The Covenant of Life Opened, Part 1 · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII. 1. All are to try under what Covenant they are. 2. Threatnings under the New Testament are more spirituall 3. Desertions under both are compared. 4. Considerable differences of such as are under the Covenant of Works, and such as are under the Covenant of Grace. 5. Of legall terrors. 6. Of convictions compelled, free, legall, &c.
Quest. 1. WHether should not all try under what Covenant they are.
Answ. Self-searching is a reflect act upon the state (and such acts are more spirituall, then direct acts) and therefore it should be the work of all, to try, under what reign they are, whether of the first or second Adam. And where…s Angels cover their faces and their feet with wings,Self searching necessary. Isa. 6. before God and are full of eyes, as without, so also within R…v. 4.8. We may hence learn, such come nearest to the nature of these pure and heavenly Spirits, who have eyes within to see what they are, and their blacknesse of face and feet, when they compare themselves either with the Holy God, or his Holy Law. 2. The Carnall man is a beast, Psal 49.20. and beasts have no reflect acts upon their own beastly state.Reflect …cts are more spirituall then direct acts. 3. The more of a spirituall life is in any the more stirring in communing with their own heart, the Law makes, the more of life that is in the worme when tramped on, the more stirring it makes: deadnesse and stupiditie in not being versed and well read and skilled in our selves and our own heart, argues little of the Spirit, and estrangement to a spirituall Covenant, nor can any lay hold on the Covenant of Grace in a night dream.
Quest. Whether are there rarer threatnings of Temporall evils under the New Covenant, then under the Old?
Answ. It cannot be denyed, except the threatnings of the Sword, Famine Pestilence on Jerusalem, and the desolation upon the Jews, Math. 23. Math. 24. but in place of all the diseases of Egypt,Threatnings under the New Testament more spirituall, then under the Old. Levit. 26. and the long Roll of dreadfull judgements and curses temporall, Deut. 28. denounced against the transgressours of the former Covenant, Christ and the Apostles are more sparing in denouncing temporall plagues in the New Testament. Christ sayeth the worme never dieth, the fire never goeth out, the Hypocrite is to be bound hand and foot and cansten into utter darknesse, Math. 22.12. and the Holy Ghost such shall not inherite the Kingdome of Heaven, 1 Cor. 6 9. Eph. 5.5. the Apostate is near a curse, his end burning, Heb. 8.6. he is to look for judgement and firie indignation, Heb. 10.27. to some is reserved the blacknesse of darknesse for ever, Jude 7. the lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, which is the second death, Rev. 21.8. Because 1. Temporall blessings and curses are more legall, and more easily believed, when the light was dimmer then now, when light is larger, convictions stronger, and men are more ap… to believe Everlasting wrath.Desertions under the Old and New Testament compared. 2. Its a more Gospel way to bear in the threatning of Everlasting wrath then of Temporall rods. 3. Desertions and tryalls under the Law were more legall and sharp and sad upon David, Ezekiah, Job, Jeremiah, Heman. Psal. 6. Psal. 38. Psal. 77. Psal. 102. Psal. 88. Isa. 38. Jer. 20. But it is to be thought, that in regard the day now hath dawne, the Gospel desertions coeteris paribus for the aboundance of light, are more sharp nearer to dispaire, see 2 Cor. 1.8. We were pressed out of measure above strength, in so much that we despaired even of life, having received the sentence of death. Its a doubt if Paul should be so pressed by a sentence of temporarie death. Though there be a larger measure of faith, to bear up the soul under the New Testament: but it would appear there is more of hell now then under that dispensation, and that the Gospel despair of Judas and of these that cry for mountains and hills, to cover them, Luke 23.29, 30. is more intollerable under the Gospel.The Saint are stronger to suffer under the New Testament then under the Old. (4.) There is a more numerous company of these who have not loved their lives to the death, and the Martyres that suffered more exquisite torments for Christ, under the persecuting Emperours and reigne of Antichrist, then ever before; the constraining love of Christ, which is stronger then death or hell hath so swallowed up all temporarie sufferings, the Spirit hath such influence on the flesh. (5.) When the world seeks wisdome, 1 Cor. 1. and Rabbies of the Jews and learning and artes abound all the world over,A larger number of Godly, of the rude & unlearned, th…n of the wise and learned according to the flesh. as the profound Philosophers of the Gentiles, the wonders of nature prove, yet not many wise are called, 1 Cor. 3.21, 26, 27. and unlettered and ignorant, are, in number, for Godly spirituall knowledge, farre beyond the Godly learned; and make that true, Esa. 11.9. The earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea, and Isa. 30.26. And the light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun shall be as the light of seven dayes, so hath the Lord darkned carnall learning, though of it self the good gift of God, with the shining of spirituall wi…edome in the fools of the world, for so are they judged, 1 Cor. 1.27.
Q. 3. What are the speciall differences of one under the Covenant of Works, and of one under the Covenant of Grace? Its a Law-state to be under the dominion of sin, the nature of this dominion.Answ 1. The dominion and kingly power of sin, to condemn and judge to eternall wrath, and also to command against all shaddow of reason, such crying sins, 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Rom. 1.29, 30. Gal. 5.20, 21. Eph. 4.17, 18, 19. Col 3.5. 1 Tim. 1.9. Rev. 21.8. Rev. 22.15, 16. without exception makes an universall slave; for as far as the lusts of sin go, as far goes the dominion of sin, and this is to be under the Law, Rom. 6.14. (2.) There is subjection to the Law when men are agents in resigning and giving themselves over, or offer themselves as sacrifices at the altar, or servants that tender their service to their masters, Rom. 6.16. to sin, which hath strength from the Law to condemne, 1 Cor. 15.56. and to be a captive is not intended, but comes on by occasionall force, Rom. 7. such are patients as it were. But 3. Then they are sinnes servants, when there is a Law of sin and a Covenant, as there is between a master and a servant, And 2. full consent, and men give themselves, and willingly commit and deliver themselves (the word spoken of Christs willingnesse to offer himself for us, Eph. 5.25. and to God the Judge, 1. Pet. 2.23.) to commit filthinesse foreign in aboundance, The difference between the wrestling and protesting of a naturall conscience against the flesh, and betweene the flesh & the Spirit.with greedinesse, Esa. 9.19. when the renued part enters not a spirituall protestation on the contrare, see Rom. 7.19. the carnall protestation entered by naturall reason is not the protestation of the renued will and affections against the will and affections, but will against will makes a division of the practicall act, and division weakens, the half is lesse then the whole, especially when half and half are contrare, half fire and half water makes the burning lesse, half light, half darknesse makes twylight, its not perfect day light, yea and it not only lesseneth, but weakneth, yea and alters the kind of the morall act, no reason can admit that when a merchand casts his goods in the sea for fear of shipwrake, that he does an act of prodigalitie or wastrie: It wants delight and full consent. Herods killing of John Baptist, though he did it with sorrow, yet was no compelled nor devided action between renued affection and unrenued affection. And so it was no protestation in favour of the Law of God, for he was not grieved, because murthering of the man of God was against the honour of God, but because not murthering of him was against his supposed credit, he should appear before men perjured, and to kill was a torment of conscience, it was then a protestation in favour of his own credite and conscience naturall. Hence the formall objects of action and action, show the clear difference between the combate between sense and reason, or between a naturall conscience and the flesh, (for a naturall conscience cannot plead for, and protest in favour of the spirituall Law of God) and the combate between the flesh and the Sprit. 2. The second speciall difference is in the Law convictions and the Gospel convictions,Compelled convictions argue a Law-Spirit, convictions under the Gospel, are stronger and more solide, for they have more of sanctified reason: 2. Will. 3. Inclination of heart and affection: A believer accuseth himself and joines actively with the Spirit to convince himself, and hightens his own guiltinesse, Psal. 51.1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Dan. 9.5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 20. but a Law conviction comes upon Divels and they tremble, John 2.19. and upon such as are under the Law, and are unsent for, by resultance from a naturall conscience, as heat from fire, light from the Sun: Compelled convictions speak a Law-state.
2. It is easier to be found and Orthodox, then to be Godly,It is easier to be found then to be Godly. Sathan in a manner foundly believes there is one God, Jam. 2.19. and that Christ is the Son of God, Luke 4.34. and so doeth the carnall Jew teach that it is not lawfull to steal, to commit adultery, Rom. 2.21, 22. But in the Old and New Testament, Devils never accuse themselves of sin, but tempt to it, and challenge the Law and God. Gen. 3.4, 5. of unjustice, never themselves; Divels are most properly under the Covenant of Works, and by no command is the Gospel Preached to them, and next to them are such as are found in the letter of the Gospel, but never convinced of sin: Such are most under the Law, as have least Law-work and Law-condemnation upon their Spirits, these that are under the Law most, as touching their state, are most under the letter, least under the Spirit, as touching any penall awaking.Legall terrours convert none. To be under Law-bondage is, a more punishment to Divels and men under a Law state, for legall terrors are upon Divels, Math. 8.29. Jam. 2.19. and Cain Gen. 4.14. punishment as such neither maketh, nor denominateth any gracious, it is but accidentall to prepare any for Christ,Legall terrours may be mistaken and conceived to be the child birth of Regeneration many tormented with the Law have believed such a case to be the pain of the second birth, when it was but a meer Law-feaver, and have returned to their vomit and become more loose and profane. 1. Because the Law as the Law can convert none. 2. Wrestling with Law-bondage without any Gospel-Grace is but a contradicting of God, and his justice; and God recompenceth opposing and blaspheming of him in hell, with more sinfull loosenesse. 3. Law-light under legall terrors shines more clearly, and the guiltinesse in not making use of rods of that nature is so much the more grievous. Ye that have been scadded and burnt in this furnace, and are come back from hell, are taught by sense to believe there is a hell, and though hell torment can convert no man, yet it renders men more unexcusable: Humbling, wakning, and sanctifying Law-bondage is more then a work of the Law when it brings forth confessing, praying, believing, humble submitting to God, in Job, David, H…zekiah, Heman, and what a Physician is Christ who can heal us with burning and coals of hell.
Literall and legall conviction on the mind, and Gospel conviction on the affection.3. A man under a Law-work may give a legall and dead assent, to both the truth and goodnesse of the promises liberally conceived, as temporaries doe, and Simon Magus wonders, but Saul, Acts 9. the Jaylor trembles, Acts 16. but that is in regard of the conviction not of the mind only, but of the conviction of affection and the yeelding to what shall I do? But Foelix trimbleth, but only in regard of literall conviction on the mind, but neither he nor Magus comes to what shall I doe? they differ as the burning light of a fire, which both casts light and with it shi…ing heat also, and the light that precious stones cast in the night, which is both little and hath no heat. Fyrie and piercing convictions are good, there is a dead conviction of the letter that doth not profite.
Naturall and supernaturall convictions, the danger of the latter, if they be firy, and not tempered with grace.4. There is a strong Law-conviction that vengeance followeth the scaddings of Sodomie, and the killing of parents, because naturall instinct kindles and fires the soul with Law-apprehensions, when the minde hath engraven sharpnesse to discerne undenyable principles, but the conscience is more dull in apprehending that spirituall vengeance followeth such spirituall sins as unbelief, because untill there be some supernaturall revelation, we are dead to the Gospel truths, and Gospel sins, but when a common Grace hightens the soul to a supernaturall assent, that Christ is a Teacher sent of God, Joh. 7.28. Joh. 3.2. the conviction is more strong: But because it is more supernaturall, and in stead of kindly affection of love which it wants, it is mixed with hatred and anger and so degeners into fierie indignation against the Holy Ghost, as Joh. 15.24. compared with Math. 12.15, 26.31. cleareth. 5. Conviction which is no more but conviction,…are conviction is no Godly principle. is no godly principle, nor makes any heart change, yea it goes dangerously on to wonder and despise, except it send down coals of fire to the affections. 6. He who is under the Covenant of Grace findes a threefold sweetnesse in obedience.A sweetnes in the hardest cō mand, because it is the holy wil of God, in a child under grace. 1. An inbred sweetnesse in the command. 2. In the strength by which he acts. 3. An inbred sweetnesse in a communion with God. No man is any other way under the Law, then under a yoak, what is only written seems the oldnesse of the letter, Rom. 7. and is dead of it self, and layes on a burden, but gives no back to bear. He that is under Grace findes sweetnesse of delight in a positive Law though the thing commanded be as hard to flesh and blood as to be crucified, Joh. 10.18. yet it obtains a sweetnesse of holinesse from Gods will, Psal. 40.8. I delight to do thy will, O God, (even to be made a curse and crucified) Thy Law is within my heart, and he would but fulfill all righteousnesse, even that which seems to be the outside of the Gospel, to be sprinkled with water, Math. 3.15. and this Christ would doe as under the Covenant of Grace.
2. The stirrings and breathings of the Spirit makes the work sweet, hearing brings burning of heart, Luke 24.32. willing gladnesse,A sweetnes of communion with God an aboundant hire for a duty to a child under Grace. Acts 2.41. and some sweetnesse of stirred bowells comes from the Lords putting in his hand through the Key-hole of the door of the heart, Cant. 5.4. where as to an naturall man under the Law, to lift up a Prayer is to carie a milstone on his back, every syllabe of a word is a stone weight which he cannot bear. 3. Were there no more in praying, but a communion with God, how sweet is it? when Christ prayeth, the fashion of his countenance is changed, Luke 9.29. There is a heaven in the bosome of Prayer, though there were never a granting of the sute, sure there is a sin in making heaven a hire, and in making duty a relative thing, a horse for a journey, a ship for a voyage to fetch home gold, where as there is heaven in praising God before the Throne, such as is both work and wages, and so in spirituall duties here.
7. Suppose there were no letter of a command, because there is suteablenesse between the Law ingraven in the heart, and the spirituall matter commanded, a childe of Grace under Grace sets about duties,How an inward principle of a new nature stands (as it were) for a commād, and yet the Word and Spirit must not be sep…r…ted. so that (in a maner) there is no need to say to David, Get thee to Jerusalem and to the house of God, for he sayeth, Psal. 122.1. I was glad when they said, let us go to the house of the Lord. As there needs no command that the Father love the child, nor is there need to exhort the Sea to ebbe and flow, or the Sun to shine: nor are many arguments usefull to presse the mother to give suck to the child, nature stands for a Law here, the strength of the ingraven Law in the heart, overpowreth the letter. So the new nature, the indwelling anointing, as a new instinct putteth the child of Grace to act. But here we are to bewar, that we separate not the Word and the Spirit, the Father of Spirits loves to work with his own tools, and sow with his own seed the Word of God, these three agree in one 1. The Spirit acting. 2. The habite of Grace acted upon by the Spirit, who blows away the ashes, and 3. The word of exhortation: nor doe we extoll dead letters and livelesse formes, as Libertines say, for we take in with the letter the quickning sense and convincing meaning of the Word, and its considerable that the Spirit drawes sweetly after him, the nature, faculties of will, minde and affections, and they need no other allurement but the Word, the Spirit, and the new nature: But when they barbarouslie slew their children and made them passe through the fire, they must put out of their ears and hearts the crying and howling of the murthered Babies, with the noise of the beatting of drums; nature serves the Divell often weeping, and Sathan deadenes nature, Grace so mortifies as the consent of delegation goes alone, Psal. 1.2. Psal. 119.72.97.