The Gospel-Covenant, Part 5
The Fifth Part. THE PROPERTIES OF THIS COVENANT.
IT follows in the fifth place to conſider the Properties of the Covenant, and theſe are foure.
For it is: Firſt, A free Covenant.
Secondly, A ſure Covenant.
Thirdly, An everlaſting Covenant.
Fourhly, An holy Covenant.
1. It is a free Covenant, a Covenant of free grace, freely made with us, and freely communicating to us all the bleſſings promiſed in it: The bleſſings made over to us in this Covenant, doe ſpring from nothing in us, but only from grace in God.
Gods Covenant is not like Covenants which are uſually made among men, in which each party expects ſome benefit from the other; Abimelech thought it good to make a Covenant of peace with Iſaac, becauſe hee ſaw God was with him; If Iſaac were againſt him, God would be againſt him too; he could not be an enemy to Iſaac, but he muſt be an enemy to God; he thinks therefore its beſt for him, even for his own peace and ſafety, to be at peace with Iſaac, and to make a Covenant with him, Gen. 26.28. The like we ſee in the Shechemits that make a Covenant with Iacob; but they alledge the reaſon of it; ſhall not their flocks, and their cattle, and ſubſtance bee ours? Gen. 34.23. Thus it is in the Covenants of men; but it is otherwiſe in the Covenant which he makes with his people; he looks for no benefit by us in his Covenant with us, but only to communicate good unto us; His Covenant is free, I will love them freely, ſaith the Lord, Hoſeah 14.4. And it is ſo free in two reſpects.
1. In reſpect of his entering into Covenant with us.
2. In reſpect of his performance of it.
Firſt, In reſpect of his entering into Covenant with us, there being nothing in us moving the Lord to take us into Covenant with him, but only his own grace, it is his good pleaſure to love us, and doe us good; though wee come without ſilver, without any thing of worth in us, yet we may come unto him, and be taken into Covenant with him, Eſay 55.1, 3. Hence it is, that when God enters into Covenant with his people, he is ſaid to give them his Covenant, Gen. 17.2. for ſo the word is in the originall, I will give thee my Covenant: In our tranſlation it is, I will make my Covenant betwixt mee and thee: but in the originall, I will give, &c. As in Numb. 25.12. God is ſaid to give the Covenant of the Prieſthood unto Phineas as a gift; ſo God gives the Covenant of his grace, unto all that he takes into Covenant with him: Hence alſo are thoſe expreſſions uſed in Deut. 7.7, 8. The Lord ſet his love upon you to take you into Covenant with him, not becauſe ye were more in number then other people, but becauſe he loved you, and choſe your Fathers; as noting out the freeneſſe of his love towards them, loving them becauſe he loved them: and the conſtancy of his love towards their Fathers, towards whom he would keep the oath which he had ſworn unto them; this was all the cauſe that moved the Lord to take them into Covenant with him: And hereto agrees that of Samuel, It pleaſed the Lord to make you his people, 1 Sam. 12.22. That they were become the people of God, rather then Aegyptians, Moabites, Ammonites, or others, was not for any thing which the Lord ſaw in them more then in other people, but it pleaſed the Lord, it was his good pleaſure to chuſe them, and to make them his people.
This freeneſſe of grace in entering into Covenant with us, may appeare by theſe particulas:
1. That God is firſt in ſeeking after us to draw us into Covenant with himſelfe; wee ſeek not him, but he ſeeks us; we chuſe not him, but he chuſeth us, he loves us firſt, Ioh. 15.16. 1 Ioh. 4.19. And in this reſpect he is ſaid to be found of thoſe that ſeek not after him, becauſe hee firſt reveales and offers himſelfe in mercy unto us, Eſay 65.1.
2. But though he be firſt in ſeeking after us, may there not bee ſomething in us to draw his eyes, and heart unto us? the man ſeeks firſt after the unmarried virgin, but there is beauty or dowry which drawes him: But there is no ſuch thing in us, there is no worth in us, he ſees us polluted in our blood, Ezek. 16 6. he ſaw us contemptible and vile, ſo as none would regard us, verſ. 5. and yet then doth the Lord take us up, and enters into a Covenant with us, verſ. 8. This unworthineſſe of ours made Abraham to wonder when hee heard the Lord ſpeak of making a Covenant with him, Gen. 17.3. And this ſame made David to break out into that affectionate and admiring demand, Lord, who am I, that thou ſhouldeſt ſpeak thus unto thy ſervant? 2 Sam. 7.
3. There is deſert in us to the contrary, to keep off the Lord from ever owning ſuch a people as we were; yea, though we ſhould have ſought after him: As
Firſt, Our former vile unfaithfulneſſe in that firſt Covenant he made with us, wherein we dealt treacherouſly againſt him, forſaking him and lightly eſteeming the God of our ſalvation, as Moſes ſpeaks of Iſrael, Deut. 32.15. we brake the Tables of the Covenant, and caſt them away from us; yea, and caſt away the Lord from being our God; the more undeſerved therefore, and more free was that grace which moved the Lord to make a new Covenant with us, having been ſo falſe to him in the other.
Secondly, The enmity that is in us againſt him, and againſt the things that pleaſe him; we are as contrary unto him, as is darkneſſe to light, and evill to good, Rom. 8.7. we are a crooked generation, that cannot abide the ſtreight wayes of the Lord; our whole nature is ſinfull and corrupt before him.
4. Conſider the time wherein the Lord takes us by the hand to bring us into Covenant with him, and then we ſhall finde that when we are moſt averſe and backward, and have leaſt thought of ever ſeeking after him, then it is that he ſeeks us to take us unto himſelfe. Thus the Lord called Saul, when he was perſecuting, raging, breathing out ſlaughter, and threatnings againſt the Lord, and againſt his Saints, then the Lord takes him by the hand, and enters into Covenant with him, Act. 9 and ſo it was with thoſe mockers, Act. 2.13, 37. here were no diſpoſitions and preparations before on their part, but tree and unexpected grace from God.
5. Compare thoſe that are taken into Covenant with other that are left out (for all are not taken in, Epheſ. 2.12. there be that are without God, without Covenant) and this will alſo make it manifeſt, it is free grace by which any are taken in: For
1. If we look upon thoſe that are taken into Covenant, and thoſe that are left, we ſhall finde that there is no difference in themſelves, betwixt one and other; we have all ſinned, and there is no difference, ſaith the Apoſtle, Rom. 3.22, 23. No reaſon therefore in us, why one is taken into Covenant, and not another, but only free grace in God; for if it be not free grace towards them that are taken in, then there is injuſtice and wrong done to thoſe that are left: If there were any worth in thoſe that are taken, there was as much in thoſe that are left, and therefore either it muſt be free grace towards the one, or there is injuſtice and wrong towards the other; but what blaſphemous mouth dare impute unrighteouſneſſe and wrong to the righteous God? he owes nothing to any; he may truly ſay to all men, I doe thee no wrong, Matth. 20.13. Thou haſt as much as I owe thee. Both ſorts therefore being in themſelves alike, and no wrong done to thoſe that are left, it muſt needs be free grace in thoſe that are taken in; apply Ioh. 14.22. Matth. 11.25.
2. As ſometimes there is no difference betwixt one and other; ſo ſometimes God chuſeth the worſe, takes in the more unworthy, and leaves thoſe that are better then they, Paul a chiefe of ſinners, 1 Tim. 1. Publicans and Harlots, Matth. 21. Mary Magdalene poſſeſſed with ſeven Devills; theſe were taken in; and the righteous generation (as they were reputed) which juſtified themſelves, and were juſtified by others, were left and paſſed by. In Ezek. 3.7, 8. The Lord tells the Prophet, that if he would have ſent him to another ſtrange people (as he ſent Jonah to the Ninevites) they would have hearkned unto him and obeyed him, but the houſe of Iſrael will not obey thee; and yet for all this God ſent his Prophet to them, and not to the other, to the worſe and not to the better, and ſo Matth. 11.23. Thus it is in the communication of himſelf in the Covenant of grace; he ſometimes paſſeth by ſuch as ſeeme better, and takes the worſe, to the end that it might appeare that he reſpects none for any thing that is in them, but that the freeneſſe of his grace might be ſeene in thoſe whom he takes unto himſelfe: This is that which the Apoſtle points at, 1 Cor. 1 27, 28, 29. God chuſeth the fooliſh things of the world, the weak things, baſe and deſpiſed things, things which are not, paſſing by the wiſe, the mighty, and things which are in eſteeme, that all might ſee it is nothing in man, but the grace of God by which we are taken into communion and Covenant with him, &c.
2. As the grace of the Covenant is thus free in the making of it, ſo it is alſo in the accompliſhment of it; the bleſſings of the Covenant are as free grace in the beſtowing, as they were in the promiſing: Not that God is now free to performe or not to performe, for he cannot but performe that which he hath promiſed: but yet he owes the bleſſing to us in regard of his own promiſe, faithfulneſſe and goodneſſe, not in regard of any worth that is in us; for though there be our obedience of faith intervening and comming between Gods promiſe, and between his performance, yet the performance is as free grace as is the promiſe, becauſe there is no ſuch worth in any of our obedience, as to which the bleſſing ſhould be done in a way of juſtice: He cannot deny himſelfe, 2 Tim. 2. nor can he alter the thing which is gone out of his lips, Pſal 89.34. otherwiſe, the bleſſing of the Covenant is as well freely given, as it was freely promiſed: And therefore it is that the Prophet ſpeaking of the performance of the Covenant which God made with Abraham (but was to be performed to his ſeed) he ſpeaks in this manner, Thou wilt performe truth unto Jacob, and mercy unto Abraham, as thou hast ſworn unto our Fathers in old time, Micah 7.20. Gods truth gives aſſurance that hee will doe it (thou wilt performe truth unto Jacob) but yet its mercy when its performed (thou wilt performe mercy unto Abraham, &c.) and thence it is that in Iude v. 21. the Apoſtle ſpeaking to the Saints, exhorts them to wait for the mercy of the Lord unto eternall life; and in Rom 6.23. Life eternall is called a gift, freely given by free grace: and in 1 Pet. 3.7. we are ſaid to be heires of the grace of life, becauſe grace is the cauſe, as well of our inheriting life, as of Gods promiſing; for though we have received a Spirit of grace, to renew and ſanctifie us; yet in many things we offend ſtill, ſtanding in need of forgiveneſſe from day to day; and where there is need of forgiveneſſe, there life muſt needs be of grace, and not of merit or works.
The Reaſons why the Lord would have his Covenant to ſtand upon this foundation of free grace; are theſe
1. To be a ground of hope to ſuch as ſee themſelves unworthy of acceptance with God; If the grace of the Covenant were not free, ſuch unworthy ones could have no hope.
2. It is the glory of grace to be freely communicated, Eſay 55.1. Come and buy without money: It darkens the glory of grace, when it is vouchſafed for any benefit received, as Potiphar favoured Ioſeph, becauſe he ſaw God proſper the things that were under his hand, Gen. 39.3.4. but where favour is wholly free, there it ſhines forth in the glory of it: and thence it is that when the Lord had made his promiſe to the diſperſed Jewes, concerning their gathering in againe, he tells them that it is not for their ſakes, but for his own name ſake, thereby to maintaine the glory of his free grace towards them.
3. The Lord would have his Covenant to be a Covenant of free grace, that the bleſſing of it might be ſure unto thoſe to whom the promiſe is made: The Lord ſaw the unſtability of the former Covenant of works, the promiſe being made with reſpect to that which was in us, or to be done by us, and ſo would this new Covenant have been alſo, if it had been built upon the like foundation; therefore that the bleſſing of it might be ſure, the promiſe is made to depend not upon any thing to be done by us, but upon the free grace of God, Rom. 4.16.
Ʋſe 1. To enforme us from what hand to expect the bleſſing of life promiſed to us in this Covenant, even from mercy and from grace, not from juſtice; he that will have life, and wring it out of the hand of juſtice, in ſtead of life ſhall have the wages of death, as his deſerved and juſt reward; See 2 Tim. 1.18. It is mercy which the beſt muſt look for at that day.
Ʋſe 2. This may be a ground of incouragement to ſuch as are (or at leaſt ſeem to themſelves to be) afar off, aliens to God, ſtrangers to his Covenant; let them draw neer, and ſeek to be partakers of this grace ſo freely offered, the bleſſings whereof are great, of infinite value, yet are they as free as great; in reſpect of greatnes they might ſeem to be above hope, but in reſpect of the freeneſſe of them they are under hope; by this conſideration the Lord encourageth his people, to ſeek unto him for acceptance, (Receive us graciouſly, Hoſ. 14.2.) and if any ſay but alas how can we which have forſaken our God, and gone after our Idols, and done ſuch abominations, be accepted by him? hereto the Lord anſwers, I will love them freely; he looks for no worth in us, for which he ſhould ſhew grace unto us, but only that we muſt accept that which is ſo freely offered.
Its uſuall with ſuch as moſt deſire and long after grace, to be moſt fearfull and doubtfull of obtaining; Oh, there is ſo much unworthineſſe in them, how can they hope to finde acceptance with God, they can ſee nothing in themſelves for which God ſhould accept them, and tis true; but though you can ſee nothing in your ſelves, yet you may ſee enough in God; Looking downward you ſee unworthineſſe in your ſelves; but look upward and then behold riches of free grace in God; Grace is never the further off becauſe you can ſee no worthineſſe in your ſelves, nay, the more you diſcerne your ſelves unworthy, the more neer is the aboundance of grace to be manifeſted in you, if ye truſt unto it; ſay not therefore you are unworthy, thereby nouriſhing diſtruſt in your ſelfe; but ſay rather, though I be unworthy, yet I will commit my ſelfe to that free grace of God which is vouchſafed to unworthy ones; nay, I ſay more, ſuch as are not unworthy, ſhall never taſte of this mercy and grace of God, its given to none but to unworthy ones: The very thought and opinion of our own worthineſſe dwelling in us, excludes us and cuts off from grace; here is then a prop to our weak faith, this puts a plea into the mouthes of all dejected ſouls; let them look to this ſweet name of grace, here take hold, here reſt, here caſt anchor, in this harbour we ſhall be ſafe in the midſt of all ſtormes; and as the Church in Lam. 3.8. conſidering the greatneſſe of her affliction, ſhee ſaid, Her hope was periſhed from the Lord; yet conſidering again how her heart was humbled within her, ſhe re-aſſumes her hope, which before was periſhed; my ſoule (ſaith ſhe) is humbled within me, therefore have I hope; ſhee hoped then even when her hope was periſhed; ſo let us do, when our hope is periſhed in reſpect of any goodneſſe in our ſelves, yet conſidering the free kindneſſe and grace of God, let us ſtir up our hopes and ſay as ſhe did, I have hope becauſe the Lord is gracious, freely offering grace to the unworthy; were it not for this Name of grace, we ſhould never tell how to open our mouthes before the Lord; If he ſhould ſay unto us, what can you ſay for your ſelves why I ſhould not condemne you? We muſt anſwer, truly nothing, Lord, nothing in our ſelves; onelyonly thou art gracious who freely pardoneſt the ſins of thy people; I cannot deſire to be accepted of thee for any thing that is in me, but I commit my ſelfe to thy free and rich grace, which is able to do for me abundantly above that I can aske or thinke.
And here (to adde a word more concerning the abſolute promiſes, of which I have ſpoken ſomething before) we may by that which hath been ſpoken, diſcerne the right uſe of thoſe promiſes, they are to be incouragements or attractives to draw us to rely upon free grace in ſuch times when we are moſt diſcouraged in our ſelves; there be ſeverall ſeaſons in which both kinds of promiſes (both abſolute and conditionall) are of ſpeciall uſe; there is a time wherein the ſoule is apt to ſlumber, being overtaken with a ſpirit of ſecurity, apt to preſume and to walke negligently; there is a time alſo of diſmayedneſſe and dejection of Spirit, every thing cauſing feare, though we walke in conſcionable care before God. Now when that ſecurity and careleſneſs prevails in us, then is a time for us to look unto the conditionall promiſes, and the qualifications expreſſed in them, not giving reſt unto our ſelves, untill we finde them in our ſelves; contrariwiſe, when the ſoule lyes under fear, preſſed downe with ſence of our owne vile unworthineſſe, then is a time to looke unto the abſolute promiſes, conſidering with our ſelves though we be poore, loſt, wretched, miſerable, yet the Lord hath promiſed for his own ſake to ſuccour us, and to do us good. To apply abſolute promiſes to one of a looſe carnall and ſenſuall ſpirit, it is as if you ſhould give him a cup of poiſon to drink; but to apply the ſame to a poor dejected ſpirit, ſenſible of its owne vileneſſe, here it is as new wine which glads the heart of man; Every thing is beautifull in its ſeaſon, as Solomon ſpeaks; ſo are theſe promiſes in their ſeverall ſeaſons; the abſolute promiſes to incourage the weak, and dejected; the conditionall to ſearch, to waken and ſtirre up the ſecure.
Vſe. 3. To exhort us to honour this free grace of God, by which we are taken into Covenant with him; all that God doth towards us, being done for the praiſe of this glorious grace of his, Epheſ. 1.6. This is Gods end, and this was Pauls practice, 1 Tim. 1.13, 14. ever ſeeking to magnifie this grace, and Epheſ. 2.4. and Iſai. 63.7. where there is mention of rich mercy great love, exceeding riches of grace, great goodnes, tender love, great mercy, multitude of loving kindneſſes; Reſerve we therefore the whole glory of our ſalvation intire unto grace alone, mixe nothing with it, adde nothing to it; adding and mixing debaſeth it, as water mixed with wine, or copper with gold. It was Davids expreſſion which he uſed, when he had received thoſe ample promiſes from God, for thy words ſake, and according to thine own heart (ſaith David) haſt thou done all theſe great things unto thy ſervant, 2 Sam. 27.21. ſo thinke we, all that mercy and goodneſſe which the Lord hath done for us, he hath not done it for our ſakes, or according to our worthineſſe, but according to his owne heart, according to the purpoſe of his grace towards us; ſay therefore, Not unto us O Lord, not unto us, but to thy Name be the praiſe; it is enough for us that we have life, the bleſſing, the comfort; let grace alone have all the glory.
Ʋſe 4. To ſtir us up to imitate this free grace of God, which is ſhewed on us; Firſt loving the Lord not for his gifts and rewards, but with a free love as he hath loved us, and ſerving him with a free ſpirit and a willing minde. Secondly, be free in doing good unto all men, even to ſuch as have deſerved nothing, (or if any thing, onelyonly evill at our hand) though they be aliens and ſtrangers and ſuch as we never hope to receive any good from, yet freely do them good, even where we look for nothing againe, Luke 14.12, 14. as God hath done unto us, ſo doe we unto them; in this we ſhall ſhew our ſelves the children of our Father in heaven, Matth. 5.
2. As it is a free Covenant, ſo it is a ſure Covenant, certaine to bee performed; It cannot faile, thoſe that reſt upon it ſhall finde it will not be as a lie unto them to deceive them; but the accompliſhment will every way anſwer their expectation and hope; Thus ſaith David, 2 Sam. 23.5. God hath made with me a Covenant perfect in all points, and ſure, and in Eſay 55.3. The promiſes of the Covenant are called the ſure mercies of David, not becauſe they are ſure unto David alone, but becauſe they are ſure, and ſhall be ſure unto all the ſeed of David that are in Covenant with God as David was; The promiſes of Gods Covenant are not yea, and nay, various and uncertaine; but they are Yea, and Amen, ſure to be fulfilled 2 Cor. 1. There ſhall not faile ſo much as one word of all that good which God hath promiſed to doe for his people, ſee Ioſh. 21.45. & 23.14. 1 King. 8.56. The ſtability of Gods Covenant is compared to the firmneſſe and unmovableneſſe of the mighty mountaines, Eſay 54.19. and to the unvariable courſe of the day and night, Jer. 33.20. to imply that it is as eaſie (yea, more eaſie, as the places quoted import) for the mountaines to remove out of their places, and the courſe of the day and night to ceaſe, as for the Covenant of God to faile.
Reaſ. 1. The Covenant and promiſes of grace are built upon the unchangeable purpoſe of God, which is a foundation remaining ſure, and cannot be ſhaken, 2 Tim. 2.19. and for this cauſe it is, that in Tit. 1.2. the Lord is ſaid to have promiſed eternall life, before the world began; not that any promiſe could then be made to us in perſon; but becauſe, firſt, God then purpoſed it in himſelfe; ſecondly, According to that his purpoſe, he promiſed life to Chriſt for us, and in our behalfe; and thirdly, becauſe the promiſe of life which is in time made unto us, in our own perſon, is according to that purpoſe of God in himſelfe, and that promiſe from everlaſting made unto Chriſt; and hereto agrees that of the Apoſtle, in Heb. 6.17. where he grounds the truth and certainty of the promiſe, upon the ſtableneſſe of Gods counſell; ſo that unleſſe Gods Counſell and purpoſe change, the promiſe cannot faile.
Reaſ. 2. The freeneſſe of the Covenant proves the ſureneſſe, and certainty of it, as before we argued: It is free that it might bee ſure; ſo here, its ſure becauſe its free; the former Covenant of works was not ſure, becauſe it was not free, but depended upon ſome things in our ſelves, which were mutable and changeable; and if the Covenant of grace did depend upon the mutability of our will (as that did) the promiſe of life now made to this Covenant could be no ſurer then it was before; but this Covenant is free and therefore ſure; nothing can hinder free grace from giving eternall life to whom it will; mans unrighteouſneſſe comming betweene, may prevent a promiſe made upon condition of righteouſneſſe, but it cannot prevent a promiſe of free grace.
Reaſ. 3. God hath given us many pledges to aſſure us of the certainty of his Covenant, and the bleſſing of it. Firſt, his word is gone out of his mouth, and he cannot alter it, Pſal. 89. Secondly, he hath written it, to make it more ſure; and what he hath written, is written never to be blotted out. Thirdly, He hath ſealed it with his own ſeale, and ſo it is become as the Laws of the Medes and Perſians, which alter not. Fourthly, He hath ſworn it, Pſal. 89.3, …5. Heb. 6.17. Fifthly, He hath given us the earneſt of his Spirit, 2 Cor. 1.22. Sixthly, Chriſt the Mediator and Teſtator of it, hath confirmed it by his own blood, Heb. 9.16, 17, 18. What can then be more ſure?
Object. But in Numb. 14.34. God tells the Iſraelites they ſhall feele his breach of promiſe; and in Ezek. 16.59. he tells them that he would deale with them as they had done with him, in breaking his Covenant; and ſo in Zach. 11.10. by all which it may ſeeme Gods Covenant may faile.
Anſw. Men may be ſaid to be in Covenant with God two wayes; Firſt, In appearance, by viſible profeſſion; Secondly, According to truth; the former ſort profeſſe hope in the promiſe of life, but being hypocrites which never gave themſelves to the Lord in truth, they fall ſhort of the promiſe, and are deprived▪ Heb. 4. But thoſe which are truly in Covenant with God, having given up themſelves unto him in ſimplicity and truth to be his people, towards theſe Gods promiſe ſtands firme, never to be changed. There were in Iſrael a mixt people, ſome believed, ſome believed not, and yet they all did in ſhew accept the conditions of the Covenant, and profeſſed themſelves to be a people in Covenant with God: Thoſe of them which in truth believed, had the promiſe of God fully accompliſhed unto them; Thoſe that believed not, they enjoyed it not, becauſe of their unbeliefe; they were in truth none of the children of the Covenant, although they profeſſed it; and therefore no marvell they miſſed of the bleſſing promiſed: As in Exod. 32.32, 33. Some are ſaid to be blotted out of the book of life; not that thoſe which are written in it, are ever indeed blotted out; but becauſe ſome which ſeemed to have their names written therein, are at length declared and made manifeſt that they never were of thoſe that were written there; but were written in earth as Jeremy ſpeaks, Jer. 17.13. rather then in heaven; ſo it is here in the caſe in hand; God ſeemes to break his promiſe with ſome; but not with thoſe which are truly in Covenant with him; only he makes ſuch hypocrites as profeſſe and pretend hope of obtaining the promiſe, to ſee and feele that all their expectation is in vaine, when they finde themſelves diſappointed of the bleſſing they hoped for. The one ſort (namely, ſuch as truly believe) they enjoy the promiſe, following faith to the conſervation of the ſoule; the other ſort (namely ſeeming hypocrites, and formall profeſſors) deprive themſelves through unbeliefe; but the Covenant and promiſe of God ſtands firme and ſure, to all that lay hold on it by a true faith.
Ʋſe 1. This may ſhame us for our unbeliefe: When we heare of the great things of the Covenant, which God hath promiſed, we heare them as matters beyond beliefe; Thoſe that publiſh theſe things of our peace and ſalvation, may ſay with the Prophet, Lord, who hath believed our report? Eſay 53.1. We look at theſe things as things of which there is no certainty; we heare of them, but we believe them not: This is evident by our little ſeeking after them, our little minding of them, that we doe no more comfort our ſelves in the remembrance of them, and rejoyce in the hope of them: Theſe things are plaine evidences, that either we believe them not, or our faith concerning them is very ſmall. Fulneſſe of faith concerning theſe, would bring on fulneſſe of joy, to rejoyce under the hope of the glory of God, and would cauſe us to preſſe hard towards the mark, ſo running that we might obtaine; Let us ſhame our ſelves before the Lord for this our unbeliefe; ſhall he promiſe and not perform? ſhall he ſpeak to us and write to us, and ſweare to us, and ſeale to all with his own ſeale, and we not believe him? Let God be true, though every man be a lyar; conſider how by our unbeliefe we doe both caſt diſhonour upon the Lord, and weaken our own comfort, which we might be filled with through believing.
Vſe 2. Is the Covenant and promiſes of it ſo ſure? This then may miniſter a ground of ſtrong conſolation unto all ſuch as have given up themſelves unto God to be a people in Covenant with him: Let them know Gods Covenant is ſure, and cannot faile them; you that are ſuch, lift up your heads, comfort your hearts, ſtrengthen the weak hands, and feeble knees; Look upwards and rejoyce in the expectation of thoſe great things which are laid up for you: They are ſo great, that you can hardly believe them, yet they are ſure, as the promiſe, Covenant and Oath of a faithfull God can make them. When you ſee uncertainty and unſtability of all things, riches goe away, friends forſake, ſtrength failes; Let your ſtay and comfort be, that yet Gods Covenant failes not; the riches of the world may be conſumed, but his grace is an abiding ſubſtance; other friends may hide themſelves, and ſtand afarre off in the day of affliction, but the Lord will not forſake his people; and though ſtrength decay, and life be ready to depart yet he will be the ſtrength of our heart, and our portion for ever. Heaven and earth ſhall ſooner paſſe away, then on tittle of his Covenant ſhall fall.
Could we in our meditations dwell more upon the certainty of this Covenant, which is ſo perfect and ſure in all points, it would much help to uphold us in our greateſt failings. Sometimes things are ſo croſſe and contrary to that which God hath promiſed, that his promiſe ſeemes to be but winde, and vanity and lies: his word ſpeaks good to us, but his dealing is quite contrary: There are great words, but little done; we ſee little but ſinne and miſery, and corruption in our ſelves, with chaſtiſement and affliction from God, we enjoy not the bleſſing promiſed: It is with us, as it was with Gideon, when the Angel uttered thoſe comfortable words unto him, The Lord is with thee thou valiant man; Ah ſaith Gideon, Is the Lord with us? why then is all this evill come upon us? where are all his miracles our Fathers told us of? the Lord hath now forſaken us, Judges 6.13. So it was with David, he had the promiſe of the Kingdome made unto him by Samuel, who alſo anoynted him thereunto; but before he came to the poſſeſſion of it, he met with ſo many croſſe haps, and contrary events, that David began to think all Samuels words to be but lies; he concludes, All men are lyars, and Samuel himſelfe is no better. Thus it is with us, we meet with many ſad croſſes, and hard events, which ſeeme quite contrary to the promiſe of God; Theſe make us to feare and doubt of the promiſe, and not only to ſay with David, All men are lyars; but with Jeremy to ſay to God himſelfe, Be not thou as a lyar unto me, Jer. 15.18. As if all the promiſes of God were quaſht, and come to nought: But conſider, though your faith may be thus exerciſed for a ſeaſon, yet Gods promiſe is faithfull and ſure. Theſe are times in which God comes to us as he came to Abraham to prove him, God made Abraham a promiſe, that of his ſeed Chriſt ſhould come, in whom all Nations ſhould be bleſſed; this promiſe God never meant to reverſe; yet he will try Abrahams faith, he will ſee whether Abraham can believe this, and hold unto it, when a ſore ſhock and plunge comes which ſhall ſeeme quite to overturn and daſh all: Here therefore to try Abraham, God bids him goe and ſacrifice his Sonne; here reaſon ſaith to Abraham, this is againſt the promiſe, for if Iſaac be ſacrificed, how can the Meſſias come out of his ſeed? but Abraham believes though he cannot tell how; yet doubtleſſe God will fulfill his promiſe; and ſo he did: Thus God will try the faith of his ſervants; ſeeming to work clean contrary to his promiſe, yet not as intending to break it, but intending to try their faith, to ſee whether they can then believe the promiſe when all things make againſt it: In ſuch times our work is, to ſtirre up our faith, believing the firmneſſe and ſtability of the Covenant of God, aſſuring our ſelves, that heaven ſhall ſooner be confounded with earth, and turn into a Chaos again, the Sun ſhall ſooner be turned into darkneſſe, the fire ſhall ſooner ceaſe to burn, the mighty Rocks and Mountaines ſhall ſooner be thrown out of their places, then the promiſe of God ſhall faile, which is a ſure foundation which cannot bee removed: Whatſoever therefore the work of God ſeemes to pretend, yet judge of Gods intent by his promiſe, whatſoever falls out in the way, Gods intent, Gods end is to fulfill his Covenant, thats ſure; eye this end, and hold faſt to the concluſion which God makes in his promiſe, and though you cannot anſwer the argument which reaſon will frame out of thoſe things, which ſence ſuggeſts, yet hold the concluſion, Gods promiſe is ſure, his Covenant failes not, here reſt, and waite for it.
Helps hereunto.
1. Conſider that all Gods people that have gone before us, which doe now inherite the promiſes, and have them in poſſeſſion, have met with the ſame diſcouragements as we doe: They were tryed in their faith and patience before they came to enjoy the bleſſing, Heb. 6.11.12. &c and the ſame things are fulfilled in the reſt of our bretheren, which are now in the world, 1 Pet. 5. they have their ſhakings, doubts, and feares, as well as we. Be not therefore diſcouraged.
2. See that the promiſes of God be precious unto you; ſo have the children of God eſteemed them, as of great and precious things, 2 Pet. 1.4. they are pearls unto thoſe that are owners of them, Matth. 7.6. the more we prize them, the more may we aſſure our ſelves of our part in them; and that they ſhall be ſurely made good unto us.
3. Keep Chriſt neare unto us, for it is he in whom all the promiſes are unto us Yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1. Lay him therefore in our hearts; Let him lie between our breaſts, Cant. 1.12. Let him be to us the dearely beloved of our ſoule; make him our hope, as the Apoſtle calls him, 1 Tim. 1.1. even our hope of glory, Col. 1.27. Keep him near to us, and hope through him, and we ſhall not be diſappointed of our hope.
4. Laſtly, labour to keep in our ſelves a cleare ſight of thoſe graces that are expreſſed in the conditionall promiſes, they being the companions of the faith which ſaveth us; take heed of ſuffering them to be wounded and darkned in us, by worldlineſſe, wrath, impatiency, but keep them ſhining, and bright; the more evidently we can diſcern theſe, the more evidence we have of the bleſſing of the Covenant, and the more aſſurance of full poſſeſſion: Theſe graces are (as twere) our anoynting, by which we are anoynted before hand unto the Kingdome; Look to our anoynting then; If God have anoynted us by the oyle of his ſpirit, it is not for nothing that he hath done it: it is an aſſurance unto us, that it is his pleaſure to give us the Kingdome. David being anoynted by Samuel, got the Kingdome at laſt, though he went through many troubles firſt.
Ʋſe 3. This ſhould teach us all to preferre the things of Gods Covenant, being ſo ſure and certaine, before all the uncertaine vanities of this deceitfull world. What the Apoſtle ſpeaks of riches, calling them uncertaine riches, 1 Tim. 6. the ſame may be truly affirmed of all worldly things, honour, favour of men, &c. they are all uncertaine things; The hope of them is uncertaine, and many times proves vaine, as it did to Balaam, who had faire hopes before him of riſing to great honour, but all was quaſht in a moment, when he was ſlaine with the ſword, and ſent down to the ſides of the pit among the uncircumciſed.
And as is the hope, ſo is the poſſeſſion of them uncertaine alſo, as it was to Haman, who in the midſt of all his honour, ſtood but in a ſlippery place; for being in honour he continued not, but became like unto the beaſts that periſh. What is there of any certainty under the Sunne? The world (and all things in it) is not unfitly compared to a wheele, Ezek. 1. and 10. which is of various and uncertaine motion, now up, now down, now going, anon returning; there is nothing ſure in this world, but only what we hold by the ſure and faithfull Covenant of God; and therefore as Chriſt when he ſaw his Diſciples admiring the ſtately building of the Temple: Are theſe (ſaith he) the things yee look upon? ſo ſhould we ſay unto our ſelves: rebuking theſe our fooliſh hearts, when we ſee them taken with this worlds uncertaine vanities; Are theſe the things yee look for? yee walk in a ſhadow, and diſquiet you ſelves in vaine, ye graſpe at that which ye have no aſſurance to attaine, or if ye doe attaine, yet cannot long poſſeſſe; ſuch are all worldly things; But the things which God hath promiſed in his Covenant, are ſure, certaine, infallible, though the world be a lyar, yet God is faithfull and true, he cannot deny himſelfe; The holy Apoſtle did well diſcern this difference betwixt the things of God, and the things of this world; one of them he calls uncertaine, 1 Tim. 6. but ſpeaking of the other, I fight not as uncertaine, as one that beats the ayre, but as certaine to obtaine, 1 Cor. 9.26. Truly while a man contends for the things of this world, he doth but beat the ayre, as if a man ſhould ſpend his ſtrength in ſtriking great blows at an airie ſhadow, whiles his enemy in the meane time goes free away: But thoſe which runne for the crown which God hath promiſed, they ſhall in time finde that they have not run in vaine, neither have laboured in vaine, they ſhall finde a ſure reward, Prov. 11.18. We love not to loſe our labour; we think, better ſit ſtill, then labour for nothing. But this encourageth to ſtrive with our beſt ſtrength, when we have the prize in our eye, when we are ſure to obtaine: Here therefore, firſt by faith believe the truth of Gods promiſe, and then put on in practice, to ſeek after the things which God hath promiſed, looking at the glory and joy which is ſet before us, and then the ſure mercies of David will be our own mercies alſo, as Jonah ſpeaks, Jonah 2.8. and will be as ſure to us as to David or any of his ſeed: How ſure the Apoſtle eſteemed them, ſee 2 Tim. 4.8, 18. Take we heed then, leſt by following lying vanities, we forſake our owne mercies; that mercy and bleſſing I meane, which if we diligently ſeek after, ſhall ſurely be our own.
3. The third property of the Covenant is, that it is an everlaſting Covenant, Gen. 17.7. I will ſtabliſh my Covenant betwixt me and thee, to be an everlaſting Covenant; ſo alſo verſe 13. ſee alſo, Eſay 55.3. Ier. 32.40. Heb. 13.20.
This Covenant is ſaid to be everlaſting,
1. A parte antè, as being from everlaſting, in reſpect of the promiſe made to Chriſt for us, which was done before the foundation of the world, Tit. 1.2.
2. A parte poſt, as being to continue from everlaſting to everlaſting, as Moſes ſpeaks, Pſal. 9.2. though the Covenant in reſpect of our own perſonall entering into it, is made with us now in time, and hath a beginning: yet for continuance, it is everlaſting and without end: Its never to be broken, if once made in truth; men may ſeeme to be in Covenant with God, and yet (it being but ſeemingly, and not in truth) ſuch a Covenant may break, and come to an end, in which ſence the Iewes are ſaid to have broke the everlaſting Covenant, Eſay 24.5. But where we do truly give up our ſelves unto God, to be his people, and take him to bee our God, this Covenant is everlaſting, its never broken more.
It is not denyed but by reaſon of our unſtableneſſe of Spirit, we are apt to make many a breach on our part: And it is true alſo, that the Lord might have reſerved ſuch a liberty unto himſel…e, and a power of revocation, to diſanull the Covenant which he had made with us; But neither hath the Lord put in any ſuch clauſe of reſervation, nor doth he take advantage of our infirmity, but tells us that which we may truſt unto; namely, that his Covenant with us is for ever, and that from everlaſting to everlaſting he is our God: Hence is that in Gen. 17.…. God is ſaid to ſtabliſh his Covenant with us, as meaning to have it ſtand and continue for ever, and in Pſal. 89.28. its ſaid to ſtand faſt, and in 2 Chron. 13 5. its called a Covenant of ſalt, becauſe it corrupteth not, it faileth not; as things that are ſalted, uſe to laſt and continue; and hereof it is that all the bleſſings of the Covenant are ſaid to be everlaſting; forgiveneſſe of ſinnes is everlaſting, being once forgiven, they are never remembred any more, Ier. 31.33. The peace and joy which comes thereby, is everlaſting alſo, your peace ſhall no man take from you, Ioh. 16. and our joy is everlaſting, Eſay 35.10. our ſalvation is an everlaſting ſalvation, Eſay 45.17. our life is an everlaſting life, Ioh. 3.16. All the bleſſings of the Covenant are to continue, not only like Ioſephs bleſſing, to the end of the everlaſting hills, Gen. 49.26. but for ever and for ever. This new Covenant of grace, is like the new heavens, and new earth, which ſhall never wax old, nor vaniſh away, Eſay 66.22. Hence it is that baptiſme is but once adminiſtred, becauſe the Covenant is but once made, the promiſe of it being given once and for ever: The ſupper is often adminiſtred, becauſe of the many breaches on our part, and the manifold weakneſſes of our faith which we are ſubject unto, the Lord being pleaſed in that Sacrament to renue the ſeale of his Covenant towards us, for the ſetling of our faith, and the ſtabliſhing of us in the aſſurance of his grace, which hath been ſo often witneſſed to us, in the renuing of the Seale of the Covenant; but baptiſme being the Seale of our enterance into Covenant with God, is but once adminiſtred, becauſe the Covenant is but once made, and being once made ſtands faſt for ever. The Reaſons why this Covenant is everlaſting, are theſe,
Reaſ. 1. From Gods vnchangableneſſe, he is a God that changeth not, and therefore whom he loves once, he loves for ever, and to the end, Joh. 13. his gifts and calling by grace are without repentance, Rom. 11.29. his love is everlaſting, Jer. 31.3. his kindneſſe is everlaſting, Eſay 54.8. and his goodneſſe ſhall be everlaſting towards them that he takes in Covenant with him.
Object. If this reaſon hold that the Covenant of grace is therefore everlaſting, becauſe God is unchangeable, then by the ſame argument, the Covenant of works may be proved to be everlaſting alſo, ſo that that Covenant ſhould not have been broken.
Anſw. It followeth not, becauſe the Covenant of works (ſpeaking of the accompliſhment of it by man, with whom it was made) was not built upon Gods purpoſe within himſelfe, but was left to the liberty and will of man, either to fulfill it, or break it as himſelfe would; but the Covenant of grace is built upon Gods immutable purpoſe, which cannot change: The Apoſtle joynes theſe two together, purpoſe and Grace, 2 Tim. 1.9. to give us to underſtand, that all the wayes of his grace which he leads his people into (and therefore alſo this way of his Covenant) is according to his eternall purpoſe within himſelfe: Herein that firſt Covenant was not as this latter is, and therefore though the one was broken, yet the other cannot; Secondly, This may be added alſo, that that firſt Covenant (in reſpect of the ſubſtance of it) is unchangeable and everlaſting; and it is the unchangeableneſſe of it, which doth condemne all the Sonnes of Adam, and did bring Chriſt from heaven to fulfill it for thoſe which ſhould believe; Gods unchangeable juſtice, will not ſuffer any unjuſt perſon to live; in ſo much that either we muſt have Chriſt to fulfill the juſtice of that Covenant for us, or elſe for the breach of it we muſt periſh for ever: None but righteous ones ſaith juſtice, ſhall have life, the reward of righteouſneſſe: This juſtice in God is unalterable, and changeth not, and thus farre there is little or no difference between the one Covenant and the other, but both are alike; but here is the difference that in the Covenant of works, God promiſed life to Adam in caſe he obeyed, but did not promiſe to uphold him in a way of obedience, to the end that he might not miſſe of the life promiſed; Whereas in the Covenant of grace God doth not only promiſe life to thoſe that doe believe, but promiſeth that their faith ſhall not faile, and that he will keep them by faith unto ſalvation, and preſerve them to his heavenly Kingdome; The promiſes therefore of this Covenant are larger and better then of that other, this being made with none but with thoſe that the purpoſe of his grace doth reach unto: He makes this Covenant with his choſen, Pſal. 89.3. and with them only; It is revealed to many, but made up with few, even with thoſe that are veſſels of mercy prepared unto glory; thirdly, In the Covenant of works diſtinguiſh theſe two: Firſt, the terme, ſubſtance, or heads of the Covenant propounded and agreed upon betwixt God and man; ſecondly, The fulfilling or violation of it by man with whom it was made. The ſubſtance of the Covenant is one, the fulfilling of it is another; The ſubſtance of it (doe this and live) is not changed, though the fulfilling of it by Adam did faile, as well it might, becauſe God never promiſed him to cauſe him to fulfill it; but only to give him life in caſe he did work therein: But in the Covenant of Grace both theſe are promiſed, one as well as the other, the Lord not only promiſing life to thoſe that doe believe, but that he will uphold us in the faith unto the end: And hereupon it follows, that though in the Covenant of works, man failed in his duty, yet the Covenant on Gods part remaines inviolate; for if God give life upon obedience performed, or inflict death upon diſobedience, God doth in ſo doing performe this Covenant towards man, this being all that God promiſed in that Covenant; but in the Covenant of Grace there can be no totall breach on our part, ſo as to diſſolve the Covenant betwixt God and us, but it will import a failing of the Covenant on Gods part alſo, becauſe he hath promiſed us to keep us with him for ever, and gives this as the reaſon why his Covenant with us ſhall be everlaſting; namely, becauſe he will put his feare unto our hearts, ſo that we ſhall never depart away from him; ſo that if the Lord ſhould now ſuffer his Covenant-people wholly to depart, and to break Covenant with him; there muſt follow ſome change of minde in God, as having thoughts of love towards us, when he took us into Covenant with him, and of diſlike when he ſuffers us to depart from him; but there is no ſuch change in God, therefore this his Covenant with us is everlaſting.
Reaſ. 2. From the everlaſting mediation and interceſſion of Chriſt…, who for ever ſtands betwixt God and us to make up all breaches which might be made by our default: As he hath obtained an eternall redemption for us, Heb. 9.12. and hath brought in an everlaſting righteouſneſſe for us, Dan. 9.24. So doth he ſit at the right hand of the Father, and lives for ever to make eternall interceſſion for us, Rom. 8.34. And by this interceſſion of his, we continue for ever in favour with God, and the Covenant ſtands firme betwixt him and us; he mediates with the Father for us when he ſees him provoked by our ſin; he mediates with us alſo by his Spirit, bringing us back to God in a way of repentance, ſo renewing our Covenant towards him, and helping us to take new hold of his Covenant towards us; Chriſt is a Prieſt for ever, to be Mediator of an everlaſting Covenant.
Ʋſe 1. Here is a ſpring of everlaſting conſolation to thoſe that are in Covenant with God, this fountaine of comfort will never be dryed up; Let other things end or change as they will, yet God is ours in an everlaſting Covenant, never to be broken off; death may put an end to other Covenants betwixt man and man; but this Covenant betwixt God and us ſtands faſt for ever; Though Abraham be dead, yet God is Abrahams God ſtill, and by vertue of this Covenant betwixt God and him, Abraham ſhall be raiſed up, and live againe: This may ſtay the minds of weak ones, in time of deſertion, when they ſeem to be dead, liveleſſe, loſt, and caſt off, as if God would remember them no more; yet then conſider Gods Covenant is an everlaſting Covenant, ſo that if ever you gave up your ſelves to God by Covenant to be one of his, this Covenant ſhall continue and abide for ever. If ever you found your ſelves infolded in the bands of this Covenant, know for certaine the Lord will not looſe you, he will remember his Covenant and promiſe, and will return and love you again, and that with an everlaſting love; what he hath been unto you, the ſame he will be for ever and ever: You will ſay perhaps you have ſinned, and now he is angry with you for your ſin; ſuppoſe it be ſo, he may be angry with his deareſt ones, as he was with Moſes, Deut. 1.37. but he will not alwayes chide, Pſal. 103.9. nor will he caſt off for ever, Lament. 3.31. he will be pleaſed againe, and will love you with an everlaſting love, ſee Pſal. 89.28, 29. to 38. Here is a ground of everlaſting conſolation in this everlaſting Covenant.
Vſe 2. For exhortation: Firſt, Let this ſtirre us up for ever to magnifie that riches of mercy, which hath taken us into the bond of this everlaſting Covenant: There is no end of this mercy and goodneſſe: Oh that there might be endleſſe prayſes ſounding from us, with enlarged deſires to publiſh this grace ſhewed on us! If this Covenant had been for a little ſeaſon, it had been the leſſe mercy, but that we ſhould have the High God, to enter into an everlaſting Covenant, to be our God for ever; who can ſufficiently admire this goodneſſe? When God had made that large promiſe to David concerning his Houſe and Kingdom for ever (2 Sam. 7.16.) See how David was taken up with admiration, Lord (ſaith he) who am I, and what is my houſe, that thou haſt brought me hitherto; namely, to the Kingdom; And yet this was but a ſmal thing in thy ſight O Lord God, and therefore thou haſt ſpoken of thy ſervants houſe for a great while, verſ. 19. This enlargement of Gods love to Davids houſe for a great while, even to ſtabliſh it for ever; this enlarged Davids heart and mouth towards God, as not knowing how ſufficiently to ſet forth the praiſe of his goodneſſe: Truly ſuch is the mercy ſhewed us in making this Covenant with us, that if we might live unto eternity, we ſhould think we never had day enough, or time enough to magnifie this everlaſting mercy ſhewed on us.
2. Let it admoniſh us to be conſtant in our Covenants, and in all duties of love, according to what we have Covenanted, and promiſed; Its mentioned as one of the ſinnes of the Gentiles, that they were Covenant-breakers, Rom 1.30. Let it reſt with Gentiles, let it never be ſaid that it is the ſinne of thoſe that profeſſe themſelves the children of an everlaſting Covenant.
3. Let all thoſe that are as yet without, and have no part in this Covenant of God; Let them ſeek to partake in it, come within the bond of it; it brings an everlaſting bleſſing, which failes not. In the things of the world, the more continuance any thing is of the more eſteem it is of; Inheritances are preferred before leaſes, &c. All the things of the world are but temporal, the things of God which he paſſeth over to his by his Covenant are eternal, … Cor. 4.1. the things which are temporal pleaſe us ſo long as they laſt, but when they are paſt, the comfort of them is vaniſhed with them, and many times it irkes us that we had them, and now have them not; but the things of this Covenant are everlaſting; if we be once poſſeſſed of them, we ſhall never grieve for the loſſe of them, they ſhall never be taken away, becauſe they are given to us by an everlaſting Covenant. Come off therefore from the dying and periſhing things of the world, and ſeek the things of this everlaſting Covenant; in them is continuance, and we ſhall be ſaved, Eſay 64.
4. The fourth property is that it is a holy Covenant, Deut. 19.24. Luke 1.72. And it is ſo called an holy Covenant in theſe reſpects.
1. In reſpect of the parties contracting, and entering Covenant one with another, which are the holy God and his holy Saints: Firſt, the holy God, that God to whom the Seraphins cry, Holy, Holy, Holy, Eſay 6. he is one party that is confederate in this Covenant: Secondly, his holy Saints are the other party in it, Pſal. 50.5. For God doth not take the wicked by the hand as Job ſpeaks, Iob 8.20. to enter into Covenant with them; He doth not allow them ſo much as to take his Covenant into their mouths, Pſal. 50.17. He is the God of the juſt, of the righteous and holy people, he is the King of Saints, Apoc. 15. he will have no fellowſhip with the wicked.
2. In regard of the parts of the Covenant, whether we look at the promiſe on Gods part, or at the condition on our part: Firſt, the promiſe on Gods part, is holy, Pſal. 105.42. he remembers his holy promiſe, he hath ſpoken it in his holineſſe, Pſal. 60.6. And the ſubſtance of his promiſe is holineſſe, which he hath promiſed to work in the ſoules of his people, he hath promiſed to ſanctifie us, to take away the ſtony heart, to poure clean water upon us, to cleanſe us from all our filthineſſe, and to make us holy, Ezek. 36.25, 26. Zach. 3.3.4. Secondly, the condition on our part which i… faith, by which we lay hold of the Covenant, is holy alſo, therefore called by the Apoſtle holy faith, Iude 20. It is a moſt holy grace of the Spirit, purifying both heart and hand, not daring to touch or lay hold of the Covenant with unwaſhen hands.
3. In reſpect of the Commandement, it commands holineſſe, Be ye holy, ſaith the Lord, for I the Lord your God am holy, Levit. 11.44. & 19.2. & 20.7. and therefore it is that Gods calling is termed an holy calling, 2 Tim. 1.9. and we called unto holineſſe, 1 Theſ. 4.7. and when God takes us into Covenant with him, he chargeth us henceforth to touch no unclean thing, 2 Cor. 6.17.
4. In regard of the effect, it works holineſſe in thoſe that are called; It worketh effectually that which it promiſeth and commandeth, The promiſes of the Covenant have a ſanctifying vertue in them, to ſanctifie thoſe to whom they are made, for God by them conveyes the Spirit of holineſſe into our hearts, as the Apoſtle implyes, in 2 Pet. 1.4. and we are thereby encouraged and quickned to grow up …n all holineſſe according to the will of God, as is evident by that in 2 Cor. 7.1. compared with chap. 6. end, where God having made that ſweet promiſe, Come out from among them, and touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you, and ye ſhall be my ſons and daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty; from hence the Apoſtle inferres, Having then ſuch promiſes, let us cleanſe our ſelves from all filthineſſe of fleſh and ſpirit, and grow up unto full holineſſe in his feare, &c. And in regard of this effect of the Covenant thus working holineſſe in thoſe that are the people of God, they are called the holy people, Dan. 12.7. and the people of Gods holineſſe, Eſay 63.18. So in all theſe reſpects the Covenant may well be called an holy Covenant.
And it muſt needs be an holy Covenant: Firſt, becauſe the Lord himſelfe is the author and ordainer of this Covenant; the ſumme and ſubſtance of it was framed and ſet down in heaven, in the counſels of eternity, comming forth from the boſome of the Father, and concluded by the aſſent of the Sonne and holy Ghoſt: All the articles of it were firſt decreed and concluded there; and therefore muſt needs be holy: If they had been deviſed by men, they would have been of an other quality, ſavouring of the ſinfull and licentious ſpirit that is in man; but being a Covenant of the Lords own drawing, he ſetting down all the articles and conditions of it, it muſt needs be as himſelfe is, an holy Covenant proceeding from ſo pure and holy a God: hence it is that in Pſal. 60.6. he hath ſpoken (the words of his Covenant) in his holineſſe: Look as grace and holineſſe are united together in God, ſo they are in his Covenant; God can no more ceaſe to be holy, then he can to be gracious: he is both gracious and holy, ſo that his Covenant of Grace is alſo an holy Covenant, as proceeding from him which is both gracious and holy.
2. Becauſe the end of this Covenant, is to make us partakers of all the holy things of God, from which all unholy and uncleane ones are excluded, Levit. 12.2, 3, 6. Pſal. 50.16. but thoſe that are ſanctified enjoy them, and uſe them as their own; they are their portion, their inheritance, Deut. 33. their pearles, Matth. 7.6. The Lord would have all his Ordinances to be uſed holily, he cannot abide to have them prophaned, and therefore it is that in Ezra 6.21. none but ſuch as were ſeparate from their uncleaneſſe might eat of the holy things; and therefore the Lord will have his people to be an holy people, that they may participate in all his holy things.
Nay more, we are called not only to participation of theſe holy things of God, but to fellowſhip with God himſelfe, 1 Ioh. 1.3. The Lord ſaith unto them, ye are my people; and they ſay unto him, thou art our God, Zach. 13. ult. But without holineſſe no man can have fellowſhip with God, and therefore they muſt be an holy people that are taken into Covenant with God, to enjoy followſhip and communion with him.
Queſt. But wherein ſtands that holineſſe which the Covenant requires of all Gods covenanted people?
Anſw. There is a twofold holineſſe, 1. Relative, 2. Poſitive.
Firſt, Relative in two things:
1. In ſeparation from common uſe.
2. In dedication to God.
1. There muſt be a ſeparation from common uſe; in this ſence things holy, are called ſeparate things, Deut. 19 2. Things common in Scripture are oppoſed to holy, to ſhew that holy things muſt be ſeparate from common uſe: Hence Solomon ſpeaking of Gods taking Iſrael to be his own, he uſeth that expreſſion, Thou haſt ſeparated them unto thy ſelfe, from all the people of the earth, &c. and thence was that exhortation of Ezra, Separate your ſelves from the people of the lands, Ezrah 10.11. and that of the Apoſtle, Come out from among them, and ſeparate your ſelves, 2 Cor. 6.17. If then we will be holy, we muſt be ſeparate from the common converſation of the world, having no fellowſhip with the works thereof.
2. There muſt be a dedication and devoting our ſelves unto God, we muſt be offered up and given unto him; Thus the holy dayes were dedicated unto the ſervice of God, they were not only ſeparated from common and ordinary uſe, but were dedicated to the Lords ſervice; thus were the firſt fruits called holy, and thence the holy things, and the dedicated things, are taken for one and the ſame, 1 Kings 15.15. as the Altar, Numb. 7. end, the Temple, 1 King. 8.63. and thus muſt we be dedicate or given to the Lord, as is ſaid of the Macedonians, that they gave themſelves to the Lord, 2 Cor. 8. we muſt reſign up our ſelves unto him, to be his and for him alone.
Secondly, Poſitive, and this is alſo twofold
Habituall,
Actuall.
1. Habituall, qualifying and fitting us by graces infuſed for the ſervice of God, which we are devoted unto; as all the things that were appointed for the ſervice of God, were anoynted with the holy oyl, Exod. 30.26, 27. ſo muſt we be anoynted with the ſweet oyntments which are the graces of the ſpirit, 2 Cor. 1.21. 1 Ioh. 2.27. The oyntment of the holy Ghoſt which was poured upon the head of Chriſt, Acts 10.38. muſt run down upon us, that the ſavour of his oyntment may be found upon us, Cant. 1. we muſt be ſanctified throughout, in ſoule, in body, and in ſpirit, 1 Theſ. 5.23.
2. Actuall, its not enough to have grace in us, but there muſt be an holy uſe and exerciſe of thoſe graces that are in us; they are not given to us to be idle, or that we ſhould be ſlothfull in the poſſeſſing of them, but that we ſhould put them forth in our practice, ſo as to be fruitfull in the improvement of them, 2 Pet. 1.8. and thence it is that the Apoſtle ſpeaking of the holineſſe which the Lord requires to be in his people; he doth not only require a holineſſe of diſpoſition by inherent graces, but that we ſhould be holy in all manner of converſation, 1 Pet. 1.15, 16. and for this cauſe the way of Saints is called holy, Eſay 35.8. they are ſanctified, not only in their veſſels, as 1 Sam. 21. but their way is holy alſo, and they are ſaid to be undefiled in their way, Pſal 11 9. where the ſoule is ſanctified by the ſpirit of Chriſt, the life will be holy and ſanctified alſo: Now this holineſſe of converſation muſt be ſhewed: firſt, in duties of Religion, which are acts properly holy; holineſſe of diſpoſition, will as naturally put a Chriſtian upon duties of holineſſe, prayer, meditation, and other ſpirituall exerciſes, as a ſinfull diſpoſition doth put us upon acts that are ſinfull: Holineſſe will make us minde the things that are holy, and to exerciſe our ſelves in them in a holy manner, with holy reverence, holy ſeare, holy deſires of enjoying the Lord in them, with holy rejoycing in his preſence, and an holy zeale for his glory: And though holineſſe begins here, yet it doth not end here; therefore, ſecondly, holineſſe planted in the heart will cauſe holineſſe to ſhine forth in our actions of common life, ſo that though the things we deale in be but outward and civill; yet our manner of dealing in them, ſhall be ſpirituall and holy: As thoſe that are unholy, doe by an unholy uſe of them pollute unto themſelves the holy things of God, which they take in hand, they dealing in thoſe holy things in an ordinary and common manner; ſo contrariwiſe, whom God hath ſanctified, they doe ſanctifie to themſelves the common and ordinary actions of this life, by uſing them not in an ordinary prophane manner, but holily; to the one the things that are holy, become as if they were prophane, to the other the prophane and common, as if they were holy; If we eat, holineſſe cauſeth us to eat as before God, and to eat for God, Exod. 18.12. Zach. 7.5, 6. Rom. 14.6. 1 Cor. 10.31. If we exerciſe our ſelves in our calling, holineſſe directs a Chriſtian to referre it to the glory of God. The man of warre hath holineſſe written upon his horſe bridles, Zach. 14.20. he goes to warre before the Lord, Numb. 31.6. and fights the battels of the Lord, as fighting not for men but for God, 2 Sam. 25.28. when he handles the ſword, he conſecrates his hand unto the Lord, Exod. 32.29. and therein doth the work of the Lord of Hoſts, Jer. 48.10. The Merchant (in time of peace) turns his merchandizing to be holineſſe to the Lord, that there may be ſufficient for them that miniſter before the Lord, to eat ſufficiently, and to have durable cloathing, Eſay 23.18. Every one in their ſeverall places and callings, walking holily before the Lord; ſo that whether the things they deale about, be holy, or common; yet thoſe which are holy, muſt and do walk holily in both; the inward holineſſe of the inward man, manifeſting it ſelfe in all our outward converſation, whether towards God in the things of God, or towards men in the things wherein we have to deale with men.
Ʋſe 1. This lets us ſee the true cauſe whence it is that ſo few among the multitudes of men that are in the world, are willing to embrace this Covenant, which the Lord offers to enter into with men; It might juſtly be wondred at, that (it containing ſuch admirable and high priviledges as it doth) it ſhould not draw all men unto it, that they might enjoy the benefit of it. But here is the reaſon of it; It is a holy Covenant, though it offer much grace, yet it hath this property, it is holy, and requireth holineſſe in all thoſe that claime any part in it, and this makes men to withdraw themſelves from it, becauſe it calls for holineſſe in all that look to live by it; They are fleſhly, carnall, prophane, unholy, loathing the way of holineſſe, and therefore they forſake the holy Covenant, Dan. 11.30. They like well to heare of the offers and bleſſings of the Covenant which it brings, and the ſalvation which it promiſeth; But when it comes to require holineſſe of them that lay hold on it, telling them that they muſt be holy as God is holy; this makes all to be unto them of a deadly favour, and proves to be unto them a ſtumbling ſtone, at which they fall to their eternall ruine; This is that which makes the breach betwixt God and man; men would willingly have God reconciled unto them, But this holineſſe of the Covenant they cannot ſubmit unto; the prophane heart of man is not ſubject to this law of holineſſe, nor indeed can be; That one clauſe of the Covenant (Touch no unclean thing) is the barre which cannot be broken through, which keeps the diſtance and maintaines the enmity betwixt him and them.
Ʋſe. 2. To teach us hereby to try our ſelves, whether we be in Covenant with God or no, and have any ſhare in the grace and bleſſing of the Covenant; If we partake in the holineſſe of it, then doe we alſo partake of the grace and bleſſing; The way, and end, muſt not be ſeparated; the holineſſe of the Covenant is the way, eternall life is the end; we muſt have our way in holineſſe, that our end may be eternall life, Rom. 6.21. Let ſuch then as are pure and undefiled in their way, let them rejoyce in their portion; all the bleſſings of the Covenant are theirs; God is yours, life is yours, heaven is yours; It is your Fathers pleaſure to give you a Kingdome, feare not though you ſuffer affliction here for a ſeaſon; yet having the anoynting, the holy oyle being already poured upon you, you are in the way, and have a pleadge of the everlaſting inheritance: But as for all ſuch as are unholy, unſanctified, they may take Gods Covenant in their mouth, and may hope for the life and bleſſing which it promiſeth; but all their naming of it, will ſtand them in no more ſtead, then did their naming of Chriſt, who had their mouthes full of Lord, Lord, but being workers of iniquity, were bidden to depart from him, Matth. 7.22. It is ſtrange that any ſuch ſhould flatter themſelves with hope, as looking to enjoy the bleſſing of the Covenant, neglecting the way of it, which is holy; that men ſhould promiſe themſelves peace, whiles they walk after the wicked imaginations of their own heart, ſeeing God never made Covenant with any to bring any unto life, but only in a way of holineſſe; carnall Libertines miſtake the nature of this Covenant, and doe indeed take hold on the Devils covenant inſtead of Gods, as if Gods Covenant were thus, that he would forgive us our ſins and ſave us, and yet ſuffer us to walk in our own wayes, fulfilling the will of the fleſh and of the minde; as if he that had been unjuſt might be unjuſt ſtill, and he that had been unholy might be unholy ſtill, and yet might hope for that undefiled inheritance of the Saints; This had been a pleaſ…ng Covenant unto fleſh and bloud, but this is the Devils covenant not Gods: That article (you ſhall be ſaved and yet live in your ſinnes) is foyſted in by that falſe deceiver the Devill, who hath thus interlined and falſified and changed the Covenant of God, thereby to deceive the wicked and ungodly of the world, making that which ſounds forth nothing but holineſſe, to ſeeme a carnall and looſe covenant, nouriſhing men up in all impurity; but this falſifying God will not own, he knowes the terms of his own Covenant, and will hold to that which his own hand hath written; he will acknowledge none of Sathans forgeries, his Covenant is holy, and either we muſt take the Covenant as Gods offers it or we can never partake o… the bleſſing of it. Try we our ſelves therefore by the Spirit of holineſſe, and therby judge of our intereſt in the bleſſing of life which the Covenant promiſeth.
Signes. 1. True holineſſe is conformable to the firſt pattern of holineſſe, which is the Lord himſelfe, as it is written, Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God am holy; True holineſſe ſtands not in conformity with this world, nor doth it reſt in imitating the beſt examples that be in the world, but makes us ſtrive to a conformity with God, to be even as he is in this world, 1 Ioh. 4. following the Lord till we come to be partakers of his own holineſſe, Heb. 12.
2. True holineſſe towards God, is ever accompanied with righteouſneſſe towards men; Its but hypocriticall holineſſe which is not attended with righteouſneſſe: The new man which is created after God, is ſaid to be created in righteouſneſs and true holineſſe, or holineſſe of truth: There is a true holineſſe, and there is a falſe, lying and deſſembling holineſſe; how is the one diſcerned from the other; holineſſe of truth hath righteouſneſſe going with it, but falſe holineſſe thinks it enough to ſeeme holy towards God, neglecting duties of juſtice and righteouſneſſe towards men: It was not ſo with the holy Apoſtle, who ſpeaking of his own converſation among the Saints, appeales to their conſciences, how holily, how juſtly, how unblameably he had his converſation among them, 1 Theſ. 2.10. theſe two which God hath ſo joyned together, we muſt not put aſunder, if we will approve our ſelves to have attained that holineſſe of truth.
3. True holineſſe works for holy ends; the glory of God, Pet. 4.11. the credit of the Goſpel, Tit. 2.10. and the ſalvation of men, 1 Cor. 10. ult. It abhors thoſe Phariſaicall ends of hypocrites, mentioned in Matth. 6.
4. There is in a ſanctified Chriſtian, both light and life; light in his minde, life in his will and affection: The light which is in him, makes him to ſee both the loathſomneſſe of ſin and the excellency of grace; and the life that is in him, makes him to feel the burthen of his own corruptions, and to long after the grace which is ſtill wanting in him, ſo that true holineſſe makes us weary of the body of corruption that is in us, groaning under it as under a miſery not to be endured, as Paul did, Rom. 7.24. and makes us thirſt after more grace, that we might be enabled in every thing to pleaſe God, Pſal. 119.5. Painted holineſſe puffes up with conceit of our own goodneſſe, as Eſay 65.5. but true holineſſe humbles us by reaſon of the ſight and ſence we have of the corruption that is in us. More ſuch ſigns might be added, but I haſten to an end; By theſe try we our ſelves, and ſee thereby what part we have in the bleſſing of the Covenant.
Vſe 3. To ſtirre up all that have taken hold of this Covenant, and doe profeſſe themſelves to be a people in Covenant with God; Let them labour to expreſſe this holineſſe in their lives and wayes, that they may thereby approve themſelves to be faithfull in their Covenant with God; can two walk together, except they be agreed? Amos 3.3. certainly unleſſe we agree to walk in holineſſe with our God, we cannot long walk together nor hold Covenant one with another; let us then ſtrive to be a holy people unto the Lord our God, ſeparate from the pollution of the world, devoted to his ſervice and honour.
Motives 1. This is Gods end in taking us into Covenant with him, that he might be glorified, Eſay 43.21. & 44.23. In 1 Pet. 2.9. the Apoſtle tells us we are for this end taken to be a peculiar people unto God, that we might ſhew forth the vertues of him that hath called us out of darkneſſe into his marvellous light; he took us to himſelfe, when he ſaw us polluted in our bloud, Ezek. 16. yet then he cloathed us with the beauty of his own vertues, that his name may be glorified in us; but without holineſſe we pollute Gods name and make it vile, we honour it not, Ezek. 36.…0.
2. Sanctity and holineſſe is the beauty and glory of any people, by which they excell all other people of the world, Deut. 26. ult. In Exod. 15.11. God himſelfe is ſaid to be glorious in holineſſe; and the ſame is the Churches glory too, which is then glorious when it is holy and without blame, Epheſ. 5.27. we cannot honour our ſelves more then by growing up in true holineſſe, nor can we make our ſelves vile any way ſo much as by ſinful impiety, Pſal. 15.4.
3. Our holineſſe is that which muſt teſtifie to the world, and to our own conſciences, that we are indeed the people of God, as Chriſt by the Spirit of holineſſe, raiſing him up from the dead, wa… declared to be the Sonne of God; ſo we are declared to be Gods ſaved ones by the ſame ſpirit of holineſſe, raiſing us up, and quickning us unto newneſſe of life: This is Chriſts mark which he ſets upon all his redeemed ones, they are holy; This is written in their foreheads, Holineſſe to the Lord; and therefore they are ſaid to be ſealed with the holy ſpirit of promiſe, Eph. 1.13. as men ſet on their ſeales to note their propriety in that thing that is ſealed; If then we will know or have the world to know that we are God's, we muſt be ſealed with the ſpirit of holineſſe.
4. Holineſſe is the perfection of our Chriſtian ſtate; this is that which we wiſh for, even your perfection ſaith the Apoſtle, 2 Cor. 13.9. and what perfection is that? even the ſame that he mentions, Chap 7.1. that they might perfect their holineſſe in the feare o… God: This was mans perfection in the beginning, and the ſame ſhall be our perfection in heaven, Heb. 12.23. Holineſſe adds perfection to all other gifts, and without this, they are all of no worth; Wiſdome without holineſſe, is but fox-like craftineſſe; courage without holineſſe, is but lyon-like cruelty; humbleneſſe without holineſſe, is but baſeneſſe of ſpirit; juſtneſſe in dealing without holineſſe, is but heatheniſh harmleſneſſe; but let holineſs be added to each of theſe, and then are they perfect as a colour of a perfect die.
5. Holineſſe makes us live the life of God, which all other unſanctified ones are ſtrangers from, Epheſ. 4. by holineſſe the life of Chriſt is manifeſt to be in us, 2 Cor. 4. ſo that we may ſay that now we live not our ſelves, but Chriſt liveth in us, Gal. 2.20. wickedneſſe makes a man live the life of Devils, holineſſe conformes us to the life of Chriſt.
6. All thoſe that are in Covenant with God, are a people neare unto him, and being neare unto him, he will be ſanctified in them, Levit. 10.3. but without holineſſe we pollute his name, Ezek. 36. it is not ſanctified in us.
7. The ſeaſons and times we live in call for holineſſe; theſe are dayes of grace, wherein we enjoy all the holy things of God more aboundantly then in former times, to the end that we might abound in all the holy graces of the ſpirit; The Lord gives us his holy ordinances, that we might be ſanctified by them, being changed into the ſimilitude of the ſame holineſs. This argument the Apoſtle uſeth, Rom. 13.11. And this reaſon ſhould move us the more, becauſe the greater the light is in which we live, the more evident are the blots and blemiſhes which are in us; moats in the Sun-beame being more conſpicuous then beames are in the dark; therefore as the dayes we live in be dayes of light, ſo let us walk as children of light, ſhining forth as lights in the midſt of a perverſe and corrupt generation, Phil. 2.
8. Conſider a time of ſeparation muſt come, wherein the Lord Jeſus will divide and ſeparate the holy from the unholy, as a ſhepheard ſeparates the ſheep from the goats, Matth. 25. …t will be good to be found among the Saints at that day, and to ſtand in the aſſembly of the righteous. Wo then unto all thoſe that are ſecluded from them, to all thoſe that muſt ſtand without, and be amongſt dogges and Devils, having no fellowſhip with Chriſt, nor with his Saints; Its good therefore to be holy; it will be found ſo then; wo unto the prophane and ungodly at that day.
And for our ſelves here, the people of New-England, we ſhould in a ſpeciall manner labour to ſhine forth in holineſſe above other people; we have that plenty and aboundance of ordinances and meanes of grace as few people enjoy the like; we are as a City ſet upon an hill, in the open view of all the earth, the eyes of the world are upon us, becauſe we profeſſe our ſelves to be a people in Covenant with God, and therefore not only the Lord our God, with whom we have made Covenant, but heaven and earth, Angels and men, that are witneſſes of our profeſſion, will cry ſhame upon us, if wee walke contrary to the Covenant which wee have profeſſed and promiſed to walk in; If we open the mouthes of men againſt our profeſſion, by reaſon of the ſcandallouſnes of our lives, we (of all men) ſhall have the greater ſinne.
To conclude, Let us ſtudy ſo to walk, that this may be our excellency and dignity among the Nations of the world, among which we live: That they may be conſtrained to ſay of us, only this people is wiſe, an holy and bleſſed people; that all that ſee us, may ſee and know that the name of the Lord is called upon us; and that we are the ſeed which the Lord hath bleſſed, Deut. 28.10. Eſay 61.9. There is no people but will ſtrive to excell in ſome thing; what can we excell in, if not in holineſſe? If we look to number, we are the feweſt; If to ſtrength, we are the weakeſt; If to wealth and riches, we are the pooreſt of all the people of God through the whole world, we can not excell (nor ſo much as equall) other people in theſe things; and if we come ſhort in grace and holineſſe too, we are the moſt deſpicable people under heaven; our worldly dignitie is gone, if we loſe the glory of grace too, then is the glory wholly departed from our Iſrael, and we are become vile; ſtrive we therefore herein to excell, and ſuffer not this crown to be taken away from us: Be we an holy people, ſo ſhall we be honourable before God, and precious in the eyes of his Saints.
And thus alſo of the properties of the Covenant.
Now the God of peace, that brought againe the Lord Ieſus, the great ſhepheard of the ſheep, through the blood of the everlaſting Covenant, make us perfect in all good works to doe his will; working in us that which is pleaſing in his ſight, through Ieſus Chriſt, to whom be prayſe for ever and ever, Amen.
FINIS.