ture of the Body, it pulls this Frame in Pieces. 4 Original Sin without Repentance expoLeth to Hell and Damnation, This is the fecond Death, Rev. 20. 14. Two Things in it. (1.) Pana Damni, Punishment of Lofs; The Soul is banished from the beatifical Prefence of God, in whofe Prefence is Fulnefs of Joy. (2.) Pana fenfus, Punishment of Senfe; the finner feels the fcalding Viols of God's Wrath: It is penetrating, abiding, John 3. 36. Referved, 2 Pet. 2. 17. If, when God's Anger be kindled but a little, and a fpark or two of it flies into a Man's Confcience here in this Life, it be fo terrible; what then will it be when God ftirs up all his Anger? In Hell there is the Worm and the Fire, Mark 9.44. Hell is the very Accent and Emphafis of Mifery: There's Judgment without Mercy. O what Flames of Wrath, what Seas of Vengeance, what Rivers of Brimftone, are poured out there upon the Damn'd! Bellarmine is of Opinion, That one Glimpfe of Hell-Fire were enough to make the muft flagitious finner turn chriftian; nay, live as an Hermit, a moft ftrict mortified Life. What is all other Fire to this, but painted Fire? Ejus adeffe intolerabile, ejus abe le impoffibile; to bear it will be intolerable, to avoid it will be impoffible; and thefe Hell-Torments are for ever, have no Period put to them, Rev. 9. 6 They fhall feek Death, and fall not find it. Origen fancied a fiery Stream, in which the fouls of finful Men were to be purged after this Life, and then to pafs into Heaven; but it is for ever. The Breath of the Lord kindles that Fire; And where fhall we find Engines or Buckets to quench it? Rev. 14. 11. And the smoke of their Torment afcendeth up for ever and ever, and they have no Reft Night nor Day. Thank original Sinfor all. Ufe 1. What fad Thoughts fhould we have of this primitive original Sin, that hath created fo many Miferies? What Honey can be got out of this Lion? what Grapes can we gather off this Thorn? It fets Heaven and Earth against us: While we choose this Bramble to rule, Fire comes out of the Bramble to devour us. 2. How are all Believers bound to Jefus Chrift, who hath freed them from that Mifery to which Sin hath expofed them? Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood. Sin hath brought Trouble and a curfe into the World: Chrift hath fanctified the Trouble, and removed. the curfe. Nay, he hath not only freed Believers from Mifery, but purchafed for them a Crown of Glory and Immortality, 1 Pet. 5. 4. When the chief Shepherd hall appear, ye shall receive a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away. Refp. 1. It is called a Covenant of Peace, Ezek. 37. 26. because it feals up Reconciliation between God and humble Sinners. Before this Covenant there was nothing but Enmity: God did not love us; a Creature that offends cannot be loved by an holy God: 'And we did not love him; a God that condemns, cannot be loved by a guilty Creature; fo that there was War on both Sides. But God hath found out a Way in the New Covenant to reconcile differing Parties, fo that it is fitly called a Covenant of Peace. 2. It is called a Covenant of Grace, and well it may: For, 1. It was with Grace, that, when we had forfeited the first Covenant, God fhould enter into a New Covenant, after we had caft away our felves. The Covenant of Grace is Tabula poft naufragium, as a Plank after Ship wrack. O the free Grace of God, that he fhould parly with Sinners, and fet his Wifdom and Mercy a-work to bring Rebels into the Bond of the Covenant. (2) It is a Covenant of Grace, becaufe it is a Royal Charter, all made up of Terms of Grace; That God will caft our Sins behind his Back: That he will love us freely, Hof. 14. 4. That he will give us a Will to accept of the Mercy of the Covenant, and Strength to perform the Conditions of the Covenant, Ezek. 37. 26. All this is pure Grace. Queft. Why would God make a Covenant with us? Refp. It is out of Indulgence, Favour, and Refpect to us. A Tyrant will not enter into a Covenant with Slaves, he will not fhew them fuch Refpect. God's entering into Covenant with us, to be our God, is a Dignity he puts upon us. A Covenant is Infigne honoris, a Note of Diftinction between God's People and Heathens, Ezek. 16. 22. I will eftablish my Covenant with thee. When the Lord told Abraham that he would enter into Covenant with him, Abraham fell upon his Face, Gen. 17.2. as being amazed that the God of Glory fhould bestow fuch a Favour upon him. 2. God makes a Covenant with us, to tye us faft to him; it is called in Ezekiel, The Bond of the Covenant. God knows we have flippery Hearts, therefore he will have a Covenant to bind us: "Tis horrid Impiety to go away from God after Covenant. If one of the Veftal Nuns, who had vowed herself to Religion, was deflowred, the Romans caufed her to be burnt alive. Tis Perjury to depart from God after folemn Covenant. Queft. How doth the Covenant of Grace differ from the first Covenant made with Adam? Refp. Difference. The Terms of the first Covenant were more strict and fevere. For, 1. The least Failing would have made the Covenant with Adam null and void, but many Failings do not null the Covenant of Grace: 1 grant, the leaft Sin is a Trefpafs upon the Covenat, but it doth not make it null and void. There may be many Failings in the conjugal Relation, but every Failing doth not break the Marriage-bond. It would be fad, if, as oft as we break Covenant with God, he fhould break Covenant with us; But God will not take Advantage of every Failing, but in Anger re member Mercy. 2. The first Covenant being broken, allowed the Sinner no Remedy, all Doors of Hope were fhut; but the New Covenant allows the Sinner a Remedy: It leaves Room for Repentance, it provides a Mediator, Heb. 12. 24. Fefus the Mediator of the New Covenant. 2d Difference. The firft Covenant did run all upon Working, the fecond upon Believing, Rom. 4. 5. Quelt. But are not Works required in the Covenant of Grace? Anfw. Yes; Tit. 3. 8. This is a faithful saying, that they which believe in God, be careful to maintain good Works. But the Covenant of Grace doth not require Works in the fame Manner as the Covenant of Works did. In the first Covenant, Works were required as the Condition of Life; in the fecond, they are required only as the Signs of a Man that is alive. In the firft Covenant, Works were requir ed as Grounds of Salvation; in the New Covenant, they are required as Evidences of our Love to God. In the firft, they were required to the Juftification of our Perfons; in the new, to the Teftification of our Grace. Queft, Oneft. What is the Condition of the Cove- An. The main Condition is Faith. Anfw. To exclude all glorying in the Creature: Faith is an humble Grace. If Repentance or Works were the Condition of the Covenant, a Man would fay, It is my Righteoufnefs hath faved me: But if it be of Faith, where is Boafting? Faith fetcheth all from Chrift, and gives all the Glory to Chrift; 'tis a moft humble Grace. Hence it is God hath fingled out this Grace to be the Condition of the Covenant. And if Faith be the Condition of the Covenant of Grace, it excludes defperate prefumptuous Sinners from the Covenant. They fay there is a Covenant of Grace, and they fhall be faved: But did you ever know a Bond without a condition? The condition of the Covenant is Faith, and if thou haft no Faith, thou haft no more to do with the Covenant than a Foreigner or a Country-Farmer with the City-Charter. Ufe 1. Of Information. See the amazing goodness of God, to enter into Covenant with us: He never entered into Covenant with the Angels when they fell. It was much condefcenfion in God to enter into Covenant with us in a State of Innocency, but it was more to enter into a State of Enmity. In this Covenant of Grace, we may See the Cream of God's Love, and the working of his Bowels to Sinners. This is a Marriage covenant, Jer. 3. 14. I am Married to you, faith the Lord. In the New Covenant, God makes himself over to us, and what can he give more? And he makes over his Promifes to us, and what better Bond can we have? Ufe 2. Of Trial. Whether we are in Covenant with God. There are three Characters. 1.God's Covenant-People are an humble People, i Pet. 5. 5. Be ye clothed with Humlity. God's People efteem of others better than themfelves; they fhrink into nothing in their own Thoughts, Phil. 2. 3. David cries out, I am a Worm, and no Man, Pfalm 22. 6. tho a Saint, tho a King, yet a Worm. When Mofes's Face fhin'd, he covered it with a Vail: God's People, when they fhine moft in Grace, are covered with the Vail of Humility. Pride excludes from the Covenant; God refifieth the Proud, 1 Pet. 5. 3. and fure fuch are not in Covenant with God, whom he refifts. 2. A People in Covenant with God, are a willing People; tho they cannot ferve God perfectly, they ferve him willingly. They do not grudge God a little Time spent in his Worfhip; they do not hesitate or murmur at Suffe rings;they will go through a Sea and a Wildernefs, if God calls; Pfalm 110. 3. Thy People shall be a willing People: Heb. a People of Willingness. This Spontanity and Willingness, is from the attractive Power of God's Spirit: The Spirit doth not impellere, force, but trahere, fweetly draw the Will; and this Willingnefs in Religion, makes all our Services accepted. God doth fometimes accept of Willingness without the Work, but never the Work without Willingnets. 3. God's Covenant-People are a confecrated People, they have Holiness to the Lord written upon them; Cafta placent fuperis----Deut. 7. 6. Thou art an holy People to the Lord thy God. God's Covenant-people are feparated from the World, and fanctified by the Spirit. The Priefts under the Law, were not only to wash in the great Laver, but were arrayed with glorious Apparel, Exod. 28. 2. This was typical, to fhew God's People are not only washed from grofs Sins, but adorned with Holinefs of Heart: They bear not only God's Name, but Image. Tamerlain refufed a Pot' of Gold, when he faw it had not his Father's Stamp upon it, but the Roman Stamp. Helinefs is God's Stamp; if he doth not fee this Stamp upon us, he will notown us for his Covenant-People. Ufe 3. Of Exhortation. To fuch as are out of Covenant, labour to get into Covenant, and have God for your God. How glad would the old World have been of an Ark? how induftrious fhould we be to get within the Ark of the Covenant? Confider, 1. The Mifery of fuch as live and die out of Covenant with God. (1) Such have none to go to in an Hour of Diftrefs.. When Confcience accufeth, when Sicknets approacheth (which is but an Harbenger to beIpeak a Lodging for Death) then what will you do? Whither will you flee? Will you look to Chrift for Help? He is a Mediator on ly . ly for fuch as are in Covenant, how will 2. The Excellency of the Covenant of Grace, it is a better Covenant than the Covenant made with Adam. ft, Because it is more friendly and propitious. Thofe Services which would and protejected in the firft Covenant, are ac Chrift, yet had their Sins washed away in his r. Anfw. It never came into God's Thought to make a new Covenanr upon Terms of Worthinefs. If God should fhew Mercy to none but fuch as are worthy, then he muft fhew Mercy to none at all. But it is God's Defign in the New Covenant to advance the Riches of Grace, to love us freely; and when we have no Wor thiness of our own, to accpt us thro' Chrift's Worthinefs. Therefore let not Unworthiness dif courage you; it is not unworthinefs excludes any from the Covenant, but Unwillingnes Queft. What shall we do that we may be in Covenant with God? cepted in the fecond. Here God accepts of the Will for the Deed, 2 Cor. 8. 10. here Sincerity Anfw. 1. Seek to God by Prayer. Exige a is crowned. In the Covenant of Grace, where- Domino mifericordiam. Aug. Lord, be my. in we are weak, God will give Strength; and God in Covenant. The Lord hath made an exwherein we come fhort, God will accept of a prefs Promife, that, upon our Prayer to him, Surety. It is a better Covenant, because the Covenant fhould be ratified, he will be it is furer, 2 Sam. 23. 5. Thou hast made with our God, and we fhall be his People, Zeck me an everlasting Covenant, ordered in all 13.9. They shall call upon my Name, and I Things and fure. The firft Covenant was not will bear them; I will fay, It is my People; fure, it ftood upon a tottering Foundation, and they fhall fay, The Lord is my God, OnWorks Adam had no fooner a Stock of Righly it muff be an importunate Prayer; come as teoufnels to trade with, but he broke: But the earneft Suiters, refolve to take no Denial Covenant of Grace is fure; it is confirmed with God's Decree, and it refts upon two mighty Pillars, the Oath of God, and the Blood of God. It hath better Privileges. The Covenant of Grace brings Preferment. Our Nature is now more enobled, we are raised to higher Glory than in Innocency, we are advanced to fit upon Chrift's Throne, Rev. 3. 21. We are, by Virtue of the Covenant of Grace, nearer to Chrift than the Angels: They are his Friends; we his Spouse. a 3. God is willing to be in Covenant with you. Why doth God woo and befeech you by his Ambaffadors to be reconciled, if he were not willing to be in Covenant. Object. I would fain be in Covenant with God, 2. If you would be in Covenant with God, break off the Covenant with Sin, before the Marriage-Covenant there must be a Divorce, 1 Sam. 7. 3. If ye return to the Lord with all your Hearts, put away the strange gods and they put away Astaroth; viz, their Fe male-gods. Will any King enter into Covenant with that man who is in League with his ne mies? 3. If you would enter into the Bond of the Covenant, get Faith in the Blood of the Cove-i nant. Chrift's Blood is the Blood of Atone ment; believe in this Blood, and you are fafely arked in God's Mercy; Eph. 2. 13. Yeake made nigh by the Blood of Chriftifad Ufe 4 Of Comfort to fuch as can make out, their Covenant-Intereft in God. (1) You that are in Covenant with God, all your Sins are pardoned. Pardon is the Crowning-Mercy, Pfal. 103. 3. Who forgiveth thy Iniquity, who crowneth thee, &c. This is a Branch of the Covenant, Jer. 31. 33 I will be theira God, and I will forgive their Iniquity. SHO being pardoned, all Wrath ceafeth. How ser rible is it when but a Spark of God's Wrath ies into a Man's Confcience but Sin being forgiven, no more Wrath. God doth not appear now in the Fire or Earth-quake, but covered with a Rainbow full of Mercy. (2) All your temporal Mercies are Fruits of the Covenant. Wicked Men have Mercies by Providence, not by Virtue of a Covenant, with God's Leave, not with his Love. But fuch as are in Covenant have their Mercies fweetned with God's Love, and they swim to them in the Blood of Chrift. As Naaman faid to Gebazi, 2 Kings 5. 23. Take tro Talents, fo faith God to fuch as are in Covenant, Take two Talents; Take Health, and take Chrift with it; take Riches, and take my Love with them; take the Venifon, and take the Bleffing M with it: Take two Talents. 3. You may upon all Occafions, plead the Covenant. If you are haunted with Temptations, plead the Covenant; Lord, thou haft promifed to bruife Satan under my Feet, fhortly; wilt thou fuffer thy Child to be thus worried? take off the roring Lion. If in Want, plead the Covenant; Lord, thou haft faid, I shall want no good Thing; wilt thou fave me from Hell, and not from Want? wilt thou give me a Kingdom, and deny me daily Bread? (4) If in Covenant with God, all Things fhall co-operate for your Good: Etiam mala cedunt in bonum, Pfal. 25. 10. Not only golden Paths, but his bloody Paths. Every Wind of Providence fhall blow them nearer Heaven. Affliction fhall humble and purify, Heb. 12. 10. Out of the bittereft Drug, God diftils your Salvation. Afflictions add to the Saint's Glory. The more the Diamond is cut, the more ir fparkles; the heavier the Saint's Crofs is, the heavier fhall be their Crown. (5) If thou art in Covenant once, then for ever in Covenant. The Text calls it, an everlafting Covenant. Such as are in Covenant are elected; God's electing Love is unchangeable, Fer. 32. 40. I will make an everlafting Covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them; but I will put my Fear in their Heart, that they shall not depart from me. God will fo love the Saints, that he will not forfake them: And the Saints fhall fo fear God, that they fhall not forfake him. 'Tis a Covenant of Eternity: It must be fo; for who is this Covenant made with? Is it not with Believers? and have not they Coalition and [Vol. I.] Union with Chrift? Chrift is the Head, they are the Body, Eph. 1. 23. This is a near Union, much like that Union between God the Father and Chrift, John 17. 21. As thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they alfo may be One in us. Now the Union between Chrift and the Saints being fo infeparable, it can never be diffolved, or the Covenant made void; you may die with Comfort. (6) Thou art in Covenant with God, and thou art going to thy God: Behold a Deathbed Cordial; Death breaks the Union between the Body and the Soul, but perfects the Union between Chrift and the Soul. This hath made the Saints defire Death, as the Bride the Wedding-day, Phil. 1. 23. Cupio diffolvi, Lead me, Lord, to that Glory, (faid One) a Glimpfe whereof I have feen, as in a Glas darkly. Ufes. Of Direction. To fhew how you fhould walk who have tafted of Covenant-Mercy, Live as a People in Covenant with God. As you differ from others in respect of Dignity, lo you muft in Point of Carriage. ift, You must love this God. God's Love to you calls for Love. 1. It is Amor gatiatus, a free Love. Why should God pafs by others, and take you into a League of Friendship with himself? In the Law, God paffed by the Lion and Eagle, and chofe the Dove: So he paffes by the Noble and Mighty. 2. It is Amor plenus, a full Love. When God takes you in to Covenant, you are his Hephfibah, Ifa. 62. 3. his Delight is in you; he gives you the Key of all his Treafure, he heaps Pearls upon you, he fettles Heaven and Earth upon you; he gives you a Bunch of Grapes by the Way, and faith, Son, all I have is thine. And doth not all this call for Love? who can tread upon these hot Coals,and his Heart not burn in Love to God. 2ly, Walk holily. The Covenant hath made you a royal Nation, therefore be an holy People. Shine as Lights in the World; live as earthly Angels. God hath taken you into Covenant, that you and he may have Communion together; and what is it keeps up your Communion with God, but Holincfs? 3ly, Walk thankfully, Pfal. 103. 1. God is your God in Covenant; he hath done more for you, than if he had made you ride upon the high Places of the Earth, and given you Crowns and Scepters. O take the Cup of Salvation, and |