Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 17
CHAP. XVII. Propoſing certaine markes and characters of mans being within the Covenant.
Marks or characters of being within the Covenant.CArnall mans eſtrangement from the Covenant of grace, and miſery in being without it; ſhould occaſion every man to examine his owne eſtate in this behalfe, and ſtrive to find in himſelf ſound and cleare evidence of his intereſt in this Covenant, which may be diſcerned,
1. God all in all to man.1. By Gods being all in all to man; this is a prime parcell of the Covenant, I will be their God; the husband is to the woman joyned in matrimoniall covenant with him, inſtead of all and more then all other men; God is to him that is in covenant with him, inſtead of al other things, as Elkana ſaid to Hannah, Am not J to thee better then ten ſons, thus is God to the ſoule eſpouſed to him, better then all things, to ſuch a one God is a Father regenerating, a Sun enlightning, a dweller poſſeſſing, a King commanding, a Guide leading, a Treaſure enriching, a Friend comforting, and a Fountaine filling; he is ſuch a ſoules ſummum bonum; his ſhield for defence, his rocke for ſupportment, his Counſellour for advice, his Paradiſe for comforts, his Bridegroome for love, his Friend for communion, and his Portion for ſatisfaction; he is able to ſay, Whom have J in Heaven but thee, and there is none upon Earth that I deſire beſides thee, my fleſh and my heart faileth, but God is the ſtrength of my heart and my portion for ever. God his making himſelfe ours, in the way of ſanctification, ſatisfaction and ſpirituall comfort, is a ſweet aſſurance of our being within his Covenant.
2 Full application of man to God.2. By mans full application of himſelfe to God; this is another branch of the Covenant, they ſhall be my people: Schollars in my Schoole learning my will; ſervants in my houſe doing my worke; Souldiers in my army fighting my battels; Subiects in my Kingdome receiving my Lawes, and ſtudying the exaltation of my name; Children in my Family abiding in my houſe, delighting in my preſence, and rejoycing in their communion with me; and trees of Righteouſneſſe in my Orchard, bringing forth all their fruit to me; they ſhall be all that they are unto me, as a wife is what ſhe is unto her husband, bringing forth children unto her husband, and caring how to pleaſe her husband: thus they who are in covenant with God, ſtrive to be all that they are unto God, doe all for God, their full and conſtant care is how to pleaſe God, they are a1 Cor. 6.19.not their own; they live not after their own fancy, they intend not themſelves in what they do, but they are the Lords, in their underſtandings to know him, in their wils to intend him, in their imaginations to think upon him, in their affections to feare and truſt him, to love and rejoyce in him, in their tongues to ſpeake of him and plead for him, in their hands to work that which is good and honourable unto God, and in all their abilities therewith to honour him, proſtrating all under the feet of God, referring and uſing all to the glory of God, bRom. 14 8,living and dying (as the Apoſtle ſaith) unto the Lord, living as Gods ſervants, framing the whole way and order of their life according to Gods preſcription, referring their whole life to the glory of God, and reſting in all the labours and troubles of their life upon God, with a firme confidence, being aſſured that God takes care for them, and dying as Gods peculiar people, patiently ſubmitting to the hand of God in the time of their diſſolution, firmly depending upon God in the houre of their change, heartily deſiring that God may be glorified by their death, and reſting fully aſſured, that their temporall death ſhall be an entrance into eternall life; he who thus fully applies himſelf to God, may aſſure himſelf of his being in covenant with God.
3. By mans participation of the ſpirituall and heavenly benefits which the covenant comprehendeth, as,
1. The donation of the Spirit, it is the Lords promiſe to cIoel. 2.28.powre out his Spirit upon all fleſh, to put his Spirit within us, and to cauſe us to walke in his wayes, ſo that he who is within the Covenant of God, hath the Spirit of God quickning and enlivening him, as the ſoule doth enliven the body; dIoh. 16.12, 13enlightning and teaching him, guiding and leading him into the cleare and comfortable knowledge of all truth, as the guide leades the Traveller into the knowledge of the way wherein he is to walke, regenerating and eIoh. 3.5. Ezek. 36 25renewing him, ſanctifying and cleanſing him, as the water doth the fleſh, and the fire the mettall;fMat. 3.16. Ioh. 1.32.33. revealing Chriſt in him, and making Chriſt appeare very glorious and amiable in his apprehenſion, as the moſt glorious Sun, the choyſeſt pearle, and moſt renowned Prince, even the faireſt of ten thouſand, making the ſoule full of longings after him, and ſick of love towards him; g1 Cor. 12.13 1 Ioh. 3.24.uniting and joyning him unto Chriſt as the branch to the vine, as a member to the head to be enlivened by Chriſt, and to participate of all the benefits which flow from Chriſt; hRom. 8.1, 14.ruling and guiding him as a Pilot his Ship, framing and working his heart to an univerſall, holy and humble ſubmiſſion to the will of God, as the hand of the learner is guided by the teacher to write according to the whole copy ſet before him. To him that is within the Covenant, the Spirit of God is a Spirit of life, mortifying the old and quickning the new man. Water waſhing,Rom. 8.2. refreſhing and making his ſoule ſpiritually fruitfull. Fire, purging and conſuming his remaining luſts, and making his heart to burne with love to God and man; oyle of gladneſſe, filling his ſoule with ſpirituall alacrity and cheerfulneſſe, and a ſeale and earnest penny, aſſuring him of his future bliſſe and peace in Heaven, and this communication of the Spirit is an undoubted pledge of mans being within the Covenant.
2. Communion with Saints.2. A ſecond benefit compriſed under the Covenant is Communion with the Saints; all that are within the Covenant have a mutuall ſweet and gracious fellowſhip with God and among themſelves, That which we have ſeen and heard (ſaith S. John) declare we unto you, that you may have fellowſhip with us, and that our fellowſhip may be with the Father, and his Sonne Jeſus Chriſt: He that is within the Covenant hath communion with God the Father by adoption, as a childe with the Parent by participation, receiving of the Fathers fulneſſe and bearing his Image; by holy walking, having his converſation in Heaven, walking with God as Enoch and Noah did; by invocation, as a Petitioner with the King, being a daily earneſt ſuter to the throne of grace; by Faith, living and walking by faith and not by ſight, and alſo by Love, God dwelling in love, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes: Hee that is within the Covenant hath communion with Chriſt, by participation of Chriſt and his benefits, by dwelling in Chriſt and Chriſt in him, being joyned with Chriſt in a ſpirituall wedlocke, Chriſt aſſuming him into his grace, and making him a member of his body, bone of his bone and fleſh of his fleſh, as S. Paul ſpeakes, expreſſing their neare union and ſweet communion with Chriſt, who are within the covenant of God: He that is within this covenant hath alſo communion with the Holy Ghoſt, the Spirit of God dwelling in him, regenerating and renewing him, witneſſing his adoption, helping his infirmity, ſealing up the pardon of his ſin, and restoring him to more ſpirituall liberty and freedome; and hee hath likewiſe communion with all the Saints and faithfull Servants of the Lord, being partakers of one Spirit, living members under one Head, having the ſame love, being of one mind and of one accord, their prayers meeting mutually each for other at one and the ſame throne of grace, all building by one rule, all travelling by one light, all acting and moving by one Spirit, all feeding upon one word, all fighting under one Banner, all running one race, and all ſerving one Prince of peace; they have fervent love one to another,Pſal. 16.3. 1 Ioh 3.14. ſingular delight each in other, and a very ſweet and gracious communion one with another; and this holy and joyfull communion with the Saints of God abundantly argues mans being within the Covenant of God.
3 Regeneration.3. A third benefit compriſed under the Covenant is Regeneration, the ſanctifying and reſtoring our corrupt nature to the image of God, a worke of God in all that are within the Covenant, a parcell of Gods promiſe to put his law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, to make a ſutableneſſe betweene them and his Law, to worke ſuch holines in their hearts, as ſhould in ſome good proportion anſwer that holineſſe which the Law preſcribeth, and this is requiſite to mans being within the Covenant, becauſe without this he cannot know God, he cannot be the friend of God, hee cannot pleaſe God, nor have any communion with God: he that is farre from holineſſe is farre from intereſt in Gods Promiſe: The captive woman under the Law had her apparell changed before an Iſraelitiſh Souldier could aſſume her into a covenant of wedlock; man under the Goſpell muſt put off the old-man and put on the new, ere he can have intereſt in Gods Covenant; the more fully, freely and conſtantly man conformes himſelfe to Gods precepts, the ſurer is his evidence of title to Gods promiſe. He whoſe obedience to the Law of God is voluntary without compulſion, cordiall without diſſimulation, univerſall without the allowance of any evill, humble without all oſtentation, cheerfull, free from all repining, ſincere without any by or ſiniſter intention, and conſtant without back-ſliding may reſt aſſured of being received into Gods Covenant.
4. A fourth benefit compriſed under the Covenant by which man may diſcerne his being within the Covenant, is spirituall liberty and freedome, a liberty of grace whereby the whole man is ſet free from the command and ſervitude of all ſin; the underſtanding is free from ignorance, able to know God as a Father, with a cleare and comfortable ſubmiſſive and affective knowledge; the will is free from perverſeneſſe, able readily and freely, fully and ſincerely to intend God and his glory; the imagination is free from vanity, able with much joy to meditate and thinke upon God; the affections are free from baſe feare carnall confidence, worldly love and fleſhly joy, able to ſcare God filially, to truſt on God ſoly, to love God unfainedly, and to rejoyce in God ſpiritually; the whole man bent and diſpoſed to run the way of Gods commandements, as the Sun rejoyceth to run his race, and as the Rivers flow towards the Sea; this the Pſalmiſt cals an inlargement of the heart, to run the way of Gods Commandements, and this he mentions as a fruit of the inſcription of the Law in his heart, Thy Law ô Lord (ſaith he) is in my heart, and I delight to doe thy will. Mans aſſurance of being within Gods Covenant is ſutable to his free and ready diſpoſition in obſerving Gods precept.
5. Perſeverance5. A fift benefit compriſed under the Covenant miniſtring aſſurance of mans intereſt in it, is perſeverance in the ſtate of grace, daily growth in the gifts of the Spirit, and a ſtedfaſt ſtriving to more perfection. I will make an everlaſting Covenant with them (ſaith God) and I will put my feare in their hearts that they ſhall not depart from me: they ſhall not depart from the knowledge of my truth to errour, from the faith of my promiſes to infidelity, from the wayes of my Commandements to by and wandring paths; from the love of me and my teſtimonies, to the love of earthly vanities: God ever preſerves in the ſtate of grace, whom he receives into the Covenant of grace; he that is in covenant with God abides with God, as the wife with the husband, he follows the Lord fully with Caleb, he is with God in every eſtate, in all changes as Ittai reſolved to be with David both in life and in death, the longer he is in Gods Covenant, the more beauty he diſcernes in God, the more ſweetneſſe he finds in the Word of God, the more pleaſure he takes in the ſervice of God, the more comfortable communion he gaines with God, and the more plentifull and ſoule-raviſhing receivings of grace, love and peace he hath from God, and therefore ſhines more and more like the light unto the perfect day, growes ſtronger and ſtronger like the houſe of David, He waits upon the Lord and renewes his ſtrength, he mounts up as the Eagles, hee runnes and is not weary, hee walkes on and doth not faint; he goes from ſtrength to ſtrength, untill he doth appeare before the Lord in Zion.
Exhortation to get intereſt in the Covenant.The carnall mans eſtrangement from the Covenant, and his miſery in being out of the Covenant, miniſters matter and occaſion of labour and induſtry to every man to get into the Covenant, to be partaker of it, and to have aſſured intereſt in the benefits flowing from it, as Noah entred into the Arke to be preſerved from the deluge of waters, ſo ſhould wee enter into the Covenant of God, that we may be preſerved from the deluge of thoſe miſeries which attend and wait upon the breach of Gods precepts. The men of Aegypt hearing of the fall of a grievous haile, ſuch as would deſtroy both man and beaſt,Exod. 9.20. Hee that feared the word of the Lord amongst them, made his ſervants and his cattell flee into the houſe: Men hearing of the hayle, fire, brimſtone and horrible tempeſt, which God will raine downe upon the wicked, ſhould haſten into this Covenant, have ſure intereſt in Gods free and gracious Promiſe, that they may be hid from the Lords wrath. And to the end we may have part in Gods Covenant.Meanes miniſtring intereſt in the Covenant. 1. Forſaking of ſin.
1. We muſt forſake our ſinnes, there muſt be warre againſt ſin, or there can be no peace with God, Moſes might not come nigh the burning buſh untill hee had put off his ſhoes from his feet, Becauſe the ground where hee ſtood was holy ground. Man cannot come nigh God, enter into covenant with God, unleſſe the old-man, his old luſts be put off, becauſe the Covenant of God is a holy Covenant, a Covenant belonging onelyonly to the godly, Godlineſſe having the promiſe of this life and of the life to come. Joſeph ſhaved himſelfe and changed his raiment, and then he came to Pharaoh, and Pharaoh tooke him to himſelfe, and made many honourable Promiſes to him; man muſt ſhave himſelf, remove the ignorance and errour of his underſtanding, and change his raiment, Put off the old-man which is corrupt, according to divers luſts, and put on the new man which is renewed in holineſſe and true righteouſneſſe according to Gods image, and then come nigh t…ed, and partake of all Gods gracious promiſes, according to that of the Lord by the Prophet, waſh you make you cleane, put away the evill of your wayes, ceaſe to doe evill, learne to doe well, and then come ye and we will reckon together, and though your ſinnes were as red as ſcarlet, yet will I make you white as ſnow. I will deale mercifully with you, be reconciled to you, forgive your ſinnes and receive you into my Covenant of peace: The more the ſoule is emptied of ſin, the more capable it is of Gods Covenant, the more aſſured of intereſt in it: Hee that holds faſt his ſinne, cannot lay hold upon the Covenant of God; hee that gives not a bill of divorce to his luſts, is uncapable of weddlocke with Chriſt.
2. We muſt forſake our ſelves, we muſt deny our ſelves,2. Forſaking of our ſelves. ceaſe from our owne wiſdome, as from a blind guide, from our owne ſtrength, as from a withered reed, from our owne righteouſneſſe, as from a rotten ragg, and from our owne ends, as from low and baſe marks. Thus muſt wee deny our ſelves, or we can be no Diſciples of Chriſt, no partakers of the mercies of God in him: Such as entered into Covenant with David were in debt, in diſtreſſe and diſcontent. He that will enter into Covenant with God, muſt ſee his debt, bee ſenſible of his ſinne, feele the diſtreſſe and anguiſh of his ſoule, and be very much diſcontented with his corrupt and carnall eſtate: God communicates his mercies to them that are ſenſible of their miſeries; the Lord loves them that are out of love with themſelves; he eſteemes them that loath their own wayes; whom doth Chriſt invite and call but the heavy laden, Such as are ſenſible and weary of their ſins as of a heavy burthen; to whom is Chriſt ſent with tydings of comfort, but to the broken hearted. When Ephraim repented, ſmote upon his thigh, and was confounded; then the Lord remembered him, then he was deare and pleaſant to him, then hee ſaid,Ier. 31 19, 20, 21. I will ſurely have mercy upon him, then he propoſed and ſet before him the Covenant of Salvation in Chriſt, promiſing him that a woman ſhould compaſſe a man; contrite and broken hearted ſinners are the proper ſubject of Gods ſweeteſt mercies.
3. Relinquiſhment of the world.3. We muſt relinquiſh the world. Abner fell out with the houſe of Saul, and then hee entred into Covenant with David. Man muſt firſt fall out with the world, take off his heart from the earth before he can enter into covenant with God; becauſe the love of the world (as S. James ſpeakes) is enmity with God, and he that is a friend of the world is an enemy to God; the firſt husband muſt be dead before the woman can joyne her ſelfe in wedlocke with a ſecond man; man muſt be crucified to the world, and the world unto him, before he can be married unto Chriſt, enter into Covenant with Chriſt; when Zacheus received Chriſt into his houſe, he gave the halfe of his goods to the poore, and reſtored foure-fold to them from whom he had wrongfully taken: The world is much ſlighted where Chriſt is truely received: The ſoule is never filled with Chriſt, unleſſe it be emptied of the earth, Dagon fals where the Arke is erected, the exaltation of Chriſt is the proſtration of the world. Mans communion with Chriſt is ſutable to his ſeparation from the world. He that will enter this Covenant and aſſociate himſelfe with Chriſt, muſt with Matthew leave the receipt of cuſtome; hee muſt with Salomon looke upon the world, as upon a thing of nought; he muſt according to the Apoſtles rule, uſe the world as if hee did not uſe it. He muſt forget his owne people, and forſake his Fathers houſe, that will have conſortſhip with Chriſt.
4. Rejection of …ntimate communion with carnall perſons4. We muſt renounce all intimate communion with corrupt and carnall people, come out from among them (ſaith the Lord) there is the ſeparation, and I will be your Father, and ye ſhall be unto me for ſonnes and daughters, there is Gods receiving them into covenant and communion with him, the Prodigall deſerted and repented of his fellowſhip with Harlots and riotous perſons, and then his Father lovingly received and imbraced him. God is very propitious to ſuch as repent of their ſinfull fellowſhip with his enemies: God miniſters many comfortable expreſſions of his love to them, who withdraw themſelves from ſuch as doe not love him: when Moſes left Pharaohs Court, the Lord appeared to him in the wilderneſſe, ſaying, I am the God of thy Fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Iſaac and the God of Jacob; the declination of fellowſhip with profane perſons, is uſually attended with a ſweet enjoyment of Gods preſence, and the miniſtration of many ſpirituall comforts; were we more thoroughly alienated from vaine men, wee ſhould be more fully and ſweetly acquainted with God, could we give a bill of divorce to profane perſons, we ſhould have a bleſſed and honourable wedlocke with Chriſt Jeſus.
5. Attendance on the Word.5. We muſt with all diligence attend the Miniſtry of the word. Encline your eare, Come unto me (ſaith the Lord) Heare and your ſoule ſhall live, and J will make an everlaſting Covenant with you. God by the labours of his Miniſters brings men into covenant with himſelfe, by their labours hee opens the beauties and perfections of Chriſt, he makes them ſee their neceſſity of Chriſt, their miſery without Chriſt, and their happineſſe in the enjoyment of Chriſt, by their labours hee woes and perſwades them to come to Chriſt, fils their hearts with earneſt longings after Chriſt, with fervent and unfained love to Chriſt; and ſo eſpouſeth them unto him, as Abraham by his Servant brought Rebecca to his ſon Iſaac: Thus doth God by his Miniſters, bring men to his Sonne Chriſt Jeſus: Did wee not ſhamefully undervalue and profanely eſtrange our ſelves from the labours of Gods Miniſters, wee could not be ſuch ſtrangers to Gods Covenant, nor ſo empty of thoſe bleſſings which Chriſt miniſters to true beleevers. Attend therefore Gods Word, if ever you meane to enjoy the benefit of Gods Covenant.
6. We muſt readily and fully receive Chriſt. 6. Fully receiving of Chriſt.Chriſt is the foundation of the Covenant, the promiſe is in Chriſt, Joſephs Bretheren came nigh to Pharaoh by Joſeph, man comes nigh to God by Chriſt, findes favour with God, and partakes of all the mercies of God through Chriſt; through him we are made the Sonnes of God, thorough him wee are accepted of God, thorough him we receive of Gods fullneſſe grace for grace; the receiving of the Lord Jeſus is the receipt of all mercies, in him we are bleſſed with all spirituall bleſſings in heavenly places; without Chriſt wee are ſtrangers to all Gods mercies, in Chriſt wee have title to all Gods bleſſings. Ioſephs bretheren were lovingly entertained of him, bringing Beniamin with them, without whom they might not looke him in the face; bringing Chriſt with us, God will graciouſly receive us, without Chriſt God will be a conſuming fire to us? And therefore let us all labour thus to intereſt our ſelves in Gods Covenant, for hereby ſhall we have intereſt in all Gods Promiſes, as in ſo many pillars to ſupport us, as in ſo many wel-ſprings to refreſh us; in all the creatures, as in ſo many Servants, to miniſter their aſſiſtance to us; in all the Ordinances of God, as in ſo many Starres to enlighten us, as in ſo many diſhes of ſpirituall dainties to feed us, as in ſo many heavenly Betheſda's to heale us, and in all the attributes of God, as in ſo many branches of the tree of life to ſhelter and ſhadow us, intereſt in the power of God to uphold us, in the wiſedome of God to guide us, in the mercy of God to pardon us, in the preſence of God to encourage us, in the love of God to ſolace us, and in the All-ſufficiency of God every way to ſatisfie and content us. Sweet and ſure, full and everlaſting, joyous and honourable are the Prerogatives and comforts which are obtained by intereſt in Gods Covenant.