2. They carry all before them. .... 543 8. They swell by opposition. . . . . 544
4. They are restless till they are emptied. . . 544
5. They increase in running. .... 544
6. They rest in their proper place. . . . 544
7. They constantly send up vapours. . . . 544 Five observations making way to the main point : —
1. There will be a second coming of Christ, more glorious
than the former. ..... 544
2. A Christian that hath true faith in the times to come,
will have answerable desires and prayers. . . 544
3. A gracious heart turns promises into desires and prayers. 545
4. The more assured one is of any thing, the more effectual
it makes him pray. .... 545
5. God's promises have gradual performances. . . 546 The sixth and main point —
• 6. It is the duty and disposition of a gracious heart to desire the glorious coming of Christ, and all his other comings, in way and order to this, as they make way for his last coming. .... 546
Reason 1. The Church is in want till then. . . 547
Reason 2. Our life is hid with Christ in God. . . 547
Reason 3. Christ is, in some sort, imperfect till then. . 547
Reason 4. Where the treasure is, there will the heart be. . 547
Reason 5. The members are carried to union with the Head. 547
Reason 6. By comparing it with glory here, in sundry par- ticulars. ...... 548
Reason 7. From tli 'tate of the church at the best in this world, in rugard of troubles without and corruptions within. ..... 549
contents. xi
Page Trials of our desires for the second coming of Christ : — Trial 1. Bv seeing what benefit we have by the first coming
of Christ. ...... 550
Trial 2. By our preparing for it. . . . . 550
Trial 3. Whether our hearts be in the kingdom of Christ
now. ...... 551
Trial 4. By our holy exercises. .... 551
Directions enabling us to utter this desire and prayer : — -
Direct. 1. Labour to be reconciled to God. . . 552
Direct. 2. Labour to grow in the new creature. ' . . 552
Direct. 3. Be sure to do what you do thoroughly and quickly. 552
Direct. 4. Take all advantages to help this desire and prayer,
from crosses and Satan. • , . . , 553
Two objections answered :—
Obj. 1. I find I am not so desirous of the coming of Christ
as I ought, ..... 554
Ohj. 2. But I desire to live still. .... 554
A pressing exhortation to long for the second coming of Christ, and from thence also to quicken ourselves in our Christian work. ....
A conclusion —
Upon the particular occasion, . .556
THE FAITHFUL COVENANTEE.
VOL. VI.
THE FAITHFUL COA^NANTER.
NOTE.
' The Faithful CoveEantcr' forms a portion of the miscellaneous sermons of ' Evan- gelical Sacrifices' (4to, 1640). Its separate title-page is given below.* For general title-page, see Vol. V. page 156. G.
* THE
FAITHFUL
COVENANTER.
In two Sermons upon Gen.
17. 7.
By
The late Learned and Reverend Divine,
Eicn. SiBBs:
Doctor in Divinity, M'^ of Katheeine Hall
in Cambridge, and sometimes Preacher
to the Honourable Society of
Geayes-Inne.
Nehe. 1. 5.
0 Lord God of heaven, the great and terrible God, that keepeth Covenant and mercy for them that Love him.
London,
Printed by E. Purslow, for N. Bourne, at the Eoy-
all Exchange, and R. Harford at the gilt
Bible in Qucenes head Alley, in Pater-
Noster-Eow, 16 3 9.
THE FAITHFUL COYENANTER.
/ will establish inij covenant betiveen me and thee, and thy seed after th"p, in their generations, for an everlastinrj covenant, to be a God to thee, and to thy seed after thee. — Gen. XVII. 7.
God having framed man an understanding creature, hath made him fit to have communion and intercourse with himself; because he can by his understanding discern that there is a better good out of himself, in com- munion and fellowship with which, happiness consists. Other creatures — wanting understanding to discern a better good out of than in themselves, their life being their good — desire only the continuance of their own being, without society and fellowship with others. But man, having the knowledge of God, the Creator of heaven and earth, but especially of God the Redeemer, providing for him a second being better than his first, under- standeth that his best and chiefest good dependeth more in him than in himself; and because his happiness standeth in acquaintance and fellow- ship with this God, which is the chief good, he desireth a communion with him, that he may partake of his good.
This communion and fellowship of man with God, was first founded on a covenant of woi-ks made with Adam in paradise. If he did obe}', and did not eat of the forbidden fruit, he should have life both for himself and his posterity ; the which covenant, because God would not have forgotten, he afterward renewed in the delivery of the ten commandments, requiring fi'om man obedience to them in his own person, exactly, at all times, per- petually : promising life on the obedience, and threatening death and cursing if he continued not in everything the law required to do. But this fellow- ship being placed in man's own freedom, and having so weak a foundation, he lost both himself and it, so that now by the first covenant of works, Adam and all his posteritj^ are under a curse ; for we cannot fulfil the law that requireth personal obedience, perfect obedience, and exact obedience. He that ' continueth not in all is cursed,' Gal. iii. 10. The law then findeth us dead and killeth us. It findeth us dead before, and not only leaves us dead still, but makes us more dead.