A
CHRISTIAN LIBRARY:
CONSISTING OF
EXTRACTS FROM AND ABRIDGMENTS OF
THE
CHOICEST PIECES
OF
PRACTICAL DIVINITY
WHICH HAVE BEEN PUBLISHED IN THE ENGLISH TONGUE.
IN THIRTY VOLUMES.
FIRST PUBLISHED IN 175O, IN FIFTY VOLUMES, 12MO.
BY JOHN WESLEY, MA.
LATE FELLOW OF LINCOLN COLLEGE, OXFORD.
VOL. 6
LONDON
182O.
THE CONTENTS.
EXTRACTS FROM THE WORKS OF THE REV. JOHN
THE WORKS
OF
JOHN PRESTON, D.D.
CHAPLAIN IN ORDINARY TO HIS MAJESTY KING CHARLES 1:
Master of Emmanuel College in Cambridge, and some time Preacher
of Lincoln's Inn.
THE
NEW COVENANT;
OR THE
SAINTS' PORTION.
GENESIS 17: 1
I am God All-sufficient; walk before me, and be you perfect:
and I will make my covenant between me and thee, and I will
multiply thee exceedingly.
THESE words of God to Abraham
contain a precept of sincerity, or perfect walking with GOD, "Walk before
me, and be you perfect;" and also the motive there-unto, God's
all-sufficiency, " I am God All-sufficient." As if he should say, If
there were any defect in me, if you didst need or couldst desire any thing that
were not to be had in me, and you might have it elsewhere, perhaps thy heart
might be imperfect in walking towards I me; you might then step out from me to
take in advantages elsewhere; but seeing I am All-sufficient, since I have
enough in me to fulfil all thy desires, since I am every way an adequate
object, so that all thy soul can wish for you may have in me,—why then should
you not consecrate thyself to me alone? Why then should you be uneven in thy
ways, serving me some-times, and sometimes the creature? For there is nothing
in the creature but you rayest find it in me. "I am All-sufficient,"
therefore "walk before me and be perfect."
Yet these words contain somewhat
more; "I will make my covenant between me and thee, and I will multiply
thee exceedingly." Here you see the ground of all our sincerity and
perfect walking with GOD, which is the covenant that is between God and us.
These words do the most briefly of any that I find in the Scriptures, ex-press
that covenant on both sides. Thus says the Lord unto Abraham, on the one hand,
"I will be thy God;" on the other, "You shall be mine."
Here is the sum of the covenant which in other places of Scripture is set forth
more at large. Now the Lord here chews what a kind of God he will be to him,
"I will be all-sufficient" to thee; Which consists in two things, if
you compare this with Gen. 15: 1, " I will be thy buckler to preserve thee
from all evil;" and again, " I will be thy exceeding great reward:"
that is, I will not only be a shield, but will be a sun to thee; I will both
preserve thee from all evil, and will fill thee with all good things. This is
the covenant on God's part. And that which is required on Abraham's part is,
that he be the Lord's, as the Lord is his; for so you see in the words
following. The question only is, in what manner Abraham shall be the Lord's;
how that shall be declared. Says he, it is not an empty relation, but you must
show that you art mine by walking before me. And yet it must not he any kind of
walking before the Lord, but it must be a perfect walking before him;
"Walk before me and be perfect."
There are three points that we will
gather out of the words. 1: That the cause of all departure from GOD, of ill
unevenness in our ways towards God is from hence, that we do not think God to
be all-sufficient. 2: That God is all-sufficient. 3: That whosoever has
interest in God's all-sufficiency, must be a perfect man.
I. As the cause of our sincerity and
perfectness arises hence, that we apprehend God to be all-sufficient, (for this
proposition evidently arises from the words, and here lies the force of the
argument, " I am all-sufficient," therefore "walk before me and
be perfect;") so, my beloved, it is evident that the cause of every man's
keeping off from GOD, the cause of his unevenness after he is come to him, is
from hence, that men think not God to be all-sufficient. For if a man had
enough in the Lord, he would never go out from him; but because he wants
something, he desires something that is not in him, or he fears something that
he thinks he cannot keep from him: hence it conies to pass that he steps out
from GOD, he go out of the ways of his commandments.
II. The second point is, that God is
all-sufficient. And to prove that he is so, I will propound to you but these
two reasons: 1. Consider that all the comforts, all the excellency, all the
beauty that is to be found in the creature, is but borrowed and derived. God is
the Original; he is the first, the universal Cause of all. Hence we gather
this, that there is an all-sufciency in him, and in him only. So that no
creature has any sufficiency at all in itself; for the creature adds nothing at
all to his sufficiency, but all-sufficiency is comprehended in him: for if they
be all derived and borrowed things, then they are in the creature but as far as
it pleaseth him to communicate the same to them. 2. He is all-sif icient,
because he only can be the Author of good and evil. There is no sufficiency at
all in that which can do neither good nor evil. Now it is the property of the
Lord to do both, as we see Jer. 10: 5, a place worthy our consideration,
"The idols stand up as a palm-tree, but they speak not; they are borne,
because they cannot go: fear them not, because they can do neither good nor
evil." This is the argument whereby the Lord proves them to be idols,
because they can do neither evil nor good. As if he should say, if they could
do either evil or good, they were gods, and not idols. The same eve may apply
to any creature, considered in itself, without the influence and concurrence
of God. If it were able to do either good or evil, you might worship it as God;
for God only can do good and evil of himself: he only can make every man's life
comfortable
or
uncomfortable; it is his prerogative royal, it belongs to him alone. There is
no creature in heaven or earth, that is able to be the author of the least
good, or the least hurt. As there is no evil* in the city, and the Lord has,
not dune it, neither is there any good.
But, you will say tome, "We
find it otherwise in experience;. we find that the creatures are able to do us
good, and to do us hurt." You have an answer for that John 19:11.' When
Pilate said to our Savior, "Have 1 not power to crucify thee, or to loose
thee?" He answered, " No: you have none at all of thyself. Indeed,
you have a power, but it is given thee from above." And so it is with all
the creatures we have to do with. Even men do us not (without God's
commission,-) the least good, nor the least hurt.. It is said of Pull and
Tiglath-pileser,. kings of Assyria, that the Lord stirred' them up; and they
carried his people away captive. If God had not stirred up their spirits, they
had not done the least thing. Now, if a man be able to do nothing but as far as
God sets him on work,$ then much less can other things, as riches and the like;
they can do no more than men can do for what serve they for, but to set men to
work. So, honor and credit, which men so tench esteem, can do no more than men
can do; for they set men on work to do good, as reproach sets them on work to
do hurt. Now, if there be no man, nor creature in heaven or earth, that can do
good or hurt, why should we be servants to men? Why should we be subject to
carnal delights, to carnal fears? Surely it is hence,—we over-value the
creature; we think it is able to do something; we think that there is some
sufficiency in it, and not all-sufficiency in God; If any creature were able
to do good or hurt without the Lord, if they had any part or portion with him
in being authors of our good, certainly they should have a portion of our
service: for there is reason and equity in it that we should seek unto that
which does us good, and serve it; and likewise if it could do us hurt. But now,
seeing the Lord challengeth all to himself, saying, " I am
all-sufficient," there is no creature able td add to me more or less;
seeing not the most powerful among men, no creature, is able alone to do us
either good or hurt, why should we so much esteem and over-value it.
There are but two things that we
need: one is, our everlasting happiness; the other is, the things of this life.
For the first, the creature is able to do nothing, it is wholly excluded, for
it is inferior to us. Add to this, there is a curse upon the creature, there is
an emptiness in it. Besides, it is under the sun, and therefore it cannot help
to the happiness that is above the sun. It is temporal, whereas we must have
an eternal happiness, for our souls are eternal. So then, for the chief good of
man, the creature is nothing at all; it helpeth but in particulars: Credit
does but help against ignominy; learning against ignorance; health is but a
remedy against sickness; riches are but an help against poverty: and so you
may say of all the creatures in the world. But the Lord is universally good, he
gives all things; and therefore " godliness is profitable for all
things:" He gives us all things to enjoy: that is, he fills the soul of
man every way. Again, for the second thing we need; that is, the things that
belong to this life. I confess, the creature helps us somewhat herein, but it
does it only as an instrument. Now we thank not the hand, but the mind
within that
moves the hand to do a good turn; much less do we thank a dead, inanimate
instrument. Let us look upon every creature and every nian as God's instrument.
When any man does you a kindness, or does you good, say, as the Scripture
phrase is, "The Lord has given me favor in his sight." And so, when
he does us hurt, say, "Such a man is but a mere instrument, whereby the
Lord has poured out some part of his displeasure upon me." And thus let
your eye be upon the Lord altogether. But now, let us consider wherein God's
all-sufficiency towards us consists; and that is in two things. 1. In keeping
us from all evil. 2. In filling us with all good. 1. God is a buckler, to keep
us from all evil; he is a buckler that compasses us round about. That speech
was delivered upon this occasion: When Abraham had gone to war against those
kings that came out against Sodom, the Lord delivered him, and afterwards told
him,: Abraham, as I have dealt with thee at this time, so fear not when you
fallest into the like distress; for l am thy buckler; I will defend thee from
all evil, as I have done from this. Now, he is such a buckler that no creature
can pierce through; he is such a buckler as covers all over. He is " a
wall of brass;" and not so only, but is said to be "a wall of
fire" about his children. That is, he is not only a wall that keeps them
safe, but a wall of fire to consume all them that come against them: for a
fire, you know, clothnot only defend those that are within the compass of it,
but it burns those that come near it. Such a one is God to his children; and
that is one thing wherein his all-sufficiency consists. 2. In filling us with
all good; which is expressed in Ps. lxxxiv.
" The Lord will be a sun and a
shield;" he will be a shield to keep off evil, and a sun to fill them with
all comfort. " I am (says he,) thy exceeding great reward." As if he
should say, Abraham, whatsoever is in me, all that I have, all my attributes
arc thine, for thy use; my power, my wisdom, my goodness, whatsoever is mine in
the world, I will give it for thy portion; I and all that I have, are thine.
And might he not well say, he was an "exceeding great reward?" Who
can understand the height, and breadth, and length, and depth of this, " I
am thy exceeding great reward?" That is, you shall have all kind of
comforts in me, and you shall have them in the highest and greatest measure. On
the other hand, there is no sufficiency at all in the creature; it can do you,
of itself, neither good nor hurt, as we said before. All the good and hurt that
the creature can be supposed to do stands in one of these two things; 1: Either
in making us happy, or miserable; or else, 2. In affording us subsidiary helps,
such as we have need of. But in neither of them the creature, of itself, is
able to do anything.
To what we have said before of the
creatures' insufficiency, we will here add, that the creature is corporeal,
the mind is spiritual; now a spirit can receive no happiness from a corporeal
being. Therefore, in Heb. 12: 23, we are said to go to the "spirits of
perfect men," as a suitable converse for a spirit. Again, that the
creature is temporary, and not able to run the course with an immortal soul to
its journey's end, but leaves it in the middle way, and therefore is not able
to make it happy. Besides, the creature is finite, and therefore is not able to
fill the soul; God is infinite, and therefore is able to do it. That no
creature can do it, we see by continual experience. Take any comfort that you
find in the creature, and when you have enjoyed it, still you want somewhat in
it that it has not; but when you come to the Lord, and enjoy him, when your
hearts are filled, still there is somewhat beyond in him; there-is no stop, no
restraint: and therefore he only can make the soul happy, Now the ground why
God is only able to make the soul happy, is, because the soul is made for him;
and there-fore there is nothing else answerable to it: There is that
constitution of the mind that it cannot be filled with any thing besides God.
The Lord might have so constituted the soul of man that the creature might have
satisfied it; but he has not done so: for he has made it for himself, and
therefore nothing can fill it but himself. So much for this, that in the matter
of happiness the creature is able to do nothing.
But you will say to me, "This
is a thing of which we make no doubt; but what do you say for ordinary uses,
and for the vicissitudes of this life; is not the creature in these able to do
good and hurt?". As I said to you before, the creature is not able,
considered without the influence of the first Mover, to do you the least good
or hurt; as the words are, Jer. 10: 5, speaking of idols, " that can do
neither good nor hurt, and therefore fear them not." As if he should say,
If they could do you either good or hurt, you might fear them. And it is
certain, if any creature were able to do you any good or hurt, you might fear
it; for God alters no law of nature. That which is in itself to be feared we
may fear; that which is to be regarded we may regard it. In nature and reason,
a man would have an eye to the creature, if it were able to hurt him; and if
the creature could add the least drop of happiness, certainly you might have an
eye upon it; but it is wholly from the Lord. Therefore, says he, "Let your
hearts be only fixed upon me, let your eye be only towards me; let your
affections be taken up about nothing but me; spend all the strength of your
souls in obeying me, and keeping my commandments; for there is none in the
world that is able to do you good
or hurt but
myself."
Now, to make it appear plain to you
that God only can help or hurt us, I-will propound only these two things,
1. That all the creatures are
absolutely at his disposing.
2. That when he has disposed of and
distributed them to us, they cannot actually comfort or hurt us without a
special hand of his. 1: I say, the creature is fully at his disposing; it is,
as I said before, but God's instrument. All the creatures in this world are but
as so many servants, which are in the Lord's house, prepared to wait upon his
children, to convey such comforts to them as he has appointed them; so that
there is not one creature in heaven or earth stirs itself to do you the least
good but when the Lord commands it, and says, Go, comfort such a man; go,
refresh him, do him good; it stirs not without a warrant, and without a special
command from him. The bread and meat which you eat nourish you not, except he
say, Go, and nourish such a man; the fire warms you not without his bidding;
and so of all the creatures else. Again, when he doth command them, they do it,
and do it fully. Well, then, seeing all the goodness that we participate of,
both by good and evil men, is from the Lord, either from his mercy or from his
providence, we should learn to sanctify the Lord, both in our hearts and in our
speeches; not by saying, I have gotten such and such things; but as Jacob said,
"The Lord of his goodness has given me all this;" not Laban, not my
own labor. If in any enterprize you have success, say not, I have done it; but
say, as Abraham's servant said, " The Lord has prospered my journey."
That is, the Lord does all in all; it is he that commands all; it is he that
disposeth all.
Now, that the creature is thus
guided and disposed by GOD, that it is able to do nothing without him, we will
not instance in the unreasonable creatures, which you all believe to be at his
command, but in those that seem to be at the greatest liberty; that is, the
wills and under-standings of men. But in this, that the Lord guides these, take
his own testimony, Prov. 29: 26, "Every man seeks the face of the ruler,
but his judgment is from the Lord;" that is, men are deceived in this;
they think the ruler, as of himself, can do something; because he
seems to
have much power to do good and hurt, and therefore they " seek his
face;" anything he is not able to
do b but what the Lord permits; what he prescribes to him to do, what he says
he shall do, just so far he goes, and no farther; for, the whole judgment that
a man had), is from the Lord. That is, all the good and evil that he doth, that
mind of his from whence it; proceedeth, is guided and fashioned by the Lord,
upon every particular occasion.
2. When the Lord has sent such a
creature to thee, and you have it before thee, it is not able to comfort nor
hurt thee without him. Put the case, if the creature be full of comfort, it is
not able to yield that milk of comfort that is in it, except the Lord bring it
forth, except the Lord apply in particular to thee. And the same I may say of
any hurtful creature: be it never so pregnant with evil; yet it is not able to
exercise it, except Lord bring it forth, except the Lord use it for such a purpose.
As an ax, though it be never so sharp, yet if the workman do not use it to cut
such a tree, to lop such a branch, it is not able to do it.
Now to apply. If the Lord be all-sufficient, we should learn how to guide
our affections. Labor to see that fullness that is in GOD, and that emptiness
that is in the creature. If the Lord be thus all-sufficient, then let your
hearts be satisfied with him alone, let them be filled with him, let them be so
bottomed upon him, and so strengthened by him, that you need not go out from
him to fetch in any comfort from any creature whatsoever. We have but a short
time to live in this world; the strength of our mind is the most precious thing;
we should then labor to improve the thoughts and affections of our minds to the
glory of God; we should be careful that the strength of our spirit be not
bestowed upon things that are unworthy of it.
If the Lord be all-sufficient, why should you
not bestow it altogether upon him? Why should you spend it upon the creature?
Why should your mind be occupied about that? Why should you be subject to
carnal griefs, fears, and desires? Surely, all these should be taken up about
the Lord; for he looks for it at our hands: I am all-sufficient, (says he)
therefore let all these be bestowed upon me.
The next use we are to make of this,
that God is all-sufficient, is, to be content with him alone for our portion.
This is of use both to those that are strangers to the life of GOD, and
likewise to those that are within the -covenant. 1. This is of use to those
that are strangers.to the covenant, to bring them in; for the Lord propounds
that upon reasonable conditions. It is true, he requires of you absolute obedience,
that you serve him altogether; but then withal he propounds to you an absolute
and full ability, " I am all-sufficient." And as he requires you to
leave all for his sake, so he promises that he will be to you in stead of all
things. All your desires shall be satisfied, there is nothing that you need,
nothing that you _.want, but it shall be supplied. 2. It will likewise be
useful to those that are within the covenant of grace. For the believer will
readily allow, that if he has God for his portion, it is enough; and being
persuaded that he is enough, will be content with him alone. When the sun
shines to you, though there be never a star, is it not day? So, though you have
the Lord alone, and nothing but him for your portion, shall not he be sufficient
to make you happy? Is he not all-sufficient, to fill you with comforts of all
kinds? What then though you have nothing but him? Again, had you all these
stars to shine to you, if the sun be set, it is but night notwithstanding. So
you are but in a state of misery, if you take not the Lord alone for your
portion. Take all the creatures, and you find by experience, that when they are
enjoyed, you see an end of their perfection; you quickly find a bottom in them.
The heart hasteth from this thing, to somewhat else; you now suck all the honey
out of this flower; and when you have done so, you go to another, and to
another, and no where does the soul find rest. But come to spiritual things;
the more you use them, the more you find the beauty and excellency that is in
them.
But, you will say, " There are
many necessities, many uses, that I have of other things." Therefore I
will go yet further. Dost you consider the Lord, what he is? Go through ail his
attributes, consider his almighty power, consider his great wisdom, consider
his goodness, truth, and kindness; all these are thine. My beloved, God is not
known in the world; we consider not aright what he says, when he says, " I
will be thy God." Now to have the Lord himself, is more will if he should give
thee all the kingdoms of the earth. Consider this, The power of God is thine,
to work all thy works for thee; to make a passage for thee, when you art in a
strait; to bring thy enterprises to pass; to deliver thee when you art in any
affliction, out of which the creature is not able to deliver thee. Think what
it is to have an interest in God's almighty power, and think this is one part
of thy portion. The Lord himself is thine, and all his power is thine. Consider
likewise his wisdom: if you need counsel in any difficult case, if you wouldst
be instructed in things that are obscure, the wisdom of God is thine; you have
an interest in it; it is thy portion, you shall have the use of it, as far as
he sees it meet for thee. And so the justice of God is thine; to deliver thee
when you art oppressed; to defend thee in thine innocency, and to vindicate
thee from the injuries of men. So you may go through the rest of his
attributes, and say within thine heart, All these are mine. Now, what a portion
is it to have the Lord? If you hadst nothing but him, you hadst enough.
If the Lord be all-sufficient, then
learn hence, thirdly, to have your eye only upon him, when you have any enterprise
to do. If there be any cross, that you would have prevented; if there be any
blessing, that you would obtain; if there he any affliction, out of which you
would have deliverance, let your eye be to him alone, rest on him alone; for he
is all-sufficient, he is able to bring it to pass. Therefore I say, whatsoever
thy case be, look to him only, and you needest no other help. Say thus with
thyself, The greatest means without God's help, are not. able to bring this
enterprise to pass, to work such a work for me; and the weakest with him is
able to do it. You find Asa said, “Lord, it is all one with thee to save with
many or with few," 2 Chron. 14: 11. And the Lord made it good to him; for
when he had but a few, and a great multitude came against him, you sec he was
saved with those few. And, afterwards, when Asa had a great multitude, he was
not delivered, that he might learn to know the truth of that which he had
spoken before. And therefore in every business, say this with thyself',
"All my business now is with God in heaven, and not with men, nor the creatures;
and therefore if I want comfort, if I cannot have it from men, nor from the
creature, yet I know where to fetch it: if I want wisdom, counsel, and advice,
or if I want help, I know whither to go; if the cistern fail, I can go to the
fountain; I can go to him that alone is able to be my helper in all my needs,
to be my counsellor in all my doubts, and to comfort me in all my
distresses:" Thus would I press this thing upon you, to settle your eyes
upon God alone.
Now consider whether you are able to
comfort your-selves thus out of God's all-sufficiency. We do, for the most
part, as Hagar did; when the bottle was spent, she fell a crying, she was
undone, she and her child should die, and there was no more hope, till the Lord
opened her eyes to see a fountain near her. The fountain was near her, but she
saw it not; when she saw it she was well enough. Is it not so with us all?
Because the bottle is dried up, because such a means is taken away, we think
presently there is no more hope, although the fountain is near. The Lord
himself is the fountain, and he is near; it needs only that he open our eyes to
see.
Again, if God be all-sufficient, let
us be exhorted to make a covenant with him. If you will enter into covenant
with him, he will be all-sufficient to you.. Now for your farther encouragement
to enter into covenant with GOD, that you may thereby experience his
all-sufficiency, I shall show you wherein it consists. First, God is
all-sufficient, to justify, and to forgive us our sins. Secondly, he is all-sufficient,
to sanctify us, and to heal our infirmities. Thirdly, he is all-sufficient, to
provide for us whatsoever we need; so that no good thing shall be wanting to
us. These three parts of the covenant we find set down in divers places; but
most clearly in Ezek. xxxvi. " I will pour clean water upon you, you shall
be-clean, yea, from all your filthiness, and from all your idols will I cleanse
you." There is the first part of the covenant, that he will cleanse us
from our sins; from the guilt and punishment of them. Again, " A new heart
will I give you, also a new spirit will I put into you, and I will take away
your stony hearts out of your bodies, and I will give you a heart of
flesh." There is the second part of the covenant, consisting of sanctification.
And the third is, " You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your
fathers, and I will call for corn, and I will increase it, and I will lay no
more famine upon you, and I will multiply the fruit of the tree, and the
increase of the field, that you bear no more the reproach of famine among the
heathen." Here are the particulars set down; some are named for the rest:
I will call for corn and wine; that is, for whatsoever you want. In opening
these three parts of the covenant, I shall show you, that God is sufficient in
all.
First, he is all-sufficient, to take
away all our sins. It may be, you will say, " It is an easy thing to
believe this; there is no difficulty at all in it." But surely, whatsoever
we say, we find in experience it is exceeding hard. Who is able so fully to
believe the forgiveness of his sins, as he ought, when he is put to it? At the
day of death, at the time of extremity, at that time when the conscience stirs
up all its strength, when all a mare's sins are presented unto their colors, who is able then to believe
it? Therefore we had need to find out the all-sufficiency of God in this. For
the greatness of his power is showed in nothing more than in the forgiving of
sins. If you say, " Who doubts that the Lord is able to forgive?" I say,
My beloved, if you did not doubt of it, what is the reason, seeing you can
believe a smaller sin to be forgiven, that you question God's mercy, when great
sins are committed? Certainly in doubting of God's mercy, men doubt likewise of
his power, whether he be able to forgive: for as there is a power iii his
wrath, so likewise there is a power in his mercy, as we see Rom. 9: 22, 23 and
as God shows the greatness of his power in executing wrath upon evil men, so he
shows the exceeding greatness of his power, and declares the glorious riches of
his mercy towards those that turn unto him, in forgiving their iniquity,
transgression, and sin; all kinds and degrees of sin, whatsoever they be that
they have committed against him. When a man considers his sins, and looks upon
them in the height, in the breadth, and depth of them, when he sees a heap of
sins piled up together, reaching up to the heavens, and down to the bottom of
hell; then to believe, that the mercy of God is higher than these sins, and
that the depth of his mercy is deeper than they; this is " to comprehend
the length, and breadth, and depth of mercy in him," Ephes. 3: 1O. This is
exceeding hard to us; but yet this the Lord is able to do; his mercy is able
to swallow them up; as you find, James 2: 13, " Mercy rejoiceth against
judgment." As if he’should say, There is a certain contention between the
sins that we commit, and the mercy of God. But though our sins oppose his
mercy, yet his mercy is greater, and, at length, overcomes them, and rejoiceth
against diem, as a man rejoiceth against an adversary that he has subdued.
Therefore herein we must labor to see God's all-sufficiency, that although our
sins be exceeding great, yet the largeness of his mercy is able to swallow them
up.
The second part of the covenant is
his all-sufficiency in healing our sins, or in sanctifying us; when a man looks
upon the ways of righteousness, and then upon the strength of his lusts, he is
ready to say with himself, " How shall I be able to lead a holy life?"
This is the answer to it, " God is all-sufficient." He that is able
to bid light shine out of darkness, is able to kindle a light in thy dark
heart. Though thy heart be never so averse, he is able to change it, and
therefore say not, " I shall never be able to do it;" for he is able
to take away all that reluctancy. For God does in the work of grace, as he does
in the work of nature: he does not as we do; for when we would have an arrow go
to the mark,. when we throw a stone upward, we are not able to change the
nature of it, but we put it on by force. But God carries every thing to their
end, by giving them a nature suitable to that end. An archer makes an
impression upon an arrow, but it is a violent impression; God carries every
thing to that end, to which he has appointed it; but with this difference, he
makes not a violent impression, but a natural impression. He causes the
creature to go on of itself, to this or that purpose, to this or that end. And
so he does in the work of grace; he does not carry a man on to the ways of
righteousness, leaving him in the state of nature, taking him as he is, but he
changeth a man's heart, so that he is carried willingly to the ways of GOD, as
the creature is carried by a natural instinct to its own place, or to the thing
it desires. This the Lord out of his all-sufficiency is able to do.
But you will be ready to object,
" If the Lord be thus all-sufficient, if he be able thus to kindle light
in the dark heart, to change a man's crooked and perverse spirit, to implant such
habits into it, why am I thus? Why am I no more able to overcome my sins? Why
do I come short of the performance of such purposes and desires? Why do I find
so many things in me contrary to the rules of sanctification, and to this
all-sufficient power of God?" To this I answer: It may be it is because
you observe not those rules by which God communicates this all-sufficiency,
and power of his. What though the Lord be willing to communicate it, yet there
are some rules to be observed, which himself has given. That is, You must
diligently attend upon his ordinances; you must be careful to abstain from the
occasions he bids thee abstain from: if you fail in either of these, he has
made thee no promise to help thee with-his all-sufficiency. Sampson had great
strength, as long as the Lord was with him. You know, the Lord told him, so
long as he nourished his hair, (which was a symbol of God's presence,) so long
he would be with him; but if he had not that, he would withdraw his presence;
and so it is in this case: the Lord has appointed us to keep his ordinances,
and so long he will be with us; but if we neglect the means of grace, or
adventure upon the occasions of sin, the Lord is then discharged of his
promise, as we may so say; the Lord then withdraws his power from us, as he did
from Sampson. If you will needs touch that tree, if you will needs go into such
a company, if you will needs gaze upon such objects: or, if again, you will
neglect prayer, and hearing, and sanctifying the sabbath, if you will neglect
to observe the rules that he has appointed; in all these cases, the Lord
withdraws his all-sufficiency. And therefore lay the fault where it is; that
is, upon your-selves. God has made a promise unto those whose hearts are
perfect with him; but it may be, thy heart is imperfect; it may be, there has
been hypocrisy in thy heart, you host never been willing to part with all, to
serve him with a perfect heart, and with a willing mind all thy days. When once
thy heart is brought to sincerity, doubt not that he will perform what you
lookest for on his part. For it belongs to his part to give thee power and
strength to do that which you desirest to do. So much for the second part of
the covenant.
The third part of the covenant, is
to provide for us all good things belonging to this present life. Herein the
Lord is all-sufficient to all those that are in covenant with him. I need not
say much to make this good unto you. All things are his, whatsoever a man
needs; riches are his; they are his creatures; they come and go at his command;
honor is his; " I will honor those that honor me." He takes it to
himself to bestow it as he pleases. Health and life are his; " the issues
of life and death belong to him." Friendship is his; for " he puts
our acquaintance far from us," and draws them near to us. Go through all
the variety of things that your heart can desire, and they are all his--; he
governs and disposes of them as he pleases; and therefore, certainly he is able
to provide all things for you that your heart can desire; so that no good thing
shall be wanting to you.
Labor then
to see God in his greatness, in all his attributes, in his unchangeableness; to
see him in' his eternity, in his power, in his providence. See what use the
Psalmist makes of the attributes of God: " I said, O my GOD, take rue not
away in the midst of my days! thy years endure from generation to generation;
you past before times laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the
work of thy hands; they shall perish, but you shall endure, even they all shall
wax old as a garment." When a man sees the vanity of the creatures, he
looks upon them all as things that will wax old as a garment. A garment that is
new at the first, with long wearing will be spent, and at length be fit for nothing,
but to be cast away; so, says he, shall the whole body of the creatures be. Now
when we consider this, that it is a man's own case, and every creature's, let a
man help himself with this, that God remains for ever; and there-fore, if a man
can dwell with him, that will help him out of that weakness, mutability, and
changeableness that is in the creature. " Lord, you art our habitation
from generation to generation," says the Psalmist, Psa. xc. 1. As if he
should say, When a man dwells with GOD, he has a safe house; a castle, that
when generations come and go, when there is a change of all things, yet there
is no change in him. So, when you find these defects in the creature, go home
to him, and labor to se-e his immutability and eternity. And so likewise, when
you see your own inability to do any thing, when you see that weakness in the
creature, that it is not able to bring any enterprise to pass, then look upon
his providence and almighty power, in that he does all things, in guiding the
creature.
The serious setting ourselves to
consider the providence of GOD, will discover to us his all-sufficiency, more
than any thing besides. Arc not all creatures made by him? You will grant that,
that every one, even the smallest, is from him; certainly then, there is some
end of it; for he made nothing but for some end; and, if there be an end of it,
he must guide it, and lead it to that end; otherwise, he would leave the
building imperfect, he would but begin a work, and leave it in the middle;
otherwise the creature would be lost and perish, and that through a default of
his. But there cannot be any de-fault, any want of goodness in him, the great
Builder of all things, and therefore it must needs be, that he guides every
creature under the sun. He guides and directs even the smallest to their ends.
And this is all that is meant by Providence. It is nothing else, but to guide,
govern, and direct all creatures to their several ends. Besides, how is it that
you see things fitted one to another as they are? Is it not the providence of
God? When you see the wheels of a watch fitted one to another, you say this is
done by art, not by accident; even so, it is in nature; you see a fitting of
one thing to another in the body, in the creatures, in every thing, in all the
senses; and the setting of one thing to another spews, that there is an art
that does it, which is the providence of God., Besides, we see all things go
their course. Those things that come by accident fall out uncertainly, now one
way, and then another; but we see all the works of nature go in a me-tan
constant course. And lastly, if there be no providence in a family, it will
soon be dissolved. So it is in the great family of the world; there must be a
government, or it cannot stand; and if there be a government, it cannot be by
man; and if not by man, it must be by one that is God.
But it is objected, " We see
many things are casual, and that time and chance befalls every thing." It
is true, there are chances that fall out in all these things, that we call
casual or accidental, when something comes between a cause and the effect, and
hinders. When a man is strong, and some accident comes between and hinders him
from obtaining the battle; when a man has wisdom, and some accident comes
between, and hinders him from obtaining favor. This is that which we properly
call chance. Now it is true, there is such a chance in the nature of the thing;
but yet consider this; though. this chance be contrary to the particular
causes, yet it has a cause, it riseth from the universal cause; so that it is
called chance, because it thwarts the particular cause; but iL does not differ
from the intention of the universal. Somewhat there is that is the author of
all causes, that is the first of all causes; and therefore it is impossible
that any thing should be totally by accident. Whensoever you find this, it is
so far from being casual, so far from coming by chance, if you look into it
exactly, that then the providence of God is most seen. Those things' that are
done by particular causes, according to their intention, we usually ascribe it
to them; but when there is an inter-current action comes, that we call chance,
that belongs to the universal cause, and is to be ascribed to him; and hence it
is, that the Lord usually in the administering of contingent things, turns
things by accidental causes; because his own hand is most seen in it, and he
gets the greatest glory by it. When then you see such an inability in the
creature, to bring its enterprises to pass, labor to see God's almighty
providence, and to be persuaded of it; to think with yourself there is not the
least thing without his providence.
All the question is now, how far we
practice this: let every man examine his own heart. First, if a man believe
that all-sufficiency that is in GOD, why does he terminate his affections in
the creature? If there be nothing in the creature but emptiness, why do you
love the creature? Why do you fear it as you do? If there be no-thing in the
creature, but all be in him, we should see through the creature, we should look
beyond it. Shishack was but the vial, through which God's wrath was poured upon
Israel, 2 Chron. 12: So Cyrus was but the vial, through which God's goodness
was poured upon Israel, Isai. xlv. If you did look upon every man, upon every
friend, and every enemy, upon every creature, as an instrument of good or hurt
to you, as an empty vial in itself, through which God pours either his goodness
or his wrath, it would cause you not to stick upon the creature, not to
wrangle with men, or be angry with them, seeing they are but the vials. It
would cause you again not to be proud of the friendship of men, not to be
se-cure in them, not to trust in them, not to think yourselves safe in them,
seeing they are but vials, through which God pours his mercy upon you. "
Use this world then as though you used it not." You would use all the
things in the world, all the men in the world, as if you did not use them, if
you did see an emptiness in them, and a fullness and all-sufficiency in God.
Moreover, if God be all-sufficient,
why do we stick so much upon particular means, as to say, If such means are not
used, I shall be undone? If he be all-sufficient, it is no matter what the
means are, he is able to bring it to pass. It is usual with men to say, If such
a thing fail me, I am undone. What are these but particulars? This sticking
upon particulars is a sign we think him not all-sufficient. If there be not a
spark of light, but you walk in darkness, and seest nothing to help thee., if
God be all-sufficient, trust in him. Let him that has no light, trust in the
Lord. When we lose any particular means, it is but the scattering of a beam, it
is but the breaking of a bucket, when the sun and the fountain is the same. Why
should we be troubled at it? When one means is broken, cannot God find out
another? When he said to Paul, all the souls with him should be safe, all were
not able to swim to shore, and the ship was not able to bring them to shore;
but yet, some by broken board some by one means, and some by another, all got
safe: so the Lord brings all things to pass in a strange manner, sometimes one
way, sometimes another; he breaks in pieces many times the ship, that, we
think, should bring us to shore, but casts us on such boards as we did not expect.
And so likewise, if God be
all-sufficient, if he be thus exceeding great, consider, whether you seest
thine own vileness, thy ignorance, thy emptiness. When Agur looked upon GOD,
and saw his greatness, Prov. 30: he cried out, that he " had not the
understanding of a man in him." Can you see thy emptiness, and the vanity
of thy own knowledge? Can you learn not to murmur against God in any of his
ways? Can you learn to bring under thy thoughts to the ways of God's
providence? Can you be content to see the Lord going all the ways that he Both,
setting up evil men, and putting down good men, causing the churches to wither,
and the enemies to prosper? Can you see all this, and yet " sanctify him
in thine heart?" Art you able to say, that " he is holy in all his
ways," and in this to see the greatness of GOD, and thy own folly and
weakness? Can you say, that " you art but dust and ashes," and say it
in good earnest? Then I will believe that you have seen God in his greatness;
I will believe, that you have seen him in his all-sufficiency.
Moreover, if God be all-sufficient,
why are we then so ready to knocl. at other doors? Why are we so ready to go to
the creature, to seek help, and comfort, and counsel from it, and to knock so
little at his door by prayer and seeking to him? For, if you believedst him to
he all-sufficient, you wouldst be abundant in;prayer, you wouldst take little
time to look to others, thy chief business would be to look to him, not only
in praying to him, but in serving him, and pleasing him. We knock at his door,
as well by the duties of obedience, as by prayer and seeking to him. If you
think him to be all-sufficient, why dust you not do this
Again: Lastly, if you think God to
be all-sufficient, when you have any service or duty to do, either belonging to
God or man, why dost you not resolve upon the doing of it, without looking to
the consequence, whatsoever it be? For if he be all-sufficient, then all our
care should be to do our duty, and to leave the success to him. A Servant that
thinks his master is able and willing to provide for him sufficiently at the
end of the day or year, or the end of his service, will be careful to do his
work, without making provision for himself. And so, if you believe God to be
all-sufficient, you wilt seek no more, but to find out what thy duty is, how to
keep a good conscience in such a business, in such a strait, in such a
difficulty; but when thy wit is over-running thy duty, and you lookest to the
consequence, (if I do this and this, this will befall me,) that is a sign you
thinkest not God to be all-sufficient, you thinkest thy master cannot provide
for thee; but you thinkest, I shall be poor when I have done this service, and
therefore I will provide for myself. Not so did Daniel. He resolved to do his
duty, and not to go a step out of the path. Well; he shall be cast into the
lions' den; yet he keeps his resolution firm. It was enough for him to do his
duty; he left the consequence to GOD, for he knew he was ail-sufficient. So, I
say, consider only what thy duty is upon every occasion, and never look to the
consequence, either to the loss of preferments, of riches, or favor. For God is
all-sufficient; he will order all things well.
Labor then to be persuaded of this
truth, and apply it upon every occasion. When any command is presented, when
any thing is to be done, run W this principle; that shall help thee to do every
duty, that shall preserve thee from every sin. For example: God has commanded
us to deny ourselves in our profit, in our credit, and our pleasures; and many
times it happens that we are to per-form this duty in particular cases;
consider seriously then, that God is all-sufficient; it will make thee do thy
duty throughly. What though you be a loser in thy credit; God is able to make
it up. What though you be a loser in thy profit, as Amaziah was? It not he able
to give thee fourscore talents, said the prophet to him? What though you be a
loser in thy pleasures, that you lose or want " the pleasures of sin for a
season;" is he not able to make it up with " peace of conscience, and
joy in the Holy Ghost?" And again; we are commanded to take up our daily
cross, and not to take sinful courses to avoid crosses and afflictions; and
surely, the way to per-form this duty, is to be persuaded of God's
all-sufficiency. Let a man think then that God is able to carry him through;
that he is able to support him in the time of sufferings; that it is he that
keeps the keys of the prison door; that opens and shuts when he pleases; that
it is he that makes whole, and makes sick. " The issues of life and death
belong to him." " Every man's judgment," though "he seek
the face of the ruler, yet it is from him." Then let a man consider, that
it is not the creature that inflicts any cross or affliction, but it is God
that does it by the creature, and that will enable him to bear any cross, to
pass through all variety of conditions, and riot to turn from a strait way, but
to go through the storm when he meets with it.
III. But then observe the third main
point, which was, that whosoever has interest in God's all-sufficiency, must be
a perfect man: that is, to take the word in the lowest sense, he must be
sincere, he must have integrity of heart. I am all-sufficient, says GOD,
therefore be you perfect, otherwise you have no interest in this
all-sufficiency of mine. The point is clear, I shall not need to confirm it by
any other places of Scripture, but rather show you what this perfection and
sincerity of heart is. The best way to this is to open to you those Scriptures,
by which it is presented to us.
And first, you shall find it often
expressed by purity; " Blessed are the pure in heart," and " God
is good to Israel, even to them that are of a pure heart." Now what is it
to be pure? That heart is pure which is holy, which will mingle with no sin. It
is true, sin may cleave and adhere to a man, as dross does to the silver; but
though sin be there, yet the heart still casts it out of itself, it resists and
rejects it, and cleanseth itself from it. Even believers have a fountain of
original corruption in them, and from this fountain sins rise continually; but
though the scum arise, still the heart purifies itself, and casts it out; this
is the property of a pure heart. With the impure it is quite contrary; the scum
riseth as in the other, but it is mingled and confounded with all that is in
the heart; there is not such a cleansing disposition in it, but there is a
mixing of the precious and vile things together.
Secondly, He, whose heart is perfect
before GOD, is said to have a single eye. Now that is a single eye, that looks
but upon one object, and that is a single heart that looks but upon one thing.
Likewise that is a double eye, and a double heart, that looks upon two objects,
and is divided between two; that stands and looks upon GOD, and upon the world,
and knows not well which to choose; sometimes he is following the one,
sometimes the other. The heart of an unsound man, of one that is not perfect,
is not pitched upon God alone; but he has an eye upon GOD, and an eye upon
credit; he has an eye upon GOD, and an eye upon wealth, upon his pleasures, or
whatsoever it is. And in that regard a man is said to have "a heart and a
heart;" not as commonly it is taken, to make a show of one thing, and
have another within; but it is a heart and a heart, when there are two objects
upon which the heart is set, so that it is divided between two, and, as it
were, cloven asunder. Now then, he is a perfect man that has a fixed resolution
to cleave to God alone, that has his eye upon him, and nothing besides. This is
a single heart, when a man resolves as Joshua did, " As for me and my
house, we will serve the Lord."
A third expression there is in the
Scripture, " You shall serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart:" so
that he who has integrity of heart, he is a perfect man; that is, 1. he is a
perfect man with GOD, that has a whole heart; that is, such a heart, whereof
every part and faculty is sanctified; there is no part of it, but it is
seasoned with grace; there is no wheel in all the soul, but it is turned the
right way; there is not any thing within him of which he can say, the bent of
it is another way. 2. That has an eye to all the commandments, there is no duty
but he gives up his heart to it: and again, there is no sin but his heart is
averse from it, and he resists it to the uttermost. You see this expression,
James 1: 26, " If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not
his tongue, this man's religion is vain." Take but this one instance, that
this is the judgment of the Holy Ghost. Should a man have an eye to every
commandment, and should he but fail in this one thing, not bridling his
tongue, all the rest of his religion is but vain. Why? Because he has not an
eye to the whole law; and if a man fail in this, he is not a perfect man. And
3. He is perfect, that moreover has regard to all the ordinances of God. For,
if a man will not use all God's ordinances conscionably, and in their season;
if he do not pray, and receive the sacrament, and use the communion of saints,
and fasting, in their season; and again, if he do not abstain from all
occasions of sin, he is not a perfect man.
In order to know whether you are
thus perfect, consider that property of a perfect heart expressed Phil. 3: 12,
14, " Not as though I had already attained, or were already perfect, but I
follow after, if I may apprehend that, for which I am also apprehended by JESUS
CHRIST. I press to the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in CHRIST
JESUS; let therefore as many as are perfect, be thus minded." The meaning
is this; this is my course, says the apostle: I have not yet attained to perfection;
but this I do, I aim at the utmost, even at " the prize of the high
calling of God in JESUS CHRIST:" I aim even at the top of perfection, and
I follow hard to it: and, says he, not only I, but "as many as are
perfect, let them be thus minded;" where, by the perfect, he means, you
see, not one that has already a perfect holiness, but one that is sound
hearted. So you tied here these two properties of a man, whose heart is perfect
with God. First, He aims at the highest degree of holiness; he looks at the
very mark itself; he looks at the top, at the standard, at the utmost exact
line of holiness, and he labors to square himself to it; and though he cannot
reach it, yet it is his endeavor; be propounds not to himself a shorter
journey's end than he should do, but his aim is even at the very top of perfection,
at a perfect conformity to the image of CHRIST; for that is it the apostle here
speaks of, that we may be conformable to the death and resurrection of JESUS
CHRIST. This was his aim. Whereas, on the other side, another does not so; but
he sets a certain compass, a certain limit to himself; there he fixeth his
staff; he does not intend to go any further; he does not intend to grow up to
full holiness; he does not intend to be " holy, as the Lord is holy, in
all manner of conversation." Secondly, He follows hard; he does not only
make the mark his aim, but he follows hard after it; he does not loiter in the
way; his constant and ordinary work is, every day to make his heart perfect;
where he finds any crookedness, to set it straight again; where he finds any
defect, to supply it; he still amends his heart, still brings it to a good temper;
that is his work from day to day, to set it right and straight before God in
all things.
He serves the Lord with all his
might. A servant, when he slubbers over his work, it is an argument that he
does it not with his whole heart, but as with eye-service; for when he does it
heartily, he does it pain-fully, he does it thoroughly, exactly, and with all
his strength. When a man does any thing truly, and in good earnest, he does it
always exceeding diligently. Therefore that expression, which you find so often
in the Scriptures, " You shall love the Lord thy God with all thy soul,
with all thy heart, and with all thy strength," is not an expression of the degrees of love. No,
that is not the sole scope of that place, but it is an expression of the sincerity
of a man's love; as if he should say, herein is the sincerity of a man's love;
this is an argument that a man loves God truly, he loves him with all his
heart, and with all his might. It is so in all things; when you do any thing
for itself, you will do it with all your might.
When a man does a thing remissly,
and perfunctorily, it argues always a divided intention; it is an argument that
the whole mind is not set on it; whence that common saying, " He that will
be excellent in every thing, is so in nothing." But whensoever a man minds
one thing, he will do it with all his might, because all the faculties,
thoughts, and affections of the soul, are united, and drawn together into one
point, they are still running in one channel. And therefore a man that has a
sincere heart, that chooseth God alone, that says thus with him-self; " I
have but one Master to serve; I have but one to fear; I have God alone to look
to; my business is with him in heaven; I think him to be all-sufficient, and an
exceeding great reward," and will serve him with all diligence. If there
be any work of his to be done, he will do it with all his might. That is the
disposition of a man's mind, when once he is able to say as David says, Psalm
27: 4, " One thing have I desired of the Lord, and that will I seek, to
see the beauty of the Lord, to live in his temple." One thing have I
desired, and that will I seek with all diligence. When a man desires but one
thing, his mind will be exceeding intent upon it; and therefore you shall find
this always to be in those whose hearts are upright with GOD, that they give
them-selves up to his service; they give themselves up to do it with all
diligence. A man that says, I hope my heart is upright with GOD, and yet is
exceeding busy with other things, does the work of God negligently. He does but
dissemble, when he says that he walks before him perfectly; for it cannot be.
A man whose heart is upright, has this disposition in him, that his speeches,
his thoughts, and his actions, are still busied about things that belong to the
kingdom of God; holiness is the element he lives in; he would still be doing
something that tends that way; by his good will he would be doing nothing else.
Thus he serves the Lord with all his might, and that is an argument he has a
sincere heart.
Thus having shown you that the cause
of our departure from God is, the doubting of his all-sufficiency; and, in the
second place, that he is all-sufficient; and again, thirdly, that whoever has
an interest in God's all-sufficiency must be a perfect man; I proceed to show
you, 1: What this covenant is that God makes. 2: With whom it is made. And 3:
How we shall know whether we are in his covenant, or not.
I. What this
covenant is. You must know that there is a double covenant; 1. A covenant of
works; and 2. A covenant of grace. The covenant of works runs in these terms,
" Do this, and you shall live, and I will be thy God." This is the
covenant that was made with Adam in paradise. The covenant of grace runs in
these terms, "You shall believe, and take my Son, and accept of the gift
of righteousness, and I will be thy God." Between these two covenants you
shall find a threefold difference, 2 Cor. 3 {*}
1. The first covenant was a
ministration of the letter;
{* In the passage of Scripture here referred
to the apostle is not contrasting the covenant of justice, or law of innocence,
(termed not very properly the covenant of works,) made with man before the
fall, and the covenant of grace made with man after the fall, but he is
t contrasting the two last dispensations of
the covenant of grace, the Mosaic and the Christian, and showing, in a variety
of particulars, the great superiority of the latter to the former. And when, in
the epistle to the Galatians, chap. 3: 1O, he asserts that, " as many as
are of the works of the law are under the curse," he does not speak of the
law- given to our first parents before the fall, but wholly of the law of
Moses, moral and ceremonial, signifying that as many as adhered to it, and
confided in it for justification, rejecting the gospel, were under condemnation
and wrath, being all manifest violators of it, the language of it being, "
Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things, which are written in the
book of the law, (the law of Moses,) to do them."}
that is, in
the first covenant there was no more heard or seen, but the naked commandment;
there went with it no aptness, no disposition to keep it; they heard what the
law was, they saw what God required, but there was no more; and those that were
declarers of it were but the ministers of the letter, and not of the Spirit. 2.
This covenant brings only a servile fear, and enmity; for when a man looks upon
the author of this covenant, and hears no more but the law, and what it
requires, he looks upon God as a hard Master; again, he looks upon his law as a
heavy yoke, as an insupportable bondage, and therefore he hates it, and wishes
there were no such law; he runs from it as a bond-slave runs from his roaster,
as far as it is in his power. This is that which is said, Gal. 4: 24, "
Hagar gendereth to bondage;" that is, the covenant of works begets bondmen
and slaves, not sons and freemen. 3. It is a ministration of death; that is, it
propounds a curse to all those that do not keep it, and it shows no means to
avoid it; and therefore a man is affected to it, and to God the author of it,
as one is to an enemy that seeks his destruction. This arises not from hence,
that the law of God is a cruel law, (for the law is good;) but it arises from
the weakness of the flesh: as for example, if you would take a potter's vessel,
and dash it against a firm wall, the reason why the wall is the destruction of
the vessel, is not any infirmity or weakness in the wall; but it is the weakness
and brittleness of the vessel. And so in this case, the reason why this law,
or covenant of works, is a ministration of death and enmity, is not because
there is any imperfection in the law, but it is from the weakness of the flesh
that is not able to keep the law.
Now, on the
other side, the covenant of grace is, 1. A ministration of the Spirit, and not
of the letter. 2. 4 ministration of love, not of enmity; of freedom, not of
bondage. 3. A ministration of life and justification, and not a ministation of
death and condemnation. When a man has looked upon the covenant of works, and
sees death in it; sees a strict law that he is not able to keep; then comes the
covenant of grace, and shows to him a righteousness that himself never
wrought, to satisfy this law; shows him a way of obtaining pardon for the sins
he has committed against the law, by the death and satisfaction of another.
When he sees this, he sees withal the mercy of God giving this to him; and when
he sees this, his opinion, his disposition, and affection is altered. He looks
not on God now as upon a hard master, but as a God exceeding full of mercy and
compassion; whence this follows, that his heart melts towards the Lord, and he
comes and serves him with cheerfulness. He looks not now upon the law of God as
an enemy, or as bondage, but a whole-some and profitable rule of direction,
that he is willing to keep for his own comfort.
Now, when
the heart of a man is thus softened, then the Spirit of God is sent into his
heart, and writes the law of God in his inward parts. And look, what there is
in the outward law, as it is written and laid before you, there shall be a
disposition put into the heart that shall answer it in all things; there shall
be a writing within answerable to the writing without; that, even as you see in
sealing, when you have put the seal upon the wax, and taken it away again, you
find in the wax the same impression, stamp answering to stamp, character to
character, print to print. So it is in the hearts of the faithful, after they
are once softened; the Spirit of God writes the law in their hearts, so that
there is a law within answerable to the law without; an inward aptness,
answering every particular of the law; an inward disposition, whereby a man is
inclined to keep the law in all points. And it is not only put into the mind,
as habits are, but it is so engrafted as a natural disposition is; it is so
rooted in the heart, so rivetted in, as when letters are engraved in marble.
Now you must observe, that it is CHRIST
that thus writes the law of God in the heart of man, which he does ordinarily,
by means of the minister, (who is, as it were, the pen,) through the power of
the Holy Ghost, (which is, as it were, the ink:) for the means are not left to
themselves, but the Lord must concur with them immediately. The ministers are
but co-workers with him; he holds their hands, as it were, when they write the
epistle in any man's heart; it is he that guides the pen, it is he that puts
ink into it, and therefore the epistle is his.
You now see the difference between
the covenant of grace and the covenant of works. Now this covenant of grace is
two-fold; it is either the Old Testament, or the New. They both agree in
substance, but they differ in the manner of the administration, in the
following points:
1. The New
Testament, or the new covenant, is larger than the old; it extends to the
Gentiles, whereas the first was confined to the Jews. 2. The Old was expressed
in types, shadows, and figures: as for example, they had the blood of bulls and
goats, they had the washings of the body in clean water, they had offerings of
incense, and the like; by which types other things are meant; as, namely, the
death of CHRIST, and the satisfaction he gave to his Father by his death, the
inward sanctification of the Spirit, and the works and prayers of the saints,
sweet as incense; whereas now in the time of the gospel, these things are
taught us plainly; so that the Old and New Testament differ, as the image and
substance; the one was expressed but in types and shadows, the other has the
substance itself. 3. The Old Testament, or covenant, in itself is but weak and
unprofitable; " For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a
better hope makes perfect," by which we draw near to God; that is, this
was able to do nothing further than it led to that which was effectual;
therefore it waxed old, and vanished away; but the second proved effectual to
take away sin, and to sanctify us, and therefore it is an ever-lasting
covenant. 4. They differ in the confirmation: the New Testament was confirmed
by an oath, and by the blood of the testator, CHRIST; whereas the other was
confirmed by the blood of goats, &c.; and accordingly
the New
Testament has new seals put to it, baptism, and the Lord's Supper, when the Old
had only circumcision, and the Passover. 5. In the New Testament there is a
more clear knowledge of things than in the Old, as we see, Heb, 8: 1O, 11,
" After those days, says the Lord, I will put my laws into their minds,
and write them in their hearts: and 1 will be to them a GOD, and they shall be
to me a people. And they shall not teach every man his neighbor, and every one
his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the. least to
the greatest:" that is, they shall know much more; and that which they do
know, they shall know in another manner: they shall know it more distinctly,
more particularly. Moreover, as the knowledge is greater, so the promises are
better. The main of the promises made in the Old Testament, (though the promise
of salvation was not excluded,) were, that they should have, the land of
Canaan, and outward prosperity; the New Testament meddles little with these
things; but with promises of salvation, remission of sins, and sanctification
by the Spirit. And again, there is a larger effusion of the Spirit under the
New than there was under the Old Testament; the Spirit is now poured on us in a
greater measure. Then it was distilled by drops; now the Lord has dispensed it
in a greater abundance to the sons of men. In the time of the gospel there is a
greater measure of grace, and it follows upon the other; " Grace and truth
came by JESUS CHRIST; that is, because there was more truth, and more
knowledge, there went like-wise more grace with it. There is a greater
revelation, so likewise there goes more grace. That is a sure rule, that all
saving knowledge taught by GOD, carries grace proportionably with it. 6. The
last difference is in the Mediator; Moses, a man like us, was the mediator of
the Old Testament; that is, it was he that declared it, it was he that executed
it; but we have a "High Priest that has obtained a more excellent office,
inasmuch as he is the Mediator of a better testament." CHRIST is the
Mediator of the new covenant; it is he that declares the covenant; and it is he
that has reconciled the disagreeing parties; he has gone between them, as it
were, and has undertaken for both sides: he has undertaken on God's part, these
and these things shall be done; and he has undertaken on our part to give
satisfaction by his death, and likewise to make us obedient to his Father.
You have
heard what the covenant is in general. I shall now show you what are the
particular branches or parts of it; and they are three, answerable to the three
offices of CHRIST. CHRIST you know is a priest, a king, and a prophet: it is he
that makes good all the parts of the covenant, and he does it according to all
his three offices; 1. As a priest he gives us remission of sins; 2. As a
prophet he gives us knowledge; and 3. As a king he governs and defends us. Of
the priestly office I shall say no more here: of the other two somewhat more
largely.
As a prophet, CHRIST teacheth us
knowledge. You "shall no more teach every man his brother," but
" all shall be taught of me," says the Lord. It is another kind of
teaching, when the Lord teacheth us knowledge, than that we can have from men.
He is such a prophet as baptizeth with the Holy Ghost; such a prophet as makes
men's hearts burn within them when he speaks to them; such a prophet as said to
Matthew, " Follow me," and he did it; such a prophet as says to his
ministers, " Go teach all nations, and I will be with you," and I
will make you " able ministers, not of the letter, but of the
spirit." This is the prophet that the Lord has raised up; the prophet that
he promised he would raise like Moses, that. should teach men after another
fashion than all the prophets before were ever able to do. And that is the
second part of the covenant.
We may know
many things, but it is a hard thing to know as we ought to know. You tnayest
know sin, and know it most exactly, but if this do not work upon thy heart; if
the sin he not exceeding heavy upon thee; if it breed not in thee godly sorrow
for it; if it does not amaze thee, as it were, with the filthiness and vileness
of it; it is because you dost not yet know it as you oughtest to know. And how
shall a man do then? Go to CHRIST; he is the Prophet, he teacheth a man to see
things so, that his heart, his will, and affections are moved with it. You are
to consider the covenant when you go to the Lord, and remember this is a part
of the covenant, to teach men; and God has bound himself by an oath to perform
it. God has sent his Son JESUS CHRIST to teach thee all things belonging to
salvation; and so to teach thee, that you shall be in a right manner affected
with it. And so likewise if you know GOD, you seest him in his attributes; you
hcarest him often described, and art able to describe him to others; but for
all this, you findest not thy heart affected towards him; you seest not that
excellency and beauty that is itr him, so that thy heart is enamoured with him;
you can not say you loves him " with all thy heart, with all thy soul, and
with all thy strength:" what will you do in this case? Go to CHRIST the
Prophet, and beseech him that he would teach thee to know the Lord. This is his
promise; if you pray to him, and he do not do it, urge him with this; it is
part of his covenant, that he has confirmed by oath, and must do it. And be
assured of this, if we seek, and be earnest with him, he will teach us to know
the Lord; and to know him so, that we shall love him with all our soul, and
with all our strength. The like may I say of any thing else. Thus much for the
second part of the covenant.
As to the third part of it, or that
which CHRIST will perform to us, as he is a king, it consists in these three
things: 1. To rule us. If you find thyself subject to unruly affections, which
you can not master, it, is a part of his kingly office to set up his own
government in thy heart, to " put his law into thy mind," and to
write it in tby inward parts, that so you may be indeed subject to the kingdom
of CHRIST. When a man sees nothing but the outward letter of the law, he will
never yield obedience; but CHRIST comes as a king, and puts an inward
disposition into the mind, that shall answer the letter without, and so he
makes a man subject to his government. For example; this is the law without,
" You shall love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul,
and with all thy strength;" to answer which you shall see, Deut. 30: 6,
" I will circumcise thy heart, and you shall love the Lord thy God with
all thy heart, with all thy soul, and with all thy strength:" that is, I
will put this affection, or this grace of love, within thy heart; there shall
not be a law without only, but there shall be a grace within, a habit of love,
answerable to the commandment without. And when this government is set up, and
the law is put into our mind, then he makes us kings. For when men have so much
strength within themselves that they can rule themselves, and walk in the way
of righteousness, they are then made kings; and such kings the Lord makes all
those that come to him. 2. To keep his people in peace. This the Lord does
likewise as their king. His kingdom is spiritual; and therefore the main work
of it is to give us inward peace and joy. You may have troubles in the world;,
it is the ordinary portion of the children of God. We are therefore not so much
to expect outward peace; but God promises inward peace and joy: when you want
it, ask for it; it is a part of God's covenant to give it. You may go to GOD,
and beseech him to fill your hearts with this " peace that passes all
understanding," and with this " joy which is unspeakable." Go,
and beseech him to enrich your hearts with those riches that belong to
salvation; and he will do it. 3. To give us victory over our enemies. This is
the third part of'CHRIST's kingly office; and that which was promised to Abraham,
when he renewed his covenant upon the offering of his son, " You shall
possess the gates of thine enemies." This is the great promise that God
has made to us,
" that,
being delivered from the hands of all our enemies, we might serve him in
righteousness and holiness all the clays of our life," Luke 1: 74. You may
challenge this covenant at his hands. When you are to wrestle with SATAN, or
any temptation, say, " Lord, have you not said, that you wilt deliver me
out of the hands of all mine enemies? Is it not a part of thy covenant?"
But that is not all neither; there is a promise, (and that is part of the
covenant likewise,) that we shall overcome our outward enemies, so far as it is
good for us, so far as God sees it meet; and therefore a man may go and challenge
it at God's hands thus, " Lord, if it be good, if it be fit for me to have
it, you have promised it, I shall have victory over them also." So you see
what the covenant is. But there is one main branch of this covenant, that is
general to all the three; that is, the giving of the Spirit. This pouring out
of the Spirit upon us, is that which comprehends the life of all the other
three; that which enables us to do all the rest; that which makes us kings, and
priests, and prophets; even as CHRIST himself was anointed with the Spirit
without measure, that he might be a prophet, a king, and a priest.
II. Our next business is to show you
with whom this covenant is made, and that is with all those who are perfect in
the mariner above described. For it was not made with Abraham only, but with
him and his seed after him. Therefore it is with the perfect, with the faithful
race; for " they which are of faith, the same are the children of
Abraham," Gal. 3: 7. " And they which are of faith are blessed with
faithful Abraham," ver. 9. My beloved, it is a thing that is not
sufficiently considered by us, how great a mercy it is, that God should be
willing to enter into covenant; that he should be willing to make himself a
debtor to us. He is in heaven, and we are on earth; he the glorious GOD, we
dust and ashes; he the Creator, and we but creatures; and yet heir willing to
enter into a covenant with us. This should teach us to magnify the mercy of
GOD, and to be ready to say, as David did, What am I, or what is my father's
house, that I should be raised hitherto; that I should enter into covenant with
the great God; that he should come to a compact and agreement with me; that he
should bind himself to become a debtor to me? It is not a small thing to enter
into covenant with GOD, to be in covenant with the King of kings. When there
was a covenant between Jehoshaphat and Ahab, Jehoshaphat said, " There is
a league between us; therefore my horses are as thy horses, and my people as
thy people." And so it is between God and us; when there is a covenant
between us, then his strength is our strength, and his armies are our armies,
we have an interest in all. This great benefit you have; therefore you have
cause, whoever is within the covenant, to bless the Lord, to magnify him for
his great goodness, that he would enter into covenant with you.
But here consider what is the
condition of this covenant of grace on man's part. That is only faith. And if
you ask why faith is the only condition of this covenant? I answer, 1. Because
faith brings with it sanctification, and holiness of life. It draws with it
all other graces, after this manner: he that believes God loves him; he that
loves him must needs be full of good works. Besides, he that believes him, when
God shall say to him, " I am. thy exceeding great reward, see that you
keep close to me, have an eye upon me, and walk with me from day to day,"
will be ready to do it. When God called Abraham from his father's house, and
from his kindred,. he was ready to leave them; when God would have him offer up
his only son, he was ready to do it; whatsoever God bid him do, he would do it;
he preferred God before his own ease, before his own profit, before his only
son whom he loved. Let any man believe as Abraham did, and of necessity his
faith will produce good works. Let a man believe truly, and truth of belief
will bring forth truth of holiness. Hear what St, James says, Jam. 2:
"Abraham was justified by faith;" it is true; but Abraham's faith had
works joined with it; for it was not a dead, a counterfeit faith, but a true
faith; and being a true faith, Abraham had works as well as faith. So then
faith is the condition of the covenant, because it is the ground of perfection
and upright walking with God. 2. Because nothing else can answer the covenant
but faith. The covenant is not a commandment, but a promise. " I will give
thee:" it runs all upon promises, " I will give thee a seed, and in
that seed you shall be blessed." "I will give thee this good
land," and so on. So that the covenant of grace stands on God's part all
in promises. Now you know it is faith that answers the promise; for the promise
is to be believed. If the covenant had stood in precepts and commandments, then
it must have been answered by works and obedience; but since the covenant
consists of promises, it must needs be by believing, and not by wot':s.
Perhaps it may be asked here, but
how is this covenant confirmed? For when a man hears that God will vouch-safe
so much favor unto mankind, he might be ready to object, Alas! what are the
sons of men, that the great God of heaven and earth should enter into such a
covenant with us; that he should make us such promises; that he should mate us
heirs of the world; that he should bless us so as to make us his sons, so as to
make us prophets, kings, and priests? I confess it is a covenant that needs
confirmation; therefore the Lord has confirmed it; first, by his promise; says
he, You have my sure Word for it; if that be not enough, I will con-firm it by
an oath. And because he had no greater to swear by, he says, " By myself
have I sworn," that I will make it good. And, lest this should not be
sufficient, he confirms it by the blood of CHRIST himself; by the death of the
testator; and if this be not enough, he has added unto it sacramental seals,
and has confirmed it likewise by them. He has given unto us the seals of
baptism and the Lord's-Supper, as he gave unto them of old the seal of
circumcision, and of the passover.
III. The last thing I proposed to
show you was this, how a man should know whether he be within the covenant, or
not. The Scripture says, Abraham believed GOD, and therefore God reckoned him
as a man that was righteous, and accepted him to be a partaker of the covenant.
And so, if you believe in the Lord JESUS CHRIST, it is certain you art within
the covenant of grace; you art by that faith put into it; for that is the only
condition thereof, as was before observed. Now, whosoever truly believeth in
CHRIST is ingrafted into him; and whosoever is in CHRIST, has received the
Spirit of CHRIST; and if a man have not received the Spirit of CHRIST, he is
not in him. Therefore, That you may know whether you have the Spirit, I will
commend two places of Scripture to you. One is, Rom. 8: 15, " You have not
received the spirit of bondage again unto fear, but the Spirit of adoption,
whereby you cry, Abba Father; the same Spirit beareth witness with our spirits,
that we are the sons of God:" the other, I John 5: 8, " There are
three that bear record on earth, the Spirit, the water, and the blood, and
these three agree in one."
1. The spirit of bondage of
necessity must go before; so that if you never had the spirit of bondage,
certainly you never had the Spirit of adoption. For the apostle speaks of it
here, as the common condition to all Christians, they do not receive the spirit
of bondage again; you had it once, but now you have the Spirit of adoption: I
say, every man must have this spirit of bondage; because no man can come to
CHRIST, except the law be a schoolmaster to bring him to CHRIST. Now the law is
not a schoolmaster; it teacheth no man, except the spirit of bondage work fear,
and put an edge upon it. You may hear the law, and the threatenings and curses
applied to you ten thousand times over, and yet no fearbe bred in you, except
the spirit of bondage join with it, and make it effectual. Though the spirit of
bondage is not just alike in all; it is sometimes in a greater degree,
sometimes less, but all have it more or less; sometimes its influence is not so
much discerned. But God intends to bestow upon some men a great measure of
grace, and therefore he gives them a greater measure of the spirit of bondage.
Because God means to teach them more to prize CHRIST, and to baptize them with
the baptism of the Holy Ghost, therefore he baptizeth them with a greater
measure of the spirit of bondage; they shall drink deeper of that spirit,
because his intention is, they shall drink deeper of the Spirit of adoption.
The things which go with it are
these three; the testimony of the blood, of the water, and of our own spirits.
First, there is the testimony of the blood. When the spirit of bondage makes a
man fear, it empties a man of all righteousness, as a man empties a cask, that
there is nothing left in it; it pulls away all other props and stays from him;
it leaves a man in this case, that he sees nothing in the world to save him,
but the blood of CHRIST. When a man sees this, he takes fast hold on that, and
will not let it go for any thing; and though it be told him, you shall have
many troubles and crosses; you must part with all that you have; he cares not
though it costs him his life; if he may have this blood to wash away his sins,
it is enough; this he lays fast hold on. And when a man (does this, at that
very hour he is entered into covenant; he is translated from death to life.
When a man can say, " I know I have taken and applied the blood of CHRIST;
I rest upon it; I believe that my sins are forgiven; I grasp it; 1 receive
it;" this is the testimony of the blood. But the Lord comes not by blood
only, but by water also; that is, by sanctification; he sends the Spirit of
sanctification, that cleanseth and washeth his servants; that washeth away,
not only the outward filthiness, but the evil nature. He washeth every man in
the church from top to toe. There is not one place in the soul, not one place
in the conversation, but it is rinsed in this water. And then, when a man comes
to find this, that he has been able to purify himself, and by the work of
CHRIST's Spirit joining with him, to cleanse his conscience from dead works;
this is the second testimony. Now follows the testimony of our own spirits,
which gathers conclusions from both these, and says thus: " Seeing I have
received the blood, and seeing I am able to purify myself, I conclude I am
partaker of the covenant." Though a man could argue thus truly, "
Whosoever believes shall be saved, but I believe," this is the testimony
of the blood only: but when a man can say, " I purify myself; I desire
nothing in the world so much; I do it in good earnest;" this is the
testimony of the water to the sign and testimony of the blood; which shows that
it is true, that it is a lively hope. But some men say, this testimony of a
man's own spirit may deceive him. I answer, it cannot; because though it be
called the testimony of our own spirit, yet it is a spirit enlightened; it is a
spirit sanctified with the Spirit of CHRIST.
But above all these is the testimony
of God's Spirit. When a man has put to his seal that God is true, then the Lord
seals him again with the Spirit of promise; that is, the Lord sends the Spirit
into his heart, and assures him that he has received him to mercy. You will
say, " What is the witness of the Spirit?" It is a thing that we
cannot express. It is a certain Divine expression of light; a certain
inexpressible assurance that we are the sons of God; a certain secret
manifestation that God has received us, and put away our sins;" I say, it
is such a thing that no man knows, but they that have it. Beloved, this is the
testimony of the Spirit. I confess, it is a wonderful thing, and if there were
not some Christians that did feel it and know it, you might believe there were
no such thing; and that it were but a fancy or enthusiasm: but it is certain, there
are a generation of men that know what this witness of the Lord is.
Indeed, you must remember this, to
distinguish it from all delusions, this Spirit comes with the water and the
blood; and therefore, if any man have flashes of light and joy, that witness he
is in the covenant, and for all this has not the things that go before it, he
may well take it for a delusion. So likewise if he have not the consequence of
it, which is, the Spirit of prayer. So I will conclude all: He that has the
witness of the Spirit, is able to cry, "Abba Father." If you have an
assurance of a good state, and yet are not able to pray, you are deceived; for
that is the property of the Spirit, it makes a man cry to GOD, and call him
Father. You will say, " Is that such a matter? Every man can pray."
Be-loved, the Spirit of prayer is another thing than the world imagines it to
be. He that has this Spirit is mighty in prayer; he is able to wrestle with
GOD, as Jacob did. By the Spirit of adoption he " has power with God;"
he is able to prevail with the Lord; and why? Because he can speak to him as to
a Father; he can "continue in prayer, and watch thereunto with all
perseverance. He can speak to him as one that he is well acquainted with; he
can cry, " Abba Father;" that is, he can pray with fervency and
confidence; and there is no man in the world that is able to do it besides.
