The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 5 · Section 7 – Section 8
SECT. VII.
A ſeventh property of this Covenant, is this, It is a ſure and ſtedfaſt Covenant. It is a ſure and ſtedfaſt Covenant.Deut. 7. 9. The Lord thy God he is God, the faithful God which keepeth Covenant with them that love him. 2 Chron. 6. 14. O Lord God which keepeſt Covenant. 2 Sam. 23. 5. He hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant, ordered in all things and ſure. Pſa. 19. 7. The teſtimony of the Lord is ſure. Pſal. 93. 5. Thy teſtimonies are very ſure.
That is called ſure,A thing is called ſure which is not a lye.
1. Which is not a lye, but a truth; In this reſpect the Covenant is a ſure Covenant. It is no lye, Pſal. 89. 35. I will not lye unto David, Hab. 2. 7. At the end the viſion ſhall ſpeak and not lye, Titus 1. 2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot lye promiſed before the world began: It is a truth, Micah 7. 20. Thou wilt perform the truth unto Jacob. Pſalme 132. 11. The Lord hath ſworne in truth. Pſalme 91. 4. His truth ſhall be thy ſhield and buckler.
2. Which will not faile, but will certainly come to paſſe; it will be accompliſhed, it will anſwer hope, and expectation every way. In this reſpect alſo Which will not fail.the Covenant is ſure. Pſal. 89. 33. I will not ſuffer my faithfulneſſe to faile. Hab. 2. 3. It will ſurely come; though it tarry, wait for it. Jer. 32. 41. I will rejoyce over them to do them good, and I will plant them in this Land aſſuredly. Verſe 42. I will bring upon them all the good that I have promiſed them. 1 Kings 8. 56. There hath not failed one word of all his good promiſe.
3. Which alters not: In this reſpect alſo is the Covenant ſure. Pſal. 89. 28. My Covenant ſhall stand faſt with him. Verſe 34. My Covenant will I not Which alters not.break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Iſa. 54. 10. The mountains ſhall remove, and the hills ſhall fall down; but my mercy ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the Covenant of my peace fall away, ſaith the Lord that hath compaſſion on thee. 2 Cor. 1. 20. All the promiſes of God in him are Yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by us.
There are two things unto which I would briefly ſpeak concerning this property of the Covenant, namely the ſureneſſe or certainty of it.
1. Queſt. How it may be demonſtrated, That the Covenant of grace is a ſure How it is demonſtrated to be a ſure Covenant. It depends upon the counſel, purpoſe, and love of God.Covenant.
Sol. There are ſix things to demonſtrate or clear it. Viz.
1. This Covenant depends upon the counſel of God, and the purpoſe of God, and love of God, immutable and ſure grounds; theſe are (as it were) the ſprings and the foundations of the Covenant of grace, viz. Gods love unto us, his counſel wiſely and deliberately contriving for us, and his purpoſe reſolving and intending everlaſting good unto us.
Now every one of theſe is ſure and certain; The love of God is unchangeable; wh…m he loves once, he loves for ever; I have loved thee with an everlaſting love, Jer. 31. 3.
The counſel of God is immutable, wherein (ſpeaking of this Covenant, Heb. 6. 17.) God willing more abundantly to ſhew unto the heires of promiſe the immutability of his counſel (confirmed it by an oath.)
The purpoſe of God is ſure. So the Apoſtle, 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God ſtandeth ſure; that foundation of God is his election, which is compared to a foundation, becauſe it is that upon which all our good and happineſſe is built, and becauſe as a foundation it abides firme and ſure.
2. This Covenant hath as firme and ſure Ingredients as can be deſired.It hath firm and ſure ingredients.
There is in it,
1. The preſence of what is neceſſary to the certain performance of the Covenant. The preſence of what is neceſſary to the performance of it; as,There are two things neceſſary thereunto. 1. The power of God. 2. The Will of God; if God be able, and if God will performe his Covenant, it is then ſure. Now let us conſider both theſe in reference to the Covenant.
1. The power of God; power is neceſſary to give a being unto all undertakings; The power of God.If a poor man promiſeth much, yet there is no certainty of it, becauſe though he be very willing, yet he is very unable; the engagement exceeds his ſtock of ability. But God is able to performe all the good promiſed to his people in the Covenant. Rom. 4. 21. Abraham was fully perſwaded that what God had promiſed, he was able alſo to perform.
For the clear underſtanding of this, remember four particulars.
1. There is not any one promiſe of God, but hath the power of God accompanying No promiſe of God, but hath the power of God engaged for it.it, and engaged for it; whether for temporal things, ſee an excellent place for this, Numb. 11. 18. The Lord will give you fleſh and you ſhall eat. Ver. 19. Ye ſhall not eat one day, nor two dayes, nor ten, nor twenty, but a whole month. Verſe 20. And Moſes ſaid verſe 21. The people are ſix hundred thouſand footmen, and thou haſt ſaid, I will give them fleſh for a whole month; Shall (ver. 22.) the flocks and herds be ſlain for them to ſuffice them? or ſhall the fiſh of the ſea be gathered together for them? as if he had ſaid, But art thou able to make this promiſe good? the Lord ſaid unto Moſes, verſe 23. Is the Lords hand waxed ſhort? Thou ſhalt ſee whether my word ſhall come to paſſe unto thee or not; he did make it good. Or whether the promiſe be for ſpiritual things, there is the power of God accompanying it, Micah 7. 18. Who is a ſtrong God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity. He is able to pardon all our ſinnes, and able to change our hearts, and to ſubdue our iniquities, and to write his Law in our hearts, and to make all grace to abound, and to keep us from falling, and to preſerve us to his heavenly glory; We are kept by the power of God.
2. This power is a ſupreme and over-topping power; it is an exceeding power; This power is a ſupreme power.a power that cannot be hindred; If he will bleſſe, who can curſe? If he be with us, who can be againſt us?
No creature can raiſe up and ſtay it; it is ſuch a power as beares down all before it. All that Pharaoh could do, could not make or hinder the power of God from delivering his people according to his promiſe; nor all the Kings could hinder their poſſeſſing of promiſed Canaan.
3. This power is independent; it takes not in any aſſiſtance to help it, but is alone This power is independent.ſufficient to it ſelf, and unto all its works, and unto all the purpoſes of God; there is enough of his power as to creation, ſo to converſion, and pardoning, and bleſſing.
4. This power is an enduring power; it ſtill abides in ſtrength; Behold the Lords hand is not ſhortned that it cannot ſave, Iſa. 59. 1. His power remains the ſame This power is an enduring power.for ever.
2. The Will of God in reference to the Covenant, to perform what God hath promiſed. Micah 7. 20. Thou wilt performe the truth to Jacob. Jer. 33. 14. The Will of God.I will performe that good thing which I have promiſed to the houſe of Iſrael. 1 Theſ. 5. 24. Faithful is he that calleth you, who will alſo do it. Phil. 1. 6. He that hath begunne a good work in you, will performe it untill the day of Jeſus Chriſt.
God was never forced to make it, or to enter into this Bond, but out of his own accord willingly became ours; and this willingneſſe was not extrinſecal, depending upon the perſwaſion of another; but it was intrinſecal, ariſing only from his own entire love unto us.
Queſt. But the queſtion may be concerning the kinds of Gods Will, as to the performance The kinds of Gods will.of this Covenant.
Sol. For anſwer unto that, take theſe particulars.
1. The will of God for the performance of his Covenant, it is a peremptory and perfect Will; it is a Will reſolved, a Will of purpoſe, or according to purpoſe; It is a peremptory and perfect will.not an incompleat Will, it may be I will, and it may be I will not; not a wiſhing, but this is my purpoſe, my decree, I am reſolved on it to bleſſe my people, to bring upon them all the good of my Covenant.
2. This Will is grounded on it ſel…; it is a well-guided Will; it doth not depend It is grounded on it ſelf.on any thing in us, for then it might not be ſure; but only the good pleaſure of his Will which is moſt ſure. Ezek. 36. 22. Not for your ſakes O houſe of Iſrael, but for mine holy Name-ſake. Iſa. 48. 11. For mine own ſake, even for mine own ſake will I do it. Deut. 7. 8. Becauſe the Lord loved you, and becauſe he would keep the Oath which he had ſworne unto your Fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand.
3. This Will is fixed and unalterable; muſt not the Covenant then be ſure? It is fixed and unalterable.Pſal. 89. 34. My Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Verſe 35. Once have I ſworn by my holineſſe, that I will not lye unto David.
And this willingneſſe he hath expreſſed,
1. In his promiſe…; yea, promiſe upon promiſe, that he will bring upon them all the good that he hath promiſed them, Jer. 32. 42. and Jer. 33. 14. and Micah 7. 20, &c.
2. In his Oath to all this; I have ſworn by my holineſſe that I will not lye unto David, Pſal. 89. 35. He confirmed it by his Oath, ſaith the Apoſtle in Heb. 6. 17. and an Oath for confirmation is an end of all ſtrife, ver. 16. Luk. 1. 72. To perform the mercy promiſed to our f…thers, and to remember his holy Covenant. Ver. 73. The Oath which he ſware to our Father Abraham; ſurely God will not break his word of promiſe and lye; ſurely God will not break his Oath and be perjured.
3. This Covenant is gracious; and therefore it is ſure, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, It is gracious.Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of faith, that it might b… by grace; to the end the promiſe might b… ſure to all the ſeed; The former Covenant was not ſure, becauſe it was of works, and reſted upon our own ſtrength and performance; but this Covenant i… ſure becauſe it is of grace, and reſts not on any ſufficiency in us, but only on the goodneſſe and the ſufficiency of Gods grace; God in this Covenant doth promiſe to give us all things freely, to work all our works in us and for us; not to deal with us according to our deſerts, but according to the riches of his mercy.
4. This Covenant is confirmed by the blood of Jeſus Chriſt, which is called It is confirmed by the blood of Chriſt.the blood of the everlaſting Covenant, Heb. 13. 20. Matth. 26. 28. This is my blood of the New Teſtament, which is ſhed for many for the Remiſſion of ſinnes. Heb. 9. 15. For this cauſe he is the Mediatour of the New Teſtament, that by means of death for the Redemption of the tranſgreſſions that were under the firſt Teſtament, they which are called might receive the promiſe of an eternal inheritance. Ver. 17. A Teſtament is of force after men are dead.
It is called a Covenant, and a Teſtament.
1. A Covenant in reſpect of God, and a Teſtament in reſpect of Chriſt.
2. A Covenant in reſpect of the manner of Agreement; and a Teſtament in reſpect of the manner of confirming. Jeſus Chriſt died as a Teſtator, and by his death confirmed the Teſtamentary gift before made of life and ſalvation.
5. I might adde more demonſtrations of this truth, as the ſealings of the Spirit, The ſealing of the Spirit, and ſealings of the Ordinances.and the ſealings of the Ordinances, Baptiſme, and the Lords Supper, which are the ſeals of this Will, and the ſealings of the people of God in their continual experience of the truth, and certainty of the Covenant, in the performance of the Covenant. Pſal. 105. 8. He hath remembred his Covenant for ever. Pſal. 119. 65. Thou hast dealt well with thy ſervant, O Lord, according to thy Word.
2. Queſt. Why God makes a ſute Covenant with his people?Why God makes a ſure Covenant. Certainty is a ground of faith
Sol. The reaſons are theſe.
1. Certainty is a ground of faith; We are commanded to believe, and to be perſwaded, and to ſtand, and reſt, &c. and to rejoyce in believing, Rom. 15. 13. If the Covenant were uncertain, and unſure, your faith would never be certain and ſure. Heb. 10. 22. Let us draw n…r with a true heart, in full aſſurance of faith; But how could we draw near in that f…ll aſſurance of faith; Surely by believing, and being fully perſwaded to enjoy what God hath promiſed, unleſſe there were a certainty in the Covenant, viz. That God will certainly performe what he hath promiſed unto us? there cannot poſſibly be a certainty of faith upon uncertain promiſes.
2. Certainty is a ground of peace; this Covenant is ſtiled a Covenant of peace, Certainty is a ground of peacebecauſe it ſettles, and quiets, and eſtabliſheth our hearts; yea, and the Covenant breeds perfect peace; it ſtills all the fears, and doubts, and thoughts of heart, and therefore it muſt needs be a ſure Covenant; and being ſo, we have strong conſolation, Heb. 6. 18.
Two things are neceſſary to the ſettling of peace in the ſoul; either 1. An actual fruition. 2. A certain expectation. Were the Covenant uncertain (it may be God will be my God, it may be he will not be my God; it may be he will pardon my ſins, it may be he will not pardon my ſins; it may be he will ſave my ſoul, and it may be he will not ſave my ſoul) this uncertainty on Gods part, would leave an uncertainty on our part; and either of theſe uncertainties, would certainly leave us to an uncertain, diſtracted, unſettled conſcience; O I can never be ſure that God will be mine, that mercy ſhall be mine, &c.
3. Certainty is the ground of hope and of patience; God would have his people Certainty is the ground of hope and patience.to hope in him; and to wait for him; to hope in his mercy, and to wait for his promiſe. Pſal. 130. 7. L…t Iſrael hope in the Lord. Lam. 3. 26. It is good that a man ſhould both hope, and quietly wait for the ſalvation of the Lord. 1 Pet. 1. 13. Gird up the loynes of your mind, be ſober, and hope to the end; and therefore the Covenant is ſure, and muſt be ſo, for hope is upheld by a ſure and ſtedfaſt Anchor, Heb. 6. 19. and patience by a ſure word of promiſe; wait for it, for it will ſurely come, Hab. 2. 3. God ſaith it twice in Joel 2. 26, 27. My people ſhall never be aſhamed, and my people ſhall never be aſhamed, and Iſa. 49. 23. Thou ſhalt know that I am the Lord, for they ſhall not be aſhamed that wait for me; and Rom. 5. 5. Hope makes not aſhamed. O but we ſhould be aſhamed of our hope, and aſhamed of our patience, if we ſhould look for a God, and wait for a God, who either could not help us, or elſe would fail us.
4. The certainty of the Covenant, is the great glory of the Covenant; it is more The certainty of the Covenāt is the glory of it.glory to God to make a ſure Covenant, than an unſure Covenant; to be certain in his word, than uncertain; to be a faithful God, than an unfaithful God; and we glorifie him more upon the account of the ſureneſſe of his Covenant; here is mercy promiſed, and this mercy is ſure; all the mercies in this Covenant are the ſure mercies of David; here is Chriſt promiſed, and this Chriſt is a ſure foundation, Iſa. 38. 16. Here is grace and glory promiſed, and they are ſure; and here are neceſſary outward bleſſings promiſed, and they are ſure waters. O how this exalts the goodneſſe of God! all of it is ſure, and our poore ſouls, if they come into Covenant, ſhall ſurely enjoy all the good thereof, mercy, and grace, and righteouſneſſe, and joy, and peace, and ſpiritual life.
5. God makes a Covenant that is ſure, becauſe he would draw the hearts of his God would draw the hearts of his people to himſelf alone.people to himſelf alone. There are four things which will draw and fix the heart where it can diſcover them.
1. One is goodneſſe; this is the good which I need.
2. A ſecond is fulneſſe; here is all the good which I need.
3. A third is freeneſſe; all this good is to be had freely.
4. A fourth is certainty; I ſhall not faile of any part of this good; why theſe are apt to work on the heart, and to draw it, and to fix it: and all theſe God puts into the Covenant which he makes with his people: it is good, it is full, it is free, and it is certain; I will do you good, ſaith God, and I will do you all good, and I will do it freely, and I will do it aſſuredly; why then to whom ſhould we go? thou haſt all the words of eternal life; on whom ſhould we truſt but on thy ſelf alone, O Lord, who art ſo full a goodneſſe, and ſo ſweet a graciouſneſſe, and ſo unqueſtionable a faithfulneſſe and truth!
6. This Covenant which God makes with his people is ſure, becauſe none of None of Gods people ſhall ever have cauſe to complain of himthe people of God ſhall ever have cauſe (juſt cauſe) to complain of him, or to blame him; David in a diſtempered fit mutters out (Pſal. 77. 8.) Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promiſe faile for evermore? But he corrects himſelf for this in verſe 10. I ſaid, This is my infirmity, &c. But if indeed God ſhould not make good his Covenant, if that ſhould faile, if it were unſure, then many bills of complaint would come in againſt him; Lord, thou didſt hold out a word of promiſe, and commandedſt me to reſt on it, and ſaydſt, Thou wouldſt not faile me; and lo I have quit all other confidences, and caſt all my hopes upon thy Word (which thou ſaydſt was ſure and faithful) and yet thou haſt deceived and wronged me; O no, none ſhall ever be able thus to complaine of God, or to charge him, being truth and faithfulneſſe it ſelfe.
Ʋſe 1 Is the Covenant which God makes with his people a ſure Covenant? then behold hold what a priviledge it is to have God to be our God, and for any of us to be the It is a ſingular priviledge to have God for our God, and to be his people.people of his Covenant. Herein they do excell all other people, namely that their Relation is higher, their condition is better, their hopes are greater, their poſſeſſions are ſweeter, and their ſupplies are ſure.
Wicked men (who are out of Covenant) have nothing ſure; their lives are unſure; They ſhall flye away as a dream, and ſhall not be found; yea, they ſhall be chaſed away as a viſion of the night, Job 20. 8. Their pleaſures and delights are unſure; They take the Timbrel and the Harp, and rejoyce at the ſound of the Organ, and in a moment they go down to the grave, Job 22. 12, 13. Their wealth and riches are unſure; Behold theſe are the ungodly who proſper in the world, and increaſe in riches; ſurely thou didst ſet them in ſlippery places, how are they brought into deſolation as in a moment? Pſal. 73. 12, 18, 19. Their honours and greatneſſe are unſure; Their inward thought is, that their houſes ſhall continue for ever, and their dwelling places to all generations; They call their Lands after th…ir own names: nevertheleſſe, man being in honour abideth not; he is like the beaſts that periſh, Pſal. 49. 11, 12. Though his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet he ſhall periſh for ever like his own dung: they that have ſeen him ſhall ſay, Where is he? Thus Zophar in Job 20. 6, 7. Their hopes are unſure; The eyes of the wicked ſhall fail, and they ſhall not eſcape; and their hope ſhall be as the giving up of the Ghoſt, Job 11. 20. Whoſe hope ſhall be cut off, and whoſe truſt ſhall be a ſpiders webb, Job 8. 14. Th… expectation of the wicked ſhall periſh, Prov. 10. 28. Their poſſeſſions are unſure; Thou fool, this night ſhall they take away thy ſoul, then whoſe ſhall all thoſe things be which thou haſt provided? Luke 12. 20. When wicked men are in dangers, they are not ſure of preſervation; when they are in troubles, they are not ſure of deliverance; when they are in ſtraits, they are not ſure of help; when they are in terrours of conſcience, they are not ſure of mercy; when they come to die, they are not ſure of ſalvation; nothing is ſure unto the wicked, but wrath and deſtruction; But now on the contrary, all things are ſure in the Covenant for the people of God. The love in the Covenant is a ſure love; and the mercies in the Covenant are ſure mercies; and the peace, and the joyes, and all the bleſſings of it are ſure; yea, the meaneſt as well as the greateſt, even his bread, and his waters are ſure, and eternal life is ſure, &c.
Ʋſe 2 Is the Covenant which God makes with his people a ſure Covenant? why An encouragement to troubled ſouls to come into Covenant.may not this be a great encouragement unto troubled and diſtreſſed ſouls, to come into Covenant with God? not to ſtand off through feares and diſputes (but I ſhall not be accepted, but I ſhall not finde mercy) but to come in with faith and confidence.
There are five things which may in a ſpecial manner, affect and encourage Five encouragements frompoor broken-hearted ſinners to venture in, and to cloſe with God in his Covenant.
1. One is the thoughts of God towards them his thoughts are thoughts of mercy and peace towards you, Jer. 29. 11.The thoughts of God towards them. The compaſſions of God for them. The deſignation of Chriſt to them.
2. A ſecond is the affectionate compaſſions of God for them. To this man will I look, even to him that is poor, and of a contrite Spirit, and trembleth at my Word, Iſa. 66. 2.
3. The deſignation of Chriſt is in reference unto them; The Lord hath anointed me (ſaith Chriſt, Iſaiah 61. 1.) to preach good tydings to the meek; He hath ſent me to binde up the broken-hearted.
4. A fourth is the particular calls and invitations of God directed unto them. Let The invitation of God directed to them.him that is athirst come; and whoſoever will, let him come, and take the waters of life freely, Rev. 22. 17.
5. A fifth is the ſeveral aſſurances which he is pleaſed to give unto them. You The ſeveral aſſurances he gives them.ſhall not be rejected, ſaith Chriſt; Him that c…mes to me, I will in no wiſe reject, ſaith Chriſt, John 6. 37. You ſhall not be deſpiſed, ſaith God himſelf. Who hath despiſed the day of ſmall things? Zach. 4. 10. Nay, you ſhall be graciouſly accepted; I will love them freely, Hoſea 14. 4. And you ſhall ſurely find mercy; I will ſurely have mercy on him, ſaid God of Ephraim, Jer. 31. 20. And though your ſinnes have been many and great, yet they ſhall certainly be pardoned; If the wicked will turn from all his ſins, &c. he ſhall ſurely live, and not die; All his tranſgreſſions which he hath committed, they ſhall not be mentioned unto him, Ezek. 18. 21. 22. Why, what ſweeter encouragement than this, You ſhall find mercy? and what ſtronger encouragement than this, you ſhall ſurely find mercy? God will be your God, and he will certainly be ſo; he will lovingly receive you, and certainly he will do ſo; and he will pardon all your tranſgreſſions, and certainly he will do ſo. Plenitudo gratiae, & certitudo gratiae; theſe ſhould work off all feares and troubles in our hearts, &c.
Ʋſe. 3 Is the Covenant which God makes with his people a ſure Covenant? then bleſſed are the people who are in Covenant; for all the good in the Covenant is Bleſſed are they who are in Covenant.ſure to them, and ſhall be theirs aſſuredly; God is ſurely their God, and he hath ſaid unto them as once to Jacob (Gen. 32. 12.) I will ſurely do thee good.
Peruſe (I beſeech you) all the Covenant of God, and conſider what riches and treaſures, and mercies, and bleſſings, and hopes, and Reverſions, and promiſes you find there; either you are poſſeſſed of them all, or ſhortly ſhall be poſſeſſed of every one of them; all is laid out upon you, or is ſurely laid up for you; what you have is ſure, and what you want is ſure alſo; you have ſure poſſeſſions, and you have ſure promiſes.
Beloved, though nothing out of the Covenant is ſure, yet all things in the Covenant is ſure; not only ſure certitudine veritatis in a way of ttuth, but alſo ſure certitudine haereditatis in a way of performance; not only ſure quoad cauſam & ratione pacti as to the cauſe and the nature of Gods Covenant, but ſure alſo quoad effectum & ratione facti as to the effect and fruition of them; you ſhall have all the mercy, and all the grace, and all the glory which God promiſeth. You may have a mans promiſe, and a mans Bond, and yet you may not be ſure, for the man may die, or his eſtate may faile and break; but it is not ſo here in Gods Covenant with you; he never dies, and he never breaks (he is an eternal infiniteneſſe and al-ſufficiency) and his Word abides the ſame for ever; yea, one may be an heire to a great eſtate, yet he may not be ſure to enjoy that great eſtate; either death, or miſcarriages, or violence may deprive him of the right; but the people of God are ſure heires of all the promiſed good in the Covenant, and they ſhall not fail to enjoy all; they have the promiſes of all good, and they have promiſes that God will aſſuredly performe all his promiſes, and they have his Oath annexed unto thoſe promiſes, Heb. 6. 13. when God made a promiſe to Abraham, becauſe he could ſweare by no greater, he ſware by himſelf. Ver. 14. Saying, Surely, bleſſing, I w…ll bleſſe thee; as if he ſhould ſay, Surely, ſurely as I am God I will bleſſe thee; now what ſhall we ſay to theſe things? how good is our God! how rich is his Covenant! how bleſſed are the people who have the Lord to be their God in Covenant! The Covenant is good, and the Covenant is full, and the Covena…t is ſure; Then if the Covenant be a Covenant of bleſſings, and bleſſedneſſe, you who are in Covenant are bleſſed, and ſhall be ſurely bleſſed.
Ʋſe 4 Is the Covenant which God makes with his people a ſure Covenant? then you who are the people intereſted in this Covenant, hearken unto a few inſtructions.Inſtructions.
1. In the apprehenſion of your wants, and of the ſutable good which God In the apprehenſion of your wants be much in prayer.hath promiſed unto his people, pray, and never ceaſe; ſeek, and ask, and knock; if you finde your names written in the Covenant, and your ſupplies written in the promiſes, now pray without ceaſing, pray without fainting; you are ſure to ſpeed, and therefore be ſure to pray: your labour is not in vain in the Lord, ſaid the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 15. …8. So ſay I, your prayers unto the Lord ſhall not be in vain; conſider that place in Iſa. 45. 19. I ſaid not to the ſeed of Jacob, Seek ye me in vain, I the Lord ſpeak in righteouſneſſe; as if he ſhould ſay, I never did put you upon fruitleſſe ſervice; you never loſt your labour when you ſought me; whenſoever you ſought me, you did finde me; I have been ſtill as good as my word, I the Lord ſpeak righteouſneſſe; I do not deceive any, but what I promiſe to be unto them that ſeek unto me to do for them, that I will be, and that I will certainly do for them.
There are three reaſons why we ſhould make our requeſts known unto God, why we ſhould pray unto him, and hold, and keep up prayers.
1. One is, becauſe he is only the fountain of all good.
2. A ſecond is, becauſe he hath promiſed all good.
3. A third is, becauſe he will ſurely performe all the good which he hath promiſed. Pſal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God moſt high, unto God that performeth all things for me. Verſe 3. He ſhall ſend from heaven, and ſave me; God ſhall ſend forth his mercy, and his truth. Mark the place, David is reſolved to pray unto God to draw nigh, and to call upon him for help; and why will he do ſo? becauſe God is the moſt high God, he is able to help me, and becauſe God hath promiſed me help, and he will performe all that he hath promiſed me; yea, he will certainly do ſo, for he will ſend forth his mercy and his truth; that is, I ſhall certainly enjoy the mercy which he hath graciouſly promiſed, and will truly performe. A beggar will many times ask where he is not ſure to receive an almes, he will hazard many a requeſt; but it is not ſo with you who are the people of God; you never hazard one prayer which you make, if it be grounded upon the promiſe made to you; and the reaſon is becauſe the Covenant is ſure, and God is faithful who hath promiſed; what the Apoſtle ſpake about well-doing, in Gal. 6. 9. Let us not be weary of well-doing, for in due ſeaſon we ſhall reap if we faint not; that I ſay of praying, be not weary of praying, (ſay not it is in vain) but continue praying for the mercy, for the grace, for the help, for the comfort which your ſouls do need; for in due ſeaſon you ſhall reap if you faint not; when you ſowe the ſeed in the earth, you ſhall finde it to come up and bring forth in the ſeaſon of it, not as ſoon as you ſowe it, yet in the due ſeaſon you ſhall hear of it again; ſo ſowe your prayers in heaven, (prayers are the ſeed which the ſoul doth ſowe) and you ſhall reap in due ſeaſon, though you be not preſently anſwered, yet when the ſeaſon of anſwering comes, you ſhall certainly be anſwered.
2. Look out for more than as yet you have received and do enjoy: Beloved! Look out for more than as yet you have received.this you ſhall experimentally finde, that the more you do ſtudy your own hearts, the more wants and weakneſſe you ſhall finde in them; and the more that you ſtudy the Covenant of grace, the more riches of grace, and mercy, and glory you ſhall finde in it. As the Queen of Sheba, though ſhe heard much of the wiſdome of Solomon, yet ſhe found more than as much more when ſhe came and conferred with him; ſo beſides all the good which you have heard in the Covenant, or have received from the Covenant, if you would ſearch further into it, you ſhould yet finde thoſe unſearchable riches of Chriſt, and ſuch depths and heighths of love and mercy, that you never eſpied before; there is much more grace, and much more love, and much more mercy, and much more peace than ever your ſouls as yet taſted of; you ſhall finde greater things promiſed, than ever you as yet have partaken of.
Object. You will confeſſe ſo there are.
Sol. And ſit you ſtill, and ſtand you complaining, and will not you make out for them? do not you know,
1. That the whole Covenant is your portion, that God hath promiſed to give all unto you, to give grace and glory, and to with-hold no good thing from you?
2. That all is ſure in the Covenant, that there is no difference of any good which God hath promiſed as to the graciouſneſſe, and as to the certainty of giving; why, all the good of the Covenant is freely given unto you, and ſhall certainly be given unto you; and therefore you who are the people of God, be not ſatisfied with the little which you have, but enlarge your hearts, and enlarge your deſires, and enlarge your confidences, for there is much more in the Covenant, than as yet you have got out of the Covenant; and there it is laid up for you, and it will be as ſurely performed as any bleſſing which hitherto you have enjoyed.
Beloved! the Covenant is not ſure in one pa… and unſure in another part; this mercy promiſed is ſure, but that mercy promiſed is unſure; the leſſer is ſure, but the greater is unſure; but all of it, and all in it are ſure; pardon of leſſer ſinnes is ſure, and pardon of greater ſinnes is ſure, yea, pardon of all your ſinnes is ſure! and as a pardoning mercy is ſure, ſo healing mercy is ſure, and helping mercy is ſure; God will as certainly heal and renew your hearts, as he will pardon your ſinful doings; and God will as certainly ſubdue your ſtrong corruptions, and duplicate page duplicate page powerful temptations, as he will do you any other good, and he will as ſurely give you peace in conſcience, and Chriſt, and eternal life, and the joyes of the holy Ghoſt, as well and as certainly as he hath given any truth of grace to you. You think this may be had, and that may be had, but you ſeldome come up with faith to believe that all ſhall be had; O Sirs, we frequently forget that the Covenant of God is a ſure Covenant, and ſure in all things; but let us ſtrive to raiſe our faith unto that heighth, and to that latitude, that all the Covenant is ſure; there is not one word of it which it ſhall fail, God will ſurely performe all his good promiſes of the Covenant; what you poſſeſſe, you think is ſure, yea, and all that God promiſeth is ſure; and therefore ſtir up your hearts, and look up to God with as much confidence for all which yet you want, be it never ſo much, and never ſo great, for God will ſurely make good all his Covenant to you; you have found the Covenant ſure in many things; O but the Covenant is ſure in all things; all the promiſes of God are Yea and Amen, &c.
3. Be not diſcouraged, nor deſpond, nor deſpair, for the Covenant Be not diſcouraged.is ſure; there are foure times when our hearts are very apt to faile us.
1. One is long delayes of earneſt prayers; See Pſal. 22. 1. My God, my God, why hast thou forſaken me? why art thou ſo farre from helping me, and from the words of my roaring? Verſe 2. O my God I cry in the day-time, but thou heareſt not, and in the night-ſeaſon, and am not ſilent.
2. Another is, ſeeming diſlike and diſcouragement of ſeeking; Lam. 3. 7. He hath made my chaine heavy. Ver. 8. Alſo when I cry and ſhout, he ſhutteth out my prayers. Matth. 15. 23. He anſwered her not a word. Verſe 24. I am not ſent but to the loſt ſheep of Iſrael. Ver. 26. It is not meet to take the childrens bread, and caſt it to dogs.
3. A third is, a ſenſible contradicting or denial of our requeſts; as Heztkiah ſpake, for peace I have great bitterneſſe: So when we pray for peace in conſcience, then we feel more diſtreſſe and trouble in conſcience; and when we pray againſt temptations, then we finde more powerful and violent temptations; and when we pray for deliverance from ſinne, we then feel more ſtrong aſſaults and turbulent motions of ſin.
4. A fourth is, when Gods dealings of providence ſeem quite oppoſite to his undertakings in his promiſe. Judges 6. 12. The Lord is with thee thou mighty man of valour, ſaid the Angel to Gideon. Ver. 13. And Gideon ſaid unto him, If the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where are all his miracles which our fore-fathers told us of? Did not the Lord bring us out of Egypt? but now the Lord hath forſaken us, and delivered us into the hand of the Midianices, neither haſt thou delivered thy people at all, Exod. 5. 23. And ſo David, to whom God promiſed a Kingdome, but inſtead thereof, he was baniſhed the Kingdome, and his life was ſought for, and purſued by Saul; whereupon he concludes inſtantly that all men are lyars, Pſal. 116. 11. In all theſe caſes (and many more) we are very apt to be diſcouraged, and to queſtion (at leaſt) the ſureneſſe of Gods Covenant, and to cry out with David, Pſal. 77. 7. Will the Lord caſt off for ever? and will he be favourable no more? Ver. 8. Is his mercy clean gone for ever? doth his promiſe faile for evermore? Ver. 9. Hath God forgotten to be gracious? hath he in anger ſhut up his tender mercies? Nevertheleſſe, notwithſtanding all theſe contigencies, and ſeeming contrarieties, and manifold delays, and ſtrange dealings of God with his people, his Covenant with them is ſure, and it ſhall certainly be performed; as no work of man, ſo no work of God doth or ſhall fruſtrate the Covenant of God with his people.
Therefore for the better ſupport of your hearts under all theſe dealings of God with you, carefully remember a few poſitions.
1. They are tryals of our faith, but no teſtimonies of Gods unfaithfulneſſe; He that ſits in darkneſſe, and ſees no light, let him truſt in the Name of the Lord, and ſtay himſelf upon the God of Jacob, Iſa. 50. 10. We think that we dare to rely on the word of promiſe, as a truth of God, as a ſure word which will not faile us. Now God by theſe contrary dealings, tries the faith of his ſervants; there is ſtill my promiſe to hear, and to do you good, and here to your ſenſe and feeling is ſomething directly contrary unto it; Can you in this condition glorifie my good and faithful Word? Though all theſe clouds ariſe, yet the Sun will break forth; though all this befalls me, I ſhall yet ſee him to be the help of my countenance, and my God; his Word is a tryed Word, I will not fail; God who cannot lye hath promiſed: Though he kill me, yet will I truſt in him, Job 13. 15. why, Beloved! this is one principal end of Gods dealing with us, in ways contrary to his promiſes, namely, to try and to demonſtrate what our faith is in his promiſes.
2. They are reaſons of our patience, but no characters of Gods change; be ye followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promiſes, ſaith the Apoſtle in Heb. 6. 12. God is pleaſed to hide himſelf from our prayers, and ſeems to neglect them, in this he tries our faith; and God is pleaſed many times to delay his anſwers, in this he exerciſes our patience; he will be acknowledged not only as a good God, but alſo as a wiſe God, and his delays are not his denials, but only his trials, and therefore hear himſelf ſpeaking in this caſe, Hab. 2. 3. The Viſion is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it ſhall ſpeak and not lye; though it tarry, waite for it, becauſe it will ſurely come, it will not tarry, Micah 7. 7. I will waite for the God of my ſalvation, my God will hear me.
3. They are diſcoveries of many mens hypocriſie, but no evidences of Gods mutability; You ſhall have a company of men boaſt of their ſtrong faith in God, and of their great love to God, and how they truſt in him with all their hearts; this they ſpeak in the dayes of their proſperity; but let the Lord put forth his hand upon them, let him but blaſt their Jonah's Guord, let him cut off thoſe armes of fleſh upon which indeed they do depend, let him but break down their creature-ſupports, and comforts, and hopes, and hold out never ſo many ſutable and faithful promiſes; why, they have no hopes; a word of promiſe is of no life or ſupport at all unto them: This evil is of the Lord, why ſhould I wait for the Lord any longer? ſaid that wicked Prince in 2 Kings 6. 33. Behold his ſoul which is lifted up, is not upright in him, Hab. 2. 4.
4. They are many times the diſplayings of the beſt mens infirmities, but no tokens of any uncertainty in Gods Covenant: The beſt men though they may attain to the knowledge of the truth of that grace in their hearts, yet they may be much deceived as to the meaſure and ſtrength of that grace; and as many other things can declare this unto them, ſo do theſe delayes and reſpites, and contrary dealings of God, much, very much ſhew it: Alas, what expreſſions (in ſuch caſes.) have fallen from the lips of precious men? what complaints? what impatience? what charges of God himſelf? what diſputes? what exceeding weakneſſes? Pſal. 116. 11. I ſaid in mine haſte All men are lyars; thus David in that condition. Jer. 15. 18. Wilt thou be altogether unto me as a lyar, and as waters that fail? what a ſad expreſſion is this? Jonah 4. 3. Take away I beſeech thee my life from me, for it is better for me to dye than to live. Verſe 9. I do well to be angry, even unto death. Job 3. 3. Let the day periſh wherein I was born, and the night wherein it was ſaid there is a man-childe conc…ived, &c.
You ſee what ſtrange weakneſſes God doth diſcover in the hearts of his own people by delays, by his dealings with them in ways ſenſibly contrary to his promiſes, by which they come more fully to know themſelves, and to be humbled before him, and to ſeek unto him for more aſſiſtance; and notwithſtanding all this, yet the Covenant of God is ſure to his people, he will yet performe all the good which he promiſeth unto them, though under all this they may diſcern their own weakneſſes and unworthineſſe.
5. They do ſerve for the greater demonſtration of his truth, and are no diminutions of it at all; that notwithſtanding all viſibly contrary workings, and notwithſtanding all the fears and doubtings, and contrary opinions of his own ſervants, yet God will be true, though every man be a lyar; his word ſhall ſtand, and his Covenant be found true and ſure, Pſal. 31. 22. I ſaid in my haste I am cut off from before thine eyes; nevertheleſſe thou heardeſt the voice of my ſupplications when I cryed unto thee.
4. Then be upright, do not uſe any indirect wayes or ſinful ſhufflings; what Be upright.need of theſe? the Covenant contains as much good as you need, and it is ſure for the performance of all, Pſal. 37. 3. Truſt in the Lord, and do good, ſo ſhalt thou dwell in the Land, and verily thou ſhalt be fed. Ver. 4. Delight thy ſelf alſo in the Lord, and he ſhall give thee the deſire of thine heart. Ver. 5. Commit thy way unto the Lord, truſt alſo in him, and he ſhall bring it to paſſe.
SECT. VIII.
8. THe eighth property of this Covenant is this, It is the laſt Covenant, it It is the laſt Covenant. It ſucceeds a former Covenant.may be called the laſt Covenant in a twofold reſpect.
1. Becauſe it ſucceds a former Covenant, and removes it; See Heb. 8. 13. In that he ſaith a new Covenant, he hath made the firſt old; now that which decayeth, and waxeth old, is ready to vaniſh away.
2. Becauſe no Covenant ſhall ever ſucceed this; If any Covenant ſhould ſucceed No Covenant ſhall ever ſucceed it.this, it muſt be a Covenant either of works, or of grace; not a Covenant of works, for that would bring us all under a curſe, and make our condition utterly deſperate; nor a Covenant of grace, becauſe more grace cannot be ſhewn in any other Covenant than in this; here is all grace, and all mercy, and Jeſus Chriſt with all his righteouſneſſe, Mediatorſhip, merit, purchaſe; this Covenant is ſo perfect, and is ſo every way accommodated to the condition of ſinners, that nothing can be altered, nor can be added, nor mended, therefore it is the laſt Covenant.
O therefore take heed what you do; ſtand not off, refuſe not to come into this Covenant, ſin not againſt this Covenant, for that he offers it no more, it is the laſt Covenant; no hope, no mercy, no love, no Chriſt, no acceptance, no life but in this.