The Gospel-Covenant, Part 4

The Gospel-Covenant · Part 4

p. 279The fourth Part. THE CONDITION OF THIS COVENANT.

IT remaines now that we come to conſider the condition of the Covenant, in which we muſt walke that the Lord may performe unto us the mercy which he hath promiſed us. There is a way of the Covenant in which the Lord conveyes his bleſſings, as we may ſee in that expreſſion uſed by the Lord himſelfe concerning Abraham, Gen. 18.19. I know Abraham (ſaith the Lord) that he will teach his houſhold, &c. that I may bring upon Abraham that which I have ſpoken unto him: The Lord fully intended to doe to Abraham as he had promiſed, but yet the Lord will have Abraham to walk ſo, and ſo, before him; and then God will bring upon Abraham the bleſſing which he had promiſed; the like we have in Ier. 11.5, 6.

Great are the bleſſings which God hath promiſed to thoſe which are the faithfull ſeed of Abraham: and therefore as we deſire to enjoy the bleſſing promiſed, ſo we muſt ſee alſo what he requires of us, that he may performe unto us what he hath promiſed, p. 280and this is called the ſtipulation or condition of the Covenant.

And concerning this I will ſhew theſe foure things.

1. That there is a condition required.

2. Why the Lord hath put a condition to the promiſe of life.

3. What the condition is.

4. Whether the putting of ſuch a condition doth or can ſtand with the free Grace of the Covenant, yea or no.

Firſt, That there is a condition of the Covenant: The Lord doth not abſolutely promiſe life unto any; he doth not ſay to any ſoule, I will ſave you and bring you to life, though you continew impenitent and unbelieving, but commands and works us to repent and believe, and then promiſes that in the way of faith and repentance, he will ſave us. He preſcribes a way of life for us to walk in, that ſo wee may obtaine the ſalvation which he hath promiſed; he brings us firſt through the doore of faith, Act. 14. And then carries us on in the way of faith, till he bring us to the end of our faith the ſalvation of our ſoules.

There are indeed ſome promiſes which ſeeme ſo abſolute as to exclude all condition on our part, as that promiſe in Eſay 43.25. For mine own ſake will I put away thy tranſgreſſions, &c. and ſo Ezek. 36.22. Where there is no mention made either of faith or any other Grace in us, as a condition required on our part. But if any ſhall hence argue that the promiſe of life is ſo abſolute as to exclude all reſpect unto faith in thoſe to whom the promiſe is made, and becauſe there is no mention made of faith in ſuch promiſes, therefore there is no intendment of it, as if it were not underſtood, but wholly excluded, I may as well argue againſt the merits of Chriſt alſo, and exclude them by the like reaſon, becauſe there is no mention of them, no more then of faith in thoſe abſolute promiſes. But as there is no remiſſion without the blood of Chriſt, Heb. 9.22. So neither is there without faith in that blood, Rom. 3.25. as God never promiſed to forgive us our ſins without reſpect to Chriſt, though Chriſt be not alwayes mentioned in every ſuch promiſe, ſo neither doth he promiſe to ſave without faith, though it be not alwayes mentioned particularly.

To prove that there is a condition in the Covenant of Grace, it may be made evident ſundry wayes.

p. 2811. From the nature of a Covenant, which is an agreement between ſeverall parties Covenanting together upon mutuall conditions required on both parties: Foedus (ſaith Rollock) is promiſſio ſub certa conditione, Roll. de vocatione efficaci: A man may make a promiſe alone without any condition: But a Covenant properly binds both parties, and hath a condition annexed; Abraham and Abimeleck promiſe one to another in their Covenant made betwixt them, they mutually binde themſelves, Gen. 20. And ſo it is betwixt God and Abraham, Gen. 17.27.

I grant that the word Covenant is ſometimes uſed concerning ſuch promiſes as are without condition, as in Gen. 9.9. Where the Lord ſpeaking of his purpoſe and promiſe never to deſtroy the earth any more, he calls that promiſe his Covenant, though there be no condition there annexed: But the Queſtion is not how a word may be uſed upon ſome ſpeciall occaſion; but what is the proper nature of a Covenant, which doth require mutuall ſtipulation or condition on both parties; This is but one place where the word Covenant is taken for a promiſe without a condition; more ſuch places I know not any in Scripture; and beſides there was ſpeciall reaſon of calling it a Covenant; namely, to ſhew the unchangeableneſſe of his purpoſe touching the mercy promiſed, that it is as ſure as if we had tyed him thereunto by Covenant, upon ſome condition performed by us before hand: But this is not properly a Covenant, where there is not a mutuall obligation and binding of the parties one to another by condition: Hereto agreeth that ſaying of Beza, in 2 Tim. 1.12. Mutua est (inquit) depoſiti obligatio inter Deum & Sanctos ipſius; Though on Gods part this obligation is prorſus gratuita, wholly free, as hee there ſpeaks; though Gods binding of himſelfe to us bee free, yet ours is not ſo to God: But concerning the freeneſſe of the Covenant, we ſhall ſpeak hereafter; thus much only for the preſent he affirmes that there is mutua obligatio, a mutuall bond or tie, by which God binds us to himſelfe, as well as he binds himſelfe to us, &c.

2. But for further confirmation hereof, conſider the different kinds of expreſſions which the Scripture uſeth in ſpeaking of the Covenant betwixt God and us: There is mention made of a Covenant promiſed; And there is mention alſo of a Covenant p. 282commanded, not to imply two Covenants, but two parts of the ſame Covenant; one part of it ſtanding in the promiſe from God to us, the other, in duty from us to God: Thus Deut. 7.12. there is the Covenant which God promiſed and by oath ſwore unto his people; and then in Joſh. 7.11. there is the Covenant commanded, which is the condition on our part required; take away the condition, you muſt alſo take away the Covenant commanded; and if there be a Covenant commanded, there muſt of neceſſity be a condition.

3. Conſider that expreſſion uſed in Ezek. 20.37. I will bring you into the bond of the Covenant (ſaith the Lord;) why doth the Lord ſpeak of a bond of the Covenant? If the Lord had bound himſelfe only, and put no condition upon the Covenant for us, he could not have ſaid that he would bring us into the bond of it; But hereby he would teach us, that when he makes with us a Covenant of Grace and mercy, he doth not then leave us at liberty to live as we liſt; but he binds us by Covenant to him…elfe; he doth not only bind himſelfe to us, but us to himſelfe, as in Jer. 13.11. He is ſaid to have tyed to himſelfe the whole houſe of Iſrael, binding them to himſelfe as with a girdle, in the bond of the Covenant; wee were ſometimes free from God, and free from righteouſneſſe, Rom. 6.20. But now we are by Covenant become the Lords ſervants, 1 Cor. 7.22. being bound unto him by the bond of the Covenant.

4. Conſider how we are ſaid ſometimes to keep Covenant, ſometimes to break Covenant with God; In Pſal. 25.10. and Pſal. 103.18. Here we are ſaid to keep Covenant; but in Pſal. 44.17. and Eſay 24.5. There is mention made of breaking Covenant with God; and in Deut. 29.25. they have forſaken the Covenant of the Lord their God. This keeping of Covenant, and b…eaking or forſaking of it, cannot bee conceived to be done otherwiſe then by obſerving or violating the condition of the Covenant required on our part. Such as are moſt profane and wa k moſt looſely, they will be forward enough to claime Gods promiſe; but they are faulty in performing their own part of the Covena…t: Thus the Jewes they would hold to the promiſe, that God was their God, Joh. 8. and yet they brake the Covenant, by failing in the condition required of them.

p. 2835. Conſider how the name of Covenant is given not only to the promiſe which God makes unto us, but to that duty which he requires on our part, to be done by us, in Gen. 17.7. There the name of Covenant is given to Gods promiſe which he makes to us; but afterwards in verſ. 9. the ſame name of Covenant is alſo given to the duty required of us, I will (ſaith the Lord to Abraham) eſtabliſh my Covenant with thee, and what is that? I will be a God unto thee, &c. and thou alſo ſhalt keep my Covenant, that is, there is the duty I require of thee, by which thou ſhalt teſtifie thy obſervance of the Covenant; namely, in circumciſing thy ſeed. This uſe of the word (Covenant) being applyed to that which is required of us, ſhewes plainly that there is a ſtipulalation or condition in the Covenant required on our part.

6. We reade expreſſe mention made of the condition, upon which the promiſe of life and ſalvation is made; as in Act. 16.31. Believe on the Lord Jeſus, and thou ſhalt be ſaved, Rom. 10.9. If thou believeſt, thou ſhalt be ſaved, &c.

7. Gods dealing with the Iſraelites when he made his Covenant with them at Mount Sinai, ſhewes plainly that there is a condition in the Covenant, Exod. 24.3. to 9. when the Lord was about to make up his Covenant betwixt him and them, you ſee how Moſes rehearſeth before them the words of the Covenant, that they might know what it was which the Lord required of them; and to the end it might be done more ſeriouſly, he repeats the termes of the Covenant to be obſerved by them, twice over, and they doe twice promiſe to obſerve the words of the Covenant, before the bloud of the Covenant, by which it was confirmed, was ſprinkled upon them, ſhewing unto us thereby, that we muſt for our part aſſent unto the Covenant, not only accepting the promiſe of it, but alſo ſubmit to the duty required in it; or elſe there is no Covenant eſtabliſhed betwixt God and us; we muſt as well accept of the condition as of the promiſe, if we will be in Covenant with God.

Object. But the Covenant is otherwiſe called a Teſtament, Heb. 7.8, 9.

Anſw. This terme or name of Teſtament, is given to the Covenant; not to exclude the condition but to ſhew the firmneſſe, and inviolable and unchangeable nature of it, being confirmed by p. 284the death of Chriſt the Teſtator, and therefore never to bee altered nor changed: Whiles men live, they may alter their Wills or Teſtaments, as oft as they pleaſe; but when they are dead it is unalterable, Gal. 3. Chriſt hath dyed to confirm his Teſtament, its therefore now unchangeable, being ratified by his death, as a Teſtament is by the death of the Teſtator. And that this is the true reaſon why the Apoſtle calls it a Teſtament, is evident by Heb. 9.16, 17. Where a Teſtament is (ſaith the Apoſtle) there muſt be the death of the Teſtator; and he gives the reaſon, even now alledged, becauſe the Teſtament is confirmed when men are dead, and not before; And that the Apoſtle had no intent (in ſo calling it) to exclude the condition, is evident by verſe 15. where he ſaith, That Chriſt is made the Mediator of a better Teſtament, that through his death thoſe which were called might receive the promiſe of eternall inheritance; Theſe words (thoſe which were called) doe plainely and fully imply the condition required in the Covenant of life, our calling being finiſhed in the working of faith, which is the condition of the Covenant; no man is effectually called ſo as to have part in that eternall inheritance, untill he believe, ſo that the Legacies of the Teſtament being to thoſe that are called, that is, to thoſe that do believe; it is moſt manifeſt that the intent of the Apoſtle in calling the Covenant by the name of a Teſtament, was not to exclude the condition, but only (as was ſaid) to ſhew the ſtability and immutability of the Covenant; It being now like a Teſtament, confirmed by the death of him that made it: The forme of the former Covenant which God made with Iſrael in the Wilderneſſe, was changed in reſpect of the manner of Adminiſtration of it, becauſe it was not confirmed by the death of the Teſtator; but this is confirmed by death, and therefore herein neither matter nor forme can be changed any more; in Joh. 17.24. We have Chriſt there making his laſt Will and Teſtament, to be executed by his Father; and what his Will is, we have it expreſſed in his own words, Father I will thoſe whom thou haſt given me may be where I am, &c. And who thoſe be that hee meaneth by them that are given him, is plainly expreſſed, verſe 20. Even thoſe that believe in his name; Chriſt doth not bequeath the Legacy of his Teſtament unto all in generall, but to ſuch as doe believe; as for the reſt he bequeathes nothing unto them. Joh. 17.9.

p. 285Object. But there be ſame abſolute promiſes of the Covenant, which are without any condition at all on our part, as the promiſes of the firſt grac… &c. in which God promiſeth to his Elect, as yet uncalled, that he will give them a new heart, and take away the ſtony heart from them, Ezek. 11. & 36.

Anſw. 1. We muſt conſider the Covenant not only as conſummate and made up with our ſelves in our own perſons, but as it was begun, and firſt made with us and for us in Chriſt, in which regard it is ſaid to bee made with us before the world began, Tit. 1.2. a promiſe of grace being made to Chriſt for us, and to us in him: Now if we thus conſider the Covenant, as made with us in Chriſt, ſo the firſt grace it ſelfe is conditionall, as well as the laſt; Chriſt receives the promiſes of grace for us, but he receives not the leaſt of them but upon condition that he muſt lay down his life for them, that he may performe them unto us as we ſee in Eſay 55.5. Where God the Father makes a promiſe to Chriſt, that he ſhall call a Nation or People to the knowledge of himſelfe; which is a promiſe of the firſt grace given us in our firſt converſion and calling: but in reſpect of Chriſt, this is not abſolute, but conditionall, as appeares in verſe 4. for he muſt be a witneſſe unto the people, to teſtifie unto them the will of the Father, which he performed in his Propheticall and Prieſtly Office; yea, he muſt make his ſoule an offering for ſinne, Eſay 53.10. and upon this condition he muſt have power to call a Nation, to bring them home by effectuall calling unto God; and thus in reſpect of Chriſt the very firſt Grace is conditionall, though without condition on our part.

2. Conſider the Covenant in reſpect of the end of it, which it leads unto, which is life and ſalvation, in which reſpect it is called a Covenant of life and peace, Ma…th. 2.5. and if wee thus conſider it, it is conditionall in reſpect of our ſelves; for theſe promiſes of life and peace are not made but upon condition of faith and obedience, not to the unbelieving and profane, Rom. 10.9.10, 13. Rom. 8.13. Mat. 5.3. to 10. and thus whether we look to the firſt Grace as the beginning of the Covenant, or to the laſt Grace as the end of it, the one is conditionall in reſpect of Chriſt, the other in reſpect of our ſelves; there is a condition of both.

p. 2863. The giving of the firſt Grace in our calling, goes before our peſonall Covenant betwixt God and us, by which we bind our ſelves unto him to take him for our God, to depend upon him, and to ſubmit our ſelves unto his will; firſt the Lord doth diſpoſe us and fit us to a walking in Covenant with him, by putting into us his own ſpirit, as it is in Ezek. 36. and then he requires an actuall performance of Covenant on our part, to walk according to the Grace received; Look how it was in that Covenant made with Adam, ſo it is in this Covenant of Grace, in reſpect of the point in hand, though otherwiſe there be wide differences betwixt them, as we have ſeen before; firſt God indues Adam with an habituall righteouſneſſe, thereby enabling him for that obedience which he was to walk in, and then having thus qualified him, the Lord enters into a Covenant with him, requiring of him to walk according to all that Law which was ſet before him, and in that way of working righteouſneſſe, to look for the life which was promiſed him; ſo it is here in the Covenant of Grace; firſt, the Lord comes and takes away from us the heart of ſtone, that evill heart of unbeliefe, and gives us a ſpirit of faith, and renewing Grace, and then draweth the ſoule into a Covenant with him, to walk with him in a way of faith, depending upon him by faith, and obeying him by faith: ſo looking for the promiſe of eternall life; Thus it was with Abraham; firſt God gives unto Abraham a believing heart, then he comes to him and tells him, Abraham, I am come to enter into a Covenant with thee: and withall tells him what are the articles and conditions of the Covenant both on Gods part, and on Abrahams; on Gods part, That he will be to Abraham and to his ſeed a God to bleſſe him, and to be an alſufficient good unto him; and on Abrahams part, Requiring, That he walk before him and be upright, and keep his Covenant which was commanded him; and ſo it is with all the Adult Children of Abraham, firſt, God gives us a ſpirit of Grace, beginning to renew us, then propounds to us the great things of his Covenant which he will beſtow upon us, and commands us to depend by faith upon him for the performance of them; and if we thus conſider of the giving of the firſt Grace, this doth no whit croſſe the condition of the Covenant, but makes way for it, enabling us to walk in Covenant with God; that ſo p. 287he may bring upon us the good which he hath promiſed us.

Object. But this putting of a condition to the Covenant of grace may ſeeme to confound it and to make it the ſame with the Covenant of works.

Anſw. It is not the having of a condition, but the identity or ſameneſſe of the condition which makes them the ſame Covenant; all Covenants have a condition, but all Covenants are not therefore one and the ſame, but do differ according to the difference of the conditions which are made; there being then one condition in the Covenant of works, and another in the Covenant of grace, they are therefore diſtinct Covenants, though there be a condition in both.

Thus then we ſee there is a condition of the Covenant.

But (to come to the ſecond point before propounded) why (may ſome ſay) doth the Lord require any condition of us, and not bring us to life and glory without requiring any thing at our hand?

Anſw. 1. It is meet we ſhould glorifie God and his grace towards us, before he exalt us and bring us unto glory; in this way it was that Chriſt himſelfe went into glory, according to that Prayer of his in Iohn 17.4. I have glorified thee here on earth, now therefore glorifie me with thy ſelfe, with that glory which I had with thee, &c. ſo muſt we doe, we muſt walke by the ſame way, we muſt here glorifie that grace, by which we look for glory and honour and eternall life.

2. The Lord would hereby juſtifie the way of his grace, and ſtop the mouthes of all ſuch as ate ready to murmure againſt him, herein ſhewing his righteouſneſſe in ſaving thoſe that do beleeve; the wicked are forward to complain againſt the Lord himſelfe; they had wont to ſay, The wayes of the Lord are not equall, Ezek. 18. and in Mat. 20.11. there are that murmure againſt him, as if he dealt not equally with them; they are complainers Iude 16. ready to challenge God righteouſneſſe, that they themſelves are not ſaved as well as others; Theſe mouthes muſt be ſtopped; and when the Lord hath carried on his people, in a way of grace, through faith, patience, ſubmiſſion and obedience to his will, others continuing ſtill in their ca…nall licentiouſneſſe, this will ſtop the mouthes of all ſuch compla…nours and p. 288murmurers. It will ſhew forth the righteouſneſſe and equity of the Lords proceeding in judgement againſt them, in condemning them, and ſaving thoſe that doe beleive, 1 Theſ. 1.6.

3. Its alſo for the greater conſolation of the Saints, that wee ſeeing the condition to be wrought in us, and finding our ſelves to be guided by his Spirit, and inabled in any gracious meaſure to keep the way of his Covenant which he hath appointed for us to walke in, we might thereby have the more ſtrong conſolation, aſſuring our ſelves of the fulfilling of his gracious promiſe towards us; that his loving kindneſſe ſhall be for ever and ever on them that fear him, and keepe his covenant thinking upon his Commandements to do them, Pſal. 103.17, 18. And thus both in reſpect of glorifying of God, the ſtopping of the mouthes of the wicked, and for the comfort of the Saints, it was meet there ſhould be a condition annexed to the Covenant.

Before we proceed to the third point, let us make a little uſe of that already delivered.

If there be a condition of the Covenant, then hence it follows, That for the tryall of our intereſt in the Salvation which the Covenant promiſeth, there can be no more direct, evident, and certain way taken, then by examining our ſelves concerning the condition of the Covenant, expreſſed in the conditionall promiſes. The promiſe of life is made onelyonly to beleevers, who are deſcribed by other graces accompanying their faith, and therefore termed ſometimes ſuch as love God, ſometimes merciful, poor in heart upright, and ſuch other, all theſe flowing from faith, faith ſhewing it ſelfe by them. Now then, faith being the condition of the Covenant, (as we ſhall ſhew afterwards) and being known by theſe other graces accompanying it, here is the way for us to try our ſelves before God, whether the promiſe of ſalvation doe belong unto us even by looking to the condition of Faith, and ſuch other graces, as doe accompany it in them that doe beleive: This is ſo ſure away of tryall, that the Apoſtle himſelf directs us thereunto, 2 Cor. 13.15. Prove your ſelves whether yee be in the faith or no: If we would know our ſelves to be ſuch as are not foreign to be diſallowed or rejected, there is no better way to know it then by our faith. And Iohn tells us that in this way we ſhall aſſure our hearts, 1 Iohn 3.14, 18, 19. In Rom. 10. The Apoſtle p. 289doth propound the doubt of a weak beleever, inquiring how he may know that he ſhall be ſaved; and the Apoſtle himſelf anſwers his doubt, telling him that it is not by aſcending or deſcending hither or thither, but by looking to his faith, For if thou beleeveſt with thine heart in the Lord Ieſus, thou ſhalt be ſaved, v. 9. This way of tryal ſheweth the true uſe of thoſe promiſes which we call conditional; we do not make the graces expreſſed in them as the matter of our righteouſneſſe, and yet neither do we caſt them aſide as if they were Legall promiſes, and not Evangelicall; but the uſe of them is thereby to try our ſelves by the graces expreſſed in them; and this is the chiefeſt way of tryall which the Word doth direct us unto; Yea I doubt not to affirme that if we will in ordinary courſe, have any tryall of our eſtates by the Word, we muſt have it in this way, by the conditionall promiſes; The abſolute promiſes do not deſcribe the perſons to whom the bleſſings of the Covenant doe belong; onelyonly the conditionall promiſes do point out the perſons to be ſaved, as the abſolute do ſhew the cauſe of our ſalvation; if therefore we will try, and in a way of tryall have any knowledge of our perſonall intereſt in the ſalvation promiſed, we muſt either come to know it by the conditionall promiſes, or not have it from the word at all, &c.

Yet neither would I make rhe abſolute promiſes uſeleſſe, as ſome have gone about to do with thoſe that are conditionall; I acknowledge they are of ſingular uſe; Firſt, in that they ſhew unto us the onelyonly cauſe of our ſalvation, even free grace, and no other; Secondly, they are a foundation for the faith of adherence or dependence to ſtay upon; they yeeld a ſingular incouragement to a poor dejected ſoul that finds nothing in it ſelf but ſin and miſery, with hope to caſt it ſelfe upon the free grace of God, ſeeing he looks at nothing in us for which he ſhould ſave us, but onelyonly to glorifie his own grace in us. But ſtill though in theſe regards there be great uſe of theſe abſolute promiſes, yet the tryall of our eſtates is not by them, becauſe they doe not note out the perſons to whom the ſalvation is promiſed, but this is done (as was ſaid) by the conditionall.

There be two acts of faith, one of adherence or dependance, another of aſſurance; There be alſo two kinds of promiſes, abſolute and conditionall; marke now how theſe doe fit and anſwer p. 290one to the other, the abſolute promiſes to the faith of adherence, the conditionall to the faith of aſſurance; For example, God comes and ſayes; For mine owne ſake will I doe thus and thus unto you in an abſolute promiſe; here is a ground for the faith of adherence to cleave unto; though I be moſt unworthy, yet I will hang upon this promiſe becauſe it is for his owne ſake that the Lord will perform this mercy, that he may be glorified. There be alſo conditionall promiſes, (He that beleeveth ſhall be ſaved) by meanes of which (we having the experience and feeling of ſuch grace in our ſelves) we grow to an aſſurance that we are of thoſe that he will ſhew that free grace upon. And thus the abſolute promiſes are laid before us as the foundation of our ſalvation which is wrought in the adhering to the promiſe) and the conditionall as the foundation of our aſſurance.

But may not (will ſome ſay) and doth not the Lord ſometimes give comfort to his ſervants by an abſolute promiſe? and if ſo, then what need we looke to thoſe that are conditionall?

Anſ. I doubt not but the Lord doth give refreſhings to the ſouls of his beloved by ſuch abſolute promiſes; for there being a ſum of grace contained in every promiſe, whether abſolute or conditionall, the Lord may let the ſoule raſte of the comfort of that grace by what promiſe he will when the ſoule is taken up with ſome deep and ſerious meditation of that abundant grace and free goodnes of God towards us, and the minde is faſtned upon ſome expreſſion of ſuch a promiſe ſetting forth that grace unto us, the Spirit ſends down that ſweetneſſe of grace into our hearts, letting us taſte and feel the comfort of it. This none will deny. But 1. the queſtion is not, whether we may taſte of comfort by an abſolute promiſe; but by what kinde of promiſe we are to try our ſelves; the Spirit may give refreſhing by an abſolute promiſe, but our way of tryall is by the conditionall, examining our ſelves by the graces expreſſed in them, and thereupon making application to our ſelves of the mercy promiſed, which we cannot doe by the abſolute, there being nothing expreſſed in them to helpe us in this way, 2. Though comfort may he had by an abſolute promiſe, yet it is never given (if it be true and not a deluſion) but where the condition of Faith and other graces are in being, and are firſt wrought; otherwiſe it is lying, falſe comfort, p. 291not true and ſaving, 3. Though we may have comfort by an abſolute promiſe, yet when times of temptation doe return, when ſcruples and doubts doe afterwards ariſe in our heart, we muſt then turn to the conditionall promiſes, trying whether the graces expreſſed in them be wrought in us; and then finding in our ſelves that faith and love which is in Chriſt Jeſus, we doe thereby grow up in aſſurance that the former conſolation was no other but the conſolation of Gods own Spirit. So that upon the point, here is the uſuall and ordinary way of tryall of our eſtates, even to try our ſelves by the graces expreſſed in the conditionall promiſes. And though the comfort ſo taſted as was before expreſſed, be the more ſweet and delightfull whiles it is felt, yet the aſſurance which we have by the tryall of our graces, is the more conſtant and durable. If upon pretence of the ſeale and witneſſe of the Spirit in an abſolute promiſe, any ſhall deſpiſe this way of tryall by the graces that are in them, let them take heed, leaſt Sathan (who knows how to transforme himſelfe into an Angel of light) doe deceive them with falſe flaſhes of comfort, which in the end will cauſe them to lie down in ſorrow.

It is but an unpleaſing buſineſſe to ſeparate and oppoſe the things which God hath ſo nearely joyned together, to oppoſe the abſolute promiſes againſt the conditionall, or the conditionall againſt the abſolute; the Lord hath made no ſuch ſeparation or oppoſition betwixt them; The abſolute and conditionall promiſes are both one in ſubſtance, though they differ in manner of expreſſion; For when the Lord ſaith, he will forgive our ſins for his own ſake, Eſay 43. (which is an abſolute promiſe) this promiſe intends faith in thoſe in whom it ſhall be fulfilled; though he do forgive our ſinnes for his own ſake, yet he doth it only to ſuch as doe believe; faith therefore is implyed in that promiſe, though not expreſſed; And on the other ſide, when God promiſeth life to ſuch as doe believe (which is a conditionall promiſe) this promiſe implies the former freeneſſe of Grace, as was before expreſſed in the abſolute promiſe to doe it for his own ſake; the expreſſing of faith the condition, doth not exclude the freeneſſe of Grace, nor doth the expreſſing of freeneſſe of Grace exclude the condition; theſe two kinde of promiſes, help to explaine one another, not to contradict or overthrow the truth of either; When we heare a p. 922conditionall promiſe, (believe and be ſaved) if any ſhall now aske, Why will the Lord ſave ſuch as believe without works? To this the Lord anſwers in the abſolute promiſe, for mine own ſake will I doe it; On the otherſide, when hearing an abſolute promiſe, (As, for mine own ſake will I doe this:) If any ſhall here aske, To whom will the Lord performe this mercy promiſed? To this he anſwers in the conditionall promiſe, I will doe it to them which doe believe; ſo ſweetly doe theſe promiſes agree betwixt themſelves, helping to explaine and expound one another. Let us not then daſh them on againſt another, and betwixt themſelves they will not jarre. The Apoſtle found no diſagreement betwixt Grace and Faith, or betwixt being ſaved by Grace, and being ſaved by Faith, Ezek. 2.8. and if Grace and Faith agree ſo well, then muſt the abſolute and conditionall promiſes agree alſo; the one expreſſing the Grace of God as the cauſe of our ſalvation; the other expreſſing the condition (Faith) by which it is received, and our intereſt in it diſcerned; this way of tryall by conditionall promiſes, Let none count a legall courſe, as not agreeable to the ſpirit of the Goſpel, This is that way of tryall which Paul (who was no legall Preacher) directed the Saints unto: So doth Peter alſo, 2 Pet. 5. to 11. v. Some that love to be wiſe above that which is written, and not according to ſobriety, deſpiſe this way as fit for novices, but not for ſuch as are perfect as they are: They have their aſſurance by revelation, ſeeing the very book of life unſealed and opened unto them, ſo that they may ſee and reade their own names written in it; it is too low a work for them to deſcend into themſelves, and to examine how it is with them within, whether they be in the faith or no. But if this people have any eare to heare, Let them take heed of ſpeaking evill of the way of the Lord, which is ſo clearely laid down in the Word; or if they be already hardned in their own way, and being wiſe in their own eyes, will count this way legall, and contrary to the free Grace of the Covenant, I doubt not to tell them, that an humble ſoule which is able to prove his eſtate in life by his faith, and other Graces accompanying it, as holy mourning for ſinne (which they ſet ſo light by) love of God, and of the bretheren, care to pleaſe God, and ſuch like, ſhall finde more ſetled and ſure comfort, in the truth of theſe, then they ſhall doe in their fancyed p. 293revelations, and abſolute way, neglecting the ſtate of the inward man.

That wretched Jezabell (whom the Devill ſent over hither to poyſon theſe American Churches, with her depths of Sathan which ſhe had learned in the Schoole of the Familiſts, who made her ſelfe a Propheteſſe, as underſtanding all ſecrets of the counſell of God,) ſhee counted all ſuch but legall Chriſtians, and legall Preachers, as allowed this way: All her aſſurance was from revelation, it was revealed unto her that ſhee was one of the Elect of God; and ſhee knew all things by immediate revelation from above; but I fear ſhe knows not that her glorious revelations were but Satanicall deluſions: Let her damned hereſies ſhee fell into, (denying the reſurrection, &c.) and the juſt vengeance of God, by which ſhe periſhed, terrifie all her ſeduced followers from having any more to doe with her leaven, which ſhee ſpred among them. Beware of her ſinne, leaſt yee periſh in her plague.

Ʋſe 2. Is there a condition of the Covenant? Then let this provoke us all, who look for the bleſſing which it brings, to be faith…ull with God in keeping our Covenant with him; take heed we fall not ſhort of the condition, leaſt we be deprived of the bleſſing; this is that which the Apoſtle teaches us, Heb. 4.1. Seeing we have a promiſe left us of entering into his reſt, (there is the bleſſing promiſed) let us feare leaſt (through unbeliefe) any of us ſhould be deprived (there is the condition required:) The words (through unbeliefe) are not in the Text expreſſed, but they are evidently implyed, as appears both by the coherence with the third Chapter, and by that which followes, Chap. 4.2. To be deprived of ſuch a bleſſing is a heavy loſſe, ſuch as can never be recompenced, and the preventing of this loſſe, (ſo far as concernes us) is by keeping of our Covenant, which the Lord commands us to walk in. If we forſake the condition, we forſake the promiſe; and therefore it is alſo that when God took Abraham into a Covenant with him, he did not only tell Abraham what he would be unto him, a God to bleſſe him; but he brings Abraham to walk in Covenant with him; Thou alſo ſhalt keep my Covenant, (ſaith the Lord,) Gen. 17.9. Thou ſhalt walk before me and bee upright, Gen. 17 1. When God takes us into Covenant with him, we are ſaid to be brought into the bond of the Covenant, Ezek. 20. to teach us that p. 294now we muſt look at our ſelves as tyed and bound unto God, in a Covenant never to be broken; we are not now any longer at our own liberty, to walke as we liſt, but muſt obſerve our Covenant to walk therein; when we walk ſo, that we may truly ſay before the Lord, our heart is not turned back from thee, neither have we dealt falſely with thee in thy Covenant, as it in Pſal. 44.17, 18 this keeps the heart in a comfortable expectation of the bleſſed hope which is ſet before us, Thus Paul, I have kept the faith, I have finiſhed my courſe, and now henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteouſneſſe, 2 Tim. 4.7, 8. Let us carefully walk in the condition, and then the promiſe will be ſure; not only ſure in it ſelf, but ſu…e to us, 2 Pet. 1.10. Theſe bonds of the Covenant are not like the fetters of a priſon; they are like the pleaſing bonds of wedlock; (vincula nuptiarum) which every one gladly enters into; Oh let us love theſe bonds; give up both our hands unto the Lord; yea, and our hearts alſo, to be bound in them for ever; theſe are ſweet bonds, they work no griefe; ſeek not therefore to break them, Pſal. 2. nor caſt them from you; ſay not we will be our own, and walk by our will; ſuch lawleſſe and licentious ſpirits as will be at liberty, they ſhall be at liberty to their wo: they ſhall have ſuch a liberty as Jeremy threatned to the rebellious Jewes, a liberty to the ſword, to the famine, and to the peſtilence, Jer. 34. a liberty to goe to hell to their eternall deſtruction; a liberty with a curſe; granted unto them in wrath, which ſhall end in chaines of everlaſting darkneſſe, and bring them into that priſon from whence there is no going out: Therefore let all ſuch as look for the bleſſing and life promiſed in the Covenant, Let them walk faithfully in the condition of it, and in this way expect the mercy which is promiſed.

Thus wee have ſhewed; Firſt, That there is a condition of the Covenant; Secondly, Why the Lord hath put a condition unto it.

3. The third point follows to ſhew what the condition is, which though it hath been obiter mentioned before, yet is now to be ſpoken of more particularly.

The condition then of the Covenant of Grace is faith, Rom. 4.16. & Rom. 10.9, 10. If thou believeſt in the Lord Jeſus, thou ſhalt be ſaved; ſo Acts 18.31. & Joh. 3.16. hence in Rom. 3.27. The p. 295Goſpel is called the Law of Faith, becauſe as the Law of works doth put works as the condition of that Covenant; ſo the Goſpel puts faith as the condition of the new Covenant.

Queſt. But why is faith made the condition of the Covenant.

Anſw. 1. The bleſſing of life promiſed, is not in our ſelves, but in Chriſt; Chriſt is life, and he which hath the Sonne hath hath life, and he which hath not the Son hath not life, 1 Joh. 5.12. We are dead, Coloſ. 3.3. and our Works are dead, Heb. 9.14. there is no life in them, they cannot bring life unto them that doe them; nor can wee quicken our own ſoules, but Chriſt is the life of men, Joh. 1.4. Coloſ. 3.4. and the way to receive Chriſt, and the life which is in him, is only by faith, Ioh. 1.12. unbeliefe rejects Chriſt and puts him away; But faith as an hand puts forth it ſelfe to receive him in whom our life is: If we had life in our ſelves, and could have found it in our own works, it had then been needleſſe to appoint faith as the condition of the Covenant; but being that both we our ſelves are dead in ſinne, and our works are dead works, nothing but death to be found in either; therefore its required that wee believe in Chriſt, that we may receive life from him.

2. The condition of the law is now become impoſſible unto us, through the infirmity of our fleſh, Rom. 8.3. and therefore the Apoſtle ſaith, that the Law cannot poſſibly give life, Gal. 3.21. Therefore the Lord would go that way with us no more; the Lord ſaw by Adam, what would be the fruit of that condition; if we had been put upon the ſame as Adam was, we ſhould have done as he did; we ſhould have ſhewed our ſelves men, like men tranſgreſſing the Covenant, as Hoſeah ſpeaks, Hoſ. 6.7. This condition being above our ability to performe, the Lord hath in goodneſſe appointed another, which is poſſible through grace to be fulfilled by us, having now received a ſpirit of faith, (2 Cor. 4.13.) It is now given us to believe, Phil. 1.29. this is poſſible.

3. It is by faith that it might be by grace, Rom. 4.16. The Covenant is ſtabliſhed upon the condition of faith, that it might appeare to be by grace that wee obtain the bleſſing: the condition muſt anſwer the nature of the Covenant; therefore being a Covenant of grace, the condition muſt be ſuch as may ſtand with p. 296grace; but if works had been the condition, this could not have ſtood with grace, Rom. 11.6. Gods maine end in this Covenant, is the mani…eſtation of his grace towards his choſen, that his grace may be glorified in them, Epheſ. 1.6. 2 Theſ. 1.10. that nothing might be left unto man to glory in; but that he which glorieth might glory in the Lord, 1 Cor. 1. ult. &c.

4. It is faith, that the bleſſing might be ſure to thoſe to whom it is promiſed, Rom. 4.16. Adam had a promiſe of life, but being made upon condition of working, he never got the bleſſing by that Covenant; when Adam firſt entred into Covenant with God, it was uncertaine whether he ſhould live by it or no, in regard that it was uncertaine whether he would fulfill the condition, and thereupon it was that he had one Sacrament of death, as well as another of life, to aſſure him of death in caſe he ſinned, as well as to aſſure him of life in caſe he obeyed: but now the promiſe of life being made to us upon condition of faith, it is thereby made ſure to thoſe that doe believe; Chriſt is a ſure foundation for them to reſt upon, Eſay 28.16. the promiſe alſo is ſure and faithfull, 2 Sam. 23.5. and faith is as an anchor ſure and ſtedfaſt, Heb. 6.19. and, Chriſt being ſo ſure a foundation, the promiſe ſure, and faith taking ſuch ſure hold upon both, theſe three together are as a three…old cord not eaſily broken, ſo that the bleſſing in the Covenant of grace now is not ſo uncertaine and doubtfull as in the Covenant of works, but is ſure to thoſe that believe. And hence it is that in this Covenant though we have two ſeales added unto it, as well as in the Covenant of works; yet there is no Sacrament or ſeale of death: but they are both ſeales of life and ſalvation, aſſuring us that if we believe in the name of the Lord Jeſus, we ſhall ſurely have everlaſting life.

5. Faith is ſufficient to make us partakers of all the bleſſings of the Covenant; Look back unto all thoſe bleſſings before named, and you ſhall ſee how faith doth poſſeſſe us of them all. God promiſeth to be a God unto us, Jer. 31. but how comes he to be our God? It is by faith, Rom. 3.29, 30. He promiſeth forgiveneſſe of ſinnes, and to remember our iniquities no more, and it is faith which maketh us partakers of this bleſſing alſo, Acts 10.43. Rom. 3.24, 25.

By faith wee are made partakers of the Spirit of holineſſe, p. 297Gal. 3.14. faith purifies the heart, Acts 15.9. & 26.18. By faith we are kept in the eſtate of grace unto ſalvation, 1 Pet. 1.5. Rom. 11.20. we ſtand by faith, 2 Cor. 1.24.

By faith we are made heires and owners of all the good things of this life; We are ſonnes by faith, Gal. 3.21. and being ſonnes we are alſo heires, Rom. 8.17. even heires of the world, as Abraham was, Rom. 4.13. and if by faich we be partakers of Chriſt, then are we with him intereſted in all other things alſo, Rom. 8.32. yea, all things are ours, whether things preſent or things to come, all are ours, we being Chriſts, 1 Cor. 3.

Laſty, by faith we obtaine that great and laſt bleſſing of the Covenant even the bleſſing of eternall life, Joh. 3.16, 36. So that faith alone makes us poſſeſſors of all the bleſſings of the Covenant, and therefore there needs no other condition but faith alone.

Object. But (may ſome ſay) if faith alone be the condition of the Covenant, and doe make us partakers of life, and forgiveneſſe of ſinne, then what need is there of any obedience, or works of holineſſe? faith alone is ſufficient in ſtead of all.

Anſw. This was the old plea of looſe Libertines in the Apoſtles times; I have faith ſaith one, and though I have no works, yet my faith will ſave me; But underſtand, O thou vaine man (ſaith the Apoſtle James, chap. 3.) that if thy faith be without works, ſuch faith is vaine, but like a dead carkaſſe without ſoule or ſpirit, it is dead in it ſelfe, and leaves the ſoule in death, wanting life in it ſelfe, and yeelding no living fruit, it cannot bring life unto the ſoule. A good tree ſaith Chriſt, is known by its fruit, and ſo a right and ſound faith. Let a man believe in truth, he cannot but love; and if he love, he cannot but ſeek to pleaſe God in well doing; faith is as a tree of life which abounds with good fruit; as therefore when a man deſires to have good fruit in his orchard, he doth not ſet the fruits themſelves in it, but plants the trees which uſe to beare the fruit, as knowing that if the trees be good and kindly, the trees will yeeld the fruit; ſo God delighteth to ſee the fruits of righteouſneſſe in the lives of his Saints, and for this end plants in their hearts the tree of faith, as knowing where this tree is planted, and takes root, the fruit will and cannot but follow; faith and holineſſe can no more be ſeparated, then light p. 298can be ſeparated from the Sunne; ſuch as ſay they have faith, and hope to partake in the bleſſing of the Covenant, and yet live looſely, carnally, unconſcionably, they doe but deceive themſelves; they may be in Covenant with hell and death, but have no part of the Covenant of life and peace.

Queſt. 2. But whereas in ſpeaking of faith, wee ſpeak ſometimes of the habit, ſometimes of the act of it; It may be demanded which of theſe is the condition of the Covenant? whether is it the habit or the act of faith which is required of us?

Anſw. It is the latter, that is, the act, faith acting and working towards the promiſe, and from the promiſe, and cauſing us to live by faith in the promiſe, according to that in Gal. 2.20. the life which I now live, I live by the faith of the Sonne of God; the habit is freely given us, and wrought in us by the Lord himſelfe, to inable us to act by it, and to live the life of faith; and then we having received the gift, the habit, then (I ſay) the Lord requires of us that we ſhould put forth acts of faith, both by waiting upon him, to receive from him all the good which he hath promiſed, and by walking in all obedience of faith, in an humble ſubmiſſion to his will; this work of faith the Apoſtle ſhews fully to have been in thoſe Saints, in Heb. 11. both in expecting the promiſe, with patient ſuffering under the hope of it, and in obedient ſubmiſſion to any Commandement of God; and theſe acts of faith are implyed in that expreſſion of walking by faith, 2 Cor. 5. and the work of faith, 1 Theſ. 1.3. and in that faith is ſaid to work by love, Gal. 5. all tending to ſhew that it is the act and work of of faith which is required on our part.

Reaſ. 1. It is the act of faith which receives the promiſe, and Chriſt in the promiſe, Joh. 1.12. Heb. 11.13. A man may have an hand and yet not have the gift which is offered him unleſſe hee put forth his hand to receive it; faith is the hand of the ſoule, and the putting of it forth is the act by which wee receive Chriſt offered.

2. Look as it was with Adam in that Covenant made with him, he had an habituall righteouſneſſe within him; but that was not the condition of the Covenant betwixt God and him, but the acting of that inward habit in acts of obedience, was the condition p. 299of the Covenant; ſo here in the Covenant of grace, firſt, God puts into us the habit of faith, and then requires of us act of faith; to lay hold of the promiſe, and to receive the grace which i… offered in the Covenant.

3. It is not an habit of faith, but a life of faith which is required of the Saints that are in Covenant with God; it is the habit which enables and fits us to live by faith; but the life of faith conſiſts in the acts of faith, put forth according to the ſeverall occaſions we meet withall, Gal. 2.20. 2 Cor. 5.8. Heb. 11.

4. There muſt needs be a difference betwixt that which God promiſeth as a part of the Covenant on his part, and that which he requires of us on our part; now the habit is that which God promiſeth to us: when he ſaith, I will give you a new heart, &c. and this he worketh in us in our effectuall calling; and then the acting of that faith received, is that which is required on our part.

Queſt. But what is that act or acts of faith, by which we perform the condition of the Covenant?

Anſw. 1. Firſt, there is an act of faith by which we doe (as it were) firſt cloſe with the Covenant revealed and offered unto us.

2. There is alſo another act of it, by which we are carried on to an anſwerable walking before God according to the Covenant made with him.

1. For the former before we give a direct anſwer, we muſt lay down theſe two grounds.

Firſt, That in the making up of the Covenant betwixt God and us, God is firſt with us, he is the firſt mover, he begins with us, before we begin with him; we ſhould never ſeek to be in Covenant with him, if he did not allure us, and draw us unto him, Thus in Ezek. 20.37. I will bring them (ſaith the Lord) into the bond of the Covenant; It is the Lord which brings them; they doe not firſt offer themſelves.

And firſt God prepares his own way for entering into Covenant with us, and then he finiſheth the work; and in this preparation he doth theſe three things.

1. He breaks us off from our Covenant with Hell and Death, makes us ſenſible of our undone eſtate, makes us ſee that we p. 300are without God, without Chriſt, without hope, Epheſ. 2. that we are not under mercy, that wee are not of his people, 1 Pet. 2.

2. He opens unto us his minde and will, ſhewing himſelfe willing to receive us to grace, and to enter into a new Covenant with us, yet againe to take us to be his people, and hee to be our God; he goes into the ſtreets and open places as it is in Prov. 1.20, 21. and there makes publike proclamation, Ho, ho, every one that will, Come yee unto me, and I will make an everlaſting Covenant with you, Eſay 55.3. Eſay 65.1. yea more, he comes and beſeeches us to be reconciled unto him, 2 Cor. 5.20. and ſpeaks to us as pittying us; Jer. 3.12. and lamenting over us, Ezek. 33.11. thereby to perſwade us to come into a Covenant with him.

3. By the hearing of theſe promiſes and offers of grace, the Lord uſually ſcattereth ſome little ſeeds of faith in the hearts of thoſe that he will bring unto himſelfe; which ſeed being ſown, doth ſometimes quickly put forth, and acts towards the Covenant propounded, and layes hold of it, as we ſee in Lydia, the Jaylor, Zacheus, and ſuch others; but ſometimes (and that moſt uſually) before that faith hath done any great thing in ſeeking after God, to make a Covenant with him, the Lord doth againe withdraw himſelfe, and goes away as, Hoſeah 5. end: hiding himſelfe, as if he would regard us and look after us no more; ſo that now if we will get into Covenant with him, we muſt ſeek after him, as he before ſought after us, and muſt ſue unto him for grace, to take us into Covenant with himſelfe; and herein faith begins to ſhew it ſelfe, beginning to work and move towards the Covenant which the Lord offereth to make with us.

For though the Lord hath withdrawn himſelfe, yet he hath left ſuch a touch of his Spirit upon the heart as makes the ſoule affectionate towards him, ſo as now it cannot reſt, but feeling its own wo, being without God, and without Covenant, and having heard of the Lords willingneſſe to enter into a Covenant with us, it now begins to ſeek after the Lord, to be in Covenant wirh him; This is the firſt ground, that God is firſt, he begins with us.

Secondly, The ſecond is, that whatſoever faith doth in ſeeking to enter into Covenant with God, it doth it alwayes in that way, and according to that order in which the Lord hath gone before us, p. 301in the offer of his Covenant unto us; faith doth alwaies follow the Word, and doth nothing but as it hath a word of Faith to guide its way, it goes ſtep by ſtep as it hath the light of the word directing and going before; faith doth not preſcribe unto God, it will not preſume to appoint the conditions of the Covenant, onelyonly it anſwers and applyes it ſelfe to Gods offer, taking conditions of peace, but giving none. It doth not ſeek to wind about the promiſe of grace to our own minde and will. It doth not ſay I will have it thus, thus it ſhall be, or elſe I will admit of no conditions of peace; but the ſoul now finding that the everlaſting eſtate of it for weal or woe, life or death, ſtands at the meer good pleaſure and mercy of God; and knowing that either it muſt ſubmit to that way of the Covenant, and to thoſe conditions which the Lord is pleaſed to ſet down, or it muſt periſh for ever; it gladly comes in humbly accepting the offer of grace, in the ſame way as it is tendred and offered unto us of God.

Here then (that we may ſee how faith cloſeth with the Covenant propounded) we muſt ſee firſt how God offers himſelfe in his Covenant unto us. Now in that main promiſe of the Covenant (which is indeed the ſum of all) I will be thy God, God offers himſelf unto us two wayes, (as hath been before ſhewed in the opening of that promiſe,) Firſt, he offers himſelfe unto us as a God of mercy to pardon us; as a God of bleſſing to bleſſe us with all ſufficient bleſſings. 2. As a God over us, and above us, to order us and to rule us in all our wayes, to governe us according to his owne will that he may be glorified in us; Thus God offers himſelfe unto us in his Covenant, &c.

Now the anſwer is ready to the queſtion propounded, how faith doth act in cloſing with the Covenant; the work of faith herein is to carry the ſoule towards the Covenant in the ſame order and way as it is propounded; Firſt accepting the grace offered, reſting upon God for all the mercy which he hath promiſed. 2. Taking God to bee a God over us ſubmitting to his government and authority, to command us and to rule us in all things according to his own will; theſe two things faith doth, and ſo takes hold of the Covenant in the ſame way and order as God offers it. 1. God makes himſelf known to us as a God of mercy, gracious, long-ſuffering, pardoning iniquity, tranſgreſſion, p. 302and ſin, he offers himſelfe to be reconciled unto us, though we have rebelled againſt him, promiſing to be a Father unto us, and to accept of us as his ſons and daughters in his beloved.

Now the worke of Faith in reſpect of this offer of grace is only to accept the grace offered, to lay hold on it and take it unto our ſelves being ſo freely offered; Faith brings nothing to God of our owne, it offers nothing to ſtand in exchange for the mercy offered; it receives a gift, but giveth no price. The Lord holds out and offers the free grace of the Covenant; faith receives it, and makes it our owne. Hence is that expreſſion uſed by the Prophet in Eſay 56. where we are ſaid to lay hold of the Covenant; God holds it forth, and we take hold of it, the hand of grace offers it, and the hand of faith receives it and makes it our owne, and this it doth by ſuch ſteps and degrees as theſe that follow, wherein though I ſhould not limit the Lords dealing with all his, yet I will ſhew what I conceive is the moſt uſuall and ordinary courſe of Gods diſpenſation towards thoſe whom he brings into Covenant with himſelfe: Here then faith cloſeth with the Covenant in this manner.

1. By hearing the great things propoſed in the Covenant, it ſtirs up in the heart a deep and ſerious conſideration of the bleſſed condition of thoſe people that are in Covenant with God; Oh what a bleſſed eſtate is it (thinkes ſuch a one,) to be in favour with God, to be one of his covenanted people? It makes him ſay with Moſes, Bleſſed art thou O Iſrael, a people ſaved by the Lord, Deut. 33. It ſaith with David, No people O Lord, is like thy people Iſrael, whom thou haſt redeemed unto thy ſelfe, 2 Sam. 7.23. Time was when we counted the proud bleſſed, and placed our felicity in other things, as in riches, preferments, favour, and credit with men, &c. but now theſe are become vile and things of no value; faith makes us change our voice, and to ſpeake with a new tongue, and to ſay, not, Bleſſed are the people that be ſo, but, Bleſſed are the people whoſe God is the Lord, Pſal. 144. ult.

This high eſteeme of grace being accompanied with a ſence of the want of it, wee ſeem unto our ſelves as undone men, loſt, wretched, miſerable. The poor ſoul thinkes with it ſelfe, no ſin like my ſin, no miſery like my miſery: I am ſeparated from p. 303the Lord, an alien from his people; Oh bleſſed are they that are are at peace, and in covenant with him! this is now the onelyonly pearle of price; the rich treaſure in the field, for which ſuch a one is content to give all the ſubſtance of his houſe. In the prodigall when he began to thinke of returning to his father, theſe two things were found in him.

Firſt, a deep ſence of his owne miſery, (I die for hunger.)

Secondly, a conſideration of the wellfare of thoſe that were in his Fathers houſe (they have bread enough.) So it is with thoſe poor ſoules in which faith begins to work, to draw them back into Covenant with God; ſenſible are they of their own woe, highly alſo doe they prize the excellency of grace, if by any means they might attain to have a part in it.

2. This high eſteem of grace, and being in Covenant with God, begets a longing deſire of it; good being beleived, cannot but be deſired, and longed for, and therefore faith now beleeving the benefit of being in favour and Covenant with God, it cannot but work deſires after it; deſire naturally ſpringeth from the apprehenſion of any good made knowne. Faith is both in the underſtanding and in the will; as it is in the underſtanding, it opens the eye to ſee, and clearly to diſcerne the bleſſing of the Covenant, and then ſtirs up the will to purſue and deſire the attaining of the grace revealed: Never did David more long for the waters of the well of Bethlehem, then ſuch a ſoul touched with the ſence of ſin, doth deſire to be at peace with God and in covenant with him, and therefore it is that they are ſaid to thirſt after the the Lord, Pſal. 42.2. to pant after him, Pſal. 42.1. to gaſpe after him, Pſal. 119. longing for communion and peace with him. Thus in Eſay 26.9. with their ſoules they deſire him in the night, and with their ſpirit in the morning; the deſire of their ſoul is ſet upon him, and cannot be ſatisfied by any thing without him; peace with him is their life; and to be ſeparated from him, is unto them as the ſhadow of death.

3. Faith being yet weak, and but as in the bud, or in the ſeed, and being yet unacquainted with the Lords dealing with his people, not knowing how he uſeth by terrors of death to bring them to life and peace; hence it comes to paſſe that the ſoule being preſſed with ſence of ſin, therefore though its deſires be ſtrong, p. 304yet hope of obtaining is but feeble and vveak, vve ſeeming to our ſelves utterly unworthy (as indeed we are) and uncapable (which we are not) of ſo high a priviledge as this is, to be in favour and Covenant with the moſt high God. Here therefore faith is taken up with many thoughts, thereby to ſupport and keepe up the heart in hope, carrying the eye of the ſoul towards God, though as beholding him afarre off; faine would the poor ſoul be joyned to the Lord, Iſai. 56. but being as yet diſmayed with the ſence of ſin, he ſtands like the poor Publican afar off, as one afraid to come neere into the preſence of the holy God; as yet faith can ſcarce ſpeak a word to God, it cannot come neer to call upon him, only it can with Ionah look towards his holy Temple, as being like the poor weak babe which lies in the cradle, being both ſick, and weak and ſpeechleſſe, and can onelyonly look towards the mother for helpe, the caſt of the eye (after a ſort) expreſſing and ſignifying what it would ſay: Thus doth faith being yet weak, it would ſpeak unto God but cannot, onelyonly it hath its eye towards heaven, looking for grace and mercy according to Iehoſhaphats ſpeech, Our eyes are towards thee, 2 Chron. 20. It hungers and thirſts after grace, but feares it ſhall never be ſatisfied; it feeles a need and faine would have; but ſence of unworthineſſe, conſciouſneſſe of manifold ſinnes, the ſentence of the Law like the thundering and lightning at Mount Sinai, all of them being ſharpned by Satans working in them and with them, doe ſtrike ſuch a fear into the heart, (as was in Iſrael then,) that though deſires be ſtirring and working, yet hope is very feeble, cauſing us to doe as Iſrael did there, who though they heard the Lord ſay, I am the Lord your God, yet the terror of the thunder made them to ſtand afar off; and ſo we, we hear the Lord offering to be our God in covenant with us, but ſuch are the diſcouragements that we dare not come near to ſeek after the grace which is revealed; Hitherto therefore the mind of the poor ſinner deſiring to bee in Covenant with God, is unquiet within it ſelfe, hurried too and fro finding no reſt; it heares of peace with God, but feels it not; but in ſtead of peace, finds trouble, feare, doubtings, diſcouragements to keep it off from the way of peace; faith being yet yong and faint, hath much adoe to ſuſtain the heart in any hope that it ſink not down in diſcouragement. But yet though it bee p. 305weak, it will be doing what it is able; ſetting the minde to conſider the promiſes, and encouragements which God hath given us in his word; how hee invites all to come unto him, even every one that thirſts, Eſay 55. telling us, That whoſoever comes unto him, he will not caſt away, Joh. 6.37.

And hence, while the minde is poſſeſſed with theſe things, becauſe ſo great a buſineſſe as making a Covenant of peace with the high God, and about ſo great an affaire as the life and ſalvation of our ſoule, cannot be tranſacted in a tumult, Therefore

4. In the fourth place, faith takes the ſoule aſide, and carries it into ſome ſolitary place; that there it may be alone with it ſelfe, and with God, with whom it hath to doe. This buſineſſe, and multitude of other occaſions, cannot be done together, and therefore the ſoule muſt be alone, that it may the more fully commune with it ſelfe, and utter it ſelfe fully before the Lord; Thus the poore Church in the time of her affliction, when the Lord ſeemed to hide himſelfe from her, ſhee ſate alone, as ſhe ſpeaks, Lament. 3.28, 29. and Jer. 15.17. I ſate alone, becauſe of thy plague: The way of the Lord is prepared in the Deſert, Eſay 40.3. when the Lord will come to the ſoule, and draw it into communion with himſelfe; he will have his way hereto prepared in the Deſert; not in the throng of a City, but in a ſolitary Deſert place, he will allure us, and draw us into the Wilderneſſe, from the company of men, when he will ſpeak to our heart, and when he prepares our heart to ſpeak unto him, Hoſeah 2. Not that ſuch a one doth deſpiſe or neglect the fellowſhip of Gods people, but he now ſees and knows full well, that his help is not in man, and therefore waits not upon the ſonnes of Adam, Mich. 5.7. He is glad to hear of any hope, and how others have beene ſuccoured and pulled out of the like diſtreſſe, &c. but though he hath an eare open unto theſe and the like helps, yet the ſoule cannot reſt in them, but muſt retire it ſelfe, and get alone, where it may think its full, and ſatisfie it ſelf;e in thoughts of its own eſtate, and of the offers and promiſes of Grace, which God hath made to ſuch loſt ſinners: And whiles the ſoule is thus alone, with it ſelfe and with God, ſometimes thinking of its own miſery and ſinne, ſometimes of the Lords mercy now preſented in ſuch and ſuch promiſes; ſometimes calling to minde how others have found favour with God, notwithſtanding p. 306their ſinnes, ſometimes thinking what ſhould move the Lord thus to invite us, and call us unto him, and to give us theſe deſires after him; why (thinks the ſoule) ſhould the Lord doe thus, if there were no hope that he would receive me? whiles I ſay, the ſoule being alone, is thus exerciſed in theſe thoughts, at length the fire kindles, ſo as the ſoule can now reſt no longer, but a ſpirit of faith being within, like fire in the bones, the heart hitherto having beene as a Wine-veſſell, which hath had no vent, yet now the ſpirit within, compels him to open his lips, and to utter before the Lord the meditations of his heart: And therefore

5. In the fifth place, the ſoule reſolves now to go to the throne of Grace, ſuing for Grace, proving whether the Lord will bee gracious and mercifull, to accept of a reconciliation; faith ſpeaks within, as they did in Jonah 3.9. who can tell whether the Lord will return &c. and as Amos 5.15. It may be the Lord may yet be mercifull; ſuch an one cannot yet ſay that he will, yet knowes not but he may be gracious, and therefore doth as thoſe lepers in 2 King. 7.3. who knowing that they were ſure to periſh if they ſate ſtill, reſolved to try what might befall them in going into the Camp of the Aramites; and as Eſther who would try whether the King would hold out his golden Sceper towards her, yea or no; ſo the poore ſinner, knowing how it is with him, and thinking hee muſt periſh if he thus continue, and hearing alſo ſuch gracious invitations, &c. thereupon reſolves to goe and ſeek the Lord begging Grace and acceptance before him. (Doth the Lord ſay, ſeek yee my face? the heart anſwers within, Lord I will ſeek thy face; Doth the Lord ſay, Come unto me? the heart anſwereth, Behold we come unto thee, for thou art the Lord our God, Ier. 3.22.) And now the ſoule betakes it ſelfe unto God, ſending up complaints againſt it ſelfe, with lamentations for its own ſinfull rebellions, accompanyed with ſtrong cryes to heaven, with ſighes and groanes of Spirit which cannot be expreſſed; it confeſſeth with grief and bitter mourning, all former iniquities, ſmites upon the thigh with repenting Epharim, lies down at Gods foot-ſtoole, putting its mouth in the duſt, acknowledging Gods righteouſneſſe if he ſhould condemn and caſt off for ever, and yet withall pleads for Grace, that it may be accepted as one of his; It ſayes unto God, Lord, I have p. 307nothing to plead why thou maiſt not condemn me; but if thou wilt receive me, thy mercy ſhall appeare in me, thou maiſt ſhew forth all thy goodneſſe; take away therefore all mine iniquities, and receive mee graciouſly, Hoſeah 14.3. It pleads Gods promiſe, Lord, thou haſt ſaid thou wilt be gracious; Lord make good this word to the ſoule of thy ſervant, be my God, my mercifull God, and make me thy ſervant; thus the ſoule lies at the throne of Grace and pleads for Grace.

6. As faith is thus earneſt in ſuing to God for Grace and acceptance with him, ſo it is no leſſe vigilant, and watchfull in obſerving and taking notice what anſwer comes from the Lord, how he anſwers the deſires we have preſented before him. As the priſoner at the barre, not only cries for mercy, but marks every word which falls from the Judges mouth, if any thing may give him hope, and as Benhadads ſervants lay at catch with the King of Iſrael, to ſee if they could take occaſion by any thing which fell from him, to plead for the life of Benhadad; ſo doth the poore ſoule that is now pleading for life and grace, it watcheth narrowly to ſee if any thing may come from God, any intimation of favour, any word of comfort that may tend to peace; thence it is that the Saints have ſo often called upon God for anſwer of their prayers; they thought it not enough to pray, but they would ſee how the Lord anſwered them, Pſal. 102.1, 2. Thus Pſal. 51.8. O let me heare joy and gladneſſe, &c. David did not only pray for mercy, but deſires to heare from heaven a word ſpoken to his conſcience, by which he might know he was accepted; though David was not in the beginning of that work we now ſpeak of, yet the caſe is alike, he was now in his own ſence as if he had been to begin anew, and thus in Pſal. 85.8. I will heare what the Lord will ſay, for he will ſpeak peace unto his people, &c.

7. As faith doth thus wait for an anſwer from God, ſo likewiſe according as the Lord doth either anſwer or not anſwer, ſo doth faith demeane it ſelfe.

Firſt, Sometimes he anſwers not, to our ſence (I mean) and diſcerning, as we ſee in Davids caſe; he felt himſelfe as one forſaken, and prayed unto God, but found no audience, Pſal. 22. What doth faith in this caſe? it followes God ſtill, and cryes after him with more ſtrength and earneſtneſs, as reſolving never to give over, p. 308till the Lord either ſave or deſtroy; if the Lord will deſtroy, yet the ſoule chuſeth to die at Gods foot, as Joab did at the hornes of the Altar, when he was bidden to come forth from thence, to take his death in another place; Nay (ſaith Ioab) but I will die here; Here the humbled ſoule doth as that woman did in Mat. 15. ſhee ſues to Chriſt, but Chriſt ſeemes to have no regard of her, gives her not one word, but ſhee ſeeks ſtill; ſtill ſhe cryes after him, and though ſtill repulſed, yet ſhee comes a third time, and cryes, Lord help me; and though ſtill the Lord gives her another repulſe, yet ſtill ſhe hangs upon him, and follows him for mercy, and would never give over till ſhe he had gotten even what ſhee deſired. Even as Chriſt in his agony, when he ſaw deliverance came not, he prayed more earneſtly, Luk. 22.44. ſo doth the poore ſinner in the time of his agony, when he is ſtriving, as for life, and death; if help come not at firſt call, he prays againe, and that more earneſtly; faith will be urgent with God, with an humble importunity; and the more ſlack the Lord ſeemes to be in anſwering, the more inſtant is faith in plying God with prayers. It will be wraſtling with God, as Iacob did with the Angel; it will not reſt without a bleſſing, it will take no denyall, but will crave ſtill, as hee did, bleſſe me, even me alſo, ſend me not away without a bleſſing; it reſolves to wait, and look up, untill the Lord ſhew mercy, Pſal. 123.2. Lament. 3.49, 50.

Secondly, Sometimes againe the Lord doth anſwer, but yet he ſpeaks but as out of the dark cloud giving ſom… little eaſe, but not ſpeaking full peace; much like as he ſpake to the woman, Ioh. 8.11. Goe thy way and ſinne no more, ſaith Chriſt; he doth not ſay, goe in peace, thy ſinne is forgiven thee (that had been a word of full comfort) but goe thy way and ſinne no more; a middle kind of expreſſion, neither aſſuring her that her ſinne was pardoned, nor yet putting her out of hope, but it might be forgiven. And hereby faith gets a little ſtrength, and looks after the Lord with more hope, and begins to plead with God, as Moſes did, Lord thou haſt begun to ſhew grace unto thy ſervant; goe on Lord to manifeſt in me all thy goodneſſe; here faith takes a little hold on the Covenant, though with a feeble hand, as yet ſhaking and trembling for want of ſtrength, and yet now it begins to follow the Lord with more encouragement, as finding that its former ſeeking hath not been wholly in vaine.

p. 209Thirdly, Sometimes againe the Lord ſpeaks more fully and ſatisfactorily to the ſoules of his people; applying ſome promiſe of Grace to the conſcience by his own ſpirit, letting the ſoule feele and taſte the comfort of ſuch a promiſe, more effectually then ever it could before; it hath often heard and thought on ſuch a promiſe, but could never feele any peace in it, becauſe it could never apply it to its own particular; but now being applyed by the help of the Spirit, it finds and feeles peace.

Here then the Lord doth not any longer hold the ſoule in ſuſpence and doubting, by propounding unto it ſuch promiſes of hope, (as I may ſo call them) It may be yee ſhall bee hid in the day of wrath, Zeph. 2.3. but he ſpeaks full peace, as Eſay 41.10. Feare not, for I am thy God; I will ſubdue your iniquities, and caſt all your ſinnes behind my back, and I will remember them againſt you no more; I have received a reconciliation, Iob 33. Goe in peace. Here …aith waxeth bold, and with a glad heart entertaineth the promiſe thus brought home unto it; the Apoſtle expreſſeth this with a word very ſignificant, calling it an embracing of the promiſe, Heb. 11.13. embracing implyes an affectionate receiving, with both armes opened, to ſhew an heart enlarged to thoſe that come unto us; and now the ſoule having thus embraced the promiſe, and the Lord Ieſus Chriſt in the promiſe, and having him (like Simeon) in our armes, it layes him in the boſome, and having before gone forth to meet him, hee being now come, it brings him into the chamber of the heart, there to reſt, and abide for ever; now the ſoule poſſeſſeth him as her own, reſts in him, and is ſatisfied with him, layes it ſelfe down in a holy reſt, after all its former troubles, prayſing God for his mercy as Simeon did when he had Chriſt in his armes, and committing it ſelfe for ever to that mercy and goodneſſe which hath been thus revealed unto it.

And thus the poor ſoul which hath been at emnity with God, comes by little and little to touch the top of the golden Scepter, and to enter into a Covenant of peace with the high God; now the hand is given to the Lord; as Hezekiah ſpake 2 Chron. 30. As God reacheth out to us the hand of Grace and of ſaving help; ſo doe wee give unto him the hand of faith, yeilding up our ſelves unto him, committing our ſelves unto him to bee kept by p. 310him unto ſalvation according to his Covenant and promiſe.

And thus is this part of the Covenant made up betwixt God and us, and the ſoule now ſayes within it ſelfe, I that was ſometimes an enemy, he hath now reconciled unto himſelfe; I that was in times paſt without God, without Chriſt, without promiſe, without Covenant, without hope, none of Gods people, not under mercy; yet now I have God for my God, Chriſt is my peace, in him I have obtained mercy, and am now become one of Gods people; the Covenant of his peace now belongs unto me, the Lord alſo is become my ſalvation; and here the ſoule reſts, and is ſatisfied, as with marrow and fatneſſe; ſaying as Jacob, The Lord hath had mercy on me; therefore I have enough, I have all that my heart hath deſired, Gen. 33.11.

Thus we ſee how faith cloſeth with the firſt part of the Covenant, that God will be a God of mercy unto us, to bleſſe us with bleſſings of peace, &c.

2. Concerning the other part of it; wherein God offers himſelfe unto us to be a God over us, to rule us and govern us in obedience to his will, faith works the ſoule to a cloſing with this alſo.

The converting ſinner, having taſted the fruit of his own former wayes, and finding how bitter and evill it is that he hath ſinned, doth now deſire to reſign up himſelf to the Lords government, being willing to deny his own will, and to take up the Lords yoke, and to be ſubject thereunto; he now ſayes no more, who is Lord over me, Pſa. 12. He doth no longer look at himſelf as his own, to live to himſelf, after his own minde and will; but being weary of his own wayes, and finding it ſufficient (and too much) that he hath ſpent the time paſt in the luſts of the fleſh, now he commits himſelfe to the Lords government, taking him to be a God over him; to rule and order him in all his wayes: The Covenant which paſſeth betwixt God and us, is like that which paſſeth between a King and his people; the King promiſeth to rule and govern in mercy and in righteouſneſſe; and they againe promiſe to obey in loyalty and in faithfulneſſe; faith ſets up God upon his throne, and ſayes; Let the Lord reigne for ever and ever, reigne thou over mee, (O Lord) and lead me in the way which leads unto thee. And this doth faith work in us by theſe or the like meanes.

1. Faith looks at the manner of Gods invitation and call, when p. 311he invites us to come and enter into Covenant with him; he doth not offer himſelfe to be a God to us to bleſſe us, without being a God over us, to order and govern us, but links theſe two both together; If we will have his bleſſing, his peace, we muſt bee under his Dominion: Look as in a Common-wealth or Kingdom, none hath the benefit of the Law, but thoſe that ſubject themſelves to the Law: none have the protection of authority, but thoſe that obey it; ſo here; God doth not promiſe to pardon our ſins, leaving us ſtill at our own liberty to live as we liſt, but if he doe at all make a Covenant with us, he will be a God to us, as well to rule us, as to ſave us; To ſay, live as yee will, ſinne as yee will, and yet you ſhall be ſaved, is the Devils Covenant, not Gods; and therefore it is that when the Lord calls us into a Covenant with himſelfe, he bids us come out from among the wicked, ſeparate your ſelves, and touch no uncleane thing ſaith the Lord, 2 Cor. 6.17. and in this way he promiſes to receive us, and to be a God unto us; How vile ſoever we have been before time, it hinders us not from entring into Covenant with God, but if we will now become his people, we muſt henceforth walke no more as we had wont to doe; we muſt henceforth be ſeparate from our uncleanneſſe, Epheſ. 4.17. Eſay 1. ver. 6.7, 8. Come let us reaſon together, let us make an agreement, but withall waſh you, make you clean, &c. This is the Lords manner of invitation, ſo that faith ſees a neceſſity of ſubmitting to Gods authority, becauſe it may not take hold of one part of the Covenant without the other: If we will have God to bee our God to pardon us, and to bleſſe us, wee muſt have him a God over us to govern us after his own will.

2. Faith opens the underſtanding, convincing us by arguments, how juſt, how equall and reaſonable it is, that God ſhould rule and we obey; by faith we ſee the inviſible things of God, that is, his eternall power and Godhead, which before we ſaw not; by faith we ſee him in his Excellency and Majeſty, cloathed with glory and honour, riding upon the Heavens, attended upon with thouſand thouſands of Angels miniſtring unto him: By faith we ſee him moderating the whole world by his wiſdome and power, Pſal. 103. We look at him as King of Kings, as Prince of all the Rulers of the earth; Neither doe we by faith thus ſee God, as he is in himſelfe, but as he is to us, as having power in his hand either to ſave p. 212or deſtroy; ſo that there is no reſiſting; we know now that if we fall upon that ſtone, by our rebellion, it will grinde us to powder; now there is no more queſtion made, who ſhall have the dominion, though in times paſt we had ſaid, this man ſhall not reign over us, Luk. 19. yet now it is our chiefe deſire, that his Kindome may come into us and beare ſway in us; Faith ſets before us alſo the benefits and kindneſſe of God towards us, and ſo perſwades us by thoſe mercies of God to give up our ſelves as a ſacrifice in humble obedience unto his will, Rom. 12.1. Faith reaſoneth in the heart as David did, I will prayſe thee O Lord with my whole heart; yea, I will glorifie thy name for ever, for great is thy mercy towards me, thou haſt delivered my ſoule from the loweſt grave, Pſal. 86.12, 13. Faith makes us ſpeak to God as the Iſraelites did to Gideon, when he had delivered them out of the hand of the Midianites, Come (ſay they) unto him, and reign over us, both thou and thy ſon, for thou haſt delivered us out of the hand of Midian, Iudg. 8.22. Now God is counted worthy of all honour and ſervice, Apoc. 4.7. & 5.12.13. Worthy to be exalted and glorified; thus faith urgeth it as a thing moſt reaſonable, that God ſo glorious in himſelfe, having power over us, to ſave or deſtroy, and when he might have deſtroyed us, yet hath ſaved us from ſo great a death, and prepared for us ſo great ſalvation, ſhould be glorified by us, wee ſubmitting our ſelves unto the obedience of his will.

3. Faith makes us look at the Lords government as a mercifull goverment, bringing peace and bleſſing unto thoſe that are under it; it looks at this King of Iſrael as a mercifull King, 1 King. 20. It counts thoſe ſubjects happy that are free of this Kingdome, and thoſe ſervants happy that ſtand before this King, 1 King. 10. It makes the ſoule lament its bondage under other Lords; as in Eſay 26.13. Lord (ſaith the Church there) other Lords beſides thee, have ruled over us, but in thee is our onelyonly hope; having felt the miſery of thoſe former ſlaveries in which it hath been holden, having been in the Iron Furnace of Aegypt, and ſate by the waters of Babel, and wept there, having been under ſuch cruell Lords, now they are weary of the yoke of the oppreſſor; and now the bleſſing of the Lords government, the Laws of God which were before counted as cords and bands, fitter for bondſlaves then for free-men, are now eſteemed holy, and juſt, p. 313and good Rom 7. Faith believes that which the Lord hath ſaid, that he hath given us his Commandements for our good, that it may goe well with us for ever, Deut. 12.

4. Faith reconciles the heart unto God, it doth not only believe that he is reconciled unto us, but alſo reconciles us unto God, whereas before we hated him, and would none of him, and thruſt him away from us, as the Iſraelites did Moſes, Acts 7.27. Yet now the ſoule having by faith believed his goodneſſe towards us, is thereby reconciled unto him, it layes down all weapons of defiance, and ſubmits in love. Like as a Traytor having found the gracious favour of his Prince, in pardoning his treacherous practiſes, his naughty heart which was before ſo full of treachery, is now overcome with this undeſerved favour; ſo we alſo, having been in times paſt rebels againſt God, haters of him, enemies unto him, having had our mindes ſet upon evill things, Col. 1. are now overcome by his goodneſſe towards us, our heart is turned to him, our hatred is turned into love, faith working love cauſing us to love him, for that great love wherewith hee hath loved us in Chriſt, 1 Joh. 4. So that now we come to God, as they did to David, in 1 Chron. 12.18. Thine are we, we are wholly thine: And thus faith ſlayes the hatred, and puls down the partition wall which was betwixt God us, reconciles the enmity, and makes of two one, working peace and love; ſo that now the believing ſoule deſires nothing more then to bee ſubject to his government; and grieves when it is hindred, that it cannot doe that which he hath commanded: And thus the Covenant is made up in both parts of it, offered unto us by God, and received of us by faith, 1 King. 20.34.

2. As faith cloſeth with the Covenant, and brings us into Covenant with God; ſo it doth alſo act and work in us, to enable us to walk with God according to the Covenant which we have made with him; there is a keeping of Covenant required of us, as well as a making of Covenant with God, Gen. 17 7, 9. in Pſal. 50.5. the Saints are ſaid to make a Covenant with God; but in Pſal. 103.18. they are ſaid to keep his Covenant; ſo there is both a making, and a keeping of Covenant; and both theſe are done by faith; faith doth firſt enter us into Covenant with God (as we have ſeen above) and then by the ſame faith we are carried on to a keeping of the Covenant made; and that according to both parts of the Covenant, before laid down.

p. 3141. Whereas God enters into Covenant with us, to heale our back-ſlidings, to bleſſe us with all kinds of bleſſings convenient for us; Now the work of faith is to carry on the ſoule in a continuall dependence upon God for all the good which he hath promiſed; If we be in danger, faith looks unto God for ſafety and deliverance, 2 Chron. 14.11. Acts 27.25. It believes the promiſes of deliverance, and depends upon them; If we have ſinned, and done the things wee ſhould not, faith brings the ſoule back unto God againe, in a way of repentance; and looks to the faithfulneſſe and ſtability of his Covenant; hoping ſtill to finde mercy, and forgiveneſſe with him, albeit we have ſinned againſt him; and ſo in all other occaſions which befall us in this life, according as any evill preſſeth upon us, or any bleſſing is wanting unto us, faith hath recourſe to the promiſe and Covenant of God; waiting upon him for all that mercy which we ſtand in need of in every kind: And when we doe thus put forth our faith in the exerciſe and acts of it, depending by it upon God in all our occaſions, this is the life of faith, which the Scripture ſpeaks of, this is to live by faith, Hab. 2. and to walk by faith, 2 Cor. 5.

And this life of faith is then eſpecially ſeen, when the courſe of Gods providence and dealing with us ſeemes to make againſt his promiſe; herein the life of Abrahams faith was ſeen; that though his body grew more impotent, and dead every yeare, yet God having promiſed him a Son, Abraham believes even above hope; notwithſtanding the deadneſſe of his body, and of Sarahs womb. And ſo Moſes, God having promiſed good to Iſrael, though for the preſent he ſaw nothing but wants and neceſſities and mortality among the people, ſo many thouſands dying in the Wilderneſſe; yet was he ſo confident of Gods goodneſſe towards that people, that he was bold to promiſe good to Jethro his Father-in-Law, in caſe he would joyn himſelfe unto them, and be one of them, Come with us (ſaith Moſes unto him) and we will doe thee good, for God hath promiſed good unto Iſrael, Num. 10.29. When Moſes promiſed to doe him good, hee might have ſaid, You may bring me to ſorrow, and miſery enough, here you are in a miſerable Wilderneſſe where you ſometimes want water and have nothing to eat; and here you die, and your carkaſes fall in the Wilderneſſe; what good can I expect that you can doe for mee? p. 315and yet Moſes by the power of faith, is confident to promiſe him good. God (ſaith he) hath promiſed good unto Iſrael. Moſes looks beyond the preſent workes of Gods providence, and conſiders the ſtability of Gods promiſe, and that doth he reſt upon; God not being as man that he ſhould lye or repent, 1 Sam. 16. therefore Moſes concludes. Let the Lord for the preſent doe as he will; let all things ſeem to croſſe his promiſe never ſo much, yet this I am ſure of, God hath promiſed good to Iſrael, and therefore good ſhall come; and thus doth faith enable the ſoule to walke in Covenant with God, depending upon him for that mercy and goodneſſe which he hath promiſed. God ſaith, I will be a God unto thee to bleſſe thee, and to doe thee good; and this I require of thee, that thou truſt to me, and depend upon me for all the good thou ſtandeſt in need of; and faith doth ſo, it reſts upon Gods promiſe. And thus faith fulfills this part of the Covenant.

2. As for the other part of the Covenant, (I will be a God over thee, and thou ſhalt glorifie me,) to this faith aſſents alſo, and carries us on in an anſwerable converſation, thereby teſtifying before all the world, that we have ſet up the Lord to be our God, to command us, and to rule us, and that we have given up our ſelves to be his people; And here are ſundry acts of faith by which it inables us ſo to walk. As

1. Faith hath alwayes an eye to the rule and command of God which he hath ſet before us to walke by, it attends conſtantly to the Tables of the Covenant; in things to be beleived it looks to the promiſe; and in things to be practiſed it looks to the Commandement. As in matters of faith it will beleeve nothing without a word of faith to reſt it ſelf upon; ſo in matters of fact, it will doe nothing without a word to command or warrant that which is done, becauſe without a word it cannot be done in faith, and it is no act of faith which is not done in faith, Rom. 14.23. Faith will preſent no ſtrange fire before the Lord, Levit. 10. It is inquiſitive to underſtand what the will of the Lord is, as knowing that he accepts nothing but what is according to his own will and word; therefore it is that David prayes, Teach me good judgement and knowl…dge, for I have beleeved thy Commandements, Pſal. 119.66. as if he ſhould ſay, I beleve and know that what thou commandeſt is good, teach me to judge aright and know thy Commandements; p. 316faith will be circumſpect and fearfull, till it ſee a word to direct and warrant its way; but when it ſees a plain word, then it growes bold and confident as knowing that this way is right. This then is the worke of faith, to attend to the word of faith in every thing; if we be to perform any act of worſhip unto God, it will worſhip him not after the traditions and precepts of men, but after the will of God; if we bee to perform any office of love, mercy, or juſtice towards men, it hath an eye to the word in all theſe, to doe every thing according to the pattern ſet down in the word; to walk without a word to direct us by, is the work of unbeliefe not of Faith.

2. As Faith takes direction from the true rule, ſo it directs us to the right end, it lifts us up above our ſelves, and above our owne ends and aimes, making God our higheſt and chiefeſt end, for which we live and work, as we are of him, and live in him and by him, ſo by faith we live to him and for him, Rom. 14.7, 8. 1 Cor. 10.31. 1 Pet. 4.11. 2 Cor. 5.15.

Reaſon tells us we muſt be for our ſelves, but faith tells us we muſt be for God; this God claimes as his right and due, and faith alſo aſſents unto; God faith, Thou ſhalt glorifie me, Pſal. 50.15. Faith ſaith, I will glorifie thee for ever, Pſal. 66.12.

3 Faith ſhields us againſt the hindrances and temptations which we daily meet withall in our Chriſtian courſe; ſometimes we are tempted on the right hand by the baites and allurements of the world, as Chriſt was Mat. 4. All this will I give thee, ſaith the World if thou wilt be mine; but here Faith overcomes the world, (1 John 5.4.) by ſetting before us better things then theſe; even a better and more enduring ſubſtance, Heb. 10. thoſe earthly pleaſures which ſeem ſo pleaſing to the eye of ſence, are but empty and vain ſhaddowes in the eye of faith, which looks at things afar off, at things to come, at things within the vaile, where Chriſt the fore-runner is gone before to prepare a place for us, Hebr. 6. Sometimes again we are tempted on the left-hand with croſſes, perſecutions, afflictions, and ſufferings for the Name of Chriſt, by which Sat…n ſeekes to turne us out of the way, and to make us falſifie our Covenant with God; but here alſo our faith helpes us to overcome, and makes us conquerors through Chriſt that hath loved us, by ſetting before us the end of our patience and faith, telling us p. 317that theſe ſhort ſufferings of this preſent time, will bring unto us an eternall waight of glory, 2 Cor. 4.17. and that all the ſufferings of this preſent life are not worthy of the glory to be revealed, Rom. 8.18. and thus faith makes us to deſpiſe the ſhame and the ſorrow which we now ſuffer, looking to the joy which is ſet before us, Heb. 12.2. and thus faith is our victory by which we overcome the world, and do continue faithful and ſtedfaſt in our Covenant unto the end.

4. Faith incourages us unto well doing, by perſwading us that our ſervices are accepted of God in Chriſt; and by propounding unto us the promiſes of reward.

Firſt it perſwades us of acceptance that the Lord will have a gracious reſpect unto our ſervices which we preſent before him, Gen. 4. The Lord hath promiſed to accept our ſervices which are done in faith, Iſai. 56.7. and thereby faith encourageth us to every good worke: The beleever knowes all his workes as they come from him to be full of imperfection, yet conſidering withall that it is Gods good and acceptable will, which he conformes himſelfe unto, and offering up his ſervice in Chriſts name, hence faith looks for acceptance according to that witneſſe of the Apoſtle, Acts 10.35. And this is no ſmall incouragement to well doing, when we believe what we doe ſhall be accepted graciouſly. What will not a ſubject do, if he know his King will take in good part the ſervice which is tendred unto him? ſometimes they run themſelves out of all to humour them: Now faith aſſures us that there is not one prayer, one holy deſire, one good thought, or word, or good purpoſe which is thought or ſpoken or done to the glory of God, but God takes notice of it and accepts it in good part, Mal. 3.16.

Secondly, faith aſſures us of a reward which ſhall be given us, faith ſees a recompence in the hand of God, Heb. 11.2…. as knowing that he will not forget our labour of love which we have ſhewed unto his name; Heb. 6. but will one day ſay unto us, come hither, Well done good and faithfull ſervant, enter into thy maſters joy.

5. Faith doth not onelyonly encourage us unto well doing, but it doth furniſh us with ſtrength and ability by which we may perfome; Faith is a ſtrengthening grace, renewing our ſtrength as the Eagles, increaſing power in our inward man, Epheſ. 3.16, 17. p. 318unbeleefe weakens the heart, and makes the hands to hang down, Heb. 12.12. and doth not onelyonly diſcourage, but alſo diſable unto that which is good; but faith makes us full of power and ſtrength by the Spirit of the Lord, Micah 3.8. to goe through the worke which is committed unto us; ſo as if we want ſtrength, it is becauſe we want faith, or at leaſt do not make uſe of our faith as we ſhould do.

Now there is a twofold ſtrength and power which we get by faith.

Firſt, a power inherent and dwelling in us.

Secondly, a power aſſiſting and being with us.

By faith we get a power of grace inherent and abiding in us, and that is in this manner, and by theſe meanes.

1. By faith we look at Chriſt as having all fulneſſe of grace in himſelfe, Joh. 1.16. Col. 1.19. All others (Angels or Saints) have but their meaſure, ſome more, ſome leſſe, according to the meaſure of the gift of Chriſt, Epheſ. 4.7. but Chriſt hath received the ſpirit not by meaſure but in the fulneſſe of it, John 3.34. Faith looks at this fulneſſe of Chriſt.

2. By faith we know that what ever fulneſſe of grace is in Chriſt, he hath received it not for himſelfe only, but for us, that he might communicate unto us, and we might receive from him; In Pſal. 68.18. it is ſaid, He received gifts for men; not for himſelf, but for men, that we might receive from him; and thence it is that in Iohn 1.16. Of his fulneſſe we receive grace for grace; his wiſedome is to make us wiſe; his meekneſſe and patience, to make us meek and patient, and ſo in the reſt, &c.

3. By faith we look at Chriſt as faithfull to diſtribute unto us all ſuch grace as he hath received for us; he is faithfull in all the houſe of God, Heb. 3. faithfull in diſpenſing all the treaſure of grace committed unto him for his Churches good; he keeps nothing backe, his faithfulneſſe will not ſuffer him to keep that to himſelfe which he hath received for us; but as he hath received all for us, ſo in faithfulneſſe he will communicate the ſame unto us according to our need; and therefore it is that as in Pſal. 68. he is ſaid to receive gifts for men, ſo in Epheſ. 4. The Apoſtle alledging the ſame place of the Pſalme, he changeth the word received into giving, and ſaith, He gave gifts unto men; as he receives, p. 319ſo hee gives, being faithfull in all that is committed to him; and this faithfulneſſe of Chriſt, doth faith look at, that we may receive grace from him.

4. Faith looks at the promiſe of Chriſt, promiſing to give us his ſpirit, Ezek. 36. Prov. 1.23. upon him reſts a ſpirit of ſtrength, Eſay 11.2. and he hath promiſed, that the holy Ghoſt ſhall take of his, and ſhall give unto us, Ioh. 16. and that the father ſhall give the holy Ghoſt unto thoſe that deſire him, Luk. 11. theſe promſes faith feeds upon, and ſucks life and ſpirit out of them, begging performance of them according to our need. Doe we want wiſdome, meekneſſe, patience, or any other grace? faith carries us by prayer to this fountaine, and in this way waits for, and expects to receive the grace we want; as the childe by ſucking the breaſt, draws forth milk for its own nouriſhment, and thereby grows in ſtrength, ſo doe we by the prayer of faith ſuck from the promiſe of grace, and doe thereby derive ſtrength to our inward man to enable us unto all wel-doing: And thus it is, that in Gal. 3.14. we are ſaid to receive the promiſe of the ſpirit by faith, which ſpirit being a ſpirit of power, 2 Tim. 1.7. and being thus received by faith, we ſee how faith enables us with all power to fulfill the Covenant which we have made with God, &c.

2. Faith gets an aſſiſting ſtrength from Chriſt; Beſides that which is inherent, dwelling within us, there is an aſſiſting power of Chriſt, by which he helps his ſervants that caſt themſelves upon his help; In thoſe great works which were done by the Apoſtles, it was not any indwelling power within themſelves, by which they did them, but a power of God without them, aſſiſting and working with them; and ſo it is (after a ſort) in the ordinary duties we take in hand. 1 Chron. 15.26. In carrying the Ark God helped the Levites which were to beare it, the Lord aſſiſted them; and this doth the Apoſtle alſo ſeeme to point unto, in 1 Cor. 15.10. ſpeaking of his aboundant labour in the Goſpel, hee ſaith, yet it is not I, but the grace of God which is with me; he doth not ſay, which is in me, though there was ſuch grace within him alſo; but which is with me, (foreign) as implying an aſſiſting grace, ſtrengthening him to doe above that which any thing in himſelfe could have reached unto; Compare together, 1 Pet. 5.9. with Rom. 16.20. in the one of theſe places, the Apoſtle bids us to p. 320reſiſt Sathan by faith; but in the other place, Paul tells us that it is God which treads Sathan under our feet; both theſe Scriptures together imply thus much, that the faith within us, muſt bee working in reſiſtng of Sa…han; but yet the power by which we overcome him, is not by the power of faith or any grace in us alone; but the aſſiſting power of God without us, is that which ſubdues Sathan to us, and treads him under our feet. This aſſiſting power the Lord hath promiſed to his people, Judg. 6.14, 15, 16. 2 Chro. 15.2. Act. 18.9, 10. And faith reſts upon theſe promiſes, 2 Chron. 14.11. and this makes all things poſſible to a believer, Mark. 9.23. becauſe faith ſets Gods own power awork, to work that by us which of our ſelves we could never doe; he works all our works for us, while we reſt upon him for help, Eſay 26.12. Thus faith furniſheth us with all ſtrength, enabling us to walk with God in a holy converſation, according to the tenour of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with us.

6. As faith doth thus ſtrengthen us, &c. ſo if at any time wee be by occaſion over taken with any fault; faith recovers us out of our falls, and reſtores us againe to our former eſtate; the true believer though he doth not deale falſely with God in his Covenant, Pſal. 44.17. yet he may and ſometimes doth walk weakly in the keeping of it, becauſe he doth not ſtirre up his faith, in which his ſtrength lyeth; though his heart is not turned back, yet his foot may ſometimes goe out of the path; many ſlips Gods own covenanted people are ſubject unto: But though they fall and fall often, yet they do not ſo fall, but they riſe againe; they turn aſide, but yet they return again into the way of the Covenant; faith brings us back to God in exerciſes of humiliation, and renewing of our repentance before him; It caſts ſhame upon our faces, that after all the grace which hath been ſhewed unto us, we ſhould ſo requite the Lord, with ſuch undutifull carriages, Deut. 32. Ezrah 9.6. But yet it doth withall encourage us with hope, ſpeaking thus in the heart of a believer, yet there is hope in Iſrael for all this, Ezrah 10.3. It remindes us of thoſe promiſes, Return unto mee, and I will return unto you, Zach. 1. Ye have indeed ſinned a great ſinne, ye have done all this wickedneſſe; but yet depart not from following the Lord; for the Lord will not forſake his people, whom he hath pleaſed to make his people, 1 Sam. 12.20, 21, 22. By theſe p. 321and ſuch other promiſes, faith encourageth us to return unto our God, taking words unto our ſelves and pleading the Covenant of his grace towards us, intreating him to receive us graciouſly, Hoſeah 14. This work of faith brought Peter back to Chriſt, after his ſhamefull denyall of him, it made him to lament his ſinne, and to look up unto him for grace and forgiveneſſe, whereas Judas wanting this faith, lies down in deſperate ſorrow, never able to riſe up nor recover himſelfe any more.

And thus we ſee how faith doth act, both in bringing us into Covenant with God, and helps us alſo to walk in Covenant with him.

And thus we have ſhewed; firſt, That faith is the condition of the Covenant; ſecondly, Why faith is appointed to be the condition rather then works; thirdly, It is the act, not the habit which is the condition on our parts; fourthly, What thoſe acts of faith be, by which it brings us into Covenant, and inables us to walk in it.

Queſt. But here a further queſtion is made by ſome, what manner of condition faith is; It's granted (will ſome ſay) that faith is a condition, but it is a condition only conſequent to our Iuſtification, and ſo to our being in Covenant with God; but its no antecedent condition; wee are (as they conceive) in a ſtate of Grace and ſalvation before faith and then faith comes and believes that Iuſtification and ſalvation which was before given.

Anſw. This is ſome of that new light which the old age of the Church hath brought forth; which what it tends unto, I know not, unleſſe it be to this that a man ſhould not look at any habituall grace in himſelfe, whether ſanctification or faith, or any other, in as much as theſe availe nothing (according to them) to a mans Iuſtification, ſeeing wee are Iuſtified before faith: They would have a man to ſee nothing in himſelfe, becauſe (as they think) the Grace which is ſeene is temporall; the Grace which is not ſeen is eternall; though a man knows that he hath faith, yet (ſay they) he is not thereby juſtified, nor brought into the eſtate of grace, but is juſtified before faith; therefore never look at this or that in your ſelves, all theſe are nothing to your Iuſtification, or ſalvation: This (as I think) is the end of this opinion.

p. 322In oppoſition whereunto, I lay down this concluſion, according to the Scripture, That we are not actually juſtified, nor in a ſtate of grace and ſalvation, before faith, before we believe; This I hope to prove by evidence of the word; only before I come to the proof of it, to prevent miſtake, obſerve how I ſpeak of actuall Iuſtification, whereas our Iuſtification may be conſidered either, Firſt, as purpoſed and determnied in the minde and will of God; Or ſecondly, as impetrated and obtained for us by the obedience of Chriſt; Or thirdly, as actually applyed unto us, ſo as we may be truely ſaid to be actually juſt in the ſight of God; in the two former reſpects it is not denyed; God purpoſed to juſtifie us before the world was, and therefore much more before our faith; And that atonement and obedience which Chriſt hath performed for us, is alſo before our faith, and before we were born.

But the queſtion is whether this Righteouſneſſe wrought for us by Chriſt, bee actually applyed to a ſinner before hee believe; whether one, as yet not believing, bee actually acquitted of his ſinne and accounted juſt and righteous before God.

And this is that which I am now to prove, againſt the Patrons of the former opinion; ſc. that we are not actually juſtified before faith; Its not a condition only conſequent, but antecedent to our actuall juſtification, and being in ſtate of grace before God.

Reaſ. 1. To make our juſtification goe before faith, is to place our juſtification before our vocation and calling, and ſo inverts the order obſerved by the Apoſtle, Rom. 8.30. who placeth our calling before our juſtification, and if our calling be before our juſtification, then is our faith alſo before it; becauſe we are not called effectually (of which kinde of calling we now ſpeak, as the Apoſtle doth) untill we believe; faith therefore being comprehended in our calling, and calling being before juſtification, faith alſo of neceſſity muſt goe before our juſtification.

Reaſ. 2. Conſider the words of the Apoſtle, in Rom. 3.22. where he ſaith, That the righteouſneſſe of God, is by the faith of Jeſus Chriſt, unto all and upon all that believe; In which words are three things; firſt, What is that righteouſnſſe by which we are juſtified: namely, not our own righteouſneſſe, but the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, here called the righteouſneſſe of God; ſecondly, The perſons upon p. 323whom this righteouſneſſe comes, that they may be juſtified by it, and that is, upon thoſe that doe believe; thirdly, The meanes by which it comes to be upon them, and that is by faith, the righteouſneſſe of God is by faith on them that doe believe; juſtification is here limited to them that doe believe, not extended to them that believe not; and leaſt any ſhould evade by ſaying that they are called believers in regard of Gods preſcience and foreknowledge; not in reſpect of any preſent habit of faith, actually dwelling in them, (in which ſence ſome are called ſheep, Joh. 10.16.) therefore to prevent this evaſion, the Apoſtle addes the meanes by which they come to have this righteouſneſſe of God upon them, which is by faith; though it had been enough to have ſaid that it was upon them that believe; yet to put this matter out of doubt, he addes thoſe words, that it is by faith; And if it bee by faith, then not before faith; but if it is by faith, as the Apoſtle affirmes, therefore not before faith; If faith were a condition conſequent to our juſtification, not antecedent, it could not bee ſaid to be by faith. In Pſal. 50.15. The Lord puts a double condition concerning our deliverance out of trouble, one antecedent (call upon me) another conſequent (and thou ſhalt glorifie me,) in the midſt of which two, ſtands the deliverance promiſed; ſo as the order is; firſt, we muſt call; ſecondly, then God delivers; and then thirdly, we muſt glorifie him; now if our faith were a condition only conſequent to our juſtification, then it ſtands in no other place in reſpect of juſtification, then doth our glorifying of God, which followes our deliverance out of trouble; and it ſo, then we may as well be ſaid to be delivered by our glorifying of God, which follows our deliverance, as to bee juſtified by faith, which followes our juſtification.

Reaſ. 3. From Num. 21.7, 8, 9. compared with Ioh. 3.14, 15. I reaſon thus, faith hath the ſame place and uſe in our juſtification, as the Iſraelites looking had in their healing; when they were ſtung with the fiery Serpents; but they were not firſt healed and then to look and ſee what it was that had healed them; but they were firſt to look upon the Brazen Serpent, and then by looking were healed; ſo it is here with us, Chriſt is lift up on high for us to look unto, this looking is by faith, Ioh. 3.14, 15. and by this looking we are healed, and ſaved, Iſai. 45.22.

p. 324Reaſ. 4. Look what place works had for our juſtification to life in the Covenant of works, the ſame place hath faith in the Covenant of grace; but works were to goe before our juſtification in the Covenant of works, and therefore ſo muſt faith in the Covenant of grace; Though Adam was by nature juſt, by an habituall juſtice yet he was not thereby actually juſtified unto life; but beſides his native or habituall righteouſneſſe, he muſt alſo performe an actuall righteouſneſſe; and without this he was not to be juſtified unto life; and if he was not to be juſtified without or before works, then are not we juſtified without or before faith, becauſe faith is to us in ſtead of works, and hath the ſame place now in the Covenant of grace, as works had then in the Covenant of works.

Reaſ 5. To make faith a condition conſequent to our juſtification, is to place faith in the ſame ranke with works, as works are conſidered in the Covenant of grace; for even works alſo have a place in the Covenant of grace; though they are not a condition antecedent, yet are they a condition conſequent to our juſtification, ſo as every juſtified perſon muſt walk in good works, Tit. 3.7.8. And therefore if faith be placed after juſtification, then it ſtands but in the ſame rank with works having no propriety or pre-eminence above works, in reſpect of our juſtification: For though it ſhall be granted that faith goes before works as the cauſe be…ore the effect, faith producing works, as the tree doth the fruit; yet they are both alike in reſpect of juſtification; they are one before another, when they are compared betwixt themſelves; but compare them both with juſtification, and then (according to this opinion) they goe both together; no more is aſcribed to faith in our juſtification then to works, if faith follow our juſtification.

Reaſ. 6. We are not actually juſtified till Chriſt be actually ours, Chriſt being our righteouſneſſe before God; but Chriſt is not actually ours till he be received by us; nor is he received but only by faith, Ioh. 1.12. Chriſt muſt be received by us, or wee have no benefit by him unto ſalvation; Chriſt is righteouſneſſe for us before our faith; but he is not righteouſneſſe unto us, till he bee received of us by faith; our garments are prepared for us, before we be cloathed with them, but that they may actually p. 325cloath and cover us, we muſt take them by the hand, and put them on, ſo muſt we receive Chriſt, Ioh. 1.12. which is done by faith, Gal. 3. though he be fit to juſtifie us before faith, yet he doth not actually juſtifie us, or cover our ſinfull nakedneſſe, till by the hand of faith, we take him, and put him on.

Reaſ. 7. That righteouſneſſe which is by imputation, cannot be before that which is imputed to us as our righteouſneſſe; but the righteouſneſſe which the Covenant of grace ſets forth, is a righteouſneſſe by imputation, and it is faith which is imputed for righteouſneſſe, Rom. 4.3. Ga…. 3.6. and therefore our righteouſneſſe cannot be before our faith.

Reaſ 8. If we were juſtified before faith, then the witneſſe of the Spirit of bondage, witneſſing our bondage under ſin and death, could not be true; for till faith come, he teſtifies unto us that wee are under wrath, unjuſt, ſinners; and this witneſſe of the Spirit is true; and therefore till wee believe, wee are not juſtified.

Reaſ. 9. Laſtly, (to omit other reaſons, which might be produced,) if juſtification were before faith, we might then ask as the Apoſtle doth in Rom. 3.1. What is the preferment of faith? what profit hath the believer above the unbeliever? they are both alike in reſpect of juſtification before God; when a man comes to believe, hee is not a pin the better then he was before he believed, but was juſtified before, as well as after; and thus faith, which is called precious faith, is made vile, and of little worth, ſeeing a man may be juſtified without it, as well as with it.

And thus much concerning the third thing propounded about the condition of the Covenant; namely, what the condition of it is, ſc. Faith.

4. The fourth point follows, which is, whether the putting of a condition, doth or can ſtand with the free grace of the Covenant, yea or no? for it may ſeeme that if there be any condition required on our part, then the grace of the Covenant is not free; and if not free, then its no grace at all, and how then is it called a Covenant of grace?

Anſ. The putting of a condition doth not hinder or leſſon the free grace of the Covenant, ſo long as the condition is Evangelicall and not Legall.

p. 326Some have beene of minde, that the promiſes which we call conditionall are not free promiſes, or promiſes of free grace, and therefore they make an oppoſition betwixt the promiſes which are called abſolute and the conditionall, as if only the abſolute promiſes were free promiſes, excluding the conditionall; but the condition annexed (being a condition of the Goſpel, not of the Law) doth no more derogate from the freeneſſe of grace, then a Princes offering a royall reward to a Subject upon condition that he doe thankfully accept of it, and acknowledge his Princely bounty towards him, doth any whit derogate from the freeneſſe of the gift; no more doth the condition of faith, by which we receive the grace given unto us of God, derogate from the freeneſſe of his grace towards us; a legall condition doth indeed exclude free grace; but an Evangelicall condition doth not; When the Lord ſaith, Believe and thou ſhalt bee ſaved, Act. 16.31. and ſaith alſo, by grace yee are ſaved, Eph. 2.8. There is the like free grace in both; Believe and be ſaved, though conditionall, is as free grace, as if ſaid, Thou ſhalt be ſaved by grace freely loving thee, and pardoning thy ſinne. That theſe conditionall promiſes are of free grace, as well as the abſolute, I prove; becauſe,

Firſt, They all flow from the ſame purpoſe of grace towards us; all Gods purpoſes towards his Elect, are purpoſes of grace, 2 Tim. 1.9. and ſo are all his promiſes alſo Tit. 1.2. for theſe flow from that eternall purpoſe of his: The promiſe is but the manifeſtation of his purpoſe towards the Elect; whether the promiſe be abſolute or conditionall, all is one: That which was firſt hid within God himſelfe, as only purpoſed by him, is afterwards made manifeſt by his promiſe. And look in what ſeries and order God did purpoſe to communicate the bleſſings of grace to his Elect, ſo as one ſhall ſucceed and follow the other, the ſame doth he make known in his promiſe, and ſo doth alſo execute and fulfill; firſt calling, then juſtifying, then glorifying &c. Rom. 8.28, 29 30. hee doth not ſave till he call and juſtifie; but firſt he calls to faith, and juſtifies, and then glorifieth him that believeth: And here though the giving of life to him that believeth, be conditionall and followes the giving of faith: yet is the giving of life as free grace as the giving of faith, both one and other ſpringing from the ſame p. 327fountaine, even from the purpoſe of his grace, by which he purpoſed firſt to call unto faith, and then by faith, to bring unto life and ſalvation: ſo that the adding of a condition doth not abrograte the freeneſſe of grace promiſed, but only ſhews in what order and way we muſt expect the bleſſing, one bleſſing of the Covenant of life going before, another following; the former being conditions to the latter, faith a condition of ſalvation; but both faith and ſalvation ſpringing from the ſame purpoſe of Grace.

Secondly, Theſe conditionall promiſes are promiſes of the Gopel, and therefore alſo promiſes of free grace; either theſe promiſes are promiſes of free grace, or elſe the Goſpel is not a Doctrine of free grace: It is the Goſpel only, and not the Law, which ſaith, Believe and be ſaved: The Law never made promiſe of ſalvation, upon ſuch a condition; If then theſe conditionall promiſes, bee promiſes of the Goſpel, then they are promiſes of free Grace, or elſe the Goſpel is not a Doctrine of free Grace.

Object. But ſome ſtick not to affirme that in ſuch ſayings or promiſes as theſe (Believe and thou ſhalt bee ſaved) the command…ment requiring Faith, is legall, Faith being (as they ſay) commanded in the Law: Though they will acknowledge that the promiſe of giving faith, is a promiſe of the Goſpel, not of the Law, yet the Commandements which commands us to believe, is a Commandement of the Law, not of the Goſpel, as they teach.

Anſw. It is confeſſed that there is a Faith commanded in the Law, as hath been ſhewed before; but now when we ſpeak of faith in Chriſt, unto juſtification and ſalvation, the Commandement enjoyning this faith, is no Commandement of the Law, but of the Goſpel, which I prove by theſe enſuing Arguments.

1. The Apoſtle in Gal. ….12. is expreſſe for this which I ſay, when he ſaith, the Law is not of faith, that is, the Law is not a Doctrine or Commandement teaching or commanding faith; which to be the meaning, is evident, by the oppoſition which the Apoſtle makes preſently, ſhewing what it is which the Law commandeth; Namely this, the man that doth theſe things ſhall live in them, verſ. 12. and ſo before in verſ. 10. Curſed is every man which p. 328continueth not to doe, &c. That which the Law requires, is expreſſed under the word doing, not believing: And let us marke the manner of the Apoſtles arguing; In the 11th verſ. (beſides other Arguments before laid downe) the Apoſtle proves by teſtimony of Scripture the point hee had in hand, ſc. That a man is juſtified by faith, and therefore not by works of the Law.

2. Now whereas ſome Galathian (that mixed faith and the works of the Law together, in point of juſtification) might object and ſay, that a man might be juſtified by faith, and yet bee juſtified by the Law alſo, becauſe the Law commands faith, and therefore juſtification by faith, and juſtification by the Law commanding faith may ſtand together; Hereto the Apoſtle anſwers, by denying that which is ſuppoſed; Namely, that the Law commands faith, affirming the plaine contrary, the Law is not of faith; Its not a Doctrine teaching or commanding faith. Hereto alſo agrees theſe words of the Apoſtle, in Rom. 3.27. Where the Apoſtle diſtinguiſheth between the Law of works and the Law of faith; by the Law of works, underſtanding the morall Law: by the Law of faith, underſtanding the Goſpel; the morall Law is called the Law of works, becauſe it commands works; the Goſpel is called the Law of faith, becauſe it commands faith; Here are two diſtinct Lawes, having two diſtinct commandements, as two diſtinct conditions of the two Covenants; each of theſe ſeverall commandements, muſt be referred to their own Law commanding them; not works to the Law of faith, nor faith to the Law of works: but works to the Law of works, and faith to Law of faith, that is, the Goſpel.

Object. But by this meanes, if we make the Goſpel a law to command, we ſhall perhaps ſeeme to joyn hands with the Papiſts, making Chriſt another Moſes, another Law-giver, to give us a new Law as they uſe to ſpeak.

Anſw. That Popiſh dung of making Chriſt a Law-giver, in that ſence, as they meane, ſc. to give us a Law of greater perfection then Moſes Law was, thereby to juſtifie our ſelves by a more perfect righteouſneſſe, &c. we deteſt and abhorre; and yet neither muſt we deny Chriſt to be a Law-giver, unleſſe we will both deny plaine Scripture (which gives him that title, Iſai. 33.22. p. 329Iames 4.12.) and deprive him of his Kingly Office, making him no King; though therefore Chriſt be not a Law-giver to give a Law of works to juſtifie our ſelves by it, yet he is a Law-giver to give us a law of Faith, commanding us to believe, and giving us alſo a law of obedience and ſubjection, in doing whereof we muſt teſtifie our love and thankfulneſſe unto God. Thus then the Goſpel being a law of faith, diſtinguiſhed againſt the law of works, the commandement to believe cannot belong to the law of works, but to the Goſpel, which is the law of Grace: And hereto agrees that alſo, Rom. 1.1. with verſe 5. where Paul ſpeaking of his Apoſtleſhip, and being put apart to preach (not the law, but) the Goſpel of God, he ſhews the end of his preaching was, that obedience might be given unto the faith, that is, that the Doctrine of Faith being made known, and the commandement of Faith publiſhed, men might be brought to ſubmit to that Doctrine of Faith revealed. It is the Goſpel then which calls for this obedience of Faith, as the Apoſtles own words import.

2. Out of the ſame place, in Rom. 3.27. compared with Rom. 4.1, 2. I argue thus, That which doth exclude glorying or boaſting, cannot be commanded in that Law which doth not exclude boaſting: But faith doth exclude boaſting, Rom. 3.27. The Law of works doth not exclude boaſting, Rom. 4.1, 2. and therefore faith cannot be commanded in that Law.

3. Faith ſtands in reference and relation unto Chriſt, looking to him, and reſting upon him for ſalvation, therefore called the faith of Chriſt, and faith in his name, &c. Chriſt is the proper object of Faith, as it juſtifies and ſaves whence it followes, that if the law doe command faith, it muſt of neceſſity ſet forth Chriſt alſo, as the object or foundation on which it is to reſt: The act cannot bee without the object; nor Faith, without Chriſt might be, though there were no Faith in men to believe on him. But Faith cannot be, but it muſt have Chriſt to reſt on: There is no believing to ſalvation without Chriſt; nor can the law therefore command us to believe unto life, but it muſt ſhew us Chriſt on whom we muſt pitch our Faith; But this the law doth not. Chriſt is only revealed by the Goſpel, not by the law; the Law knows him not; Adam in his beſt eſtate knew not Chriſt, and yet Adam had then the knowledge of the whole p. 330law, and of all that the law required: The law then not revealing Chriſt, cannot command faith, becauſe faith cannot bee without Chriſt, who is the object which it is carried unto.

Object. If it bee ſaid that the law is a Schoole-maſter to lead us unto Chriſt, and therefore the Law reveales Chriſt.

Anſw. I anſwer, if we take the law for the morall law, then its bringing of us to Chriſt, is only occaſionall, in as much as it drives us from it ſelfe, as making us to ſee that by it there is no hope of life; it curſeth all, it gives hope of life to none; but the Goſpel ſhewing us a ſalvation to be had in Chriſt, now the Law by the ſeverity of it, is an occaſion unto us of ſeeking life where it is to bee found: But to bring us to Chriſt, is no proper work of the law. It is no otherwiſe then as if a child knowing the tenderneſſe of his Fathers love, and finding his Schoole-maſter to be very ſevere, and ſharp, runnes from the ſeverity of his Maſter, to hide himſelfe under his Fathers wing, yet not by the teaching or bidding of his Maſter, but his ſeverity is the occaſion of it; ſo it is in the point in hand.

But if we take the Law for the Law Ceremoniall, Its true, that the Ceremoniall law points out Chriſt unto us, but the, Ceremoniall law was Goſpel in the ſubſtance of it, though vailed over with types and ſhadowes, which were to continue till the body was come; How the carnall minded Jewes miſunderſtood thoſe ceremonies, it matters not: Its certaine that in the primitive inſtitution of them, they were ordained for Evangelicall ends, and therefore this infringeth not the truth before laid downe; namely, that the law, ſc. the law of works properly ſo called, doth not reveale Chriſt; and therefore cannot command faith in Chriſt.

4. If faith be commanded not in the Goſpel, but in the law, then unbeliefe is no ſinne againſt the Goſpel, but only againſt the law; for where there is no commandement or law to bind, there is no tranſgreſſion, Rom. 4. ſo that if the Goſpel have no commandement to command us to believe, then not to believe, is no ſinne againſt the Goſpel; and if ſo, then thoſe that have had the Goſpel preached unto them all their life long, ſhall lie under no more guilt of ſinne, then thoſe that never had any more then the law only.

p. 3315. If our calling be by the Goſpel, not by the law, then the commandement which commands faith, is a commandement of the Goſpel, not of the law; our faith is wrought by our calling, our calling is by the Goſpel, Gal. 1.15. 2 Theſ. 2.14. and therefore the commandement of faith, is a commandement of the Goſpel.

Object. Our calling and Faith alſo, is wrought by the Goſpel, yet not by the commandement, but by the promiſe.

Anſw. It is by the commandement, though we exclude not the promiſe; the commandement is indeed made more alluring, more drawing by the promiſe annexed; but the very name, and terme of calling, imports that it is not wrought without the commandement; and therefore it is that we have theſe and the like voyces and commandements of Gods calling unto us, Come unto me, Return unto me, Come out from among them Separate your ſelves, and I will receive you: Are not theſe ſo many commandements of God? and by theſe the Lord inclines and drawes the heart to come unto him. In Eſay 55.5. there are the words of God the Father unto Chriſt, Thou ſhalt call a Nation (ſaith the Father unto him) and they ſhall runne unto thee: But what voyce is that by which Chriſt ſhall call the Nation that comes unto him? The Prophet tells us, in verſ. 1.3. Come to the waters yee that thirſt, ſaith Chriſt, Come unto mee and I will make a Covenant with you: Theſe commandements backed with promiſes doe draw, and make the Nation ſo called to come to Chriſt, and runne after him; ſo Jer. 3.22. Return O backſliding I…rael: Heres a commandement, and what followes? Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord our God; See therefore how the Lord makes uſe of the commandement joyned with the promiſe to draw men unto him. Thus it was with thoſe Bretheren, Mat. 4.19, 21. and with Matthew the Publican, whom Chriſt called from the receit of Cuſtome, Matt. 9. Follow me, ſaith Chriſt to him; he ſaid no more, but preſently hee riſeth up, and followes him, Matth. 9.9. And thus uſually, Come unto me, ſaith Chriſt, follow me, believe on me, &c. which commandedements being accompanied with a Spirit of grace going with them, the ſoule follows Chriſt, to apprehend that grace to which it is called: The ſumme of this argument, is this, that if there be a commandement concurring to our calling, then there is a commandement p. 332concurring to the working of our faith; and if our calling be by the Goſpel, then the commandement by which we are called to faith, is a commandement of the Goſpel, and not of the Law.

6. In 1 Ioh. 3.23. This (ſaith the Apoſtle) is his commandement that we believe in the name of his Son Ieſus Chriſt; Here is a direct commandement to believe; Is this a legall commandement? the whole Epiſtle breathes nothing but a ſpirit of grace, and of the Goſpel; many paſſages in the Epiſtle might be noted for the confirmation thereof; but I am loth to ſpend time in a thing ſo cleare.

7. The commandements of the law, wound and kill as it is in 2 Cor. 3.6. they doe not heale, nor give life; but the commandement of believing doth heale and give life to thoſe that are wounded. How many dying ſoules have been raiſed to life? how many wounded conſciences have bin eaſed and healed by that ſweet invitation, and drawing commandement of our bleſſed Saviour, Come unto me all yee, &c? Matth. 11.28. This comming is all one with believing, Joh. 6.35. and the commandement to come, is a commandement to believe; and will any ſay, this is a legall commandement? then could it never have healed and given life, as it hath done; for the law woundeth, but healeth not; The comfort and ſweetneſſe which is in this invitation, ſhews of what nature it is; not legall, but Evangelicall. In Mark. 10.49. when Jeſus had called Bartimeus To come unto him, thoſe about him ſpeak encouragingly unto him Be of good comfort (ſay they) for he calleth thee; there is comfort in the very call, invitation, or command of Chriſt To come unto him; It encourageth us to come; it ſhews us that it is his will we ſhould come unto him, and that he is willing to receive ſuch as come, and will not caſt them away, Ioh. 6. But the Law makes us to flie from God, and to ſtand afarre off, Exod. 20. The Goſpel only draws us and brings us unto God. This commandement therefore, Come unto me, that is, believe in me, being ſo alluring and drawing as it is, muſt needs be a commandement not of the law, but of the Goſpel.

8. If the law do command faith in Chriſt, then it commands things contrary; as namely, to look for life by our own perſonall working, and to look for life not by our own working, but by anothers; p. 333That law which binds us to perſonall fulfilling of it; doth not alſo ſend us to another to have it fulfilled in him; but the law commands us perſonall obedience, to fulfill the commandements in our own perſons; It urgeth us thus, Thou ſhalt love, Thou ſhalt not luſt, Thou thy ſelfe muſt fulfill all theſe things, and no other for thee; but faith looks for theſe things to be done for us by another, and therefore cannot be commanded in the Law: By the law the righteouſneſſe of the righteous ſhall be upon himſelf, and the man that doth theſe things ſhall live in them; but by faith the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt is upon others, even upon thoſe that doe believe, faith therefore is not commanded in the Law.

9. That which confounds the two Covenants, is not to bee admitted; but that the commandement commanding faith is a commandement of the law, doth confound the two Covenants, Law, and Goſpel; and therefore is not to be admitted as true. If the commandement commanding faith be a commandement of the law, this muſt needs make a confuſion betwixt Law and Goſpel, ſo as theſe two ſay…ngs, Doe and live, and Believe and live, ſhall be in effect all one, both of them legall, one as well as the other; which to affirm, is to confound things as different as heaven and earth. Now that by this opinion this confuſion muſt of neceſſ…ty follow, I ſhew thus,

When a promiſe is annexed to a commandement, the commandement and promiſe are ever of the ſame kind, either both Legall, or both Evangelicall; The nature and kind of the promiſe doth depend upon and follow the nature and kind of the commandement which goes before it; The quality of the commandement, doth qualifie, and diſtinguiſh the promiſe annexed, to make it either Legall or Evangelicall For when the Lord ſaith, doe this and live, and when he ſaith, believe in Chriſt and live; the life promiſed is for ſubſtance one and the ſame, in both promiſes; yet theſe promiſes do differ, becauſe the commandement which goes before as the condition of the promiſe, is different in the one and in the other, Doing, being a Legall commandement, Believing, being Evangelicall; the ground therefore of difference in the promiſes is from the diff…rence of the command…ment; which is the condition of the promiſe; ſo that when its ſaid, Doe this and live, Here the promiſe of life is legall, becauſe the commandement of doing p. 334is legall; on the other ſide, when its ſaid, Believe and live; here the promiſe of life is Evangelicall, becauſe the commandement of believing is Evangelicall: But if we make the commandement of believing to be legall, then the promiſe of life upon condition of believing, muſt be legall alſo, and then there is no difference left betwixt theſe two, do and live, and believe and live; which confounds Law and Goſpel, heaven and earth, and makes the two Covenants all one.

Papiſts turn the Covenant of grace into a Covenant of works: This doth the contrary, turning the Covenant of works into a Covenant of grace; Chemnitius ſpeaking of the point of juſtification, brings in Andradius his conceit, which is this, That utraque juſtitia, & Legis & Fidei, &c. both righteouſneſſes, both the righteouſneſſe of the Law, and the righteouſneſſe of Faith, doth conſiſt in obſervatione Legis, in the obſervation of the Law; only with this difference, that when the Law is fulfilled by the unregenerate, then it is juſtitia Legis, the righteouſneſſe of the Law; when by the regenerate, then it is juſtitia Fidei, the righteouſneſſe of Faith. Like hereto is this Doctrine, that the commandement of faith is a commandement of the Law, for then both Covenants, both Law and Goſpel, muſt ſtand in obſervatione fidei, in the duty of believing; only perhaps the maintainers of this opinion will make a difference thus, That that faith which is wrought by the commandement, is the faith of the law or Covenant of works, and that faith which is wrought by the promiſe, is the faith of the Covenant of grace: But as he, notwithſtanding his diſtinction of men regenerate and unregenerate, doth in effect confound both Covenants, changing the Covenant of grace into a Covenant of works: So doe theſe, notwithſtanding their diſtinction of commandement and promiſe; they confound both Covenants, changing the Covenant of works (which ſtands in doing) into a Covenant of grace, (which ſtands in believing) and ſo by this Doctrine one of the principall differences betwixt the two Covenants, is taken away, the one requiring works, the other faith, the one doing, the other believing.

10. This is confirmed further by that which is ſpoken of our Saviour Chriſt in Mark. 1.14, 15. where it is ſaid of him, that he came preaching the Goſpel, (not the Law, but the Goſpel) p. 335and ſaying, Repent and believe the Goſpel; here the commandement to believe, is directly called a preaching of the Goſpel, and therefore it is a commandement of the Goſpel, and not of the Law.

Other Reaſons might be added, as namely, if faith be commanded in the law, then a man may be ſaved by a work of the Law, and cannot be ſaved without it; Secondly, That this opinion makes the righteouſneſſe of the law, and the righteouſneſſe of faith to be all one, if faith be a duty of the law, &c. Thirdly, What the law commands it commands it as a work; but faith is not requird as a work, being everywhere in the Goſpel oppoſed to working; But theſe I paſſe by, the other may ſuffice.

Thus farre then we are come, that the putting of faith as a condition of life in the Covenant of grace, doth no whit derogate from the freeneſſe of grace.

Firſt, Becauſe the gift of faith flows from the ſame purpoſe of grace towards us, as life it ſelfe doth.

Secondly, Becauſe faith is an Evangelicall grace of the Goſpel, not of the Law.

Thirdly, I adde this alſo, that it derogates nothing from grace, becauſe faith receives all the bleſſings of ſalvation promiſed, only from the hand of grace alone; we acknowledge no ſuch condition as by which we might receive life from the hand of juſtice, as putting a price into our hand to be a meritorious cauſe of life; ſuch a condition could not indeed ſtand with grace; but the condition we put, is both received by grace, is by grace wrought in us, and doth alſo receive all from grace, and therefore doth nothing derogate from the grace of the Covenant: The Apoſtle cleares this, in that one ſhort ſpeech of his in Eph. 2.8, 9. ye are ſaved by grace through faith: There is firſt the maine bleſſing of the Covenant, yee are ſaved; There is ſecondly, the fountaine or cauſe of it, (by grace) yee are ſaved by grace; Then thirdly, there is the condition (through faith:) And if any ſhould now ask how it could be by grace, and yet depend upon the condition of faith, the Apoſtle goes on and ſhews how that may be; namely, 1. Becauſe faith is not of our ſelves, but it is the gift of God; and 2. Becauſe faith doth not come to God boaſtingly, to claime life by the works of righteouſneſſe, which we have done; p. 336but comes to him with an empty hand to receive what grace and mercy is willing to give; ſuch a condition as this, doth no more derogate from the freeneſſe of grace, then doth the beggers receiving of the almes given him, derogate from the kindneſſe of him that gave it.

4. The grace of the Covenant is free notwithſtanding the condition, becauſe we doe not put any condition as antecedent to the Covenant on Gods part, whereby to induce and move the Lord to enter into Covenant with us, as if there were any thing ſuppoſed in us, which might invite and draw him to take us into Covenant with himſelfe; only we ſuppoſe a condition antecedent to the promiſe of life, which condition we are to obſerve and walk in; and in the obſervation thereof to expect the bleſſing of life which the Covenant promiſeth: If God had not purpoſed to have dealt with us after his rich grace, he might have ſaid to us (when he ſaw us polluted in our bloud,) I will no more have mercy, as it is in Hoſeah 1.6, 9. ye ſhall no more be my people, neither will I be yours: But yet he is pleaſed to over-look all our ſinfull pollutions, and to ſprinkle clean water upon us, and then to take us by the hand and to enter into Covenant with us: here is grace free, notwithſtanding the condition of faith to which the promiſe is made.

In a word, The Lord out of his free grace purpoſing life and ſalvation to his choſen, then to make way for the accompliſhment of his purpoſe in bringing us to life, firſt, he works in us renewing grace, and puts within us a ſpirit of faith, and ſo leads us on in the way of faith, to the obtaining of that great bleſſing, the ſalvation promiſed; the one of theſe being antecedent, and as a condition to the other.

5. Its a good conſideration which Doctor Ames hath (in Coron. Ar…ic. 5. cap. 3.) That eadem res & abſolutè promittitur, quia certò efficietur; & cum conditione, quia non aliàs efficietur niſi per media; & in illis mediis hominis ipſius exigitur cura; thus forgiveneſſe of ſinne is abſolutely promiſed, Eſay 43. For mine own ſake will I put away thy tranſgreſſions; and yet it is promiſed alſo with condition, 1 Joh. 1. If wee confeſſe our ſins, he is faithfull and juſt to forgive us our ſinnes: Theſe promiſes are both of them promiſes of free grace; the annexing therefore of a condition p. 337doth not impaire the free grace of the Covenant.

Vſes. And firſt from this, that faith is the condition of the Covenant; from whence, firſt, we may conceive how it is that even in the Covenant of grace, life is promiſed unto good works, and to well-doing; as it is in Iohn 5.29. Luke 14.14. Gal. 6.9 1 Tim. 6.18, 19. Hebr. 6. by all which it might ſeeme that works have the ſame place in the Covenant of grace, as in the Covenant of works, even to be proper cauſes of ſalvation; but where we finde the promiſe of life made unto good works, we muſt not look at them as works of the Law, but as works and fruits of faith wrought by a beleever, wrought forth by the power and by the life of faith, which being a living grace, cannot be idle and fruitleſſe, but will be working, and fruitfull in well doing. Theſe kind of promiſes (which promiſe life unto works) are (if I may ſo call them) not caſuall, but declarative, making manifeſt who be thoſe true beleivers to whom the life promiſed in the Covenant doth belong: In theſe promiſes workes are not ſet as the cauſes of our ſalvation, but as evidences and ſignes of thoſe that do beleeve unto life; diſtinguiſhing betwixt beleevers and unbeleevers between thoſe that are ſincerely faithfull, and ſeeming profeſſors, which profeſſe and ſay they beleive, but indeed their faith is but a dead faith, and therefore vaine; the promiſe is made to works not as the cauſe of our ſalvation, but to note out the nature and quality of that faith which is the condition of life; ſeeing faith is a grace more inward, and that act of it by which it ſaveth, is ſecret and cannot be ſeen, (for who knows our reſting on or adhering unto Chriſt?) therefore this ſaving faith ſhews it ſelfe by ſome other acts of it, ſetting love a worke, which diſcovers it ſelfe by obedience in all righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe; and theſe fruits being ſeen do make knowne the tree from whence they come; although therefore the promiſe of life is made ſometimes to faith, ſometimes to workes, yet this is not to note out a twofold condition of the Covenant, as if the condition were partly faith, and partly works; but to note out the property and nature of that faith, which hath the promiſe of life belonging to it; not an idle but a working faith, not a dead faith but living; not ineffectual, in word or tongue only, but operative and effectuall, making us carefull to ſhew forth good works, Tit. 3.8. Otherwiſe if p. 338we look at workes by themſelves as ſeparated from faith, to ſuch works there is no promiſe of life made in the Covenant of grace; The ſame work done by a beleever hath a promiſe of reward, and the ſame work being done by an unbeleever hath no promiſe; which ſhews that the promiſe is made rather to the worker, or to the beleever thus working, then to the worke it ſelfe; and by this meanes the promiſe of life being made to this kinde of faith which doth thus work; hereby the faithfull are enabled the better to ſee their own eſtate in the promiſe of life, as having a good foundation (of aſſurance) thereby, that they ſhall obtaine eternall life, 1 Tim. 6.19. hereby alſo carnall profeſſors who talk of ſaith, but have no works, walking unholily, are convinced to have no part and right thereunto.

2. This may let us ſee the kindneſſe and love of God towards us, in that he hath appointed ſuch a condition of life unto us, as through his grace is poſſible for us to fulfill; To fullfill the righteouſneſſe of the Law is now become impoſſible, through the infirmity of our fleſh; but it is not impoſſible to beleeve on him who hath fulfilled all righteouſneſſe for us. Here is grace in appointing ſuch a poſſible condition; for though the Lord ſhould have fully pardoned all our former breaches of Covenant with him, and ſhould have ſaid unto us, you have once broken my Covenant, and yet if you will at laſt fulfill my Law which I gave unto you, I will yet accept you as juſt unto life: yet we could not have done it, the condition was too hard for us to perform; If we had been held cloſe to this condition of fulfilling the Law, we ſhould have miſſed of life for ever: The Lord therefore ſeeing and pittying of our infirmity, was pleaſed to propound unto us another condition, ſaying unto us, only beleive; Beleive on my ſon, truſt on my grace, and thou ſhalt be ſaved; herein the Lord hath condeſcended to our weakneſſe, taking compaſſion of our infirmities, laying upon us no other burthen but this; Beleeve my promiſe, accept my grace, and reſt upon it, and this thy faith ſhall ſave thee, Thou ſhalt never periſh.

3. It ſerves for comfort to all Gods faithfull ones, that have beleived through grace; if you have received this firſt gift, if it be given you to beleeve, you ſhall not fail of a ſecond gift, even the gift of eternall life through Ieſus Chriſt our Lord; p. 339Though your repentance be leſſe then to equall the meaſure of your ſins, though your obedience be imperfect, yea, though your faith it ſelfe be weak alſo, yet if it be foreign unfained, ſyncere and ſound, this your faith is accepted of God, and is imputed to you for righteouſneſſe; Thoſe that are of faith, are bleſſed with faithfull Abraham (ſaith the Apoſtle,) Gal. 3.9. Bleſſed is ſhee that beleeveth, ſaith the Angell, Luke 1.45. and the Son of God comes in as a third witneſſe, teſtifying that whoſoever beleeveth in him ſhall not periſh, but is paſſed from death to life, Iohn 3. Here are three witneſſes from heaven and earth, all witneſſing the bleſſed eſtate of ſuch as do beleive.

Faith is well termed precious faith, 1 Pet. 1.2 Pet. 1.1. becauſe it makes us partakers of all the precious bleſſings of grace, which are contained in the Covenant; The faithfull are inheritours of all the priviledges which God hath promiſed to his choſen, and therefore it is that they are called heires of promiſe, Heb. 6.17: and heires of bleſſing, 1 Pet. 3.9.

You beleevers, be exhorted to ſee and owne your bleſſedneſſe, take notice of the great things the Lord hath done for you, he hath made a covenant with you, even a Covenant of peace, and bleſſing, and life for ever; God is become your God, he will be all things unto you; and when all helpes under heaven fail you, yet from himſelfe he will do you good; all your ſins are forgiven you, his ſpirit is yours to lead you, to ſanctifie you, and to heal the evils that be in you; he will uphold you in that ſtate wherein you ſtand, and will keep you that you ſhall never periſh, and will at laſt bring you to a full injoyment of himſelfe in his heavenly Kingdome, where you ſhall for ever bleſſe him, and be made bleſſed by him, and ſhall rejoyce before him with joy unſpeakable and glorious; pluck up your hearts therefore and be glad, lift up your heads, ſtrengthen the weak hands, and the feeble knees, ſerve the Lord with gladneſſe and joyfulneſſe of ſpirit, conſidering the day of our ſalvation draweth neer; though now for a time you may be in heavineſſe, through manifold temptations and afflictions in this evill world, yet faint not, you being partakers of that precious faith, you have the holy and faithfull God in Covenant with you, to love you, to bleſſe you, and to ſave you; and yet a little while and he that ſhall come p. 340will come, and receive you to himſelfe, and then you ſhall fully know what it is to have beleived, and to have been in Covenant with God, what it is to have God to be your God, when you ſhall ſee him and enjoy him as he is; Only nouriſh your faith, and live by faith, make much of this precious grace; cheriſh it by thinking often on the promiſes, and of that grace which hath been ſhewed upon you from on high; ſtudy to walke worthy of that mercy received, and in ſo doing, wait for the end of your faith, the ſalvation of your ſoule.

4. If faith be the condition of the Covenant, then woe to all unbeleevers, that go on in their impenitency and unbeleife: Their unbeleife deprives them of that good which the Lord hath by his Covenant promiſed to his people; they have no part nor portion in God; they are without God, without Chriſt, without Covenant, without promiſe, without mercy, their ſins are unpardoned, they are under the curſe, the wrath of God abides upon them, there is nothing to take it away from them, but if they abide in unbeleif, wrath abides upon them for ever. There is a wrath wherby God is angry with his own people, but that anger laſts but for a little ſeaſon, it is but for a moment, Iſai. 4.7, 8. it paſſeth away and abides not upon them; but the unbeleiver hath wrath abiding on him for ever; John 3.36. In Iude 5. it is ſaid that God afterwards deſtroyed thoſe Iſraelites that beleived not; when once they had had the means of grace made known, then not beleiving, God afterwards deſtroyed them; you that tread in the ſteps of their unbeleif, you are little troubled to thinke what miſery is comming upon you, as not knowing that you are in danger; but you are under wrath, your judgement haſtneth, and your damnation ſleepeth not; be awakened therefore, be thinke your ſelves, and conſider what your end will be; by your unbeleif you put a bar to exclude your ſelves from the bleſſing of life promiſed to Gods people; you thus continuing, the Lord neither will, nor can ſave you. You will thinke this an hard ſaying, but you will finde it too true, God cannot lye, Titus 1.2. much leſſe can he forſwear; but God hath ſworne this, that ſuch ſhall never enter into his reſt, Pſal. 95. and Hebr. 3. ult. In Mat. 13. ult. Its ſaid Chriſt did not many great works in his owne country, for their unbeleifes ſake: But in Marke 6.5. its ſaid hee could not doe them, he p. 341neither did them nor could do them; unbeleif ſtops the courſe and diverts the ſtream of Gods goodneſſe from comming unto us; Chriſts uſuall ſpeech to thoſe that expected any bleſsing from him was this, According to your faith be it unto you; faith makes all things poſſible, Marke 6.23. It will reverſe the ſentence of death which is paſſed upon us, and bring us back unto life; but unbeleife makes it impoſſible ſo that we cannot be ſaved; The Lord can do nothing againſt his own counſell and will, and he hath concluded this with himſelfe, to ſave none but ſuch as beleive, and that whoſoever beleeveth not ſhall periſh; all you unbeleevers conſider this, your unbeleefe will bee your deſtruction.

Secondly, Is there ſuch a work of faith in bringing us into Covenant with God, and in enabling us to walk in Covenant with him?

1. This ſerves to direct all the people of God, how to live and walke before God; look at your ſelves as ſuch as have God in Covenant with you to bleſſe you with all bleſſings meet and expedi…nt for you, whether they be bleſſings of this life or that which is to come; you are no more ſtrangers and forreiners, you are not aliens from the Covenant or common-wealth of Iſrael; All the good which God hath promiſed to his Iſrael belongs to you; Live therefore a life of faith, reſting upon the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you. Naturall men live by ſence and reaſon; live you by faith in Gods Covenant and promiſe; and there is much uſe to be made of this conſideration.

1. In caſe we have ſinned, and done things that we ſhould not, and thereby have grieved the Lord as David did, of whom it is ſaid, that the thing that David had done diſpleaſed the Lord; yet herein make uſe of our faith, truſting ſtill to his grace and mercy for forgiveneſſe according to his Covenant; we muſt not now fly away from God and ſtand afar off, or caſt away our hope, as if we had loſt our God, and had no more part or portion in him, but ſtill beleive that we renewing our Repentance before him, he will ſtill be our God, and love us ſtill, and will be mercifull to our iniquities. Now is a time to put forth faith in Gods promiſe, we muſt remember we are not under that hard condition of workes, but under the condition of Faith; Its the weakneſſe p. 342and ſinfull infirmity of many of Gods people who walk in much diſcouragement of ſpirit becauſe of ſome failings which they ſee in themſelves, by which they become uncomfortable to themſelvs and to others, when yet their conſcientious walking and tendernes is manifeſt to all; ſuch a diſcouraged ſpirit might well become a childe of the Law, that is under the condition of Workes; but it becomes not ſuch as are under the condition of Faith; Hath the Lord ſaid that if his people ſin againſt him, after hee hath taken them into Covenant with himſelfe, he will caſt them off and acknowledge them no more? See what Samuel ſpeaks to the children of Iſrael in 1 Sam. 12.19, 20. Ye have indeed ſinned a great ſin, and done all this wickedneſſe, yet feare not, depart not from following the Lord, for the Lord will not forſake his people; The Lord know… our frailty, and remembers we are but duſt; and therefore hath told us, that he will ſpare us as a father ſpareth his ſon that ſ…rveth him, Mal. 3.17. and will be mercifull to our ſins. If we were or could be without ſin, we ſhould not have needed ſuch promiſes of forgiveneſſe; but when the Lord tooke us into Covenant with himſelfe, he knew we ſhould ſtill need daily mercy and compaſſion to heale our backſlidings; and foreſeeing our need of ſuch promiſes, he hath made them knowne unto us that we might live by them, looking up unto him by faith in the fence of our daily infirmities, for a gracious acceptance of us, and forgiveneſſe of our ſins.

2. In caſe we want any bleſſing, (ſuppoſe ſome ſpeciall grace to enable us to walke more fruitfully in our particular places and callings,) look herein at the Covenant as a ſtorehouſe full of all rich bleſſings, and make uſe of faith which is the condition of the Covenant; ſet that aworke, and draw out of this fountain as much as we need; if we want wiſedome, boldneſſe, meekneſſe, temperance, remember by what means we muſt receive them; we receive the ſpirit by faith, Gal. 3.14. beleive this promiſe therefore, wherein the Lord hath ſaid he will give the Holy Ghoſt to them that deſire him, Luke 11.13. This is the way the Saints have taken; David when he found his heart defiled with thoſe luſts, what courſe took he to get it cleanſed from theſe impurities? he flyes to God by the prayer of faith, deſiring to have a p. 343clean heart created in him; when the Church found her ſelf ſhut up under deadneſſe and hardneſſe of heart, they fly for help to Gods Covenant, Thou art our father, and we are thy people, Breake not thy covenant with us, Iſai. 63. and 64. Ier. 14.

3. In caſe we be troubled with feares of Apoſtacy and backſliding, as thinking though we have begun well, yet we ſhall never be able to continue; Perſecutions, diſcouragements, temptations are ſo many, ſo violent, that we thinke we ſhall never ſtand out againſt them; here alſo live by faith, God will give an iſſue to all our temptations; in the mean time commit our ſoules to God in well doing, and beleeve as Paul did, that he will deliver you from every evill work, and preſerve you blameleſſe to his heavenly Kingdome, 2 Tim. 4. If Satan annoy with his temptations, ſay as Jehoſhua did, The Lord rebuke thee O Satan, Zach. 3. and remember the promiſe, The Lord will ſhortly tread him under our feet, Rom. 16.

4, In caſe of any ſervice or duty to be performed unto God, remember his Covenant, I will make you able to keepe my judgements, and to doe them, Ezek. 36.27. In 1 Chron. 15.26. it is ſaid, God helped the Levites in bearing the Arke; ſo will he help us to undergoe the burthen of that work which is too heavy for us, if we reſt upon him by faith, if we have a word of faith to aſſure us that the work to be done, is (for the generall) Gods worke, and that it is particularly required of us as Our works, a worke of our calling; we have then good warrant to depend upon his help, he hath called us, he hath ſent us to the work, and therefore he will be with us according to that ſpeech of his to Gideon in Judges 6.14, 16. I have ſent thee and therefore I will be with thee; This is written not for him only, but for us alſo, that being called to any miniſtration or ſervice, we might by faith look for the ſame preſence of God with us, the ſame aſſiſtance as he had; Many other particulars might be named, but theſe may ſuffice to give a ſhort direction how to live by faith in the promiſe and Covenant of God, according to the ſeverall occaſions which befall us.

2. As we muſt depend upon God by faith for all good things which the Covenant promiſeth, ſo we muſt remember the other part of the Covenant, That God will be a God over us, as p. 344well as a God to bleſſe us; and therefore here our care muſt be to advance the Lord on high, that it may be ſeen by our ſubjection unto him, that we doe acknowledge him to be our God, above us and over us; he hath humbled himſelf to take ſuch underlings as we are into Covenant with himſelfe, and hath thereby advanced us above our ſelves; our duty is to ſet up him that hath abaſed himſelfe for our ſakes, and to humble our ſelves to walke, with our God, Micah 6.8.

It is ſaid of Abraham that by his faith he gave glory to God; if we be the children of Abraham, let us herein imitate the work of Abraham, give honour to him whom we beleeve to be our God.

We are all willing to be in Covenant with God thus far, that we may ſet up our ſelves, and climbe up into heaven that there we may ſit upon Thrones, and to poſſeſſe a Kingdome; but we muſt thinke eſpecially of ſetting up the Lord upon his Throne, that he may rule in us, and reign over us, he having for this end taken us to be a people unto himſelfe. Aſcribe greatneſſe to our God, (ſaith Moſes) Deut. 33, 3. make it a name and a praiſe unto him, that he hath vouchſafed to make us his people, and to take us into Covenant with him.

Honour him as he is God, but honour him more abundantly as he is our God; we owe this unto him, by the Covenant we have made with him; the world knowes him not, nor honours him not, the wicked contemne God, Pſal. 10. and ſhall God have no honour? Shall he that ſtretched out the heavens, and laid the foundations of the earth, and formed man upon it, ſhall he have no glory by all his workes? ſhall he in vain create all the children of men, having none to praiſe him? The Lord himſelfe anſwers in Iſai. 43.21. This is a people whom I have formed for mine owne praiſe; God will have praiſe from his own people, whom he hath taken unto himſelfe, he will be glorified in all thoſe that come neer unto him, Levit. 10 3. He knows them …bove all the people of the earth, Amos 3. and is known of them, Pſal. 72.1, 2. he advanceth them as a ſelect and peculiar people, and will be honoured by them, according to all the great things which he hath done for them.

Hence is that in Deut. 26.18. The Lord hath ſet thee up this p. 345day to be a precious people unto him, and in verſe 17. Thou haſt ſet up the Lord thy God to walke in his wayes, and to keepe his Commandements. The word which is there tranſlated (avouched) Pagnine in his great Theſaurus tranſlates exaltaſti, Thou haſt ſet up, as doth Arrius Montanus alſo; we muſt then ſet up our God on high; Labour to advance him above the heavens; he hath raiſed us above the earth, and above the condition of the men of the earth, that we might fill the world with his glory, and extoll him above all; he hath made it a name and a praiſe unto us, that we are the people in Covenant with him; much more ſhould it be a name and a praiſe unto him, that he hath ſhewed ſuch grace unto the ſons of men, Iſai. 55.13. Ier. 13.11.

All ſuch therefore as are the faithfull people of God, that are entred into Covenant with him, conſider this duty; take heed of polluting the Name of your God, let not his name and honour ſuffer by you, but lift up his Name on high, that it may be magnified before all the world.

And for this end take theſe few directions

1. If we will honour God and exalt him in due manner, we muſt ſet him up as our cheife and higheſt in our eſteem, far above every name that is named in this world, or that which is to come; ſet none compar with him, none equall unto him; Kings count themſelves not to be honoured with due honour, if they be not ſet up above other men: Its not enough to honour God, but we muſt honour him as God, and that is to ſet him higheſt in our hearts, and above all: Hence it is that the Saints of God have uſed ſuch expreſſions concerning him, as doe ſingle him forth beyond the compariſon of all creatures: Thus Moſes, Who is like unto thee amongſt the Gods? who is like unto thee, ſo glorious in holineſſe, &c. Exod. 15.11. So David, Thou art great, O Lord, there is none like thee, 2 Sam. 7.22. So Solomon, O Lord God of Iſrael, there is none like thee in heaven above, or in the earth beneath, 1 Kings 8.23. So Micah 7.18. Who is a God like unto thee, which paſſeſt by the trangreſſions of the remnant of thine heritage? Thus have the Saints advanced God, in their eſteem of him, making none like unto him in greatneſſe, in glory, in holineſſe, in goodneſſe, and in mercy, &c. And thus we muſt riſe up in our thoughts and apprehenſions of God, till we come to a holy exſtacy p. 346and admiration of him, carried beyond the limits of all created excellency, ſo as to eſteeme all things elſe as nothing in compariſon of him, Eſay 40. There be men that ſay they are gods, and think they are equall with the moſt High, but they are but gods of the earth as the Prophet calls them, (Zeph. 2.11.) but our God is the God of heaven; therefore ſet him on high above all gods; God counts himſelfe debaſed when any are made equall unto him, Eſay 46.5, 9.

2. Count it our bleſſedneſſe, and higheſt dignity to be a people in Covenant with God, that we have him neare unto us in all that we call unto him for, and may live in an holy fellowſhip and communion with; count it our honour that we are his ſervants, and may ſtand before him, and miniſter unto him; David, though great in name and dignity, who knew his pla… as well as other men, and who could ſay (when occaſion was) Doe not I know that I am this day King over Iſrael? yet took more felicity in being Gods ſervant, then in being King and Ruler over that great people, and therefore he ſpeaks to God in ſuch manner, O Lord I am thy ſervant, O God, thou art my God, &c. So then are we honorable as David was? yet eſteeme we this as our greateſt honour, that God is our God, and we his ſervants.

Are we low and deſpiſed in the world? yet count this honour enough that God hath lifted us up to this excellency to be one of his people; And herein the Lord counts himſelfe to be honoured by us, when being counted as things that are not, as Pauls phraſe is, even as things of nought, yet we can ſay with Jacob, I have enough, becauſe the Lord hath had mercy on me, and hath taken me into Covenant with him to be my God: When in perſecutions, in wants, in diſtreſſes, we can quiet our ſelves in this, that God is our God, we doe herein beare witneſſe of him, before heaven and earth, that he is better to us then dignities, riches, and all worldly contentments, that he is enough to thoſe that enjoy him.

3. We muſt count the things of God the greateſt things, his work to be the greateſt work, his ſervice the greateſt buſineſſe of our whole life; yea, to be preferred before life it ſelfe. When Nehemiah was in hand with that great work of God, the re-edifying of Jeruſalem, and the reformation of things amiſſe in Church p. 347and State, hee looked at this as a great work, Neh. 6.3. I have (ſaith he ſpeaking to them that would have drawn him from it) a great work to doe, which I may not ſuffer to ceaſe, whiles I come down unto you: Nay, he would not ceaſe this work to ſave his life, Neh. 6.11. When David was giving direction concerning the building of the Temple, The work is great (ſaith he); And why great? becauſe it is not for man, but for the Lord, 1 Chron. 29.1. and 22.5.

The men of the world look at their own things as the great things which they muſt attend unto; the things of God, are with them, things of leſſe value; they preferre their own things before the things of Jeſus Chriſt; But thoſe that are the Lords people muſt remember that they have given themſelves unto the Lord, 2 Cor. 8.5. ſo as they are not their own any more, but the Lords, and to be for themſelves no further then may ſtand with his honour, no further to ſeek their own things then may be for the Lord, and not againſt the Lord. Here then firſt we muſt preferre his commandements before the commandements and wills of men, reſolving with the Apoſtles to obey God rather then men. Secondly, doe his work in the firſt …e, not firſt for our ſelves, and then for God, as the manner is, but ſee that God be firſt ſerved, remembring the words of our bleſſed Saviour, that he which loves himſelfe or any other thing … then Chriſt, is not worthy of him. Thirdly, offer our beſt things to God, to be for his ſervice and honour; the beſt of our time, the beſt of our children, the beſt of our ſubſtance; the fat of our wheat and of our wine, muſt be for the Lord. Prov. 3.9. Honour God with thy riches, and with the firſt of all thine encreaſe; the firſt are uſually the beſt, and moſt deſired, Mich. 7.1. And therefore when we give the firſt and beſt unto God, God counteth himſelfe honoured by us; when we bring him the leane and the ſcabbie, the lame, and the blind, things of no worth, the Lord is then deſpiſed in our eyes, Mal. 1.

4. If we will honour God as his people ſhould doe, we muſt ſtand for his honour in times of generall declining; when all ſeeme to neglect him, and lay his honour in the duſt: When People, Nations, and Languages, ſhall fall down and worſhip the golden Image which Nebuchadnezar the King ſets up, then to deſpiſe p. 348the Kings commandement, and to worſhip our God alone, this is indeed to honour him: When we ſhall be forbidden to make prayer unto our God, Then with Daniel to have our Window open towards Jeruſalem, and to make our prayer before him, is an honouring of him: When we ſerve him only in times of generall Reformation, living in a Land of uprightneſſe, when it is an honour to our ſelves to conforme to thoſe that are faithfull with God, in theſe times its more doubtfull whether we ſeek to honour God, or to honour our ſelves; but in corrupt times of generall Apoſtacy, when the world turns their back upon God, then to cleave to him, and ſtand for his worſhip, then to ſay with Joſhuah, Let all the world chuſe whom they will ſerve, but I and my houſe will ſerve the Lord; this is to honour him indeed, and to give him glory before the face of the whole world, ſee Ezek. 44.12, 13, 15.

5. If we will exalt God, we muſt reſt upon his help at dead lifts, when all other helps faile us, in greateſt ſtraits, when we know not which way to turn us, when we ſee no help either in heaven or earth, but in him alone; Herein Jehoſhaphat gave glory to God, when he knew not what to doe, then were his eyes towards the Lord, 2 Chron. 20. Thus the three Children, when caſt into the fiery Furnace, and Daniel when thrown into the Lyons Den, yet then they believed that the God whom the ſerved, was able to deliver them, Dan. 3. And thus Moſes honoured God at the Red Sea, when all was deſperate in the eye of fleſh and blood; yet Moſes by the power of faith then believed a deliverance ſhould come, Stand ſtill (ſaith he) and ſee the ſalvation of God; God is greatly honoured by us, when we truſt upon him in ſuch deſperate times.

6. If we will honour God, we muſt be exceeding carefull to keep our vowes and promiſes, which we have made unto him; walk circumſpectly according to the Covenant we have entred into: We ſee how the Lord ſometimes blames Iſrael for deſpiſing his Covenant which they had made with him, Ezek. 16.59. we cannot neglect our Covenant with him, but it will argue a neglect of God himſelfe; Thou haſt deſpiſed me, ſaith the Lord to David, when he had deſpiſed the Commandement which he had promiſed to obſerve, 2 Sam. 12, 9.10.

p. 349We commonly deale with our promiſes to God, as we doe with thoſe which we make to our little children, we think to pleaſe them with promiſes for the preſent, but neither mind greatly what we ſay unto them, nor take any care to performe, as thinking they will never remember what we ſay unto them, any longer then whiles we are ſpeaking: But would we deale ſo with our Prince? would not he count it a ſleighting of him, if having bound our ſelves by promiſe to performe ſuch a ſervice to him, we ſhould have no care to performe? Be ſure the Lord will require the promiſes we have made unto him. Haſt thou then opened thy mouth unto the Lord? know thou canſt not goe back, Judg. 11. Thou canſt not neglect thy promiſe to God, without a neglect of God himſelfe.

7. If we will honour God, we muſt lie under the authority of every word of his, and conforme our ſelves to his example, labouring to become followers of him, in imitating the vertues of God which hee hath ſet before us to walk by: Its a part of that honour which children owe to their parents, to obey their commands, and to imitate their godly example in well doing; we cannot honour God more, then when we are humbled at his feet, to receive his word, Deut. 33.3. ſuffering his word to rule in our hearts, ſo as we dare not goe againſt it in any thing, trembling to ſinne againſt it, Eſay 66. and when we renounce the manners of the world, ſeeking to become followers of God as deare children, this is to ſet him up as honoured by us, Epheſ. 5.

8. In a word, if we will honour God, we muſt contend in his cauſe with much ſtriving, being zealous for him, and for the defence of his Word, Truth, Goſpel, Kingdome, and whatſoever concerns his honour, not yeelding or giving place one hour, Gal. 2. not leaving an hoofe behind us, Exod. 10.26. ſtanding out to the utmoſt, in the things of his Kingdome: And when we have done all that we can do, ſtill magnifie his grace, that he wil vouchſafe to admit ſuch as we be to miniſter unto him, even as David did, when as he had ſhewed a great deale of zeale in furniſhing the houſe of God, having given of his own coſt an hundred thouſand Talents of Gold, and an hundred thouſand Talents of Silver, 1 Chron. 22.14, and had withall ſtirred up the Princes to be helpfull in the ſame work; yet what p. 350ſaith he after all this, he doth not goe glorying before God, as if he had done ſome great thing for God, but humbling himſelfe, ſaith, Who am I (O Lord) and what is my people that we ſhould offer in this ſort unto thee? 1 Chron. 29.14. He thought himſelfe unworthy to offer any thing to the great God, and that it was an high dignity and favour done unto him, that God would accept any thing at his hands.

Thus muſt we ſeek to honour our God, that hath ſo highly honoured us in taking us into Covenant with himſelfe. And thus much of the condition of the Covenant.