Kingdome, that shall never fade; an heavenly and spirituall King dome, which fhall not cease, before things that are in Heaven doc perish and vanish away, that is, never; not earthly and cor porall, which is fubject to change and alteration. In this fenice 2 Sam.23.5. David faith, This was all his Salvation, and all his defire, al though he made it not to bud, that is, he refted in this alone,that God would effect and make good his promife;not for their righte oufneffe, (for Davids houfe was not fuch as it ought, kept not Covenant with God) but for his great names fake. In the fecond fence many things were promifed, which never tooke eff:&,and yet God is faithfull and true, becaufe the condition was broken. To the fpirituall houfe of David, fo to fpeake, was promifed par don of finne, adoption, comfort, joy, and an heavenly inheri tance; all this was made good, for God freely called them by his Spirit, and by his power kept them by faith unto Salvation. Though the houfe of David loft the Kingdome and government in Ifrael, yet God preserved his pofterity untill Chrift came, int whom the throne of David was established for ever: for this was abfolutely promifed. But the temporall glory of Davids house, and the peace of Ifrael was changed, because they changed the ordinances, neglected the charge, and brake the Commande ments of God. If his fonnes forfake my Law, and walke not in my Pfal.89.31,318 judgements: If they prophane my ftatutes, and keep not my Comman dements; Then will I visit his tranfgreffions with the rod, and his fin with fcourges. If ye turne away, and for fake my ftatutes and my Com- 2 Chron.7.19, mandements, which I have set before you, and shall goe and serve other 20,21, 22. gods and worship them, Then will I pluck them up out of my Land which I have given them, and this House which I have fanctified for my Name, will I caft out of my fight, and will make it to be a Proverbe and a common talke among all people. And this House which is most bigh, shall be an astonishment to every one that paffeth by it, fo that he fhall fay, Why hath the Lord done thus to this Land and to this Honfe? And they shall answer, Because they for fooke the Lord God of their Fathers, which brought them out of the Land of Egypt, and have taken Sep. dvtináhould on other gods, and have worshipped them, and served them, there- Carlo Star. fore bath he brought all this evill upon them, Davids heart was not perfect with the Lord in the matter of Uriah, and for that caufe the fword of God never departed from his houfe. When Solomon waxed cld, and gave his heart to pleasure, his outlandish X wives wives inticed him to Idolatry: and the Lord rent ten tribes from the houfe of David. In after times the houfe of David fell away more and more, the Pricfts neglected the charge of God, and the people grew prophane, obftinate, impenitent: and then the Lord abhorred his people, was wroth with his heritage, and gave his glory unto the enemies hand. Jerufalem was laid waft and defolate, the Temple burnt with fire, the Princes led captive and made tributary, the aged were defpifed, the young men made Alaves and bond men, maidens de floured, and children dashed a gainst the walles. They were flaine with the fword, burnt up with famine, languished through oppreffion, mifery and forrow, had in contempt and derifion daily, but there was none to pittie or comfort them.Nevertheleffe,the promife of God was firme and fure to all the feed, in refpect of the things abfolutely promifed, for the infidelity of man cannot make the faith of God of none effect.. Hence we learne, two things are to be confidered in the Covenant, 1. The perfons in Covenant according to the externall adminiftration, or according to the effectuall purpose and internall adminiftration. 2. The good things promifed not only temporall, but fpirituall. For they are either fuch as are abfolutely neceffary to falvation, or fuch as concerne the welfare of a Chriftian, his peace, joy, chearfull and conftant walking with God without offence, and fuch like. To the first fort, the promises of the Covenant are made fincerely, but conditionally, If they doe well they fhall be accepted; if they confent and obey, they fhall inherit the good things of the Land. To the other being effectually called, all other promises are made abfolutely, or at least fhall abfolutely be made good,becaufe God will give them to doe what he requireth. Effectuall calling is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. It is wrought freely, effectually, certainly, but when, where and as the Lord will, not conditionally, nor according to promife to this or that perfon. God promifeth he will preferve his Church, and uphold the feed of David: but to this or that perfon God hath not promised, that he shall be brought home, or gathe red to the flock. The Covenant made prefuppofeth man called, and taking hold of the Covenant, it doth not promise that he shall be effectually wrought upon, and powerfully drawne to lay hould upon the promife. Faith is the gift of God, which he giveth as he he pleaseth but to the believer he affureth all other neceffary good things, with continuance in faith, according to his free Cove nant. Of good things fpirituall there be two forts, as was faid, fome abfolutely neceffary, as faith, repentance, pardon of finne, perfeverance,eternall life, and thefe are all moft certainly promifed, and affuredly conferred. And though Juftification and eternall life be conditionall, promifed unto and fo bestowed upon the unfained beleever: yet may they be called abfolute, because God giveth to the man in Covenant every thing neceffary to Salvation. Other things are good in themselves and profitable, as joy and chear fulneffe of heart, deliverance from fcandalous and reproachfull evils, wounding confcience, and grieving the Spirit. And thefe are not promifed, nor evermore beftowed upon the faithfull. David may be an instance hereof; He was not preferved from finne-wafting confcience, and ftaining the foul, but was recovered from the danger thereof. To repent of the finne, and to be pardoned of free grace, was neceffary to Salvation, God therefore vouchfafed this fure mercy unto him. To be kept from falling was not of that neceffity, God therefore fuffered him to fall to cure pride of heart, make him know himself, and magnific the riches of his grace in his recovery. This is evident from this, that in the Covenant as the Lord promised mercy, which he performed, fo he threatned judgement, and destruction against them that did disobey, if they perfifted obftinate and would not returne. And therefore both in fhewing mercy, and inflicting punishment, the Lord dealt according to promife. Sometimes when the houfe of David finned, the Lord fpared them, but then he gave them hearts to humble themselves, and fo the judgement was prevented. Thus faith the Lord, Te have for faken me, therefore have I also left you in the hands of Shifhak. Then the Princes of Ifrael, and the King humbled themselves, and faid, The Lord is just. And when the Lord faw, that they humbled themselves, the ward of the Lord came to Shemaiah, fay ing, They have humbled themselves, therefore I will not destroy them, but I will fend them deliverance shortly, and my wrath shall not be pou red out upon ferufalem by the hand of Shishak. Neverthelesse they shall be his fervants: fofball they know my service, and the fervice of the Kings of the earth. And because be humbled himself, the wrath of the X 2 Lord a Chroni 11, 5,6,7,8. Sept.ngung moun.. Sept. vele verf.12 Lam. 4.20.21. Sept is y xo. Pial.80.4. Plak 126.1,2, Lordturned from him, that he would not destroy him altogether. And alfo in Judah the things prospered. Sometimes the Lord poured his wrath upon Judah and Jerufalem, according as he threatned, but he let them goe on in the ftubbornneffe of their hearts, untill they had filled up the meafure of their iniquity,and till there was no remedy. So he gave them into the enemies hand, and fuffered his Name to be polluted amongst the Heathen, when he had tryed by all meanes to bring them home, but they would not repent. The Kingdome of David was for ever eftablished,and God preferved a Church and people unto himfelfe, according to his good pleasure, for this was abfolutely willed and foretold, but performed accor ding to promife of free grace and love. Thus God is ferious in all his Promifes and Commandements, according as he is pleased to give them: and eff:ually brings to paffe his own purpose of grace, according to that which he hath promifed. With this promise they preffe the Lord in their captivity, why dost thou ferget us for ever, and forfake us so long time? Turn thon us unto thee, "O Lord, and we shall be turned: renew our dayes as of old: Turne us, O God, or restore us, to wit, from forrow to joy, from captivity to li berty: cause thy face to fine, that is, to be light, chearfull, comfortable: and we fhall be faved. CHAP. X. of the Covenant that God made with Ifrael, after Hen the people of Ifrael was almoft cleane deftroyed and walted in the Babylonian Captivity, the Lord by many ample promifes did affure, that he would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, and bring them again into their own land, fet up the tokens of his prefence amongst them, and delight in them to doe them good. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, fauk your God: fpeake je comfortably to ferufalem, and cry unto her, that her Warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she bath received of the Lord double for all her finnes that is, the hath been punished enough and more then enough for her tranfgreffions. Behold, the Lord will come with strang hand, and his arme will rnie for Revel 18.6. Ilai, 40, 10,18%. and 25.8,9, verf, 18% 191 for him: bebold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He fhall feed his flock like a fb:epherd, he shall gather the Lambes with his arme, and carry them into his bofome, and hail gently leade those that are with young. Feare not thou worme Jacob, and ye men of Ifrael: Ifai. 41. 14. I will help thee, faith the Lord,and thy Redeemer the holy One of Ifrael. 15. 16. Behold, I will make thee a new sharpe threshing inftrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the mountaines, and beat them fmall, and Shalt make the hils as chaffe. Thou shalt fanne them, and the wind Rev.17.14. Shall carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them; and thou and 19.17. Shalt rejoyce in the Lord, and shalt glory in the holy One of Ifrael When the poore and needy feek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will be are them, I the God of Ifrael will not for fake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountaines in the midst of the vallies: I will make the wildernesse a poole of water, and the drie Land springs of water. But now thus faith the Lord that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee,O Ifrael, Feare not; Ifai.43.1.2 for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou paffest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through. the rivers, they shall not overflow thee when thou walkeft through the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Ifrael, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ranfome, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Remember Ilai.44.283. thefe, O Jacob and Ifrael, for thou art my fervant: I have formed: $2,23, thee: thou art my fervant, O Ifrael; thou shalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy tranfgreffions, and as a cloud. thy finnes: returne unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ge heavens, for the Lordbath done it: Shoot ye lower parts of the earth: breake forth into finging ye mountaines; O Forrest and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed facob, and glorified himselfe in Ifrael. Thus: faith the Lord thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the wombe; I am the Lord that maketh all things, that stretchath forth the heavens above, that /preadeth abroad the earth by my felfe. That fruftrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad, that turneth wifemen backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish: That confirmeth the word of his fervant, and performeth the counfell of his messengers, that faith to Jerufalem, Thou shalt be inhabited, and to the Cities of Indah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof. That faith to the deep, Be drie, and I will drie ap thy rivers. That sansh of Cynus. He is my sheepherd, and shall performe all my pleasure, even say Ifai.454237 X3 ing verf. 24. 2.56 |