Gods Love to Man and Mans Duty Towards God, Part 2
OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE.
Part II.
2 Sam. 23.5.
Although my Houſe be not ſo with God; yet he hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant ordered in all things and ſure, for this is all my Salvation and all my deſire, although he make it not to grow.
I Come now (according to my promiſe) to give you an account of my Apprehenſions, Introduction.concerning the Covenant of Grace. An excellent ſubject, yet attended with difficulties. Some things I confeſs would diſcourage me from adventuring on it, and particularly the variety of apprehenſions, and the multitude o… controverſies concerning it. But that the nobleneſ… and neceſſity of the Doctrine of the Covenant o… Grace, together with the great danger of Men… miſtaking, and the dreadful conſequence of many miſtakes (too common about it) do on the othe… hand preſs and engage me to it.
Indeed I cannot expect to find you all concurring in the ſame apprehenſions with me; yet ſure I am in the main we muſt agree, and hold together here, or the error will be very groſs and dangerous.
As for any points more diſputable (I am not o… an impoſing ſpirit) I ſhall not deſire your aſſent o… giving Sentence with me, beyond the merits of the cauſe, and ſtrength of the proof you ſhall ſee produced. Touching what hath been delivered concerning the Covenant of Works; (that firſt Covenant God made with Man) this is the ſum, viz. That God having made Man, had a right to rule and command him; and might only have enforced his commands with threatning of ſevereſt penalties. Yet to ſhew forth his infinite Goodneſs, as well as his Soveraign Greatneſs, to his Laws he annexed a free and large promiſe of endleſs life and happineſs. Now Man being created a reaſonable and innocent creature, could not but conſent to the terms God propounded. Thus God promiſed life and happineſs to Man upon condition of perfect obedience, and Man engaged to obey God in all things.
Adam notwithſtanding ſoon tranſgreſſed God's Command, violated his Covenant, utterly diſabled himſelf from performing that obedience the firſt Covenant required, and ſo deprived himſelf of all right and title to that happineſs there promiſed. Laſtly, Adam, being the root of Mankind, and having by his ſinful fall corrupted his Nature, and begetting Children like himſelf, unclean, fleſhly, corrupt, and guilty before God, it became utterly impoſſible that any of his poſterity ſhould attain to happineſs by the Covenant of Works. Thus in diſcourſing of the Covenant of Works I have ſhewed you.
1. What was Man's eſtate by Creation, viz. holy and happy.
2. What it was by the Fall, viz. Sinful and miſerable.
Now 3. I am coming to ſhew, what it may be by Grace, in and through Jeſus Chriſt.
This is declared and made known in the Covenant of Grace.
Thus the Covenant of Grace is our laſt and beſt refuge. It is like a plank after a Shipwrack, or like a fair haven in a ſtorm.
Sinners, who are expoſed to all wo and wrath by the breach of the Covenant of Works, may find ſhelter; yet in and under the Covenant of Grace. Sinners, whom a deluge of miſeries doth threaten to overwhelm, may yet be ſafe and happy, getting into this Ark.
The Goſpel holds forth a pardon to ſinners ſentenced and condemned by the Law. If we look into the Covenant of Works, there we ſhall only ſee matter of terrour and ground of deſpair: but coming to the Covenant of Grace, here we may find opened a Door of hope. Hither muſt we come, here muſt we reſt, as ever we would be happy, of which we ſhould every one ſay as holy David here, This is all my ſalvation, and all my deſire.
Theſe are the laſt words of David, Verſe 1. viz. That David ſpake as being divinely inſpired. The laſt words of a dying man are oft worthy o… a ſpeciall remark: how much more are the laſt words of a dying Prophet to be regarded!
When perſons are ready to faint away, then they would call for their ſtrong waters, or make uſe o… the beſt Cordial they had. Gods gracious promiſe and Covenant was the choiceſt Cordial to this holy man of God; he deſired no other. Here he had ſtrong conſolation, whether his troubles aroſe from within, or from without; ſtill he could fetch in relief and comfort from this Covenant. Although my houſe be not ſo with God] q. d. Though I and mine are not ſo as we ſhould be, ſo exact and even in our walking before God, ſo ſtedfaſt in his Covenant; yet he abideth faithful, though I am too inconſtant. He hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant. Though I cannot but ſee ſad diſorders both in my ſelf and others, both at home and abroad, yet his Covenant is well ordered in all things. Though I am ſubject to change, though my outward condition be oft changing, though I be at great uncertainty in reſpect of any worldly proſperity; yet God's Covenant with me that is ſure, and there are ſure mercies (Iſa. 55.3.) contained in it. I can be ſatisfied with that proviſion the Lord hath made for me in this his Covenant, however things go with me and mine here in the world. Though my houſe here ſhould not grow and flouriſh; yet I can chear up my heart with the thoughts and hopes of thoſe better things, God hath promiſed in his Covenant. O this is all my Salvation, and all my deſire. This by way of Preface.
Now in ſpeaking of the Covenant of Grace, the ſaving Covenant, the everlaſting Covenant, the better to open the nature, tenor, and uſe of it, I ſhall take the ſame liberty I did before, in ſetting forth the Covenant of works, viz. lay down ſuch …ropoſitions, as ſeem to be eſpecially needful, and …hat as plainly and diſtinctly as the Lord ſhall enable …ne, to clear your apprehenſions concerning this …veighty and excellent ſubject.