The Sure Mercies of David, Treatise · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
THis Evangelical Prophet acts the part of an Apoſtolical Preacher, deciphering our dear Saviour as lively as if he Writ an Hiſtory not a Prophecy, as if he ſaw him in the Fleſh and …ot in the Type only: This Chapter contains … ſweet relation or revelation of the Myſte…ies of Goſpel-Grace, an high-ſounding …roclamation, and pathetical Exhortation to the ſons of men to embrace the ſaving benefits purchaſed by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
This Exhortation is preſſed upon conſciences with four Arguments, which are (as it were) a ſatisfying Anſwer to as many tacit Objections which may be made by unbelieving ſoul… theſe arguments are drawn from the
1. Freeneſs, ver. 1. of Goſpel-grace.
2. Fulneſs, ver. 2. of Goſpel-grace.
3. Firmneſs, ver. 3. of Goſpel-grace.
4. Largneſs, ver. 5. of Goſpel-grace.
1. A ſoul may ſay, Alas, I am an unworthy wretch, I have nothing that can commend me to God, I have neither penny, nor pennyworth, money, nor price to give, neither grace nor good work to bring to God, may I have a ſhare in it… Yes, its free, come buy, for juſt nothing, ver. 1.
2. But may the ſoul ſay, if it be ſo cheap, it may be its of as little worth, too dear of taking gratis, things of light price are often of as light uſe, and anſwer their rate, by being unprofitable, will it do me any good? O yes, its of vaſt advantage; if you take pains for any thing elſe, you do but ſpend money for that which is no Bread, but if you obtain Goſpel-Grace, you eat that which is good, and your ſoul ſhall delight it ſelf in fatneſs, ver. 2.
3. But may I have a ſhare in theſe Mercies, ſhall I not miſs of them, and when I once have them ſhall I not loſe them again? I am but tantalized if I ſee ſuch ſweet morſels and cannot reach them, and I ſhall be more miſerable if I taſte ſuch pleaſant dainties, and have them ſnatcht away: he anſwers to the firſt, all ſhall be made over to you by a Covenant, and to the ſecond they are the ſure mercies of David, ver. 3.
4. But, alas may a poor ſoul ſay, this is Childrens meat, what have doggs to do with theſe dainties, I am a ſinner of the Gentiles, ſalvation is of the Jews, and for the Jews; is there any hope for ſuch ſtrangers to the Common-wealth of Iſrael? Yes, Jeſus Chriſt is given for a witneſs to the people, to all people, i. e. Gentiles, Iſa. 49.6.a Nation that thou knoweſt not, and Nations that knew not thee, ſhall run unto thee, ver. 4, 5.
The Text falls under the third Argument, and contains,
1. A double duty, hear, come, i. e. believe, obey.
2. A double promiſe, of life, and Covenant.
1. Your ſoul ſhall live; life is the flower and foundation of all outward mercies, but ſpiritual life tranſcends a corporal temporal life, which is but a dying life, or living death; Grace is the life of the ſoul. Spiritual life is the ſeed-plot of eternal life in Glory: mankind loſt life by hearing the charming temptations of the ſubtle Serpent: life is recovered by hearing the gracious words of life from Jeſus Chriſt, Hear, and your ſouls ſhall live.
2. I will make an everlaſting Covenant with you, the words are in Hebrew, I will cut a Covenant with you, foreign Percutiam vobiſcum foedus, q.d. dividantur ejus me…bra qui juramentum violaverit.the expreſſion hath alluſion to the ancient practice of entring Covenants, which was by cutting a Beaſt in two parts, and the parties Covenanting going betwixt thoſe parts, to note that after that manner ſhall that mans members be divided that ſhall violate that ſolemn Covenant: See the practice, in Gen. 15.17, 18. Jer. 34.18.
Now the great Contents of this Covenant are expreſſed in theſe words which I have pickt out, and pitcht upon to ſpeak fully to, Even the ſure mercies of David: which contain,
1. The ſumm of the Covenant, i. e. mercies.
2. The nature of thoſe mercies, i. e. ſure.
3. The ſubject of the mercies, David.
There is not much difficulty in the words, only 'tis diſputed what is meant by David here. Now in Scripture David is taken, 1. For literal David. 2. For myſtical David, Jeſus Chriſt: it may be applicable very properly both wayes here.
1. It may be taken for the perſon of David the Son of Jeſſe, King of Iſrael; and then the mercies of David are the choice promiſes that God made with his ſervant David, deſcribed in 2 Sam. 7.13-17. and in Pſal. 89. Some make the firſt words of that Pſalm to be the title of it, and render it thus, I will ſing of the mercies of David, becauſe Gods Covenant with David is abundantly held forth in that Pſalm. But this phraſe doth rather allude to 2 Chron. 6.42. where Solomon thus prayes, Remember the mercies of David thy Servant.
2. By David is meant Jeſus Chriſt who is of the ſeed of David according to the fleſh, Rom. 1.3. Act. 13.23.and called by this name of David frequently in the Old Teſtament, as in Ezek. 34.23, 34. ch. 37.24, 25. Hoſ. 3.5. and I do rather conceive this to be the meaning of the words, than the former, for theſe two reaſons. 1. Becauſe in the New Teſtament, where theſe words are quoted, the Holy Ghoſt applyes it to Jeſus Chriſt, Act. 13.34. I will give you the ſure mercies of David; indeed the Greek renders it different from the Original of the Old Teſtament, for thus they read it, foreign, according to the Septuagint: in Engliſh, the faithful holy things of David, but all comes unto one, for the mercies of the Covenant are holy things; But obſerve the ſcope of that quotation in the Acts, which is to prove Chriſts Reſurrection, for if Chriſt had not riſen from the dead, the promiſes had not been made good, ſo that ſtill it relates to Chriſt. 2. Another conſideration that moves me to conceive that by David here is meant Jeſus Chriſt, is what follows in the fourth verſe, I have given him, (i.e. David before mentioned or Chriſt) for a witneſs to the people, (i.e. a witneſs to teſtifie Gods veracity in performing all his promiſes;) ſo then the words may be thus read, I will make an everlaſting Covenant with you, according to the ſure mercies of David, i. e. the Meſſiah, who is to come, the mercies before promiſed, and to be exhibited in and by him in the fulneſs of time: the words are but few, foreignbeing but three, yet they are full of ſenſe and ſignificancy, and are big-bellyed, travelling with the precious myſteries of Goſpel-grace.
I ſhall only name ſome Doctrinal obſervations by the way from the Text, and pitch upon one.
Doct. 1. The Covenant of Grace is made up of mercies, its a compound of mercies, the root, the branches, the top, the bottom of this Chariot is love, grace, grace, all free-grace.
2. Covenant-mercies are ſure mercies, they are not like the uncertain riches of this world, the true treaſure is a ſure treaſure, the better part that cannot be taken away.
3. The ſure mercies of the Covenant are Davids portion: take David here literally and Saints in him, ſo it ſignifies beloved: all Gods Davids or beloved ones have right to Covenant-mercies.
4. Jeſus Chriſt alone doth make ſure all the mercies of the Covenant: ſo take it in the latter acceptation, as David imports the Meſſiah.
I ſhall rather give you the ſubſtance of the Text, and the fore-mentioned Doctrines in this one Propoſition.
Doct. That Covenant-mercies made in Chriſt, are made ſure by Chriſt to all the heirs of promiſe.
The mercies which the Meſſiah procureth and applyeth are ſure mercies.
That the Covenant of Grace is made in Chriſt ſee, Iſa. 49.8. I will preſerve thee, Iſa. 49.8.and give thee for a Covenant of the people, i. e. the Mediatour of the Covenant; ſo the Apoſtle expounds it, calling Jeſus Chriſt, Heb 7 22. Heb. 8 6. Heb 9.15.a ſurety of a better Teſtament, or Covenant, and again, he calls him the Mediatour of the New Teſtament; And as the promiſes are made good in Chriſt, ſo they are, made good by Chriſt. 2 Cor. 1. 20. for all the promiſes of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us, i. e. they are ratified, confirmed, and applyed by vertue of Chriſts own meritorious undertakings: a full Text we have in Rom. 15.8. Now I ſay, that Jeſus Chriſt was a Miniſter of the Circumciſion for the truth of God to confirm the promiſes made unto the Fathers; hence it is that he hath ſealed the Covenant, both by his perſon, actings, and ſufferings, (as afterwards I ſhall particularly demonſtrate) ſo that the mercies muſt needs be ſure; David the ſubject of theſe mercies doth acknowledge the ſureneſs of them, even in the Old Teſtament, in that famous Text, 2 Sam. 23.5. Although my houſe be not ſo with God, …i. e. for outward ſplendour, according to the deſcription of a magnificent family, ver. 4.) yet …e hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant, ordered in all things and ſure; as if he ſhould ſay, 'Tis true indeed, God hath performed his good word to me in making me King, …ut alas ſtill my heart is full of corruptions, and my houſe of diſtractions; though the Sun be riſen upon me, yet I cannot ſay its a morning without clouds; 'tis ſadly eclipſed and overcaſt with the obſcuring clouds of temptations upon me; I have committed grievous ſins which darken my glory, damp my comfort: Ammon commits Inceſt with his Siſter, Abſalon Rebells againſt his Father: I am driven from my Throne and City, my whole Family is wofully broken, ſhattered and diſcompoſed; well, but I have a well-ordered Covenant, in the midſt of all my diſorder. When I am driven from mine own houſe, I am not ſure that ever I ſhall return to it, but this Covenant is ſure; my outward condition is uncertain, but the beſt mercies of this bleſſed Covenant are ſo ſolid and ſubſtantial, that I am ſatisfied therewith; if he deny me the temporal mercies therein contained, yet if I have the ſpiritual mercies thereof, that is enough for me, for it is all my ſalvation and all my deſire, although he make it not to grow, i. e. though his bleſſing upon my houſe be not as the tender graſs, ſpringing out of the earth by clear ſhining after the Rain, and ſo multiply my family, in making it either numerous or wealthy, potent or magnificent, I have all that I look for, and that which gives me content, I have theſe ſweet and ſure mercies of this bleſſed Covenant:
For the more diſtinct and profitable handling of this choice ſubject, I ſhall in the Doctrinal part open theſe four particulars or principal points, and endeavour to ſhew,
1. What are the mercies of the Covenant?
2. In what reſpects they are ſaid to be made ſure?
3. By what wayes and means they are inſured to us?
4. How they are ſaid to be made ſure in Chriſt.