A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace, Sermon · Part 100-150
of your own; in ſuch a caſe either thou art under a Covenant of works, or at the leaſt thou art gone aſide to a Covenant of works; and if ever the Lord open your eyes, and beſtow his free grace upon you, you will know your redemption from ſuch dependances as theſe be. I know a Chriſtian man, that hath not been clearly taught the diſtinct differences of the two Covenants, may be miſled into dangerous waies, that might tend unto the utter undoing of his ſoul; but it is a ſin of ignorance, and the Lord will not leave his ſervants, but clear up his truth and grace unto them.
May ſerve to teach the ſervants of God, Uſe 4 that deſire to walk in a way of conſtant comfort, how to build their faith and their hope: truly if they be grounded upon your own obedience, or righteouſneſs, or ſanctification; if they depend upon you, you will find your hearts ever unſettled: you may find comfort, as under the Law you ſhall; for if a man be married to the Law, the Law will caſt in comforts upon him becauſe of his obedience; but if you ſhall believe that Chriſt is yours, and comfort your ſelves becauſe you have been by the power of the Law conſtrained to duties, and reſtrained from ſin, and thereupon build your conjugal communion with Jeſus Chriſt, you will find your ſouls full of ſadneſs and fear ere long, ſpecially if you have true grace in your hearts: and therefore it is the faithfulneſs and tenderneſs of the grace of God unto his people, that when Chriſtians come into this Country, though they have been marvelous eminent in our native Country, they cannot pray fervently, nor hear the word with profit, nor receive the ſeals with comfort: they wonder what is become of their old prayers, and hearings, and Sacraments, and of their lively ſpirits in holy duties; truly the Lord hath diſenabled them (as it were) from ſuch things, becauſe they did build their union and fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt upon them, that ſo they might know the freedom of the grace of God, that juſtifieth the ungodly; then will the poor ſoul be glad to ſeek after the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, and ſay (as the people of God ſometimes did, Hoſ. 2.7.) I will go, and return to my firſt husband; for then was it better with me then now: now the ſoul will plainly ſee and diſcern, that he cloſed not with his true husband, when as he built ſo much hope and comfort upon his duties; therefore he will find himſelf weak, and dead, (as it were) to all ſpiritual duties, and can find no life in them, no comfort from them; and it is the marvelous goodneſs, and free grace of God unto ſuch a ſoul, whom the Lord will not ſuffer to bleſs himſelf in his works; for if a man ſhould lay the foundation of his comfort in them, and be ready as it were to take it ill, if he ſhould not find God accepting his works; Wherefore have we faſted, and thou regardeſt it not? Iſa. 58.3. If a man rejoyce in the ſparks which he hath kindled, this ſhall he receive at the hands of God, to lie down in ſorrow. Iſa. 50.11. whereas the light of God ſhall graciouſly break forth unto the ſervants of God, though they wait upon him, though they be for preſent in darkneſs, and ſee no light. Truſt not therefore in any legal comforts, but wait upon the free grace of God, both to juſtifie, ſanctifie, comfort, and glorifie your ſouls; and this is the way of conſtant peace: and if the Lord do at any time check his ſervants, when they walk in by-waies; it is, that he may build them upon a ſurer foundation. So that their ſalvation will not lie upon their obedience, nor damnation be procured by their diſobedience: this is the way of conſtant peace and ſafety unto all the Iſrael of God.
This Doctrine may ſerve in the next place, Queſt. 7 to anſwer a ſeventh Queſtion, touching the neceſſity of Sanctification. For it may be demanded, If the Lord will give himſelf unto the ſoul in the Covenant of his Grace, not only his attributes, but his perſon, all that is God is given by vertue of this Covenant; If God will give himſelf, not only to chooſe us to life and glory, but his Son to redeem us, and his holy Spirit to ſanctifie us, Ezek. 36.27. what need is there of Sanctification? for if the Holy Ghoſt will dwell in us, he can take our wits, and underſtanding, and underſtand all our Meditations for us, without any ſuch actual concurrence of ours, as might be requiſite for that end; if the Lord giveth himſelf to be my righteouſneſs, and holineſs, what need I then theſe gifts of holineſs? So that this in ſum is the Queſtion, If the Lord will give unto us himſelf, what need we theſe gifts to work any thing, which God is much more able to perform then we can be? This ſpringeth naturally from the Doctrine.
Though the Lord giveth us himſelf, Anſw. and his holy Spirit to dwell in us, yet is it needful that we ſhould be indued with all the gifts of the Spirit of Grace, that do accompany-ſalvation. You will ſay, What need is there then that the Holy Ghost ſhould dwell in us? or will not theſe carry an end our ſouls unto immortality? Truly we have need that the Lord ſhould give us his holy Spirit to dwell in us, notwithſtanding all the gifts of his grace, though they indeed are neceſſary conditions to be found in the ſouls of all Gods ſervants, Heb. 12.14. Follow peace and holyneſs, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord. As if he made it of abſolute neceſſity to ſalvation, not onelyonly in another world, but for a comfortable condition in this world; follow Peace and Holineſs, as if ſo be that they were ready to fly away from a man: and indeed, the word doth imply no leſs; for foreign, doth ſignifie the purſuit of ſomething that fleeth from a man, as peace will many times flee from one, and a man will have much ado to attain unto it, Pſal. 120.6, 7. My ſoul hath long dwelt with him that hateth peace: I am for peace; but when I speak, they are for war: it is not eaſily attained unto, therefore ſhould not be ſuffered to depart, but held faſt when it is enjoyed. And ſo for Holineſs; the Apoſtle would have us make an holy kind of purſuit after it, as if it were ſtill withdrawing from us; which cometh through the corruptions of our heart; for we are ſoon weary of holy Duties, as Prayer, or Conference, or the like: if Holineſs be in any thing, it ſoon groweth weariſome to fleſh and blood; but though our weak and feeble nature will be withdrawing us from Holineſs, yet the Lord would have us to follow it, and purſue it; and ſo ſhall a man be withdrawn from the world, and from the temptations and bad examples thereof. Do not ſay, What, ſhall we be wiſer then our Fathers? and, Is not Moderation beſt in all things? but conſider what the Apoſtle ſaith, Follow ſtill after it, even unto perfection; and his words do intimate the reaſon of it, without which no man ſhall ſee the Lord: for what is Holineſs in its own nature? it is that which giveth God his due, as Righteouſneſs giveth man his due. And this is a main ground why we are ſo ſlow in works of holineſs; for were they of another nature, and did they ſerve our turns more, as we think, we ſhould not then account them tedious: If I were to ſit and tell money all day long, this is for my ſelf (ſaith a man) and for my profit; and if it were for another, we ſhould not think the time long, it may be, at that work neither: but (mind you) when it cometh to any thing which doth concern the Lord, then it's ſo far above a mans reach, whatſoever we have to do in the things of God, that we ſhould ſoon be weary of reaching forth our hands all the day long unto the Lord, and to be conſtantly for God, from God, and with God, in all our Actions: our baſe ſpirits are ſoon ready to be withdrawing from the Lord; therefore the Apoſtle biddeth us follow after Peace, and Holineſs, without which no man ſhall ſee God: ſo that great is the neceſſity of Holineſs, and worthy to be followed after: for though a mans own heart, and the world, and men, and Satan withdraw us from it, yet follow after it, for without it no man ſhall ſee God. There is a kind of holineſs which ſome men have attained unto, many a fair day ago, but 'tis a thouſand to one, whether it be the holineſs which doth accompany ſalvation, for that Holineſs is not eaſily attained unto; but the other will eaſily cleave cloſe unto a man.
Now if you ſhall ask me, Queſt. 1 wherefore the Lord will have us purſue after Holineſs; and what needeth it, if the Spirit of Holineſs dwell in me by an everlaſting Covenant? if it did withdraw from us as it did from Adam, it was another matter; but though it may be quenched in us, yet abideth it for ever: what need then of gifts of Holineſs?
That one word may be ſufficient, Anſw. which we find in 2 Tim. 2.21. If any man purge himſelf from theſe evils, he ſhall be a veſſel unto honour, ſanctified and meet for the Maſters uſe, and prepared unto every good work. This ſheweth us why gifts of Holineſs are requiſite to be in Gods people, namely, that they might become meet inſtruments in the hands of God, and fitted unto every good word and work; therefore it is, that the Lord will have us to be filled with all the gifts of Righteouſneſs, and fruits of his Spirit, that we might be more fit Temples for the Holy Ghoſt to dwell in: and this is the principal Reaſon of the Point.
If then there be ſuch gifts of holineſs, Queſt. 2 what need the Holy Ghoſt dwell in us? is it not enough that he ſhould ſhed abroad theſe things into our hearts? cannot the Lord carry an end the work of our ſalvation by theſe gifts?
There is need that the Holy Ghoſt ſhould dwell in us, Anſw. notwithſtanding. 1. To keep theſe gifts in us. 2. To act them in us. 3. To witneſs theſe unto our ſouls, for our comfort, and the good one of another. Some Scriptures for all theſe.
1. That there is need of the Holy Ghoſt to keep theſe things in us, 2 Tim. 1.14. That good thing which was committed unto thee, keep by the Holy Ghoſt which dwelleth in us. There is a very worthy thing committed to us, how ſhall we keep it? not by our own wit and wiſdom, careful watchfulneſs, and faithfulneſs, (though ſuch things ought not to be wanting) but the charge is, Keep thoſe things by the Holy Ghost, which dwelleth in us. We ſtand in need of Gifts, to be fit inſtruments in the hand of God; we ſtand in need of the Spirit of God, to maintain that which God giveth us: and though Adams Gifts were in perfection, yet not having the holy Ghoſt to keep them for him, they all flie from him, as ſoon as ever he had taſted of the forbidden fruit, and left him naked and deſperate. Therefore in the Covenant of Grace the Lord giveth the Holy Ghoſt to keep ſtrong poſſeſſion in his ſervants, againſt the ſtrong man armed. This is the firſt ground why the Holy Ghoſt dwelleth in us.
2. It's the Holy Ghoſt, that acteth the gifts given to us, and enableth them in us: for the Holy Ghoſt who keepeth poſſeſſion, doth derive continued ſtrength into our faith, which putteth life into all the gifts of God. And if you ſhall ask how love, and patience, and the reſt of the gifts of God do work? The Holy Ghoſt ſtirreth up faith to look unto Chriſt, who returneth ſtrength by his Spirit unto Faith; and ſo faith worketh by love, and by meekneſs, and by all the reſt of the fruits of the Spirit. Thus the Spirit of God acteth according to what we read, Rom. 8.14. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the ſons of God: come to any holy duty, and it is the Holy Ghoſt, that leadeth you along, and atteth in you: ſo Ezek. 36.27. I will put my Spirit within you, and cauſe you to walk in my ſtatutes, and you ſhall keep my judgements, and do them. And, holy men of God ſpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghoſt. It is the Spirit of God that moveth us to any good work, and that acteth the gifts of his grace in us.
3. The Spirit of God doth not only keep theſe gifts for us, and act them in us; but it is the ſame Spirit of God that witneſſeth to theſe gifts, and ſheweth what gifts he hath given us; for ſuch is the blindneſs of the nature of all the ſons of men, and it is a wonder to ſee, that generally Chriſtians when the Lord firſt worketh theſe gifts in them, not one of a thouſand but they think they are in a ſad and fearful condition, and ſo they are very uncomfortable: but now left that we ſhould alwayes miſtake that which the Lord hath given us, we have received the Spirit of God, that we might know the things that are freely given unto us of God, 1 Cor. 2.12. he indeed taketh his own time to diſcover it, to ſome ſooner, to ſome later; but this is his intendment, that he might honor his grace unto us, by all the rich and gracious gifts which he hath given us.
He doth alſo reveal unto us the duties which he helpeth us to do, Rom. 9.1. I ſay the truth in Chriſt, I lye not, my conſcience alſo bearing me witneſs in the holy Ghoſt, That I have great heavineſs, and continual ſorrow in mine heart: For I could wiſh that my ſelf were accurſed from Chriſt, for my Brethren, my Kinſmen according to the fleſh. The Holy Ghoſt that wrought in him this brotherly-love, the ſame Holy Ghoſt beareth him witneſs that he doth not lie; and that he had continual ſorrow in his heart, and that he could have wiſhed to have been accurſed from Chriſt, that they might be ſaved; it grieved him ſo much that the whole Nation ſhould be deſtitute of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt.
Thus wee ſee how great need there is of the Holy Ghoſt to dwell in us, to keep all the gifts of his grace in us, to act them according to his will, and to diſcover to us what gracious gifts the Lord hath wrought in us, and what duties he hath helped us to do, that we may be able to give account of them by the Holy Ghoſt that dwelleth in us, and beareth witneſs with us. So there is neceſſity both of the gifts of grace, that we may be fit Temples for the Holy Ghoſt to dwell in, and fit inſtruments for him to work by: there is need alſo the Holy Ghoſt ſhould dwell in us, for the cauſes we have ſpoken unto.
And I might add this, to comfort us in all the changes that may come upon us: it is a ſtrong Scripture which we read in Joh. 15.26. When the Comforter is come, whom I will ſend unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father, he ſhall teſtifie of me, (our Divines have no place of more clear evidence to prove the proceſſion of the Spirit from the Father) both of what mighty redemption he hath wrought for us, and what grace he hath wrought in us. This the Holy Ghoſt ſhall teſtifie, even he that proceedeth from the Father; this is the comfort of Gods people. Thus we ſee both theſe points opened to us.
How may we then imploy and improve this Sanctification which the Lord hath given us, Queſt. 3 and which he keepeth and acteth in us by his Spirit, and whereunto he beareth witneſs? How, or to what end ſhall we imploy it, ſeeing the Lord undertaketh to do theſe things for us?
If ſo be it, Anſw. that the Lord Jeſus Chriſt by his Spirit giveth us theſe gifts: it is our part then firſt to ſee that we do not reſt in any ſanctification, which doth ſpring from Chriſt, conveyed unto us by his bleſſed Spirit. The Spirit knitteth us unto Chriſt, and Chriſt unto us; he worketh faith in us to receive whatſoever the Lord giveth unto us, and by the ſame faith worketh all our holineſs for us, 1 Cor. 1.30. Chriſt is made unto us of God, wiſ. dom, and righteouſneſs, and ſanctification, and redemption: therefore we are to ſee him principal author of all theſe things in us, and for us. This is the principal comfort of all, and the glory of all our ſafety; and ſo far as any of theſe lieth in our Sanctification, we ought to ſee that it be ſanctification in Jeſus Chriſt; and then it is ſanctification in Jeſus Chriſt, when the Lord giveth us to look unto the Lord Jeſus in it, and to it in him; and as we look for our holineſs to be perfect in Jeſus Chriſt, ſo we look for continual ſupply of it from him: and this it is to make Chriſt our ſanctification, when as whatſoever gift the Lord giveth us, we go not forth in the ſtrength of it, but in the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt. There may be a change in the ſoul, which may ſpring from a ſpirit of Bondage, and may captivate our conſciences unto the Law, that may reſtrain us from ſin, and conſtrain us unto duties: but ſuch holineſs ſpringeth not from union with Jeſus Chriſt; for there may be a conſcience of duty, without ſence of our need of Jeſus Chriſt: as it was with the Iſraelites at Mount Sinai, Deut. 5.27. Go thou neer (ſay they to Moſes) and hear all that the Lord our God ſhall ſay, and ſpeak thou unto us, all that the Lord our God ſhall ſpeak unto thee, and we will hear it, and do it: they have well ſaid, all that they have ſpoken, ſaith the Lord; O that there were an heart in them, that they would fear me! and ſo forth. This I ſay, therefore, is the firſt thing to be attended unto; as ever you would make a right uſe of your holineſs, ſee that it be ſuch as floweth from Jeſus Chriſt, & that there be not only an heart awed with the Law, but waiting upon Jeſus Chriſt to be all in all in us, and to us: ſo ſhall we neither neglect the gifts of God in us, nor Chriſt, and his Spirit; but ſhall give their due honour unto all of them together.
2. This may alſo teach all Chriſtians not to truſt upon the gifts of their Holineſs: though they do ſpring from the Holy Gboſt himſelf, though they be ſuch as are unchangeable, though they ſpring from Jeſus Chriſt, and knit your ſouls in Union with him; yet truſt not in the gifts themſelves: the Lord layeth it down as the Apoſtacy of Iſrael, Ezek. 16.14, 15. Thy renown went forth among the Heathen, for thy beauty; for it was perfect through my comelineſs which I had put upon thee, ſaith the Lord God. But thou didſt truſt in thine own beauty, and playedſt the Harlot, &c. Truſt not therefore in any of theſe; but let all our confidence be in Jeſus Chriſt, not in any of the gifts of his Spirit, whatſoever. For a little further opening of it.
1. Truſt not in any gifts that you have received for the performance of any duty, for it is not the ſtrongeſt Chriſtian that is able to put forth a good thought, 2 Cor. 3.5. But our ſufficiency is of God. He that abideth in me, and I in him, the ſame bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing, Joh. 15.5. And the Apoſtle Paul cannot onelyonly not do any great matter by his own ſtrength and grace, but nothing at all without Jeſus Chriſt; and therefore he giveth us to underſtand, that it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do, Phil. 2.12. if therefore we have any new work to do, look to the Lord Jeſus Chriſt afreſh by Faith, that he may carry an end our works in us, and for us; otherwiſe it is not any ſtrength or grace in us, that can produce any good work, word, or thought: And therefore (mind you) the Apoſtle maketh it a Principle of Chriſtian Religion, that The juſt man liveth by his Faith; and he often mentioneth it, Gal. 2.20. The life which I now live in the fleſh, I live by the faith of the Son of God; where he putteth it into his own experience: why? did he not live by Love, and Patience, and Zeal? &c. yes truly, they were lively in him, if ever in any man, beſides our bleſſed Saviour; and yet notwithſtanding, he never attributed life to any of theſe gifts of his; but if he ſpeak of his Life, he maketh this his Univerſal Life, I live by the Faith of the Son of God, and I am I am able to do all things through Chriſt which ſtrengthneth me, Phil. 4.13. This is the true ſavour of a Chriſtian ſpirit, that when gifts are at the higheſt, the heart is then at the loweſt: 1 Cor. 15.9, 10. The Apoſtle Paul there acknowledgeth himſelf to be as one born out of due time; for (ſaith he) I am leſs then the leaſt of the Apoſtles, not meet to be called an Apoſtle, becauſe I perſecuted the Church of God; I, but by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace which was beſtowed upon me was not in vain, but I laboured more abundantly then they all, yet not I, but the grace of God in me. This is truly ſpiritual ſanctification, that when the ſoul is full of the Holy Ghoſt, and gifts of the Holy Ghoſt, yet he is like a man in great penury, as having nothing of himſelf: This is a marvelous ſpiritual poverty, and you ſhall ever find (and I deſire the Lord would open the hearts of his people to know what I ſpeak) that if Chriſtians have fallen, their greateſt falls have been in their moſt exemplary gifts. If you ſhall mark the ſins of all the ſervants of God, they have been chiefly found in the very exerciſe of their beſt gifts. Let us take a little taſte of them, that we may learn to uſe our gifts in the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt.
Abraham, a man full of faith, none went beyond him in Old nor New Teſtament: yet if you read of any failing in him, it is in want of the acting of faith. What made him afraid not once, but the ſecond time, that his wife would be taken away from him by Pharaoh? Gen. 12. by Abimelech? chap. 20. had not the Lord promiſed that he would bleſs him whereſoever he came? Gen. 12.2. He had ſo much of the knowledge and grace of God ſhining in him, that Sarah needed not have diſſembled; and Abimelech (a poor Heathen) could ſay as much, chap. 20.16. Behold, thy husband it a covering of the eyes to all that are with thee, and with all other; thus ſhe was reproved: as if he ſhould ſay, Thou needeſt no ſhifts and lies for thy protections, and to be a vail unto thee: this a poor Heathen can diſcern, that ſuch a man as hath God with him, needeth no other ſhifts nor covering to defend and ſhelter him. Thus we ſee that theſe great failings of Abraham, were proper acts of unbelief. Moſes, a meek man, none like him for meekneſs on the face of the earth; there is but one ſin ſtoried of him after he was called to the Government of that State, and this was his failing; Hear now you rebels, Muſt we fetch you water out of this rock? ſo he lift up his hand, and with his rod he ſmote the rock twice, Numb. 20.10, 11. they provoked Moſes, as meek as he was: ſometimes, when Aaron and Miriam dealt as peremptorily with him, he was not moved from the meekneſs of his ſpirit: but now he falleth into Paſſion, and this was the very ſin, for which the Lord excluded him out of Canaan, Numb. 27.12, 13, 14. It was the breach of this royal grace, chap. 20.12. Becauſe ye believed me not, to ſanctifie me in the eyes of the children of Iſrael, therefore you ſhall not bring this congregation into the Land which I have given them: which words ſhew us the reaſon of his failing in the grace wherein he ſo much abounded, becauſe ye believed me not. The Lord will have him know, that he muſt live by his fiath in his meekneſs. If any man think himſelf to be a meek man, and nothing ſhall over-wraſtle him there, if you believe not in God but in your meekneſs, your confidence will ſoon fail you. Peter, a man full of courage; and you read of two of his principal failings, and both in point of courage; he failed in the high Prieſts hall at the voice of a Damſel, and in the porch at the ſpeech of another Maid; and the third time, at the voice of one that ſtood by, Mat. 26.69. &c. whereas afterward when he lived by faith, he became undaunted. Another failing of his in point of courage we read of, Gal. 2.12. He feared thoſe of the circumciſion; and whereas before he did eat with the Gentiles, when certain of the Circumciſion came from James, he withdrew, and ſeparated himſelf, and ſo diſſembled, and others likewiſe with him, inſomuch, that Barnabas alſo was carried away with their diſſimulution. Thus the Apoſtle Peter's moſt eminent gifts did not bring forth their fruits. Know therefore, that the beſt of all your gifts, faith, meekneſs, courage, wiſdom, love to your brethren, will fail, if you truſt in them; and you will be moſt apt to fail there wherein you do moſt excel. If a man be wiſe, he ſhall fail in that point, and it may be in nothing ſo much, as in that, even in thoſe things wherein he thinketh he walketh moſt wiſely: and ſuch an one will find moſt trials in point of his wiſdom; and the like will be found in all other graces, and all to this end, to teach the Iſrael of God to know, that no man liveth by his wiſdom, nor by any thing in himſelf, but by faith in Jeſus Chriſt, whom God hath given unto his people; and who is only able to give new ſupplies of his Spirit unto his ſervants to act every gift which he hath given them. I might have mentioned the example of Sarab, a meek and a quiet godly ſpirited woman, ſubject and obedient to her husband, and called him Lord; whoſe daughters you are while you do well, 1 Pet. 3.6. and yet you know one of her greateſt failings, was in point of Reverence to her huſband, Gen. 16.5. When ſhe ſaw that ſhe was deſpiſed in the eyes of her maid, whom ſhe had given unto her husband, ſhe ſaid to Abraham, My wrong be upon thee, and the Lord judge between me and thee. Where is the reverence of Sarah now? Will you have the daughters of Sarah to imitate her herein? What had her husband done? There was no fault in him in this matter; ſhe had no reaſon to tax him upon this point; it was her own counſel, ver. 2. that he ſhould go in to her maid, that I may obtain children by her: therefore there was no colour of any juſt complaint on her part; yet ſee, this meek-ſpirited woman failed in the point of her meekneſſe herein, and did expreſs no greater failing all her life long, that we read of: ſhe was weak in faith once, but there was great reaſon, for that her womb was dead, and her Lord (as ſhe called him) was old alſo; nor doth the Angel ſo much blame her about it: but that action wherein ſhe moſt failed, was againſt that grace wherein ſhe moſt abounded. And though every grace of the Spirit be of great force, when the Lord doth act and move it, yet let a man go forth in the ſtrength of his greateſt gifts, and if ever his heart fail him, it will be in them.
Think not when you have done all you can, that you are worthy of any thing, but ſay, that you are unprofitable ſervants: for though Sanctification be the way wherein the Lord will pour out all his bleſſings upon his ſervants, yet he doth require them to boaſt in none of their excellencies, but look at them all as freely given them of God: and conſider that the right unto all ſpringeth from fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt, that ſo not only the gift it ſelf is grace, but the bleſſing that followeth upon it is grace alſo. And ſuppoſe that we have attained all that we pray for, ſhall we then exalt our own gifts? No, but let us ſay with Jacob, Gen. 32.10. I am leſs then the least of all the mercies and truth which thou haſt ſhewed unto thy ſervant.
Do not truſt upon gifts, nor upon duties performed by thoſe gifts, to reach the bleſſing; ſo look not for your juſtification from thence at all: for the Apoſtle is plain, that he looked not for any thing for his righteouſneſs before his converſion; and after his converſion, he counteth it all, as droſs, and dung, that he might win Chriſt, Phil. 3.6, 7, 8. And for our faith; they are not to be truſted upon, as grounds of it: for all the gifts of our ſanctification, are fruits of our faith; and therefore faith is ſaid to work by love, Gal. 5.6. And ſo it doth by all other gifts of the Spirit; and if they be fruits of faith, then faith is not built upon them. And thus much for the ſecond Uſe which Chriſtians are to make of their ſanctification.
3. There is in the next place, a point of witneſs, which this Sanctification doth yield, and the Spirit of God by it. The water beareth witneſs to the bloud, and the bloud to the water, and the Spirit unto both, 1 Joh. 5.6, 7, 8. A mans own ſpirit beareth witneſs alſo, Rom. 8.16. The Spirit of God beareth witneſs with our ſpirits, that we are the children of God; and therefore as a witneſſe of God unto our faith, we may lawfully hear what it ſpeaketh: but this is the life of a true evidence, that all theſe gifts of God do not bear witneſs any further then a man ſeeth the Lord Jeſus working them in him, and for him: for it is faith that maketh all the graces of the Goſpel active, and it is a condition ſo requiſite, that unleſſe our works be of faith, and flow from it, they are not acceptable before God, Heb. 11.6. for without faith it's impoſſible to pleaſe God; therefore unleſs faith carry an end our works, they are not works of holineſs, ſuch as ſhould bear witneſs to the ſoul. Therefore the Apoſtle doth ſtir up the Corinthians unto this mainly, Examine your ſelves whether you are in the faith, 2 Cor. 13.5. if he do exhort them to examination, it is in point of faith: and therefore ſome of our Divines, as Reverent Forbes of Middleburgh by name, who hath written a Sermon upon it, wherein he noteth this, that unleſs men find faith in their holineſs, none of all their Sanctification will become a ſound witneſs of the grace of God unto them: but if faith be found, then you ſhall ſee Jeſus Chriſt accepting you, and breathing in you, except you be reprobates. There is a marvelous gracious witneſs, that ſanctification giveth unto him that liveth by faith in Jeſus Chriſt, if it be in Chriſt, and from Chriſt, and for Chriſt. This only is that ſanctification which the Lord commendeth unto his children, to ſeek after it.
4. A fourth Uſe of our ſanctification is, that the Spirit of God helpeth us by it in point of rejoycing; and therefore it is that you ſhall ſee the ſervants of God, rejoycing in their holineſs; ſo doth the Apoſtle Paul, 2 Cor. 1.12. This is our rejoycing, the teſtimony of our conſcience, that in ſimplicity, and godly ſincerity, not with fleſhly wiſdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our converſation in the world; he rejoyceth at what the Lord doth by him, and with him. Let every man prove his own work, and ſo ſhall he have rejoycing in himſelf, and not in another. Gal. 6.4. But what is it that maketh the Apoſtle to rejoyce before God? When he rejoyceth in his work before the Lord, you ſhall ever find him rejoycing at the Lords acting theſe gifts in him, and bleſſing him in his work: let us look upon two or three Scriptures for this end, 1 Tim. 1.12, 13. I thank Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me faithful, putting me into the miniſtry; who was before a blaſphemer, &c. this he thanketh God for: ſo that, mind you, as he ſeeth God giving him theſe gifts, and enabling him unto the work, ſo he bleſſeth God in that behalf. You ſhall find him alſo bleſſing God, that had proſpered this work of the Miniſtry whereſoever he came, 2 Cor. 2.14. Thanks be to God which alwaies cauſeth us to triumph in Chriſt, and maketh manifeſt the ſavour of his knowledge by us in every place. The Lord working in him, and for him, maketh him to triumph, and to over-wraſtle all the difficulties which he meeteth withal. The Lord had given him gifts, and taught him to exerciſe thoſe gifts, and doth accept him; and therefore he expreſſeth himſelf in a marvelous ſtrong ſpeech, Phil. 1.20, 21. I am in nothing aſhamed, but that with all boldneſs, as alwaies, ſo now alſo Chriſt ſhall be magnified in my body, whether it be by life, or by death: for to me to live, is Chriſt; and to die, is gain: to me to live, is Chriſt; as if he had ſaid, I have no life but from Chriſt, I put forth no act of life but for Chriſt: this is the ſum of all his converſation; and if Chriſt be his life, then death will be his advantage, and Chriſt will be magnified in either. Thus we may ſee how the Saints of God have made uſe of their ſanctification; they are careful to ſee that it flow from Chriſt; and yet when they have it, they dare not truſt in their beſt gifts for the leaſt duty, neither do they look for their faith from their beſt gifts, but they expect their beſt gifts to flow from their faith: they make uſe of the teſtimony of their holineſs, when they ſee Chriſt in it, and faith in it, and the Spirit of God carrying them along in the waies and duties thereof: thus they ſee their holineſs, and take comfort in it, and from the witneſs of it, as that by which the Lord diſpenſeth comfort unto his people, when they receive it from the hands of Chriſt, and by faith in him, by which they are taught of God, to carry an end their whole converſation in his name.
5. Furthermore, as we receive it from Chriſt, and truſt not in it, but in Chriſt, and receive the witneſs of it in Chriſt, and in the holy Spirit of Chriſt; and as we receive Joy and Comfort alſo, which the Lord doth miniſter unto us, in a ſanctified courſe, by his holy Spirit: ſo we grow up, and perfect our Holineſs, which we have received in his Name: there is growth in grace; this ſanctification is not bedrid; Chriſtians are not as weak now, as they were ſeven years ago, nor do they ſtand at a ſtay, but go forward in Chriſtianity: and hereupon the Apoſtle exhorteth the Epheſians, Epheſ. ….6. to ſpeak the truth in love, that they may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Chriſt; implying, that men that enter into wayes of Holineſs, ought to grow on unto perfection in the fear of God. The Righteous ſhall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands ſhall grow ſtronger and ſtronger, Job 17.9. And many ſweet means the Lord hath appointed for this end; the communion of Gods people tendeth hereunto, Prov. 13.20. He that walketh with the wiſe ſhall learn wiſdom: all the Ordinances of God are appointed for this end alſo, to beget and encreaſe faith and holineſs; therefore a Chriſtian in the uſe of all theſe Ordinances doth not ſtand at a ſtay, but is ſtill thriving and growing; and that not in his own ſtrength, but in the ſtrength of Jeſus Chriſt, ſeeking for his acceptance and help in every duty he goeth about: and this is that which the Apoſtle Paul doth exhort the Coloſſians unto, chap. 2.6, 7. As ye have received Chriſt Jeſus the Lord, ſo walk ye in him, rooted and built up in him, and ſtabliſhed in the faith. This ought Chriſtians mainly to attend unto; that as you ſee the branch, the more juice it ſucketh from the root, the more fruitful it is: ſo alſo it becometh the people of God, to know, that the more need we ſtand in to be fruitful, the more need we have to derive a continual freſh ſupply from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that by his Spirit, renewing grace in us, we may be enlarged, and carried an end in the waies of God: whereas otherwiſe the hearts of Chriſtians would ſoon fail to go on in thoſe things, wherein they deſire to be growing up unto perfection. What is the reaſon that ſo many ſervants of God, are not ſo lively in their profeſſion, as they were wont to be many years ago? Truly, we attend upon Ordinances, but it is only upon the outward act of them, and not upon Jeſus Christ in them. This is many times wanting in the hearts of Gods people: but truly if this be our conſtant frame, and we do not recover our ſelves, then is not our ſanctification that which floweth from fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt, and the Spirit of his grace; for you ſhall ever find this to be true, that there is no gift of Jeſus Chriſt, nor ſanctification accompanying ſalvation, but it doth knit us neerer and neerer unto Chriſt; for the more we are filled with true ſpiritual gifts, the more empty we are of our own ſtrength, and of ſelf-conceits, and ſo we ought to be; otherwiſe you ſhall conſtantly find this, that if the Lord do not preſerve this empty frame in us, the more full we are of any gift, the more full ſhall we be of our own ſtrength, and conſequently we ſhall feel the leſs need of Jeſus Chriſt; and if this be our conſtant frame, it will be a ſad argument that our beſt ſanctification will not endure, but fall away, unleſs we be knit unto Jeſus Chriſt by the Spirit of his grace; for by all true ſanctification, we are the more knit unto him: ſo that if any man would know whether the ſuperſcription of Chriſt and his image be ſtamped upon his ſanctification, this you ſhall ever find to be the ſtamp of the grace of Jeſus Chriſt; That the more you receive from him, the more need you ſtand in of him: inſomuch, that notwithſtanding all the gifts of the Spirit, there is not the ableſt Miniſter of the New Teſtament, but (if your gifts flow from the Spirit of Chriſt, and knit you unto Chriſt) you will find as great need to cleave unto Jeſus Chriſt, as ever you did the firſt day, when you came trembling into the Pulpit. If therefore we feel our ſelves full, ſo that the more we have received, the more ſufficient we are; and go not about the duties we have in hand, in fear and trembling, but in ſelf confidence; if this be our uſual, and conſtant practice, it is but counterfeit Chriſtianity: I do not ſay, That the gifts are counterfeit, for they are from the Spirit of God, and men may by them be very ſerviceable to Church & Commonwealth: but this is certain, that the ſtronger and the more your gifts are, if you ſit looſe from Chriſt, the emptier your hearts are of him. But you will ſay, May not a Chriſtian be ſometimes full of himſelf, and depend upon the ſtrength of his own gifts? Yes, brethren, God forbid I ſhould deny that, for the beſt Chriſtians have gone aſtray in the exerciſe of their beſt gifts; and hereupon Abraham hath been wanting in faith, and Moſes in meekneſs, and Peter in courage, and Sarah in her modeſty; they have been ſo apt to truſt upon thoſe graces of God, wherein they have moſt abounded, that they have principally failed therein: but this you ſhall find, that if they have been overtaken once, or twice, as the burnt child dreadeth the fire; ſo they grow to be more ſenſible of their need of Jeſus Chriſt, more fearful of departing from him, more careful to cleave unto him, that they might grow up in his name to all well pleaſing in his ſight. If therefore there be a ſanctification that ſtandeth at a ſtay in any man, it is a great ſuſpicion whether it flow from fellowſhip with Chriſt, or no: if gifts be truly ſpiritual, a man ſhall ordinarily grow up in them: Habenti dabitur, Imploy them, and multiply them; but if you have received gifts in your own ſtrength, and you are now full of your own ſanctification, truly this is but froathy work, and doth not convey true nor lively nouriſhment and comfort: but to him that in his moſt ſpiritual gifts is empty of himſelf, and only full of Jeſus Chriſt; to live, or die, is his advantage. This is the Uſe which I would commend unto you touching your Chriſtian Sanctification. Thus we ſee ſundry things have been clear'd from this Doctrine concerning the Covenant of Grace. There remaineth another thing to be reſolved, and cleared from the Doctrine: For if God in the Covenant of his Grace, do give himſelf to be a God to Abraham, and his ſeed, It is then to be enquired, 1. How God the Father giveth himſelf. 2. How God the Son giveth himſelf. 3. How God the Holy Ghoſt giveth himſelf: For theſe are the Fundamentals of the Covenant of Grace, and neceſſary to be opened for clearing the Doctrine of it.
1. Queſt. 2 How God the Father doth give himſelf, to be a God in Covenant to Abraham, and to his ſeed; that is, to the faithful ſeed of Abraham?
By a threefold work doth God the Father give himſelf, Anſw. in the Covenant of his Grace, to be a God unto Abraham, and to his elect ſeed.
1. The firſt Act of God, is by Giving his own Son out of his boſom, for the redemption of Abraham, and his ſeed. That is the firſt and Fundamental of all the reſt, that God doth put forth, or any other perſon in Trinity, for the applying of the Covenant unto the hearts of his people. And God in giving his Son doth give himſelf, Joh. 9.14. and 10.30. He that hath ſeen me, hath ſeen the Father; and, I and my Father are one: if God giveth us his Son, he giveth us himſelf alſo: ſo ſaith the Apoſtle John, 1 Joh. 2.23. He that hath the Son hath the Father, and he that hath not the Son hath not the Father. Herein hath God commended his love towards us, that while we were yet ſinners Chriſt died for us; Rom. 5.8. this is the love of God to ſend us his Son, that whoſoever believeth in him, might not periſh but have everlaſting life. Joh. 3.16. As God giveth us his Son, ſo he giveth us all things elſe in his Son, Rom. 8.32. for, he that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things? So then this is the firſt and the great work of God, that he hath given his Son out of his own boſom, to take our nature upon him, to lead a miſerable life, and to die a curſed death; and in him hath given all his attributes, his mercy, and power unto the ſons of men; an undoubted ſign that God intendeth to give himſelf in the Covenant of Grace unto his people, when he giveth Jeſus Chriſt himſelf in that Covenant, as he doth ſay expreſly, Iſa. 42.6. I the Lord have called thee in righteouſneſs, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and will give thee for a Covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles. Wherein we may ſee, that God giveth another, even that God the Father giveth God the Son; thus it is a gift of the Covenant that the Lord giveth Chriſt to be the foundation of the Covenant, and the chief bleſſing of it; in chap. 49.8. He ſpeaketh to the ſame purpoſe, In an acceptable time have I heard thee, and in a day of ſalvation have I helped thee, and will preſerve thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, &c. No man hath ſeen God at any time, Joh. 1.18. nor can ſee him, nor will God the Father have immediate fellowſhip with any creature, but the only begotten Son of the Father, the Lord hath given him that he might reveal him. Thus we may perceive that the Lord is gracious, and marvelous gracious, in that he giveth us his dear Son, the ſecond perſon in Trinity; and thus he ſaith to his elect, I will be a God unto thee, and give thee my Son, that ſhall redeem thee out of all diſtreſs, and danger: This doth the Lord for his people, and it is a clear evidence of his grace, and ſheweth that his love unto his people is beyond all banks, and bottoms, for the Lord to give us his Son, and this Son ſo ſoon as he was promiſed; not the Lord only, but his people ſaw him afar off, Job. 8.5, 6. Your father Abraham rejoyced to ſee my day, and he ſaw it, and was glad. For when the Lord Jeſus Chriſt was promiſed unto him, Gen. 17.16, 17. and the Lord had ſaid unto him, I will bleſs Sarah, and give thee a ſon of her; yea, I will bleſs her, and ſhe ſhall be a mother of many nations, kings of people ſhall be of her; then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed; he did rejoyce that the Lord would give him a Saviour out of his loynes: how it could be brought to paſſe, it may be he knew not; but by a Spirit of Prophecie did he diſcern it much, no doubt. This is the firſt work of God in giving himſelf by Covenant; and this was done long ago, before we were born: he gave him in his eternal Counſel, when he did elect us in him; he gave him when he ſent him into the world: but this is more, when he giveth us unto his Chriſt, by Covenant, and draweth us unto him, and giveth Chriſt unto us alſo: and this grace of God cometh neerer unto us; the other did leave us like Lambs in a large paſture: but now as he giveth us unto Chriſt, ſo he giveth him to us, and both in preſent poſſeſſion; and this the Father doth, Joh. 6.44. for no man, ſaith Chriſt, can come unto me, except the Father, which hath ſent me, draw him: and every one that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me. Now this hearing, and learning of the Father, is a ſtrange kind of learning, which the Lord teacheth the ſoul by, when he draweth him unto Chriſt; an effectual Teaching, and powerful, 1 Cor. 1.9. God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowſhip of his Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. This is our effectual calling, and this is the Lords giving us unto his Son, Joh. 6.37. All that the Father giveth me, ſhall come unto me: all this is properly the work of the Father. Men are ſaid to be well given, when they give themſelves to their Books, to their Works, and buſineſs: but this we may well ſay, that we are indeed well given, when the Lord giveth us unto his Son; for otherwiſe we are but in an ill ſtate, which way ſoever we are given.
Queſt. If you ſhall ask how the Father giveth us, and calleth us, and draweth us to fellowſhip with his Son? (for they are Scripture-phraſes, and all of them of like value in Scripture-ſence.)
Anſ. In a word; The Lord draweth us unto his Son by his Spirit, and calleth us as by his Word, ſo by his Spirit alſo, and giveth us by his Word and Spirit unto Jeſus Chriſt. In this thing I ſhall ſpeak no more unto you, then what you have often heard, and I ſuppoſe long ago received, as, that the Lord calleth his people out of their ſins, by the light of the Law, and by the ſpirit of bondage he ſetteth home the Law effectually unto the ſoul, and thereby draweth us from ſin, and from the world in ſome meaſure, that we have now no might to thoſe things, which before we were full of delight in: whether they be ſins againſt the Law, or ſins againſt the Goſpel; it is the Lords uſual dealing by his Spirit, to ſet home ſins againſt both; Inſomuch that thereby we come to be afflicted with ſome kind of trembling, and fear, and torment about our ſpiritual eſtate: and thus it was with Saul, (who afterwards was Paul) Act. 9.3, 4, 5, 6. when Jeſus Chriſt called unto him out of heaven, he all trembling, and aſtoniſhed, ſaid, Lord, what wilt thou have me to do? So it was with the Jaylor, Act. 16.29. after the Lord had ſhaken his heart with an earthquake, (which is a ſanction of the Law, and a ratification of it) as all Gods Judgements are) he called for a light, and ſprang in, and came trembling to Paul and Silas. Thus the Lord draweth men out of themſelves, and their ſinful waies, by a ſpirit of bondage, whereby they are greatly and deeply afflicted with fear; concerning which, the Apoſtle Paul ſaith, 2 Tim. 1.7. God hath not given us the ſpirit of fear, or bondage; but of power, of love, and of a ſound mind, &c. ſuch fear alſo the Apoſtle John ſpeaketh of, 1 Joh. 4.18. when he ſaith, Perfect love caſteth out fear, for fear hath torment; which cometh from the ſence of a mans ſtate, whereby he is many times forced to cry out, and to ſay, Wo worth my ſoul, that ever I was born; for the Lord cauſeth me to poſſeſs all my ſins, and preſſeth me down to the nethermoſt hell: this is one work of the ſpirit of bondage, by which the Lord draweth the ſoul out of itſelf, and its ſins, though of it ſelf the ſpirit of fear goeth no further then to ſhake a mans carnal confidence: but there is a further act of the ſpirit of bondage, according to that power which was given to the faithful witneſſes, Revel. 11.
Beſides this ſpirit of bondage, the Lord hath another work, which is called a ſpirit of burning, Mal. 4.1. The day cometh that ſhall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly ſhall be as ſtubble, and the day that cometh ſhall burn them up, ſaith the Lord of hoſts; and it ſhall leave them neither root nor branch. This is a ſpirit of burning; let us ſpeak unto it a little. The Prophet ſaith, It ſhall leave them neither root nor branch. There are two things in the root.
1. Firſt is the root of Abraham's Covenant, which this people much truſted upon; and that is it of which John Baptiſt ſpeaketh, Now the ax is laid to the root of the tree, &c. and this he ſpake (Mat. 3.9.) after he had ſaid, Think not to ſay with your ſelves, We have Abraham to our father, ver. 8. So that all the confidence that they had in Abraham's Covenant, and Temple, and Tabernacle, and ſuch things, is burnt up; and ſo they have no root left them to ſtand upon. And this is one thing intended by the root. But
2. There is ſomething more in it: for with this ſpirit of burning, the Lord by the power of his Spirit doth cut us off, from any power of our own natural gifts, or parts, and ſpiritual gifts alſo, whereby we thought to lay hold on Jeſus Chriſt; and we are cut off hereby from all that confidence that we have in our own ſufficiency, when once the Lord intendeth to bring a ſoul unto himſelf; for there is an uſual prefidence that we have of our own ſtate: though the Lord have cut us off from hope in the righteouſneſs of our parents, and from boaſting of his Ordinances, yet we think there is ſome power ſtill left us, and therefore we hope, and will ſeek, that the Lord may reveal himſelf to us in mercy and peace; but when the Lord cometh neerer unto us, he will ſhew us how unable we are to take up the leaſt good reſolution; we ſhall be like bruiſed reeds, and not find our ſelves able to hold up our heads; for Chriſt came to ſeek and to ſave that which was loſt. So that Chriſt will not ſeek us until we be loſt; and therefore he ſaith, Mat. 16.24. If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and follow me; and according hereunto it is, that thoſe converts, Act. 2.37. do cry out, when they were pricked in their heart, and ſaid unto Peter, and to the reſt of the Apoſtles, Men, and brethren, what ſhall we do? Hence it is alſo, that the poor ſouls that came unto Chriſt, Mat. 12.20. were like bruiſed reeds that could not hold up their heads; for the Lord in this caſe bruiſeth them, and layeth them low, that they ſee no more hope of mercy, no likelihood that God ſhould ſhew them any hope. Thus doth the Lord burn up the root of Abraham's Covenant wherein men truſt, and the root of all our ſelf-ſufficiency; that now we find our ſelves dried up, and our ſtrength conſumed; that now we are not able to think, as of our ſelves, a good thought.
And again, The Lord by this ſpirit of burning, doth burn up all our branches alſo, how fair and green ſoever they have been; all our faſtings, and humiliations, and alms-deeds, and prayers; ſuch things as the Phariſees much boaſted in, Mat. 6.1, 2, 3. &c. but theſe things are all burnt up. This is a ſpirit of bondage, partly as it worketh a trembling and fear, and partly as it worketh to the burning up of all the hope that we have in our ſelves. There is a ſpirit of bondage, I confeſs, that only worketh unto fear; and now all the hope is, that a man ſetteth upon reformation: but if the Lord love a mans ſoul, he will not let him ſtay there; but goeth further with him, and ſheweth him that his prayers & faſtings are all empty, and fall ſhort of the life and power of Jeſus Chriſt. I, but yet, the ſoul is not quite out of hope, though the Law cannot ſave me; if it cannot, I muſt get me to Jeſus Chriſt then, and lay hold upon him for ſalvation: as if all were to be had by faith in Jeſus Chriſt, if once he can lay hold upon him, and nothing elſe were required but faith in Jeſus Chriſt, and my laying hold upon him. I ſee plainly (ſaith a man in this caſe) that there is no hope in me, as hath been rightly obſerved; & therefore he truſteth upon Jeſus Chriſt, and giveth himſelf to Jeſus Chriſt: but now if the Lord love thy ſoul, he will not ſuffer thee there to reſt, the ſpirit of burning will not leave thee ſo. How comeſt thou by faith in Jeſus Chriſt? Why? Thou tookeſt it up of thy own accord; thou thoughteſt, all thy gifts and duties were in vaine, and therefore now thou wilt believe in Jeſus Chriſt; Is it ſo eaſie a matter? Can any man come unto Chriſt, except the Father draw him? And is thy faith any more then a reſolution of thine own, when thou waſt convinced of the emptineſs of thine own gifts and abilities? When this ſpirit of burning hath blaſted this thy faith alſo, and that by the clear evidence of the Goſpel put upon it; now, ſaith the ſoul, I ſee that I am not in Chriſt: though I ſaid, I would truſt in Chriſt; yet I ſee it is not every one that ſaith, Lord, Lord, ſhall enter into the kingdom of heaven: now I ſee it is not my faith that will reach Jeſus Chriſt, it is not a faith of my own undertaking that will ſerve the turn; I ſee now Chriſt alone muſt work this great work in me, and Chriſt in the way of his own Ordinances; therefore I muſt look for it in his word, and in the fellowſhip of the Sacraments; therefore I will look up unto the Lord in all theſe, and wait for him, and ſeek him therein. And ſo the poor ſoul maketh account, that in time he ſhall find Jeſus Chriſt in the Ordinances, and ſo hammereth out a faith from thence, and therein bleſſeth himſelf. Now (minde you) the Spirit of God (when the Lord God the Father will draw home the ſoul throughly to Jeſus Chriſt) will burn up all thy confidence: for if thy ſoul be not utterly loſt; ſo long as it hath any root, or power in it ſelf: though I cannot work, I will believe; and if I cannot believe, I will wait that I may believe; and ſo here is ſtill the old root of Adam left alive in us, whereby men ſeek to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs, whereof the Apoſtle Paul often maketh mention: This old root putteth forth it ſelf, and will not ſuffer the ſoul to be wholly for Chriſt, and for Chriſt alone; and all becauſe there is a ſpring of Adam ſtill in the ſoul: whence it is that the ſoul is marvelous apt to have hope and confidence more or leſs from ſome vertue or power in himſelf; therefore it is no ſmall matter to be cut off from Adam, that's contrary to nature (Rom. 11.24.) as ſaith the Apoſtle: For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree, which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive-tree; this is marvelous ſtrong work, when the Spirit of God cometh to act contrary things to nature: for nature is fully poſſeſſed, that what God commandeth, I am able to do it: nature will not be perſwaded to the contrary: If I hear God command any thing, I will do it, (ſaith a carnal heart) and if I cannot do it, I will believe; and if I cannot believe, I will wait that I may believe: this is ſtill but nature. Now when the Lord cometh indeed to engraft us into Jeſus Chriſt, this is quite contrary to nature. Why wherein is it ſo contrary to nature? I anſwer: whereas nature is active for it ſelf, now it cometh to paſſe, that whereas a ſoul hath been ſtirring and buſie in his own ſtrength, at length the Spirit of God by the mighty power of his Grace, being ſhed abroad into the ſoul, doth burn up root and branch, not only the root of Abraham's Covenant, but all the fatneſs of the root of the wild Olive, by which we are fat, and lively to ſpiritual work, in our apprehenſions; ſo that we work in our own ſtrength, untill the Lord come, and cut us quite down, and make us to ſee, that there is not in us the leaſt good thought, as of our ſelves; and therefore unleſs the Lord be wonderfully gracious to us, we cannot be ſaved: till it come unto this, the ſoul is not fit for Jeſus Chriſt. Thus the Spirit of God may work powerfully in the hearts men, and burn up their root and branch: and this a ſpirit of burning may do, and yet leave the ſoul in a damnable condition, for ought I know; and ſuch as many a ſoul may be in, and yet never come to enjoy ſaving fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt. Therefore as this is one arm of God ſtretched forth for the ſalvation of his people, when he draweth them home to Jeſus Chriſt: ſo
2. Secondly, there is a further work of God, when he giveth the ſpirit of adoption, which reacheth beyond all the former work: he hath cut us off from our ſelves, and now we ſtand in a ſtate quite contrary to nature; and if any ſaving-work be wrought in us, it is quite contrary to nature; if any thing fall upon the heart and ſoul of a man, to bring his will to this paſſe, to lie down at Gods feet, that he knoweth not what to do; and yet whatſoever the Lord calleth him unto, he is willing if it were poſſible to be done; he would run through fire and water to do it: but he findeth himſelf unable to do any thing; and now he will tell you, that to believe is as impoſſible for him, as to build a world. Why then bid him wait: wait? ſaith he; I but I cannot wait; and if I ſeek the Lord, I cannot find him: and I ſee others of the ſervants of God wrought upon graciouſly; but dead hearted I, nothing will work upon me. Now in ſuch a caſe as this, the Spirit of adoption cometh into the heart of a Chriſtian, and taketh poſſeſſion of the ſoul for Jeſus Chriſt, and ſo draweth the ſoul unto Jeſus Chriſt, and maketh it there to ſtay, and there to lie down, and to be willing to be drawn yet neerer and neerer to Jeſus Chriſt, and to be carried an end by him, to take all from him, and to give all the glory to him. This ſpirit of Adoption doth give a man a ſon-like frame, to lie proſtrate at his Fathers will: like unto the Prodigal ſon, Luk. 15.17, 18, 19. who when he came unto himſelf, and ſaw how unable he was to provide for himſelf, and how unworthy he was that his father ſhould do any thing for him; he came and lay down as it were at the feet of his father; for he is unable, and unworthy of any mercy: now this ſtooping of the heart unto God, and yielding unto him to do with us as ſeemeth good in his own eyes, is ſuch a proſtration of the heart wherein the Lord hath taken poſſeſſion of the ſoul, that now a man is led unto fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt, that there is none in heaven but him, none in the earth in compariſon of him, that the ſoul deſireth after: and now a man waiteth upon Chriſt, to ſee what he will do for him; and though he cannot tell you that he waiteth, yet he doth wait that he may be helped of God to depend upon him: thus he receiveth all from Chriſt, and giveth all unto Chriſt. This is the Fathers drawing of the ſoul, which is expounded to be the hearing and learning of the Father of which John ſpeaketh, chap. 6.45. He that hath heard and learned of the Father, cometh unto me; which is, when the Lord hath drawn the ſoul out of his natural corruptions, legal reformations, pretences of faith, and waiting upon Chriſt in his own ſtrength for faith if it be wanting: then when the ſoul doth lie at his feet to diſpoſed of according to the will of God, and is in ſome meaſure ſubject unto the Lord, though not ſo much as he could be deſirous he were; and therefore now the ſoul doth not content and bleſs himſelf in his faith, not any other gifts or works of his own; but yieldeth himſelf humbly unto the Lord, to work in him both will and deed, of his own good pleaſure, and to teach him how to ſeek, and wait, and believe, and long after Jeſus Chriſt; theſe things he waiteth for: otherwiſe, until he be thus taught of God, the ſoul will alway think that he can do ſomething, and is not able to come out of himſelf, to an utter denial of himſelf: but if any man will come unto Chriſt, he muſt deny himſelf, even all his own gifts, and parts, and good works whatſoever: for a man is never utterly denied, until there be nothing left of which a man can ſay, This I am able to do, or this is an excellent thing in me; and when it cometh unto this paſſe, then will the ſoul lie down at the will of God, and acknowledge that if the Lord would never ſhew him mercy, juſt and righteous are his judgements. Now when the ſoul and will of a Chriſtian are convinced of theſe things, as well as his judgement, that now he waiteth upon Chriſt, as well that he may be able to wait, and ſeek the Lord, as he doth for any other good thing from the Lord; he waiteth now upon the Lord for a poor ſpirit, and cannot perk up himſelf, as a bruiſed reed cannot do. Thus when it cometh unto ſaving-work, the will and ſoul of a man is ſo caſt down, that a man cannot tell what to make of himſelf; but there he lieth, to ſee what the Lord will do with him, whether he will reach forth the hand of ſalvation unto him. In this caſe the ſoul is left utterly void, and hath in himſelf neither root nor branch; but ſeeth how unable he is to believe, or wait: nor can he tell whether Jeſus Chriſt be his portion; and now doth the Lord take poſſeſſion, and fill the empty ſoul. If you ſhall ask me how this ſpirit cometh into the ſoul, to make it thus to ſtoop unto Jeſus Chriſt? You ſhall find that the Lord uſeth to convey himſelf unto the ſoul in ſome word of promiſe of the Goſpel, that ſheweth unto the ſoul the riches of the grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt: ſomething or other is declared of Jeſus Chriſt: This word being taught in the publick Miniſtry of the Word, or brought to remembrance in ſome ſpiritual duty, as prayer, or conference, or the like (for I will not limit the holy One of Iſrael, yet) uſually it is done in the Miniſtry of the Goſpel; and though the Lord doth not limit himſelf, yet he doth limit us to attend upon the means, which he uſually worketh by: but whatſoever the way be, this is the manner of Gods working, he doth univerſally come into the ſoul, in ſome word or other of his grace: as for inſtance, that in 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Chriſt reconciling the world unto himſelf; or that in 1 Tim. 1.15. Jeſus Chriſt came into the world to ſave ſinners, of which I am chief. In ſome ſuch word of Gods grace, he cometh and putteth life into the ſoul, and maketh it ſomwhat quiet, and cauſeth it to ſee that there is hope in Iſrael; and the Lord is able to ſave me, and there is riches enough in Jeſus Chriſt to ſave me. By ſuch kind of work it is, that the Lord bringeth the ſouls of his ſervants effectually to Jeſus Chriſt. And now hath God the Father given us unto Jeſus Chriſt; and until now, thou never cameſt home ſavingly. This is the ſecond act whereby God the Father giveth himſelf unto the ſoul.
3. The third Act or work of God the Father which followeth both theſe: So ſoon as ever the Lord hath given this ſelf-denying ſpirit unto the ſoul, and hath made it like unto a bruiſed reed, or like a Traveller that is out of his way, and willing to take any man by the hand that will lead him into his way again; when the ſoul is in ſuch a frame, now God the Father cometh by a third work of actual reconcilement: The firſt work, was of conviction: The ſecond, was a work of ſubjection: And the third, of reconciliation. This is the third work of the Father: though there is in all theſe works a concurrence of the whole Trinity, yet ſome are more proper unto each perſon, as our Catechiſms teach us, and we are not wont to ſcruple ſuch expreſſions in them. God the Father created us; and we cannot expound it, but as God the Father created us at the firſt, ſo he doth again create you, or elſe if we acknowledge it in the one, and not in the other, we do God the Father wrong. Well, he is then reconciled unto us, having given us the Spirit of his Son, and now he doth pronounce us reconciled unto him: this is the work which is ſpoken of, Rom. 5.10. When we were enemies, we were reconciled unto God, by the death of his Son. And this is the work of God the Father, according to that which is before alledged, 2 Cor. 5.19. God was in Chriſt reconciling the world, &c. now there are two acts of God, as fruits that follow hereupon, and both of them done at once upon the ſoul.
1. Act of God is Adoption, whereby he maketh us his Children; as Gal. 4.4, 5, 6. When the fulneſs of time was come, God ſent forth his Son made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law; that we might receive the adoption of ſons: and becauſe ye are ſons, God hath ſent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. And as many as received him, to them he gave power to become the ſons of God, Joh. 1.12. So that now we are the brethren of Chriſt, and the ſons of the eternal God. Adoption is properly the work of the Father: but Jeſus Chriſt being the natural Son of God, we muſt be knit unto him, before we can be accounted ſons.
2. Act of God is Juſtification, It is God that juſtifieth, who is he that condemneth? Rom. 8.33, 34. This is the Fathers work, and it is principally attributed unto him to forgive our iniquities, and to reconcile us in Jeſus Chriſt. And look as it is in our natural being; ſo ſoon as ever we have received natural life from Adam, we become the ſons of Adam, and his ſin is imputed unto us: ſo it is in the new birth; ſo ſoon as ever the life of Chriſt is ſhed abroad into our hearts, ſo ſoon are we heirs with Chriſt, and the righteouſneſs of the ſecond Adam is imputed unto us now to our juſtificacation, as was the ſin of Adam before to our condemnation.
The Doctrine it ſelf is but an Uſe. Ʋſe 1 But I deſire that we may all of us apply it unto our ſelves. It will be helpful unto us for our inſtruction; to teach us how we came to ſaving fellowſhip with God in Jeſus Chriſt, and wherein lieth our ſpiritual union with Jeſus Chriſt, & how it is wrought and obtained: and this is neceſſary; for as it hath been obſerved by others, ſo we may now gather it from what we have heard, that there be four ſorts of men, that fall ſhort of this union with Jeſus Chriſt.
1. You have ſome that bleſs themſelves in their natural ſtate; it may be they are rich, and honourable among men: well, they bleſs themſelves in that ſtate, and will never go any further.
2. There is another ſort, that are convinced of the danger of their natural eſtate, they dare not reſt there, and hereupon they fall to reformations, and ſo to duties of humiliation, and the like; wherein they find ſuch a bleſſed change, and ſo much comfort, as doth ſatisfie them: and indeed the Lord doth comfort men in their reformations; for God will have no man loſe by him, Mat. 6.2, 5. Hypocrites have their reward for their alms, and for their prayers. Herod when he heard John, reformed many things, and heard him gladly. Mar. 6.20. here was a great change, and doubtleſs much comfort: yet theſe men never had the work of God the Father, to burn up all that they have received by any ſtrength of their own.
3. A third ſort go a ſtep beyond theſe: They have been convinced, that they went forth to reformation in their own ſtrength: they plainly ſee it, and diſcern it; and therefore they know that it is impoſſible to be ſaved by the righteouſneſs of the Law, and that it is not of works neither, of one kind, nor of another: They are convinced, that faith only muſt do the deed, and upon this ground they will take up faith to believe in Jeſus Chriſt for ſalvation; and that faith which formerly they have pitched upon their good duties, they will now pitch it upon Jeſus Chriſt: but ſtill it is the ſame faith, for the root is not yet burnt up, their old corruption ſtill remaineth in them: and ſo here is your old faith tranſlated from one object to another; it was faſtened before upon duties and reformations, and now upon Jeſus Chriſt: And now a man is ready to plead, and ſay, If God had not loved me, he would never have ſet me upon ſuch reformations, nor have enlarged me with ſuch comforts as he hath done, if he had not been well pleaſed with me in Jeſus Chriſt: but though he may be ſometimes burnt up touching his hope in reformation, yet he will tranſlate his faith to Jeſus Chriſt: but how came you to do that, brother? Why, I ſaw my hopes in my own reformation would not ſerve my turn, and therefore I believed in Jeſus Chriſt; and now ſhall nothing draw me from Jeſus Chriſt, nor pull me from my confidence: for I have built upon ſome word of God, and ſome promiſe of his unto ſuch reformation as I have ſet upon; and is not this true faith in Jeſus Chriſt? This is far from true faith, it is no other but a ſtrong fallacy whereby the Devil doth cheat men; and in truth, this faith is but a faith of a mans own making, that I may ſo ſpeak; it is no more but a ſpirit of burning at the beſt, that hath burnt up his confidence in his own works, and taught him to reſolve to believe on Jeſus Chriſt.
4. There are a fourth ſort, that fall far ſhort of Jeſus Chriſt alſo, and yet go beyond all theſe: they go beyond works, and beyond this faith alſo which we have ſpoken of, which was not a lively faith in Jeſus Chriſt, whereby we are juſtified; but men juſtifie themſelves by it, God doth not juſtifie them: now this fourth ſort come plainly to ſee that their faith is ſhaken, and they dare not look God in the face, to juſtifie the truth of their faith before him: It is true, many an heavenly ſpirited man cannot tell what will become of him, nor can he tell whether his faith be ſound: but many an hypocrite alſo is ſo far convinced, that he cannot tell what will become of him, nor can he ſay that his faith is right, nor that he is able to believe: what faith the ſoul now in ſuch a caſe as this? He will ſay, I ſee it is not my reformation, nor my faith, that will ſerve the turn: what is it then? I ſee that now I muſt wait upon Chriſt that I may believe, and unto him muſt I ſeek for help. Is not this ſoul in a ſtate of everlaſting fellowſhip with Jeſus Chriſt? Truly this is that which the Lord many times bringeth the ſouls of his ſervants unto; but he leaveth them not here, if he mean to do them good. For I would examine again, how cameſt thou to wait upon Jeſus Chriſt? Thou haſt been driven out of conceit of thy former faith, and ſo haſt been forced, and haſt ſeen a neceſſity to wait upon Jeſus Chriſt for faith, or elſe thou canſt not believe: force of argument hath conſtrained thee thus far. If thou haſt taken up a courſe of waiting only upon this ground, here is a ſpark of old Adam ſtill kept alive in thee: thou art able to ſeek, and wait upon Jeſus Chriſt, and yet I cannot promiſe thee that thou haſt any part or portion in him. But a ſoul will ſay, Hath not the Lord made gracious promiſes to all thoſe that ſeek for him? Hath he not ſaid, that all they are bleſſed that wait for him? Iſa. 30.18. and am not I wrapped up hereby in a bundle of grace and peace? Mind you; there is no promiſe of life made to ſuch as wait and ſeek in their own ſtrength, who being driven unto it, have taken it up by their own reſolutions; though I grant it is true, that every one that waiteth for, and ſeeketh the Lord aright, is driven unto it by the Lord: but if ever the Lord mean to ſave you, he will rend as it were the caul from the heart, I mean, he will pluck away all the confidence that you have built upon, as a man would rend the entrails of a beaſt from him: ſo the Lord will bring you to a flat denial of your ſelves, and that you have neither good will nor deed as of your ſelves; and you know not what God will do with you; but this you know, that whatſoever he doth, he is moſt righteous. When the Spirit of God cometh as a Comforter, he will in this manner convince the ſoul of a man, that he hath heretofore hung upon his reformations for hope and comfort; but now he is brought plainly to ſee, and flatly to deny, that he had not ſo much as one drop of the fatneſs of the true Olive in him, when he moſt truſted unto his own excellencies. Now a man being thus far brought on, doth not only deny himſelf in his Judgement, but in his will, and is ready to ſay, as David ſometimes did; If the Lord ſay, he hath no pleaſure in me, here I am, let him do unto me as ſeemeth him good; the Lord is righteous in all that cometh upon me: this only the ſoul hath for his ſupport in ſuch a caſe, the Lord is able to do all for me that I ſtand in need of: If he ſhew me no mercy, he is juſt; if he be gracious, I ſhall live to praiſe him. Now when a mans will is thus ſubdued, that he hath no will of his own to be guided by, but the will of God, this is true brokenneſs of heart, when not only the judgement, but the heart and will is broken. The ſoul being thus convinced that neither his working, nor believing, nor waiting, nor ſeeking as of himſelf will do him any good, there is no mercy that he can challenge for any goodneſs ſake of his own; then cometh the Holy Ghoſt in ſome declaration of Gods free Love, and taketh poſſeſſion of the heart, and then the ſoul beginneth to pant after Jeſus Chriſt, and nothing in heaven but him, nor in the earth beſides him: The ſoul being thus wrought upon, beginneth to put forth it ſelf towards the Lord Jeſus; but the Holy Ghoſt had taken poſſeſſion before, and ſo helpeth our infirmities, Rom. 8.26, 27. he alone muſt help us, and no other: obſerve it I pray you, for it is moſt neceſſary to know it to be impoſſible, that a conditional promiſe ſhould ſave the ſoul. A man is convinced that there is no condition will quiet his ſpirit until the grace of God in Chriſt be manifeſted to him. This is the firſt Uſe.
The ſecond Uſe may give light touching a controverſie, if it be ſtirring in the Country, I know not whether it be, I fear it is, and yet hope that if matters were rightly underſtood, there would be no material difference: for if the Queſtion be not about grace, but about the diſcerning of grace, you will find that differences which tend unto the diſcerning of grace, will be of much leſs dangerous conſequence then the other; for thereupon lieth the very foundation of a Chriſtian mans ſafe eſtate. How far there is difference in the Country, I cannot give an account; but I deſire that you may all underſtand what I ſay.
If you demand, Queſt. 1 upon what grounds cometh the ſoul to cloſe with Chriſt aright; whether upon a conditional, or upon an abſolute promiſe? And are they not both free?
I anſwer, Anſw. It is true, they are both free; but when God is ſaid to do any thing to a work, as to apply a promiſe to a work, it is not ſo properly ſaid to be a promiſe of grace: but I will not enter into Diſpute: This you will find to be true; that take a ſoul that is in union with Chriſt, and apply all the Promiſes to him, he will make you this anſwer, before the Spirit of Grace cometh into him, he is clear in this, that there are none of all the Promiſes of God belonging unto him, till the Lord who hath broken him do bind him up again; for his heart will tell you that his duties and reformations have been ſuch, as have kept him from Chriſt. You will ſay, I hope you truſt upon Chriſt: I, will he ſay, with that faith by which I truſted upon works before. If you tell him of promiſes made to faith, he will ſay, But not to mine, that hath only ſprung from my own reformations. Conſider, all you that ſearch the word of God this day, when the ſoul cometh, to deny that it hath true faith, what promiſe can it apply unto that which it denieth it ſelf to have? A ſoul will be ready to refuſe promiſes, even when the Spirit of God hath taken poſſeſſion; but then it is his ſin: yet all the time before, there is no reaſon but that the ſoul ſhould refuſe to apply Promiſes; when there was nothing but a power of the ſpirit of Reformation, and till we be cut off from the old Adam, we ſhall be ready to quarrel and ſnarle that the Lord ſhould deal thus with us; and why did he ſuffer Adam to fall? and put upon us ſuch a Law to obey, and then condemn us for that which we were never able to perform? Truly there is nothing to help in this caſe: but the Lord will take away thy crabbed ſpirit, he will make thee to lie flat at his feet, and to ſay, If he will kill me, here I am; and if he will ſave thee, he will make thee content to receive all from Chriſt; and to be willing that he ſhould do with thee, that which is good in his own eyes. And what can help a ſoul now, but only an abſolute promiſe? Whereby the ſoul is raiſed to look to the Name of that Chriſt, whom he hath all this while blaſphemed and perſecuted. Thus we ſee upon what terms and grounds any one is jealous of building his comfort upon conditional promiſes, and why we are ſo loath to ſay, that ſanctification is an evidence of a mans juſtification; it is becauſe men may produce ſanctification, and promiſes unto it, when it is but legal righteouſneſs. Yet ſome men will ſay, I have been driven out of my own legal righteouſneſs, and now I reſt upon Jeſus Chriſt, and may I not take comfort in ſuch faith, and ſanctification flowing therefrom? I confeſs faith in Chriſt, and ſanctification flowing from it, are precious treaſures; but how cameſt thou by them? If thou knoweſt not how, I cannot but think that thou ſtoaleſt them, and cameſt not by them in the right way: you will ſay, Well, though I have no righteouſneſs, nor faith of my own, yet I can wait upon Chriſt: How cameſt thou by power to wait upon Chriſt? Here is a branch of the old Adam ſtill ſpringing forth afreſh; thou art confident in thine own ſtrength, and worth; and if God deal otherwiſe with thee then thou expecteſt, thou wilt be apt to wrangle with the Lord, ſo far wilt thou be from ſtooping to his will. Search the Scriptures, and ſee if it be not the truth of God. See whether it be thy qualifications taken up upon unjuſt grounds, that will ſave thy ſoul; thou haſt not been drawn far enough all this while: if thou ſayeſt thou haſt been drawn to reformation, and faith, and waiting; If thou haſt been indeed drawn, it is a comfortable ſign; but truely the Promiſes do not belong unto thee, until thou art brought unto a flat denial of thy ſelf; and thy will be made to lie proſtrate before the will of God, and is unable to ſatisfie it ſelf in any thing beſides Jeſus Chriſt; the want of either of which, will leave a man ſtill a member of old Adam; that either he will cavil with God, or elſe will go away, and be jolly, and frolick, and free of ſpirit, though he knoweth not what the Lord will do for him: which is a plain ſign that the Spirit of God is not there, & then there is no condition of which it can be ſaid, This is the ſpot of Gods children, This is the ſeal of the ſervants of the Living God. If then the Spirit of God come upon the wings of a promiſe, it is an abſolute promiſe; and then you muſt not wonder, if we be thus afraid that men ſhould build their faith upon conditional promiſes: if men build their conſolation upon conditions of obedience, hypocrites have gone beyond it: if you have truſted in your own faith, hypocrites will plead that they have gone beyond that alſo; for they have waited upon God that they might believe. And therefore ſee the reaſon why we do ſo much miſtruſt the building of our faith upon promiſes made unto conditions in us. And I have given you the grounds from the word of God: for I ſhould be a Traitour to the Lord Jeſus, if I ſhould ſpeak from any other grounds. And though it be true (which I have formerly ſaid) that the fruits of the Spirir of grace in the heart of a Chriſtian, as Faith, and Patience, and Love, cannot be denied to be evidences of a good eſtate; yet let it firſt appear from whence they come: firſt draw neer unto God in Jeſus Chriſt, and when any are brought on to Chriſt by ſelf-denial, ſuch mens faith and love are indeed evident tokens of ſalvation and communion