Home A TREATISE ON THE COVENANT OF GRACE A TREATISE ON THE COVENANT OF GRACE by John Cotton,1652.11

A TREATISE ON THE COVENANT OF GRACE by John Cotton,1652.11

by outofmydepths
9 minutes read

Objection: You will say, Is it not a great glory unto God to be glorified by my hand?
Answer: Yes brother; but there is a great deceit in it; for many a man will work much, so far as his own glory is wrapped up in his actions, and like it well so long as God may be glorified in him: but all this while he wanteth those single affections after the glory of God for God’s sake. But how then should a man seek to promote the glory of God? If it be the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, which a man seeketh after, he will then rejoice as much that God may be glorified by his brother, as by himself; and that is the spirit of a true Israelite indeed: so that the name of Christ may be magnified, it’s no matter by whom; I therein rejoice, yea, and will rejoice, saith the blessed Apostle, Philippians 1:18. If any man therefore aimeth at God’s glory then only, when it may be an honour to his profession, no thank to you brother for that; much close work may be found, so long as both are carried an end together: but if when I hear that my brother glorifieth God, I could have wished that such a thing had been done or spoken by me; and it is the worse because it is not done by my hand: if that, which is the rich goodness of God to my brother, be not my rejoicing, it is because of the Core of hypocrisy in my heart.

Thus have we seen particularly the difference between Legal and Evangelical holiness. We proceed still in this fourth Use, to a fifth Question,

If Jesus Christ be the first Gift that is given to the children of God, before he giveth right unto Promises, or to me to challenge Promises, yea, before he giveth me any other gifts of his saving Grace; then any soul may ask this Question,
Question: Of what use are Promises, if they be not to bring me to Christ? yea specially, to what end are conditional Promises made (that is to say, Promises to such and such Qualifications) if I may not take a Promise in the one hand, and a Qualification in the other hand, and bring them both to God, and lay hold upon Christ with both hands, in the strength of this Promise made to this Qualification? Thus ariseth the Question, If God give Jesus Christ first, before any other blessing; as we read before, To Abraham and to his Seed were the Promises made, (he meaneth unto Christ) and all the Promises are in him, Yea, and in him, Amen: no having of Promises therefore before Christ: to what purpose are they given then, if not to bring me unto Christ? It is a point needful to be known, because we read Promises in Scripture daily: and certainly great use is to be made of them; and if we shall make no other use of them, but to bring us unto Christ; and God hath not sanctified them unto that end; then we shall take them all in vain, and the Name of God that is called upon them.
Answer: There is a threefold use of Promises in Scripture, to wit,

1. before Union with Christ
2. In Union with Christ.
3. After Union with him.

Benefit 1. Before union with Christ, there is a threefold use of Promises.

1. They are of use for Doctrine, to teach all the people of God what great and glorious things are laid up in Jesus Christ, even the unsearchable riches of Christ, Ephesians 3:8, and this all the Promises of God do hold forth: if the Lord promise to be your Father, your Husband, your Shepherd, your Head, your Root; if he promise to be any other blessing in the world to you; whatever Promise you read or hear, the Lord showeth you by it, the unsearchable Riches of Jesus Christ; and that is no vain use of Promises, for a man to know by them the great good things that are treasured up in Jesus Christ by the Father: therefore they are called Great and precious Promises, 2 Peter 1:4. Why so? because they declare the great and precious Privileges and Blessings in Jesus Christ: therefore it is that the Lord will have all his people to look at him in his Word and Promises, and to know what great good he hath in store for all them that trust in him, and seek after him in Jesus Christ. Thus all the Promises of Grace declare his excellency, as Canticles 5:10, My Beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand: So do all the Promises declare him to be a plentiful Saviour, and a Mighty Redeemer of all his people.

2. As they are of use for Doctrine, so for instruction: it is good for the honour of God, to know them; but instruction is a further thing, and distinct from Doctrine, 2 Timothy 3:16, by instruction men are taught not only what to know, but what to do; to know, and see whither they should resort for the enjoyment of all those precious blessings that God hath laid up in Jesus Christ; and this is a precious use of the Promises, that by them the soul should be thus instructed whither to go for life and salvation: such instruction we find, Isaiah 45:22, Look unto me, and be ye saved, all ye ends of the earth: here is a direction to me before I look, whither to look; I do not only see great things, and so vanish away, but I am directed to look, and be saved: thus are we taught of God likewise by his blessed Apostle, Acts 2:38,39, Repent, and be Baptized into the Name of Jesus Christ, for the Remission of sins: for the Promise is unto you, and to your children, and to as many as the Lord our God shall call: Thus are we taught by the Promises, whither to look for life and salvation.

3. The Promises serve also for Exhortation; as the Scripture last alleged holdeth forth: for so many blessings as you see propounded in the Promises, so many invitations are there to persuade, and provoke men’s Souls to come unto Jesus Christ; as old Jacob sometimes provoked his Sons, saying, Why stand ye gazing one upon another? behold, I have heard that there is Corn in Egypt, Gc; Genesis 42:1,2, so saith the Lord to the Sons of men in his Promises; Why stand you gazing in the want of this and that blessing? is there not pardon of sin, and all manner of blessings in Jesus Christ? thus is the Soul exhorted not only to look for mercy, but not to rest till he may enjoy it. Though it be not the Promises that can by their own power (without the Spirit) carry men an end: yet this is the end to which God giveth them, to stir up the Sons of men, not to rest in beholding the good things in the Promises, but to exhort them to provoke themselves and one another to look after the Lord: thus did the Apostle Peter exhort the Jews, and testified to them of the Free Grace of God in his Promises, Acts 2:40, and indeed, the promises in themselves are strong grounds of Exhortation, to stir up the spirits of all God’s people to look to Jesus Christ, and to come unto him, in whom such abundance of rich Grace is laid up. Thus do the Promises of God furnish both Ministers and People, with Doctrine, with Instruction, and with Exhortation in their kind.
Now there is a threefold effect that they have in some of all sorts, good and bad, that live in the bosom of the Church.
1. They have a power of Illumination: they will enlighten the minds even of Hypocrites, and men that are endued with no more but common gifts, as well as the people of God: of such the Apostle speaketh, Hebrews 6:4. Who were once enlightened, &c. and had tasted of the good Word of God.
2. When not only enlightening, but a second thing is expressed, An Hypocrite may have a taste of Jesus Christ in the Promises, and be so affected with him, that he doth despise all other things in comparison of him, so as that he cometh to resolve for his part never to forego him; and hath so much confidence in God, that he saith with Haman, Whom will the King delight to honour more then my self? and this illumination, he taketh to be a strong and effectual conversion unto the Lord.

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