The Covenant of Grace, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
The Tenour of the Oath.
NOw I come to the Tenour of the Oath it self, in these words: That he would give us, that we being delivered, &c. But here some m…n will say, there is no such Oath as this, recorded in the Scriptures of the old Testament, which God did sweare to Abraham.
Whereunto I answer: that it is not always the custome of the holy Ghost, in the New Testament, when he alleadgeth Testimonies out of the old, to recite the very same words, and syllables, but sometimes, as being the best interpreter of himself, in stead of words, he setteth down the true sence and meaning thereof: so in this place. For whereas Moses Gen. 22. 16. 18. recordeth this Oath in these words, by my selfe have I sworn, saith the Lord, that in thy seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed: Zachary verse 67. here being filled with the holy Ghost, expoundeth what this blessedness is, which was promised in Christ the promised seed, viz. that the Lord, would give us, that we being delivered from the hands of our enemies, should worship him without fear, &c. That this is the oath, which Zachary meaneth, it is most certain: because he giveth thanks to God, for the performance of his oath, which he sware to Abraham, concerning the Redemption of his people the Israel of God, by the Messias or promised feed: which can be no other … that which I named, In thy seed all …
And surely great cause there was, that in the beginning of the prom…gation of the Gospel, it should be explained, what this blessedness is, which was promised by the Messias. 1. First, for confutation of the erroneous and pernicious conceipt of the Iews, who thinking that the Messias should be … temporal Monarch, expected only tempora… blessings from him: But if our hope in Christ were only in respect of this life, then were we of all men most miserable. 1 Cor. 15. 19.
Secondly, For prevention of a most dangerous scandal, which otherwise would have ensued upon that erroneous conceipt. For it being… received opiniō among the Iews, from which the Disciples of Christ were not free, Mat. 20. …1. Act. 1. 6. that the Messias should be a te…poral Monarch, who should restore the Kingdom unto Israel, and make his followers happy with external and …empor… blessings: If this opinion had been nourish…d in them, it could not have been avoided, but that they would have taken offence at Christs … and poor estate, when in stead of honours, riches, greatness and g… ry in this world, which they expected from the Messias, all things should happen contrary to their expectation. Our Saviour therefore pronounceth them blessed, who were not offended at him in respect of his mean condition, and poor estate. Mat. 11. 6.
Thirdly, For rectifying our judgment in that most weighty point concerning our happiness. For the very foundation of a Christian conversation, is the right belief concerning happiness. For all men desire happiness, as the supream end. And such as is the end, or happiness which they propound unto themselves: such are the means which they use, such are their studies and endeavours. As for example, if men place their happiness in pleasure, their whole course of life is volumptuous; if in riches, covetous; if in honour, ambitious, &c.
For these causes, as I said, it was necessary that it should be declared, what this blessedness is. Our Saviour therefore in the beginning of his gracious Sermon upon the Mount sheweth, that the happiness, which by him they were to expect, did consist in spiritual grace, and eternal glory. Mat. 5. 3. Blessed are the poor or beggers in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of heaven. and so in the rest, in every whereof two degrees of happiness are noted: … the one set down, as the Schoolmen speak, per modum meriti, which I called grace: the other, per modum praemij, which Lealled glory: the one being, be …, via, or our happiness n…this life: the other, beatitudo patriae, or our happiness in the life to come. S. Paul likewise expoundeth the happiness, which we have by Christ, to be spiritual. Ephes. 1. 3. Blessed be God (saith he) who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessing… in heavenly things in Christ. Thus S. Peter, speaking of this Covenant, which God made with. Abraham. and applying it to the Iew…, expoundeth this blessedness to be their turning, and consequently their freedom from sin. Ye …e (saith he) Act. 3. 25, 26. the children of the Covenant, which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, and in thy seed shal all the families of the earth be blessed; unto you first, G…d having raised up his Son Iesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities. In like manner▪ the Apostle Paul, Galat. 3. expoundeth this blessedness of justification by faith, redemption from the curse of the Law, and receiving the promise of the spirit. Those which are of faith saith he, vers. 7. 8. 9. are the sons of Abraham, and the Scripture (that is the holy Ghost who speaketh in the Scripture) foreseeing, that God would justifie the … through faith, preached the Gospell before to Abraham, saying: in thee, that is, in thy seed shall all nations be blessed, Gen. 12. 2, 3. chap. 13. 15. 17. chap. 15. 18. So then▪ they which be of faith, are blessed with faithfull Abraham. Again, vers. 13, 14. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us, that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Iesus Christ, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit. But most chiefly in this place, where the Holy Ghost doth, as it were, ex professe, expound, what this blessednesse is, viz. That he would give us, that we being deliver… from the hand of our enemies should worship him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse before him al the dayes of our life.
Now, that this is a most true & perfect exposition, I will prove by these two reason…. And first, for the truth of it. For whera… there … called, obtain in this life, … and sanctification, justification, by … to the Kingdome of … with it concur redemption, … adoption, being all in substance the … only in some relation or respect. For when God doth forgive our … of Christs righteousnes, he doth both redeem and recon…e, and justifie, and adopt … but with this distinction. First, that when f…rgiving our sins, by which we are bound over to death and damnation, and held … sunne and Satan, he fi…eth us from this bondage, he is said to redeeme us, Eph…s. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14.. Secondly, when forgiving … whereby we are the children of wr…th, and enemies against God, he receiveth us …nto his love, and favour in Christ, he is said to reconcile us, 2 Cor. 5. 19. Thirdly, when forgiving our sins, which exclude us from he… ven, and make us guilty of … absolve and … us from the …, and doth accept of us in Christ …, and as heires of salvation, he is said to just …, Rom. 3. 24. 25. 4. 6, 7, 8. Fourthly, w…en forgiving our … of the Devill, he doth in Christ … to be his children, he is said to adopt us. The second degree is Sanctification, by which we are prepared and made fit for Gods Ki… dome. Now these two are the two parts of the gift, which God by oath in this place promised to give to the faithful the sons of Abraham: viz. deliverance from the hand of our spiritual enemies, namely the law, sin, death, and the devil, which is our redemption or justification: and grace to worship God without fear in holyness and righteousness before him all the days of our life, which is our sanctification.
2. And that it is a ful and perfect exposition, it is easily proved: because not only to the whole gift here promised, but to every part and parcel thereof, happyness is ascribed in the word of God. As first, to redemption; for what is it to be redeemed by Christ, but to have remission of sins by him? Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. By him we have redemption, even the remission of our sins. But to the remission of sins, the holy Ghost ascribeth blessedness, Psal. 32. 1, 2. Rom. 4. 6, 7. Blessed is the man whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity.
2. Secondly to a godly life: which is here termed the worship of God in holiness and righteousness, in which the keeping of the law doth consist. For when a woman out of the crowd cryed unto our Saviour, blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the papes that gave thee suck: Our Saviour returned this answer, Luke 11. 28. Yea rather blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it. The same hath Salomon, Pr…v. 29. 18. and who knoweth not that, which the Apostle teach, 1 Tim. 4. 8. Godlinesse hath the promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come, and consequently of the happinesse both of this life, and of the other life.
3 To the parts of Gods worship; as namely to holiness. Apoc. 20. 6. Blessed and holy is the man, who hath his part in the first resurrection. Which testimony yeeldeth unto us a double proof. First, because he useth the terms of … of life. And not only to holiness in generall, but to the severall branches thereof is blessedness ascribed; as to saving knowledge, Prov. 3. 13. Ioh. 17. 3. to faith, Luke 1. 45. Ioh. 20. 29. to assiance, Psal. 2. 12. 34. 8. 40. 4. 84. 12. to hope, Psal. 146. 5. Esay …0. 18. Ier. 17. 7. to obedience, Apo…. 22. 14. to the feare of God, Psal. 112. 1. 128. 1. 4. to humilitie, Mar. 5. 3. Ioh. 13. 17. to patience, Iam. 1. 12. 5. 11.
4 To righteousness, Ps. 106. 3. Es. 56. 1, 2. and not only to righteousness it self, but also to the true desire of it,. Mat. 5. 6. Ye…, and to the several branches of it, as to mercifulness, Mat. 57. Psal. 40. 1. 2. Prov. 14. 21. to meekness, Mat. 5. 4. to peace-making, Mat. 5. 9.
And not only to the parts of Gods worship, but also to the properties. Fiftly, therefore to the worship of God without fear of our enemies, that is in confidence, Psal. 146. 5. Whether you understand it without cause of fear, because there is no condemnation to the… that are in Christ Jesus, Rom. 8. 1. or without servile fe…r, in expectation of eter…al happiness, Ti…. 2. …3. for this indeed is the top of our happiness in this life, to worship God, as without fear of damnation; so in a found expectation of eternal life. And this seemeth to be implyed in the Hebrew word Hithbaracu, which being of a reciprocal signification, signifieth, that in Abrahams seed all Nations should not only be blessed, but also should bless themselves, that is esteem and accompt themselves blessed.
Sixtly, To uprightness and integrity, or to the worshipping of God in holiness and righteousness as before him, Psal. 1 19. 1. Blessed are the upright in the way, that is, who walk uprightly; So Psal. 84. 11. and not only the upright themselves, but their children also after them are pronounced blessed, Prov. …0. 7.
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If therefore blessedness be ascribed, first of all to redemption … secondly, to the true worship of God in general; thirdly, to holiness: fourthly, to righteousness: fiftly, to the worship of God without fear: sixthly, to integrity, or to the worship of God as before him: seventhly, to perseverance, or to the worship of God … days of our life: Then seven times happy is that man, who being delivered from the hand of his enemies, hath grace given unto him to worship God without fear, in holyness and righteousness before him all the days of his life.
By this conference of places we learn, what the happiness of a Christian is in this life; not to abound in wealth, not to attain to great honours, not to wallow in pleasures, … graces above all the things in this world (for what is our happiness, that is our chief good) esteeming all wordly things as dross and d…ng, yea as loss in comparison thereof, Phil. …. 8. 9, For as without these spiritual graces all wordly things are …ain and unprofitable: yea, to them that set their hearts on them, hurtful and pe…icious; So having fought and obtained these graces, all temporal blessings shal be added unto us: or if we seem to want any of them, our seeming want thereof shall not hinder our happyness. And therefore our Saviour pronounceth the faithful, though living in poverty, hunger, sorrow, and persecution, happy and blessed, Luke 6. 20. 21. 22.