Works though in its execution and application it cometh after and presupposeth the breaking of it As a healing balsam may be prepared before the wound is made and a salve before there be a sore although the applying thereof be afterward So the Covenant of grace was made from Eternity not actually with us in our own persons but with Jesus Christ for us as our great Feoffee in trust though we then were unborn and had not a being Corol. 7. Hence the whole contrivement of the Covenant of grace must be ascribed to God alone seeing it was from all Eternity No creature was then existing to have any hand or stroke therein there was none to counsel advise or perswade this way It was conceived in the heart and bosome of God and none but he had to do in the concluding of it and so he is alone to be magnified and extolled therein A Christian as one transported may cry out on this account as Isa 25. 1. O Lord I will exalt thee for thou hast done wonderful things thy Counsels of old are faithfulness and truth Now there is no room for our boasting nothing to be ascribed to our selves God alone is to be admired in Covenant grace seeing it was working towards as from all Eternity 2 Tim. 1. 9. It is said to be not according to our Works The Eternity of our mercy is exclusive of our duty as any cause of his affording of it This putteth a glory upon Covenant grace and love that it is antient before the world began Corol. 8. Hence there is stability is Covenant mercies seeing that compact which giveth assurance thereof was from all Eternity Saith he Psal 25. 6. Remember O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindnesses Why For they have been ever of old The antientness thereof is a good argument to urge for the obtainment of them We may have hope to receive what the Lord was so early determined to give out 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God standeth sure The apostasie of eminent professors is a great temptation unto many sincere Christians they are apt to say If such glistering shining Stars fall good Lord how shall we stand But to help against it he telleth us the foundation that is stedfast firm unmoveable it standeth sure by the Covenant of grace they are granted to Jesus Christ from all Eternity 2 Tim. 1. 9. Such eternal acts of God are firm and stable abiding for ever will secure against defection or falling away Satan shall never utterly prevail against them grace shall never utterly be overthrown or extinguished Having this Seal the Lord knoweth them that are his He hath set his mark upon them and where ever they be he can distinguish them from the world as he knoweth them by number so also by mark or scal and when he maketh up his jewels not one of them which are his shall be wanting Corol. 9 Hence there is a bottom of consolation for all that are within the Covenant of grace in that it was established from all Eternity O how may it fill them with comfort that their salvation standeth by an eternal act of God that cannot be revealed altered or changed yea by a Covenant act wherein the fai hfulness of God â—s ingaged for the affording of it even by the Fathers gift How often doth Jesus Christ mention them as given to him Joh. 6. 37 39. Joh. 17. 2 9 12. as if he delighted and gloried in or boasted of this giving act How may this secure them gainst all fears of everlasting miscarrying that they are given to Jesus Christ from all Eternity For he will never forseit his Fathers gifts nor displease him so as he should withdraw them from him they will be gifts without Repentance This eternal act will never be recalled which may make for their everlasting Consolation CHAP. VI. Of the Old and New Covenant what they are and how distinct HAving cleared the Covenant of Grâ—â— as to the transactions between the Father and the Son from Eternity as to the first revelations of its grace to the Patriarchâ— as Abraham and David c. before the incarnation wherein the great thing promised was that blessed Seed so as alâ— blessings were to be expected only in him We now come to consider First that Dispensation which held forth the way and means whereby Jesus Christ came under our obligation and by answering of it confirmed the Covenant of Grace and this is contained in the Old Covenant made at mount Sinai Secondly that Dispensation whereby the special blessings and priviledges which an the issue of his obedience are imparted to us and this is the New Covenant The Apostle compareth these together iâ— diverse Chapters in the Epistle to the Hâ—brews and saith of Jesus Christ Heb. 8. He obtained a more excellent Ministry by bâ— much also he is the Mediator of a better Covenant Which implies that there is another Testament viz. that at mount Sinai when they came out of Egypt ver 9. which the Aaronical Priesthood appeartained to that is worse but it is the excellency of Jesus Christ that his ministration is conversant about a better Testament that hath the pre-eminence on this account as being established upon better promises And the opposition is not laid between the Covenant of Works as with the first Adam and the New Covenant but between that at Sinai and the New The word for Covenant is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Testament it noteth a disposition or declaration by way of Will or Promise and may be the act of one or more Indeed the Hebrew word Berith is used Jer. 31. 31 32. and the same expressed by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 8. v. 8 9 10. But the Apostle intimated that a Testamentary disposition is intended by it Gal. 3. 15 17. As if Jesus Christ by fulfilling the condition of the Covenant of grace had turned it into a Testament the blessings of it being now legacies absolutely promised to us in the New It will be necessary here to inquire what is the worse Covenant and what is this better Testament which is compared with it Answ 1. The worse Covenant is that Conditional Divine grant of blessings upon the obedience required in the Law of Moses Or that Old Covenant which was made amount Sinai This is undoubtedly it which is compared with the other For it is that which the Levitical Priesthood did belong to which the Priesthood of Christ is compared with as is manifest Heb. 7 and 8 and 9. Chapters It is that Covenant which the Lord made with the Fathers in the day when he took them by the hand to lead them out of the Land of Egypt Heb. 8. vers 9. And therefore undeniably it was the Sinai Covenant for then that was made with them Exod. 19. vers 1 2 3 4 5. c. In the third moneth when the Children of Israel were gone out of the Land of Egypt the same day they came to the
performance the Apostle telleth them the least sin would lay them under the curse yea they thereby would frustrate and make void to themselves the whole undertaking of Jesus Christ so as they should have no profit or advantage by him Gal. 5. vers 2. 4. The Lord exacted perfect obedience without any abatement in order to Eternals it was a strict Covenant of works there But as to Temporals it was otherwise although these were promised in the Sinai Covenant upon condition of Israels perfect obedience yet when there was coming short of it and so a forfeiting them yet there was provision made for the forgiveness of many sins so as the Lord would not take the forfeiture or deal with them upon such strict terms as in the Covenant of Works for in case they duly offored sacrifices they should not lose their temporal mercies and thus it was an administration with some grace in it unto Israel This appeareth these ways 1. The Laws and Ordinances for the Publick worship of God among the Children of Israel were contained in the Sinai Covenant as part of its Condition and therefore it did belong to the administration of the Covenant of grace there is a description of the Tabernacle which was for the worship of God Exod. 26. and in Levitieus many sacrifices and services are required of the Children of Israel burnt offerings trespass offerings peace offerings c. and the Rules and directions left by the Lord must be exactly pursued by them in their several places at their utmost peril that they die not or be not cut off Exod. 28. vers 35. 30. vers 20 21 33. Levit. 7. vers 21 25 27. 15. vers 31. 16. vers 2 13. 17. vers 4 9. and many others The Lord would never so punctually have laid out the way of his worship if he had not intended that Israel should find acceptation in keeping close to him in those his appointments The free-will offering must be brought to the door of the Tabernacle Lev. 1. vers 3 4. and it shall be accepted for him i. e. for him that bringeth it he shall have acceptance with the Lord to some end and many of those ceremonial services are said to be for a sweet savour unto the Lord Lev. 4. vers 31. 6. vers 15. 23. vers 18. which implyeth their acceptation with God in those acts of worship at least to the affording promised temporals and so speak their appertaining to the administration of the Covenant of grace for sinners cannot be accepted but in that way of grace in any service yea the Lord owned them with eminent tokens of his presence when they duly acted therein Lev. 9. vers 23. The glory of the Lord appeared unto all the people 2. Israels obedience was not to be that righteousness which was the procuring cause of those temporal blessings promised in the Sinai Covenant and therefore that was an administration of grace the procurement even of those was by the righteousness of another by the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ and therefore of grace In the Covenant of Works man might have expected blessings for his own obedience but it is otherwise in the Sinai dispensation Deut 9. vers 4 5 6. Speak not thou in thy heart saying for my righteousness the Lord hath brought me in to possess this Land but for the wickedness of these Nations the Lord doth drive them out from before thee and again vers 5. Not for thy righteousness or the uprightness of thy heart c. and a third time vers 6. The sruition of Canaan was a great mercy promised in the Sinai Covenant and with what vehemency doth the Lord deny that it was afforded for the righteousness of Israel three times over he doth inculcate this and therefore they must needs have it in a way of grace and favour 3. There is an intimation in the Sinai Covenant of a provision made against the sins and transgressions of persons under it and therefore it was an administration of grace for a Covenant of Works revealeth no relief or succour in case of sinning nothing but death and a divine course is there to be expected Gen. 2. 17. But it was otherwise in the Sinai Covenant the Children of Israel came exceedingly short of the obedience required therein yet behold divine indulgence even in the bowels of that very Covenant there is pardoning mercy represented in the ceremonial Law thus in case the Priest the Rulers and the whole Congregation or any of the common people became guilty of sins through ignorance against any of the Commandments of the Lord there was a sin offering provided Levit. 4. throughout and pursuing the directions therein it is said they shall be forgiven vers 20 26 31 35. so in case of sinning wittingly there were trespass offerings Levit. 6. Also there were days of attonement and many washings all which intimated that the Lord would not deal with them in a way of strict justice according to the rigor of a Covenant of Works and therefore that was to Israel a ministration of grace Indeed Israel had stood under an impossibility of reaping any temporal blessings by the Sinai Covenant if they had been held strictly by the Lord to the condition of perfect obedience without any way to be freed from their sin for Israel could never have answered the condition of it and so would have missed and come short of all the good of it and consequently this Covenant for temporal blessings would have been vain and useless which were an impeachment to the wisdom of God the maker of it to assert there must therefore be grace in it 4. Considerations of mercy are made great inducements to the obedience of Israel in the Sinai Covenant and therefore it was an administration of grace to them A Covenant of Works runneth upon perfect obedience as the condition of it urgeth duty in a way of Justice as in that with Adam in innocency the inforcement to obedience was primarily the danger of failing thereof viz. dying thou shalt die Gen. 2. vers 17. Or on the other hand the hope of a reward of debt Adam perfectly obeying the Lord in justice would be obliged to afford what he had promised Whereas in the Sinai Covenant a grand motive and provocation to Israels obedience was mercy in the very preface to the Decalogue Exod. 20. vers 2. I am the Lord thy God that noteth Covenant interest in him a choice mercy to a sinful people which brought thee out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage there was mercy in their redemption and this is mentioned to urge their observation of the following Commandments vers 3 4 c. so that covenant mercy and redeeming mercy are grand arguments unto Israels obedience in this Sinai Covenant and therefore there was grace in that ministration Likewise Deut. 27. ver 9 10. Thou are become the people of the Lord thy God here is their
the first saving gift of God Christ and the Promises go together There are special marks of distinction whereby persons in Covenant are differenced from the World which agree to none that are out of Christ Heb. 9. 15. they are called ones that receive the Promise Abraham that famous Covenanter was not actually so till the time of his effectual calling from thence the four hundred and thirty years do commence which give the first date to the Covenant or Promise as made with him Gen. 12. Gal. 3. 17. not from the day of his Nativity much less from Eternity although then he was an Elect Vessel by becoming Christs men become Abrahams Seed and Heirs of Promise ver 9. 14 26 29. So the New Covenant runneth to the House of Israel and Judah Heb. 8 13. and none are the spiritual Israel for Life and Salvation till in him Rom. 2. 28 29. Till then they are so far from a Covenant state which is of Life Peace Mercy Salvation Mal. 25. Isa 54. 10. and 55. 3. Luk. 1. 71 72. Rom. 11. 26 27. That they are declared to be in an opposite state they are at enmity dead in trespasses and sins and children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2. 1 2 3 5 8 15 16. Col. 1 21. This may appear further by an enumeration of the principal blessings of the New Covenant it is promised there that he will write his Law in their hearts and be to them a God Heb. 8. 10. but till in Christ they are without God in the World Ephes 2. 12. The greatest difficulty is as to the great priviledge of Pardon or Remission of sin under which the whole of Justification is signified Heb. 8. 10 12. Rom. 11. 27. Some think that we are justified from Eternity others at the death of Christ but actual personal Justification of a sinner before God is at his union with Jesus Christ and the gift of Faith not before For 1. None are actually interested in the righteousness of Jesus Christ before union with him and the gift of Faith it is he that is made unto us righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21. if without Christ then without his righteousness Rom. 5. 18. By the righteousness of one upon all unto Justification of Life none therefore ever attain Justification without a righteousness For it consisteth in a Divine declaration of a persons being righteous and if he were not so it were a false Sentence which is incompatible to the true God Neither will a righteousness of his own working out though by the help of Grace serve for this end of Justification but of that one Jesus Christ hence ver 19. By the obedience of one many are made righteous As his suffering and death did make satisfaction for sin so his obedience is a righteousness meriting blessings even Eternal Life ver 21. and it is called the righteousness of Faith Phil. 3. 9. that being a means for our application of that righteousness which is given Rom. 3. 22 25 26. Not that Faith is the meritorious procuring cause of our Justification it hath not the same causality therein that Jesus Christ hath No more is required to the release of our obligation it self than what the Law by which we are obliged doth exact which is satisfaction as to Duty and Penalty the solution thereof was by Jesus Christ alone but more is required partly to make way for this viz. a compact or new Covenant concerning it without which all sufferings by another had been of no advantage to us partly as a means of application viz. Faith Rom. 10. 10. with the heart man believeth unto i. e. as a means unto righteousness and hence Justification is often said to be by Faith Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 5. 1. And the Question then was not how are men manifested and declared in their own Consciences to be justified but how are they justified before God and in his fight and that is not before but by Faith Gal. 3. 11. The scope of the Apostle Rom. 4. is to prove that we are justified by Faith and the righteousness thereof and not by works of the Law without cause of glorying ver 2. from the instances of Abraham and David ver 3. for what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness and ver 6. David deseribeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without Works And here note Pardon of sin is not the whole of Justification there is also necessary unto that end a righteousness if it were of our own working out then we were justified and saved by our own works which the Scripture generally denyeth this were to confound Justification and Sanctification as if Jesus Christ only satisfied for the sins and defects of a righteousness which we perform so as that is accepted unto Life whereas it is by a righteousness of Faith which is not of our own working out but wrought out for us by Jesus Christ The false Prophets themselves from among the Jews that urged these works of the Law upon the Romans and Galatians insisted much upon the ceremonials which plainly implieth an acknowledgement of sin and argueth that they did not expect Justification without pardon but carnally looked for pardon in the way of their own works and the Apostle in opposition to them excludeth out of Justification not only works wrought by their own natural power but even those which were by sanctifying Grace for the works of Abraham and David who were believers are here excluded Some think the righteousness of Jesus Christ or his active obedience in our stead needless unless as a part of his satisfaction for sin because say they the Law requireth not of us both suffering and obedience I Answer The Law as a Covenant of Works required suffering in satisfaction for sin and as it belongeth to the Covenant of Grace so it requireth perfect obedience to be fulfilled by Jesus Christ as the condition of the Justification and Life of sinners and new obedience which referreth to sanctification is to be performed by Christians as the fruit and effect of their spiritual Life Rather it was needless that Jesus Christ should fulfill righteousness or yield active obedience to the Law as part of a satisfaction for sin when by his passive obedience he underwent death which was the very same and all that the Law threatned against the sinner If man had never violated or broken the Covenant of Works or had never sinned then the Law would have required only righteousness of him for Life the tenour of it being Do and Live When man had sinned then the Law at a Covenant of Works required only suffering and threatned death Gen. 2. 17. but ceased in its promise of Life that immediately became null and void It is true the Law as a natural rule of righteousness required still perfect obedience that was due to God by right of Creation and his sinning could not
life for none can duly keep them before believing and then they have it but that their right to it may be evidenced by such good effects For these were already in a state of grace and were before interested in Jesus Christ unto eternal life on which account they are opposed to those that are without vers 15. without are dogs c. The use of the tree of life was the confirming in life Gen. 3. 22 23. So this keeping his Commandments of which believing is chief is the way to a confirmation in a living state or to give a further testimony of their right to life So Jam. 2. 24. By works a man is justified and not by faith only Not that love or evangelical works come in the least into justification it self as a cause or condition thereof the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians are full against this but are the fruits and effects of it They as evidences testifie to a mans self or to others that he is justified as vers 18. I will shew thee my faith by my works We are then not properly but only declaratively justified by works they as precious effects do argue a lively saith which is a means unto imputed righteousness and justification not a syllable that it is a condition thereof So 1 John 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Not that our confession is properly a condition ingaging the faithfulness and justice of God to forgive I proved before that is not suspended till our confessing but a way and means to our gaining a sense a fresh application an evidence and manifestation of our interest in forgiving grace And as evidences so they may promote comfort only we are to take heed that we do not ground and bottom our consolation on the qualifications within but on the promise it self or the Lord therein without Many are drawing and fetching their comfort from their faith and other graces and lay the stress of it there and accordingly are up and down ebbing and flowing therein in stead of fetching it from the Lord in the promise an immutable thing Heb. 6. 18. by the means of faith and taking that and other graces only as evidences of interest in it Some because they are weary and heavy laden thence take their rest and refreshment whereas they are called out of themselves to come for it to Jesus Christ Matth. 11. 28. When qualifications lie most dark or are most clearly discerned yet we should not look so much to these as to Jesus Christ in the promise for Consolation Thus I have endeavoured to open the nature of the Old and New Covenant As to the Mediatorial Office of Jesus Christ it is largely handled by others and so shall not be insisted upon by me at present Only I would say thus much when Jesus Christ was upon Earth he performed the Office of a Mediator as to satisfaction and now he is in Heaven he doth it still as to intercession Heb. 7. 25. He presenteth his obedience continually to the Father for our obtainment of what he hath purchased Would we have any soederal blessings thè Law written in our heart in more lively characters the Lord witnessed more fully to be our God or sin to be pardoned let our faith be acting upon him as one that mediateth for our obtainment of all for he is the Mediator not of the Old but of the New and Better Testament which is established upon better Promises FINIS Books Printed and are to be sold by Elizabeth Calvert at the Black-spread Eagle at the West end of St. Pauls Folio THe Scripture Directory for Church Offices and People Or a Practical Commentary upon the whole Third Chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians To which is annexed The Godly and the Natural Mans Choyce upon Psal 4. vers 6 7 8. By Anthony Burgesse Pastor of the Church of Sutton Coldfield in Warwick-shire IEPON 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Temple of Solomon Pourtrayed by Scripture Light wherein all its famous Buildings the Pompous Worship of the Jews with its Attending Rites and Ceremonies the several Officers imployed in that Work with their Ample Revenues And the Spiritual Mysteries of the Gospel vailed under all are treated of at large by Samuel Lec The History of Diodorus Siculus containing all that which is most memorable and of greatest Antiquity in the first Ages of the World until the War of Troy Renodaeus his Dispensatory containing the whole body of Physick discovering the Natures and Properties and Vertues of Vegetals Minerals and Animals Burgess on the Corinthians Wrighton the Pentateuch Quarto Christopher Goad his Sermons Entituled Refreshing Drops and Scorching Vials Samuel Gorton his Exposition on the fifth Chapter of James Samuel Hartlib of Bees and Silkworms Large Octavo Owen of In-dwelling Sin Steels Anditote His Husbandmans Calling Gales Idea of Jansenism Conversion Exemplified Heaven Realiz'd FINIS
Covenant of Grace because so few are enumerated where it is mentioned as with us Gen. 12. 17. Heb. 8. 10 11 12. But seeing all are made and fulfilled in Christ hence they must all flow as living streams from that Fountain The Covenant of grace with Jesus Christ that is the great Charter that we hold all our priviledges by and all the promises do some way or other appertain to that Some Promises are Constitutive of the Covenant as those between the Father and the Son concerning a Seed others are executive or referring to the execution and application of it Isa 53 10 11. Heb. 8. 10 11 12. Some are principal and concerning the end eternal life Heb. 8. Heb. 9. 15. Gal. 3. 8 9 18. Others less principal concerning the means internal the Spirit and faith or external as ordinances Not only Spiritual but even promises of temporal blessings as of succour and relief in particular cases and conditions in outward straits and distresses yet these belong to the Covenant of grace Psal 105. 39 40 41. He spread a cloud for a covering here is protection a fire to give light by night that intimateth direction he brought quails and satisfied them with the bread of heaven here is gracious provision he opened the rock and the waters gushed out this speaketh miraculous refreshment and consolation And whence was all this care over them vers 42. For he remembred his holy Covenant and Abraham his Servant All these then were to be deemed Covenant mercies Where had the Lord particularly promised any such extraordinary relieves unto Abraham or his Seed O he witnessed himself to be their God and promised the land of Canaan and that implyeth all mercy and means necessary for them in the pursuance of the Call to it So that all protections preservations provisions all for the sustaining upholding and succouring of the people of God yea even their lowest mercies have a tincture of Covenant-love to put quickness into them So returns of prayer in a day of outward affliction are in remembrance of his Covenant Psal 106. 44. 45. 2 King 13. 22 23. Yea observe in some places where the Covenant is mentioned there are promises added and so belong to it which in other repetitions of it are left out As Jer. 32. 38 39 40. One-ness of heart and way and his fear in their hearts are promised in the Covenant yet are omitted in the recital thereof Jer. 31. 31 to 35. And the Word Covenant is omitted and yet many promises thereof are mentioned Ezek. 36. 25 to the end as appeareth by the identity of some with those expresly in it else-where So that we are not to confine the Covenant of grace to those mentioned in the new Covenant all the promises to us are some way comprised in it Corol. 2. Hence there is infallible certainty in and grounded consolation issuing from the Covenant of grace seeing it is made joyntly with Jesus Christ and us All the promises are his right as well as ours and so can never fail Is Jesus Christ the Seed of the woman who hath assurance of being victorious over the Serpent Gen. 3. 15. So are Believers yea they are of the Seed of Abraham and David interested in the same promises Gal. 3. 19 21. If any thing be a Condition of the Covenant of grace it must be so of the promises to Jesus Christ as well as of those to us that taking in all and being joyntly with both and principally with him and with us but in him as his Seed and so faith cannot be it for the promises were not made to Jesus Christ upon Condition of our believing but upon what he himself should do and suffer rather therein he hath a promise assurance that we shall believe Isa 5â— 10. he shall see his Seed It would highly derogate from the honour of the Lord Jesus to say that the efficacy and effect of all his undertaking had dependance upon any act of ours as that of believing It is by the efficiency of the Word of the new Testament that faith is given Rom. 10. 14 15 16 17. Act. 13. 47 48. Yea the gift of faith is promised in that of writing his Law in their hearts Heb. 8. â—0 and therefore by its Obligation for it is a contradiction to speak of a promise without Obligation for performance unto the persons to whom it is made and what matter is it whether it be upon an Obligation to the Sinners themselves or to another to Jesus Christ their Feofee in trust for them it is by the new Covenant which is made to them and that of grace is joyntly with Christ and them Believers are not only the objects for 〈◊〉 concerning whom he promiseth to Jesus Christ that he will do them good as bruit oâ— inanimate Creatures are improperly said to be in Covenant with him but the Subjectâ— to whom he promiseth special blessings iâ— Christ so as the promises are directed to and may be claimed by them Jesus Christ had an interest therein they are his right as we as theirs and this is no damage but 〈◊〉 advantage as giving assurance that they wiâ—â— be made good to a Tittle Jer. 33. 20 21 If you can break my Covenant of the day and my Covenant of the night then may all so my Covenant be broken with David my servant Long before the prophesying oâ— Jeremiah David had been in the dust and yet the Covenant with him holdeth still and it being made with Jesus Christ who is our David hence the order of nature the entercourse and revolutions of night and daâ— might as readily fail as any promises madâ— to him be disanulled or go unaccomplished yea he will sue them out for us when by reason of inward cloudings and darkness even about an interest in them we cannot lay any claim unto them our selves He should be a loser if they should not be fulfilled he should lose his right as well as we ours Christ and we having a joynt interest therein Had Christ assurance of being Victorious over the Serpent we also have assurance of standing Conquerours over him in Christ by the same promise and that under the same notion of the Seed of the woman So that this is a bottom of everlasting consolation that Jesus Christ and we are within one and the same Covenant CHAP. III. Of Christ as the sum of the Covenant THe Covenant of grace running primarily to Jesus Christ and to us in him so as he not only maketh it with but even is the Covenant of the people Isa 42. 6. It will be necessary to inquire What interest Jesus Christ hath or how and in what place and Office he standeth in reference to the Covenant 1. Jesus Christ is the very foundation which Evangelical Covenant is built upon as he is our life Coloss 3. 3. 1 John 5. 20. the cause of it So he is the Covenant i. e. the very basis of it as 1 Cor. 3. 11. For other
foundation can no man lay then the is laid which is Jesus Christ The Covenant of Works was founded upon something in man his concreated ability and natural strength all the obedience of the first Adam if he had stood and the fruits thereof would have been resulting from the sufficiency of his own power and free-will and he failing all the fabrick fell But the Lord hath established another glorious Covenant and this is built upon what is firmer and of greater strength even Jesus Christ this stone that is laid in Zion is a tried stone Isa 26. 16. A sure foundation Now the structure of our Salvation will never fall because it hath such a sure ground-work able to bear up the weight and stress of all that is laid upon it No other can be laid He is the only foundation of all the promises of all the graces of all the obedience of all the peace of all the comfort of all the glory that is promised That with Abraham before his incarnation was confirmed of God in Christ Gal. 3. 17. He was the Mediator of Abrahams Covenant and therefore that had in it the same for substance with the new Indeed Jesus Christ is the foundation of all the blessings and special priviledges in the Covenant as with us If the Lord be a God to any it is in Christ if their iniquities be forgiven it is in the blood of Christ if the Divine Law be written in their hearts it is by the finger of the spirit of Christ thus he lieth at the bottom of all and so is the Covenant of the people 2. Jesus Christ maketh way for our injoyment of all federal blessings by standing in manifold relations to the Covenant As he standeth between God and us as a middle person to make reconciliation so he is the Mediator of the Covenant Heb. 9. 15. There was a wide breach that we could never have made up yea such a variance as there was no possibility of our approaching to God to enter upon a Treaty of Peace much less to procure our own reconciliation sin raised such an enmity as the Lord would have been a consuming fire to us if we had come near to him now the Lord Jesus interposed and took up this case undertook to compose and put an end to this difference There were iniquities in the way to hinder our fruition of promised mercies but he took an effectual course for the removal of these He is the Mediator of the new Testament to what end for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament Satisfaction was made by him to Divine Justice to the full he answered all the demands of the righteous Law and so wrought out reconciliation for us As he undertook for the parties at variance so he was the surety of the Covenant Heb. 7. 22. Jesus made a Surety of a better Testament The Lord would not take our bond for that great debt which we had contracted and were never able to pay It was now with us as with a poor man under an arrest for a vast sum unless there can be procured an able sufficient man to enter bond with him he must to prison without hope of being released any more so the Law of the righteous God arrested us for infinite breaches thereof it exacted a great and yet most just debt at our hand which we being already bankrupts were never able to answer it required a debt of infinite suffering the just due of our sin which if laid upon us would sink us for ever for the wages of sin is death The Lord demanded a debt of perfect obedience universal righteousness unto life which we were never able to yield and now unless one able and sufficient will undertake and be bound for us there is no possibility of escaping the prison of Hell the chains of infernal darkness the everlasting wrath of the Omnipotent God under this misery we must have layen without hope of recovery this was our state upon the fall of our first parents and in this strait and distress one not of our procuring but of his own grace offering it even Jesus Christ stepped in and became a surety for us to pay our ransom to answer our debt to the utmost farthing he put his name into our Obligation was made under the Law to redeem those that were under the Law Gal. 4 4. Yea he became God's surety to us to free us from all doubtings about the fulfilling of the Covenant to us he undertook and promised that he would lose nothing that was given him John 6. 39. But would raise in up at the last day i. e. to everlasting Salvation for others shall be raised up also unto Condemnation but these unto eternal glory As he ratified and confirmed all so he was the Testator of the Covenant Heb. 9. 16 17. Where there is a Testament then must also of necessity be the death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men be dead Nothing less than death it self was threatned upon the first transgression Gen. 2. 17. that must be indured if ever Sinners be recovered unto a fruition of eternal life and now behold the matchless love of Jesus Christ saith he I will die in their stead to save them from eternal death and thus he hath turned it into a Testament a new Testament fealing it with his own blood As he acteth for our obtainment of the blessings promised so he is the Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. The Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in behold he shall come We should have been without a knowledge of this grace altogether strangers to it and unacquainted with it if he had not revealed it to us and so we should not have made out after but come short of those spiritual blessings of the Covenant but now Jesus Christ himself travelleth with these blessed tidings he maketh a report of all the federal transactions between the Father and him in order to our Salvation he openeth all those soul-ravishing Mysteries and all those precious promises yea the way to our participation of those blessed priviledges and so he is the Messenger of the Covenant As he seeketh to satisfie us of the reality of God in all those federal transactions so he is the wâ—tness of the Covenant Isa 55. 4. Behold I have given him for a witness of the people When poor sould hear the tidings of Covenant love in the heart of God towards them they are ready to suspect it is too good news to be true are apt to be incredulous here are hardly perswaded to believe the truth thereof at least as to themselves now Jesus Christ condescendeth so far as to take upon him the Office of a Witness to assure of the truth of all yea now he is in heaven he doth not throw up that Office he continueth still in this work and sendeth down news from heaven thereof Revel 1. 5. 3. 14. He
before they did believe else the Apostles argument were not cogent for the false Prophets might easily have answered that now in Gospel times we are not justified as Abraham and David were and so they might have waved whatever is urged from these instances seeing all that he saith is built upon this very foundation that we are justified as they were only this can hardly be evaded that David who lived under the Sinai Covenant yet is denied to be justified by works of his own Yea the Apostle excludeth them even from the nature of a Covenant of works which is such a ground as denieth lapsed man in any Age to be saved by his own obedience vers 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt Therefore unless it could be said that those under the Sinai Law had Eternal Life not of grace but of debt it must be said that they had it not in the way of a Covenant of works 2. Moses and the Children of Israel were antecedently under a Covenant of grace or before the making that at mount Sinai therefore that could not be a Covenant of works In the very Preface he saith Exod. 20. vers 2 5. I am the Lord thy God the Lord did not first become their God by that but was so before as they were the seed of Abraham and under that with him Exod. 2. vers 24. and 3. vers 6 7. I have seen the affliction of my people vers 15 16. And Moses himself entred into the same Sinai Covenant with the people Exod. 34. vers 27. I have made a Covenant with thee and with Israel Not only with Israel but with him also Now it is not imaginable that the Lord would reduce them and Moses himself from Covenant of Grace back to that of Works Surely the Lord would advance them highor rather than bring them lower He is ever one and the same in his Grace and Promises unto souls no such unconstancy and changeableness is found with him 3. The Sinai Testament typically revealed mercy for sinful men and therefore was not a Covenant of Works For that being once violated and broken holdeth forth nothing of mercy to the smner whatever his Repentance be giveth no hope of Salvation but denounedth Judgement Death and utter destruction against him Adam having eaten the forbidden Fruit that saith Gen. 2. 17. Dying thou shalt die Whereas the Sinai Covenant includeth the Ceremonial Law as well as the Moral as is plain Heb. 9. vers 1 2 3 c. The first Testament had Ordinances of Divine Service and a worldly Sanctuary a Tabernacle Priests and Sacrifices offerings for the errors of the people c. Although these services did not of themselves expiate sin and purge the Conscience yet they did point out a way wherein they might have an expiation of and freedom from sin which a Covenant of Works giveth not the least intimation of Yea the Sinai Covenant was ordained by Angels Gal. 3. vers 19. in the hands of Moses a typical Mediator and this argued a variance between God and Israel else no need of any and there is grace in a Covenant that doth admit of any way for the making up of such differences there was abundance of Grace wrapt up in many Types and Ordinances in the Sinai Covenant yea it was confirmed by blood and sprinkling called the blood of the Covenant Exod. 24. vers 3 4 5. Which typified the blood of Jesus Christ and therefore it was no Covenant of Works for that speaketh nothing thereof 4. There had been an utter impossibility for Israel or any other to have attained unto Eternal Life and Salvation if they had been under that at Sinai as a Covenant of Works For they could never have performed the works which were the condition of it and so must have been hopeless of the benefit which was promised thereupon Gal. 3. vers 21. If there had been a Law that could have given life righteousness had been by the Law This clearly concludeth that righteousness did not come by the Law i. e. as performed by us in our own persons and also that the Law could not give Life no Eternal Life to be expected by it and he speaketh of the Sinai Law as is clear vers 17. and therefore that could not be a Covenant of Works to Israel or us for Eternal Life Rom. 8. 3. also proveth the Law could not free from condemnation in that it was weak through the flesh and so no Eternal Life was attainable thereby 5. That way which the Lord had established with Israel for Life and Salvation before the Sinai Covenant was utterly inconsistent with that of Works and therefore that could not be a Covenant of Works Gal. 3. vers 18. For if the inheritance be of the Law it is no more of Promise These two waies cannot stand together if it be by one of them then it is not by the other they carry a contradiction each to other If Israel had the inheritance by the Law i. e. by works performed by themselves then it could not be by the obedience of another of Jesus Christ for them if it were by their own righteousness of the Law then it could not be by the righteousness of Jesus Christ entertained in the Promise by Faith one of these waies doth necessarily subvert overthrow and destroy the other so as the same person at the same time cannot have it both waies Now such an opposite way of a Gospel Promise was established with Israel long before the Sinai Covenant Gal. 3. ver 16 17. They were the seed of Abraham and be concludeth that the Sinai Law coming so long after could not disanul the Abrahamatical Covenant or Promise wherein they had interest which was so long before it and consequently it was no Covenant of Works to Israel for then it must necessarily have disanulled the foregoing Promise as that demonstration vers 18. doth evidence SECT II. Prop. 2. THat the Sinai Law was not a mixt Covenant for Eternal Life to Israel It was not partly a Covenant of Works to them and partly of Grace For 1. It is an undoubted obstacle or hindrance in the way of Salvation to be seeking it in a Covenant of works by personal performances and therefore that at Sinai could not be so much as in part such a one to Israel The reason why Israel obtained not righteousness and so life was because they sought it not by Faith i. e. in another in Jesus Christ but as it were by the Works of the Law Rom. 9. vers 31 32. He doth not say they sought it altogether by their own Works but after a sort as it were and this obstructed and hindred their arriving at it Thus their coming short of Salvation is resolved into the same cause Rom. 10. vers 1 3. They going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God A seeking Salvation then by
our own Works which are our own righteousness keepeth off from a submission unto that righteousness which is necessary unto Eternal Life and therefore if it were a mixt Covenant one part of it would hinder another as if the Lord in the same dispensation should pull forward and backward do and undo put upon seeking Life and yet on that which is a let in the way to it which were an impeachment to the wisdom of God for any to assert 2. Legal works are excluded out of Justification and Salvation in conjunction with Jesus Christ and therefore the Sinai Law could not be a mixed Covenant Gal. 5. vers 2 3. I Paul say unto you that if you be circumcisied Christ shall profit you nothing vers 4. Christ is become of no effect to you whosoever of you are justified i. e. seek to be justified by the Law ye are fallen from Grace Act. 15. 1 11. Ephes 2. 8 9. This implyeth that they urged Circumcision or Works of the Law and Christ too for Justification and Life the Argument had been insignificant to them if they had not expected profit and advantage by Jesus Christ and by the Works of the Law too and the Apostle concludeth one of these to be exclusive of the other a mixture of our own Works is a falling from the way of Grace a taking any of our services in conjunction with Jesus Christ in that matter is enough to shut out from all benefit and advantage by Christ he shall profit nothing if he alone be not owned herein 3. After a violation of a Covenant of Works nothing less than utter ruine and destruction are threatned therein Gen. 2. vers 17. In the day thou eatest thou shalt die There is nothing Promised by it ever after whatever services be performed nothing but Death thenceforth to be expected from it and therefore the Sinai Law could not be a mixt Covenant in regard Israel is often accused by the Lord for breaking of it Jer. 31. vers 32. Which Covenant they brake c. no good could be reaped from that part which was supposed of Grace the death threatned in the other part hindreth all good so that unless Israel could have kept it without violation which they could not it must have been altogether unprofitable to them for as Dr. Bolton saith man was not able to stand to the lowest terms to perform the meanest condition 4. There is such an opposition between our Works and Divine Grace in relation to Eternal Life that they are inconsistent each with other therefore the Sinai Law could not be a mixt Covenant There is no medium participationis or so as to partake of both there was an impossibility of having life both waies this I cleared before from Gal. 3. vers 18. which is equally strong here It is further proved Rom. 11. vers 4 5. It is said to be by Grace vers 6. If by Grace then it is no more of Works otherwise Grace is no more Grace but if it be of Works then it is no more of Grace otherwise Work is no more Work Which clearly intimateth that the way of Grace and Works are so mutually destructive one to the other that if it be by one it cannot be by the other If Israel had been to do any thing for Eternal Life though never so small it would have denied it to be of Grace Gratia nullo modo gratia nisi omâ—i modo grafia Aug. Grace is no way Grace unless it be every way free and therefore seeing Israel was justified and saved as we are Act. 15. 11. and we are justified freely by his Grace Rom. 3. 24. and saved by Grace Eph. 2. 8. hence the Sinai Law could not be a mixt Covenant partly of Works and partly of Grace the one way being so Diametrically opposite to the other SECT III. Prop. 3. THat the Sinai Law was not only a Covenant for temporal mercies as the Land of Canaan and such like but did in some further way belong to the Covenant of Grace and bad the great concernment thereof even our Eternal Salvation as its principal aim and end Temporal blessings were dispensed out and possibly those only by vertue of the Sinai Covenant upon Israels performance of it but yet as it was to be performed for them by Jesus Christ so it respected the great matters of the Covenant of Grace even Spirituals and Eternals as may appear For 1. There are Typical representations is it of Spiritual and Eternal blessings There was abundance of the Gospel wrapt up in those legal Types and shaddows of old There were Priests and a High-Priest an eminent Type of Jesus Christ who is therefore called a High-Priest also Heb. 8. 1. and else-where O what an advantage was it so long before the Incarnation of Jesus Christ to have such a lively Emblem of this his glorious Office which our everlasting Salvation had such a necessary dependance upon That as the Levitical High-Priest did stand and appear for the People in many waies and for many precious ends that none else could so they might expect that Jesus Christ would do the like for them As the Priests did offer Sacrifice for the errours of the People so they might look that the Lord Jesus would offer a better Sacrifice for them They might easily guess that the Anti-type Jesus Christ would far excel out-strip and go beyond the Types the substance beyond the shaddow so Jesus Christ would be far more excellent than any of those figures of him What a priviledge was it to have some lively resemblance of all this so long before-hand Heb. 9. vers 23 24. Those things under the Sinai first Testament are intimated to be patterns of things in the Heavens and figures of the true There was a holiest of all which the High-Priest alone went into once every year not without blood signifying that the holiest of all was not made manifest whilst the first Tabernacle was standing vers 3 7 8. this intimateth that Jesus Christ the great High-Priest should enter into that which was truly the holy of holies to appear in the presence of God for us vers 24. and so that their holiest of all was a Type of Heaven A like Type thereof was the Land of Canean and therefore it beareth the very name that Heaven it self is set out to us by it is called the rest of the Lord Psal 95. 11. If they shall enter into my rest i. e. into the Land of Canaan Deut. 12. 9. This was another Type of the rest in Heaven Heb. 3. vers the last compared with Heb. 4. vers 8 9. Many other instances might be given wherein the Sinai Covenant represented matters of the Covenant of Grace even Spirituals and Eternals to Israel 2. Some of the same Promises of Spiritual and Eternal blessings which are found in other federal expressures are under a conditional form in the Sinai Covenant and therefore that appertaineth some way to the Covenant of Grace and