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THE

DOCTRINE

O F T H E

Two Covenants,

Wherein the

Nature of Original Sin

Is at large Explain'd :

St. Paul and Sr. James Reconcil'd in the

Great Article of Juftification.

WITH A

Difcourfe of Glorifying GOD
in his Attributes.

By the Right Reverend

Dr. EZE KIEL HOTKINS,

Late Lord Bifhop of London-Derry.
Now firft Publifh'd from his Original Manufcripft

LONDON: Printed for Richard Smith at Exeter-
Exchange in the Strand. MDCGXII.

/

'THE

EVERAL Pieces of this
Right Reverend and very
Learned Prelate's Writings,
as well thofe few publifh'd
by himfelf in his Life-time,
as fome others put out fince
his Death, having been of late colleded
into one Volume, and Printed in Folio
under the Title of his Works ; it is eafie to
forefee the Objections that will immediate-
ly be made againft thefe Difcourfes, and
whatever elfe fhall now pretend to come
Abroad under the Name of this great Au-
thor ; as either that their being Genuine
will be much fufpected, or fuppofing they
are fo, yet they appear with all the Difad-
vantage of Tofthitmous Pieces. »

This makes it neceilary to give the Rea-
der the trouble of a fhort Preface, to fa-
tis'fie him that there is no manner of Rea-

A 3

fon

T R E F A C E.

fon for either of thefe Prejudices againft
the Writings he is here prefented with :
But that the Learned Bifhop, whofe Name
they bear, was undoubtedly the Author
of them ; and that they are as correft and
finifli'd as any of the other Pieces which
have been Printed fince the Bifhop's
Death.

For this prefent Volume, and two or
three more which are defign'd to follow,
are publifh'd, as the Title fets forth, from
that Excellent Mans own Original Manu-
scripts ; all written with his own Hand.

This muft be acknowledged as an unde-
niable Anfwer to the former of thofe Ob-
jeftions, and may in a great meafure give
Satisfaction to the latter.

Now all this the Manufcripts themfelves
do unqueftionably atteft, as may be feen
by any one that defires to be further fatif-
fied in this Point ; by perufing the Ori-
ginals, which, to this end, are lodged in
Mr. Smith" 's Hands.

Thefe Volumes of Manufcripts contain
great part of what hath been already pub-
lilh'd under this Learned Author's Name,
(among which is one of the three Ser-
mons put out by himfelf ) and alfo feveral
large Difcourfes which have not yet feen
the Light.

put there is another Argument which is
yet more conclufive, and that is, that one

of

T R E FA C E.

of thofe three Sermons which the Bifliop
publifli'd himfelf, and which is therefore
beyond all queftion both his genuine Work,
and finifh'd with his laft Hand, does fo
very little vary in the Print from that Co-
py of it which we have in one of thefe
Manufcript Volumes, that it is evident the
Author's laft Hand was put to it before he
tranfcribed it for the Prefs.

Now all the reft are written as fair and
legibly as that Sermon which was certain-
ly iinifti'd, becaufe publifli'd by the Bifliop
himfelf ; from whence it is certain, that
thefe Manufcript Volumes are all of a
piece, and that nothing is contain'd in any
of them, but what the Author had put his
laft Hand to ; and this, by the way, is
another very good Argument of thefe Ma-
nufcripts being that Bifliop's Genuine
Works.

But to put thefe Points beyond all Con-
troverfie, I ihall refer the Reader to the
learned Works themfelves, from which he
hath been detained but too long ; and in
thofe he will find that Exaftnefs of Me-
thod, that Beauty and Accuracy of Stile,
that Ferfpicuity of Expreffion, and thai-
Strength of Reafoning, which were all fo
peculiar to this great Author; that as they
difcover the Mafterly Pen of Bifliop Hop-
kins in every Line, I had almoft faid even
more than his Hand- writing : So they are

a

PR E FA C E.

a plain Demonftration, that thefe Volumes
are more than^r/? Draughts, and do fur-
pafs even the laft Hand, and the molt ela-
borate Correttions, I will not fay of all, but
the Generality of other Writers.

I conclude with my hearty and unfeign-
ed Prayers, that this and what more is to
be publifh'd of that Incomparable Author's
Writings, may obtain the good End for
which he wrote 'em, and for which they are
fo admirably fitted, by a due Influence up-
on the Lives of all that read 'em ; and that
his Glory may be continually increas'd in
Heaven, by the daily Good thefe Pious
Works ftiall do on Earth.

IT>o hereby Cert if e, That the Original Co-
pies of all BiJhoj>Hopkins's Manufcripts
were put into my Hands, in order to have
thofe Printed, which had not yet been made
public 'k; and that I committed fuch of them
as yet lay by untaken notice of, to Mr. SmithV
Hands, to this furfofe ; the reft of them now
remaining in mine. As witnefs my Hand
this i %th Day of October, 1711.

Michael Hewetfon,

Late Archdeacon of Armagh in the
Kingdom of Ireland.

THE

CONTENTS.

THE Doctrine of the Covenants is very
ufeful to be known Page 2,

And yet is generally very little known 5
What a Covenant is 4

Two things requisite to aftricl Covenant, viz. A
natural Freedom from each other in the Parties
contracting ibid.

And their mutual Qmfent to it f

On which account there can be no firict and pro-
per Covenant between God and Man 6
Nor are God's Tranf actions with Manflrillly and
properly a Law 8
But a mixture of Law and Covenant together

ibid.

Two principal Covenants mentioned in Scripture 5

the Covenant of Works , and the Covenant of

Grace p

The former called The Righteoufuefs of the

Law ibid.

What is there meant by the Law *°

a A

A Table of Contents.

A Digreffton concerning the Agreement and the
Difference between the Law and the Gofpel

p. 13
According to their various Acceptations ibid.
A twofold Difference between them I f

An d a twofold Agreement 1 7

What is meant by Righteoufnefs 20

Which is either Qualitative, Inherent in the
Soul 2, 1

Or Relative, or Legal, to which is required 23
A Law eflabliflid to regulate our ABions, and

ibid.
A per feci Conformity to that Law ibid.

The Law confifts of Pt ecept and Sanclion 2 f

According to which there is again a twofold Righ-
teoufnefs, either of Obedience, or of Satisfaction

ibid.
The Promife of Life is annexed only to the for-
mer 16
Bach ofthefe is either perfonal or imputed ibid.
Why we cannot be perfonally Righteous in the for-
mer Senfe 27
And why not in the latter 28
Even though the Penalty be inflteled to fatisfie
God's Juftice 30
How the Sufferings of Chrifl were fatisfaBory 32
Without one of thofe\RighteoufneJfes Man cannot
be juftified, nor gain Heaven without them
both 3f
For the Covenant of Works is only fo far repealed
by that of Grace, as it required a perfonal, not
as it required a per fell Righteoufnefs 26
Several Proofs of this 37
Though we have no perfonal Righteoufnefs, yet

our

A Table of Contents.

our Saviour hath, both of Obedience and Sat if-
fatlion p. 40

Why Chrijl, who obeyed the Law, was bound to
fuffer the Venal ty of it ■ 43

He was under a twofold Law, the ordinary, and

ibid.

That of the Mediator, by which he was obliged
to Suffer 44

God is f leafed to impute Chriffs Right eouf?iefs to
us, and how 4^

What is meant by his juftifying the Ungodly 47

The Cavil of the Papifts agahift imputed Righte-
oufnefs anfwered 48

Another Error concerning this Doctrine 49

It was neceffary that both Chriffs active and his
pa (Jive Right e oufnefs jhould be imputed to
us yo

This Right eoufnefs of Chrifl is made over to us by
Faith fz

From all which we may learn,

The true difference between the two Covenants 5- 4

What Influence Faith has into Gurjuflification ibid.

That Juflification and Salvation are to be expe-
lled on no other Terms than a perfect Righte-
oufnefs $j

That the Righteoufnefs which is of Works, and
that whkh is of Faith , differ only as to the
manner of being made ours ibid.

Of the Covenant of Works in particular j- o

The Tenor of it, and of what it confijls ibid.

Two Opinions concerning the Life promifed by
it 61

Whether Adam in Innocence may be faid to be

Immortal 64

What is meant by the Tree of Life 6f

a z That

A Table of Contents.

That Life was certainly a State of Happhiefi

p. 67

But far fiort of that prom? fed under the Covenant
of Grace 68

What Death is threatned by this Covenant 70

Not the utter Annihilation of the guilty Soul 71

Tet a lefs fever e Punifhment than that threatned
by the Covenant of Grace 72,

H)ir God verified this Threatning upon Adam 7 J

What was the Condition of the Covenant of
Works 74

The fame Obedience required by the Covenant of
Grace , except what fuppofes a finful Eflate 75

Adam was able to perform this Obedience j6

And was to perform it in his own Perfon 77

Which is the great difference between the two Co-
venants ibid.

Jlndfloews under which of them the fecond Adam
was made 78

The Temporal Afflitlions of Believers are no part
of the Curfe threatned by this Covenant jy

But ivflitled by God as Corrections^ only to mani-
fefi his Holinefs 80

Not as Pmiiflmients^ to fatisfie his Jufiice 8 1

The Comfort of this Refledion to a true Chrifiian
under his Sufferings 82

But the Sufferings of the Impeyiitent are part of
that Curfe 84

Who are the Perfons with whom this Covenant was
mads ibid.

Adam, not in his private Capacity ^but as a Fe-
deral Heady and therefore all Mankind in
him 89

In whom therefore they alfo braJce this Cove-
nant . 9 r

And

A Table of Contents.

And finned in him, not only by his Example, p. 9 3
But as his Sin in the fenfe of the Law was

theirs ibid.

Thefe things, though difficulty are yet ofufe, and

not to be flighted 94

How we become Partakers of Original Sin 96

Different Opinions concerning this 97

Of what it confifls 9 8

How the Imputation and Corruption of it cleaves

unto us 102

A dam' j Sin might have fubjetled us to Temporal

Evils, only as he was our natural Head ibid.
But it fubjecls us to eternal Damnation, only as

he was our federal Head 104

And only as fitch, has our Nature its inherent

Corruption from him ir7

The lofs of God's Image was that part of the Cwje

immediately infilled upon Adam 109

Andjuftly depends upon all his Poflerity ibid.
Nor was that Image probably fo much deflroyed

by that one aft, Sin, as forfeited by it 1 1 o
Elfe his Poflerity had probably retained thai. /-

mage 1 1 1

As our Saviour did, who was not reprefented by

Adam in that Covenant 1 \ z

AdamV Poflerity have the fame Title to the

Curfe, which they would have had to theBlefi-

fitjg 1 i 4

And it is as jufl to impute to them the Guilt of

the firfl^ as the Righteoufnefs of the fecond

Adam utf

Several nice Quefiions on this Subjezl 1 1 7

By this Covenant of Works all the World /lands

Convicted 1 1 8

a 3 Nu

A Table of Contents.

No Man can perform the Obedience required by
it p. lip

Nor fatisfie the Penalty 120

Tet if we could do both, Original Sin were a Bar
to our legal Righteoufnefs 121

This ftoews both God's Love in Chrift, who hath
per formed all this for us 122

And their loft Eftate, who by Vnbelief rejefi
Chrift ibid.

The Covenant of Grace propounded to us to fupply
the defecl of that of Works 124

What is the Tenor of it 127

Believing in Chrift not only fpeculatively, but
praclically 128

Confeffing him not only with our Lips, but in our
Lives 129

The Order wherein we may confider this Covenant
to have been made 1 20

God forefeeing Man's Fall, purpofed to reftore him
by a new Covenant ibid.

In making which he intended both his own Glory
and that vfjefus Chrift 132

On this purpofe of abrogating the Covenant of
Works , there fucceeded two Covenants in its
place 123

A Covenant of Redemption made from all Eter-
nity between God the Father and Jefus Chrift

ibid.
And a Covenant of RecoJiciliation, which was
mads between God and Men, and took place
juft after the Fall ibid.

The Form of the Covenant of Redemption 1 3 4
From this Covenant many ofthofe Relations flow,
where God the Father and the Son ft and mutu-
ally engaged ibid.

And

A Table of Contents.

And herein confifls their mutual Agreement upon
Terms concerning Man s Salvation p. i?6

This Agreement was as effectual from all Eter-
ternity for procuring to Believers all the Bene-
fits of the Covenant ; as when afterwards per-
formed by Chrift in the fullnefs of Time 1 40
A Summary of God's TranfaBion with Man in
making this Covenant ibid.

An Anfwer to the Objection, that God might
without all this have fav'd us by one a SI of
Sovereign Mercy 141

// is not improbable that he might 143

For though his Juftice, like all his other Attri-
butes, be ejjential to him, yet the outward Ex-
preffions of that and all the reft are fubjecl to
the Direction of his Will 144

Nor is punitive Juftice more natural to him, than
pardoning Mercy 14^

Though he necejffarily hates Sin, he muft not ne-
cefarily puniftj Sinners 145

However, this way of Salvation by Chrift is cer-
tainly more for God's Glory than any other

It was fit fome Reparation Jhould be made to his
Honour 148

No other way could fo jointly glorifie his Mercy
and Juftice ibid.

The Covenant of Grace is either abfolute or con-
ditional 1 fO

The former made only to the Elect 1 f r

CaWd abfolute, becaufe its Mercies are limited
to no Conditions 1 r 2.

Faith, the Mercy promised in it, being only the
Condition of obtaining the Mercy promised in
the conditional Covenant ibid.

a 4 Tfo

A Table of Contents.

The conditional Covenant is that meant in the

Text i f 4

Where Salvation implies all the Benefits of the

Covenant if 5

Which are all promised of Free Grace , not with-

flandingtheCond.it ions required on our part ibid.

Tbofe Conditions being as much the Free Gift

of God) as the Salvation promised upon them

if<S
Nor do they depend, as our other Actions, only
upon the Concurrence of common "Providence,
but upon the Influence of fpecial Grace if J
What Concurrence tbofe Conditions have to our
Juflification 1 60

What juflification is : two ways of making a Man
righteous 161

The Err our of the Papifls in this Matter i6z
Juflification prefuppofes the Righteoufnefs of the
Perfon juftify^d, 163

7 hat miiji be a Righteoufnefs either of Innocency,
or of Satisfaction , or of Obedience, ibid.

Man can plead none of thefe 1 64.

But Chrifl has wrought for us a Righteoufnefs
both of Satisfaction, and of Obedience ibid.
By which we obtain a twofold Juflification ibid.
far don of Sin, through his Satisfaction 1 6$

A title to Eternal Life, through his Obedience

166
Why his Satis fatlion alone could not procure this

i£>7
A brief Defer iption of Juflification 168

Thefe Toints though difficult deferve our Tains to
underfland them 169

What is the Nature of faving and juflifying

171
Several

A Table of Contents.

Several Opinions concerning it 1 72.

Afummary Defcription of it 178

What is the Nature of that Obedience required

as another Condition of this Covenant 1 79

What Influence thefe Conditions have on mr Ju~

ftification 182

Faith doth not juftifie us as it is a Work ibid.
Nor as it is a Condition of this Covenant ^ 18$
But as it gives us a title to Chrifl's Right eouf-

nefs 1 84

And that as it is the Bond of our myflical Union

with Chrifl 186

Obedience is necejfary to our Salvation^ not as the

meritorious Caufe of it 1 89

But as it difpofes and makes us fit for it 190
And is the way which God has appointed to ob*

tarn it 1 yd.

Nor does Chrifl1 s Obedience fuperfede ours ipf
Obedience is likewife necejjary to our Juftifie ati~

on ip5

Tet not as it is it felf our Righteoufnefs ibid.
ObjeBions from Scripture anfwered 1 9 J

And iSV.Paul and St. James reconciled 198

But as a Condition without which we cayinot be

juftifyd, zoo

And as necejjary to preferve the State of Jufti-
fie a tion^ when once attained 201
Good Works therefore are negatively but not pofi-

tively a Condition of our Juftifie 'at ion 202

The Doctrine of Juftification by Faith is no Pa-
tronage for Liber tinifm 203

Of

A Table of Contents,

Of glorifying God in his Attributes.

THE Divifion of the Difcourfe into three
Tarts p. 2.05-

The Do&rine, and the Import of it zc6

No Being is fimply its own but God ibid.

All others owe their Being to him 208

And depend upon him for the Prefervation of it

20 p

And are made to promote his Glory 2 1 o

And muft all do it actively or paffively 2 11

We are God's alfo on account of our Redempti-
on 212

The fummary Import of the DoBrine z 1 3

The Obligation it lays upon us, viz. iSid.

That we are not to fee k our own ibid.

A twofold Self-feeking, Spiritual and Earthy

214

The former a feeking after Grace and after
Glory 2 r f

That Glory ought to be fought after, as well as
Grace ibid.

The Earthy Self feeking is alfo in fome Cafes
Praife -worthy 2ip

When performed with due Moderation, and at al-
lowed Seafons ibid.

And with due Subordination to the more noble
Ends of Piety zzo

But otherwife 'tis unworthy of a Chriflian} and
even of a Man zn

If we are not our own, we are not at our own
difpofal ziz

Nor ought to follow our own Wills ziz

Nor to look upon any thing as our own zzf

Nm

A Table of Contents.

Not abfolutely, but only as they are fo for our

gOOd p. zzy

Nor to let any Sin be our own zz6

We are not our own but God ys 227

Who hath manifold Titles to us, viz. ibid.

As he is our Creator > has f repaid us exquifite

Bodies 227

And infused Souls into them which are far more

excellent zip

As he is our Preferver zzi

Ashe is our Governor, and as fuch both pro-

tecls us from Evils 232

And provides all NeceJJaries for us 224

As we were devoted to him at our Baptifm z 3 f
As we profefs and own him to be our Lord zz6
And have often renewed our baptifmal Vows zyj
Some are God's more efpecially, as his Elect 238
We are God's alfo as he has redeemed us 240
On which account his Title to us is far greater \

than as he has created us 24 r

For Redemption frees us from a greater evil than

Creation does 242

And confers greater Benefits upon us 243

And was more expensive to God than our Creation

244
From all which may be inferred, how dear we are

to Gody who has made us his by fo many Titles

246
And how unfaithful to him we are, who need jo

many Bonds to fecure us 247

And what a great injujlice all Impiety is9 ibid.
Viz. No lefs than Sacrilege 248

The reafon of the foregoing Doclrine 2f o^

What this price of our Redemption is z$i

To whom it was pay\l Zfz

Our

A Table of Contents.

Our twofold Bondage under Satan p. 2, 5 3

How Chrifi redeem1 d us from both ibid.

Why this price was not pafd to Satan 254

How this payment is confident with God*s free

Grace in faving us ibid.

We are not fo freely redeem d as to exclude all Me-
rit on Chrijfs part 255
Who hath pay d the utmoft Farthing for us 2 5 6
But in rejpeel of our felves our Redemption is of

perfect free Grace 257

And it was an acl of that Grace to accept our pa)-

ment from our furety 259

JEven more than to have forgiven us without any

price 260

Con/idering both the Per fin appointed for our furety

161
And that God himfelf enabled that Perfin to pay

the whole price exatled from him 263

Whence the Scripture in magnifying this Mercy joyns

free Grace and purchased Redemption together

264
What we are redeem d from by that price 2 6" 5

From the Wrath of God ibid.

From the Vaffalage of the Devil 267

By retraining his tempting Power 268

Rebuking his accujing Power , 269

And wholly aboli fifing his tormenting Power 270
From the power of Sin , both its reigning ibid.

And its condemning Power 271

From the Curfi of the Law ibid.

The ApoftWs Inference from the preceding DoElrine^

and the reafin of it, and that by way of Exhor»

tatian, to glorifie God, and by way of DireUion%

how to do it 272

What it is to glorifie Ged 273

Glory

A Table of Contents.

Glory is either Real or Relative 274.

We cannot glorifieGod in the fir (I- Senfe, though he
does us ibid*

And that both in our Creation 27 ?

And in our Reftitution from our lapfed Eftate

ibid.

And by the Cwfummation of our Holinefs and Hap-
pinefs in Heaven 2j6

But in the fecond Senfe we may and ought to Hori-
fie God 2jj

Thus God is Jaid to glorifie him f elf -j,n%

And thus Creatures may be faid to glorifie him

279
And to difljonour him by the contrary ibid.

How we ought to glorifie God 2 % I

What his effential Attrtbutes are ibid.

Theje mujl be glorify' d by our adoring them ibid.
By declaring them? and that in our Words 283

For which we cannot have a nobler Thcam 284
How fome diflienour God this way 285*

Others are backward to honour him. 286

This of all Duties ought to be duly timed ibid.

And 'tis eafie to find, frequent Occafions for it 287
As our bleffed Saviour did 288

We may alfo declare God's Attributes in optr Works

289
This is the chief way of doing it, ibid.

And is done by coff arming our felves to the Like-

nefs of his communicable Attrtbutes 2po

And by performing thofe Duties to which we are

oblig'd by fuch of his Attributes as are uncommu-

nicable 292

We mufi glorifie him in his Holinefs by conforming

our felves to it as perfectly as we can, 295

Eecauje

A Table of Contents.

Becaufe other Attributes may be glorify d whether

we will or no, this cannot here below, but by our

imitating it p. 294

And becaufe while we own our felves to be God's,

we ou^ht to bear his Image, not the Devil's 295

Holinefs the only Badge by which God owns us 296

It exfrejfeth it Jelf againft Sin by abhorring it 297

And by avoiding it. Ibid.

Wemuft glorifie God in his Mercy and Goodnefs Ibid.

Of which the latter is of much larger Extent than

the former 298

Thisfeems to be his darling Attribute 299

In this we muji glorifie God, by imitating it 301

Which will excite others both to adore his Mercy

-302

(The only end we fliould aim at herein) Ibid.

And alfo to reflett how much more Goodnefs there

mujl be in the Creator^ when they experience fo

much in the Creature 304.

Our Goodnefs, to be like God's, mujt be general to

all 305

Even to the Beafts 3 06

Free and undeferv'd Ibid.

Which our Saviour makes the very Badge of his

Difciples 3 07

Wholly difinterejfed 308

Tho' univerfal yet difcriminating% preferring the

Good 309

Shewn according to our Ability 310

What abounds to us is not ours but God's and the

Poors Ibid.

ISTor can be improved better, than by laying it out

upon them 311

12

This Duty is very much neglefled 3

And God difion&ur'd thereby 313

We

A Table of Contents.

We mufi alfo glorifie God's Mercy by endeavouring

to become fit Objects of it p, 314.

To which nothing bat Repentance being requird, 'tis

the utmoft Contempt of it to neglect that Ibid.
When thus become fit Objetls of Gods Mercy we

mufi aljo glorifie tt by relying firmly upon it 317
// is the greatefi Difhonour to God, to defpond in

this Cafe. Ibid.

We mufi alfo glorifie this Attribute by praifing God

for all the Ejfefts of his Goodnefs. 319

We mufi glorifie God in his Omnipre fence 321

By depending upon him in all Dangers 322

Tet not to run headlong into Danger without any

C*ll Ib>d«

'Tis childifi) to fear more in fome Times and Places
than in others^fince God is equally prefent always
and every where 3 2 5

Such Tears overta!?e us for want of this Reflexion

324

We mufi alfo glorifie him in this Attribute by main-
taining confiant Communion with him 325

Converfing with him in our Thought s9 which no
Place nor Condition of Life can hinder 326

By demeaning our felves always with that Awe
which becomes God's Pre fence Ibid.

Which is difhonour d by nothing but Sin 327

We mufi glorifie God'sWtfdom and Omnifcience 328

By endeavouring to encreafe inWtfdom Ibid.

Which is neceffary to the glorifying of his other At-
tributes, as well as this 3a9

By relying upon it when we are in Difficulties and
can find no way to extricate our felves 3 30

The ways of his Providence are unfearchable, and

often advance thofe Ends which they feem to

thwart 3 3 T

By

A Table of Contents.

By the Sincerity of nil our Aims and Attions \%i

Shewn in not daring to allow our felves either in

Jinful Thought s, or in Jeer et Sins, or in a fuper-

fictal Devotton 333

Hypocrifie th? greatefi DiJJjonour to this Attribute

334
' By frequent and confeientious performance of Duties

in jeer et 33^

How the want of this ImpreJJion makes Men Hypo-
crites 337

Whom a due Refletlion on this Attribute would make
as zealous in private as in public^ 338

By bearing falfe Accufations patiently and appealing
to the all-feeing Eye of God for our Innocency

340

We mufi glorifie God in his Truth 342

And that both in general by imitating it Ibid.

And aljo in particular with regard to the Truth

of his Predictions , by adoring his Faithfulnefs in

the wonderful Accompli foment of fuch as are

fulfilled 343

Avd by firmly depending upon the accomplifoment
of the reft 345

With Regard to the Truth of his Promifes, by de-
pending on the Performance of them9 while we
do our Part Ibid.

And with rejpetl to the Truth of his Thr earnings ^
by trembling at the Judgments denoune'd againft
obftinate Sinner s> Jo as to avoid incurring them

346

We muft gkrifie God in his A mighty Power and
Soveraignty 3 47

Wherein thefe two differ Ibid.

How glorious God is in this Attribute 349

Herein

THE

DOCTRINE

O F T H E

Two Covenants.

ROM. X. 5, Sec.

For Mofes defcribeth the righteoufnefs of
the law, that the man which doth thofe
things Jhall live by them. But the
righteoufnefs which is of faith fpeak-
eth on this wife : fay not in thine heart ,
who jhall afcend into heaven ? that is9
to bring Chrift down from above. Or
who Jhall defend into the deep ? that
is, to bring. Chrift up again from the
dead. But what faith it?. The word
is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in
thy heart, that is the word of righ-
teoufnefs which we preach. That if
J Ji thou

tf

The Doctrine of

thou Jhalt confefi with thy mouth* the
Lord Je/iis9 and (halt believe in thine
heart that God hath raifed him from
the dead, thou fly alt be faved.

F all the myftei ious Depths
in Chriftian Religion, there
is none more neceflary for
our Information,or more in-
fluential upon ourPra&ice,
than a right Appreheniion and a diftinft
Knowledge of the DocSrine of the Cove-
nants. For if we be ignorant or miftaken
in this, we muft needs be liable to falfe
or confufed Notions of the Law and Go-
fpel, of our Fall in Adam and Reftaura-^
tion by Chrift, of the true grounds of
Mens Condemnation, and the Means and
Terms of their Juitification; of the Ju-
ftice of God in punifhing Sinners, and
his glorious Mercy in faving Believers:
And confequenrly neither can many per-
plexing Doubts and Questions be refol-
ved, the Neceffity and yet different
Concurrence of Faith and Obedience
unto Salvation cleared, the utter Insuf-
ficiency of our own Righteoufnefs to
procure Acceptance for us with God e-
vinccd, his Juftice vindicated, nor his
Grace glorified. For all thefe great and
important Truths will readily own them-

felves

the Two Covenants.

felves to be built upon the foundation
of God's Covenant and Stipulation with
Man, as I hope to make appear in our
farther Progrefs.

And yet though this Do&rine be thus
generally ferviceable both to Knowledge
and Praaice, how many are there who
call themfelves Chriftians that are grofly
ignorant of thefe Tranfaftions between
God and Man, that know not upon
w7hat Terms they ftand with the Al-
mighty, nor what they may expeft ac-
cording to the tenour of their mutual
Compaft and Agreement. This there-
fore I fhall endeavour to treat of as
briefly and as clearly as the Subjeft will
permit, from the Words which I have
now read unto you, which are theTran-
fcript and Copy of thofetwo great Con-
tra&s made between Heaven and Earth,
God and Man ; the one from the begin-
ning of his Being, and that is the C ove-
nant of Works ; the other immediately
upon his Fall and Ruin, and that is the
Covenant of Grace: the one called here
the righteoujhefs of the taw, and the o-
ther the right eoufnefs of faith.

But before 1 can particularly treat
on this Subjefl, 1 mull firft fliew you
what a Covenant is in its general Noti-
on, and whether there is or can be any

B % fuch

The Doctrine of

fuch thing as a proper Covenant be-
tween God and Man

Our Englijb Word Covenant feems to
be borrowed from the Latin convenire^
or conventus, which fignifies a mutual
Agreement and Accord upon Conditi-
ons propounded and accepted by the
Parties concerned. And it may be thus
defcribed. A Covenant is a mutual Con-
fent and Agreement entered into be-
tween Perfons, whereby they ftand bound
each to other to perform the Conditions
contracted and indented for. And thus
a Covenant is the very fame thing with
a Contract or Bargain.

Now to a ftrift and proper Covenant
there are two things prefuppofed.

Firff, That in the Perfons contract-
ing there be a natural Liberty and Free-
dom the one from the other; that is,
that the one be not bound to the other
as to the Things covenanted for, ante-
cedently to that Compad or Agreement
made between them. For where an Ob-
ligation to a Duty is natural, there it
cannot be ftriftly and properly federal,
or arifipg from a Covenant : If Children
fhould indent with their Parents to yield
them Obedience upon condition that
they on their part will afford them fit
and convenient Provifion, this cannot

in

the Tqw Covenants. 5

in ftrift Senfe be called a Covenant, be-
caufe neither of the Parties were free
from the Obligation of a natural Law,
which obliged them antecedently to this r
Compact In a proper Covenant the
things promifed by each Party mull be
due only upon Confent and Agreement,
fo that there muft be an Equality of the
Perfons covenanting, if not in other re-
fpefts, yet in refpecft of that for which
they do covenant, that the Right of
both in what they mutually promife be
equal. If one Man covenant with ano-
ther to ferve him faithfully upon condi-
tion of fuch a Reward and Wages, tho'
there may be much Disparity upon other
accounts between them, yet as to the
things covenanted for, there is none;
the one having as much Right to the
Wages, as the other to the Service; and
neither having Right to either before
the Agreement.

Secondly 1 In a proper Covenant there
muft be mutual Content of the Perfons
covenanting. And this is called a Stipu-
lation, whereby each Party doth freely
and voluntarily engage himfelf to the
other for his own particular Benefit and
Advantage. For where both are free
and difobliged, it is generally the Ap-
prehenfion of fome Good that will ac-

B 3 erne

The 7)ocirme of

crue unto them, that brings them to en-
ter into a federal Engagement.

^Jow this being plainly the Nature of
a Covenant, it clearly follows that there
neitheris5 norcanbe, aftrift.and proper
Covenant between God and Man. For,

I. Both Parties covenanting are not
naturally free the one from the other.
God is indeed naturally and originally
free, and hath no Obligation to Man an-
tecedent to his own gracious Will and
Promife. But Man hath a double Bond
to Duty ; both his natural Obligation, as
he is a Creature, and his federal, as he
is a Covenanter ; And therefore he is
bound to Obedience, not only by his
Stipulation and Engagement, but alfo
upon that natural Relation wherein he
flands to God as his Creator, and which
alone would have been a fufficient Ob-
ligation upon him had he never entered
into Covenant. And,

II. The Creature's Confent and A-
greement is not neceflary to the Cove-
nant which God makes with it. And
that, becaufe the Terms of it being fo
infinitely to our Advantage, as there
can be no Rerifon imagined why we
fhould diffent, fo neither is there any to
expeft an explicit Confent for the Rati-
fication of it, Neither are we Lords of

our

the Two Covenants.

our felves ; but he that made us may
impale on us what Laws he pleafeth;
and if he condefcend to encourage us
by Promiies of Reward, this voluntary
Obligation which God is pleafed to lay
upon himfelf, lays a farther Obligation
upon us to do what he requires out of
Love and Thankfulnefs , Faith and
Hope, whereby we chearfully expeft
and embrace what he hath promifed;
which like wife of it felf is fovaftly tran-
fcendent and difproportionate to all our
Performances, that it cannot be our Due
upon a drift and proper Covenant (for
in every fuch Bargain the datum and ac-
ceptum, that which is promifed by both
Parties muft be alike valuable, at lead in
the Efteem of the Covenanters) but ra-
ther a free Beneficence upon an arbitra-
ry Promife.

So that between Man and Man a Co-
venant is a mutual and an equal Obliga-
tion, but between God and Man is on-
ly a mutual Obligation, on God's part
to a free Performance of his Promifes,
and on Man's part to a chearful Perfor-
mance of his Duty ; wherein as there is
no Equality either in Right or Value,
fo neither is there any Neceflity that
Man fhould give an explicit and formal

Confent unto it.

B 4 And

8 The cDo£trine of

And as God's Tranfadlions with us
are not flriflly and properly a Covenant,
fo neither are they ftriftly and properly
a Law; although they are often called
fhelSaw of Works, and the Law of Faith.
For God doth no: deal with us merely
out of ahfolute Sovereignty, but he is
gracioufly pleafed to oblige himfelf to
us by Promife, which doth not belong
to a Sovereign afting as fuch, but car-
ries fome Refemblance of a Covenant.
So that the Agreement which God hath
made with Man is not meerly a Cove-
nant, nor meerly a Law, but mixt of
both. If God had only faid T>o this,
without adding Thou /halt live, this had
not been a Covenant, but a Law. And if
he had only faid Thou Jhalt live, with-
out commanding "Do this, it had not
been a Covenant but a Promife. Re-
move the Condition and you make it a
fimple Promife, remove the Promife and
you make it an ablblute Law. But both
thefe being found in it, it is both a Law
and a Covenant, though both in a large
Acceptation.

And thus you fee what a Covenant is,
and how the Tranfaffions between God
and Man may be {aid to be a Cove-
nant, and wherein they differ from the
proper Notion of it,

Yet

the Two Covenants.

Yet the difference is not fo great, but
that the Scripture moft frequently
makes mention of Covenants ratihed be-
tween God and Man, and chiefly infiits
upon the two principal ones, which in-
deed are the Argument and Subftance
of the . whole Bible, the Covenant of
Works, and the Covenant of Grace, in
which not only particular Perfons were
engag'd, but the whole Race of Mankind.
The Summary Contents of which were
"Do this and live^ and Believe and live.
The former is the Tenor of the Cove-
nant of Works, the latter the Tenor of
the Covenant of Grace: And both thefe
are expreft in my Text. The Covenant
of Works is called the right eoufnefs of the
Law, that is, the rule of Righteoufnefs
by the Law, the Sentence of which is
that the man who doth thofe things ft) all
live by them. The Covenant of Grace
is call'd the righteoufnefs which is of
Faith i that is, the rule of obtaining Righ-
teoufnefs by Faith, the purport of which
is this, that if thou jhalt believe on the
Lord Jefus whom God hath rai fed from
the dead , thou ft? alt be faved.

Now here, before 1 can treat of the
Subftance of thefe two Covenants, it
will be requifite to explain to you,

Firjf,

10 T^he Doctrine of

Firjl, What is meant by the Law,
And,

Secondly, What by Righteoufnefs.

To the firft I anfwer, that the Law is
taken very varioufly in Scripture ; but
mod commonly by it is meant the whole
fum of thofe Commands which Mofes
from the Mouth of God deliver^ to
the IfraeliteS) containing that which we
commonly call the Moral, Judicial and
Ceremonial Law* But certainly in this
place it cannot be taken in that Lati-
tude : For the Judicial and Ceremonial
Law were not branches of that Cove-
nant of Works which God entred into
with Adam* nor are any guilty for not
obferving them, except the Jews to
whom they were particularly delivered.
This Law therefore, which, according
to the Covenant of Works, mull be
punftually fulfilled, in order to our ob-
taining Juftificalion by it, is the Moral
Law, the'Law aadDiftates of pure and
uncorrupted Nature. And thi^few of
Nature is no other but a brighflRid fhi-
ning Impreilion of Divine Light upon
the Soul, a kind of Parely and Reflecti-
on of the immutable, unfearchable and
eternal Law of God's Holinefs? a Com-
munication of Divine Attributes unto us,
whereby in our firft moulding we were

ftampt

the Two Covenants.

ftampt after the Similitude of God, and
are faid to bear his Image. Of this Mo-
ral Law God hath given the World two
Draughts, the one Archetypal, being
the fair ftridtures of his own Likenefs in
our firft Creation: the other Eftypal,
in the Decalogue, wherein he hath in ten
Words limned out what Mans Nature
was when it was perfeft, and what it
ought to be that it may be perfefl:. So
that for the Matter and Subftance of
them there is no difference at all be-
tween the Original Law of Man's firft
Creation, the Law of pure Reafon and
uncorrupted Nature, and the Tranfcript
thereof in the Moral Law deliver'd by
Mo/es. And therefore as the Law of
his Creation was to Adam a Covenant of
Works, fo the Moral Law being for
the matter of it the very fame, muft
alfo be acknowledged to be the Matter
and Subftance of the Covenant of Works.
The fame Commands -of both Tables
which tbind us to Obedience, bound A-
dam himfelf, fo far forth as his Condi-
tion in Paradife was capable of an aftual
Obligation by them. For Parents he
had none to honour, Neighbours and
Servants he had none to receive the Of-
fices of Juftice and Charity. But had he
continued in his firft Eftate 'till thefe

Rela-

II

12 The TloBrine of

Relations had fprung up about him, the
fame Commands from the innate Princi-
ple of his Reafon would have bound
him to his refpe&ive Duties towards
them, as do now bind us. And this
may be farther difcern'd even by thofe
obfcure Prints of the Law of Nature
which yet remain upon the Hearts of
Heathens, who though they have not the
Law, yet (faith the Apoftle) they do by
Nature the things contained in the Law,
i.e. in the Moral Law, Rom. x. 14. As
. when Mofes brake the two Tables of
Stone, yet fomething of the Command-
ments was ftill left engf aven by the Fin-
ger of God upon the ihatter'd pieces of
them ; lo when Man fell, and brake that
goodly frame of his Nature, yet ftill fome
remains and parcels of the fame Law,
written there likewife by the Finger of
God, may be obferv'd ftill to continue
upon it. So that between the Law of
pure Nature, and the Moral Law, there
is as much Agreement as between an In-
denture and its Counterpart. And there-
fore if the Law of Nature were to Adam
a Covenant of Works, as doubtlefs it
was, the Moral Law being for the mat-
ter of it the fame, mud Jikewife for the
matter of it be the fame Covenant.

the Two Covenants. 1 3

Now the Moral Law may be confi-
der'd by us either as a Covenant of
Works, or as a Rule of Life. In the
former fefpeft it is fuperceded to all
Believers by the Mercy and Grace of
the Gofpel ; in the latter it is explain'd,
corroborated, and protected by the Go-
fpel ; and though it be no longer the
meafure of God's Proceedings towards
us, yet flill it is the meafure of our Duty
towards him.

And here if a profitable Digreffion
may be allowed, give me leave to fhew
you the Agreement and Difference that
there is between the Law and the Gofpel.
For fince they are vulgarly thought fuch
oppofite things, it will not, perhaps, be im-
pertinent to itate and fix the limits both
of their Oppofition and Concord. When
we fpeak of the Law and Gofpel, the
Words are very equivocal, and may caufe
many Miitakes and Errors in ignorant
and confusM Minds. For by the Law
three things may be underilood :

Fir]}, The Law as a Covenant of
Works. And then (as hath been alrea-
dy noted) it muft be taken for the Sum
and Subftance of the Moral Law, as ori-
ginally imprinted in our Natures.

Secondly^ By Law m^y be meant the
Moral Law, as it is thePailefor our Du-
ty

14- The Doffrine of

ty and Obedience. And fo we under-
fland it when we commonly fay, the
Law commands this or that to be done,
or this and that to be avoided.

Thirdly, By the Law may be meant
legal Adminiftrations and Ceremonies,
which under the Pedagogy of Mofes
were a great part of the Jewijh Wor-
ship. And thus we call their Sacrifices,
Purifyings, ways of Attonement, and
other Typical Rites, Legal Obfervances.

So likewife when we fpeak of the
Gofpel, two things may be meant by
it.

Firft, Gofpel Grace purchased for loft
Mankind by Jefus Chrift : Both rela-
tive Grace for the change of our State
in Pardon, Juftification, Adoption, &c\
and real Grace for the change of our
Natures in SaneHfication and Renova-
tion. And thus we ufe to fay, that the
firft Gofpel that ever was preach'd in the
World, was to Adam prefently after his
Fall by God himfelf, Gen. 3. 5. The
Seed of the Woman fhall break the Ser-
pen? s Head : For this was the firft Di-
fcovery of Grace and Mercy through
Chrift Jefus. Yea, and the Promife
made to Abraham many Ages before the
coming of Chrift into the World, is
ly the Apoftle called the Preaching of

the

the Two Covenants. 15

the Gofpel, Gal. 3. 8. God (faith the
Apoftle) preach? d before the Gojpel unto
Abraham^ faying* in thee fhall all Na-
tions be bkjfed.

Secondly 1 By Gofpel is fometimes
meant the Gofpel A dminiftration of this
Grace, difpens'dto the World by Chrift
himfelf and his Miniflers, in a more free
and open way, than the Shadows under
the Law did exhibit it.

Now according to thefe various Ac-
ceptations of Law and Gofpel, we
jnay obferve a twofold Difference, and
a twofold Agreement, between them.

Firjly If we underftand by the Law a
Covenant of Works, and by Gofpel the
Grace and Mercy of the Gofpel, fothey
are extreamly oppofite and contrary one
to the other. For take Gofpel Grace
for Relative Grace, fuch as whereby
we are pardoned, reconciled, juftified
and adopted, thefe could have no place
at all under the Covenant of Works.
Yea, if we take Gofpel Grace for the
real Grace of Sanftification and Reno-
vation, fo as thefe Terms do imply the
making of an unclean thing holy, and
an old thing new, it had not, neither
could have place under the Covenant of
Works; becaufe there was no Unclean-
nefs fuppofed to be done away, nor any

thing

The Tto&rine of

thing old that fliould be renewed. For
this Covenant makes no allowances for
Tranfgreffion, nor any admiffion of
Repentance. Yet indeed the Habits of
Grace which now fanftifie us, were alfo
in Adam whilfl under this Covenant,
yea and Chrift alfo was the Author of
them; but with this difference, that to
him Chrift was the Author of them meer-
ly as Creator, but to us as Redeemer;
to him, only as God the fecond Perron,
but to us as God-Man the Mediator.

Secondly i If by the Law we mean a
legal Adminiftration under Types and Fi-
gures, fuch as were the Sacrifices and
Ceremonies in ufe under the JewiJI?
Difcipline, and by Gofpel that clear and
unvailed way of difpeniing the Means of
Salvation fince the coming of Chriftinto
the World, fo again they as much differ
each from other as Shadows do from Sub-
fiance, or Clouds from Sun-fhine. And
thus may we underftand that Antithefis,
John i. 17. The Law was given by Mo-
Jes, i. e. the Ceremonial fliady Law;
but Grace and Truth came by J e fits Chrift,
i. e. a clearer and more full nSanifefta-
tion of Grace, and the very Subihnce
and Truth of thofe things which were
before typitied and adumbrated.

Thefe

the Two Covenants.

Thefe are the two Differences be-
tween the Law and Gofpel, in both
which the Gofpel takes place upon the
Abrogation of the Law. Gofpel Grace
hath abrogated the Law as a Covenant,
and Gofpel Difpenfations have abrogated
Legal Ceremonies.

Their Agreement is likewife twofold.

Firjl, If we take the Moral Law as it
is the directive Rule of our Obedience,
fo there is a perfeft Harmony and Ac-
cord between it and the Gofpel. For
the Duties of the Moral Law are as
ftriftly required from Believers fince
Chrift's coming as they were before, yea
as ilriftly as ever they were from Adam
in Innocence, though not upon the
fame terms from us as from him. The
Gofpel is in this refpeft fo far from
weakninp; the Law, that it doth rather
much ftrengthen and confirm it. What
faith our Saviour, Matth. $. 17. I am
not come to deftroy the Law, but to fulfil
it. And the Apoftle, Rom. 3. 31. 'Do
we then make 'void the Law through
Faith ? God forbid: yea-, we eftablijh the
Law. The Gofpel receives the Law in-
to its Protection and Patronage, fo that
to the obliging Power which it had be-
fore from the Authority of God the great
Sovereign of the World enafting it, here-

C by

The DoSirine of

by is added the farther Sanftion of
Chriit the Mediator ratifying and con-
firming it, who likewife gives us of his
Spirit, whereby we are enabled to aft
in Conformity to the Law, and to ful-
fil its Commands. The Law is there-
fore now taken within the Pale of the
Gofpel, and incorporated into it, fo that
it is no longer Law and Gofpel, but ra-
ther an Evangelical and Gofpel Law.

Secondly, If by Law we mean the Le-
gal Adminiftrations of Ceremonies and
Sacrifices, Types and Figures, ufed under
the MofaLal Difcipline, and if by Gofpel
we mean the Grace exhibited by it of
Pardon, Juftification, &c. fo neither is
there anyOppofition or Repugnance be-
tween them, but a mofl perfeft Accord
and Agreement. For before Chriit's co-
ming into the World Gofpel Grace was
under a Legal Adminiftration. When
the Sun is approaching us in the Morn-
ing, though its Body be under the Ho-
rizon and in another Hemifphere, yet
then we fee the dawning and glimmer-
ing of its Light : So was it in the Church ;
though the Sun of Righteoufnefs was not
rifen upon them with his full brightnefs,
yet they then faw and enjoy'd the dawn
of our perfe&Day; and thofe Jews who
lived as it were in the other Hemifphere

of

the Two Covenants. J9

of Time before Chrift's coming, were
as much under Grace as now we are,
though not under fuch clear and glori-
ous Difpenfations of it. We read in-
deed, that the'Diftiples were firfi called
Chriftians fome few Years after our Sa-
viour's Death ; but yet thofe Saints who
lived many Ages before his Birth, were
as truly Chriftians as they, though not
known nor diftinguilh'd by that Name.
Yea, and I remember I have fomewhere
met wich a PafFage oi^t.Anihrofe^ *pri-* De Sa
us capijfepopulum Chriftianum, qtidmpo- Cl'am> *•

fulum Judaorum ; there were Chriftian 4* c# 3"
^People in the Worlds before ever there
was a Jewijh Nation. They had then
the fame Chrift to fave them, the fame
Promifes to fupport them, the fame
Faith to appropriate both unto them, as
now we have. They were under as
great an Impoflibility of obtaining Life
by the Deeds of the Law, as we are ;
and we under as ftrift an Injunction to
fulfil the Commands of the Law, as was
ever on themimpos'd. The only Diffe-
rence between them and us confifts in

. this, that they faw the Sun of Righte-
oufnefs under a Cloud, we openly; they!
by its refleftioir, we direftly.

And thus much for the opening of
what is meant by the Law in this

C z Text,

The 'DoBrine of

Text, which is the Moral Law as a Co-
venant of Works.

The fecond Preliminary was to ex-
plain what is meant by Righteoufnefs.
Mofes defer ibeth the righteoufnefs of the
Law, &c. And indeed unlefs we have
a clear Notion of this, we can neither
know for what Ends the Covenants
were made, nor wherein the nature of
Juftification doth confift. For, becaufe
we fulfil the Covenant made with us by
God, therefore are we righteous: and
becaufe we are righteous according to
the Terms of the Covenant, therefore
are we juftified. So that a clear Know-
ledge of this Righteoufnefs will be fer-
viceable to the unfolding of both ; fince
it is the end of the Covenant, and the
matter of Juftification.

This therefore I fhall attempt, by gi-
ving firfl feveral Diltinftions, and then
feveral Thefes or Pofitions concerning
Righteoufnefs.

There is therefore a two-fold Righ-
teoufnefs.

Firjf, Qualitative, or that which may
be underftood as a Quality or Habit in i
us.

Secondly j Relative or Legal ; or that
which ftands in Conformity to fomc
Law.

A

the Two Covenants.

A Qualitative Righteoufnefs is nothing
elfe, but the divine Qualities of Grace
and Holinefs inherent in the Soul. Ho-
linefs and Righteoufnefs, to be gracious,
and to be righteous, in this Senfe figni-
fie one and the lame thing. Nothing
doth more frequently occur in Scripture
than this ufe of the Word. So Noah is
called righteous, Gen. 7. 1. And Abra-
ham pleads with God for the righteous
in Sodom, Gen. 18. 23, 24. And Zacha-
ry and Elizabeth have this Teftimony,
that they were both righteous, becaufe
they walked in all the Commandments of
the Lord blamelefs , Luke 1. 6. The
ways of Holinefs are called the ways of
Righteoufnefs, Tfal. 23. 3. And the
works of Holinefs, works of Righte-
oufnefs, Tfal. 15*. 2. Ifai. 64. 5-. And
1 John 3.7. He that doth righteoufnefs
is righteous. Many other Places there
are, too numerous to be cited, wherein
Righteoufnefs is taken both for the in-
herent Principle of Holinefs, and for
the gracious Aftions that proceed there-
from. It is indeed improper to call our
Holinefs, which is fo imperfeft and full
of Failings, by the Name of Righteouf-
nefs. Nay, were it moil perfeft and
confummate, yet it is not the fame with
Righteoufnefs ftri&ly and properly ta-

C 3 ken,

22 The Doftrine of

ken. For Righteoufnefs properly is ra-
ther a Denomination arifing from the
Conformity of Adions to their Rule,
than either the Principle or Subftance of
the Aftions themfelves. For that is
righteous which is right ; and that is
right which is agreeable to the Rule by
which it is to be meafured. Even in A-
dam^ whofe Holinefs was perfeft, yet
was there this difference between it and
his Righteoufnefs, at leaft in our clear
Conceptions, that his Grace as it was
conformable to its Pattern, vi&. the
Purity of God, fo it was his Holinefs ;
but as it flood in Conformity to the Law
of God, fo it was his Righteoufnefs.
For in ltri£t Propriety of Speech, the
Rule of Holinefs is different from the
Rule of Righteoufnefs: Holinefs is mea-
fured by fimilitude to God ; Righteouf-
nefs by conformity to the Law. Holi-
nefs may admit of degrees, and be more
or lefs perfeft in feveral Subjefts in
whom it is implanted ; but Righteouf-
nefs confifts in an indivifible and invari-
able Point; for if it be lefs than a per-
feft Conformity 'tis not Righteoufnefs,
and more than perfect cannot be. Yet
our defective and imperfed Holinefs
may obtain the name of Righteoufnefs,
either becaufe it flows from that Princi-
ple

the Two Covenants.

pie which in its own Nature tends to a
perfeft Conformity unto the Law, or
elfe becaufe it is a neceflary and insepa-
rable Concomitant of a true and proper
Righteoufnefs, tho5 not our own, yet
imputed.

Secondly, There is a Legal or Relative
Righteoufnefs ; and this a Man is faid to
have when the Law by which he is to
be judged hath nothing whereof to ac-
cufe him. Unto this Righteoufnefs there
is required,

i. A Law eftabliili'd for the regula-
ting our A&ions. For as where there
is no Law there can be no Tranfgreffi-
on, fo neither can there be any proper
pofitive Righteoufnefs. And,

i. There muft be a perfeft Confor-
mity unto this Law. The Law is the
ftreight Rule by which all our Aftionsare
to be meafured ; I mean the Law of Na-
ture and right Reafon enafted to all
Mankind, and the fuperadded Law of
divine Revelation to thofe who enjoy it.
Now, it is a Gontradi&ion to affirm that
there can be a Righteoufnefs where
there is any Obliquity in Aftions com-
pared to the Rule and Law whereby
they muft be judged : For in cafe of
fuch Obliquity and Crookednefs, the

C a Law

The DoSlrine of

Law hath an advantage to lay in an Ac-
cufation againit the Tranfgreflbr.

So then we may take a brief Defcri-
ption of Righteouihefs properly fo call'd
in thefe terms. Righteoufnefs is a De-
nomination, firft of Aftions, and con-
fequently of Perfons, arifing from their
perfeft Conformity to the Law whereby
they muft be judged. It muft be firit
of A&ions, and then of the Perfon ;
becaufe the Righteoufnefs of the Per-
fon refults from the Conformity of his
Aftions. Nor will it fuffice that fome
of his Aftions be thus conformable to
the Law, but every Aftion that falls
under its cognizance muft be conformed
unto it, or elfe the Perfon can by no
means be accounted righteous.

This perfefl: Conformity being thus
absolutely neceflary to conftitute a Per-
fon righteous, and yet as abfolutely im-
poilible to us in this our lapfed State,
it might therefore feem to be alike im-
poffible that ever we ihould obtain a
Righteoufnefs that might avail to our
justification. And therefore for the clea-
rer Apprehenfion of the nature of Righ-
teoufnefs, and the manner how we are
denominated Righteous, (which indeed
is the very critical Point in theDoftrine

of

the Two Covenants. 2<

of Juflification) thefe following Diftin-
dions, if duly ponder'd, will be very
ferviceable.

The Law confifts of two Parts.

Fzrjf, The Precept requiring Obedi-
ence, T>o this.

Secondly^ The San&ion of this Pre-
cept by Rewards and Punifliments. The
man that doth thefe things Jhall live by
them, is the Reward promifed unto O-
bedience ; and the Soul that Jinneth it
Jhall die9 is the Punifhment threatened
againft Difobedience.

Now according to thefe two parts of
the Law, fo there are two ways of be-
coming righteous by the Law, fo.that
it ihall have nothing to lay to our charge.
The one is by Obedience to the Pre-
cept ; the other is by Submiffion to the
Penalty : Not only he who perf3rms
what the Law commands, is thereby
righteous, but he alfo who hath fuffer'd
what the Law threatens. From hence
we may again diftinguifh Righteoufnefs,
into a Righteoufnefs of Obedience, and
a Righteoufnefs of Satisfa&ioi) : The
former arifeth from performing the Pre-
cept of the Law, the latter from un-
dergoing the Penalty. Between thefe
two RighteoufnefTes this remarkable
Difference may be obferyed, that thp

Promife x

26 The DoSrine of

Promife of Life being annexed to the
fulfilling of the Precept, the Righteouf-
nefs of Obedience gives a full Right and
Title unto the Life promifed, but no
fuch Right refults from the Righteouf-
nefs of Satisfa&ion. For it is not faid
in the Law, Suffer this and live, fince
the fuffering it felf was Death ; but T>o
this and live. So that by meer Satif-
faftion a Man is not accounted the Ful-
filler of the Law, nor yet farther to be
dealt withal as a Tranfgreffor of it.
Hence then, the one may be call'd a
Pofitive Righteoufnefs, becaufe it ari-
feth from aftual and pofitive Conformi-
ty of our Obedience to the Rules of the
Law ; the other only Negative Righte-
oufnefs, becaufe Satisfaction is equiva-
lent to Innocency, and reduceth the
Perfon to a guiltlefs Condition, which
I here call a Negative Righteoufnefs.

Now each of thefe, both the Righte-
oufnefs of Obedience, and of Satisfaftion,
may again be twofold, either Perfonal, or
Imputed. I call that Perfonal Righte-
oufnefs, which a Man in his own Per-
fon works out, whether it be of Obedi-
ence to, the Commands of the Law, or
of Sacisf iftion to the Penalty thereof.
Imputed Righteoufnefs is a Righteoufnefs
wrought out by another, yet gracioufly

by

the Two Covenants. 27

by the Law-giver himielf made ours,
and fo accounted as effeftual to all In-
tents of the Law, as if we had in our
own Perfons performed it.

Thefe Diftinftions being thus premi-
fed, I fliall now proceed to lay down
fome Pofitions which may farther clear
up this Subjeft to our Apprehenfions.

Fir/ly If we could perfeftly fulfil the
Preceptive part of the Law, we fliould
thereby obtain a perfeft Righteoufnefs of
Obedience, and might lay claim to eter-
nal Life by vertue of the Promife annex-
ed to the Covenant of Works. This is
moft unqueftionably true,efpecially if we
fuppofe this perfeft Obedience by our
own natural Strength without the Afli-
fiance of divine and fupernatural Grace;
becaufe fuch an Ability would infer
the primitive Integrity of our Nature,
and exclude the Guilt of original Sin,
which hath involved all in theCurfe and
Maledi&ion of the Law.

Secondly, If we could undergo the
whole of that Puniihment which the
Law threatens for Difobedien:e, then
alfo fliould we be accounted perso-
nally righteous by a Righteoufnefs
of Satisfaction. If an Offender againft
an human Law fuffers the Penalty
which the Law requires to be inflifted

on

The DoSlrine of

on him according to the Nature of his
Offence, whether it be Imprifonment,
a pecuniary Mulft, or the like, that Man
thereby becomes negatively righteous,
becaufe the Law is fatisfy'd, fo that it
hath nothing farther to charge againfl:
him for that particular Fad:. Thusftands
the Cafe in reference to the Law of God,
The tranfgrefling the Command binds
us over to iiiffer thePunifliment; which
Suffering if we can accomplifh, and
come from under, we fliall be as righte-
ous in the Sight of God as if we had
never tranfgrefs'd.

Thirdly, Becaufe the Punifliment
threatned by the Law of Works is fuch
as can never be eluftated,nor fully and
compleatly born by us, therefore it is
utterly impoffible that ever we fliould
obtain a perfonal Righteoufnefs of Sa-
tisfaction. Indeed could we fuffer it and
come from under it, we fhould then be
as righteous and innocent as if we had
never tranfgrefs'd. But this is utterly
impoffible. For,

Firft, Infinite Juflice cannot be fatif-
fy'd under the rate of infinite Punifli-
ment. In a full Satisfa&ion the Punifli-
ment muft anfwer the Greatnefs of the
Offence. But every Offence againfl:
God hath an infinite Heinoufnefs in it,

and

the Two Covenants. 29

and therefore the Punifhment for it muft
be infinite. Crimes are greatned not
only from the Nature of the Aftion as
it is in it felf flagitious, but alfo from
the Quality and Dignity of the Perfon
againit whom they are committed. Re-
viling and injurious Speeches againft a
Man's Equal are but a&ionable, but a-
gainft the King they are treafonable. A
lefs Offence againft an excellent Per-
fon, is more heinous than a greater a-
gainft a more ignoble Perfon. And con-
sequently God being of infinite Majefty
and Perfection, every Offence againft
him muft needs be infinitely heinous,
and therefore muft be infinitely punifh'd
before full Satisfaction can be made for
it.

Secondly, There are but two ways
how a Punifhment can be imagined to
be infinite. The one is inteniively, when
it is infinite in Degrees; the other is
extenfively, when it is infinite in Dura-
tion and Continuance, though but finite
in Degree. If the Punifhment be ei-
ther of thefe ways infinite, it is fully fa-
tisfaftory and commenfurate to the di-
vine Juftice which is infinite. But,

Thirdly , We cannot poflibly fuflfer a
Punifhment which is infinite in Degrees,
becaufe we our felves are but finite

in

The cJDoEirine of

in our Natures ; and what is finite cannot
contain what is infinite: Yea though
God fhould ftretch and widen our Capa-
cities to theutmoft,yet we can never be-
come Vefiels large enough to hold in-
finite W rath at once. Therefore ,

Fourthly ', The Punifhment of Sinners,
becaufe it cannot be infinite in Decrees,
that it may be fatisfa&ory, muft be in-
finite in Duration and Continuance ; that
fo a finite, yet immortal Creature, as the
Soul of Man is, may undergo a Penalty
fome way infinite as is the Juftice of-
fended.

Fifthly, Becaufe their Punifliment
muft be infinite in Duration, therefore
it is utterly impoffible that ever it fliould
be compleatly born and eluftated, fince
what is to laft to all Eternity can never
be accomplifli'd. And therefore it is
impoffible that ever we fliould procure
to our felves a Righteoufnefs of Satif-
fa&ion, as impoffible as it is to out-live
Eternity, or to find a Period in what
muft continue for ever.

But it may be objefted, Is not God's
Juftice fatisfy'd in the Punifliment of the
damned? why elfe doth he inflift it?
And if Juftice be fatisfy'd in their Dam-
nation, how then can Satisfaftion be a
Righteoufnefs equivalent to Innocence,

fince

the Two Covenants. 31

fmcetheyfliall never be difcharged from
their Torments?

To this I anfwer,

Firjfy That there fliall never be any
time wherein the Juftice of God fhall
be fo fully fatisfy'd by the damned in
Hell, as to require no more Sufferings
from them : For they fliall be making
Satisfaction to all Eternity. The infi-
nite Juftice of God is fatisfy'd in this,
that it fliall be fatisfying it felf to all E-
ternity: And yet in all that Eternity,
there fliall be no one Moment wherein
the Sinner fliall be able to fay itisfinifli'd,
and Juftice is fully fatisfy'd.

Secondly j To this may be added, that
the eternal Succeflion of their Torments
is in refpeft of God a permanent Inftant,
a fixed and abiding Now. So that the
very Infinity of their Punifliment in the
everlafting Continuance of it, is account-
ed by God (to whom a thoufand Years,
yea thoufands of Millions of Years, are
but as yefterday when 'tis paft) as now
aftually prefent and exifting. For in
his,Effence there is no Variation, and
in his Knowledge Objefts have no Suc-
cefRonbefides that of Method and Or-
der.

But how then, may fome fay , were •*
the Sufferings of Chrift Satisfaftory,

fince

32 The DoSirine of

fince they were not infinite nor eternal?

I anfwer, Firjl, That our Saviour
Chrifl being God as well as Man, and
fo an infinite Perfon, might well bear
the load of infinite Degrees of Wrath
at once laid upon him, and thereby com-
pleat his Satisfa&ion. So that his Suffer-
ings might be intenfively infinite, and
yet not exceed the Capacity of his Na-
ture. Or if any fhould fcruple whether
the Punifhment of Chrifl were infinite
in Degrees, yet,

Secondly, We may affirm that the Dig-
nity of his Perfon, being God as well as
Man, might compound for the Mea-
fure of his Sufferings, and lhorten their
Duration. For it is infinite Suffering for
an infinite Perfon to fuffer, it being an infi-
nite Humiliation and Abafcment. How-
ever, that Punifhment which is flretch'd
out by the Line of Eternity when laid up-
on the damned, was all wound up toge-
ther when inflifted on Chrifl : Heat one
large Draught drank off the Cup of that
Fury, which they everlaflingly drain by
little Drops. And could they, as he did,
bear and eluftate the whole Punifhment
at once, they would thereby obtain a
Righteoufnefs of Satisfaction, and be
proceeded with as innocent or negative-
ly righteous. That's the third Pofition*

Fourthly,

the Two Covenants. 33

Fourthly, Another Pofition fhall be
this, Becaufe we can neither fulfil the
Commands of the Law, nor yet under-
go and elu&ate the utmoit extremity of
the Punifliment, therefore our Righte-
oufnefs cannot poffibly be inherent or
perfonal. We cannot be personally
righteous by perfeft Obedience, be-
caufe of the Corruption of our Natures ;
we cannot be perfonally Righteous by
full Satisfa&ion, becaufe of the Condi-
tion of our Natures : Our corrupt ftate
makes our perfeft Obedience a thing
impoffible; and our limited finite State
makes our full Satisfaction as impoffible.
As we are fallen Sinners, fo we lye un-
der a fad Neceffity of tranfgreffing the
Law : As we are vile Creatures, fo we
lye under an utter Incapacity of recom-
penfing Divine Juftice. Well therefore
might the Apoftle cry out, There is none
righteous, no not one, Rom. 3. 10. As
for a perfonal Righteoufnefs of Obedi-
ence, the Prophet unfolds that goodly
Garment, Ifa. 64. 6. All our righteoufi
neffes are but filthy rags. Rags they
are; and therefore cannot cover our Na-
ednefs: Filthy Rags they are, and there-
fore need a covering for themfelves.
To think to cover filth by filth, is no-

D thing

34 The T>oBrine of

thing elfe but to make both more odi-
ous in the fight of God.

Nor can we hope to appear before
God upon a Righteoufnefs of Satisfacti-
on : For how (hould we fatisfie his Ju-
ftice? Is it by doing? Why, whatfoever
we can do, is,

I. God's Gift.

II. Our own Duty had we never
finned. And,

III. Can bear no proportion to the
Sin committed : For no Duty is of
infinite Goodnefs ; but every Sin is of
infinite Heighnoufnefs, as hath been de-
monflrated ; and therefore no Duty can
make Satisfa&ion for it.

Is it by Suffering that we hope we may
fatisfie God ? Alas, this is nothing elfe
but to feek Salvation by being damned ;
for that's the Penal part of the Law,
and the only perfonal Satisfaction that
the Juftice of God will exaft of Sin-
ners.

Now though it be thus in vain to feek
for a Righteoufnefs of our own, either
of the one kind, or of the other ; yet
that Corruption of our Natures which is
the only Caufe we have not a perfeft
perfonal Righteoufnefs of Obedience,
ftill prompts us infenfibly to truft to it;
and ready we are upon alloccafionstobe

draw-

the Two Covenants.

drawing up an Inventory of our good
Works as the Merit of our Juftification,
which (if they be really found) are but
good Evidences of it. For,

Fifthly, The Righteoufnefs which
alone can juftifie us, muft be a Righte-
oufnefs either of Obedience, or Satif-
faftion, either doing what the Law
hath required, or fuffering what it
threatens ; and indeed both are necefla-
ry to bring us to Heav'n and Happinefs,
in a way of Juftification. Perhaps God
might, by the abfolute Prerogative of his
Mercy, have pardoned and faved Sin-
ners, without requiring any Righteouf-
nefs or Satisfa&ion. But I fay, that it is
utterly impoffible, and contradi&ious,
that he fliould juftifie any without a
Righteoufnefs : For the very Notion of
Juftification doth eflentially connote and
infer a Righteoufnefs, fince it is God's
owning and dealing with Men as righte-
ous. For ought I know, God might, had
he fo pleafed, have pardoned and faved
us without any Righteoufnefs, but cer-
tain I am he could not juftifie us with-
out it. Now that is no Righteoufnefs
which doth not fully aniwer the Law
which is the Rule of it : For the leaft
defeft deftroys its Nature, and turns it
into Unrighteoufnefs.

D % X

The DoSirine of

If it be here obje&ed, that the Rule
of our Righteoufnefs is not the .Law of
Works, but the Law of Faith ; that the
Covenant of Works is abolifh'd, and
that of Grace fucceeded in the place
thereof, which requires faith, Repen-
tance, and fincere Obedience as the Con-
ditions of our Juftification, and that
thefe are now the Righteoufnefs by
which we are juftifled : I anfwer, by lay-
ing down

A Sixth Pofition, That the Covenant
of Works is only fo far forth repealed
and abrogated, as it did require a per-
fonal Righteoufnefs to our Juftiiication ;
but it is not repealed as it did require a
perfefl: Righteoufnefs. God did never
fo far difannul the Covenant of Works,
that whether or no his Law were obey-
ed, or his Jufticefatisfied, yet welhould
be accounted righteous. But it is only
thus far repealed by the Covenant of
Grace, that though we cannot perfeftly
obey, nor fully fatisfie in our own Per-
fons, yet we may be pardoned and ac-
cepted through the Satisfaction and Obe-
dience of our Surety. So that even
now under the Covenant of Grace, no
Righteoufnefs can avail to our Juitiiica-
tion, but what for the Matter of it is
perfeftly conformable to the Law of

Works.

the Two Covenants.

Works. And when we fay that the Co-
venant of Works is abrogated, and that
we are not to expefl: Juftification ac-
cording to that Covenant, the meaning
is not that the Matter of that Covenant
is repealed, but only the perfonal Obli-
gation relaxed. For ftill it is the Righte-
oufnefs of the Law which juflifies us,
though performed by another. And
therefore in this Senfe, whofoever are
juftified, it is according to the Cove-
nant of Works : That is, it is by that
Righteoufnefs which for the Subftance
and Matter of it, this Covenant did re-
quire. Now for the Proof of this, which
is of very great moment for the clearing
the Doftrine of Juftification, conficjer,

I. That there can be no fufficienr
Reafon given why our Saviour fhould
fuffer the Penalty, who never tranf-
grefs'd the Precepts of the Law, unlefs
it be that his Sufferings might be our
Satisfaftion. Confequently, if Chrift
dyed for us, only to fatisfie Divine Ju-
stice in our ftead, and as our Surety, it
muft neceffarily follow, that this his
Death is our Righteoufnefs of Satif-
faftion according to the Law and Cove-
nant of Works.

II. That Law, according to the
Letter of which the far sreateft part

D 3 of

38 cThe cDoBrim of

of the World ihall be judged, cannot
be an abrogated, a repealed Law. But
though true Believers lhall indeed be
judged only according to the favourable
conitruftion of the Law of Works,
which is the accepting the Righteouf-
nefs of their Surety for their own, yet
all the reft of the World (and how vaft
a number is it !) lhall be judged accord-
ing to the ftrift Letter of the Covenant
of Works, and muft either fland or fall
according to the Sentence of it. They
muft either produce a perfeft finlefs
Righteoufnefs wrought out personally
by themfelves, or elfe fuffer the Ven-
geance of eternal Death. Indeed all
Men at the laft Day fhall be judged by
the Covenant of Works: And when
they ihall ftand before the Tribunal of
God, this Law will be then produced,
and every Man's Title tryed by it ; and
whoever cannot plead a Righteoufnefs
conformable to the Tenor and Import
of it, muft expeft nothing elfe but the
execution of the Punifliment threatned.
The Righteoufnefs of Chrift will be the
Believer's Plea, and accepted, becaufe
it fully anfwers the matter of the Law :
The reft of the World can produce no
Righteoufnefs of their own, for nil have
finned ; nor can they plead this of Chrift,

becaufe

the Two Covenants. 39

becaufe they have no Faith, which alone
can give this Title and convey it to
them : So that their Cafe is defperate,
their Doom certain, and their Punifli-
ment remedilefs and infupportable ; and
this according to the Tenor of the Co-
venant of Works, "Do this, or Suffer
this, by which God will proceed in
judging of the World. Confider again,

III. That the Matter and Sabftance of
the Covenant of Works is nothing elfe but
the Moral Law (as I fhewed before the
Law of Holinefs and Obedience, the
Obligation of which continues ftill upon
us, and the lead Tranfgreffion of it is
threatned with Death and Condemnati-
on. What then, doth God fpeak Con-
tradictions ? and in the Law of Works
tell us he will punifh every Tranfgref-
for, and in the Law of Faith tell us he
will not punifh every TranfgrefTor ? No
certainly ; his Truth and his Juftice are
immutable, and what he hath once fpo-
ken with his Mouth, he will fulfil with
his Hand. And his Veracity is obliged
to punifh every Offender, for God can
be no more falfe in his Threatnings,
than in his Promifes ; and therefore he
punifheth thofe whom he pardons, or
elfe he could not pardon. He pardons

D 4 thei*

40 The cDoffrine of

their Perfons according to his Covenant
of Grace : Hepuniiheth their Surety ac-
cording to his Covenant of Works.
Which in a Forenfick Senfe being the
puniihing of them, they have in him
made aSatisfa&iontotheJuftice of God,
and thereby have obtained a Righteouf-
nefs according to the terms of the Cove-
nant of Works. I have the longer in-
filled on this fixth Pofition, becaufe it
is the very critical Point of the Doftrine
ofjuilification, and the very Hinge upon
which all the Controverfies concerning
it do turn.

Seventhly* Another Pofition fliall be
this, That though we have no Perfonal
Righteoufnefs, yet our Saviour Chrift
hath a Perfonal Righteoufnefs of both
kinds, both of perfeft Obedience to the
Commands of the Law, and of full Sa-
tisfaction to the Penalty threatned in
it.

I. Chrift hath wrought out a Righ-
teoufnefs of perfeft Obedience, and that
by his abfolute Conformity to a twofold
Law.

i. The Law Natural, under the
Obligation of which he lay as a Man.
For both the firft and fecond Adam were
made under the fame Law of Works.
The firft under the mutability of his

own

the Two Covenants. ^l

own Will, which forfeited his Happi-
nefs ; the fecond under a neceffity or
infallibility of entire Obedience through
the Union of the Divine Nature with the
Human, whereby it became as impoffi-
ble that Chrift: fhould fail in his Obedi-
ence, as that the Godhead fhould fail the
Human Nature which it had afliim'd.

x. To the Law National, under the
Obligation of which he was born, as
being of the Seed of Abraham, and
the Tribe of Judah. By this National
Law I mean both the Judicial and Cere-
monial Laws of the Jews, of whom
Chrift was according to the Flefh. For
even the Ceremonial Law was in aSenfe
National, and peculiar to the Jews : Yea,
and they themfelves thought fo, feeing
they did not impofe the Observation of
the Mofaical Rites and Obfervances up-
on Profelyted Heathens (thofe whom
they called Trofelyti fort a) but admit-
ted them to the participation of the fame
common Hope and Salvation with them-
felves, upon theObfervation of the Law
of Nature, and the feven traditional
Commandments of Noah. Now Chrift:
was made under both thefe La^s, the
Law of his Nature, and the Law of his
Nation; under the former primarily and
neceflarily as he was Man, and there-
fore

42 Tfo Doffrine of

fore muft obey the Law of right Reafon ;
under the fecond Secondarily, and by
Confequence, becaufe the Law of Na-
ture and right Reafon diftates that God
is to be obey'd in all his pofitive Com-
mands. Wherefore he himfeJf tells us,
Matth. 3. i?. That it became him to ful-
fil all Righteoufnefs. Thus then his
Righteoufnefs of Obedience was both
perfonal and perfeft. And fo likewife,

II. His Righteoufnefs of Satisfaction
was perfonal and plenary. As Divine
Juftice could exaft no Punifhment
from him upon his own perfonal Ac-
count, he being holy, harmlefs and un-
defiled, fo it did receive full Satisfaction
from him for the Sins of others imputed
to him : Neither came he from under
the Penalty, 'till he had difcharg'd the
very uttermoft Farthing that was due.
And therefore his Aftive and Paflive
Obedience (as they are commonly term'd)
were both perfeft and compleat. What
the Sufferings of Chrift were, how far
he paid the Idem, and how far the Tan-
tidem, I fhall not difcufs. The Greek
Liturgy checks our too curious Inquifi-
tivenefs in this Search, by calling them
dyv&ga. WBtf, unknown Sufferings.

Only it may be here queried, Since
that all Righteoufnefs is a Conformity

the Two Covenants. 43

to fome Law, according to what Law
was Chrift obliged to undergo the Per
nalty for Sin ? Gould the fame Law bind
him to Obedience and Suffering too? Or
is it confident With the meafures of Ju-
ftice to inflifl: the Penalty of the Law
on him who had fully obferved the
Commands of it ?

To thislanfwer, That the fame Law
cannot oblige both to Obedience and to
Suffering. And therefore Chrift Jefus
was not bound over to undergo the Pe-
nalty by that Law3 the Precepts of which
he had fulfilled. Had he been liable to
fuffer by the fame Law that we are, he
would not have been a Mediator, but
a Malefaftor. Chrift was therefore un-
der a twofold Law, in Conformity to
which he obtained his twofold Righte-
oufnefs.

1. The common and ordinary Law
of Obedience, unto which he, as well
as others, was fubje&ed upon the ac-
count of his Human Nature.

2. The peculiar Law of the Media-
tor. By the Law of the Mediator I
mean, that Compaft and Engagement
which Chrift entred into with God the
Father to become our Surety, to pay
our Debts, and to bear the Punifhmer*t
due to our Sins $ which I fhall hereafter

morq

44 The Tjotlrine of

more largely open to you, when I come
to treat of the Covenant of Redemp-
tion. Now when Chrift had perfeftly
fulfilled the common and ordinary Law,
both of his Nature as a" Man, and of his
Nation as a Jew, it could in no wife be
juft, that heihould alfo undergo the Pe-
nalty by vertue of this Law, which
threatned it only againft the Tranfgref-
fors. And therefore when the ordinary
Law acquits and difchargeth him as
Righteous, the Law of the Mediator
interpofeth, feizeth on him, and binds
him over unto Punifhment. And if
Chrift had not born this Punifliment,
though flill he would have been perso-
nally righteous as a Man, yet he would
not have been righteous as a Mediator,
becaufe not conformable to the Law of
the Mediation, or Suretyship, to which
jobn 10. he had voluntarily fubjefted himfelf, and
Pik 2.8. which obliged him to fuffer: But the
Obligation of both Laws being fully an-
fwer'd, he hath thereby obtained a Righ-
teoufnefs according unto both; and be-
ing both perfeft in his Obedience, and
perfe&ed by his Sufferings, is become an
Almighty Saviour, able to five to the ut~
terrnoft all thofe who come unto God by
him. That's the Seventh Pofition.

Eighth-

the Two Covenants. 4.$

Eighthly-* Chrift having fuch an abun-
dant Righteoufnefs cf his own, God the
Law-giver hath been graciouily pleased
to beftow that Righteoufnefs upon, and
impute it unto us, to all intents and pur-
poses as if it had been our own perfonal
Righteoufnefs. And in this particular
lies the great My ftery of our Juftifica-
tion: And therefore to explain it, Ifliall
lay down thefe two things.

I. Imputed Righteoufnefs is not
God's accounting us righteous when we
are not fo, (for that would be a falfe
Judgment, and utterly inconfiftent with
the Truth, Wifdom and Righteoufnefs
of the Divine Nature) but firft the Righ-
teoufnefs of Chrift is become ours tby
the Conveyance which God hath ap-
pointed to make it over unto us, and
then it is imputed or reckoned for our
Juilification. For the Imputation of
Chrift's Righteoufnefs is not Res vaga,
that which may agree with anyPerfonin
any State and Condition, as if there were
no more required to juftifie the moft pro-
fligate Sinner, but only that God reckon
him Righteous ; no, but there mult be
fomething pre-fuppofed in us, either as
a Qualification, Condition or Means,
that mult give us a Title to the Righ-
teoufnefs of Chrift. And that is (as fliall

appear

46 Tht DoBrim of

appear in the next Pofition) the Grace
of Fakh : So that Chrift's Righteouf-
nefs being made ours by Faith, God
doth then aftually impute it to our Ju-
flification. And therefore the Righte-
oufnefs of Jefus Chrift is not by God on-
ly thought to be ours ; but it is ours
really and truly in a Law Senfe. To
affirm that God imputes that to be ours
which indeed is not, would be to make
it only a Putative Right eoufnefs* to in-
vade the Divine Verity, and to lay the
Imputation of a falfe and partial Judg-
ment upon him. The Righteoufnefs of
Chrift is not ours, becaufeGod accounts
it to be fo ; but on the contrary, there-
fore God accounts it ours, becaufe it is
fo. It becomes not ours by God's Im-
putation, for it muft be ours before any
aft of Imputation can be true and jutt :
But rather it becomes ours by Divine
Defignation or Donation, whereby God
hath made over the Righteoufnefs of his
Son as a Dowry and Patrimony to Faith.
God doth not juftifie us that we may be
Righteous, but becaufe we are already
Righteous; and that, not only imper-
fectly, by the inherent righteous Qua-
lities that are implanted in our Regene-
ration ; but mod perfeftly by the Righ-
teoufnefs of Chrift confign'd over unto

us

the Two Covenants. 47

us in otir Regeneration, by vertue of
Faith, which is a main part of it. Cer-
tainly that God who hath told us, That
he whojuftifieth the wicked is an abomi-
nation unto him^ Prov. 17. 15. will ne-
ver himfelf make that the Procefs of his
Juftice. 'Tis true, the Apoftle, Rom. 4.
5*. faith, That God jujiifieth the ungodly.
But this muft be underftood either in a
limited Senfe, for thofe who are in part
fo, being but in part Sanftified ; or ra-
ther it mull be underftood, not in a com-
pounded Senfe, as if Ungodlinofs and
juftification were States compatible to
the fame Perfon; but in a divided Senfe,
that is, that he juftifies fuch who here-
tofore were ungodly; but their Sanftifi-
cation intervenes between their Ungod-
linefs and their Juftification. In which
order the Apoftle recounts it, 1 Cor. 6.
1 1 . Such were fome ofyou, but you are
fan£iifiedy but ye are juftified. So that
in order of Nature, Faith (which is a
principal part of our Sanflification) pre-
cedes our right to Chrift's Righteouf-
nefs, becaufe it conveys it ; and our
right to Chrift's Righteoufnefs precedes
God's aftual Imputation of it to our Ju-
ftification, becaufe it muft firft be ours,
before it can be with Truth accounted
fo.

Tis

The Doctrine of

5Tis very wonderful that the Papifts
fhould fo obftinately -refolve not to un-
deriland this Doftrine of Imputed Righ-
teoufnefs, but ffill cavil againit it as a
Contradi&ion. It being, fay they, as
utterly impoffible to become righteous
through the Righteoufnefs of another,
as to become heathful through another's
Health, or wife by another's Wifdom.
And fome (befides this Slander of a
Contradi&ion) give us this Scoff into
the Bargain, that the Proteftants in de-
fending an Imputative Righteoufnefs,
fliew only an Imputative Modefty, and
Imputative Learning. But they might
do well to confider, that fome Denomi-
nations are Phyfical, others only Legal
and Juridical. Thofe which are Phyfi-
cal do indeed necefiarily require inex-
iftent Forms from which the Denomina-
tions fhould refult. Thus to be health-
ful, and to be wife, and learned, do
require inherent Health, Wifdom, and
Learning : But to be Righteous, may
be taken either in a Phyfical Senfe, and
fo it denotes an inherent Righteoufnefs,
which in the beft is imperfeft ; or elfe
it may be taken in aForenfick or juridi-
cal Senfe, and fo the perfeft Righteouf-
nefs of another who is our Surety may
become ours, and be imputed to our

Juftifica-

the Two Covenants. 49

Juftification. 'Tis the Righteoufnefs of
another perfonally ; It is our Righteouf-
nefs juridically, becaufe by Faith we
have a Right and Title to it; which
Right and Title accrues unto us by the
Promife and Covenant of God, and our
Union to our Surety.

Indeed fome there are who refer our
Juftification wholly to the Merits of Je-
fus Chrift, but yet lay down a Scheme
and Method of this Doftrine, not alto-
gether fo honourable to our bleffed Sa-
viour as they ought. Thefe affirm that
Chrift by his Righteoufnefs hath merited
that God fhould account our Faith to
be it felf our Righteoufnefs. (Armin.
Ttifp.TheoL Thef 17.) That his is only
the Procatarctick or meritorious Caufe
procuring this grand Privilege to Faith,
that it fliould it felf be our Righteouf-
nefs, and the Matter of our Juftificati-
on. Wherein they are fo far injurious
to the Merits of our bleffed Saviour, as
to make them only the remote Caufe of
our Juftification, and confequently ne-
ceffary rather that Fai h might have an
Objeft,than that we might have Righte-
oufnefs. But of this perhaps more here-
after. However, this which hath been
fpoken may ferve to give us a more
clear and diftinft Notion of Imputed

E Righte-

50 The Do&rine of

Righteoufnefs: Which is not ours mere-
* ly becaufe God imputes it to us, but
becaufe he hath by Deed of Gift in his
Promife beftow'd it upon us when we
believe, and then imputes it to our Ju-
stification.

II. That this Righteoufnefs of Chrift
thus made ours may ferve to all
Ends and Purpofes for which we Hand
in need of a Righteoufnefs, it is necef-
fary that both his a£tive Righteoufnefs,
or his Righteoufnefs of Obedience, and
alfo his paffive Righteoufnefs, the
Righteoufnefs of his Satisfaction in fuf-
fering for us, be made ours, and impu-
ted to us for our Juitification. Though
this Pofition be much controverted, yet
poffibly the Truth of it will appear from
the Grounds formerly laid, viz. That
there are two Ends for which we ftand
in need of a Righteoufnefs, the one is
a freeing us from the Penalty threatned,
the other is an entitling. of us to the
Reward promis'd. Now had we no o-
ther but the Righteoufnefs of Chrift's
Satisfaction made over unto us, this in-
deed would perfectly free us from our
liablenefs toPuniftiment (for if our Sure-
ty hath undergone it for us, we our
felves are not liable ;) but {till we iliould
need a Righteoufnefs to incitle us to

the

the Two Covenants. $ 1

*he Reward, and that mufl neceflarily
be a Righteoiifnefs of perfect Obedi-
ence. For, as I noted before, it is not
faid Suffer this and live ', but TJothis and
live. And confequently it muft be Obe-
dience, and not Suffering, the a&ive
and not the paffive Righteoiifnefs of
Chrift, that can give us a Right unto
eternal Life. 'Tis true, the Satisfaction
of Chrift doth give a Right unto eter-
nal Life concomitantly, but not formal-
ly: That is, wherever Guilt is removed,
there a Title to Heaven is procured.
Yet the formal Reafon of our Title to
Heaven is different from the formal
Reafon of the Remiffion of our Sins :
This refults from the Imputation of
Chrift's Sufferings ; that, of his Obedi-
ence. But if any fhould in this Particu-
lar diflent, as many very Orthodox Di-
vines, Tijcator and others* have done
upon the account of the Impoffibility of
a neutral Eftate, i. e. a Condition nei-
ther of Happinefs nor Mifery, Life nor
Death, I will not earneftly contend about
it, fo that this Foundation itand firm
and unfhaken, that we are faved only
by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift made
ours by God's Donation, and imputed
to our Juftification. Yet Rom. 5. 18, 19,
votes for it.

E i Ninthly,

52 The 'Do&rine of

Ninthly i and Laftly, This Righteouf-
nefs of Chrift is convey'd and made o-
ver unto us by our Faith : That's the
Grace which God hath purpofed to
honour with our Juftification. I fhall not
longinfift upon this, becaufe I referve the
more full handling of it to another Place.
Only this is here to be obferv'd, that
Faith gives us a Title to the Righteouf-
nefs of Chrift, and makes it ours not on-
ly by the Promife of God, but as it is
the Bond of Union between Chrift and
fhe Soul. By Faith it is that we are
made myftically one with Chrift \ living
Members in his Body-, fruitful Branches
of that Heavenly and Spiritual Vine.
We have the Communication of the
fame Name. So alfo is Chrift, faith the
Apoftle, rCor. 12. 12. fpeaking there
of Chrift myftical, both his Perfon and
his Church. We have the fame Relations,
1 afcend to my Father and to your father ',
John 20. 17. We are made Partakers of
the fame Spirit, For if any Man have
not the Spirit of Chrift he is none of his.
Rom. 8. 9. 1 Cor. 6. 17. He that is join-
ed to the Lord is one Sprit. And final-
ly, the very Life that we live is faid not
to be ours, but Chrift liveth in us, and
that we live by the Faith of the Son of
Cod, Gal. 2. 20. So that being thus

one

the Two Covenants. 5 3

one with Chrifl, his Righteoufnefs be-
comes our Righteoufnefs, even as our
Sins became his: And God deals with
Chrift and Believers, as if they were
one Perfon. The Sins of Believers are
charg'd upon Chrift, as though they
were .his; and the Righteoufnefs of
Chrift is reckoned to Believers as theirs:
Neither is God unjuft either in the one,
or the other Imputation, becaufe they
are myftically one; and this myilical U-
nion is a fufficient Ground for Imputa-
tion. Yet from this Onion flows the
Participation only of the Benefits of his
Mediatorftiip : For we are not hereby
tranfubftantiated or deify 'd, as fome of
late Years have blafphemoufly conceit-
ed ; neither the Godhead of Chrift, nor
his effential Righteoufnefs as God, nor
his divine and infinite Properties are
made ours ; but only the Fruits and Ef-
fefts of his Mediation : So that hereup-
on God gracioufly accounts of us as if
we had done in our own Perfons, what-
foever Chrift hath done for us, becaufe
by Faith Chrift and we are made one.

Thefe are the Pofitions which I thought
neceflary, to inftruft us in a true Notion
of Righteoufnefs, and the manner how
we becorrje Righteous.

I fhall deduce from them a few Co-
rollaries. E 3 Firft,

The Docirine of

Firfty Hence we learn the true Diffe-
rence that there is between the Cove-
nant of Grace, and the Covenant of
Works. Whatfoever vaft Difproporti-
on fome have imagined, yet indeed
thefe are not diftinft Covenants for the
Matter and Subftance of them, but on-
ly in the diftinft Method and Manner
of participating the fame Righteoufnefs.
They both require full Satisfaction to
obtain Remiffion of Sin, and perfeft O-
bedience to obtain eternal Life. But in
this lyes the only Difference, that the
Rigor and Severity of the Covenant of
Works requires that this Righteoufnefs
be perfonal, and wrought out by our
felves ; which is relaxed to us by the
Covenant of Grace, promifing us Re-
miffion and Acceptation through the
Righteoufnefs of our Surety, conveyed
to us by our Faith.

Secondly? Hence fee what Influence
Faith hath into our Juftification. It is
not it felf our Righteoufnefs, or the
matter of our Juftification ; but the In-
ftrument or Means (call it which you
pleafe) of conveying over unto us the
Righteoufnefs of Chrift our Surety,which
is perfedly conformable to the Law of
Works, and the Matter by which we
are juitified. Some there are who would

have

the Two Covenants. 55

have Faith to juftifie us, as it is the ful-
filling of the Condition of the Covenant
of Grace : But poilibly this difference
might be foon comprimis'd, if the Te-
nor of both Covenants be heedfully ob-
ferved. The Covenant of Works pro-
mifeth Life, if we obey in our own
Perfons; but the Covenant of Grace re-
laxeth this, and promifeth Life if we
obey in our Surety. The Condition of
both is perfeft Obedience, in the one
perfonal, in the other imputed; and
the way how we iliould obtain a Title
to this Obedience of our Surety is by
believing. So that when the Covenant
of Grace faith, Believe and you /ball be
faved, it fpeaks compendioufly, and
were it drawn out at length, it would
run thus, Procure the Righteoufnefs of
Chrift to be thine, and thou (halt be fa-
ved : Believe, and this Righteoufnefs
which will fave thee fhall be thine. Here
then are two Conditions, the one fun-
damental, primary, and immediate to
our Juftification, and that is the Righ-
teoufnefs of Chrift: The other remote
and fecondary, and that is our Faith,
which is the condition of the primary
Condition, and confequently of the Co
venant. This will appear more evident
in this Syllogifm; If the Righteoufnefs

E 4 °l

The DoSirine of

of Chrift be made thine thou fhalt be fa-
ved; if thou believeft, the Righteouf-
nels of Chrift (hall be made thine ; there-
fore, from the firft to the laft, if thou
believeft thou fhalt be faved. Now tho'
Chrilt's Obedience be the principal, and
our F dth the fecondary Condition, yet
ufually in propounding the Covenant of
Grace, the former is filencM, and the
latter only mentioned. And this may
be for two Reafons.

Firft, Becaufe tho' Chrift's Righte-
oufnefs be more immediate to our Ju-
ftification, yet Faith is more immediate
to our Pradice; and therefore it is of
more concernment to know how Jufti-
ficati n mig, ,t be obtained, than critical-
ly to know wherein it doth confift. And,

Secondly i Becaufe Faith doth necefla-
rily relate unto the Righteoufnefs of Jefus
Chrift: So that to fay Believe ', and you
ftoall be favedy doth virtually and impli-
citly tell us alfo that our Juftification
and Salvation muft be by the Righteouf-
nefs of another. If therefore thofe who
affirm that Faith juftifies as it is the
Performance of the Condition of the
Covenant, intend it only in this remote
and feccndary Senfe, I fee no caufe of
Controverfie or Difagreement about it.
That's a fecond Corollary.

Thirdly,

the TlWO Covenants. c y

Thirdly* Another Inference may be
this, that we fliould never expect J uni-
fication, nor Salvation, upon any other
Terms than a perfeft Righteoufnefs ful-
ly anfwering the Tenor of the Cove-
nant of Works ; anfwering it (I fay) as
to the Subftance of what it requires,
although the manner of obtaining that
Righteoufnefs be not conformable there-
unto, but unto the Law of Grace. If
we cannot produce a Righteoufnefs eve-
ry way perfeft, and tender it to God as
ours, we cannot with reafon expeft but
that God fliould feek for Satisfa&ion to
his Juftice upon us in our everlafting
Definition. Ours it muft be through
our Union to Jefus Chrifl by the Bond
of Faith, which is a fufficient Founda-
tion for a real Communication of all
Benefits and Interefts.

Fourthly* Hence we may learn, that
the two Righteoufnefles the Text fpeaks
of, the Right coufiiefs which is of '^orks>
and the Righteoufnefs which is of Faith,
do not differ as to the nature of the
things themfelves, but only as to the man-
ner of their being made ours. The Righ-
teoufnefs which is of the Law, mull be
of per'fedl Obedience or of full Satisfa-
ction; the Righteoufnefs which is of Faith
is both of Obedience and of Satisfa-
ction ; fo that for the Matter there is no

Diffe-

^g The Doctrine of

Difference between them ; for the
Righteoufnefs of Faith is no other than
what the Law of Works required. But
herein lyes the only difference, that the
one muft be perfona], the other impu-
ted. The Law requires Obedience or
Satisfa&ion to be wrought out in our
ownrerfons, Grace mitigates thisStrid>
nefs, and is contented with the Obe-
dience and Satisfa&ion of another, ap-
prehended and applied to us by our be-
lieving.

And thus you fee at large the Nature
of Righteoufnefs both Legal and Evan-
gelical, wherein they do confift, and what
is the true Difference between them. The
Knowledge of thefe things is of abfolute
Neceflity to a clear Perception of the
Doftrine of the Covenants, and of Ju-
ftification. Some perhaps, becaufe thefe
Truths are abftrufe and knotty, may
think that I am teaching you, as Gideon
is faid to teach the Men of Succothy
Judges 8. with the thorns and briars of
the wildemefs. Yet I doubt not but by
a diligent Recollection of what hath
been delivered, you may even of thefe
Thorns gather Figs. Sure I am, that
God who once fpake to Mofes out of a
Bufli, can fpeak to you out of thefe
Thickets : And though they do not fo
immediately tend to the exciting of Af-

feftions,

the Two Covenants* 59

feftions, yet thofe Affe&ions may be
well fufpefted to be irregular, and Ex-
perience ftiews they are feldom durable,
that are not built upon a right Informa-
tion of the Judgment.

Thefe things being thus difcufs'd and
Hated, let us now proceed to a more
diftinft and particular confideration of
the Covenants, which I have told you
were principally two ; the one made with
Mankind in Adam at his firft Creation ;
the other made with Mankind upon
their Reftauration. The Tenor of the
former is, T>o this, and live: The Te-
nor of the latter, He that believeth on
Chri/f Jefus jhall be faved,

I fhall firft treat concerning the for-
mer, the Covenant of Works; the fum
of which is, *Do this and live, or in the
words of my Text, The Man that doth
thefe things jhall live by them. And
herein two things ar.e chiefly to be ob-
ferved, the Promifc, which is Life; and
the Condition, which isT>o this, or per-
fect Obedience.

J fhall begin with the former, the Pro-
mife made unto Adam, and all Mankind
in him? The Man that doth thofe things
Jhall live, which by the Rule of Contra-
ries implies the Threatning and Curfe
againft all Tranfgreffors, If he fhall live

who

60 The T>ocirme of

who fulfils the Law, then by the con-
trary proportion he ftiall dye who tranf-
grefleth it. And this threatning we find
exprefly annexed to one particular Com-
mand of the Covenant of Works, Gen.z.
17. In the day thou eat eft thereof, that
is, of the Tree of the Knowledge of
Good and Evil, thou jhalt Jurely die.
And to the general Tenor of the whole,
Gal. 3. 10. Cur fed is every one who' con-
tinueth not in all things which are
written in the Book of the Law to do
them.

Now concerning this Life and Death,
much difficulty there is to ftate where-
in they did confift ; and truly the Holy
Ghoft having fpoken fo fparingly of it,
it would be Prefumption, and an af-
feftation of being wife above what is
written, to determine any thing pofi-
tively and magifterially herein: God ta-
king more care to inform us how we
might recover our loft and forfeited
Blifs, than wherein it confifted. Yet
poffibly fomething may with Modefty
and Probability be fpoken of it, that may
give us fome Satisfaction in clearing up,
if not of all, yet of fome Truths that
are pertinent: to this Subject, and wor-
thy our Knowledge and Acceptance.

As

the Two Covenants. $i

As for the Life here promifed, there
are two Opinions that carry a fair Pro-
bability.

The firfl is, That by Life here, is
meant the Perpetuity and Continuance
of that Eftate wherein Adam was crea-
ted, being a ftate of perfeft Happinefs
and BlefTedncf , freefromSin, and there-
fore free froiii Mifery ; the Friend of
God, and L-rd of the vifible Creation ;
all things being fubjed unto him, and
himfelf iubjeft only to his Maker ; there
being a pcrfeft Agreement between his
God and him, end between him and
himfelf; no tormenting Confcience, no
gnawing Guilt, no pale Fears, no Pains,
no Sicknefs, no Death. He might con-
verge with God boldly, and fweetly ;
and God would have converft with him
familiarly and indearingly. Then there
would have been noDefertion on God's
part, becaufe no Apoftalie on his ; no
Clouds in his Mind, no Tempeft in his
Bread, no Tears, nor no caufe for any,
but a continual calm and ferenity of
Soul, enjoying all the innocent Delights
that God and Nature could afford, and
all this for ever. The whole World had
been but an higher Heaven, and a lower.
Earth had been but Heav'n a little allay-
ed ; and Adam had been as an Angel in-
carnate,

52 Me T>olirine of

carnate, and God all in all : And all this
to be enjoyed eternally, without diminu-
tion, without period. O how great an
Happinefs may we conceive the State
of upright Man to be, which nothing
can refemble, nothing exceed, unlefs it
be the Happinefs and Blifs to which fal-
len Man fhall be reftored. Had not Sin
foil'd and drofs'd the World, it fliould
never have felt the Purgation of the laft
Fire ; the Elements fliould never have
been diflblved, the Heavens folded up,
nor the Holt of them disbanded; but
Man had been the everlafting Inhabitant
of an everlafting World. This is the
firft Opinion concerning the Life pro-
mised in the Covenant of Works.

Secondly i Others again, to avoid fome
Inconveniencies which might follow up-
on the former Opinion, whereof the
greateft feems to be a Populoufnefs be-
yond what the World could contain,
think it more probable to affirm, that
when the multitude of Mankind (which
certainly had been far greater than all
the Generations fmce the beginning of
it amount unto, fince Sin and the Curfe
have hindred the Fecundity of the firft
Bleffing) had fo far increafed as to
• ftreighten the bounds of their Abode,
God would have tranflated them to Hea-
ven,

the Two Covenants. 63

yen, without their feeing or tailing
of Death. As when a Land is furcharged
with Inhabitants, the State tranfpknts
whole Colonies of them, to disburden
it felf : So when this Earth fhould have
been crowded with an Overplus of Man-
kind, God would have tranfplanted
whole Colonies of them, and have re-
moved them from a terreftrial to a ce-
leftial Paradife. God doth now indeed
remove Believers to that State of Happi-
nefs ; but yet they firft defcend into the
Duft. Death is their Paflage into Life,
and the Grave their Entrance into Glo-
ry. We read but of two Men only who
leapt that Ditch, and they were Enoch
and Elijah. Of the one it is faid that
God took him, and of the other that
God fetcht him in a fiery Chariot. But
had not Sin come into the World, this
might have been the common and
ordinary Paflage out of it. Eve had
never been terrified by the King of Ter-
rors, nor ftruggled at his Approach, nor
fear'd, nor detefted the Separation of
thofe dear Companions the Soul and
Body. For there had been no fuch
thing as Death ; but both Soul and Body
jointly and at once fhould have been
wrapt up to the Enjoyment of the fame
God, and the fame Happinefs, which

our

The Do&rine of

our Faith now embraceth, and our Hope
expefts. Which of thefe two is the ve-
ry Truth I cannot determine, though
the grand Inconvenience confequent
upon the former, may incline a confi-
dering Mind to adhere rather to the
latter.

Now here fall in two Queftions to be
refolved.

Firjt, Whether Adam in Innocence
may be faid to be Immortal.

Secondly ', What is meant by the Tree
of Life fpoken of in the Hiftory of A-
dam> and faid to be planted in the midfl:
ofParadife.

To the firfl I anfwer, That Adam in
his ftate of Innocence was Immortal.
For Sin is not only the Sting, but the
Caufe and Parent of Death, and gives it
not only its Terrors, but its Being.
What faith the Apoftle, Rom. 5. 12. By
one Man Sin entred into the World, and
'Death by Sin. So that had there been
no Sin, there had been no Death. But
yet even then Adam had in him the Con-
temperation of contrary Qualities, and
therefore the Principles of Death and
Corruption : And therefore his Immor-
tality was notfuch as the Angels enjoy in
Heaven, for they are not compoled of
jarring and quarrelling Elements, being

pure

the Two Covenants. 65

pure Spiritual Subf lances: Nor was it
iiich as the Bodies of glorified Saints ihali
hereafter poflefs ; for they fliall be made
wholly impallible, and fee free from the
reach of outward Impreflions, arid the
Difcords of Elemental Mutinies, that
might impair their Vigour, or endanger
their Diflblution. But it was an Immor-
tality by Donation, and the Privilege of
an efpecial Providence which engaged
it felf to fway and over-rule that ten-
dency which was in his Body to Corrup-
tion, and notwithstanding the Contra-
rieties and Distentions of a terreftrial
Conftitution, to continue him in Life,
as long as he Ihould continue himfelf in
his Obedience.

And as a Means and Sacrament of this,
God appointed the Fruit of the Tree of
Life, that the Eating thereof might per-
petuate his Duration. Which Tree of
Life, what it was, and why fo called,
Was the fecond Query.

Some fuppofe it was fo named, be-
cauie the Fruit of it had a Natural Vir-
tue to preferve and prolong Life ; and
that Adam uling it as his Ordinary Food,
ihould by the Medicinal force of it have
kept off, or repaired, all incident Decays.
But this, I think, founds fomewhat of
the Rabbi : For the Guard which God

F fee

66 The Doffrine of

fet upon this Tree, left fallen Adam
fhould once tafte it and live for ever,
fufficiently overthrows this Conceit, and
evinceth that Immortality could not be
the Natural Effeft and Production of it.
But the belt and moft receiv'd Opinion
is, that it was therefore call'd the Tree
of Life, becaufe it was a Sacrament ad-
ded for the Confirmation of the Promife
of Life. That as now under the Cove-
nant of Grace God hath inftituted Bap-
tifm and the Lord's Supper, that by be-
ing waih'd with the Water of the one,
and eating and drinking the Bread and
Wine of the other, he might feal to us
the Stability of that Covenant, wherein
he hath promifed Eternal Life to thofe
who believe. And fo God gave Adam
this Tree of Life, that by his eating
thereof he might feal to him theFaith-
fulnefs of the Covenant of Works,
wherein he had promifed Life to him if
he would obey. That as fure as he tailed
of the Fruit of that Tree, fo fure he
ihould live, if he would perform the
Commands of God. For every Cove-
nant hath its Sacraments, or Seals, an-
nexed to it. The old Covenant of
Grace was fealed by Circumcifion, called
therefore a Seal of the Right eoufnefs of
Faith, Rom. 4, 11. And likewife the

Pafs-

the Two Covenants. 67

3?afs-over was another Sacrament of that
Covenant. The new Covenant of Grace
is fealed by Baptifm and the Lord's Sup-
per. And in like manner the Covenant
of Works was fealed by the Fruit of this
Tree of Life ; which was fo called not
from any inherent Quality of its own,
but only Sacramentally, becaufe it did
confirm the Promife of Life, that as
furely as Adam did eat thereof, fo furely
he fhould live if he would obey.

By thefe obfcure and uncertain things*
which cannot be recommended unto
you as undoubted Verities,- but only as
probable Conjeftures, ycu may perceive
how much we are in the Dark, and how
fubjeft to Error, when we pretend to
define and pofitively determine what
the Holy Ghbft hath thought fit to con-
ceal. Yet two things I account moil
certain, and with which it will be good
to put a itop to our Inquifitivenefs.

I. That this Life promifed in the Co-
venant of Works, was a State made hap-
py and blefTed by the Confluence of all
good things outward and inward, Tem-
poral and Spiritual, whatfoever Man's
Condition could need, or his Will defire.
As long as there were no defefts of Righ-
teoufnefs and Hoiinefs in his Nature*
there would have been none ofHappi-5

F % nefs

The Dozirine of

nefsfuitable to his Capacities, norfliould
he have any Complaints to make, or
•caufe for them.

I!. That this Life, whether Eternal on
Earth, or in Heaven, though fo per-
fectly happy in its kind, yet was far
ihort of that Glory and Happinefs which
is now promiied to Believers under the
Covenant of Grace. Chriit not only
died to redeem a Forfeiture, but his O-
bedienee merited thePurchafe of a rich-
er Inheritance, and he will initate his in
the PofTeflion of far more Tranfcenlent
Glory. Adam was never fo happy in
his Innocence, as he is now fince his
Fall, by his Faith and Repentance. He
is now exalted far higher than at firfl he
flood. And therefore St. Gregory the
Great, confidering the Advantage we
have gained by our Reftauration through
Chrifl, could not forbear exclaiming,
O felix' culpa qua talem meruit habere
Redemptorem; Happy Sin that obtained
fuch a Redeemer. And Clemens Alexan-
drians hath a like PafTage, 6 g*<s>S|y.<3Wji

ficiv£i. His ^Difobedience caji Adam out of
Paradife, his Obedience inflates him in
a far higher and greater Reward^ even
Heaven. So that as Chrift faith con-
cerning John the Baptifl, Among all

that

the Two Covenants. 69

that are bom of Women there hath not a-
rifen a greater than he? yet he that is
leaji in the Kingdom of Heaven is great-
er \ the fame may 1 fay concerning A-
dam in Innocence, Among all the vifible
Creation there was none greater nor
more happy than he ; yet the lead: Be-
liever who is now in the Kingdom of
Heaven, is far greater than he when he
was Lord of Paradife. Yea, fliould we
fuppofe that Adam after he had long
continued in his Innocence and Obedi-
ence, fliould have been afliimed into
Heaven, yet a Believer's Glory there
purchafed by the Merits of his Saviour
ihall far outfhine wharfoever Glory A-
dam' could have acquired by his own O-
bedience. For fo much Approximation
and Union as there is of the Creature
unto God the Fountain of all Glory, fo
much Participation is there of Glory
from God by the Creature. Now A-
dam\ Union unto God was only Mora!,
fu:h an Union as Love and Friend (hip
doth beget: But a Believer's Union unto
God is nearer, and myllical, and ineffable:
And therefore from this nearer Union
will flow a greater Glory. God hath
wedded our Nature to himfelf in the
Hypoitatical Union ; and he hath wed-
ded our Perfons to himfelf in a Myfli-

F 3 cal

The cDottrine of

cal Union, neither of which could have
had place under the Covenant of Works ;
and the efore the Union not being fo
great and clofe, the Glory promifed
therein would not have been fo glorious,
nor the Life and Immortality fo bleffed,
as that which is now brought to Light
by the Gofpel.

J This you may take in anfwer to the
fit ft Queftion, What the Life is that is
promifed in the Covenant of Works,
The Man that doth thefe things Jhall live
by them.

Our next Enquiry is, What Death it is
that this Covenant threatens, In the day
thou eatejt thereof thou fhalt die the
"Death. And herein truly we are almoft
as far to feek as in the former. Yet thus
much is certain.

Firft, That by Death is meant the
Separation of the Soul and Body, which
is a Temporal Death, together with all
its Forerunners and Concomitants, Pain,
Grief, Weaknefs, Sicknefs, and what-
soever doth either caufe it, or attend it.

Secondly^ It is alfo certain that here is
meant Spiritual Death, the Lofs of the
Image and Favour of God, a defpoiling
the Soul of the Ornaments of Know-
ledge, Grace and Righteoufnefs, with
which in its firfl; Creation it was beauti-
fied.

the Two Covenants.

fied. For as the Separation of the Soul
from the Body is the temporal Death of
the Man, fo the Separation of the Soul
from the Love and Grace of God, is the
Spiritual Death of the Soul.

And, Thirdly j As certain it may be that
hereby is meant likewife an Eternal
Death, to endure for ever, becaufe to
be inflifted by an infinite Juftice.

But the main Difficulty is, whether this
Eternal Death fhould have confifted in
the utter Annihilation of the Soul after
its Separation from the Body by a tem-
poral Death, or whether both Soul and
Body fhould have been again united to
fuffer Eternally fbme Torments propor-
tionable to thofe which the damned now
fuffer in Hell. To this I fhall give you
what I judge moft probable. And thai is,

I. That the Death threatned in the
Covenant of Works would not hive
been the utter Annihilation of the Guil-
ty Soul after its Separation from the Bo-
dy. Becaufe Annihilation is not a Pu-
nilhment fuitedto the Eternal glorifying
of God's Juftice and Power, (in e it
would be in one Moment tranf ed,
and put the Soul out ofthereach> ~>d
from under the Dominion of Omnipo-
tency it felf. For altho' non ejfe be ma-
ximum malum Melaphyficum> yet certain-

F4 iy

72 The cDoctrine of

ly God will not glorifie himfelf by Meta-
physeal Notions, but by Phyiical and
Sentible Punifhments.

II. Whatfoever Punifhment had been
eternally inflifted, either upon thefepa-
rate Soul alone, as fome hold, or upon
the whole Man both Soul and Body, as
others affirm, had been more mild and
mitigated under the Covenant of Works,
than now the Torments of the damned
will be who have defpifed the Covenant
of Grace. For as the Life promifed
then was inferior to the Life promifed
now ; fo the Death threatned then was
not fo rigorous, fo tormenting, as the
Death threatned now. Certainly the
Tenders that are made to Men of Chriit,
and Salvation by him, are not mere in-
different things, that though they flight
and rejeft them, yet they ihall be in no
worfe condition than when they were
born; but a defpifed Saviour, an abufed
Grace, a neslefted Salvation, are fuch
things as will add Rage to the unquen-
chable Fire, and make it eat deeper into
the Soul, than if there had been no Sa-
viour provided, no Grace offered, no
Salvation purchafed ; but they had been
all left in their firft fallen Eftate, wichout
Hope, without Means, without Poffibi^
lity of Recovery.

And

the Two Covenants. 73

And thus much concerning the Life
promifed, and the Death threatncd in
the Covenant of Works. Only it maybe
Queried how God verified this threat-
ning upon Adam. The Threatning runs
thus, In the "Day thou eateji thereof thou
Jhalt jiirely die : And yet we read that
Adam lived nine hundred Years and
more after this peremptory Sentence.
How is this confident with God's Ju-
ftice and Veracity, who not only did
not inflift Death on him, on the Day of
his Tranfgreflion, but reprieved him for
many hundred Years after? *

To this I anfwer briefly, that when it
is faid /;/ the day thou e ate ft thou jhalt
die, by this is not meant that he Ihould
presently upon his finning undergo actu-
al Death, nor only that Death ihould be
then due unto him, as fome would have
it, for fo it might, and never have been
inflifted ; but the Meaning is, that he
fliould be liable and obnoxious., yea and
ordain'd to Death : Dearh ihould cer-
tainly be inflifted on him in the time
that God had appointed, and which he
forefaw would make moll for the Glo-
ry of his Holinefs and Juftice. /;/ that
day thou jhalt die, is no more than In
that day thou Jhalt be a Mortal Creature,
thy Life fliall be forfeited to Juftice, to

be

74 The Doffrine of

be cut off whenfoever the righteous and
holy God fliall pleafe.

Let us, in the next place, proceed to
confider the Condition of the Covenant
of Works; and that the Apoftle tells us
is T)o this ; the Man that doth thefe
things Jhall live by them. By doing thefe
things is meant Obedience both in its
Perfection, and Perfeverance .- For per-
fect Obedience could not juftifie, un-
lefs it were perfevering Obedience; for
we find that Adam hirnfelf was not ju-
ftified by his perfeft Conformity to the
Law for a time, becaufe he did not
continue in it.

Now here concerning this Obedience
which was required in the Covenant of
Works, we may obferve,

Firfij That the Rule of Adam's Obe-
dience in his State of Innocence were
principally theDiftates and Promptings of
his own Nature, andfecondarilyanypofi-
tive Law that fhould be given him by
God : So that when God bidshim^ this
and live, he doth but point him inwards
to fee what was written upon his own
Heart, and to aft fuitably thereunto.
God gave him one Command which was
not written there, and that was not to
eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good
and Evil. And fome fuppofe alfo the

Com-

the Two Covenants. 75

Command of Sanctifying the Sabbath
Day to have been a pofitive Law given
to Adam, Gen. z. 3. where it is faid God
blejfed the feventh day, and finEiified it.
Others fuppofe thofe Words to be brought
in only by way of Prolepfis or Anticipa-
tion. However that be, yet certain it
is that God laid very few Injunctions
upon upright Man, befides what the-Bl-
ftates of his very Nature and Reafon
did prompt him to: But if many more
had been then impofed on him, they
would all have been ultimately refolved
into that grand Law of Nature, that
whatfoever God commands we oueht
to obey. And therefore though the
not eating the Fruit of fuch a Tree were
not a Law of Nature, yet this was, that
he ought not to have done what God
forbad him. So that, T>o this, was to
Adam no more than AEi only according
to the Rules of Nature and right Reafon*
and thou Jhalt live.

Secondly, The Covenant of Works
required of Adam all thofe things which
are now required of us under the Cove-
nant of Grace, except it be thofe which
fuppofe a fmful and a fallen State. Some
Duties there are, which are in them- ,
felves abfolute and perfeft, and do not
prefuppofe any Sin or Corruption in our

Na-

76 The cDottrine of

Nature; and fuch are, to love God, to
reverence and worlhip him, to depend
upon him, and believe in him, and to
commit all our Affairs, and the Con-
dud: of our whole Lives, to his Guidance
and Government. Other Duties there
are which do neceflarily connote and
prefuppofe Imperfection and Sin; as
Patience and Submiffion under Afflicti-
ons, confefling of Guilt, Afts of Repen-
tance, and of Faith in the Merits of
Jefus Chrift, relieving the Neceffities of
the Poor, forgiving Wrongs and Inju-
ries, and many other fuch like. Now
the Duties of the former fort which were
required of us, were likewife required
of Adam^ and his Continuance in them
would have been his Juftification. But
not the Duties of the latter fort : For a
State of Innocence and Perfection ex-
cludes all fuch Duties, becaufe it ex-
cludes all that Imperfe&ion and Guilt,
upon the account of which alone fuch
Duties are become neceffary. Adam
had the innate radical Power to them,
but no occailon to exercife it.

Thirdly i Adam in Innocency had a
Power to do whatfoever the Law, or
the God of Nature, did require; and by
this his perfect Obedience to have pre-
ferved the Righteoufnefs of his firlt fi-
liate,

the Two Covenants. jj

ftate, and his undoubted Right unto
that Life that was promifed. God is fo
juit and merciful that he lays no Com-
mands upon his Creatures to any thing
that is impoffible, unlefs it be made fo
by an Impotency wilfully contra&ed.
God may indeed juftly require that from
us which is no\# beyond our Power to
perform (as the perfect fulfilling of his
Law) and that becaufe it was once pof-
iible for us in our Reprefentative. And
if we have loft our Power of obeying, that
does not prejudice God's Right of com-
manding; no more than the Inability of
a voluntary Bankrupt difchargeth his
Obligation to his Creditors. In the
State of Innocence God fuited the Pow-
er of his Creature to the Law he intend-
ed to give him, and made his Obligati-
on to Duty commenfurate with his A-
bility to perform it.

Fourthly., That Obedience which was
the Condition of the Covenant of W orks,
was to be performed by Adam in his
own Perfon, and not by a Surety or Un-
dertaker : And therefore the Covenant
of Works hath no Mediator. And this
is the great, yea, for ought I can
fee, the only real Difference between
the Covenant of Works and the Cove-
nant

The Dottrine of

nant of Grace. They both require the
fame Obedience and Righteoufnefs to
juftifie Men: Only the Covenant of
Grace allows it to be the Righteoufnefs
of another; but the Covenant of Works
requires that it be wrought out by the
Man himfelf. It is true we live by do-
ing this, as well as Adam ; but we do it
by our Surety, not in our own Perfons.
And hence we may learn what Cove-
nant it was thatChrift, the fecond^W,
was made under. It was ftriftly the Co-
venant of Works, of perfonal Righte-
oufnefs, the fame that God entred into
with Adam*, and therefore he is called
by the Apoftle the Second Adam ; becaufe
the firfl Adam failing in his Underta-
king, he rofe up in his ftead to be our
federal Head and Reprefentative ; and
feeing the firfl did not rightly manage the
Trufl depofited, Chrift took the whole
Affair out of his Hands, and hath per-
fectly, fully and faithfully tranfafted it.
We have thus feen both the Promife,
and the Condition of the Covenant.
Our next Enquiry fhould be concerning
the Perfons with whom it was firfl made*
and by whom it was firfl broken. But
before I come to that, it may not be
impertinent to refolve a Query that may
arife upon what hath been already faid :

And

the Two Covenants. y$

And that is, Whether the Affliftions and
Temporal Evils that Believers fuffer in
this Life, be not inflifted on them by
vertue of the Curfe and Threatning of
the Covenant of Works. In the Day
that thou eateft thou /halt die^ and the
Soul that finneth it Jhall die. For the
Curfe of dying comprehends in it not
only temporal Death it felf, but all o-
ther Miferies and Troubles that we un-
dergo in this prefent Life. And indeed
it is worth the Enquiry, whether the
Affli&ions and Sufferings of true Belie-
vers, be properly Punifhments, or not.
To refolve this>we muft know that God
hath two Ends refpefting himfelf for
which he brings any Evil upon Men:
The one is the Manifeftation of his Ho-
linefs, the other is the Satisfaction of his
Juftice. And accordingly as any Affli-
ction tends to thefe, fo it is either pro-
perly a Punifhment, or barely a Chaftife-
ment and Corre&ion. If God intend
by the Affliftion to fatisfie his Juftice,
then it is properly a Punifhment, and
flows from the Curfe and Threatning of
the Covenant. But if God intend there-
by only to glorifie and manifeft his Holi-
nefs, then it is not a proper Puniihment,
neither hath it any thing of the Rancour
and Venom of the Curfe in it, but it is on-

g$ The cDoBrlne of

ly a fatherly Corre&ion proceeding
from Love andMercy. But now*

Firft The Affli&ions and outward
Evils that true Chriftians fuffer, are in-
fli&ed by God upon them, to the end
that he might manifefl his Purity and
Holinefs. Indeed there are many gra-
cious Ends refpefting Believers them-
felves wherefore God doth affiift them,
as to exercife their Graces, to keep them
humble and dependant, to ftarve up
their Luffs, to wean them from the
World, and to fit them for a better.
But the great End refpefting God him-
felf is, that by thefe Afflictions they
might know and fee how holy a God
they have to deal with, who doth fo
perfectly hate Sin that he will follow it
with Chaftifements wherefoever it be
found. Though the Sin be pardoned,
though the Sinner be beloved, yet God
* will afflift them, not indeed to fatisfie
his Juftice, for that is done for them
by Jefus Chrift, but to fatisfie his Holi-
nefs, and vindicate the Honour of his
Purity in the World, and himfelf too
from Contempt, when thofe who will
prefume to offend fhall certainly fmart
for it, x Sam. iz. 13* 14

Secondly, The Afflictions and Evils
that Believers fuffer, are not infli&ed

by

the Two Covenants. gl

by God, that thereby he might fatisfie his
Juftice upon them; and therefore they
are not from the Curfe of the Law, nor
properly Punifliments for their Sins. Pu-
nifhment always connotes Satisfaction
for tranfgreffing the Law. But now
this Satisfaction to Divine Juftice is not
to be wrought out by Believers them-
felves; and therefore whatfoever they
fuffer is not ftri&ly Punifliment. Chrift:
hath fully fatisfied all the Demands of
Juftice, and therefore no farther Satis-
faction is expefted from them, fince that
could not be confident with the Rules
and Meafures of Juftice to punifh both
the Surety and Principal too. The Curfe
of the Law poured all its Poifon into
Chrift, and there is not one drop of it
that falls befides upon Believers, Gal. 3.
13. Chrift hath redeemed us from the
curfe of the Law, being made a curfe
for us. For that Death, and all thole
Evils threatned in the Covenant of
Works are Curfes, not merely becaufe
they are grievous and afflifting, but be-
caufe infli6ted on Tranfgreftors in or-
der to the Satisfaftion of Divine Juftice
upon them. And therefore Chrift is faid
to be accurfed, and his Death to have
been an accurfed Death, {cur fed is eve-
ry one that hangeth on a tree) not be-

G caufe

82 The Doclrine of

caufe he dyed, nor becaufe he dyed a
moil bitter, painful, and fhameful Death,
but becaufe he was ordained to under-
go this Death as a Satisfaction to the
JuitLe of God for the Sins of Men. And
truly, fhould God inflift thofe very E-
vils which he now doth upon Believers,
to the end that he might thereby raife
fome Satisfaction to his Juilice, though
the Evils themfelves would not be grea-
ter, nor more fharp and painful, yet
they would all beCurfes, and make them
too accurfed Creatures. For the true
notion of a Curfe and of a Puniihmenr*
confiits not in the Quality or the Mea-
iure of the Evil fuffered, but in the in-
flicting it as Penal, and in order to the
Satisfaction of Juliice.

Hence therefore with what Calmnefs
and fweet Peace may a true Chriftian
look upon all his Affli6tions? though
theybe'fore and heavy, and feem to car-
ry much Wrath in them, yet they have
nothing of the Curfe. The Sting was
received all of it into the Body of Chrift:
to that now the Covenant of Works is
difarm'd to him, and he need not fear
the dreadful Thunder of its threatnings,
for the Bolt is already discharged upon
another. Indeed were it God's Intent
to fatisfie his Juftice by the Evils which

he

the Two Covenants. 83

he brings upon me, I might then trem-
ble with Horror and Aftonifliment, and
account every the ilighteft Suffering a
Prefage and Pledge of far greater and
eternal to come. But if I have an Inte-
reft in the Righteoufnefs of Chrift, Ju-
ftice is already fatisfied, the Curfe re-
moved, and all the Sorrows and Afflicti-
ons I fuffer, are but the Corrections of
a gracious Father, not the Revenge of
an angry God. Am I pinch'd by Pover-
ty? That is no Curfe : God doth not
feek Revenge upon me, but only keeps
me from the allurements to Sin and Va-
nity. Am I afflifted with loffes in my
Relations, or Eftate ? That's no Curfe:
God doth not thereby feek Satisfaction
to his Juftice, but only takes thefe from
me, that he might be all in all. Am I
tormented with Pain, weakned with
Difeafes, and will thefe bring Death
upon me ? Yet Difeafes, and Death it
felf are no Curfes ; but only a necelTary
Paflage from Life to Life, a bad ftep to
Canaan^ a fliort Night between one Day
and another. Revenging Juftice is fa-
tisfied ; and therefore come what Af-
flictions it fliall pleafe God to try me
with, they are all weak and weapon-
lefs, without Sting, without Curfe in
them.

G 1 But

g^ The DoSirine of

But moft fad and miferable is the con-
dition of wicked Men, whofe Infidelity
excludes them from having a right in
the Sufferings of Chrift : For there is
not the leaft Affliction that befals them,
the leaft gripe of any Pain, the leaft lofs
in their Eftates, the moft flight and in-
confiderable Crofs that is, but it comes
upon them through the Curfe of the
Law. God is by thefe beginning to fa-
tisfie his Juflice upon them, and fends
thefe to arrefl and feize them. He
is beginning to take them by the
Throat, and to call upon them to pay
him what they owe. Every Afflidion
is to them but part of Payment of
that vaft and endlefs Sum of Plagues,
which God will moft feverely, and to
the very utmoft Farthing exacft of them
in Hell. And fo much in anfwer to that
Query.

Let us now proceed to enquire who
are the Perfons with whom this Co-
venant of Works w7as at firfl made, and
then by whom it was broken.

But in order to a clear and diftinft
Refolution to this, I muft firfl premife
one or two things moft neceftary to be
known, and which I fhall lay as the Ba-
ils and Foundation of my enfuing Di-
fcourfe.

The

the 7 wo Covenants. X<

The firft is this, that Adam may be
confidered under a two- fold Capacity.

I. As a Natural Root.

II. As a Federal Head.

In the former refpect we were in him
as in our Original ; in the latter, as in
our Reprefcntative.

There is no difficulty at all in con-
ceiving of Adam as our Natural Root,
for that is only in regard of the Tra-
duction of the fame Nature to all hisPo-
flerity. As all Parents are the natural
Root of their Pofterity, fo Adam was
of all Mankind, delivering his Nature
to his Children, which hath fince been
handed down along from one Generati-
on to another, even unto us. But all
the difficulty lies in opening how Adam
was our Federal Head, and what it fig-,
nities to be fo. A Federal Head, is a
common Reprefentative, or publickPer-
fon, aPerfon as it were dilated into ma-
ny, or many Perfons comra&ed into
one, appointed to ftand in the ftead of
others; fo that what he doth as a&ing
in that publick Capacity, is as valid in
Law to all intents and purpofes, as if
thofe whom he reprefents, had in their
own Perfons done it. This is a Federal
Head, Surety, or Reprefentative. Now
fuch a Reprefentative is fuppofed to have

G 3

The Doftrinc of

a Power to oblige thofe for whom he
appears to any Agreement or Compaft
whatfoever, as though they themfelves
had perfonally entered into it. And
this Power that one Man hath to oblige
and bind another, may arife two ways.

Firjl, From a voluntary Delegation.

Secondly i From a Natural, or at lead
a Legal or acquired Right that the one
hath over the other.

Firjf, A Reprefentative by Delegati-
on, is one to whom thofe whom he re-
prefents have, by a free and joint con-
lent, given up their own Power, and
inveited him in it. As to ufe a known
inftance in the choice of a Parliament,
the People give away their Power to
thofe few feleft Men whom they fend,
each Shire to its Knight, and each Cor-
poration to its Burgefs. So that what-
foever thefe few do, is in Law not only
the Aft of thofe Men, but of all the
People in the Nation : What Laws or
Taxes foever theyimpofe on thofe whom
they reprefent, are not only from them,
but in a Law fenfe the People lay them
upon themfelves. But Adam was noi*
thus the Federal Head or Reprefenta-
tive of Mankind, becaufe having not
as then received our Being, we could

PQt

the Two Covenants.

not by a free confent chufe him to tranfaft
with God for us.

Secondly, Therefore, there is in fome
a Power to oblige others, arifing merely
from the Right that the one hath over
the other. And this Rbht is twofold:
Either natural upon the ac:ount of na-
tural Produ&ion, or elfe legal and ac-
quired upon the account of Purchafe
and Redemption. For both he that be-
gets, and he that purchafeth and re-
deems another, hath a right over him,
and by that may become his Federal
Head, and bind him to all juft Condi-
tions, difpofing of his Perfon and Con-
cerns as he thinks fit and expedient.
Accordingly the whole Race of Man-
kind never had but two Federal Heads
or general Reprefentatives ; and they
were the firft:, and the fecond Adam.
The Power that Chrift, the fecond A-
dam, had to reprefent thofe for whom
he undertook, was founded upon a le-
gal and acquired Right over them, as
being their Redeemer who had bought
them to himfelfout of the Hands ofju-
ftice, and therefore might difpofe of
them as he pleafeth. But the Power
that the firft Adam had to be our Repre-
fentative arole from a natural Right, as
being the common Parent of all Man-

G 4 kind,

88 "The TtoSirwe of

kind, in whofe Loins we all lay, and
from whom we deriv'd our Beings, and
upon that account he might juftly ob-
lige us, who owe our felves to him, as
well as himfelf, to what Terms foever
God ihould propound, and he accept.
And the reafon why we fay, that Adam
only was our Reprefentative or Fede-
ral Head, and not our other interme-
diate Parents from whom we fpring, as
well as from him, is not hecaufe other
Parents have not the fame Power to
Covenant for, and oblige their Chil-
dren, as he had (for ftill they have as
muh Na ural Right over thofe that de-
fcend from them) but becaufe they are
not fo appointed and conftitutecFby God.
Should God make a diftinft and diffe-
rent Covenant with them, they would
have as much Power to bind their Po-
sterity to the Terms of it, as Adam had
to bind all Mankind to the Covenant
of Works. That's the firit thing pre-
mifed.

Secondly^ Becaufe Adam was thus our
Federal Head, we are not to be conii-
der'd as diftinft from him, but as one
and the fame Perfon with him entring
into Covenant with God. As the Par-
liament is to be confidered as the fame
with the whole Body of the People in

all

the Two Covenants. go

all things wherein they do reprefent
them; ioAdam and all Mankind a: e to be
confidered as one and the fame Perfon
in all things wherein he reprefents us.
Now our being thus one with Adam doth
not denote any real Phyfical Unity or
Onenefs: but it muft be underftood in "
fenfu forenfii in a judicial Law Senfe.
And this Onenefs with him in a Law
Senfe (which is a term frequently ufed3
and therefore it might help us to have
it expounded) fignihes nothing elfe but
that there is a real Foundation laid for
the Law juftly to Reward or Puniih us,
upon Adam's Obedience or Difobedi-
ence, as if we were one and the fame Per-
fon with him; which Foundation is the
Right he hath over us to oblige us to Co-
venant-Conditions.

Now thefe things thus premifed (which
are of great moment in the Doftrine of
the Covenants) take thefe two Particu-
lars,

Firjf, That the Covenant of Works
was not made with Adam confidered in
his private and perfonal Capacity, but as
a publick Perfon and a Federal Head ;
and therefore it was made with us as
well as with him, yea, with us in him.
He was not a fingle Perfon, but a whole
World wrsupt and folded up together in

one :

The Do&rine of

one : So that all who have fince fprung
from him, are, in refpeel of the Cove-
nant, but one Adam unravell'd, and
drawn out at length. What the Apoitle
faith of Levi, Hebr. 7. 9, 10. Levi paid
Tithes in Abraham^ for he was yet in the
Loins of his father when Melchifedec
met him> I may fay in this Cafe : We all
entred into Covenant at the very begin-
ning of the World, for we were then in
the Loins of our Father Adam when that
Covenant was made. So that when we
eonfider either Adam or our felves with
relation to this Covenant, we muft fo
mould our Apprehenfions as if all we
were Adam, and Adam all of us. For
though we then lay fo deep hid in our
Caufes, and the fmall Principles of our
Beings, yet the Covenant took hold of
us, and bound us either to the Obedi-
ence which Adam promifed both for
himfelf and us, or to the Penalty which
he expofed both himfelf and us unto.
Yet ftill our Covenanting in Adam muft
be underftood in a Law Senfe : For it
is utterly impoflible that we fliould per-
fonally and actually enter into Covenant
befjre we were. Bun the Meaning is
only this, that the Covenant which God
made with Adam doth as lawfully and
ftrongly bind us to Obedience, and in

cafe

the Two Covenants. ^r

cafe of failure to Punifhment, as it did
him ; becaufe God made this Covenant
with him confider'd not perfonally but
representatively, he having a Power to
indent for his Pofterity, from the natu-
ral Right he had over them as their
common Parent. And yet poffibly it
may be long enough difputed, without
hopes of a certain Refolufion, whether
when God made this Covenant with A-
dam he then knew himfelf to be a Pub-
lick Perfon, and to Hand as the Repre-
fentative of all Mankind. Probable it
is, that this Affair being of fo vaft and
general Concernment, fome fuch Ap-
prehenfions might be impreft upon him
by God, either through natural Inftinft
or divine Revelation : And if fo, the
more inexcufable was his Fault, that
knowing himfelf intrufted with no lefs
a Stock than the Happinefs of all his
Race, he fliould fo wilfully break, and
thereby ruin both himfelf and them.

Secondly ', In like manner Adam brake
this Covenant, not only as confider'd
perfonally, but as he was a common Re-
prefentative and a publick Perfon ; and
therefore not only he, but we, by eat-
ing of the forbidden Fruit finned and
fell. We are not to look upon Adam as
alone in the Tranfgreffion ; but we our

felves

The 'DoSirine of

felveswereasdeepinit as he: He indeed
by perfonal Confent to the Temptation
(without which neither he nor we had
iinned) but we, by a Covenant or Fede-
ral Obligation in him our Surety and
Reprefeniative. Every one will readi-
ly confefs that he hath been and Hill is
a Tranfgreflbr of the Covenant of
Works, that his Obedience falls infinite-
ly fhort of the Holinefs and Perfe&ion
of the Law : But that he Ihould tranf-
grefs this Covenant fo many thoufand
Years before he was born, even in the
Infancy of the World, that his Hand
ihould be lift up againft God in thit pri-
mitive Rebellion ; this fome deny, few
underftand, and fewer lament. Yet
what faith the Apoftle, Rom. 5. ver. 12,
18, 19? In the 12th verfe, By one man
Jin entered into the worlds and death by
Jin ; and fo death pajfed upon all men, i$
& irdrrzz HjjLct^t^ for that all have fin-
ned, faith our Tranilation ; in whom all
have finned, faith the Margin: Both are
right, for indeed both carry but the
fame Senfe. So ver. 18. By the offence
of one man judgment came upon all to
condemnation. And ver. 19. By one mans
difbbedience many were made finners.
But how could many be made Sinners
by the Sin of one ? It is not by Imitati-
on

the Two Covenants. 93

on only, as the Pelagians held, main-
taining thac Adam's Sin had no more In-
fluence upon us, than the Power that a
bad Example hath to fway that Will to
Evil that is not necelTarily confirmed in
Good. But this cannot be, becaufe
Death is here faid to reign over thofe
who never finned after the fimilitude of
Adam's tranfgrejfwn^ ver. 14. that is,
over Infants, for they alfo dye in whom
the Example of Adam could never work
any Propenfion to Difobedience. And
certainly were there nothing elfe in A-
dams Sin to make Men Sinners, but
only the fetting of an ill Example be-
fore them, I can fee noReafon why the
Example of his Penitence and After-O-
bedience fliould not as effeftually ex-
cite us to Virtue, as that of his Difobe-
dience to Sin. Especially methinks the
Examples of the Miferies and Wretch-
ednefs that Sin hath brought both upon
Adam, and upon his Pofterity, might
much more deter them, than the Exam-
ples of Vice (if there were no Corrup-
tion in their Nature) allure them. It is
not therefore by Example only that
Mankind are made Sinners through the
difobedience of one ; but we became Sin-
ners by his Difobedience, becaufe in him
we our felves finned and difobey'd ; not

in-

94 The T>oSirine of

indeed actually, for fo we were not in
him ; but Forenfically, and in a Law
fenfe, he being our Reprefenta ive and
Federal Head, and God looking upon
what he did as equivalen to the perfo-
nal deed of all Mankind ; which Impu-
tation was built upon moft juil and
righteous Grounds, becaufe Adam be-
ing our firft Parent, had a natural right
over us, and might bind all his Pofteri-
ty to the Terms of any Covenant that
God fhould be pleafed to make with
him, and which might have been fo much
to their Advantage. And thus I hope
thefe two things are fufficiently cleared,
which are of great ufe and neceffity to
our right underftanding the Doftrine of
the Covenants, with whom the Cove-
nant of Works was made, and by whom
it was broken.

Now that many of thefe things are
abftrufe and difficult I cannot deny ; but
that any of them are vain and frivolous,
I do. It is a moft ignorant and weak
Excufe of many, who perhaps may be
well-meaning People, that thefe things
are too high Speculations for them to
fearch into; that their eternal Salvation
may be fecured well enough though
they know not fuch obfcure Points as
thefe are, folong as theyconfciencioufly

pradife

the Two Covenants. 95

pra&ife thofe obvious Truths, and ex-
prefs Duties which they know. I will not,
I dare not deny, but Men may be fafe
in not knowing what they cannot at-
tain. But if they pretend this for a
Shelter of flothful and affected Ignorance, '
let them confider that many of the great
and precious Truths of the Gofpel are
delivered obfcurely, not to excufe us
from, but on purpofe to. engage us to a
diligent Search and Study of them. If
thefe things were not expedient to be
known, why fliould the Holy Scripture fo
abound with them? The Epiftles of
St. Taul are full of thefe profound My-
fteries, which he wrote to the Churches
in common, and every Member of them.
Thefe were read in publick Aflemblies,
and it concerned all the People to hear-
ken to them, and confider of them.
And if the preffing only of praftical Du-
ties of Chriflianity had been futficient,
mod part of the Apoftles Writings had
been needlefs and fuperfluous. 'Tis true
we cannot determine what is the Mini-
mum quod Jic that is confident with Sal-
vation, what 'is the leaft Degree either
of Grace or Knowledge that may juft
ferve to bring a Man to Heaven. But
this we may fay, that 'tis a very ill Sign
to drive the Bargain fo hard with God, •

to

The DoSlrine of

to defire to be faved at the lead Charges
andExpences poffible. This I will boldly
fay > that he who defpifeth a more high and
elevated Knjivleige of theMyiteries of
Chriftianity, where the Means to attain
It are afforded, though others who are
deftitute of thofe Means may arrive at
Heaven and Happinefs, yet I muft needs
doubt whether ever he fhall. To de-
fpife Evangelical Truths which* do not
fo immediately tend to Pradice, is no
other than to impute Trivialnefs to the
infinite Wifdom of God who hath re-
vealed them, and fo often and largely
infifted on them ; and to withdraw the
chiefefl pare of our felves, whereby we
moll of all fliew our felves to be Men,
from his Obedience, even our Under-
llandings. 'Certainly we ferve God as
well by endeavouring to know his Truth,
as by endeaaouring to obey his Com-
mands ; and he who refolves to obey
God bidding do this, but not when he
bids him underftand this, ferves him
more like an Engine, than like a Man.
From this that hath been fpoken we
may borrow fome Light to difcover to
us the manner how we are all become
Partakers of Original Sin, through the
Violation of this firft Covenant of Works.
Many are the Difputes, and great the

Difficul-

the Two Covenants. 97

Difficulties about this Matter: Very
much is faid and written upon this Sub-,
jeft, to very little Purpofe, unlefs it be
to fhew us how miferable the Blindnefs
and Ignorance of human Nature is,
which this Sin hath brought upon us.
It would be a Labour as fruitlefs as end-
lefs to reckon up to you the great Vari-
ety of Opinions herein : No one Point
of Divinity hath been more difcuft and
controverted than this; and yet, if I may
be allow'd fo to judge, all that ever I
have yet feen, hath either been falfe in
the Hypothefis, or failed in the Accom-
modation. Some deny the Imputation
of Guilt, and fome the Corruption of
Nature, and becaufe they cannot com-
prehend the Way and Manner of its
Conveyance, deftroy Original Sin it felf.
Others that grant both, yet puzzle them-
felves and their Readers with flrange
Aflertions ; fome holding that the Soul
is propagated from the Parents even as
the Body is; and therefore no Wonder
that a defiled Soul ihould beget ano-
ther fuch. Others, who hold the Souls
of Men to be immediately created by
God, affirm that it contrafts Pollution
by being infufed into a polluted Body.
But yet the Abfurdities that will follow
upon all thefe ways are fo many, fo ve-

H ry

98 The DoBrine of

ry grofs and palpable, that fuch Hypo-
thefesj inftead of fatisfying, muft needs
only difquiet and torment an inquifitive
IVlind ; and yet if after all thefe Diffe-
rences andDifputes the certainty of the
Truth in this Matter could be evidenced ,
it would more than recompence the
Pains of all, and the Errors of many who
have attempted it. For though it be cer-
tain that Niceties in Religion are not
Neceffities, yet if ever Difficulty and
Ufefulnefs were conjoined together in
any one Point, 'tis in this of Original
,.^JSin. I intend not to handle the Queftion
at large, but only briefly fpeak to it as a
Deduftion and Corollary from this Do-
ftrine of the Covenants. To enter into
it, I muft firfl premife a diftinclion or
two concerning Original Sin, and then
lay down fome Pofitions from which it
may be cleared to you, that the true
Ground of our partaking of it is only
the Covenant of Works.
m Jli~ Original Sin therefore is two-fold.

Firft, The Imputation of Guilt.

Secondly, The Inhefion of Corrup-
tion.

Firftj There is an Imputation of Guilt.
To impute Guilt, is to reckon a Perfon
a Tranfgreflbr of the Law, and there-
fore liable to the Punifliment threatned,

whe-

the Two Covenants. 99

whether he hath in his ownPerfon tranf-
grefs'd the Law, or not. And here lies
a great part of the difficulty, how we
can become guilty of another Man's
Tranfgreffion, which we never afted in,
nor confented unto, and was committed
fome thoufands of Years before we were
born ; and yet we fliall be puniili'd for
it, and that as juftly as if we had in our
own Perfons committed it.

Secondly, Befides this Imputation of
Guilt, there is in Original Sin an inhe-
rent Corruption of Nature. The for-
mer is by the Schools called Teccatum
Originans ; and this Teccatum Origina-
tion, barbaroufly indeed, but yet figni-
ficantly. Now inherent Corruption of
Nature is commonly made to confift of
two parts.

I. The lofs and privation of the Image
of God, the Clarity of ourUnderftand-
ings, the Obedience of our Wills, the
order of our Affe&ions, the perfefl: har-
mony of the whole Man in the Sub-
jection of his inferior Faculties to his
jfuperior, and all unto God, being ut-
terly loft and renounced, fo that now
we are become both unable and averfe
to every thing that is good.

II. Befides this, it is commonly
affirmed that there is fome pofitive

H % ma1ig~

100 The Do&rine of

malignant Quality in original Sin, viz. a
violent propenfion, and flrong bent of
the whole Man unto what is evil and
finful. The former is called the Priva-
tive, this latter the Pofitive part of Ori-
ginal Sin. Yet I think, if it be well
weighed, as there may be infuperable
difficulties in admitting fuch a pofitive
Corruption in our Frame and Compofi-
tion, fo there is not any neceffity to
grant it. We need not, I fay, fuperadd
any pofitive Corruption in original Sin,
to the privation of original Righteouf-
nefs. For a mere privation of reftitude
in an aftive Subjeft, willfufficientlyfalve
all thofe Phenomena for which a pofi-
tive Corruption is pleaded. We fhall
find Man's Nature wicked enough by
his Fall, thoughj there were no evil Prin-
ciples infufed into him (for from whence
Ihould they come) but only Holinefs
and Righteoufnefs taken from him. For
the Soul being a bufie Creature, aft it
muft and will: Without Grace and the
Image of God adorning and affifting it,
it cannot aft regularly, nor holily. Its'
Nature makes it aftive. The lofs of
God's Image, which alone can raife the
Soul to aft fpiritually, makes all its Afti-
ons defeftive ; and this alone is fufticient
to make all his Aftions corrupt and fin-
ful,

the Two Covenants. 101

ful, without admitting any pofitive Cor-
ruption. There needs no more to make
a Man halt that muft walk, but to lame
him : And certainly he that doth lame
him, doth it not by infufmg into him
any habit or principle of Lamenefs, but
only by deftroying that Strength and
Power which before he had. So ftands
the cafe here; we are all lamed by the
Fall we took in Adam^ our Natures are
defpoiled of their primitive Integrity
and Perfection, fo that there needs not
any pofitive vitious Habit implanted in
our Original to make our Aftions vici-
ous and irregular ; but it is fufficient
that we have loft thofe holy Habits and
Principles of Righteoufnefs and Know-
ledge which we were at firft endowed
with, and which alone could dired eve-
ry Aftion in or dine ad <Deum, as the
Schools fpeak, with a reference to God,
and his Honour and Glory.

Thus then you fee, Original Sin may
be either the Guilt of the firft Tranf-
greffion imputed to us, or the Corrup-
tion of Nature inherent in us. To which
Corruption nothing more is required
than the lofs of God's Image in an aftive
Subject

It remains now to open how this Im-
putation lies upon us, and this Corrup-

H i tion

102 cT^e T^oBrine of

tion cleaves unto us, merely upon the
account of the Covenant of Works ;
whereby we may clearly underftand how
it is that we become Partakers of Origi-
nal Sin.

Now this I lhall endeavour to do as to
both Branches.

As to the Imputation of Adams Sin
to us, take thefe two Particulars, which
will explain how Original Sin, as to the
Guilt of it, lies upon us.

Firjly If Adam had not been our fe-
deral Head, if the Covenant had not
been made with us in him, but had re-
fpefted him alone, yet his Sin might
have been juftly fo far imputed to us, as
to fubjeft us to temporal Evils and Pu-
nilhments,becaufe of that relation which
we bear unto him as our natural Head,
and the common Root from whence we
all fprang. And the reafon of this is,
becaufe God might juftly have punifh'd
the Tranfgreffion of Adam in all his con-
cerns, and in whatfoever was dear un-
to him, as his Pofterity would have been.
So that to us thefe Evils would have
been only a Simplex cruciatus^ only
painful, becaufe inflifted without any
refpeft to our own Sin ; but to Adam they
had been Penal, and properly Punifli-

ments.

the Two Covenants. 103

ments. This I think may be made good
by many places of Scripture, where God
is fet forth as punifiiing fome for the
Sins of others, who were not their ^Fe-
deral Heads, Exod. 20. ^. Vljitlng the
iniquities of the fathers upon the chil-
dren. Ifai. 14. 20, xi. The feed of evil
doers Jhall never be renowned : T rep are
/laughter for his children for the Ini-
quity of their father. And fo for the
Sin of David, feventy thoufand of his
Subjects are flain. And yet thofe Fa-
thers were not the Reprefentatives of
their Children, neither was David of
his Subje&s. But God might juftly thus
punilh them in their Relations. For a
Father is puniih'd in the Evils that be-
fal his Children, and a King in thofe
that befal his Subjects. And though it
be true that they have Evil enough of
their own, to deferve thefe, yea and
greater Plagues, yet if they ihould be
iuppofed to be innocent and without
Sin, God might juftly thus afflift them,
not indeed as punifiiing them, but thofe
that finned, they -being made only the
paffive Conveyers of thofe Punifliments
to them. I remember Plutarch gives
this Reafon in his Treatife of thofe
who are late puniih'd, why it may be
juft to revenge the Fathers Offences up-

H 4 on

10+ The 'Dottrine of

on the Children, *$\v ^vov, faith he, &*

oLTO^srov <zv in&LVoov bvltg Syyum td dzoivoov. xis

nothing jirange nor abjurd, that Jince
they belong to them they jhould jujfer
what belongs to them. So then, though
we had never finned in Adam^ nor the
Covenant made with him had ever
reached us, yet God might juftly have
brought temporal Evils upon us, be-
caufe of the Relation we bear unto him,
as our natural Head, and as we are Parts
of him.

Secondly ', That Adam's Sin is imputed
unto us fo far as thereby to make us li-
able to eternal Death and Damnation,
refults not from his being our natural,
but our federal Head. Adam's Sin is im-
puted to our Condemnation, only be-
caufe we covenanted in him, and not
merely becaufe we defcended from him.
It is an everlafting Truth, Ezek. 18. 20.
The Soul that Jinneth it Jhall die ; and
the Son jhall not bear the Iniquity of his
Father •, that is, the Punifhment of his
Father's Iniquity. So Gal. 5. 6. Every
Man jhall bear his own burden. Thefe
Expreffions cannot be meant of tempo-
ral Sufferings 5 for I have already fhew'd
that God may, and doth inflift them
upon Children, for the Parents Sins :
But they are meant of future Puniih-

ments.

the Two Covenants. 105

ments, and eternal Death ; that none
fliall eternally perifli for his Father's
Crimes, but only for his own. But you
will fay, how then comes it to pafs that
we are liable to eternal Death through
the Sin of ano.ther, if fo be the Son Jh all
not bear the Iniquity of his Father ■, and
only the Soul that finneth jhall die ? I
Anfwer, This is (till true, becaufe we
are the Souls that finned ; we in Adamy
who then rofe up our Reprefentative, in
whom we covenanted with God, and in
whom we brake that Covenant : And
therefore 6od inflicts Death eternal up-
on his Pofterity* not as a Punifliment
for his Sin, but for their own : For his
Sin was theirs, though not committed
personally by them, yet legally and judi-
cially charged upon them. The Grounds
of this I have before mentioned, and
therefore fliall fpare to enlarge upon
it here : Only take the Sum and Ab-
ftrafl: of it in brief thus ; God was
at firft willing of free Grace to enter
into Covenant with Adamy that if he
would obey, he fliould live ; if he
would difobey, he fliould dye the Death.
But left this Grace fliould be too nar-
row and {tinted, if it had been limited
to Adam\ own Perfon only, therefore
God extends it to all Mankind, and bids

Adam

106 The Dottrine of

Adam ftand forth as the Representative
and Surety of all his Pofterity, and in-
dent for them as well as for himfelf ;
which he might juftly do, being the
common Parent of Mankind, and there-
fore having a natural Right to difpofe
of them, efpecially when in all appear-
ance and probability it would have pro-
ved fo incomparably to their Advantage.
He therefore difobeying, the Death
threatned is as much due to us as to him,
it being in Law not only his Aft, but
ours. And this is plainly the manner
how we, who live fo many Thoufand
Years after, are made liable to Death
by the firftTranfgreffion. And there-
fore Alvarez, de AuxiL d. 44. n. 5. faith
well, Troprie loquendo omnes filii Adtf
feccaverunt originaliter in eo in ft ant i in
quo Adam peccavit aEtualiter ; that is,
All the Children of Adam are not only
then guilty of original Sin when they
are firfl: conceived or born, but proper-
ly they finned originally in the fame in-
flant in which Adam finned aftually by
eating the forbidden Fruit, becaufethey
were then \uAdam as in their Reprefen-
tative, and upon that Account his Tranf-
greflion was legally theirs.

And

the Two Covenants. 107

And thus, I hope, I have made it
clear, that as for that part of original Sin
which confifts in the Imputation of the
Guilt of the firft Tranfgreflion, it lyes
upon us merely from the Covenant of
Works, into which we entred with God
in /Idam.

Secondly, There is another Branch of
original Sin, which confifts in the Cor-
ruption of our Natures, through the lofs
of the Image of God. This alfo had
never feized on us but by the Covenant
of Works. Many perplexed Difputes
there are, how we became fo totally de-
praved, and whence we derived that
Corruption : I Avail, as clearly as I can,
lay open to you the true and genuine
Grounds of it, which in general I affirm
to be the Violation of the Covenant of
Works. To make this evident, confider
thefe three Particulars.

I. It muft again be remembred that
the lofs of God's Image, that is, of all
that Grace and Holmefs wherewith our
Natures were primitively endowed, is
the true and only Ground of all original
Corruption and Depravation. Mens
Natures are not now become finful \
putting any thing into them to defile
them, but by taking fomefhing from
them which fliould have preferved them

holv.

1 08 The jDotlrwe of

holy. We have nothing more in us by
Nature than Adam had in Innocency ;
and if it be faid we have Corruption in
us by Nature, which he had not, that is
not to have more, but lefs. He had the
free Power of Obedience, he had the
perfeft Image of his Maker in all the di-
vine Qualities of Knowledge and Holi-
nefs, which we have not, and are there-
fore faid to be Corrupt ; not as though
there were in our Original any real po-
fitive Qualities which were not in Adam ,
but becaufe he had thofe holy Qualities
which are not in us. And therefore
when we fay that Aidam communicated
to his Pofterity a corrupted Nature, it
muft not be underftood as if that Nature
which we receive were infefted with
any vicious Inclinations or Habits which
ihould fway and determine our Wills
unto Evil ; but the meaning is, that A-
^^communicated to us a Nature which
hath a Power to incline and aft variouf-
ly, but withal he did not communicate
to us the Image of God, nor the power
of Obedience, which fliould make all
its Inclinations and Aftions holy and re-
gular ; and therefore he communicated
a Nature corrupted, becaufe it was de-
prived of that Grace which Ihould have

kept

the Two* Covenants. IO9

kept it from Sin. That's the firft Par-
ticular.

II. The lofs of this Image of God was
part of that Death threatned in the Co-
venant of Works ; In the day thou eatefi
thou jh alt Jure ly dye; that is, thou fhalt
dye a fpiritual Death, as well as a tem-
poral and eternal Death. And this fpi-
ritual Death was the very defpoiling him
of the Image of God, and the Habits
and Principles of Holinefs : So that Cor-
ruption of Nature feized upon Adam
through the Curfe of the Covenant,
God taking from him his Image, and
thereby executing upon him this fpiri-
tual Death literally, even in the very Day
wherein he tranfgreffed.

III. Adam being our Federal Head,
and we difobeying in him, God doth
juftly deprive us of this Image, that
thereby alfo he might execute upon us
the Spiritual Death threatned in the Co-
venant of Works, which Covenant we
brake in our Reprefentative. And this
I take to be the true account of the Cor-
ruption of our Nature. It is a Curfe
threatned in the Covenant to thofe that
ihall difobey, and inflifted upon us, be-
caufe we were thofe that did difobey in
Adam our Federal Head. We have our
Beings delivered down to us ; but that

Grace

HO The T)oBrine of

Grace which fliould have enabled us to
aft without Sin, is loft, becaufe the Co-
venant of Works threatned it lliould be
loft upon the firft Tranfgreffion. And
indeed this lofs of God's Image was the
only Death that was immediately upon
the Fall inflifted : God did not prefent-
ly bring either temporal or eternal Death
upon finful Adam ; but he inftantly
brought fpiritual Death upon him, as
judging him who had a Will to difobey,
unworthy any longer to enjoy a Power
to obey, nor would he have his Image
profaned by being worn by a Rebel and
a Malefaftor.

And thus I have ftated and anfwer'd
that great and much controverted Que-
ftion, and think it to be the clear, yea
indeed the only fatisfaftory way to re-
folve how we are become originally Sin-
ners, both by the Imputation of Guilt,
and Corruption of Nature.

And yet, to add fome more Light and
Confirmation to this, two Particulars
more are confiderable.

Firjf, Moft probable it is, that tho'
Adam had finned, yet by that one Aft
of Difobedience he would not utterly
have loft the Image of God, had it not
been taken away from him according to
the terms of the Covenant of Works.

'Twas

the Two Covenants. 1 1 x

'Twas rather forfeited by Law, than
deftroyed by the Contrariety of Sin. So
that it is only upon the account of the
Covenant that both his Nature, and the
Nature of his Pofterity, were corrupted
by that firft Tranfgreffion. For it is
very hard to conceive how Adam's Sin,
which was but one tranfient Aft, fhould
formally eat out and deftroy the innate
Habit of Grace in him ; and therefore
it did it meritorioufly and federally.
All Grace depends neceflarily upon the
Influence of the Spirit of God, both to
preferve, and to aftuate it: And Sin
provoked God to withdraw that Influ-
ence, according as he had threatned to
do; and hence it came to pafs that A-
dam\ Grace decay'd and perilh'd at
once, and left him nothing but mere
Nature, defpoiPd of thofe Divine Ha-
bits and Principles with which it was
before endowed.

Secondly r, Though Adam had loft God's
Image himfelf, yet if he had not been
our Federal Head and Reprefentative I
can fee no Reafon but that we fliould
have been created with the Perfeftion
of that Image upon us, notwithstanding
his Sin and Tranfgreffion: And there-
fore it is not merely our being born of
finful Adam j nor of finful Parents, that

mult

112 The Tjo&rine of

muft be affigned as the true and princi-
pal Caufe why our Natures are corrupt-
ed, but becaufe we are born of that
finful Adam who was our Federal Head,
in whom we covenanted, and in whom
we our felves finned and tranfgrefs'd.
Not our Birth from him, but our Sin-
ning in him, derives Corruption upon
us. Though he had corrupted himfelf,
yet if he had not been a publick Perfon
his Corruption had not infefted our Na-
ture, any more than the Sins of inter-
mediate Parents do the Natures of thofe
who defcend from them. Nor doth Job
contradict this, when he asks, Chap. 14.
ver. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out
of an unclean ? For there he fhews the
Impoffibility of it as the Cafe now ftands,
not how it might and would have been
if the whole Mafs had not been federal-
ly corrupted in Adam. And he who fe-
rioufly confiders the moft pure and im-
maculate Conception of our Bleffed Sa-
viour will be convinced of the Truth of
this : For tho' he defcended from Adam
as a Natural Root, yet he defcended not
from him as a Federal Head, the Cove-
nant of Works reaching only unto thofe
who were to be his ordinary and com-
mon OfF-fpring ; and therefore tho' he

partook

the Two Covenants. nj

partook of his Nature, yet he did not
partake of his Guilt and Corruption.

And thus I have, as I could, ftated
this much difputed and very difficult
Point of our partaking of Original Sin,
both as to the Imputation of the Guilt
of it, and the Corruption of our Nature
by it ; and have refolved all into the
Covenant of Works, into which we en-
tered wich God, in our fir ft Father and
common Reprefentative. The Guilt of
the Primitive Tranfgreffion lyes upon
us, becaufe we both covenanted, and
brake that Covenant in him; fo that his
Sin is legally become ours. The Cor-
ruption of Nature through the Lofs of
God's Image cleaveth unto us, becaufe
this was part of the Punifhment con-
tained in the Death threatncd againft
thofe that fhould violate and break that
Covenant.

Here then let us, with a filent Awe
upon our Souls, tremble at the hidden
depths of God's Juftice. It is the har-
deft Task in the World to bring carnal
Reafon to fubmit to and approve of the
Equitablenefs of God's Proceedings a-
gainft us for the Sin of Adam. Is there
any fliadow of Reafon that I fhould be
condemned for the Sin of another, which
I never abetted, never contented to,

I never

114 The DoBrine of

never knew of? a Sin which was com-
mitted fo many hundreds of Ages be-
fore ever I was born? If God be refol-
ved I fliall perifli, why doth he thusfeem
to circumvent me? Why doth he ufe
fuch Ambages- and captious Circum-
itances of enditing me for Adam's Sin,
which I never entred into? Were it
not far more plain dealing, more direft
Proceeding to call me into Hell, and
juftifie it by the mere Arbitrarinefs of
his Will, and the Irrefiftablenefs of his
Power? Who can oppofe the one, or
prevail againft the other? But to implead
me before Juftice, and to urge Equity in
condemning me by a Law made on pur-
pofe to infnare me, feems only the Con-
trivance of an Almighty Cruelty, which
yet might be fafe enough in its own
force, without any fuch Pretexts and
Artifices.

Let every fuch blafphemous Mouth
be itopt, and all Fleih become guilty be-
fore the Lord. Tell me, thou who thus
difputeft againft God's Equity, and com-
plainefl of his Severity in this particular,
tell me, wouldft thou h;ve been con-
tent, or thought thy felf well dealt with,
to have been left out of the Covenant
of Works, and by Name excepted, if
Adam had continued in his Integrity ?

And

the 1l\vo Covenants.

And when all others of Mankind for
whom he engaged had been crowned
with Life and Happinefs, thou alone
ihouldlt have no ihare in their Blefled-
nefs, no Title to it, no Plea*- for it, it
being due only upon a Covenant-Stipu-
lation ? Wouldft not thou have thought
that God had dealt very hardly with thee,
to omit, to except thee only, for want
of thy exprefs Confent ? So that though
thou hadft obeyed, yet Life fhould not
have been due to thee, nor couldft thou
have had any Plea for it. For I have
heretofore fliowed you, that if God had
not entred into this Covenant with A-
dam, though he hadobfervedall that God
commanded him, yet he could not chal-
lenge Life and Happinefs as a Debt due
to his Obedience. And indeed, was
God fevere in threatning Death to the
Tranfgreifors of his Law, when yet he
promifed Life to thofe who obferved it,
which Life he was not bound to beftow;
and depofited this in the Hands of one
who might as eafily have kept, as loft
it, and whofe Intereft did infinitely ob-
lige himtoapunftualQhfervance? What
more equitable, what more reasonable
Terms could be offer'd than thefe, or
more favourable to all Mankind? Was
this Severity? Was this a Defign to in-

I -l trap

1 16 The T)oBrine of

trap or infnare us ? Wouldft not thou
thy felf, hadft thou -then lived, have
confented to this Tranfaftion, and infi-
nitely blefied God for the Mercy of the
Condeftenfion in making fuch a Cove-
nant, whereby if Man fliould prove any
other than a vaft Gainer by it, it mult
be through the mere Fault of his own
Will. Again, to vindicate the Righte-
oufnefs of God in involving us in the
Guilt of the firft Adam^ confider, Do
you not think it is juft with God to fave
your Souls from everlafting Condemna-
tion through the Merits of the fecond
Adam^ Jefus Chrift, imputed unto your
And fhall it not then be as juft with
God to account you liable and obnoxi-
ous to it, thro' the Sin of the firft Adam
imputed to you? If the one be juft be-
caufe of the Covenant made between
God the Father and our BiefTed Savi-
our, this likewife is juft becaufe of the
Covenant made between Adam and God.
You gave no more Confent to that, than
to this ; and Adam had as much Power
to appear and undertake for you upon
the account of Production, as Chrift had
upon the account of Redemption. On-
ly fuch is the Partiality of our Self-love,
that we are ready to think that God is
only then juft when he is merciful ; and

wc

the Two Covenants.

we reckon his Dealings with us equal,
not by the ftrift Meafures ofjudice, but
by our own SuccefTes, Interefts, an<i
Advantages.

Let this therefore be an Apology for
God, to vindicate his Proceedings with
us upon the account of Adam\ Tranf-
greilion. I had not fo largely infifted
on it, but that there are fecret Heart-
rifingsintheverybeft againft theRighte-
oufnefs of God in this particular : Flefh
and Blood can hardly brook it $ and
when it hath nothing left to reply, yet
ftill it will be murmuring and rebelling
againft this Truth. When the Mouth
of carnal Reafon is ftopt, yet then it
will vent it felf in carnal Repinings. But
it becomes us to lay our Hand upon this
Mouth alfo, and to give God the Glory
of his Juftice, acknowledging, itismoft
righteous that we fhould be aftually and
perfonally wretched, who were fede-
rally difobedient and rebellious. And
fo much for that.

Many nice Queftions might be here
propounded ; but becaufe they are fo,
I fliall only propound them : As, If A-
dam had continued in Innocence for fome
certain time, whether God would have
fo confirmed him in Grace as he hath
done the Holy Angels, that he fliould

I 3 infal-

The Dotlrine of

infallibly have perfevered in his Origi-
nal State. Whether, though Adam had
flood, his Pofterity might have finned
and fallen. Whether upon their fall,
their Poflerity had been guilty of Ori-
ginal Sin, Whether if Adam had flood
fome Years in Innocence, and after-
wards had Tinned, his Children born be-
fore his Fall had been involved in it.
"Whether if Eve only had Tranfgreffed ,
and not Adam by her Perfwafion, Man-
kind had thereby been Originally Sinful.
But thefe things being rather curious,
than necefTary Speculations, which are
not revealed to us in the Scriptures, I
look upon it as an unprofitable, fo a
bold and raih Undertaking, pofitivelyto
determine what might have been in fuch
cafes, and think it fafeft and moft fatif-
faftory to acquiefce in fober and modeft
Enquiries, Iihall therefore add no more
for the Doftrinal part of this Covenant
of Works, but fhall clofe it up with fome
practical Application.

FirjU Is it the Tenor of the Cove-
nant of Works that the Man which doth
thofe things that the Law requires, he
only fhall live by them; this then may
be for Conviftion to all the World : 'Tis
a Doftrine that will ftrike through all
Self-Jufticiaries, thn.t truft to their own

Works

the Two Covenants.

Works and Righteoufnefs to fave them.
Let the Scripture tell them never fo of-
ten that there is none righteous^ no not
one ; that all have finned and are fallen
fhort of the glory of God: Let God offer
Chrift unto them, Chrift offer himfelf,
his Righteoufnefs, his Sufferings, his
Obedience, and a Life ready purchafed
to their Hands ; yet ftill they retreat,
and appeal from him to the Works and
Righteoufnefs of the Law for Juftifica-
tion. Well then, to the Law they fliali
go. And by three Demonflrations I fhall
convince Men that it is utterly impoffi-
ble for them to be juftified by the Law,
or according to the terms of a Covenant
of Works.

I. It is utterly impofTible for them to
aft anfwerably to the exafl: Striftnefs
and Holinefs of the Law ; and if they
fail in the leaft jot, read but that terri-
ble Sentence pronounced againft them.
Gal. 3. 10. Cur fed is everyone that con-
tinueth not in all things that are written
in the Book of the lawj to do them. This
is the Tenor of the Law. And dare
you now maintain your Plea, and bring
it to an IiTue with God? What can you
produce, that mayjuftifie you according
to this Sentence? Perhaps among many

120 The DoSlrine of

a thoufand Works of Darknefs, and of
the Devil, may (land up a few fhattered
Prayers, a few faint Willies, a few pi-
ous Refolutions ; but the Prayers heart-
lefs, theWifhes ineffectual, and the Re-
folutions abortive. Is this the Righte-
oufnefs of the Law which Mofes de-
fcribes? Is Heaven grown fo cheap, as
to be fet to Sale for this ? If you depend
upon your Works for Life, bring forth
an Angelical Perfection. Can you tell
God that you never had a Thought in
you that ftept awry ? not an Imagination
tainted with any the lead Vanity, Im- ,
pertinency, Frivoloufnefs, not to fay Un-
cleannefs, Malice, Blafphemy, and A-
theifm ? Can you fay that you never ut-
tered a Word that fo much as lifp'd con-
trary to the Law? That you never did
an A6lion which Innocence it felf might
not own? If not, as certainly there is no
Man that liveth and finneth not, you
can expeft nothing but Condemnation
according to the Sentence of the Law,
and the Tenor of the Covenant of Works,
which thunders forth the Curfe againft
every Tranfgreffor.

II, It is alike utterly impoflible for you
to make any Satisfaction to Juftice for
jhe Violation of the Law. Thy own

Con-

the Two Covenants. 121

Confcience, that tells thee thou haft fin-
ned, fummons thee before the great and
. righteous Judge, who demands full Sa-
tisfaction for the Violation of his Laws,
and thy Offences committed againft him.
Suffering cannot fatisfie, unlefs it be in
thy eternal Damnation: And all that thou
canft do will not fatisfie ; for all that
thou canft do is but thy DutyTiowever.
And yet without a full perional Satif-
faflion thou canft expeft no Salvation,
according to the Covenant of Works.
Yet farther,

III. Could you perfectly obey, and in
your own Perfons meritorioufly fuffer,
yet ftill there would be a flaw in your
Title ; for ftill there would be Original
Sin, which would keep you from obtain-
ing a legal Righteoufnels. 'Tis true the
Law faith, ^Do this and live ; but to
whom doth it fpeak? not to fallen, but
to innocent upright Man. 'Tis not on-
ly a T)o this can fave you ; but the Law
requires a Be this too. Now can you
pluck down the old Building, and call
out all the Ruins and Rubbifli? Can
you in the very Calling and Moulding
of your Beings, inftamp upon them the
Image of God's Purity and Holinefs? If
thefe Impoffibilities may be atchiev'd,
% hen Juftification by a Covenant of Works

were

122 The Dctirine of

were not a thing altogether defperate.
But whilft we have Original Corruption,
which will caufe Defeds in our Obedi-
ence; whilft we have Defefts in our Obe-
dience, which will expofe us to divine
Juftice ; whilit we are utterly unable to
fatisfie that Juftice, lo long we may con-
clude it altogether impoffible to be ju-
ftify'd by a Covenant of Works. Jn-
ftead of finding Life by it, we fhall meet
with nothing but Death and the Curfe.

Secondly i This' therefore might endear
to us the unfpeakableLove of God, in
the ineftimable Gift of his Son Jefus
Chrift, by whom both this Covenant is
fulfilled, and a better ratifyed for us.
Either Obligation of the Law was too
much for us ; we could neither Obey
nor Suffer: But he hath performed both,
fulfilling the Precept, and conquering
the Penalty ;and both by a free and graci-
ous Imputation are reckonM toourjuftifi-
cation,andthe obtaining of eternal Life.

Thirdly^ This declares the defperate
and remedilefs Eflate of thofe who, by
Unbelief, refufe Jefus Chriil, and the
Redemption he hath purchafed : For
they are ftill under the Covenant of
Works, and fhall have Sentence pafs
upon them according to the Tenor of
that Covenant. There are but two Co-
venant?

the Two Covenants. 123

venants between God and Man ; the
one faith, T)o this and live ; the other
faith, Believe and live. Men are left
to their own choice, to which they will
apply. If they refute the Conditions of
the latter, they mutt perform the Con-
ditions of the former, or elfe periili eter-
nally. Now, every Unbeliever doth
aftually thrutt Chrift from him, and re-
ject that great Salvation he hath purcha-
fed ; they will not have him to be their
Lord and Saviour : And therefore God
will certainly judge every fuch Wretch
according to the ftrifteft terms of the
Covenant of Works ; and then Woe,
everlafting Woe unto him. For every
the lead Tranfgreffion of the leaft Title
of the Law, will certainly (as God's
Threatnings are true) be punifh'd with
eternal De^th. And how many Deaths
and Hells then mutt be put together,
and crowded into one, to make up a juft
and fearful Reward for him, who fcorn-
ing the way of Salvation by believing,
fliall put himfelf upon his Tryal by the
Covenant of Works I Whither will fuch
an one fly? What will be his Refuge?
Plead his Innocence he cannot; Confci-
ence will take him by the Throat, and
tell him loudly he lies. Plead theRighre-
pufnefs and Satisfaction of Jefus Chrift

he

124 The DoBrine of

be cannot ; he fcorn'd it, he rejefted it,
and therefore cannot expect it fhould
ever appear for him, or avail him.
There is no Hope, no Remedy for fuch
a Wretch, but being thus caft and con-
demned by Law, he muft for ever lye
under the Revenges of that Wrath,
which it is impoflible for him either to
bear or to evade. And thus much con-
cerning the Covenant of Works.

Let us now proceed to confider and
treat of the Covenant of Grace, the
Sum and Tenor of which is delivered
to us from the 6th to the ioth Verfe.

Now this Covenant of Grace is pro-
pounded to us upon a fuppofed Impof-
fibility of obtaining Righteoufnefs and
Juftification according to the Terms of
the Covenant of Works : And left it
might feem as impoflible to be juftified
by this Covenant, the Apoftle removes
the two great Objeftions that lye in the
way. For it may be argued, That
Chrift the Son of God, who is to work
out this Righteoufnefs for us, his Abode
andRefidence is in the higheft Heavens,
and how then fliall he be brought down
to Earth to fulfil the Law in our ftead ?
To this the Apoftle anfwers, Say not in
thine heart who jh all a fc end into Heaven*
to bring Chrift down from above ; that

care

the Two Covenants. 12S

care is already taken, and God the eter-
nal Son hath left thofe glorious Manfions,
to fhroud and eclipfe himfelf in our vile
Fleih. He was born of a Woman, and
made fubjett to the Law, and hath
wrought out all Righteoufnefs for us,
that thro' his Obedience Sinners might
be pardoned and juftified.

But then again it might be objeftedi
That whofoever will appear to be our
Surety, muft not only yield perfeft O-
bedience to the Law of God, but pay
down his Life to the Juftice of God for
our Offences : And if Chrift thus dye
for us, how can he then appear before
God in our behalf, to plead our Caufe,
to juftifie and acquit us ? We cannot
be juftified unlefs Chrift dye, neither
can we be juftified by a dead Chrift :
And who is there that can raife this
Crucified and Murder'd Saviour to Life
again, that we might obtain Righteouf-
nefs by him ? To this alfo the Apoftle
anfwers, Say not in thine heart whojball
defcend into the <rDeep, that is, into the
Grave, where his Body lay intomb'd,
or into Hades, the Place and Receptacle
of feparate Souls, or, if you will, into
both thefe Depths; into Hades, to bring
back the Soul of Chrift to his Body ;
and into the Grave, to raife his Body

with

126 'The DoBrine of

with his Soul, and to refcue him from
the Power of Death and Corruption ;
that Work is already done. He hath
by his Almighty Spirit and Godhead
broken afunder the Bands of Death, and
the Bars of the Grave, it being impof-
fible that he Ihould be holden of it, and
that having discharged the Debt he
Ihould any longer lye under Arreft and
Confinement. And thus theApoftle, as
I conceive, anfwers thefe two Gbjefti-
ons againft the Poffibility of our being
juftified by Chrift, according to the
Terms of the Covenant of Graoe, taken
from the Grand Improbability both of
his Incarnation and Refurreftion, how
being God he ihould defcend from
Heaven, and become Man ; and how
being Man he fhould afcend out of the
Grave, and become a fit Mediator be-
tween God and Meii : And therefore
both thefe being done, tho' the Righte-
oufnefs of the Law be impoffible, yet
you need not defpair of aRighteoufnefs.
The Matter of your Juitification is al-
ready wrought out ; Chriil by his Incar-
nation hath fubjefted himfelf to all Obe-
dience both of the Precept and Penalty
of the Covenant of Works ; and by his
Refurreftion and Intercellion will take
care to fecure the Application of his Me-
rits and Rie;hteoufnefs unto vou.

Thefe

the Two Covenants. 127

Thefe two Objeftions being thus re-
moved, the Apoitle proceeds on in the
8th and 9th Verfestogive us the Sum and
Tenor of the Covenant of Grace. What
faith it ? The word is nigh thee, even in
thy mouthy and in thy heart. (ExprefR-
ons borrowed from Mofes concerning
the delivery of his Law, T)eut. 30.
ver. 12, 14. which the Apoftle applies
here to. the Gofpel of Chrift) and tells
us, That the Word of Faith which we
T reach is, that if thou jh alt confefs with
thy Month the Lord J ejus, and jfhalt be-
lieve with thy Heart that God raifed him
from the cDeady thou jh alt be faved. As
if the Apoitle iliould have faid, God re-
quires no impoffible thing for thy Salva-
tion ; he doth not bid thee pluck Chrift
from Heaven, and thruft him into a
Body : He doth not bid thee defcend
into the Bowels of the Earth, and there
refcue Chrift from the Power of the
Grave : Thefe are not within the com-
pafs of thy Ability; n r doth God re-
quire for thy Judication and Salvation
any thing that is impoffible to be done.
No ; but the word of Right eoufnefs which
we preach, that is, the manner of ob-
taining Righteoufnefs which we exhibit
in the Gofpel, is no other than w7hat lieth
in the Heart, and in the Mouth. Thou

needeft

128 The Doctrine of

needed not go up to Heaven to bring
Ghriit down from thence, nor down to
the Grave to raife him from the Dead ;
thefe thing* are already done, and thou
needeit go no farther than thy Heart
and thy Mouth for Salvation. God hath
placed the Conditions of it in them;
that // thou believejt on Chrifl in thy
Heart j and if thou confejfeft him with
thy Mouth <> thou (halt be faved. This
I fuppofe is the clear fcope and intent of
the Apoftle in thefe Verfes.
Yet here we mult take Notice,
Firft, That though the Apottle feem
here to make the believing thatChrift is
raifed from the Dead to be a true, faving
and Juftifying Faith, yet it muft not be
fo underftood as if only a Dogmatical
Belief of thisPropofition, ThatChrift is
ri fen from the 'Dead, were Faith fuffici-
ent to juftifie us ; but as it is common in
Holy Scripture, by mentioning one prin-
cipal Objeft of Faith to mean the whole
Extent of it , fo here, though only the
Refurre&ion of Chrifl be mentioned,
yet all his Merits and Righteoufnefs are
intended, which by vertue of his being
raifed from the Dead, may by Faith be
effe&ually applied unto the Soul. So
that, if thou believejt thatChrift is raifed
from the 'Dead, is no other than If thou

be-

the Two Covenants. 1 29

believeft onChrift who is raifed from the
Dead. And fo the Apoftle himfelf ex-
pounds it, Verfe 11. IVhofoever belie-
veth on him /ball not be ajhamed. For
faving Faith is not only a mere Aflent to
any Propofition concerning Chrift, whe-
ther it be his Deity, his Incarnation, his
Death, his Refurre&ion, or the like,
for fo the "Devils believe and tremble^
and many thoufand wicked Chriftians do
believe that God raifed JefusChrift from
the Dead, and all the other Articles of
their Creed ; but yet this Speculative
Faith being overborn by their impious
and unholy Pra&ices, will not at all avail
to their Juftification : But if thou fo be-
lieveft that Chrift is rifen from the Dead,
that this thy Faith hath an effectual In-
fluence to raife thee from the Death of
Sin to the. Life of Righteoufnefs, thou
flialt be faved.

Secondly ', What the Apoftle fpeaks here
of confelfing Chrift with our Mouths,
muft not be reftrained only to a verbal
Confeffion of him; but it comprehends
likewife our glorifying him by the whole
courfe of our profefled Obedience and
Subjeftion to him : So that in thefe two
is comprehended the whole Sum of
Chriftian Religion, Faith and Obedi-
ence, the inward Affeftions of the Heart,

K and

130 The Doctrine of

and the outward Aftions of the Life.
In brief, all that here the Apoftle fpeaks
falls into this, If thou wilt believe on the
Lord JefasChrifl, and if thou wilt Jin-
cerely obey him^ thou jhalt be faved\ and
this he gives as the Sum and Tenor of
the Righteoufnefs of Faith, and the Co-
venant of Grace.

Now here that we may aright con-
ceive of the Covenant of Grace from
the very firft Ground and Foundation of
it, I ihall lead you through thefe follow-
ing Politions.
< : Firfty God having in his Eternal De-

ftrdk^/cxee of permitting it, forefeen the Fall
ifttt- 0f Man, and thereby the breach and
k*" violation of the Covenant of Works,
gracioufly refolved not to proceed a-
gainit all Mankind according to the De-
merits of their Tranfgreflion, in the
Execution of that Death upon them
which the Covenant threatned; but to
propound another Covenant unto them
upon better terms, which whofoever
would perform , fhould obtain Life there-
by. Purpoling like wife, by his Grace
and Spirit fo effectually to work upon
the Hearts of fome, that they ihould cer-
tainly perform the Conditions of this fe-
cond Covenant, and thereby obtain e-
verlafting Life. God would have fome

of

the Two Covenants. 131

of all thofe Creatures whom he made
capable of enjoying him, to be brought
to that moil blefled and happy Fruition.
The Angels did not all fall, but multi-
tudes of them kept their firft Eftate and
Glory : And therefore (as fome think)
God never found out a means to recon-
cile thofe that fell. But all Mankind at
once finned, and fellfliort of the Glory
of God : And therefore left they fliould
all perifli, and a whole Species of ratio-
nal Creatures, who were made fit to be-
hold and enjoy him in Glory, fliould for
ever be cut off from his Prefence, and
the beatifick Vifion, he refolves that as
the Fall of all was by the Terms of one
Covenant, fo the Reftauration of fome
fliould b£ by and according to the
Terms of another. And thus, in re-
ference to this Eternal Purpofe, the
Apoftle calls it Eternal Life, which
was promifed before the World he-
gan, Tit. 1. 2. And alfo % Tim. 1. 9.
he fpeaks of the Purpofe and Grace of
God which was given in Chrift J ejus
before the World began. Now in this de-
fign of entring into another Covenant,
befides the reftoring of fallen Man, God.
the Father intended the glorifying of
himfelf and his Son Jefus Chrift.

K z I

The Do&rine of

I. He intended to glorify himfelf,
his manifold Wifdom, and unfearchea-
hleCounfel,in finding out a Means to re-
concile Juftice and Mercy; to punifh the
Sin, and yet to pardon the Sinner ; his
Righteouihefs in the remiffiori of Sins
through the Propitiation of Chrifl, Rom.
3. 15. God hath fet him forth to be a
propitiation through faith in his bloody
to declare his righteoufkefs for the re-
miffion of fins; and like wife his rich and
abundant Grace in giving his Son to die
for Rebels, to make him a Curfe, that
we might receive the Blefling, and to
make him Sin for us, that we might be
made the Righteoufnefs of God through
him.

II. By the Covenant of Grace the
Glory of Chrift Jefus was alfo de-
figned, God appointing him to be the
Mediator of this new Covenant, and
thereby giving a glorious Occafion to
demonftrate the Riches of his free Love
in fubjefting his Life to fuch a Death,
and his Glory to fuch a Shame ; and all
to purchafe fuch vile and worthlefs Crea-
tures as we are, and to redeem us from
eternal Woe and Mifery : To exalt like-
wife the Glory of his Almighty Power,
in fupporting the human Nature under
the vaft Load of the Wrath of God and

the

the Two Covenants. 133

the Curfe of the Law: The Glory of his
uncontroulable Sovereignty, in Volunta-
rily laying down his Life, and taking it up
again ; Of his compleat and all-fufficient
Sacrifice, in fully perfecting all thofe
who are San&ified ; Of his effeftual In-
tercelfion, in the Gifts and Graces of his
holy Spirit impetrated thereby. Thefe
may be fome of the Reafons why after
the Forefight of the Breach of the Co-
venant of Works, God purpofed from
all Eternity to eftablifh another and a bet-
ter Covenant with Mankind.

Secondly, Upon this purpofe of God
to abrogate the Covenant of Works, that
That fliould no longer be the (landing
Rule according to which he would pro-
ceed with all Mankind, there came in
the room and ftead thereof a twofold
Covenant.

1. A Covenant of Redemption.

x. A Covenant of Reconciliation.

The Covenant of Redemption was
everlafting from before all Time, made
only between God the Father and Jefus
Chrift.

The Covenant of Reconciliation was
Temporal, made between God and Men
through Chrilt, and took Place imme-
diately after the Fall ; of which the firft
Exhibition was, that Promife that the
• K 3 Seed

The DoBrine of

Seed of the Woman Jhould break the Ser-
pent's Head.

The covenant of Redemption, or of
the Mediatorihip, was made only be-
tween the Father and the Son, before
the Foundations of the World were laid.
And though it was entirely for Man's
infinite Benefit and Advantage, yet he
was taken into it as a Party. The Form
of this eternal Covenant we have at
large expreffed, I fat. 5*3. from the 5-th
Verfe to the end: When thoujhalt make
his Soul an offering for Sin, he Jhall fee
his Seedy he Jhall prolong his days, he
floallfeeofthe travail of his Soul and jhall
be fatisfad ; he Jhall divide the Spoil
with the ftrong, becaufe he hath poured
out his Soul unto ^Death, and by his Know-
ledge, i. e. by the Knowledge and Faith
of him, he Jhall juftifie many. All which
is fpoken of the Reward which God
would give unto Chrift, for his great
and arduous undertaking of the Redem-
ption of fallen Mankind.

Now from this Covenant of Redemp-
tion do flow,

Firfty Many of thofe Relations, where-
in God the Father and the Son do fland
mutually engaged each to other, which
are founded upon Chrift's undertaking

our

the Two Covenants. 135

our Redemption. As, from this eter-
nal Covenant it is that Chrift Jefus is re-
lated unto God as a Surety to a Credi-
tor; and therefore, Heb. 7.22. He is cal-
led The Surety of a better Teftament.
Hence likewife he bears the Relation of
an Advocate to a Judge, 1 John x. 1. We
have an Advocate with the Father.
Hence alfo arifeth the Relation of a
Servant to his Lord and Mailer, I/a.
42. 1. Behold my Servant whom I uphold.
And again, It is a light thing that thou
Jhouldfi be my Servant to raife up the
Tribes of Jacob only; I will give thee
for a light to the Gent iles9t hat thoumay]fl
be my Salvation to the ends of the Earthy
I fa. 49. 6. And fo again Chrift is called
God's Servant, The Branch. Zech, 3. 8.
Hence likewife it is, that although Chrift
confider'd effentially as God, be equal
in Glory and Dignity, yea the fame with
the Father, John 10. 30. I and my Far
ther are one ; yet becaufe he entred into
this Covenant of Redemption, engaging
himfelf to be a Mediator, and his Fa-
ther's Servant, in accomplifliing the Sal-
vation of his Fleft, therefore he may be
faid to be inferior to the Father. In
which Senfe, he himfelf tells us, John
24. 28. My father is greater than I. It
is no Contradiction for Chrift to be equal

K 4 with

136 The DoBrine of

with God, and yet inferior to the Fa-
ther. Confider him personally, as the
eternal Son of God, and the fecond
Hypoftafis in the ever-bleffed Trinity,
fo He thought it no robbery to be equal
with God, Phil 2. 6. Confider him fe-
derally, as bound by this Covenant of
Redemption to ferve God, by bringing
many Sons to glory 9 fo he thought it no
Debafement to be inferior unto God.
And therefore whatsoever you meet with
in Scripture implying any Inequality and
Difpropotion between God the Father
and his Son Jefus Chrift, it muft ftill be
underflood with Reference to this Co-
venant of Redemption. For effentially
they are one and the fame God, perfo-
aally they differ in Order and Original;
but immediately they differ in Authori-
ty and Subjeftion, and all the Oecono-
my of Man's Salvation, defign'd by the
one, and accomplifli'd by the other.

Secondly, From this Covenant of Re-
demption flows the mutual Stipulation
or Agreement between the Father and
the Son, upon Terms and Conditions
concerning Man's Salvation, or rather
indeed it formally confifts in it. Chrift
was originally free, and no way obliged
to undertake this great and hard Service
of reconciling God and Man together.

Ha

the Two Covenants. 137

He well knew what it would coll him
to perform it, all the Contempt and Re-
proach, the Agonies and Conflift, the
bitter Pains and cruel Tormentss he
muftfufferto accomplifli it. And though
the Deity was fecure in its own Impaf-
fibility, yet he knew the ftrid: Union
between his Human Nature and Divine,
would by a Communication of Proper-
ties, make it the Humiliation and A-
bafement of Go:!, the Sufferings, and
the Blood of God. And therefore God
the Father makes Chriil many Promifes,
that if he would undertake this Work
he ihould fee his Seed) prolong his Day s>
and the pleafiire of the Lord jhould pro-
/per in his Hand ; as in the forecited
lfai, 5*3. Yea, that all Principality and
liominiQn, both in Heaven and Karth,
fhall be configned over unto him, and
that he fliall be the Head, King and Go-
vernor both of his Church, and of the
whole World. And therefore when he
had fulfilled and accomplifh'd this great
Work, he tells his Difciples, Mat. 28.
18. All power is given me both in Hea-
ven and Earth; and Fph. 1. zo, 2T, 22.
the Father fet Chriil at his own Right
Hand, far above principality ', power-,
mighty and dominion y and every name
that is named) not only in this world, but

in

I3g 'The Dofirine of

in the world that is to come ; and hath
put all things under his feet ', and hath gi-
ven him to be Head over all things to the
Church. Now upon thefe Articles and
Conditions Chrift accepts the Work,
refolves to take upon him the Form of
a Servant, to be made under the Autho-
rity of the Law, and to bear the Curfe
of it, and the whole load of his Father's
Wrath due unto Sin and Sinners. He
Jhall bear their iniquities ; therefore will
I divide him a portion with the great,
and he Jhall divide the Jpoil with the
Jlrong, becaufe he hath poured out his
foul unto death, Ifa. 5*3. 11, iz. And
thus the Covenant of Redemption is
from all Eternity agreed and perfefted
between the Father and Jefus Chi ill.

Thirdly, This Undertaking and A-
greement of Chrift in Eternity was as
valid and effeftual for the. procuring all
the good things of the Covenant of
Grace, and the making them over unto
Believers, as his aftual performing the
Terms afterwards in the fulnefs of time,
Upon this lyes the Strefs of our affirm-
ing the Covenant of Grace to be exhi-
bited before Chriit's coming into the
World: For had notChrift's undertak-
ing been as effectual as his aftual fulfil-
ling, this Covenant of Grace could have

beeq

the Two Covenants. 139

been of no Force 'till his coming in the
Flefh, and his dying upon the Crofs.
And therefore he was the Mediator of
the New Covenant to the Jewifh Belie-
vers under the Adminiftration of the
Law, to the Patriarchs before the Pro-
mulgation of the Law, yea to Adam
himfelf inftantly upon his Fall Becaufe
the Covenant of Redemption that he
had enter'd into with his Father, gave
him prefent Right and Title to enter
upon his Office, and to aft as Mediator
upon the account of his future Suffe-
rings. As a Man that purchafeth an In-<
heritance may prefentty enter upon the
PofTeffion, tho' the Day for the Payment
of the Price be not yet come; fo Chrift
upon the Contrafl: and Bargain made
with the Father, of purchafmg the
whole World to himfelf at the Price of
his Death and Blood, entered prefently
upon his Purchafe, tho' the Day fet for
the Payment of the Price was fome
thoufand Years after. And thus Chrift
is call'd a lamb fain from the foundation
of the worlds Rev. 13.8. Though fome
indeed would refer thefe Words, from
the foundation of the worlds to the wri-
ting of the Names, and not to the Hay-
ing of the Lamb, making theSenfe thus,
Whofe names were not written from the

fouu-

140 The 'Dotirinc of

foundation of the world, in the book of
life of the Lamb flain : And for this In-
terpretation they alledge Rev. 17. 8.
Yet certainly this flaying of the Lamb
from the Foundation of the World,
may well be underflood concerning the
Death of Chrift, either typically repre-
fented in thofe Sacrifices of Lambs which
Abel offer'd in the beginning of the
World, or elfe decreed in God's Pur-
pofe from all Eternity, and thereupon
valid to procure Redemption for Belie-
vers in all Ages, even before his aftual
fuffering of it.

Thefe things I premife, that in them
you might fee upon what Bottom ftands
the whole Tranfaftion between God
and Man, in entring into a Covenant
of Grace. That Man is at all reftored,
can be founded upon nothing but God's
abfolute Purpofe of having Mercy on
whom he will have Mercy. That this
reftoring them to Grace and Favour,
and confequently to eternal Life, fhould
be by a Covenant of Grace fealed and
confirmed in the Blood of Chrift, is
founded only on the eternal Covenant
of Redemption made between the Fa-
ther and the Son; the Covenant of Re-
conciliation is built upon the Covenant
of Redemption ; the Covenant between

God

the Two Covenants. 141

God and Man, on the Covenant be-
tween God and Chrifl.

Now here poffibly fome, inftead of
glorifying the infinite Wifdom of God
in thus laying the Model and Platform
of our Salvation, may be apt to cavil a-
gainft the tedioufnefs of the Proceeding.
For might not God by one Aft of Sove-
reign Mercy have pardoned our Sins,
and remitted the Punifhment, though
Chriil had never dy'd to fatisfie Juftice ?
Might he not have accepted the Sinner
to Favour and Salvation, though Chrift
had never been fent to work out a per-
feft Righteoufnefs for him? What need-
ed then this long and troublefome Me-
thod of defigning him from Eternity to
be a Mediator ; of appointing -his own
Son to fo bafe an Humiliation, and fo
curfed a Death ; fince that all that is now
purchafed for us at fo mighty a rate,
might have been conferr'd upon us by a
free and abfolute Aft of Mercy. Thus
poffibly the Thoughts of Men may
work.

But to this I anfwer, Firjf, Itisfawcy
and unwarrantable Prefumption for us
to difpute whether God could have faved
us otherwife, fince it is infinite Love
and Mercy that he will vouchfafe to
fave us any way. And if fo be it were

not

142 The Doffrine of

not fimply neceflary that Chrift fliould
Die to bring us to Glory, this fliould
the rather engage us to admire and a-
dore the Supererogation of the Divine
Love, which defigned him primarily a
Gift to Men, as well as a Sacrifice to
God; and lent him into che World, not
fo much upon the neceffity of fatisfying
Juftice, as of demonftrating infinite Love
and Mercy, John 3. 16.

Secondly, Whether God might accord-
ing to his abfolutePleafurehave favedus
without the Satisfaction of Chrift, is not
neceflary for us to know, fmce it is
clearly revealed in Scripture, that this
is the way that God defigned from all
Eternity, and by which in the fulnefs
of time he accomplifli'd our Salvation.
Who can peremptorily determine what
God might, or might not do, in this
Particular ? Can we fet Limits to his
Power, or bound his Prerogative? It
fliould fatisfie our Enquiries, that this
way of Salvation is attainable, and that
God is refolved to fave us no other way
than this. There is no other Name un-
der Heaven given among Men whereby
we muft be favedy Afts 4. n.

Thirdly, Yet if any be flirt her inqui-
fitive, only out of an awful Reverence
to fearch out the wonderful Myllery of

his

the Two Covenants. 143

his Redemption, I aflfert that it is moft
probable God might, according to his
abiolute Power and good Pleafure have
faved fallen Mankind, though Chrift
had never been appointed to the Work
of Redemption, nor any Covenant of
Grace been made with us in him. Nor
doth this Pofition hold any Correfpon-
dence with Socinianifm ; fince we abso-
lutely maintain that it is God's revealed
Will and Purpofe to fave none but tho-
rough the Satisfaftion of Chrift. If it
be laid that no other way could be con-
fident with God's Jultice ; and that there-
fore the Apoftle tells us, Rom, 3. 16.
that Chrift was fet forth as a Propitia-
tion to declare the Righteoufnefs of God,
that he might be juft, and the Juftifier
of thofe that believe : And how could
God be juft if hefhould pardon Sin with-
out a Satisfa&ion, and by whom fliould
this Satisfaftion be made but by Chrift
the Mediator ? To this I anfwer, that
the Juftice of God may be confidered,

I. In its abfolute Nature, as an infinite
Attribute and Perfection of the Divine
Efience.

II. As to the external Expreflions of
it in punitive A &s> taking Vengeance on
Offenders. If we take the Juftice of God
in the former refpeft, fo it is eflfential

to

j 44 The [Do&nne of

to him> yea the fame with him, and it
is as blafphemous a Contradiction to fay
that God can be, and yet not be Juft,
as to fay that he may be, and yet not be
Holy, Wife, Almighty, ©r. 'But if we
take the Juftice of God for the external
Expreffions of it in a vindicative way
upon Offenders, I can fee no Contra-
diction nor Abfurdity in affirming that
God might, if he had fo pleafed, par-
doned Sinners without any Satisfa&ion.
If he punifli without pardoning, he is
juft ; and if he fliould have pardoned
without punifhing, ftill he had been juft.
God created this World to declare his
Power, Wifdom, and Goodnefs ; yet
ftill he had been eflentially Almighty,
Wife, and Good, if he had never ex-
prefs'd thefe Attributes in any effe&s of
them. So God puniflieth Sin to declare
and glorifie his Juftice, yet he would
have been as eflentially juft, had he re-
mitted it without exa&ing any Punifli-
ment. And why fliould it be unjuft
with God to acquit a guilty Perfon with-
out Punifliment, feeing it is not unjuft
with him to aflign an innocent Perfon,
his own Son, to bear the Punifliment of
the Guilty ? Certainly there was no more
natural Neceflity antecedent to the free
determination of his own Will, to pu-
nifli

the Two Covenants. 14.$

nifli another, that he might fliew Mercy
unto us, than there was to fliew Mercy
to another, only with a defign to punifh
us. And therefore there was no more
need that God fliould punilh Chrift, that
he might pardon us, than there was that
he fhould pardon Chrift all the Sins im-
puted to him, that he might juftly pu-
nifh us. For, if punitive Juftice be na-
tural to God, fo alfo is pardoning Mer-
cy. Yet I fuppofe none will deny, that
God might, without wrong to his Nature,
have damned all Men for Sin, without
affording Pardon to any of them. And
there can be noReafon imagined why it
fhould be more natural to God to pu-
nifhj than to pardon, unlefs we would
make him, as the Marcionites and Maui-
chees of old did, a favus, & immitis
cDeus. Sin doth indeed naturally and
neceflarily deferve Punifhment, but it
doth not therefore follow that God muft
by the neceffity of his Nature punifh it;
for then it would be as neceflary for him
to pardon, becaufe the Sinner deferves
it not ; becaufe a Sinner deferving Pu-
nifhment is as much the Objeft of Mer-
cy, as of Juftice ; both being equally
eifential Attributes of the Divine Na-
ture. The truth is, that though all the
Divine Perfections be natural and necef-

L ftry

146 The Doftrine of

fary to God, yet his Will governs the
external Expreffions of them. Omni-
potency, Wifdom, Juftice, and Mercy,
are in God naturally, and not fubjeft to
the determination of his Will; fo that it
is not from his Will that he is Almighty,
nor All- Wife, nor Holy and Righteous,
but from his Nature. But the outward
Expreffions of thefe are Arbitrary, and
fubjeft to his Will. Omnipotence is na-
tural and eflential unto God ; yet it is
his Will that applies his Power to fuch
and fuch Effects. So likewife, though
it be natural and necefTary that God be
Juft, yet the particular Expreffion and
Manifeftation of his Juftice in a vindica-
tive manner, is not neceflary, but fub-
jeft to the free Determination of his Will.
As God will have Mercy on whom he
will have Mercy, and whom he will he
hardens ; fo he will have Vengeance on
whom he will have Vengeance, and
whom he will he might have pardoned,
and that merely by the Prerogative of
his Will.

And if it be faid, that God being an
holy God, muft neceflarily hate Sin, and
therefore punifli it; Ianfwer, that though
God's Holinefs doth neceffarily infer his
utmoft hatred of Sin, yet that hatred of
Sin doth not neceflarily infer his punifh-

ing

the Two Covenants. 147

ing of Sinners. For it muft be acknow-
ledged that God may hate Sin, odiofim-
plici, &non redundant i in perfonam, i. e.
with a fimple Abhorrency and Deteftati-
on of it, yet not with any ireful Eflfefts
flowing from it upon the Sinner. 'Tis
indeed absolutely neceffary that Sinners
Ihould deferve Punifliment; this flows
not from the Will and Conftitution of
God, but from the Nature of the thing
it felf. But that they be a&ually pu-
nifh'd according to their deferts, de-
pends wholly upon the determination
of the Divine Will. That's the third
Pofition.

Fourthly, Whether this way of Salva-
tion byChrift were fimply $nd absolute-
ly neceflary, or no, yet certain it is,
that no other way could be fo fuited to
the Advancement of God's Glory as this ;
and therefore it was moft congruous,
and morally necefTary , that our Salvati-
on fliould be wrought out by his Suffer-
ings and Satisfaction. For,

I. This is the moil decent and be-
coming way that God could take to re-
concile Sinners untohimfelf. So the Apo-
ftle fays exprefly, Heb. 2. 10. For it h
came him for whom are all things , and by
whom are all things, in bringing many
Sons to glory ■, to make the captain of their

L 2 falva-

148 The ^oSirine of

falvation perfeEl thorough fufferings. It
would not become the great Majefty- of
Heaven and Earth, whofe Sovereign
Authority was fo heinoufly violated by
fuch a vile and bafe Creature as Man is,
to receive him into his Love and Favour
without fome Repair made unto his Ho-
nour. And if there mufl intervene a
Satisfa&ion, there is none could make
it but only Jefus Chrift.

II. No other way could fo jointly glo-
rifie both the Mercy and the Juftice of
God, as this of bringing Men to Salva-
tion by Chrift. If God had abfolutely
remitted Punifhment, and accepted the
Sinner to Life by his mere good plea-
fure, this ipdeed had been a glorious
declaration of his Mercy, but Juftice had
lain obfcured. If God had made a tem-
porary PunUliment ferve for an expiati-
on of Sin, here indeed both Juftice and
Mercy had been glorified ; Juftice in
punifhing, Mercy in relaxing the Eter-
nity of the Punifhment : But neither the
one nor the other had been glorified to
the utmoft extent of them. But in this
Redemption by Chrift, Juftice hath its
full glory, in that God takes Vengeance
on the Sin to the very uttermoft : And
yet Mercy is likewife glorifyed to the
full ; for the Sinner is, without his own

Suffer-

the Two Covenants. 14.9

Sufferings, pardoned, accepted, and fa-
ved. Now that none but Chrift could
do this is evident, becaufe no mere Crea -
ture could bear an infinite Punifliment
fo as to eluftate and finifli it ; and no fi-
nite Punifliment could fatisfie an infinite
Juftice. He muft be a Man that fatisfies,
elfe Satisfaction would not be made in
the fame Nature that finned : He muft
be God likewife ; elfe human Nature
could not be fupported from finking un-
der the infinite load of Divine Wrath.
And unlefs we would have either the
Father or the Holy Ghoft to become '
incarnate, this work of Man's Redemp-
tion muft reft on Chrift. And indeed
who fo fit to become a Mediator be-
tween God and Man, as the middle Per-
fon in 'the' Godhead ? Thus then we fee
how expedient and fit it is that our Re-
demption . fliould be accomplifli'd by
Chrift Jefus ; and therefore becaufe the
Divine Wifdom takes that way which is
moft expedient, it is in a moral Senfe
neceffary that it fliould be by him brought
to pafs, though fimply and abfolutely
God might have laid another defign for
our Salvation. 'Potuit aliter fieri de po-
tent id medici) fed non potuit commodiiis
aut dofiius prtfparari tit ejfet medicina
segroti. Auguft.Serm. 3. de annunt.Dom.

L 3 And

1 50 The Doclrine of

And this certainly may commend the
infinite Love of God unto us, fince he
would not go the thriftielt way in ac-
complifhing our Salvation. Although it
were not limply neceflary, yet if it be
more conducible to make the Mercy of
our Redemption glorious, the Son of
God mufl become the Son of Man, and
the Son of Man a Man of Sorrows. He
gives his natural Son to gain adopted
ones; he puniiheth a righteous Perfon
that he might pardon the guilty. God
fpares nothing, he faves nothing, that
"he might fpare and fave fallen Man in a
way molt adapted to glorifie both the
Severity of his Juftice, and the Riches
of his Grace and Mercy.

I lhall not any longer detain you with
preliminary Truths ; you fee upon what
the Covenant of Grace is grounded, viz.
the Covenant of Redemption; and how-
far forth it was neceflTary that Jefus
Chrift fliould be our Redeemer, and
the Mediator of this Covenant of Re-
V^conciliation.

To come now more immediately to
the Subject intended, we mufl know that
the Covenant of Grace made by God,
with Man, is two-fold.

Firji, There is the abfolute Covenant
of Grace.

Secondly^

the T<m Covenants. 151

Secondly, The Conditional.

Indeed if we lay ftrefs upon the words
(as fome do) there can be no fuch thing
as an abfolute Covenant ; beeaufe every
Covenant fuppofeth Conditions and a
mutual Stipulation: But yet we may be
well contented with the Impropriety of
the word, fo long as we ufe Scripture
Language. Frequent mention is made
of this abfolute Covenant, as Jer. 32.
from 38, to the 41ft Verfe. Ezek. 11.
17, 1 8. but moft fully and clearly, Jer. 31.
33, 34. This jhall be the Covenant that
I will make with the houfe of Ifrael af-
ter thofe days, faith the Lord ; / will
put my haw in their inward parts,
and write it in their hearts, and will
be their God, and they jhall be my people.
Which the Apoftle quotes and tran-
fcribes, Heb. 8. 10. It is not this abfo-
lute Covenant, orPromife, call it which
you will, that I intend to infill on, and
therefore Ifhall only give you fome brief
Remarks concerning it, and fo proceed
to treat of the conditional Covenant.

Firft, That this abfolute Covenant is
made only to thofe whom God foreknew
according to his eternal Purpofe : But
the conditional Covenant is made with
the World. God hath promifed a

L 4 nev/

152 T^he fyotlrine of

new Heart only to fome, but he promifeth
Life and Salvation to all the World, if
they convert and 'believe. And hence
it follows that the abfolute Covenant is
fulfilled to all, with whom it is made;
but the moil part of Mankind fall fhort
of obtaining the Benefits of the con-
ditional Covenant, becaufe they wil-
fully fall fhort of performing the Condi-
tions.

Secondly, The abfolute Covenant of
Grace is fo called, becaufe the Mercies
promifed in it are not limited, nor
aftrifted to Conditions. For though in
the ordinary method of God's fanftify-
ing Grace, afedulous and confciencious
ufe of the Means is neceflary to our
Converfion, and the making a new Heart
and Spirit in us, yet thefe Means are not
Conditions, becaufe God hath not limit-
ed himfelf thereto. 'Tis certain and
infallible, that no Man fhall ever attain
Salvation without Faith, Repentance,
and Obedience ; but no Man can fay it
is impoffible that any fhould attain a
new Heart, Faith, and Converfion with-
. out Preparations and previous Difpofi-
tions.

Thirdly, Faith is the very Mercy it
felf promifed in the abfolute Covenant ;

but

the Two Covenants. 153

but it is only a Condition for obtaining
the Mercy promifed in the conditional
Covenant. In this God promifeth Sal-
vation to all Men, if they will believe ;
in the other he promifeth Grace to his
Eleft, to enable them to believe. All
the Benefits of the conditional Cove-
nant we receive by our Faith, but our
Faith it felf we receive by virtue of the
abfolute Covenant : And therefore it
follows by neceffaryConfequence, that
though no Man can plead thePromife of
the abfolute Covenant for the obtaining
the Gift of the firil Grace, yet likewife
no Man can receive Comfort by the
conditional Covenant, 'till he be allured
that the Promife of the abfolute be per-
formed to him.

In brief, the abfolute Covenant pro-
mifeth the firft Grace of Converfion to
God ; the conditional promifeth Life, if
we be converted : The conditional pro-,
mifeth Life, if we believe; the ab-
folute promifeth Faith, whereby we may
believe to the faving of our Souls. And
therefore it is called an abfolute Cove-
nant, becaufe the firft Grace of Conver-
fion unto God 'cannon be given upon
condicions. It is indeed commonly
wrought in Men by the right ufe of
Means, as hearing the Word, Medita-
tion,

154 The Do&rinc of

tion, Prayer, &c. but thefe Means are
not C nditions of Grace, becaufe we
have found that in fome Inftan:es God
harh not limited himfelf to them. And
indeed, what is there that can in rea-
fon be fuppofed as a condition of God's
bellowing the gift of the firft Grace up-
on us ? Either it muft be fome aft of
Grace, or "of mere Nature. Not of
Grace, for then the firft Grace would
be already given : Nor of Nature, for
then Grace would be given according
to Works, which is the Sum and Up-
Ihot of Pelagianijm. Whence it follows,
that the abfolute Covenant of giving
Grace, and a new Heart, is made only
to thofe who fiiall be faved ; but the
conditional Covenant of giving Salva-
tion upon Faith and Obedience, is made
with all the World, and we may and
ought to propound it to every Crea-
ture, If thou wilt believe, thou /halt be
faved.

It is not the abfolute, but the condi-
tional Covenant that the Apoftle fpeaks
of in theText. For Life and Salvation
are here promifed upon the Terms and
Conditions of believing on Chrift with
the Heart, and confeflmg him with the
Mouth; that is, of Faith and Obedience,
as hath before been explained : And

there-

the Two Covenants. j<*

therefore it is called the conditional Co-
venant, becaufe thefe Conditions muft
be firft fulfilled on our part, before any
Engagement can lye upon God to give
us the Salvation promifed. Here ob-
ferve,

Firft, That the Salvation which the
Text mentions, when it faith, If thou be-
lieveft in thine Heart, and confejfeft with
thy Mouth, thou (halt be faved, compre-
hends in it all the Benefits of the Cove-
nant of Grace : Not only Glorification,
which it doth mod fignally denote, but
alfo Pardon, Juftification, Reconciliati-
on, and Adoption ; all which are called
Salvation, becaufe they all tend there-
unto, and terminate in it.

Secondly, Though Conditions are re-
quired on our part, yet the Mercies of
the Covenant are promifed to us out of
mere free Grace. For therefore, faith
the Apoftle, is Juftification and Salva-
tion of Faith, that it might be of Grace 9
Rom. 4. 16. For God's Grace and free
Mercy in enabling us to believe and o-
bey, and thereupon laving us, is altoge-
ther as glorious as if he fliould fave us
without requiring Faith and Obedience
from us at all.

Thirdly, Though Fait!* and Obedience
are the Conditions which Goi requires

for

156 The TtoSirme of

for the obtaining of Salvation, yet thefe
Conditions are themfelves as much
the free gift of God, as the Salvation
promifed upon them : By whom they
are required, by the fame God they are
efFeftually wrought in the Hearts of all
thofe who fliall be faved. And there-
fore, as^there is no abfolute Covenant
properly fo called, fo neither in ftrift-
nefs of Speech is there any conditional
Covenant between God and Man; be-
caufe a Condition to which a Promife is
annexM muft in Propriety be fomewhat
of our own, and within our own Power,
otherwife the Promife is but equivalent
to an abfolute Denial. But now the Con-
ditions of the Covenant of Grace are not
fimply in our Power to work them in
our felves; but to thofe who fliall be
Heirs of Salvation they are made poffi-
ble by Grace. To the relt they were
once poffible, which Power they have
loft, nor is God bound to repair it.

If it be faid, True, it is impoffiblefor
us to believe unlefs God enable us ; yet
this doth not prove that it is not in our
own power to believe. For without the
Affiftance of God, and his Influence, we
cannot think, i\or fpeak, nor move. In
him, faith the Apoftle, we live, and
move, and have our Being : Yet who is

fo

the Two Covenants. 157

fo unreafonable as to fay, that becaufe
thefe are God's Gifts therefore we do
not perform them by our own Power?
So likewife, though Faith be the gift of
God, yet it may alfo be in the power of
Nature. This is the Refuge of fome,
to which they retire when they are for-
ced by Scripture Evidence to acknow-
ledge that Faith is the gift of God ; as
if a common providencial Influence were
alike fufficient to enable Men to believe,
and to perform any ordinary and natural
A6Hon.

To this therefore I anfwer, That fome
Actions depend only upon the Concur-
rence of common Providence, others
upon the Influence of fpecial Grace.
And this I apprehend to be the true diffe-
rence between thefe two, that the for-
mer are wrought in us by God without
the relu&ance and oppofition of our na-
tural Faculties ; but the latter againftthe
bent and byafs of our Natures, which are
now corrupted by the Fall. And there-
fore we may affirm that the Obedience
which Adam perform'd during his con-
tinuance in the State of Innocence, was
but a common Work wrought in him
by God's common Influence : But our
Faith, and the fame Obedience in us,

though

I c 8 *The DoSlrine of

though it be far more imperfecl, is from
fpecial Grace ; becauie in him it was
wrought fuitably to the tendency of his
Nature, but in us contrary to all its Ap-
petites and Inclinations, which in this
lapfed State of Mankind are wholly evil
and corrupt. And thus much the Apo-
ftle intimates unto us concerning Faith,
Efih. i. 19? 2,0. That ye might know what
is the exceeding greatnefs of his Tower
towards us who believe ', according to the
working of his mighty Tower which he
wrought in Chrift when he raifed him
from the dead. Therefore was the Power
which God declared in raifing Chrift
from the dead, an extraordinary and
fpecial Power, becaufe it was contrary
to the courfe of Nature, and far above
the Ability of any created Agent to ef-
fect ; and fuch, faith he, is the Power
that worketh Faith in us. And fo again,
Colojf. z. iz. Te are rifen with Chrift
through the faith of the operation of God,
who hath raifed him from the dead. By
the Faith of the Operation of God, we
may rather underftand theFaith of God's
Operation, that is, which he worketh
and implanteth in us, than our Faith in
God's Operation of raifing Chrift from
the Dead. So that thefcope of the place

is

the Two Covenants. l$9

h plainly this, As Chrift is raifed, fo are
we raifed with him by Faith ; which
Faith is wrought in us by the fame Al-
mighty Operation that raifed him from
the Grave, and therefore wrought in us
by the fupernatural Efficacy of Divine
Grace. Hence all thofe places which
mention Faith to be the gift of God,
niuft be underftood not as a gift of courfe
and common Influence, but of extraor-
dinary Power and fpecial Influence. So
'Phil, i. 19. To you it is given not only to
believe, but alfo to fujfer. Where, tho*
it may feem that to fuffer for the Name
of Chrift denotes not any fpecial Work
of God ; yet to fuffer from a right Prin-
ciple, and to a right End, to fuffer with
a calm Submiflion and a conquering Pa-
tience, is not lefs a Gift and a fpecial
Privilege beftowed upon us by the fpe-
cial and fupernatural Grace of God,
than we affert Faith it felf to be. So
2, 3P et. 1 . 1 and 3 . To them who have ob-
tained like precious faith with us through

the right eoufnefs of God according as

his divine power hath given unto us all
things that pertain to life and godlinefs.
I omit Eph, z. 8. Te are faved by faith*
and that not of your Jelves9 it is the gift
of God; becaufe, though this place be
commonly produced to prove that Faith

is

1 60 The Do&rine of

is God's Gift, yet I fuppofe that the
word (Gift) refers rather to Salvation,
than to Faith: For fo it muft needs be
according to Grammatical Conftru&ion,

yE^fc otaooo ■/ufl/jQi (fid r Tsngioo^ iy t£to 0fcS

Stf^v; elfe it would not be tStc, but
uvta. So that the Words do of neceffi-
ty carry it, that this Expreffion, not of
our /elves, it is the gift of God, muft
be underftood that the Salvation which
we obtain by Faith is not of our felves,
but God's free Gift. And thus you fee
that it is very well confident for Faith
and Obedience to be Conditions on our
part, and Gifts on God's.
y Thefe things being premifed, that
which I lhall now purfue is to open
to you, what Concurrence Faith and
Obedience have into our Juftification
and Salvation. Which certainly is as
difficult a Point to explain, as it is ne-
ceflary to be underftood. And in or-
der to this I lhall enquire into the Na-
ture,

I. Of Juftification it felf, what it is,
and fignifies.

II. Of juftifying and faving Faith.

III. Of that Obedience which the
Covenant of Grace requires from Be-
lievers as neceftary to Salvation. And,

lY.'Laft*

the Two Covenants. 16I

IV. Lajily, Lay down fome Pofitions
in anfwer to the Queftiom And this I
ftiall do with all the Brevity and Perfpi-
cuity that the Subjeft will permit. y

Judication therefore, in the molt ge- Saftip
neral and comprehenfive Notion of it, "^X,*
fignifies the making of a Man jult and / "'
righteous. And this may be done two
ways.

fir/?, By making a real Change in a
Man's Nature, through the infufion of
the inherent Qualities of Holinefs and
Righteoufnefs.

Secondly ', By making a relative Change
in his State in refpefl: of the Sentence
of the Law : That is, when the Law
acquits and abfolves a Man fromPunifli-
ment, whether he hath committed the
Faft, or not. The former may be ter-
med a Phyfical Juftification ; the latter a
Legal. The former Juftification is op~
pofed to Unholinefs ; the latter to Con-
demnation: The one properly removes
the Filth; the other the Guilt of Sin.
Now when we fpeak of the Juftification
of a Sinner before God,' it muft ftill be
underftood of Juftification in this latter
Senfe, viz. as it fignifies a judicial Ab-
folution of a Sinner from Guilt and Pu-
nifliment according to a legal Procefs,
either at the Bar of God, or of Con-

M fcience.

1 62 The DoBrine of

fcience. And herein lyes the great Er-
ror of the Papifis in the Do&rine of Ju-
ftification, that they will not underftand
it as a Law Phrafe, and a relative Tranf-
aftion in the Difcharge of a Sinner ; but
{till take it for a real change of a Man's
Nature, by implanting in him inherent
Principles of Holinefs. We grant In-
deed, that in order of Nature Sanftifi-
cation is before Juftification ; for we are
juftified by Faith, which Faith is one
great part of our Sanftification : But in
refpect of Time, Sanftification and Ju-
ftification are together ; for in the very
fame Inftant that we believe we are ju-
ftified. Yet Juftification is not the ma-
king a Man's Perfon inherently juft, or
holy ; if it were, certainly the wife Man
would not have faid, Trov. 17. i?. He
that juflifieth the wicked^ and- he that
condemneih the juft !, even they both are
an abomination to the Lord. That Man
certainly would not be an Abomination
to the Lord, who fhould be ferviceable
to the implanting habitual Holinefs in
another ; fince 'Daniel tells us, Ch. 12.
ver. 3. They that turn many to right eou fi-
ne fs Jhall fhine as the ftars for ever and
ever. Many Differences might be af-
figned between thefe two Justifications,
but the chief are thefe, That Man is

the

the Two Covenants. 163

the Subjeft of the one, becaufe Holtnefs
is wrought in him ; but he is the Objedrt
of the other, for the judicial Sentence of
Abfolution is an Atl in God terminated
upon the Creature: The one is by inhe-
rent Grace, the other by imputed Righ-
teoufnefs : The one is gradual, the other
compleat at once : In brief, they differ
as much as fanftifying our Nature differs
from acquitting and abfolving our Per-
fons.

This Juftification doth always prefup-
pofe *x Righteoufnefs in the Perfon ju-
flified : For God doth not make a Man
inwardly righteous becaufe he juftifies
him, but therefore he juftifies him, be-
caufe he is righteous. The Righteouf-
nefs therefore that a Man muft have be-
fore he can be juftified, is either,

I. A Righteoufnefs of Innocency,
whereby he may plead the Non-tranf-
greffion of the Law, and that it was ne-
ver violated by him. Or,

II. A Righteoufnefs of Satisfaction ;
whereby he may plead, that though the
Command weretranfgrefs'd, yet the Pe-
nalty is born, and the Law anfwer'd.
Thefe two refpefl: the avoiding the Pu-
nifhment threatned. Or,

HI. A Righteoufnefs of Obedience,
which he may plead for the obtaining

M % the

1 64 The cDoBrinc of

the good tilings promifed ; and this re~
fpe&s the Reward propounded. Now
accordingly as any can produce any of
thefe RighteoufneiTes, fo (hall he be ju-
ftified. Innocency cannot be pleaded ;
for all have finned^ and come jhort of
the glory of God: Neither can we pro-
duce a perfonal Satisfa&ion, nor a per-
gonal Obedience wrought out by our
felves : And therefore our Juitification
is either utterly impoffible for want of a
Righteoufnefs, or elfe we muft be jufti-
fied by the Righteoufnefs 6f another
imputed unto us.

Chrift therefore, as our Surety* hath
wrought out for us,

i. A Righteoufnefs of Satisfa&ion,
which in the eye and account of the
Law is equivalent- to Innocency. And
by this we are freed from the Penalty
threatned againft our Difobedience.
. z: A Righteoufnefs of Obedience*
whereby we may lay claim to the Re-
ward of eternal Life.. I am now the
briefer in thefe things, becaufe I have
before opened them at large. *We there-
fore having this twofold Righteoufnefs
given to juiiifie us, our Juftification muft
accordingly confiit of two Parts.

fir/?, The Pardon and Remiffion of
our Sins.

Second^

the Two Covenants. 165

Secondly f, Our Acceptation unto eter. .
nal Life.

Firjlj Our Juftification confifts in the
Pardon of Sin : And this flows ft* om the
Righteoufnefs of Chrifl's Satisfaction
imputed to us. For Guilt is nothing
elfe but our Obligation to Punifhment;
and therefore Pardon being the Remo-
val of Guilt, it muft needs remove our
Obligation to Punifhment. But no Man
can be juftly obliged to that Punifhment,
which he hath already fatisfaetorily un-
dergone. And therefore Chrift having
fatisfaftorily undergone the whole Pu-
nifhment that was -du@1:o us, and God
gracioufly accounting his Satisfaftion as
ours, it follows that we lye under no
Obligation to Punifhment, and are
therefore by the Righteoufnefs of Chrift 's
Satisfaction pardoned and juftified, ran-
fomed and delivered from bearing the
Penalty of the Law. 'Tis true, a Par-
don, and full Satisfaction, are in them-
felves &(j6<?<ifa and inconfiftent. If a Man
receive Satisfaction for an Injury done
unto him, he cannot be faid to pardon
and remit it : How then can God be
faid to pardon Sin, firuce his Juttice is
fully Satisfied by Chrift ? I anfwer, thofe
very Sins which God doth pardon to the
juftified, thofe he did not pardon to
I M 3 Chrift,

166 The "Doctrine of

Chrift, when they were made his by Im-
putation : For his Juftice feized on him,
demanded, and received the utmoft
Farthing of all the Debts he was Surety
for. And therefore Pardon of. Sin is
indeed inconfiftent with Perfonal Satis-
faction, but not with the Satisfaction of
another imputed to us. If God had fa-
tisfy'd his Juftice on us for our Sins, then
he could not have pardoned them. But
to fatisfie his Juftice on another for our
Sins, was at once to take Punifhment,
and vouchfafe Pardon; to puniih our
Surety and to pardon us: That's there-
fore the fir ft Part of our Juftification, viz.
Pardon of Sin.

Secondly, In Juftification there is the
Imputation of the aftive Righteoufnefs
and Obedience of Chrift, whereby we
obtain a Right and Title, and are ac-
cepted unto eternal Life. He hath ful-
filled alt Righteoufnefs for us, and we
are accepted in the Beloved. The Law
faith, T)o this and live, and God ac-
counts Chrift's doing it as ours. And
therefore Believers have as juft a Claim
to Life, as Adam could have had, had
he never tranfgrefs'd. I fhall not again
difcufs whether* the Right which Juftifi-
cation gives us to eternal Life, flow
from Chrift's Righteoufnefs of Obedi-
ence,

the Two Covenants. 167

ence, or of Satisfaction. To me it feems
to be from his Obedience, and not fo
direftly from his Sufferings. For though
his Sufferings be ours, yet the Law faith
not Suffer this and live, but T)o this and
live, (as I obferv'd before.) And if
it be objected, that by a Man's not being
accounted a Sinner, he muft needs be
accounted righteous, by his not being
liable to Damnation he muft needs have
a right to Salvation ; and therefore that
there is no more required untoJuftiSca-
tion than the Imputation of Chrift's Sa-
tisfaction, which carries with it both
Pardon and Acceptation to eternal Life.
To this I anfwer,

Firft9 That Pardon of Sins through
the Satisfaction of Chrift doth give a Man
a negative Righteoufnefs, /. e. he is no
longer accounted unrighteous, and there-
fore not liable to Punifhment ; but this
gives him no pofitive Righteoufnefs,
which confifts in a Conformity to the
Precepts of the Law by that aftive Obe-
dience which fliould entitle him to the
promifed Reward.

Secondly, Though Damnation and Sal-
vation be contrary States, fo that he
who is not liable to the one, hath right
to the other ; yet they are not immedi-
ate Contraries in their own Nature, but

M 4 only

i68 The VoStrine of

only by divine Appointment and Inftitu-
tion. And therefore though a Man
fhould not be liable to Damnation, yet
his Right to Salvation doth not natural-
ly refult from this, but from God's Ap-
pointment. 'Tis true, if it be not Night
it mull be Day; if the Line be not
crooked, it mutt be flreight, becaufe
thofe are naturally oppofite, and the one
follows upon the denial of the other.
Bur it is not true that a Man mutt either
be liable to eternal Death, or have a
right to eternal Life, becaufe thefe States
are not naturally and immediately op-
pofite: For God after he had pardoned
a Sinner might juftly annihilate him, or
otherwife difpofe of him without bellow-
ing upon him the eternal Joys of Hea-
ven. And therefore pardon of Sin and
acceptation unto eternal Life, being two
fuch diftinfl: things, may well be allowed
to proceed from diftinft Caufes; the
one from the Imputation of Chrift's Sa-
tisfaction, the other from the Imputati-
on of his aftive Obedience.

So that you may take a brief Defcrip-
tion of Juftification in thefe Terms ; It
is a gracious Aft of God, whereby
through the Righteoufnefs of Chrift's
Satisfaction imputed, he freely remits
to' the believing Sinner the Guilt and

Punifli-

the Two Covenants. 169

Punifliment of his Sins, and through the
Righteoufnefs of Chrift's perfect Obe-
dience imputed, he accounts him righte-
ous, accepts him into Love and Favour,
and unto eternal Life. This is Juftifica-
tion, which is the very Sum and Pith
of the whole Gofpel, and the only end
of the Covenant of Grace. For where-
fore was there fuch a -Covenant made
with us through Chrift, but, as St. Paul
tells us, A5ts\i. 39. That by him allthat
believe might bejuftijydfrom all things ,
from which they could not be'juftifyd by
the Law of Mofes ?

Poffibly fome things may occur in the
opening this Point hard and rugged ;
and though this Doftrine be in it felf
fweet and refrefhing, and like Rivulets
of Waters to the dry and parched Earth ;
yet this Water mult be fmitten out of a
Rock. Rivers generally the deeper they
are, the more fmoothly do they flow;
but thefe Waters of the Sanftuary are
of a quite different Nature, and the deep-
er they are, ufually the more rough,
and the more troubled. But be-
ware you do not think every thing
unneceffary that is not plain and obvi-
ous. 'Tis the Fault of many Chrifti-
ans, and a Fault that deferves Reproof,
to pafs flightly over the great Myfteries

of

170 The T)oftrine of

of Religion, under a vilifying Conceit
they have of them as unprofitable and
unprafticable Notions. They do not
find, when they fit under fuch Difcour-
fes as thefe, their Affeftions are fo mo-
ved, their Hearts fo warmed, their
Love fo inflamed, their Defires made
fo fpiritually vehement, their whole
Souls fo wrought upon and melted, as
when Threatnings are thundred, Duties
prefied, Promifes applyed,and the more
affe&ingpart of Religion difpenfed; and
fo they go away reckoning they have
but loft their Time, and the Opportuni-
ty of an Ordnance. For my part, it
fhould be my importunate Prayer that
all Chriftians were fo taught of God,
and built up in the Truths of the Go-
fpel, that there might need no more In-
ftruftion, but only Admonition, Exhor-
tation, Reproof, Comfort, and the more
pra&ical part of the minifterial Work;
but when we fee fo many old Babes,fo ma-
ny monftrous and mif-fhapen Chriftians,
whofe Heads are the loweft and mort
inferior Part about them, ftill we find
abundant Caufe and Need to inculcate
Truths, as well as to raife Defires, that
fo their Zeal and Affeftions may be built
upon, and regulated according to Know-
ledge. Certainly the more you know

of

the Two Covenants, 171

of God and Chrift, and the way of your
Salvation thorough an imputed Righte-
oufnefs, the more will you admire, adore,
and advance divine Love and Wifdom,
and the more humble and abafe your
felves. And though fome of thefe things
be difficult, yet it is very unworthy
of a Chriftian not to take fome Pains to
underftand what God (if I may be al-
lowed fo to fpeak) took fo much Pains
to contrive.

Having thus ftiewed you what Juftifi-
cation is, the next thing propounded was
to open the Nature of juftifying and fa-
ving Faith, which is the great Conditi-
on of the Covenant of Grace : And in-
deed of all Gofpels Truths it is moil ne-
cefTary to have a clear and diftinft Know-
ledge of this ; for it is in vain to prefs
Men to this Duty of believing, as that
whereon the whole weight of their Sal-
vation depends, if yet they know not
what this Grace of Faith is, nor what it
is to believe. There is no one Duty
that the Gofpel doth more frequently
command, or Miniiters inculcate, or
hath fo great a Strefs laid upon it, and
yet becaufe Men know not what it is,
and how they muft aft it, this Ignorance
either difcourageth them into an utter
Negleft, or elfe mif-leads them to exert

other

172 The 'Do&rine of

other Afts for faving Faith, and to build
their Hopes of Heaven and Eternal
Happinefs upon a wrong Foundation.
And truly it is a Point of fome Diffi-
culty precifely to ftate wherein lyes the
formal Nature of this Grace. For,

Firflj Many formerly, and thofe of
the higheft Remark andEminency, have
placed true Faith in no lower a Degree
than Aflurance, or the fecure Perfwa-
fion of the Pardon of their Sins, the
Acceptation of their Perfons, and their
future Salvation. But this, as it is ve-
ry fad and uncomfortable for thoufands
of doubting and deferted Souls, con-
cluding all thofe to fall fliort of Grace,
who fall fhort of Certainty ; fo hath it
given the Papifls too great Advantage
to infult over the Doftrine of our firft
Reformers, as containing moft abfurd
Contradictions. Nor indeed can their
Argument be poflibly avoided or an-
fwer'd. For if Pardon and Juftification
be obtained only by Faith, and this Faith
be only an Aflurance or Perfwafionthat
I am pardoned and juftify'd; then it will
neceflarily follow, that I muft believe I
am pardoned and juftify'd, that I may
be pardon' d and juftified; that is, I mull
believe 1 am pardon'd and juftified, be-
fore

the Two Covenants. 173

fore I either am, or can be ; which is
to believe a Lie. This will neceffarily
follow upon limiting Faith to Affurance.
Faith therefore is not Affurance ; but
this doth fometimes crown and reward
a ftrong, vigorous, and heroick Faith ;
the Spirit of God breaking in upon the
Soul with an evidencing Light, andfcat-
tering all that Darknefs, and thofe Fears
and Doubts which before beclouded it.

Secondly, Some again place Faith on-
ly in an ad: of Affiance or Incumbence
upon the Mercies of God, and the Me-
rits of Jefus Chrift, repofing all our hope
for Heaven andHappinefs in them alone.
This indeed mult be allowed to be one
aft of a true and faving Faith, but can-
not be the intire and adequate Notion
of it.

Thirdly, Others make Faith to confifl:
in an undoubting Affent to the Truths
and Promifes of the Gofpel. An Affent
not only forced and compelled by the
mere Evidence and Light of the Truths
therein delivered ; for fo the Devils be-
lieve and tremble, and from their natu-
ral Sagacity and woful Experience, know
the great Truths of the Gofpel to be un-
questionably fo as they are there reveal-
ed. But an Affent wrought in the Soul
from the reverend and due regard of

God's

The Dottrine of

God's Authority and Veracity; yielding
firm Belief to all that the Scripture pro-
pounded, becaufe of the Teftimony of
that God who can neither deceive, nor
be deceived. Such an AflTent to Truth
as prevails upon the Conscience, and
influenceth the Converfation : A Belief
that is not over-born by corrupt and vile
AfFeftions, but conforms the Life and
Pra&ice, and makes them fuitable to
the Rules of God's Word. This many, and
that with a great deal of Reafon, make to
be the proper Notion of a true andfaving
Faith. And the Scripture doth fo far
affirm that fuch an AiTent as this is true
Faith, that in very many places it feems
to require no more than barely to be-
lieve thofe Truths concerning God and
Chrift which are revealed in it : As that
J ejus is the Chrift, that he came into the
world to fave finners, i John 4. if.
and Chap. 5. 5. and that God raifed
him from the dead. Yet thefe Places
rnuft not be fo underftood, as if no-
thing more were required to conftitute
a true Believer, befides a mere Af-
ent to thefe things, but that this Af-
fent is then true Faith, when it over-
comes the Will, feafons the Affeftions,
and regulates our Lives and Aftions.
He hath true and faving Faith who be-
lieves

the Two Covenants. 175

lieves that Jefus Chrift the Son of God,
and the true Meflias, is come into the
World, and fubmits his Confdence and
his Converfation to theConfequences of
fuch a Belief ; that is to fay, to love and
obey him as the Son of God, and the
Saviour of the World. Now the very
Reafon why the Scripture doth exprefs
Faith by an Aftent unto certain Propo-
rtions, is not that fuch a dogmatical
Faith as refts only in Notion and Specu-
lation will fuffice to bring any to Hea-
ven and Happinefs ; but becaufe the
Holy Ghoft aimed chiefly at that which
was leaft known, and moft gainfayed by
the Jews and the unbelieving World.
For k was nor at all unknown nor con-
tradicted by them, that if Jefus Chrift
were the Son of God, all Adoration and
Obedience ought to be paid unto him ;
but they denied that Jefus was this Son
of God, and the Saviour of the World.
Therefore the Scripture requires an Af-
fent unto thefe Propositions, that Jefus
is the Chrift^ that he died for our pis y
and rofe again from the dead, and calls
this true and faving Faith, becaufe
wherefoever this Affent hath its due and
proper Effeft to engage us to the per-
formance #f all thofe Duties which na-
turally depend upon it, and flow from

it,

/

/

176 The 'Dottrine of

it, there this Faith is undoubtedly Jutti-
fying and Saving.

Fourthly r, Some make Faith to con-
fift in the hearty and fincere Acceptance
of Chrift Jefus, in hisPerfon and Offices,
as he is reprefented, and tenders him-
felf unto us in his Gofpel. Thefe Offi-
ces of Chrift are three.

I. He is our Prophet, to inftruft us in
the Will of God, and to declare unto
us the way of Salvation.

II. He is our Prieft, to expiate our
Sins, and reconcile us unto God by the
Sacrifice of himfelf, and to prefent our
Duties and Services to God by his pre-
vailing and eternal Interceflion.

III. He is our King, to Rule and Go-
vern us by the Laws of his Word, and
by the Conduft of his holy Spirit.

And whofoever he be that doth cor-
dially and intirely receive Chrift in all
thefe Offices, and fubmit his Soul to the
Authority of them, he is the Perfon
whofe Faith will juftifie him, for he be-
lieves to the faving of his Soul.
.; Now between this description of Faith
atid the former, there is no fuch diffe-
rence but that they may very amicably
confpire and be join'd in one. For he
that gives a firm Aflent to allf the Truths
of the Gofpel, doth thereby own his

Subjedi-

the Two Covenants. 177

Subjeftion to the Prophetical Office of
Chrift,as the great Teacher and Doftor of
his Church. And if this Affent influence
both his Affeftions and his Converfati-
on, it will make him likewife fubmit to
the Prieftly Office of Chrift, in relying
only upon his Merits for the Pardon of
his Sins, and eternal Salvation; and alio
to his Kingly Office in Submitting to his
Scepter, and conforming his Heart and
Life according to his holy Laws.

Yet to proceed a little more exaftly
in this matter, let us obferve, that when
we fpeak of a true, faving and juftifying
Faith, it is not any one fingle aft, ei-
ther of Knowledge, or Will; but a com-
plicated Grace made up of many parti-
cular afts, and is nothing elfe but the
motion of the whole Soul towards God
and Chrift. For we are not now fpeak-
ing of Faith Philosophically taken, for
that is no other than a bare act of the
Underftanding, affenting to the Truth
of a Teftimony, but we fpeak of Faith
in a Theological and Moral Senfe, and,
fo though it bear the Name but of one
Grace, yet it confilts of many afts of th§
Soul: It fuppofeth Knowledge, it con-
notes AflTent, it excites Love, and in-
gageth to Obedience. Yetftill that which
gives it the formal denominatton of

N Faith,

178 The Do&rine of

Faith, is Aflent to the Truth. As for
Aflurance, Hook upon that, not as a di-
ftinft part of Faith, but an high and
exalted Degree and Meafure of it, not
vouchfafed to all, fcarce to any at all
times, but only to fome few through
thefpecial witnefs of the holy Spirit with
their Spirits. So that if we would at
once fee in brief what a true and faving
Faith is, we may take the fum of it in
this Description. It is when a Sinner
being on the one hand throughly con-
vinced of his Sins, of the Wrath of God
due to him for them, of his utter Inabi-
lity either to efcape, or bear this Wrath ;
and on the other hand being likewife
convinced of the Sufficiency, Willing-
nefs, and Dellgnation of Chritt to fatif-
fie Jultice, and to reconcile and lave Sin-
ners, doth hereupon yield a firm Aflent
unto thefe Truths revealed in the Scri-
pture, and alfo accepts and receives Je-
lus Chrifl: in all his Offices ; as his Pro-
phet, refolvingto attend unto his teach-
ing ; as his Lord and King, refolving to
obey his Commands ; and as his Prielt,
rtfolving to rely upon his Sacrifice alone;
and doth accordingly fubmit to him, and
confide in himfincerely and perfevering-
ly. This is that Faith which doth juftifie,
and will certainly fave all thofe in whom
it is wrought. III. The

the T<n>o Covenants. 179

III. The next thing propounded was
to open the Nature of that Obedience
which the Covenant of Grace requires
as neceflary to Salvation. This 1 fhall
do very briefly; and therefore I take it
for granted, that Obedience isrequiredl
under the Covenant of Grace as itridly
as ever it was under the Covenant of
Works ; and required not only to fhow
our Gratitude and Thankfulnefs, but
neceffarily and indifpenfably in order to
the obtaining of Heaven and eternal Life,
If I fhould quote to you all the Scriptures
which are plain proof for this, I fliould
repeat a great part of the Bible. The
Moral Law requires perfefl: Obedience
from us, and condemns every failure as
finful. And this Moral Law is ftill in
force even to Believers themfelves, com-
manding and requiring from them the
highett degree of Obedience as abfolute-
ly and auchoritatively as if they were
to be faved by a Covenant of Works,
For Faith makes not void the preceptive
part of the Law : But the Covenant of
Grace infills not fo much on the Mea-
fure and Degree of our Obedience, as
on the Quality and Nature of every De-
gree, that it be fmcere and upright.
Yet certainly that is not fincere Obedi-
ence which doth willingly and allowed-
ly x ly

The ^Do&rine of

ly fall fliort of the higheft Degree of
Perfe&Ln. For this Sincerity confifts
in an univerfil hatred of all Sin, with-
out fparing or indulging our felves in
any ; and in an univerfal regard of every
Command of God's Law, not difpen-
fin ., with, or exempting our felves from
the mod diffi ult, fevere, and oppofite
Du y to Flefh and Blood that is therein
enjoined us. He whofe Confcience can
thus teftifie to him, that though he doth
too often tranfgrefs and offend, yet he
ever hstes what he fometimes doth, that
he abhors every falfe way, that he op-
pofeth and refills, and is rather through
the fubtilty of Satan and the deceitful-
nefs of Sin furpriz'd unawares, than vo-
luntarily and premeditately contrives
and determines to fin ; and though he
doth fall infinitely fliort of the exaft
Striftnefs and Holinefs of the Law, yet
that he hath a cordial Refpeft to all
God's Commandments, and doth both
defire and endeavour to conform his
Life and Converfation to that moft per-
fect Rule, that Man may certainly know
that let his Obedience be more or lefs
perfeft, according to the greater or lefs
Meafures of fanftifying Grace received
from God, yet it is fuch as the Cove-
nant of Grace requires, and God will

accept

the Two Covenants. igj

accept unto his Salvation. But let no
one take this for an encouragement of
Sloth and Negligence in God's Service :
For let not that Man think that his Obe-
dience is fincere, who doth not with
unwearied Pains and Induftry drive to
his very utmolt to pleafe and ferve God
in all things. But for fuch whofe Con-
fciences bear them witnefs than they do
fo, let them know for their comfort,
that though they fall far ihort of what
they fhould and would be, yet the fin-
cerity of their Obedience is accounted
and accepted with God for Perfedion.
When God firit eitablifli'd the Moral
Law, which was when he firft wrote it
upon the Heart of Adam^ he made it a
Covenant, that whofoever fhould an-
fwer the Perfection of that Law ihould
obtain Life : But by the Fall we having
loft the Power of Obedience, the Grace
of the Gofpel promifeth acceptance to
our imperfeft Obedience, if performed
fincerely. The Law7 requires, as necef-
fary to our conformity to God's Purity
and Holinefs, that our Duties be per-
fect ; the Corruption of our Nature
makes them imperfect and defeftive,
both from their Rule and Pattern. The
Covenant of Grace requires, as necef-
fary to Salvation, that that Obedience

N 3 which

1 82 The Doflrine of

which ought to be perfect according to
the Rule, but is imperfeft by reafon of
our Corruption, Ihould be lincere and
upright ; and this God will accept and
crown with eternal Life and Glory.

And thus I have opened to you, as
briefly and clearly as I could, both what
Juftification, Faith, and 'Evangeligal O-
bedience are.

IV. There remaineth but one thing
more, which when I have finifhM, I ihall
clofe up this i ubjeft of the Doftrine of the
Covenants ; and that is to fliew what In-
fluence Faith and Obedience have into
our Juilification and Salvation. And here
I fhall lay down thefe following Pofi-
tions.

Ffrft, That Faith doth not juftifie us,
as it is in it felf a work, or aft exerted
by us. It is true, the Apoftle tells us,
Horn. 4. that Abraham s faith was im-
puted to him for right eoitfnefs ; but this
cannot be underftood literally and pro-
perly, as if the very aft of believing were
his Riphteoufnefs , for then it would
contradift many other places of Scrip-
ture, aflerting that Chrift Jefus is our
Righteoufnels. It muft therefore be ta»
ken tropically, as relating to Chriit ;
thftt is, Faith is ourRighteoufnefs no o-
f herwife than as it makes over the Righ-

teoufnefs

the Two Covenants. 183

teoufnefs of Chrift unto us, and not as
it is in it felf a Work or Grace. For
did it juftifie us as a Work, then the
Apoftle, Rom. 4. 5. had very incongru-
oufly oppofed him that worketh, to him
that believeth : To him that worketh
not, but believeth, his Faith is account-
ed for Righteoufnefs. For were Faith-
our Righteoufnefs as a Work, then he
that believeth would be he that work-
eth, and his Work would be accounted
to him for Righteoufnefs. Neither in-
deed is it any whit lefs abfurd to think
that our Faith, which is an imperfeft
Grace, can yet be a perfeft and com-
pleat Righteoufnefs. For Faith it felf
hath its manifold failings, and is, as one
faith well, like the Hand which Mofes
ftretched out in working of Miracles.
For as that Hand was fmitten with Le-
profie, tolhew that it was no efficacy in
the Hand it felf that wrought thofe W on-
ders ; fo even the Faith that juftifies
hath a Leprofie, an Uncleannefs clea-
ving to it, toftiew that it justifies not by
its own Vertue, not as it is a work and
aft of ours, for fo it felf needeth Jufti-
fication.

Secondly, Neither doth Faith juftifie as
it is the fulfilling of the Condition of the
Covenant of Grace ; He that believeth

N 4 jhall

T/n? Docirine of

Jhall be faved. For, as I have ob-
served before, Faith is not properly
and immediately the Condition of this
Covenant, but remotely and fecondari-
ly. For we mull refolve this Covenant '
thus, He that can produce a perfeft
9 Righteoufnefs lhall be faved ; but he
' that believes fhall have the perfect Righ-
teoufnefs of Chrift made his : So from
the firft to the lait, he that believeth jhall
be faved. Where it is to be noted, that
Faith is not made the immediate Con-
dition of Salvation, but only it is the
immediate Condition of obtaining an
Intereft in a perfeft Righteoufnefs, by
which we are juftified and faved.

Thirdly^ Faith juftifying neither as a
Work, nor as a Condition, and there-
fore not as being it felf our Righteouf-
nefs, it remains that it muft needs jufti-
fie as it gives us a Right and Title to
the Righteoufnefs of another, even of
Jefus Chrift : So that we are not fo pro-
perly juftified by Faith, as by the Righ-
teoufnefs which Faith apprehends and
applies. For the Righteoufnefs of Chrift
being made ours, God is engaged in
Juftice to juftifie us, becaufe then we
are righteous Perfons. This Virtue that
Faith hath to juftifie is not its own, nei-
ther proceeds from it felf, but from the

Objea

the Two Covenants. jg<

Object it apprehends and makes ours,
viz. the Righteoufnefs of Chrift, by
which we are juftified directly and im-
mediately, but by Faith only Correc-
tively and Metonymically, as it relates
unto the Righteoufnefs of Chrift. When
the Woman was healed only by touch-
ing of ChriiVs Garments, the Virtue
that healed her proceeded not from her
Touch, but from him whom flie touch'd:
Yet our Saviour tells her that her Faith
had made her whole ^ Mat. 9. ix. which
can no more properly be underftood of
her Faith, than of her Touch ; for ftilf
the healing Virtue was from Chrift, con-
veyed to her by her Faith, and that Faith
teftified by her Touch. So when we
fay that we are juftified by Faith, we
muft underftand that Faith doth it not
through its own Virtue, but by venue
of Chrift's Righteoufnefs, which is c on-
vey'd to us by our Faith. This Righte-
oufnefs of Chrift, as I obferv'd before,
is both a Righteoufnefs of Satisfaction,
and of Obedience ; for we need both
unto our Juftification : And thefe muft
be made ours, or elfe we can never be
juftified by them. Ours they cannot be
naturally, as wrought out by our felves ;
confequently they muft be ours legally,
and by Imputation, the Law looking

upon

j g 6 ^ &e Doolrine of

upon what our Surety hath done, as tho*
we had done it, and accordingly deal-
ing with us. Now if we can but appre-
hend how Faith makes the Righteouf-
nefs of Chrift to be ours, it will be ve-
ry eafie and obvious to apprehend the
way and manner how we are juftified.
To clear up this therefore,

Fourthly, Faith makes the Righte-
oufnefs of Chrift's Satisfa&ion and Obe-
dience to be ours, as it is the Bond of
that myftical Union that there is be-
tween Chrift and the believing Soul. If
Chrift and the Believer be one, the
Righteoufnefs of Chrift may well be
reckoned as the Righteoufnefs of the
Believer. Nay, mutual Imputation flows
from myftical Union: The Sins of Be-
lievers are imputed to. Chrift, and the
Righteoufnefs of Chrift to them ; and
both juftly, becaufe being united each
to other by a mutual Confent (which
Confent on our part is Faith) God con-
fiders them but as one Perfon. As it is
in Marriage, the Husband Hands liable
to the Wife's Debts, and the Wife ftands
interefted in her Husband's Pofleflions;
fo it is here: Faith is the Marriage-band
and Tie between Chrift and a Believer;
and therefore all the Debts of a Belie-
ver are chargeable upon Chrift, and the

Righ-

the Two Covenants. \%j

Righteoufne^ of Chrift is inflated upon
the Believer : So that upon the account
of this Marriage-Union he hath a legal
Right and Title to the Purchafe made
by it. Indeed this Union is an high and
infcrutable Myftery, yet plain it is that
there is fuch clofe, fpiritual, and real
Union between Chrift and a Believer.
The Scripture often both exprelly af-
firms it, i Cor. 6. 17. He that is joined
to the Lord is one fpirit ; and alfo lively
illuftrates it by feveral Refemblances. It
is likewife plain that the Band of this
Union on the Believers part is Faith:
Confult Rom. chap. 11. ver. 17. compa-
red with the 20th verfe. And there-
fore from the nearnefs of this Union
there follows a Communication of In-
terefts and Concerns : Infomuch that the
Church is called Chrift, 1 Cor. ix. 12.
fb alfo is Chrift; and their Sufferings
called the Sufferings of Chrift, Co/of. 1.
24. ABs 9. 4. So likewife from this my-
ftical Union the Sins of Believers are laid
upon Chrift, and his Righteoufnefs im-
puted unto them: See this as to both
parts, 2 Cor. 5. 21. He hath made him to
be fin for us, who knew no fin ; that we
might be made the righteoufnefs of God
in him. And Gal. 3.13, 14. He hath re-
deemed us from the curfe of the law-, be-
ing

1 88 The "DoSirine of

ing made a curfe for us, that the blejjing
of Abraham might come upon us. It is
Hill upon the account of this Union that
Chriit was reckoned a Sinner, and we
are reckoned as righteous. And therefore
as Faith is the Bond and Tye of this U-
nion, fo it is, without more difficulty,
the way and means of our Juftification.
By Faith we are united unto Chrift ; by
that Union we have truly a Righteouf-
nefs ; and upon that Righteoufnefs the
Juftice of God, as well as his Mercy, is
engaged to juftifie and acquit us.

And thus you fee this great Truth ex-
plained, of Juftification by Faith ; which
hath indeed been as great a Torment
and Vexation to Mens Underftandings
to conceive how it fhould be, as it hath
been Peace and Quiet to their Consci-
ences in the certainty it was fo. And if
thefe things were duly p ?nder'd, they
might perhaps put a Ipeedy ifliie to ma-
ny laborious and tefty Difputes, efpeci-
ally concerning Faith's Inftrumentality
and Caufality in our Justification.

Concerning Obedience, or good
Works, two things remain to be inqui-
red into.

I. Their Neceffity and Influence into
Salvation, or our obtaining the State of
eternal Glory.

II. Their

the Two Covenants. \%<)

II. Their Neceffity and Influence into
Jultification, which gives us a Right and
Title to that eternal Glory.

I. Therefore, the Covenant of Grace
requires good Works of Believers as
neceffary to Salvation. There is a lazy
and lethargick Error that hath feized on
many who make Chrift not only their
Surety to work out a Righteoufnefs, but
alfo their Servant to work out an Obe-
dience and Holinefs for them. What
need they pray, or hear, or perform any
other Duty of Religion, or Obedience,
for Chrift hath done all for them, and
if they believe they are fure of being
accepted and faved. And therefore
they count it the Sign of a legal Spirit to
do any more than idly fit down, and be-
lieve, expefting to be carry'd to Hea-
ven in fuch a vain Dream and Contem-
plation.

Here, Firft, It is true, That Obedi-
ence is not neceflary as the procuring
or meritorious Caufe of our Salvation.
In refpeft of Merit we are to fit down
and believe; and thofe good Works are
fawcy and facrilegious that aim at Hea-
ven upon the account of defert, Eph. $.
8, 9. By Grace ye are faved* not of
Works. Indeed the Scripture doth fre-
quently call Salvation by the Name of

190 The *Do&rine of

a Reward, Col. 3.24. Of the Lord ye
Jhall receive the reward of inheritance.
Heb. 11. 26. He had refpect to the re-
cempence of reward. And it doth as fre-
quently call the obedient worthy of this
Reward. Luke 20. 35*. They that jhall
be counted worthy to obtain the world to
come, and the re fur region from the dead.
2 Thef. 1. £. That ye may be counted
worthy of the kingdom of God. Yet nei-
ther of thefe Expreffions doth amount
to a proper Merit, fuch as commutative
juftice may require, where the Price
mult fully anfwer the value of the thing
purchas'd, but only fuch a Merit and
Worthinafs as arifeth from the free Pro-
mife of God. God hath promis'd Sal-
varioh tothofewho obey him, and there-
fore becaufe of this Promife it is be-
ftow'd upon them as a Reward of their
Obedience ; and they are faid to be wor-
thy of fuch a Reward, not becaufe their
Obedience is in it felf worthy of it, but
rather becaufe it is worthy of God to
ftand to his Word, and to fulfil thePro-
mifes he hath made.

Secondly ', Good Works are neceflary
to eternal Salvation, though not as the
meritorious Caufe of the Reward, yet
as the difpofing Caufe of the Subjeft*
for thefe are they which do difpofe and

pre-

the Two Covenants. 191

prepare us for Salvation. And therefore
the Apoftle, Colof. 1. 12. fpeaks of be-
ing made meet to be Partakers of the
Inheritance with the Saints in Light. If
a wicked Perfon lhould be made Par-
taker of this Inheritance, how ftrange,
how vexatious a thing would it be to
him to fpend an Eternity there in Ho-
linefs, who had here fpent all his Time
in Sin and Wickednefs. And therefore
God accuftoms them whom he faves
by ordinary Means, unto the Work of
Heaven while they are here on Earth.
Let thofe confider this to whom Holi-
nefs is fo irkfome and unfuitable now.
It is utterly impoflible that fuch Men
can be made happy and blefled. For if
God ftiould take them up to Heaven
with their Natures unchanged, unre-
newed, he would only free them from
a painful Hell, to fentence them to a
troublefome one. How ftiall they fmg
the Song of the Lamb, who never had
their Hearts and Voices tun'd unto it ?
Or how ftiall they endure to behold the
glorious Majefty of God Face to Face,
who never before faw him fo much as
darkly through a Glafs by the Eye of
Faith ? 'Tis a perfeft Torture for Eyes
lock'd up in a long and difmal Dark-
nefs, to be fuddenly ftretch'd open a-

gainft

192 The Docirine of

gainftthe bright Beams ofcthe Sun; and
io would it be if Men who have long
lived in a blind and wicked State, fhould
fuddenly be itrickeri with the dazling
Glory of Heaven ftalhing in their Faces.
And thereforeGod ufually prepares them,
both to do the Work, and to bear the
Reward of Heaven, before he brings
them thither. 'Tis faid of the Godly,
Rev. 14. 13. that they refl from their
labour^ and their works follow them.
'Tis efpecially meant, I doubt not, of
the Reward of their Works ; but yet
holds true alfo of the Works themfelves.
Though in Heaven they reft from their
Labour in working; in working againft
Temptations, againft Corruptions, and
under Afflictions, yet they reft not from
their working: For thofe very Works
in which they employ'd themfelves on
Earth, they alfo perform in Heaven, fo
far forth as they have there an Objeft for
them. Were it therefore only to dif-
pofe and qualifie the Soul for the ever-
lafting Work of Heaven, this were Rea-
fon and Ground enough to require Obe-
dience and good Works as neceflary to
Salvation. 1 need not tell you,

In the Third Place, that good Works
are neceflary upon the abfolute and fo-
veraign Command of God. If God

fliould

the Two Covenants. 193

fliould command good Works for no
other end but to ihew the Authority he
hath over us, and for us to ihew our
Obedience again unto him, yet that
cannot be any longer an unneceflary
thing which the great God of Heaven
and Earth enjoins, i Thef. 4. 3. This is
the will of God. i. e. this is the great
Command of his revealed Will, even
your fanflification. .And we arefaid to
be the workmanjhip of God, created unto
good works, which God hath before ordain-
ed that wejhouldwalkin them,Rph.i. 10.
Fourthly, They are neceflary, as a Debt
of Gratitude. If we had no other Law,
yet Chriftian Ingenuity would oblige us
to obey that God who hath already done
fo much for us, and from whom we
expeft fuch great things for the future.
Hath God given us a fpiritual Life in
prefent PofTeffion, and an eternal Life in
reverfion, and is it pollible we fhould
be carelefs of his Honour and Service?
Certainly the love of Chrift muft con-
ftrain us to live no longer to our felvcsy
but to him who dyed for us, as the
Apoitle urgeth it, 2 Cor. 5. 14, 15*. It
is fuch a powerful and perfwafive Mo-
tive, that we cannot refill it, with-
out the blacked brand of Difingenuity
and Ingratitude. Thus again the Apo-

O file

194 The Dottrine of

file argueth, i Cor, 6. 20. Te are bought
with a frice ; therefore glorifie God in
your body, and in your fpirit, which are
God's. So that upon the account of our
Redemption, we are obliged by the
ftrifteft and moft facred bonds of Grati-
tude to ferve and glorifie our Redeemer.
Yet though this be thefweeteft, 'tis not
the only tye to Duty. It will indeed be
fo when we come to Heaven, butwhilft
we have the mixture of a bale and for-
did Spirit, God hath not left his Service
to ftand at the courtefie of our Ingenui-
ty, but hath laid as abfolute and peremp-
tory Commands upon us, as though he
dealt only with Slaves and Vaffals ; and
yet urgeth it as much upon our Grati-
tude and Ingenuity, as if the only Pre-
rogative he hath over us, were but Love
and Friendftiip.

Fifthly, Obedience and good Works
are neceffary, as the Way and Means
whereby we mud obtain Salvation ; and
fo though they have no neceffity of cau-
fality in procuring it by their own Me-
rit, yet they have a neceffity of Order or
Method, according to which God will
beftowit, and not otherwife. And there-
fore the Apoftle tells us, that God hath
fore-ordained good Works, that we

fhould

the Two Covenants. 195

fhould walk in them. They are the path-
way that he hath chalk'd out for us to Hea-
ven ; and therefore as ever we will arrive
thither, it is necefTary that we walk in
this way : Yea, Jliould it be fuppofed
that an elefl:, or a regenerate Perfon
ihould forfake this way of Obedience,
and betake himfelf unto the broad way
wherein the moft walk, we affirm that
he is going the direft and ready Road to
Hell, and Hell he cannot efcape, unlefs
he flop and return. Let their Mouths
therefore be for ever filenc'd, w7ho ex-
claim againft the Doftrine of Juftificati-
on and Salvation by Faith, as that which
deftroys the neceility of good Works.
We are far from that Libertinifm, to con-
clude becaufe Chrift hath obeyed the
whole Law for us, therefore we are ex-
empted from Obedience. He hath done
for us whatsoever wras required in order
to Merit and Satisfaction ; yet he hath
not done for us whatever was required
in order to Obedience and an hotyCon-
verfation: That is, Chrift hath done his
own Work for us, but he hath not done
our work for us; he hath done the Work
of a Mediator and Redeemer, but he
never did the Work of a Sinner that
itood in need of a Redeemer, fo as to

O % excufe

196 The cDofl;rine of

cxcufe him from it. And therefore,
though Men may be juftified by a Sure-
ty, yet they cannot be fanftified by a
Surety ; but ftill Holinefs, Obedience,
and good Works mud be perfonal, and
not imputative.

Thus then you fee the abfolute Ne-
ceffity of good Works, in thofewho are
capable of performing them, in order un-
to eternal Salvation. They are necefla-
ry, not indeed as the meritorious Caufe
of it, but as a preparing and difpofing
Caufe, neceffary by God's abfolute and
indifpenfable Command, as a Debt of
Gratitude, and laftly as the Way and
Means by which alone it can be attain-
ed. Thus the Apoftle, Hebr.s-9- Chrifi
is become the Author of eternal Salvation
unto all them that obey him,

II. The next thing to be inquired into
is the Neceffity and Influence of Obe-
dience and good Works into our Jufti-
fication. And in order to this I (hall lay
down thefe following Particulars,

Firji, Good Works or Obedience
doth not juftifie us in the light of God,
as it is it felf our Riehteoufnefs. This
is the main fcope and drift of the whole
Epiftle to the Romans* and of a great
part of the Epiftle to the Galatians.

'Twere

the Two Covenants. igj

'Twere endlefs to cite all the Texts ;
only fee Rom. 3. 20. By the deeds of
the law fhall no flejh be juflified in
his fight. And Verfe 28. the Apoftle
lays down this great Conclufion as the
upihot of his Difpute, Therefore we con-
clude^ faith he, that a man is juflified
without the deeds of the law. And
Gal. 2. 16. Knowing that a man is not
jujlifed by the deeds of the law. 'Ti$
needlefs to ad ] more. And therefore I
ihall only anfwer an Objection or two
drawn from Scripture againlt this Do-
ftrine. For,

1. Some may fay the Scripture feems
to attribute Juilification unto Works, as
well as unto Faith : For 'tis faid of Phi-
neas^ Tfal.ioG. 30, 31. that he executed
Judgment {viz. in killing Zimri and
Cosbi) and that was imputed ttnto him
for right eoufnefs. But to this the An-
fwer is eafie, That the Pfalmift fpeaks
only of the Righteoufnefs ot that parti-
cular Aft of Thineasy that it was impu-
ted to him for Righteoufnefs ; i. e. it
was accounted by God as a righteous
Deed, tho' perhaps others might cen-
fure it as proceeding from rafti and un-
warrantable Zeal afting without a Com-
miffion. But,

O 3 2. The

198 The Tioftrinc of

^. The great place moil urged and in-
filled on for Judication by Works, is
James, Chap. %'! from the 14th Vetfe to
the end, efpecially Verfei4. Te fee then
how by works a man isjuftified? and not
by faith only.

Here the grand Difficulty is, how we
fhall reconcile St. Tanl, averting, that
we are jufified by faith only without
works, with St. James^ affirming we
are juft'ifted by works , and not by faith
only.

To this I Anfwer, That there is no
oppofition at all between the two Apo-
ftles: For St. Tanl only excludes Works
from being the Way and Means of our
Juftification, andSt.j^^j-only excludes
that Faith which is wi hout Works.
St. Taul difputes againfl Legalifls and
Self-jufticiaries, who trufted to their own
Works to juftifie them ; and againfl them
he lays down this Conclufion, that It is
Faith and not Works that doth juflifie :
But St. James difpu;es againft the Gno-
fficks and Libertines, who trufted to an
outward and fruitlefsFrofeflion of Faith,
or rather indeed to a vain Fancy inftead
of Faith ; and againfl them he lays down
this Conclufion, that Not by Faith on-
ly, but by Works, a Man is juflified.

* St. TW's

the Two Covenants. 199

St. TauPs fcope is to fliew by what we
are juftified, and that, he tells us, is by
Faith. St. James's fcope is to fliew
what kind of Faith that is which muft
juftifie us, not an empty, vain, fanta-
ftical Faith, but fuch as is operative and
produftive of good Works. His intent
is not to exclude Faith from our Juftifi-
cation, no nor fo much as to join Works
with it in Partnerfliip and Commiffion :
For, Verfe 13. he tells us, the Scripture
was fulfilled, which faith, Abraham be-
lieved God, and it was imputed to him
for righteoufnefs : The very Place which
St. Paul, Rom. 4.3. Gal. 3.6. makes ufe
of to prove Juftification by Faith : And
therefore when hefaih a Man is jufti-
fied by Works, he contends for nothing
elfe but a working Faith ; Abraham,
faith he, was juftified by works, ver. 21.
If you ask how that doth appear, he tells
you it was becaufe his Faith was impu-
ted to him for righteoufnefs. Now let
any Man declare that can, what Senfe
there can be in this Proof, if by being
juftified by Works he Ihould mean any
thing elfe befides a working Faith. So
that the uplhot of all that St. Jafli.es
here intends, istofhew us that the Faith
which juftifies us muft be a Faith bring-

O 4 .ing

The DoSirine of

ing forth good Works, and that we grant
and contend for ; and likewife to ex-
clude a barren fpeculative Faith which
is not accompanied with good Works;
to exclude it, I fay, from having any In-
fluence into our Juitiiication. So in the
14th Verfe, What doth it profit, though
a man fay he hath faith* and have no
works? Can faith fave him* i.e. Canfuch
a Faith as hath no Works fave him ?
This Faith he calls a dead Faith* ver. 1 7.
the Faith of 'Devils* ver. 19. and the
Faith of a vain Man* ver. 20. Now a
dead Faith, a Faith that may be in Devils
and vain Men, is no true Faith, nor can
any affirm that it will juftifie. Thus you
fee St. <Paul and St. James fully accord-
ed about this Doftrine of Juflification by
Faith. St. Paul affirms that it is Faith
alone that juftifies; St. James denies that
a lonely Faith can juftifie; and we affent
to both as true ; for the Faith which
alone juftifies us is not' a lonely or foli-
tary Faith, but accompanied and at-
tended by good Words. That's the firft
Particular, Good Works are not the
Righteoufnefs by wThich we are jufti-
fied.

Secondly* Though we are not juftified
by Works, yet good Works are necef-

fary

the Two Covenants. 201

fary to our Juftification, fo that we can-
not poflibly be juftified without them.
There mutt at leaft be thofe inward
good Works of Sorrow for Sin, Hatred
of it, true Repentance and Humiliati-
on, Hope in the pardoning Mercy of
God through Jefus Chrift : Yea, Faith
it felf mufl be in the Soul as it is a good
Work, before it can juitifie us : This is
evident; for if Faith juftifie, and aju*
flifying Faith be a good Work (though
it doth not juftifie as it is fo) then fome
good Work is abfolutely neceftary to Ju-
stification. Yea,

Thirdly, Good Works are abfolutely
neceftary to preferve the State of Jufti-
fication when once obtained. 'Tis im-
poflible we ftiould maintain our Jufti-
fication without believing, repenting,
mortifying the Deeds of the Body, aad
performing the Duties of new Obedi-
ence, all which are good Works : And
the Reafon is, becaufe as foon as thefe
ceafe, their contraries, which are utter-
ly inconfiftent with a juftified Eftate,
fucceed in the room of them. If Faith,
Repentance, and Mortification ceafe,
°tis impoftible that Juftification can be
preferved ; otherwife a Man might be
a juftified Unbeliever, a juftified Impe-
nitent, a juftified Slave to his Lufts,

which

202 The Dotfrine of

which is a contradi&ion. You fee then
that good Works are neceffary both for
the firft obtaining of Juftification, and
for the preservation of it when obtained.
Hence then,

Fourthly 9 We may eafily determine
that much debated Queftion, Whether
good Works be required in the Cove-
nant of Grace as a Condition of Juftifi-
cation. For if by a Condition of Jufti-
fication we negatively underttand that
without which we cannot be juftified,
then certain it is, that in thisSenfe good
Works are a Condition of it. But if
we take Condition pofitively, for that
whereby we ae juftified, fo not Works,
but a working Faith, is the Condition.
We are not juftified by Works, neither
can we be juftified without them. And
therefore when the Apoftle tells us, Rom.
3. x8. That we are juftified by Faith
without the 'Deeds of the Law : This
muft not be underftood without the
Prefence of Works, for that I have
fhewn you is neceffarily required, but
without their Caufality and Influencein-
to our Juftification. Conditions we may
call them in a large Senfe, becaufe they
are indifpenfably required in the Perfon
juftified, but they are in no wife Caufes
or Means of our Juftification.

So

the Two Covenants. 203

So that you fee the Doftrine of Jufti-
fication . by Faith is no Patronage for
Loofenefsand Libertinifm. Good Works
are now as ne;eflary under the Cove-
nant of Grace., as ever they were under
the Covenant of Works, but only to c-
ther ends and purpofes. The Covenant
of Works required them that we might-
be juftified by them ; but the Covenant
of Grace requires them, that we might
be juftified by Faith. Let none think,
that the Covenant of Grace gives any
Difpenfation from working, or that an
airy and fpeculative Faith, and a barren
and empty Profeflion are enough to an-
fwer the Terms of this Covenant : Can
Faith fave him? And yet what other is
the Faith of many ProfefTors ?. Should I
bid them fliew me their Faith by their
Works, I much doubt that befides Phrafes
and Canting, we fliould have but very
ilender Evidences of their Chriftianity';
and yet thefe Men are very apt to con-
demn others for carnal, Legalifts, and low
Attainers. But let fuch Notionifts flat-
ter themfelves as they pleafe, yet cer-
tainly they will find fuch low Attainers
who work out their Salvation with Fear
and Trembling, more exalted Saints in
Glory than thofe who think both work-
ing, fear and trembling too flavifli and

fervile,

204 The Do&rine^ &C-

fervile, and below the free Spirit of the
Gofpel.

Now the God of Peace-, that brought
again from the 'Tiead our Lord Jefks
Chrift, the great Shepherd of the Sheep,
through the everlafling Blood of the Cove-
nant, make you perfect to do his JVill,
working in you that which is well-p lea-
fing in his fight, through Jefus Chrift, to
whom be Glory for ever and ever. A-
men.

i CO R,

i COR, VI. 19, 20.

Te are not your own, for j/e ^j
are bought "with a price,
therefore glorijie God in
your body-* and in your fpi-
rit> which are Gods.

IT H OUT any more curi-
ous Divifion, we may take
notice of three parts in
thefe Words.
A Doftrine:
A Reafon :
And Ufe.

The Do&rine is, Te are not your
own.

The Reafon of it, For ye are bought
with a price.

The Ufe, whi h is ftrongly infer V
from both thefe, and is indeed the nv
natural and genuine Refult of the

206 The Dottrine of

ftrine of our Redemption purchafed by
Chrifl, Wherefore glorifie God in your
bodyy and in your fpir it ", which are God's.

It is this laft which I principally in-
tend to infifl on, as that unto which
both the former parts refer, and in which
they centre. Yet I fhall not altogether
wave the former Branches, but more
briefly reprefent what they adminifter to
us either of Inftruftion or Direftion.

Firftj Then, to begin with the Pro-
pofition, Te are not your own. And here
two things mud fall under our difquifi-
tion ; what this Phrafe implies, and what
it infers; what Significancy it carries in
it felf ; and what Obligation it lays up-
on us.

I. For the Import of this Phrafe, Te
are not your own, becaufe it is a Nega-
tive Propofition, and all Negatives are
meafured by their contrary Affirmatives,
we fhall beft conceive it, if wefirft right-
ly ftate, what it is for any Effence to be
its own. fr^

Now here firft, Certain it is that^no
Being can be laid to be fimply its own,
but what is fupreme, abfolute, and in-
dependent. For if its Being be derived
from any Superior Caufe, it holds it on-
ly upon courtefie. And as we cannot
ftri&ly call that our own which is but

lent

the Two Covenants. 207

lent unto us ; fo neither is our Nature
and Being our own, which is but be-
ftowed upon us by the Bounty of ano-
ther, maintained by his concinual Influ-
ence, and fubjefted to his Sovereign
Controll and Dominion A Being then
that is its own, muft not be dependent
on, or beholden to any other, nor ac-
knowledge any thing fuperior to it, from
which it hath received, or to which it
is indebted.

Secondly, That Eflence which is its own
muft be it felf the end of all its Aftions.
The firft Efficient muft of neceffity be
the laft End. And therefore whatfoe-
ver can dired: any of ics Aftions to an
End higher and more ultimate than it
felf, is not the firft Caufe, but a Depen-
dent and Secondary one. It is impofli-
ble that any Creature fhould be made
for it felf only, to feek and ferve it felf.
For fince every Agent is excited to his
Operations by fome End which he pro-
pounded to himfelf, if the Creature
were its own utmoft End, the Creator
could have no End at all in forming him,
and consequently would never do it.
Hence the Wife Man tells us, Trov.
1 6. 4. that the Lord made all things
for himfelf. And indeed, he who is the
great Architect of the World, the ma-
ker

208 The Doctrine of

ker of all things vffible and invifib le •> can
fix no other End in any of his Works
but himfelf, and his own Glory.

And from thefe two Principles it evi-
dently follows, that there is no Being
fimply its own, but that which is the
firft Caufe, and the laft End of all Be-
ings, and that is God. He only is his
own ; all other things are of him, and
for him ; they are all derivative from
him, dependent upon him, and fubor-
dinate unto him ; and therefore they are
not their own.

I. They are all derivative Beings,
and flow from the firft Source and Foun-
tain of Being, even God himfelf. Be-
fore the Creation of the World, all was
an infinite God, and an infinite Nothing.
But his Goodnefs delighting to commu-
nicate it felf, he deiigns a numberlefs
variety of Creatures, and by his Al-
mighty Word impregnates the Womb
of this great Nothing, and makes it fruit-
ful, caufing all things to ftart up in the
fame Form and Order as he had before
conceived in the eternal Ideas of his
own Mind. Now fince all things are by
Participation from the firft Caufe, and all
their Perfeftions are but faint Striftures
and glimmering Refemblances of his, it
is moft unreafonable that thole fhould

belong

the Two Covenants. 209

belong to themfelves, who were made
by another, and that they ihould be their
own, who without his Influence and Effi-
cacy had (till been nothing.

II. All other Beings are dependent
and owe their continued prefervation
to the goodnefs and powerful influx
of God. Indeed Prefervation is nothing
elfe but a prolonged Produ&ion. For
as we fee the light of the Sun pre-
served in the Air by a conltant emanati-
on that it hath from the Sun, and as
bright and glorious a Creature as it is,
yet it cannot fubfift one moment upon
its own Succours ; and that there needs
nothing elfe to blot it out of our He-
mifphere, and to involve all in Night
and Darknefs, but only the Sun's with-
drawing it felf : So is it with us in re-
fpeft of God. We depend upon him, as
neceflarily as the Light depends upon
the Sun ; he is the Fountain of our Life
and Being ; the continuance of it thus
long, is by a continual emanation and
itreaming of it forth from him. Should
he withdraw his preferving influence
from us, we fhoul'd inftantly diflblve,
and fall all abroad into nothing. And
therefore it were infupportable Arro-
gance for us to think our felves our own,
who are what we are by his creating

P JPower,

210 The T>o5irme of

Power, and while we are by his prefer-
ving Influence.

111. All other Beings are fubordinate
to the Firft; made fur his Ends and U-
fes, and to be imployed in his Service.
Never had there been any fuch thing as
a World and Creatures in it, but that
the all-wife God intended them all as
the Inftruments of promoting his Glo-
ry. And this they all do: Some indeed
only Objectively, as brute and inani-
mate Creatures, by exhibiting the Prints
and Footfteps of the Power, and Wif-
dom, and Being of their Almighty Cre-
ator. And therefore the Pfalmift tells
us, that the heavens declare the glory of
God, Pfal. 19. i. That is, the Beauty,
Splendor and Harmony of that moil ex-
cellent Piece of the Creatipn, do evi-
dently demonilrate the infinite Wifdom,
Power and Majefty of the great Archi-
tect, who hath framed fuch a glorious
Roof for our Houfe here on Earth, and
fo glorious a Pavement for his own in
Heaven.

But becaufe Glory requires Celebrati-
on, therefore Godliath created other
Ranks of rational and intellectual Be-
ings, who might actively ferve and glo-
rifle him ; and by taking Notice of his
Attributes, fo conipicuouily fliining forth

in

the Two Covenants. 211

in the Works of Creation and Provi-
dence, afcribe unto him the TPraife that
is due unto his Name for fuch his won-
derful Works; and thefe are Angels and
Men : Both which he made for himfelf,
in a more efpecial and peculiar manner ;
communicating to them more exalted
Perfections, and more exprefs Refem-
blances of his Divine Attributes, than
to ocher inferior things. And although
endlefs Multitudes of thefe have, by
their Apoftacy and Rebellion, defeated
the primary end of their Creation, re-
fufmg to gloriiie Go 1 actively ; yet God
will certainly fetch his Glory out of them ;
and that they may not be made in vain,
will glorifie himfelf upon them paffive-
ly, in inflifting that Wrath and Ven-
geance that fhall make him known and
revered as an infinitely juft and jealous
God. Tho'' they tranfgrefs the Law of
their own Natures, yet they cannot tranf-
grefs the Law of the Divine Providence.
God will make them ferve to the pro-
moting of his Glory ; if not voluntarily,
as the veffels of his mercy y yet by Con-
ftraint and a fad Neceffity, as the objects
of his wrath and fury. And thus Solo-
mon tells us that God hath made all things
for himfelf; the wicked alfb for the day
of wrath. And fo likewiie in that Dox-

P 2 olOgV

212 The DoBrtne of

ology of the Elders, Rev. 4. n. Thou
art worthy > O Lord, to receive gloryy
and honour y and power ; for thou haft
created all things^ and for thy fleafure
they are and were created: And there-
fore certainly if all things were created
for God as their higheil and ultimate
end, all things are his, and not their
own ; and the Right and Title to them
is in him, by whom and for whom they
were made.

And thus you fee the Import of this
Phrafe, Te are not your own ; that is,
you are not fupreme, abfolute, inde-
pendent Beings, left only to your own
Ways and Wills ; but ye are Gods ; cre-
ated, fupported and governed by him,
and accountable to him for all your A-
ftions. Indeed the Apoftle in the Text
gives us another Reafon why we are
not our own, and that is upon the ac-
count of our Redemption by Chrift ; Te
are not your own9 for ye are bought with
a price. Redemption gives him as much,
if not a greater Title to you, than Cre-
ation: For it was not fo confiderable an
effeft of the Divine Power and Good-
nefs to create, as to redeem you ; the
one was but the expence of his Breath,
the other is the expence of his Blood.
But becaufe this falls in with the fecond

part

the Two Covenants. 213

part of the Text, I fliall at prefent wave
it, referving it to its proper place. Brief-
ly therefore, when the Apoftle faith Te
are not your owny it is as much as if he
had faid, You have no Right nor Title
to your felves, ye are not your own Pro-
prietors, nor to look upon your felves as
Lords over your own Beings : There is
another Lord to whom ye appertain,
•and that is God ; whofe Right you infi-
nitely wrong, if you acknowledge not
your felves to be his Inheritance and
Pofleffion. Indeed it is a facrilegious
invading of the Divine Prerogative for
any Creature to pretend to be its own,
or to live as though it were fo : This is
no lefs than impioufly to afcribe an All-
fufficiency to it felf. And thus much for
the firfl General, what it implies not to
be our own.

II. Let us confider what it infers, and
what Obligation it lays upon us. And
this I fliall endeavour to fliew you in
thefe following Corollaries.

jF/>/?, If we are nor our own, then
certainly we ought not to feek our own.
Self-feeking is the very Bane of Chrifti-
anity; it is that Worm that lyes at the
Root, and eats out the very Life and
Sap of it. A felf-feeking Chriftian is a

P 3 down-

214 'Ih* T^oBrine of

downright Contradiction, an Abfurdi-
ty in Religion; for the very firft Leflbn
that Chriit teaches in his School, it is
that hard one of Self-denial: And our
Saviour hath told us, that whofoever re-
fufeth to deny him/elf, and to take up his
crojs, cannot be his difciple. But now,
as there is in every Chriftian a twofold
Self; a fpiritual heaven-born Self, the
new Man, the divine Nature, the Im-
prefs and Stamp of the Image of God
upon the Soul, confiding in the fanfti-
fying Principles both of Knowledge and
fiolinefs, and all the Habits of fpecial
Grace infufed into us by the HolyGhoft
in our firft Converfion: and there is like-
wife an earthy, dreggy and inferior
Self, the utrnoft tendency of which is
only the fatisfying of the v ofual Part of
Man; and all its good things are only
fuch as the World and its Stock can fur-
nifh it withal. As (I fay) there is this
twofold Self in every true Chriftian, fo
rouft we diftinguifh likewife of a two-
fold Self-feeking.

i. There is a feeking of thofe things
which are grateful and pleafing to the
fpiritual felf of a good Chriftian; thofe
which may promote its Interefts and
Concerns, and make it flourifhing and

vigo-

the Two Covenants. 215

vigorous in us. And this is a felf-feek-
ing lb far from being condemned, that
it is our higheit Praiie and Glory.

The Tendency of the new Nature is
towards two things ; the Increafe of
Grace in us here, and the Participation
of Glory hereafter.

For the firlt, all grant that we ought
to labour. But for the fecond, fome
have been fo weak as to doubt whether
we might make the eternal Glory and
Happinefs of our Souls the end of our
Duties and Endeavours: And with ma-
ny high-flown In :onfiftencies, that feem
to have in them much of fpiritual Rap-
ture, but indeed are nothing elfe but
idle Dreams and falfe Delufions, tell us
that we mult ferve and obey God only
out of Love and Gratitude, neither for
hope of Reward, nor fear of Punifh-
mem ; and condemn all that Obedience
which refpefts thefe, as fordid and mer-
cenary, unworthy of the true and ge-
nerous Spirit of the Gofpel .

But if we ftiould tell thefe Men, that'
they pretend to a greater decree of Spi-
ritualnefs than ever Mofes did, poffibly
their Pride and Self-conceit would make
them affume it ; for alas Mofes was but
a poor Old Teftament Saint, and we

id of him, Hebr. 11. x6. that he had

P 4 refpefi

216 The Dottrine of

refpecl unto the recommence of reward.
But tho' they think themfelves more fpi-
ritual than him, what, are they like-
wife more fpiritual than St. Taul? And
yet he tells us, Thil. 3. 13* 14. that he
yeached forth to thofe things that are be-
fore^ fr effing toward the mark for the
prize of the high calling of God in Jefiis
Chrift. Or have they attained to an ele-
vation of Spiritualnefs beyond our Lord
Jefus Chrift himfelf ? of whom the Apo-
file witneffeth, Hebr. ix. x. that for the
joy that was fet before him he endured
the crojs and defpifed the jhame.

It is allowable therefore, yea, it is
neceflary to be felfiili, to confider our
own Interefi and our own Advantage in
this Cafe. For fmce our very Nature is
fo tempered, that the two great Advan-
tages we have to quicken it are Hopes
and Fears, I fhall very much doubt that
thofe will prove but llothful and negli-
gent Chriftians, who fhall out of a fond
Conceit of greater Spiritualnefs and Per-
fection lay thefe Spurs afide, and pre-
tend to make ufe of other Arguments,
which though they feem more Specious,
vet, I am iure, mult needs be lefs Effe-
aual.

Others again, who do allow that our
Obedience may be directed unto God,

with

the Two Covenants. 217

with an Eye and Refpeft unto the Re-
ward which he hath promifed us, yet
queftion whether we ought chiefly and
principally to regard our ownHappinefs
or his Honour, our own Glory or his.

I anfwer, This is but a nice and need-
lefs Scruple. And though many infirm
and tender Spirits may be much puzzled
in direfting their Obedience, yet this
Sollicitude is but vain ; for whilft they do
either, they do both : For what is the
Glory of God's Grace and Mercy, is it
not the Accompliftiment of our Salvati-
on ? And therefore certainly whilft I en-
deavour to promote mine own Salvation,
I do as much endeavour to promote the
Glory of God. Altho\ perhaps, in every
Duty 1 do it not with a diftinft particu-
lar Aft of Refleftion, yet as long as I en-
deavour to promote mine own Salvati-
on, I do implicitly and interpretatively
endeavour the advancement of God's
Glory ; for that is the next and immediate
Means to this. We need not therefore
be anxious whether we feek our felves,
or the Honour of God : For in thus
feeking our felves, we do nothing elfe
but feek his Honour and Glory.

Let us again confider, what is our
Happinefs and Felicity. Our objeftive
Jrlappinefs is the infinite and boundlefs

Good,

21 8 The DoSirine of

Good, even God himfelf ; our formal
Happinefs, is our clear Vifion and full
Fruition of him, and the near Conjuncti-
on of our Souls unto him by Love and
Inherence. Now certainly his infinite
Goodnefs will never rejeft thofe Duties
as fordid and mercenary, that afpire to
no greater, no other Reward but the
Enjoyment of himfelf. In thus feek-
ing our felves, we feek God : And the
more intenfely we thus love our own
Souls, the more fupremely do we love
God, while we breath and pant after the
Fruition of him with the holy impatience
of an amorous Spirit. In this fenfe there-
fore, although we are not our own, yet
we may feek our own. We appertain
not to our felves, but to God. Yet cer-
tainly when this Self which we feek ha^h
God for its Objeft and End, we feek
him in feeking of our felves. And thac
is the firft kind of feeking, which is not
only warrantable but neceflary.

But, Secondly., There is a feeking of
thofe things which are only conducible
to the Eafe, Profit and Advantage of the
natural and earthy Self. And thefe
St. John hath briefly fummcd up in three
Things, the Luft of the Flefhj the Luft
of the Eyes, and the *Pride of Life :
Which is but to tell us more Enigmati-

. callvi

the Two Covenants. 219

cally, that they are Pleafures, Riches,
and Honours. Thefe three are a world-
ly Man's Trinity, and himfelf is all thefe
in Unity. Self is the Centre of all his
Aftions; and whatfoever he doth, are
but fo many Lines, which though they
may feem far diftant one from another,
yet they all meet together there.

Indeed there is a feeking of thefe
worldly Advantages, which is not juftly
to be branded with this black Mark of
Self-feeking : And that is,

Firft, When we feek them only by
lawful Means, as Induftry in our Cal-
lings, and Prayer to God for a Bleffing
upon it ; deteiiing all the wicked and
bafe Methods of Fraud and Super-
chery.

Secondly, When we feek them with
due Moderation ; when our care about
them is but prudent and provident, not
carking nor diitra&ing.

Thirdly, When we feek them at al-
lowed Seafons. The Shop mult not in-
trench upon either the Church or the
Clofet ; nor the Duties of our particular
Callings, as we are Men, devour the
Duties of our general Callings, as Chri-
ftians : Both are beautiful in their Sea-
fon ; and indeed the one is an excellent
Preparative for the other. How com-
fortably

220 ^H&* Do&rine of

fortably may that Man follow his Voca-
tion all Day, who hath begun the Morn-
ing with God, and humbly implored his
Blefling and Affiftance ! And how 1 weet-
ly may that Man clofe up his Day's Task
with Prayer, who hath ufed fuch Care
and Conscience in his Calling, as to
bring; no new Guilt to confefs in the
Evening !

Fourthly , Whenwrefeek thefe Things
with a due Subordination to the higher
and more noble Ends of Piety and Holi-
neis : And that is,

i. When we feek them that we may
avoid thofe Temptations, which poffibly
the want of them might expofe us unto.
Thus Agur prays, Trov. 30. 8. That
God would feed him with Food conve-
nient', lefl he be poor and fie al, and take
the Name of his God in vain : That is,
as I conceive, left he fliould be firft
tempted to Theft, and then to Perjury
to conceal it, if fufpe&ed.

2. When we feek them that we may-
be the better furnifh'd for good Works.
For earthly Comforts and Enjoyments,
if they be well improved, are excellent
Inftruments to promote the Glory of
God, in furthering the Good and Wel-
fare of others. Hence the Apoftle,
Ej>b. 4. z8. Let him labour working with
* his

the IlWo Covenants. 221

his hands the thing that good is, that he
may have to give to him that needeth.
And indeed it will require fomewhat of
a plentiful Eftate to be able to maintain
good Works, as the Apoftle twiee ufeth
that Expreffion, Titus 3 . 8. and at the
14th Verfe.

If thefe Rules be duly obferved, he
is no Self-feeker, who diligently may
feek after thefe temporal Accommoda-
tions. But now, when Gain lhall be
preferred before Godlinefs, and all the
crooked ways of Deceit and Fraud
made ufe of, only to amafs together an
heap of ill-gotten Trafli ; when thou
wilt rather chufe to make ihipwreck of
Faith and a good Confcience, than to caft
over board any part of thy Wealth, tho'
it be to fave thy Soul from being drow-
ned and funk in Perdition; when this
Golden Idol fliall be fet up by thee, and
God, and Chrift, and Religion, and
Confcience, and all be facrifie'd unto it,
w7hat is this but a bafe felf-feeking, un-
worthy of a Chriftian, nay, of a Man ;
too impious for a Chriftian, too foolifli
for any Man ? For in thus feeking them-
felves, they lofe themfelves for ever.
And this is that which the Apoftle fo
grievoufly complains of, ThlL x. n.
All feek their own, not the things which

are

222 The DoSirine of

are Jefus Chrifi^s. A mean and fordid
Temper this. And as it is fordid, fo it is
likewife molt unjuit and unreasonable ;
for confider you are not your own, but
God's ; he hath manifold Titles to you.
You have no Self of your own, but you,
and all, is his : And what prefumption
is it for you to provide for what is his,
otherwife than he harh ordered, yea,
contrary to his exprefs command ! That's
the firft Inference.

Secondly j If we are not our own, we
may infer, that certainly we are not at
our own difpofe. And this iliould teach
us Patience in all the crofs and fad Oc-
currences of our Lives. We are not
our own, and therefore we may not
carve out our own Condition to our
felves, nor prefcribe to God what we
would have done, or what we would
avoid. For this is boldly to intermeddle
with that which doth not belong to thee.
Thou art God's ; and what is it to thee,
O bufie Man, what he doth with his
own ? If it feemeth good to him to cha-
ftife thee with Poverty, Pveproach, Pains
and Difeafes ; or to take from thee any
of thy deareft and moil delirable Com-
forts, what halt thou to do to interpofe
with thy Complaints and Murmurings ?
May he not do what he will with his

own ?

the Two Covenants. 223

own? Thou art no farther interefted in
any of theie things, than to bear them
meekly as a Chriftian, and voluntarily
to refign up thy felf unto him, unto
whom thou doll naturally and necefTa-
rily belong.

Thirdly, If we are not our own, we
may very rationally infer that we ought
not to follow our own Wills, and our
own Affe&ions. Indeed the great Con-
teft between God and Man, ever was,
and {till is, about Sovereignty. It hath
been the perpetual Quarrel of all Ages
which fhall be the chief, and whofe Will
fhall take place, either his or ours. The
firft crafty Temptation, Te Jhall be as
Gods, hath ftrangely prevailed upon us
ever fince. We would fain all be Gods,
independent and uncontroulable. Now
check this Rebellion of thy Will and
Affeftions, by confidering that thou art
not thine own, but God's ; he hath the
fupreme Right to thee, and thou art in-
jurious to his Right, if thou fetteft up
thy Will a Competitor with his. Yea,
indeed, thou oughtelt to have no Will
peculiar to thy felf, but it'fliould be all
melted down, and refolved into God's.
And therefore the Apoffleputs an ex-
cellent Form of Words into our Mouths,

James

224 The Do&rine of

James 4. if. If the Lord will, we will
do thus and thus. So fay thou, If the
the Lord will, I will. Bring thy Will
to conform ,unto his Will of Precept ab-
folutely, for that he hath made known
unto thee in his Word; and neither will
nor defire what he hath therein forbid-
den thee. Bring it alfo to conform un-
to his Will of Purpofe conditionally ;
for that is hidden and fecret to us until
the Event declare it. But when God
hath manifefted it by the Effefts, bend
thy Will unto it, and quietly acquiefce
in all hisDifpenfations, as infinitely wife
and gracious. Say thou unto him, Lord,
I am blind and ignorant, and cannot fee
through the Confequences of Things.
That which- I apprehend at prefent
would be for my Advantage, may pof-
fibly prove a Snare and aCurfe unto me.
Thou comprehendeft all in thy infinite
Wifdom, and therefore I refign up my
Choice to thee. Do thou, Lord, chule
forme : And howfoever thy Providence
fliall order my Affairs, make me as
thankful for Disappointments, as I ought
to be for Succefles. This is a right Chri-
ftian Temper, worthy of him who ac-
knowledged himfelf, not to be his own,
but God's.

Fourthly,

the Two Covenants. 225

Fourthly 1 Ton are not your own; look
not then upon any thing as your own.
Certainly if thou thy felf art God's,
whatfoever thou fondly accounted thine,
is much more his. Shall the Principal
be his, and not the AccefTaries? Thy
Friends, thy Children, thy Eltate, thy
good Name, they are not indeed thine ;
and though common Words and Lan-
guage call them fo, yet take heed thou
doft not lay any Emphafis upon it. Thus '
Nabal that blunt Churl accents his felfifh-
nefs, 1 Sam. z$. 11. Shall I take my
bread? and my water, and my flejh that
I have killed for my Jhepherds. Alas,
poor Wretch, there is nothing of all
this thine ; nay, thou thy felf art not
thine, butbelongeft, if not to the Grace,
yet to the Dominion of God.

Indeed we muft diftinguilh between
things being ours for our Good and Be-
nefit., and being ours as to abiblute Ti-
tle and Dominion. Neither way can a
wicked Man call any thing his : His Ta-
ble is a fnare, and that which Ihould
have been for his welfare, is become a
Curfe unto him. But it is not thus with
the godly : For the Apoftle tells us,
1 Cor. 3. ii, 23. that whether the world*,
or life, or death, or things firefent, or
things to come, all is theirs, and they

Q are

226 The Doffirine of

areCbriJPsj and Chriji is God's. This
Argument is very cogent as to the Be-
nefit and Good that fhall redound unto
them from every thing they enjoy. In
this fenfe all is theirs, becaufe they are
God's. But becaufe they are God's,
therefore nothing is theirs as to abfolute
Right, and fovereign Dominion. Both
they and wicked Men have a Natural
Right to many BlelTings, and a Civil
Right to many more ; but neither of
them have a Supreme, Free, and Inde-
pendent Right, to any thing which they
injoy ; but all is God's9 lent to them for
their Ufe, and his Service.

Fifthly r, Tou are not your own, let
not then any Sin be your own ; you are
God's peculiar People, let not any Sin
be your peculiar Sin. Shall we our felves
be God's, and yet any Sin be ours ?
What is this lefs than by a kind of practi-
cal Blafphemy to transfer our Sins up-
on God ?

And fo much for the firft part of the
Words, Te are not your own.

Thus have we confidered the Pro-
n^turCs polition, Te are not your own. Ye
"i^***- have not a Sovereign Right over your
0 own Beings, to feek your own Interefts,

to difpofe of your own Affairs, to fol-
low your own Wills and Appetites; but

you

the Two Covenants. 227

you intirely belong unto another. And
left you fliould be put to feek for an
Owner, fince you are thus denied, and,
as it were, turn'd out of the Pofleflion
of your felves, the Apoftle informs you
who it is that lays in his Claim to you,
even the great and univerfal Lord both
of Heaven and Earth, whofe all things
are by a moft abfolute and indifputable
Right : Te are God's.

Indeed God hath manifold Titles to
you.

Fir ft> As he is your Almighty Crea-
tor. When thou lay eft hudled up in the
great Chaos and Confufion of mere Poffi-
bilities, hebeckned,andcalPd thee forth,
bad thee be, and take thy Place and Sta-
tion in the order of things : And that
not in a vile and contemptible Nature,
a Worm, or a Fly, which we crufh or
fport to death ; but a Man, one of the
Peers and Nobles of the World. See
how magnificently "David fpeaks of thy
Original, Pfal. 8. 5, 6. Thou haft made
him a little lower than the Angels^ and
haft crowned him with glory and honour:
Thou madeft him to have dominion over
the works of thy hands. Thou art born
a King; Crowned in thy very Cradle;
and thy being in the Scale of Creatures
is but one round lower than that of the

Q % Angels.

The 'Doffrine of

Angels. Thy Body, which is the bafeft
and moft difgracefiil part thou hail, yet
of how excellent a Texture and Frame
is it ! Such various Springs of Motion,
fuch fecret Channels and Conveyances
for Life and Spirits; fuch a fubfervien-
cy of parts one to another in their mu-
tual Offices, and fuch a perfefl; Beauty
and Harmony in the whole, that "David
might well fay, Tfal. 139. 15. I am
fearfully and wonderfully made^ and'cu-
rioujly wrought in the lowefl parts of the
earth. Yea, not only z'David, butG^z-
len an Heathen, when he had minutely
infpefted the admirable Artifice that ap-
peared in the Frame of our Bodies, the
Strufture and Ufe of the feveral Parts,
and the many Wonders and Miracles
that were woven up in every one of them,
his Speculation of Nature lead him to a-
doreihe God of Nature, and he could
not forbear compofing an Hymn in the
praife of our All-wife Creator. Now
whofe is this elegant piece of Workman-
ship, but God's? In his book, faith the
Pfalmift, were all our members written,
which afterwards were fajhioned. As
Architeds do ufually draw a Model of
thofe Buildings which they intend for
more than ordinary State and Magnifi-
cence before they erect them ; fo God

doth

the Two Covenants. 229

doth as it were delineate a Draught and
Platform of Man in his Book, that is,
in his own Counfel and Decree, and
limns out every Member, giving it its
Shape and Proportion in his own Ideas,
and afterward according to that perfeft
Pattern, fets up the Frame : He firil
makes the Materials, and then brings
them together, and caufeth all Nature
to contribute what is mod fit and pro-
per for it.

And yet thefe Bodies, though they
have fo much coft and care bellowed
upon them, are but a cafe and covering
for the Soul: That is perfedly fpiritual,
and hath no other Caufe of its Being,
but only that God, who is the Father of
Spirits. It is a fpark kindled immedi-
ately by his own Breath ; not formed
out of any pre-exiftent Matter as corpo-
real Beings are, but created out of pure
and unmixt nothing, by the fame Al-
mighty Word thatfpake out Angels, and
all the glorious Hofts of Heaven, and
made them emerge into Being. And
when the Body is fufficiently furnifh'd
with all the Organs and Inftruments ne-
ceiTary for the Functions of Life, then
God bellows a Soul upon it. Not as if
the Soul did pre-exift before its Union;
but it is created in that very inftant when

Q 3 it

230 tte 'DoBrine of

it is united to the Body. And this is
the meaning of that known Maxim of
St. Augujiin, Creando infunditur, & in-
fundendo creatur. It is created in Infu-
fing, and infufed in Creating. Since
then God hath Created us, and chofen
us out of the infinite number of things
poffible, to beftow an aftual Being up-
on us ; fince, if he had fo pleafed, we
might have been as much Nothing to all
Eternity, as we were from all Eternity,
and might have lain hid in that vaft crowd
and multitude of Souls which might have
been, but never fliall be ; only God
hath been pleafed to lay the Ideas of
them afide, and to pick and cull us out
to be his Creatures, to prepare us fuch ex-
quifite Bodies, and to breath into us fuch
rational and intelleftual Spirits, ihall wTe
not with all thankfulnefs acknowledge,
that we appertain unto him, who without
him Ihould have continued a long and
endlefs Nothing? Hath not he who cre-
ated us an abf3lute and fovereign Right
to do to us, and require from us, what-*
foever pleafeth him? Thus the Pfalmift
infers it, Tfal. 100. 3. It is he that hath
hath made us> and not we our* felves 5
and therefore it follows, we are his peoT
j>ky and the focep of his paftnre. And,

Secondly

the Two Covenants. zyi

Secondly, We are his upon the account
of Prefervation. He Hill maintains thofe
Beings, which at firft he made; and ex-
erts the fame Almighty Power to conti-
nue thee in thy Being, as at firft he did
in producing it. Every new Moment
that pafleth over thee, thou art, as it
were, agdn created, fetch'd out of no-
thing : For all that part of thy Life
which is already paft, is become a meer
No:hing. So thac whether thou look'ft
to the Time that is before thee, or to
that which is behind thee, yet ftill thou
flowed along from that which is No-
thing, to that which is Nothing ; and
yet ftill thou thy felf art preferved in
being, and art not fwallowed up in the
fame Nothing, that Yefterday or the laft
Year are diffjlved into. To whom oweft
thou this, but only to that God who is
the fame yefterday ', to day, and for ever?
He makes all the differences of Time in
thy Age, in whom Time it felf makes
no difference. It is his vi/ltation, as
Job fpeaks, that preferves our fpiritSj
Job io.ix. nor can we fubfift one Breath,
or one Pulfe, nor one Moment longer
than he is pleafed to wind off our Time
to us, from that great bottom of Eter-
nity which he holds in his own Hand.
If thou canft find out any one fuch Day

Q 4 J P?

The DoSirine of

or Hour wherein thou canft maintain
thy felf without any Charge to God, or
Dependance upon him ; if thou canft
either live, or move, or be, without
the continual Influence of the divine
Power and Providence; then for that
time thou may7ft glory in thine own
Sufficiency, acknowledge no Superior,
be thine own, and live wholly to thy
felf: But certainly whilft thou owed
both the beginning and the progrefs of
thy Being unto God, thou owefl thy felf
to him, and art his. But this is not all;
for,

Thirdly, God hath another Right and
Title to us, as he is our Governor. Now
the two chief and comprehenfive parts
of Government are Prote&ion , and
Proviiion ; to defend thofe that are un-
der their Charge from Harms and Inju-
ries; and to fupply them with NecefTa-
lies. But,

I. God doth mightily protect us from
thofe innumerable Evils and Mifchiefs
.which would elfe befall us. Perils and
Mifhaps are thick flrewed in all our
ways, and Death and Ruin lye every
where in Ambufli for us; in our Food,
our Affairs, our Recreations, at home
and abroad, every where Death and
Danger take 'their Stand and aim at us;

Dangers

the Two Covenants. 233

Dangers that we could neither forefee,
nor prevent ; but only the watchful Pro-
vidence of God hath watch'd over us
hitherto : He hath given his Angels
charge concerning us, to keep us in all our
ways; in their hands have they born us
up, fo that our feet have not dafiPd a-
gainji a flone. Who can particularly re-
count the infinite number of thofe pri-
vate Mercies we have received ? or how.
often God hath diverted and {truck a-
fide many fad Cafualties that were juft
befalling us, and pluck'd us back when
we were juft upon the very edge and
brink of Deftru&ion ? Or if we confider
the boundlefs Wrath and Malice of the
Devil againft us, or wicked Men his In-
struments, have we not great caufe
thankfully to acknowledge that power-
ful Reftraint which God lays both upon
him and them ? The Devil implacably
hates us, and would every Step that we
take tear our Souls from our Bodies,
and our Bodies in pieces, and both from
God. Wicked Men, who are infpiri-
ted and acted by him, would foon fill
the World with the direful EfFe&s of
their hellifli Natures ; and by killings and
fie a ling, and [wearing, and lying, and
committing adultery, they would break
cut until blood touched blood ; but only

God

234 The Dottrine of

God holds them both in a ftrong ada-
mantine Chain, fo that they cannot
come near to hurt us, but by a fpecial
Permiffion.

Neither is God only a Shield to us,
but a Sun. The Lord God is our fun and
Jhieldj Pfal. 84. 11. He not only protects
us from Dangers, but,

II. He likewife cherifheth us, and
provides for us: We live upon his Al-
lowance, and are maintained by him
as thofe who belong unto his Family :
All are Waiters at his Table, and he
gives them their food in due feafbn . He
crowns the year with his blejfmgsy and
fills our hearts with food and gladnefs :
He better manures the Earth by his
Bleffing, than the Husbandman can by
his Induftry, and makes our Suftenance
to grow and fpring up round about us,
allotting unto every one a needful and
convenient Portion. If then God doth
thus proteft thee, and provide for thee,
hath not he a Right and Title to thee ?
Is not that Life his, which he hath de-
fended from fo many Deaths? and re-
fcued it, when thou haft been furroun-
ded with Dangers? If thou wilt not ac-
knowledge thy felf his, why dofl thou
live in his Family, eat his Bread, and
wear his Livery, and maintain thy felf

the Two Covenants. 235

at his Expence ? It is but Reafon and
Juftice, that thou fliouldft either refufe
his Benefits, or not refufe his Commands
and Service.

But yet -farther, Fourthly, We are
God's by Covenant-Engagement, and
folemn Promife. In our Baptifm we
were confecrated and devoted to be the
Lord's, to fight under his Banner againft
all the Enemies of his Glory and our
Salvation : Therein we have renounced
and abjured the Ufurpation and tyran-
nical Power that Sin and Satan have ex-
ercifed over us, and with the greatelt
Solemnity have bound our felves unto
the Service of God, and of our Lord
Jefus Chrift. Our Baptifm is a Seal, not
only on God's part of the Truth and
Stability of his Promifes, that we fliall
obtain Remiffion of our Sins and eter-
nal Life, upon the performance of the
Conditions of Faith and new Obedi-
ence; but it is likewife a Seal on our
part, obliging us to fulfil unto God the
Promifes we have made, of believing in
him, and obeying him. In this Ordi-
nance you have fealed and delivered
your felves up unto him ; for it is the
initiating Ordinance, it enters you into
the Church, regifters you among the
number of the Faithful, Hits you under

the

236 The T)oStrine of

the fpiritual Banner : It is, a? it were,
Heaven's Prefs-mony, which as foon as
you receive, you are inrolled under Je-
fus Chrift, the great Captain of your
Salvation. That Sacrament is your mi-
litary Oath properly fo called ; and you
are bound by the moil ferious Engage-
ments that can be laid upon a Creature,
to continue Chrift 's faithful Soldier and
Servant to your Lives end. Now un-
lefs thou thinkeft thefe Vows to be writ-
ten only on the Water that fprinkled
thee, and wiped away together with
that ; unlefs thou accounteft thy Bap-
tifm nothing elfe but a long received
Cuftom of the Place where thou liveft,
a folemn piece of Pageantry, and only a
Ceremony ufed on a Feftival Day, thou
muft needs look upon thy felf engaged
by the ftricteft Bonds, that Truth, Re-
ligion, Vows and Oaths can lay upon
thee, to be that God's unto whom thou
didft then profefledly give up thy felf,
and whofe Badge and Cognizance thou
then tookett upon thee, that thou
mighteft be known whofe thou art, and
to whom thou appertained. And,

Fifthly, We are God's byProfeffion,
and our own voluntary and free Ac-
knowledgment. We have taken, and
itill do own him to be our Lord : And

although

the Two Covenants. 237

although in Works too many deny even
the Lord that bought them, living in a
direft Contrariety to their Vows, Co-
venants, and Engagements ; yet in Words
and in Profeffion all acknowledge him
to be their Lord and Mafler. And tho*
Chrift might very juftly upbraid too ma-
ny among us, who are either Profeffbrs
at large, or hypocritical Diflfemblers,
as he did the Jews, Luke 6. 46. Why
call ye me Lord, Lord* and do not the
things which I fay ? yet this very Pro-
feffion of his Name is but the ftrength-
ning of his Title to us; and all thofe
Appellations of our Lord, and our Ma-
tter, our God, and our Saviour, by
which we call him, are but fo many
Acknowledgments of his Right unto us.
And if we contradifl: this Profeffion by
an unholy and profane Life and Con-
vention, all that we fliall get by fuch
Fawnings will be, that he whom we
have fo often acknowledged for our
Lord and Mafler, may the .more juftly
and the more fcverely punifli us for our
Difobedience.

And confider again how often haft
thou renewed thy baptifmal Vows ; Of
how many Vows and Promifes have thy
Fears, and thy Dangers, and thy Difea-
fes, and thy Convi&ions, been Both the

Caufes

238 The Doffrine of

Caufes and the WitnefTes ? Haft thou
not again and again given up thy felf
unto God, and bound thy felf by Vow
never to repeal nor recal it? When
Death and Danger have flared thee in
the Face, and all other Hopes and Helps
have failed thee, haft thou not promifed
and fworn that if he would fave and de-
liver thee that once, thou wouldft be
the Lord's,and ferve and fear him only?
God hath heard thy Prayers, and ac-
cepted thy Vows, and refcued thee
from thy Fears and Dangers; and though
he had a Sovereign Right and Title to
thee before upon other Accounts, yet
to fhew how grateful and pleafing the
free-will Offerings of a devout Soul are
to him, though we can offer him nothing
but what is his own, yet now heefpeci-
ally expefts that we fhould give up our
felves to him by Obedience, as we have
frequently done by Promife ; and fhould
at length fulfill what we have fo often
ingag'd. Yea again,

Sixthly, Some are God's in a more
efpecial and peculiar manner. His cho-
fen and beloved ones, who have from
the Heart given up and devoted them-
felves to the Service of God ; and not
only bear his Mark upon them in the
Enjoyment of external Privileges, and

Church

the Two Covenants. 239

Church Ordinances, but bear likewife
the Stamp of his Image upon them in the
inward San&ification and Renovation of
their Souls. Thefe God hath fet apart
for himfelf, Pfal. 4. 3. They are his pecu-
liar people , Titus z. 14. and 1 Pet. z.$.
they are called by many fpecial and di-
scriminating Titles, A cho fen generation*
a royal prief hood, an holy nation , a pe-
culiar people. They are called his Por-
tion, and the Lot of his Inheritance,
Deut. 3x. 9. The Lord's portion is his
people^ Jacob is the lot of his inheritance.
They are his Jewels, Mai. 3. 17. And
certainly whatever a Man will molt ear-
neltly plead his Right in, it will be his
Jewels, his Portion, his Inheritance, his
peculiar Treafure, thofe things which
are of the greateft Value, and deareft
Eiteem. So God flands much upon his
Right to his own People and Children,
whilft all the Wicked of the World, al-
though they are his, yet they are in his
account vile refufe Creatures, more
defpicable in God's Eyes, than true Saints
are in theirs, the Dung and Drofs, the
Filth and Off-fcouring of all things.
Thefe indeed are God's by the Obliga-
tion of common Nature; but his holy
ones are his by the Privilege of fpecial
Grace. There is a ftrift and clofe Bond

of

240 The Dottrine of

of Union between Chrift and them: On
his part, by his Spirit ; on theirs, by their
Faith. And being united unto Chrift
as their Head, they are likewife united
unto God, as his : For the head of Chrifi
is God> as the Apoftle fpeaks, i Cor. 1 1 . 3 .
Seventhly and Lafl/y, We are God's
by the right of Redemption: This I
have referved to the laft Place, becaufe
it is the fecond general part of my Text,
as being the Reafon of the Propofition.
Te are not your own, but God's, for
ye are bought with aTrice. This indeed
is a ftrong Title that Gocl hath to us,
a Superaddition to the reft. God did
at firft create us in a State of perfe&Ho-
linefs and Felicity ; but we fold our felves
to Satan, and are become his Vaffals and
Bond-flaves. We have thrown God's
Yoke from off our Necks, and his Bur-
then from off our Shoulders,and broke his
Bonds afunder, and caft away his Cords
from us, and have taken upon us the
Yoke of the Devil, the burden of Sin
and Guilt, a Load that would fink us
into the very Bottom of Hell. Weftand
forfeited to the divine Juftice, liable to
the eternal Wrath of the great God, rea-
dy to be drag'd away every Moment un-
to Torments. But in this our forlorn
and defperate Condition, that fo noble

and

the Two Covenants. 241

and excellent a Piece of the Creation
might not for ever perifli, infinite and
fovereign Mercy interpofeth, prepares
a Ranfom for us, which is paid down
to the veryuttermoft Farthingof all that
the Juftice of God could demand; and
fo refcues us from that Perdition and
Mifery into which we had plunged our
felves.

Now the Love and Mercy of God in
redeeming us, is far more eminent than
in creating us. And therefore his Right
and Title to us upon this account, is far
greater than upon the other. For,

I. Creation only gives us a Being,
brings us only out of the dark Shade and
State of nothing: And in this our fal-
len and finful Condition it only capaci-
tates us for Woe and Mifery. But Re-
demption finds out an Expedient, and
opens a Way for us untoBlifs and Hap-
pinefs. And although perhaps, metaphy-
sically confider7d,it is becter to be wretch-
ed than not to be at all ; yet certainly in
a natural and moral Senfe, it is not fo.
For fo faith our Saviour, Mat. 26. 24.
Woe unto that man by whom the Son of
man is betray' 'd, it had been good for that
man^ if he had not been bom : That is,
it had been better for him never to have
had a Being, but to have lain eternally

R for-

242 The cDoEirine of

forgotten in the Purpofe and Decree of
God, than that he fhould have a Being,
an immortal Soul bellowed upon him,
to be for ever molt exquiiitely tor-
mented for this horrid Sin of betraying
the Life and Blood of his Lord and Ma-
iler. Creation frees us not from fo great
an Evil, neither confers upon us fo great
and ineftimable Benefits, as Redempti-
on dpth. Alas, what Torture or Vexa-
tion is it to mere Nothing, that it muft
eternally remain fo ? Will not this be the
hearty wifh and defire of all the damn-
ed Wretches in Hell? Would they not
account it a kind of Salvation to be an-
nihilated, that their Souls and Bodies
might fall afunder and flit away into no-
thing, fothat they might efcape the ever-
lafting Refidue of their Torments? And
if Sores and Botches, and temporal Lof-
fes and Afflictions, could fofar tranfport
even holy Job, who yet is reprefented
unto us as the Mirror of Patience, as to
caufe him to curfe the day of his Birth,
and to wifh that he had never feen the
Light; how much more fhall we think
will thofe infernal Wretches, on whom
God exercifeth the whole Skill and
Power of his Wrath, wifh that they had
been Toads, or Serpents, rather than
Men ; yea, that they had never been at

all.

the Two Covenants. 243

all, but had lain undifturbed in a dark
and gloomy Nothing, fince they fliall
have more Sufferings and Anguifli to
torture them, and no Patience, no
Comfort, no Mercy for ever to fup-
port them. Neither doth Creation
confer upon them fo great and in-
eftimable Benefits, as Redemption
doth. It is true, we have an excellent
Being and Nature bellowed upon us, as
Creatures of an higher Form than others
are, the chiefeft of all viiible and corpo-
real things. We are endow'd with rati-
onal and intellectual Faculties; and are
capable of Pleaiures, not only fuch as
brute Beaits are, but of fpeculative and
mental Delights, which are far more no-
ble, and more refined. But yet alas,
what are we, but Lords perhaps of the
World, and all the while Slaves to the
Devil ; miferable Drudges, to our own
vile and bafe Lulls, for gratifying of
which thefe excellent Natures which we
boaft and glory fo much of, muft for e-
ver lye under molt inconceivable Hor-
ror and Torments. But now Redemp- -
tion brings us into a Capacity of fat-
greater Happinefs than that from which
we fell; it gives us Hopes that though
we loll Paradife, we may gain Heaven;
yea and allures us that we ihall certainly

R z

244 The DoBrine of

do fo, if we do not wilfully negledl that
great Salvation that is purchafed for us,
and frowardlychufe Death and our own
Deftruftion, before eternal Life and
Joy. So that you fee Creation is a Mer-
cy and Bleffing to us chiefly upon the
account of Redemption; and we are
obliged to blefs God, that he hath by
-Creation made us Subjefts capable of
that Glory and Happinefs which he hath
prepared for us by Redemption. And,
11. God's Mercy in redeeming us is far
more eminent and confpicuous than in
creating us,becaufe it hath been far more
expenfive to him. In Creation there
needed no more but an Almighty Fiat,
Let it be^ and it was fo. Here was no-
thing of Preparation, nor Difficulty, nor
Coll ; nor was there any more Labour
or Trouble, than only to will, and fpeak
it. But now in Redemption, God mult
not only aft, but fufler ; not only fpeak,
but bleed. In Creation there was no-
thing that might abafe or traduce God,
nothing but glorious Demonftrations of
his Wifdom and Godhead. He hum-
bled not himfelf, nor defcended from
his Throne when he formed us; but
he only fpake a quickning Word, and
all Creatures presently fprung up, and
paid their Homage and Obeifance to their

great

the Two Covenants. 24$

great Creator. But in Redemption God
himfelf doth as it were lay afide his Glo-
ry, humbles himfelf, firrt to become a
Creature, and then accurfed. Hemuft
be wounded, that we might be healed:
He muft die, that we might live ; He
mull be debafed, that we might be ex-
alted. And therefore certainly, if Love
and Good-will are to be meafured either
by the greatnefs of the Benefits conferM
upon us, or by the Difficulty and Da-
mage that accrues to the Benefactor,
God's Mercy in redeeming us when mi-
ferable, and loft, and undone, is infi-
nitely more considerable than his Mer-
cy in creating us, and giving us a Being.
And yet if Creation alone gives God fo
great a Right to us, that thofe Beings
which we received from him, fhould
therefore be intirely his ; lhall not Re-
demption mal^e us much more his? Shall
we not be his, who hath redeemed us
from being wretched and miferable,
fince we are his, who hath given us to
be? And therefore well might the Apo-
file argue, Te are not your own but God }s9
fir ye are bought with a price.

And thus you fee how manifold Ti-
tles God hath to us ; as he is our Crea-
tor our Preferver, our Governor, and
Benefador; as we are his Covenant Ser-

R 3 vants,

246 The Tfoclrwe of

vants, united unto him not only by his
Benefits, but by his Grace ; and laftly,
as we are Redeemed by him from the
Service of Sin, and the Wages due un-
toit.

But before I proceed to confider this
part of the Text, as it (lands abfolutely
in it felf, give me leave to clofe up
what hath been now fpoken concerning
God's Right unto us, with two or three
Inferences.

FirJIy See here how dear we are un-
to God, and how highly he efteems of
us, that he thus ftrengthens his Right
to us by fo many multiplied Titles. As
thofe who prize any Pofleilion, feek to
confirm it to themfelves by all the ways
that Law and Equity can find out, and
have Writings upon Writings, and Evi-
dences upon Evidences for it, that their
Title to it may be unqueftionable : Thus
feems God to deal with us ; a fingle
Right, for fo dear a Portion and Inheri-
tance, is not enough. And therefore,
though he hath made us, and preferves
us, and bountifully fupplies us ; though
we profefs our felves to be his own, yet
to prevent all Doubts and Suits, he buys
us too. He buys what is his own, that
it might be more his own. And be-

caufe

the Two CGcvena?7ts. 247

caufe Juftice and Vengeance lay in their
Claim to us, that the Title of his Mercy
might not be litigious, that there might
be nothing in himfelf to hinder his quiet
Enjoyment of us, he pays down a full
Price to Juftice, and fatisfies all its De-
mands. So dear are we to God. And,

Secondly, See how unfaithful we are
to him, that we need fo many Bonds
and Engagements laid upon us to fecure
us. So flippery and deceitful are our
Hearts, that we are flill (tarring afide
from him ; and though we have no
Right to difpofe of our felves, yet
are ,we flill felling or giving away
our felves to every Lufl and Vanity.
And therefore as we ufe to deal with
thofe who are of a fufpefted Honefty,
lay all the Bonds upon them thai: pofii-
bly we can, and make them enter into
ftrift and punftual Engagements, fo
doth God with us. He truits us net up-
on a fingle Obligation ; but makes us
enter into Bond upon Bond ; and all
fcarce fufficient to make fuch fickle and
treacherous Creatures (table and faith-
ful to him.

And, Thirdly, Hence learn that all
Impiety and Irreligion, is the higheft
Wrong and Injudice in the World. Will

R 4 a

248 The Doffrine of

a Man rob God, faith the Prophet, Ma-
lachy 3. 8. intimating by the very que-
ftion, that this is iuch an horrid and
heinous Sin, as that it is not eafie to be
fuppofed any Man would be fo profligate
a Wretch as to be guilty of it. And
therefore Sacrilege, a Healing and pur-
loining from God, is juitly branded as
one of the moft foul and odious Sins that
can be committed. And yet this is a
Sin more commonly committed than
moil Men think of. Every wicked Man
is guilty of Sacrilege. He robs God,
Heals from him, and alienates that which
is properly his due. Thou ftealeft thy
felf from him, thy Heart and thy Afife-
ftions, thy Love and thy Service. Thefe
thou giveft to thy Lufts, and to the
World, and maintained his fvvorn Ene-
mies upon his right and due. If it be
Sacrilege to convert things hallowed and
dedicate, to prophane and common U-
fes, art not thou then a Sacrilegious
Wretch, who itealeft away thy Soul from
God, which is by fo many juft Titles
his own, and converted it not only to
common, but filthy and unclean Ufes?
The Apoftle tells us, that we are the
Temple ofGod^ 2 Cor. 6. 16. Our Hearts
are the Sativum San£iorumy the holi-
eft of Holies in this Temple 5 and all

our

the Two Covenants. 249

our Faculties are dedicated Things, the
holy Utenfils for the Worfhip and Service
of 6od. And what, (hall we pollute this
Temple, fet up Idols there, and ferve our
Lufts and Follies with thofe very Inftru-
ments and Veflels which God hath made
and prepared for his own Service and
Worfhip? And yet how many fuch Sacri-
legious Perfons are there? The World-
ling, he fets up an Image of Gold in the
Temple of God : And therefore Cove-
tuoufnefs is by the Apoftle called Ido-
latry y Colof. 3 . 5. Mammon is his God ;
and all the hallowed Veflels of the Tem-
ple, his Thoughts, Defigns and Affefti-
ons, muft all be employed in the Service
of this Idol. The fenfual unclean Per-
fon turns this Temple of God into a
Stews, and with the Heathen makes his
Temple the Scene of all his Impurities-
The beaftly Drunkard makes this Tem-
ple the place of all his Riot and Exceft;
and with Impiety as great as Belfbaz-
xars, makes the Bowls and Veflels of
God's Sanftuary ferve him only to quaf
and caroufe in. And indeed there is no
Sin whatfoever, but it is complicated of
Sacrilege. For what is Sin, but as the
Schools define it, an Averfion of the
Soul from God, and an inordinate Con-
verfion of it to the Creature. Now to

con-

The Tlo&rine of

convert that to the Creature which is
proper and due to God, it is to rob him,
to take away what he hath hallowed, to
pollute and prophane things Dedicate,
to defile his Temple. And now to clofe
up this, confider that dreadful Threat-
ning of the Apoftle, i Or, 3. 17. If any
Man defile the Temple of God, him will
Goddeftroy.

And thus much for the Proportion
in the Text, Te are not your own, but
God's.

II. The next thing to be confidered
is the Reafon : For ye are bought with
a Price. The force of this Reafon I
have already fliewn you. I fhall only
now confider it abfolutely as it is in it
felf.

In thefe Words is held forth unto us
the great Myltery of the Gofpel, our
Redemption by Jefus Chrift. I fliallnot
treat of it in that Latitude that a full
and compleat handling of this Subjeft
would require ; but contine my felf to
fpeak more briefly only to thefe few
Heads.

Firft, W hat this Price of our Redemp-
tion is.

Secondly, To whom this Price was paid,
and of whom we were bought.

Thirdly,

the Two Covenants. 251

Thirdly, How the payment of a Price
can be confident with the free Mercy
and Grace of God in faving us.

Fourthly, What is it that we are by
this Price redeemed from.

Firfl, Let us confider what this Price is
which is paid down for our Redemption.
And that is a Price infinitely inedimable,
confiding in all thofe dolorous Sorrows
and Sufferings that our Lord Chrid un-
derwent in the Days of his Flefh, when
it pleafed the Lord to bruife him. In
his Nativity and Circumcifion was this
rich Exchequer fird opened, which was
never afterwards fhut, 'till he paid out
to the very lad Farthing, the very lad
drop of his mod precious Blood, asafull
and fatisfaftory Price of our Redemp-
tion. But now tho7 the whole courfe of
his Humiliation and Abafement were
part of this Price which he paid, yet
becaufe the chief and greated Sum of it
was told down to God in his Death and
lad Paffion, and all his other Sorrows
and Sufferings were compleated in this,
therefore the Scripture doth principally
afcribe our Redemption to the Blood of
Chrid. So 1 Teter 1. 15*. Te were not
redeemed with corruptible things, as Sil-
ver and Go Id, but with the precious Blood
of Chri/l. His Soul was made an offer-
ing

The DoSlrine of

ing for fifty Ifai. 5*3. 10. The blood of
Jefus Chriji cleanfeth us from all fin,
1 John 1. 7. and many other .places to
the fame import. Now the Blood and
Death of Chrift, and all other parts of
his Exinanition, carried in them a fuffi-
cient, yea a redundant value to expiate
the Sins of the whole World, from the
infinite Virtue of the Hypoftatical Uni-
on of the Divine with the Human Na-
ture, whereby his Blood became the
Blood of God ; his Sufferings, the Abafe-
ment and Humiliation of God : And this
made it a Price, not only equivalent un-
to, but infinitely furpailmg and outbid-
ding the Purchafe for which it was of-
fered.

Secondly, Let us confider to whom
this Price was paid ; and that is to our
great Creditor, God. The Socinians,
on purpofe to undermine this Funda-
mental Doftrine of Chrift's Satisfaftion,
tell us, that if we are redeemed by a
Price in this flrift and proper Senfe,
that Price mud then be paid into the
Hands of Satan, becaufe we are in Bon-
dage under him. But this is as weak as
it is impious : For indeed Satan is not
our Creditor ; we owe him nothing but
hatred and averfation. Neither is any
Man, that is kept in ward for Crimes or

Debts*

the Two Covenants. 253

Debts,properly faid to be his Goaler's Pri-
foner, but the King's, or the Creditor's.
So though we are naturally in Bondage
under Satan, yet he is but our Goaler.
We are not his Prifoners, but God's,
who is both our Sovereign, and our Credi-
tor. And therefore the Price is not be
paid to him by whom we are detain'd,
but to him by whofe Authority, or by
whofe Suit we are detain'd, and that is,
the Juftice of God. And therefore Chrift,
byfatisfyingthejuflice of God, releafeth
us from under the power of Satan We
are under a two-fold bondage to the
Devil: The one Moral, by our Sins and
Vices, doing his Work, and toiling in
his Drudgery ; and thus we are his Slaves :
The other Legal, by the guilt of Sin
binding us over, and making us liable
unto his Plagues and Torments. Chrift
hath redeemed us from both ; improper-
ly from the former, by the Power of his
Grace breaking afunder our Chains and
Fetters in our Convcrfion, and fofetting
us free from the Service of Sin and the
Devil : Moil properly from the latter,
by the infinite Virtue of his Merits ran-
foming us from that Death, and Woe,
and Wrath to which we flood expofed,
and which elfe the Devil would have in-
flidted upon us, as being the great Mi-

nifler

254. The DoSirine of

nifter and Executioner of Divine Ven-
geance. Now we are not properly re-
deemed from our Moral Bondage, our
flavery to Sin and Satan, but conquer-
ed: Therefore no Price was paid to
him under whofe Vaflalage we were
held. But we are properly redeemed
from our Legal Bondage; from our lia-
blenefs to eternal Death and Sufferings:
Yet the Price ought not to be paid to
Satan, but unto God, whofe Mini iter
and Executioner Satan is. And this is
in Anfwer to the fecond Inquiry.

The Third general Inquiry is, how
the Payment of a full and fatisfaftory
Price can be confident with the free
Grace and Mercy of God in faving us.
For the Scripture fpeaks fo much of
God's Mercy and free Grace in faving
Sinners, that* fome have thought it very
difficult to reconcile thofe Expreffions
with the Notion of a price of Redemp-
tion, properly fo called. The chief
fenfe in which Grace is faid to be free,
is that it gratuitoufly confers upon us
the Benefits of our Redemption with-
out Merit or Defert. If then thefe be
merited, if an equal Price be paid down
for them, what becomes of A\ thofe
magnificent Exaltations of free Grace,
which the Scripture feems fo much to

glory

the Two Covenants. 25 c

glory in ? / even I am he that blotteth
out thy tranfgrejfons for my names fake :
By gracz ye are faved, &c. Certainly
what is lb dearly bought and purchafed
as by the Blood of Jefus Chriit, can-
not be faid to be a free and gratuitous
Gift.

To this I anfwer in the general, that
thefe things are not all inconfiltent ;
and therefore ought to be no prejudice
to our moft high Veneration of the in-
finitely rich, and infinitely free Grace
of God in our Redemption, although
that Redemption be purchafed for us,
and a Price paid down fully anfwerable
to the Demands of Divine Juftice.

I fliall endeavour to clear up this in
thefe following Particulars.

Firjl, We are not fo freely redeemed,
pardoned, and faved, as to exclude all
Merit and Defert on Chriil's part. This
is not neceffary to the eftablifhing of
free Grace, that our Saviour himfelf
ihould be the Objefl: cf it. For God
tranfafted with his Son, only upon the
terms of itrid: and impartial Juftice : Nor
was there ever any one Sin that he was
pleafed to take upon himfelf, that was
pardoned to him ; but a plenary Satif-
faftion was exafted from him, and Ju-
ftice had out its full due in his Suffer-

ings,

256 The DoBrine of

ings. Every Sin flood him as dear, as
it would have done the Sinners them-
felves, had God refolved never; to have
adminiflred Mercy and Grace unto them.
And therefore faith the Apoftle, Colof.i.
14. In him we have redemption through
his bloody even the forgivenefs of fins.
And, without /bedding of blood there is
no remijfion^ Heb 9. 22. And, this is
my blood which is Jhed for the remijjion
of fins, Ma';th. 26. 28. All our Sins
were laid upon him, and imputed to him ;
and he underwent and eluftated the
whole preflure of thofe Punifhments
that were due unto them, and is now
fet down at the right hand of the Ma-
jefty on high to make Inter cejfion for us.
So that though-never any who was a Sin-
ner, either through the Corruption of
Nature, or aftual Tranfgreffion hath at-
tained to the Joy and Happinefs of Hea-
ven, but only through the pardoning
Grace and Mercy of God ; yet he who
was the greateft Sinner (as Luther made
bold to call him, and fo he was by Im-
putation) is now triumphing in thofe
Regions of Blifs, Crowned with Glory,
and Arrayed with infinite Majefly, whofe
Sins yet were never pardoned, nor ever
had he the lead free Grace or Mercy
ihewn him ; but whatfoever he hath ob-
tained

. the Two Covenants. 257

tained either for himfelf, or for us, the
poffeflion of it for himfelf, and thepoffi-
bility and allured hopes of it for us, he
hath moll dearly bought and purchafed
it. Yea indeed, in refpeft of this Pur-
chafe made by Chrift, we receive no-
thing at all of free Grace from God ;
but whatever we have, or expeft, is
paid for to the very utmoft of what it
is worth. For as we our felves are
bought with a Price, fo is every thing
we enjoy. JPven the moft common and
vulgar BleiH: g>, that are prdmiicuoufly
diflributed among the Sons of Men, they
all flow to us in a ftream of Blood. But
yet,

Secondly 1 In refpefl: of our felves, our
Redemption, Pardon, and Salvation,
and all the Mercies we enjoy, are of
mere free Grace. No Merit,' no Price
is required from us ; but all is excluded
on our part, befides a grateful Acknow-
ledgment, and an humble Expreffion of
our Duty, by that rich Mercy which re-
quires thefe from us, not as the Price
of our Redemption, but only as a Telti-
mony of our Love and ready Obedience.
Alas, could we pray 'till our Knees took
Root in the Earth; could we weep
whole Rivers, and after our Tears were
fpent, drop our Eye-balls too; could we
¥ ■■ y S fall

258 The Ttottrine of

faft our felves into Ghofts, and figh away
our Souls into Air, fliould we give all
our Goods to the Poor, and our Body
to the Flames, yet all our Prayers, and
Tears, and Falling, and Alms, and a*ll
the flock of our own Righteoufnefs ;
yea, fliould it be luppoied that a Tax
and Subfidy fliould be levyed upon the
good Works of all MankinJ, and put
into one common Treafure for the Uie
and Benefit of any one particular Soul,
yet it would not be found a Price rich
enough for its Redemption, nor at all
available to buy off the guilt of the leafl
Sin. For whatfoever is required of us,
is but Debt and Duty, and therefore
cannot be Meritorious: And whatfoever
is not required of us, is but Will-wor-
fhip and Superfluous Devotion, and
therefore cannot be acceptable. So then,
it is no derogation at all from the free
Grace of God, that he pardons andfaves
us upon the intervention of a Price ;
that our Pardon is bought, and our In-
heritance is purchafed : For we our felves
have not been at any part of the Charge;
we have not fo much as call in one Mite
into this Treafury, but all is as freely
and gratuitoufly bellowed upon us, as
if it had never been purchafed at all.
And again,

Thirdly,

the Two Covenants. 2$ 9

Thirdly, Confider alfo that the relax-
ing of the rigour of the Covenant of ^
Works, fo far forth as to take off our
perfonal Obligation to Punifhment, by
the commutation of Perfons, accepting
the Subftitution of another, of a Surety,
of a Redeemer, is an aft of infinite free
Grace, and rich Mercy. For by the
Letter of the Law, T)o this and live, im-
plying the contrary threatning of Death in
cafe ofDifobedience, every Sinner flood
bound to fuffer the whole Curfe and Pe-
nalty in his own Perfon; and God might
for ever have refufed to recede fo far
from his own Right, as to admit of any
Satisfa&ioQ made and tendred by ano-
ther, but have feized upon us, who
were the TranfgreiTbrs, and bound us
over to anfwer it at the great Affize be-
fore his dreadful Tribunal, and to fuffer
for it eternal Torments in Hell. Now,
O Sinner, though God hath received a
Price and Ranfom for thy Soul at the
Hands of another, is this any diminuti-
on of the abfolute freenefs of his Grace
towards thee? Doft thou envy that he
receives Satisfaction for thy Sins, fmce
he receives it not from thy felf ? Or doft
thou grudge and repine that he fliould
glorifie his Juftice and Severity upon ano-

S % thcr,

Ihe Dottrine of

ther, fince he intends only to glorifie
his Mercy and Grace upon thee?

Yea, you will fay, this indeed isfome-
thing of Mercy and free Grace, that
Gcd hath ftricken my Name out of the
Bond, and put in my Surety's, whereas
he might juilly have exacted the Forfei-
ture from my felf : But had it not been
a more glorious demonilration of free
Grace, absolutely to have forgiven the
whole Debt, and to have required no
Payment, no Satisfaction at all? We fee
that among Men, he is accounted moll
bountiful that forgives the Surety as well
as the Principal. For what Angular aft
of Mercy is it to releafe the Debtor,
and yet rigorouflytoprofecute hisSpon-
for and Undertaker, from whom he is
fure ro recover all his Right and De-
mands? If God had been pleafed thus
totally to part with his Right, and nei-
ther exaft it from us, nor our Surety,
had not this been a far more generous
Mercy, and a more glorious demonftra-
tion of his infinite free Grace ?

I anfwer, No. And therefore aflert,
Fourthly ', That God's free Grace is
more glorioufly demonftrated in the Re-
demption of the World through a Price,
than it would have been if he had only
freely and arbitrarily remitted to them

their

the Two Covenants. 261

their Offences, and delivered them from
eternal Death, without requiring any Sa-
tisfaction. And this will appear moid clear-
ly, if we confider but thefe two things.
I. Who the Perfon is that is ap-
pointed our Surety and our Ranfom.
Is it an Angel ? Truly, if it were, this
had been wonderful Love, that God
lhould part with fo bright and glorious
an Attendant, fend him down to Earth,
cruciate and torment him for the Sins of
fuch vile Worms as we are. But, oh
Aftoniftiment ! when not an Angel, but
the God of Angels; not a Servant, but
a Son, yea, the Son of his eternal Love
and Delights, is by the Father himfelf
appointed to fuch unfpeakable Miferies
and Dolours, and thrult under the Sword
of Juftice when it wras juft falling upon
us, only that he might ward off the
blow, and fave us from fo great and inevi-
table a ruin ; though it was to the Death
and ruin of his only Son : Now judge
your felves, whether it be not infinitely
more expreffive of the divine Love to
fave us by devoting his own Son to be
an Execration and a Sacrifice for us, than
if he had only out of his abfolute Pre-
rogative pardoned our Sins, and with-
out more Expence or Difficulty, re-
ceived us up into Glory. This indeed

S 3 had

The DoBrine of

had been Grace ; but it had been more
thrifty and fparing, than that Method
whi ;h God hath now defigned for our
Salvation, through the Blood and Suf-
ferings of Jeius Chriit. And therefore
the Scripture every where lays an Ac-
cent andEmphafis upon this. Rom. 8. 33.
He /pared not his own Son, but deliver-
ed him up for us all. And John 3.16.
God fo loved the world that he gave his
only begotten Son to fave it. God lay un-
der no Neceffity of faving us at all, and
much lefs lay he under any Neceffity of
faving us in fo chargeable a manner as
by the Death of Chriit: But yet it f leafed
the Lord to bruife him, to ?nake his foul
an offering for fin, and to caufe to meet
together upon him, all our Iniquities,
and all his Plagues and Curfes. And
wherefore was this? Not only thatjuftice
might ue fatisfy'dt, but that Mercy might
alfo be fatisfy 'd, and free Love and Grace
might be glorify 'd in fuch a ftupendous
Expreffion of it. The divine Wifdom
approves of this way of Redemption,
becaufe divine Love diftates it to be
moft advantageous to commend it felf
unto us : And that ever-adored Defign
of a Mediator took place in God's eter-
pal Councils, that it might be a Means

the Two Covenants. 263

as well for the Demonitration of Mer-
cy, as for the Satisfaction of juitice. And

II. Confider that God himfclffurnilli'd
and enabled our Redeemer to pay down
the whole of that Price which he exacted
from him. For the Son of God had
not been paflible, had he not become
the Son of Man. He had not been
wounded, nor buffeted, nor crucify'd,
nor bled, nor died : He had not had
any Stock nor Treafury of Merits to
have ranfomed us, had he not taken up-
on him the form of a Servant, had he
not appear'd in the likenefs of linful
Flefli. And whence had he this, but
only of God's providing? Heb. 10. 5-.
A body haft thou prepared me. Now is
it not as much free Grace to furnifh our
Surety with Means and Abilities to make
Satisfaction, as to forgive us without
requiring any Satisfaftion at all ? Yea let
me add, that free Grace is much more
glorious, in as much as the Price our
Redeemer is furnilh'd with is more than
fufficient to pay the Debt.

And thus you fee that the Interventi-
on of a Price is no Derogation at all
from the freenefs of God's Grace; yea
rather this Method of redeeming us
mightily inhaunceth his Mercy, and
makes it more rich and glorious. And

S 4 there-

The Vottrine of

therefore it is very obfervable how the
Scripture joins thefe two together, free
Grace, and the purchafed Redemption,
as if it would on purpofe flop the Mouths
of thofe who by pleading the Inconfi-
ftency of thefe, feek to undermine the
greateit Support of all our Faith and
Hope, and\he mod dear and precious
Truth of the Gofpel, I mean the Satif-
fadion of Chriit for our Sins. See Rom,
3. z+. We are juftified freely by his grace,
through the redemption that is in Jejus
Chri/r; and Ephef. 1.7. In him we have
redemption through his blood even thefor-
givenefs of/Ins, according to the riches of
his grace. What can be more exprefs,
to reconcile the Grace vouchfafed by
God, with the Price paid for it by
Chrifl:? It is free Grace that juftifies us,
but yet we are jultify'd through Re-
demption. We are redeemed through
his Blood ; but yet this is likewife ac-
cording to the Riches of his Grace. And
Indeed both are eafily accommodated.
It is of Price and Purchafe in refpeft of
Chrifl: : But it is of Gift and free Grace
in refpefl: of us. Free, in that God was
pleafed to accept a Surety for us, and
much more free, in that this Surety was
his Son. And fo much for the third
Inquiry.

. The

the Two Covenants. 265

The Fourth is, What we are redeem-
ed from by that Price which Jefus Chrift:
hath paid down for us. This I fliall
briefly fliew you in thefe following Par-
ticulars.

Fir ft* We are redeemed from the
dread Wrath and Vengeance of God.
And what an ineftimable Mercy is this !
Vengeance follows a Sinner clofe at the
Heels, purfues him through all the
Threatnings of the Law, brandifhes its
flaming Sword over his Head, and is
ready every Moment to plunge it into
his very Heart. The poor guilty Sin-
ner trembles under the direful Expecta-
tion of that fiery Indignation which will
for ever confume him : He flies, but
knows not whither; is deftitute of Hope
as he is of Help. Now in this forlorn
and defperate Condition, for one that
might fhew unto him a City of Refuge,
and guide his trembling Steps, and his
amazed Soul into it ! Now for a. Meflen-
ger of Peace, an Interpreter, one of a
thoufand, that might declare unto Man
his Righteoufnefs ! It is done, O Soul ;
Chrift Jefus meets the avenger of Blood
in his Purfuit of thee, offers himfelf to
his Sword, falls and dies under his
Hand,whilft thouflyeft into thy Refuge,
and art free both from thy Fears and

Dangers,

266 The Tjo&rine of

Dangers. We find the High-Prieft un-
der the Law, a notable Type of Chrift
in this Particular : For the Slayer was
to abide in the City of Refuge 'till the
Death of the High-Prieft, and then to be
fet a Liberty, Numb. 35-. z8. So by the
Death of Jefus Chrift our High-Prieft
we are fet at Liberty, and may walk in
Safety,beingfecured and warranted from
the Wrath of the Avenger. Indeed the
Wrath and Juftiee of God is the moil
dreadful and formidable Enemy we can
have : But even this Enemy thy Savi-
our hath fatisfy'd and reconciled. He
hath bought out thy Peace for thee, and
now thou may'ft fafely treat with Juftiee
it felf, as thy Friend and Patron. The
divine Wrath is pacifyM, and God is
more contented and recompenfed by
what thy Redeemer hath fuffer'd for
thee, than if he had haled thee forth to fuf-
fer in thine own Perlbn. God infinitely
more acquiefceth in the Sufferings of his
eternal Son, than he could have done
in thine : For thine could have paid his
Juftiee but by fmall Parcels at a time,
and therefore mult have endured eter-
nally : But Chrift Jefus paid down the
whole Sum and Debt at once ; fo that
Juftiee could no longer be fo, if it did
not perfeftly free us who believe, from

any

the Two Covenants. 267

any farther Obligation to Wrath and
Punifliment. It is Jefus, faith the Apo-
ftle, who hath \delivered us from the
wrath to come* i Thef. 1. 10. And there-
fore, O doubting and trembling Chrifti-
an, be not fo injurious to thy God, as to
fear he will revenge thofeSins upon thee
for which thy Redeemer hath fo fully
fatisfyM. Thou may'ft go thy way, eat
thy Bread with Joy, and drink thy Wine '
with a merry Heart, for God hath ac-
cepted thee ; he is at Peace with thee,
and fmiles upon thee. But if thy Con-
fcience (till lowr, and fpeak nothing but
Thunders and Threatnings, tell it that
thou haft a Peace-maker. The Blood
of Jefus fhed upon the Crofs hath paci-
fy 'd God ; and his Blood fprinkled upon
thy Confcience, will likewife attoneand
pacifie it towards thee.

Secondly ', We are redeemed from un-
der the Slavery and Vaffallage of the
Devil. He is that mighty Tyrant that
hunts after our Souls to deftroy them :
That great Dragon that cafts out of his
Mouth whole Floods of Perfecutions
and Temptations to overwhelm us. And
if his Rage be fo inveterate againft us
here on Earth, how implacable, think
you, would his Malice be towards us in
Hell ; how would he triumph in our e-

ternal

The Dottrine of

ternal Perdition, who is now fo labori-
ous and follicitous to procure it ? But
thanks be unto God, who hath deliver-
ed us from the Snare of the Fowler, fo
that now through the Redemption pur-
chafed for us by Chrift our Lord, we
may fafely defie his Spight, and con-
temn all the poor and impotent Effefts
of it.

His Power is feen chiefly in three
Things ; In Tempting, in Accufing, in
Tormenting. But by the vertue of the
Sacrifice of Chriit, and the Price that he
hath paid for our Redemption, this three-
fold Power is either wholly taken from
him, or elfe much abated.

i. As for his Tempting Power, that is
reftrained and cut fliort. He can tempt
us no farther than he hath a Permiffion
given him by that God who hath pro-
mifed, that we Jhall not be tempted be-
yond what we are able to bear^ or than
he will make a way for us to efcape. We
fee what Manacles are upon him, when
he muft firft Petition God before he
could ftretch forth his Hand againftj^,
or touch any thing that he had : And
therefore, O Chriftian, be confident,
that if he cannot touch thy Body or E-
ftate, much lefs fhall he touch thy Soul
and thy Confcience by his horrid Tem-
ptations

the Two Covenants. 269

ptations and Tnjeftions, without the fpe-
cial leave of God. And in all his Tem-
ptations, fuppofe them never fo violent:,
if thou be bat true to thy felf, they fhall
all redound more to his Shame and Dif-
appointment, than to thine. If thou
canft but refift them, and with an holy
Scorn and Difdain call back his fiery
Darts in his Face, and keep clofe to thy
Duty and Allegiance, all his Tempta-
tions fhall but fall upon himfelf, and be
reckoned as his Sins, and only thy Trou-
bles.

x. His Accufing Power is rebuked.
Thus when Satan comes with a vehe-
ment Accufation againft Jojhiia^ Zech.
3. z. The Lord rebuke thee^ O Satan-,
even the Lord who hath chofen Jerufa-
lem rebuke thee. Our Redeemer will be
our Advocate; and though, according
to the Terms of the firft Covenant of
Works, which requires perfeft and fpot-
lefs Obedience, his Accufations will moft
of them be found true againft us ; yet,
according to the Covenant of Grace,
which requires Faith and Sincerity, they
will be found malicious and imperti-
nent ; and our Redeemer will fetch us
off with the loud Applaufe of Saints and
Angels.

i< His

270 The cDo3rine of

3 . His Tormenting Power fliall be whol-
ly aboliih'd. The great End and De-
fign of the Devil is only, that he might
train us into that dark Region where
himfelf hath the fole Jurifdiftion, there
to fatiate his Revenge upon us in our
eternal Torments. But Chrift our Re-
deemer hath deflroyed this Power of the
Devil : He hath ranfack'd this dark
Shop, and broken in pieces all his hor-
rid Racks and Inftruments of Cruelty ;
that unlefs we our felveswill, not a Soul
of us fhall ever fall into the Hands of
that mercilefs Executioner.

Thirdly y We are redeemed from the
Power of Sin ; and that both from its
Reigning, and likewife from its Con-
demning Power.

i. From its Reigning Power. It is
true, that we cannot in this Life be
freed totally from its Moleftations. It is
like the Leprofie, that hath eaten fo deep
into the Walls, that it_can never be per-
fectly cleanled 'till the Houfe it felf be
deilroy'd and demolifli'd : But yet eve-
ry true Chriftian is free from the Do-
minion of it. It may tumultuate and re-
bel in the bed ; for we find a Law in
our Members warring againft the Law
in our Minds ; many Uproars, Bandy-
ings, and inteftine DiiTenfions ; but yec

it

the Two Covenants. 271

it hath loft the Sovereignty over them,
and is now not a Commander, but a
Rebel.

2. We are redeemed likewife from
the Condemning Power of Sin. The
other Freedom from Sin is by the
Spirit of Chrift, working mightily in
us ; but this is by the Merits of Chrift
effedually applied unto us, Rom. 8. x.
There is no condemnation now to thofe that
are in Chrift Jefus. For certainly there
is not fo much Malignity in our Sins to
deftroy us, as there is in the Blood of
Chrift to fave us. And he having inter-
pofed his infinite Merits in our Behalf,
it would be a great Difparagement to his
All-fufficiency, if thou who art but a
poor vile Creature, couldft have done
that which he who is an infinite God
could not expiate.

Fourthly, We are redeemed from the
Curfe and Malediction of the Law. All
our Tryals, Crofles and Affliftions that
may befal us are fanftified to us, and
have nothing of the Curfe in them : For
nothing is a Curfe but what is inflifted
in order to the fatisfying Divine Juftice
upon us. But now the Juftice of God
being fully fatisfied in the Sufferings of
our Lord Chrift, all our own Sufferings,
how fharp foever they may be, are only

for

272 The DoBrine of

for the Exercife of our Graces, the tryal
of our Faith and Patience, the confor-
ming us to the Pattern of our Saviour,
demonftiations of God's Holinefs, and
means to make us Partakers of it. We
may reft confidently allured, that, if we
believe, there is nothing of the Venom
and Malignity of the Curfe in them ;
for Chrift hath redeemed us from the
curfe of the law, being made a curfe for
us, faith the Apoflle, • Gal. 3. 13.

We have fpoken hitherto of the two
former Parts of the Text, the Doftrine,
and the Reafon of it ;

The next thing to be confider'd is the
Inference or Corollary which the Apo-
ftle draws from them, Therefore glorifie
God in your Body, and in your Spirit.
Wherein we have two Parts,

Firft, An Exhortation, Glorifie God.

Secondly , A Direftion how we ought
to do it, In our Body, and in our Spirit.
It is only the former of thefe that I in-
tend to infill on. Poffibly I may briefly
touch and glance upon the other in my
way. And as a Foundation of my fol-
lowing Difcourfe, I fhall lay down this
plain Propofition.

That the Infinite Mercy of God in our
Redemption lays an Obligation upon us

to

the 1\vo Covenants. 273

to glorifie him in all that we do, have,
and are.

This Propofition, I fuppofe, reach-
eth the full Senfe and Meaning of the A-
poftle. And in profecuting of it I iliall
obferve this Method :

Fir/}, Shew you what it is to glorifie
God.

Secondly, How we are to glorifie him.

Thirdly, What Force and Influence
the Confideration of our Redemption
hath to oblige us thus to glorifie him.

Firjl, What it is to glorifie God.
And here we may take notice, that there
are very many Words ufed in Scripture
equipollent to this Phrafe of glorifying
God : Such as are, To do all things to
the glory of God, 1 Cor. 10. 31. To give
glory to God, Pfal. 19. £. Give unto the
Lord the glory due unto his name. To ho-
nour God, 1 Sam x. 30. Them that ho-
nour me, I will honour. To make God's
name and his fraife glorious, Pfal. 66. %.
which is indeed the mod proper Signi-
fication of this Word Glorifie, though
other Expreffions alfo fpeak the fame
Senfe. So then to glorifie God, is to
make him glorious. But what ? Is it
in the Power of any Creature to do this?
Is not God's Glory Infinite, Eternal and
Immutable? And would it not be an \t-

T tempr,

74 The 'Doctrine of

tempt, both fond and blafphemous, to go
about to crown his Deity with any new
Rays, which fhone not in his Eflence
from all Eternity ? For fince the Divine
Nature is infinitely fimple and uncom-
pounded, whatfoever is in God mufl be
God himfelf : And therefore we may
as well create a new Godhead, as con-
tribute any new acceflion of Glory to
that Nature, which is altogether un-
changeable. How then can we be faid
to glorifie God, or to make him glo-
rious?

To this I anfwer, that Glory is two-
fold: Either a real Glory, perfecting
the Subjed: in which it is ; or elfe a re-
lative Glory, which doth not perfefl: the
Subjeft, but only declare thofe Perfecti-
ons which are already in it. The one
we may well call a fubjeftive, the other
an objective Glory. Now,

I. As to real and fubjeftive Glory,
* certain it is that we cannot fo glorifie
Godj but God may and doth thus glo-
rifie us. We cannot thus glorifie God ;
fince this would be utterly inconfiitent
with his eternal Unchangeablenefs, and
Independency* and Self-fufficiency. For
if we could add any real and abfolute
Perfection to his Nature, it would ne-
ceflarily argue a precedent Defeft, a

pre-

the Two Covenants. 27 <

prefent Change, and a perpetual Obli-
gation to his Creatures ; all which are
infinitely incompatible with the divine
EfTence. But yet it is his Prerogative
fo to glorifie us ; even by endowing our
Natures with real and abfolute Perfecti-
ons. Which alfo he doth,

1. In our Creation; beftowing upon
us rational and intelleduai Faculties, a
difcurfive Mind, and many other pecu-
liar Privileges both of Soul and Body,
and inverting us with Sovereignty and
Dominion over inferior Creatures. Up-
on which account the Pfalmift tells us,
that God hath crowned man with honour
and glory y Pfal. 8. 5'.

2. In our Reftitution from our lapfed
Eftate, implanting in us the feminal In-
choations and Initials of Glory in our
Regeneration. For Grace is Glory in
the Seed, and Glory is but Grace in the
Flower. Thus the Apoftle, 2 Cor. 3.18.
We are changed into the fame image from
glory to glory: That is, the Image of
God is {till perfecting in us by his Spirit,
carrying on his work from one meafure
and degree of Grace unto another. For
the whole Life of a Chriftian here on
Earth, is but as it were one continued
fitting under the Hand and Pencil of
the Holy Ghoft, 'till thofe firit Lines

T % and

276 The DoSirine of

and obfcurer Shadows which were laid
in his new Birth, receive more Life,
Sweetnefs and Beauty from his progref-
five Sanftification : And this is a being
changed from glory unto glory. And
when this is come to that Perfection as
to need only the laftHand, and the corn-
pleating Touch, then,

3. God glorifies us by the full Con-
fummation of our Holinefs and Happi-
nefs in Heaven. Thus Chrift prays,
John 17. 1. The hour is come, glorifie thy
Son, And fo verfe y. Glorifie me with
thy /elf, with the glory which I had with
thee before the world was. And fo when
our Hour is likewife come, when we
have attained to the full meafure of our
Stature in Chrift Jefus, God will then
glorifie us with himfelf, in that glory
which he hath prepared for us before the
world was. Thus then, God doth con-
fer real Glory upon us, which if we
ihould again think to do towards him,
it were no lefs than an impious and
blafphemous Arrogance; for it would
imply that he were a defective, mutable
and dependent God. And therefore in
this Senfe Eliphaz fpeaks excellently,
Job 22. 2, 3. Can a man be profitable to
God? Is it any fleafure to the Almighty
that thou art righteous*, or is it gain to

him>

the Two Covenants. 277

him, that thou makeft thy way ferfeEi ?
Certainly we can neither add any real
Good to him by our Righteoufnefs, nor
detraft it from him by our Wickednefs:
For he is as far above the reach of our
good Works to benefit him, as he is a-
bove the reach of our Sins to wrong and
injure him. Therefore we cannot thus
glorifie God. But,

II. There is a relative Glory of God,
which he is then faid to have, when his
real and abfolute Perfections are decla-
red, and made manifeft and confpicuous
to the World. And this Glory perfe&s
not him to whom it is afcribed ; but us,
who afcribe it to him : And thus God
may and ought to be glorified by us.
The former may be called his eflential
Glory ; this latter his declarative Glory.
God's eflential Glory is nothing elfe but
the infinite Perfection of his own Na-
ture ; it is a Conftellation and Concen-
tring of all his inconveivable Attributes
of Wifdom, Power, Holinefs, Juftice,
Mercy, Truth, and the reft, into one
ever-blefled Eflence : This Glory is ca-
pable neither of Addition, Diminution
or Change. But his declarative Glory
is nothing elfe but the Glofs and Shine,
the vifible Splendor and Luftre which re-
flects from his eflential Glory, upon the

T 3 Notice

278 The DoSirine of

Notice and Admiration of his Creatures,
And this Glory may be both increafed
and leflened. As to his Attributes them-
felves, fo God is glorious ; as to the Ma-
nifeftation of them, fo he is faid to be
glorified. And that either by himfelf,
or others.

i. God is faid to glorifie himfelf. And
that when he is pleafed to dart down a
Ray either of his Wifdom, or Power,
or Juftice, or Mercy, or any other of
his Attributes, fo as to make it confpi-
cuous in the adminiftration of Affairs
here below. And therefore, John ix.
a 8. we find our blefled Saviour fadly re-
fie&ing upon the Sorrows and Agonies
of his Death, but at laft compofeth and
refigns up himfelf with this Prayer, Fa-
ther, glorifie thy Name: and it follows,
There came a voice from heaven, faying,
I have both glorified it and will glorifie
it again. Indeed, never was there any
thing that God did in the World, that
fo illuftribufly conduced to his Glory,
as the adored defign of faving it by his
Son : This brought in a large Share and
Revenue of Glory to mod of his Attri-
butes; he had already glorified himfelf
in his Wifdom and Mercy, by the Birth
of his Son ; and in his Power, by the
Miracles he wrought ; and he would glo-

* rifie

the Two Covenants.

rifie himfelf again, that is, he would
now glorifie his dread Juftice and Seve-
rity, by the Death he was to fuffer.

2,. Creatures alfo may be faid to glo-
rifie God. Brute and inanimate Crea-
tures do it only paffively and objective-
ly, as they exhibit the Trafts and Im-
prefles of the Divine Attributes upon
them. But rational and intelligent Crea-
tures ought to do it aftively, by obferv-
ing and afcribing to him thofe Perfefti-
ons, which he viiibly manifefts in the
ways of his Grace or Providence. When
they fee fome eminent Effe&s and Foot-
fteps of his Wifdom, of his Power, of
his Goodnefs, or the like, in the Ma-
nagement of Things here below, and
are thereby moved pioufly and ferioufly
to acknowledge that God is Wife, Pow-
erful, and Gracious, as he expreffeth
himfelf to be; this afcribing unto God
his Attributes from what appears in his
Aftions, it is our glorifying of him. And
fo on the contrary, when fordid, earthy,
and beaftial Men take no notice of the
Emanations and Beamings forth of God's
Attributes, neither fo as to have their
Hearts affefted with them, nor their
Lives conformed to them ; they are faid
to diflionour God. Not that any the
molt boifterous Sinners that are, can in-

T 4 vadc

279

The Doctrine of

vade his Effence or rend away any of
his infinite Perfections from him; this
Glory they cannot eclipfe, but it ftiines
eternally in the fame luitre ; but they do
really eclipfe his declarative Glory ; which
yet is a greater wrong done to them-
felves, thkn him. For as the Sun is Hill
full of light in it felf, when yet we fee
it under an Eclipfe by the Moon's inter-
poling between us and it, which indeed
is not properly fo much an Eclipfe of the
Sun, as of the Earth : So the Glory of
God is obfcured and eclipfed by the
Wickednefs of Men; not that his Eflen-
tial Glory is at all prejudiced, for this
retains the fame Tenor of light and luftre
for ever ; but that they obferve not,
they admire not the bright difcoveries of
his glorious Attributes ; and fo they
difhonour him, not by depriving God of
any Perfection, but themfelves, whofe
higheft Perfection, and the end of whofe
Being it is to adore God, and to be made
conformable unto him.

And thus you fee what it is to glori-
fieGod ; it h to make him glorious, and
that not by the addition of any new Glo-
ry to him, bu only by declaring that
Glory which eternally and unchangea-
bly is in him.

The

the Two Covenants. 28 1

The Second thing to be inquired into
is, how we ought to glorifie God : The
difquifition of this will both receive
Light from, and add Light unto, what
went before. Now here that we may
have right and clear Apprehenfions of
a Duty that is fo vaftly comprehenfive,
and indeed the whole of Man, we muft
remember that all our glorifying of God,
is only in relation to his effential Attri-
butes, which are properly and really his
Glory. And therefore two things are
here to be done.

Firff9 To fhow you what thefe Eflen-
tial Attributes are. And,

Secondly > How they may be glorified
by us.

FortheF/r/?, Thefe Attributes of God
are many, which though they differ ac-
cording to our manner of Conception
and Expreflion, yet they are all really the
fame Nature and Effence in God. I
fliall mention only thofe which are mofl'
confpicuous, and which we have molt
frequent occafion in the courfe of our
lives to glorifie ; and fuch are thefe fix
or feven following, Purity and Holinefs,
Power and Sovereignty, Mercy and
Goodnefs, Equity and Juftice, Wifdom
and Omnifcience, Immenfity and Om-
niprefence, Truth and Veracity ; there

are

282 The T)oSirme of

are indeed many more, as Eternity,
Unchangeablenefs, Simplicity, and One-
nefs, ($c. But thefe, becaufe they are
not fo converfant about Human Affairs,
I fliall not now particularly fpeak of.

Secondly-, Thefe Attributes may be
glorified in the general two ways, ei-
ther by Adoration, or elfe by Declara-
tion.

I. We ought to glorifie God by a moft
humble and devout Adoration of his in-
finite Attributes and Perfeftions ; feri-
oufly to ponder them in our Hearts, to
confider their Beauty, and Excellency,
to admire thofe Expreffions of them
which God is pleafed to vouchfafe us.
And when we fee any notable inftance
either of the Divine Power, or Wifdom,
or Goodnefs, or Juftice in the Difpen-
fations of his Providence, then to pro-
ftrate our felves in the moil humble Ve-
neration of our Souls, and afcribe it un-
to God, acknowledging that his Per-
fections aregloriouflydifcoveredin thofe
Effefts ; and with ravifh'd and inflamed
Hearts finging unto him the Song of
Mofes and the Lamb, Revel. 1 5-. 3 . Great
and marvellous are thy works, Lord
God /llmighty, juji and true are thy ways
thou King of Saints. Who Jhall not fear
thee> O Lord, and glorifie thy name, for

thou

the Two Covenants. 283

thou only art holy. This is to glorifie
God. And not only thus to obferve,
and to acknowledge the appearance of
God's Attributes, but to have our Af-
fections likevvife fuited and proportion-
ed to them. As when God difplays his
dread Juftice and Severity, either againft
our felves or others, then to fear and
tiemble before him. When he magni-
fies the riches of his Mercy, and Good-
nefs, to rejoice and praife his holy Name;
and fo in the like Inftances, which I in-
tend more particularly to profecute here-
after. This reverend obferving of the
Manifeftations of God's Attributes, »d
conforming our Affe&ions proportiona-
lly unto them, is one chief fpiritual
Method of glorifying God, whereby
we do fecretly, yet effe&ually, advance
his Honour in the inmoii Retirements
and Receftes of a devout Soul. But,

II. There is another way of glorifying
God, and that is by Declaration of his
infinite Perfections. And this is two-
fold, either by our Words, or by our
Works.

1. We ought to glorifie God by de-
claring his Attributes in our Words and
Difcourfes, fetting forth his Holinefs,
Wifdom, Power, Juftice, in the moft feri-
ous affe&ing manner that we are able,

fo

The Do&rine of

fo as to beget an high and honourable
Efteem of them in thofe that hear us.
And therefore, i Tet. 4. 11. the Apo-
itle exhorts us, but efpecially Minifters,
If any man Jpeak, let him fpeak as the
oracles of God, that God in all things
may be glorified. Hence "David often
calls his Tongue his Glory, Tfal. 57. 8.
Awake up my glory > awake p fait ery and
harp. And Tfal. 108. 1. I will fing
and give praife even with my glory. And
why is this Member efpecially called our
Glory, but becaufe it is the fitteft In-
ftrument for our glorifying of God ?
Tfagrewith befs we God<> even the Father ',
faith the Apoftle, James 3. 9. And this
indeed is the Glory of our Glory, and
the Crown of our Excellency, when
we imploy fo noble a Part in fo noble a
Work, (till to be celebrating his Name,
and fetting forth his Praife. And in-
deed what more excellent Theme can
there be for ourDifcourfe than God? A
Theme that will more adorn and beautifie
thy Language, than that can adorn and
extol him : A Theme that can never be
exhaufted; but the more wTe fpeak of
God, ftill the more we may, new dif-
coveries ftill emerging and rifing up to
our admiring view. And whilft we af-
feftionately endeavour to exalt the Ma-

jefty,

the Two Covenants. 285

jefty, Power, Wifdom, and Good-
nefs of God in our Difcourfes, if we
fpeak not more elegantly, yet certainly
we fliall fpeak more pertinently and to
the purpofe, than the mod florid Trifler
that abufeth a great deal of Wit and Rhe-
torick about Toys and Nothings. This
kind of holy and ferious Speech will ad-
vance us as much above the common
Rank and Pitch of other Men, as Speech
it felf doth advance Men above the con-
dition of brute Beafts.

And yet alas, how many are there that
turn this their Glory into Shame ! Whofe
Tongues are rather Spunges to wipe out
and deface the Glory of God, than Pen-
cils to delineate and exprefs it! Who
fcarce ever fpeak of God, but in an Oath;
nor make mention of his Name but when
they curfe and ban by it ! Their black
Mouths are full of the Soot of Hell, and
their Tongues fet on Fire of thofe in-
fernal Flames. They feem to have al-
ready learnt the Language of Hell, and
are well fitted for ever to converfe with
thofe damned Wretches, who have no
other ufe of God, butonlytoblafpheme
and curfe him. And to their own fliall
they go, and for ever blafpheme out of
the exquifite Anguifh of their Torments,

as

The DoSrine of

as here they did out of mere Gallantry
and Humour.

Others again, though they neither*
whet nor draw their Tongues againft
God, yet are they very ihy of fpeaking
either of him or for him, and had ra-
ther make any thing the Subjeft of their
Difcourfe, than that God who hath en-
dowed them with fo excellent a Facul-
ty. Hence, how much Time, how much
Converfe is loft among Men, whilft idle
Tales and Raillery, and fuch like un-
concerning Vanities, bufie their Minds
and Tongues ? And no Man thinks or
fpeaks of that God who is intimately
prefent with them, and one of the Com*
pany. So that we may very juftly take
up that Complaint of the Pfalmift, Tfal.
iz. z. They /peak vanity every one with
his neighbour.

There is indeed a great deal of Chri-
ftian Prudence and Difcretion requifite
in this Particular. For as the Amiable-
nefs of all Duties confifts in the right
timing and placing of them, fo efpecial-
ly of this holy and fpiritual Difcourfe.
And therefore the wife Man tells us,
Trov. z$. ii. that a word fitly Jpoken is
like apples of gold in pi5lures of ' filver:
And there is a time when the prudent
Jhouldkeepfilence, Amos 5% 13, Indeed

the

the Two Covenants. 287

the mention of the great God ought n&t
to be trivially ingeiled, nor by an im-
prudent Zeal importunely and abruptly
crowded in, when we may rationally
conclude it will be fo far from glorify-
ing of God, as only to create a Con-
tempt and naufeating in the Hearers.
But yet a Man that is fpiritually skilful
in this Affair, will watch his Opportuni-
ties ; and if he hath been exercifed in
this holy Art, it is very feldom that in a
long Converfe he fhould fail of a fit Cue
pertinently to wind in, and inlinuate
heavenly Difcourfe, and make that which
began, perhaps, about poor earthly Af-
fairs, yet to end in God, and the Con-
templations and Praifes of his eternal
Attributes. For fomewhat of God is
confiderable in every thing that we can
fpeak of, either his Power, orWifdom,
or Goodnefs. It fhould be our care, not
to lodge, but only to bait our Thoughts
and our Difcourfes at Creatures, and fo
quickly pafs through them unto God.
Only let the Hints be taken wifely and
feafonably . Indeed our Difcourfes fhould
btkkt Jacobs Ladder, though the bot-
tom of them (land upon the Earth, yet
the top of them fhould reach into Hea-
ven. We find our Saviour very frequent
inthisPraftice, ftill taking occafion from

the

28 & The T)ottrine of

the Things of this World to waft over
his Difcourfe to Things of another World.
What a mofl excellent Spiritual Dif-
courfe doth he draw out of Jacob's
Well, John 4 ? And now again by a
Miracle of his Wifdom, as once before
by a Miracle of his Power, he turns
Water into Wine. So from common
and ordinary Bread, he takes occafion
to fet before them, and to break unto
them the Bread of Life, John 6. And
herein every true Chriflian fliould be
pioufly ingenious, to take his Advan-
tage from earthly Occurrences, to tranf-
fer his Thoughts and Difcourfe to thofe
Attributes of God, which appear moft
confpicuous and illuftrious in them.
Thus if any Difcourfe happen concern-
ing any wonderful Revolutions in the
Affairs of the World, how eafie and how
natural is it to Hide off from this, into
the ferious Confideration of the infinite
Wifdom and Sovereignty of God, in
guiding and governing all Things here
below, according to his eternal and im-
mutable Gounfels. If it be concerning
any remarkable and exemplary Plague
brought upon a wicked Perfon or Peo-
ple, doth not this naurally prompt us
to fpeak of the Divine Juftice, and the
ftrift Severity of God, who will certain-
ly

the Two Covenants. 289

ly caufe Mens Sins to find them out. If
it be of any profperous Succefs or Blef-
fing bellowed upon his Church, or any
particular Perfon who is a fin ere and
upright Servant of God, doth not this
adminifter to us a fair and pertinent Oc-
cafion to magnifie the infinite Mercy of
God, who will not fuffer Virtue andPiety
to lye always unregarded, but fome-
times will as confpicuoufly own it in this
World, as he will glorioufly crown it in
the World to come ? So, I fay, there is
fcarce any thing we can difcourfe of,
but the Divine Attributes are fo inter-
woven, and appear fo plainly in it, that
we may thence take very obvious Hints
to raife our Meditations and Difcourfes
unto heavenly Objeds. That's the firft
way of glorifying God, by declaring his
Glory in our Words and Difcourfes.

%\ There is another way of glorify-
ing him, and that is by our Works and
Aftions. And indeed this is the chief
and principal way of glorifying God,
and that which is the moil free from
Sufpicion of Guilt and Hypocrifie. We
may flourilh over the Attributes of God
with many excellent Notions and Ex-
preffions of them ; yet all other Expref-
fions may prove deceitful, but thofe
which are made in Mens Lives. Hence

U it

290 The 'Dotfrine of

it is that our Saviour inftrucis us in the
moil effectual Courfe to promote the
Glory of God, Matth.5. 16. Let your
light fo jhine before men, that they may
fee your good works , and glorifie your fa-
ther which is in heaven. And John
15% 8. Herein is my Father glorified, that
ye bear much fruit. Many empty talka-
tive ProfefTors there may poffibly be,
who would fain pafs for Trees of Righte-
oufnefs, and Plants of Renown, and yet
bear nothing but Leaves, an external
fhow and a flourifhing outfide : Thefe
they wear for their ownOftentation and
Glory, but are wholly deficient in that
which is mod conducing to the Glory
of God, the Fruits of the Spirit, the
Fruits of Righteoufnels, which the A-
poitle tells us are byJefiisChrift unto the
glory and fraife of God. Phil. 1. 11.

This therefore being the chief way of
glorifying God, fetting forth and de-
claring his Attributes by our Works
and Aftions, I fhall the more largely in-
fill on it.

Now there are two ways in the ge-
neral to glorifie the Divine Attributes
by our Actions.

Firjlj By conforming our felves to the
Likenefs and Similitude of them. And
this we ought to do in refpeft of the

com-

the Two Covenants. 291

communicable Attributes of God's Na-
ture : Such as his Holinefs, and Mercy,
and Juftice, and Wifdom, and Truth.
Thefe are called Communicable Attri-
butes, becaufe they may be in fome re~
fpefl: and meafure found alfo in the
Creatures. And to endeavour a refem-
blance with God in thefe, is the ten-
dency of Grace in us, and the effefl: of
the Spirit of God, making us in this
fenfe Partakers of the Divine Nature.
And the more perfectly we tranfcribe
our Original, the more lively thefe Li-
neaments of God are pourtrayed upon
the Soul, the more do we thereby glo-
rifie him : For it is his Honour to be
imitated, in what is imitafcle by us. Cer-
tainly it is a fign that we love and e-
fteem whatfoever we flxive and endea-
vour to refemble ; and count that ex-
cellent and perfeft, which we would
have found in our felves. And therefore
as it is a Pleafure to any Mdn to ob-
ferve others how they eye and imitate
his Aftions, becaufe it is a teitimony of
Honour and Refpeft which they give
him; fo it is a delight to God to ob-
ferve the Endeavours of an holy Soul,
in imitating his Perfeftions ; for this is a
fign and evidence they do highly vene-
rate them. And,

U 2, Secondly,

292 The DoBrine of

Secondly *> We glorifie God by perform-
ing thole Duties which his Attributes
oblige us unto. For there are many In-
communicable Attributes of God, which
it were Impiety or Folly for us to at-
tempt the Imitation of. Such are his
abfolute Eternity both before and after
all Time : Hislnfinitenefs and Immenfi-
ty, filling all Places, yea infinitely ex-
ceeding all: The perfeft Simplicity and
Incompofition of his Nature, his Immu-
tability and Unchangeablenefs, and his
Independency and Self-fufficiency : In
none of thefe, can we be like unto God.
But yet thefe proper and Incommunica-
ble Attributes inforce and lay upon us
many Duties, by the confciencious Per-
formance of wrhich we ought to glorifie
God, For we are bound to glorifie him,
not only in his Holinefs, and Juftice,
and Goodnefs; but in his Eternity, Un-
changeablenefs, Omnipotence, and Om-
nifcience, although indeed in a diffe-
rent manner. The former we ought to
glorifie, byconforming our felves to them;
the latter we ought to glorifie, by per-
forming the Duties they oblige us unto.
Let us therefore confider in particu-
lar how we ought to glorifie God in fe-
veral of his Attributs. I fhall begin,

Firjt,

the Two Covenants. 293

Firftj With his Holinefs and Purity.
This is an Attribute, than which none ifcz? *
is more frequently afcribed unto God <*-7?
in Scripture, The holy God, and the ho-
ly One oflfrael. Yea it is fpoken of, as
if all the Rays of God's Glory were con-
trafted into this one Attribute, Glori-
ous in Holinefs ■, Exod. 15-. 11. And
therefore if God accounts his Holinefs
his moft fliining and* illuftrious Attri-
bute, it is but Reafon that we fhould
glorifie him in that wherein he efteems
himfelf moft glorious. For what is it
to glorifie God, but to exprefs how
glorious he is? And fliall we not there-
fore efpecially glorifie him in that where-
in he is moft glorious ?

If then you would glorifie God in his
Holinefs, you muft do it by being con-
formable to it. This is no Arrogance,
nor proud Prefumption, but your ftated
Duty : For God hath prefix'd his Holi-
nefs as the Example and Motive of yours.
So we have it, Levit. 11. 44. Tejball
be holy, for I am holy, which is again re-
peated and prefs'd upon them, Chap. 19.2.
and Chap. 20. 2. Be ye holy; for I the
Lord your God am holy. Which the A-
poftle likewife quotes and tranfcribes,
1 Pet. 1. if, 16. As he who hath called
yoiiy is holy j fo be ye holy in all manner

U 3 of

The DoStrinc of

of converfation : As it is written, be ye
holy, for J am holy. Now the true
Notion of Holinefs is a Separation from
all Sin and Impurity. This is the Holi-
nefs of God, in whofe moft pure Ef-
fence there is not the lead Shadow of
any thing that is culpable, nor can there
be. And this Holinefs thou oughteft
to glorifie, by refembling it as perfectly
as thy finite humane Nature can bear fo
bright an Imprefs.- For confider,

I. Other of God's Attributes may be
glorify'd whether thou wilt, or no. He
hath glorify'd his Almighty Power, in
creating this great World out of an huge
nothing. He hath glorify'd his Wifdom,
in the beaudful Order and harmoni-
ous Government of the World, conduc-
ing all things fweetly and powerfully by
his own Counfels to his own Ends. He
hath glorify'd his Goodnefs, by fpread-
ing a bountiful Table for alllivingThings,
and richly providing for all their Ne-
ceffities. Thefe and other of his At-
tributes he hath abundantly glorify'd ;
and he might have fo done although
Mankind had never been created, but
the Earth had been only filled with brute
Creatures, and Heaven with Angels to
obferve them. But now there is no
Method to glorifie his Holinefs here

below*,

the T\vo Covenants. 295

below, which he accounts the chiefeft
part of his Glory, and the moft preci-
ous Jewel in his Diadem; no Method I
fay to glorifie this, but only by our be-
ing holy and pure, in Conformity to his
Holinefs. And what, wilt thou fuffer
God's chiefeft Glory to lye obfcure and
negle&ed? Shall he be glorify'd in every
Attribute and Perfection of his Nature,
but only that wherein he is moil tran-
fcendently glorious?

II. Confider again, Secondly, Thou
owneft and acknowledged thy felfto be
God's ; at leaft 1 am fure thou would'ft
willingly be found fo at the laft and
great Day. And what, dofl thou think
that God will claim thee to be his, when
thou weareft the Devil's Mark and
Brand upon thee? Whofe Image and
Superfcription doft thou bear? God's
Image, by which he knows his own, is
Holinefs itamp'd upon them. God doth
as it were ftrike a Tally when he fan de-
fies any Soul, he communicates his Ho-
linefs to it, and in that, his Image and
Similitude; nor will he own that Per-
fon at the laft Day, who cannot produce
this Teflera, this Tally, and prove himfelf
to be God's by his Conformity unto him.
Now, O Sinner, thou that walloweft
in the Filth of all manner of Pollutions,

U 4 canit

T^he Doctrine of

canft thou ever hope to be owned by
God, as one of his, when thou retain-
ed all the Chara&ers of the Devil deep-
ly impdnted on thee? What Badge,
what Cognizance halt thou to make it
known that thou art God's? An human
Nature, Gofpel Ordinances and Privi-
leges? And io have thoufands had who
are now in Hell. Wherein is thy Like-
nefs and Similitude unto God ? Pollibly
thou refembiefl him in thy Know-
ledge and Underftanding, and haft a
great meafure of Wifdom and Prudence
bellowed upon thee. Poflibly thou re-
fembiefl: him in Power and Authority ;
and he hath Itampt that part of his I-
m?ge upon thee, exalting thee in Dig-
nity and Honour above others. Poflibly
thou refcmbleft him likewife in thy Be-
neficence, and art kind and charitable,
and helpful to thofe who fland in need
of thee: It is well. But yet this is not
that Image that God will own thee by.
He requires a nearer Refemblance of
himfelf in thy Holinefs and Purity, and
whatfoever elfe thou may 'ft think to pro-
duce, will fland thee in no ftead; for
without holinefs no man jh all fee God.

Now, Holinefs and Purity expreffeth
it felf againft Sin two ways. In the Ha-
tred, and in the Flight of it.

i. There-

the Two Covenants. 297

1. Therefore glorifie God in his
Holinefs, abhorring and hating every
Sin. Hate it wherefoever it is found,
but efpecially in thy felf. Hate it in
others: Hate their Vices, but yet love
their Perfons; both which thou wilt
bell perform, if thou laboured by Re-
bukes, Exhortations, Admonitions, and
Counfels, to deftroy Sin in them. But
efpecially hate it in thy felf. For cer-
tainly if thou hateft a Toad or a Ser-
pent where-ever it be, thou hail more
reafon to hate it crawling in thine own
Bofom. And,

x. Efchew and avoid all Sin for
the future, yea all the Appearances,
and all the Occafions of it. Dread no-
thing fo much as a polluted, defiled
Conscience. And whilil thou thus fin-
cerely endeavoureit to keep thy Soul
pure and lpotlefs, thou may'ft with un-
speakable Joy, expefl: that God will
glori.ie his Mercy upon thee, who thus
gloririett his Holineis in thy felf.

Secondly? Another Attribute of God,
which we ought efpecially to glorifie,
is his Mercy and Goodnefs. Indeed
thele rwo Words of Mercy and Good-
nefs are often promifcuoufly ufed to fig-
nifie one and the fame gracious Dif-
poiition of God towards his Creatures.

Yet

298 The Do&rine of

Yet if we more accurately confider it,
there feems to be this Difference be-
tween them, that Goodnefs is of a
much larger Extent and Latitude than
Mercy. For Mercy properly, connotes
Mifery in the Objeft towards which it
is exprefs'd: But Goodnefs may be as
well exprefs'd towards the happy, as
towards the wretched and miferable. It
was an effeft of God's infinite Good-
nefs to create the World ; to continue
the glorious Angels in that blefled E-
ftate in which they now (land ; to pre-
ferve the Frame of Nature in itsCourfe,
and every Creature in its Being. But
this is not properly called Mercy ; becaufe
it doth not fuppofe any precedent Mi-
fery from which it frees and refcues
them. Briefly therefore, thofe free and
gratuitous Favours, which God beftows
upon his Creatures, if they were wretch-
ed before, are an Expreffion of his Mer-
cy; if they were not wretched, are an
Expreffion of his Goodnefs: And there-
fore our Creation and Preservation is
properly an EfFeft of the divine Good-
nefs, becaufe thefe Benefits do not fup-
pofe us lying under any Mifery, nor de-
liver us out of it : But our Redemption
and Salvation are an Effeft of the di-
vine Mercy properly fo called, becaufe

thefe

the Two Covenants. 299

thefe are conferred upon us when we were
loft, ruined and undone, with a pur-
pofe to deliver us from that Abyfs of
Woe and Mifery into which we had
plunged our felves. But becaufe the
Afts both of God's Mercy and Goodnefs
are one and the fame, but are only mo-
dified according to the divers Conside-
rations of their Objefts, therefore we
may well treat of them as one and the
fame Attribute in the Divine Nature.

Now this merciful Goodnefs of God
is one of the mod radiant and fparkling
Gems in his Crown* And when God
would tre feen by us in all his State and
Splendor, he arrays himfelf with this
Attribute. And therefore when Mofes
had attained that holy Freedom with
God as to intreat him to ftiew him his
Glory, Exod. 33. 18. it is remarkable
that God condefcends to his Requeit,
and tells him, ver. 19. / will make all
my goodnefs fafs before thee. He grants
his Petition, but withal informs him
that he could not fee his eflential Glory,
for that is too dazling anObjeft for frail
and mortal Eyes to bear : Thou canf not
fee my face ; for there Jhall no man fee
me^ and livey ver. xo. But yet when
God would fiiew himfelf in the bright-
jeit and moft illuftrious Glory that a mor-
tal

300 'The DoBrine of

tal Man can behold, he felefts out and
puts on this Attribute of his Goodnefs ;
and accordingly, Chap.3+.ver.<5. he paf-
feth by in Pomp, and magnificently pro-
claims his Name, The Lord, the Lord
God: What! The Lord God great and
terrible, that formed all things by the
Word of his Mouth, and can deftroy
all things by the Breath of his Noftrils ?
that rides upon the wings of the wind,
and makes the clouds the duft of his feet?
that rends the mountains in funder, and
makes the hills for ink from his pre fence?
that overturneth Kingdoms, and brings
decreed Deftruftion upon all the Beau-
ty and Stability of Mundane Affairs ? No :
Though God be very glorious in thefe
Expreffions of his Power and Majefty;
yet this is not that Name which he chief-
ly delights to honour : But, The Lord,
the Lord God, merciful and gracious,
tong-fujfering, and abundant in mercy and
truth ; keeping mercy for thoufands ; for-
giving iniquity, tranfgrefjion, and fin.

Thus you fee God owns his Mercy
and Goodnefs as his deareft Attribute,
and his peculiar Glory. He feems, as
it were, to efteem and value himfelf up-
on it : And therefore certainly we ought
to glorifie him in that wherein he ac-
counts himfelf fo glorious.

But

the Two Covenants. 301

But how may we glorifie God in his
Mercy and Goodnefs?

I anfwer, thefe three or four ways.

Firft, By endeavouring to affimilate
our felvcs unto it, labouring after an u-
niverfal Goodnefs in all our Converfe
and Demeanor : Then is God's Good-
nefs glorified, when we endeavour to
tranfcribe and copy it forth inourfelves.
Every true Chriitian ought to be fo
deep'y tinftured with the ferious Confe-
deration of the Mercy and Goodnefs of
God, 'till he is transformed into the ve-
ry Image and Likenefs of it. This will
render it vifible and confpicuous unto
Men. How ihould we know that the
Sun isfo bright and glorious a Creature,
if the Air were not all ftrew'd and pow-
der'd with its Light? Our Eyes difcern
the Light of the Sun, by the Light of
the Air through which it diffufeth and
fcatters its Rays, and turns all that vaft
Body into Light and Splendor. -And fo
truly when thou thy felf art turned into
Mercy and Goodnefs, others will be-
hold the Mercy and Goodnefs of God
fliining forth in thee, and b& induced to
give God the Glory : And that upon a
double account.

I. Whilft thou art beneficent and good
to others, they cannot but gratefully ac-

know-

302 The Dotfrine of

knowledge the Mercy of God, in fo
fweetly difpofing and inclining thy Heart
to thofe Aftions of Love and Kindnefs
towards them. And indeed this thou
oughteft to propound to thy felf as thy
utmoft end, in all the Offices of Chari-
ty and Humanity that thou doft unto o-
thers, that God may have the Praife and
Glory of all. And therefore if thou re-
lieved the Poor, or refcueft the Oppref-
fed, or remitteft thy Due to thofe whom
a rigorous exa&ing of it would ruin,
and dofl it with an intent that thou thy
felf mayft be praifed and extolled for it,
and not God ; this is fo far from being
Charity, that it is Sacrilege. For all
Mercy and Compaflion in us, is but the
Mercy of God communicating it felf to
others through us ; as all Light in the
Air is but the Light of the Sun ihining
through it. And therefore all the good
thou doft or canft do, thou doft it upon
God's Stock. And certainly if thou im-
ployeft his Stock, it is but reafon that
he fhould have the Intereft ; which if
thou with-holdeft from him, and afTu-
meft to thy felf, thou robbeft God of his
Right ; and whilft thou art bountiful in
communicating his Goodnefs unto o-
thers, thou art likewife unjuft in taking
his Praife and Glory to thy felf. It is a

moft

the Two Covenants. 3 03

moft commendable Piety in thofe who
when they have given Alms to relieve
the bodily Neeeffities of the Poor, have
likewife given a better Alms to their
Souls, in exhorting them not fo much to
thank them but God, who hath both
enabled and inclined them to do it. And
indeed, though we are bound to ac-
knowledge and refpeft thofe who have
been kind and munificent to us; yet we
ought efpecially to blefs and praife God,
who hath infpired and moved them to
thofe Aftions, and derived his univerfal
and extended GoodnefS through them
unto us. This is the way to make their
Goodnefs glorifie God's Goodnefs, when
we take notice how the Mercy of God
appears in their Mercy to us. And there-
fore it is remarkable, when Jacob ad-
drefleth himfelf unto Efau, and had
found Favour in his fight, he tells him,
Gen. 33. 10. / have feen thy face as the?
J had feen the face of God, and thou waft
f leafed with me : That is, in the cour-
teous and reconciled Countenance of his
Brother, he difcerned the favour and
gracious dealing of God with him. So
lliould we fay, when we partake of any
Benefit or Goodnefs from Men; in fuch
a one's Goodnefs I have feen the Good-
nefs of God 5 in his Bounty I have feen

the

30+ The Doffrine of

the Bounty of God. And thus, by affi-
milating our felves unto God in this At-
tribute, we fhall give occafion to grate-
ful and confiderative Perfons frequently
tomakefuch Reflexions, which will high-
ly conduce to his Praife and Glory.

II. The {hewing Mercy and doing
good unto others will glorifie God, as it
may caufe them to refleft, that if there
be fo much Goodnefs in a Creature, how
infinitely much more is there then in
the Creator. This is a rational and eafie
Inference, whicji thofe who are any way
ingenuous cannot fail to tmke when
they behold that Benevolence, and Boun-
ty, and Readinefs to help and affifl o-
thers, which appears in you. And there-
fore, faith our Saviour, Matth. 5. 16.
Let your light fo jhine before men* that
they may fee your good works* and glo-
rife your Father which is in heaven. We
fliall thus glorifie him, by giving others
an happy occafion to conclude, that if
there be fo much Mercy and Goodnefs
in the Creature, then certainly there is
infinitely more in God himfelf* If a Ri-
ver pours forth fuch abundance of Wa-
ters to refrefli the dry and parched
Earth, how boundlefs mull the Trea-
fury of the great Deep be, from whence,
as Solomon tells us, they are all fupplied !

Now

the Two Covenants. 305

Now think with felf, OChriftian! what
a vail Sum and Revenue of Glory will
come in to God, when by thy Benefi-
cence and Liberality thou fhalt give a
worthy occafion of extolling his ; and
though thou canft refemble it but in
part, according to the {tinted meafures
of thy finite Nature and Ability, yet
ftialt glorifie it intirely, by caufing others
to adore the infinite Riches of it in the
divine Nature.

Now that our Mercy and Goodnefs
may be like unto God's, it muft have in
it thefe three or four Qualifications.

1. It muft be a general Goodnefs, uni*
verfally refpe&ing all ; for God's is fo.
Pfal. 146. 15-. Thou openeft thy hands ^ and
fat is fie ft the dcfires of every living thing.
He fpreads his cherifliing Wings over all
the Creation, and with his rich Bounty
rejoiceth all the Works of his Hands.
And if thou wilt gloriiie him, thou muft
aft proportionably within thy Sphere,
and do good unto all according to the
Opportunities and Abilities that God
hath beftowed upon thee. Thy Mercy
is not like God's ; if thou fuflfereft any
who make their Applications to thee,
and whom thou canft relieve, to go a-
way with the prefliire of their Wants
and Neceffities upon them. And as tho'

X this

306 The cDo$lrwe of

this Field were not large enough for the
exercife of our Mercy, and Mankind
were too few for us to do good unto,
God hath required that we Ihould (hew
Mercy and Goodnefs to the very Beafts,
Prov. 10. ix. A righteous man regardeth
the life of his be aft. And fo far doth he
efteem of this fweet and compaflionate
Temper in us, that he rather chufeth
to difpenfe with his own immediate Ser-
vice and Worfliip, than to hinder us
from any Opportunities of doing good
to any Creature ; flill preferring Mercy
before Sacrifice, and accounting the Life
of one Beail faved, a more acceptable
Service, than the Death of many Beafts
facrificed.

a. It muftbe a free undeferved Good-
nefs to be like unto God's ; for his is
fo. Yea, fo undeferved, that he lays it
forth upon thofe who have deferved his
Wrath and Vengeance. He maketh his
fun to fhine on the evil and on the good-,
and fendeth rain on thejuft and the unjuftj
Matth. 5-. 45-. And if we would glorifie
God by our likenefs to him in this At-
tribute, our Goodnefs muft proceed by
the fame meafures. Poflibly fome have
abufed and affronted us, and now it is
in our power to revenge our felves upon
them : But know, that the Divine Pro-
vidence

the Two Covenants. ' 307

vidence hath given thee an opportunity
for Revenge, yet the Divine Mercy re-
quires that thoufhouldit not only forgive
the Injury, but requite it with Courte-
fies and kind Offices. Thou oughteft
not to diminifh the leaft part of that
good which thou canfl: do them, upon
confideration of Wrongs and Contume-
lies thou halt received from them. This
indeed is an high and tranfcendent pitch
of Goodnefs ; yet this is but that which
our Saviour very inftantly prefleth up-
on his Difciples, as the very Mark and
Badge by which they may be known to
be the Children of God, Matth. 5. from
Ver. 44, to the end, I fay unto you, love
your enemies, blefs them that curfe you,
do good to them that hate you, and pray
for them that dejpitefully ufe you and
perfe cute you ; that ye may be the Chil-
dren of your Father which is in heaven.
And fo again, Luke 6. from Verfe X7,
to 37. this important and difficult Duty
is moft earneltly inculcated ; If ye do
good to them* that do good to you, what
thanks have ye ? But love your enemies,
and do good ana lend, hoping for nothing
again ; and you fhall be, that is, you fhall
appear and be known to be, the children
of the Higheft ; for he is kind to the un-
thankful and evil,

Xi 3. Our

308 The Docirine of

3. Our Goodnefs, that it may be like
- unto God's, muft be wholly difinteref-
fed. We mult not carry on any felfiih
defigns by it, nor feem to do others
good, but redlly intend only our own
advantage. This is but to make a Be-
nefit a Bait, which whilft others take,
they are themfelves taken. God's Good-
nefs is more generous, expefting noRe-
compence to be made ; for how can we
be profitable to him ; or what can we
return him that is not his own ? And al-
though his Favours towards us be many
and great, yet he is pleafed to reckon
that we acquit our felves of our Obliga-
tions, if we return him but Acknow-
ledgment and Praife. And if we would
glorifie God, fuch muft our Goodnefs
be. Our Saviour hath taught us to fcorn
that fordid way of laying Snares for other
MensCourtefies, by ours to them, Luke
24. n, 13. When thou makejl a dinner
or d flipper ', call not thy rich neighbours ',
left they bid thee again > and fo a recom-
pence be made thee. And whofoever he
be that is good and bountiful to others
upon fuch a mean defign, he doth but
barter and truck Benefits, not beftow
them.

4. Our Goodnefs muft be difcreet
likewife ; and though it ought tobeuni-

verfaJ,

the Two Covenants. 309

verfal, it mutt be discriminating too :
for even God's is fo. He doth good
unto all, yet not equally. Some there
are who pafs only under the general In-
fluences of his common Bounty; and
though he give a liberal Allowance to
thefe, yet he beftows the Treafures of
his Grace and Mercy, and the Inheri-
tance of his Glory on thofe who are the
excellent Ones, and whom he hath made
worthy. Hence God is faid to be the
Saviour of all Men, efpecially of thofe
who believe, i Tim. 4. 10. And if we
would glorifie God, we muft imitate
him in this Particular alfo. Though our
Goodnefs ought to be general, and, as
far as we are able, we fhould tread where
God hath pafs'd on before us, yet we
ought likewife to put a difference as he
hath done, and to make a deeper im-
preffion of our Charity and Goodnefs
upon fome than upon others. Hence
flie Apoftle exhorts us, Gal. 6. 10. As
we have opportunity f, let us do good un-
to all men* efpecially to them who are
of the houjhold of faith. All that are in
wrant challenge Relief from thee, accord-
ing to thine ability : But feeft thou any
that are poor in outward refpefts, but
yet rich in Faith ; thou art obliged un-

X 3 der

$10 The 'Dotirine of

der a double Bond to fupply and pro-
vide for therp ; bpth as thpy are parta-
kers of the fame common Human Na-
ture, and much more as they are parta-
kers of the Divine and Heavenly Nature.
And fear no: lead fuch an enlarged Boun-
ty and Goodnefs as I have described to
you, fliould inevitably ruin and beggar
you : For Chriftian Prudence muft here
diftate to you the meafures which your
Ability can extend unto ; the only dan-
ger is, left you fliould take them too
iliort. Nor is it tp imitate God, if by
fome few profufe afts. of Charity, (for
there may be lavifhnefs even in this) I
fay, it is not to imitate God, if by fome
few afts of Charity, you render your
felves incapable of doing more. For
God is good unto us, yet fo, as he ftill
keeps the Stock in his own Hands, and
doth not exhauft himfelf to replenilh us.
But fit down, and impartially confider
what is necefTary for thy felf and thine,
in the Rank and Station in which the
Providence of God hath fet thee ; and
whatfoever abounds, thou oughtelt not
to look upon it as thine, but as God's
and the Poor's: Thou only art aTruftee
for their ufe ; and if thou with-holdeft
it from them, thou art no better than a

Thief

the Two Covenants. 3 1 1

Thief and a Robber, and flealeft even
that which the Law of Man calls thine.
Indeed it it were very ftrange if the moil
of us could not cut off fome fuperflu-
ous and unnecelTary Expences, and lay
them up into aTreafury for good Works.
We fee how fparing and thrifty fome
Mens Covetoufnefs is ; who will pare a-
way the very Edges of decency and fit-
nets, only that they mayamafs their for-
did Sums together, when all the ufe
they can make of their Wealth, is but
to look upon it : And why ihould not
Piety and Charity teach us as muchThrift,
as Vice and Covetoufnefs ? But only that
Men are grofly foolifh.in this particu-
lar ; looking upon whatfoever is laid out
this way, as loft, and no longer theirs ;
whereas indeed had they but Faith,
and half that Religion which they may
pretend unto, they would know, that
that only is loft which is unduly kept;
and that fafeft laid up, which is well laid
out. And if thou cantt but purchafe the
Glory of God, though by the greatefl:
Expence, either by relieving or incou-
raging his Servants, know it is the moft
gainful Bargain that ever thou madeft.
And Faith will tell thee that thou hail
but remitted . thy Wealth to Heaven,
where it fhall be pun&ually paid thee

X 4 with

312 The Doctrine of

with abundant Intereft; and in the mean
while God hath given thee as many
Bonds, as he hath madePromifes, to fe-
cure thee.

This therefore is the firft way of glo-
rifying God's Mercy and Goodnefs, by
our refemblance to it ; cherifhing in our
felves a generous, free, difintereifed,and
difcreet Goodnefs towards others.

I have the longer infilled upon this,
becaufe I fee it wofully neglefted amongit
Chriftians, who fall fo infinitely iliort of
imitating God in the Mereifulnefs and
Goodnefs of his Nature, that they look
upon it as a piece of Religion to be four,
morofe, and fupercilious, and too fre-
quently proud Defpifers of others. Some
are unjuft in their Dealings, and take all
Advantages to defraud and circumvent
their Brethren ; and are fo far from do-
ing what Love and Charity require, that
they anfwer not the Rules of Law and
Equity. Some, if theyfeek not the Ruin
of others, yet are ready to rejoice at it,
and with a deviliih kind of deligh ■:, pleale
themfelves either with the Mifcarriages,
or Mifliaps of their Brethren. Others
again love to fow Difcords, and to ftir
up Strife between Brethren, that when
they are all in a Flame and Combuftion,
they may fit by and warm themfelves.

What

the Two Covenants. 313

What fliall I fay concerning thefe? Is
thi> to imitate God i Is this to copy forth
his univerfal Goodnefs ? Or do they not
rather give a fad occafion to others to
open their black Mourhs, and to blaf-
pheme God, imputing all theirCrueky,
Injuitice, and Unmercifulnefs, to their
Profefficn, and to their Religion ; than
which there is no one thing that doth
more contradict it ? If therefore you
have any refpeft, any tendernefs for
the Glory of God, I befeech and charge
you, QChriftians, by your Beneficence*
Charity, and prone Goodnefs, to redeem
the Honour of God which hath deeply
fuffered through your Defaults, and to
flop the Mouths of thofe to whom Re-
ligion is odious enough by Nature, but
rendred defpicable, as well as odious ;
and the name of a Saint, and aProfeffbr,
made a By- word, only to denote a cove-
tous, niggardly, cruel, and opprcflive
Ferfon, by the Lives of too many who
walk quite contrary to their Rule, and
to their great Exemplar. For in this
God hath fet you no lower a Pattern
than himfelf, Luke 6. 36. Be merciful^
as your father alfo is merciful.

And fo much for the firft and great
way of glorifying the Mercy and Good-
nefs of God.

II. We

314 The 'DoSirine of

II. We ought to glorifie the Mercy
of God, by endeavouring to render our
felves fit Objefts for his Mercy to be
laid out upon. Certainly he little ho-
nours the Mercy of a Prince, who will
not render himfelf capable of it : And
let me tell you, it is the greateft Scorn
and Contempt you can caft upon the rich
and free Mercy of God, that when he
hath fo glorioufly proclaimed it, and told
you upon what Terms you may be made
Partakers of it, you ihould refufe to
come up to thofe Terms, as if it were
not fo much worth, as the Price at which
God offers it. What is it that God ex-
perts from you? It is but Repentance,
and Reformation of Life ; a fincere and
univerfal Obedience to his Laws: Upon
the Performance of this, his Mercy, his
Chrift, Himfelf, his Heaven, his All,
are yours. Trov. 28. 13. He that confefi
feth and forfaketh his fins jhall have
mercy: And what, wilt thou flick at
this ? If God had required fome great
thing of you, the utter ruin and impo-
verifying your Eflates, the macerating
and torturing your Bodies, the plucking
out your right Eyes, and cutting off your
right Hands, even in a litteral Senfe,
would you not have done it, that you
might obtain Mercy and Salvation at the

laft>

the Two Covenants. 315

laft? See what Terms thofe who were
convinced of* their Mifery, and of their
abfolute need of Mercy to fave them,
do of themfelves voluntarily offer unto
God ; far more grievous and extream
than any he hath required ; Micah 6. 7.
Wherewith jhall I come before the Lord,
and bow my felf before the high God?
Will the Lord be f leafed with thoufands
of rams j or with ten thoufands of rivers
of oyl? Shall I give my firft-bom for my
tranfgrejfion^ the fruit of my body for
the fin of my foul? Certainly, thefe feem
to value Mercy when they bid fo high
for it, tho' they were ignorant of the
right way of obtaining it. And now,
when God fhall inform us, that all he
requires of us is but to do juftly^ to love
mercy 1 and to walk humbly with him* it
is a mod heinous Affront and Difparage-
ment to his Mercy if we will not come
up to thefe Terms which are fo eafie
and equitable, yea and have enough in
themfelves to recommend them to us,
although there were no farther Benefit
to be expedited by the Performance of
them.

Be perfuaded therefore, O Chriftians,
to glorifie the Mercy of God by Repen-
tance, Obedience, and an holy Life.
Declare to all the World that you have

an

^The Do&rine of

an high Valuation and Efteem of the in-
finite Mercy of God, by being willing
to perform that for the obtaining of it,
which others detraft and refufe. They
muft needs have very flight and under-
valuing Thoughts or Mercy, who will
not be prevailed with to mortitie one
Sin, to deny themfelves in any of their
fecular Advantages and Concerns, to
fufter a Scoff or a Jeer for that Holinefs
and Piety which alone can bring them
within the reach, and under the influen-
ces of Mercy* But he that can with a
bold and generous Refolution break
thro' all thefe little Difficulties, that can
fuffer whatfoever God lays upon him,
and do whatfoever God requires from
him, he it is that glorifies Mercy; be-
cause by this he demonftrates that he
thinks it worth the having, at what price
and rate foever it be fet. Clemens Ale-
xandrinus hath an excellent Paflage in
his Trotrepticke : The Lord, faith he,
Jhews us mercy and faves us, tSto /lcovov
ql-ttqXcvjwv yijti&v o Goc^JofjL.'&X) as though he
could make no other^fe nor Advantage of
us, than as he doth fave us. Now thou who
wilt not glorifie the Mercy of God en-
deavouring by an holy and obedient Life
to promote thine own Salvation, what
doft thou but fruftrate the great End for

which

the Two Covenants. 317

which he hath made thee, which is the
Glory of his Mercy; and therefore doft
in an high Meafure affront and difhonour
him.

III. When thou artthusfitted and pre-
pared for Mercy, then glorifie it by a
confident and hardy Reliance upon it.
To venture upon the Mercy of God,
whilft thou yet continueft impenitently
in thy Sins, is amoft bold anddefperate
Prefumption. But to venture thy Soul
and thy eternal Salvation upon his mere
Goodnefs and Mercy, whilft thou art
careful to lead an holy, pious, and
obedient Life, is fo far from being Pre-
emption, that it is the beft and moft
effectual way to glorifie it. And there-
fore thou, O Soul, who feareft the Lord,
and defireft to approve thy felf unto him
in Uprightnefs and Sincerity, why wal-
ked thou with fuch a drooping and de-
jefted Countenance; why fuffereft thou
thy Confcience to be clouded wich Fears
and wrack'd with Horrors ? Is it not an
infinite difparagement to the rich Mer- .
cy of God to fear that he will damn
thee, whilft thou feareft to provoke him?
Who would think that thou ferveft a
merciful and gracious God, when they
fee thee follioitous to perform thy Du-
ty to him; and yet anxious and diftruft-

ful

*The DoStrine of

ful concerning the Acceptance of it ?
Thefe thy Perplexities and Defponden-
cies do highly diftionour God, fright
Men from his Service, and do little lefs
than brand him with the black and odi-
ous Note of Cruelty and Tyranny. Is
this the way to allure Men to the Pro-
feffion and Praftice of Holinefs, when
they fee that verify'd in thee, theSufpi-
cion of which hath fo often feared them
from it, viz. That they mutt for ever
quit all their pleafant Days, and be ea-
ten up with difmal Difcontents and the
Ruft of Melancholy? Let thofe thus
flaviftily fear God, and defpair of his
Mercy, whofe Sins, and Impenitence in
them, fits them for nothing but Wrath
and Deftruftion. But for an holy pious
Chriftian, the Defires of whofe Soul are
towards God, and his Endeavours cor-
refpondent to his Defires, for fuch an
one to defpond of Mercy, is the great-
eft Difgrace and Dishonour that he can
caft upon God. For if there be any
fuch Attribute belonging unto his Na-
ture as Mercy, it is certainly thine ; and
if there be not, think then what a God
doft thou ferve? Clear up therefore, O
Chriftian, fcatter all thy dark and gloo-
my Thoughts, fmooth out thy wrinkled
Confcience, and whilft thou perfevereft

in

the Two Covenants. 319

in a careful and fineere Obedience unto
his Commands, caft thy felf boldly up-
on his Mercy, and believe it, it will ne-
ver fink under thee, nor fuffer thee to
fink into that Hell thou now feareft.
Doubt nothing ; thou canft not perifh as
long as the Mercy of God endureth.
And whilft thou thus with an humble
Confidence lay eft the whole Weight and
Strefs of thy Soul upon it, thou doft
more gloritie God, than thofe doubting
and perplexed Souls who always ferve him
fufpiciouily, and dare fcare approach
near him, leaft he fhould devour them.
Certainly this is fo contrary to the Na-
ture of God, who is Love andGoodnefs
it felf to thofe that ferve him, that he
cannot but take it ill when they feemto
account of him no otherwife than an
ireful and ravenous Deity. Fear not;
this is no Prefumption, but an holy
Faith, a filial Freedom of Spirit, which
is molt acceptable unto God. He de-
lights in the Services of thofe who ad-
drefs themfelves unto him with an open
Heart and a chearful Soul. Tfal. 147. 11.
The Lord taketh fleafiire in them that
fear him^ in thofe that hope in his mercy.
IV. Another way by which we ought
to glorifie the Mercy and Goodnefs of
God is by praifinghim for all the Effects

and

The Dottrine of

and Expreffions of it. Tfal. 50. i^JVhofa
offer eth fraife glorijieth me. Praife is
God's Tribute, the only Impoft that he
lays upon all his Benefits. It is all the
Return that he expefts from us. Cer-
tainly they are guilty of foul and black
Ingratitude, who would defraud God
even of this fmall Acknowledgement.
Our whole Lives are thick fet with
Mercies: Wherefoever we turn, we
find our fel ves encompafs'd and furround-
ed with Bleffings. Now what canftthou
do lefs than lift up thine Heart and thy
Voice to God, and give himThanks ? This
God is pleafed to account a glorifying
of him,becaufeit owneth his freeGood-
nefs to be the Original of all. And there-
fore when the ten Lepers were cleanfed,
and only one of them returned to return
Thanks for his Cure, our Saviour, Luke
17. 18. faith, There are not found that
returned to give glory to God, fave this
Jiranger.

Reflect now upon the Sum and Stock
of thy Mercies. Haft thou Riches, or
Health, or Repute, or Friends, or all
of thefe? Afcribe it to the Mercy of
God, which hath fo plentifully furnifti'd
thee with all thefe Mercies ; fay, Lord
I have received them all from thy Boun-
ty, and I defire to return the thankful

Acknow-

the Two Covenants. 321

Acknowledgment of all to thy Glory.
Accept of that ihare which alone is wor-
thy of thee, even my humble Thanks and
Praife for them. W hilft thou thus praifeft
God for his Goodnefs, thou payeft him
his Tribute ; all the reft is thine, which
thou may eft enjoy and ufe with Com-
fort.

And thus I have at large fhewn you
how you ought to glorifie God in his
Mercy and Goodnefs, viz. By your
Conformity unto it; preparing your
felves to be fit Ve'flels of it ; trufting and
relying upon it ; and bleffing and prai^
fing him for it.

Thirdly , Another Attribute which we
are to glorifie is the divine Immenfity, and
Omniprefence.That this is an eflential At-
tribute and Property of the divine Nature,
both Scripture and Reafon do abun-
dantly teftifie. He pervades all Beings, ftcM
is excluded out of none, neither includ-
ed in any. 1 Kings 8. 17. Behold the hea-
ven and heaven of heavens cannot con-
tain thee ; and certainly if God cannot
be contained in them, but his Eftence
dilates and expands it felf infinitely be-
yond and above them into that endlefs
and unweary'd Space in which never a-
ny thing was created nor doth exift but
God only, much lefs then can he be

Y con-

*J

322 The cBo£trine of

contained within the Compafs oft any
other finite and created Being.

Now we ought to glorifie this Attri-
bute of God's Omniprefence,

I. 'By our Reliance and Depen-
dance upon him in all our Fears and
Dangers. Art thou furrounded with
Dangers on every fide, and in the very
Jaws of Death and Deilruftion ; yet then
confider that thyGod, who is every where
prefent, is likewife prefent with thee
there ; and there is no Danger fo great
nor imminent that can fright him from
thee. He who hath been a Sun to thee
in thy Profperity, will now be a Shield
to thee in thine Adverfity. Indeed we
ought not rafhly to run headlong upon
Dangers when we have no Call to ex-
pofe our felves to them : This is not to
truftGod, but to tempt him. And there-
fore our Saviour well anfvvered the De-
vil, when he impudently bid him caft him-
felf down from the Pinnacle of the Tem-
ple, for that God would give his Angels
Charge to bear him up in their Hands
that he fliould not .daili his Foot againfl:
a Stone; our Saviour anfwers him, It is
written, thou Jbalt not tempt the Lord
thy God. For it is a tempting of God
when we rely upon his Prefence and
Protection to preferve us from thofe

Dan-

the Two Covenants. 323

Dangers into which upon thatPrefump-
tion we voluntarily and needlefsly preci-
pitate our felves. But yet if either in
the way of thy ordinary Imployrnent, or
elfe in fome fpecial and extraordinary
Cafes, thou art called to do that w7hich •
perhaps may be attended with Danger
and Hazard, refufe it not, but glorifie
the Omniprefence of God and his Pow-
er, by depending upon him w7ho will al-
ways be nearer unto thee than Dangers
can be. We fhew our felves to be very
irrational and childifh, in being fecure
and confident in fome Places and at fome
times ; but timorous and fearful at others :
As if to be alone, or in the Dark, were
more juftly dreadful, than to be in the
Company of our Friends at Noon-day.
Why, is not God every where prefent
at all times ? Gcd beholds us clearly in
the molt gloomy Night. ^Darknefs and
light are both alike to him ; neither can
any Evil have Power over us one time
mo.e than ano:hef, without his Permif-
fion; and why then lliould our Fears?
I fa. 41. ic. fear not, for I am with thee;
be not diftnayed) for 1 am thy God ; yea 1
will help thee*) yea I will uphold thee
with the right hand of my right e on fnefs ;
and again Verfe 14. Fear not thou worm
Jacob, I will help thee, faith the Lord,

Y 1 at

The Dottrine of

and no foot of violence Jhall crujb thee ;
fo again, Ifa. 43. i. When thou fiajfefi
through the fire and through the water I
will be with thee. And in the Confidence
of this Omniprefence of God, the Pfal- ]
mift refolves not to be terrify'd with *
the moll dreadful Shapes and Appariti- j
ons of Danger, Tfal. %$. 4. Though I A
walk through the vally of the Jhadow of
death j though Death and Danger Ihould j
meet me full in their moll difmalShapes,"
yet will 1 fear none evil; for thou art
with me. A great Reafon why we are
fo frequently overtaken with thefe low
and unbecoming Fears, is becaufewe do
not fufficiently Iteep our Thoughts in
the Conlideration of this Attribute of
God's Omniprefence, and fo we fculk
and tremble, and bewray a great deal of
bafe and degenerousFear; as though we
lived without a God in the World, and:
there were no fupream Mind prefent
with us to help and relieve us, but we
were left wholly to fhift for our felves. It
is the Obfervation of an Heathen Philo-
fopher (and I think it is Tlutarch) That
if brute Beafts be animated and encoura-
ged by the *P re fence of a Man, becaufe
he is of a fuperior Nature to them ; how
much more jhould Man himfelf be eni
courage d by the 'Pre fence of the great

God

the Two Covenants. 325

God with him? Glorifie him therefore
by a bold and couragious encoun ring
all Dangers that his Providence, or his
Law, fhdll call thee too ; and let it ap-
pear that thou canft defpife all thofe
Mormo's and hideous Speftres of Dan-
gers which affright others, becaufe God
is prefent with thee, and he is able to
deliver thee.

II. We ought to glorifie this Attribute
of God's Omniprefence, by our conftant
maintaining Communion and Fellowfhip
with him. Thou canft not fay, Alas !
God is in Heaven above, and I am here
upon the Earth, and what Converfe or
Intercourfe can I maintain with his Di-
vine Majefty? No; believe it, God is
prefent with thee wherefoever thou art,
and as much within thee as thy Soul is
in thy Body. He is not a God afar off;
but he is near unto thee, even in thy
Heart, and in the very centre of thy
Being. And therefore thou may'ft con-
verfe wirh him by the filent whifpers of
thy Thoughts. When the Heart doth
but breath and pant towards God, when
it conceives Thoughts too big and quick
to be uttered, Thoughts which dart
themfelves like Lightning out of our Bo-
fom into his; even this is in the account
of God as truly folid and fubflantial Com^

Y 3 amnion

326 The DoSirine of

munion with him, as the Performance
of the more lblemn and confpicuous Du-
ties of Religion. This is Converfe with
God ; a Converfe which no Place, no
Imployment, no Condition of Life can
poiiibiy hinder. Be your Affairs never
fo weighty and urgent, it is impoffible
they fliould crowd fo clofe together as
to leave no room for heavenly Thoughts
to come in between them. Be you in
what Company you will, if you cannot
turn the Difcourfe Heavenward, yet you
may well turn your Thoughts thither: For
Ejaculations are winged Meflengers. Or
if they were not, yet God is always pre-
fect with us, and lays his Ear to our ve-
ry Hearts, and hears the Voice of our
Thoughts more diftinftly, than we can
hear the Voice of one anbthers Words,

III. Glorifie God's Omniprefence, by
demeaning your felves with an humble
, and reverential Fear continually before
him. Wherefoever you are, imprint
this Confideration chiefly upon your
Hearts: Now I am with God, he is pre-
fent with me in the-City, in the Field,
. in the Room, in the Congregation, in
my Clofet, in all my Ways and Converfe
in the World. And what, can I be vain,
and frothy, and light, when I am before
fo great and glorious a Majefty? If the

Pre-

the Two Covenants. 327

Prefence of fome earthly Prince itrike
an awe and reverence inlo us when we
come before him, how much more ought
the confideration of God's Prefence, in
comparifon with whom all the Glory of
the greateft Monarchs upon Earth is but
a filly piece of Pageantry. Now thofe
who would exprefs Honour towards
another, will not willingly do any thing
that is diftaftful to him, or unworthy of
his Prefence. And let me tell you, that
there is only one thing unworthy of the
Prefence of God, and that is Sin.. Though
thou art Poor, orDifeafed, and the moll
defpicable Creature among the Sons of
Men, fo that they account it a kind of
difparagement to them to be prefent
with thee, yet God is prefent with thee,
and thinks it no difhonour : For there
is nothing in this unworthy of his Glory.
But if thou art afmful, lewd, debauch'd,
and vicious Wretch, thereby indeed thou
diflionoureft the Prefence of God, and
doft that which is unworthy for him to
behold ; for God is of purer eyes than
to behold evil^ and cannot look on tni-
qu'rty^ as the Prophet fpeaks, Hab.\. 13.
If therefore you would glorifie this At-
tribute of God, let your Converfation
be always as in his Sight, and under his

Y 4 Eye,

328 ^he 'DoBrine of

Eye, with all Gravity and Serioufnefs,
with all Reverence and Submiflion, with
all Purity and Holinefs. And thofe who
fo honour his common Prefence with
them here on Earth, he will honour with
his glorious Pretence in Heaven.

Fourthly y Another Attribute that we
are to glorifie, is the Wifdom and Omni-
fcience of God. Indeed his Wifdom and
Omnifcience do fomewhat differ : For
Omnifcience refpefts only the bare aft
of God s Intt wheieby he knows

and fees all things: But Wifdom is a
practical Knowledge,an i connotes Coun-
sel in the Government and Guidance of
all things to his own prefixt and fore-
ordained Ends.1 But yet, becaufe they
are fo near alike, I fliall fpeak of them
together.

Now God's Wifdom and Knowledge
may be glorifyed by us many ways.

1. By our Endeavours to increafe in
Wifdom and Knowledge. All Wifdom
is a bright Ray of the Deity darted down
into the Soul ; it is the light of a ratio-
nal Creature, and doth mightily affi mi-
late us unto God ; for God? faith the
Apoftle, is light: And the more Light
we have beaming into our Underttand-
ings, the more exprefly we do bear the

Refem-

the Two Covenants. 329

Refemblance and Image of God. Cer-
tainly a dark and ignorant Soul can ne-
ver glorifie God. For as Light is ne-
ceflfarily required to all Reflections ; fo
here there can be no reprefentation of
the Glory of God made in that Soul that
is clouded over and fmiitted with Igno-
rance and Error. Yea indeed, Know-
ledge is neceffary not only to our glori-
fying God in this Attribute, but in all
the reft. For as an ignorant Man can-
not extol the Wifdom of God, becaufe
he is not capable of perceiving the glo-
rious difcoveries thereof, either in the
Methods of his Grace or Providence,
(and therefore when the Pfalmift had
fpoken with admiration of the Works
and Counfels of God, he tells us, Tfal.
$z. 6. A brutijh man knoweth not> nei-
ther doth a fool underjiand this ;) fb nei-
ther can he adore the Goodnefs, Power,
or Mercy of God, becaufe he obferves
not thofe Effefts of them in which they
are to be venerated and adored. A blind
Man may as aptly commend the bright-
nefs pf the Sun, the beauty and variety
of Colours, the orderly and regular Mo-
tion of the Stars and Planets, as an igno-
rant Man declare the Glory of God's
Attributes which he could never obferve.

For

330 The Tocirine of

For what Blindnefs is to the Eye, the
fame is Ignorance to the Soul.

II. Thou oughteil to glorine the Wif-
dom of God, by relying upon it when
thou art in ftreights and difficulties, and
canlt find no way to extricate thy felf.
When thine Affairs are fo intangled that
thou canft get no end to unravel them
by, then efpecially to commit thy felf to
that Sovereign Wifdom before which all
difficulties iliall vanifli, and whatfoever
feemedmoft intricate andperplext, fliall
become moil plain and open. And there-
fore when Affairs feem to run quite con-
trary both to your hopes, and to all pro-
bability of Succefs, glorifie then the Wif-
dom of God by intruding him with the
conduft of all, and quietly and content-
edly wait the iffue. There are fome links
in the chain of Providence that feem
not well to hang together, and yet even
thefe are fo ordered by the great Artifi-
cer, that they moft forcibly draw in one
the other. And as we fee the Wheels
of a Clock or Watch move all with con-
trary Motions to each other, and yet by
thefe contrary Motions they make it go
right ; fo likewife all the contrary Mo-
tions and Revol utions that we fee in thefe
inferior Engines, are fo wifely contrived

by

the Two Covenants. 331

by the firft Caufe and Mover of them all,
that however odly and perplexedly they
may appear, yet they are all fubfervient
to each o her, and to the regular pro-
ceeding of God's defign. The great Ma-
chine of the World would not go right,
if they fhould move any otherwile. What
could feem more direftly to thwart Jo-
feph's Advancement, and the fulfilling
of uhofe Prophetick Dreams which pre-
fage 1 him fo much Honour, than to be
fold for a Slave, and imprifoned for a
Malefaftor ? But yet upon thefe ftrange
Occurren:eswas built the whole Fabrick
of his Advancement. Certainly Provi-
dence hath fecret Methods of its own
which wTe cannot trace. And therefore
let us glorifieGod by relying on his Wif-
dom in the woril of Events, when our
own cannot direft us, becaufe we know
not but thefe things may tend to our
Good and Advantage. And when our
Hopes and Defigns feem dead, wither-
ed, and dried, pafs'd all femblance and
human probability of reviving, yet if
then our Faith fhould be queflioned, as
the Prophet was, Ezek. 37. 4. Son of
man can thefe bones live? we ought tore-
turn the fame Anfwer that he doth, O
Lord God thou knoweft.

HI. We

332 The DoBrine of

III. We ought to glorifie the Omni-
fcienceof God, by the Sincerity of all our
Ends and Aftions. God infpe&s our ve-
ry Hearts, and diftin&ly fees the firft
fluttering and hovering of our Thoughts
and Defires. If there be but the thin-
neft Film or Shadow of an Imagination
flitting there, his All-feeing Eye feizeth
on it. The Divine Knowledge pierceth
into the darkefl: Corners and moil fe-
cret Receffes of the Soul, and looks
through that obfcure Vault where all
our callow Thoughts lye confufedly tum-
bling one upon another. He fees thy
Thoughts that lye fleeping in the Abyfs
and Centre of thy Soul, long before they
begin to heave and emerge to the top
and furface of it. Thou underftandeft my
thoughts, faith the Pfalmift, afar off,
FfaL 139. x. Now if thou wouldfl glo-
rifie this fearching and comprehenfive
Omnifcience, be careful to approve all
thy Thoughts, and Defires, and Defigns
in Uprightnefs and Integrity unto God.
Then is it a fign; that thou doll believe
him to be an All-knowing God, when
thou dareft not to dally with thy lafci-
vious Fancy, nor fuffer any impure, co-
vetous, malicious Thoughts and Affefti-
ons fo much as once to breath upon thy
Soul. When thou dareft not commit

any

the Two Covenants. 333

any Sin in fecret, although the thickeft
Curtains of Night and Darknefs be drawn
about thee. When thou darefl not per-
form holy Duties in a cold and heartlefs
Manner, and with bended Knees and
elevated Hands, and all feemingly de-
vout Poftures, folemnly mock the great
God, whilft thy Mind all the while wan-
ders after Vanity ; and nothing is lefs
heeded by thee in thy Duties than that
God to whom thou wouldtt be thought
to perform them. In thefe three Things
doth the Sincerity of a true Chriftian
moft of all appear, viz. In not daring
to allow himfelf in finful Thoughts ; In
not daring to allow himfelf in fecret
Sins; In not daring to perform holy Du-
ties ilightly and fuperficially. Now what
other Reafon can there be why he fliould
fo carefully abftain from thefe Sins,
which if he did indulge, he might yet
carry a fair fhew, and be well reputed
of by Men, but only that he knows God
feeth not as Men fee ; they can but look
upon the outward Features of Religion,
and if they be comely and well com-
plexioned, ought in Charity to judge
the beft : But God looks into the very
Vitals of the Soul, and difcovers hypo-
critical Profeflbrs to belike heftical Per-
fons, rotten and unfound within, when

out-

334- -the "Doctrine of

outwardly they appear healthy and well
coloured. Indeed, every Hypocrite
doth mod heinoufly difparage this At-
tribute. For were he verily perfwaded
that he hath to do with an All-feeing
and an All-knowing God, would he dare
any more to harbour unclean, fenfual,
and revengeful Thoughts and Affecti-
ons, than to perpetrate thofe Sins in aft
to which thefe tend ? Would he dare
fuffer his Heart to run over with Gall
and Bitternefs, and think all well, whilft
his Tongue dr opt Honey ? Would he
dare fin any more in fecret, though he
could lock himfelf up in the Centre of
the Earth, and wrap himfelf in impene-
trable Darknefs, any more than in the
fight of the Sun, and the confluence of
People ? Would he dare offer unto God
the Husk and Shell of a Duty, and in
the mean time whilft perhaps he is Pray-
ing, his Heart and Soul, which God
chiefly regards, fhall be engaged in deep
Difcourfe and Communication with the
Devil ? Did he believe that he is always
under the Eye of an All-knowing God,
a- God who fearcheth the Heart and
triech the Reins, a God that looks thro*
our Souls more clearly than we can
through the Air, and accurately difcerns
and obferves every Mote and Atome

ftir-

the Two Covenants. 335

ftirring there, could they be fo grofly
foolifli as to think that he would be put
offwich fuch mimical and apiih Shows,
inflead of folid, real, and fubftantial Pie-
ty, confifting chiefly in the Conformity
of the Soul and Affe&ions unto the Di-
vine Purity ? But the truth is, every
Hypocrite is an Atheiil; and though for
fome fordid Ends he may fawn upon
God and flatter him, yet he disbelieves
his glorious Attributes, and none more
than this of his Omnifcience ; and in his
Heart fpeaks the fame Blafphemy with
thofe Wretches, Tfal. 73.11. How doth
God know, and is there knowledge in the
rnoft High ? And therefore fatisfies him-
felf with plaufible Shows and fair Pre-
tences, and feeks to hide his Nakednefs
under the Fig-leaves of an external and
counterfeit Sanftity ; and all his Religi-
on and Devotion is indeed but putting
Tricks upon God, whom he thinks it
is as eafie to delude, as to juggle with
Men.

If then you would glorifie the Omni-
fcience of God, let all your Thoughts,
and Affeftions, and Defires, and Ends,
every Motion both of your outward and
inward Man, be ordered as in his Sight,
and under his Obfervation. Say with
thy felf, How fliall I allow fuch vain and

foolifli

536 The Doctrine of

foolifh Surmifes ? how can I yield to this
Temptation, though it offer me all the
Advantages of Secrefie and Retirement?
How can I content my felf to make the
Service of God only a Lip-labour or a
bodily Exercife ? No, my God looks
upon me, and ponders my Heart and
my Ways : That God, whofe Eye is
more efteftual to deter me from any fin-
ful and unworthy aft, than if the Eyes
of all the Angels in Heaven, or Men on
Earth , wer e fixt upon me. My God and
my Conscience are a Theatre to me ;
they are more than if all the World be-
fides faw me ; and in comparifon with
thefe, to fin in the open View of all the
World, it is but to fin in Secret. Such
Reflections as thefe declare that thou
doft highly Adore and Honour the Om-
nifcience of God, when thou art thus
careful to approve thy felf in all thy Co-
gitations and Aftions to his All-feeing
Eye.

IVr. Another way to glorifie the Om-
nifcience of God, is by a frequent and
confciencious Performance of Duties in
fecret. When there is no other Witnefs
to behold thee but God and thine own
Soul, then do thou pour out thine Heart
and unbofom all thy Wants and Delires
before him. And indeed that Chriftian

who

the Two Covenants. 337

who hath deeply imprinted this Attri-
bute upon his Thoughts, will find it a
moil powerful and effectual Means, as to
keep him from finning in fecret, fo to
quicken him to pray in fecret. Hypo-
crites will often be very pompous and
fplendid in the Performance of publick
Duties, where they have a ring of Peo-
ple to admire and celebrate their Gifts,
and from whom they may think to raife
a Reputation for their Parts and Piety.
This will make them to expatiate and
pour forth fuch a Torrent of Raptures
and heavenly Expreffions , that they
themfelves may feem to be ravi/h'd with
fpiritual Joy and Sweetnefs ; and their
Auditors may be really fo. But all this
may be only (Mentation, not Devotion ;
not becaufe God obferves them, but be-
caufe Men obferve them. And there-
fore our Saviour makes it the proper
Character of a Pharifaical Hypocrite to
pray only in the Synagogues and in the
corners of the Streets, (as the Cuflom
was in thofeDays) that they might be feen
of men. Mat. 6. 5'. They made a meer
Stage-Play of Religion, and then afted
beft, when they were mod crowded
with Spectators. But follow thefe Men
home to their Houfes, to their Clofets,
and if we had but a Cranny to behold

Z them

338 The "DoSirine of

them in their Retirements, how feldom
or never addreffing themfelves to God,
and praying unto him in Secret, when
they think no Eye fees them but God's ?
For they pray not fo much that God
may hear them, as Men ; and whatfoe-
ver they feem with fo much Earneftnefs
and Importunity to beg of him, yet in-
deed the only thing they pray for is,
that they may be admired and applau-
ded. But now a truly pious and fincere
Chriltian is not only zealous and affecti-
onate in publick Duties in the Congre-
gation, nor in private Duties in his own
Family, where he hath Witneffes of his
Devotion; but heconfiders that he prays
to God and not to Men ; and therefore
when he is withdrawn from the Sight and
Notice of others, he applies himfelf un-
to God with the fame Zeal and Ferven-
cy of Spirit as before, well knowing
that in Duties performed unto God, the
Secrecy or Publicknefs of them ought
to make no difference in our Affeftions.
And therefore obferve, that fo much as
thovt doft abate of thy holy Warmth and
Fervency in fecret Duties, which ufed
to carry thee out with great Inlargement
and Vigour when thou haft joined with
others, fo much of Hypocrifie is min-
gled with thy ferving of God. Our Sa-
viour

the Two Covenants. 339

VioUr hath given us our Rule* Mat. 6. 6.
But thou when thou pray eft enter into thy
clofet^ and when thou haft Jhut the door,
pray to thy Father which is in fecret*
and thy Father which feeth infecretjhall
reward thee openly. Let me therefore,
O Chriftians, perfwade you to a more
conftant and zealous Performance of fe-
cret Duties ; for this is certainly one of
the moil infallible Marks of a iincere
Heart that can be given. That Chriiti-
an cannot be an Hypocrite, that is but
careful to keep up a lively and vigorous
Communion withGodinfecret; where-
as, let thy Duties elfe be what they will,
never fo many, and never fo gaudy, if
they be only performed in the View and
Sight of others, and thou art not fre-
quent in addreffing thy felf to God in
fecret, let me tell thee it is very poffi-
ble, yea and very fufpicious too, that
thou art but a painted Hypocrite* ameer
blifter'd ProfelTor, that outwardly look-
ed fmooth and ftiining, but inwardly art
full of nothing but Corruption and Pu-
rulency. Go home therefore, O Chri-
flian, enter into thy Clofet, and there,
when none but thou and thy God are
together, freely unlock thy Heart, and.
pour out thy Soul before him. What,
haft thou no Sins to confefs, no Wants

Z % to

340 The DoSirine of

to be fupply'd, no Mercies to beg, no
Complaints to make, no Tears to fhed,
but what it is fit others fhould be privy
to? Certainly if thouHhaft not, it is a
Sign that thou arc but too much a Stran-
ger at home, and very little converfant
with thine own Soul. However, do it
that thou may'il glorilie God ; for he is
thy Father which feeth in fecret> and
thou canft by no way more honour his
Omnifcience, than by thus acknowledg-
ing that he fees and hears thee, when
there is no one elfe that can fee and hear
thee.

V. Thou glorified the Omnifcience of
God, when under lying Slanders and
falfe Accufations thou canil command
and calm all the Turbulencies of thy
Palnons, by appealing to the All-feeing
Eye of God who knoweth the Innocence
of thy Soul. Indeed this is the great
Support of a true Chriilian when he is
wrongfully afperfed5 that he can retire
inwardly into the Retreat of a clear Con-
fcience, that he can remit his Caufe to
God, and leave his Vindication to him
who knows how he is traduced and
wrong'd. It will be a greater Comfort
to us that God knows us innocent, than
a Trouble and Vexation that wicked
Men confpire together to report us guil-
ty-

the Two Covenants. 341

ty. Indeed if they could perfwade God
to believe them too, it might be juft
caufe of Grief and Difquiet : But what
great matter is it, tho' a Company of
vain, giddy and unreasonable Men, take
up and fpread abroad lying Rumours
concerning us? Thou art not to {land,
or fall, according to their Votes; and
tho' their flanderous Tongues may blot
out thy good Name here on Earth, yet
they can never blot thy Name out of the
Book of Life. And therefore herein
honour the Omnifcience of God, by
bearing up chearfully and boldly; and
if they will caft Dirt upon thee? let it
be their own, and not thine. This, tho'
it may make thee look more unlovely in
the Eyes of Men, yet it: will not do fo
in the Eyes of God . Shew by thy generous
defpifing of all their malicious Cenfures
and Reproaches, that thou doft more
refpedl and value the Omnifcience of
God, who knows thee innocent, than
all the Slanders of Men, who report thee
guilty. Thus Jeremy appeals unto God?
Jer. 20. 10. I heard the defaming of mfc
ny ; report , fay they, and we will report
it. But 9 . O Lord of hoffs, thou that tri?
efl the righteous •, and feeji the reins and
the heart, unto thee have I opened my
qattfe.

Z

342 %he DoSrine of

And thus I have fhewed you, in thefe
five Particulars, how you ought to glo-
rifie the infinite Wifdom and Knowledge
of God.

Fifthly, Another Attribute cf God
which we are to glorifie, is his Truth
and Veracity. This is an eiTential Pro-
perty of the Divine Nature, and there-
fore he is itiled a God of truth, Pfal. 3 1 .
5-. and a God who cannot lie, Tit. 1. 2.
and Hebr. 6. 18. it is faid It is impojjible
for God to lie.
ft *f Now Truth or Veracity is nothing elfe
'r^^hvx the Conformity of our Speeches to
7 the being of things; as when we affirm

that which is, or deny that which is nor,
then are our Speeches true. And there-
fore it is impoffible for God to lie, for
he cannot fpeak things otherwife than
they be, who fpeaks them into Be-

ing.

I. Now the firft and general way of
glorifying the Truth of God, is by imi-
tating him in this Attribute, and fpeak-
ing Truth one to another. St. Teter
hath given us a Rule, which though in
a more reftrained and appropriate Senfe
it may efpecially concern the Minifters
of the Gofpel, the Difpenfers of the
Word of Truth, yet I fee not but that
It may properly appertain unto all Menj,

i Tet

the Two Covenants. 343

1 Pet. 4. 11. If any man /peak, let him
/peak as the oracles of God, that God in
all things may be glorified through J ejus
Chrifl . That is, let his Speeches be as
true and certain, as if they were Divine
Oracles. Many indeed there are who
fpeak like the Oracles of Apollo, ambi-
guoufly, equivocally, and fiifly: But to
Ipeak liite the Oracles of God, is to de-
clare Things as they are fimply and na-
kedly. And if thou either knoweft
not the Things in queflion, or upon
fome prudential Conliderations art un-
willing to difclofe them, either an ac-
knowledgment hereof, or a modeft Si-
lence, muft be chofen by thee, without
any crafty or guileful Windings and Am-
bages prejudicial to the Truth. By this
means, faith the Apoftle, God will be
glorified : As indeed he is, whenfoever
we endeavour to imitate him in his com-
municable Attributes and Perfections.

II. But more particularly, God's Truth
is efpecially feen in three Things. In
his

Predictions,

Promifes, and

Threatnings. All which we ought to
glorifie.

1. Glorifie the Truth and Veracity
of God in his Prediftions, by adoring

Z 4 his

The DoBrine of

his Faithfulnefsin the wonderful Accom-
plishment of thofe many Prophefies
which have already been exaftly and pun-
ctually fulhlled. And indeed when we
conlider thole Prophetical PafTages in the
Old Teitament concerning Chriit, the
whole Hiitory of whofe Birth, the whole
courfe of whole Life, and the whole Tra-
gedy of whofe Death, were fo many Ages
before clearly foretold, fome declared by
exprefs Prophecy, fome fignified by ty-
pical Prefigurations, we cannot but ad-
mire the wonderful Exaftnefs of Divine
Veracity, in fo critically accomplishing
every Particular of what he had fo long
before declared Should come to pafs.
.And truly it is one, among many other
Excellencies of the Gofpel of St. Mat-
thew, that he doth fo plainly accommo-
date the hiftorical Paflages concerning
our Saviour's Birth, Life, and Death,
to the prophetical Predictions of them
in the Old Teitament. His Birth by a
Virgin, Ifai. 7. 14. The place of it,
Bethlehem, Micah 5. a; God's calling
him back out of Egypt, Hof. 11. 1.
The Bloody Maflacre of the Infants,
Jer. 31. 15-. The A&ions of his Tro-
dromus or Fore-runner John the Bap-
tiit, Ifai. 4c. 3. His Dwelling in Ca-
pernaum, Ifai. 9. 1, z. And fo through-
out

the Two Covenants. 345

out the whole Contexture of theHiftory
of Chrift, the Evangelift compares the
Prophecies with the aftual accomplifh-
mentof them, for the firmer eftablifhing
of our Faith, and the clearer Evidence
that he was the true MeJJias^ whom that
God who cannot lie hard foretold fhould
come in the fulnefs of time.

Now as for thofe Predictions concern-
ing the State of the Church here on
Earth, which have not as yet received
their Accomplifhment, and therefore
are the more dark and obfcure unto us,
many of which are contained in the Re-
velations■, we ought to glorifie the Truth
and Veracity of God by an unwavering
Belief, that they alfo fhall be punctually
fulfilled in their due Seafon, and that
not a Word which he hath fpoken fhall
fall to the Ground in vain.

z. Glorifie the Truth and Faithful-
nefs of God in his Promifes, by a con-
fident expefting of thofe Bleffings which
he hath ingagM himfelf to beftow upon
us, if we be careful to perform the Con-
ditions upon which his Promifes are
made. If the Condition be fulfilled on
our part, the Promife fhall certainly be
fulfilled on God's. Hath he promifed
eternal Life to thofe who believe ? Af-
fure thy felf, that if thou believed thou

fhalt

346 I he Doctrine of

fhalt as certainly inherit it, as if thou wert
even now glorified: For it is eternal
Life which God that cannot lie hathpro-
mifed.' Or hath he promifed any Tem-
poral Mercy and good Things? That he
will provide for thee, and proteft thee ?
Even thefe Promifes are conditional al-
fo, if fo be they may be for thy Good
and his Glory, which if he who is the
All-wife God fees, thou flialt infallibly
obtain whatfoever thou defireft; if not,
thou mayft very well be contented, for
thou doft but defire an harm and da-
mage to thy felf. Here then glorifie
God, byrefting thy Soul, and cafting all
thine Affairs upon his Promifes. Thou
haft his Truth and Veracity bound to
make them good ; and that certainly is
fuch a precious Pawn, as that he never
hath nor ever will forfeit it.

3. Glorifie God's Veracity in his
Threatnings ; trembling at the dreadful
Denunciations of his Judgments, both
temporal and eternal, againft obflinate
and impenitent Sinners. Which if thou
doft. in truth and fincerity of Heart,
this will fright thee from the Commif-
fion of thofe Sins againft which thofe
heavy Plagues and Judgments are threat-
ned. For let him pretend what he will,
t^iat Man doth not believe that God is

true

the Two Covenants. 34.7

true in all hisThreatnings, who yet will
dare to continue one Day or Hour lon-
ger in his Sins impenitently. If neither
the Mercies nor the Terrors of the Lord
can perfwade us to an holy Life, we do
but virtually and interpretatively give
God the Lie, and do not believe that he
is either faithful to his Promifes, or juft
and true to his Threatnings.

Sixthly, Another Attribute in God
which we ought to glorifie, is his Al-
mighty Power and Sovereignty. Indeed
there is a difference between thefc two.
For,

n. Power connotes only a natural
Strength and Ability to do a thing; but
Sovereignty includes in it a legal Right
and Authority. And,

x. Power may be found feparate from
Authority : And fo indeed it is in
the greateft Princes and Potentates on
Earth, all whofe Might and Strength
above other Men confifts, not in their
natural, but' only in their civil and poli-
tical Power and Jurifdiftion. And fo
like wife in God, his Power and his So-
vereignty bear not the fame date, nei-
ther arethey of equal duration. For God
was infinite in Power eternally before
the Creation of the World ; and had he
never exerted his Power in any of thofe

won-

The Doctrine of

wonderful Effefts of it which we be-
hold, yet he had been for ever the fame
Almighty God that now he is. But So-
vereignty and Dominion are afcribed
unto him in time, and in the very No-
tion of them do neceflarily prefuppofe
the Being of fome Subjects over which
he is the Sovereign Lord. Again,

3. God's Power is of a much larger
extent than his . Sovereignty. For his
Power extends unto all things poffible,
fince he is able to create many more
Worlds, and far more noble and excel-
lent Creatures in this, than he hath done.
But his Sovereignty extends only to
things aftual. Whence our Saviour ar-
gues, Lttkezo. 38. God is not theGodof
the dead) i. e. thofe who fo die as utter-
ly to pgrifli and come to nothing, as the
Saducees thought the Souls of Men
did, But he is the God of the Living.
Briefly,

The Power of God is an abfolute ef-
fential Attribute of the Divine Nature ;
for ever invariably appertaining to him,
whether he exprefs it in any afts of Crea-
tion and Providence, or no. But Sove-
reignty is a relative Denomination re-
fulting from God's Temporal Ads of
difpofmg and governing his Creatures
according to the Councils of his own

Will,

- the Hlwo Covenants. 349

Will, and the Rule of his immutable
Juftice. But, becaufe thefe two are fo
near allied, his Sovereignty being found-
ed upon his Power, and his Power ex-
prefs'd in the Ads of his Sovereignty and
Dominion, I ihall therefore confider
them together.

Now that God is glorious in this At-
tribute of his Power, the Scripture doth
every where abundantly atteft, ftiling
him the Almighty God, and afcribing
Strength and Power unto him. Yea,
and that he accounts it a very confidera-
ble part of his Glory, fee TfaL 63.11. God
hath Jpo ken once, yea twice heard I this3
that power belongeth unto God, And
Vfal. 29. 1. Give unto the Lord, O ye
mighty ', give unto the Lord glory and
Jirength. As if he had faid, You that
are the great and mighty Ones upon
Earth, who make whole Nations obe-
dient to your Beck, and tremble at your
Frown, yet boaft not your felves of the
greatnefs of your Power ; there is a Su-
preme God above, who ifyoujpeak of
Jirength, he is Jfrong, Job 9. 19. A God
whofe Hand and whofe Voice can
fliake both Heaven and Earth out of
their place, and make the haughtieft Po-
tentates lick the Duft before him. A-

fcribc therefore unto him Praife and Glo-
ry*

The Docirine of

ry, by afcribing unto - him Might and
Power; not only that (tinted and limi-
ted Power which you, who are but his
under Officers, are invefted with ; but
a Strength and Power infinitely fur-
mounting yours, who conceit yourfelves
fo mighty. For your Power can come
into no Comparifon with God's Power*
no nor hold out againft that) which is ac-
counted his very Weaknefs, i Cor. i. z$.
The weaknefs of God is ftronger than
men.

How then (hall we glorifie this Al-
mighty Power of the great God ?

I. By* an' humble and awful Adora-
tion of it, in all thofe wonderful Effefts
whereby God hath exprefled the infinite
Greatnefs of his Power. And here thou
canftjiot want Objects, if thou haft but
an Affeftion and Piety to venerate God
in them. The whole World, and every
Creature in it, is a moft evident De-
monftration of the Divine Power. His
eternal Tower and Godhead^ faith the
Apoftle, are clearly feen by the things
which are made, Rom. i. 20. Now caft
but thine Eyes to that vaft Expanfion of
the Heavens, what a beautiful Canopy
doft thou there behold, all ftudded with
Gems, and almoft every Star in that ge-
neral Mufter of the heavenly Hoft, far

greater

the Two Covenants. 3^

greater than the whole Earth! Confider
this folid and mafly Globe on which we
live, how it hangs immoveably in the
midft of an Ocean of foft and yielding
Air, through which all other Bodies ea-
fily cut their paflage! What Foundati-
ons, what Pillars hath it to reft upon,
but only that Almighty Word which
fir ft fix'd it, and ftill preferves it in its
Place and Station ! Confider the various
Kinds of Creatures that God hath breath-
ed forth upon the Face of the Earth in
divers Shapes and Sizes ; fome volumi-
nous, fome contracted ; in both which
his Power is equally feen, but his Art
and Skill rather Glorious in the latter.
Whence is all this Frame and com-
pounded Machine of . the World made
up of fo many different Parts, and yet all
fet together in fuch an admirable Order
and Harmony ? If we run it up to its
firft Original, we lhall find all Things to
have been once a meer Nothing. And
was it not infinite Power that could con-
{train Nothing to yield fo many, and
fuch beautiful Beings : That the Hea-
vens fliould out of Nothing fpread a-
broad their liquid Cryftals, which Job
therefore moft elegantly and naturally
compares to a molten Looking-glafs,
Job 37. 18. That the Earth ihould out

of

3<2 The 'DoBrine of

of Nothing gather all its thick Parts to-
gether, and, as the Sediment of the
World, compaft and fettle it felf in the
Centre of the Univerfe ; certainly thefe,
and infinite others, are mod ftupendous
Demonfirations of his infinite Power.
Nay, not only thefe great Things, but
the fmalleft and moft defpifed Works of
God, declare that he is Almighty. Mag-
nus in magnis, nee minor in minimis.
There is not the leaft Spire of Grafs
that fprouts out of the Earth, not the
leaft Fly that is animated by the Sun, but
it may be a fufficient conviftion of the
Folly of Atheifm, and caufe us to fall
down and adore that God who created
and formed it. Glorifie therefore the
Power of God, by a ferious and pious
Contemplation of thefe his wonderful
Works. Wherefoever you go, and
whatfoever you fee and converfe with,
you have this Book open before you,
wherein you may read enough to ad-
monifh and inftruft you in this Attri-
bute. It is Time well fpent, and
Thoughts well employed, when from
the Works of Creation and Providence,
from the Frame of the World, and the
Government of it, the various Kinds of
Creatures which ye behold, and the va-
rious Revolutions of Affairs which ye

hear

the l\vo Covenants. 353

hear of abroad, you return into your
own Hearts, and leafon them with aw-
ful Thoughts and Refle&ions on the
Almighty Power of the great God.

II. Glorifie the Power and Sove-
reignty of God, by ufing that Power
and Authority which he hath given you
in Subordination unto his. Art thou a
Magidrate, or a Parent, or Mailer of a
Family; exercife thine Authority as one
that is intruded with it by the great
Sovereign of Heaven and Earth. Exer-
cife it fo as thou wouldd fuppofe God
himfelf would do, were he immediate-
ly to govern thofe whom he hath now
committed to thy Charge. For God
hath given thee Authority that thou
fhouldefl rule in his Head : Thou art
deputed under him in the Place where-
in he hath fet thee: And certainly it is
a great DiJIionour and Difparagement
to the Sovereignty of God, if thou who
art intruded with the Management of
it, fhouldft ufe it to quite contrary Pur-
poses to what God himfelf would do.
If thou either encouraged Sin and Wick-
ednefs, or connived at it in thofe who
are fubjeft to thee ; what is this, but by
a practical kind of Blafphemy to make
God's A uthority patronize what it would
punifli ?

A a III. Glo-

354- The Dottrine of

III. Glorifie the Power of God,
by relying on him for Safeguard, and
Deliverance out of all thy Dangers.
When Nebuchadnezzar threatened thofe
three Heroes with his burning Furnace,
unlefs they would fall down and wor-
ship his golden Image, fee with what
an undaunted Courage they anfwer the
Menaces of the enraged King, Dan. 3. 16.
Weave not careful to anfwer thee in this
matter. Whence this Confidence, to
defpife the Threats of fo great a King,
and the Terrors of fo cruel a Death ;
but only they glorify'd the infinite Pow-
er of God, who could prefer ve them,
either from the Flames, or in them ?
Verfe 17. If it be Jo, our God whom we
ferve is able to deliver us from the burn-
ing fiery furnace. So likewife in all the
Dangers you can be expofed unto for
the fake of God, and of a good Confci-
ence, glorifie his Almighty Power, who
is able to deliver in the greateft Extre-
mities, and will ( if it be bell) find a
way for you to efcape.

IV. Glorifie the 'Almighty Pow-
er of God, by fearing to provoke his
Wrath againft you; fox who knoweth the
power of his IVrath, as the Pialmifl
fpeaks, Tfal. 90. 11. Indeed a weak
impotent Anger, that can only vent it

felf

the Two Covenants. 3$S

felf in Exclamations and Railings, is
juitly ridiculous and contemptible. But
who would not tremble to provoke that
God, whofe Anger, as it is always jufl,
fo it is Almighty, and able to wreak its
Revenge upon the ftouteft Sinners in
their eternal Ruin and Deftruftion. It
is a moft defperate Folly to incenfe that
God, whom we cannot withftand.
Therefore the Apoftle expoftulates,
i Cor. 10. 21. "Do we provoke the Lord
tojealoufie-, are we ftronger than he?. As
ifhefhould fay, Indeed if thou canft try it
out with the Almighty, if thou canft
wreft the Sword of his Juftice out of
his Hands, if thou canft daili thy felf
againft the Rock of Ages and not be
broken in Pieces, then thou may'ft go
on boldly in thy Sins, and profper : But
alas, for thee, a weak, feeble Creature,
who art crufh'd before the Moth, as
Job fpeaks, Whofe life is but a vapour ,a
poor thing who art juft not Nothing on-
ly by the creating Word of God, it is
a moft deplorable Madnefs for thee to
mufter up thy Forces, and fet thy felf
in Battel-Array againft that great God
who can look thee dead, and fpeak thee
into Hell. And yet fuch is our wretch-
ed Stupidity, that we dare this great
and mighty God to the Combat every

A a 2 Day

356 The *Docirine of

Day and Hour. Every Sin we commit
is a Challenge and Defiance fent to Hea-
ven. We defie his Power and Wrath,
and dare the Almighty to do his worft.
Certainly did Sinners but ferioufly con-
fider the infinite Power of God, would
they not fear lead the very next Sin they
commit, fome remarkable Vengeance
ihould be inflifted upon them; leaft
. God fliould fuddenlyfmite them through,
caufe the Earth to open its Mouth and
fwallow them up quick into Hell, and
make them know by their own woful
Experience that dread Power and Ju-
dice which they now fo vilifie and de-
fpife ? Be perfwaded therefore, O Chri-
ltians, to glorifie this Power of the
great God, by your holy Fear and Cau-
tion n6t to provoke and arm it againft
your felves. It is our Saviour's Coun-
fel, Mat. i.o. 28. Fear him who is able
to deflroy both body and foul in hell; yea
I p.y unto you j fear him. Know that
when thoumaked light of Sin, thou dod
but contemn the Power and Wrath of
God. So often as thou fwearelt, or
lyeft, or committed any other known
Wickednefs, fo often thou openly de-
clared that thou accounted of the
Wrath of God, Hell, and everlading
Torments but -as % Trifle, not worth

the

the Two Covenants. 357

the regard of a generous and daring Sin-
ner. And thou who perhaps art feared
from the commiffion of many a Sin,
through fear of the Magistrate's Power
to puniili thee, but boldly committed
others which cannot fall under their
Power or Cognizance, what elfe doft
thou, but openly teltitie that the Power of
God is not fo tremendous and dreadful,
as the Power of a weak Worm like thy
felf ? And what a Scorn and Reproach
doll thou hereby caft upon that glorious
Attribute ? But if thou wouldft glorifie
it, declare to all the World that thou
owneit his infinite Power which is able
to deftroy, to damn thee every moment,
by thy holy fear to offend fo great and
fo terrible a God.

V, and laftly, Glorifie the Power
and Sovereignty of God, by a conftant
and confeiencious Obedience to all his
Laws. He who is the great Sovereign
of the World, muft needs have prescribed
us fome Rules to direft us in our Obe-
dience. And this he hath done in his «
Word, which is the Statute Book of his
Kingdom. In the Scriptures is contain-
ed the whole Body and Syltem of thofe
Laws which our great King hath enafted.
Now the heft way for us to acknowledge
ihe Sovereignty of God, is by yielding

A a a

"The cDo£trine of

l

all ready and chearful Obedience to
thofe Laws which he hath impofed on
us. Then do we indeed declare that
we own him for our Sovereign, when
we refigtt up our felves in an univerfal
Obedience unto him, and are careful to
perform whatfoever he ha:h enjoined us,
as well thofe Duties which immediately
concern the Service of our Lord and
Mailer, as thofe which concern our Fel-
low Subjefts and Servants. But if we
willingly fail in the obfervance of any
of thefe, we fhake his Yoke from off
our Necks, and withdraw our felves from
under his Jurifdiflion and Command.
And thou who thus difowneft him from
being thy Sovereign Lord, wilt at lafl
find him to be thy fevere Judge; and al-
though thou now refufeit to iubmit thy
felf to the Power of his Grace, thou
flialt be forced to bow, and link, and
eternally perifli under the Power of his
Wrath.

Seventhly y Another (and it is the laft
that I (half (peak of) Attribute of the
Divine t flfence which we ought to glo-
rifie is his Juffice and Equity. Now al-
though there be no other Attribute more
converfant with Mankind than this of
the Divine juilice, yet neither is there
any that is of a more abftrufe Speculati-
on,

the Two Covenants. 359

on, or more intangled with perplexed
Doubts and Difficulties, whensoever we
attempt a Scholaftical difquifition of it.
It is like the Sun, nothing more feen
than its light, nothing lefs feen than it
felf. The molt apparent, and yet the
molt hidden ; the moft obvious, and yet
the mod abftrufe Perfeftion of the Di-
vine Nature. It is not pertinent to my
prefent defign to ingage in thofe many
critical DHtin&ions and Difputes, which
are by divers diverfly given us concern-
ing the Juftice of God. My Work is
more immediately Practical. Yet be-
caufe we ought to have right Apprehen-
fions of that Objefl: which we are to glo-
rifie, and we cannot glorifie God as a
jufl God, unlefs we have beforehand
conceived fome proper Notions what
this Juftice is, therefore take notice
briefly that the Juftice of God is two*
fold.

I. His Eflential Juftice, which is no-
thing elfe but the infinite Reftitude of
his Nature, according to his own eternal
Ideas of himfelf. This is not that which
we are now taking into Confideration.
tor as among Men, that which Arifto-
ftotki Eth. /. 5:. c. 1. lit. F. calls the
vjjui/uov friMtnaujuh/Dy an univerfal Juftice

A a 4 refpeft-

360 The DoSirine of

iefpefting the conformity of every afti-
on of our lives to Law and Reafon, is
Hot lb much any one Virtue, as all ;
fo likewife this eifential and abfolute Ju-
iiLe of God is not fo much any one At-
tribute of the Divine Nature, as a Com-
plexion of them all : For it is the due
habitude and proportion of God's infi-
nite Perfeftions to the only Rule of them,
which is himfelf.

II. There is a Moral, or Relative Ju-
ftice in God, which refpe&s his Tranf-
aftions and Dealings with his Creatures.
Now as among Men Juftice is that Vir-
tue which habitually lways them to ren-
der to every one his own ; fo likewife
in God towards Men, that difpofi ion
which (if we may fo fpeak) inclines him
to render to every one his own, is that
which we call the Juitice of God.
, Here two things are to be oblerved.

Firft, That the Foundation of the Di-
vine juftice is the Divine Sapience and
Will.

Secondly ', That the Rule of his Juftice
is his Word.

Firft, The Foundation of his Juftice
is his Sapience and Will. For God lies
lander no Obligation to his Creatures,
antecedent to the free determinations

of

the Two Covenants. 361

of his own Will. It is juft with God to
punifli fome Men with eternal Torments ;
why ? Becaufe they are Sinners, and Pu-
nifliment is their due; and therefore in
inflifting it he doth but render unto
them what is their own. Bur if you ask
farther, whence it proceeds that Wrath
andPunifhment fhould be their due, we
can give no other Anfwer to this, but
only becaufe the Will of God hath fo
conftituted and ordained it, as a congru-
ous Reward for fuch Adions. So that
whatfoever God wills is juft and equal,
not fimply as he wills it only, but as his
Will is guided by his infinite Wifdom,
which diftates fuch Proceedings to be
fitting and condecent to the Divine Na-
ture; and therefore God wills them as
juft. JFor becaufe the Divine Wifdom
fees it congruous that obllinate and im-
penitent Sinners ihould be eternally pu-
nifli'd, therefore the Divine Will deter-
mines to puniih them, and their Punifh-
ment is an act of Juftice.

Secondly, The Rule of Divine Juftice
is his Word : For God proceeds accord-
ing to this Word in all his dealings with
us. His Word con-rains in it both Pro-
mifes and Threatnings: And to the ful-
filling of both, God hath obliged him-
felf by his Truth and Veracity. And

coti-

The Doffrine of

confequently either the Mercy promifed,
or the Punifhment threatned is our due,
according as we either obey, or tranf-
grefs his Word : And thefe being our
due, it is but Juflice in God to render
them unto us according as our Works
have been. Indeed the Schools have well
determined that there can be no Com-
mutative Juftice in God, i. e. fuch Juftice
as confifts in a«n equal exchange of things
between Party and Party, giving and
taking a like Value. For the Apoftle
hath told us, Rom. ix. 35"- Who hath
firft given unto him, and it /ball be re-
co?npenfed to him again ; for of him, and
through him, and to him are all things.
But there is a diltributive Juftice in God,
whereby as a Judge he recompenfeth us
proportionably to our Aftions ; -which
Juftice is regulated by the Promifes and
Threatnings of his Word. And it is two-
fold: .

Remunerative Juftice, which affignsus
a blefled Reward according to our Faith
and Obedience. And

Punitive, or Vindictive Juftice, which
infli&s upon us eternal and infupporta-
ble Punifhments according to our Impe-
nitency and Rebellions. And both thefe
the Apoftle mentions together, 2 Theffl
I. 6, j. It is a righteous, or ajuft thing

with

• the Two Covenants. 363

with God to recompenfe tribulation to
them which trouble you ; and to you that
are troubled, reft with us when the Lord
J e Jits jh all he revealed from heaven.

And thus I have, as plainly as I could
with fo much brevity, iliewn you what
this Attribute of the Divine Juttice is.

Let us next confider how it ought to
be glorified by us.

The firft and chiefeft way is by our
conformity to it. For Juftice and Equi-
ty is a Communicable Attribute of the
Divine Nature ; and the beft way to glo-
rifie fuch, is not only to reprefent them
to our felves by admiring and adoring
them, but to reprefent them in our felves
by tranfcribing and imitating them. Then
doft thou glorifie the Jultice of God
when thou endeavoured within thfc
Sphere, and according to thy Propor-%
tion, to be thy felf juit. God is jult in ▼
rendring to every Man his own, whe-
ther it be his own by Merit, or Mercy,
by Defert, or by Promife. He render '.r,
faith the Apoitle, to every man accord-
ing to his deeds, Rom. x. 6. According
to the merit of their deeds, fo he ren-
ders indignation and wrath, tribulation
and anguijh to every foul of man that
doth evil: \nd according to the Mercy
of his Promife, he renders glory, honour,

and

364 The To&rine of

and peace to every man that worketh
good. Imitate God, in rendring to eve-
ry one their own : Keep nothing from
them which is their due, except it be
the Retribution of Evil for Evil; for
this Recompence God hath reierved to
himfelf.

Now that is faid to be another Man's,
to which he hath a Title. And if the
Title remain in him, but the PolTeifion in
thee,fo long thou art unjuit, and diilio-
noureft God , as well as wrongelt thy Bro-
ther, afs thou detained from him what is
rightfufty his, contrary to his Will and
Delire.f

Thefe are two things that give a Man
a Title to any Pofleffion ; Law, and Con-
fciencef.*

1. Human Laws. God's Laws are
the Rule of his Juftiee towards Men,
and/Mens Laws are the Rule of their
Jufl&e one towards another. Thefe let
Bounds to our Property, and determine
what is ours, and what not: And who-
foever he be that breaks through this
Fence, and either violently or fraudu-
lently feizeth upon that which the Laws
under which he lives hath afligned to
his Brother, he is an unjuft Peribn, and
tranfgreifeth not only the Laws of Men,
but that Sovereign Law of God, Thou
Jha(t not flea/. God's Law commands

the Two Covenants. 365

us not to take what is another's; but
Man's Law ihews us what is another's.
Man's Law makes Property, and God's
Law fecures it : Elfe why may not any
enter into your Houfes, and take thence
what belt likes them? For what makes
it vours, more than theirs? Is it that
you have acquired it? By the fame Rea-
fon it will be as rightfully theirs when
they have gotten it. And fo the whole
Earth would be filled with Violence,
and Rapine, and Confufion, did not
Laws determine what is yours, and
what not, and parcel out the common
Goods of Nature, affigning to everyone
his Share, which for another to invade,
and take from him, is Rapine, or De-
ceit. And therefore it is an unjuft thing
to alienate any PofTeffion of another up-
on Pretence that it is fuperfluous, or
may be employ'd to better Ufes, or that
the Owners are wicked and undefer-
ving. For be the Perfons never fo
wicked, their Eftates never fo redun-
dant, or mif-employ'd, what they hold
is as much their own, as thofe few things
which perhaps thou art Owner of, and
are barely neceiiary for the Suftentati-
on of thy Life. And if thou Ihould'li
attempt to deprive them of any part
thereof, it is as much Injuftice as if any

ihould

T^he Doctrine of

fhould attempt to take from thee the
only Piece of Bread by which thou liveit.
Indeed the Laws under which we live,
may and often do alter the Property;
fo that" what was mine before, ceafeth
to be fo when the Law hath affign'd it
to another ; and I am unjuft, and guilty
of Theft, if I detain it from him. * It is
no longer mine, but his, when the fame
Authority that gave me Title to it before,
hath now transferred that Title from me
to him. Hence we have that Exhortati-
on of the Apoflle, an Exhortation very
needful to be preft upon us in thefe unjult
Days, wherein Men are utterly unwil-
ling to be guided by any Laws beiides
their Self-will and Self-intereft, #0/;/. 13.7.
Render therefore unto all their due, tri-
bute to whom tribute is due, ciijtom to
whom CMJiom, fear to whom fear , honour
to whom honour. You fee here that Tri-
bute and Cuftom are called Dues. And
what elfe makes them due, but only the
Law of Man? And certainly if the
Law of Man can make a Tribute out
of mine Eifate, or a Cuftom out of my
Goods to be due to another, fuppofe
the Prince, or any other Magiilrate,
am not I guilty of Injuftice and Theft,
if I detain it from him, yea altogether
as much as if I fliould fteal from him
what already he hath in his PoUeflion.

Thus

the Two Covenants. 367

Thus you fee how. human Laws con-
fer Right and Title, and therefore we
are bound in Juftice to render to every
one according to their Prefcription.

But there may be feveral Cafes which
the Law cannot particularly reach unto,
wherein we may be unjuft towards o*
thers. For not only the Law, but,

2. Confcicnce may confer a Title
upon others ; and this ought to oblige
us, when many times the Law cannot.
Thus, what thou had promifed to ano-
ther, thou Handed bound to perform,
although poifibly he cannot prove that
Promife by any other WitnefTes than thofe
thoufand of thine own Cqnfcience. And
many other fuch like Inftances may be
made, wherein Conscience and Equity
require thee to render that unto ano-
ther, which, perhaps, Law and judicial
Procefs cannot compel thee to do : But
yet if thou art in thine own Confcience
perfwaded that thy Brother hath a bet-
ter Right and Title to what thou poflef-
feft than thy felf, although poflibly he
knows not of it, or could never recover
it by a legal Courfe, yet Juftice binds
thee to render it to him. Ic is his; and
the proper Office and Effeft of Juftice is
to render to every one their own.

Let

368 The "DoBrine of

Let us now proceed to confider the
kinds of Juftice, which are two, Com-
mutative, or Diitributive.

I. We ought to glorifie God by a Com-
mutative Juftice, rendring to every one
their due in our Bargains, Sales, and
Commerce ; wherein we ought to ob-
ferve an exaft Equality between what
we give, and what we take, otherwife
we cannot but be unjuft, and wrong ei-
ther our felves or others. This is a Duty
which the very Light of Nature, and the
Diftates of Reafon inforce upon us ;
that upon which the Frame of all Cor-
refpondence and Tranfaftions in the
World doth depend. And whofoever
he be that openly tranfgrefleth the
Rules of this Juftice, is lookM upon as
an infamous Perfon, fhunned and avoid-
ed by all, as one not fit for human Con-
vention. Neither indeed is he ; for
this kind of Injuftice, if it were grown
into common Fraftice, would foon turn
the World into a Wildernefs, and Men
into Savage Beafts, ravening and prey-
ing one upon another ; and nothing that
we pofTeifed could be fecured from Vio-
lence or Fraud. Neither is this Juftice
only a Diftate of the Law and Light of
Nature, but God hath added many San-
ations to it by his exprefs Commands;

efpe-

the Two Covenants. 369

efpecially that fcrious and weighty one,
1 Thef. 4. 6. Let no man go beyond or de-
fraud his brother in any matter, becaufe
that the Lord is the avenger of all fhch.
And indeed there is fcarce any one Sin
that is more injurious unto God, as well
as unto Men, than this of Fraud and
Injuftice. It wrongs him in many of
his Attributes. It heinoufly affronts his
Sovereignty ; when a little inconfidera-
ble Gain rfiall tempt us to violate his
Laws, and defpife his Authority, and
hearken to the imperious Commands of
our own bafe and fordid Covetoufnefs,
rather than to the Commands of the great
God. It calls in queflion his Fidelity,
nay rather, it plainly demonltrates that
we do utterly disbelieve it ; for did we
think that there were any Truth either
in his Threatnings or his Promifes,
fhould we be fo foolifli as for a prefent
petty Gain to forfeit the Hopes of a fu-
ture Inheritance, and inexhaustible Trea-
fures in Heaven ; or to incur the cer-
tain Danger of eternal Deftruftion in
Hell, where we fliall wofully refund all
that we have either gotten or kept un-
juftly ? It direftly contradifts the Mer-
cy and Goodnefs of God, which teaeh-
eth and obligeth us to be fo far from
wronging of others, as to be bountiful

B b and

3 JO 1 he Doctrine of

and beneficent to them. And there-
fore, in all iefpeds, Injuftice towards
Men is an high Injury done aguinft God
him elf: And yet how common a Sin is
this in the World ? Are not all Places
tilled with fad Complaints of Wrong,
Violence and Oppreffion; each Snatch-
ing what they can from others, and ta-
king all Advantages either from the
weaknefs or inadvertency of their Bre-
thren; to over-reach and defraud them?
A Sin, fhall I fay, unworthy of Christi-
ans; yea, unworthy of Men; contrary
to the very Conftitution of civil Socie-
ties ; but infinitely ihameful and oppro-
brious in thofe that profefs the Gofpel,
who by this means bring an indelible
Blot and Reproach upon Religion, and
by their Extortion, Oppreflion and In-
juftice open the Mouths of too many to
blafpheme the holy Name of God, whilft
they look upon an eminent and glorious
Profeflion only as a more cleanly Art to
cheat and cozen. Be perfwaded there-
fore, O Chriftians, to glorifie the Ju-
ftice of God, by the Juftice and Equi-
ty of your Dealings with Men. Let it
appear by all your A&ions, that you do
acknowledge there is a juftGod in Hea-
ven, a God who critically obferveth all
that you do, and who will render unto

you

the Two Covenants. 371

you according to your Works : And
that for the Awe and Reverence of his
impartial Juftice, you dare not do any
thing that is unjuft towards Men. This
is the way to gloriiie him far more effe-
dually than by all the Encomiums and
verbal Reprefentations thou canlt make
of his Juftice. For how can others be
perfwTaded that thou doft believe there
is a juft God, whilft thou thy felf, not-
withstanding all thy Profeifions, art
unjuft, cruel, covetous, taking or de-
taining from others what is their due,
as if the only Reward thou expe&edft
were to live upon the Spoil ? Are thefe
proper Aftions to convince them that
there is a juft God, or that thou doft
think him fo ? Nay rather, will it not
prove a ftrong Temptation to them to
call the Juftice of God into queftion,
when they fee thee fo long efcape un-
punifht ; and to conclude, as many up-
on the like account have done, that cer-
tainly the World is not guided by Sove-
reign Juftice and Equity, but only by
meer Chance and Cafualty ? The only
way to work a venerable Efteem of the
Juftice of God in the Minds of Men, is
to be as punftual in our Dealings with
them, as we would defire they Ihould

Bb x be

372 The DoSlrine of

be with us; yea, to be as Juft to them,
as we would defire God fliould be Mer-
ciful to us. This will convince the
World, that certainly there is aSupream
Juftice that over-awes us, that we dare
not take thofe Advantages which the
Ignorance or Overfight of others puts
into our Hands to defraud them ; and
that we do indeed believe, that there is
a Day coming wherein a thoufand Wit-
nefles fliall be produced to teftifie what
Agreements and Compafts we have
made, where the falfe Weights fliall be
themfelves weighed, and the fcanty
Meafures themfelves meted by a Stan-
dard that is infallibly true, and all the
Controverfies of Right and Equity fliall
be decided, to the eternal Shame and
Horror of thofe who have done the
Wrong.

That is one way of glorifying the Ju-
ftice of God.

II. We ought to glorifie the Juftice
of God by our diftributive Juftice; ren-
dring unto all Men the Rewards and
Punifliments that are due unto their A-
ftions. Now this part of Juftice belongs
not to private Chriftians, but only to the
Magiitrate: For he is God's Jufticier ;
and Rewards and Punifliments are con-
figned over unto him, Rom. 13. 4. If

thou

the Two Covenants. 373

thou doft well, he is the minifter of God
unto thee for good : but if thou doft that
which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth
not the /word in vain : for he is the mi-
7iifter of God, a revenger to execute wrath
upon him that doth eviL Indeed a Ma-
gistrate's Office lliould be a clear Type
and Reprefentation of the Juftice of
God, and human judicatories an Em-
blem of the great and laft Affize; and
the Adminiftration of Juftice here lliould
bear an exaft proportion to that ftrift
Juftice which God will execute, when all
the World ihall appear before him to re-
ceive their Doom. There fliould not
an Offender efcape deferved Puniih-
ment, efpecially thofe who are prefump-
tuous and peremptory upon their Great-
nefs, and the eminency of their Quality,
who make it their Sport to baffle the
Law and outface Juftice. God's Juftice
is impartial, and Ipares neither the Poor
for pity, nor the Rich for fear; but will
eternally retribute to every one accord-
ing to what they have done. And if
thou to whom he hath committed the
Adminiftration of his Juftice, ihalt di-
fpenfe it with refpeft of Perfons, either
moved with Commiferation, or Intereft,
or bafe Fear, or any other by or fink
fter End, thou highly dilhououreft him,

Bb'3 diftrir

374 1?je Doctrine of

diftributing that for the Juftice of God,
which is but the Injuftice and Partiality
of Man. It hath been an old Complaint
that Laws were but like Cobwebs, which
ferved indeed to hamper the fmailer
Flies, whilft the greater and ftronger fe-
curely brake thro' them. Let it be your
Care and Endeavour to remove this Ob-
loquy, and by a fevere Animadverlion
not only on poor trembling Offenders,
but on haugh yanJ audacious Criminals,
who think to outbrave Authority with
their GreatneC, make it appear that you
look upon your felves as the Difpenfers
of God's Juftice, which refpe&s them
no more than the moft contemptible
Wretch that lives upon the Face of the
Earth.

And thus I have fliewn you how you
ought to glorifie the Juftice of God by
Imitation ; in our commutative Juftice,
by rendring to every one their own,
which appertains to every private Chri-
ftian to perform ; and in diftributive Ju-
ftice, rendring to every one the due de-
fert of their A&ions, which belongs not
to private Chriftians, but to Magistrates
and thofe in Authority.

Secondly ', When the Divine Juftice hath
found thee out, then thou oughteft to glo-
rifie it by a free and full Confeffion of
thine Offences. Now

the Two Covenants. 37$

Now there are two Ways in which the
Juftice of God doth find out Sinners.

i. Sometimes by inflifting remarkable
Plagues and Judgments upon them :
Plagues that carry in them a great Cor-
refpondence and Alliance to the Sins
they have committed, fo that they can-
not but read their very Crimes in their
Punifliments. And,

^. Sometimes by dete&ing their Crimes
which they thought were committed in
fecret, and bringing them to condign
Punilhment for them. And indeed ftrange
are the Inftances that might be given of
God's marvellous Providence in this Par-
ticular, efpecially in bringing Murder
and Bloodlhed to light. Now one or o-
ther of thefeways, Mens Sins, and God's
Juftice, will ufually find them out. Be
Jure, faith Mo/es, Numb. jx. 23. that
your fin will find you out. And there-
fore in thefe cafes glorifie the Juftice of
God, by a free and full Confeffion of
thy Guilt.

I. If God lay any fore Plague and
Judgment upon thee, go and humble
thy felf and confefs thy Sin unto him in
fecret, and pray unto him, chiefly that
he would take away thy Sin, and then
thv Punilhment. Or if this will not give
fufficient Eafe to thine afflifted Confci-

Bb 4 ences

376 The T>oSirine of

ence, take unto thee fome ferious pru-
dent Chriftian, inform him how the cafe
{lands between God and thy Soul, beg
the affiftance of his Advice and Pray-
ers: This is the Apoftle's Dire&ion,
James $ , 16. Confefs your faults one to
another i and fray one for another that
ye may be healed. This is the way to give
God the Glory of his Jultice, when thou
ilialt fall down and acknowledge that
what he hath brought upon thee is juft
and righteous, and the due Reward of
thy Sins. And indeed God doth many
times inflifl: fuch peculiar Punilhments
upon us, which do indigitate an ] point
out our Sins, as it were on purpoie to
extort his Glory from us in our Confef-
fion of his Jultice. Sometimes he puni-
iheth us after the fame manner in which
we have offended him. We have a fa-
mous Initance for this in Adonibezecky
judges i. 7. "Three feore and ten kings ha-
ving their thumbs and their great toes
cut off] gathered their meat tinder my ta-
hie-, and he fuffering the like from the
Ifraelitesi acknowledged! the Juftice of
God in thus repaying his Cruelty; as I
.have done , fo hath God requited me.
Thus God dealt with the Egyptians ;
they cruelly murder'd the Male Children
of the Ifraelites, and therefore God flays

all

the Two Covenants. 377

all their firft-born. And fometimes again
judgments carry a Likenefs unto the
Sin, tho' not in the very fame thing, yet
in many Circumftances of it : As when
God fmites Men in the fame Subjeft,
Objeft, Time, Inftruments, or Mem-
bers of finning. Thus T>avld grows
proud of the Number of his Subjefts,
and therefore God fweeps rhem away
by a Peftilence, and makes him iubftraft
threefcore and ten thoufand from the
Account. He dotes on Abfalom^ and
God ordains Abfalom to rebel againft,
and endeavour to dethrone him. So that
very Hand which Jeroboam ftretch'd
forth to lay hold on the Prophet, God
withers and dries it up. Now if any fuch
Judgment hath befallen you, that carries
on it the very Stamp and Impreffion of
the Sin for which God inflifts it, adore
and glorifie his Juftice, fall down before
him, andconfefs that he is righteous and
holy in all that he hath brought upon
you.

II. If the Divine Juftice hath fo found
thee out as to deteft thee, and bring
thee to temporal Punifliment for thy
Crimes, then glorifie it by a free and
publick Cojnfeffion of them to all the
World. Strive not to cover the Sore
which God lays open, but take to thy

felf

37$ The Do&rine of

felf the Shame of thine Iniquities, and
give God the Glory of his Juftice, by
acknowled ^ing thy Guilt, and admiring
his moft wife and righteous Methods in
difcovering thee, when thou thoughteft
thy Wickednefs had been hid in Dark-
nefs and Secrecy ; fo that others may
hear, and tear to offend that God who
can by fuch unknown ways of his Pro-
vidence bring to light the hidden things
of Darknefs. Thus when Achan was
miraculoufly difcover'd by Lot, Jojbu-
ah exhorts him, chap. 7. 19. My fin,
give I fray thee 'glory to the Lord God
of Ifhael, and make confejjion unto himy
and tell me now what thou haft done, hide
it not from me: Which accordingly we
find he did, and we may therefore hope
well of his Pardon. It is a moft defpe-
rate Folly of many flupid Wretches to
perfift obftinately in denying thofe Crimes
of which they are evidently convi&ed $
and that their Names may efcape the In-
famy, bind the Guilt of them fall upon
their Souls for ever.

That is therefore a fecond way of
glorifying the Juftice of God, by a free
and full Confemon of our Sins when his
Vengeance hath found us out.

Thirdly r, If thou art unjuftly wrong'd
and opprefs'd by others,glorifie the Juftice

of

the Two Covenants. 379

of God in committing thy Vindication
to him. Seek not to revenge thy felf,
for by fo doing thou doft but take thy
Caufe out of God's Hands, who is bet-
ter able to plead it for thee. If thou
ftudieft how to recompence evil for evil,
thou difparageft the Juftice of God, and
fufpe&eft that it will not do thee Right,
and therefore thou wilt feek to carve
out to thy felf what Amends thou canft.
Certainly he dbth moft of all honour the
Juftice of God, who when he hath fuf-
fer'd wrongfully, doth without any far-
ther Care or Sollicitude recommend his
Caufe to God. Nor can I approve thofe
who when they are injured, do indeed
betake them to God ; but it is with bit-
ter Curfes, and direful Imprecations a-
gainft thofe who have injured them,
praying for Wrath and Vengeance to
fall upon them. What? Think we that
the Wrath of God mufttake fire at ours ;
and that he muft dart down his Thun-
derbolts according to the Guidance and
Direftion of our Paffions ? This were to
make the Juftice of God fervile to our.
Affeftions, and an Inftrument for our
Revenge. Indeed we do often meet in
Scripture with* fuch dreadful Imprecati-
ons, where the Saints of God devote his
and their implacable Enemies to utter

Ruin

380 The TfoSirine of

Ruin and Deftruftion : Yet this is no
Warrant for us to ufe them too. For as
our Saviour Chrift rebuked his Difciples
who were vext at the Aff ont they re-
ceived from a Village that would not en-
tertain them, and therefore intreated
him to call for Fire, as Elias did, to
come down and confume them, (their
Zeal was all in a Ferment, and prefent-
ly boil'd up to an intemperate feaverifh
Heat) but our Saviour checks them, and
tells them, Luke 9. 55. Ton know not
what manner of fpirit you are of : Inti-
mating that Elijah pray'd for Fire to
come down upon thofe Captains and
their Companies, that were fent to take
him, from fome extraordinary Spirit,
an4 by the mighty Guidance and Im-
pulfe of the Holy Ghoft ; but they did
it only from a private Spirit of Revenge:
So I may fay, that thofe Examples we
have in Scripture,efpecially in the ? faints ^
of Saints and holy Men of God devoting
their Enemies to Ruin, were from the
Impulfe and Direction of an extraordi-
nary Spirit, which we cannot pretend
unto ; and therefore for us to imitate
them, would not be Zeal, but Wildfire.
Our Saviour Jefus Chrift, who fuffer'd
infinitely greater Indignities than any
that we can, hath fee us another Exam-
ple,

the Two Covenants. 381

pie, when amidll the rage and infultings
of his moft bitter Enemies, he prays,
Luke 23. 34. Father forgive them, for
they know not what they do. And his
holy Martyr St. Stephen, who was the
firlt that followed our Saviour in the
traft of his Blood, follows him likewife
as clofely in his Example ; and when the
Stones flew thick about him from their
malicious Hands, it is laid, Atts 7. nit.
that he kneeled down, and cried with a
loud voice, Lord lay not this fin to their
charge. Indeed, though it may feem a
Paradox, yet it is a ftated and meafured
Truth, that then thou doll moll of all
glorifie the Jullice of God, when thou
implored Mercy for thofe who have
wrcng'd and injured thee, that God would
forgive them, and turn their Hearts.
For in fo praying, what doll thou elfe
but. pray that God's Jullice maybe clear-
ed in clearing thy Innocence ? If thou
cantl but pray down Mercy upon them,
thou wilt alfo pray down Repentance
into them ; and then thou hallgain'd the
moll Noble and Chriftian-like Revenge
that can be defired.

Fourthly, Glorifie the Jullice of God,
by endeavouring to make thy felf wor-
thy to efcape the direful and deltru&ive
Eflfefts of it. Thou halt been told how

fevere

3 82 The ¥)o£lrine of

fevere and tremendous this Juftice is.
All the aftonifhing Judgments that have
ever befallen any of the Sons of Men in
this Life, are but fmall Preludiums of it,
in comparison with thofe mafly and folid
Plagues that are laid up in ftore to be
inflifted on impenitent Sinners hereafter
in Hell : That is the proper Region and
Sphere of Juftice, where Wrath and Woe
for ever triumph, without mixture or
abatement. Well now, O Soul, is there
a way for thee to efcape this terrible Ju-
ftice of the great God, and wilt thou
not with the deareft Affedions of thy
Heart clofe with it and embrace it?
What is this but to flight and difparage
the Wrath and Juftice of God? Hehath
but required Faith and Obedience from
thee; and upon thefe hathpromifed that
thou fhalt never fall a Sacrifice to his
Juftice, but be fet up a Trophee of his
Grace and Mercy. And certainly if
thou wilt not come up to thefe Terms,
it is too evident afign that thou defpifeft
his Juftice, andthinkeft it not worth the
fearing.

And thus I have at large fhewn you
how you oght to glorifie God in thefe
feven Attributes; hisHolinefs, his Mer-
cy and Goodnefs, hisOmniprefen~e, his

Omni-

the Tvvo Covenants. jgj

Omnifcicnce, his Veracity, his Power,
and his Juitice.

Indeed there are feveral other Attri-
butes and Perfeftions of the Divine Na-
ture, which ought alfo to be glorified
by us ; but thefe that I have already in-
fixed upon are the principal, and mofl
frequently occur in the courfe of our
Lives to be oblerved and imitated by
us.

From what hath been faid of our glo-
rifying God, I (hall deduce this fliort
Inference and Corolla y. See here then
what aChriftian's Life ought to be ; on-
ly a Reprefentation of God. The Di-
vine Perfections fhould Ihine through all
our Actions, and wtmfoever we do
ought to be ei her a Refemblance of the
Divine Nature, or a Declaration of it.
We have no other Work nor Bufinefs
to do in the World, but to live accord-
ing to the Attributes of God, and to ex-
Erefs his Life in ours. For what is it to
e godly, but to be like unto God? That
whilfl the Children of the Devil are like
unto their Father, and declare his hel-
lifti Nature in their hellifh Lives; all
that are the Children of God fliould be
like unto their Heavenly Father, and
exprefs the Virtues of him that hath
called us out of darknefs into his marvel-
lous

384. 'The DoBlrine of

kits light l, as the Apoltle fpeaks, 1 Pet.
il. 9. And to conclude this, thofeChri-
ftians who thus make it their conflant
imployment to live on Earth as God him-
felf lives in Heaven, may with allured
Hope and unfpeakable Comfort, expert
to live for ever with the Lord.

We have thus confidered the Duty to
which we are here exhorted, even the
great and mod comprehenfive Duty of
a ChriiHan's whole Life, and have fliewn
you what it is to glorifie God : We have
confidered the Objeft of this Duty, God
in all his Attributes both Communica-
ble and Incommunicable; and have fliewn
you how they ought particularly to be
glorified by us. Let us now confider
what the Apoftle adds farther in the
Text, Glorifie God in your body, and in
your fpirit, E^ t35 a^/uctn ^ r& &f(z!>wz?fi9
that is, in your Body, and in your Soul ;
for by the word Spirit the Soul of Man
is here to be underftood ; as likewife in
many other places of Scripture ; and
this to denote that it is of a refined in-
corporeal Subftance. Sometimes indeed
the Spirit of a Man is mentioned in con-
tradiftinftion, as wrell to his Soul as to
his Body. So in that Prayer of the Apo-
ftle, iTbefflf. 23. I pray God your whole
fpirit, and foul, and body, be preferved

blame-

the Two Covenants. 3 g^

blatnelefs. But here it muft not be un-
derftood as if it were a third eifential
Part of Man, but either according to
St.Auftin, de anirnd torn. 3. lib, 4. c.zz,
23. thefe words Soul and Spirit are but
exigetical one of the other, and fignifie
both the fame thing. Or elfe by Spirit
is meant only the Gifts and Graces of
the holy Ghoft, which St. Paul prays
might be preferved intire and blamelefs
in the Thejfalonians, as Chryfofiome in-
terprets thofe words {Chryf. in loc.) Or
elfe according to others (Zanch. in loc)
by Spirit is meant the fuperior Faculties
of the Mind, Reafon, and Underfland-
ing ; and by Soul, the inferior Faculties
of Will, Affe&ions and Defires. But
when the Scripture fpeaks of the Spirit
of a Man in diftinftion only to his Body,
as it doth in my Text, it means nothing
elfe but the Soul ; as including in it both
the fuperior Faculties of the Mind, Rea-
fon and Underftanding, and the inferior
Faculties of the Will, Appetite and Af-
fe&ions. So that to glorifie God in our
Spirit and in our Body, is to gloririelum
in our whole Man, and all the Powers
and Faculties that we are endowed with*
For we are a middle fort of Creatures;
neither pure intelleftual Spirits, as the
Angels are ; nor mere corporeal Beings,

C c as

The Dottrine of

as inanimate things ; but God hath tack'd
theie two Extreams together, and made
them meet in Man, who by his Soul
holds Hands with Angels, and by his
Body with material Creatures.

Hence we may obferve, That the
whole Man, both Soul and Body, ought
to be employ'd as the Inftruments of
promoting God's Honour and Glory.

Now for the clearer Profecution of
this, note,

i. That when we fpeak of glorifying
God in our whole Man, both Soul and
Body, this Phrafe comprehends under
it all thole acceflary good things which
appertain to either. Somethings are rec-
koned the natural Goods of the Soul;
fuch are Prudence, Sagacity, Wit,
Learning, Judgment, &c. Some things
a*e reckoned the natural Goods of the
Body; fuch are Health, Liberty, Food,
Raiment, Riches, &c. And fome
things belong neither properly to the
Soul, nor to the Body, but to the
whole Compofitum or Man confifting of
both united together, and fuch are Cre-
dit and Reputation, Honour and Dig-
nity, Dominion and Authority, &c. Now
in all thefe things God is to be glorify'd
by us.

i. When

the Two Covenants. 387

z. When we fay God is to be glori-
fy'd by us in our whole Man, we muft
know that there are two Ways of glo-
rifying him, either aftively by fulfilling
the Will of his Precepts; or paffively
by fuffering the Will of his Purpofe.

I fhall firft fpeak of glorifying, God
a&ively in our Body and in our Spirit,
by doing his Will ; and then of glorify-
ing him paffively, by fuffering his Will
in both.

I. Firft then, every Duty of God's im-
mediate Service and Worlhip, wherein
we draw nigh unto him, requires a joint
Concurrence both of Soul and Body to
glorifie him in it. Our Saviour Chrift
calls his Service a Toke, Mat. 11. And
certainly it is a Yoke wherein both Soul
and Body muft be coupled, and draw
together. The Soul indifpenfably ; the
Body with a Difpenfation, but that
Difpenfation granted only in cafe of
Mercy or Neceflity.

Firft, In all the Duties wherein we
addrefs our felves to God, we ought
to glorifie him in our Souls and Spirits.
God is a/pirit, yea the God of the Spi-
rits of all Flefti ; and thofe that worjbip
him, muft worjhip him in fpirit and in
truth, as our Saviour fpeaks, John 4. *4-
And this God hath with the greateft In-
Cci ftance

388 The Do&rine of

fiance required 01 you, *Prov. z$.z6.
My fun y give me thy heart. W hatfoever
elfe we tender unto God, if this be
wanting, it is but the Carkafs of a Du-
ty. And as of old all Sacrifices were
accounted direful and unacceptable, if
the Heart could not be found in the
flain Beafc, or any of the Inwards were
wanting, or tainted, ormifplaced: So
all thy Sacrifices which thou offered up
to God arc monftrous and unacceptable
to him if the Heart be not found in them,
and the Inwards found and intire. Thou
dealeft with God, as he in the Apo-
logue with Hercules ■, who having vowed
to him the one half of what he fhould
find that Day, himfelf eat the Kernels,
and offered up only the Shells of the
Nuts he found to his Deity. So thou
doll indeed offer up one half of thy felf
in the Service of God ; but it is only thy
Body, the Husk and Shell, whilft vain
Thoughts, cr worldly Cares, or wick-
ed Lulls prey upon and devour thy
Heart and Soul. Thinkeft thou that
thy God is fuch an Idol God to be con-
tented with fuch a part, or that he will
be put off with Shews and outward Ap-
pearances? If he knows not thy Heart,
and the Intentions and Defires of thy
Sou!, to what purpofe dolt thmi wor-
ship

the Two Covenants,

/hip him? /hat do thofe humble and
devout Poftures fignifie to bias, who
if he fees not deeper and farther than
thefe, fees nothing? Or if he doth
throughly difcern and accurately fcan
every the leait Motion of thy Thoughts
and AfFe&ions, wo unto thee who fhalt
dare to make Religion a Piece of Stage-
play ; and by thy perlonating and coun-
terfeiting the Saint, thinkeft to impofe
upon the omnifcient God, and to pafs
for fuch an one indeed in his Account.
Indeed Hypocrifie is a meer mimical
Folly; and Hypocrites are but like your
Neurojpaftsj or little Images that move
their Eyes and Bodies, not from any vi-
tal Principle within them, but only as
they are afted by Wires and Engines
without. So the Hypocrite twines his
Body into many flexible Poftures of
feeming Piety and Devotion, not from
any living Principle of Grace within,
but only as he is moved by fome out-
ward Wires of Advantage or Appkufe.
Is this a fervingand glorifying of God?
Or rather is it not a mocking and flout-
ing of him to his very Face? The J-e-ws
never more cruelly mock'd our Saviour
jefus Chriit than when they bowed the
knee before him* and bid him hail King
of the Jews. So, believe it, God will in-

Cc 3 terpret

The Dottrine of

terpret all thy officious Geftures, when
thou falleft on thy Knees, and ftileflhim
Lord and King ; he will interpret all to
be but a folemn Mockery, if thy Soul
fall not as proftrate before him as thy
Body; and if thy Affeftions be not ele-
vated unto Heaven, as well as thy Hands
and Eyes. And as thefe Hypocritical Mi-
micks, who thus pretend to glorifie
God, do yet really fcorn and vilifie him
more than any: So again on the other
Hand, God doth moil of all fcorn and
deteft them, and looks upon them as
the moft loathfome and ridiculous wick-
ed Wretches that are. For we may ob-
ferve it, that where Imitation falls fliort,
the partial Defeft is worfe than a total
Privation. What Beaft more deformed
in his Shape, or more ridiculous in his
A&ions, than aMarmofet or Ape; and
yet none approacheth in a nearer Re-
iemblance in both unto Man, who is
the Crown and Glory of the vifible Crea-
tion. So truly an Hypocrite is but th<
Ape of a true Chriflian, and all his De-
votion is but an apifli Imitation of th<
external Afts of Piety, which becaufe
they proceed not from an inward Parti-
cipation of the divine Nature are mofl
defpicable and deformed in God's ac-
count. Let them fqueeze and writhe

their

the Two Covenants. 391

their Faces into as many Forms as they
pleafe, and when they faft or pray put
on what Countenance they will, yet if
their Hearts and Affeftions correfpond
not with their outward Semblances,
they do but play the Anticks, they do
but grin and make Mouths at God. But
yet alas, who is there among us that can
wholly acquit himfelf of this ? Some, that
they might not be thought Hypocriti-
cal Worihippers of God, run into ano-
ther Extream, and demean themfelves
rudely and irreverently in his Prefence,
They will not fliew any Devotion, that
it might be thought they have the more.
But yet take them in their moft carelefs
and unfeemly Poftures, and is it not hy-
pocritical that they prefent their Bodies
and their outward Man before the Lord,
when their Hearts and AfFe&ions are
with the Eyes of the Fools in the Ends
of the Earth. What is the end of thv
coming hither; is it not to ferve and
glorifie God ? If it be not, thy very
coming is hypocritical : If it be, all thy
wandring Thoughts, thy vain and world-
ly Imaginations, thy Drowfinefs, thv
want of Attention, and Affedtion, is all
from the bitter Root of thy natural Hy-
pocrilie. In Prayer, thou owned the
Duty by being prefent at it; and if thou

C c 4 dolt

92 The DoSirine of

doft not cordially clofe with every Pe-
tition, and as foon as it comes from the
Minifter's Mouth, fend it up to Hea-
ven from thy very Heart, whatfoever
thy Pofture be, thou playeft the Hypo-
crite. In hearing, if thou doft not di-
ligently attend to the Truths that are
delivered, and fubmit thy Will, Preju-
dices and Interefts.- unto the Evidence
of it, thou heareft hypocritically : And
whatfoever other Duty thou perform-
eft by thy felf, or joinefl in with others,
fo long as thy Mind hath been diverted
unto other Objefts, and thy Thoughts
fcatterM by other Cares, fo long haft
thou been an Hypocrite in that Duty :
For thou makeft an outward Shew of
what is not in thy Heart nor Affecti-
ons. Well then, if you would glorifie
God, fix and engage your Spirits in all
the Duties you perform to him. In Pray-
er, let Zeal and Affection warm your
Hearts, and offer up that fpiritual Sacri-
fice with that heavenly Fire. Think of
nothing, but that God to whom you
pray, and thofe Bleffings you pray for.
Hear the Truth with as much Attenti-
on and Reverence, as if God werehim-
felf fpeaking to you with his ownVoice,
and mind nothing but how you may
miderftanditforthe prefent, andpra&ife

ir

the Two Covenants. 393

it for the future. In all your Duties bend
every Power and Faculty of your Souls
to the utmoft tenfion; cdmmand them
to regard nothing elfe for that time.
And if the Fowls of the Air, thy flying
and roving Thoughts, will yet come
down upon thy Sacrifice, let it be thy
Care, as it was Abraham's, fpeedily to
drive them away; for by their Touch
they defile it; but by their Stay they
would devour it.

Secondly, In all the Duties of Worfliip
which we perform unto God, we ought
to glorifie him not in our Spirits only,
but in our Body. As on the one hand
it is grofs Hypocrifie and Diffimulation
if we prefent our Bodies only before the
Lord, wifh all the fliews of a real Affe-
ftion and Devotion, whilft yet the Heart
is far eftranged from him ; fo again on
the other hand, it is a faucy Irreverence
and prophane Rudenefs to pretend to
worfliip God in the Spirit, when we pay
him noRefpeftnorObfervance with our
Bodies. Certainly he hath created both
Soul and Body, and he is the Sovereign
Lord of both, and experts that Tribute
and Homage fliould be render'd him
from both. Some Men have driven all
their Religion fo far inward, that it is be-
come

394 Th* Do^irine of

come altogether invifible ; and becaufe
God is a Spirit they ferve him as if they
were Spirits too, and had nothing to do
with the Body. They have heard that
bodily exercife frofiteth little ; nor in-
deed doth it, where the Heart and Soul
do not both excite and accompany it:
And becaufe it is an empty piece of For-
mality and Pageantry to worfliip God
only with the Body, they will not wor^
fhip him with the Body at all, but only
with the Spirit ; and fo unyoke thefe
two, which God hath made to draw to-
gether. How many have we feen affeft
Irreverence as a part or fign of Spiritu-
alnefs, and have chofen the moftunfeem-
ly Poftures they could, only that it might
appear they did not flatter nor comple-
ment with God! It is a Weaknefs huge-
ly incident to human Nature, and that I
think with which the World was never
more tainted than in thefe our Days, to
cure Extreams by Extreams. Becaufe
Hypocrites worfliip God only with the
outward Man, and content themfelves
only with the Pomp and Oflentation of
an external Devotion, therefore do fo
many think it a Demonftration of Since-
rity to difcharge the Body utterly from
Rearing any part in their Worfliip ; they

defpife

the Two Covenants. 39$

defpife Reverence as a piece of Forma-
lity, and make Communion with God
to confift in a familiar Rudenefs. Cer-
tainly not your Souls only, but your Bo-
dies alfo were made for the Lord, as the
Apoille fpeaks, ver. 6. He expects his
Tribute of Glory from it, which akho7
it cannot pay in fo high and refined a
manner as the Soul, tho7 its Aftions be
but grofs and inconfiderable in compari-
fon with the pure and fprightly Opera-
tions of the Mind, yet they are not fo
inconfiderable but that God abfolutely
requires them from us ; and if we be not
careful to honour him with our Bodies,
we rob him, if not of part of his Ser-
vice, yet of his Servant.
, I would not iniift fo preffingly on this,
did I not obferve that outward Reve-
rence is not only grown intoDifufe, buc
into Contempt among us, and he is ac-
counted God's beft Friend and Intimate
that keeps the leafl Diftance. Hence
proceed thofe unweildy Gettures that
argue nothing but either a flighting or
wearifomnefs of the Service you are en-
gaged in. Believe it, God is a great King,
and in his Service he expefts as humble
Expreffions of your Reverence, as any
you can think due to the greatcft Mq-

narclis

396 The TioBrlne of

narchs of the World. What faith the
Lord concerning thole who offered the
lame and the maimed for Sacrifice, Mat.
i. 8. Offer it now unto your governor:
fee whether he would be pleafed and
contented with fuch a Prefent. And if
an earthly Prince would look upon it as
an Affront rather than a Gift, think you
that the King of Kings, and Lord of
Lords, will account fuch a lame and
imperfefl: Offering worthy of his Ac-
ceptance ? Certainly that is not fit for
God, which is not fo much as fit and
decent for Man. And tho' God looks
efpecially at the Soul, and the inward
Affeftions of the Heart, yet he alfo ex-
pefts that his Offering fliould be intire,
not lame and maimed of one half. He
requires from you that outward Reve-
rence that is neceffary to teflifie a due
fenfe of his glorious Prefence ; he re-
quires that you fhould facrifice your felves
intirely to him, your Bodies upon the
Altar of your Hearts andAffeftions, and
both Soul and Body upon that Altar
which alone can make both acceptable,
even the Lord Jefus Ghrift.

Now in all the Duties which we per-
form immediately unto God, we are to
glorifie him in our Bodies two ways :

I.

the Two Covenants.

I. By making them the Inftruments
of his Service.

II. By making them the WitnefTes and
Teftimonies of our Refpeft and Reve-
rence.

I. Our Bodies jnuft be imployed as
the Inftruments of God's Service. And
here the Tongue is the chief Member,
which by the Pfalmift is oftentimes
called his Glory, becaufe it is a princi-
pal Organ of glorifying God. Here-
with we blefs God for Mercies already
received; and herewith we pray unto
God for Mercies we yet need. And
though Praife and Prayer be chiefly the
Work and Imployment of the Heart,
and God can diftin&ly read what is
Printed there ; yet this fufficeth not, if
the Voice too bear not its part, where it
may be done with Conveniency and De-
cency.

II. We ought to glorifie God in our
Body, by teitifying all lowly Refpeft
and Reverence in thofe Duties which
we perform unto him. Whatsoever Li-
berty the wantonnefs of our late Times
hath indulged, yet certainly we ought
in all our Addrefles unto the great God
of Heaven, to compofe our felves in
fuch an humble and reverential Pofture,
as may teftifie our Souls are deeply af-

fe&ed

398 *The DoBrine of

fefted with the awe and dread of that
great Majefty before whom we appear.
Wherefore lerve the geftures of the
Body, but only to fignifie the refpeft of
the Mind ? And therefore if we ought
to demean our felves- lowly in the Pre-
sence of our Superiors, only to teftifie
the inward Veneration and Efteem which
we bear towards them ; fhould we not
much more do fo in the Prefence of the
great God ? And if fome have falfly and
hypocritically made ufeofthisfign, wheft
they have pretended a great deal of Zeal
and Affe&ionin their outward Comport-
ment, tho' inwardly they have been full
of all manner of Wickednefs; yet this
fhould be no Argument to us to negleft
it : But firft we fhould labour to have deep
Impreffions of Awe and Reverence made
upon our Spirits,and then exprefs that Re-
verence in the moil fignificant and hum-
ble Deportment of our Bodies. This is
to glorifie God in our Spirit and in our
Body. And therefore doth the Scrip-
ture everywhere abound, both in giving
us Direftions and Examples of outward
Reverence in the Worfhip of God. In.
Prayer, we find the holy Men of old
frequently ufed three feveral Poftures,
all of them expreffive of a deep Humi-
lity.

i. Pro-

the Two Covenants. 399

1. Proftration, or a falling flat on
the Ground. Thus it is faidof Job, that
he fell down on the ground and worjhifiped,
Job 1. 20.

x. Kneeling, which is moll often
mentioned ; yea, and becaufe it was
the common gefture in this Duty, it is
of it felf mentioned as a Periphrafis of
Prayer by St. Paul, Eph. 3. 14. For this
caufe I bow my knees, i. e. for this caufe
I pray unto the Father of our Lord J ejus
Chrijl.

3 . Standing. So it is faid, x Chron. 6.
ix. that Solomon flood upon the brafen
Scaffold, andfpread forth his Hands and
Prayed. And Chap. xo. 5-. That Jeho-
fhaphat flood in the Congregation and
Prayed.

Either of thefe are fit Poftures for
Prayer (but efpecially Kneeling) and
they all exprefs that Reverence and Hu-
mility which our Souls ought to be pof~
fefled with, when we appear in the Pre-
fence of the great and glorious God.
But for other Geftures, which either
Pride, Contradiftion or Lazinefs have
introduced, they are altogether unfit for
this Duty ; and whatfoever inward Af-
feftion and Zeal Men may pretend to,
yet certainly they give but very little
Demonftrations of it outwardly.

Then

400 The cDo6irme of

Then again, For hearing of the
Word, we fliould do it with a compofed
Gravity and Serioufnefs, fhewing the
fixednefs of our Minds by the fixed-
nefs of our Bodies. Confider, that the
great King of Heaven fpeaks to you ;
he fpeaks by his Ambaflador. And the
fame Attention and Reverence that you
would fliew to your Prince, were he
fpeaking unto you ; the fame, yea, and
much greater, ought you certainly to
fhew to your God. Concerning Parti-
culars, I leave it to your Chriftian Pru-
dence to judge what is mod expreffive
of Reverence towards Men, which tho'
perhaps it be no part of the Worfliip of
God, yet he expe<3s and requires it as
a befitting Circumftance ; yea, and a
Circumflance fo considerable, that it is
almofl all that your Bodies can do in his
Service : And judge, I pray, whether it
be any lefs than a flighting of God, that
you mould declare more Refped: and Re-
verence to your Superiors, which are but
mortal frail Men like your felves, than
to him who is the Immortal and moft
high God, blelTed for evermore.

The Apoftle is fomewhat large in gi-
ving Directions to the Church of Co-
rinth, concerning their outward De-
meanor in thePublick Worihip of God,
i Corinth* ri, 4, Every man fraying or

fro-

the rTwo Covenants. 40 1

prophejying having his head covered, dis-
honour eth his head- That this is fpoken
not only of the Preacher, but of the
Hearers, appears plainly by the follow-
ing Verfe, Every woman that frayeth
or frofhefyeth with her head uncovered,
dijhonoureth her head. Now certain it
is, that Women were not to Pray or to
Prophefie in the Church as Teachers,
for it was not permitted them to fpeak.
They prayed therefore as joining in
Prayer; and prophefy'd as attending up-
on Prophefying, that is, upon Preach-
ing the Word. And fo in like manner
the whole AflTetnbly of Men are faid to
Pray and Prophefie, that is to join in
Prayer, and hear the Word of God
preached. But he that doth this, fakh
the Apoftle, with his head covered, dif
honoureth his head. Andfo again, Verfe
10. The woman ought to have power over
her head, that is a Veil or Covering, fo
called, becaufe it betokened her Sub-
jection to the power of her Husband :
She ought to wear this Veil becaufe of the
Angels ; that is, that the Angels who
are miniftring Spirits, and prefent in the
Affemblies of the Faithful, joying to be-
hold the Order, Reverence and Affefti-
on of our Worfliip, might fee nothing
indecent and uncomely.

D d In-

402 The Doctrine of

Indeed this outward Reverence ftiould
be ufed not only in refpeft of the at-
tending Angels, but in refpeft both of
our felves, and others, as it may excite
and Relp both our and their inward Zeal
and Affeftion.

FirJIy It will tend to quicken and ftir
up thine own Devotion : For if thou pro-
flrateft thy felf before God, will not this
put thee in mind what thou art doing,
and fliame thee if thou findeft thy
Thoughts and thy Affe&ions wandring,
and wholly incongruous to thy bodily
Deportment ? Whilft thou boweft thy
Knees, and fpreadeit forth thy Hands
towards Heaven; canft thou without
Blufhing, fuffer thy Thoughts and thy
Affe£Hons to gad abroad, and ftray
from the Work which thou fo folemnly
makeft lhew of? This will oblige thee,
if thou haft anv Ingenuity, to call them
home , and fix them upon what thou
art doing. And,

Secondly ', It will much tend to excite
and quicken rhe Affeftions of others, who
ihall behold thy grave and reverend De-
meanor : For the expreilion of our Af-
fection is naturally apt to imprint the
fame on thofe that fliall obferve us.
When we fee them fignifie fo much
Awe and Humility, it will put us in

mind

the Two Covenants. 403

mind to whom they do it* in whofe
Prefence both they and we are: And as
in Water, Face anfwereth to Face, fo
doth the Heart of Man to Man ; and
therefore it will be very rare, if thofe
Affedions which we fee lively ftirringin
others, do not beget in us alfo fome
refemblance and fimilitude of them.

Indeed there is no ftated univerfal mea-
fure for outward Reverence. For that
which is accounted a fign of Reverence
in thefe Nations, as uncovering of the
Head, &c. in other places is the greatefl
Affront and Scorn that can be offered.
But this notwithftanding we may take
for a fure and infallible Rule, that thofe
Aftions which are commonly ufed to ex-
prefs Reverence to others, according to
the cuftom of the Countries where they
are obferved, ought much more to be
ufed to exprefs Reverence to God in his
Worfliip and Service. This I fuppofe is
clear, and I am fure it is as neceflary as
it is much neglefted and flighted among
us. I know nothing that cai> difpenfe
with us, but only Mercy, or Neceffity.
If thou canft not fliew thy outward Re-
verence without indangering thy Health,
or tormenting or paining of thy Body;
in this cafe he will have Mercy, and not
Sacrifice. But in all other cafes where
1 D d x it

40+ The DoSMnc of

it is left free for thee to do it, and thou
mayft fo provide that by doing it thou
mayft fuffer no Injury nor confiderable
Detriment to thy Body ; God doth abso-
lutely require it of thee : for it is almoft
the only way how thou canft in any part
of his immediate Worlhip, glorifie him
in thy Body.

That therefore is the firft Propofiti-
on, that we ought in all the Duties of
God's immediate Worlhip and Service,
to glorifie him by a joint concurrence
both of our Body and our Spirit. To
prefent the Body only, without the Soul,
is but Hypocrifie ; and to worlhip God
without a due Reverence exprefled by
the Body, is but a fawcy Rudenefs.

Secondly, We ought to glorifie God in
our Spirit and in our Body, in thofe
things which peculiarly and properly be-
long to each of them.

And here fliould I branch this out in-
to all its particulars, the work would be
altogether endlefs, and we might fooner
expeft to be glorified with God, than
finilh the particular confideration of all
the Aftions both of our Souls and Bo-
dies, whereby we ought to glorifie God.
I lhall therefore only touch upon fome
of the mod remarkable things, and fo
clofe up this Head.

I. There-

the Two Covenants. 405

I. Therefore, as for the Soul, we may
confider it in its three great Faculties of
Underftanding, Will, and Affe&ions. In
all which we ought to glorifie God.

1. To glorifie him in our Reafon and
Underftanding. This the wife Man calls
the Candle of the Lord, Prov. 20. %j.
And this Candle we ought to light at
God's Lamp ; for fo Ttavid calls the
word of God, PfaL 119. 105*. Then we
glorifie God by our Reafon and Under-
ftanding, when,

Firjiy We imploy our Reafon in find-
ing out the Truth ; and by a diligent
perufal and comparing of Scripture with
Scripture, rationally fearch out without
Prejudice or Partiality what the Mind
of the Spirit is. This is the nobleft work
that the Mind of Man can be bufied about.
And if their Induftry be commendable
who turn over the Monuments of learn-
ed Men to inform their Underftandings
only in Natural and Human Knowledge,
how much more excellent is it to revolve
that only Book which God hath writ-
ten, to inftrufl; thee in much deeper My- ,
fteries than any that all the Learning in
the World befides can teach thee ? Whilft
thou art thus careful to inform thine Un-
derftanding in the Doftrines of Religi-
on, and Duties of Obedience; in what

D d 3 God

The DoBrine of

God hath propounded to thee to be-
lieve and to practife, thou doft more
perfeft and advance thy Reafon, than
all thofe great Mailers or Wit and Rea-
fon have done, who reited in thofe glim-
mering Difcoveries.

Secondly ', WeglorifieGod by our Rea-
fon, when we fubjugate and bring it un-
der the Obedience of Faith. There are
many fublime Myfteries in our Faith,
which Reafon alone could never have
revealed unto us, yea which, now that
they are revealed, it cannot fathom. As
that three Perfons fliould be one God ;
two Natures in Chrift, onePerfon ; that
he fliould be born of a Virgin wrho was
before all time; that he fliould dye who
hath Life and Immortality dwelling in
himfelf; that being truly dead, he fliould
by his own Power raife himfelf again :
Thefe things, and many more, unfanfti-
fied and untamed Reafon will (till be
quarrelling at. Now if thou wouldfl
glorifie God, bring thy Reafon to fub-
mit to the Authority of Faith: Urge it
with a Serif turn eft-, it is thus written,
and therefore I thus believe. And indeed
by .thus doing, you do not contradift,
but only perfeft your Reafon. For there
is infinitely more Reafon to believe what
pod hath fo plainly teftified in his Word,

thai]

the Two Covenants. 4^7

than to believe the Truth of what we fee
with our very Eyes ; iince^ our Senfes
themfelves cannot be fo infallible a proof
of Verity, as God's Teftimony. And
therefore St. Teter fpeaking of the hea-
venly Voice which he himfelf heard in
the Transfiguration of our Saviour Chrift,
yet he tells us, x Tet. i. 19- We have
a more Jure wordof prophefte, whereun-
to you do well that ye take heed : Inti-
mating to us, that the Teftimony of
Scripture is more certain than a Voice
from Heaven. And therefore let the
Truths revealed feem never fo repug-
nant to corrupt Reafon, yet we ought
to acquiefce in the Authority and Reve-
lation of that God who. is Truth it felf.
In fuch myfterious depths I much pleafe
my felf with that odd Saying of Tertulli-
an, Sepultus refurrexit ; cert urn eft, quia
impofiibile eft ; Chrift rofe again from
the dead ; it is certain beraufe it is im-
poffible. Now glorifie God by refign-
ing up your Reafon and Apprehenfion
of things wholly to his Teaching and
Inftruftion. Say, Lord, thy Word hath
taught me many Myfteries, which my
weak and fhort-fighted Reafon cannot
comprehend : But I defire to fit at thy
Feet ; thy Word fliall be my Reafon.
This I underftand, that thou who art

D d 4 Truth

408 the 'Do&rine of

Truth it felf canft neither deceive, nor
be deceived : And therefore I find in-
finitely more Reafon to believe any thing
upon thy Teftimony, than to disbelieve
it upon its own feeming Impoffibility.
Since thou halt fpoken it, I fully aflent,
and deliver up all the petulancy of my
Reafon to be chaltifed and tutored by
Faith.

z. Glorifie God in your Wills, by
bringing them into a perfeft compliance
with his Holy and Sovereign Will. This
indeed is the hardeft and moil difficult
task we have to do. The old Conteft
between God and Man ever fince the
Fall, hath only been whofe Will fliall
ftand, either his, or ours. And there
is a two-fold Will of God which our
corrupt Wills areflill oppofing; the Will
of his Command, and the Will of his
Providence ; of his Precept, and of his
Purpofe. We naturally rejeft his Pre-
cepts, and murmur at his Providences.
Now glorifie God byfubmitting thy Will
unto his in both.

Firftj Submit thy Will unto the Au-
thority of his Commands. And though
the Duties that are injoined be many of
them very difficult, and all contrary to
the Inclinations of Flefli and Blood, and
it may be to thyfecularlnterefts and Ad-
vantages,

the Two Covenants. 409

vantages, yet bridle theRelu&ances and
Rebellions of thy Will, and fet up thy
fixed Refolution ; this God hath com-
manded, and this I will do inhisftrength,
whatfoever Shame, or Dangers, or Suf-
ferings I may meet with in the way of
my Obedience. This highly tends to
glorifie the Authority and Sovereignty
that God hath over thee, when thou art
ready to facrifice thy corrupt muttering
Will, and all thy Interefts, to the Com-
mands of thy God.

Secondly r, Submit thy Will to the over-
ruling W ill of God's Purpofe. Whatfo-
ever God doth to thee, or brings upon
thee, fit down, and with a contented
Patience fay, Not my wilt, but thine be
done. But concerning this I ihall fpeak
more largely hereafter, when I come to
ihew you how we ought to glorifie God
paffively.

3. Glorifie God in thy Affeftions ;
and that muft be done by bringing
{hem to a Conformity with God's. This
Conformity muft be two-fold ; as to the
Objeft, and the Motive of them.

As to the Objeft, fee that thy Affe&i-
ons be fet upon thofe things, on which
God's are.

As to the Motive, fee that they be fet
on them upon that very account,

As

The Doctrine of

As for inftance, thou oughteft to glo*
rifie God in thy Love ; by loving what
he loves, himtelf, his Ways, his Peo-
ple, and his Ordinances; and that be-
caufe he 1 wes them. In thy Hatred, by
hating what God hates, Sin and Wick-
edness ; and chat becaufe God hates them.
In thy Joy and Delight-, by delighting
in what God delights, that is in himfelf,
and his own infinite Perfections, and his;
Image; and that becaufe he rejoiceth in
them. And fo of the reft.

And thus you fee in brief how you
ought to glorifie God in the feveral Fa-
culties of your Souls.

II. You ought alfo to glorifie God
in thofe things which appertain peculi-
arly to the Body. And this is chiefly
done, by keeping it pure and undefiled.
There are two things which defile the
Body, Intemperance, and Incontinence.
And the Apoftle exprefly commands us
to glorifie God in our B )dy, by flying
both thefe polluting Sins. As for Intem-
perance, we are commanded, iCor. 10.
31. that whether we eat or drinks or
what/bever we do^ we jhould do all to the
glory of God: That is, we ought to make
ufe of the Comforts of Life with fuch
Moderation, as may bed fit us for the
Service of God, and fo as no Occafion

may

the Two Covenants. 411

fnay be given to blafpheme our holy Pro-
feflion by our Riot and Excefs. And
concerning Incontinence, the Apoftle
hath told us in* this Chapter, that our
Bodies are the Members of Chriit: Shall
we then take the members of Chrijl, and
make them the members of an harlot?
God forbid. And upon this he infers the
Exhortation, Glorifie God in your body;
that is, glorifie him by a chait and mo-
deft Converfation.

I fhall not farther expatiate, in giving
you Rules how you fliould make ufe of
other particular Advantages for the Glo-
ry of God. As of Health and Strength,
by blefling God for it, and imploying it
in the Duties both of thy general and
particular Calling. Of Riches and Eflate,
by laying it out in refreihing the Bowels
of the Poor, and the Maintenance and
Encouragement of God's Worihip and
Service. Of thy Credit and Reputati-
on, by making it fubfervient to repair
the broken and funk Credit of true and
real Piety. Innumerable are the Parti-
culars wherein God requires to be glo-
rified by us : Yea, there is not any one
Action of our whole Lives but it muft
be direfted to this, as to its laft and ul-
timate End"; for we are commanded
(bat whatfocvcr we do, we flioijld do it

to

412 The TioSirme of

to the Glory of God. Therefore in the
general I fliall only add this, that there
are two things which make all we do,
whether they be Aftions of greater or
lefs Importance, to be a glorifying of
God.

Fir/?, When they are done from hea-
venly and fpiritual Principles.

Secondly, When they are done to hea-
venly and fpiritual Ends.

Firft, When they are done from hea-
venly Principles. Many are thefe hea-
venly Principles which ennoble the mea-
neft Aftions we can perform, and make
them a glorifying of God. I fliall name
only thefe two.

I. The Love and Fear of God. I
naipe thefe two Sifter Graces together,
becaufe they are never found feparate ;
and indeed a true filial Fear is but an
awful Love ; and where-ever there is a
fincere Love to God, there will be a
Fear to offend him. Thefe two are ne-
ceflary Ingredients into every good Afti-
on ; and wherefoever they are found,
they ennoble what we do, and make
the common and ordinary Aftions of our
Lives to be fpiritual and divine. For
what is done from the Love and Fear
of God, is done for God's fake: And
certainly we cannot more glorifie God,

than

the Two Covenants. 4.13

than by concerning him in all our Ani-
ons; for this dedicates all we do, and
makes it holy and facred.

II. Obedience to the Commands of
God, who hath injoined us the Works
of our particular Callings in our feveral
Stations, no lefs ftriftly and indifpenfa-
bly, than the Duties of his own imme-
diate Worlhip and Service. And what-
foever common, if lawful, Aftionof our
Lives we do out of Confcience to God,
and that we may thereby obey his Will
and Precept, it is of Water made Wine,
it is as truly glorifying of him, as the
mod pompous and folemn Worlhip we
can perform ; by this holy Artifice we
make the Necemties or Imployments of
this Life become fubjeft and tributary
to Heaven ; and what we thus do upon
God's account, he will certainly re-
ward.

Secondly, When we do any Aftion un-
to fpiritual and heavenly Ends, then we
glorifie God by it. As when we aft not
for Vain-glory, or only fecular Advan-
tages ; but to give a good Example to o-
thers, or to fit our felves the more vigo-
roufly to ferve God, or to be beneficial
to others, &c.

We have thus feen how we ought to
glorifie God aftively, both in our Bo-
dies

4.14. The cDo&nne cf

dies and in our Spirits, by doing the Will
of his Precept.

The next thing in order, is to fhew
you how we ought to glorifie him Paf-
fively in both, by fuffering the Will of
his Purpofe. Indeed, the beft and per-
haps the greateft part of a Christian's
Life is fpent in Sufferings. When we lye
long fallow in a continued Profperity,
not plowed up by any Affli&ions, our
Hearts are apt, like rank Soil, to fpend
themfelves in unprofitable Weeds: Our
Corruptions and Vanities will over-top
and eat out the very Heart of our Gra-
ces ; fo that God fees it neceflary fome-
1 times to plow us up, and make long Fur-
Vows upon our Backs. And as Husband-
imen ufe to lop off the fuperfluous Ex-
crefcences of their Trees, to make 'em
the more fruitful; fo, that we may be-
come the more fruitful to his Praife and
Glory, the Methods of his Wifdom and
Goodnefs ingage him to ufe the Difci-
/ pline of his Pruning-knife, to cut off
from us thofe Luxuriances, which altho'
they may feem to add to our Flourish-
ing, yet hinder our Fruitfulnefs.

Now all our Sufferings do either re-
fpeft our Bodies, or our Spirits ; either
the outward itate of this prefentLife, or
elfe the inward and fpiritual ftate of the
Soul. The

the Two Covenants. 415

The former may well be divided into
two kinds, for they are either,

Firjfy Simply Affliftions brought up-
on us by the Hand and Providence of
God, without refpefting any other caufe
but only God's good Pleafure, and our
own evil Demerits. Or elfe,

Secondly ,They are Perfecutions brought
upon us by the wicked Rage of Men
for Righteoufnefs fake, and the Tefti-
mony of a good Confcience.

Thofe Sufferings which concern the
Spirit, and the inward ftate of the Soul,
may likewife be well reduced unto
two Heads : For ufually they are either
Temptations orDefertions. In the one
we fuffer from Satan, in the other from
God.

In all thefe various kinds of Sufferings,
fome of which fall to. the Lot of every
true Chriftian, and all of them lye very
hard upon fome, God ought to be glo-
rified by us.

Indeed our way to Heaven is fet all
along with Thorns; Troubles and Sor-
rows are thick flrow'd in it. He is a
Fool that fits not down and computes
what his Religion will coft him. It may
be Troubles without, and Terrors with-
in, Poverty, Reproach, Bonds, yea,
and it may be Death it felf ; befides ma-
ny

41 6 The Dotirine of

ny fliarp Agonies and Conflicts of the
Soul, many dark and gloomy Seafons,
wherein neither Sun nor Stars may ap-
pear to him for divers Days. His out-
ward Comforts may be to him all fe-
queftred by the Rage of Men, and his
inward by the Wrath of God. On
which fide foever he looks he may be-
hold nothing but Sorrow and Anguifli ;
Heaven covered with Clouds, and the
Earth with Storms. This hath been the
Portion of many of God's deareft Chil-
dren, and we mufl make our account that
it fhall certainly, more or lefs, be ours.
The Apoftle hath forewarned us, Heb.
ix. 6. Whom the Lordloveth he chafteneth,
and fi our get h every Jon whom he receiveth.
This is the proof of our Legitimation,
Verfe 8. If ye he without chaftifement,
whereof all are partakers^ then are ye
baft ards, and not the genuine fins of God.
We know not what particular Tryals fhall
befall us, faving that God hath every
where teftified that Affliftions and Tri-
bulations abide us. This is the high way
to the Heavenly City ; the Crofs is our
mark, and if we frequently meet not
with this, we may certainly conclude
that we have miftaken our Road, and
fhall fall fliort of our Journey's end.
And therefore St. ?Wfpeaks of it as a

cafe

the Two Covenants.

cafe ofNeceflity, jiffs 14. zt. We muft
through much tribulation enter into the
kingdom of God. Indeed, as we are
Men, we are born to Trouble as natu-
rally as the Sparks fly upwards : And
therefore, although we may well con-
clude negatively, that certainly we are
not travelling towards Heaven if we
meet with no Rubs nor Difficulties in
our way ; yet we cannot conclude in the
Affirmative, that if we now fuffer we fhall
hereafter be glorified, unlefs we be care*
ful toglorifieGod by our prefent Suffer-
ings.

Well then, our Sufferings being fo
great and confiderable a part of our
Lives, let us fee how we may glorifie
God in this Fire.

I fhall begin with thofe which concern
the Body, and the outward State of this
prefent Life.

And here I fhall give you fe veral Rules,
fome of which fhall be Cautionary, and
fome Directive.

Firft, The firft Rule for Caution fhall
be this, If thou wouldft glorifie God by
thy Sufferings, beware that thou doft
not rafhly and unwarrantably precipi-
tate thy felf into them. Thofe Suffer-
ings wherein thou thy felf canft have no
Comfort, by them God can have no
Glory, Now confider what fmall ground

E e for

4. 1 8 Th* Doctrine of

for Comfort thou ca^ift have, when thou
needleily bringeft Afflictions upon thy
felf, and intangleft thy felf in thofe
Troubles which either Piety or Pru-
dence would have taught thee to have a-
voided. Thefe Sparks will fly about
thee faft enough of themfelves, thou
needed not blow the Coals. But if thou
doft, and art burnt by them, thou hail
nothing to complain of, but thine own
Folly ; nor to comfort thee, but that it
was thine own Choice and Refolutenefs.
There be two Things that make Suf-
ferings rafh and unwarrantable.

I. When thou fuffereft what thou haft
defer ved.

II. When thou fuffereft what thou
mighteft have avoided.

I. Thou rafhly and unwarrantably
plungeft thy felf into Troubles, wThen
thou fuffereft what thy Vices have de-
ferved. How many fuch wretched
Creatures are there, who have no other
Hope nor Plea for future Happinefs, but
. that they are extremely miferable here !
And yet all their Sufferings are nothing
elfe but the juft Revenge that their own
Lufts and Vices take upon them. It is
an old Maxim, Non poena, fed caufa
facit martyr em ; Not the Punifhment,
but the Caufe makes- a Martyr. It is

not

the 'Two Covenants. 419

not fo much what we fuffer, as where-
fore, by which God is gloriiied. What
faith the Apoftle, iPet. 4. 14, i?. If ye
be reproached for the name Chriff, hap^
py are ye : On their part he is evil fpo~
ken of but on your part he is glorified*
But let none of you fuffer as a murderer -,
or as a thief or as an evil doer> or as a
bufle body in other mens matters : For
thus to fuffer is a Diflionour to the Name
of God, and to the Profeflion of the
Chriftian Religion. Haft thou by an
idle and diflblute Life brought thy felf
to Want and Poverty, or by Intempe-
rance and Luxury exhaufted thy Body,
and diflionbur'd it with Difeafes as noi-
fome as they are painful, or by enor-
mous and flagitious Crimes expofed thy
felf to the Cenfure and Penalty of the
Law ; what Comfort canit thou take in
this Suffering, the Shame and Infamy of
which will be a fad Accruement to the
Affliftion ? Never think that fuch Suffe-
rings can bring any Honour to God,
when the Caufe of them was the dilho-
nouring him. In thefe thou art not his,
but only the Devil's, Confeffor and Mar-
tyr."

II. Thou raflily and unwarrantably
cafteft thy felf into Trouble, when thou
fuffereft what thou mighteft lawfully

E e x have

420 The "DoStrine of

have avoided. Be the Caufe never fa
good and glorious, yet if we fuffer for
it needlefly, we can have but little Com-
fort, and God but little Glory by fuch
Sufferings. It was a ftrange Phrenzy
in the CircumceUions, a Seft of hereti-
cal Chriflians in St. Aufliris time, who
ambitioufly affe&ed Martyrdom when
there was no Perfecution ; and would
forcibly compel others to lay violent
Hands on them, or if they failed of that,
would lay violent Hands upon them-
felves, glorying in this as Martyrdom
andfuffering for the fake andTeftimony
of Jefus. And before thefe, the Mont a-
nifts alfo were very fond and eager of
fuffering, who though they did not in-
vite and court it, yet thought it a bafe
and carnal Cowardife to ufe any Means
to efcape it, yea even that which our
Saviour Chrift hath prefcribed, Mat. 10.
2,3 . When they per fecute you in one city \ flee
ye unto another. And therefore Tertulli-
an, mif-led by that erroneous Spirit,
hath written a whole Treatife againft
Flight in Perfecution. This is a ftrong
kind of Supererogation, when MenQiall
undergo more for Chrift's fake than he
himfelf is willing to have them. Thefe
are not his Martyrs, but Martyrs to their
own Vain-glory, and facrifice them-

felves

the Two Covenants.

felves to their own Fancies ' and Self-
will. And fo again, whofoever he be that
chufeth the greater Suffering, rather
than the lefs, as Death before Imprison-
ment, or Imprifonment before a fmall
Mulft, let his Caufe be what it will,
though really as glorious and excellent
as he himfelf conceits it,yet he fuffers ralh-
ly for it, and when he comes to pre-
fent himfelf before God, all fcourged,
and maimed, and famifli'd, and bloody,
expefting to receive the Crown of Glo-
ry, may poffibly receive no other Guer-
don, but that cutting Reproof, who
hath required ihefe things at your hands ?
As it is not true Courage and Fortitude
to rulh headlong into Dangers, when
we have no Call nor Warrant to engage
us ; fo neither is it any true Chriftian
Valour to affed Dangers, and Suffer-
ings ; we ought not to go feek them out,
and challenge the Combat : It is enough,
if we cannot efcape them without for-
did and finful Courfes, bravely to bear
their Shock, and fuftain their Onfet.
That Chriftian doth fufficiently difcharge
his Duty, who is firft careful to avoid
Dangers ; but if he cannot do this, with-
out making ufe of unlawful Shifts, deny-
ing the Faith, and betraying his own
Confcience, fuffers them without fhrink-

En ing,

4.22 The "DoBrine of

ing. But thofe who wilfully expofc
themfelves to Sufferings, either by do-
in^ what they need not, or by not a-
vblding of what they may, let them not
think that they glorifie God by fuch
Sufferings ; for they fuffer not accord-
ing to his Will, but their own: And we
may take up the fame Lamentation con-
cerning them, that "David did concern-
ing Abner ; dyed Abner as a fool dyeth ?
So fuller thefe, die thefe as a Fool fuf-
fers and dies, when it was in their own
Power to prevent thofe Troubles and
Afflictions into which they fall, nay in-
to which they precipitate themfelves.

But you will fay, How is it then that
the Apoftle fo highly extols theHeroick
Fortitude of thofe Martyrs he tells us
of, Heb. it. s^.fVbo when they were tor-
tured, would not accept of deliver ance^
that they might obtain a better refurreBi-
on. It feems by their Example that God
may be glorified by a voluntary and ar-
bitrary Suffering.

To this I anfwer, That if they had
refufed Deliverance offered to them up-
on Conditions that had been righteous
and lawful, their Refufal of it had been
utterly finful and unlawful; and the
Apoftle would never have ftrewed Flow-
ers upon their Hearfes ; for they had

not

the Two Covenants.

not been Martyrs, but Self-Murderers.
But if we confult the Story to which
this Paffage relates, as it is at large de-
fcribed, z Mac. 7. which though it be
not Canonical Scripture, yet gives us a
good Account of the Jewijh Affairs un-
der the Grecian Empire ; we fliall find
that the Apoftle commends their Faith
and Patience, becaufe that they would
not accept of Deliverance upon unwor-
thy and linful Terms. They were in-
deed offered Freedom and Safety, yea
Honour and Rewards by Antiochus^ if
fo be they would eat Swines Flefh, and
things offered to Idols, contrary to the
Commands of the Law: But upon fuch
Conditions as thefe they refufed to ac-
cept of Deliverance, expe&ing, as they
profeffed, and the Apoftle testifies, a
better Refurreflion, and efteeming it
infinitely more eligible to facrifice their
Lives for the Glory of the true God,
than to fave their Lives byfacrificing to
falfe and Idol Gods. Thislnftance there-
fore makes nothing in favour of t'hofe
who raftily thruft themfelves into Dan-
gers when they have neither Call nor
Neceflity to encounter them, and then
either complain, or glory that they are
perfecuted. This is not to glorifieGod*,
for he would have none of his Champi-

E e 4 ons

The VoSlrine of

ons come forth to Combat, 'till he him-
felf give the Signal ; which he never
doth, until his Providence brings us in-
to fuch Circumftanees that we muft ne-
ceffarily either fin, or fuffer, and no
way is left open for us to avoid this "Di-
lemma, Then indeed, when we are thus
neceffitated, if we chufe Affliftion ra-
ther than Sin, if we take up the Crofs
rather than {tumble and fall at it, are
willing to undergo the foreft temporal
Evils that can befalus, rather than diflio-
norGod and pollute our ownConfciences,
we do fufficiently declare that we are
faithful and couragious Soldiers of Jefus
Chrift, the Captain of our Salvation ; and
if we thus fuffer with him, we /hall alfo
be glorify* d with him, as the Apoftle
fpeaks, Rom. 8. 17.

This is the firft cautionary Rule, If
thou wouldeft glorifie Goft by thy Suf-
ferings, beware that thou doft flot rafli-
ly and unwarrantably precipitate thy
felf into them.

Secondly ', Another Rule is this, If
thou wouldeft glorifie God under Suf-
ferings, beware thou attempt not to
free thy felf from them by any unlaw-
ful Means. Confider that God hath
rhee now in his Hands ; and if thou
feekeft violently to wreft thy felf out of

thetru

the Tqvo Covenants. 425

them, thou wilt certainly fall into worfe.
And yet alas, what is more ordinary in
the World than this J Some renounce the
Faith which they formerly owned, yea
and after they have endured many Hard-
fhips and Tribulations for it, fall away
only for fear of worfe to come. Others
betake themfelves to wicked Arts, and
becaufe they are weary of the Difcipline
of God, feek to the Devil to deliver
them from it. Thus Saul confults a
Witch, and /Jba&iab Beelzebub the God
of Ekron. And indeed the wThole World
is full of fuch Praftices, and by Healing,
and lying, and forfwearing Men feek to
deliver themfelves from the Troubles
lying upon them, and fo they can but
get free from the Chaftifements of God,
they care not though they fall into the
Torments of the Devil. Beware there- A
fore when ever God brings any Affii&i-
on upon thee, beware that thou ufeit
no indirect and unlawful Means to e-
fcape it. It is better to keep thy Trou-
ble with thy God, than to lofe thy
God with thy Trouble. And know this,
that if thou violated thy Confcience to
preferve thy Body or thy Eftate, the
Wound which thou makeft there will
be far more infupportable than any Tem-
poral Affliftion that can befal thee. He

that

The Dottrine of

that buys off Punifliment with Sin, makes
a molt fad and miferable Exchange of a
temporal for an eternal Torment. Be-
ware therefore how you thus traffick
with the Devil : Say unto him, when he

Srefents thee with any fuch unlawful
leans to rid thee of thy Sorrows and
Sufferings, No ; I am now under the
Hand of God, and his Corrections are
infinitely better than thy Relief: I will
never deftroy my Soul to deliver my
Body, nor run into Hell to get out of
Prifon, or wound my Soul to cure my
Body, nor renounce my God and Faith
to keep my Eitate and Goods, nor burn
in eternal Flames to efcape a Stake and
Faggot. Far be fuch a Thought for ever
from me. My God is able to deliver
me, and he alio will deliver me ; but if
not, Twill not to fave a poor vile wretch-
ed Carkafs ruin my precious and im-
mortal Soul. Certainly whofoever thinks
to fave himfelf from Troubles and Af-
flictions byanyfinful Means, is as foolifh
as that Mariner, who to lighten his
Veffel in a Storm and fave it from Ship-
wrack, fliould tear up the very Planks
of it, and cafl them into the Sea.

Thirdly? Jieware that your Sufferings
and Afflictions do not exafperate your
Spirits, and imbitter your Hearts againft

God;

the Two Covenants.

God ; that the more he fmites you, the
more you ihould revolt from him. By
fo doing, poffibly the Plague may be
removed, but certainly the Curfe will
be redoubled ; . and God may" take a-
way a Judgment Irj more Wrath and
Difpleafure than ever he firlt infli&ed it.
J fa. 1:5. Why jhould ye be fir ic ken any
more, ye will revolt more and more. It
oftentimes fo falls out that they who are
incorrigible under Punifliments, fin
themfelves into Impunity. But believe
it, this is the mod defperate Courfe ye
can take. For if temporal Judgments
harden us in Sin, God may remove them
as ineffectual ; but then affuredly he will
break us with eternal. It was a moil
curfed Speech of that* impious King,
x King* 6. tilt. This evil is of the Lord,
why Jhould. I wait upon the Lord any
longer ? If God command not Delive-
rance at our prefixed time, we are apt
to grow enraged at our Sufferings, and
to revenge our felves upon the Almighty
by our Sins. We read of Ahaz, iChron.
x8. 22. that in the time of his difirefs
he did trefpafsyet more again fl the Lord;
and God fets a Brand upon him for it,
and makes him a notorious emphatical
Sinnerifbr it, This is that King Ahaz.
Beware therefore when God afflifts

you,

^28 The Do&rine of

you, that you fuffer not your Hearts to
rife in any mutinous. Thoughts or Paf-
fions againfl: him. How much Gall and
Wormwood foever be mingled in the
Cup which your Father gives you to
drink, let it not imbitter your Hearts :
And though he may mark you out for
Affli&ions, yet beware that you give no
Provocation to fet his black Mark upon
you, for Obftinacy and Rebellion. Cer-
tainly fuch Sufferings as leave a Rancour
and Spleen in the Heart againfl: God,
are but the Preludiums of Hell Torments.
For there the damned for ever fret un-
der the Acrimony of their Punifhments,
and foam out Blafphemies andCurfes a-
gainft that God whofe dread Jufticeand
infinite Power • eternally triumph over
them in their Ruin and Deftru&ion.
And if thy Sufferings do thus exafpe-
rate thee againfl God, know that thou
makeft that a kind of Damnation to thy
felf, which he made but an Affliftion ;
and fear lead that which doth fo near
refemble the Torments of Hell, do not
at laft end in them.

And thus I have given you thefe three
Cautionary Rules: If you would glorifie
God, do not unwarrantably ruih into
Sufferings ; ufe no unlawful Means to
free thy felf from them ; and laftly,

be

the Two Covenants.

be not exafperated and imbittered by
them.

The next thing is to give youfomeDi-
re&ive Rules how you ought to glorifie
God in an afflifted and Suffering Condi-
tion.

Firfij You ought to glorifie God by
a meek Patience and humble Submiffion
unto his good Will and Pleafure. Thofe
who murmur and tumultuate under Af-
flictions, accufe God of Injuftice, and
carry themfelves as if he had done them
wrong, and they fuffered undeservedly.
And therefore the Prophet Jeremy ex-
poftulates with us the Unreafonablenefs
of this fin of repining upon the Confide-
ration of God's Juftice, Lament, 3. 39.
Wherefore doth a living man complain*
a man for the puntfhment of his fin ? And
there be two or three Confiderations
exhibited to us in this Scripture, that
tend mightily to confirm our Patience
under the ftiarpefl Affliftions we can fuf-
fer in this Life.

I. That there is no Affliftion but it is
mingled and fweetned with a great deal
of Mercy. Why doth a living man com-
plain ? Poffibly thou art rackt with tor-
turing Pains, or confumeft away in lin-
gring Difeafes, reduced to extream Ne-
eeflity and pinching Want, yet ftill thou

art

430 The Do&rine of

art a living Man; and Life it felf is fuch
a vaftBleffing, that all Miferies and Af-
flictions compared to it, are but drops
to the Ocean.

II. Confider that thou art but a Man.
Why doth a living man complain^ a
many &c. A frail feeble Creature, natu-
rally fubjeft to many xMiferies and Sor-
rows. Thou haft received thy Being fub
hoc onere, with this burden affixed to it,
quietly to bear all the various Accidents
and Troubles which theWifdom of God
fliall fee good to bring upon thee.

III. Confider what thou haft deferved,
and this will be a mod effectual means
to teach thee Patience under what thou
feeleft. A man for the funijhment of
his fin. If God rfiould mix together all
the bitter Ingredients, all the Stings and
Venom in the World, and compound
of them all one unexampled Affliction,
and lay that upon thee all the days of
thy Life, yet this were nothing to what
thou hall deferved, this were nothing
to one gripe of Hell Torments, how
much lefs is it nothing to an Eternity of
them ? This thy Sins have demerited :
And why then fhould a living Man com-
plain for the Punifliment of his Iniqui-
ties ? When thou lieft under any Pain
or Sicknefs, or whatfoever thy Afflicti-
on

• the Two Covenants. 431

on be, think with thy felf How happy
is it for me that I am not now in Hell !
God hath caft me here indeed upon my
Bed, but it is Mercy that he hath not
call me into eternal Flames. If I now
find fo much Pain when I am but lightly
touch'd by his Hand, oh what intolera-
ble j\nguifh fhould I feel were I now un-
der the unrebated ftrokes of his Al-
mighty Arm ! And fliall I howl, and fret,
and be impatient; when I have infinite-
ly more Reafon to blefs God that it is
not worfe with me, than to complain
that it is thus? Whatfoever is ihort of
Hell, is Mercy to fuch a Wretch as I
am, who have ten thoufand times de-
ferved to be fcourged with Scorpions,
whereas my gracious Father only chafti-
feth me with Rods. Thus, I fay, under
all your Sufferings glorifie God by a pa-
tient Submiflion to his good Will and
Providence: And let it appear by the
meek and calm Refignation of your felves
to him in the faddeft Circumftances of
your lives, that you think him neither
unjuft, nor cruel.

Secondly ', Glorifie God in your Suffer-
ings, by a patient Expectation of an hap-
py deliverance out of them. Wait up-
on God in the way of his Judgments,
firmly rely upon his Power and hisGood-

nefs

4.32 The Dofirine of

nefs to releafe you. And although he
may not prefently anfwer jrour Expefta-
tions, nor fulfil your Defires, yet ftill
continue waiting; for the Lord know-
eth how to deliver the righteous out
of Temptation, and he will do it in the
fitteft and beft feafon. And therefore
we have that Expreflion, I fa. 24. 15-.
Glorifie ye the Lord in the fires, i. e.
in the mod fcorching Afflictions that
happen, depend upon him for delive-
rance either from, or by them.

Thirdly, Glorifie God in your Suffer-
ings, by putting goodConftru&ions and
Interpretations upon them. Be not wit-
ty to torment your felves beyond what
God intends by the Afflictions you in-
dure. Do not conclude that he is catt-
ing you off, or become your Enemy, or
that they are only the pledges and fore-
tafts of eternal Sufferings and Torments
in Hell. But reckon that all the Afflifti-
ons he brings upon you are only for your
good ; that they are Corrections, not
Curfes, and that the iflue of them fhall
be Joy and Peace. Judge fo juftly and
kindly of God, that he takes no plea-
fure in the Woes and Tortures of his
Creatures, that he chaftifeth us only if
need be, and corrects us here that he
may not puniih us hereafter. When we

can

the Two Covenants. 433

can thus look upon God, and blefs him
that he is pleafed to take fo much notice
of us as to Difcipline us, this will be a
moft effeftual means to glorifie his Mer-

Sand Goodnefs, and to make even a
laftifing God the Objeft not only of
our Fear, but of our Love.

Fourthly, Glorifie God in thy Suffer-
ings, by bearing them not only with Pa-
tience, but if they be for Righteoufnefs
fake, with Joy and Triumph. Be not
afhamed of the Crofs of Chriit, but glo-
ry in it as the greateft Honour and Or-
nament of thy Profeffion. So faith the
Apoflle, 1 P^. 4. 16. If any man fiffer
as a Chriftian, i. e. fuflfer upon the ac-
count of his being a Chriftian, let him
not be ajhamed* but glorifie God in this
behalf. Indeed the Sufferings and Mar-
tyrdom of the Saints, reflefts a great
deal of Honour upon God, in that it
fliews they prize him above all the World ;
and account no Torments, no Sufferings
fo conliderable as the lofs of his Love
and Favour. And therefore it is faid,
John xi. 19. that when J ejus had fore-
told St. Teter fomewhat obfcurely what
fliould befal him, that he fpake this,
Jignifying by what death he jhould glori-
fie God.

F f Thus

4.34- 1^ DoSirine of

Thus I have fliewn you how you ought
to gloritie God under outward Suffer-
ings, whether they be Afflictions from
God, or Perfecutions from Men.

Let us in the next place confider how
we ought to glorifie him under inward
Sufferings which concern the Soul. And
thefe are reducible to two Heads : For
they are either Temptations which we
fuller from Satan ; or Defertions which
we fuffer from God.

Firftj As for Temptations, that they
are great Spiritual Afflictions, ask but
thofe who have flood, expofed to thefe
fiery Darts and they will readily con-
fefs, that next to the unfpeakable regret
they feel for fometimes yielding to Temp-
tations, the greatelt burden and trou-
ble of their Lives is the continual labour
and difficulty of refilling them. For
what can. be imagined more irkfome to
an ingenuous Chriflian, than to be reft-
leily importuned to do that which he is
affured will be to his own wound and
ruin, and to the diflionour of that God,
whole Glory he prefers above his chiefeft
joy ? And when they are haunted
with direful Injections, and blafphemous
Thoughts caft into their Minds by the'
Devil, Thoughts contrary to the Fun-
damentals of Religion, and the common

Senti-

the Two Covenants. 435

Sentiments of Natural Reafon, how could
they even fhrink from themfelves, and
abandon their own Beings, rather than
be forced to hear thofe horrid Suggefti-.
ons, which their great Enemy the De-
vil is ftill impudently whifpring unto
them. It is therefore of concern to en-
quire how we may, when we are thus
grievoufly pefter'd with thefe hellifh In-
jections, glorifie God under fo great an
Affliction.

To thislanfwerin the general, If thou
wouldil glorifie God under Temptati-
ons, be fure ftill to maintain a mofl vi-
gorous and refoived Refidance againft
their Affauks. For by this means thou
wilt glorifie God efpecially in two of his
Attributes, his Power, and his Truth.

I. By refitting Temptations thou glo-
rified the Almighty Power of God:
Thou fighteft his Battels not only againft
thine, but his great Enemy the Devil.
And as^the Honour of a Prince is in-
gaged in the Valour and Refolution of
his Soldiers, fo God hath as it were
pawn'd his Honour upon thy Courage :
Thou art his Champion chofpn and ie-
lefted out by him purpofely for the
Combat. Now if thoubafely yield, thou
leaved not only thine own Soul, but
God's Honour bleeding upon the place.

F f 3 Thy

436 The 'Doclrine of

Thy Confcience becomes a fpoil to the
Devil, and thy Name a reproach to Re-
ligion. Certainly God intended to make
the Almighty Power of his Grace ex-
ceeding glorious, by making ufe of fuch
inconfiderable Initruments as you are,
Instruments like Gideon's Pitchers frail
earthen VefTels, but yet fuch as have the
Lamp of Divine Grace burning in them,
to rout and put to flight all the Legions
and black Mufters of Hell. See how
God exults in the victorious Conftancy
of his Servant Job, and upbraids the De-
vil, that though he had with his utmoft
Malice aflaulted him, yet he ftill perfift-
ed in his Integrity, and defeated all the
attempts of his impotent Malice, Job z. 3.
Haft thou confidered my fervant Job,
that there is none like him in all the
earth, a per fe5i and an upright man, one
that feareth God> and efcheweth evil ;
and ftill he holdeth faft his integrity,
yea although thou movedft me agahtjl him
to deftroy him without caufe. God fpeaks
of him with delight, and glories in him
as an Heroick Champion. And if you
fet your felves vigorouily to oppofe the
Temptations of the Devil, God will like-
wife glory in you, and triumph over Sa-
tan to his utter fliame, that fuch weak
and feeble Creatures ihould through the

affiftance

the Two Covenants*

affiftance of his Grace, be able to fubdue
all the Power that Hell can arm againft
them. And this will, to his infinite re-
gret, make that proud and curfed Spirit
know how utterly in vain all his raging
attempts are againft their Almighty Lord
and Mafter, fince he cannot turn away
the Face of one of the leaft of his Ser-
vants. And therefore when St. Paul had
prayed thrice, i.e. often, that God would
remove that Temptation and Meflen-
ger of Satan which buffeted him, he re-
ceives this Anfwer, 2 Cor. iz. 9. My
grace is Jiifficient for thee ; for my ftrength
is made perfeEt in weaknefs. Not that
God's Strength, which is infinite, can
receive any addition of Perfection from
our Weaknefs, but only it is declared
and demonftrated to be infinitely per-
fect, and infinitely powerful, when by
fuch contemptible Inftruments it can
overthrow all the Powers of Hell.

II. By refilling Temptations thou glo-
rifieft the Truth and Veracity of God:
For both God and Satan deal with the
Soul in fomewhat a like way, though to
different ends. They both urge Pro-
mises and Threatnings as Motives to in-
duce us to their Obedience. Satan's
are allfortheprefent; prefentGain, and
prefent Pleafure, if we confent to his

F f 3 Sollici-

438 The Doctrine of

Sollicitations. But God's Promifes and
Threatnings are chiefly for the future:
Indeed we ihall here enjoy fo much Peace
of Confcience, iuch a fweet Calm and
Tranquility of Mind, fuch inward Sa-
tisfaction in our Sclf-refle&ions, that
were there nothing elfe propounded to
us, yet even this alone were enough
with rational and coniiderate Men to
out-bid all that Satan can offer : But yet
God chiefly infills upon the confiderati-
on of thofe things which fhall be accom-
pliih'd hereafter, ?nd represents unto us
eternal Rewards, and eternal Punifli-
ments, the one to allure us to Duty, the
other to deter us from Sin, and both to
deliver us from the Snare of the Devil,
and that Ruin into which we fliould elfe
precipitate our felves. Now confider
when you are tempted, whofe Promifes
or whofe Threatnings prevail molt with
you, God's, or Satan's: If you yield to
the Temptation, it is plain that you pre-
fer Satan's before God's. And this re-
flefts a mighty Diflionour upon him, ei-
ther,

i. That what he promifeth is not va-
luable. Or,

x. That it is not fo certain as what the
Devil promifeth. But now the common
Senfe and firft Notions of all Mankind

muft

the Two Covenants. 439

muft needs agree in this, that what God
promifeth is infinitely more valuable, and
what he threatens is infinitely more dread-
ful, thanwhac can be promifed orthreat-
ned in a Temptation, inafmuch as eter-
nal Joys do vailly tranfcend momentary
and impure Pleafures, which die in their
very Birth, and leave nothing but a
Stench, a Sting and Torment in the
Confcience : And thofe light Afflictions
which the Devil tempts us to avoid by
finning, are poor inconfiderable No-
things, in comparifon with that eternal
Anguiili and Horror which God threat-
ens to inflifl: on us for finning. What
is it then that makes the Temptations
of the Devil fo prevalent and effectual
with moft Men in the World? Is it not
becaufe they do not believe him who is
Truth it fell in what he promifeth and
threatens, but affent to the faife Promi-
fes of him who is a Liar from the be-
ginning? There is no Man that yields
unto a Temptation, but it is becaufe he
believes Satan rather than God. Infide-
lity is the root of all Sin: And by this
they call an high Difparagement and
Diflionour upon his Truth and Veraciy.
Did we but believe that Heaven is fo
inconceivably glorious, a Place where
Joy and Mis keep their eternal Ref;-

F f 4 den;e9

440 The 'DoElrine of

dence, and where we fhall for ever live
in the Smiles and Love of God, if now
for a few fliort Years we endeavour to
our utmoft to live holy and obedient
Lives ; did we but believe that the
Crown of Glory is fo maffy, and all
the Gems of it fo bright and orient,
that we fhall there bathe in Rivers of
Pleafure, and for ever feel and enjoy
more Satisfa&ion than we can now con-
ceive ; did we but believe thei'e things
as the Scripture hath revealed chem to
us, without Diffidence or Hefitation ;
nay, did we but believe them as proba-
ble and likely enough to come to pafs,
ihould we fo cheaply forfeit the Hopes
of thefe things, for the impure and va-
nifhing Delights of Sin? We find that
the Promife of fome temporal Reward
from Men is of Force enough to allure
us to very hard Tasks and difficult En-
terprifes. How far will many venture,
and how much Pains and Labour will
they take to obtain it? And yet the Pro-
mifes that God himfelf hath made of e-
ternal Glory, in comparifon with which
to promife Sceptres and Kingdoms is but
to promife Trifles and Gewgaws, have
fo little Effeft upon the generality of
Mankind to win them to an holy and o-
bedienc Life, Whence is this, but that

there

the Two Covenants. .441

there is a great deal of Atheifm and In-
fidelity fecretly lurking in Mens Souls,
which never more difccvers it felf than
when we fuffer our felves to be hurry'd
away by Temptations, againft all thofe
Confiderations which the Scripture hath
propounded to us of eternal Rewards
and Punifhments. Did we but believe
that there is a Day of Reckoning to come,
when we mult Hand before a righteous
and impartial Judge, to give a ftrift and
narrow Account of all our Actions, and
receive our Doom from his Mouth ac-
cording to what we have done ; did we
but believe tha intollerable Wrath of
God, the Fire and Darknefs, Woe and
Anguifli, and all thofe Racks and En-
gines of Torture that are prepared for
the Damned, who of us would ever a-
gain hearken unto a Temptation which
only bids us plunge our felves headlong
into fuch an Abyfs of Miferies ? We
fliould no more dare to commit the leaft
Sin againit God, than to. be damned,
and run into the Flames of Hell with
ourEyes open, and feeing our Deltru&ion
evidently before us. But the Truth is,
we are credulous towards the Devil,
and Infidels towards God, and moltgrofs
and deplored Fools in both. Satan la-
bours molt to weaken our Faith; for he

. knows

The DoBrine of

knows if he can but once beat us from
that Guard all his Temptations will cer-
tainly prove effectual, and do Executi-
on upon us. And therefore our Saviour
tells 'Peter, Luke zz. 31. Simon, Simon,
behold Satan hath deflred to have you,
that he may fift you as wheat-, but I have
prayed for thee that thy faith fail not :
Teaching us that there is no fuch fure
Defence againft the Temptations of the
Devil, as theilrong and vigorous aftings
of Faith. While we believe what God
hath fpoken, we fhall never be allured
by whatfoever the Devil can fuggeft.
And therefore alio the#Apoftle, when
he gives us the Panoply and compleat
Armour of a Chriftian, exhorts us, £-
J?hef6. 16. Above all to take the Jhield
of faith, wherewith we Jhall be able to
quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.
Above all: i. e. either chiefly look that
your Faith, be ftrong ; or elfe, as the
Shield was ufed to be a Defence not on-
ly unto the Body, but to the red of the
Armour likewife ; fo above all, or over
all the other pieces of your fpiritual Ar-
mour, take the Jhield of faith, for this
will be a Defence not only to your Souls,
but to your other Graces, to keep them
from being bruifed and battered by the
Temptations of the wicked one.

And

the Two Covenants.

And thus you have feen how we
ought to gloritie God under this firft
fpiritual buffering, which is by Temp-
tations, by a ftrong and vigorous Refi-
nance made againit them ; for in fo do-
ing we glorifie both the Power of Di-
vine Grace, in preferring us from the
Commiffion of thofe Sins unto which we
are tempted ; and likewife the Truth
and Veracity of God, in his Promifes
and Threatnings.

The fecond fpiritual Suffering is De-
fertion, wherein we fuffer from God.
And this is a very heavy Affliction to
that Soul who ever knew what the Pre-
fence, and Favour, and the comfort-
able and reviving Influences of the Love
of God meant. When a pious Chrifti-
an hath once fixed God as his chiefeft
and only Good, and taken the Meafures
of all his Joy and Content from his U-
nion to, and Communion with, that fo-
vereign Good, how infinitely cutting
mufl it needs be for God to abfent and
withdraw himfelf, and leave him under
dark and gloomy Apprehenfions that he
is rejected and caft out of Favour, and
difinherited by his heavenly Father !
Now in this doleful Condition, when
God hatheclipfed the Light of his Coun-
tenance, and withdrawn from us the

Com-

444 The DoSirine of

Comforts of his free Spirit, how fliall
we demean our felves fo as to glorifie
him ?

To thisIAnfwer : In this Cafe, which
is confefTedly very fad and difconfolate,
obferve thefe following Direftions.

Firftj If you would glorifie God un-
der Defertions, flill flay your felves up-
on him, though you cannot fee him.
Though you cannot fee his Face, yet
lay hold on his Arm. See that moil:
comfortable Place, Ifai. 50. 10. Who is
there among you that feareth the Lord,
and obeyeth the voice of his prophet*
that walketh in darknefs, and hath no
light ? Here is an holy Soul defcribed
in its worfl Eflate, inveloped in thick
darknefs, as dark as the confufed Heap
and Ruhbifli of the firil Chaos, not ha-
ving the lead gleam of Light breaking in
upon it, either from the Face of God, or
the Reflexion of its own Graces. Now
what mufl this dark Soul do in this dark
Condition? Let him, faith the Prophet,
truft in the name of the Lord, and ft ay
himfelf upon his God, Now this flaying
upon God in a time of Darknefs and
Defertion implies, that although we
have no Evidence, no Light, nor Know-
ledge that we are his, and that he is our
God in Covenant with us, yet that we

have

the Two Covenants. 445

have fixed our firm and fetled Refolu-
tions to devolve and roll the eternal
Concernments of our precious Souls up-
on his meer Mercy and free Grace thro*
the Merits of Jefus Chrift. Now what
a vaft Revenue of Glory will this bring
in to God, when we thus lay our felves
at his Feet, when we thus hang and
clafp about him, and refolve with holy
Job, Chap. 13. 1 fi Though he flay me,
yet will I truft in him. So wrhen after
the various Toffings and Tumults of our
unquiet Thoughts we can reft upon this,
Pollibly God will deftroy me, but I am
not certain ; yet I will cleave unto him,
I will venture my everlafting State, and
my immortal Soul, meerlyupon his Mer-
cy in the ways of Duty and Obedience.
If God will fliake offfuchaViper as I am
into Hell Fire, yet he (hall fliake me off
his Arm ; on that I will depend, by that
I will hold : If I periih, I perifh. Sure I
am, that by continuing in my Sinslfliall
unavoidably perifti ; but if I yield my
felf to him, and humbly crave his Mer-
cy and Grace, I can but perifh ; but
pollibly may live. Thus to refolve, and
thus to aft, doth exceedingly glorifie
the rich and fovereign Mercy of God ;
when in all the Storms and Fluftuations

of

446 The Dottrine of

of a troubled Spirit we caft out this as
our Sheet Anchor, and commit the eter-
nal Intereftsof our Souls only to this Se-
curity.

Secondly, If you would glorifie God
under Defertion, encourage your felves
that he will again return unto you, and
clear uphisLoving-kindnefs and Favour
unto your Souls. Think not thy felf
paft Hope, becaufe for the preient thou
art without Comfort. Never judge fo
hardly of God, that every time he hides
his Face, he intends likewife to take a-
way his Mercy from thee. Though the
Clouds be never fo thick gathered, yet
he is able to Ihine through them all ;
he is able to fcatter and diffipate them,
and to make a Day arife upon thy Soul
by fo much the more glorious, by how
much the Night and Darknefs hath been
more obfcure and difmal. Be allured
that God can, and hope that he will,
lead you through this Valley of the Sha-
dow of Death, and bring you into an
Eftate made glorious and full of Beauty
by the Light and Smiles of his loving
Countenance.

Thirdly, Call then to remembrance
thy former Experiences of the Mercy
and Goodnefs of God to thy Soul. And
though now for the prefent God feems

to

the Two- Covenants. 447

to write only bitter things againft thee,
yet, as abfent Friends ufe to read over
former Letters, and folace themfelves
with the review of thofe Expreffions of
Kindnefs which they had formerly re-
ceived, fo now that the Commerce be-
tween Heaven and thy Soul feems to be
interrupted, and thou canft receive no-
thing from thence to comfort and re-
vive thee, yet read over thy former E-
vidences, review the former Letters
and Tokens of his Love to thee : For
though he hath withdrawn the frefh
Supplies of Comfort, yet he hath ftill
left rheeaStockin thine Hands, enough,
at leaft, to keep thee alive, and to fup-
port thee from finking into utter De-
fpair; See Afaph\ Cafe, Tfal.77. where
we have a moil doleful Complaint of a
poor deferted Soul, Verfe 7, 8, 9. Will
the Lord caft off for ever, and will he be
favourable no more ? Is his mercy clean
gone for ever? doth his promife fail for
evermore? Hath God forgotten to be gra-
cious ? hath he in anger jhut up his ten-
der mercies ? You fee that he all along
feems to lay the very Accent of Damna-
tion upon his Defertion ; for every for
ever. But confider then how he fup-
ports himfelf, Ver.io. And I faid>This
is mine infirmity ; but J will remember

the

The Doctrine of

the years of the right hand of the moft
High. The years of the right hand of the
moft High ; i. e. I will recal to mind for-
mer Times, wherein God beftow'd upon
me the Blelfings of his Right Hand, and
in this preient Dearth live upon what I
laid up in the Years of Plenty and Abun-
dance. So in your Defertions do you
glorifie God, by recalling to mind for-
mer Mercies, and former Difcoveries of
his fpecial Grace and Love to your
Souls. Can none of you remember when
you would have ventured your Souls
upon the truth of thofe Joys and Com-
forts which you have felt ? W hen you
were willing to depart out of this World,
and to be found of God in no other fi-
xate than you knew your felves to be
then in ? And what ? Can you fo fud-
denly be at a lofs for Comfort enough
to keep you alive, who but a while fmce
had fo much as to make you hope and
wiili for Death ? Whu nee proceeds this
unhappy Change ? Is God unfeithful ?
Is his Love fickle ? Is his Promife and
Covenant reverfible, that you are fo
foon call down from Aflurance to Doubt-
ings, and from Doubtings to Defpon-
dency ? If not : But that there is the
fame Merit in the Blood of Chrift, the
fame Efficacy in his Interccffion , the

fame

the Two Covenants. 44*

fame Stability .in the Purpofe of God,
and the fame Fidelity in his Promifes
now, as there was in your higheft Joys*
what Reafon have you to difhonour him
by thofe diftrafting Fears, Doubts, and
Jealoufies which torment you? Be per-
fwaded therefore to glorifie the Truth
and Faithfulnefs of all thefe by incoura-
ging your felves in the fame Hopes*
though it may be they flourifh not into
fuch rich Aflurance as formerly.

Fourthly, The laft Direction fliall be
this, If you would glorifie God under
Defertions, be fure that want of Com-
fort caufe you not to forfake Duty.Tho'
thou may'ft come fad to Duty, and de-
part fad from it ; though the Ordinan-
ces may be to thee but empty dry Breads,
and thou canft find no Refrefhment, no
Sweetnefs in them, yet this is the great-
eft Commendation of a true Chriftian, a
certain Sign of the Sincerity of his Obe-
dience, and an high Credit and Honour
unto God, that he will be conftant in
his Service and Attendance, though he
hath no prefent Wages given him. Yea,
and in this Courfe thou art mod likely
to regain thy loft Comforts. Thou wilt
at laft receive thy Doale, if thou keep
conftantly attending atWifdom's Gates*
Howfoever,God and his Ordinances are

G g here*

The -DoBrine of

hereby highly honoured, when the Con-
folations thou haft formerly found in
them have left fuch a deep Impreflion
on thee, as to make thee refolve to at-
tend on them as long as thou liveft.

Thus have we difpatch'd the two for-
mer Heads of the general Propofition ;
and fhewed you what it is to glorifie God ;
and likewife how we ought to glorifie
him.

The Third ftill remains, and that is to
fliew you what Force and Influence the
Confideration of our Redemption ought
to have upon us, to oblige us thus to
glorifie God.

The Truth is (as I have at the En-
trance of this Subjefl: opened it at large
to you) God hath many Ties and Obli-
gations upon us: As he is our Almighty
Creator, our Merciful Preferver, our
All-wife Governor, our Bountiful Be-
nefactor, &c. upon all which Accounts
we ought inurely to devote our felves
unto his Service. But yet the ftrongeft
Bond of all, which nothing can violate
but the fouled Difingenuity and the
blackeft Ingratitude in the World, is
thatfofcand ealie one of being ourSavi-
our and Redeemer. This is a Relation
over-flowing with Love and Sweetnefs;
but yet fuch a Sweetnefs ars hath an effi-
cacious

the T$vo Covenants. 45 1

Cacious Strength in it ; fuch a Love as
lays an holy Violence upon the ravifh'd
Soul, and by a free Conftraint and a
willing Force makes it furrender up it
felf wholly and unrefervedly unto its
gracious God, who hath not only re-
quired it as a Gift, but bought it as a
Purchafe: To which purpofe the Apo-
fllefpeaks moft fully, x Cor. 5-. 1.^15. The
love of'Chrift confiraineth us, becaufe we
thus judge y that if one dyed for all, then
Were all dead\ and that he dyed for all,
that thofe which live Jhould not hence-
forth live unto them fe Ives, but unto him
which dyed for them, and rofe again.

For the Profecution of this, we may
obferve that there are in the general three
ftrong Obligations which our Redemp-
tion lays upon us to glorifie God*

Firjl, In Point of Juflice and Equity,

Secondly, In Point of Gratitude and
Ingenuity.

Thirdly », In Point of Inter eft and Ad-
vantage.

Firjf, We are bought with a price ^ and
therefore 'tis but Juflice and Equity to
ferve and glorifie that God who hath pur-
chafed us to himfelf For in thefe Words
the Apoftle alludes to the Cuitom that
was common in his Days of felling and
buying Slaves forMony, who generally
G g x were

t^2 The Dottrine of

were fuch as were taken Captives in
their Wars, and all the Poiterity of
h Captives. Thefe were abfolutely
under the Power of their Matters that
had bought them, and to be difpofed
and imployed as they thought fit ; cal-
led therefore by Ariftotle^ fy-\vy*
c;yctvxy living Inftruments or animate 0-
tenfils to ferve their Pleafure. Such
we ought to be towards God. For Man
rebelling againft his Maker, God de-
clares War againft him, and makes him
Captive to his dread Juftice; but not
willing utterly to deftroy him , fells him to
his own Son, who pays down a full Price
for us, and vindicates us to himfelf,that
we might become his Servants, fubjeft
unto his Will, and employed in his
Work: Which if we refufe or detraft,
we are guilty of Injuftice in depriving
him of his Right, and may well fear left
he ihoulcl, according to his Compaft with
his Father, turn us back upon the Hands
of Juftice as unprofitable Servants, to be
puniftfd and deftroyed by him.

Confider,F/r/?, The Price that he paid
down doth infinitely outbid the Pur-
chafe, and exceed the Value of all that
thou art and haft. Thy Saviour hath
told down the ineftimable Treafures of

his

the Two Covenants. 45 3

his own Merits : He hath taken upon
him our Nature, and with it our Griefs
and Sorrows; fuffered all the Indigni-
ties that infulting Rage and Spight could
put upon him ; waded firft through his
own Tears, and then through his Blood;
and every drop of both are infinitely
more worth than thou and all the World.
He flood not to beat down the Price,
but readily gave for thee whatfoever
was demanded; yea his very- Life and
Soul, a Price fo exceedingly precious,
that were we far more confiderable
Creatures than we are, yea more excel-
lent than the higheft Order of Angels, it
muft needs leave us under the Confufion
of Shame, and blulhing to think that e-
ver we ihould be fo much over-valued.
And wherefore was this, but that we
might be folely and intirely his, that
none might have any Claim to us but
himfelf? And what? Shall the great God
give his only begotten Son, in exchange
for a Servant ; and yet wretched thou
refufe his Service ? Shall the Son fo high-
ly efteem of the Glory that fuch poor
vile Nothings as we are can bring him,
as to diveft himfelf of that Glory which
he had with the Father from before the
World began ; and yet fall fliort of this
too? Wilt thou defeat him of his Bar-

G g 3 gain,

454 C^je ^0^rme °f

gain, when he and Juftice are fully agreed,
and all the Right and Title that the
Wrath of God had to thee formerly, is
now made over to the Son of his Love.
Confider, Secondly, That all the ufe
thy Saviour can make of thee, is only
that thou ftiouldefl glorifiehim, and by
Obedience and an holy Life and Con-
verfation fhouldett ferve to the fetting
forth of his Praife. This is the very end
for which he hath redeemed thee. What
faith the Apoftle, Tit. %* 14. He gave
himfelf for us, that he might redeem us
from all iniquity, and purifie unto him-
felf ape culiar people zealous of good works.
This is the end why he dyed for thee;
and this is all the Service he expe&s from
thee, though he hath bought thee at fo
dear a rate. And what? Shall fo rich a
Price then be cafl away in vain? Shall
it be in vain that thy Saviour hath lived,
that he hath dyed, that he hath rifen a-
gain, and is now interceding at the
right Hand of the Majefty on high? As
he hath loft his Life for thee, iliall he
?ilfo lofe his very Death too? Lay out
fo much to purchafe thee, and all be loft ?
Shall his Blood run wafte, and fo rich
a Stock fpent upon fo poor and wretch-
ed a thing as thou art, and not obtain
that neither?

Confider,

the Two Covenants.

Confider, Thirdly, If thoulivefl not to
thy Saviour who hath dyed for thee,
and by his Death bought and purchafed
thee to himfelf, thou art guilty of Rob-
bery; of Sacrilege, which is the worfl:
Robbery and molt branded Injuftice in
the World. For thou robbeit thy God,
and flealeft away a Servant, even thy
felf, from him. For thou art his by the
right of Purchafe and Redemption ; and
fo much of thy felf, of thy Time, of thy
Strength, of thy Paris, of thy Soul and
Affeftions as is not employed in his
Work and Service, fo much is purloin-
ed from him. And if God juftly com-
plains of the Jews, Mat 3. 8. as guilty
of heinous Robbery and Sacrilege, be-
caufe they defrauded his Servants the
Priefts of their Tithes and Offerings, of
brute or inanimate Creatures; how
much more heinous is it to defraud him
of his Servant,, who ought to be a Priefl
unto him, and continually offer up the
Sacrifices of Praife and Obedience, which
he more values than whole Hecatombs
of flain Beads ? Confider again,

Fourthly, If inftead of glorifying him
by thy Obedience, thou diilionoureft
him by thy Rebellions and Impieties,
thou not only defraudefthim of his Ser-
vant, but what is infinitely worfe, of the
G g 4 very

The DoSirine of

very Price that he paid. Thou defrau-
ded: him of his Sufferings, of his Death,
of his moft precious Blood ; yea, thou
doft in a Senfe moll: (acrilegioufly rob
him of himfelf. Chrift had never aba-
fed himfelf from the Glory of Heaven,
but to be glorified here upon Earth: He
never had taken upon him the form of a
Servant, but that he might here have a
Seed to ferve him. And fo far forth as
we refufe this, fo far do we make fru-
ftrate and to no purpofe all that he hath
either done, or fuffered, or been, for
our fakes. And therefore if thou wouldfl
not be unjufl to thy Saviour, who hath
been fo merciful to thee ; if thou wouldefl
not rob him of what he hath fo dearly
bought, and fo highly values, look up-
on thy felf as obliged by all the Bonds
of Equity and Honefly to live to his Glo-
ry, who hath redeemed thee to this very
end and purpofe that thou fhouldft glo-
rifie him.

But then again , Secondly JN e are bound
not only in Juftice and Equity, but in
Ingenuity and Gratitude to glorifie God
upon the account of our Redemption.
Te are bought with a price ; and there-
fore if there be but any the leaft remain-
ders of Modelty and Baflifulnefs left in
you, you cannot but look upon your

felves

the Two Covenants. 457

felves as obliged to ferve and honour that
gracious God who hath been pleafed free-
ly to beftow fo great and inconceivea-
ble a Mercy upon you. For confider,

I. What it is you are redeemed from.
And that is all the Woe and Mifery that
the Heart of Man can conceive, or
the Nature of Man indure ; all the rank-
eft Poifon that ever was wrapt up in the
Bowels of the moft direful and compre-
henfiveCurfe. To fpeak out a few Syl-
lables of it, it is the Wrath of God, the
Torments of Hell, everlafting Burnings,
a ftate fo infinitely miferable, that the
very Malice of the Devil himfelf will be
fatisfied upon us when he hath brought
us into it. Indeed it is utterly impofli-
ble to declare the wretchednefs of that
Eftate to the full, unlefs we could fpeak
Flames, and put a whole eternal Dam-
nation into Words and Phrafes. But
from this Wrath, which is both unutte-
rable and intolerable, hath the *Mercy of
our gracious Saviour redeemed us. And
confider,

II. With what Price he hath bought
us. APrice of infinite Value and W7orth.
He hath given himfelf for us, laid down
his Life, and ihed his moft precious
Blood as the Price of our Redemption ;

yea

ac% The Doffrine of

yea fo earncftly did his Love engage him
to free us from that woful condition in-
to which we had brought our felves,
that he voluntarily puts himfelf into it,
to refcue us, and is made a Curfe, that
he might redeem us from the Curfe. He
interp^feth between the Wrath of God
and our Souls, and receives into his
own Body all thofe invenomed Arrows
that were fliot at us. And as if the
Mercy of our Redemption alone were
not confiderable enough to recommend
his Love to us, he abafeth himfelf that
he might exalt us ; takes upon him our
Sins, that he might bear our Puniih-
ment; and lays himfelf under all the load
and burthen of his Father's Wrath, which
prefs'd him fo hard as to wring from
him Clots of Blood in the Garden, and
Rivers of Blood on the Crofs, and to
force him in the dolefulleft Palfion
of an afflifted Soul to cry out, My
God> my God, why haft thou forfa-
ken me? Whilft we in the mean time,
whofe proper portion and defert all this
was, who fliould our felves have been
drag'd forth to Execution, and made
the Subjefts and Trophees of God's
Wrath and Vengeance, we are the dar-
lings and favourites of Heaven, courted

and

the Two Covenants. 459

and carefs'd by his choiceft Love ; we
live in the fmiles of God ; every day is
a- Feftival with us. And how feldom is
it that we fo much as look out to confi-
der what our bleffed Redeemer hath
done and fuffered for us ! Or if we do,
do we not behold him the mod perfeft
Map of Sorrow and Mifery that ever was
reprefented to the World ? Did ever
Grief and Sorrow fo perfe&ly triumph
over any, as over our blefied Saviour? .
All our private and perfonal Sorrows are
but partial ; ftill there is fome remnant
of us that efcapes. But here both the
Wrath of God, and the Rage of Men,
and as it was in the great and univerfal
Deluge, the Windows of Heaven above,
and the Fountains and Bars of the Deep
beneath, are all opened, and pour out
their {lore of Floods upon him. He
was afflicted, and he was oppreffed, a
Man acquainted with Grief, intimate
and familiar with Sufferings. And now
what doth thy dear Redeemer require
at thine Hands in lieu of all that he hath
done and fuffered for thee, but only that
thou fhouldft live to him, who hath both
lived and died for thee ; that thou fhouldft:
yield up thy Life in obedience to him,
who hath been obedient for thee to the

very

460 The cDo&rine of

very Death ? An Expe&ation infinitely
rational, and which thou canft not have
the Face to deny, unlefs allModefly and
Ingenuity are perifh'd from thee. For
confider,

i. If God had. put the terms of thy
Redemption into thine own hands,
couldft thou have offered lefs for the
Ranfom of thy Soul ? Thou art forfeit-
ed to Juftice, anditandeft liable to ever-
lafting Death and Damnation. Suppofe
now that the adored defign of faving
Sinners by Jefus Chrift had never entred
into the eternal counfel of God, but he
had refolved to tranfaft the whole affair
with thy felf ; and on the one hand had
evidently fet before thy Face all the
Horrors and Torments of Hell, if thou
hadft feen whole Seas of burning Brim-
ftone come rolling towards thee, and
fome Waves of them had broke and
dafh'd upon thee ; and on the other hand
had propounded the moft rigid Obfer-
vances, and macerating Penances, all
that is here grievous and irkfome, not
only to thy corrupt Will and Humour,
but alfo to Human Nature it felf to un-
dergo, as the only Price and Condition
of efcaping this fo evident and fo immi-
nent aDeitru&ion ; which wouldlt thou

have

the Two Covenants.

have chofen ? Wouldft not thou upon
thy bended knees have accepted of the
hardeft terms that could be offered thee,
to fpend all thy days in Sighs and Tears,
and at laft to offer up thy felf a burnt
Sacrifice to God, rather than to fall in-
to that abyfs of Woes and Torments, in
comparifon with which, all that we can
fuffer in this life is but Pleafure. This
certainly would be thy choice : And
what? When thy Saviour hath already
taken all the hard terms upon himfelf,
and left nothing for thee to do, but on-
ly to fliew a Teftimony of thy grateful
Acceptance of it ; when he hath com-
pounded for thee, fatisfied all the de-
mands of Juftice, left nothing for thee
to pay, befides a fmall acknowledgment
of his infinite Mercy : With what Face
canft thou deny him this ? He only re-
quires that thou fliouldfl: ferve and glo-
rifie him, by living according to the
Rules of true Reafon, and Religion. He
expefts no Torments, no Sufferings from
thee, nothing expiatory for thy Sins,
but only that thou fin no more. And
if thou refufe him this, pity it is that
ever fo great Love fhould be laid out
upon fuch difingenuous and ingrateful
Wretches. Poffibly thy Sloth, and the

Devil

The Doffrine of

Devil joining in with it, may perfwade
thee that it is an hard faying, and a grie-
vous impofition to glorifie God, to live
by Rule, and to direft all thy Aftions
to his Honour and Praife. But think
alfo with thy felf, that if God fhould
releale any damned Soul who hath fad-
ly felt how infinitely flinging and into-
lerable eternal Torments, Fire and Brim-
Hone, and the never-dying Worm are,
if God ihould releafe fuch an one from
Hell, andpromifehim for ever to efcape
it upon the fame terms as he hath pro-
mifed us, how rigoroufly careful and
circumfpeft would he be in all things to
pleafe his great and terrible God, whofe
Juftice he hath already felt, and whofe
Mercy he now may hope for. Yea were
the Conditions of his Salvation to be
damn'd yet a thoufand Years longer,
how joyfully would he lye down in his
Flames, court and invite thole Torments
that would thus deliver him from the
everlaftingRefidue of them! WhatSenfe
and Experience would work upon fuch
an one, that let Faith and Gratitude
work upon thee. Love and ferve thou
that Redeemer who hath delivered thee
from that Woe which thou never yet
felt'ft, who hath born all himfelf, and

hath

the Two Covenants. 463

hath left thee nothing to do, but what
thou art abfolutely obliged to as a Crea-
ture, whether he had redeemed thee or
no, even to love, ferve, and fear thy
great and glorious God. Confider,

2. That thy Lord Jefus Chrift hath
infinitely abafed himfelf to procure
thy Redemption, and therefore at leaft
Ingenuity and Gratitude fliould ingage
thee to exalt and glorifie him. He
emptied himfelf, faith the Scripture, and
made himfelf of no reputationy and took
upon him the form of a fervant^ Phil. 2. 7.
He had no form nor come line fs, and when
they faw him-> there was no beauty that
they jhould defire him. He was defpifed
and rejected of 'men , lfai. 53. 2, 3. And
what? Can thy Ingenuity, O Chriftian,
fuffer that he ihould remain {till vile,
who was thus vilified and humbled for
thy fake? Wilt thou not repair his Ho-
nour ; and feeing he was pleafed to lay
afide his Glory, to veil and eclipfe him-
felf in our flefh, only that he might ac-
complish the arduous work of our Re-
demption, how can we but account our
felves obliged by the ftrongell Bonds of
Gratitude and Thankfulnefs to cele-
brate his Praife, and endeavour that his
Glory may be as much promoted by

us.

46+ The Doctrine of

us, as it was leflened and obfcured for
us?

And thus you fee what Engagements
lye upon us, from the Confideration of
our Redemption, to glorifie God and
our Saviour, both upon the account of
Juitice and Gratitude.

Thirdly ', In point of Interefl: and Ad-
vantage. Ton are bought with a price ^
therefore glorifie God> becaufe without
this you can never reap any Fruit, any
Benefit by your Redemption. It is on-
ly an holy and obedient Life that brings
Glory to God, and that can poflibly
bring you unto Glory. 'Tis true, Chritt
hath died and rifen again for you, he
hath born the whole load of Wrath that
was due to you for your Sins: But yet
boatt not of this ; for it will all fignifie
nothing unto you : Without a ftrift, pi-
ous and godly Life, Redemption, yea
Salvation it felf, cannot fave you. The
Terms are immutably fix'd : Chriji is the
author of eternal falvation only to thofe
that obey him. And therefore as ever
thou hoped to have any Benefit by the
Redemption of Chrill Jefus ; as thou
wouldft not have his Blood ftied in vain,
and fpilt as Water upon the Ground that
cannot be gathered up ; as ever thou

hopeft

the Two Covenants. 4^5

hopeft to fee the Face of thy God and
thy Saviour with Joy and Comfort in
endlefs Glory, fo endeavour by an holy,
pure and fpotlefs Life to glorifie him
here on Earth: For without holme fsy
faith the Apoftle, no man /hall fee God,
Hebr. iz. 14. And think with thy felf,
O Sinner, how juftly dreadful it will be
to thee at the laft Day, to be brought
into the Prefence of thy bleffed Redee-
mer ; when them flialt fee that Body
that was buffeted, crucify'd, pierced,
bled, and died for thee, and be upbrai-
ded by thy ireful God, that all thofe
Pains, and Sorrows, and Agonies were
fuftained for thee, and yet all in vain,
becaufe of thy wilful Unbelief and Im-
penitence. Where wilt thou hide thy
Shame ? Or how many Stories of Rocks
and Mountains heaped one upon ano-
ther, will fuffice to cover thee from the
Wrath of that God whofe Love and
Mercy thou haft fo wofully abufed ? It
muft needs redound to thy eternal Hor-
rour and Confufion, that ever thou
fttouldft fo flight the fearful Wrath of
God, as to negleft and defpife the Re-
demption that Chrift Jefus hath purcha-
fed from it, fo ignominioufly as not to
accept of it when it was offerM, when

Hh all

4.66 The DoBrine of

all the Charges of it were born and de*
frayed by himfelf ; but only an Acknow-
ledgement of the Kindnefs required from
thee.

And thus I have done with this third
and laft General Head, and with it have
finifti'd the Do&rinal Part of this Sub-
jeft.

1 lhall be very brief in the Applicato-
ry, having already treated of very nuny
things at large, which^are wholly pra-
ctical.

And therefore the only Ufe that I
ftiall make of it, and fo clofe up this
whole Subject, fhall be to exhort you
to a conftant Care and Endeavour to
glorifie God. Confider,

Firjt3 It is the great End of our Be-
ings, and indeed the nobleft and higheft
End that we could be created for. Indeed
all things were made, as by God, fo for
God : He is the nrft Caufe, and the laft
End of all. But yet there is a Difference
according to the Order of Beings. For
irrational Creatures were made to glori-
fie God only Objectively, as they repre-
fent unto us many evident Footfteps of
God's moil glorious Attributes and Per-
fections. Thus the Heavens are faid to
declare the Glory of God, only becaufe

their

A Table of Contents.

Herein we mufl glorifie himyby adoring it in all its

wonderful Ejfebls p. 3 50

The whole World is fall of them Ibid.

And all this produced out of nothing 351

God is equally Almighty in his leafi and mofl de*

fpis'd Works 3 5 %

By ufing that Power and Authority which God has

given us in Subordination to his 353

By relying on him for Deliverance out of all our

Dangers 3 54

By fearing to provoke his Wrath againfi us Ibid.
Which we contemn by making light of Sin 356"

By a confiant and confcientious Obedience to all

his Laws, which is the befi way of owning his £0-

vereignty 357

We muft glorifie God in his J&ftice 3 5 g

"Which is either effential, the infinite reflitude of his

Nature, 3 59

Or moral, which refpeBs his Dealings with his

Creatures, and is that which is to be confiderd

here 3 60

The Foundation of which is the divine Sapience and

Will Ibid.

And the Rule of it9 his Word. $6i

This Jufiice is not commutative, but only diflrtbu-

tive, and it is twofold, 362,

Remunerative, and punitive. Ibid.

We mufl glorifie this Attribute, by our Conformity

to it, rendringto every one his due. 363

Now things are our due, or we have a Title to

them, either by human Laws 3 64

Which make all our Proper tie sy as God's Law fecures

them* 365

A Table of Contents.

Or by Confidence^ in Cafes which thofe Laws can't
reach. p. 367

We muft glorifie God by a commutative Juftice

3<*8

A Duty taught us by the Light of Nature, and by
exprefs Commands Ibid.

Imufike wrongs God in many of his Attributes 3 69

And yet is very common. 3 70

We muft alfo glorifie God by our diftributive Ju-
fltce 372

Which is only the Duty of Magi fir at es9 and mufl
be admintftred impartially. 375

When God's Juftice has found us out, we muft glo-
rifie it in a free and full ConfeJJien of all our Sins

374
His Juftice finds out Sinner s, either by inflitling

fuch Judgments on them as plainly indicate their

Sins, 375

Or by deteUing their Sins, and bringing them to
Puni figment. Ibid.

Our Duty in the former Cafe, and Examples of it

Our Duty in the latter Cafe 377

When we are unjuftly cpprefs'd we mHfjk glorifie

Gods Juftice by committing our Vindication to

him 378

Without imprecating his Vengeance on thofe that

have wrong'd us 379

Inftances of that in Scripture are no warrant for us

380

Our Saviour has fet us another Example 381

Then we mofl glorifie God's Juftice, when we im-

pUre his Mercy on fuch as have injur d us

Ibid.-
We

A Table of Contents.

We mufl alfi glorifie God's Juftice by endeavouring
to efcape the dire Ejfetls of it p. 3 8 1

From all which it follows that a Chriftian's Life
ought to be a Reprefentation of God 383

The meaning of what the Text adds, that we mufl
glorifie God in our Body and in our Spiit

584

That is in our whole Man, Body and Soul 385

Which Phrafe comprehends all thofe Accejfary good
things that appertain to either 386"

fn all which we mufl glorifie God, both Aclively
and Pajjively 3^7

Actively >, as in all Duties of Worfiip we muft glo*
rifle God both in Soul and Body Ibid*

In Soul, which is the Heart and Life of our De-
votion 3 88

Which without that is the greatefi Scorn we can
offer to God , 389

Nor is there any thing which God does more fcorn
and detefi 3 9°

Yet few can wholly acquit themf elves of this Sin

39*

Which is no better than Hypocrifie Ibid*

In all thefe Duties therefore we mufl glorifie God
in our Souls 39-

So mufl we alfo in our Bodies 393

Without which our WorflHp is prophanely rude and
irreverent loid.

Many run into this extreme to avoid the former

And not only difufe but defpife all outward Re-
verence in Gods Worflnp 395

An affront to the King of Kings , which no
earthly Prince will bear 19$

b 2 /*?

A Table of Contents.

In all thefe Duties we mufi glorifie God in our Bo-
dies, by making them both the Infiruments of his
Service, p. 397

And the Witneffes and Tefiimonies of our Refpefh and
Reverence, Ibid.

for which we have frequent Directions and Exam-
ples in the Scripture, $98
Where we find three pofiures ufed in Prayer, Pro-
fir ati on, Kneeling, and Standing, 399
All exprejfive of that Reverence with which we ought
to approach God. I bid.
We mufi hear the Word with gravity and ferioufnefs.

400
The Apofile's direction to this purpofe. Ibid.

Our outward Reverence tends to fiir up both our own
Devotion 402,

And that of others. Ibid.

The Cuftom of each Country mufi direct the manner
of expr effing this Reverence. 403

Nothing but Mercy or Necejfity can difpenfe with
theVfeofit. J bid.

We mufi alfo glorifie God in our Soul and Body in
what is peculiar to each of them. 404

With refpetl to the Soul9 we mufi glorifie him tn our
Vnderftanding, by employing it in the fearch of
Truth 405

And bj bringing it under the obedience cf Faith. 406
In our Will, h bringing it into a per feci compliance
with his, both actively and pajfively. 408

In our Affections in conforming them to God's, both
as to the Object, and as to the Motive. 409

With refpetl to the Body we mufi glorifie God in ab*
fanning from all defilements of it by intemperance,

410

the Two Covenants.

their Amplitude, Beauty and Order do
fet forth to all confiderate Beholders the
infinite Power, Wifdom and Goodnefs
of the great Artificer, who by his Word
framed fuch vaft Orbs, and imprinted
on them fuch an Impetus of various and
yet regular Motions. But Man was cre-
ated to glorifie God a&ively and inten-
tionally: by the choice of his deliberate
Judgment to fix God as the end of all
his Actions ; and if he falls fhort of this,
he falls fhort of his very Reafon and Na-
ture, and is created in vain. Thinkelt
thou, O Man, that God hath created
thee only to (hew w7hat an excellent
Piece of Work his Power and Wifdom
can atchieve? This he hath fufficiently
done, in breathing forth upon the Face
of the Earth fo many other Creatures,
which are all fearfully and wonderfully
made as well as thy felf. He needed
not have framed thee, if he had intend-
ed only a Specimen and Eflay of what
his Almighty Power could do. No: but
whereas the innumerable kinds of other
Creatures ferve to glorifie God after
this manner, reflecting back all their
Perfections obliquely upon God, thou
wert formed to glorifie him more di-
rectly and immediately: That is the ul=

Hhi timate

468 Th* Dottrine of

timate End to which they are all over-
ruled, but this is the End which thou
oughteft to propound unto thy felf. And
if thou doit otherwife,

I. Thou degradeft thy felf from the
Rank and Dignity of thine own Being,
and herdett thy felf among brute Beafts.
It is not fo much Reafon and Difcourfe
that makes a difference between Beafts
and Men, as Religion. We fee many
flrange and wonderful Operations of
thofe which we call irrational Creatures,
of which we can give no account, un-
lefs they do in their Sphere partake
fome glimmerings of Reafon, which we
ufually afcribe wholly to our felves ; but
none at all of any Religion, or Notion,
or Adoration of a Deity. This is the
Crown and Perfection of thy Nature ; it
is that incommunicable Property that fe-
parates us from Beafts. And therefore
if thou ferveft, if thou glorifieft not thy
God, thou doft but debafe and difpa-
rage thy felf, and art made a Man in
vain. Thou who abandoned thy felf
over to any way of Wickednefs, whofe
Intemperance burdens thy Nature with
Surfeits, as much as thy Confcience with
Sin and Guilt : Thou who wailoweft in
impure Lulls, and makeft thy Body a

Brothel,

the fovo Covenants. 459

Brothel, and thySoulaProditute: Thou
who by Lying, and Swearing, and Steal-
ing, declared evidently that thou fear-
eft neither God nor Man ; wherefore
wert thou made a Man ? Hadd thou been
a Brute or an inanimate Creature, thou
wouldd as much have glorified the At-
tributes of God as now thou doll, and
much lefs diihonoured him. Yea, thou
now dishonoured him, which they do
not ; in as much as thou finked below
the Rank of thine own Nature, and
turned Recreant to the Principles of-
thine own Being.

II. Thou not only degraded thy felf,
but degraded God too, and exalted
fomething above him. For every wick-
ed Perfon dethrones the true, and fets
up a falfe God in his dead. It is the Na-
ture of Man to feek and ferve fomething
as its ultimate and highed End. And
whatfoever we propound to our felves
as our utmod End, that we make our
God. Now thou who refufed to glorifie
God, whom is it that thou glorified? Is
it not thy felf ? Thou fetted up thy felf
as thy Idol, and art thine own Idolater.
Either thou maked thy Profit, or thy
Pleafure, or thy Humour thy God. This
thou feeked, and this thou ferved, to
this all thy Aftions tend and are direft-

ed.

470 The DoBrine of

ed. That is every Man's God, which
hemoft feeks to pleafe and toferve. And
what an horrible Affront is this to the
moft high and only true God, that thou
whom he made for his Servant, fliouldft
become his Rival ; and what he intend-
ed for himfelf, fliould be fet up for a
Deity againft him ?

That is the firft Motive, The glorifying
of God is the great and only End of our
Beings.

Secondly j Confider that God will cer-
tainly have his Glory out of thee. If
thou wilt not giorifie his Holinefs by thy
Obedience, thou flialt giorifie his Juftice
by thy Perdition. He will not lofe by
thee ; but thou who haft extravagantly
lived without and befides the Order of
thy Reafon as a Man, and of thy Reli-
gion as a Chriftian, Ihalt be compelled
and brought into the Order of his Sub-
jects as a damned Wretch and RebeL
But this will be fadly to thy Colt. And
when thou lyeft itretch'd out and rack'd
with the Extremity of thy Torments,
thou wilt then too late reflect on thy
grofsand defperate Folly, that ever thou
fhouldft refufe to giorifie that God vo-
luntarily by thy Obedience and Submif-
fion, who now forceth thee to giorifie

him>

A Table of Contents.

And by Incontinence, p. 41 1

We muft alfo glorifie him in all our Act ions ', Ibid.
By doing them upon heavenly Principles, 412,

And for heavenly Ends. a\?

We muft thus glorifie God alfo paffively, ±\±

In our Sufferings, which refpecl both the Body and
the Soul, jli<

Of which the Road to Heaven is fall, a\£

In the former % by not raflolj running into them9 417

Which we do as often as we fuffer either what our
Vices have deferved 418

Or what we might lawfully have avoided, 419

Which was the cafe of the Circumcellians^ and of the
Montanifts. 420

Such are not ChriJFs Martyrs, but Martyrs to their
own Vain' glory \ I bid.

Such alfb are thofe% who chufe a greater fuffer ing
before a left* 421

Tho* the Apoftle extols thofe, who whr.n tortured
would not accept of Deliverance, yet he means^
as appears by the Story*, not accept it on finful
terms. 422

God calls us not to fuffer, 'till we muft do that, or
fin. 424

We muft alfb glorifie God in thefe Sufferings, by not
attempting to free our pelves from them by unlaw*
ful means, Ibid.

Which is a very common^ tho* a very unreafonabk
practice; 42 5

And by taking care that our Sufferings do not im-
bitter our Hearts agawjt God, and make us re-
volt farther from him. 416

Befides which Cautions, we muft alfo obferve thefe
J}irecliQnSy in order to glorifie God in our Suffer-
ings;

A Table of Contents.

ings : We mufi be Meek and Patient finder them,
and that as it is imply'* d Lam. 3. 39. p. 429
Becaufe there is no Affliction but what is fweetned
with a great deal of Mercy % Ibid.

Becaufe as Men we are born to troubles, and 430
Becaufe our Sufferings are the Punijhments of our
Sins, Ibid,

"We mufi alfo glorifie God in our Sufferings* by a pa"
tient expellation of deliverance out of them > 43 1
By putting good Confiruciions upon them, 432

And by bearing them not only with Patience, but if
they be for Righteoufnefs fake, with Joy and
Triumph, 433

We mufi alfo glorifie God under our inward Suffer*
ings which concern the Soul. 434

A.s under Temptations, by refifiing them, 43 5

Whereby we glonfie God's Power, I bid .

By which fuch feeble Inflruments are enabled to over-
come all the power of Hell, 43 5
And likewife his Veracity ', whereas a^j
Ttelding to them, notwithstanding God's Promljes
and Threats, fuggefls» that what God promifes is
not either fo valuable, or fo certain, as what we
are promifed by the Devil, 438
The former contradicts the common fen fe of 'all M an-
kind, 439
Therefore yielding to the Devil is giving God the lte%
as to the latter, Ibid.
And is owing to Atheifm and Infidelity 0 441
Faith the be ft Defence againfl Temptations, 442
We mufi alfo glorifie God under defer tion, 443
Which is a grievous affliction. Ibid.
And we mufi glorifie him under it, by fiaying our
felves upon him, tho we cannot fee him* 444

. The

A Table of Contents.

The great glory this brings to God, p. 44 j

By encouraging our felves, that God will again re-
turn unto us, 446
By calling to mind the former experience we have
had of God's goodnefs to our Souls , Ibid.
According to the example of Afaph, 447
jind by taking care that want of comfort do not make
us forfakf our Duty. 449
Why we ought to glorifie God in confederation of our
Redemption. 450
We are obliged to this in juflice% 451
Conjidering the great price our Saviour has paid for

HS> 451

And that all the ufe he would make of us is only
to glorifie him9 and foew forth his praife in our
lives. 454

jind that if we li ve not to him, who has thus dear-
ly bought us, we are guilty of Robbery, and even
of Sacrilege. 45 £

Nor only defraud him of his Servants, but of the
very price which he has paid for us. Ibid.

We are obliged to this alfo in gratitude, 456

Conjidering what it is we are redeem d from, 457
With what price we are bought , Ibid*

That fo little is requird of us for all this, that we
could not have offered lefs, had the terms of our
Redemption been put in our own hands, 460

And that Chrifl having infinitely abas'd himfelf for
our Redemption^ we ought at leafl in gratitude
to exalt and glorifie him, 46$

We are alfo obligd to this in point of Interefi, 464
For without this we fhall have no benefit of our Re-
demption. Ibid,

The

A Table of Contents.

The ufe of all that has been faid is, that we ought
to be confiantly endeavouring to glorifie God, p. a66

Confidering that this is the great end of all our Be-
ings, Ibid.

And if we neglect this, we both degrade our filves
into the condition of brutes, j.^3

Nay di (honour God, which even brutes do not , 4.69

Nay degrade God too, and Jet up our felves above
him. Ibid.

We muft further confider, that God will certainly
have his Glory out of us, as condemned Rebels, if
not as obedient Subjects, 470

And that by glorifying God, we do indeed but glori-
fie our felves* 4.71

THE

the Two Covenants. 471

him, whether thou wilt or no, by thy
intolerable and eternal Tortures.

Thirdly, Confider that by glorifying
of God we do indeed but glorifie our
felves. For he hath been pleafed fo gra-
cioufly to intwift his Glory and ours to-
gether, that whilft we endeavour to
promote the one, we do but indeed
promote the other. Them that honour
me, faith God, / will honour, 1 Sam.
i. 3c. And what a vaft Encouragement
is this to the chearful Performance of
all the Duties that God requires at our
Hands, how hard and difficult foever
they may feem, to confider that this that
God commands of me is no barren piece
of Service? Poffiblyl may lofe my Repu-
tation, I may lofe my Ettate, or I may lofe
my Life by it ; "but yet if it brings Glory
to God, it will certainly bring abundant
Reward to me. And though I fee nothing
fpring up of it here on Earth, but Thorns
and Briars to rend and pierce me thro7
with many Sorrows, yet doubtlefs my
Reward is with my God, and Heaven
fliall repay with Intereft all that Glory
I have brought unto him, by crowning
me with Glory, Immortality, and eter-
nal Life. Oh how happy and blefled a
thing is it, when we come to breath out

our

472

The Doclrine, &C.

our Souls into the Arms of God, then
to be able to reflect back upon a well-
fpent Life, and to recommend our fly-
ing Souls to our gracious God, as our
Saviour did, John 17.4, 5-. / have glo-
rified thee on earth, I have finijhed the
work which thou gaveft me to do ; and
now, O Father, glorlfie me with thine
own felf with that glory which thou haft
prepared for me before the world was.
Unto the which Glory, God of his infi-
nite Mercy bring us through the Merits
of JefusChrift; To whom, S?r.

F 1 N I s.