ator; who died, not to vacate or annul, by his death, the inheritance; for, "he is alive for evermore," Rev. i. 18; but to seal the promises, and acquire for his people a right to the inheritance. Hence the blood which he shed is called "the blood of the testament," Zech. ix. 11, Matt. xxvi. 28.

the testa

ment.

XXIX. The goods or blessings bequeathed by this The goods of testament, are of all others the most excellent: as became, 1st, The riches and liberal bounty of our heavenly Father, from whom we may expect so extraordinary goods or blessings, which neither eye hath seen, nor ear heard, nor hath entered into the heart of man to conceive any like them, 1 Cor. ii. 9. Concerning this the Psalmist deservedly sings, "O how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!" Ps. xxxi. 19. 2dly, The glory of our elder brother, whose joint heirs we are, Rom. viii. 17, and who glories in his heritage, Ps. xvi. 6. 3dly, As became that dignity to which God hath raised us, having adopted us for his sons! for to them he gives "great and precious promises, 2 Pet. i. 4. Did we minutely prosecute these points, we should write a large volume: at present we will reduce the whole to three principal heads.

world.

XXX. The first is the possession of the whole 1. Possession world: for, it was promised to Abraham, and his of the whole seed, that they should be "heirs of the world," Rom. iv. 13. On which place let us hear the commentary of Ludovicus de Dieu: "As sin, by separating us from God, and subjecting us to his curse, banished and disinherited us, so that we have no spiritual right or dominion, as became sons of God, over the meanest creature; so, on the other hand, when God becomes our God, and we his blessed people, we are restored, as sons, to the right and dominion of all our paternal inheritance and seeing there is nothing besides God and the world, we are made heirs of the world, both the earthly, the heavenly; the present, and the world to come." When God introduced Adam into the habitable earth, he constituted him lord of the world, and gave him a right and claim to use the rest of the creatures for his own advantage, Gen. i. 28. But Adam, by his sin, lost that right; so that neither himself nor any of his posterity, while in a state of sin, have any true and spiritual right, which can stand in the court of heaven, to touch any creature. But Christ has made a new purchase of it, for himself and his brethren. Ps. viii. 6. Whence, 1 Cor. iii. 21, "all things are yours ;" and among these all things, the world is mentioned, ver. 22, and whatever is in it, "things present and things to come. For," adds the apostle, ver. 23, "ye are Christ's."

The reason

of this explained.

XXXI. Now this possession of the world consists in these following things: 1st, That every son of God does possess so much of the good things of this world, as the wisdom of his heavenly Father has ordained, to be so sufficient for the support of his animal life, that his spiritual may suffer no detriment, and that he truly possess it in such a manner, as, in the use and enjoyment thereof, he may taste the love of his Father bestowing that upon him as an earnest of a far better good, and of his elder brother who became poor that his people might be rich, 2 Cor. viii. 9. This love of God the Father and of Christ, when added to the least crumb of bread or drop of cold water, makes these preferable in the highest degree to all the most exquisite dainties of the rich of this world: "a little that a righteous man hath, is better than the riches of many wicked," Ps. xxxvii. 16. 2dly, That all the creatures ought to serve them as steps, by which to ascend to the Creator. For in all of them they view, as in a bright mirror, his adorable perfections, Ps. civ. 24, and in that meditation they exult, Ps. xcii. 4, 5. Above all, they perceive in them the love of God towards them. When they view the sun, the moon, the stars, they rejoice, that their Father has lighted up so many tapers for them, by the light of which they may perform what becomes the sons of God: nor do they less admire this, than if every one had his own sun, or his own moon, shining upon him. Neither do they exceed the bounds of decency, Ps. viii. 3, 4, when they think, that the world remains in its present state on their account, and that the wicked are indebted to them for this: for the holy seed is the substance (support) of the world, Isa. vi. 13. 3dly, That all the creatures, and the whole government of God about them, "may work together for their good," Rom. viii. 28. This is so extensive, that both angels and devils are obliged to this service: as to angels, are they not ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Heb. i. 14; Ps. xxxiv. 7; and Ps. xci. 11. And with respect to that infernal spirit, the teacher of arrogance, was he not constrained, by his buffetings, in spite of himself, and acting from a different view, to teach Paul humility? 2 Cor. xii. 7. 4thly, If this world, which is subjected to vanity because of sin, shall not suffice them; from its ashes, when perished, God is to form another; to make "a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness," 2 Pet. iii. 13. There is none of these things, which may not be included in that general promise of the inheritance of the world.

2. A spiritual

XXXII. The second good thing in this testament is kingdom. a spiritual kingdom: "I appoint unto you a kingdom,' Luke xxii. 29. To which, even the most despicable of the children of God in other respects, even man-servants and

maid-servants, are called: "Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom, which he hath promised to them that love him?" James ii. 5. To this belong, 1. The excellency of the sons of God, whereby they surpass all other men, Prov. xii. 26. 2. Victory over sin, and the unruly lusts of the flesh, to which kings themselves and the most dreaded tyrants are subject and enslaved, Rom. vi. 14, 18. 3. The bruising of Satan under their feet, Rom. xvi. 20. 4. Triumph over a whole conquered world, for, notwithstanding its rage, they shall be for ever saved, 1 John v. 4, 5. 5. Inestimable riches of spiritual gifts, Ps. xlv. 9, even in the midst of poverty, Rev. ii. 9. 6. Holy peace of soul and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. xiv. 17. All these begin here in grace, and shall be consummated hereafter in glory.

3. God him-"

XXXIII. The third benefit is God himself, Rom. viii. 17: "Heirs of God." Here is a mutual inherit- self. ance; believers are God's portion, and God is their portion, for these are made reciprocal, Jer. x. 16: "The portion of Jacob is the former of all things, and Israel is the rod (tribe) of his inheritance." In this possession of God, his children find, 1. Protection against every evil, Ps. xci. 2: "I will say of the Lord, he is my refuge and my fortress." Why? "He is my God, in whom I will trust." See Ps. xxvii. 1, 2; Isa. xliii. 2, 3. 2. Communication of every good, Ps. xxxvi. 7. For, first, all that infinity of perfections which are in God himself, will appear glorious and admirable in the children of God, and be enjoyed by them to complete their consummate happiness. And what can the soul desire beyond that infinity? Ps. lxxiii. 25. Secondly, What will not God give those, to whom he gives himself? 1 Cor. iii. 22, 23.

The stipula

testament.

In general.

XXXIV. There are no proper stipulations in this testament, if considered in its whole extent, together tions of the with all its promises; for it consists of absolute and mere promises, which depend on no condition, to be performed in our own strength. Yet Divine Providence hath so disposed every particular in it, as to have a certain and wise order among themselves, and the practice of the former benefits, which are promised, is to pave the way for the possession of further blessings. We have at large treated of this, chap. i., sect. x., seq. of this book. To which I now add the words of Ames, in his Coronis ad Collationem Hagicensem, Art. v. c. 2: "The whole of the disposition hath the nature of a testament, as considered simply, either in the whole or its parts; but if the

* Faith, repentance, and the like, are blessings promised in this testament, and the practice or exercise of these makes way for the possession of the eternal kingdom.

benefits bequeathed are compared together, then one bears to the other the relation, as it were, of a condition."

More parti

XXXV. In the same books, therefore, in which the cularly. testament is contained, God commanded, that whoever would take comfort from the promised inheritance, should, 1st, Love, search into, meditate upon, and keep in his heart the writings exhibiting the testament, as no contemptible part of his inheritance, Deut. xxxii. 4; nay, esteem them beyond his necessary food, Job xxiii. 12, Deut. vi. 6. 2dly, Highly value, as it deserves, the promised inheritance. 1. That he hunger and thirst after it, and be satisfied with nothing short of it, Matt. v. 6. 2. Reckon all other things, in comparison thereof, as dross and dung, Phil. iii. 8. Most readily part with every thing, in order to procure this pearl of inestimable value, Matt. xiii. 46. 3. Glorify God for the greatness of his love, Ps. xxxi. 19. 4. Diligently keep what he has received, Rev. ii. 25, iii. 11. 3dly, So walk, as becometh his condition, and the expectation of so great an inheritance, 1 Thess. ii. 12, 1 John iii. 3. 4thly, Be ready to impart to his brethren what he has received from his Father, both in temporals and spirituals, Rom. xii. 13, 1 Thess. ii. 8. And endeavour that others also may be brought to enter on the same inheritance with himself, Acts xxvi. 29. For none suffers any loss for the numbers that partake with him he has rather an additional pleasure, his joy being greatly heightened from the abundance of love.

:

END OF VOL. I.

J. Haddon, Castle Street, Finsbury.