A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace, Sermon · Part 1-50

A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace · Sermon · Part 1-50

p. 1THis bleſſed ſervant of God, Steven, being called to account concerning what he had ſaid touching Jeſus Chriſt his deſtroying the Temple, it is the ſcope of his whole Diſcourſe throughout this Chapter, to juſtifie the Doctrine that he had taught; that though he had taught Jeſus of Nazareth ſhould deſtroy that place, yet in ſo teaching, he taught no Blaſphemy: And this he doth in an Hiſtorical Narration make clear and evident:

1. From the ſweet Communion which their Fathers had with God before either Temple p. 2or Tabernacle was built: and if ſo, then he would not have them look at it as unſafe for them, or as an utter ruine to Religion, if that both the Temple and the Ordinances of the Temple were deſtroyed in themſelves, and fulfilled in Him. Three paſſages of Abrahams communion with God, Steven doth relate and maintain that he had them before any of Moſes his Cuſtomes were known.

1. God did effectually call him; which call he did alſo obey, (2, 3, 4. ver.) though as yet he knew no Circumciſion.

2. God giveth him a trial of his Faith, wherein he found Abraham faithful, 5, 6, 7. verſes. God promiſed to give him the land of Canaan for a Poſſeſſion, but he gave him not a foots breadth. He promiſed to give it unto his Seed, when as yet he had no childe: and when God gave him Seed, yet they ſhould ſojourn in a ſtrange Land, and be in Bondage four hundred years.

3. God gave him the Covenant of Circumciſion, in the words of the Text. And Abraham in the ſtrength of the Bleſſing of God begat Iſaac, and circumciſed him according to Gods direction; and all this before Moſes gave any Ordinances unto them to keep; and before either Temple, or Tabernacle was built. From hence we have heard, that the ſoul may have very ſpiritual and gracious communion with God, before it partake in any ſeal of Church-fellowſhip. For Abrahams Faith was throughly tryed before he had the Seal of Church-Covenant given him. We heard alſo this propounded, which is the words of p. 3the Text, that God gave unto Abraham the Covenant of Circumciſion: which Doctrine doth imply in it four principal parts, all of them ſerving to clear Stevens meaning.

1. The Author and manner of diſpenſing it: God gave, ſo it was by Gift.

2. The Articles of it; and they are to be inquired into.

3. The Confederates, and they are expreſſed; God on the one ſide, and Abraham and his Seed on the other ſide.

4. The Seal of it, Circumciſion, which was alſo the Seal of Church-Covenant. Theſe four parts do yeeld ſo many Notes; the firſt of them was ſpoken unto in the laſt point formerly handled. Now for the ſecond and third parts, (to wit, the Articles of the Covenant, and the Confederates) we comprehend them both in this one Note.

That in the Covenant which God made with Abraham, Doct. God gave himſelf to be a God to Abraham, and to his Seed; and received Abraham and his Seed to be a People unto himſelf; and the chiefeſt of this ſeed, the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, he took to be the Mediator, or Surety of this Covenant between them both. This is the ſum of the Articles, and of the Confederates: what the Articles be, is not here mentioned; but Gen. 17.7. they be, (for to ſpeak of Circumciſion before the Covenant, it is but a ſeal to a blank) where the Lord expreſſeth himſelf thus, ſaying, I will stabliſh my Covenant between me and thee, and thy ſeed after thee, in their generations, for an everlaſting Covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy ſeed after thee. p. 4As for other parts of the Covenant, they were more properly given unto himſelf, as to be exceeding fruitful, and to be the Father of many Nations, to inherit the land of Canaan, &c. thoſe things were more peculiarly proper unto Abraham, though they have alſo a moral and univerſal uſe and force in all the Faithful, whom the Lord doth make fruitful, and giveth them a Nail in his Tabernacle. In the Covenant theſe three things are implied:

1. God gave himſelf to be a God unto Abraham, and to his Seed: this is ſuch an Argument as the ſtrength and wiſdome of men and angels cannot unfold: It is a Catechiſm-point, and by way of Catechiſm to be opened, (as the Lord hath revealed it) I mean, plainly, and familiarly.

2 God did receive Abraham, and his Seed, to be his People: this is implyed, and neceſſarily inferred by the rule of Relatives: for if God do give himſelf to be a God to Abraham, and to his Seed, and doth not firſtly require it of Abraham and of his Seed that they ſhould give up themſelves to be his People, then it muſt of neceſſity follow, that the Lord will undertake to receive them to be a People unto himſelf, and ſo he will perform both his own part of the Covenant, and Abrahams part alſo, according to what we read, Deut. 7.6, 7, 8. The Lord thy God hath choſen thee to be a special People unto himſelf: Not becauſe ye were in number more then any people, (for ye were the feweſt of all people: but becauſe he loved you, and would keep the Oath we… he had ſworn unto your fathers, therefore hath be brought you out with a p. 5mighty hand, &c. when as they were in a land of Idols, and the Lord lifted up his hand to have deſtroyed them there; yet he remembred, and wrought for his own Names ſake: So that though they were far off, yet the Lord (to make good his Covenant) brought them out of Aegypt, and ſo from one Covenant to another: by all which things it doth appear, that the Lord will keep our part of the Covenant alſo; and this is neceſſarily implied, in that he promiſeth to be a God unto Abraham, and to his Seed, and there is no Reſtipulation on Abrahams part; we ſee this likewiſe held forth; Deut. 29.1. & 13. where the Lord entereth into another Covenant with them in the land of Moab, beſides the Covenant which he made with them in Horeb; and in this Covenant he doth eſtabliſh them to be a People unto himſelf, as well as give himſelf unto them to be their God, ver. 13. And as God required it of them to circumciſe the outward man, even the foreskin of their children; ſo he will alſo circumciſe them, taking poſſeſſion of them, and circumciſing their hearts, taking away the ſtonineſs of them, and ſo fitting them to be a Temple for himſelf to dwell in.

3. The Lord in this Covenant taketh the chiefeſt of Abrahams Seed, even the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, to be the Mediator and Surety of the Covenant, and unto him do all the Promiſes belong; ſo the Apoſtle doth expound it, Gal. 3.16. Unto Abraham, and to his ſeed were the Promiſes made: He ſaith not, And to his ſeeds, as of many, but as of one, And to thy ſeed; which is Chriſt. And ſo by him are all the Promiſes p. 6and Bleſſings of the Covenant conveyed unto Abraham, and to his ſeed, (his faithful ſeed) all the world over: and therefore he is called the Mediator of a better Covenant, Heb. 7.22. meaning the Covenant of Grace, Heb. 3.6. Theſe three things do contain the ſum of the Covenant of Grace, and of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, and would therefore be plainly diſcovered unto Chriſtians: As,

1. What is the meaning of this, that God gave himſelf unto Ahraham?

2. How doth he take Abraham, and his ſeed, and make them his People?

3. How doth he take Jeſus Chriſt, and make him the ſurety of the Covenant between them both? For the Covenant is eſtabliſhed, and ſo is a firm, and ſure, and everlaſting Covenant: Now in this gift, that God gave himſelf unto Abraham, Obſerve 3. things,

1. The Bleſſing given.

2. The Order in which it was given.

3. The manner of giving it.

1. In the Bleſſing given: when God doth by Covenant give himſelf to be a God, it doth imply 2. things.

1. That God doth give himſelf, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghoſt; the whole Nature of God, and all the Perſons of the Godhead, with all the Attributes of that Nature, and all the Offices of thoſe Perſons: For it is not a confuſed God, that vaniſheth away in a general p. 7imagination, but God diſtinctly conſidered in his Perſons, Attributes, Properties, &c. thus the Lord giveth himſelf to Abrabam and to his ſeed: I will be a Father unto you, 2 Cor. 6.28. and that is not ſpoken to the Jewes only, but unto all the Iſrael of God: He giveth the Son alſo, Iſa. 9.6. Ʋnto us a Son is born, &c. and God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son: Joh. 3.16. And for the Holy Spirit, This is my Covenant with them, Joh. 16.7. & 13.John 16:7John 16:13ſaith the Lord, (Iſa. 59.21.) My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words that I have put into thy mouth, ſhall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeed, nor out of the mouth of thy ſeeds ſeed from henceforth, and for ever: and this is it which the Apoſtle alſo ſaith, Gal. 4.6. God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father: thus the Lord giveth himſelf unto his ſervants from one generation to another. If therefore the Lord God the Father give himſelf, he will not be wanting to draw his people unto the Son, Joh. 6.44. No man can come to me, except the Father which hath ſent me draw him: And what is the chief buſineſs, and work that the Son hath to do about us? No man can have fellowſhip with the Father, but he muſt have fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt; ſo our Saviour himſelf ſaith, Joh. 14.6. No man can come unto the Father but by me: this therefore the Lord Jeſus Chriſt will do for all the elect ſeed of Abraham: He will open their eyes to ſee, that the Father did not draw them to Damnation, nor utter deſolation, but unto Salvation by him: this hath he promiſed to p. 8do. And if it be the work of the Spirit of God to eſtabliſh us both in the Father and the Son, then will he convince the world of Sin, of Righteouſneſs, and of Judgment, Joh. 16.8. to 11. and ſo will ſtabliſh our hearts in the Comforts of the Lord our God; and this is that which the Apoſtle prayeth for the Epheſians, chap. 3.16. That the Lord would grant unto them according to the riches of his glory, to be ſtrengthned with might by his spirit in the inner man: and hence it cometh to paſſe, that what the Lord would have us to do, he is preſent by his Spirit to teach us, and to ſtrengthen us, and ſo to do it for us: All theſe things doth the Lord work for Abraham, and for his ſeed; ſo that look what is meet for a Father to do, or for a Brother to do, or for the Spirit of God to do, that will the Lord do unto his elect ones; and ſo he giveth all his Attributes, and they are even God himſelf; and therefore when Moſes deſired to ſee his Glory (and he deſired it from the Grace that God had ſhewed him) Exod. 34.6. the Lord proclaimed his Name before him, Jehovah, Jehovah, ſtrong, merciful, and gracious, long-ſuffering and abundant in goodneſs and truth: thus doth the Lord give himſelf, and all the Perſons in the Godhead (as they are called) and Attributes, they are no more, nor other then God himſelf.

2. And as God himſelf is implyed; ſo when God is given by Covenant, all the Ordinances, and Creatures, and Works of God are given alſo: For ſo it was in all Covenants of old time; when Jehoſaphat maketh a Covenant with Ahab King of Iſrael, 2 King. 22.4. then, I am p. 9as thou art, and my people as thy people, and my ho ſes as thy horſes, and all that he hath is for Ahabs ſervice; as the King goeth, ſo goeth his ſtrength: So thus it doth come to paſſe, that if the Lord of Hoſts be for us, and give himſelf unto us, then alſo doth he give us his eternal Election, and Redemption, and whatſoever he hath wrought for the ſalvation of his Elect: He hath not ſo dealt with any Nation, (Pſal. 147.20.) but only with the Iſrael of God, unto them hath he given his Lawes, and ſhewed them his Judgments: And for his Creatures, they are all given to be for his people, to whom he hath given himſelf: If God be a God unto Abraham, then ſhall all Gods people be ſor him; Melchizedeck ſhall bleſſe him; Aner, Eſhchol, and Mamre ſhall be confederates with him. The Sun, Moon, and Stars ſhall fight in their courſes for the people of God; the Sea ſhall give way unto them, to paſſe through it on dry ground: What ailed you, ye ſtreams of Jordan, to go backward? Why, all the creatures of God muſt ſtoop unto the people of God, when he is in Covenant with them: this is that which the Lord promiſeth unto his people, Hoſ. 2.18. to 22. when the Lord ſhall marry them to him in faithfulneſs. In that day (ſaith the Lord) I will make a Covenant for them with the beaſts of the field, and with the fowls of the heaven, and with the creeping things of the ground; and I will break the bow, and the ſword, and the battel out of the earth, and I will make them to lie down ſafely. And it ſhall come to paſſe in that day, I will hear the Heavens, and they ſhall hear the Earth, and the p. 10earth ſhall hear the Corn, and the Wine, and the Oyl, and they ſhall hear Jezreel. Whether Paul or Apollo; or Cephas, or the World, or Life, or Death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours, 1 Cor. 3.22. This is the large Gift of Gods Covenant: Nay, and (which is wonderful, and beyond all comprehenſion) when I ſay all the creatures and ordinances of God are ours, the very expreſſion of the phraſe doth imply that the Lord giveth himſelf to be the ſtaffe and ſtrength of them, ſo that you ſhall ſee the preſence of God in them; he will not only give a man Wife, and Children, and Ordinances, and Providences, but he himſelf will be in all theſe, and bleſſe his people in the enjoyment of them all, ſo as that they ſhall enjoy God in all: Pſal. 16.5, 6. The Lord is the portion of mine inheritance. He ſaw the Lord in what he did enjoy; and when he had any thing, it was in God; and when he wanted any thing, it was ſupplied in him. The like did Jacob finde, when his brother Eſau came againſt him with 400. men, and the Lord turned him from the fierceneſs of his wrath: here was the Covenant of Abraham, the Lord gave him the mouth, and arms, and tears of his brother Eſau; what ſaith Jacob to all this? Gen. 33.10. I have ſeen thy face as though I had ſeen the face of God: He ſaw the power and mercy of God in changing the countenance of his elder Brother: and that is it which ſweetneth all that a man doth enjoy; the loving kindneſs of God in all, is the Bleſſing of all: and this likewiſe doth Jacob acknowledge, Gen. 33.5. Theſe are the Children p. 11which God of his grace hath given me; and ſo he looked at them, as Gods wives, and children, and ſervants, and cattel; and this is the very life of the Covenant of Grace, when as the Lord is wrapped up in all his Bleſſings, when as he giveth himſelf, and in himſelf his Chriſt, and in Chriſt, Peter, and Paul, and all things unto his Church. This is the main thing given, God himſelf, the God of the Covenant, his Perſons, Nature, Ordinances, Providences, and now Abraham is made the Lord of the world, and ſo the Apoſtle doth interpret it, Rom. 4.13. The Promiſe that he ſhould be heir of the world, was not to Abraham, nor to his ſeed through the Law, but through the righteouſneſs of Faith; and this is that which Abraham did receive, in receiving the Lord to be his God.

2. In the order of giving the Covenant, there is ſomething to be obſerved:

1. God giveth firſt, and not the Creature, it was not Abraham that gave unto God firſt; for which of all the creatures ſhall offer a Covenant unto the mighty God? Rom. 11.35. Who hath given unto him firſt? and it ſhall be recompenſed unto him again; the Lord hath the pre-eminence in giving; for what ſhould Abraham give unto God, if God give not ſomething unto him firſt? he is the firſt giver.

2. He is alſo the firſt thing in order that is given: For doth he give the world firſt? or ordinances firſt? or any other ſpiritual or temporal bleſſings firſt? No doubtleſs, the Lord is the firſt thing that he giveth by his Covenant, and with himſelf all things elſe alſo; p. 12Rom. 8.32. and there is the precedency of Jeſus Chriſt; he is given, and in him all ſpiritual bleſſings, as the Apoſtle ſaith, Eph. 1.3. Bleſſed be God the Father of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, who hath bleſſed us with all spiritual bleſſings in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus. And this for the order in giving the Covenant, not obedience firſt, nor faith firſt, nor any thing elſe firſt, but Himſelf is Donum primum, & primarium, and in him all his goodneſs.

3. For the Manner of giving; in that he giveth himſelf, there is implied both the freedom and eternety of the gift: Firmneſs therefore, and that unto eternity. In that he giveth himſelf, it muſt of neceſſity be done freely; for what can any creature give to purchaſe God? if a man could give thouſands of worlds, they were not enough to redeem or purchaſe one ſoul; and if he had millions of worlds to give, what were they all to purchaſe ſo great a gift as God himſelf is? therefore it muſt needs be of free gift; for the creature can do nothing to prevent God: God indeed may give with a purpoſe to receive back again; but he looketh to receive no more then what he firſt giveth us, and giveth us ſtrength of Will and Deed to give him back again. He required this of Abraham, that he ſhould walk before him, and be upright, Gen. 17.1. but the very truth is, though Abraham ſhall perform theſe things in an Evangelical manner; yet God himſelf doth undertake in this Covenant to be the Author and Finiſher both of his Faith and Obedience, Heb. 12.2. And this doth argue the marvelous p. 13freedome of the Covenant of Grace: for the Lord offereth it out of his Grace, without the foreſight of Faith, or Works; for he undertaketh to give both Will and Deed of his good pleaſure, Phil. 2.13.

But it may be ſaid, Object. Did not the Lord except it, that he ſhould give himſelf back again, or elſe the Lord would not give himſelf?

Truly then it had not been of Free-grace: Anſw. But as you ſee ſometimes great Princes will take in a neighbour-Nation into league with them, and not tell them of it: ſo doth the Lord deal with his elect ones; he maketh a Covenant with Chriſt, and taketh us into that Covenant, otherwiſe he ſhould not at all intend it effectually, nor ever give himſelf unto us; for we are not able to give our ſelves unto him till he firſt take us. For if Abraham did give himſelf, it was becauſe God did take him firſt; and therefore it is that the Apoſtle telleth us that the Lord took hold of Paul, that he might take hold upon the Lord, Phil. 3.12. I follow after, if that I may apprehend that, for which alſo I am apprehended of Chriſt Jeſus: is not he the Father that hath bought us? hath not he made us, & eſtabliſhed us? Deut. 32.6. If we give up our ſelves unto the Lord, it is becauſe the Lord hath taken hold upon our hearts firſt.

But doth not the Lord require of him to circumciſe his ſeed the eighth day? Object.

So he doth indeed, Anſw. but the Lord giveth him that alſo: God the Father ſeeth it needfull for their everlaſting Salvation, therefore p. 14he doth give him Circumciſion, and giveth him the grace to circumciſe his children: I know that the Lord doth call for many things under a covenant of Grace, but then the Lord doth

1. Work thoſe things in them: And,

2. He will have them know, that thoſe things are nothing, without the working of his Grace. It is true, he may circumciſe Iſaac, but who ſhall circumciſe the heart of Iſaac? it is a ſmall matter to circumciſe the fleſh: ſo it is a ſmall matter for us to baptize with water; but who muſt waſh us from our ſins, ſave only the Lord our God? ſo that he doth ſecretly intimate, that what his poor ſervants do outwardly, he would do it inwardly and effectually. The children of Iſrael ſhall at the Lords commandment march about the city Jericho ſeven daies together, and not ſpeak a word, and hereby the wals of the city ſhall fall down flat; of what uſe were theſe weapons to ſuch an end? what would the Lord ſhew his people hereby? hereby he teacheth them to know by what ability and power to bring mighty things to paſs: they ſhall do duties as the Lord commandeth them, but he himſelf will breath in them to make them effectual. For though we do never ſo much, yet we cannot reach unto the accompliſhment of any good thing; not by might, nor by ſtrength, but by my Spirit: the Lord therefore by his Spirit muſt work all our works for us: Here is the freeneſs of Gods Covenant, in that the Lord giveth himſelf firſt, Jer. 32.40. I will make an everlaſting Covenant with them, that I will not turn p. 15away from them to do them good: but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me. You may ſpeak of Conditions in this kinde: but the Lord doth undertake both for his own part, and for our parts alſo: for as the Covenant is free, ſo the Lord will freely maintain, and preſerve all his Elect, and all from the immutable Nature of God; it is not poſſible that God ſhould lye: I am Jehovah, I change not, Mal. 3.6. therefore ye ſons of Jacob are not conſumed: Hence ſpringeth our Eternity, and perſeverance unto it (Rom. 11.29.) for the gifts and callings of God are without repentance: And I am perſwaded (ſaith the Apoſtle Paul) that he that hath begun this work will perfect it until the day of Jeſus Chriſt, Phil. 1.6. The Lord took your Father Abram, and brought him from the other ſide of the floud: Joſh. 24.3. and he being called, obeyed, Heb. 11.8. Thus (mind ye) the Lord dealeth in the Covenant of Grace; he looketh towards thoſe that look not towards him, as is held forth, Hoſ. 3.3. where the Lord biddeth the Prophet love a woman that was an adultereſs, and ſay unto her, Thou ſhalt be for me, and I will be for thee; this is a branch of the Covenant, when the Lord doth undertake to receive Abraham and his ſeed unto himſelf; his giving himſelf unto them doth breed a reciprocal returning of them unto him. Now it may be demanded,

How the Lord did take Abraham and his ſeed to be his people? Queſt.

By a double Act: As, Anſw.

1. Of Preparation, not on Abrahams part, p. 16nor on his ſeeds part, but on his own part, the Lord prepared them.

2. The Lord did inveſt him with the Bleſſings of this Covenant.

1. For Preparation: the Lord prepareth them by a double work of his Spirit, which are manifeſt in all the ſeed of Abraham.

1. By a ſpirit of bondage, whereby he cutteth off the ſeed of Abraham from all worldly intanglements, and delights: thus God took Abraham, and brought him from beyond the floud, and ſo doth he take men off from their countreys and fathers houſes; he ſeparates them from all ſuch things, that he might draw them unto himſelf: thus he dealt with the children of Iſrael, and called them to be a ſingular People unto himſelf, Deut. 7.6, 7, 8. Thus doth the Lord deal with all thoſe, whom he receiveth to be a people unto himſelf: by this ſpirit of Bondage, he draweth them from all their ſinful luſts, and paſſions, ſo as that they can finde no life in them, nor any hope of mercy at all in any thing: by this Bondage, the Lord ſetteth home unto the conſciences of men, the weight and danof their ſins, and bindeth them under the ſenſe of his wrath unto fear of Damnation. The Romans firſt received the ſpirit of Bondage to fear, before ever they came to receive the Spirit of Adoption, Rom. 8.25. But thus the Lord doth even ſhut a Soul out of doors, that he may open to him another and a better way.

2. The Lord alſo prepareth his people by a Spirit of burning, which upon a Spirit of Bondage p. 17he doth ſhed abroad into the hearts of men: this we read of, Mal. 4.1. Behold, the day cometh that ſhall burn as an oven, and all the proud, and all that do wickedly ſhall be as ſtubble, and the day that cometh ſhall burn them up, and it ſhall leave them neither root nor branch. It is ſpoken of the Miniſtery of John Baptiſt, which did burn like an oven againſt all the Scribes and Phariſees, and left them neither the root of Abrahams Covenant, nor the branch of their own good Works. He cutteth them off from the Covenant of Abraham, Mat. 3.9. Think not to ſay within your ſelves that you have Abraham to your Father; for I ſay unto you, that God is able of theſe ſtones to raiſe up children unto Abraham: and ſo by cutting them off from the Root, he leaveth them no ground to truſt on. From their good Works alſo the Lord Jeſus Chriſt cutteth them off, Mat. 6.2. When thou doſt thine alms, ſound not a Trumpet before thee as the Hypocrites do, that they may have the glory of men: and verſ. 5. When thou prayeſt, thou ſhalt not be as the Hypocrites are, &c. and verſ. 16. When ye Faſt, ye ſhall not be as the Hypocrites are, of a ſad countenance, &c. This was a Spirit of Burning which the Lord conveyed by the Miniſtry of Chriſt, and of John Baptiſt, to burn up all the Hypocrites like ſtubble; and the beauty of their works were blaſted by it: and this is Gods uſual manner of dealing. Now there are many under a ſpirit of bondage, that never came under a ſpirit of burning; and they being convinced of ſin, and of the danger thereof, yet hope to wreſtle it out, and work it out by their own performances, p. 18till the ſpirit of Burning come and conſume all that falſe confidence. But when the ſpirit of Burning cometh, he then blaſteth all the fruits and branches of their righteouſneſs, and burns up all that a man hath wrought, or can work. And this is that which the Prophet Eſay, chap. 4.4. ſpeaketh of, that the Lord will purge away the filth of the Daughter of Zion, with a Spirit of Judgment, and of Burning; the one is a ſpirit of Sanctification, and the other is a conſuming Fire, which forceth them not to build any comfort upon any works that they have done: this may Hypocrites reach unto in their judgments, ſo as that they may be convinced that they have neither root within them, nor branch growing upon them; and yet in the mean while they may not come unto a Spirit of Adoption: but hereby alſo the Lord uſeth to prepare his people. Some bleſs themſelves in worldly courſes, and never came unto a ſpirit of bondage. Some do finde comfort in their performances, and never ſaw the vanity of their own Righteouſneſs: But there are thoſe whom the Lord doth carry further, unto a ſpirit of burning, even unto a ſenſible feeling of Gods wrath burning againſt whatſoever is as ſtubble, (and ſuch is a mans own gifts, and parts, and worth) ſo that now the poor ſoul findeth that he hath no Root, not any ſure mercy of the Covenant of Grace, that he can reſt upon: no green branch of righteouſneſs remaining, but all is blaſted and broken in pieces, according to what the Prophet Iſay ſaith, chap. 40.6, 7. All fleſh is graſs, and all the goodlineſs thereof is as p. 19the flower of the field: the graſs withereth, and the flower fadeth; becauſe the Spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: and ſo the Lord cometh to leave a man neither Root nor Branch: For by a ſpirit of Bondage the Lord blaſteth all fleſh: but when it cometh unto the goodlineſs of fleſh, that is conſumed by a ſpirit of Burning.

2. As God thus prepareth us for himſelf: ſo he doth give himſelf unto us, and taketh poſſeſſion of us by his bleſſed Spirit: the Father giveth himſelf and his Son by his bleſſed Spirit, (for the Spirit it is by which he doth viſit the hearts of his people) and this is the main Bleſſing of the Covenant of Grace. For the better clearing of it, it may be demanded,

How doth the Lord give himſelf unto his People, Queſt. and his People back again to receive him?

1. They being thus prepared, Anſw. the Spirit of God taketh up his ſeat in the ſoul, by making it a Temple unto himſelf, in the Name of the Father, and of the Son; and ſo are they made an habitation of God through the Spirit, Epheſ. 2.22. Becauſe ye are Sons, God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, &c. Gal. 4.6. (He ſpeaketh not of ſons by actual Regeneration, but by Gods eternal Counſel.) The fame Spirit is alſo called the Comforter, whom Jeſus Chriſt hath promiſed to ſend, Joh. 16.7, 8, 9. If I depart, I will ſend you the Comforter; and when he is come, he will reprove the world of ſin, of righteouſneſs, and of judgment; of ſin, becauſe they beleeve not in me: this the Holy Ghoſt convinceth men of, to be the p. 20greateſt miſery of the ſoul, that they have not beleeved upon Jeſus Chriſt. And look as a talent of gold, or ſome weighty metal falling into a veſſel of water, daſheth out all that is in the veſſel, to make room for it ſelf: ſo the Lord Jeſus Chriſt coming into the ſoul, daſheth out all watry confidences, and maketh room for himſelf. And in very deed, becauſe the heart of man is not only like unto water, but is hard as yee, and ſtrong; therefore the Spirit of God cometh like fire, and melteth the iron ſtone of the heart, and ſoftneth it into fleſh; ſo that now the ſoul is utterly at a loſs, not only in regard of his ſins, but in regard of his beſt works alſo; and is moſt of all convinced of his unbelief. Now this holy Spirit of God being thus ſhed abroad into the heart, at the very firſt entrance of it into the ſoul, as it doth chiefly convince the ſoul of unbelief; ſo,

2. The ſame Spirit worketh Faith in the ſoul, to yeeld himſelf unto the Lord, to receive the Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and this is a true ſaving work; he now ſubmitteth unto the will of God: ſo that the Spirit of God becometh unto the ſoul not only as a Spirit of burning, to conſume all that is like ſtubble; but doth alſo melt the iron ſtone of the heart, and ſoftneth it into fleſh, that the word may take deep impreſſion in it: Now there is room for Jeſus Chriſt, now Faith is wrought there; and now a ſoul can plead with God by Faith in Prayer: he ſeeth there is no former ſafe hold of his Covenant that he can plead, nor any righteouſneſs of his own, but ſuch as hypocrites will p. 21quarrel for, and riſe up to maintain, as they did againſt John Baptiſt, pleading their covenant, and their righteouſneſs: with theſe things a poor ſoul is not ſatisfied: but unto you that fear my Name, ſhall the Son of righteouſneſs ariſe with healing in his wings, &c. Mal. 4.2. Herein is implied ſuch a reverent fear, as diſtruſting our ſelves, giveth all the honour to the Lord Jeſus: this Fear of the Lord accompanieth Faith, and is of like nature to it: both of them diſtruſting our ſelves, and both of them giving all honour to Chriſt; the one out of confidence in him, the other out of reverence to him.

Thus it is in our Effectual calling; the Spirit of God taking poſſeſſion in our hearts, and working this Faith in us, thereby we ſubmit unto the Lord; and this is Faith in Jeſus Chriſt, that maketh us one with Chriſt: for our Effectual calling bringeth us to be one with him, 1 Cor. 1.9. God is faithful, by whom ye were called into the fellowſhip of his Son Jeſus Chriſt. This fellowſhip ſtandeth in two things:

1. In the unity of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 6.17. He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit.

2. In a lively Faith on our parts. So that by Beleeving this is the firſt thing we do, we yeeld unto the work of God; when this ſtronger man cometh, to wit, Chriſt by his Spirit, we yeeld up all our armour to him; and herein ſtandeth our coming on to be in Chriſt, and in God the Father, by this Spirit of God that taketh poſſeſſion of the heart, and hath not only burnt up root and branch of our Legal righteouſneſs, but hath alſo melted us p. 22unto a ſoft frame to yeeld up our ſelves unto the Lord; and now we are fit for any duty, the Lord having poſſeſſed us with his powerful preſence: herein lyeth our Effectual calling; and this is true ſpiritual union between the Lord and our ſouls. Now this Faith thus wrought in our Effectual calling, is not built upon any conditional promiſe of Grace preexiſtent in us, nor can it be built upon any: but upon ſome abſolute free Promiſe of God unto the ſoul, according to what we read, Iſai. 43.22. to 25. Thou haſt not called upon me O Jacob, but thou hast been weary of me O Iſrael; thou haſt not brought me the ſmall cattel of thy burnt-offerings, neither haſt thou honoured me with thy ſacrifices: I have not cauſed thee to ſerve with an offering, nor wearied thee with incenſe: Thou haſt bought me no ſweet cane with money, neither haſt thou filled me with the fat of thy ſacrifices; but thou haſt made me to ſerve with thy ſins, thou haſt wearied me with thine iniquities: I, even I am he that blotteth out thy tranſgreſſions for mine own ſake, and will not remember thy ſins. In all this we ſee the abſolute freeneſs of the Grace of God. But if the Promiſe be conditional, it is a condition ſubſequent to Faith, not antecedent before it.

You will ſay, Object. Though ſome may be converted by ſuch an abſolute Promiſe, yet ſome other mans Faith may be built upon a conditional Promiſe, and the condition preexiſtent.

I pray you conſider it: Anſw. If it be a Condition, it is to ſome good Qualification or other, ſome good work or other of the Spirit of God in the heart of a Chriſtian. p. 23Was this work wrought before Converſion, or after? Every Chriſtian knoweth, that all works before converſion are but droſs, and dung: to apply promiſes to ſuch works, were indeed to build upon a ſandy foundation. What ſay you then to works after converſion? All works after converſion are fruits of Faith; and if they proceed from Faith, then faith went before, then a mans faith was not built upon a conditional promiſe; how is it poſſible that it ſhould? when as all works after converſion, are either fruits of Faith, or elſe they are no true ſanctification; then faith went before in order of Nature, and ſo was not built upon works, but works upon it.

Our Faith cloſeth with Chriſt upon a promiſe of Free-Grace, Calvin. Inſt. l. 3. c. 2. ſ. 29.otherwiſe (as ſaith Calvin) my faith would alwaies be trembling and wavering, as my works be. Upon a promiſe of Free-Grace therefore my Faith is built, as upon the promiſe of God in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelf, 2 Cor. 5.18, 19. The word is (it may be) ſpoken outwardly unto all Chriſtians: but if God do ſet it home particularly unto any Soul, that man receiveth this Gift of God, and it is made his own: Firſt, he beleeveth the promiſe of Free-grace, and then afterward come other promiſes, that do bear witneſs unto the right application of that promiſe unto the ſoul: but I am firſt built upon a promiſe of Free-grace, or elſe there is no true cloſing with Jeſus Chriſt: well then, being thus united unto Chriſt, from this union with Chriſt do flow all other bleſſings and benefits of the Covenant p. 24of Grace: for hence ſpringeth communion with Chriſt in all spiritual bleſſings, that the Lord hath wrought for us in him; and they are two of them Relative bleſſings (as they are called by Divines) & two of them poſitive bleſſings. The two Former are laid up in Gods own Hand, and are not created in us: the other two poſitive Bleſſings are created in us.

1. For the uncreated Bleſſings, They are

1. Adoption.

2. Juſtification.

And they ſpring immediately (ſimul & ſemel) from the former union with Chriſt; for as ſoon as ever the Spirit of God is in our hearts, and hath wrought faith, that we do not ſpurn againſt Jeſus Chriſt, but receive him, now is the Divine Nature of Chriſt in us, and we are now become the ſons of God, as Chriſt himſelf is. Look as in a mans firſt natural conception, as ſoon as ever one doth live, there is an heir of Adam, even ſo ſoon as the ſoul liveth: ſo it is in the new ſpiritual Birth; as ſoon as the Holy Ghoſt cometh, and hath wrought this Faith, now is the Seed of God in us, the Life of Chriſt, and the Spirit of God; and now we are the Sons of God, as we read Joh. c. 12. As many as received him, to them he gave power to be the ſons of God. Immediately upon this union with Chriſt, we are Sons by Adoption; and as we are adopted, ſo likewiſe our ſins are now imputed unto Chriſt, and his righteouſneſs unto us, and ſo our perſons p. 25are juſtified. For how, and when was Adams ſin imputed unto us? Pſal. 51.5. Behold, I was ſhapen in iniquity, in ſin did my mother conceive me: So ſoon as over there was life, it was the life of Adam, and then the imputation of Adams ſin falleth immediately upon the ſoul. So when we do receive Chriſt by this living Faith, having the Life of Chriſt in us, we have the righteouſneſs of Chriſt (the ſecond Adam) imputed to us. For what doth the childe in the womb? though it doth neither good nor evil, but is meerly paſſive, yet ſinful it is, and a childe of Adam: So alſo in this our Regeneration, the ſoul receiveth Chriſt by that Faith which the Lord hath wrought in it, whereby alſo it is made capable of the priviledg of Adoption; and ſo the Lord accounteth us his children, and imputeth the Righteouſneſs of his Son unto us, whereby we are Juſtified. Theſe things do dwell in Gods Boſome, and the meaning of them is afterwards revealed unto the ſoul; but communicated they are, both that of Adoption, and this of Juſtification, by this gift of faith wrought in us. But we are ſtill upon the firſt work of converſion, wherein a Chriſtian is only paſſive, and receptive; and truly it muſt needs be ſo in the firſt work of God upon us.

2. Now for the Poſitive Bleſſings that are wrought in us: They are

1. Sanctification.

2. Glorification.

p. 261. When we are called, then are we Sanctified, then are we Glorified, 1 Cor. 1.2. as in our natural conception, as ſoon as ever the childe liveth, Adams ſin is firſt imputed, and then there is a proneneſs in it to carry it captive unto fin, and to make it backward unto any goodneſs: So when the Life of Chriſt is diſpenſed unto the ſoul, now the Lord comes to convey with it Juſtification, or pardon of ſin, and then there is a promiſe in a Juſtified perſon to walk in the ſpirit, Gal. 5.25. If we live in the Spirit, let us alſo walk in the Spirit. By Faith our hearts come to be purified, Acts 15.9. and the ſame Spirit quickneth us unto holy duties, ſo that we live, yet not we, but Chriſt liveth in us; neither are we only in his hand, but the Spirit ſanctifying, draweth us into an holy confederacy to ſerve God in Family, Church, and Common-wealth; and this Sanctification groweth, and encreaſeth more and more, 2 Cor. 7.1. 1 Theſ. 4.1. & 5.23.

2. The other poſitive gift is Glorification, which we read of, Rom. 8.30. Whom he called, them alſo he juſtified; and whom he juſtified, them alſo he glorified: this the Apoſtle Peter mentioneth, 1 Pet. 5.10. The God of all grace hath called us into his eternal glory it Chriſt Jeſus: And in truth, he hath begun the work from the time that he firſt began to ſanctifie us, 2 Tim. 1.9. He hath ſaved us, and called us: from the very firſt time that God worketh upon the ſoul graciouſly, there is a glorious work in that ſoul; and others may ſee it, though himſelf ſometimes ſeeth nothing that he hath received. Thus we ſee the ſecond p. 27branch of the Doctrine opened, How the Lord doth receive Abraham and his ſeed unto himſelf, preparing them by a ſpirit of Bondage, and of Burning, and then taking poſſeſſion of them ſavingly by the inhabitation of the bleſſed Spirit; the ſame Spirit begetting Faith, we are alive in Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo come to be Adopted, and Juſtified in him: the ſame Faith which receiveth Adoption and Juſtification, doth begin to ſtir a little, and to breath forth into gracious deſires, and ſome holy mourning, and beginneth now to put forth ſuch works as the holy Ghoſt carrieth the ſoul an end in; working all our works in us, and for us.

3. Now for the third and laſt part of the Doctrine: The Lord took the chiefeſt of Abrahams ſeed to be the Mediator of this Covenant, unto whom all the Promiſes were made, Gal. 3.16.

How did the Lord conſtitute him ſo to be? Queſt.

1. By a double Act: firſt, Anſw. by receiving Jeſus Chriſt the Son of the Virgin Mary, to be one Perſon with the ſecond in Trinity, hereby laying a ground of a firm Mediation between God and us: for Jeſus Chriſt being of Gods Nature, therefore he will be faithful unto God; and being of our Nature, therefore he will be compaſſionate towards us. And here is the root of all the life and power of this Mediation, to wit, this Perſonal Union of the Son of man, with the ſecond Perſon in Trinity, which is a firm and everlaſting Union

2. By Gods giving him to be a Covenant, p. 28Iſa. 42.6. I will give thee for a Covenant of the People, for a Light of the Gentiles. What is meant hereby? the Lord meaneth, that he giveth him to be a Mediator of this Covenant:

1. To receive from God all the promiſes and gracious gifts, whatſoever is requiſite for him to be, King, Prieſt, and Prophet; and all theſe things he receiveth from the hand of the Father, Col. 1.19. for it pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell: thus he becometh a plentiful Redeemer. And as the Lord gave him to be a Covenant, ſo he giveth him alſo to work all things needful for our Redemption; partly by his paſſion, and obedience unto the Death of the Croſs, Phil. 2.8. and partly by fulfilling all the righteouſneſs of the Law, Mat. 3.15. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt did fully accompliſh whatſoever was requiſite for him to accompliſh in his own Perſon.

2. He doth perform all things needful for the Application of this Redemption unto our ſouls, Iſa. 26.12. And to this end, he it is that ſheadeth abroad his Spirit into our hearts, Joh. 15.26. & 16.7. and when this bleſſed Spirit cometh, he applieth unto the ſoul all this gracious Redemption of Jeſus Chriſt, by giving Jeſus Chriſt and all the Fruits of his redemption, and by working all thoſe bleſſed works, that the ſouls of his people come to be partakers of; and ſo performeth all thoſe conditions that are required on our parts: if it be needful for us to have Faith, he will work it in us; if it be needful for us to live a life of Faith, he will help us ſo to live, p. 29for it is not of our ſelves, it is the gift of God: Eph. 2.9. Thus hath the Lord made him a compleat Mediator of this holy Covenant; and whatſoever we receive, we receive from him: for unto him firſt, as the head of the Church, are all bleſſings given; and unto us, all promiſes in him are Yea, and in him Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20. for though Chriſt be not a ſinner in his own Perſon, yet in reſpect of his Members, he is many times loſt in them, though not in himſelf; and poor in them, though not in himſelf: for us therefore he receiveth the Promiſes of God; and that is the great ſecurity of them, that they are laid up ſafe in him, and belong unto us if we have union with the Head; and in him we perform whatſoever God requireth; whether we pray, or preach, or hear, we do all in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, going forth in his ſtrength, and power: Col. 3.17. Thus is the Lord Jeſus Chriſt a firm ſurety of this better Covenant, ſtabliſhed upon better Promiſes, Heb. 8.6.

In the firſt place: Uſe 1 This may teach us a broad difference between the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace. In the Covenant of Works,

The Lord offereth Himſelf as a Father, Diff. 1 his Son as a Redeemer, his Spirit as a Sanctifier; but this is ſtill upon a condition of obedience: if they ſhall keep his Laws, and obey his voice, then they ſhall be a peculiar treaſure unto him above all people, Exod. 19.5, 6. This alſo they undertake to do, Deut. 5.27. All that the Lord our God ſhall ſpeak unto thee, we will hear it, and do it; but, O ſaith God, that there was p. 30ſuch an heart in them, verſ. 29. When they rebelled, he did not pardon them graciouſly, but the Angel whom he ſendeth with them, he biddeth them beware of him, and obey his voice, and provoke him not, for he will not pardon your tranſgreſſions, for my Name is in him: In the Covenant of Grace he will, but not in this: here is indeed a conditional Redeemer and Saviour; and ſo it is expreſſed, Iſa. 63.8, 9, 10. He was their Saviour; in all their affliction he was afflicted, and the Angel of his preſence ſaved them in his love, &c. But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit, therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and fought againſt them: with many of them God was not well pleaſed (almoſt with none of them) but overthrew them in the wilderneſs: Thus in the Covenant of Works all is given upon condition of obedience.

The Lord giving himſelf, Diff. 2 his Son, and Spirit upon condition, though it be but to Works, yet he is pleaſed to receive, them into ſome kinde of Relative Ʋnion, expreſſed, Jer. 32.32. Which my Covenant they brake, although I was an Husband to them. He was married unto them in Church-Covenant, this was ſome kinde of union: He was their God, and they were his peculiar people; and yet the Lord caſt them off, a generation of his wrath, from this Marriage-Covenant between them and him: from this union there ſpringeth a kinde of Faith, by which the ſoul cleaveth unto the Lord in ſome meaſure; elſe there could not be this Marriage-Union; and this Faith is that of which you read, Pſal. 106.12, 13. They p. 31beleeved his words; they ſang his praiſe: they ſoon forgat his works: they waited not for his counſel: So alſo Exod. 14.31. it is ſaid, They beleeved the Lord, and his ſervant Moſes: this is that Faith which men may receive, and yet may Apoſtate from it, ſpoken of, Heb. 6.3, to 6. For a while ſome do beleeve, and in time of temptation fall away, Luk. 8.13. But all that Faith was never grounded upon any free promiſe of Grace, but all was built upon Ordinances, and Duties, and upon no higher ground. In the 2 Chron. 13.8, to 12. marvellouſly ſtrong are the expreſſions of Abijah, when Jeroboam came againſt him; You think to withſtand the Kingdom of the Lord in the hand of David, &c. Have not you caſt out the Prieſts of the Lord? ſaith he, &c. But as for us, the Lord is our God, and we have not forſaken him; and the Prieſts which miniſter unto the Lord are the Sons of Aaron, and the Levites wait upon their buſineſs; and they burn unto the Lord every morning, and every evening Burat-ſacrifices, and ſweet Incenſe; the Shew-bread alſo they ſet in order upon the pure Table, and the Candleſtick of gold, with the Lamps thereof, to burn every evening: for we keep the charge of the Lord our God, but ye have forſaken him. And behold, God himſelf is with us for our Captain, and his Prieſts with ſounding Trumpets to cry Alarm against you. O ye children of Iſrael, fight ye not againſt the Lord God of your fathers, for you ſhall not prosper. Thus we ſee what Faith he did expreſs; and hereupon (verſ. 18.) the children of Iſrael were brought under, and the children of Judah prevailed; and yet this p. 32Kings heart was not perfect with the Lord his God: 2 King. 15.3. and yet (minde you) a ſtrong confidence he had, that the Lord was with him, and that he would be preſent with his own ordinances; there Faith built upon fellowſhip with Ordinances, like unto that Faith in the Scripture before alledged, Luk. 8.13. Men are affected with the Word, and beleeve, and finde comfort; and all this ſpringeth from that Relative communion which they have with the Lord; they finde refreſhing in their way and work, and many times take it for the very Seal of the Spirit of God; all which may be, and often is found in Hypocrites: but here is the difference; In a Covenant of Works God giveth himſelf conditionally; in that of Grace, abſolutely: in both, he maketh a Covenant, in the one of Grace, the other of Works, in which the voice of the Lord is, If you be true to me, then I will not renounce you; and in this Covenant is Faith found, but it is only built upon ſuch changes as they finde in themſelves, and will in the end vaniſh utterly away.

There is a Difference alſo that ſpringeth from the fruits of theſe two Covenants in their continuance: Diff. 3 for though in the Covenant of Works there be a ſemblance of Juſtification, and Adoption, and a kinde of Sanctification, yet they endure but for a ſeaſon; and therefore he calleth them Lo-ammi, for ye are not my people; and Lo-ruhamah, for I will no more have mercy, though ſometimes they were his people, and he then had mercy on them: they may alſo have pardon of ſin for a ſeaſon, p. 3Pſal. 78.37, 38. Being full of compaſſion, he forgave their iniquity, and deſtroyed them not; yet they were ſuch whoſe heart was not upright with him, neither were they ſtedfaſt in his Covenant: this is plainly held forth in the Parable, Mat. 18.23, to the end: when the ſervant had not wherewith to pay his Lord, he fell down and worſhipped him, ſaying, Lord, have patience with me, & I will pay thee all, his Lord was moved with compaſſion, and looſed him, and forgave him the Debt: but when he had not like compaſſion on his fellow ſervant, then his Lord was wroth, and charged all his iniquities upon him, and caſt him into priſon until he ſhould pay all that was due unto him: So that this pardon is not everlaſting, but only reſpite from outward puniſhment, and from inward pangs of conſcience many times; and this they take for pardon of ſin, and acceptance in Jeſus Chriſt, when indeed they are deluded: So likewiſe their Sanctification is but for a moment, they come at laſt ſome of them to tread under foot the Bloud of the Covenant wherewith they were ſanctified, Heb. 10.29. For, Chriſt was but a conditional Redeemer unto them: they had only gifts of Tongues, and utterance, and wiſdome, and diſcerning of Spirits, and a common Faith: which things are not that Sanctification which is a fruit of Saving Faith; but only ſuch gifts as do ſanctifie them unto the work of the Miniſtery perhaps, or Magiſtracy, and fit them for houſhold-government, or the like: and ſo much poſitive work there is in them, as doth make them in ſome meaſure fit for the work, p. 34or ſervice which they are called unto. For a little more explaining of this:

Queſt. Is it the ſame with that Sanctification which is in Gods children?

God forbid. Anſw. All the men in the world are divided into two Ranks; Godly, or Ungodly; Righteous, or Wicked; of wicked men, two ſorts; ſome are notoriouſly wicked, others are Hypocrites: of Hypocrites two ſorts (and you ſhall finde them in the Church of God) ſome are waſhed Swine, others are Goats.

1. The Swine are thoſe of whom our Saviour Chriſt ſaith, that they return unto their wallowing in the myre: like unto theſe are ſuch men, as at the hearing of ſome Sermon have been ſtomack-ſick of their ſins, and have rejected their wicked courſes, but yet the ſwines heart remaineth in them; and as a ſwine, when he cometh where the puddle is, will readily lie down in it; ſo will theſe men wallow in the puddle of uncleanneſs, when their conſcience is not pricked for the preſent: but theſe are a groſſer kinde of Hypocrites.

2. There is another ſort that go far beyond theſe: and thoſe are Goats, ſo called, Mat. 25.32, 33. and theſe are clean beaſts, ſuch as chew the cud, meditate upon ordinances; and they divide the hoof; they live both in a general, and particular calling, and will not be idle: they are alſo fit for ſacrifice: what then is wanting? Truly they are not Sheep all this while, they are but Goats; yet a Goat doth loath that which a Swine will readily break into: but where then do they fall ſhort of the nature of Sheep? A difference p. 35there is, which ſtandeth principally in theſe Particulars.

1. The Goat is of a capricious Nature, and affecteth eminency; his Gate alſo is ſtately, Prov. 30.31. Agur reckoneth the Hee-Goat among the four things that are comly in going.

2. And they are full of Ambition; they cannot abide ſwamps, and holes, but will be climbing upon the tops of mountains; there is not that plain, lowly, ſheep-like frame, that attendeth unto the voice of the ſhepherd to be led up and down into freſh paſtures: they attend upon their own ends, and will outſhoot God in his own bow; and therefore when they have done many things for Chriſt, he will ſay unto them, Depart from me ye workers of iniquity: more eminency they did affect, then they were guided unto: thus it was with Jehu, who in his zeal for God, thought to promote himſelf; and herein he will not be perſwaded of his ſin, and therefore walking along in crooked waies, the Lord led him forth with evil doers; he cometh at length to cleave unto the ſins of Jeroboam the ſon of Nebat, who made Iſrael to ſin: notwithſtanding you may receive a Goat into Church-fellowſhip for all his capricious Nature, and he will be a clean creature, and of much good uſe: the five fooliſh, (Mat. 25.2.) were all of them virgins, all of them abhorring Idolarry, and all go forth to meet the Bridegroom; and yet they are fooliſh, and never ſhall you make them wiſe, to be all for Chriſt, in him, and from him, only hearing and obeying his voice.

p. 363. They are of a rankiſh nature all of them, ſpecially the old Goats will have an unſavoury reliſh, far from the pleaſant ſweetneſs that is in a Sheep; and herein hypocrites are greatly different from the Sheep of Chriſt; and many times alſo they do puſh with the ſhoulder the poor ſheep of Chriſt, as the Prophet ſpeaketh, Ezek. 34.21. And they mar the paſtures with their feet, and will be at length mudling the fair waters of the Sanctuary alſo: And in their beſt ſanctification they fall far ſhort of a ſheeplike frame of ſpirit, diligently to hear the voice of the ſhepherd; this will not be found in the ſanctification of the beſt hypocrite under heaven; they may go far, and yet at length fall away: this is no Arminianiſm, but if you ſearch the Scriptures diligently, you will finde theſe things to be true. But ſuch inſtances deceive the Arminians.

There is a fourth Difference between the Covenant of Works and of Grace in re…pect of the Mediator: Diff. 4.Gal. 3.19. The Law was given and ordained by Angels in the hand of a Mediator; Moſes was a mediator according to their Works; and this our Saviour telleth the Jews, Joh. 5.45. You have one that accuſeth you, even Moſes in whom ye truſt: and as for Jeſus Chriſt, if he be given to be their Redeemer, it is but according to their works, if they ſhall obey his voice: but if they ſhall ſin againſt him, he will overthrow them body and ſoul into the nethermoſt Hell. But now in the Covenant of Grace, Jeſus Chriſt hath obtained a more excellent miniſtery, to be the Mediator of a better Covenant, ſtabliſhed upon better promiſes, p. 37Heb. 8.6. Thus we ſee in this firſt Uſe the difference between the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace.

I might (in the ſecond place) from hence alſo gather an Argument againſt the whole Body of Arminianiſm; Uſe 2 for they look at no gift of God, but meerly upon the Faith, or Works of the creature foreſeen: if you ſpeak of Election, they tell you it is of Faith foreſeen; if of Glory, it is upon condition of perſeverance: but we ſee how contrary it is unto this truth of God; for he giveth himſelf firſt, before he giveth any thing elſe accompanying ſalvation: he gave us Chriſt in his eternal Counſel, before Election; and ſo doth he alſo in our Effectual calling; not Faith before Chriſt, to enable us to chooſe whether we will have him, or not have him: but he is God, and firſt giveth himſelf, and with himſelf, Faith, and ſo worketh our wils unto himſelf, not otherwiſe, leaving it to us to chooſe whether we will have him to be our God or no. Many things in Popery and Arminiansſm, come to be confuted from hence; for in truth they hold forth no more but a Covenant of Works: and if we will not grant Faith and good Works to be the cauſe of all the bleſſed gifts of God, they will take it marvellouſly unkindly; but they were as good deliver unto us another Goſpel.

This may alſo ſerve to teach the people of God to bear a gracious reſpect unto thoſe that are under a Covenan tof Works, Ʋſe 3 and not forthwith to condemn them, as if there were no hope of their ſalvation: for God never p. 38calleth any unto fellowſhip with himſelf in a Covenant of Grace, but ordinarily he firſt bringeth them into a Covenant of Works. The ignorant look to be ſaved by their good prayers, and by their good ſerving of God. After, God may terrifie and humble their ſouls with the ſenſe of their palpable wickedneſs. Then they may reform and truſt in their performances: and then God may burn up all ſuch falſe confidence; Therefore thoſe that are under a Covenant of Works, may belong unto the Lord, as well as thy ſelf; pray for them therefore; Paul was under a Covenant of Works, Steven prayeth for him; and as moſt conceive, that prayer was effectual unto his Converſion, and Paul was as dear unto the Lord as Steven himſelf was. Men under a Covenant of Works, the Lord may bring them home unto himſelf, by daſhing all their works in pieces, and ſhewing them the preſidence of their ſpirit: and the Lord will alſo come and pluck away the caul from their hearts; and then they will have none in heaven but Chriſt, nor in the earth in compariſon of him; and then the Holy Ghoſt convinceth them of this ſin above all their other ſins, that they have not beleeved on Jeſus Chriſt. Do not therefore cenſure any ſuch, as to ſay there is no likelihood that they ſhould ever come to have fellowſhip with Chriſt; for if the Lord make them to fall down before him, and to yeeld up their ſpirits unto the Lord in holy reverence, and fear, theſe have now received ſome fecret ſmoking affections (beſides a Spirit of burning) which the Lord will not quench.

p. 39It may ſerve in the next place to clear up our judgements in ſundry paſſages that do concern the Covenant of Grace, Uſe 4 by Anſwers unto theſe ſix Queſtions following.

1. Queſt. What is the firſt Gift that ever the Lord giveth unto his Elect?

Firſt of all he giveth himſelf: the Father, Anſw. and the Son, and the Holy Spirit; this is the Foundation; and if you ſhall lay Faith in the Foundation before theſe, the foundation will lie uneaſily, and the ſpirit of a true Chriſtian ſhall not lie long in peace; Chriſt muſt therefore be firſt, and with him Faith cometh in to receive him: firſt he will make a Covenant with us, and put his holy Spirit within us, which worketh in us Faith, and Fear, that we never ſhall depart from him. He giveth us his Son, and all things elſe in him: he giveth us in him pardon of ſins in our Juſtification, and in him ſome degrees of Glory alſo, and in him right unto all the Promiſes of the Covenant; no other Foundation but him: take him firſt therefore, for he is the firſt thing given.

But whether doth not the Lord give us ſome ſaving preparations, before Jeſus Chriſt? Object.

Reſerving due honour to ſuch gracious and precious Saints, as may be otherwiſe minded, Anſw. I confeſs I do not diſcern, that the Lord worketh and giveth any ſaving preparation, in the heart, till he give union with Chriſt; for if the Lord do give any ſaving Qualification before Chriſt, then the ſoul may be in the ſtate of ſalvation before Chriſt; and that ſeemeth to be prejudicial unto the Grace and Truth p. 40of Jeſus Chriſt: for if there be no Name under heaven given, whereby we muſt be ſaved, but only Jeſus Chriſt; nor his Name, but in a way of fellowſhip with him; then it ſeemeth to me apparently to follow, that whatſoever ſaving work there be in the ſoul, it is not there before Chriſt be there. It is true, John Baptiſt was ſent to ſubdue all fleſh, by a Spirit of Burning, which burneth up carnal confidence in the Covenant of Abraham, and all their fruits of righteouſneſs: here were indeed preparations for Chriſt, but theſe were not ſaving, they were ſtill children of wrath; ye ſerpents, ye generation of vipers, notwithſtanding all this. Further, John did indeed diſpenſe poverty of Spirit, unto which a ſaving Promiſe was made; but then Jeſus Chriſt was there alſo; whether they knew it, or knew it not, that is not greatly material in this Argument: but if the Kingdome of Heaven was there, Jeſus Chriſt was there firſt, otherwiſe it will prove diſhonourable unto the Name of Chriſt. Indeed there is a ſaving preparation before conſolation in Chriſt, and the manifeſtation of our gracious union with him; but for our firſt union, there are no ſteps unto that Altar, Exod. 20. ult. but Chriſt doth prepare his Tabernacle for himſelf to dwell in. This is in the firſt place for inſtruction, concerning what is the firſt gift which the Lord giveth unto the ſoul, before any work. He giveth ſpiritual union with his Son: this ſtandeth firm from the tenor of the Covenant, and the nature of it.

2. Queſt. In what order the Lord giveth the Covenant, p. 41and the bleſſings of it: whether Faith before them, or thoſe Bleſſings before Faith be able to apply them?

He doth give himſelf to work Faith, Anſw. before Faith can be there; for it is the Fruit of the Spirit that Faith is wrought in the ſoul; Gal. 5.22.Gal 5:22the Spirit is in the ſoul in which Faith (as a fruit) groweth; and this Faith doth receive the preſence of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt himſelf by his Spirit; and it doth alſo receive Adoption, and Juſtification: but to be able actually to apply Chriſt, before we be in Chriſt, our firſt birth will not bear it; for a man is as paſſive in his Regeneration, as in his firſt Generation; only the Lord giveth us his Spirit that doth unite us unto Chriſt, which is received by Faith, together with Adoption and Juſtification: and this is the true and native order of the Lords working.

3. Queſt. Whether do we receive the Lord Jeſus Chriſt in an abſolute, or in a conditional Promiſe?

We know the Lord can convey himſelf in an Evangelical commandment, Anſw. as well as in a promiſe; as we finde it, Iſa. 41.12. Fear thou not, worm Jacob, I will help thee, &c. He can alſo convey himſelf in a …hreatning unto the Devil; as unto our firſt parents he did convey himſelf, wrapping up a promiſe in it, as Gen. 3.15. I will put e…nity between thee and the woman, and between thy ſeed and her ſeed; it ſhall bruiſe thy head, and thou ſhalt bruiſe his heel: and from hence the Lord gave them to ſuck a ſweet and comfortable promiſe of his Free Grace: and when the like is conveyed p. 42in a commandment, the Lord undertaketh to work that which he ſo commandeth: But now it is queſtioned, Whether the promiſe wherein the Lord giveth himſelf, be abſolute, or conditional. Faith uniting us to Chriſt, it is ever upon an abſolute promiſe; or a condition ſubſequent, not antecedent. If you will ſay it is a Promiſe to a Condition; What kinde of condition was it? There is no condition before Faith; for then a man is out of the way of any gracious Bleſſing from heaven; no condition before it, whereby a man can cloſe with Jeſus Chriſt: and if it was a condition after Faith, unto which the promiſe was made, then Faith was there before; and whatſoever followeth converſion, is no ground of Faith, but a fruit and effect of it: therefore I ſay, our firſt coming on to Chriſt, cannot be upon a conditional, but upon an abſolute Promiſe. If the Lord bear witneſs unto Juſtification, it is either abſolute, or to Faith. If he come to bear witneſs unto a mans Sanctification, then the Lord doth it from ſome work or other of his Grace in them; as unto Abraham, Gen. 22.12. By this I know that thou feareſt me, ſeeing thou-haſt not with-held thy Son, thine only Son. It is true indeed, after a mans Juſtification is born witneſs unto from Grace, or from Faith, then Sanctification and Juſtification do mutually bear witneſs one to another: that is, when Juſtification is not wholly doubted of, but in part, then Sanctification is of uſe to witneſs; but not when Juſtification lieth wholly proſtrate.

There is a fourth Queſtion, which is as a p. 43further branch of the fourth Uſe; of which I would not ſpeak, but that I might through the good hand of God, the better clear things, that we may not ſtumble in our expreſſions, nor in any office of brotherly love, in conference about the covenant of Grace and Works.

4. Queſt. Foraſmuch as you hear of a Sanctification under a Covenant of Works, it doth imply, that there is a Sanctification that is but tranſitory, and not everlaſting, nor immortal; Whether then may a man evidence his union with Chriſt from his Sanctification?

I anſwer in four Propoſitions, Anſw. that I might not leave any occaſion of ſcruple or difference about what is held forth in our Congregation; as being that which doth yeeld as much agitation as any other Doctrine that is taught among us. Let me therefore ſhortly and plainly diſcover it; and let it be ſo far received, as we ſee the life, and preſence, and truth of the Spirit of God revealed in the Doctrine of Free-grace, from the Scriptures of Truth.

That Sanctification according to the Law, Propoſ. 1 (that is to ſay, ſuch a Sanctification as may be found in a Covenant of Works) is no evidence, or witneſs of our union with Chriſt. And I ſuppoſe there is no difference there. But though there be no difference in mens judgments in this; yet it is an eaſie thing for Chriſtians to miſtake their evidence upon this very ground, and as much upon this ground as any: For when Chriſtians come to be really wrought upon, and finde themſelves diſcouraged from ſin, and ſo reform their lives, and give up themſelves to obey the p. 44Word, and finde comfort therein, (and great conſolation many times) in ſuch a caſe as this Chriſtians do much differ upon the point; and yet I do not know any of all the Teachers in this Countrey that withdraw their conſents from this Doctrine, that ſuch Sanctification as is wrought in hypocrites, though that it may reach to great improvements, yet it is no evidence of Juſtification at all. It hath been handled in another Congregation, (and I think not without weight of truth) that to diſtinguiſh in men between that Sanctification which floweth from the Law, and that which is of the Goſpel, is a matter ſo narrow, that the Angels in heaven have much adoe to diſcern who differ: a work fitter for Angels to cut the ſcantling in it, then for the Miniſters of the Goſpel, though indeed there be great difference of the one from the other. Now though this do not tend to heal any difference in judgment; yet it is uſeful to heal a miſpriſion of ſanctification, that may be found in all hypocrites. Three things are to be attended unto in all Sanctification: As

1. From what Root it ſpringeth.

2. By what Rule it is guided.

3. At what End it aimeth.

And commonly under ſome one or other of theſe three, are put all the differences between the one Sanctification and the other: I ſpeak it, that it may be ſearched, and (God is my witneſs) not to unſettle the well-grounded comfort of any ſoul: but if any man hath p. 45built upon an unſafe foundation, or hath built hay, or ſtubble; better it is to know it at firſt, whileſt there is hope in Iſrael, then when it is too late. In thoſe three things formerly mentioned, are all the differences between the ſanctification of Hypocrites, and of the Children of God; and they go ſo cloſe together, that you will ſay, it is not an eaſie matter to diſcern Juſtification by Sanctification.

1. For the Root of it: The ſoul having fellowſhip with Chriſt, by the Holy Ghoſt coming into the ſoul, and working Faith in Jeſus Chriſt. This is the Root of all Chriſtian Sanctification: Ezek. 36.27. I will put my Spirit within you, &c. And, he that is joyned to the Lord, is one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6.17. and for Faith, it is Faith that purifieth the heart, Act. 15.9. and, without Faith it is impoſſible to pleaſe God, Heb. 11.6. So that Faith muſt concurre unto the rootedneſs of our Sanctification in Chriſt. But the Apoſtle doth attribute both theſe Roots unto thoſe Chriſtians that ſhall afterwards fall away to ſin the ſin againſt the Holy Ghoſt, Heb. 6. They have taſted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghoſt: that heavenly gift was Faith, which the Apoſtle reckoneth chiefly among the Principles of our Chriſtian Religion, verſ. 1. A taſte they had of it; yet from both theſe they fall away: you know what was ſaid of Saul, 1 Sam. 10.10. The Spirit of God came upon him: And ſo did it likewiſe upon Judas, and Demas, acting them mightily in their adminiſtrations; and as they were thus carried p. 46along by the Spirit: So likewiſe the Spirit of Bondage will marvellouſly prevail with the ſons of men, to draw them on to ſtrong works of Reformation, from whence they reap no ſmall conſolation; but think and ſay, (as Abiſah did) that the Lord is with them, whileſt they are with him: And as ſometimes David ſaid of himſelf, I beleeved, therefore I spake: So the Iſraelites alſo, (Pſal. 106.12.) beleeved, and ſang the praiſes of God, upon the Red-ſea-ſhore, and yet were they but an hypocritical generation. And if Hypocrites may work miracles in the Name of Chriſt, (as they did, and expoſtulate with Chriſt about it, Mat. 7.22. Have we not propheſied in thy Name, and in thy Name caſt out devils, and in thy Name done many wonderſul works?) then may a temporary Faith work ordinary works in Chriſtianity alſo: and therefore you ſhall read (Mat. 13.22.) that there is no fault found in the thorny ſoyl for their want of root, or for their want of depth of earth; for the want of both which, the ſtony ſoyl was taxed: but look as it is with the bran…hes of a Vine, what depth of earth the root hath, they have it, being graffed into the Vine, though they be but foreign, branches of the wilde Olive, and will bring forth but wilde Fruit: for though the branch of the wilde Olive be graffed into the fat Olive, and may flouriſh there; yet will it bring forth its own fruit; but in the root you will not finde a difference: yet there is a difference, but it is very hard to be diſcerned.

Yes, Object. (will you ſay) there is a plain difference; p. 47for an Hypocrite is ever full of himſelf, but a true Chriſtian doth all in Faith: he ſeeketh God daily, and waiteth upon God daily; and theſe are not the waies of Hypocrites.

Conſider I pray you what the Word of the Lord holdeth forth as the Root of this Sanctification, Anſw. and I will go no further then expreſs Scriptures: Iſa. 58.2. They ſeek me daily; and this is ſpoken of hypocritical Iſraelites: and for waiting, we often hear it ſpoken of the five fooliſh Virgins, they all went out to meet the Bridegroom, Mat. 25.1. though whileſt he tarried long, they all fell aſleep; and ſo did the wiſe Virgins alſo. And for more particular application of God unto themſelves, we finde that alſo, Hoſ. 8.2. Iſrael ſhall cry unto me, My God, we know thee; and yet (in the ſame Scripture) this Iſrael had tranſgreſſed the Covenant, and cast off the thing that is good: And for a further act of Faith, which is a staying a mans ſelf upon God; what ſaith the Text? Iſa. 48.2. They ſtay themſelves upon the God of Iſrael, (and yet theſe are obſtinate; their neck as an iron ſinew, and their brow as braſs) but it was not in truth and uprightneſs; True, it was not: But how ſhall we know the difference? Truly it is hard to perceive when men differ, and therefore it is not an eaſie matter to make ſuch uſe of Sanctification, as by it to bear witneſs unto Juſtification: and it will be a very hard caſe, yea much more difficult, when men cannot feel the preſence of ſpiritual gifts, but want ſpiritual light: and when they do finde Faith in themſelves, they will p. 48finde it in Hypocrites alſo, even Faith to ſeek the Lord, and Faith to wait upon him, and Faith to apply him, ſaying, My God; and Faith to ſtay upon the God of Iſrael: and yet theſe men do vaniſh away in hypocriſie. This Hypocrites may do: ſeeing therefore what eaſineſs of error may befal Chriſtians, whether this or that Grace may be of the right ſtamp, or no, it will behoove Chriſtians to be wary; for even Eagle-eyed Chriſtians will have much adoe ſo to diſcern of Sanctification in themſelves, before they ſee their Juſtification, as to cut off all Hypocrites from having the like in them. For the ſanctified frame of life in Gods children, and that which ſeemeth to be like it in Hypocrites; both of them ſpring from the Holy Ghoſt, and both from Faith: but now the Spirit of God hath this farther work in his own people, beyond what he worketh upon others; though he melteth both, yet Hypocrites are melted as iron, which will return again to his hardneſs; but his own people are melted into fleſh, which will never return to his hardneſs more; neither can they reſt in any meaſure of ſoftneſs, unto which they have attained, but ſtill are carried towards Jeſus Chriſt. So that the one is a Temporary Faith, and the other Perſevereth; though both work in the Name of Jeſus Chriſt, yet this difference will be found between them; not only when Hypocrites come to be blaſted, but even in the midſt of their profeſſion. As for the Faith of the Goſpel of Jeſus Chriſt, it is not preſident of his own power, but his ſtrength lieth out of himſelf in p. 49Jeſus Chriſt, whereas hypocrites and legal Chriſtians are confident of their Faith, that they can make uſe of it unto ſuch and ſuch ends: they think they need no more but look up to Jeſus Chriſt, & their work is at an end; and ſuch ſtrength they finde in themſelves, that they do not fear but that they ſhall carry an end all their work in a ſafe courſe to Gods glory, and their own: where as the ſtrongeſt Faith, even of the Theſſalonians (whoſe Faith was ſuch, as that none of all the Churches went before them) if it be not ſupplied, and ſtrengthned, they know, and the Apoſtle Paul knoweth that it will warp; this may we ſee by comparing 1 Theſ. 1.3. with chap. 3.2, 10. and the Faithful people of God, Iſa. 26.12. acknowledge him to work all their works for them: and therefore as there is a real difference in the preſence of the Spirit: ſo alſo in the work of Faith in hypocrites, and the children of God; for the one putteth confidence in himſelf, and the other in Jehovah. This is the firſt difference of Sanctification.

2. There is difference alſo in the Rule whereby they are guided: though both ſeek to the Word of God, and take delight in that, inſomuch as you ſhall not be able to difference them there, yet a great difference there is in the apprehenſion of the word: the one is ſo confident of the ſtrength and comfort that he hath in the word, as he will be ready to take it ill at Gods hand, if he finde not aſſiſtance from him, and acceptance before him. Now the other ſee their need they have of the Lord to maintain their ſtrength and comfort for