and a reasonable service Rom. 12. 1. Which works are acceptable to God upon the score of their being the gifts of GOD whereof he doth not repent Rom. 11. 29. but as such coronat Deus dona sua non merita nostra rewards them with a Crown of Righteousness 2 Tim. 4. 8. according to promise Jam. 1. 12. to shew himself a righteous judge by granting an Equivalent for the purchace of his Son. And here falls the conceit of meritoriousness of Works because they being no ways ours but Christ's and his holy Spirit 's within us can no more of themselves deserve Heaven than they could Redemption whose effects they are in order to the better fitting of us for that end thence via ad regnum Bern. for which we were pre-ordained by Grace Thus all things have their Off-spring from GOD and through him end in him not unlike to the periphery of a Circle the most perfect figure and sustaining its own self ending in the same point from which it began Of him through him to him are all things to him be glory for ever Rom. 11. 36. Fourthly After the Conditions follow the signs and seals of the Covenant In the first place Baptism a sign of initiation into the benefit of Christ's Death Burial and Resurrection Rom. 6. 3 4 5. for that we may put on Christ Gal. 3. 27. and even as water be united in one Body until the whole Church being by it and the word sanctified and cleansed Eph. 5. 26 27. we become an aggregate Christ 1 Cor. 11 12. The manner of its administration I will leave untoucht and straight proceed to the second sign viz. the Supper of the Lord which to be short for I have already gone beyond the limits of my Province is a visible sign of invisible grace purchased by the Sacrifice of Christ which to our comfort and for the sealing up of God's Promises it doth efficaciously represent to us To give an insight into the nature of it without launcing into the doleful Chaos of unnecessary and sometimes blasphemous Controversies about it I will only take notice of a passage amongst the Jews which if it should not clear the doubt will yet give some light to the lovers of truth 'T was therefore and is now a common Custom amongst the Jews for the chief of the Family after the eating of the Passover at their going to rest to take the unleavened-Unleavened-Bread and to distribute the same amongst his Houshold and after that Wine with that nicety that not one crum of the Bread nor one drop of Wine is to be left and this they do in remembrance of the Sacrifice of the Lamb and separately of its Body and Blood having no Temple wherein to offer as those that were at the standing of the Temple without Jerusalem could not and this they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whereupon Christ the true Passover-Lamb who was to bear the iniquity of the people and to take away the Sacrifice and the oblation by his Death following this Rite instituted his Sacrament by Bread and Wine and call'd it his Body and Blood in remembrance of his Passion and Death Lastly Upon this Covenant is grounded our hope of Resurrection Christ himself insists upon it Matth. 22. 31 32. I am the God of Abraham c. Here Christ puts the Sadducees in mind of God's Covenant grounded upon his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 3. 6 7 8. For if God be an Essentiator of Beings by way of a Covenant he cannot call himself an Essentiator of what is devoid of being If therefore God be a Jehova of Abraham c. it must be by making them existent for their upholding of the impression of that Covenant by which he is theirs If so the Patriarchs must be still existent after death since that after it God bears that denomination in reference to them a non Entity not being able to bear the stamp of an Entity as a shadow or nothing cannot represent the lineaments of a Seal Hence it proceeded as we mentioned before that at the day of annual propitiation this name was thrice not without a mystery put upon Israel Num. 6. 27. to remember them of God's Covenant and their Eternal Welfare To which all spiritual Israel being brought once at the Consummation of the World and Christ having finished his work shall lay down the Office of a Mediator and deliver the Kingdom to his Father that then being only conspicuous by his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and needing no further Covenanting he together with his Father may begin the period of an Everlasting Sabbath FINIS ERRATA PAge 4. line 27. add after and they p. 5. l. 2. for fooling read footing p. 18. l. 15. add after that is p. 21. l. 9. for liked read linked As for some Hebrew Letters the Ingenious Reader is able to perceive the Mistakes of himself GOD'S COVENANT
Enemy and he fought against them Esay 63. 10. May be you will say What had become then of the Law Answer It had been of the same use as it is now under the Gospel to them that rely not upon their own righteousness and abilities but upon those of Christ and what the Law is now to a Believer is a point sufficiently known However notwithstanding this unconsiderate ratifying of the Children of Jacob whereby on their side the Law got the name of a Covenant the mercy of God was of that tendency as not to forget the first Covenant under this Mosaical dispensation wherein consequently it exerted it self and was confirmed by so many Types and Sacrifices in some measure mitigating the rigour of the Law which it self also convincing the Israelites of their folly became to them at last by the forbearance of God grounded upon future Redemption Rom. 3. 24 25. A Schoolmaster Gal. 3. 24. Thus divinely St. Paul And this I say unto you that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disannul that it should make the promise of none effect Gal. 3. 17. God's promise was of longer date and a greater consequence being grounded upon the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the ratifying of his Son than the presumptuous ratihabition of the Law by the Children of Israel who in a manner had annul'd the promise by setting up their own righteousness instead of God's Rom. 10. 3. as if they had not stood in need of a Saviour and a Mediator and therefore it would stand notwithstanding the Idol of Self-performance here it is observable by the bye that the Apostle terms the one a Law and the other a Covenant And the regret of their former proceeding with God is clearly set forth in many passages of the holy Volume but one may serve for all and that is Esay 64. 6. We are all as an unclean thing and all our righteousness are as filthy rags c. Whereupon is renewed the Promise under the name of a righteous branch of David which should be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The LORD Jehova our Righteousness Jer. 23. 6. It was no longer We shall do whatever the Lord commands but JEHOVA the name of Grace on which the Covenant was grounded should be their Righteousness He was shortly to display the Banner of Salvation and by the shade thereof cover the iniquities not only of Israel but of all the World as being made unto it Wisdom Sanctification and Redemption as well as Righteousness for that he that glorieth may glory only in the Lord 1 Cor. 1. 30 31. GOD therefore having entred upon a Covenant with his Son rejecting all other Sacrifices and satisfactions as no way commensurate to his person and justice Sacrifice thou wouldst not and accepting of his Son's blood for Man's iniquity did pour down upon the elect GRACE in order to their Salvation And the whole Tract of administring the same after supposed and accepted of satisfaction of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called the Covenant of Grace as Christ upon that same account is called FAITH Gal. 3. 23. By Grace you are saved through Faith Eph. 2. 8. And of his fullness have all we received GRACE NB. for GRACE Joh. 1. 6. The benefit whereof derived on Mankind is in the first place Adoption whereby we are declared to be the Sons of God Joh. 1. 12. and joint heirs with Christ Rom. 8. 17. and that from the foundation of the World Eph. 1. 4 5 14. manifested in the fullness of time by taking away the curse of the Law Gal. 4. 4 5 6 7. This adoption was first adumbrated in the Children of Israel when GOD delivered them from the bondage of Egypt and called them his Son Hosea 11. 1. only in Christ if the Son therefore make you free you shall be free in deed Joh 8. 36. For which reason this same passage though mystically grounded on another is applied to our Saviour Matth. 2. 15. for that as the Egyptians were the first Enemies of the Israelites that kept them in bondage and subjection so Sathan was the first Enemy of Mankind and they in his servitude out of which they were freed by this Angel of the Covenant whereupon by an intervening sojourning of the Israelites and of Christ in Egypt and by their return to Canaan the Head and the Members composing one spiritual Body are call'd a Son I call'd my Son out of Egypt And such like Emperichoresies are often found in Scripture as for instance that of JESUS Saul Saul Why dost thou persecute me And as this adoption was represented in the Children of Israel so it was afterwards extended to all the believing Rom. 8. 23. there being no difference 1 Cor. 7. 19. And this gives us the confidence of calling God Abba Secondly Justification wherein a Sinner in himself is by God the Father proclaimed just Rom. 4. 5. upon the score of Christ's satisfaction purfuant to the Covenant Isa 53. 11. Wherein the first condition of the Covenant viz. Faith is a hand applying to our Souls the merit of our Redeemer Rom. 3. 24 25. and whereby God shews himself just in standing to his Covenant after the appeasing of his wrath by the blood of the Mediator That he might be just Rom. 3. 26. and Christ shews himself righteous in performing what was stipulated for the taking off of Man's Iniquity My righteous servant shall justifie many Whereby By his knowledge ibid. which is believing in him Rom. 3. 26. expressed to the life by the Lord Joh. 17. 3. And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true GOD and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent The whole process and accomplishment whereof equally glorifieth the Father and the Son Father the hour NB. is come glorifie thy Son that thy Son also may glorifie thee Joh. 17. 1. through the truth v. 19. kept on both sides pursuant to the everlasting paction v. 22 23 24. upon which account GOD the Father after Christ's Prayer for the ratification of the approaching Work is by him called the Righteous Father by which Righteousness Christ was raised from the dead Hebr. 13. 20. for our justification Rom. 4. 25. Thirdly Thence ariseth Sanctification Christ of GOD is made unto us sanctification 1 Cor. 1. 30. whereby is not only understood the segregation from all things common but also a separation from all sinful acts by the spirit of God 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 Thess 4. 3 4. And here the second condition of the Covenant of Grace hath place viz. Repentance Mark 1. 15. By this Repentance a Believer becomes a new Creature Gal. 6. 15. renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him Col. 3. not after him by whom he was deceived you shall know In righteousness and true holiness Eph. 4. 23. presenting for the blood of the dead and unreasonable Creatures a living Sacrifice
3. upon the res substrata the mystical meaning involved in this Veil which the LXX might also have hinted at For the piercing or boring the Ear with an Awl was of Mosaical Institution for such Israelites who having served six Years with their Brethren Masters were willing to continue in that state of servitude till Death had freed them Deut. 17. 16 17. By which piercing of an Ear the Israelite Servant took upon him as it were a new political body whereof being thus inaugurated he could not be divested till the period of his Earthly Life So that this is the true reason why the LXX and greater than them the Apostle as being the immediate Penman of the Holy Ghost rendred the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by fitted and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Metonymically by body especially the promised Messiah not only taking upon him the seed of Abraham Hebr. 2. 16. In the shape of a servant Phil. 2. 7. whence he is called a righteous servant Isai 53. 11. with all due attendance to the Word of God piercing his Ears to preach righteousness Psal 40. 9. but being also the Word which becoming flesh Joh. 1. 14. had pierced them To pass by the mystery taken from six years labour and an entrance upon servitude at the beginning of the seventh to denote the time of God's Promise concerning the Seed Gen. 2. at the brink of the seventh day when God having put an end to the work of Creation rested upon that of Redemption through the agreement of his righteous servant in order to the purchasing of that rest which remaineth to the people of God Hebr. 4. 9. I have to my small capacity clear'd the Text with all possible brevity not willing to enlarge upon what the Holy Ghost hath by the hand of the holy Apostle convey'd to the Church for a Truth And though I be not so far a Pythagorean or rather a nice Cabalist as to espouse the numbers for undoubted verities yet when mystical predictions calculated with event suggest such like observations I judge it an office of every Christian as well for their own comfort as to invite the curious whom Grace hath endowed with more critical Wits in order to a narrower search to lay hold on them no ways letting slip the opportunity of admiring the supream wisdom which hath thus liked All in numero pondere mensura in number weight and measure But now to the matter God who is a Being by way of Excellency and by reason of the inseparable goodness from his Essence is Communicative willing to display his Power and Wisdom resolved to Create the World over which he thought fit to set a Ruler as well as a Beholder And because the Universe was to be material the Ruler of it was to participate of matter But moreover for the contemplating of its decency and order he was to be indued with a Mind able to admire and to adore the supream Architect 1 Cor. 6. 20. whom as he could not suppose corporeal at least for the immensity of his unsupported Work Job 38. 6. so he could not apprehend him as such without having something of immateriality within him This Ruler therefore was to be MAN and to be created after the Image of his Maker Gen. 1. and to consist of Body and Soul Gen. 2. 7. He was to live for ever by the natural means of the Tree of Life which was able to continue his vigour under God if so be he would stand to his prescript nor was any consequence of Nature able to usher death upon him whilst obedient else destruction should accost him and he perish Gen. 2. 17. But again as his goodness would and his power could accomplish so his wisdom that knew how to contrive the project loquimut humano more did foresee the flexibleness and frailty of the material part of Man by a natural drift to things inviting even forbidden Ja. 1. 13 15. and that the Soul which was to restrain the body and its sensitive Appetites should by the suggestion of Sathan who was to fall before Man yield to them as having a power that it might not not that it should not exorbitate in a sinless capacity of sinning and thereby draw upon it self not only everlasting confusion but also for a punishment be for the future subject to what it was to command GOD in his Justice whose Eyes are purer than to behold Sin did in his predetermination condemn Man for Sin which he had foreseen and consequently concluding all his Posterity under the same guilt Rom. 3. 9. Gal. 3. 21. condemn'd them also for it Rom. 1. 8. By the by I quote these Scriptures for that there is nothing comes to pass in time which hath not been in the Idea of GOD from Everlasting Thus a Man being ideally come to nothing before he was something the second person of the most holy Trinity out of a meer compassion to so noble a Creature in the production of whom he was if I may say so to be instrumental Psal 33. 6. Joh. 1. 3. enters upon a Covenant with his Father and for making an atonement since no other sacrifice would do condescends to the taking upon him the humane nature therein to take away the guilt of the future Man and his Posterity by offering up his own self a Sacrifice Rom. 2. 2 24 25. and by becoming a Mediator between God and Man Gal. 3. 19 20. The ratification whereof on both sides was grounded upon the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Exod. 6. 3. Rev. 1. 8. to which in token of approbation the Father added an Oath The LORD hath sworn and will not repent Thou art a Priest for ever after the order of Melchizedeck Psal 110. 4. by two immutable things viz. his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and his oath to ratifie his acceptance of that paction for the comfort of such who from the Snares of Sathan should fly to it for a refuge and lay hold of the hope set before them Hebr. 6. 18. And the Son on the other side declared his readiness to stand to his stipulation by a present compliance Lo I am to do thy will O GOD Hebr. 10. 9. Hence it proceeded that this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the custom of the Israelites was only once in a year at the day of propitiation pronounced by the chief Priest at the solemn blessing of the people Num. 6. 24 25. Here is the true order of the Covenant betwixt God the Father and his Son Jesus in order to our Salvation on which depends that Grace whereby we are saved and the administration whereof to us in Christ is called the Covenant by way of excellency and more significantly the COVENANT of GRACE From hence it is that it is called the everlasting Covenant none in order to the effecting of Gods final purpose before it none after it Hebr. 13. 20. through the blood of the everlasting Covenant hence it is that the
second person of the Deity is called the lamb slain from the foundation of the World wherewith he was invested by his forerunner Joh. 1. 29. yea hence it is that he is termed the first-born of the dead Apoc. 1. 5. for that Adam and all in him were dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nor could hope for Life until the Seed was promised to a dead 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who after that was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Mother of all living as being the primitive Mother of the LORD of life and by him a restorer of the plenitude of Angels some of which being fallen and dead in trespass upon Mans creation that was to recrute the number drew him and embroyl'd him in the same crime they were guilty off and made him dead also Which again was adumbrated in Isaac born by promise out of Sarah when her Wom◠and Abraham's body were dead Rom. 4. 19. on which point demonstratively insists the enlightned Apostle Gal. 3. and clears it Ephes 2. 6. God when we were dead in sins hath quickned us NB. together with Christ in our first and second resurrection adding immediately By GRACE you are saved Thus the LORD cuts off all occasion of boasting and therefore would never enter on his own accord upon a Covenant with a meer Man for that a meer Man could never draw a parallel to the justice of God by reason of his meer natural abilities before the fall and meer sinfulness after it Therefore GOD hath set forth his own SON by mutual agreement a propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through his forbearance that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus Rom. 3. 25 26. As therefore there was an arithmetical proportion betwixt the Father and the Son betwixt the claim of God's Justice and Christ's satisfaction so the purchace of redemption was answerably to the mutual Covenant a tie for GOD to declare himself just by justifying them that laid hold on his Son's satisfaction discharging in full the demand and by an overplus ushering in Grace for the benefit of them that were included in this Covenant under condition of Faith and Repentance And the Redeemer shall come to Zion and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob saith the LORD As for me here GOD declares himself just in performing his Promise to Christ concerning his Seed Esay 53. 10. after redemption As for me saith the LORD this is my Covenant with them my spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the LORD from henceforth and for ever Esay 59. 20 21. Here after the atonement by Redemption followeth Faith my words c. Deut. 31. 14. Rom. 10. 8 9. and Repentance to them that turn from transgression And thence the relyance of the faithful on this satisfaction is synecdochically call'd a Covenant Psal 50. 5. comp with Psal 40. as before as sometimes because of the mutual interweaving of mystical affairs the whole body of the Church is call'd Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. This Covenant was from the beginning of the Creation variously adumbrated even to the Angels before the Creation of Man which I modestly conceive and submit to the censure of the Church when the morning stars sung together and all the Sons of God shouted for joy Job 30. 7. seeing by God's intimation that that Man who was to be created and assaulted yea seduced by the Devil their former Companion and now an unhappy Rebel and Enemy should be rescued by the Son of God their head and should be brought to that condition though the manner of it was hidden to them as yet they under him were in And here the Battel between Michael and the Dragon presents it self Apoc. 12. both for the rescuing of the Woman whom Sathan was to persecute and for maintaining the body of Moses viz. the Sacrifices typifying Christ for the comfort of the Believers until he came Jud. 9. Whereupon the Heavens rejoice and they that dwell in them Rev. 12. 12. From which period the second person of the Deity was often after call'd an Angel of God's Countenance and emphatically an Angel of the Covenant I will not be bold yet it is not against the analogy of Faith to think that the Cherubim likewise standing at the entrance of Paradise after Man's banishment was the second person of the Deity by his flaming Sword his Word Hebr. 4. 12 14. to undeceive him of all he could presume of the earthly Tree of Life in order to his full relying upon the promised Seed which only was the way the truth and the life After the actual fall of Adam this Covenant of God was represented in the promised Seed Gen. 3. and Christ's satisfaction in Sacrifices until his coming at which by one offering he was to perfect for ever them that are segregated Hebr. 10. 14. Afterwards it was intimated to Abraham with intermixt additions about the Land of Canaan Gen. 15. 17. everywhere on Man's side the conditions of Faith and Repentance though under several Etymologies being annexed Then it was to be renewed with the Children of Israel Exod. 19. 5. and that this transaction should have been a Covenant of Grace in the promised Messiah appeareth by God's Message to his people If you keep my Covenant that is the same that was intimated to Abraham according to Deut. 29. 13. then you shall be a peculiar people c. comp with 1 Pet. 2. 9. But what saith the people to it They did not proceed so orderly as Abraham who believed God's abilities above his own and it was counted to him for righteousness Gen. 15. 6. afterwards manifesting his Faith by walking before the LORD and being perfect Gen. 17. 1. but presently ratifies it by a promise of Self-performance All that the LORD hath spoken we will do Exod. 19. 8 24. 13. placing their Works afore their Faith and their own righteousness before that of God and Christ Rom. 9. 31 32. whereby they sinned against God and tyed themselves by their ratihabition to the rigour of the Law under the brandishing of a Curse Cursed be he that confirmeth N.B. not all the words of this Law to do them Deut. 27. 26. And this is the chief reason why they are said to have vexed or made sad the holy spirit of the Angel of presence who in his love and pity had redeemed them and bare them and carried them all the days of old Gen. 48. 16. and now was willing to make them feel the fruit of the Covenant between him and his Father without an impending curse had they but relyed on his and not their own ability had they required the spirit of Grace and not boasted of natural self-performance In desault whereof he turn'd their