they may sum up the truth in conclusions drawn there-from, and by holy reasoning, tye themselves to believe and obey the Word of God, Rom. 6. 11. Likewayes (saith he) by reasoning, reckon ye your selves to be deal unto sin, but alive unto God through Iesus Christ our Lord. And giveth an example of this reasoning, 2 Cor. 5. 14. 15. The love of God constraineth us, because we thus judge, &c.
11. Because the Lord divers wayes, according to his own wisdom, exerciseth men, that sometime by his long-suffering patience he leads them unto repentance, sometime also by his word and rods, he doth drive them thereunto; therefore let the use of all exercises, all temptations and afflictions, and the use of all benefits and divine dispensations of providence, be carefully made use of, that men may so look upon Gods bounty and long-suffering on the one hand, and upon their own sins and ill deservings on the other hand, as they may be led and constrained in love to seek after so gracious a God, and to flee for refuge unto Christ, mourning for their provoking of justice so oft against themselves; and in whatsoever condition, of prosperity or adversity, to submit themselves to God, however he shall be pleased to dispose of them.
12. The doctrine of reprobation must not be determinatly applyed to any particular person, how wicked soever he shall for the present appear; neither must the suspicion which any man may have of his own reprobation be …ostered, because particular reprobation of this or that person, is among the secrets of the Lord, not to be medled with, whereof a man may not give out sentence before the Lord hath revealed his own decree. But on the contrair, all the hearers must be warned and pressed to be wary to entertain any hostile thought of God, or to foster suspicions of him, as implacable, but rather think of him as their faithfull Creator; just indeed, yet mercifull, long-suffering and bountifull, both to the kind and the un-kind, as they shall find, if they will seek him: for, Sathan will press this temptation hard enough, and foster the suspicion which he hath suggested against God, in the minds of them whom God hath afflicted, albeit he get no assistance by any imprudent and un-just application of the Lords Word, unto this or that particular person to conclude their reprobation.
13. The scope of all doctrine must be this, that sinners may be humbled in the sense of their unrighteousnesse, indigence, infirmity and unworthinesse; and being humbled, may be led unto Christ, believe in him, and be more and more glued unto him, and grow in the love of him, and rest their souls upon him, as God, one with the Father and holy Spirit, worshiping him in spirit and truth, endeavouring according to their vocation to advance his Kingdom in themselves and others. And to this end, let neither on the one hand his incarnation, nor humiliation in the dayes of his flesh, wherein he was in paying the promised price of our Redemption, derogat any thing to the estimation of his person, who is one God with the Father and holy Spirit, God over all blessed for ever; Nor on the other hand, his Majesty make sinners stand off, or be afraid to make their adresse to him; but, by the contrair, that the personall union of the divine and humane nature in him, and his cloathing himself with the offices of Prophet, Priest and King, may allure all sinners, who hear of him, to come to him as Media-tour, who will not deal with them who come unto him as a judge against them, but as an advocat, Surety, and intercessor for them, and who will save to the uttermost every one that come unto God through him, Heb. 7. 25.
14. For tryall of a mans regeneration and coming rightly to Christ, and growing in grace, the exercise of these three duties are necessarily required, to wit, 1. The exercise of repentance, or the entertaining in himself of the sense of his naturall sinfulnesse and infirmity to do good, and of the power of inherent corruptions, whereby he may be made more and more to renounce all confidence in himself, and walk humbly before God.
2. The exercise of faith, or the daily renewed imploying of Christ for grace, and actuall help in all things, as his case requireth.
3. The exercise of love, or the endeavour of new obedience, flowing from love to God and his neighbour, through Christ.