The Difference Between the Old and New Covenants, Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
Of the evidences of intereſt in the New Covenant.
IT may be Queſtioned, How or by what means may a Soul know its actual Intereſt in, and Title to the New and better Covenant, and the better promiſes thereof?
For the clearing of this, I ſhall not inſiſt upon the teſtimony of the Divine Spirit, which is the primary evidence, Rom. 8. 16. 1 Joh. 5. 8. nor upon Sanctification, as it ſtandeth in ſpiritual diſpoſitions and inclinations for compliance with the Divine Will, either in cauſing an anſwerableneſs of heart, to what is commanded from us, (compriſed under a writing the Law there), or working into Evangelical obedience in the Life, or bringing up a ſelf-reſignation to the Lord, as Iſa. 44. 5. in tho Covenant it is expreſly promiſed, [they ſhall be my people]. Theſe things are inſiſted upon elſewhere; yea, frequently by others, therefore I ſhall paſs them over at preſent, and mention only one evidence.
Anſw. By the operations and actings of precious Faith, a Soul may have a clear knowledge of its actual intereſt in the New and better Covenant: That noble Grace of Faith hath ſuch a ſpecial relation to the Covenant, (which is made up of promiſes), that the Goſpel is called the Word of Faith, Rom. 10. 8. It is ſo expreſſive of the great matters of it, that Faith often and the Law or Old Covenant are the oppoſite terms of a diſtinction, Gal. 3. ver. 2, 5, 12, 23. Yea, ver. 9. they that are [of Faith] are bleſſed with faithful Abraham: they are ſharers with him in the ſame Covenant, and bleſſed therein: the very bleſſings of Abraham come on the Gentiles through Jeſus Chriſt, ver. 14. That we might receive the Promiſe of the Spirit through Faith. Much is to be drawn out of the free Promiſe for our relief and ſuccour in any condition, yea for the influenceing of any other Graces, by Faith. By that, our entercouſe with God here is kept up: Not that the Promiſe is made to beliving as a Grace in us, or as a gracious Act put forth by us, but to the Believer as in Chriſt. Faith is not magnified as a quality, but as in the Office of receiving the Promiſe, and of excellent uſe therein. Verſ. 22. That the Promiſe through the Faith of Jeſus Chriſt might be given to them that believe. Faith is not then properly the condition of the Covenant, upon the performance of which, they have a right and title to it; but a choice effect of it, and a ſingular means for the application of the promiſes, and fetching in of Covenant bleſſings to the Soul: by that, the Promiſe or what is in the Promiſe, is given to it, and Faith having thus to do with the Promiſes, it muſt needs have an aptitude above other Graces, above Sanctification and Evangelical obedience to witneſs a Souls intereſt in the everlaſting Covenant, Heb. 11. 1. It is an evidence of things not ſeen; and therefore it ſelf is not as inevident as thoſe other things.
There are various acts of Faith, that by the concurrence of the Divine Spirit may evidence intereſt in the Covenant.
1. By Faith in the Free Promiſe ſuch glorious diſcoveries of the Grace and Lov… of God in Jeſus Chriſt unto ſinners ar… afforded, as their hearts conſent to th… offer thereof: it is by the ſhining of Goſpel light through the Free Promiſe into the hearts of men, that they are turned from darkneſs to light, Act. 26. 18. The higheſt natural light will leave them ſhort of a diſcovery of ſin, in its exceeding ſinfulneſs, and of the riches of Grace in Jeſus Chriſt for the recovery of loſt ſinners; they cannot ſee theſe aright till they be revealed by the Divine Spirit, Matth. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 10, 14. Tit. 2. 11, 12. Unbelievers may have a notion of theſe things, but when they are ſeen by an eye of Faith, they appear in another manner, Rom. 1 16, 17. The Goſpel is the power of God to Salvation, to every one that believeth. The heart ſtood immediately before at an infinite diſtance from the Lord Jeſus, and was full of oppoſition againſt him, but when there is a work of Faith upon it, then Di…ine power is exerted by the Word or Promiſe of the Goſpel, for the drawing it off from all other objects to …itch upon Jeſus Chriſt alone for Salvation in a way of Free Grace; then it …ccepteth of the bleſſed offer, when all …rguments in the World before would not prevail with it. The heart that ſtood off from him, is then brought over to him by the Goſpel, and why? [For therein is the righteouſneſs of God revealed from Faith to Faith]. It is in a Goſpel-Glaſs that a Soul gaineth a right diſcovery of the excellency of Jeſus Chriſt, and that righteouſneſs of his without which no Salvation. It is by Faith that there is a learning of the Father, ſo as effectually to be drawn unto the Son. This cordial conſenting to the offer of the Goſpel, in ſubmitting to the obediential righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt alone for acceptation unto Life, this is Faith unto Juſtification, Rom. 10. ver. 3, 4, 6, 10. as the like conſent to have him for our Lord to rule over us by his Spirit dwelling in us, is Faith unto Sanctification, Act. 15. 9. Rom. 8. ver. 9, to 16. Thus the Soul maketh out to the blood of Jeſus Chriſt for cleanſing from all ſin; and the firſt act of cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt is by Faith in a Free Promiſe that is the firſt Grace that lives in it the firſt breathings of Spiritual Life are thereby: ſuch powerful and admirable alterations are found at firſt acquaintance with Jeſus Chriſt, by diſcoveries above ſenſe, fetching in the heart unto him beyond all other means, that they muſt needs be evidencing of intereſt in the Promiſe or Covenant from whence all theſe come. Such firſt things have a mark upon them, and often are moſt diſcernable, the ſtate thereupon being ſo vaſtly different from what it was, how refined ſo ever the nature was before.
Thus ſome have had their intereſt cleared up in ſuch a word as that, 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful ſaying and worthy of all acceptation, that Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners, of whom I am chief.
By the eye of Faith a Soul gaineth ſuch a proſpect of matchleſs Love and Free Grace, as it is won over to Jeſus Chriſt thereby, through a powerful application of the Promiſe to it ſelf, 1 Joh. 5. 10, 11. He that believeth on the Son hath the witneſs in himſelf; he being inabled by Grace to entertain and cordially ſubſcribe to the bleſſed record upon a Divine Teſtimony, viz. that God hath given to us Eternal Life, and this Life is in his Son; thereby he ſetteth to his Seal that God is true in the Word of his Grace, that hath a witneſſing power, and the perſon hath the witneſs within himſelf, even when he ſometimes doth not diſcern it.
2. By Faith the Soul maketh out to Jeſus Chriſt in the Free Promiſe, as he alone that giveth it ſubſiſtence in ſpiritual Life: Oneneſs with Jeſus Chriſt cannot be without intereſt in the Covenant, 2 Pet. 1. 4. [In whom] are given to us exceeding great and precious Promiſes, &c. Epheſ. 3. 6. Partakers of the Promiſe in Chriſt. Ver. 17. That Chriſt may dwell in your heart by Faith. It is a promiſe-hold that we have of Jeſus Chriſt here, his in-being and indwelling is by Faith; ſo he even animateth the Souls of Saints, Gal. 2. 20. I live, yet not I, but Chriſt liveth in me, how? I live by the Faith of the Son of God. Others live by ſenſe, they ſeed upon earthly comforts, but Chriſtians live by Faith; by what is laid up in Divine Promiſes, by theſe things they live; they know not how to ſubſiſt in any ſtate or condition without a Promiſe: they would count themſelves dead creatures without that, whatever earthly enjoyments they had in poſſeſſion. Neither will a Promiſe alone ſatisfie without Jeſus Chriſt in it, [Chriſt liveth in me], he is the very Life of their lives: without him nothing but ſpiritual ſwoonings, faintings, dyings, and all from the want, and failings, of Faith. That fetcheth in all influences from Jeſus Chriſt for the ſupporting, and hath the great hand and ſtroak in all the actings, of ſpiritual Life; all ſpiritual motions are managed thereby, Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God. And therefore Sanctification is but a ſecondary or after evidence. That is not diſcernable till firſt there be a diſcerning Faith, which ſpeaketh Juſtification. If Faith be inevident, all other Graces will be ſo alſo.
Faith may be ſhewed unto others by Works, Jam. 2. 18. A man may be Declaratively juſtified by Works, but if a man doubteth of his Faith, he will as well doubt of his Works, whether they be from a Goſpel root or not? For, no Love of the right ſtamp (and ſo no due obedience) but what is the fruit and iſſue of Faith in the Lord Jeſus; For, that worketh by Love, Gal. 5. 6.
As firſt acts of Faith, do not conſiſt in believing that our ſins are pardoned, but in a receiving Jeſus Chriſt and his righteouſneſs as the way to pardon, Joh. 1. 12. So, if Chriſtians kept up in acts of Faith by outgoings of heart to him in the way of the Promiſe for all that is wanted, there would be not only ſweet flowings of Love and Evangelical obedience iſſuing thence; but alſo they would be filled with all joy and peace in believing, Rom. 15. 13.
I have often thought, if Chriſtians did give more attendance to ſuch direct acts of Faith, and ſpent leſs time in queſtioning their conditions, or giving way to doubtings about them, they would find their intereſt in the Covenant cleared up, yea and conſolation alſo coming in as by the by.
3. By Faith Souls are venturing upon the Free Grace and faithfulneſs of God, in his Covenant in the greateſt diſtreſſes with good ſucceſs: The New Covenant is made up all of Promiſes, and the Goſpel is called the Word of Faith, becauſe it is the Work of Faith to draw out what is veſſeled up there, Heb. 10. 38. Now the Juſt ſhall live by Faith. Not only as to Juſtification, but as to expectation of mercy promiſed. Many would be acting Faith in the concluding intereſt in Chriſt and Eternal Life, but they ſhould be acting it by a cordial owning of Evangelical principles; Yea, Chriſtians ſhould lead their whole Life in looking to the Love and Faithfulneſs of God in his Promiſe for all their relief and ſuccour in any condition they come into here, yea even for Eternal Mercy, Heb. 6. 18. They are purſued by ſpiritual enemies, corruptions, and Temptations, and are in great danger, but by hope (which floweth from Faith, and can act no higher than Faith doth) they go, yea run for refuge, to the hope, to the heavenly glory that is ſet before them, ſo as they lie as at Anchour in ſuch ſtormy daies; and here are two immutable things, the Promiſe and the Oath of God, that by theſe they might have ſtrong conſolation. By Faith they realize the very things contained in the Promiſe or Covenant, and ſo their intereſt in it is experimentally witneſſed to them. They can ſay, at ſuch a time when we were in Soul diſtreſs, ſo as all the means in the World could contribute nothing towards inward eaſe, quietment and conſolation; then we being inabled by Grace to bear the weight of our Souls, and our conditions upon the Faithfulneſs of God in his Covenant or Free Promiſe, we found relief and refreſhment. It was not meerly our own fancy and imagination, but we were delivered out of our diſtreſſes; by Faith we were inabled to draw out of the Promiſe, the Milk of conſolation, which it was beyond the power of all creatures to afford us, and thus they find that the Covenant or Promiſe is their own.
4. By Faith in the Free Promiſe, there is a ſtanding Conquerours in Jeſus Chriſt over all ſpiritual enemies: it is a great matter of the Covenant, that the Seed of the Woman ſhould break the Serpents bead, Gen. 3. 15. And therefore there is (through Grace) a vanquiſhing all the enemies of Salvation, Sin, and Satan, through the bleſſed Seed the Lord Jeſus. The Promiſes are accompliſhed within the Soul, but the way is Epheſ. 6. 16. Above all take the Shield of Faith.
That not only is beſt for deſcrying Satan in all his Stratagems, but for the withſtanding of him alſo, Joh. 5. 4. This is the Victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith. When the Soul hath Combates, or Spiritual Conflicts, and reaſon is foiled, cannot bear up, then Faith appeareth as Victorious, not in its own ſtrength, but in the ſtrength of Chriſt and his conqueſt, which it maketh uſe of in theſe encounters. And thus conquering acts of Faith, as before venturing, relieving, and diſcovering acts, are uſeful for witneſſing intereſt in the Covenant.
I might ſhew that Faith hath other acts, as, acts of aſſurance, drawing up concluſions, he hath loved me, and given himſelf for me, Gal. 2. 20. But I have ſaid enough to ſhew that it giveth a knowledge of being within the New Covenant.