A Complete History and Mystery of the Old and New Testament

Christ, Act. 13.34. 'tis not Yea and Nay, but Yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1.19, 20. not one word of it can fail, Josh. 21.45. and 23.14. 1 Kin. 8.56. 'tis a sure word, 2 Pet. 1.19. and 'tis more easy for Mountains to move out of their places, Isa. 54.10. and for the course of Night and Day to cease, Jer. 33.20, 21. than for this firm Covenant to fail, none ever took hold of it and could say, There is a Lie in my hand, as, Isa. 44.20. As God cannot Lie, Tit. 1.5. so nor his Covenant, Psal. 89.33, 34, 35. 'tis impossible, Heb. 6.18.

NB. secondly, This Covenant is so firm, sure and lasting, that it is Perpetual and Everlasting, it includes in it the two Eternities, that à parte ante before the World began, and that à parte post, when the World shall have an end, yet the Covenant shall last forever, being (as in Moses phrase) from Everlasting to Everlasting, Psal. 90.2. Gen. 17.7, 13. Jer. 32.40. Isa. 55.3. Heb. 13.20. hence 'tis called a stablish'd Covenant, Gen. 17.7. and a Covenant of Salt, 2 Chron. 13.5. because it stands fast, Psal. 89.28. and faileth or corrupteth not, as the things that are Salted last long. Hereupon all the Blessings of this Covenant are called Everlasting: As, (1.) Pardon, Jer. 31.33. (2.) Joy, Isa. 35.10. (3.) Life, Joh. 3.16. And, (4.) Salvation, Isa. 45.17. for all flows from an Everlasting Fountain, the unchangeable God, Mal. 3.5. and all are managed in an Everlasting Channel by an unchangeable Mediator, Heb. 13.8. who brings in Everlasting Righteousness, Dan. 9.24. And how should this (1.) Refresh us, and Relieve us against the Cor-dolium's and Discouragements both of Desertion and Death, neither of which can put an end to this Everlasting Covenant? And, (2.) Ravish us also, seeing David was Ravish'd with Covenant Mercy, made known to him only for a great while to come, that is, so far as Christ's time, 2 Sam. 7.18, 19. How much more we for Covenant Mercy (the sure Mercies of David) that reaches beyond all time, even forever and forever, this Everlasting Covenant, is a spring of Everlasting comfort, we shall never grieve for the loss of it as of Temporal Comfort.

Thirdly, 'It is a full Covenant as well as free and firm; 'tis Alvearium Divini Mellis, an Hive topful of Heavenly-Honey, even all God is and has, for herein the great God saith to his Servants, as the King of Israel did once say to the King of Syria, Behold I am thine, and all that I have, I Kin. 20.4. thus God saith to us in his Covenant, all I am, and all I have shall be yours, I will be your God, Gen. 17.7. & Jer. 31.33. and all are yours, 1 Cor. 3.22. Oh what a large Charter and Portion have the People of God here!

1. All God is, 'It is as great a portion as God is, he is an Infinite God, and the Heaven of Heavens contain him not, 1 Kings 8.27. yet this Covenant contains and comprehends (or shuts up as it were) the Incomprehensible God, I am your God; this is truly called an ••• ceeding great and precious Promise, 2 Pet. 1.4. greater than that of Balak to Balaam, Numb. 22.17. which was great Honor, and greater than that of Ahasuerus to Esther, Esth. 5.6. which was half of his Kingdom, yea, greater than that of the Tempter to Christ, Mat. 4.10. which was all the Kingdoms of the World, &c. if he that promised had been able to perform it: Yet this surmounts all, even ten thousand Worlds, and ten Heavens into the Bargain, in as much as the Creator is ten thousand times more than all his Creatures he hath made or may make; Oh what can God say more, than I will be yours! as God, having no greater to Swear by, Sware by himself, Heb. 6.13. so God, willing to bestow his Benevolence on Man, and having no greater thing to give, giveth us himself. Consider God,

1. In his Nature, quantus quantus est, how great, and how good soever he is, yet gives he his whole self to us, as the Bridegroom gives up his whole self to his Bride. Or consider him,

2. Personally.

1. As God the Father, so he Covenants to be a Father to us, 2 Cor. 6.17. Exod. 4.22. Jer. 31.20. and (as it were) fond of us, Psal. 103.13. and 147. ver. 11.

2. As God the Son, to be our Mediator, to take up all Controveisies, and to bring us to glory, John 17.24. Ransoming from death, Hos. 13.14. and reserving us for Life.

3. God the Holy Ghost performs and perfects all that the Father purposeth, and the Son purchaseth, Heb. 10.15, 16. writing the Law in our Hearts, washing us from our Sins, and witnessing with our Spirits that all is ours; so that here is a mighty bundle of Mercies given to worthless Man by the most worthy God in this one clause, [I will be your God] 'tis not called a Mercy in the singular, but Mercies in the plural number, Isa. 55.3. all sorts and degrees of Mercy suitable to Mans manifold Misery, Temporal, Spiritual and Eternal; no greater Gift can be given from the Creator to the Creature, whether Men or Angels. The Excellency of this Portion or Gift is manifold. As,

1st. Proportioned to all Mans wants whereof he is made up by the Fall, God is all good to Man who is all evil to God. God is bonum congruum; the Plaister or Salve is broad enough for the Sore; he is El Shaddai, an All-sufficient and a Sole-sufficient God, Gen. 17.1. The Hebrew comes of Shad Mamma, a full Breast for an hungry Babe: There is in God both sufficiency and suitableness to Mans misery. God is both,

1. Eminently good, whatever Excellencies lie scattered in the Creature, they are all concentered in God (from whom they come) as all Beams in the Sun, and as all drops in the Ocean. All Dainties (according to the vulgar saying) are found in this one Dish: All the lesser Pearls in the World are contained virtually in this one Diamond. The Excellency of the Creature is oft single, wanting other excellent Adjuncts, as Honor hath not always Parentage, nor Learning Virtue, [& vice versd] &c. No Created Being can be a capacious Continent or Receptacle of all perfections, but God is all excellent things, as Sun, Shield, Fountain, &c. Psal. 84.11. and Jer. 2.13, &c. Yea, he is all good Persons too, as Friend, Father, Master, Husband, &c. Jam. 2.23. Isa. 41.8. 2 Chron. 20.7. John 15.15. Isa. 9.6. Col. 4.1. Isa. 54.5. Jer. 31.32. yet God is more than all those Relative Terms, the majus includes the minus. And,

2. God is Superlatively (as well as Eminently ) good. All Excellencies found in any Creature, is in a more transcendent manner both found and founded in the Creator: Man may be wise to a degree in the concrete, but God is infinitely so in the very abstract, he is Wisdom itself, and so of all God's other Attributes.

2dly. As this Portion of Jacob, Jer. 10.16. even all God is (the best portion in the World) hath in it a proportion, so it gives a propriety, for 'tis not said only, I will be a God, but I will be your God, which giveth Believers propriety in God, as they are not their own, 1 Cor. 6.19. So we may say (with Reverence) neither is God his own, all God is, is theirs, 1 Cor. 3.21, 22. He hath given himself away (as it were) from himself to them. Yea, and,

3dly. They have not only a propriety in this proportionable Portion, but they have also some Possession of it, at least in its primitiis or First-fruits, the Pawn and Pledge of the full Harvest of Glory, the Earnest-penny of the whole Inheritance; 'tis true, the Riches of a Christian lies most in Reversion, he hath yet something in possession, as now and then a Kiss of Love from Christ, Cant. 1.1, 2. now and then some Fellowship with the Father, 1 John 1.3. though he hath more in Reversion, 1 Cor. 2.9. Psal. 31.19. God lays out something on them, though he lays up much more for them: They have most in their Hope, yet have they a little in their Hand and Hold: There be other Excellencies of this great Grant [I will be your God] which for brevities sake shall only be glanced upon; as,

4thly. The Gratuitous Donation of it, those [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] the mighty things of God, Acts 2.11. [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] the profound things of God, 1 Cor. 2.10. yea, God himself, all [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] freely given, ver. 12. to us Worms.

5thly. The Eternal Duration, 'tis a portion that will last so long as God lives and lasts, 'tis an inexhaustible treasure; Divine Mercy in the Covenant is bottomless, boundless and endless Mercy.

6thly. This Portion Proclaims a perpetual pacification betwixt God and Man, he will not be a Devil, but a God to us, though the God of the World (out God) might have given Man up to the God of this World (as the Devil is called 2 Cor. 4.4.) for breaking the first Covenant with him, yet that he himself should give himself to us, oh cry, Grace, Grace to it! Zech. 4.7. 'tis such Grace as the very Angels long to look or peep into it, 1 Pet 1.12. and David sings upon God's Power, but sings aloud of his Mercy. Psal. 59.10, 16. the Psalmist will sound out the Praises of the God of his Mercy, and Tune his Harp to every of his Attributes, yet the Attribute of Mercy shall have the highest Note: and he saith, My Soul maketh its boast in the God of my Mercy, Psal. 34.2. and 44.8. and God boasts as much of his Portion his People, Deut. 32.9. and of his propriety in them: God saith to Satan, Hast thou considered my Servant Job? that he is a none-such, &c. Job 1.8. and yet more emphatically, saith Christ of his Spouse, My Vineyard which is mine, Cant. 8.12. his propriety in his People is such, that one single Relative [mine] is not enough to express it, but he doubles that possessive as if he found a sweetness in the sound of it; he twice repeats it, saying, My Vineyard which is mine is ever before me; Christ seems there to roll this word [My and Mine] under his Tongue, and to hold it in his Mouth (as Children do sugar, and Sinners do sin, Job 20.12, 13.) as if he had been loath over-soon to lose his delight in it, and over-hastily to part with the luscious Relish of it: And if Christ's Eye be ever over it, and it be always before him under his look of love, because it is his own by Donation, Conquest and Purchase, (everyone likes and loves their own things best) what can the Adversaries of his Vineyard (his Church ) expect? but that in due time he will make their Carcases to Dung and Manure it, and he will water the Roots of its tender Vines with their very Blood, seeing they would spoil that which cost him his most precious Blood, 1 Pet. 1.18, 19. Isa. 27.2, 3, &c. If Christ delight so much in his people as his Portion, how much more should they delight in him as their Portion, Lam. 3.24. The Lord is my Portion, saith my Soul, therefore will I hope in him, he is every godly Souls Portion so fully and entirely as if he were only theirs, and yet is he severally so without Division and Distinction, yea, and successively so in all Ages of the World, Psal. 73.26. and 119.57. and 142.5. but sad is the Portion of Sinners, Luke 12.46. [All God is] must be a rich and unparalleled Portion, Jer. 10.16. Especially if

2dly. There be added to the other [All God has] Habet omnia, qui habet habentem omnia; that Man hath all things (saith Austin ) who hath God that hath all things. What is it that is good for Man which God hath not? 'It is said he will with-hold no good thing from us, Psal. 84.11. The good things that God has (to make ours ) are many, yea, all that are so, for every good thing comes from a good God, Jam. 1.17. All are of and through him, Rom. 11.35.

First, (More particularly) The Attributes of the Father are made ours by this Covenant. As,

1. God has Wisdom, and 'tis made ours for our Direction; most Men are undone by becoming God's to themselves (according to Satan's early suggestion) Gen. 3.5. and so leaning upon their own understandings, Prov. 3.5, 6, 7. He that trusts his own Heart is a Fool, Prov. 28.26. 'It is as a Bramble that will scratch us, if not scorch and burn us, if we trust in its shadow, Judge. 9.15, &c. He that is in this Covenant with God, must in all cases ask Counsel at his Mouth, and aim at his Glory; his Wisdom was never set fast, in delivering either his Church in general, or his Children in particular, he doth all things well, Mark 7.37. ordering all Occurrences in the height and perfection of Wisdom.

2. God has Power, and 'tis made ours for our Protection. Oh what a stock of strength hath the Soul in Covenant with God! called the strength of Israel, 1 Sam. 15.29. David went out in God's strength, and prevailed, Psal. 71.16. and 18.29. But Peter, presuming upon old strength, and not depending upon Christ for new, failed; for old strength is not sufficient to grapple with new temptations; smarting Experience taught him better, that God was his strength, who suspended it from him, and dispensed it to him as he pleased; hence was there a vast difference betwixt his first Comparative speech, [ Though all forsake thee, yet will not I, &c. Mat. 26.33, 35.] and his latter [ Thou knowest that I love thee, John 21.15.] which should have been Comparative also, had it been a direct Answer to Christ's Question, [Lovest thou me more than these?] he durst not say, he loved Christ more than the other Disciples did; he had now done with his Comparisons, as savouring too much of the Pharisaical pride and presumption, Luke 18.11. and had learned that his life (and so his strength ) was hid with Christ in God, Col. 3.3. he must therefore depend upon it, and live out of it, by fetching thence new Strength for new Duty, new Influences for new Exercises; David will trust God at all times, Ps. 62.8. As God must be wise for us, so he must be strong for us, 2 Cor. 12.9.

3. God has goodness or Mercy, and this also is made ours in the Covenant, he caused all his goodness to pass before Moses, Exod. 33.19. And David acknowledged that God's goodness and mercy did follow him, (yea when he did run from it ) and would follow him all the days of his Life. Psal. 23.6. 'It is called the Covenant of Grace and of Peace; because, 1. All kinds of Mercy, Pardoning, Preventing, Priviledging and Purifying Mercy are the ingredients of it, extending itself as far as Mans misery, as before: 2. All degrees of Mercy, even a Full-Sea thereof; which made the Apostle cry out, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; Oh! the Depth of this Full-Sea or high Tide of Mercy, Rom. 11.33. yea, and to admire the Length, Breadth and Heighth as well as Depth of Divine goodness, Eph. 3.18. And, 3. 'It is full of the finest Mercies, tender Mercy (that hath a soft Hand for a sore Heart, ) Luk. 1.72.78. Jam. 5.11. Bowels of Compassion which makes God sometimes seem to Stagger between two, [shall I strike, or shall I not?] Hos. 11.8. Psal. 78.38. Lam. 3.33. Luk. 6.35. 1 Kings 20.31. Mercy pleaseth him, Mic. 7.18. One Deep calls on another here, our Deep misery, his Deep Mercy. Thus I might enlarge on all other Attributes. But briefly,

4. God's Justice is ours by this Covenant, as well as his Mercy, in condescending to the Triumph of Mercy over Justice, in accepting satisfaction from another (even Christ ) for us, in Absolving us from the condemnation due to us, and in receiving us into the generation of the righteous, though but with a borrowed righteousness of the Lambs lending.

5. His Holiness is ours, as the Pattern of our Piety, and the Object of our Love, and imparting it to us, Eph. 4.24.

6. His Truth or Faithfulness is ours, which gives a being to all his Promises, and converts them into Performances; us his Love moved him to make them; so his Truth binds him to perform them, to wit, in the best Season; not suffering his Faithfulness to fail, Psal. 89.33.

7. His Omnisciency is ours, whereby he observeth all our wants and weaknesses, taking care (as well as notice ) of us in and under them, even at all times.

8. His Omnipotency is ours, the Omnipotency of God's Anger is Dreadful, but of his Love is comfortable, and when Love sets this Almighty Arm on work, what can it not do? Job 42.2.

9. His All-sufficiency is ours, a precious and inexhaustible Treasure, which hath supplied the wants of all his People in all former Ages; and still is pressed down, heaped up and running over to supply us in this present Age; as it never yet failed, so nor will it forever.

10. His Ubiquity or Omnipresence is ours, this is our Cordial, God is everywhere with his Saints, at Sea or Land, City or Country, they are nowhere from their fathers ground.

11. His Unchangeableness is ours, he sits upon the Floods, Psal. 29.10. the World is a Fable of changes, but the unchangeable God hath his Hand upon the wheel, and mannages its motion to his own glory, and his Churches good, doing with his Hand what his Mouth has spoke.

12. His Glory is ours, and so is his Eternity: Hath God an Earth for us (upon which we now live,) and hath he not an Heaven for us, a Glory, and that Eternal?

In a word, God's Eyes, Ears, Hands, Feet, Breath, Back-parts, Head and Heart, &c. Which God is said to have in Scripture are all ours; his Throne and Footstool, &c. All Grace, Peace, Comfort, &c. All in Heaven and on Earth ours, 1 Cor. 3.22.

Secondly, Both the Names and Offices of the son (as well as all the Attributes of the Father ) are ours by the Covenant.

1st. His two Natures, the Hypostatical Union of the Godhead, and Manhood is ours.

1. As a sign that Man (made sick by sin, ) should Recover; and not Taste of the second Death: This sign God gave Hezekiah of his Recovery from a sickness unto Death, that the Sun went backward Ten Degrees with its Shadow, 2 Kings 20.8.10. And this Infallible sign that Mankind (sick of sin) shall recover, inasmuch as the Son (called the Sun of Righteousness, Mal. 4.2.) hath gone back with his shadow of Glory Ten Degrees at least; nay, such as are Numberless: To wit, that infinite distance betwixt equality with God and the form of a Servant, Phil. 2.7.8. Christ left that Glory which he had with the Father before the World was, Joh. 17.5. and took upon him not only the Nature of Man, but even of fallen Man; which was worse than if he had become a Toad: Oh! How Low did Christ stoop to raise us up on High; every Degree of his Descending is a certain sign of our so many Degrees Ascending.

2. As a Screen to Sconce and shelter us from consuming Fire, such God is in himself, Heb. 12.29. which would soon kindle upon such dry Stubble as fallen Mankind is; therefore Christ became God-Man, and so a Days-Man, or Mediator between God and Man, that the Flames of these Everlasting Burnings (as God is called, and which no mere Man can stand before, Isa. 33.14.) should not take hold on us.

3. As a Ladder; our Lord applies Jacob's Ladder to himself, Gen. 28.12. Joh. 1.51. he is the true Ladder of Life by which Faln Man must Ascend out of the Pit of Despair into the Heaven of Pardon and Peace with God. The top of this Ladder toucheth Heaven with his Divinity, and the Foot or Bottom of it rests on Earth with his Humanity, whereby he reconciles Man to God, and makes Heaven open and obvious to us, provided we own him as our only Mediator, and lay hold by the Hand of Faith upon his merits, as upon the Rounds or Steps of this Heavenly Ladder: such as seek to go up to God any other way, must (as Constantine the good Emperor once said) erect his false Ladder, and climb up alone; and assuredly such climbers upon so short and so rotten Ladders, not only venture their Neck-breaking, but their very Souls shall fall down into the Bottomless Pit: strange Ladders lead to a strange end, and will not take and keep hold of us (as the true Ladder doth) as well as we of it, and far better hold too.

4. And Lastly, As a Conduit, Christ is the Conduit of Conveyance, a Royal Conduit; some magnificent Conduits there are indeed that are made (upon days of great Pomp and solemnity,) to run some few hours with Wine as well as all other hours with Water, but this Divine Conduit runs always with Wine, and always with Water too; and this Wine which perpetually flows from it, is better than the Blood of the Grape, Gen. 49.11, 12. Deut. 32.14. 'It is no less than the Blood of the Lamb of God, yea, the Blood of God himself, Act. 20.28. Neither is the Water which continually streameth out of it Common Water, but Living Waters, Joh. 4.10. and 7.38. and Waters of Life, Rev. 21.6. and 22.1. Christ is a Golden Conduit which Conveyeth through its Golden Pipes the Golden Oil of Grace and Spirit, Zech. 4.12. God blesseth us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ, Eph. 1.3. For our Faith first lays hold of the Manhood in this Hypostatical Union of Christ, so climbs up to the Godhead.

Thus as Christ's two Natures are ours by the Covenant, so are his three Offices: In Mans Creation, Man was made like God, but in Mans Restoration, God was made like Man, and became Mans Prophet. Priest and King; in respect to those three Offices, the three Sages of the East offered to Christ at his Birth, 1. Myrrh, as to a Prophet, 2. Frankincense as to a Priest, and 3. Gold as to a King. The Covenant makes.

1. Christ's Prophetical Office ours; hereupon we must go to him in all Arduous affairs, in all our difficult Cases, as the Israelites did to Moses, Exod. 18.22. And hear him in all things, Matth. 17.5. Christ is an excellent Teacher even of Ignorant Disciples, Act. 4.13. 'It is no matter how dull the Scholar is, if Christ himself will be but the Teacher; for he enlighteneth the Organ (or Faculty) as well as the Object, opening our understandings in us, as well as his Scriptures to us, Luk. 24.27, 31, 45. And all this he doth gradually, as Noah did: First, opening the Window of the Ark, Gen. 8.6. Then he removed the covering thereof, ver. 13. and then he stepped out himself into the (before drowned, but now dried ) World, ver. 18. Thus our blessed Noah Christ our Comforter comes, and first opens the Eyes of our understandings, Isa. 42.6, 7. Act. 26, 18. Eph. 4.18. Col. 1.9. Then he removes the Vail or Covering that is upon the Heart, as well as on the Head, 2 Cor. 3.14, 15, 16, 17. And then Christ steps into the Soul, before drowned in sin, but now dried up by Grace, that he may dwell in our Hearts by Faith, Eph. 3.17.

2. His Sacerdotal Office is ours, wherein Christ was the Altar, the Offering, and the Offerer: He offered himself the Sacrifice of his Manhood upon the Altar of his Godhead, which did not only Sanctify, but also Dignifie the oblation, putting an infinite worth into it. Christ is the High Priest of our profession, Heb. 3.1. Who can have compassion on the Ignorant, &c. Heb. 5.1, 2. All our Sacrifices (or Services) we must put into his hands, who must bring them as well as burn them to the Father for us, Lev. 1.15. This Office is the Grand Magazine of all our Grace and Comfort (we have on this side Heaven) as a relief against all temptations, Heb. 2.17. and 4.15. When any sinner brought his Sacrifice to the Priest, as the person was not to Offer it himself, so the Priest was not to refuse it: This should raise up our Faith, to know that Christ is both able and willing, he will not, nay he cannot refuse our offerings, he blesseth the weak (as well as the strong ) where he finds sincerity, looking more at Truth than at Measure. 'Twas the High-Priests Office to bless the People, Numb. 6.23, 24. And 'tis a blessed sign that our High Priest hath blessed us, when other Souls be blessed by us: The Covenant gives us Interest into the merits of this incomparable Sacrifice which takes away the guilt of all sins, greatest as well as least. As the Red-Sea drowned the stoutest Champions in Pharaohs Army, as well as the faintest and weakest Soldiers, Exod. 14.13, 30. His choicest Captains as well as his common Soldiers, Exod. 15.4. So sins of all sizes, and of all sorts of sinners are drowned in the Red-Sea of Christ's Blood: He shed as much Blood for Peasants as he did for Princes; peccata non redeunt, if once (upon our Repentance) our sins become drowned in the Blood of Christ, we shall see them again no more (as Israel the Egyptians ) unless Dead on the shore: Christ is our Goel or near Kinsman, who hath Redeemed our inheritance in Heaven (which was Mortgaged by sin) for us, he is our Surety, paying our Debt to Divine Justice.

3. His Regal Office is ours also; Here's the ground both of our Assurance and of our perseverance, that Christ is our King that Conquers all our cursed Canaanites (our Corruptions) in us, Mic. 7.18. and Treads the Tempter (with his Temptations) under our Feet for us, Rom. 16.20. Heb. 2.8. 1 Cor. 15.25. He puts down all Powers opposite, not only from without us, but also from within us: This is our Joshua or Jesus, who calls upon us and capacitates us to put our Feet upon the Necks of our Enemies, Josh. 10.24. provided always he come as King into our Hearts in his Regal Capacity, as the Psalmist intimates, Psal. 24.7, 8, 9.10. The Everlasting doors of our Souls must open to him as a King of Glory; he will come in as a King or he will not come in at all: Though Christ be a King, yet hath he no Natural born Subjects, we are all Born with War in our Hearts against Christ's Kingly Office; other Lord's bear Dominion over us, Isa. 26.13. We are not born, but made his Subjects: Christ first makes an Holy War, upon our Rebellious Hearts, and must make us Subjects, or he can never find us such. This is done in the day of his Power, Psal. 110.3. not External, but Evangelical, to make us come in to him as true Volunteers, when he speaks to us with a strong hand upon our sturdy Hearts, Isa. 8.11. The Elect taste not of Death until they see the Son of Man come in his Kingdom, Matth. 16 28. Those carnal Capernaites would have Christ their King, because he had been their Cook, Joh. 6.15. 'Twas for Loaves, not Love, ver. 26. But we must love the Lord Jesus Christ (as our King, Priest and Prophet ) or we are Anathema Maran Atha, 1 Cor. 16.22. That is, Cursed till, and at the coming of Christ; they that will not kiss his Golden Scepter, his Iron Rod will make them his Footstool for rejecting his Throne, Luke 19.27. Happy be such as yield subjection to him, hold dependence on him, and have their Acquiescence in him, Matth. 11.29.30.

Thirdly, All the Motions and Operations of the Spirit are made ours, to wit, (1.) The Quickening. (2.) The Actuating. (3.) The Regulating, (4.) The Corroborating. (5.) The Comforting Influences of the Holy Ghost are all made ours by the Covenant, yea and, (6.) As he is Convincing, (7.) supplicating, (8.) Sanctifying, (9.) Sealing, (10.) Discerning, (11.) Witnessing, (12.) Adopting Spirit. All this, and all more that can be said concerning Diversities of Gifts or Graces, all are ours by the Covenant, yea all those excellent endowments for secular as well as for Spiritual employments, Exod. 31.3. 1 Sam. 11.6. &c. Isa. 28.26. All Arts and Sciences do flow from the Spirit; therefore is he called the seven Spirits of God, Rev. 1.4. & 3.1. & 4.5. yet the Spirit of Grace ('tis said) the World cannot receive, Joh. 14 17. though it may the Spirit of Gifts. Do we want Water, Wind, or Fire? The Spirit is all these; we cannot have clean Hearts, unless washed with this Water, Psal. 51.10. & Joh. 3.3, 5. we cannot have warm Hearts, unless warmed with this Fire, Luk. 24.32. There is no Sailing to the Port of Heaven without this Wind, Joh. 3.8. the fresh gales of this breathing Spirit must first fill the Sails of our Affections (turning them into Graces ) and then we go off a ground roundly, and pass on the Road comfortably: This is a mighty privilege to have the presence and influence of the Spirit, for as God the Son made an agreement (or Covenant ) with God the Father before all time; so God the Holy Ghost doth transact the Kingdom of God in time, and that within us, as the other was done without us. 'It is sad to want the touches of the Spirit which are quickening, comforting and saving touches: We may want its comforting presence, yet have its quickening presence; but if this latter be lost, the former cannot be had, for there can be no peace or comfort felt where there is not Life; and we may want the Arbitrary Influence of the Spirit (which raiseth up Grace to an high Luster and Eminency) yet have the necessary Influence, which maintains the Being of Grace, as the other doth its Well-being, &c. If the Holy Spirit doth not touch us with his Divine touches, the unclean Spirit will with his Deadly touches, 1 John 5.18. Job 2.5. The In-dwelling of the Holy Ghost in us prevents the re-possession of the unclean Spirit after he has had his dispossession, for he must find his House empty, or he cannot re-enter, Mat. 12.43. &c. yet though he is hereby kept from re-entering, he is not from assaulting, although the Man in Christ be assaulted, yet the In-dwellings of the Spirit of Christ, Rom. 8.9, 11. doth secure him from Satan's assaults, yet the manner of the Spirits workings and in-dwellings be unknown to us, John 3.8, &c. In a word, whatever Christ is (as he saith he is Bread, a Branch, a Door, an Heir, Light, Life, an Altar, a Lamb, a Way, a Vine, a Lion, a Foundation, a Corner-stone tried by all) or has; whatever the Spirit is (a Dove, a Comforter, &c. as before) or has; yea, whatever Heaven or Earth hath in them, the Angels, the sweet Influence of the Pleiades, and of all other Constellations; the Covenant conveys all to us, Dona Throni & Dona Scabelli, the good things of the Throne, and the good things of the Footstool; yea, whatever is in God's Threefold Treasury, of the Sea, Air and Earth: It is a Covenant of Peace with all Creatures, Job 5.23. whatever either Creation or Providence hath in them, whatever God the Creator hath and is, whatever God the Redeemer hath and is, and whatever God the Sanctifier hath and is, are all made over to us by the Covenant; and is not this a full Covenant?

Fourthly and lastly, As it is a full, so 'tis an Holy Covenant, Luke 1.72. Dan. 11.28, 30. There Antiochus 's his Indignation was against the Holy Covenant, as it was against the holy God and his holy People, who were in holy Covenant with him; his unholy, irreligious Heart was against them for their holy Religion which they professed and practice'd. 'It is called an holy Covenant,

1. Quoad Fontem, from the Fountain from whence it flows, to wit, from the Holy God, who is Glorious in Holiness, Exod. 15.11. and is proclaimed by those Heavenly Heralds the Seraphims three times over, Holy, Holy, Holy, Isa. 6.3. and this Superlative Holiness in God gives a most Immense Luster and Beauty to all his other Attributes, 'tis Holy Justice, Holy Power, Holy Wisdom, Holy Love, &c. Now qualis causa, tale causatum; à quo aliquid tale est, illud est magis tale. If God, who is the first cause of the Covenant be Holy, then the Effect which flows from this Cause and Original must needs be Holy also; the Stream is as the Spring.

2. Quoad Finem, from the End of this Holy Covenant, which is, to make us an Holy People; we are chosen to be holy, Eph. 1.4. Hence Holiness is absolutely necessary to Evidence our Interest in this Holy Covenant; 'tis necessary to Salvation (which is the End of the Covenant ) both necessitate medii, & praecepti, as 'tis God's precept, that we should be Holy, Levite. 11.44. and 19.2. and 20.7. 1 Pet. 1.15, 16, &c. So Holiness is our means and way to Happiness, for without it no Man can see the Lord, Heb. 12.14. and therefore 'tis promised in, as 'tis an Evidence of the Covenant.

3. Quoad Objectum, the Grace of the Covenant knows no other Object, but an Holy People, so made, or so found, as the Holy God is one Party confederate in this Covenant, so his Holy Saints are the other Party, Psal. 50.5. for God doth not take the wicked by the Hand, Job 8.20. to enter into Covenant with them, nay, he will not allow them so much as to take his Covenant into their Mouths, Psal. 50.17. he is King of Saints, Revel. 15.3. and will have no correspondence with the Evil.

4. Quoad Subjectum, all the Contents (or Subject Matter) of this Covenant are Holy Things, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Acts 13.24. (which Isa. 55.3. calls sure Mercies ) are by the Apostle called Holy Things, all the parts as well as both the Parties ) are Holy, the Promise in it is Holy, Psal. 105.42. and our Faith (that lays hold on it ) is Holy, Jude ver. 20. The whole of it was spoke in his Holiness, Psal. 60.6.

Inferences hence, 1. This is the true Reason why this Holy Covenant is so little Embraced by the World, 'tis because they are an unholy People, and hate this Covenant for its Holiness, John 3.19, &c.

2. Let us try ourselves by our Holiness for an Interest in this Holy Covenant; is it writ on all our Natural, Civil and Religious Actions? Zech. 14.20. on our Riding, Drinking, Sleeping? &c. The Doctrine contrary to Holiness is the Devils Covenant and none of God's, who knows his own Hand, and owns no other.

Some weighty and Soul-awakening Considerations may commodiously conclude this great Concern of the Covenant, all having a tendency to the Convincing, Converting, Quickening, Confirming and Comforting the Souls of Men and Women.

1. Consider, All persons are under either the Covenant of Works, or under the Covenant of Grace, no Man can be under both Covenants at once, for they are incompatible one with another; the Law as it is a Covenant hath no consistency with the Covenant of the Gospel; these two are two Vicegerents in Mans Heart; the Law hath natural Conscience to keep its Courts there, but the Gospel hath Faith to keep Christ's Court there; these are Inconsistent, as both being supreme principles, are opposite till over powered; a man may (indeed) be under a double Image, to wit, of Flesh and Spirit, for that Image of the old Adam is done away, and of the second Adam is renewed by Degrees, but a Covenant-State, is a Legal act, so the change from the one to the other (both which stand upon contrary Foundations, as before) is done all at once, and therefore the one must make void the other, and none be under both.

2. Consider, There is a natural propensity in the fallen nature to desire to be under the Covenant of Works, Gal. 4.21. Ye that desire to be under the Law, for all men would establish their own Righteousness, Rom. 10.2, 3. and would be doing something to merit, Heaven, as Vega (that Papist) said, Coelum gratis non accipiam, I will not have Heaven freely given •• c. Alas, Proud Man scorns that Gift of God, Rom. 6.23. but would have it as a due Debt, this is not only from a Principle of Pride, but also of Ignorance concerning Christ, and of Enmity also against God. as if he were not Wise, Just and Kind enough for them.

3. Consider, As Man naturally desires to be, so he really is under the Covenant of Works by Nature in his Unregenerate State, while he remains in the old Adams Nature (as a Wild Olive ) he abides also under the old Adams Covenant, which is a broken State, and likewise a Broken Covenant, therefore that Man (until he be broken off, Rom. 11.17. from that old Root ) must be most miserable, seeing that broke • Covenant (1.) Promiseth no Life but upon perfect Obedience, (2.) It hath no Mediator, nor Surety to salve his imperfections, (3.) Neither is there in it any Promise of Pardoning Sin, or of giving Grace, (4.) And every New Sin breaks anew that once broken Covenant; therefore (Lastly,) It can never quiet his Conscience, as before, but lays him under the Curse of it, Gal. 3.10. and every man that is under the Curse, is under the Covenant that causeth the Curse; and who would be Cursed? Woe to such as are under the first Covenant, which can comfort none but upon this condition [ Obey perfectly and live Eternally; this is poor comfort, seeing God's Commands are exceeding broad, Psal. 119.96. and Mans Obedience is exceeding narrow, Luk. 17.10. &c. yet can it curse all that fails and falls short.

4. Consider, 'It is then a most necessary (though a much neglected ) Duty to be Translated from the Covenant of Works into the Covenant of Grace, Col. 1.13. we are without God in the World (but not without the Devil ) while we are Strangers to this Covenant of Promise, Eph. 2.12. we are poor, empty Self-deceiving and Self-defiling Creatures under the Irritation Coaction and Condemnation of the Law, Justice (without Mercy) in that Avenger of Blood which pursueth us, and whose Heart waxes hot within him, Deut. 19.6. to overtake and overcome us; 'tis therefore an indispensable duty to flee into this City of refuge, thou art not only a Man-slayer, a felo de se or Self-slayer, Eccles. 7.16. Numb. 16.38. But a God-slayer in as much as omne peccatum est Deicidium, every sin is a killing of God (saith Luther ) as much as in us lieth; Flee therefore as a Bird to your Mountain, Psal. 11.1. & Mat. 24.16. to the Mountain of this Covenant, take hold (with Joab in danger of Death) of the Horns of this Altar, 1 Kin. 2.28. You are stung with the fiery Serpent (the Curse of the broken Covenant ) and there is but one remedy, a look of Faith and love to the Brazen Serpent, Numb. 21.8. Joh. 3.14. there's no avoiding the Curse of the First Covenant but by being Translated out of it, Sodom and Satan would accept of that offer you reject.

5. As Christ was given for a Covenant, Isa. 42.6. & 49.8. so all Christless Souls, are Lifeless Souls, they are Dead and Damned without Christ, for Life and Salvation are laid up in him, Joh. 15.1, 2. Act. 4.12. It pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell, Col. 1.17. as the Mercy-Seat was no larger than the Ark, and they never severed each from other, this shows, that Grace and Salvation extends no farther than the Covenant; the Hebrew word Copher signifies a Coffering or Covering up our sins, Rom. 3.25. 1 Joh. 2.2. as all out of Noah's Ark or Coffer were drowned, so all out of Christ and this Covenant are Damned; as Joseph was the only Doer of all to save the Egyptians, Gen. 41.41, 44, 49. Go to Joseph saith Pharaoh, what he saith to you do, v. 55. so Jesus is the great Doer of all to save mankind, and whoever cries for fear of Famishing, the Father sends such to our Joseph, our Jesus, he is the Angel of the Covenant, Mal. 3.1. yea the Covenant itself, and the grand sole undertaker in it, Isa. 38.14.

6. Union is the ground of Communion; as our Union with the First Adam gives us Communion with the Cursing-Covenant, so our Union with the Second Adam gives us Communion with the Blessing-Covenant, our Translation out of the first is by Union with the second; there is a breaking • ff, and a grafting in, Rom. 11.17, 19, 24. where Grace grants these, God looks upon that Soul, (1.) As no more a Son of the old Adam, (2.) He is no more under the Rigour and Curse of the Law, but (3.) Is become an Heir of the Grace of Life, I Pet. 3.7. the Grace of Union brings the Grace of Unction, &c.

Objection, But how shall I know my Union in this Covenant?

Answer, by these Characters and Cautions, for this high Building (so free, firm, full and holy a Covenant ) must have Battlements built about it, to keep Children and Fools from topling over; Children's Bread may not be cast to Dogs, such as are (1.) Ignorant; Christ brings not Mercy to them, but Vengeance, Isa. 27.11. 2 Thes. 1.8. (2.) Such as bless themselves in their sins, Deut. 29.19. Psal. 68.21. he will wound their scalps, their Damnation slumbers not, 2 Pet. 2.3. those were willful, &c.

The First Character for trial of our Union is, Ask thy Heart, in what nature art thou? In the Old Adams, or in the new, partaking of the Divine Nature? 2 Pet. 1.4. Is the Old house (with its fretting Leprosy ) pulled down, Levite. 14.44, 45. and a new one erected, new in quality, though' not in substance, so as to Love and Hate what God Loves and Hates, Rev. 2.6. all the Scraping in the World will not purify the Walls of thy Heart without renewing Grace, ye may beat a Wolf, Black and Blue, knock out his Teeth, cut off his Claws and put a Sheepskin, upon his back, yet all this will not drive away his Wolfish Nature; Naturam expellas furcâ, &c. this may Chain him, but not change him; so 'tis with Man, though' never so much Civiliz'd without a new Nature, a new Heart; hadst thou ever an Earth-quake or Heart-quake, to rend thy Heart, as the Jailor had? Act. 16.26. canst thou experience the Death and Burial of the Old Adam and the Resurrection of the new, Rom. 6.3, 4. and if not, thou art a Son of Adam, an Heir of his Covenant, and so an Heir of his Curse, Gal. 3.10. Eph. 2.3. that Word knows no exception against the rule but free Grace, this Curse must be born either by thy self or by thy surety.

2. Character, Ask under what Reign art thou? (as well as in what Nature ) Adams or Christ's; is thy old Lord and Husband (to wit, concupiscence ) Dead? Rom. 7.1, 2, 3, 4. this rules over us by carnal Generation, ('tis therefore called the Law of Sin, a Law is that which hath Authority, in it) and it must be slain by Spiritual Regeneration; thus none but Widows marry Christ, the High Priest of the Gospel, Heb. 3.1. though 'twas forbid to the High Priest of the Law, Lev. 21.14. yet those are Virgins, Rev. 14.4 Cant. 1.4. that Love Christ with a pure chaste Virgin Love. Hath Sin a Negative Voice to good, and an Arbitrary Power for Evil (to do what it will? ) 'tis not only thy King, but thy Tyrant, 1 Sam. 8.11. & 2.14. The Priests bare rule by their means, Jer. 5.31. they came and took with their Flesh-Hooks what they would, if Sin do so, thou art its Slave, if thou bow the Knee and Cry Abrech, to any Lust (as they did to Joseph, Gen. 41.43.) 'tis thy Lord, thy Idol, but if a new Kingdom be set up in thee, that takes away the Commanding as well as Condemning Power of Sin, and thou hate it quà peccatum as well as quà Morbum, Warring against it, as 'tis God's Enemy as well as thine, never making it thy choice, thy chase, or thy Satisfaction, thou art not a Servant to it, nor sold under it, Joh. 8.34. Rom. 7.14. but under Grace, Rom. 6.14.

The 3. Character, Can you declare how your Tenure and Copy came to be changed? Can you say (in the Witnessings of the Holy Ghost, Rom. 9.1. having God's Spirit Witnessing with your Spirit, Rom. 8.16.) that Ego non sum Ego, I am now (through Grace) among the Circumcised, Rom. 2.29. whereas before I was among the Uncircumcised, Jer. 9.25. can you (or any for you, Act. 9.27.) declare, that you were a Blasphemer? 1 Tim. 1.13. but I have obtained Mercy, v. 16. and have seen the Lord, Isa. 6.5. What evidences have you of your change? Can you tell the time when and the manner how, 1 Pet. 1.11. Act. 9.27. the Heirs of the Promise, flee to the City of Refuge, as affrighted when the Wrath of the Avenger of Blood makes Inquisition for them and pursues (with an Heart waxing hot ) after them, Deut. 19.6. they flee to the hope set before them, Heb. 6.18. crying with Paul, oh that I may be found in him! Phil. 3.9. having sense of Sin in his Heart, and fear of Wrath at his heels: can you say, whereas before I was Blind, now I see, Joh. 9.25. I was poor, now rich, I was naked, now clothed, Rev. 3.17. I was defiled, now washed, 1 Cor. 6.10, 11, compare time with time, for finding an Heart-changing and a Life-changing work, such as say with that Justiciary, they have been right from their youth, Mat. 19.20. a good belief, and a good Heart and Affections from their Birth, may be much in the dark and in doubt of this Translation, out of the old Covenant into the new; we say (you know) when Men have goods, whereof they can give no account how they came by them, their honesty is always suspected, 'tis so in the true Riches.

The 4. Character, Look what is the present frame of your Heart, is it Legal, doing all Duties with a Legal Spirit, or with an Evangelical, not only convinced in our Minds, but also in our Affections, that we must not only do well, but love to do so, not formidine poenae, but virtutis amore, not seeking (or setting up) a righteousness of our own (which is natural Popery as well as Judaism? ) Rom. 10.3. not pleading our own works, Isa. 58.2, 3. and Mat. 7.21, 23. and Luke 18.11, 12. The true Heirs of Grace, 1 Pet. 3.7. dare not own their own Graces nor Duties, Mat. 25.37. and Moses must not know that his own Face shone, Exod. 34.39. whereas the Legalist not only lives in Duty, but also of Duty, not of Christ in Duty; he doth Duty as a Task, performing it perfunctorily, without a Principle of Life, goeth on indeed, but 'tis in a Round (as the Horse in a Mill) without any progress or growth, yet never coming to the Journeys end. See more in my Hearts Treachery.

In a word, the 5. Character, If translated, you will look on it the best thing in the World to be Religious, Psal. 73.28. and 84.10. Job 23.12, &c. And,

6. You will behold all Mercy in the Covenant, all forfeited till then, and be snares, Psal. 69.22. and 106.15. all yours in Love.

NB. Then it follows, that all ours must be God's, we must be altogether to him, as he is All-sufficient to us, this is our Reciprocation [you shall be to me a people] 1 Pet. 2.9. Psal. 119.57. Deut. 32.9. Lam. 3.24. Exod. 19.5. Isa. 19.25. Hos. 1.9. and 3.3. 1 Chron. 29.14. We must resign our All to him, Exod. 3.5. Deut. 25.9. Ruth 4.7, 8.

• 1. Our bona Animae, all the faculties of our Souls.
• 2. Our bona Corporis, all the abilities of our Bodies.
• 3. Our bona Fortunae, or rather Providentiae, all our Wealth, Honor, &c.

Reasons or Motives.

1. All are from him, so should be returned to him. All return to the Sea as to their Cistern, Eccles. 1.7. and Center from whence they came.

2. All are bought by him, 1 Cor. 6.20. Christ is our God or Redeemer, 'tis honest to give God his own, and what he paid for.

3. 'It is our Advantage and Salvation, we would undo ourselves, not knowing how to dispose but as he directs; we yield not to an Enemy for slavery, but to a Friend for safety.

4. There's worth in God's All, none in ours, which extends not to him, Psal. 16.3. Job 22.2, 3.

5. A whole Christ was laid out on us; he was totus in nostros expensus, went about doing good. The Conclusion of all from this Covenant is comfortable. As,

1. 'It is not made with us, nor can it be broke by us.

2. God's glory in keeping this Covenant is more concerned, Eph. 1.6. than our good.

3. Divine Love in it is to Persons in the Decree not to Propositions [If believe in time, &c. ]

4. Though those in Covenant die Naturally, yet not Legally, for so Christ died for them.

5. Saints Names be transcribed out of the Book of Election into the Lambs Book of Life.

6. It properly curses none, 'tis not Physic frowardly refused, but the Disease that kills, so unbelief, John 3.36.

7. God loves his Elect (while in the state of sin) with the love of Benevolency, though not then with a love of Complacency, which appears not till called, Tit. 3.4.

8. Faith wraps the Soul in the Golden Fleece of the Lamb of God.

9. Grace is sufficient, we must not wrong it. Limit it not where God has not limited it, though sin be iterated.

10. Answer Satan, thou art Married to Christ, so must not be for the Tempter or his Tentations; cleave as a Girdle, Jer. 13.11.

11. Christ is our Advocate. 1 John 2.1. and in his praying for us, he gratifies only the Fathers Bowels as Joab did David 's in entreating for Banish'd Absalom, 2 Sam. 13. last, and 14.1.

12. The Grace of Union and the Grace of Unction, both comes from this Covenant, and Union is the ground of Communion.

13. The Father draws into Christ and the Covenant, John 6.44. Ezek. 20.37. He commands his Love to go out and take hold of such a Soul, Psal. 42.8. and keeps us in it also, Jer. 31.33, 39, 40.

14. This Covenant is the staff both of Bands and Beauty, Zech. 11.10, 14.

15. In the Arminian way God cannot promise a Seed to Christ, having no power over the will.

16. Children's Bread must not be cast to Dogs, Mal. 2.5, 8, 10. that break Covenant with him.

17. This is that which makes room for a lively Hope, for a working Faith, and for fervent Prayer, which are all bottomed on the Covenant of Promise, and without it none of these (aforesaid) could be.

18. Unfaithfulness in Man cannot make the faithfulness of God to be of no effect, Psal. 89.33. and 111.9.

Use 1. Then give the same measure to God, that he gives to you; he is a God to you, and not to the World, be ye a people to him, and not to the World, give him your All, wit, strength, &c. Let not God say, Israel would have none of me, Psal. 81.11. nor of mine All. Abide for him, Hos. 3.3. He takes it ill, when we run from him to other Lovers, Psal. 73.26, 27. and 125.5. Isa. 57.8.

2. In all straits say, Doubtless thou art our Father, Isa. 63.15, 16. Claim thy right to the Covenant, cry, Oh God, thou art my God, Psal. 63.1. This is more than if the Cattle upon a thousand Hills were thine, or the Wealth of both Indies. Abraham asks, What wilt thou give me, Oh God? God answers, I will give thee myself, my All-sufficiency, Gen. 15.1, 2. take me as Thine, use me as Thine, and all that I have; this made him adore, Gen. 17.1, 2, 3. as it did make David admire, 1 Chron. 17.21, 24. We can never do enough for him that does all this for us.

3. Grieve not God, nor Christ, nor the Spirit, Eph. 4.30. Those in Covenant together, do strive to please one another. Can we say to God as he may say to us, Wherein have I injured thee? Mic. 6.3. Do all well-pleasing in his sight, Phil. 4.18. Heb. 13.21.