The Covenant of Grace, Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
The Text resolved into his parts; the first whereof are the parties between whom this Covenant was made.
NOw I come to the Text it self; the contents whereof, as you see, is an Oath, wherein we are to consider both the parties between whom it was made, and also the tenor of the Oath it self. The parties, as well him that sweareth, viz. The Lord God of Israel, as he to whom the Oath was made, viz. Abraham our Father. Concerning the tenor, we are to know, That whereas some Oaths are assertory, wherein some truth is avouched; others promissory, wherein some promise is made: this is of the latter sort, containing the promise of a gift; for so he saith, That he would give us. This gifs is twofold, viz. Redemption, in those words, That we should be delivered from the hand of our enemies; and the fruit and end of our Redemption, which is the true worship of God, in those words, That we should worship him, &c. which worship of God is set forth both by the parts and properties thereof. The parts are two, Holiness, and Righteousness; for by Holiness we are to understand the duties of the first Table, which we owe unto God: and by Righteousnesse, the duties of the second Table, which we owe unto man. The properties are three; The first, respecting our enemies, from whom wee are delive…ed, in the word foreign without fear of them; the second, respecting God, in the words before him, the third, respecting the continuance, all the dayes of our life. The first of these is foreign or▪ spirituall security; the second, is uprightnesse and sincerity: the third, is constancie or perseverance. Of these in order.
Concerning the party which did swear, we are to consider these three things. 1. By whom hee sware. 2. How, or after what manner. 3. To what end. For the first; it is the manner of men in their oathes to swear by a greater. But the Lord; when he made this Covenant with Abraham, because he could not swear by a greater, he sware by himself, Heb. 6. 13. By my self have I sworn, saith the Lord, &c. Gen. 22. 16.
Concerning the manner: we may gather by that, which the Lord requireth in our oathes, what he performed in his own, Ier. 4. 2. There are three properties required in an Oath, Truth, Iudgement, and Righteousnes. Truth, opposed to falshood o… perjury: Iudgement, to rash and common swearing; Righteousnesse, to unjust and unlawful oaths.
For the first: that the Lord did swear in Truth, it is most certain, because it is impossible, that the Lord in his promise, and in his oath should lye, Hebr. 6. 18. and therefore we may be assured of that, wherewith Micah concludeth his prophecy, Mic. 7. 20. that the Lord will undoubtedly performe his mercy, which by oath he promised to Abraham. From whence we may learn this most profitable instruction. That seeing the oath of the Lord, whereby he promiseth to give to all them that are delivered from the hand of their spirituall enemies (that is, to all that are redeemed by CHRIST) grace to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse, is infallible, we should therefore be carefull to bring forth these fruits of our redemption; otherwise, we can have no assurance, that we are the redeemed of the LORD. Yea, on the contrary, it may be verified of us; that if we do live in sin, and do not, at the least desire and endevour to serve God in the duties of holinesse and righteousnesse: it is as certain as the Oath of God is true, that as yet we have no part in the redemption wrought by CHRIST. And the reason hereof is evident; for to be a servant of sinne, and to be redeemed from the bondage of sinne; are things repugnant, and imply a contradiction. For whom Christ the Sonne of God maketh free, they are free indeed, Joh. 8. 36. but he that is a servant of sin is not freed indeed. Now every one that committeth sin, as habituated in sin, that is in whom sin raigneth, he is the servant both of sin, Ioh. 8. 34. and of Satan, 1 Ioh. 3. 8.
Secondly, in Iudgment, a man is said to swear in judgment when he sweareth advisedly upon just and necessary occasion; for Oaths are then only good, when they are necessary. This necessity of the Lords Oath ariseth from our weakness and infidelity, who will not beleeve the Lord without an Oath: and therefore the Lord, in great mercy to relieve our infirmities, hath confirmed his Promise, which in it self needeth no confirmation, as being truth it self foreign, Heb. 6. 16. more abundantly then otherwise needed, by Oath, which as it argueth our great corruption, so it ought to be a remedy for the same. It is great infidelity not to beleeve the Word and Promise of God, but greater not to beleeve his Oath: In not beleeving his Promise, thou makest him a lyar, 1 Iohn 5. 10. In denying credit to his Oath, dost thou make him any better then a perjured person? And yet this is the estate and condition of many professing the Name of Christ. God hath swo…n, and will not repent, That to those whom he Redeemeth, grace shall be given to worship him in holiness and righteousness. These men do not so much as desire, care or endeavor to worship God in holiness and righteousness, but live in sin, and go on in sin, without repentance; and yet for all this, they will needs perswade themselves that they are the Redeemed of the Lord, contrary to the express Oath of God.
Thirdly, in Righteousness; men are said to swear in righteousness, when that which they promise by Oath is lawful and good: and this goodness is measured by the reference which it hath to the glory of God, and good of man. Neither doth the Lords Oath want this property; for what could be either more glorious to himself, or more profitable unto us, then that which by this Oath is promised? For as touching the glory of God, among all the works which God ever wrought, there is not any that setteth forth more the glory both of his Mercy and of his Justice, then the work of our Redemption, with the fruits thereof: For hereby appeareth his mercy to be such, as that, rather then he would suffer us most miserable sinners to perish in our sins, he gave his own, and his only begotten Son to die for us. His justice such, that rather then he would suffer the sins of his own elect children to go unpunished, he hath punished them in the death and sufferings of his only begotten Son.
And if you consider our profit, it is evident that (as hereafter you shal hear) in the things promised by this Oath, our happiness doth consist. Neither doubt I to affirm, that by the things promised in this Oath, our estate becometh better, then that which we lost in Adam. Adam, though he were just, stood righteous before God, but in his own righteousness; but we being redeemed by Christ, stand righteous before God in the righteousness of Christ, which far surpasseth the righteousness both of men and Angels. Adam was created good, but changeable, and therefore, being tempted, he fell; but we, being once redeemed by Christ and sanctified by his spirit, shall never fall away; but by the power of God through faith we are kept safe unto salvation, 1 Pet. 1. 5. The happiness, which Adam enjoyed, was in an earthly paradise, but the happiness, which Christ hath purchased for us, is in Heaven. Thus much of the manner.
Now are we to consider the end for which the Lord did swear: which is plainly and fully set down Hob. 6. 17, 18. that he might more abundantly shew unto the heirs of promise, the stableness of his counsel: that by two immutable things (that is his word, and his Oath) they might have strong consolation. For howsoever they might doubt … their p…rseverance unto salvation, in regard both of their owne frailty, and also of the strength of their enemies: yet they know▪ that the foundation of God abideth sure, 2 Tim. 2. 19. and that the Word and Oath of the Lord is immutable; and that, howsoever heaven and earth shall passe away, yet not one jot, or title of the Oath of God shall fall to the ground. And therefore have just cause with David, Psalm. 40. 2. to professe them confidence, and with Paul, Rom. 8. 38. 39. to rest assured, that nothing shall be able to separate them from Gods love in Christ Jesus our Lord. For the Lord hath sworne, and will not repent, That he will give us, being delivered from the hand of our enemies, to worship him without fear, in holinesse and righteousnesse, before him, all the dayes of our life. If therefore the oath of an honest man be, or ought to be, foreign the end of controversie, Hebr. 6. 16. how much more-ought the Oath of the Lord to be an end unto us of doubting and distrust?
The use, which we are to make of that, which hath been said, concerning the Lord his taking of an Oath, is that, whereunto we are so often exhorted in the Scriptures, Be you holy. as I am holy, saith the Lord, that is, in this particular duty of holinesse (for swearing is required in the first Table) We are to imitate the Lord, both in respect … the action it self, and also in regard of the object, the manner, and the end.
As touching the action it self, where the Lord is said to have sworne, we are taught, that to sweare, is in it self a thing lawfull and good, though the Anabaptists deny it in all Christians, and the Papists in them, who in their conceipts, are perfect; and yet in the Scriptures wee see it practised by the holy Angels, by the blessed Apostle in diverse places of his Epistles, in the penning whereof he was free, as from erring, so also from sinning, and lastly by God himselfe, in this, and many other places. Neither is it only commended as lawfull, and good, as Psal. 63. 11. but also commanded as necessary, and as a thing which not only may be done, but also which must be done, Deut. 6. 13. 10. 20. as being a d…ty both of holinesse to God, and of righteousnesse and charity to man. For being rightly performed, it serveth greatly to set forth the glory of God, by ascribing unto him Omniscience and Omnipresence, the knowledge of secrets, justice, the patronage of truth, the punishing of Falshood. Of charity and righteousnesse to men, as being profitable and necessary for the … of a necessary truth, for … among men, for the discharge of our duty, and sometimes for …. And therefore being a … so necessary in respect both of God and man; God himself hath sworn it should be practised in the new Testament, Esay 45. 23. But I shall not need to prove the lawfulness of swearing in these times, when there are m…e that swear, then that do fear an …, Eccles. 9. 2. Let us rather consider, how we are to imitate the Lord in swearing, in respect of the object, the manner and the end.
First therefore, as the Lord did swear by the true God onelyonly, that is, himself: so we are to swear by no other, for what we swear by, that we Deifie; and therefore to swear by any other, is to forsake God, I…r. 5. 7.
And as touching the manner, we are to swear in truth, in…udgement, and in righteousness, Ier. 4. 2. for not to swear in truth is perjury; which is forbidden, condemn'd, and punished as a detestable sin, and as an horrible profanation of the Name of God, Lev. 19. 12, Ier. 5. 2. Zae. 5. 4. wherein besides falshood and lying, which destroy the soul, and …clude out of heaven, Apoc. 22. 15. and besides deceipt, (and that under the religion of an … whereof God is the …venger, 1 Thes. 4. 6. Psal. 5. 7. there do also concur two other abominations. The one an horrible indignity offered to the Majesty of God, whereby as if he were a patron of falshood, they call upon him, as a witness, to second their untruth. The other in that they tempt God, and dare him, as it were, to his face, to execute his vengeance upon them, if they avouch an untruth; when they themselves know, that they swear falsly.
Secondly, in judgement: for to swear rashly and commonly in our ordinary talk, is to make common, that is, to pollute the holy name of God; and to turn the Sanctuary of verity, into a common house of vanity. As the Name of God is holy and reverend▪ … ought it to be used holily, and reverendly; And as an oath is not simply good, but upon necessity, so ought it not to be used, but when it is necessary. For, bonum necessarium extra terminos necessitatis non est bonum. Our Saviour therefore forbiddeth us to swear at all in our ordinary talk, Mat. 5. 34. 37. and S. Iames wisheth us above all things to take heed, that we swear not, …left we fall into condemnation, Iam. 5. 12. and wholsome to this purpose is the councell of the son of Syrach, Eccl. 23. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.
Thirdly, in Righteousness▪ for by oath to promise that, which is unlawfull, besides that it argueth a full purpose, and resolution to do evill, which is to sin with a high hand: i… doth also offer an horrible indignity unto God, when a man calleth upon him to be, as it were his surety for the doing of that evill, which he promiseth.
There rem…ineth the end: for so we are to swear, that by testifying a necessary truth, which cannot by other means be manifested▪ God may be glorified (according to that form of adjuration, Give glory to God, Ios. 7. 19.) our brethren satisfied, controversies ended, our duty discharged, our own innocencie cleared. Vaine are the o…thes, which are not referred to these, or such like ends; and by them also the holy Name of God is taken in vain. So usually do they swear, that swear usually; having no respect, either to the glory of God, the good of their brethren, or discharge of their duty; but rap out Oathes, sometimes in choler, sometimes in pride and vain glory, sometimes in deceipt, to colour their falshood: sometimes in a vain conceipt to win credit to their speeches wherein notwithstanding they are miserably deceived, for he that sweareth much, sometimes for sweareth: and he that maketh no conscience of polluting the holy and dreadfull Name of God by common swearing; will learn to make no conscience of swearing …. So much of the party that did swear.
Now we are …o speak of the party to whom this Oath was made; who is here described by his name Abraham, and by his re…tion to us, Our Father. Abraham was so called by God himself, Gen. 17. because he …ade him Ab-hans…, the Father of many nations, that is to say, of the faithful in all Nations. Now, whereas I shewed before, That the Lord would not have taken an Oath, unless it had been necessary, in respect of our weakness and incredulity, who will not beleeve him without an Oath: It appeareth, That Abraham himself needed to have the Promises of God confirmed to him by Oath: From whence we learn this profitable lesson, That the Faith of the best of as hath its imperfections, and is mingled with Unbelief. For if Abraham, the Father of the faithful, the most worthy pattern of a lively and a strong Faith, had need to have his infirmities relieved, as it is plain that he had; not only (as in this place) by Oath; but also Gen. 15. by a sign; Gen. 17. by the Sacrament of Circumcision, which was unto him a Seal of that Righteousness which is by Faith, Rom. 4. 11. and almost in every Chapter of his story, by the often repeating and renewing of the promises unto him: What are we to think of our selves, who are by many degrees inferiour to Abraham? Surely we are to beware, both of the proud phantasie of those, who dream of perfection in this life; and also of the c…reless practise of others, who thinking they have proceeded far enough, sit still, not seeking to go forward in the way of Christianity; and therefore are not likely to come to the end of their way, which is the salvation of their souls. But we, in the humble acknowledgement of our imperfections, must with the Apostles, Luk. 17. 5. pray unto the Lord to increase our faith, and using all good means to proceede from faith to faith, untill we come to a perfect man in Christ, we must with the Apostle, as not having attained, Phil. 3. 12… 13. forget those things which are behind, and reach forth to those things which are before, pressing forward towards the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ▪ Phil. 3. 14. and if the Apostle, and those who are perfect, that is, adulti, grown men in Christ, are to be of this …, is the Apostle saith in the next verse: much more thoft, which are not so good …, ought to be so minded, remembring, that Religi… …s compared to a way, wherein we are still to go on, untill we come to the end of our way▪ which will not be before the end of our life.
And whereas Zachary calleth Abraham our Father, this is not to be understood, either of all the Iewes, or of the Iewes alone; …ut of all the faithfull, whether they be Iews or Gentiles. For Abraham is the Father of all the faithfull, Rom. 4. 11. and all, which are of the faith, are the children of Abraham, Gal. 3. 7. In this sense, Zacheus the Publican receiving our Saviour by faith, became the son of Abraham, Luke 19. 9. As for those, who were of Abrahams seed, according to the flesh, and not according to his faith, they are not accompted the seed of Abraham. For …s the Apostle saith, Rom▪ 9. 6, 7. All they are not Israel, which are of Israel, neither are they all children, because they are the seed of Abraham, but in Isaak shall thy seed be …all…d, that is, saith the Apostle, vers. …. They, which are the children of the flesh, are not the children of God, but the children of the Promise are accompted for the seed. So our Saviour, Iohn 8. although he grant, that the Iewes, to whom he spake, were, according to the flesh, the seed of Abraham, vers. 37. Yet he concludeth against them, that they were not Abrahams sons indeed, because they did not the works of Abraham, vers. 39, 40. This must teach those, who come of faithfull parents, or are nobly descended from famous and worthy ancestors, not to rely too much upon their parentage, but to shew themselves to be their children by imitating their faith, and their godly conversation. For otherwise, though their parents were the children of God, they may notwithstanding be the children of the Devill, as our Saviour telleth the unbeleeving Iewes, Ioh. 8. 44. And therefore Iohn the Baptist warneth the Iewes, not to stand so much upon this, that they had Abraham to their father; but willeth them to bring forth fruits worthy of repentance, Mat. 3. 9. If therefore we would be able, with Zachary, to call Abraham our father, we must follow the faith of Abraham, Galath. 3. 7. and imitate his works, Ioh. 8. 39.
Again, from hence we observe; that, what is spoken in this Oath concerning us, as that he would give us, that we being delivered, &c. is not to be understood of all men, but of us, who have Abraham to our Father, that is to say, of the faithfull, who only are the sons of Abraham, the heires of the Promise.