Page images
PDF
EPUB

• that are in Chrift Jefus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.'

3. That, albeit the apoftle himself (brought in here for example's cause) and all other true believers in Christ, be by nature under the law of fin and death, or under the covenant of works (called the law of fin and death, because it bindeth fin and death upon us, till Chrift fet us free) yet the law of the spirit of life in Chrift Jefus, or the covenant of grace, (so called, because it doth enable and quicken a man to a spiritual life thro' Chrift) doth set the apostle, and all true believers, free from the covenant of works, or the law of fin and death; so that every man may fay with him, 'The law of the fpirit ' of life,' or the covenant of grace, hath made me free from "the law of fin and death,' or covenant of works.

[ocr errors]

4. That the fountain and first ground, from whence our freedom from the curfe of the law doth flow, is the covenant of redemption, past betwixt God, and God the Son as incarnate, wherein Chrift takes the curfe of the law upon him for fin, that the believer, who could not otherwise be delivered from the covenant of works, may be delivered from it. And this doctrine the apostle holdeth forth in these four branches: (1.) That it was utterly impoffible for the law, or the covenant of works, to bring righteousness and life to a finner, because it was weak. (2.) That this weakness and inability of the law, or covenant of works, is not the fault of the law, but the fault of finful flesh, which is neither able to pay the penalty of fin, nor to give perfect obedience to the law (presuppose bygone fins were forgiven;) The law was weak, faith he, through the flesh' (3.) That the righteousness and falvation of finners, which was impoffible to be brought about by the law, is brought to pass by fending God's own fon, Jefus Chrift, in the flesh, in whose flesh fin is condemned and punished, for making fatisfaction in the behalf of the elect, that they might be fet free. (4.) That, by his means, the law lofeth nothing, because the righteousness of the law is best fulfilled this way; first, by

[ocr errors]

Ff 2

Chrift's

Christ's giving perfect active obedience in our name unto it in all things: next, by his paying, in our name, the penalty (due to our fins) in his death: and lastly, by his working of fanctification in us, who are true believers, who strive to give new obedience unto the law, and walk not after the flesh, but af ⚫ter the Spirit.

WARRANTS TO BELIEVE.

FOR building

OR building our confidence upon this folid ground, these four warrants and fpecial motives to believe in Chrift

may serve.

The first whereof is God's hearty invitation, holden forth, Ifa. lv. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

HO, every one that thirfteth, come ye to the waters; and be that hath no money, come and buy without money, and without price. ver. 2. Wherefore do ye spend your money for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your foul delight itself in fatness. ver. 3 Incline your ear, and come unto me: hear, and your foul shall live, and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the fure mercies of David. ver. 4. Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people, &c.

Here (after setting down the precious ransom of our redemption by the fufferings of Chrift, and the rich bleffings purchas ed to us thereby, in the two former chapters) the Lord, in this chapter,

1. Maketh open offer of Chrift and his grace, by proclamation of a free and gracious market of righteoufnefs and falvation, to be had through Chrift to every foul, without excéption, that truly defires to be faved from fin and wrath; Ho, ' every one that thirfteth,' faith he.

2. He inviteth all finners, that for any reason stand at di

ftance

1

grace,

ftance with God, to come and take from him riches of running in Christ as a river, to wash away fin, and to flocken wrath; Come ye to the waters,' faith he.

[ocr errors]

3. Left any fhould ftand aback, in the fenfe of his own finfulness or unworthinefs, and inability to do any good, the Lord calleth upon such persons in fpecial, faying, He that hath no money, come.'

4.

He craveth no more of his merchant, but that he be pleased with the wares offered, which are grace and more grace; and that he heartily confent unto, and embrace this offer of grace, that fo he may close a bargain, and a formal covenant with God; 'Come buy without money (faith he) come, eat;' that is, confent to have, and take unto you all faving graces; make the wares your own, poffefs them, and make use of all bleffings in Chrift; whatsoever maketh for your fpiritual life and comfort, use and enjoy it freely, without paying any thing for it: Come buy wine and milk, without money, and without price,' faith he.

5. Because the Lord knoweth how much we are inclined to seek righteousness and life by our own performances and fatiffaction, to have righteousness and life as it were by the way of works; and how loth we are to embrace Chrift Jefus, and to take life by way of free grace through Jefus Christ, upon the terms whereupon it is offered to us: therefore the Lord lovingly calls us off this our crooked and unhappy way, with a gentle and timeous admonition, giving us to understand, that we shall but lose our labour in this our way; Wherefore do 'ye spend your money (faith he) for that which is not bread? and your labour for that which fatisfieth not?"

[ocr errors]

The Lord promiseth to us folid fatisfaction, in the way of betaking ourselves unto the grace of Chrift, even true contentment, and fulness of spiritual pleasure, faying, 'Hearken diligently unto me, and eat that which is good, and let your ' foul delight itself in fatness.

7. Because faith cometh by hearing, he calleth for audience

[blocks in formation]

unto the explication of the offer, and calleth for believing of, and liftning to the truth, which is able to beget the application of faving faith, and to draw the foul to truft in God; "In'cline your ear, and come unto me,' faith he. To which end, the Lord promises, that this offer being received, fhall quicken the dead finner; and that, upon the welcoming of this offer, he will close the covenant of grace with the man that shall confent unto it, even an indiffolveable covenant of perpetual reconciliation and peace; ' Hearken, and your soul shall live, ⚫ and I will make an everlasting covenant with you.' Which covenant, he declareth, shall be in fubftance the affignation, and the making over, of all the faving graces which David (who is Jefus Chrift, Acts xiii. 34.) hath bought for us in the covenant of redemption; I will make a covenant with you (faith he) even the fure mercies of David.' By fure mercies, he means faving graces, fuch as are righteoufnefs, peace, and joy in the holy Ghoft, adoption, fanctification and glorification, and whatsoever belongs to godliness and life eternal.

[ocr errors]

8. To confirm and affure us of the real grant of these saving mercies, and to perfwade us of the reality of the covenant betwixt God and the believer of this word, the Father hath made a fourfold gift of his eternal and only begotten Son;

First, To be incarnate and born for our fake, of the feed of David his type; for which caufe, he is called here, and Acts xiii. 34. DAVID, the true and everlasting king of Ifrael. This is the great gift of God to man, John iv. 10. And here, I have given him to be David, or born of David, to the people.

Secondly, He hath made a gift of Christ to be a witness to the people, both of the fure and faving mercies granted to the redeemed in the covenant of redemption; and also of the Father's willingness and purpose to apply them, and to make them faft in the covenant of reconciliation, made with fuch as embrace the offer: I have given him (faith the Lord here) 'to be a witness to the people.' And truly he is a fufficient witness in this matter, in many refpects; 1ft, Because he is one

[ocr errors]

of

of the bleffed Trinity, and party contracter for us, in the co-. venant of redemption, before the world was. 2dly, He is by office, as mediator, the meffenger of the covenant, and hath gotten commiffion to reveal it. 3dly, He began actually to reveal it in paradife, where he promised, that the feed of the woman fhould bruise the head of the serpent. 4thly, He set forth his own death and fufferings, and the great benefits that should come thereby to us, in the types and figures of facrifices and ceremonies before his coming. 5thly, He gave more and more light about this covenant, speaking by his Spirit, from age to age, in the holy prophets. 6thly, He came himself in the fulnefs of time, and did bear witness of all things belonging to this covenant, and of God's willing mind to take believers into it; partly by uniting our nature in one perfon with the divine nature; partly by preaching the good tidings of the covenant with his own mouth; partly by paying the price of redemption on the cross; and partly by dealing still with the people, from the beginning to this day, to draw in, and to hold in the redeemed in this covenant.

Thirdly, God hath made a gift of Chrift, as a leader to the people, to bring us through all difficulties, all afflictions and tentations, unto life, by this covenant: and he it is, and noother, who doth indeed lead his own unto the covenant; and, in the covenant, all the way on unto falvation, 1. By the direction of his word and Spirit. 2. By the example of his own life, in faith and obedience, even to the death of the cross. 3. By his powerful working, bearing his redeemed ones in his arms, and causing them to lean on him, while they go up through the wilderness."

Fourthly, God hath made a gift of Chrift unto his people, as a commander: which office he faithfully exerciseth, by giving to his kirk and people, laws and ordinances, paftors and governors, and all neceffary officers; by keeping courts and affemblies among them, to fee that his laws be obeyed; fubduing, by his word, Spirit and difcipline, his peoples corruptions;

Ff 4

« PreviousContinue »