A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament, Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 11 (1 of 4)

A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament · Biblical tract · Volume 1 · Chapter 11 (1 of 4)

p. 156CHAP. XI. The Hiſtory and Myſtery of Iſaac's Life.

THE moſt Famous Remarks that are Recorded in Scripture concerning the Patriarch Iſaac (beſides thoſe Intermingled in the Hiſtory of Abraham his Father) are theſe following, to wit,

Firſt, Iſaac's Weaning, made the more Remarkable, becauſe attended with,

1. Abraham's Feaſting; And

2. Iſhmael's Mocking. The former is the Principal, and theſe two are the Acceſſories.

Firſt, Of the Principal, to wit, of Iſaac's Weaning: God gives us a diſtinct account how Iſaac was Born and Named, Gen. 21.2, 3. Circumciſed, ver. 4. Nurſed up by Sarah with great Delight, ver. 6, 7. and then vvhen grovvn up, and fit for hard Meat, he vvas weaned, ver. 8. Vajiggamal Hebr. Ablactatus, but properly it ſignifies Retributus, an exchanging of one thing for another, and thus in vveaning there is a change from Milk to ſtronger p. 157Meat. Hence may be inferred many excellent, practical and profitable Obſervations. As,

1ſt. Iſaac was Conceived and brought forth after an extraordinary manner the Son of the Promiſe, as Abraham (his Father,) in the Supernatural Birth of Iſaac did foreſee the Supernatural Birth of Chriſt, and rejoiced at it, John 8.56. He did not Name his Son Iſaac, or Laughter, only becauſe of his Joy for him, but alſo becauſe of his Joy for Chriſt, he rejoiced to ſee Chriſts Day (of a Miraculous Conception and Birth) he ſaw it and was glad, he ſaw the Face of Chriſt in his Birth, Life and Death, &c. (all in the Figure of Iſaac) by the clear Eyes of his Faith (which is the Evidence of things not ſeen, Heb. 11.1.) even things that were afar off, yet (with a long Arm of his Faith) he hugg'd and embraced them, as the word [foreign] Heb. 11.13. doth ſignifie; yea, he had not only a Prophetical, but alſo a Real Viſion of Chriſt, Gen. 18.1, 2, 3, 17. in the Form of a Man, as a prelude of his Incarnation, and out of his Philanthropy, Tit. 3.4. delighting to be [in carne before he was ex carne] as a Man among the Sons of Men, Prov. 8.31. This made Abraham Rejoice and Dance a Gallyard, as the word in Greek [foreign] ſignifieth, John 8.56. So Sarah by the force of her Faith Conceived and brought forth Iſaac her Son, when ſhe was paſt Age, becauſe ſhe judged him faithful who had promiſed, Heb. 11.11. that is, ſhe did nor think, that God paid his people with words only, as Sertorius is ſaid to do his Soldiers; or that he fools them off with fair promiſes, as Ptolomee (Sirnamed therefore foreign) is ſaid to do his Favourites; Pollicitis Dives quilibet eſſe poteſt: Great Mens fair words are like Dead Mens promis'd Shoes, he may go bare foot that waits for them; not ſo, thoſe at Good Men, they will perform their promiſes though they tend to their loſs, Pſal. 15.4. They are Children that will not Lie, Iſa. 63.8. but their Father is a God that cannot Lie, Tit. 1.2. He is the God of Truth, Iſa. 65.16. All his promiſes are yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. in Chriſt Jeſus that Faithful and True Witneſs, Revel. 3.14. Therefore God is Real and Royal in his promiſes and performances, He will do what he hath ſaid, 2 Sam. 7.25. and perform with his Hand what he promiſeth with his Mouth, 1 King. 8.15.1 Theſ. 5.24. All this Sarah (his Mother) believed, though at firſt ſhe faultered, Gen. 18.11, 12. The firſt Tidings hereof ſhe apprehended more ſtrange than true, but better recollecting her Religious and Reverend Contemplations of the Almighty, ſhe afterwards believed, what before ſhe doubted, or (at leaſt) admired rather than believed, and as ſoon as ſhe believed, ſoon after ſhe Conceived (though old) by the force of her Faith, and not by the Vigour of Nature, therefore is ſhe (upon this very account) Inrolled in the Catalogue of the moſt Eminent Believers, Heb. 11.11. where the Apoſtle ſheweth,

1. That Saving Faith reaches both Sexes, that the weaker Sex (eminent in Faith) is worthy of Imitation by Men the ſtronger, and that [a Woman is no ſuch wonder in Heaven] as that wanton witleſs Wit once ſaid, proving it by Revel. 12.1. reading no further than thoſe very words extend, and ſtopping at that clauſe [clothed with the Sun,] and ſo, there is no God, as Pſal. 14.1. if we ſtop there, and go no further.

2dly. Obſerve, The Apoſtle in his Epiſtle to the Hebrews, doth ſhame thoſe Hebrew Men (he writes to) with that Excellent and plainly Maſculine Exerciſe of Faith in the Feminine Sex, a Woman, Heb. 11.11. where Sarah's Faith is propounded as a pattern both for their and our practice, holding forth,

1. The Advantage by it, [She received ſtrength] in a Twofold Reſpect, both for Conceiving, and for bringing forth, though diſadvantag'd by the time of it, to wit, in her Old Age.

2. The Ground and Foundation of it, her Faith was founded upon this, that, ſhe ſtrongly believed the Promiſer was faithful to perform his promiſes: Hereupon ſhe is made an Allegorical Myſtery, (in all this her famous Hiſtory) even by the Apoſtle Paul himſelf by a ſpecial Inſpiration of the Holy Ghoſt, Gal. 4.21, to 27, and 30. ſhewing how Abraham's Family was a Figure of the Church in general (foreign, Gal. 4.24.) wherein be two Mothers, a Bond-woman Hagar, and a Free-woman Sarah, two manners of Getting as well as Begetting Children.

1. By Promiſe, or by Faith.

2. After the Fleſh, or by Nature. Two kinds of Children, Bondmen as Iſhmael, and Freemen as Iſaac, and the former perſecuting the latter; two Covenants, that of Works, and that of Grace, or the Law and the Goſpel, the Old Teſtament and the New, Mount Sinai (to which Hagar fled twice, Gen. 16. and chap. 21. it being in her way Home to Egypt) and Mount Sion, or Jeruſalem the Mother of all Chriſtians, for from thence came the Goſpel firſt to all believing Gentiles, John 4.22. This is an Allegory of Divine Authority, and hath an exact Accommodation to the Analogy of Faith; as for thoſe of Origen, and of other wanton Wits, (too Luxuriant this way) not having this to juſtifie them, are well call'd Scripturaum Spuma, the p. 158frothy Exuberancies of their own Addle Brains, beſpattering the Sacred Scriptures; yet thus far we are warranted from this Apoſtolical Authority to make a Myſtery of this great Mother of the Faithful, Sarah, (as Abraham was the great Father of them) as ſhe beareth a ſweet reſemblance both to the Soul of Man, and to the Church of God, both in her Name, and in her Perſon.

1. In her Name, which ſignifies a Lady or Queen, ſuch a one ſhe was both to Abraham and to God, ſo ought the Soul of Man, and the Church of Chriſt to be lovely Ladies, and Royal (as well as Loyal) Queens and Princeſſes unto God that High-father, as Ab-ram ſignifies: The Soul of Man hath many Suitors; there was nothing ſo much contention about Moſes Body, Jude ver. 9. as there is about Mans Soul: Mark well who carrieth it in this Suiting Work, whether the World, or the Devil, or God and Jeſus Chriſt. Come Soul, ſee well into this weighty Work (upon which thy Eternal weal or woe dependeth) which of theſe three is if, that doth wooe and win thee: The World (that old Witch) will bewitch thee into ſome notorious ugly deformed Shape, and the Devil may Metamorphoſe thee into a frightful black Gypſy; both theſe may make thee abhorred of the Lord, Prov. 22.14. but it Chriſt wooe and win thee, this, and this alone, can cauſe thee to become a Sarah, a Lady, a Queen, and a Princeſs to God, who will greatly delight in thy Beauty, Pſal. 45.11. and if thou fear (and love) the Lord, thou ſhalt be greatly praiſed, Prov. 31.29, 30. Thus alſo, as the Soul of Man hath many Suitors, ſo the Church of Chriſt hath many Tempters, 2 Cor. 11.2, 3. (as the Sequel will make it more manifeſt:) This filled that Apoſtle with Godly Jealouſie, ſuch as was that in Job over his Children, for fear they ſhould ſin againſt God, Job 1.5, &c. This Jealouſie is a Compound of Love, Fear and Anger, its three Ingredients; the Ground of it was leſt Satan by his ſubtilty (and his deviliſh Devices, 2 Cor. 2.11.) ſhould corrupt the Church of Corinth (as he did after not only it, but the Seven Churches of Aſia) from the ſimplicity in Chriſt.

2. There is a Myſtery in her perſon (as well as in her name) in the Hiſtory of her Life; and this Myſtery is manifold. As,

1. In the change of her name, Gen. 17.15. as her Husbands name was changed, v. 5. he was the firſt man in the World whoſe Name was changed, and this is reckon'd (upon Divine Record) as an high Favour to that high Father (as Ab-ram ſignifies) Neh. 9.7. God chuſing him for his love, and then loving him for his choice, pluckt him as a Brand out of Ur (or Fire) of the Chaldees, Zech. 3.3. where till then he lived (and might otherwiſe have died,) an Idolater, Joſh. 24.2. and the change of the Name imported a change of Eſtate from worſe to better, for Abram was enlarged into Abraham, which was either for Abram-hamon (ſigniſying a Multitude, whereof he was to be the Father, v. 4. to wit, of Iſraelites, Iſhmaelites, Edomites, Keturites, &c. beſides of all Believers, Gal. 3.28, 29. and Rom. 4.11.) and for better ſound ſake, contracted into Abraham; or it was (as the Rabbins ſay) for honours ſake, that God inſerted one of the Letters of his own incommunicable name [Jehovah] into the Name of Abram, inlarging it to Abraham, and after ſtiling himſelf the God of Abraham, Gen. 26.24. whereby he honoured him more, than if he had Ingraven the word [Abraham] in the Face of the Firmament, or writ it in Capital Letters upon ſome ſplendid cloud with Letters of Gold: Thus alſo his VVives Name was Changed, from Sarai (which ſignifies my Queen, my Lady or Princeſs, (Oh that God may ſay ſo of every Soul among us, Thou art my Lady) into Sarah (which ſignifies an Abſolute Princeſs, and no more to be reſtrained to one Family only) for Sarai the Chaldee Name (wherein, they that gave it her, Wiſh'd her yea Prophecy'd to her much Honour) having [My] in it which is a term of Reſtriction, is not ſo honourable, as that Name God gave her, to wit, Sarah, an Hebrew Name, for as her Husbands Name was changed to Denote, he was to become the high Father of a Multitude, (Myſtically ſignifying three things; 1. That God by giving to Abraham a Letter of his Name doth thereby give even himſelf to him, to enlarge his name into Nations; 2. That God ſhould be born of the Seed of Abraham in the Incarnation of Chriſt; 3. That this ſhould fall out in the fourth Millenary of the World, as this Letter of He (from Jehovah) was added to Abraham's Name in the fourth place, intimating that God ſhould become Fleſh after the World had continued four Thouſand years) ſo is his Wives Name changed for the ſame cauſe and in the ſame place of Letters, to Denote that ſhe was to be a fruitful Mother of much People by the ſpreading of Iſaac's poſterity (her natural Son) and by multiplying many Spiritual Daughters, as 1 Pet. 3.6. ſo that though ſhe had been hitherto but a Lady of a particular Family, now ſhe muſt become an abſolute Princeſs or Queen, and have a Female preheminence or much larger extent and latitude.

Inference hence is, no Soul becomes a Sarah or Lady to God, untill the Name of God (or ſomething of his Name) be put upon it, where Chriſt comes to Eſpouſe any true Chriſtian, p. 159he changeth their Name, when Chriſt comes, he maketh all things new, Rev. 21.5. a new Heart, a new Life, a new Tongue, and among the reſt (as remarkable in Scripture,) a new Name, Iſa. 62.2. Rev. 2.17. a Name better than of Sons and Daughters, Iſa. 56.5. 'tis ſaid, All the People of the Earth ſhall ſee that Iſrael is called by the Name of the Lord, and they ſhall be afraid of that nomen Majeſtativum, that glorious and fearful Name which is put upon them, Deut. 28.10, 58. as Diocleſian (that laſt of the ten primitive Perſecutors) was ſo affrighted with the Majeſty of the Name of God upon the Chriſtians whom he Perſecuted, that in an unexpected humour he Voluntarily deveſted himſelf of his Royal Empire, quòd Chriſti nomen ſe deleturum, uti ſperavit, deſperâſſet, becauſe when he ſought to root out Religion (that tremendous Name of Chriſt) he ſaw at length, 'twas labour in vain, ſaith Bucholcer. And this very Phraſe [We are all called by thy Name] Gods People do improve as an Encouragement againſt all Diſcouragements in their praying to God, 2 Chron. 7.14. and Jerem. 14.9. hereupon we ſhould ask our own Hearts theſe two Queſtions.

1. Whether the Name of God, or the Name of the Devil be put upon us? If we do Evil we bear the Devils Name, for he is call'd Devil, quaſi do evil, if we be wiſe to do evil, Jer. 4.22. we have that wiſdom which is named Deviliſh, Jam. 3.17. and as that of the ſubtil Sorcerer our Name is, a Child of the Devil, Act. 13.10. and are of our Father the Devil, Joh. 3.13. (having his Name and Nature) as like him as if Spit out of his Mouth, as ever Child was like a Father, John 8.44. But if Gods Name be named upon us, then Holineſs to the Lord is writ upon all our Converſation, our Pots we drink, in, our Seats we ſit on, &c. Zech. 14.20. 1 Pet. 1.15. and 2 Pet. 3.11. doing Earthly Matters with Heavenly Minds, both from good principles, and for good purpoſes, 1 Cor. 10.31. as it were, Eating, Drinking and Sleeping Eternal Life, doing all for God, and for our own Everlaſting good. The Royal Prieſthood hath the ſame Inſcription with the High-Prieſts Mitre, [Holineſs to the Lord] Exod. 28, 36, 37. We are all named the Children of wrath by Nature, Eph. 2.3. We muſt have a change of that Name, or wrath will be our portion for ever. 'Tis with us in the faln Eſtate, as it was with all the Kindred of Ravilliac (who Murder'd Henry the Fourth of France:) They were Univerſally injoin'd to change their Names, and none to bear that Popiſh King-killing Name: Thus we have been Chriſt-killers, Murderers of that Prince of Life, we are all Tainted with High Treaſon againſt the King of Kings, ſo we muſt change our Names, or our Souls can never be Sarah's, Princeſſes to God.

The 2. Queſtion to be propounded to our own Hearts is, Whether, ſuppoſe we have chang'd our Names, our Names be ſuitable to our Natures: There muſt be a change in the latter as well as in the former: A Chriſtian Name can never agree with an Unchriſtian Nature. A Soul, yea, a Church may live in Name, yet be dead in Nature, Revel. 3.1. Many Ships that had good Names given them (ſuch as Safe-guard, Good-ſpeed, &c.) yet have ſuffered ſad Ship wracks. Abſolom's Name ſignified his Fathers peace, yet proved he an unpeaceable Rebel againſt his own Father; and Jehu's Name ſignifies conſtant, yet was he like Reuben (as unſtable as Water, Gen. 49.4.) with God, ſhutting up his fair Reformation with a foul Deformation, 2 King. 10.30, 31. his Diſpenſatory Conſcience, and his Rotten Heart was his Rulne; a Man may Recover of a Fever, and Die of a Dropſy, &c. Thus ſome Parricides have been call'd Philo-pater and Philo-metor, as if Father or Mother Murderers could be properly called Father or Mother Lovers: Thus the moſt Nocent Popes were Named Innocents, and that cruel one was call'd Urbanus, whoſe Name might more properly have been Turbantis, from the Tranſcendent Troubles he (courteous in Name, but cruel in Nature) brought upon the Church. There muſt therefore be an happy Harmony betwixt our Names and our Natures, otherwiſe we are as Compounds of Incongruous Matters: The new Name is ſaid to be writ on the white Stone, Revel. 2.17. We cannot have the new Name writ aright upon us, if the white Stone of the new Nature be not found within us.

The ſecond Myſtery of Sarah's Perſon in the Hiſtory of her Life, is her foregoing Barrenneſs, and her following ſupply for obtaining the promiſe from good aims, but bad means, all Recorded in Gen. 16.1, 2. wherein the Soul of Man and the Church of God are fitly Reſembled. As,

1. In her Barrenneſs which continued for ten years, v. 3. (yea for thirty years, Gen. 11.30. for ſo long ſhe Prayed for a Son, and then had him at laſt for her Laughter and Delight.) She being then ſeventy five, and Abraham eighty five years old, in the year of the World 2093. Gen. 12.4. and 17.17. [The Lord hath reſtrained me,] ſaith ſhe, or cloſed my Womb, laying the fault upon her ſelf (with Religious Reflections upon the Reſtraining Power (of God) and not upon her Husband, as too many crank Dames of our day do:) Thus it is,

1. With the Soul of Man, which hath a Sterility (or Barrenneſs) not only for ten years, but ſometimes for twenty, or thirty, or forty years upon it, ſo long ſometimes, not God, but p. 160the Devil cloſeth up the Heart, in the State of Nature, Sin and Ignorance, before God come to open it, as he did the Heart of Lydia, Acts 16.14. Until then we are as Eunuchs, Iſa. 56.3. Evirati, bereft of Manhood, ſo excluded from all the priviledges of Gods people, Deut. 23.1. poor dry Trees, altogether barren of good Works, but abounding with evil ones: Such, and no better but barren Branches are we all, till we be Engrafted into that Bleſſed Sappy Vine the Lord Jeſus, John 15.1, 2, 3. All our Sap, Savour, Safety and Salvation are from our ſweet Saviour, from him is all our fruit ſound, Hoſ. 14.8. The Bud of good Deſires; the Bloſſom of good Purpoſes, and the Fruit of good Actions ſpring from the Root of Jeſſe, Jeſus Chriſt, Iſa. 11.1, 10, As Sarai was Barren until that Letter of Gods Name chang'd her Name into Sarah, ſo it is with us, until Gods Name be put upon us, and we abide in the Vine, John 15.4. then begin we to fill with knowledge, and to be filling with goodneſs, Rom. 15.14. and with the Fruits of Righteouſneſs which are by Jeſus Chriſt, &c. Phil. 1.11. And thus,

2. It is with the Church, Barren at the firſt, (as Sarah was) both the Jewiſh and the Gentile Church, and both theſe Churches ate call'd upon to proclaim the high praiſes of God for removing Their former Barrenneſs, and procuring Their following Fruitfulneſs, (as Barren Sarah did when ſhe had her Iſaac, and in him a numerous Off ſpring, Gen. 21.6.) This the Prophet Iſaiah gives a full account of, Iſa. 54.1, 2, 3, 4. Sing, Oh Barren, &c. When the Lords Prophet had declared the State of Chriſts Humiliation, (as an Evangelical Hiſtory) in Chap. 53. he c…ies in this Chap. 54. to ſpeak ſomething of Chriſts State of Exaltation, to wit, of the purchaſe of Chriſts Paſſion, how the Church was a bloody Spouſe to Chriſt, who paid ſo dear for her Fruitfulneſs, Acts 20.28. and 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. As the Blood of Beaſts, poured upon the Roots of Garden-trees, cauſeth them to become Fruitful; ſo doth the Blood of Chriſt applied to the Roots of Mens Hearts, and maketh them Fruitful Chriſtians, both among Jews and Gentiles, Gal. 4.27. Acts 15.9. John 12.44.

1. The Jewiſh Church was Barren at firſt, (as Sarah was) being of a very narrow extent at the beſt, and ſometimes (as in the Babyloniſh Captivity) becoming no better than dry Bones, (as all Natural Men are but dry Trees, ut ſupra) Ezek. 37.4. until God Breathed upon them, v. 12. Yea, when Chriſt came into the World at his Incarnation, he found the Jews generally (where Joſeph found his, Brethren, in Dothan, which ſignifies Defection, Gen. 37.27.) in a moſt ſad State of Defection, not above four, or fewer of them in Scripture-Record, who minded any thing of Chriſts coming; he came to his own, and his own received him not, John 1.11. But after this, Oh how did this Barren Church ſing, &c. when three Thouſand of them were brought forth at one Sermon, Acts 2.37, 39, 41.

2. The Gentile Church was for a long time as a lone Woman or Widow, (as it were) altogether Barren, and without Hope of Iſſue while the Gentiles were without Chriſt, without Hope, and without God in the World, &c. Eph. 2.1, 2, 12. yet afterwards in the New Teſtament Times, the Gentile Church (which before had brought forth only here and there a Proſelyte or two, as Jethro, &c.) had a more Numerous and Glorious Off-ſpring than ever the Jewiſh Synagogue had: Thus Sarah (though at firſt Barren) had a far greater Iſſue than Hagar, yea, and Hannah than Peninnah, notwithſtanding both were reproached for their former Barrenneſs, Gen. 16.4. and 1 Sam. 1.6.

The ſecond Branch of this ſecond Reſemblance is, The unwarrantable way Sarah took to ſupply the want of her own Fruitfulneſs, in giving Hagar to her Husband, That ſhe might obtain Children by her Bond-woman, Gen. 16.1, 2. Gal. 4.22. God had promiſed a Seed to Abraham, but not expreſly as yet whether by Sarai or no, hereupon Sarai propounded her Handmaid as a Secondary Wife, or Bed-fellow to her Husband, becauſe the Children of Bond-ſervants belong'd to their Maſters and Miſtreſſes by the Law, Exod. 21.4. Thus Rachel reckoned the Iſſue of her Handmaid Billah muſt be Hers, Gen. 30.3, 6, and 8. and thus Sarah ſought a Seed to Abraham (according to Gods promiſe,) though ſhe were not the Mother thereof, that ſo the Bleſſing God had annexed to his Promiſe might be obtained; The Hebrews moſt improbably ſay, this Hagar was the Daughter of Pharaoh, to put the more Honour upon Abraham in this Act, and to equal him with Solomon, who Married the Daughter of another Pharaoh; but Kings Daughters are moſt unfit to be Handmaids, who are brought up Miſtreſſes of the Higheſt Rank; and had Paul been of that Mind, he had never ſtiled her a Bond-woman, Gal. 4.22. 'Tis more probable, ſhe was one of thoſe Maids of Pharaoh's Houſe, which were given to Sarai, Gen, 12.16. Whatever ſhe was, and whatever good aim Sarai might haven in giving her to Abraham, yet the means were naught; this expedient for having Seel was not according to God (becauſe it violated the Law of the firſt Inſtituted Wedlock, Gen. 2.14.) but it was after the Fleſh, Gal. 4.23. Sarai was over-haſly, and Abraham was over-facile; they were both blame-worthy, for want of Faith in Gods p. 161Promiſe, (as if his power could not have performed it beyond the common courſe of Nature in their old Age) and for Violation of Wedlock contrary to its firſt Inſtitution, Mal. 2.15 and Gen. 2.24. This Act might be their Sin of Ignorance, and of Infirmity, as was alſo their and the other Patriarchs Polygamy practiſed in that time, and their ſlipping out of Gods way brought much evil upon them, Sarai is whip'd with her own Rod; Hefiod ſaith, foreign.

Evil counſel proves always worſt to the Counſellors, Hagar now pregnant with Child, deſpiſeth Sarah her Barren Miſtreſs, as Prov. 30.21. her Sin was writ upon her Puniſhment Gen. 16.4, 5. ſhe was deſpiſed, as one rejected concerning Gods Promiſe, and Abraham was diſturbed with thoſe Domeſtick diſſentions 'twixt the Miſtreſs and her Hand-maid: Hereby is alſo figured the difference betwixt the two Mothers (the Bond-Woman and the Free) the Law and the Goſpel, and thus likewiſe the Soul of Man and the Church of God taketh ſome wrong ways for accompliſhing Divine Promiſes following and finding out falſe reſt, fetching peace from the works of the Law, rather than from the Faith of the Goſpel, this is to eſtabliſh Hagar the Bond-Woman in the place of Sarah the Free, (out of whom ſprang the Meſſiah that Bleſſed Prince of all true Peace) and ſuch miſtaken methods to peace always end in ſad diſturbance, as this in the Hiſtory did: Beſides there is this other Myſtery, that ſuch as put confidence in the works of the Law (as the proud Phariſee did, Luk. 18.10, 11.) will deſpiſe the Grace of the New-Covenant (as Hagar did Sarah,) Rom. 10.3. will not ſubmit to the Righteouſneſs of God by Chriſt.

The third Myſtery of Sarah's perſon in the Hiſtory of her Life is in her Beauty, ſhe had a fair and Beautiful countenance, a moſt lovely look, and comely complexion, Gen. 12.11. which Plato calls the principality of Nature. Outward Beauty is very attractive, which yet Sarai, kept, although ſhe was now about or above ſixty years old, being not impaired by breeding or bearing of Children, or it was preſerved by God for the ſerving of his providence, which followed thereupon; and here we ſee how Beauty may be a double ſnare, both to them that have it, and to them that love it: yet Sarah had a better (even an Inward) Beauty, her chief Beauty was that of the Hidden Man of the Heart, 1 Pet. 3.4, 6. Gratior eſt pulchro Veniens in Corpore Virtus.

That Vertue hath a better Grace

Which ſhineth from a comely Face.

Where theſe two meet, they have a moſt happy conjunction, and draw all Hearts to them, as Eſther obtained Favour of all that look'd upon her, Eſth. 2.15. otherwiſe where beauty is without Grace and Vertue, 'tis like a Jewel in a Swines Snout, Prov. 11.22. It wants that which ſhould Conſecrate and Sanctifie it, as in Aurelia Oreſtilla, cujus praeter formam, nihil unquam bonus laudavit, having nothing commendable to good men ſave only deceitful Favour, and vain Beauty, Prov. 31.30. 'Twas not thus, but better with Sarah here, who is therefore made a Figure of Jeruſalem, the Mother of us all, Gal. 4.26. and of the New-Teſtament Church, v. 24. which is the Spouſe of Chriſt that is all fair, Cant. 1.15. and 4.1. &c. well looking and well liking, to bring forth Fruit in old Age, Pſal. 92.14. and thus (as with the Church of God) ſo it ought to be with the Soul of Man, which ſhould pray as Pſal. 90.17. Oh let the Beauty of the Lord be upon me.

The fourth Myſtery of Sarah's Perſon, in the Hiſtory of her Life is in her Sufferings, the chiefeſt whereof were, that She twice did fall into the Hands of two Kings, Pharaoh, Gen. 12. and Abimelech, Gen. 20. both which might have Raviſh'd her, and made her Diſloyal to her Husband, yet God mofſ Graciouſly prevented it in both places, by Plaguing the former, and Diſeaſing the latter, out of both theſe two Kings Courts, God brought her off with Innocency, Honour and Advantage. Oh how many Snares of Tentation God carries his Church and our Souls thorough, oft we are in the Bryars: As Sarah was, 1. In Egypt, when God famiſh'd Abraham out of Canaan (the Glory of all Lands, Ezek. 20.6.) thither, which was the Granary of the World. The Hebrews make this a fault in Abraham, for which his poſterity (ſay they) ſuffered ſo long and ſo hard a bondage in Egypt, bur as God muſt be Truſted, ſo he may not be Tempted by neglect of lawful means; ſo it was not Diffidence, but Obedience in Abraham, to ſeek out neceſſary ſupply, Gen. 12.10. however no ſooner was he come thither, but his Wives Beauty had like to have betrayed her, and him for her ſake, had not God overruled the matter, aſſoon as ſome pick-thank People ſaw her, they tell tidings hereof to Pharaoh's Paraſites or Courtiers, and they to the King, If a Ruler hearken to lies, all his Servants p. 162(ſaith Solomon) are Wicked, Prov. 29.12. Flattering Courtiers pleaſe Princes Humors to an Hair (as Doeg did Sauls) and gratifie their Luſts, though to the procuring of their own Plagues, as here, and 2 Chron. 24.17, 18. where the Court-Paraſites Fawned upon young Joaſh, and flattered him into wicked ways (Fair words make Fools Fain, as ſaith the Proverb,) inſinuating, he had been a King without a Kingdom, and had been ſubject to his Subjects during Jehojadahs days, now that he was Dead, himſelf muſt aſſume his Royal Power, and give liberty for men to live as they liſt, and not confine them to Gods Temple, &c. Thus likewiſe Sarah was ſent for to Court by the like inſinuations, and probably was (by a Marvellous providence) put into the Houſe of the Women in order to Pharaoh's Bed (as Eſther was purified for a time in order to Ahaſuerus, Eſth. 2.8.) or (as others ſay) for no worſe purpoſe than to wooe and win her good will to become his Wife, and therefore did be entreat Abraham well for her ſake, Gen. 11.15, 16. that he might not be a back-friend, but ſollicite his Siſter for her free conſent. Thus ſhe was brought into the Bryars, ſo that neither ſhe could Extricate her ſelf, nor could her Husband help or (ſo much as) own her: Then comes God (undoubtedly at both their Prayers) [foreign] as out of an Engine both to ſave Sarahs Chaſtity, and her Huſbands Life, the Lord Plagued Pharaoh with great Plagues, ſaith the Hebrew, or Tormented him with Torments, as ſet upon the Rack, ſaith the Greek, v. 17. not becauſe he had defiled her, but that he ſhould not Defile her; God gave him this diverſion, he had then ſomething elſe to think on than the ſatisfying of his Luſt: the Hebrews ſay, that Sarah had a Tutelar Angel, who upon her Prayer to God, [Vaienagang nagagnim] ſmote Pharaoh with Plagues either with a Tumor upon his Groin, or with an Ulcer upon his Privy Parts, or with a Gonorrhea, ſuch a running of the Reins as render'd him incapable of Defiling Sarah; and as 'tis ſaid of her after, Gen. 20.16. Thus ſhe was reproved, ſo it may be ſaid of her here, Thus ſhe was preſerved: The Lord is the preſerver of all thoſe that hang their Hope and their Help upon him who is called the Hope of Iſrael, and Saviour thereof in time of trouble, Jer. 14.8, 9. Theſe things are an Allegory [foreign] Gal. 4.24. what God was here to Sarah, that he is to his Church, ſhe hath a Tutelar Angel indeed, even the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. and of Gods preſence, Iſa. 63.9. her Redeemer, who Redeemeth her from all Evil, Gen. 48.16. he will come as out of an Engine and preſerve his People when at a pinch: Abraham had done all he could, and 'twas but a ſorry ſhift to deny his own Wife, this brought him into the Bryars, and he could find no way out, he commends his caſe to God for preſerving his Wives Chaſtity, and no doubt he had many an heavy Heart for her (vvho ſuffer'd by his default) and ſhe again for him; God (upon their Repentance) provides graciouſly for them both, ſhe is kept unpolluted, and he is greatly enriched for her ſake (though the Rabbies ſay, it vvas becauſe he had taught Egypt Aſtronomy.) They are both of them ſafely diſmiſſed vvith the Kings ovvn conduct, Gen. 12.20.

1. Oh what a ſhame it is, that this Heathen King ſhould abhor Adultery, whereas many Kings now, (called Chriſtian, and ſhould know better things) even wallow in the practice of it!

2. Oh how ſad it is for Saints to fall juſtly under the reproof of Sinners! God had reproved Pharaoh, ver. 17. and Pharaoh reproves Abraham, ver. 18. for telling him a Lie out of fear: We ſhould lead ſhining Lives in the ſight of the World, 1 Pet: 2.9, &c.

3. Oh who would not ſerve ſuch a God, as turns our Errours and evil Counſels into the greateſt good, as here! &c.

2. Sarah was in danger again in Gerar (as before in Egypt) for her Beauty, though at that time Ninety years old, Gen. 10.1, 2. Lis eſt cum formâ magna pudicitiae, her Beauty was her Bane, this time alſo had not God (who miraculouſly preſerv'd it to this great Age) been her Guardian, and preſerv'd her alſo: Abraham (the Father of the Brood of Travellers) was oft Journeying from one place, and ſojourning in another, hence was he call'd Abram the Hebrew of Heber, which ſignifies a Pilgrim or Stranger, ſo he was while on Earth, expecting his Home in Heaven: He is driven out from the Plains of Mamre, Gen. 18.1. with 20. either by Famine, as his Son Iſaac was after, Gen. 26.1. or for ſorrow at the ſight of Sodom's Ruine, or as annoyed by that peſtilent Air which aroſe from the Sulphurous Rubbiſh thereof, or as loathing Lots Inceſt, or as deſirous to do good to many; however, that this remove brought him into a ſnare is certain, though the cauſe of it be uncertain: He falls into the ſame ſin the ſecond time, both againſt piety towards God (in diſtruſting him, and uſing indirect means) and …ainſt Charity towards his Neighbour, in expoſing his Wife to Abimelech's pleaſure, and …elech to Gods diſpleaſure: No doubt but Abraham had repented of his former Diſſimul… … which made the Lord move Pharaoh to deal kindly with him, ſo as to give him Sheep… Oxen, &c. Gen. 12.16. The beſt of Men are but Men at the beſt, and may fall again … the ſame ſin they have truely repented of: None are able to define, how oft, p. 163and into how heinous, but ſurely not oft into the ſame ſin which is heinous and ſcandalous: 'Tis a great Remark put upon the Patriarch Judah, that he knew Tamar again no more, Gen. 38.26. 'Twas no ſin of Cuſtom, that which is ſo, is no Infirmity of Saints, but rather an Enormity of Sinners, who cannot ceaſe from ſin, 2 Pet. 2.14. God gives it as a great aggravation upon Iſrael's ſin, ſaying, This have ye done again, Mal. 2.13. and how oft did they provoke him in the Wilderneſs, &c. Pſal. 78.40. 'Tis a graceleſs one that drives the Trade of ſin: Here again Sarah is taken into the King of Paleſtina's Court (as before into the King of Egypt's) and God (through his tender Care over his Children) fetches her off and out without harm, Gen. 20.1, 2, 3. Joſhephus ſaith (and that very probably) no ſooner was Sarah taken into Abimelech's Court, but he and his whole Family were ſmitten of God with ſome deadly Diſeaſes, when his Phyſicians (conſulted with) could give neither Satisfaction nor Cure. Then God told him in a Dream; if he perfected his ſin, he was but a dead man, &c. By this Diſeaſe (coming as out of an Engine immediately from God) he was reſtrained from ſin, ver. 6. and 17. and conſtrained to reſtore Sarah to her Husband; all which teach us,

1. That even Kings (themſelves) may not be Licentious to do what they liſt, but they are under limitation both of Humane and Divine Laws.

2. Adultery (even in Kings) is puniſhable with Death; both Popes and Emperors have been juſtly cut off by the Juſt Hand of God, in and for this abominable ſin.

3. Ignorance cannot altogether excuſe Sin, as in Abimelech here; it may excuſe à Tanto, ſomething, Luke 12.48. but not à Toto, altogether.

4. The whole Family may be bleſſed or curſed for the Maſters ſin, as here, ver. 17, 18. and Luke 19.9. This day Salvation is come to thy Houſe, as thou art a Son of Abraham. Thus alſo the ſins of Kings bring Plagues upon Kingdoms, 2 Sam. 24.17. Delirant Reges, plectuntur Achivi, ver. 9. here, Thou haſt brought on me, and on my Kingdom this great ſin.

5. So dear to God are his Saints, that he ſeverely puniſheth, even Kings, for their ſakes, he ſuffereth no Man to wrong them, ſo as, though they may heavily oppreſs them, they ſhall ever utterly ſuppreſs them, Pſal. 105.14, 15. Touch not mine Anointed is ſpoke to, not of Kings; Be wiſe now therefore, O ye Kings, kiſs the King of Kings, leſt he be angry, Pſal. 2.10. Revel. 19.16. Potentes potenter torquebuntur, ingentia beneficia, flagitia, ſupplicia: Great Sins under great Mercies bring great Plagues and Judgments.

6. Things wilfully taken away muſt be willingly reſtored, Non remittitur peccatum, niſi reſtituatur ablatum; Knowledge muſt reform, wherein Ignorance hath offended; till Sarah was reſtored, no Mercy could be expected.

Laſtly, Thoſe two Captivities of Sarah may reſemble the two Captivities of her Seed, the Old Teſtament Church.

Firſt, In Egypt, under Ten Plagues.

2dly, In Babylon, ſent out with good Conditions.

Thus it befalls both the Church of Chriſt and the …l of a Chriſtian, they are ſometimes Captivated by Beelzebub that Prince of black Gypſies … Devils, or by Abaddon that God of this World (which lyeth in wickedneſs, 1 John 5.19.) or King of all the Uncircumciſed in the Myſtery, as Sarah was in the Hiſtory, yet both are not only ſeaſonably and ſafely reſcued, but alſo brought off abundantly Enriched (as ſhe was with her Sheep and Oxen, &c.) coming Richer out of Temptation than they went into it, which leaves them (through ſanctifying Grace) always better than it found them: Oh that there were that Beauty in us which was in her!

The fifth Myſtery of Sarah's Perſon in the Hiſtory of her Life, was her Conſtancy and Faithfulneſs to her Husband; ſhe was a Loving and Loyal Wife to him, not hankering after ſtrange (no not though Royal) Fleſh, as was Pharaoh and Abimelech; Abraham was a covering of Eyes to her, Gen. 20.16. Her Reverend regard to ſuch a Reverend Husband, made him a better Veil betwixt her Eyes and the Eyes of wanton Perſon, than that Veil which Abimelech gave a Thouſand Shekels of Shillings to her Husband to purchaſe for her, that ſhe might cover her Face with it, whereby ſhe might be known to be a modeſt Matron as well as a Married Woman, in ſubjection to the Man, Gen. 24.65. and 1 Cor. 11.3, 6, 7, 10. Hence the Supouſe took it ill that her Veil was pulled off, whereby ſhe might be judged to be a light and diſhoneſt Woman, Cant. 5.7. We ſhould ſhun and be my of the very ſhew and ſhadow of ſin; if either we tender our Credit abroad, or our Comfort at home: Oh what a comfortable Companion was Sarah to Abraham in all his Travels and Troubles, doing him good, and not evil, all her days, Prov. 31.12. She was conſtant in her Conjugal Yoke, carrying on and even her part thereof (not drawing the contrary way) and did ſtick to him with p. 164faithful Affections in all Changes and Chances whatſoever; yea, though ſhe ſuffered many hardſhips (as before) with him, and was oft put very hardly to it, yet was ſhe not afraìd with any amazement, 1 Pet. 3.6. driving out all ſervile fear of the World with a ſtronger filial fear of God, as the ſtronger Nail drives out the Weaker. Oh that the Churches of Chriſt and the Souls of Chriſtians, could be ſo conſtant and faithful to their Lord and Husband as ſhe was to hers, Hoſ. 3.3. We muſt bear his Croſs after him, Luke 9.23. here on Earth, if we would wear his Crown with him in Heaven.

The ſixth Myſtery of Sarah's perſon in the Hiſtory of her life, was, in having her faults tranſmitted from her ſelf to her Husband, as Gen. 18.13. The Lord ſaid to Abraham, wherefore did Sarah laugh? Here was Sarah's ſin doubled.

1. Her Unbelief of Gods promiſe.

2. Her Untruth ſhe covered her Unbelief withal, yet all is charg'd upon Abraham; the Wives ſin reflects upon her Husband, and this is not all learnt from hence, but it teacheth alſo, that the Spouſes Beloved bears upon him all her Tranſgreſſions; Surely he hath born our griefs, and the Chaſtiſement of our Peace was upon him, Iſa. 53.4, 5. He bore our ſins in his own body upon the Tree, 1 Pet. 2.24. He (the true Scape-goat) taketh away the ſins of the World, Joh, 1.29. Bearing them into the Land of forgetfulneſs, Lev. 16.21. As this is a continual practice of Chriſt for us, ſo this poſture (of his carrying away our ſins) ſhould be as a perpetual Picture born about in our hearts. Seeing his ſatis-paſſion is our ſatisfaction, he took upon him whatever was Penal and Satisfactory to Divine Juſtice, that belonged to Sin, whereby we may be made Free, Joh. 8.36. He was content to go down to the Wine-Preſs, that we might be brought up into the Wine-Cellar, or into the Banqueting-Houſe, Iſa. 63.3. Cant. 2.4. 'Twas the manner of thoſe that offer'd their Burnt-Offerings of old, to lay their Hand upon the Head of Beaſt Offered, ſignifying the imputation of our Sins upon Chriſt; this is done now by Faith: O… that, as Chriſt was Crucifixus, ſo he may be Cordifixus fixed to our Hearts as to his Croſs.

The laſt Myſtery of Sarahs Perſon in the Hiſtory of her Life is, ſhe (in conjunction with Hagar and with their two Sons) repreſents the two Covenants, Gal. 4.24. &c. which indeed is the main Myſtery, and that which hath moſt manifeſt Manuduction to it by the bleſſed Apoſtle under the Infallible conduct of the Holy Spirit. In this Main or Principal Myſtery there be manifold Members all coupled together in couples and compared per pares, by pairs. As,

1. Here is the Shadow or Type.

2. Here is the Body that gives the Shadow or Antitype. This in the General, but in Parcular,

Firſt Here are the two Wives of Abraham, Hagar and Sarah, which are the two Shadows or Types, (being the firſt Couples) the one a Bond-woman, the other a Free; theſe two ſhadow out the two Teſtaments, Hagar the Old Teſtament, or the Law, which was a diſpenſation of Bondage, and Sarah the New Teſtament, which is a diſpenſation of Freedom; hereupon the Goſpel is call'd the Law of Liberty, Jam. 1.25. as it teacheth the way to free us from the Law of Sin and Death, which binds u… over to Eternal Deſtruction, Joh. 8.36.

The ſecond Couple are the two So… of thoſe two Mothers Iſhmael and Iſaac, ſhadowing out (1.) The Children of the Fleſh, born Servants of the Bond-Servant as were the Carnal Jews who oppoſed Chriſt, and as are all formal Hypocrites, that have not the Faith of Abraham; And (2.) The Children of the Promiſe or Spirit, Free-Born of the Free-Woman as are all the called and choſen of God.

The Third Couple is the Son of the Bond-Woman Mocking, and the Son of the Free Mocked, Gen. 21.9 ſigni…ying how the Seed of the Fleſh would raiſe Perſecution againſt the Seed of the Spirit, Gal. 4.29.

The Fourth Couple is the caſting out of the Bond-Woman and her Son from Abraham's Family, and the remaining of the Free-Woman and her Son therein, ſhadowing forth the Abolition of the Old-Teſtament Diſpenſation in the Church (which then was only Abrahams Family) and the abiding for ever the Adminiſtration of the New-Teſtament, John 8.35. Gal. 4.30, 31.

The Fifth Couple is, Iſhmaels excluſion from the Inheritance of Abraham (as well as his ejection out of his Fathers Family) and Iſaac's enjoying it, ſignifying that neither the Carnal Jews, nor formal Hypocrites ſhall have any part of that Eternal Inheritance, which the Children of the Promiſe ſhall enjoy. [The Son of the Bond-Woman ſhall not be Heir with my Son Iſaac] Gen. 21.10. and Gal. 4.30. under Abrahams Inheritance is figured the Heavenly Bleſſings in Chriſt, and Life Everlaſting Gal. 3.18, 29. and 4.7. and 1 Pet. 1.4. which no Iſhmaels or reprobates ſhall Inherit, no ſuch Dirty Dogs ſhall ever Trample upon that Golden Pavement, Rev. 21.21, 27. and 22.15. So that theſe words of Sarah, were not ſpoken ſo p. 165much Paſſionately as Prophetically, foretelling the ſeparation of the Holy Seed from the Prophane thereby, whereof Abraham (through his fond Affection to his Son Iſhmael) did not yet under ſtand ſo well as ſhe, who uttered this Speech even from the Spirit of God, which was likewiſe confirmed by God himſelf, Gen. 21.10, 12. and hereupon the Apoſtle doth not record this to be ſo much the ſaying of Sarah, as the ſaying of the Holy Scripture (which is the Voice of God himſelf, Gal. 4.30.)

The Sixth Couple (which Paul bringeth in when treating of this very Hiſtory, Gal. 4.25, 26.) is Mount Sinai, and Mount Sion or Jeruſalem which is above, he ſaith,

1. This Hagar is Mount Sinai, which is a Mountain ſituated in Arabia beyond the limits of the Promiſed Land, and the Arabians (ſome ſay) do call Mount Sinai by the name of Hagar which ſignifies in their Tongue a Pilgrim or Stranger, and ſo are all they no better than Strangers to the true Jeruſalem, who are not (ſaith Calvin) the Children of Abraham's Faith; from Hagar the Arabians were called at the firſt Hagarens but ſince (for more Honours ſake) they call themſelves Saracens as if deſcended of Sarah Hagars Miſtreſs: Theſe Saracens (under the conduct of that grand Impoſtor Mahomet) have been deſperate Enemies to the true Jeruſalem, and great oppoſers of Chriſt and his Goſpel. This Mount Sinai (ſaith Paul) anſwereth to the low Jeruſalem, that is, to the Jewiſh Synagogue Born in Bondage, who were killers of Chriſt and of his Prophets, who pleaſed not God, and were contrary to all men, 1 Theſ. 2.14, 15. ſo were rather Iſhmaelites than Iſraelites, Gen. 6.12. whoſe Hand was againſt every Man, &c. This Hagar is, (that is ſignifies or prefigures) Mount Sinai, or Jeruſalem the lower which conſtiſted of curſed Scribes and Phariſees in Chriſt's and Pauls time, men of low Principles, ſeeking Juſtification by the works of the Law, and by a formality of the Covenant of works; theſe were Hagar or Chagar (which in the Arabick ſignifies alſo petram a Rock) having Rocky Hearts againſt Chriſt, who is called the Rock, 1 Cor. 10.4. not one drop of true Piety could be ſqueezed out of them, and now 'tis become a common Proverb, ſuch a one is as hard-hearted as a Jew. Thus Jeruſalem that now is, (ſaith the Apoſtle) is in Bondage with her Children, and gendreth to Bondage, which is Hagar, Gal. 4.24, 25. they were, as was once ſaid of the Romans, Homines ad ſervitutem parati, ſo diſ-ſpirited after their murdering Chriſt, that they truckled under every Aggreſſor, and like their Brother Iſſachar, became Aſſes couching under all burdens, Gen. 49.14. They were ſo Degenerated from that Free, Noble, and Heroick Offſpring of Abraham in their Anceſtors days, that they ſeemed rather to deſcend from Hagar the Bond-woman, than from Sarah that Noble Lady and Princeſs, ſeeing Partus ſequitur Ventrem, the Birth follows the Belly. This is the Character of the Earthly Jeruſalem, ſo ſubjected to the Heavy Yoke of Ceremonies, Sacrifices and Circumciſion (which the Hagarens or Saracens obſerve at this day) that 'tis ſaid, neither they, nor their Fathers were able to bear it, Acts 15.10. Beſides, that horrible Dread which was upon their Rebellious Fore-fathers at the giving of the Law upon Mount-Sinai, Exod. 20.18, 19. is upon their Spurious and Degenerate Off-ſpring to this day; and this (ſaith the Apoſtle) is an Allegory or Figure of the Old Covenant, as Sarah is of the New, and New Teſtament Church, which he calls the Heavenly (in oppoſition to the Earthly) Jeruſalem, which in the Hebrew Tongue, is, Jeruſhalajim in the Dual Number, importing (as their Cabbaliſts confeſs) the Upper as well as the Lower Jeruſalem; and its name [Jiru-Shalom] ſignifies a Viſion of Peace, ſo it well ſhadoweth the Goſpel of Peace, or the New Covenant, Luke 2.14. Rom. 5.1. & 10.15. 1 Cor. 7.15. Eph. 2.17, &c. and this New Covenant is ſaid to come from above, or to be above.

1. Becauſe God the Father revealed it, not by deſcending down into the Mount (as he did at the giving of the Law) but remaining in Heaven, he ſent it down by his own Son; this the Author to the Hebrews teacheth, Heb. 12.25.

2. Becauſe Chriſt the Head of the Covenant, and of his Covenanted Church, did Deſcend out of Heaven, and Aſcended thither again, from whence he governeth his Church, and maketh good his Covenant (in all) to her.

3. Becauſe the Chriſtian Church (in Covenant with Chriſt) hath her being and well-being, her birth and breeding, &c. from above, John 3.3, 5. and hath her Converſation in Heaven while her Commoration is on Earth, Phil. 3.20. Col. 3.2. This Covenant is the Mother that brings forth all Believers, both Jews and Gentiles, and therefore is it called [Jeruſalem above] not ſo much from the place where it now is (for the Chriſtian Church (wrapp'd up in the Swaddling-bands of the Covenant of Grace) is now below militant on Earth) as from the Fountain and Original from whence it floweth; it came from Heaven, as John Baptiſts Baptiſm did, Matth. 21.25. and ſeeketh after heavenly things, Col. 3.1, 2, 3. This is the Allegory when under the True Hiſtory, lieth hid ſome ſenſe and ſignification of higher matters, and nobler myſteries. The Apoſtle here argueth from that which was taken for granted among the Hebrews, to wit, that beſide the Hiſtorical ſenſe of thoſe Scriptures of the Old Teſtament, p. 166there was another Anagogical ſenſe more eminent and ſpiritual than the literal ſtory: This the Rabbins call Midraſh & Dibre kephullim, Verba duplicata, words that are Typical be doubled with things that are Antitypical, as Moſes Maimonides ſaith. As Abraham's Family was then the True Church; ſo undoubtedly the principal Events that did befal that Family, were as ſo many lively Types, what ſhould befal to the Jewiſh and Gentile Churches. There is a ſweet harmony and ſimilitude betwixt Abraham's Family and the Church of God (his Family) wherein the Jewiſh Church was the firſt Mother with her Children under bondage of the Law, anſwerable to Hagar the Bond-woman (who was the firſt Mother in Abraham's Family) and her Bond-children; and the Gentile Church was but the ſecond Mother anſwerable to Sarah, yet a Free-woman, and brought forth Free Children (as ſhe did Iſaac) under Goſpel-freedom, and Heirs of the Promiſe. Under theſe figures are repreſented the two Covenants; the Old and the New, which indeed are but one and the ſame Covenant of Grace, if we conſider the matter and ſcope thereof, yet is it called two, in reſpect of the time and manner of its Diſpenſation, as appeareth after. Sarah and Hagar (ſaith Paul) ſignifie the two Teſtaments (as the word [foreign] ſtrictly taken is rendred) and a Teſtament is properly the Will of the Dead; but here in a more general ſenſe 'tis taken for the two Covenants.

1. That of the Law given upon Mount Sinai, which gendred [an Off-ſpring] unto Bondage, for the Jews ſerved the ſhadows of many burdenſom Ceremonies, and that from a naked fear of puniſhment, for the Law did ſtrike a Terrour and a Servile Fear into their Hearts, whereof Hagar the Handmaid, and Sinai the Mountain▪ (ſignifying both one thing in the Apoſtles Phraſe) were a Figure.

2. That of the Goſpel, wherewith that of the Law, (notwithſtanding its differing Diſpenſation) did (in its Effect and ſubſtance) agree, as the Law was our School-maſter to bring us to Chriſt, Gal. 3.24. The Church in her Childhood was put under a Tutor, which preſuppoſeth an Authority that is only Temporary, and to be grown from, [manum Ferulâ ſubduximus] the Church is got above thoſe ſevere Diſciplines of Shadows and Ceremonies, all which yet pointed to Chriſt; and this Umbrage of the Jewiſh Pedagogy laſted until Chriſt (who is the Subſtance of theſe Shadows) came into the World: There were (indeed) ſome falſe Apoſtles in the Primitive Times, who would have continued the ſlaviſh Ceremonies of the Law, in oppoſition to the Spiritual Liberty of the Goſpel; ſuch Paul found in the Churches of Galatia, who would not only make theſe two Covenants diverſe, but alſo contrary; therefore the Apoſtle writes an Epiſtle to rectifie this miſtake, ſaying, Theſe things are Allegories, Types and Figures, ſhadowing out that one great Truth contained in the Covenant of Grace. 'Tis true, the Covenant of Works (made with Adam before the Fall) and the Covenant of Grace (made after the Fall) be two diſtinct and contrary Covenants: For though they do agree,

1. In having the ſame Author, God.

2. The ſame Parties, God and Man.

3. The ſame End, Gods Glory and Mans Good.

4. The ſame Tenure, both after a ſort be Conditional (though their conditions differ) not Abſolute; Yet theſe two Covenants do differ much: As,

1. In their Terms, Tenure or Conditions; the former requires performing, the latter believing; Do and live, ſaith the firſt; Live and do, ſaith the ſecond, Gal. 3.12. and Acts 16.31. Do this and live, ſaith the Covenant of Works; Believe and be ſaved, ſaith the Covenant of Grace; yet as the former requires a Faith in the Creator (though it knows no Redeemer.) The Jews profeſſed that they believed on God, John 8.41. and Chriſt acknowledg'd it, John 14.1. They believed, God loved Man as Created Holy, and continuing in that Holineſs; whereas the Faith of the Goſpel is, that God loveth loſt Man, a Sinner in his Saviour, Tit. 1.1, 2. So the latter Covenant requires Works, Tit. 2.11, 14. and Mat. 5.16. though it be a Covenant of Grace, and not of Works, as the matter of our Juſtification, as performed by our own ſtrength, and as preceeding a Legal Faith; believing God will love me unto Life, becauſe I have Works firſt as the ground of this Faith, whereas the Grace of the Goſpel requires Faith firſt, and then Works, Tit. 3.8. Let them which believe be careful to ſhew forth good Works: Firſt live (to wit, by Faith) and then do, this is the Obedience of Faith ſo called, Rom. 16.26. See that you have then a working Faith; whereas 'tis the uſual ſaying and ſentiment of the moſt and beſt Divines, that Faith is the Condition of the Covenant of Grace: For a right underſtanding of this Notion, mark well theſe following Conſiderations.

The firſt is, The Covenant of Grace is a Free Covenant; 'tis a Covenant of Free Grace, both in the promiſing and in the performing part; as Free Grace did from all Eternity purpoſe and propoſe it, ſo the ſame Free Grace doth in fulneſs of time perform and accompliſh it: p. 167There was no Obligation on Gods part to propound a ſecond Covenant to faln Adam after he had forfeited the firſt; but this Covenant did flow freely from God, ex gratiâ miſericordiae, out of his moſt gracious and condeſcending Mercy after the Fall, as the other did, ex gratiâ Favoris, out of Amicable Favour and Friendſhip to his Creature before the Fall; both were freely given, and both in Paradiſe: To Adam under his double capacity: No Man can maintain the Dominion and Soveraignty of God that aſſerts an Obligation on Gods part in any Overtures to his Creature before he bind himſelf firm thereto. The great God is no way Debtor either to Perſons or Things until he make himſelf ſo (firſt) by his own free and gracious Promiſe.

The ſecond Difference betwixt the Covenant of Works and of Grace is, the latter was made with a Mediator, but the former without one, for then there was no diſagreement betwixt God and Man before the Fall, but after the Breach was made by Mans firſt Tranſgreſſion, there ſtood need of a Mediator, and Chriſt is call'd the Mediator of the New Covenant, Heb. 9.15. and 12.24. Before ſin entred, God and Man were one, and in unity. Hence the Apoſtle argueth, A Mediator is not a Mediator of one, Gal. 3.20. but ſin became the Makebate, and ſet God and Man at odds and variance; as Mans Eating Forbidden Fruit was the Tranſgreſſion of God (his Makers) Law, and when God was one party offended, and Man was the other party offending, then there was need of a Mediator.

☞ NB. 1. If the penitent Prodigal found compaſſion in his Earthly Fathers Bowels without any Mediator to intercede for him, notwithſtanding his high offences, foreign, how much more may we (if truly penitent) hope to find compaſſion in our Heavenly Fathers Bowels, Pſal. 103.13. and Mat. 7.11. having a Mediator, and ſuch a Mediator as foreign, God-Man, Chriſt Jeſus is, whom the Father heareth always, John 11.42. and anſwers him with good words and comfortable, Zech. 1.13. Oh ſweet.

2. Miſerable is the condition of thoſe that never took hold of this Covenant of Grace, Iſa. 56.4, 6. but hopes to be ſaved by the Covenant of Works; their good deeds cannot outweigh their bad ones, Job 9.3, &c. If they would wage War againſt Divine Juſtice with Ten Thouſand good Works, 'twill War againſt them with Twenty Thouſand bad ones and overcome them, & contrà.

3. No better are they that have no Intereſt in Chriſt the Mediator, who is our peace, Eph. 2.13. and by whom all bleſſings come, John 1.16, 17. Eph. 1.7. Pſal. 68.18. and Eph. 4.8. 2 Cor. 2.20.

The third Difference betwixt the Covenant of Works, and that of Grace is, In the former, Divine Acceptation begins at the Action, and ſo goeth on to accept of the Perſon; the Work renders the Worker or the Perſon working acceptable to God; but in the latter this Divine Acceptation firſt begins with the Perſon, and then goes on to the Action; the Work cannot be accepted before the Worker be ſo in the beloved one Chriſt, Eph. 1.6. In the Covenant of Works God accepts the Perſon for the Work or Actions ſake, but in the Covenant of Grace God accepts, reſpects and rewards the Work or Action for the Perſons ſake. This may be thus Illuſtrated. The Tenure of the Covenant of Works runs thus, [Do and live] upon which Father Ambroſe hath an excellent Gloſs, ſaying, God (the Creator) called all his Created things good, and very good, at the end of every Days Creation, yet when he had Created Man, he ſpeaks not one word of the goodneſs of his Creature Man, not ſo much as [Tob] good, much leſs [Meod Tob] very good, and why ſo? ſaith he, Homo priùs probandus quàm approbandus, &c. Man muſt firſt be proved before he be approved; but alas, Man [bal Jalin, non pernoctavit] abode not one Night (as the Hebrew ſignifieth) in his Honourable Eſtate Wherein he was Created, Pſal. 49.12. He failed in his Action, ſo God accepted not of his Perſon: But the Tenure of the Covenant of Grace runs thus [Believe and live.] The VVorker muſt be a Believer, before the VVork can find Acceptance, according to that ſaying of Father Auguſtine, [omnia opera Infidelium ſunt tantùm ſplendida peccata] all the Works of Unbelievers are no better than ſhining ſins; their very praying (a Religious Action) as well as Plowing (a Civil Action) is an abomination to the Lord, Prov. 15.8. with 21.4. As Copreſs will turn Wine or Milk into Ink, ſo Unbelief turns all their Natural, Civil, Moral, or Spiritual Actions into Sin; their Plotting and Plowing miſchief, Hoſ. 7.15. and 10.13. is Iniquity, and not only ſo, but whether they Plow or Play, or Pray, or Eat, or Sleep, to the Impure and Unbelieving all things are impure, Tit. 1.15. Their very Incenſe ſtinks of the Hand which Offereth it, Iſa. 1.13, 14, 15. though of it ſelf it be a moſt ſweet and precious Perfume: Yea, their own Table (much more the Lords Table) becomes a Snare to them, Pſal. 69.22. and their very Prayer (though materially good) is formally bad, and becomes ſin, Pſal. 109.7. whereas the Prayer of the Righteous (whoſe Perſons are firſt accepted) is Gods delight, Prov. 15.8. his Melodious Muſick (even to a Charm or Inchantment, as the Hebrew word Lachaſh, p. 168Iſa. 26.16. ſignifieth) unto his Ears, Pſal. 18.6. as Honey-drops to his Taſte, Cant. 4.11. and his moſt fragrant perfume to his Smell, Pſal. 141.2. Inſomuch that God-hearing Prayer (as if charmed with their Prayers) breaks out into theſe words, ſaying, Ask of me concerning my Sons, and concerning the work of my hands command ye me, Iſa. 45.11. Oh the latitude of that Royal Charter! What improvement may fervent Faith make thereof? Luke 18.1, 7. Jam. 5.16, 17. This great Truth concerning the Perſons Acceptance before the Action of any can be accepted, may be exemplified by ſundry Scripture Inſtances; As,

Firſt, Gen. 4.4. and Heb. 11.4. [God had reſpect to Abel and to his Offering, &c.] Gods Reſpect was there and then firſt to his Perſon, and then to his Oblation; his Sacrifice was Reſpected by, and accepted of God, becauſe himſelf was juſtified by Faith firſt. Abel was a Believer, and one under Grace in his Perſon; hereupon Divine Reſpect or Acceptance being firſt to himſelf, aſcended ſecondly to his Sacrifice: Whereas, on the contrary, Cain was an Unbeliever, and not under Grace; and therefore, though he Offered as well and as good as Abel, God having no reſpect for his Perſon, had as little for his Offering, Gen. 4.5. But unto Cain and his Offering God Reſpected not. Cain was under the Covenant of VVorks, which was firſt made betwixt an holy God and an holy Man, wherein Man ſtood upon his own Legs, and by his own ſtrength, and in his own Perſon, without a Prieſt to bear his Sin, to Offer his Sacrifice: Adam had no more need of a Prieſt in his Repreſentative Covenant (wherein he repreſented all Mankind deſcending from him) than the Angels have in their Perſonal Covenant, (ſo called, becauſe they had not their Being by Deſcent, (as Mankind hath) but were all Created at once) to wit, while both Adam and Angels ſtood in their Integrity, but when that Covenant was broken, Abel (being a Believer) had a Back-door, and a Surety or High-Prieſt,

1. To preſent his Perſon, as to ſtand in his ſtead, to bear his Name, both upon his heart and upon his ſhoulders.

2. To offer his Sacrifice, &c. This gave Acceptance to his Perſon and Offering, but Cain was an Unbeliever, and all ſuch men have no more benefit by an High-Prieſt, than the Devils have (only to Men there is a poſſibility, and not unto them) while they continue under this broken Covenant; he was under the Covenant of Works, as appeareth by Gods ſaying to him, If thou doſt well, ſhalt thou not be accepted? Gen. 4.7. Under which Covenant there can be no Acceptation of the Perſon, while there is found any Imperfection in the Work (not tranſmitted to a Surety,) Gal. 3.10. Curſed is every one that continueth not in all things contained in the Law; any one failure in the Work procures a Curſe on the Perſon. This therefore is the compleat Compendium of the Goſpel, that the Work is accepted for the Perſons ſake, not contrà.

The ſecond Inſtance in Scripture is, Judg 13.22, 23. Manoah ſaid to his Wife, We ſhall ſurely die: This Opinion did grow (as 'tis ſuppoſed) upon that ground [There ſhall no man ſee me and live] Exod. 33.20. Though what they ſaw was [Merchabah velo Rocheba] The Chariot in which God Rode, but not the Rider, as the Rabbins phraſe is, which Jacob and Moſes had ſeen before theſe two: But his Wife having the ſtronger Faith, ſhores up her fainting Husbands Faith with three ſtrong Arguments, wherein ſhe reaſoneth from the Acceptance of their Oblation, to the Acceptance of their Perſon, ſaying, If the Lord-would ſlay our Perſons, he would not have accepted an Offering at our hands, &c. where ſhe excellently argueth, 1. That ſeeing God had accepted the Sacrifice which himſelf had commanded; 2. Had Aſcended up marvelouſly in the flame of it; And 3. Had promiſed them, that before they died, they ſhould have a Son, who would begin to Deliver Iſrael, &c. All which were not ſigns of his Anger, but of his Favour to their Perſons. The cogency of her whole Diſcourſe lieth thus; ſeeing in the Covenant of Grace, the Perſon muſt be accepted before the Action or Oblation; when the Offering is accepted, then is the Perſon or Offerer much more.

The third Inſtance in Scripture is, 1 Kings 18.23, 24, 29, 38. Two Bullocks were provided for diſcerning the True God from Falſe Gods, the one for Baal's Prophets, to ſacrifice to their Gods, the other was for the Lord's Prophet, Elijah: The former had the firſt choice; they took one of the Bullocks which they beſt liked. Elijah grants all the Advantages, to prevent all pretences that their God was ſullen, and therefore ſilent; both of them offered the ſame kind of Sacrifice, and if either were better than the other, the Prieſts of Baal certainly choſe it; the Priviledge was theirs as to both Dignity and Priority: Elijah's Sacrifice did not differ from theirs either in matter or manner, notwithſtanding his was accepted, and theirs rejected, becauſe God had no pleaſure in their Perſons, as he had in him. Actions are accepted from Perſons that be purified.

Inference 1. Woe and alas to thoſe yet in the Old Adam, and under the Covenant of Works! let ſuch bring to God a thouſand of Rams, and ten thouſand Rivers of Oil, all their Devotion is but a beautiful Abomination, Iſa. 66.3. God ſaith to them, I have no pleaſure in your p. 169Perſons, neither will I at your hands accept any Oblations, Mal. 1.10. I regard not your ſelves, therefore I reſpect not your Services. To the wicked God ſaith, What haſt thou to do? &c. Pſal. 50.16.

2. Thoſe in the Covenant of Grace are comforted, that a Cup of cold Water is acceptable from them, more than the many good works the Phariſee boaſts of he had done, Luke 18.12. If God hath accepted your Perſons, your Works (though never ſo weak) ſhall be accepted alſo. Jacob ſought the Bleſſing by wrong means; yet, though God loved not lying (which might have brought a Curſe rather than a Bleſſing) God ſaith, Jacob have I loved; hence his frailty is pardoned, and the bleſſing procured.

The Fourth Difference is, the Covenant of works is call'd foedus favoris & pactum Amicitiae a Covenant of Favour and Friendſhip, but the Covenant of Grace is call'd Faedus Redemptionis ceu Reconciliationis & pactum miſericordiae: the Covenant of Redemption and Reconciliation of Peace and Mercy: The former was made between the Creator and the Creature, when neither party was at variance, but the latter was made between a Sin-Revenging God, and a Sin-Committing Man, or a Rebellious Sinner, both theſe Covenants God made with Man in Paradiſe, according to Adam's double State, while he was placed therein.

Firſt, In his ſtate of Innocency, wherein there was then no variance betwixt God and Man, yet this is well called a Covenant of Favour and Friendſhip, for God as he is Creator, hath an abſolute Soveraignty over Man (his Creature) as the Potter hath Power over the Clay, &c, Adams beſt of Beings (next to Angels) his noble Nature, Life and Dominion over all Created things, were all undeſerved Favours, beſtowed by his Maker upon him, who might have made him a Worm, and not a Man, yea he might have given to Adam an Image much Inferiour to the Image of God, which conſiſts in Knowledge, Righteouſneſs and Holineſs, Gen. 1.26. Eph. 4.24. Col. 3.10. All theſe flowed from God to Man ex gratiâ favoris from a Divine Friendſhip to him, more eſpecially his entring into a Covenant with him, being a free Agent, and under no obligation to do ſo: In the five firſt Verſes of Job 4.1. the great God propoſeth ſome poſing Facetious and Ironical Queſtions to that poor mortal man Job, concerning that great Sea-Monſter the Whale, amongſt others this is one, he asks him [will he make a Covenant with thee?] to wit, will he compound where he cannot Conquer? no he ſcorns it, as a thing Infinitely below him: the Hebrew reading is [will he cut a Covenant with thee?] (alluding to Jer. 34.18. cutting the Calf in Twain, and the contracters paſſing between to bind the correſpondency of their Wills, and themſelves to be ſo cut in pieces in caſe of either failure) no, his Stomach is too ſtout to ſtoop thus low: Oh then how much lower did the Great God ſtoop, in ſo Voluntarily (without any Natural Neceſſity upon him) binding Himſelf to Man (as well as Man to Himſelf) in a Covenant, this was wonderful condeſcenſion, ſeeing the diſtance 'twixt the VVhale and Job, though it was vaſt, yet was it but Finite, as 'twixt one Creature and another, but the diſtance 'twixt God and Man (the Creator and the Creature) is Infinite: The Pſalmiſt calls it, Gods humbling himſelf, in vouchſafing to look out of himſelf upon the Angels in Heaven, Pſal. 113.4, 5, 6. how much more low condeſcenſion it is in the moſt high God, to look out of himſelf upon Man (made a little lower than the Angels, Pſal. 8.5.) and to enter into a Covenant with him, wherein, that Man might not think much (as if God were an Auſtere Maſter) to yield ready Obedience, he is pleas'd to engage himſelf in promiſing an Honourable recompence, even in this very Law-Covenant (in the State of Integrity) there were overtures of Divine Favour: As

1. That Man was not made ſomething elſe worſe than Man, but made his Maſter-Piece in the whole Creation (as before) in the Image of his Maker, who might have made him a Toad or other loathſome Creature.

2. That God gave all Creatures to Man for his uſe and eaſe, the Horſe to ride upon, and the Fruits of the Earth, &c. to feed upon. Man ſhould not look upon his borrowed Body, and his borrowed Soul, yea all that he is or has, but he muſt ſeriouſly reflect in admiring and adoring Divine Favour, and its out-goings in all, they are all the good gifts of a ſuperlatively good God. When he Rideth, he ſhould bethink himſelf, whence is it, that I am the Rider, and the weary Horſe the Carrier? this is from the goodneſs of God. So in caſe of Health, Life and Liberty, &c. Lord, what is man? and who am I? ſaith David: How many want what I have? But above all,

3. That whereas the Supreme God (out of his uncontroulable Soveraignty) might have commanded work without wages, yet he covenanted to give wages for work, yea ſuch wages as were far beyond the merit of the work. Mans penny-work of poor (as well as pure) Duty, muſt be ſo richly rewarded as with a Paradiſe-felicity: There is no proportion between them.

NB. Inference hence; If there were ſo much Divine Favour and Friendſhip in the Covenant of Works, as, whereas the abſolute Law-giver might never have vouchſafed to look out p. 170of himſelf (contenting himſelf with his own unconceivable Happineſs within himſelf) or might have laid a Law upon Man to make Brick without Straw, and to work without wages, yet is pleaſed to bargain with him for hire: He covenants (as well as commands) ſaying, Do this and live.

Thus even the firſt Divine Law (in this Law-Covenant) was wonderfully ſweetened with ſome Divine Love. A little work (in that eaſie prohibitive Precept, Thou ſhalt not eat forbidden fruit, &c.) was ſacilitated with a promiſe of very great wages. How much more doth the goodneſs of God abound and overflow in the Covenant of Grace made to Man? 2. In his ſtate of Corruption, when he had broke the firſt Covenant by his Diſobedience, and brought himſelf under the Curſe of that Covenant, yea and could by no means cure himſelf of that Curſe, then God freely from himſelf, and from his own foreign, or good pleaſure of his will, Eph. 1.5. (not from any merit or motive on Mans part) brought in the Covenant of Reconciliation, call'd Foedus Miſericordiae aut Gratiae, the Covenant of Grace and Mercy. Indeed the Covenant of Works was in ſome ſenſe a Covenant of Grace, (though it was not the Covenant of Grace) for there can be no Covenant between a finite Man, and the infinite God, but there muſt be ſome Grace in it, ſome Gracious Condeſcenſions. 'Tis true, 'twas rather Law-Grace, than Goſpel-Grace, for there was no Goſpel-Grace in the firſt Covenant, that Grace was the purchaſe of Chriſt's Paſſion (that Lamb ſlain from the foundation of the World, Rev. 13.8.) for compleating the ſecond Covenant; yet if Grace be taken (not ſtrictly, but) largely, for undeſerved goodneſs, ſo there were ſundry reſpects of Grace in the Covenant of Works; Man (even before the Fall) could not merit thoſe three Divine Vouchſafements aforeſaid; God did not grant them out of Debt, but out of Grace. This ſecond Covenant was made alſo with Adam in Paradiſe after the Fall, Gen. 3.15. as the other was made with him before the Fall, Gen. 2.17. where the Promiſe is implied in the Threatning expreſſed, [Obey and live] is underſtood in [Diſobey and die] where Death is the Curſe of that Covenant, which being made with Adam (as a Repreſentative of Mankind) continueth ſtill in force to all that are as yet in him. But there is ſuperabundant Grace in the ſecond Covenant, therefore it is call'd [foreign] by way of eminency, The Covenant of Grace. Though it was a Glorious Condeſcenſion in God to look out of himſelf upon the holy Angels in Heaven, and upon holy Adam on Earth, yet is it a far more Glorious Condeſcenſion for the holy God to look down ſo low as ſinful Man, ſeeing ſin ſetteth Man further below a Worm, than a Worm is below an Angel. The Inference from hence:

1. Oh then! how ſhould we cry out with the Apoſtle, foreign. Oh the depth of the Riches, both of the wiſdom and knowledge of God! Rom. 11.33. We ſhould ſtand with Paul (that great Mirrour and Miracle of Free Grace, 1 Tim. 1.15.) upon the banks of this Ocean of the Covenant of Grace, and ſpend our ſelves in contemplation of the boundleſs and bottomleſs, yea endleſs Dimenſions thereof, and in Admiration and Adoration of a gracious God therein. The meaſure of Grace in this Covenant is modus ſine modo, a meaſure without a meaſure: Its breadth and length, its height and depth (one Dimenſion above the three in Philoſophy) are all ſurpaſſing knowledge. Eph. 3.18, 19, 20. They are foreign, imperveſtigable, leaving no veſtigia or footſteps for carnal Reaſon to trace out, and foreign, imperſcrutable, not the ſagacity of the greateſt Sages, no nor the ſapience of the wiſeſt Angels are able to ſearch out, 1 Cor. 1.20, 21. & chap. 2.8, 9. & 1 Pet. 1.12. & 1 Tim. 3.16. The Divine Grace (wrapt up in this Covenant) is ſo deep, that the ſins of the vileſt ſinner in the World cannot ſink him beyond the depths thereof, may he be but enabled by Faith to ſwim thereon; no not a Manaſſeh, who defied God, murdered Men, and deified (or worſhipped) Devils; nor Mary Magdalen, who was poſſeſſed with ſeven Devils, all diſpoſſeſſed hereby.

2. But take heed leſt any take hold of the Devils Covenant inſtead of Gods, ſaying, I ſhall be ſaved (by this Covenant) though I live in my ſins. Alas! this clauſe the Devil (that old Deceiver) foiſteth into Gods Covenant, to make thee die in thy ſins too, John 8.21, 24. You had better die in a Ditch, or in a Dungeon, as die in ſin; then are ye damned to all eternity. VVithout holineſs no man can ſee God, Heb. 12.14. 'Tis call'd an holy Covenant, Dan. 11.30. If you cauſe it to indulge you in your unholineſs, you make it the Devils Covenant, not Gods, who will never own Satans forgeries and interlinings for his own hand-writing. You muſt be holy, as God and his Covenant is; either take it as he tenders it, or you cannot partake of the bleſſing by it.

NB. The Arminians do indeed affirm, that the Lord was under ſome compulſion and conſtraint to make the ſecond Covenant, for (ſay they) the Covenant of VVorks was ſo rigid, that God could not carry it on, and follow it out, unleſs he ſhould caſt Infants into Hell for a ſin, which was none of theirs (ſave only by imputation) and which was pardoned to the firſt Man who committed it; therefore (ſay they) God, having a natural Antecedent Love and Deſire to ſave all Mankind, was neceſſitated to make this Covenant of Grace with all Mankind, none p. 171excepted. See Corvinus contra Molinaeum, cap. 8. ſect. 7. and cap. 9. ſect. 5. Anſwer, This groſs miſtake doth not only bring the great God into the ſame ſtrait, which Darius (the King) was brought into, when he would have gladly delivered Daniel, but could not do it, Dan. 6.14. But alſo (which is far worſe) 'tis to ſay of God, what the blind Jewiſh Talmud Blaſphemouſly ſaith of him, that God hath a ſecret place wherein he afflicts himſelf, becauſe he Burnt the Temple, and deliver'd up the Jews to Captivity, for both which he drops down every Day two Tears into the Ocean, and for Grief daily ſmites himſelf upon his Breaſt with both his Hands: Talmud Doctrin. fidei Judaicae ord. 1. diſp. 7. & ord. 5. Tract. 8. 'Tis likewiſe to ſay of God as the Turkiſh Alcoran chap. 43. ſaith, That God and his Angels do wiſh well to Mahomet (their Prophet) but cannot free him from Death, which the Fates had Deſtined. Yea, laſtly, This Arminian miſtake maketh the true Jehovah to be no better than what the ignorant Heathens imagined concerning their Impious Jupiter, who (they ſay) doth daily deplore the Irreſiſtible Deſtinies, when he could not poſſibly divert them: What is all this but to think wickedly of God, that he is juſt ſuch a one as our ſelves? Pſal. 50.21. made up of paſſionate Affections, ſuch as are Deſires to have all, both Men and Angels, both Elect and Reprobate to be Eternally Saved, but he cannot help the matter with all his Omnipotency, and therefore muſt (upon the ſame account) take on and be ſorrowful, that he cannot procure the Salvation of all; thus they do not only put Fetters upon Gods Almighty Hands, but alſo lay ſtrange Reſtraints upon the free overflowings of his Free Grace and Goodneſs.

The ſecond Conſideration is, The Covenant of Grace is a free Covenant on Mans part as well as on Gods; as God had no Obſtacle or Obſtruction in himſelf (as is aforeſaid) to oblige him to it, ſo neither had he any Objective Idea of good, or Object of Complacency in Man (either ſeen or foreſeen) which moved and drew forth the compaſſion of God to give faln Man this Covenant of Grace; no, his own Free Grace, and the good pleaſure of his Will, Eph. 1.6. was his only Motive, Ground and Foundation thereof: According to that Maxim in Divinity, Idea Dei non advenit ei aliunde, God fetcheth not any Motives to or Reaſons of his Love from without him, but they flow freely from within himſelf to faln Man, who was then left without Money, he could pay no price for this New Covenant, Iſa. 55.1, 3. God freely gave him this Covenant, as 'tis ſaid concerning Abraham, I will give thee my Covenant, Gen. 17.2. So the Hebrew [Veetenah Berithi] ought to be read and rendred, though it be otherwiſe in our Tranſlation, which yet reads the like Phraſe to a plainer purpoſe, Numb. 25.12. Hebr: [Nothen lo eth berithi Shalom] I give unto him my Covenant of Peace, both which Scripture Phraſes do jointly imply, that the Covenant of Grace is a Free Gift of God to Man: And this great Truth is moſt Excellently Illuſtrated from that Intricate (yet Divinely Inſpired) Expreſſion, Deut. 7.7, 8. Behold, or lo he loved you, becauſe he loved you, which may ſeem idem per idem, a Womans Reaſon, yet is it a moſt manifeſt Demonſtration, that the ground of Gods Love to Man is ſolely in himſelf, and comes wholly from himſelf. Moſes (that Man of God, who was ſo oft and ſo long in the Mount with God) could aſſign no other Ground or Reaſon why Iſrael became [Gnam Segullah] a peculiar people, Exod. 19.5. Deut. 7.6. Mal. 3.17. (where the ſame word [Segullah] is uſed and read, (Gods Jewels) in Covenant with their God above all the common Stones of the World, but this, God frankly chus'd them for his Love, and then firmly loved them for his choice. Seeing all the World was his, he might chuſe or refuſe at his own pleaſure; nay, he tells them plainly, 'twas not for your Righteouſneſs, Deut. 9.5. but 'twas done freely, finding no Motive thereunto in them more than in others, 'twas only becauſe he had a delight to love them. Lo Betſidkathekah, Rak Chaſhak leahabah otham. 'Twas not for your Righteouſneſs, 'twas only God delighted to chuſe them for his Love, Deut. 10.15. and to reſt in his choice, Zeph. 3.17. And with Moſes agreeth Samuel (another Chancellor of Heaven) ſaying, [Ho il Jehovah legnaſh oth ethkem lo legnam] It pleaſed the Lord to make yon his people, 1 Sam. 12.22. the Hebr. Jail ſignifies to Swear, 1 Sam. 14.24. It not only pleaſed God to give them this Covenant, but he alſo Swore it to them: And with both theſe two doth David alſo concur, ſaying, [Ki Chaphets Bi] he made over ſuch and ſuch Mercies to me, becauſe he delighted in me, 2 Sam. 22.20. Chaphets implies the higheſt content, even delight; hence the Church is call'd Gods Chephſibah, Iſa. 62.4, his delight: Thus David (ſpeaking of himſelf) was Gods delight, but ſpeaking of Gods people, he ſaith, they had their Mercies, [Kiretſitham] becauſe God had a favour to them, Pſal. 44.3. The word Ratſah ſignifies the higheſt complacency, Pſal. 149.4. Thus alſo Ezekiel, chap. 36.22. and Jacob, Gen. 32.10. yea, all the Holy Patriarchs and Prophets did not dare to darken the Glory of Free Grace, but all unanimouſly exalted it, and gave it the higheſt honour, themſelves mean while ſitting down in the Duſt under the loweſt Abaſement.