The Best Entail, Discourse · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. The Context cleared, the Text explained, Doctrines raiſed.
THeſe words contain dying Davids living comfort: the Covenant was the only Cordial to his fainting Spirits; when the World lookt black about him, here's light ariſeth out of obſcurity: juſt as it was with Oecolampadius dying, and clapping his hand on his Breaſt, cried [hic ſat lucis] here's light enough: ſo David and a Believing Soul, looking above ſees all good in the Covenant; looking within, ſees the countervain of it, ſaith, here, here alone is light:Job 29.3. by his light I walk through darkneſs. This ſhall be my [vade mecum, or] companion through this Pilgrimage of the World, and this only ſhall be my [viand and viaticum] ſupport and ſupply when I paſs through the Valley of the Shadow of Death. Farewel empty, filthy World, welcome the immediate preſence of my Covenanted God. I am going from a Priſon to a Pallace, from ſorrow to ſolace, from Sin to ſweet Injoyment of God: and the only foundation of my hopes is this Goſpel Covenant: A ſad, and ſorry dying Miſer, ready to breath out his ſenſual, ſenſeleſs Soul, got a Jacobus piece of Gold, clapt it to his Breaſt, ſaying, Some wiſer than others, but I will dye with this Cordial at my Heart: but at laſt pluckt it away ſaying, it will not do, alas it will not do; Gold it ſelf is no Cordial, it cannot diſarm death nor arm againſt it, it hath loſt its vertue: nothing but Gods Covenant will ſtand in ſtead: the dying Child of God is like a Standard bearer, who when the battel is loſt, wraps himſelf in his Colours and therein is ſafe, marching triumphantly through Armies of Enemies, untoucht into his Fathers Pallace. Oh happy Soul that injoys and improves this Covenant!
The Context tells us, that theſe be the laſt words of David, not abſolutely as though he breathed his laſt, after he had uttered them (for there are ſeveral expreſſions and tranſactions after) but comparatively, they were uttered towards the latter end of David's Life. Now the dying words of Pious men are gracious, ſerious, ponderous: they uſe not to ſpend their breath about trifles.
In the Context, we have 1. The Porch, or Introduction. 2. The Temple, and excellency of the Goſpel Covenant.
In the Porch or Introduction we have theſe two things. 1. The Penman, inſtrument, or Amanuenſis, who ſpoke theſe words, David. 2. The Authour who dictated them.
1. The Penman, or Inſtrument, David, is deſcribed theſe four ways.
1. By his natural deſcent, the Son of Jeſſe.
2. By his Royal Dignity, raiſed up on high.
3. By his Divine Unction, anointed of God.
4. By his Employment, Exerciſe, ſweet-Pſalmiſt of Iſrael: whoſe breath is ſweet to this Day.
2. The Authour that dictated to David.
Viz.
1. The Holy Ghoſt, Spirit ſpake by me.
Viz. 2. God the Father, the God of Iſrael.
Viz. 3. Jeſus Chriſt the Mediator of the Covenant, called here the Rock of Iſrael, as he is called, 1 Cor. 10.4.
2. In the Temple or the Matter David ſpeaks are alſo two things conſiderable.
1. The nature of David's Regiment.
2. The Excellency of the Covenant.
For the former which unfolds to us, the nature and properties of David's Kingdom, as the type, and of Chriſts as the Antitype, in four particulars.
1. The holineſs of it, he that ruleth over men muſt be juſt, ruling in the fear of God; a brave character.
2. The happineſs of it, he ſhall be as the light of the morning, when the Sun riſeth, a morning without clouds.
3. The fruitneſs of it, as the tender graſs ſpringing out of the Earth, by clear ſhining after Rain.
4. Here's an uncomfortable exception with reference to David's Family and Kingdom, in theſe words [Although my houſe be not ſo with God.]
2. Here's an Excellent deſcription of the nature, properties, and ſuitableneſs of the Goſpel-Covenant, in theſe four particulars.
Viz.
1. The dureableneſs of it, Everlaſting.
2. The orderlineſs of it, Ordered.
3. The ſureneſs, certainty of it.
4. The ſuitableneſs to David, as to his.
1. Preſent deſires in this World.
2. Eternal Salvation hereafter.
You ſee the Text is a full ſtore houſe, a rich treaſury, a bleſſed Magazine, whence we may fetch both meat and medicine, food and phyſick, work and reward, all things that concern grace and glory.
1. The Text then preſents to us David's caſe, and 2. Cure. 1. His Caſe is preſented negatively, [Although my houſe be not ſo with God.] 2. His Cure poſitively, which is [the Covenant,] that's a Salve for all Sores, a Remedy for all Maladies, a Supply for all Wants.
I am not ignorant that ſome carry the ſenſe thus, Although my houſe be not ſo with God, i. e. my houſe is not ſuch an unſtable, inconſtant thing, to alter and change as the Weather, from a glorious Sun-ſhine morning, to a dark cloudy, gloomy evening, ſo it may prove, a ſtormy, rainy day; no, no, my Houſe and Family is fixed, ſetled, ſplendid, and compleat, if not in my outward affairs at preſent, yet in the Meſſiah to come out of my Loynes in the fulneſs of time: his Kingdom will appear, and ſhine moſt gloriouſly, and break in pieces all other Kingdoms, and it ſhall ſtand for ever; ſo you read, Dan. 2.44.
But (though that be a great truth) I am apt to incline to thoſe Interpreters, that take this as a conceſſion, concerning the defects and imperfection of Piety and Tranquillity in David's Family, q. d. I muſt needs confeſs, that neither I nor my Children have lived ſo exactly, or ruled ſo uprightly in the fear of God as we ought; we have had our faults and folly, which have clouded our Conſciences and Reputation, and therefore have not injoyed ſuch uninterrupted proſperity as we might, had we walked more cloſely and exactly, and therefore ſad Clouds and Storms have darkened and diſturbed our Heaven, yea oft benighted our ſtate, domeſtical political, eccleſiaſtical, as well as perſonal, my Children have not been like tender Graſs, ſpringing up to maturity, but ſome of them cut off in the prime of their days; I have been baniſht from my Throne, and family, not ſuffered to build God an Houſe, nor abide in his Sanctuary, my wounded Spirit hath ſighed out many heavy groans, God hath oft with-drawn his Grace, hid his Face, and left my Soul on the brink of helliſh deſpair; yet for all this I can in my loweſt ebbs caſt my Eye upon the Goſpel-Covenant, and fetch relief from that in my loweſt ſtate, inward or outward.
Many Doctrines may be drawn out of this large, and full Text.
Doctrine 1. That it's a ſingular mercy to be be truſted with a Family.
This is implied, and owned by David, in 1 Chron. 17.16, 25. God ſetteth the ſolitary in Families, Pſal. 68.6.
Doct. 2. Houſe-holders muſt make inſpection into their Families.
So doth David here, and Pſal. 101.2, 3. he had a large Family, State-affairs on his hands, yet prays with his Family, 2 Sam. 6.20. puts it not off to Stewards or Chaplains. See Prov. 27.23.
Doct. 3. A Religious Family is to be with God.
Although my Houſe be not ſo with God, he earneſtly deſires all the members of his Family might be with God, laments the contrary, for the Lord is with them that are with him, 2 Chron. 15.2.
Doct. 4. The beſt Families have their defects and imperfections.
David's Family (for all his care) may be far from the rule, not only as to individual members, but as to the complex body of a Family; there were diſorders even in Chriſts own Family.
Doct. 5. Family-faults bring family plagues, family-defects produce family-afflictions.
God will not ſpare ſinning families, though dear to him, nay they ſhall ſmart ſooneſt and ſoreſt, Amos 3.2. You only have I known of all the families of the Earth, therefore I will puniſh you.
Doct. 6. Family-miſcarriages do greatly trouble gracious houſe-holders.
He ſpeaks of it, with ſad reſentment. Oh what bitterneſs is it to a godly Father, Maſter, to find diſorders in ſuch as are under his charge!
Doct. 7. The Covenant of Grace is extenſive and comprehenſive.
The godly have much comfort and content in it, with reference not only to themſelves, but their houſes and families.
Doct. 8. The Covenant of Grace is Everlaſting.
It is from all Eternity in the Covenant of Redemption, betwixt Father and Son, Tit. 1.1, 2. and endures for ever, Pſal. 111.9.
Doct. 9. There is a comely and admirable order in the Goſpel-Covenant.
An order of perſons, in the Fathers Election, Sons Redemption, Holy Ghoſts Application, believers reception: An order of things ſupream, ſubordinate cauſes, means, inſtruments, promiſes, priviledges, principles, and practices; all keep their places, they do not interfere or thwart each other.
Doct. 10. The Goſpel-covenant is ſure and ſtable.
Things are not left at uncertainties, nor depend on the mutable Will of Man, as of old it was with Adam: but they are the ſure Mercies of David, Iſa. 55.2. and 54.9, 10.
Doct. 11. There's that in the Covenat that anſwers a Chriſtian's deſires.
As the Chriſtians deſire is mainly carried to it; ſo there is that in it which anſwers and ſatisfies thoſe deſires: deſires are vaſt and immenſe, but the contents of the Covenant run parallel, and are every way adequate to juſt deſires.
Doct. 12. A Chriſtians Salvation is wrapt up in the Goſpel covenant.
Upon this may a Child of God venture his Soul. Eternal Life is contained and comprehended in it.
I wave all theſe, and ſhall conſider the Text in a two fold notion, or relation.
1. In a domeſtical ſenſe.
2. In a perſonal reſpect.
The former refers to David's Houſe, the latter to his Heart and Soul: this bleſſed Covenant was David's chief relief, in both theſe caſes: from the former obſerve,
That notwithſtanding the ſins and ſufferings in a godly mans family which occaſion much grief to his Spirit, yet he is ſupported and ſatisfied with Gods gracious Goſpel covenant.
From the latter acceptation obſerve this.
Doct. That Covenant Relation is the foundation of a dying Christians ſafety, ſatisfaction, and ſalvation.
It is the former Doctrine I ſhall ſay ſomething to at preſent.