The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 1 – Chapter 2

The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant · Religious treatise · Part 2 · Chapter 1 – Chapter 2

p. 335CHAP. I.

Ezek. 36. 25.

Then will I ſprinkle clean water upon you, and ye ſhall be clean; from all your filthineſſe, and from all your Idols will I cleanſe you.

I Have heretofore opened unto you divers things about the Covenant of Grace; viz. the Nature and Adjuncts of it; the difference 'twixt it, and the Covenant of Works; the condition, and the Mediator of the Covenant.

I now proceed to handle one thing more concerning the Covenant, and that is the gifts of the Covenant; the gifts which God doth promiſe to beſtow upon thoſe people The gifts of the Covenant.which are in Covenant with him.

This verſe which I have read unto you, and the ſubſequent verſes do report unto us divers of thoſe gifts which may be conſidered

p. 336Firſt, As to their order; and thus you have the promiſe, firſt, of ſpiritual gifts or bleſſings, from ver. 25. to ver. 28. and then you have the promiſe of temporal mercies, from ver. 28. to ver. 37.

Secondly, As to their kinds; the ſpiritual gifts or bleſſings (for I ſhall inſiſt awhile only upon them) do reſpect

1. Our Juſtification, expreſſed in ver. 25. (Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, &c.

2. Our Sanctification.

Firſt, in the habitual part of it, (in ver. 26. a new heart, &c.)

Secondly, in the actual part of it; (in ver. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my Statutes, &c.)

The Text (which reſpects our Juſtification) contains in it a prom…ſe.

1. Of the pardon of ſins; (I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you ſhall be clean.)

2. Of the pardon of the greateſt ſins; (from your filthineſſe, and from your Id…ls will I cleanſe you.

3. Of the pardon of all their ſins; (from all your filthineſſe, and from all your Idols will … cleanſe you)

Before I handle the particular points, I would touch upon ſome things in the general; viz.

1. That God doth promiſe unto his people (yea unto his people in Covenant with him) ſpiritual gifts or bleſſings as well as temporal.

2. That the firſt prom…ſes are the beſt, or of the beſt things; firſt the ſpiritual, and then the temporal bleſſings.

3. That whatſoever bleſſings which may or do concern the people of God in Covenant, God himſelf doth undertake to give them unto his people.

4. That thoſe gifts which God doth promiſe to give unto his people in Covenant, he gives them not for any worthineſſe in them, but upon the account of his own graciouſneſſe.

SECT. I.

Doctr. 1 Doctr. 1. THat God doth expreſſely promiſe to give unto all his people in Covenant with him, ſpiritual bleſſings as well as temporal. I hardly know any one place of Scripture where the Covenant of grace is inſiſted upon, but God gives his people in Covenant ſpiritual bleſſings as well as temporal.there you ſhall finde expreſſe promiſes of ſome one ſpiritual bleſſing or other. Jer. 31. 33. This ſhall be the Covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael, after thoſe days, ſaith the Lord, I will put my Law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they ſhall be my people. Ver. 34. And they ſhall all know me, from the leaſt of them unto the greateſt of them, ſaith the Lord; for I will forgive their iniquity, and remember their ſin no more. Jerem. 32. 39. I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me for ever for the good of them, and their children after them. Ver. 40. And I will make an everlaſting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear into their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me. Ezek. 11. 19. I will give them one heart, and I will put a New Spirit within you; and I will take the ſtony heart out of their fleſh, and will give them an heart of fleſh. Ver. 20. That they may walk in my Statutes, and keep my Ordinances, and do them, and they ſhall be my people, and I will be their God. Hoſea 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, and I will betroth thee unto me in righteouſneſſe, and in judgement, and in loving-kindneſſe, and in mercies. Ver. 20. I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulneſſe, and thou ſhalt know the Lord. Hebr. 8. 10. p. 337This is the Covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael, I will put my Laws into their minds, and write them in their hearts; and I will be to them a God, and they ſhall be to me a people, &c.

Queſt But why is God pleaſed to promiſe to give unto his people in Covenant, Why God gives ſpiritual bleſſings as well as …emporal. His people have ſouls as well as bodies.ſpiritual bleſſings as well as temporal?

Sol. The Reaſons are theſe:

Firſt, Becauſe his people have ſouls as well as bodies; and their ſouls do ſtand in as much need of ſpiritual bleſſings, as their bodies do of temporal bleſſings: Every mans ſoul (ſince the fall of Adùm) is in a fourfold miſerable neceſſity, which cannot be relieved but by ſpiritual bleſſings.

1. In an eſtate of ſpiritual death, out of which it cannot be relieved but by the donation of ſpiritual life; a quickning by the Spirit of Chriſt, is neceſſary for a ſoul dead in treſpaſſes and ſins.

2. In an eſtate of ſpiritual enmity; and that enmity cannot be ſlain but by the death of Chriſt; nor any atonement, peace or reconciliation enjoyed but by his blood.

3. In an eſtate of offence and guilt, which expoſe the ſoul unto wrath and puniſhment, by reaſon of which the ſoul needs exceeding riches of grace and mercy to forgive and acquit the ſinner.

4. In an eſtate of pollution and bondage, being held under the power of ſinful luſts, in which regard the ſoul needs the Lord Jeſus to be redemption and liberty unto it, and the ſoul can never be freed nor free, but by Chriſt and his Spirit. John 8. 36. If the Son ſhall make you free, you ſhall be free indeed. Rom. 8. 2. The Law of the Spirit of life in Chriſt Jeſus hath made me free from the Law of ſin and death. If a man had all the bleſſings of the world, (riches, honour, friends, health, pleaſures, &c.) they could be of no help or relief unto his ſoul at all; notwithſtanding all theſe, the ſoul ſtill remains ſinful and miſerable; Give the ſoul Chriſt, and grace, and mercy, or elſe you give it nothing; it muſt periſh for ever without them: And therefore doth God give unto his people ſpiritual bleſſings, becauſe the ſoul needs them, and they are ſutable to the ſpiritual neceſſities of the ſoul.

Secondly, His people are people of another life, they have the promiſe of eternal His people are for another life.life. 1 John 2. 25. This is the promiſe that he hath promiſed us, even eternal life. Titus 1. 2. Inhope of eternal life, which God that cannot lye, promiſed before the world began. 2 Cor. 5. 1. We know that if our earthly houſe of this Tabernacle were diſſolved, we have a building of God, an houſe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. But what of this, will you ſay? why, hence it follows that therefore God will give unto them ſpiritual bleſſings; and why ſpiritual bleſſings? becauſe ſpiritual bleſſings are neceſſary for them in relation unto that eternal life. Acts 4. 12. Neither is there ſalvation in any other; for there is none other Name given under heaven, given among men whereby we muſt be ſaved. Loe here is a neceſſity of Jeſus Chriſt for our ſalvation. John 3. 36. He that believeth on the Son hath everlaſting life; and he that believeth not the Son, ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abideth on him: Loe here is a neceſſity of faith for ſalvation. Matth. 5. 8. Bleſſed are the poor in ſpirit, for they ſhall ſee God. Hebr. 12. 13. Follow holineſſe, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord. Joh. 3. 3. Except a man be born again, he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God; Loe here is a neceſſity of holineſſe and regeneration for ſalvation, and they are congruous, and fitting us for ſalvation or eternal life. Coloſ. 1 12. Giving thanks unto the Father which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saints in light. It is meet to enjoy grace, before we come to enjoy glory; it is meet to have a conformity to Chriſt on his Croſſe, before we come to have a conformity to Chriſt in his Crown, &c.

p. 338Thirdly, His people are deſigned and ſet apart for ſpecial duties and ſervices, His people a…e ſet apart for ſpecial duties.the which they can never performe without ſpiritual gifts and bleſſings!

They are to glorifie their God. Iſa. 43. 6. Bring my ſons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Ver. 7. Even every one that is called by my Name, for I have created him for my glory. Ver. 21. This people have I formed for my ſelf, they ſhall ſhew forth my praiſe.

They are to deny themſelves, and to take up the Croſſe of Chriſt, and to follow him; they are to crucifie the luſts with the affections thereof; they are to ſuffer loſſes and reproaches, and perſecutions, and perhaps death it ſelf; they are to fight the good fight of faith, to reſiſt temptation, to quench the fiery darts of Satan, to overcome the world; they are to live by faith, againſt hope to believe in hope, to walk in all well-pleaſing before the Lord.

They are to have daily communion with God, and their hearts are to be ſet on him, and on things above: Can any of theſe duties and ſervices be performed by them without ſpiritual ſtrength? or can they partake of ſpiritual ſtrength, unleſſe and untill God doth give unto them ſpiritual gifts or graces.

Fourthly, All the people in Covenant with God, they have his image reſtored They have Gods image reſtored to them.unto them, they behold as in a glaſſe the glory of the Lord, are changed into the ſame image from glory to glory, 2 Cor. 3. 18. They are made partakers of the Divine nature, 2 Pet. 1. 4. They are in Chriſt, and new creatures, 2 Cor. 5. 17. They are a Choſen Generation, a Royal Prieſthood, an Holy Nation, a Peculiar People, 1 Pet. 2. 9. A peculiar treaſure unto him, Exod. 19. 5. A people from whom he will with-hold no good thing, Pſal. 84. 11. Therefore unqueſtionably he will beſtow upon them ſpiritual gifts and bleſſings, and doth ſo, or elſe none of theſe things could be affirmed of them.

Fifthly, God will do more for his people in Covenant, then he will for any out of God will do more for his people in Covenant, than for any.Covenant; (elſe what is the advantage of being in Covenant? or where is the ſtrength of Argument to perſwade any man to diſanul all other inconſiſtent Covenants, and to ſubmit unto the Covenant of God, if he cannot better himſelf by being in this Covenant?) Now God doth give other things (temporal things, the things of, and for this life) many times to wicked men, to men out of Covenant; Thou filleſt their bellies with thy hid treaſure. And if his children (if the people of his Covenant who ſtand in near relation unto him) ſhould not have ſpiritual bleſſings and mercies given unto them, if they ſhould have (after all) but a common portion, gain little more then what the worſt of men (wicked men his enemies) have; what advantage ſhould they have? yea, thus it ſhould be all one with them, who love and fear God, and with them that hate him, and fear him not.

Sixthly, Whatſoever Jeſus Chriſt hath purchaſed for the people of Gods Covenant, What Chriſt hath purchaſed for them, God will give them.that will God give unto them; (the purchaſes of Chriſt, and the promiſes, and performances of Gods Covenant are parallel) but Jeſus Chriſt hath by his death purchaſed all ſpiritual bleſſings; you cannot think of any one of them which Chriſt hath not purchaſed; they partake of Chriſt, and with and by him partake of all ſpiritual bleſſings, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Epheſ. 1. 3. Bleſſed be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath bleſſed us with all spiritual bleſſings, in heavenly places in Chriſt.

Seventhly, His people are to differ from all other people in the world, in their His people are to differ from all other people.preſent diſpoſition and frame of heart; as Joſhua and Caleb had another ſpirit different from them who brought a falſe report upon the Land of Canaan; but unleſſe the Lord did give unto his people ſpiritual bleſſings, there would be no intrinſecal difference (as to the frame of heart) 'twixt his people who are in Covenant, and other people who are not in Covenant; for without the reception or participation of theſe bleſſings, their hearts would ſtill remain wicked and unconverted; and they would lie in the ſame ſtate of condemnation with others; for p. 339only ſpiritual bleſſings do make the difference. Now this would be exceedingly abſurd that the people of God in Covenant with him, ſhould remain in the ſame ſtate of wickedneſſe and curſe, as people out of Covenant; this would be

1. A diſhonour to God, that he ſhould be a God in Covenant with ungodly and wicked perſons, and ſo continuing.

2. A diſhonour to his Covenant, which is a Covenant of love and mercy, and peace, and life, that God ſhould in a ſingular manner love the wicked, and aſſure mercy to them, and make peace with them, and give aſſurance of life and bleſſedneſſe unto them.

Ʋſe 1 Are ſpiritual bleſſings promiſed expreſly by God unto all his people in Covenant with him? why, this is wonderful comfort and encouragement unto any of the Comfort to the people of God in Covenant.people of God, being ſenſible of their ſpiritual wants, and oft-times fearing, and doubting, and queſtioning ſpiritual helps and ſupplies. O ſay we, if they were leſſer matters, and ordinary mercies, then we ſhould not fear to go to God, and rely on him, and expect from him; but our greateſt wants are of the greateſt mercies, a Chriſt, forgiveneſſe, holineſſe, heaven it ſelf; and what ſhall we do in this caſe?

But I beſeech you hearken, and conſider four things.

Firſt, Spiritual bleſſings are promiſed as well as temporal; that God who Spiritual bleſſings are promiſed as well as temporal.promiſeth health, doth likewiſe promiſe grace; that God who promiſeth food convenient, doth likewiſe promiſe Chriſt; and that God who promiſeth deliverance from trouble, doth likewiſe promiſe deliverance from hell and wra…; and that God who promiſeth outward peace, doth likewiſe promiſe forgiveneſſe of ſins, and peace in conſcience; and that God who promiſeth to ſubdue enemies, doth likewiſe promiſe to ſubdue iniquities; and that God who promiſeth to give earth, doth likewiſe promiſe to give heaven. Is it nothing unto you that the great bleſſings which your ſouls do need, are laid up, and are to be found in Gods promiſes? if you had more faith, thoſe ſpiritual bleſſings which you find in Gods promiſes, you might quickly feel in your own hearts.

Secondly, All spiritual bleſſings are promiſed; there is not any one ſpiritual bleſſing All ſpiritual bleſſings are promiſed.which any of the people of God do need, or may need, but God hath promiſed the ſame. Conſider ſpiritual bleſſings as in the end and means, and cauſes, God hath promiſed all of them: He hath promiſed glory, and he hath promiſed grace, and he hath promiſed himſelf, the cauſe of all: He hath promiſed all that belongs to faith, to Chriſt, to Juſtification; and he hath promiſed all that belongs to Converſion, to Sanctification, to Obedience, and to Comfort, and to Reſt.

Thirdly, God himſelf hath promiſed them; If Men or Angels had promiſed God himſelf hath promiſed them.them, it were nothing; for none of them are able to give any one ſpiritual bleſſing; the collating of the leaſt drop of grace and mercy, and inward peace is above the power of any creature; but this is the comfort, that God himſelf hath promiſed to give all ſpiritual bleſſings unto his people, I ſay God himſelf.

1. Who is able to performe and make good whatſoever he hath promiſed; Is any thing too hard for him? is not his power more then commenſurate with his Word? is he not ſufficient to do what he ſpeaks? he is mercifulneſſe it ſelf, and holineſſe it ſelf, and life it ſelf, and bleſſedneſſe it ſelf; is not the God of all grace able to give you grace? is not the God of all power able to ſubdue your iniquities? is not the God of all mercy able to forgive? is not the God of all comfortable to comfort you? is not the God of peace able to ſpeak peace?

2. Who is willing to do good in his promiſes: I beſeech you, what are Gods promiſes, but the expreſſions of his gracious will concerning us, in all the good which he purpoſeth to confer upon us? I will bleſſe, I will heal, I will ſhew mercy, I will ſave, I will pardon, I will give grace and glory, I will hear and help, I will do you good, theſe are the very ingredients of his promiſes; the promiſes are nothing elſe but the good will and purpoſe of God tranſcribed and copied out for us.

p. 3403. Who is faithful, Hebr. 11. 11. Sarah judged him faithful who had promiſed; and what is it for God to be faithful in his promiſes, but in his own good time to do what he ſpeaks, and to give what he promiſeth to give! Faithful is he who hath called you, who will alſo do it; ſaith the Apoſtle, 1 Theſ. 5. 24. Mark to do what he promiſeth; this was to be faithful.

4. God hath promiſed all of them to all his people in Covenant; to all that are God h…th promiſed all of them to all his people.brought into Chriſt, to all who have choſen him for their God, and give up their hearts and lives unto him; to all who can call him Father, and are become his children; as the bleſſings promiſed are diſtributed into greater and leſſer, ſome are ſpiritual, ſome are corporal; ſo the heirs of bleſſings, ſome of them are ſtronger, ſome are weaker; but this makes no difference as to the claim and title; the weakeſt Believer in Chriſt, the weakeſt childe of God is an heir of all the ſpiritual bleſſings which God hath promiſed.

Uſe 2 Hath God promiſed all ſpiritual bleſſings as well as temporal unto all his people in Covenant? then you who are the people of God, Mark what concerns you Mark what conce…ns you under the ſenſe of your wants.under the ſenſe of any ſpiritual wants; Do not complain any longer; and do not charge God fooliſhly; and do not give up your conditions as deſperate; do not ſay there is no help nor hope; and do not hearken to what Satan ſaith, nor to what your perplexed hearts do ſay; but regard and mark what God ſaith in his promiſes: He ſaith that he will give grace and glory, and he will give all the matters of Juſtification, and of Sanctification; and therefore do you take that courſe for the enjoyment of them which God directs you unto, and likewiſe encourages you unto.

Queſt. What courſe is that?What courſe we ſhould take for this enjoyment of ſ…i…itual b…eſſi…. Pray for ſpiritual bleſſings.

Sol. It is this.

Firſt, You muſt humbly pray unto him to give unto you all thoſe ſpiritual bleſſings which you do need, and which he hath promiſed.

Object. Pray unto him will you ſay? if he hath promiſed to give them, what need we to pray for them?

Sol. Yes, promiſes on Gods part, and prayers on our part are not contradiſtinct, but ſubordinate: therefore remember

1. Though God promiſeth to give all theſe ſpiritual bleſſings, yet he expreſly calls for prayer from us unto himſelf, to beſtow them on us. Ezek. 36. 37. Thus ſaith the Lord God, I will yet be enquired of by the houſe of Iſrael to do it for them. Jer. 29. 11. I know the thoughts that I think towards you, ſaith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. Ver. 12. Then ſhall you call upon me, and ye ſhall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. Ver. 13. And ye ſhall ſeek me and finde me, when ye ſhall ſearch for me with all your hearts.

2. As he calls for prayer, ſo he adds a new engagement of promiſe to give (even ſpiritnal bleſſings) upon prayer. Luke 11. 13. Your heavenly Father will give the holy Spirit to them that ask him.

Secondly, You muſt act faith; you muſt believe on his Word, and truſt on Act faith.him as a faithful God to performe, &c. Pſal. 62. 8. Truſt in him at all times ye people, poure out your hearts before him, God is a refuge for us, Selab. Iſa. 26. 4. Truſt ye in the Lord for ever; for in the Lord Jehovah is everlaſting ſtrength. Iſa. 57. 2. I will cry unto God, moſt High, unto God which performs all things for me. Hebr. 11. 6. He that cometh to God muſt believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him. Jam. 1. 6. But let him ask in faith. O Sirs, this is one of the greateſt reaſons, why notwithſtanding your many tears and prayers, you have ſo ſmall portion in ſpiritual bleſſings, becauſe you do not truſt on God for them; you do not believe that he will deal with you according to his Word; you do not give him the glory of an all-ſufficient and faithful God; ſtill you are queſtioning him, and reaſoning againſt him, But will he make good p. 341his Word of promiſe? and can he do this or that? the Lord humble our hearts for this; we think not of it as a ſin, or elſe but a ſmall ſin; but indeed it is an exceedingly provoking ſin and an eternal diſhonour to the God of truth and mercy, thus by our unbelief to charge a lye, or a doubtfulneſſe upon him.

Object. But have we not reaſon to doubt what he will do, when we are ſo unworthy?

Sol. No, our unworthineſſe is no ſufficient reaſon to queſtion the goodneſſe and faithfulneſſe of Gods promiſe, becauſe

1. He never indents with us upon terms of our worthineſſe.

2. He profeſſeth that he doth us good, not for our ſakes, but for his own ſake.

Thirdly, If need be, you must wait upon God for the performance of thoſe ſpiritual Wait upon God for performance.bleſſings promiſed unto you. Iſa. 36. 18. Therefore will the Lord wait that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you, for the Lord is a God of judgement, (he knows what, and when is beſt) bleſſed are all they that wait for him.

Three things … to enable you to wait, &c.

1. Any ſpiritual bleſſing is worth a waiting; for the leaſt of them being of more worth, and more conſequence to the ſoul than a whole world.

2. God will oft times try your hearts, whether indeed you would be thus bleſſed, or can be ſatisfied and give over without enjoyment.

3. The promiſe of them is very ſure; God who cannot lye hath promiſed, Tit. 1. 2. He will not fail you in theſe ſpiritual bleſſings, though many times he doth deny you ſome temporal deſires.

Ʋſe 3 Are ſpiritual bleſſings and mercies promiſed by God to all that are in Covenant with him? in what a caſe then are all obſtinate and perverſe ſinners? who will The ſad condition of Impenitent …nners.hold faſt their ſins, and walk in their own ways, and hate to be reformed, and will not be brought into the bond of the Covenant with God; if there were no other miſery for them but this, that they ſhall not partake of ſpiritual, bleſſings, this were miſery ſufficient. You read of thoſe (in Luke. 14.) who excuſed themſelves, and refuſed to come to the Supper prepared, Chriſt ſaih of them, (ver. 24.) None of thoſe men ſhall taste of my Supper; truly this was judgement and puniſhment enough, never to partake of any benefit or good by Chriſt. In like manner this is puniſhment enuogh for all thoſe who refuſe to enter into Covenant with God, that they ſhall never partake of any ſpiritual bleſſing and mercy which God hath promiſ…d: There is the forgiveneſſe of ſins promiſed, but their ſins ſhall never be forgiven; and there is renewing grace promiſed, but their hearts ſhall never be renewed and ſanctified; and there is eternal glory promiſed, but their ſouls ſhall never be ſaved. They ſhall be left unto their own ſinful guilt, and unto their own ſinful co…ruptions and unto their own ſinful deſerts, and all the wrath of God threatned againſt them ſhall fall upon them. Therefore I beſeech you who hear of Chriſt, and who hear of the Covenant of Grace, take heed to your ſelves that you reſiſt not the grace which is offered unto you in Chriſt, and the terms of reconciliation propounded unto you, leaſt you caſt your ſelves out of the Covenant, and from all ſpiritual bleſſings which God hath therein promiſed; leſt you never have grace and never have mercy, and never have bleſſedneſſe.

Uſe 4 Laſtly, ſince ſpir…iual bleſſings are promiſed by God unto all in Covenant with God, let the conſideration of this mollifie our hearts, and bow them into acceptance of God to be our God, and to reſign up our ſelves to be his people in Covenant, Accept of God to be your God.and to walk with him, and before him in all uprightneſſe; why ſo? becauſe now the promiſes of ſpiritual bleſſings are to you, and by this you become heirs of all thoſe bleſſings. O that we did know what the love of God was! and what the enjoyment of Chriſt was! and what the forgiveneſſe of ſins was! and what the excellency of grace was! and what the eternity of glory was! how miſerable we p. 342are, and muſt continue ſo for ever without them; and how happy we ſhall continue for ever with them; then our hearts would be perſwaded to diſannual our Covenant with ſins, and condeſcend to become the people of God, &c.

SECT. II.

Doct. 2 Doctr. 2. THat in the Covenant ſpiritual bleſſings are firſt promiſed, and after them temporal bleſſings; God promiſeth both of them unto his In the Covenant ſpiritual bleſſings are firſt promiſed.people, but firſt the ſpiritual. Ezek. 36. 25. I will ſprinkle clean water upon you, and you ſhall be clean. Ver. 26. A new heart alſo will I give you, &c. And then follow the promiſes of temporal bleſſings, in ver. 28. And ye ſhall dwell in the Land which I gave unto your fathers. Ver. 29. And I will call for the corn, and will increaſe it. Ver. 30. And I will multiply the fruit of the Tree, and the increaſe of the Field. Pſal. 84. 11. The Lord will give grace and glory, (there are ſpirituals) no good thing will he with-hold from them that walk uprightly; (here are temporals) Hoſea 2. 19. I will betroth thee unto me for ever, yea, I will betroth thee unto me in righteouſneſſe, and in judgement, and in loving-kindneſſe, and in mercies. Ver. 20. I will betroth thee unto me in faithfulneſſe, and thou ſhalt know the Lord; (here are the ſpiritual bleſſings) Ver. 21. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day, I will hear ſaith the Lord, I will hear the heavens, and they ſhall hear the earth. Ver. 22. And the earth ſhall hear the corn, and the wine, and the oyle, and they ſhall both hear Jezreel; (here are the temporal bleſſings.)

Queſt. Why is God thus pleaſed to order his promiſe for bleſſings? as firſt the Reaſons of it.ſpiritual, and then the temporal.

Sol. Reaſons thereof may be theſe.

1. He ſuiteth his bleſſings with the deſires and neceſſities of his Saints; they To ſuit bleſſings to the deſires of Saints. To give advantage to faith to ſeek them firſt.need theſe moſt, and ſhall have them firſt.

2. Hereby is ſome advantage given unto faith; firſt, to believe ſpirituals, and then to believe temporals; for if God will give the greater, will he deny the leſſe? Rom. 8. 32. Faith to believe them as the choiceſt bleſſings; for not only ſpiritual bleſſings are promiſed, but alſo that they are the firſt in promiſe; and thence faith concludes, the firſt appearing of Gods love and gracious will and purpoſe towards us, are the choice bleſſings; ſhould we queſtion the donation of them, when we find them to be the firſt of the Legacies ſealed with the blood of Chriſt?

3. Hereby the Lord ſets out both the goodneſſe and greatneſſe of his love.To ſet forth the goodneſſe and greatneſſe of his love.

1. The goodneſſe of his love in ſecuring of our ſouls, and regarding of them; for only ſpiritual bleſſings do ſerve them; q. d. the firſt thing that I will do for you is this, that I will take care to ſave your poor ſouls; I will beſtow ſuch things on them as ſhall for ever make them happy.

2. The greatneſſe of his love; for God to give us ordinary things, this comes from his love; but for God to give us the ſpiritual bleſſings, this comes from his great love. Eph. 2. 4. But God who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he hath loved us, Ver. 5. even when we were dead in ſins, hath quickned us together with Chriſt, by grace ye are ſaved. Titus 3. 4. After that the kindneſſe and love of God our Saviour towards man appeared. Ver. 5. according to his mercy he ſaved us, by the waſhing and regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoſt. Rom. 5. 8. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that whiles we were yet ſinners, Chriſt dyed for us.

4. Spiritual bleſſings are far before and above temporal bleſſings; therefore They are far before, and above temporal bleſſings.no marvail that God makes promiſe firſt of them; they are before and above them; the ſhekel of the Sanctuary was double to the ordinary ſhekel; they are the beſt

p. 3431. In nature; they are the pearl of great price, the one thing neceſſary; (as In Nature.the Sun amongſt the Stars) the better part; we ſet ſuch a value upon our natural life, that all the world is inferiour unto it; (all that a man hath will he give for his life) yet one ſpiritual bleſſing ſurmounts it. Pſal. 63. 3. Thy favour is better than life. It is a good ſpeech of Gregory Nazianzen, Aequius eſt ut vincat quod me lius eſt; which is the greater or better, the gold, or the Altar that ſanctifies the gold?

2. In influence and virtue; Can earthly things alter the frame of the heart? In influence.or deliver from death? or avail in the day of wrath? or make our peace with God? or relieve a diſtreſſed conſcience? or put you in poſſeſſion of Chriſt? or give you hope of heaven? or help your ſoul at all? but ſpiritual bleſſings can do all theſe; renewing grace doth change the heart; Jeſus Chriſt delivers from death and wrath; his blood pacifies; Gods aſſurance of forgiveneſſe quiets the conſcience, rejoyceth the heart; all theſe will give you more than hope of heave for your ſouls at laſt.

3. In conſequence; no earthly bleſſings are of that conſequence unto us as In conſequence.heavenly bleſſings are; they are but the meat which periſheth; we ſhall periſh if we have only the things which periſh; mortal treaſures are not of an immortal conſequence; things of this life are but for this life; life will quickly have an end, and then all theſe things will be at an end; but ſpiritual bleſſings are of an immortal, and of an eternal conſequence; no good like unto that, which is either eternal bleſſedneſs, or for eternal bleſſedneſs: As Gregory Nazianzen ſpake, foreign; Ʋna vita est ad vitam respicere; ſpiritual bleſſings are life, and they are for life, they are the meat which endures for ever; the good part which ſhall never be taken away, they make for your eternity.

4. In their neceſſity; Is not the life more than meat? and the body than In neceſſity.rayment? ſaith Chriſt. Matth. 6. 25. So ſay I, is not heaven more than earth? and ſpiritual bleſſings more neceſſary than temporal? You may live awhile without ſpiritual bleſſings; but can you live for ever without them? you may be merry with temporal bleſſings, but can you be happy without them? what Bernard ſpake of Chriſt, Where can it be well without him? and where can it be ill with him? That may be ſaid of ſpiritual bleſſings, they are ſo neceſſary, and ſo immediate unto your ſouls condition, that your ſouls are, and muſt be miſerable without them, and cannot but be bleſſed in the enjoyment of them.

5. God doth promiſe the ſpiritual bleſſings firſt, that he might learn us what to ſeek firſt, and upon what to ſet our hearts moſt. Matth. 6. 33. But ſeek ye God promiſeth ſpiritual bleſſings firſt.firſt the Kingdom of God, and the righteouſneſſe thereof. Col. 3. 2. Set your affections on things above, not on things on earth.

Ʋſe 1 Doth God firſt promiſe ſpiritual bleſſings in the Covenant? Then they are much to be blamed,They are to be blamed who look not after ſpiritual bleſſings.

1. Who look not after spiritual bleſſings at all, but altogether and only after temporal bleſſings. Pſal. 4. 6. There be many will ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? Phil. 2. 21. All ſeek their own, not the things which are Jeſus Chriſts. If we did take ſtrict ſurvey of the mindings and ſtudies, and deſires, and labours of the ſons of men, we ſhould find them all like ſo many heavy bodies, inclining and moving downward to the center of earthly things. One is for earthly pleaſure, another for earthly profits, another for earthly vanities! One cries out for health, another for ſtrength, another for friends, another for preferment, another for quiet, another for riches; God is not in all their thoughts, ſaid David: Spiritual bleſſings are not in their minds and hearts ſay I. Surely theſe men do not believe a future bleſſedneſſe, or do not know the preſent neceſſities of their ſouls; or do not underſtand the worth and preciouſneſſe of ſpiritual bleſſings. It is a great judgement and curſe upon men, when they make their ſins their delight, and the world to be their portion.

p. 344Secondly, Who look not after them firſt of all: You have ſome men whoWho look … …ſt of a…l.

1. Intend after that they have compaſſed ſuch a meaſure of temporal bleſſings (as they imagine will ſerve for them and their children) then to mind Spiritual bleſsings for their ſouls.

But two things befall theſe men. 1. Either they die in the time of their Earthly projects and deſigns: …. Or their hearts grow full with new deſires of a further meaſure of thoſe earthly gettings. They are juſtly left by God to an endleſs covetouſneſſe, and are not renewed by his grace to any heavenly-mindedneſs all their dayes.

2. Who think only of Spiritual bleſsings, when they muſt part with all their temporal bleſsings, and that is when they come to die; O then a Chriſt, and then peace with God and then mercies to pardon their ſins, and then grace to believe and repent; and thus they put off looking after Spiritual bleſſings, untill they have no time to get them; or elſe God will not give theſe Spiritual bleſsings in the time which they now do ſet, becauſe they ſlighted and neglected them in the time when God was pleaſed to offer them.

Now what ſhall I ſay to theſe men? Is it probable or poſsible to awaken them to receive inſtruction! I will make bold to tell you three things.

1. As yet they are not in Covenant with God: For every one actually and ſincerely Covenanting with God, his heart is ſet on God as his firſtand as his beſt, and his full, and his only portion: Thou art my portion O Lord. Pſal. 119. 57. Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee, Pſal. 73. 25, &c.

2. They are perſons of vain and fooliſh hearts; what a vanity and folly it is to pitch on vain things on Earth, when God offers firſt the great things of Heaven! 2 Cor. 4. 18. Suppoſe a goodly Inheritance (worth 1000. l. per annum) were offered, and a few Counters were alſo offered, or only 10. l. per annum for life, were he not a vain and fooliſh man, who would fix his choice on the laſt offer? So when God offers all Spiritual bleſſings firſt, and next the temporal, which are only for term of life; then like the Prodigal for the preſent time to have a little Earthly portion in our hands, &c. or like Eſau to prefer a Meſſe of Pottage before the birth-right, how vain is this!

3. If you do not infallibly undo your ſouls, yet you do extreamly hazard them, you do expoſe them to a moſt dangerous contingency: For ſuppoſe you do intend hereafter to mind and get Spiritual bleſſings, yet what if God ſhould cut you off in the midſt of your dayes! what if in the depth of your labour for Earth, he ſhould command you to return to the Earth, and perhaps ſuddenly and in a moment, what now would become of your poor ſouls! Thou fool, this night ſhall thy ſoule be taken from thee; then whoſe ſhall all theſe things be? Luke 12. 20. And what ſhall it profit a man to gain the whole world, if he ſhall loſe his ſoule! Matth. 16. 26.

Uſe 2 Doth God in his Covenant firſt promiſe unto us the Spiritual bleſſings? then let us all be perſwaded, firſt to mind them, and firſt to get them. Arguments Firſt minde Spiritual bleſſings. Arguments to perſwade it. They are portions indeed, and for Chriſtians, and the beſt portions.to induce you to hearken unto this advice, are theſe.

Firſt, Theſe are Covenant-teſtimonies; indeed this ſhews that God is your God, and you are his, and that he loves you.

Secondly, Spiritual bleſſings, theſe are portions indeed for Chriſtians, and they are the best portions.

1. Portions indeed; you have nothing of your own but ſinne and vanity.

Yea 2ly. Theſe are portions for Chriſtians, as Themiſtocles ſaid, Give thoſe bracelets to ſlaves; or as Baſil (when he was offered temporary glory, and wealth, &c) anſwered, Give me glory which abides for ever; and give me riches which will endure p. 345for ever. Matth. 6. 31, 32. Take no thought what ye ſhall eat; for after all theſe things do the Gentiles ſeek. Earthly things are a common ſtock, only Spiritual bleſſings are the Childrens inheritance: As God ſpake of the Levites, that they ſhall have no inheritance among their brethren, I will be their portion, ſaid the Lord; ſo may we ſay of temporal and Spiritual bleſſings, God will not have his people to ſit down with ſo low and poor a portion as temporal things, but their portion ſhall be himſelf, his Chriſt, his Spirit, his Grace, his Peace, his Joy, his Glory, his Bleſſedneſs.

3. And thoſe are the beſt portions: Theſe do make up our eſtate indeed: now you may ſit down and rejoyce, for you have poſſeſſion good enough, and ſafe enough: and a better poſſeſſion than God himſelf, and all Spiritual bleſings no ſoul is capable of.

Thirdly, They are poſſible: I beſeech you obſerve with me a few things.They are poſſible.

1. Nothing is impoſſible which lies in Gods promiſe, becauſe God who promiſeth, is able alſo to perform, and give whatſoever he is pleaſed to promiſe; and the donation or accompliſhment depends not on us, but on God alone, on his power and fidelity.

2. None ever cordially ſought them, but did enjoy them, If ye ſeek for them as ſilver, and hid treaſures, you ſhall have them, Prov. 23. 4, 5. You ſhall ſeek me, and finde me when you ſhall ſearch for me with all your heart, Jer. 29. 13. Nay I dare to ſay, did you ſeek, and pray for theſe Spiritual bleſſings, as you do for temporal bleſſings, with the ſame thought, and earneſtneſs, and diligence, and importunity, and conſtancy, you might long ſince have poſſeſſed them, both plentifully and comfortably.

Fourthly, They are more certain (upon right ſeeking) than the temporal They are more certain.bleſſings; you may obſerve concerning theſe two ſorts of bleſſings;

1. That God never gives all the particulars of temporal bleſſings to any one man, but diſtributes them by parcels, ſome to one, and ſome to another; but he gives every Spiritual bleſſing (for the ſubſtance) unto every one in Covenant.

2. That God doth put ſome Proviſoes and Exceptions, and Reſerves upon temporal bleſſings (ſo far as conſiſtent with the …, and as is fitting and behoving in ſuch a condition and relation, &c.) bu… … Spiritual bleſſings (which ſubſtantially concern his people) he is peremptory, he will give them, he will not deny them, although for a while he may delay them; as in the point of Revocation, he oft times takes off theſe outward bleſſings, and yet ſtill continues the Spiritual, he will never recall them, his loving-kindneſs ſhall continue ſtill with them: Simile. ſo in point of Donation, though he many times denies particular outward things, yet he will not deny the Spiritual: The Father will not deny food to the Child, though he doth deny an apple.

Fifthly, If you could but get the Spiritual bleſſings, they would ſoon haſten in They will bring in temporal bleſſings.and ſpeed you with ſuch temporal bleſſings which you need: Temporal, they often go alone, they bring not the Spiritual; but the Spiritual brings in the temporal. Matth. 6. 33. Seek firſt the kingdom of God and the righteouſneſs thereof, and all theſe things ſhall be added unto you; (tanquam Appendices Cumulo) you ſhould have the ſpiritual bleſſings which you firſt of all deſire; and the temporal which you leaſt of all deſire; you ſhall have them in the purchaſe, and over and above the bargain.

Sixthly, And you ſhall have them with more comfort, peace, and bleſſing; for And bring them in with more comfort and peace.Spiritual bleſſings do draw off that curſe with which our ſins have involved our temporal bleſſings; and beſides they give them a ſweeter reliſh, becauſe we now poſſeſs them with the favour and love of God in Chriſt.

p. 346Uſe. 3 Doth God in his Covenant promiſe firſt (unto his people) all ſpiritual bleſſings? then you who are his people may hence learn.Let Gods people learn To bleſs God, who firſt bleſſeth them with ſpiritual bleſſings.

Firſt, To bleſſe your God, who in the firſt place bleſſeth you with all Spiritual bleſſings; your eſtate differs from that of other men, in two particulars.

1 In the Entrance, that at the firſt you poſſeſſe the choyſeſt mercies.

2. In the End, that at the laſt you ſhall poſſeſſe the higheſt glory. Pſal. 103. 1. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoul, and all that is within me praiſe his holy Name. Ver. 2. Bleſſe the Lord, O my ſoule, and forget not all his benefits. Ver. 3. Who forgave thee all thine iniquities, and healeth all thy diſeaſes. Thus David for forgiveneſs and health; much more then ſhould the people of God bleſs him, who at the very firſt bleſſeth them with all Spiritual bleſſings; with his favour, with his Chriſt, with Righteouſneſs, with Holyneſs, with forgiveneſs, with Peace, &c.

Secondly, To be contented, although perhaps you have a leſſer portion in temporal bleſſings: Am I not better to thee than ten ſons, ſaid Elkanah to To be contented with a leſs portion in temporal bleſſings.Hannah, 1 Sam. 1. 8. So, why do you yet complain and take on? are not Spiritual bleſſings better than all temporal bleſſings? I beſeech you by what intereſt do you judge men bappy? by temporal or by ſpiritual? If by temporal, why did you ſo much deſire Spiritual? if by Spiritual, why then are you not contented who have already all Spiritual bleſſings for your portion? eſpecially conſidering that for asking the daughters of Zelophehad had the nether ſpring as well as the upper; and you but for asking ſhall have enough for Earth as well as for Heaven.

I now proceed to a third General Obſervation, viz.

SECT. III.

3. Doct. THat whatſoever the bleſſings are which may, or do concern the people Whatſoever bleſſings are diſpenced, God is the giver of them.of God in Covenant, God himſelf doth undertake to give them unto his people: Conſider the Cov…nt Donatives mentioned in this Chapter, and elſewhere; you ſhall expreſly …, that none but God himſelf undertakes the Donation of them. I will ſprinkle clean water upon the… ▪ and I will give them a new heart; and I will put my Spirit within you, and I will call for the corn, &c. v. 25, 26, 29, 30. So Ezek. 11. 19. I will give you one heart. Jer. 31. 33. I will put my Law in their inward parts. 32. 40. I will put my fear in their hearts. Deut. 30. 6. The Lord thy God will circumciſe thy heart, and the heart of thy ſeed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy ſoul, that thou mayeſt live. Hoſ. 14. 4. I will heal their back-ſlidings, I will love them freely. Zac. 12. 10. I will poure upon the houſe of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jeruſalem the Spirit of grace and of ſupplication, &c.

Here only two Queſtions for the illuſtration of this Point.

1. Why God himſelf undertakes to give the Covenant-bleſsings unto his people?

2. After what manner he undertakes to beſtow them upon his people?

Queſt. 1. Why God himſelf undertakes the Donative of all the bleſsings in Reaſons of it.the Covenant unto his people?

Sol. Reaſons thereof are,

Firſt, No creature whatſoever can give them; therefore it belongs to God alone: Two things (at the leaſt) are required for the giving of bleſſings.No Creature can give them.

p. 3471. One is Authority; there muſt be a right in them as ours; for what hath any one to do to give that which is none of his?

2. The other is Sufficiency, or ability to paſs them over unto another, and to make the bleſsings to be his: Now no creature hath Authority to give any bleſſings; why ſo! becauſe God only is the Lord of all bleſsings whatſoever, they are his, and of right belong unto him only: Conſider, all ſorts of bleſsings they are his, he is the Lord of them. Spiritual bleſſings are his, mercy is his, he is the God of mercy; and grace is his, he is the God of all grace; and comfort is his, he is the God of all conſolation; and peace is his; he is the very God of peace; and love is his, God is love; the Spirit is his, and Chriſt is his Anointed; and glory is his, he is the God of glory. And ſo for temporal bleſſings, though they be ours many times for poſſeſsion and uſe, yet they are his for Right and Donation. The earth is the Lords and the fulneſſe thereof, ſaith David, Pſal. 24. 1. Thine (O Lord) is the greatneſſe, and the power, and the glory, and the victory, and the Majeſty; for all that is in the heaven, and in the earth, is thine, 1 Chro. 29. 11. Both riches and honour come of thee, and thou reignest over all, and in thine hand is power and might, and in thine hand it is to make great, and to give ſtrength unto all, ver. 12. And no Creature hath Sufficiency or Ability to convey or paſſe over bleſsings; for Spiritual bleſſings, can any man give them unto himſelf, or unto another? Can any man give faith unto himſelf? It is the work of God, ſaith Chriſt; it is the gift of God, ſaith Paul: Can any man give Repentance unto himſelf, no, it was God that gave repentance unto the Gentiles; and the Church prayed, Turn thou me, and I ſhall be turned: Can any man make his own heart holy? no, it is God himſelf which ſanctifies us: can any man forgive his own ſinnes? no, who can forgive ſinnes but God only? And for temporal bleſſings, can we give rain, or plenty, or ſafety, or health, or life, or eaſe; or quietneſs? can we make the Cloudes to drop down, or the ſword to be at reſt, or the ſick to be at reſt? No Creature can do any thing of itſelf; and therefore God himſelf undertakes to give all the bleſsings in the Covenant unto his people; otherwiſe they could never have them.

Secondly, God will have the glory of whatſoever bleſſing we do receive from him: God will have the glory of all our bleſſings.He allows unto us the benefit of them, and the comfort of them; but he reſerves all the glory of them unto himſelf alone: Thine is the glory, ſaith Chriſt; Matth. 6. 13.

Now upon a double account doth the glory of all appertain to God, viz.

1. In that he is the End of all his works, and gifts, and bleſsings; all that God manifeſts about the ſalvation of ſinners, is to the praiſe and glory of his grace, Eph. 1. 6. He himſelf is the ultimate End of all his works, and of himſelf.

2. In that he is the Efficient Cauſe of all good and bleſsings; the Apoſtle joynes theſe two together, in Rom. 11. 16. For of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory for ever, Amen. Mark the place, let glory be given to God for ever, and unto him alone; why ſo! becauſe, 1. All things are of him, and through him, he is the Efficient Cauſe; 2ly. All things are to him, he is the Final Cauſe for which they are: You have another place to this purpoſe, in 1 Cor. 1. 30. But of him are ye in Chriſt Jeſus, who of God is made unto us Wiſdom, and Righteouſneſs, and Sanctification, and Redemption. ver. 31. That according as it is written, he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord. If any man could be of himſelf, the cauſe unto himſelf of any good, then he might glory in himſelf, and bleſs himſelf and ſay, This hath mine own hand wrough… for me, I gave life unto my ſelf, and grace to my heart, and peace to mine own conſcience, and I wrought mine own Redemption. No, ſaith the Apoſtle, you can do nothing, it is of God that ye are in p. 348Chriſt, and it is of God that Chriſt is made unto you wiſdom, &c. therefore you may not glory in your ſelves, but only in the Lord. If I be made high only by the favour of another, and if I be made rich only by the bounty of another, ſhould I give the glory of theſe unto my ſelf? well then, God hath a right unto all glory, therefore he himſelf will give all grace.

Thirdly, God himſelf undertakes to give unto his people all Covenant-bleſſings, God would have the hearts of his people f…x't on him alone.becauſe the hearts of his people ſhould be fixed and faſtened on him alone: There are two things which God cannot endure, eſpecially in his own people.

1. One is a diſtruſt of himſelf; Why ſayeſt thou O Jacob, and ſpeakeſt O Iſrael, My way is hid from the Lord, and my judgement is paſſed over from my God! Iſa. 40. 27.

2. The other is, a truſting upon the creature; and now What haſt thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the water of Siber! Or what haſt thou to do with the way of Aſſyria, to drink the water of the River! Jer. 2. 18. Curſed be the man that truſteth in man, and maketh fleſh his arme, and whoſe heart departeth from the Lord, Jer. 17. 5. No, but this is it that the Lord doth require of his people; viz. to take off their hearts (their hopes and expectations, and dependances) from all other beſides himſelf, and to ſettle and fix them only upon himſelf. Iſa. 45. 22. Look unto me all ye ends of the earth, and be ſaved; for I am God, and there is none elſe. Pſal. 62. 8. Truſt in him at all times ye people, poure out the heart before him; God is a refuge, Selah. In the Covenant God engageth his heart to us; and one reaſon thereof, is, to engage our hearts to him; in the Covenant he engageth his power and goodneſſe, and all-ſufficiency, and fidelity unto us; and this he doth to engage our love to him, our fear to him, our hope and confidence unto him; this is enough, God himſelf undertakes for all.

Fourthly, That faith might have a ſure foundation; this I take for unqueſtionable;That faith may have a ſure foundation.

1. True faith cannot be raiſed but by a Divine power.

2. True faith cannot reſt upon any mutable or inſufficient power; you may as ſoon fix an Anchor in the Aire, as to make faith faſten upon impotent and weak cauſes; if we do certainly know that ſuch an Object or Agent cannot help, or will not help, that it fails in ſufficiency of power, or kindneſſe of will, or ſtedfaſtneſſe of being faith cannot draw out the heart to truſt and ſay, Here you are ſure to find mercy, and ſure to find love, and ſure to find help, and ſure ſtill to find ſupply; faith muſt have a ſure Anchor to truſt unto, or elſe it can never quiet the heart; and elſe it can never perſwade the heart to reſt, or to expect, or wait; but now becauſe God himſelf undertakes to give unto his people all good which concerns them, faith hath foundation ſure enough to build upon; for there cannot be greater ſecurity than God himſelf, binding and engaging himſelf unto us. God is an all-ſufficient goodneſſe, wiſdom, kindneſſe, omnipotency, immutability, faithfulneſſe, and all this is in a way of Covenant unto you; faith cannot deſire ſtronger, or greater, or ſurer grounds to draw out the heart to truſt, than theſe; theſe are ſufficient to anſwer all fears and doubts, and temptations, and contrary ſuggeſtions whatſoever.

Fifthly, laſtly, To whom ought we to pray for all the good which we do need? God d…th confine our prayers to himſelf alone.even to God alone; he calls upon us to call only upon him; Call upon me, and ask of me; and I will be enquired of to do this for them; and poure out your heart before him: Certainly then God himſelf doth undertake to give all, if he alone will be ſought unto for all; if there were any thing which he could not do, or would not do, or that others alſo beſides himſelf were to do for us, then he would not have reſtrained our prayers to himſelf alone; but becauſe he doth bound and confine all our prayers at all times unto himſelf alone, therefore unqueſtionably it is p. 349he himſelf alone who undertakes to give all the bleſſings of the Covenant unto us. Pſal. 57. 2. I will cry unto God moſt high, unto God that performeth all things for me. Ver. 3. He ſhall ſend from heaven and ſave me, &c. God ſhall ſend forth his mercy and truth.

And thus you ſee the reaſons why God himſelf undertakes to give all bleſſings to his people.After what manner God diſpenſeth his bleſſings. He undertakes for all the good they do or ſhall need.

Queſt. 2. Now follows the ſecond queſtion; viz. After what manner God undertakes to give all the bleſſings of the Covenant unto his people?

Sol. For anſwer unto this queſtion, remember theſe concluſions.

1. That God undertakes in his Coventnt to give unto his people all the good which they do or ſhall need; not all good ſimply, not all good whatſoever that can be deſired, but all good which is proper for them, and needful for them; ſo far as the Covenant goes or extends to any perſon, ſo far doth Gods undertaking to give extend: Now his Covenant is for all that is good for you, No good thing will he with-hold, Pſal▪ 84. 11. Simile. If you have not ſo large an eſtate in temporals as another, yet God is faithful in his Covenant, becauſe ſtill what he ſees to be good for you, that he gives you; and in temporals you are not to be the Judge, but God himſelf, who beſt knows your wants, and the conveniency of your ſupplies; the childe muſt not be the Judge, but the father.

God gives all needful good aſſuredly.2. That whatſoever good is needful, that God doth undertake to give you aſſuredly; for you have his bond of promiſe, and his oath likewiſe; he doth ſo undertake to give it, that you ſhall not miſſe of it, but ſhall certainly enjoy it; not only the ſubſtantially ſpiritual bleſſings, (which make up the eſſe of an heavenly condition) but alſo thoſe ſpiritual bleſſings circumſtantially conſidered in the comfortable part of it, (as ſpiritual joy and peace, and aſſurance) when your ſouls come into ſuch an exigence that theſe are neceſſary for you, you ſhall not miſſe of them; when your child is weak and ſinking, the father will give him the cordial; as when he is hungry, he will give him the food; Nay, not only ſpiritual bleſſings, but temporals alſo; there is a certainty of them, when there is a neceſſity of them: When the poor and needy ſeek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Iſrael will not forſake them, Iſa. 41. 17.

3. That when it is affirmed that God undertakes to give all bleſſings unto his God will give all in his own time.people in Covenant, this muſt be underſtood in his own time; there are our times, and Gods times; Gods time is called the time appointed, Habakkuk 2. 3. and the acceptable time, 2 Cor. 6. 2. and the time of the promiſe, Acts 7. 17. Now though God will give all neceſſary good unto his people, yet he will do this, not at our time, but at his own time; for 1. He is a gracio… debtor and donor; he doth voluntarily, and upon the ſcore of his own grace undertake our mercies: And therefore hath a liberty to ſet what date of time for payment or collation, ſeems beſt unto himſelf: And ſecondly, He is a moſt wiſe God, unto whom the peculiar ſeaſons of communicating any mercies are beſt known; therefore although you do not preſently enjoy the mercies which he doth promiſe, and you do ask, you ſhould neither grow hereupon diſtruſtful in queſtioning him, nor impatient in waiting upon him, nor negligent in ſeeking of him; for in due time we ſhall reap, if we faint not, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks in another caſe; and he is the God of judgement, able to diſcern our need of mercies, and the beſt time of beſtowing of them.

4. That God will give all thoſe bleſſings which himſelf undertakes, in that order which is proper for the reception of them. There are (you know) ſpiritual bleſſings God will give them in that order that is proper for the reception of them.and temporal bleſſings; now Gods order in the collation of theſe, is to give the ſpiritual firſt, and then the temporal; firſt, to beſtow that which ſecures the ſoul, and then that which concerns the body; therefore he would have us firſt to ſeek the Kingdom of God.

p. 350Again, ſpiritual bleſſings, ſome of them are of a vital conſequence, which make the ſoul alive, and the condition of it truly good; all theſe God gives together at one time; he gives faith and Chriſt, and Juſtification, and Sanctification all at once; as ſoon as the perſon believes he is united to Chriſt, and hereupon juſtified and ſanctified. And others of them are of a comfortable conſequence, as aſſurance, joy, peace, &c. God doth not give theſe bleſſings firſt of all; but after he hath given the former. Epheſ. 1. 13. In whom after ye believed, ye were ſealed with that holy Spirit of promiſe; (mark, the ſealing follows the believing) 1 Pet. 1. 8. In whom believing ye rejoyce with joy unſpeakable, and full of glory; (here rejoycing follows believing) Rom. 5. 1. Being juſtified by faith, we have peace with God; (peace with God follows juſtification) and therefore is it a prepoſterous courſe for any troubled ſouls, to preſſe God, or to expect from God the comforts and joys, and aſſurances promiſed, before they have faith, and are in Chriſt; for though God doth promiſe theſe things, yet he promiſes to give them in an orderly way; the graces firſt, and then the comforts of grace; faith and union with Chriſt firſt, and then the joys and peace depending upon that union.

5. When God undertakes to give all bleſſings unto his people in Covenant, this He gives according to the proportions and meaſures he knows beſt for us in our places and conditions.muſt be underſtood according to the proportion and meaſure which he knows beſt for us in our places and conditions.

There is a meaſure of apprehenſion of Chriſt, and of our juſtification by Chriſt, and of our ſalvation by Chriſt; God gives a greater and clearer, and more fixed meaſure of the apprehenſion or reflexive knowledge of theſe to ſome of his people then he doth to others of them. And there is a meaſure of holineſſe; ſome have higher, and ſome have weaker degrees of grace; now in Gods undertaking to give all ſpiritual bleſſings, you muſt not think that God intends to give every meaſure or degree of grace at once, nor yet the like degree of grace unto every one, nor yet the like meaſure of comfortable evidences, or apprehenſions of intereſt in Chriſt, and remiſſion, and ſalvation by him; no, but God will give all Covenant-bleſſings unto all his people in ſuch a proportion and meaſure, in this life, as may conduce moſt to his glory, and may moſt fit them in their private and publick conditions for his better ſervice.

Ʋſe 1 Strive to believe and acknowledge this truth, that God himſelf doth undertake to give all the bleſſings of the Covenant which do concern his Believe and acknowledge this truth.people.

Object. Why will you ſay, no man doubts it or ſcruples it, but it belongs to God, and to him alone to give all, &c.

Sol. I wiſh that …me were true; but if indeed this were ſo, then,

1. Why do not we in all our wants and neceſſities make our prime applications unto God? Why do we think leaſt of him, and laſt of him? we run to this creature, and to that creature; ſet up one friend, and look upon another; try all the powers and abilities here below, as if God were leaſt of all concerned in the donation of our mercies and bleſſings; if we did indeed believe that God himſelf undertakes all bleſſings for us, then our firſt addreſſes would be unto him, our firſt work and our great work would be with himſelf alone to do us good.

2. Why do our hearts go and come, riſe and fall, according to the preſence and abſence of viſible means and helps? in the prevalence of them our hearts are raiſed up with hopes, and in the abſence of them they are diſtracted, and caſt down with fears: Would it be thus with us, if we did indeed believe that God himſelf undertook to give us all our bleſſings? certainly we place our hopes and expectations below and beſides God himſelf, when inferiour cauſes have ſuch a command, and ſuch an influence upon our hearts. If we did believe that God himſelf, that p. 351he alone were ſufficient and faithful, it would be all one to us, whether the creatures ſmile or frown; incline toward us, or fall from us.

3. Why do we (not only for temporal ſupplies, but alſo for spiritual mercies) undertake for our ſelves, and as it were diſcharge God from undertaking for us? How often do we undertake the ſpiritual charge of our hearts? and to make our own hearts to repent, and to believe, and to ſubdue our own ſins, and to do ſuch and ſuch commands of God by our own free-will, and by our own ſtrength; if we did believe that God himſelf undertakes for all theſe, and that it belongs unto him alone to give them would we preſume upon our ſelves thus? would we take his work out of his hands?

4. Why dare we not in our exigency commit all unto him, and quietly reſt on him, but when our helps and hopes are reduced only unto him, ſo that unleſſe he himſelf appears, we can caſt Anchor nowhere elſe? and although in ſuch caſes he doth plainly appear in his Covenant, graciouſly undertaking, and faithfully promiſing to help and bleſſe us; yet this is nothing to us; it doth no way affect or ſupport us; aſſuredly, either we do not know this God aright, or elſe we do not believe that he himſelf doth undertake for us; or elſe that he will performe and Not to believe and acknowledge this truth is a great ſin. Wherein the ſinfulneſſe of it lies.make good what himſelf hath undertaken. Beloved! Conſider what I ſay; this is a very great ſin, thus to fall ſhort in the belief and acknowledgement of this truth; for

1. You deny God to be God in the Covenant; you do (as it were) ſhut him out from being a party there, and concerned there; though indeed he be the confederating party, and we are the confederated party, yet you include him, and deny him to be ſo, when that you believe not that it belongs to him to be the ſuſcipient party, and your ſelves to be the recipient party only; for I beſeech you what will you make of Gods covenanting with you, more than a cypher, if you do not grant and acknowledge him (therein) as engaging himſelf to give us all the good which we do need? What other work is there which can or doth concern him!

2. And you do hereby deny all homage unto him; for how can you … unto him for any one good that you want, or truſt on him for any one …cy, if you do not acknowledge this truth, that he himſelf undertakes to give all bleſſings and mercies unto you? and where will you put your mite of thankfulneſſe for all your receits of bleſſings? if God himſelf did not undertake to give you the bleſſings, what ground have you to undertake to give him the praiſe of them? Therefore earneſtly ſtrive by faith to aſſent unto this truth which I have delivered; it is of more conſequence than you are aware of; it is that which gives life unto you in all your dealings with God, and which may ſupport and encourage you againſt all the temptations of Satan, and fears of your own ſpirits; God himſelf is your God, and God himſelf (for whom nothing is too hard, and who is faithful in Covenant) he it is who undertakes to find out, and give out unto you every mercy (for ſoul and body) which you do or ſhall need.

Ʋſe 2 Do not only believe this truth, but alſo make uſe of it; (i. e.) in the ſenſe of all your wants, whether ſpiritual or temporal, Go unto God with boldneſſe unto Make uſe of this truth.his Throne of grace, that ye may finde grace and mercy to help in time of need: Remember that of the Apoſtle in Phil. 4. 6. Be careful in nothing, but in every thing by prayer and ſupplication, (with thankſgiving) let your requeſt be made known to God.

Do not vainly perplex your ſelves, O it is impoſſible ever to get this ſinful heart changed, and this hard heart broken, and thoſe ſins pardoned; but …nſider ſeriouſly,

1. What is that which you finde promiſed in the Covenant: Do you not expreſly find the renewing of the heart promiſed there? and the taking away of the hard heart promiſed there? and the forgiveneſſe of all ſins promiſed there?

p. 3522. Who is it that undertakes to give theſe things promiſed? Is it not God himſelf who can do it, becauſe he is Almighty; and will do it, becauſe he is faithful? it is not what ſtrength and power you have for theſe things, but what the ſufficiency and fidelity of God is who undertakes to give them.

Object. But he expects great matters from us, before he will give them unto us?

Sol. 1. I will tell you what he expects from you; he expects three things from you. 1. That you acknowledge your own unworthineſſe, and his graciouſneſſe. 2. That you come and pray unto him, and intreat him to do theſe things for you. 3. That you truſt upon him as able and willing to help you according to his Word.

2. And this which he expects from you, (if he hitherto hath not given, them unto you, yet) he promiſeth to give them unto you; for praying, Zach. 12. 10. I will poure upon them the Spirit of ſupplication; for truſting, Zephany 3. 12. I will leave in the midſt of thee an afflicted and poor people, and they ſhall truſt in the Name of the Lord.

Object. But we muſt bring ſomething or other, and undertake ſomething, elſe God will not do all for us.

Sol. 1. What would ye bring to a Covenant of Grace? or what ſhould you bring but your hearts to receive what is promiſed in the Covenant of Grace to be given?

2. All the finding and giving work belongs to God; that is it which himſelf undertakes, forgiveneſſe, righteouſneſſe, holineſſe, love, joy and peace; and theſe himſelf undertakes to give unto us. The fountain is full, and runs freely, take your care only for a Veſſel to receive, and take in the waters which flow out of it.

Ʋſe 3 Doth God himſelf undertake to give all the bleſſings of the Covenant to his people? What a comfort is this unto all his people! this God himſelf is your God, Comfort to the people of God.and your Father, and he loves you above all the people in the world, and binds himſelf by promiſe and oath unto you, that in bleſſing he will bleſſe you. If you were to make your choice of one to undertake your good, in whoſe hands you would have your all to lie, you would pitch on one, 1. Who loves you as a friend, as a father, and as a near relation. 2. Who is ſufficient and able. 3. Who is mindful and faithful. 4. Who is knowing and wiſe. 5. Who is like to live long:

Now

Firſt, Doth not God love his people? I have loved thee with an everlasting love, God loves his people.Jer. 31. 3. I am a Father to Iſrael, and Iſrael is my firſt born, Ver. 9. Is Ephraim my dear ſon? I remember him ſtill; my bowels are troubled for him; I will ſurely have mercy on him, Ver. 20. Can a woman forget her ſucking child, that ſhe ſhould not have compaſſion on the Son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee, Iſa. 49. 15.

Secondly, Is he not able to do you good? he is the All-ſufficient and Almighty God is able to do you good.God, nothing is too hard for him; he is able to do above all that we are able to ask or think, and can do whatſoever he pleaſeth in heaven and in earth; is it not be who ſtretcheth out the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth? Abraham was fully perſwaded that what God had promiſed, he was able to performe, Rom. 4. 21.

Thirdly, He knows all your diſtreſſes and wants; your groans are not hid from He knows all your diſtreſſes.him, and all your tears are in his bottle, he is mindful of his people; (Pſal. 115. 12. The Lord hath been mindful of us, he will bleſſe us:) he is mindful of … Covenant. Pſal. 111. 5. He hath given meat to them that fear him, he will be mindful of his Covenant. Pſal. 105. 8. He hath remembred his Covenant for ever.

p. 353Fourthly, He is the faithful God; Deut. 7. 9. Know that the Lord thy God He is the faithful God.he is God, the faithful God which keepeth Covenant, and mercy with them that love him, and keep his Covenant to thouſands of generations. Heb. 10. 23. He is faithful that promiſed.

Fifthly, He is the wiſe God: God only wiſe, Rom. 16. 27. Wiſe in heart, Job He is the wiſe God.9. 4. And therefore will proportion and ſeaſon out proper and peculiar mercies unto his ſervants.

Sixthly, He is the unchangeable God; there is not ſo much as the ſhaddow of Change in him, Jam. 1. 17. The living God, Jer. 10. 10. The Lord is the true He is the unchangeable God.God, he is the living God, and an everlaſting King, Dan. 12. 7. liveth for ever.

…, If I do underſtand this Aſſertion aright, it may ſuffice to take off all your fears; and to draw on all your hearts to come unto your God with confidence, who himſelf undertakes to give unto you all the good of his Covevant: Can more be deſired, or can any thing elſe conduce further or better to your ſalvation!

Object. We confeſs that here is enough in reſpect of God, but that which makes us to fear, is ſomething in reſpect o ourſelves, our unworthineſs againſt which God may take exception, and for which he may deny to give unto us the good things which he hath promiſed.

Sol. This is the greateſt doubt which ſtill ſticks with us, and it is the ſtrongeſt exception of our unbelieving hearts; and unto which I ſhall endeavour to give a full reſolution, in the laſt General Propoſition which now comes to be handled, viz.

SECT. IV.

Doct. 4. THat all theſe bleſſings which God doth promiſe to give unto his people All the bleſſings which God promiſeth to his people in Covenant, he gives them only upon account of his graciouſneſſe.in Covenant, he will, and doth give them, not for any worthineſſe in them, but only upon the account of his own graciouſneſſe. In this Chapter you have God undertaking all ſorts of mercies for his people; and it is obſervable that both Antecedently and Conſequently, he diſclaims all worthineſs of them, on his peoples part. Ezek. 36. 22. Thus ſaith the Lord God, I do not this for your ſakes; O houſe of Iſrael, but for mine holy Name ſake. ver. 32. Not for your ſakes do I this ſaith the Lord God, be it known unto you. Deut. 7. 7. The Lord did not ſet his love upon you, nor chuſe you, becauſe ye were more in number than any people (for ye were the feweſt of all people) ver. 8. but becauſe the Lord loved you; and becauſe he would keep the Oath which he had ſworn unto your Fathers, hath the Lord brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you out of the houſe of bond-men, from the hand of Pharaoh King of Egypt. Conſider all the bleſſings of the Covenant, for ſoul or body, for this life, or for the next, life Spiritual or temporal; the reaſon of them lies not in our worthineſs, but only, and altogether in Gods graciouſneſs; not in the receivers, but only in the giver: See it in theſe particulars.

Firſt, That God loves us, and makes a Covenant with us, this comes to paſs not God loves us from his own graciouſneſſe.for our worthineſs, but from his own graciouſneſſe. Ezek. 16. 6. When I paſſed by thee, and ſaw thee polluted in thine own blood, I ſaid unto thee when thou waſt in thy blood, Live; yea I ſaid unto thee when thou waſt in thy blood, Live. ver. 8. Now when I paſſed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold thy time was a time of love, and I ſpread my skirt over thee, and covered thy nakedneſſe, yea I ſware unto thee, and entered into a Covenant with thee, ſaith the Lord God, and thou becameſt mine.

p. 354Secondly, That God gives his Son Jeſus Chriſt, this reſpects no worthineſs in God gives Chr…ſt of his o…n graciouſneſs.us, but his own graciouſneſſe. Rom. 6. 5. For when we were yet without ſtrength, in due time Chriſt died for the ungodly. ver. 8. God commendeth his love towards us, that while we were yet ſinners, Chriſt dyed for us. Joh. 3. 16. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, &c.

Thirdly, That any man is effectually called unto Chriſt, this doth not ariſe from Effectual calling is from Gods graciouſneſs.any dignity in us, but only from Gods graciouſneſſe, 2 Tim. 1. 9. who hath called us with an holy calling, not according to our own works, but according to his own purpoſe and grace, which was given us in Chriſt Jeſus before the world began.

Fourthly, That any man is Sanctified, and renewed by the Spirit of Grace, this So is Sanctification.comes not from the account of any thing in us, but only from the account of Gods graciouſneſſe. Tit. 3. 5. Not by works of righteouſneſſe which we have done, but according to his mercy he ſaved us, by the waſhing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost, which he ſhed on us abundantly through Jeſus Chriſt our Saviour.

5. That any man is Justified, there is no reaſon for this in our works, but in And Juſtification.his grace. Rom. 3. 23. For all men have ſinned, and come ſhort of the glory of God. ver. 24. Being juſtified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jeſus Christ. Iſa. 43. 25. I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for mine own ſake. Epheſ. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveneſſe of ſins according to the riches of his grace.

Sixthly, That any man is Saved, and comes to the enjoyment of eternal life, this depends not upon our worthineſs, but on Gods graciouſneſſe. Epheſ. 2. 5. By And ſalvation.grace ye are ſaved. ver. 8. By grace are ye ſaved through faith, and that not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God. ver. 9. Not of works, leaſt any man ſhould boast. Rom. 6. 23. The wages of ſinne is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord.

Seventhly▪ Nay all our temporal bleſſings do flow, not from our worthineſs, but from his graciouſneſſe. Rom. 8. 32. He that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered And all temporal bleſſings.him up for us all, how ſhall he not alſo freely give us all things? 2 Sam. 7. 21. For thy Word ſake, and according to thine own heart haſt thou done all theſe great things to make thy ſervant know them.

For the further diſcuſſing of this Point, I will ſhew unto you

1. That God doth not enjoyn on his people, nor expect from them any worthineſs God doth not enjoyn nor expect any worthineſs as a reaſon of his bleſſings. Three Demonſtrations of it.as a reaſon of his bleſſings.

2. Why all his bleſſings are given unto us, upon the account of his own graciouſneſs.

Firſt, That God doth not enjoyn on his people, nor doth he expect from them any worthineſſe as a reaſon of any of his bleſſings. Indeed he doth command his people to …eek unto him, and to truſt upon him for all that good which he promiſeth to give unto them: But for any perſonal worthineſs as a reaſon of his goodneſs and bounty unto us, this he neither requires, nor expects: For

Firſt, A perſonal worthineſſe of the bleſſings of the Covenant is impoſſible on our part; we are in an abſolute incapacity of meriting any good from the hands of A perſonal worthineſs on our part is impoſſible.God. Dan. 9. 7. O Lord, Righteouſneſſe belongeth unto thee, but unto us confuſion of face, as at this day; O Lord, to us belongeth confuſion of face, &c. Iſa. 64. 6. We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteouſneſſes are as filthy rags. Conſider either our beſt doings, or our greatest ſufferings, no merit or worthineſs is to be found in either of them. For our doings, when we have done all that we can, Chriſt ſaith that we muſt ſay (and confeſs) that we are but unprofitable ſervants. Luke 17. 10. For our ſufferings, the Apoſtle ſaith (Rom. 8. 18.) I reckon that the ſufferings of this preſent time are not worthy to be compared with the which glory ſhall be revealed in us.

But let me now punctually demonſtrate this Aſſertion, that there can p. 355be no worthineſs or meriting, from us for any good thing.

1. No gift of God can really merit for us any good from God; but all the good that we have is the gift of God. Ergo.

The fi…ſt Propoſition is clear, becauſe in receiving what is only given, an Obligation reſts only upon us, but none upon the giver, and therefore we merit nothing, Simile. no more than a beggar can merit from us by receiving an almes from us.

The ſecond Propoſition is as clear, That all the good we have, or can do, is from God; Every good and perfect gift comes from him, Jam. 1. 17. What haſt tho… that thou didſt not receive? 1 Cor. 4. 7. We are not ſufficient of our ſelves to think any thing as of our ſelves, but our ſufficiency is of God, 2 Cor. 3. 5. By the grace of God I am what I am, 1 Cor. 15. 10. It is God which worketh in you to will and to do of his good pleaſure, Phil. 2. 13. Ʋnto you it is given to believe, Phil. 2. 29. If God will give them repentance, 2 Tim. 2. 25.

2. No debt which we owe to God, hath merit or worthineſſe in it; (Doth any man merit ought at any hand by paying unto me, what he ows unto me?) Simile. But all the good we have, or can do, is a debt which we owe to God: Ergo, cannot merit any thing from him: Doth not our believing fall under a Divine Precept? This is his Commandment, that we believe on the Name of his Son Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Joh. 3. 23. Doth not our repenting fall alſo under a Divine Precept? But now God commandeth all men everywhere to repent, Act. 17. 30. Doth not praying likewiſe fall under a Divine Precept! Call upon me, Pſal. 50. Pray without ceaſing, 1 Theſ. 5. 17. Do we any thing but what we ought to do when we believe, or repent, or pray, or walk in newneſs of obedience! and if no more be done by us, than what ought to be done by us, where is our merit or worthineſs?

3. If we fall ſhort in the best and moſt that we do, then we cannot merit by any thing that we do: but we do fall ſhort in the beſt and moſt that we do (the line which we write, may be written fairer, the good that we do, may, and ſhould be done better: Domine (ſaid one) lava lachrymas me as: yea ſo ſhort, that we need mercy for our beſt performances, and Chriſts Mediation and Interceſſion for them: Aaron was to bear the iniquities of the holy Offerings, Exod. 28. 38. And the prayers of the Saints were to go up with the Incenſe of the Altar, Rev. 8. 3. Nehem. 13. 22. Remember me, O my God, concerning this alſo, and ſpare me according to the greatneſſe of thy mercy!

Secondly, A perſonal worthineſſe for any good from God, is inconſiſtent with a A perſonal worthineſſe is inconſiſtent with the Covenant of grace.Covenant of Grace, and likewiſe with the Office of Chriſt, the only Mediatour of that Covenant: It is inconſiſtent with the Covenant of Grace; for according to that Covenant, all is given, and all is freely given (in that we are freely loved, and freely juſtified, and freely bleſſed, and ſaved) yea the worthineſs of our works and the riches of Gods grace, do one deſtroy and remove the other: Rom. 11 16. If by grace, then it is no more of works; otherwiſe grace is no more grace; but if it be of works, then it is no more of grace; otherwiſe work is no more work.

And with the Mediatorſhip of Christ, who alone is the merit and purchaſe And with the Mediatorſhip of Chriſt.of all grace and glory, of all bleſſings and bleſſedneſs: Hath Chriſt merited all, or hath he not? If his Alſufficiency hath not, can our inſufficiency do any thing? or where do you find any one word in Scripture, that Jeſus Chriſt hath left any thing for us to merit? or that any of our works gain ſo much of his Prerogative as to merit by his merits? the merits of Chriſt do make our good works accepted with God; but they do not make our works to merit; for he himſelf had not merited, had he not been both God and Man.

…hirdly, There is in us an indignity or unworthineſſe of any mercy, and God The…e is in us an unworthineſs of any mercy.would have us to acknowledge ſo in our Requeſts for, and Receits of his bleſſings.

p. 356Firſt, An unworthineſs of any mercy: Gen. 32. 10. I am not worthy of the leaſt of all theſe mercies, and all the truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant. Luke 15. 19. I am no more worthy to be called thy Son.

Secondly, And God will have us to acknowledge our ſelves unworthy. Deut. And God will have us acknowledge our ſelves unworthy.26. 3. Thou ſhalt go unto the Priest that ſhall be in thoſe dayes, and ſay unto him, I profeſſe this day unto the Lord thy God, that I am come unto the Country which the Lord ſware unto our Fathers for to give us. Ver. 4. And the Prieſt ſhall take the basket out of thine hand, and ſet it down before the Altar of the Lord thy God. Ver. 5. And thou ſhalt ſpeak and ſay before the Lord thy God, A Syrian ready to periſh was my Father, and he went down into Egypt, and ſojourned there with a few, …nd became there a Nation, great, mighty, and populous, &c. Deut. 8. 10. When thou haſt eaten and art full, then thou ſhalt bleſſe the Lord thy God for the good land which he hath given thee. Ver. 17. Beware leaſt thou ſay in thine heart, My power, and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth. Deut. 9. 4. Speak not thou in thine heart, after that the Lord thy God hath caſt them out from before thee, ſaying, For my Righteouſneſſe the Lord hath brought me in to poſſeſſe this land: Ver. 5. Not for thy Righteouſneſſe, or for the uprightneſſe of thine heart, &c. Ver. 6. Ʋnderſtand therefore that the Lord thy God giveth thee not this good land to poſſeſſe it for thy righteouſneſſe, for thou art a ſtiffe-necked people.

Thirdly, And rejects us pleading of our own worthineſſe; looks on it as pride And rejects us pleading our own worthineſſe.and vain-glory, as the Phariſee who inſiſted on his own worthineſſe; And thus you ſee that our worthineſs is not admitted as any Reaſon or Cauſe of Divine bleſſings; whence it muſt neceſſarily follow, that God then gives them unto us upon the ſole account of his own graciouſneſs.

Queſt. 2. And what the Reaſons thereof are, is the ſecond particular to be ſpoken unto, viz. Why all bleſſings are given unto us upon the account of Reaſons of it.Gods graciouſneſs.

Sol. The Reaſons briefly are theſe.

Firſt, This way of giving ſuits beſt with a Covenant of grace; In which the reaſons of our mercies, as well as the mercies themſelves are to be found; nay the This way of giving ſuits beſt with a Covenant of grace.reaſons of our mercies do moſt of all illuſtrate this Covenant of grace, and do principally conſtitute it; for (with reverence be it ſpoken) this Covenant would loſe the nature of being a Covenant of grace, if the mercies or bleſſings promiſed were not given unto us upon the reaſon or account of Gods graciouſneſs alone: Gratia eſt nullo modo quae non eſt gratuita omni modo.

Secondly, This way of giving ſuits beſt with God who is the Donor or Giver of all: It ſuits beſt with God the Donor of all.It doth ſuit beſt

1. With his will and pleaſure, Who in this Covenant will appear and be known to be the Lord, the Lord merciful and gracious, abundant in goodneſſe and truth, Exod. 34. 6.

2. With his glory and praiſe, which queſtionably devolves on himſelf alone; ſeeing all our bleſſings come only out of his Treaſury, and from no reaſon or merit of ours, but only from his own graciouſneſs, free gifrs redound unto the pra…ſe of the giver only.

Thirdly, This way of gracious giving ſui…es beſt with us the receivers of bleſſings It ſuits beſt with us the receivers.from God: For conſider us ei…her

1, As meer ſinners: We have no hope or plea from any thing in our ſelves; we are a company of loſt people, who have undone our ſelves, and are both inſufficient to help our ſelves, and alſo unworthy that God ſhould help us

2. As made believers; Faith can finde no ground to plead with God, to challenge him, to rely on him▪ to expect anything from him, but his promiſe to give, and to give graciouſly: A believer neither may, nor can reſt on any work or worth of his own (all is but droſſe and dung) he trades only with a gracious God in Chriſt.

3. As Petitioners; thus alſo it ſuites beſt with us: Gods graciouſneſs is the beſt p. 357ground for us to ask upon; O ſave me for thy mercies ſake, Pſal. 6. 4. Anſwer me in thy truth the ſureſt ground to ſpeed: Let us come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need, Heb. 4. 16. The moſt fixed and invariable ground: God is for ever the Lord merciful and gracious: you will quickly finde a want of worthineſs in your ſelves, but you ſhall never find a want of goodneſs and graciouſneſs in God.

Ʋſe 1 Are all the bleſſings which are in the Covenant, given by God unto his people, not upon the account or reaſon of their worthineſs, but of Gods graciouſneſs? A threefold error cenſu…ed.Then behold a three-fold error worthy to be cenſured and ſhunne….

Firſt, Of the Papists, who boaſt ſo impudently of their meritorious good Of the Papiſts.works, merita de Congruo, before men are in the ſtate of grace & merita de condigno, being in the ſtate of grace, They can take up all ſorts of merits for ſoul a…d b…dy, nay heaven itſelf, and eternal glory upon the account of their own merits. Hear what Bellarmine ſaith, opera noſtra propriè merentur faelicitatem de Lib. 5. de …. cap. 16. & 17.congruo: Hear what Vaſhquiz ſaith, opera noſtra n…n habent dignitatem à perſona Chriſti, ſed à perſona à qua procedunt. Hear the Anathema of the Council of Trent againſt all who deny that the works of juſtified perſons do vere mereri vitam In 1. 2. Tom. 2. Diſp. 214. c. …. N. 44.Aeternam: but againſt this we may oppoſe the Scripture; Not by the works of Righteouſneſſe which we have done, but according to his mercy he ſaved us, ſaith Paul Tit. 3. 5. Enter not into judgement with thy ſervant, for in thy ſight ſhall no fleſh living be juſtified, ſaith David, Pſal. 143. 2. How holy a man was Job? and how abundant in good works, ſee Chap. 31. 16, 17. and yet ſaith Job, Chap. 9. 15. Though I were righteous, I would not anſwer him, but I would make my ſupplication to my Judge! and ver. 20. If I juſtifie my ſelf, mine own mouth ſhall condemn me; If I ſay I am perfect, it ſhall alſo prove me perverſe. Paul, how ſtrict was he! and as touching the righteouſneſs which is in the Law, how blameleſs! And yet he will be found in Chriſt, Not having his own Righteouſneſs which is of the Law, but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the Righteouſneſs which is of God by faith, Phil. 3. 9.

Secondly, Of the ordinary ſort of Proteſtants, who ſet out ſomething of their Of the ordinary ſort of Proteſtants.own as reaſons why God ſhould bleſs them, and ſave them; they mean no body any harm, and they ſerve God devoutly, and keep their Church, and pay every one their due, and ſay their Prayers, and their Belelief, and their ten Commandements, and cry God mercy when they ſin, and will not all this deſerve heaven, and a few bleſſings on earth!

Thirdly, But moſt of all to be blamed (and that with pity) are poor broken-hearted Of poor brokenhearted ſinners.ſinners, who diſcern ſo much ſinfulneſs and unworthineſs in themſelves, and yet are ſo difficult to place their hopes in the graciouſneſs of God and are hearking extreamly after ſomething of worth in themſelves, ſomething in themſelves for which God would hear and help them, if once they could reach unto it. It is a great work to break a hard heart. It is a greater work to make a broken heart to look up and truſt for mercy. It is the greateſt work to make ſuch an heart to believe for itſelf, that all mercies and bleſſings are to be had upon the ſole account of Gods graciouſneſs: Whether this may ariſe from our exceeding Guilt which fills us with exceeding… … ſlaviſh fear, or from the pride of our hearts which would be ſomething; or from the greatneſs of Gods kindneſſe which is ſo unuſual with man; or from the particular genius of unbelief which is gone, and hath nothing to ſay more when once we come to acknowledge Gods graciouſneſs for the ſole reaſon of all our bleſſings and poſſeſſions; or from all theſe conjunctively, I will not now diſpute; but ſure I am that the broken-hearted ſinner is hardly brought off from boaſting on himſelf, and is hardly brought on to commit or venture all his hopes and confidences on the graciuoſneſs of God, as the entire cauſe why God ſhould pardon, accept, bleſſe, and ſave him: And this is a principal cauſe why his ſoule dwells ſo long with fears, and tears, and ſadneſſes.

p. 358Doth God diſpence all the bleſſings of the Covenant unto his people, not upon the account of their worthineſs, but only of his own graciouſneſs? Then under the Under the ſenſe …f unworthineſſe let us go to God and truſt on him.ſenſe of all our want, yea and of all our unworthineſſe, let's go to God and pray to him, and truſt upon him to do us good for his own Name ſake. Here is water, ſaid the Eunuch to Philip, what doth hinder me to be baptized? So ſay I, God promiſeth to give all bleſſings unto his people, and he promiſeth to give them graciouſly; now what ſhould hinder you from going to God, and beſeeching, and truſting of him to perform his good Word unto you? You are grieved for your ſins, what ſhould hinder …ou to believe the free forgiveneſs of them? You would fain have your hearts ſanctified; what ſhould hinder you from going to God, and truſting on him freely to make them holy? You would have Chriſt, and why do you not go to God freely to give you Chriſt? What can you ſay or object when God promiſeth to give you all, and to give you all upon gracious terms? how would you have God to frame and form his Covenant better, or otherwiſe to encourage your hearts to come unto him and rely upon him? … you be wholly beholding to God, or would you not? are you contented that God ſhould have all the glory of mercies, or are you not? Is it any diſadvantage to the working of your faith, that God will paſs by all your ſins and unworthineſs, and will love you freely, and juſtifie you freely, and ſave you freely? Is there any more reaſon to diſtruſt God, when he ſaith he will do you good for his own ſake, then when he ſaith, I will be merciful to your tranſgreſsions, and will freely bleſs you! Had you rather be under a Covneant of works than of grace? would it pleaſe you better to come by your mercies upon harder terms? You find that you have nothing of worthineſs, and yet you are not content to receive all from Gods graciouſneſs; why do you pray that God would do you good for his own ſake, and yet you will not believe that that is reaſon enough to prevail and enjoy!

I will ſay no more but this;

1. The bleſsings of the Covenant are worth our enjoying.

2. God doth promiſe to give them.

3. His own graciouſneſs is the price or reaſon of it.

4. Upon better or other terms it is impoſsible to attain them.

5. It is for want of faith that we do not juſtifie this unſpeakable loving-kindneſs of God towards us; O beg for faith to believe a God Covenanting to give all good; and all good, though not for our ſake, yet for his own Name ſake.

p. 359Ezek. 36. 25.

Then will I ſprinkle clean water upon you, and you ſhall be clean; from all your filthineſſe and from all your Idols will I cleanſe you.

HAving finiſhed thoſe four general Concluſions, I ſhall now handle the Gifts of the Covenant in particular, mentioned in this verſe, and in the ſubſequent verſes: In this verſe there is promiſed unto the people of God the Remiſſion of their ſins; concerning which you may obſerve

1. The Efficient (I will, &c.)

2. The Matter (clean water)

3. The Form or Manner (I will sprinkle upon you)

4. The Power and Efficacy (And ye ſhall be clean)

5. The Quantity or Extent (from all your filthineſſe, and from all your Idols will I cleanſe you.)

From theſe parts, there are theſe four Points which do offer themſelves to our conſideration.

1. That forgiveneſs of ſins is promiſed, and one of the firſt mercies promiſed by himſelf unto all his people in Covenant with him.

2. Gods promiſe of forgiveneſs of ſins doth extend to all the ſinnes of all his people.

3. Though the ſins of people have been exceeding great, yet when they become Gods people in Covenant, even thoſe ſins alſo are forgiven.

4. The blood of Chriſt is the cauſe, and the only cauſe for which many and great ſins are pardoned.

5. That God will make unto the Conſcience of his people a particular application of forgiveneſs by the blood of Chriſt.

CHAP. II.

Doct. 1 THat forgiveneſſe of ſins is promiſed (and it is one of the firſt promiſed mercies) by God himſelf unto all his people in covenant with him. (I will sprinkle, &c.) This is a very comprehenſive Aſſertion, Forgiveneſs of ſins one of the firſt mercies promiſed by God to all his people in Covenant.conſiſting of many Particular Branches: For the opening of it I ſhall ſhew unto you,

1. What forgiveneſs of ſins is; wherein it doth conſiſt.

2. That God himſelf doth make promiſe of it unto his people.

3. That it is promiſed unto all and every one of his people.

4. That it is one of the firſt mercies promiſed by God unto his people.