Just. p. 13.14 Quest. Dost thou believe that thou canst not be saved but by the Death of Jesus Christ The sick and distressed person answered yes Then let it be said unto thee go to then and whilst thy Soul abideth in thee put all thy Confidence in this Death alone place all thy Trust in no other thing commit thy self wholly to this Death cover thy self wholly with this alone cast thy self wholly on this Death wrap thy self wholly in this Death and if God would judge thee say Lord I place the Death of our Lord Jesus between me and thy Judgment and other ways I will not contend with thee And if he shall say unto thee that thou art a sinner say I place the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sins if he should say unto thee that thou deservest Damnation say Lord I put the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between thee and all my sins and I offer his Merits for my own which I should have and have not if he say that he is angry with thee say Lord I place the Death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and thine Anger O Soul here 's thy Relief even in the Blood of this Covenant in Christ's Death under all thy Fears and Temptations of Satan and under the sad Accusations of thy own Conscience O! at the hour of Death how canst thou lift up thy Hands to plead thy own sincere Obedience when thou art just going to stand before the Tribunal of God thy Hands will be weak and thy Heart faint and thy Confidence will deceive thee and fail thee if thy Hope and Desire thy Faith and Dependance be on any thing else then on Christ in this Covenant but here is Succour in his Covenant here is a Salve for every Sore what tho' thou hast sinned what says God in this Covenant I will be merciful unto their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities I will remember no more Heb. 8. If thy Conscience say thou hast backsliden from God he says I will heal all their backslidings and love them freely Hos. 14.4 If thou wants Righteousness and Strength say Christ is thy Righteousness in the Lord have I Righteousness and Strength thus there is Relief in this Covenant for poor doubting and desponding Souls in all their Troubles and Temptations APPLICATION First by way of Reprehension First THIS reproves those and may serve to convince them of their horrid Blindness and Unbelief that look on Sin as a trivial thing a small matter and so go on in a wicked and ungodly course of life who add Drunkenness to Thrist and yet say they shall have Peace O Souls do you not tremble to think of the evil of sin When you hear nothing but the Blood of the Son of God can atone for it nor satisfie God's offended Justice and injured Law do you think God will spare you pardon you while you live in your sins and make Provision for the flesh to fulfil the Lusts thereof did he not spare his own Son when he stood in our place charged with our Iniquities but let out his Wrath upon him and will he spare you that have your own sins and horrid guilt and pollution charged upon your own Souls if you refuse the Lord Jesus Christ and the Merits of his â—lood and do not fly to him cleave to him imbrace him and the tender â—f God's Grace in and by him but do neglect so great Salvation and the means of it down to Hell you will be brought every Soul of you with vengeance Nothing shews the evil of sin more than the bleeding Sides bleeding Heart and bleeding Hands and bleeding Feet of the Son of God and did he suffer thus to satisfie for our sins for your sins and shall any Soul alive think if they slight him believe not in him he shall escape Divine Wrath how can your hands be strong in any way of Wickedness whilst you look up and see Jesus Christ hang languishing on the Cross and crying out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 2. This reproves all those and may tend to convince them of their Folâ—y and Ignorance whose hopes lies in something else and not in this Covenant Those whose hope lies in their sober and civil Lives they conclude all is well with them because they are not guilty of those immoral Impieties and greatest Wickedness which others are defiled with Alas what good will this do you when one evil Thought is a breach of that Holy Law that lays you under Wrath and the fearful Curse thereof will you trust to your honest moral Lives and sober Conversations and so slight and neglect the Grace of God offer'd by Jesus Christ in this Covenant Why Sirs do you think God sent his Son into the World if by leading a moral and sober Life Men might be saved 3. This reproves also those who mixt their own Inherent Holiness and Evangelical Obedience with Christ's Righteousness in point of Justification and Acceptation with God who make Faith in the large Extent i. e. Faith withal the Concomitants of it a Condition of Justification who distinguish between Christ doing for us as a Redeemer in the Flesh by dying and render that more extensive than what he does by the Spirit as if he was the Head of all Mankind in dying and all as so consisidered have Union with him but that many of those he dyed for shall never be saved by his Life because they do not answer the Condition of Faith and sincere Obedience intimating that Faith is not a Fruit of Christ's Death but is wrought out by the Creature through the help of the Spirit tho' we have Faith for Christ's sake for Christ's Merits in a remote sense as we have fair weather Pacifick paper p. 5. For had not Christ atoned an satisfied for sin and the breach of the Law of Works we could not have had any Blessings either temporal or spiritual but if it were only thus then the Covenant of Grace is not so well ordered and sure as we believe it is but how do they understand that Text Rom. 5.10 for if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son much more being now reconciled we shall be saved by his Life VVere not all the Elect or all Christ dyed for vertually as in our Head reconciled to God by the Death of Christ and doth not the Apostle assure us that we shall much more be saved by Christ's Life if he reconciled us to God by his Death was not the Gift of Christ in his death for us a greater gift than the gift of the Spirit to us Did not we all rise from the dead with Christ vertually when he was raised And doth not that give us Assurance that we shall be actually quickned and raised First from a death in sin respecting our souls and also be all raised to Eternal Life and Glory at the last day respecting our
infinite Mercies obligeth me to do but have had many Weaknesses and Infirmities attending me Yet he has made with me an everlasting Covenant Tho' I have broke Covenant with God on my part yet God will perform his Covenant with me my Sins as if he should so say he hath pardoned his Covenant is everlasting on his part he will keep it and the Messiah shall come of the Fruit of my Loins whose Kingdom shall be as a Morning without Clouds c. And his Covenant with me he will not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of his Mouth see Psal. 89.32 33 34. He intimateth that his House or Family God had not made to grow increase or flourish with that Glory Peace and Prosperity as he expected nor had he such clear Evidences of God's gracious Presences and Communion with him in his Soul as he might have had had he not sinned and grieved his Spirit but tho' it was thus yet he saw he was in Covenant with God and in an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things for God's Glory and for his eternal Good and this was all his Hope he foresaw Christ's Blessed Day with whom this Covenant stands fast and this was all his Desire my Soul only hath Comfort in this Covenant and desires to build alone upon it For it is saith he all my Salvation I expect Salvation no other ways 't is not a part of it but the whole of it from First to Last here began my Hope and here I stay my self and will close my Days in the Faith of a dear Redeemer that shall in due time be revealed who is my Lord as well as he shall be according to the Flesh my Son or Off-spring and this shall be accomplished although it do not seem to grow or but small Appearances are manifested as yet either in me or in my House or Family In the Words are Three Parts 1. Something supposed or taken for granted wherein is implyed David's great Grief and Trouble viz. Although my House be not so with God 2. Something asserted which signifies his Faith and Confidence in God Yet he hath made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure 3. A comfortable Inference or Conclusion from thence for this is all my Salvation and all my Desire although he make it not to grow And from hence I shall observe Three Points of Doctrine 1. Doct. That Darkness Troubles and Afflictions with a decay of Grace or spiritual Liveliness may attend the State of Christians sometimes while in his Life which they cannot but acknowledge and mourn under the sight and sence of 2. Doct. That God hath made with True Believers a blessed and well ordered Covenant 3. Doct. That the Covenant of Grace which is made with Believers in Christ is an everlasting Covenant order'd in all things and sure and is the only Spring or Fountain of their Salvation Hope Desire and Consolation both in Life and Death It is the last Proposition or Point of Doctrine I shall now Prosecute judging it may most fitly Answer that which was the chief Design and end of our Honoured Brother deceas'd in chusing this Text to be opened at his Funeral from whence he doubtless found so much Comfort under those grievous Afflictions and Trials in his Life and also at the time of his Death Four Things I purpose to do First Shew you what this Covenant is and with whom it was primarily made and for whom Secondly Open the Excellent Nature of the Covenant of Grace Thirdly Shew how all a Believer's Salvation Hope Desire and Consolation in Life and Death lies in this Covenant Fourthly Shall make some Application of it Beloved This Covenant was Primarily made with Jesus Christ the Second Person of the blessed Trinity as Mediator and as the Root common Head and Representative of all the Elect or all that the Father hath given to Christ we read of Two Covenants an Old and a New a First and a Second a Covenant of Works and a Covenant of Grace The First Covenant was made with the First Adam for himself and his Posterity as the common Head of all Mankind and so also there was a Covenant made with the Second Adam for himself and all those chosen in him or all his Seed and though this Covenant as to Revelation of it is called the Second Covenant yet it was made with Christ for all the Elect Seed before the World began God foreseeing Man would fall from his First Estate and break his Covenant and so plunge himself and all his Posterity under Divine Wrath and Misery Now that there was some Gracious Covenant Transactions between the Father and the Son from before all Worlds about the bringing in and establishment of this blessed Covenant of Grace for the Redemption of Fallen Man appears evident from many Texts of Holy Scripture see that in Zach. 6.12.13 And speak unto him saying thus saith the Lord of Hosts saying Behold the man called the branch and he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the Temple of the Lord ver 12. Even he shall build the Temple of the Lord and he shall bear the glory and he shall sit and rule upon his throne and he shall be a Priest upon his throne and the counsel of Peace shall be between them both ver 13. I know some understand by them both the Kingly and Priestly Office of Jesus Christ First That as our great High-Priest he should offer the great Sacrifice to God to make an Atonement and Reconciliation for us and rule as King and give Laws and thus say they the Peace made for God's People shall rest between these two viz. The Kingly and Priestly Office of Christ by his Priestly Office he shall make their Peace with God and by his Kingly Office he shall deliver them from the Tyranny of Sin and Satan c. By Priestly Operation and Undertakings he shall expiate Sin and by his Kingly Office he shall subdue and extirpate Sin as a Priest he makes Peace and as a King he maintains that Peace he purchased as a Priest and protects as a King and thus say they the Covenant of Peace is between them both I will not deny but that this may in part be intended in the Text yet I doubt not but by them both is also meant the Persons spoken of viz. The Father and the Son the Lord of Hosts and the Man called the Branch for by them 't is most Congruous certainly to take it for the Persons or the two Parties mentioned and the Covenant of Peace it is plain from other Texts of Scripture was between the Father and the Son although I grant the Son on his part brings it about by his being a Priest and as a King sitting and ruling on his Throne he maintains our Interest compare this with Isa. 49.3 4 5 6. God calls Christ forth by the name of Israel ver 3. Thou art my Servant O
was come it was but to put into Execution this Covenant and to ratifie and visibly confirm this blessed Covenant that God had made with us in him before the World began The Covenant of Grace saith Mr. Petto was made or established not only with us but jointly with Christ and us in him so as both are within one and the same Covenant for the great Transactions with Jesus yea even the giving and sending of him and his accepting the Office of a Redeemer and undertaking for us these are all of Grace as well as what is promised to us through him Therefore the Covenant of Grace saith he must take in all that conduceth otherwise than by a meer Decree to our Restoration and eternal Life Petto on the Covenant which is recommended by Dr. Owen Pag. 18. 2. Where do we read in all the Holy Scripture of Three Covenants viz. 1. A Covenant of Works 2. A Covenant of Redemption 3. A Covenant of Grace Evident it is to all that the Holy Ghost only holds forth or speaks but of Two Covenants a Covenant of Works and a Covenant of Grace the First is call'd the Old Covenant the Second the New Covenant although both these Covenants had several Revelations Ministrations or Editions as First the Covenant of Works was primarily made with the First Adam and all Mankind in him by vertue of which he was justified by his own perfect Obedience before he sinned True there was another Edition or Administration of it given to Israel which tho' it was a Covenant of Works i. e. Do this and live yet it was not given by the Lord to the same End and Design as the Covenant was given to our First Parents viz. It was not given to justifie them or to give them eternal Life For if Righteousness had been by the Law then Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2.21 And again saith Paul For if there had been a Law given that could have given Life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law Gal. 3.21 But indeed it was impossible Life Justification or Righteousness could be by the Law or by any Law because Man hath sinned and is now unable to answer the Law of perfect Obedience all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God We must therefore now be justified by the Grace of God through the Redemption which is in Jesus Christ but tho' Man had lost his Power to obey yet God hath not lost his Power to command Therefore as Dr. Owen shews it was added or revealed in the Wisdom of God as instructive as also to shew the Excellency of that State and Condition in which we were created with the Honour that God put upon our Nature from whence Directions unto a due Apprehension of God and our selves may be taken or derived It served to shew what a Righteousness Man once had and by his Transgression lost and also what a Righteousness 't is which the Holiness of God doth require in order to our Justification in his sight for the Law doubtless results not from God as a simple act of his Sovereignty but also as a Transcript of the Holiness of his Nature and Rectitude of his Will for without a sinless or perfect Righteousness no Flesh can ever be justified in God's sight and therefore such a Righteousness must either be inherent in us or else according to the Wisdom and Grace of God be imputed to us and therefore he chose his beloved Son and entered into a gracious Covenant for us with him that he in our Nature and Stead as our Head and Surety might yield perfect Obedience to the Law which we had broke and for which breach his Justice by Christ's Death must be satisfied also therefore the Compact or gracious Covenant that was before all World 's made between the Father and the Son was part of the Covenant of Grace respecting poor lost and perishing Man since there was no Redemption without the shedding of Christ's Blood hence the Blood of Christ is called The Blood of the New Covenant The Father saith Mr. Petto is Contracting with the Son Isa. 41.6 I will give thee foâ— a Covenant of the People therefore that with the Son saith he and with the People is one and the same Covenanâ— indeed as that which partaketh of the Nature or is a part is put for the whole so that with the People alone even here beareth the Name of a Covenant with in the grand Contract with Jesus Christ as a Branch or Parcel thereof yet both together make up that one Covenant of Grace as appeareth thus 1. There is no Scripture Evidence for making these Two Covenants distinct one of Suretyship or Redemption with Christ and another of Grace and Reconciliation with us that distinction which some use is improper for the Parts of it are co-incident seeing that as with Christ was out of mee Grace also Joh. 3.16 And it was promised that Jesus Christ should be given for a Covenant and therefore it is of Grace that we are redeemed by him 2. Tim. 1.9 There was Grace before the World was and that must be in the Covenant as with Jesus Christ which was for reconciling the World unto the Father 2. Cor. 5.18 19 Col. 1.20 21. It is true Christ is our Surety and Redeemer not we in our own Persons yea he is our Head our Lord and King and on that Account of his standing in those different Capacities he hath some peculiar Precepts and Promises appropriated to him which are not afforded to us in the same manner and degree yet this hindreth not the oneness of the Covenant with him and us c. 3. That Holy Agreement or Compact between the Father and Son was the Rise or Spring of the Covenant of Grace it was made with Jesus Christ and with us in him therefore I see no Reason to call them Two distinct and compleat Covenants but two Subjects as the same Author intimates of the same Covenant as with Jesus Christ it had its Constitution from before all Worlds or we had a Being tho' as with us it has its Application in time after we exist and are actually in Christ as part of the promised Seed 1. The Work of Redemption to expiate Sin and make Reconciliation this was Christ's Work for us 2. For Application this is with us by him 3. He was chosen Mediator and undertook the work of Redemption and so struck up the Covenant from Eternity but in time he executed it and intercedes for our Participation in it Petto p. 21. 4. Therefore as Adam being a common Person or Head of all his Seed and we in him fell under Sin Death and Condemnation by vertue of the Covenant of Works made with him even so in Jesus Christ all the Elect partake of Grace and Justification unto Life by that one Covenant of Grace made with him and in him with all his Seed he being I say a common Person or Head to all the Father
set up as Mediator from Everlasting Was not then the Covenant of Grace as Ancient We were consider'd in him because chosen in him tho' Christ's Redemption was not the cause of our Election yet we were chosen in him as our Head and Redeemer therefore I say the Stipulation of the Covenant of Grace was from Eternity and the Revelation of it was in time and not till Man had sinned and broke the Covenant of Works so that it was more then by Decree and Purpose the Covenant of Grace in my Text is called an Everlasting Covenant and it may referr before time as well as after all time even from Eternity to Eternity For none can doubt but David was a Type of Christ and so represented in my Text the Covenant here spoken of is that they call the Covenant of Grace and tho it was Primarily made with the True David yet so as in him with David the Son of Jesse also the very same thing we may see in Psal. 89. I have found David my Servant with my Holy Oyl have I anointed him v. 20. he is said to be one chosen out of the People and one that is Mighty v. 19. and with him this Covenant is said to be made My Mercy will I keep with him for evermore and my Covenant shall stand fast with him his Seed also will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the days of Heaven ver 26 29. Now this they confess chiefly respecteth Christ of whom David was a Figure and also referreth to that which they call the Covenant of Redemption if so then say I this Covenant must be the Covenant of Grace because it was made with David the Son of Jesse I mean it refers to him in Christ and the like with all Believers also as all their Salvation and Desire it cannot rationally be supposed but that David in my Text doth allude to the Covenant mention'd in this Psalm although none are actually brought into it until they Believe or have actual Union with Christ yet made with all Believers in Christ from Eternity I cannot think they will deny that the Covenant of Grace that Well-ordered Covenant in all things and sure was primarily made with Christ and with us in him as our Head and if so then say I if that which they call the Covenant of Redemption be distinct and not this when was the Covenant of Grace made with him for us It must either be made before Time or after Time Besides 't is evident that 't is by the Blood of Christ's Covenant that we are Redeemed The Father sends out the Prisoners by the Blood of Christ's Covenant that is according to the Sacred Terms and Conditions agreed upon between them both and sure I am the Blood of Christ's Covenant is the Blood of the New-Covenant therefore I cannot see that that which they call the Covenant of Redemption is a distinct Covenant from the Covenant of Grace Object 3. The Conditions are different Death and Satisfaction for Sin was the Condition of the Covenant of Redemption Faith is the Condition of the Covenant of Grace Death required on Christ's Part Faith required on Man's Part the giving Christ a Seed and Eternal Life to that Seed is the Condition on God's Part to Christ the giving Eternal Life only to the Party Believeing is the Condition on God's Part in the other So that the Reward in that Covenant is larger than the Reward promised to us in the Covenant of Grace In the Covenant of Grace the Condition runneth thus Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved in the Covenant of Redemption the Condition runs thus Make thy Soul an Offering for Sin and thou shalt see thy Seed Answ. I wonder at the Learned Author who makes these Distinctions I cannot be of his Mind I rather judge the difference in the Covenant of Grace or Covenant of Redemption lies here viz. Christ had some great Work to do as the Condition of this Blessed Compact with the Father on and in the behalf of his Elect which was Peculiar to him i. e. he was to die and make Satisfaction to offended Justice he in the Covenant of Grace or Gospel-Covenant merited all for us so that we might have all freely given to us through the Redemption of his Blood c. 1. Christ work'd for Life but we work not but believe on him that justifies the ungodly 2. Christ hath not what he hath by Grace but by Desert but tho' our Saviour had his Reward in the Covenant on meriting Conditions viz. upon his Perfect Obedience to the Law of Works and being made a Curse for us and so made a plenary Satisfaction to God's Justice for our Sins yet pray what was his Reward Was he sure or certain of any one Soul as the Reward of all this hard Work and Sufferings c. Why this Author tells us he shall see his Seed or have a Seed that is he shall have all the Elect brought in and united to him viz. be sure of them or have this certain Reward and not left on uncertain Conditions of Faith and Obedience to be performed by the miserable depraved and wretched Creature which Condition we could not perform and if this be so then the Father must bring us in or draw us to Christ for except he does that no one Soul can come to him as Christ himself positively affirms Joh. 6.44 No man can come to me except the Father which sent me draw him and from hence I ask whether Power to perform that which they call the Condition of the Covenant of Grace was not included or comprehended in the Covenant of Redemption And if so how could they be Two distinct Covenants certainly in it there was infinite Grace shewed towards us 3. As to the other Condition in the Covenant of Redemption it being larger to Christ than that in the Covenant of Grace I answer as the Covenant was primarily made with Christ it was made with him for all the Elect as their Head and Surety and therefore it must needs be larger as well as it was a meriting Reward but as we are concerned in the same Covenant we have nothing as a Reward because we work not and as considered as particular Persons 't is enough our own particular Souls and Bodies shall be eternally saved who are united to him as the Reward of his Work the Condition therefore being made to him as the Head of the whole Body it must needs be so large and extensive but as to the particular Members that can't comprehend more than he or she that believes as a part of the Seed which he was to see 't is enough therefore that we are the Saved the Redeemed and not the Saviours or Redemers of others But if by Vertue of the Covenant of Redemption we are not Redeemed call it no more the Covenant of Redemption therefore 1 st I would know whether Faith which is called the Condition
Law of Perfect Obedience by himself alone and for himself that so he might be a fit Mediator and merit a New Law of Grace of sincere Obedience which New Law or Covenant he confirmed by his Death so that God now enters into a Covenant with Mankind again and if we perform the Conditions of it we shall thereby assuredly have Justification and Eternal Life Not that Christ in the Covenant of Grace hath undertaken to perform it for us but hath left us to work out our Salvation our selves though not without the Assistance of the Holy Spirit and thus Christ is our legal Righteousness in his Mediatory Covenant yet so too that by his Merits we have all Gospel-Blessings How is that Why thus i. e. he merited the New Law of Grace by satisfying for the Law of Works or as Mediator gave God a satisfying Recompence for our breach of it but our inherent Faith and Gospel-Holiness with Christ's Merits as before is our Evangelical Righteousness by which we are justified And this is the dangerous Consequence which I perceive does attend the allowing of the distinction of two Covenants which at once in my Judgment tends to overthrow the Nature of the Free-grace of God in the Covenant of Grace which is ordered in all things and sure as it was made with Christ for us Obj. 6. By the Covenant of Redemption Christ could challenge his Reward upon his own Account but in the Covenant of Grace Believers have a Right to the Reward only upon the Account of Christ there is an intrinsick Worth in the Obedience of Christ whereby he merited for there was a Proportion between it in regard of the Dignity of his Person but there is no intrinsick Worth in that Grace which is the Condition of the Covenant of Grace to merit any thing there was a Condition of a valuable Consideration required of Christ the Condition required of us hath no valuable Proportion to the Greatness of the Reward the Reward was of Debt to him c. 1. Answ. I would know what that Reward is which Christ doth challenge is it not Grace Righteousness and Eternal Life for all the Elect True we merit nothing but did not Christ merit all for us Did he merit for himself and for us only a conditional Covenant as I shewed before 2. And may not Believers in Christ lay claim to Christ's reward i. e. the Blessings purchased by him as the Fruits of his Merits in a way of Righteousness and Justice upon the Account of Christ's Undertakings as well as in a way of Grace and Mercy what saith the Apostle 1 Joh. â— 9 God is faithful and just to forgive us c. which saith our Annotators more strictly taken permit him not to exact from us a Satisfaction Which he hath accepted in the Atonement made by his Son in his own way â—â—plyed and on his own Terms to be accounted to us that he will not fail to forgive us our Sins c. 3. Still the Distinction must as I conceive run thus i. e. Christ had his part in this one Covenant by Merit he is the Saviour we have our part in it freely by Grace being the saved and what though there is no intrinsick Worth in that Grace which we receive in the Applicatory Part of the Covenant in order to our actual interest therein yet there was an intrinsick Worth in his Merits that purchased that Grace for us and doth not the intrinsick Worth and Merits of Christ appertain to the Covenant of Grace as it was with him for us as our Mediator and Redeemer Nay and is it not from hence Faith and all other Grace is given to us and cannot Christ challenge of the Father all those he became a Surety and a Redeemer for in the Covenant The chief Grace still say I lies in that you call the Covenant of Redemption and distinct from the Covenant of Grace Obj. 7. The Mediatory Covenant respects others as well as Christ viz. his Seed and giving them Glory but in the Covenant of Grace the Promise respects only the Particular Person that believes answering the Terms of the Covenant c. Answ. 1. I see not but here they give away their Cause and contradict themselves in respect of their first Objection it appears now they see there were more than two single Parties concerned in the Covenant of Redemption they here assert it respects others as well as Christ viz. All his Seed 2. We have shewed how none but particular Persons who believe are concerned in the Application of the Covenant of Grace But 3. Doth not the Scripture say Christ is the Mediator of the New Covenant viz. the Covenant of Grace And doth not this respect as they confess all his Seed and can any perform the Terms of this Covenant without Christ in the Execution of his Office as our Mediator and Surety He is our Saviour in the Covenant of Grace that was his Work his Part and so consequently he ingaged and will quicken us renew us save us and bring all the Father gave him to Glory Obj. 8. If the Covenant of Grace and that of Redemption were the same then Christ should be both the Testator and a Party A Testator maketh not a Will to bequeath Legacies to himself Answ. There are divers Disparities between other Testators and the Testatorship of Christ. 1. A Testator among Men cannot be a Witness to his own last Will and Testament but so is Christ he is given by the Father for a Witness to the People of all those Gospel or Covenant-Blessings he himself a Testator of his own last Will and Testament bequeathed to all Believersâ— he witnesseth these things are his Will as well as the Father's and he is the true and faithful Witness 2. A Testator among Men cannot Enjoy or Possess that Kingdom Estate or Inheritance himself after his Death which he hath given away but Christ the Spiritual Testator tho' he hath given the Possession of Glory c. to Believers by his last Will and Testament yet is he a Coâ—Heir of the same Glory and blessed Inheritance himself and shall possess it joyntly with them A Testator among Men can't see his own Will executed but he leaves it to others to be Executors of it but Christ by his Spirit sees his Will executed for tho' he was dead He is alive and behold he liveth for evermore he is also a Party with us he is the Head we are his Members and now to close with this consider the Covenant of Grace was first made with Christ and with us in him thus it runs i. e. Christ purchases and we possess Christ in this Covenant obtains all by his Work and Merits we have all of meer Grace 'T is Grace in the Original in the first making of it with Christ for us 't is of Grace in the Execution of it Confirmation Publication and in the Application in order to our actual Interest From the whole it appears that
to God's free Promise as the immediate and sole Cause of Pardon and Life as all true Protestants formerly affirmed and not by Christ's procuring a New Covenant for us to enter into with God which if we answer the Condition thereof i. e. repent and believe we shall be saved Which Faith as Mr. Baxter Mr. W c. assert taken in the full Extent and Latitude is nothing else but universal Obedience and that so it is to be understood when 't is said that Faith alone Justifies viz. Faith and all other Graces both in Habit and Exercise Mr. Baxter's Aph. 65. And they that thus believe and obey the Gospel shall be saved though their Obedience be not perfect but if Christ fulfilled the Law for us then say I that Obedience of his must be imputed to us as if we had wrought it and so we by the Application of that Righteousness are Justified in God's sight from the Accusation of the Law without any Works or procuring Conditions performed by us But as one observes when these Men speak of Faith as a single Grace 't is defined to be a sincere Acceptance of Christ as Lord and Saviour and so it Justifies meerly as it is a consenting to be ruled and saved by Christ which is saith he neither an Assent to the Truth of the Promises nor Assurance or Trust in them one or both of which all Men understand by Faith both in Scripture and common Speaking but it is an Act of Obedience or rather a Covenant or Promise of Obedience whereby a Man engageth That he will seek after Salvation in ways of Obedience to Christ's Commands and indeed they referr to the Baptismal Covenant made in Infancy And thus Faith Justifies as they intimate as it doth in part fulfill the New Law by engaging us to Obedience and in all this Christ is look'd upon as King or Rector chiefly and not as a Saviour for as Mr. Troughton notes if Christ's Righteousness doth not immediately Justifie us and is made ours then he is a Saviour but remotely as the Word is usually taken to denote his making Satisfaction for us as a Priest viz. As by his Death he procured a Possibility of Pardon and makes way for a New Covenant to be made with Man so that Christ's main Business as a Savour by this Opinion is to grant new and tolerable Terms of Salvation to command Faith Repentance and Obedience and to annex a Promise of eternal Life to them and so to justifie and save us if we fulfill these Conditions to the end of our Days and that God as a just and impartial Judge will give Sentence for or against us according to this Law so that we are justified by our Obedience to this Law and saved by a King proceeding according to his own Law and Faith is nothing else but a submitting to this Law and to the Terms required in it which things saith he certainly make a Covenant of Works tho' it differs from the First Covenant of Works and this if I mistake them not is their Covenant of Grace by which I never expect to be saved But to proceed 5thly The Covenant of Grace is well ordered in all things for our good for all things which we need are contained in it either in respect of deliverance from present and future Evil and to our being possess'd or invested with all true spiritual and eternal Good 1. We were Enemies to God by Sin and God an Enemy to us but by this Covenant God is reconciled to us Jesus Christ hath so pacified his Wrath that now God says Fury is not in me Isa. 27. When we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son Rom. 5.10 The Angels that first brought the Tydings of our Saviour's Birth cryed Peace on earth good will to men Christ by the Blood of this Covenant hath made up that Breach and Reconciled God to us and by his Spirit he removes that Enmity that naturally is in our Hearts against God and so reconciled us to God he is our Days-man that lays his Hand upon both he is not a Mediator of one that is not of God only but of Man also he brings God to Man and Man to God 2. We were the Children of Wrath and under the Curse of the Law but by the Grace of this well ordered Covenant we are made the Children of God and we are delivered from the Curse of the Law Christ hath delivered us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ Gal. 3.13 4. 3. We had lost the Image of God but by this Covenant 't is restored to us again and so restored that we shall never lose it any more 4. We were dead blind naked in bonds in prison but by the Grace of God in this Covenant we are quickened Eph. 2.1 2. have the eyes of our understandings enlightned Eph. 1.18 have our naked Souls cloathed with the robe of righteousness are brought out of Prison and all our Wounds are healed Sent out of the pit wherein was no water by the blood of the covenant Zech. 9.11 5. We were guilty and filthy Creatures but by this Covenant we are justified and sanctified we are acquitted pronounced righteous and all our Sins pardoned and washed away in the Fountain of Christ's Blood 1 Cor. 6.11 Rev. 1.5 6. We were condemned and ready to have the Sentence executed upon us and cast into Hell to be burned alive for ever and ever even there where the worm dyeth not and the fire is not quenched but by the Grace of this Covenant we are saved and shall be eternally we are not only delivered from all Evil or from whatsoever was hurtful to us but are invested with all true internal and eternal Good We by this Covenant have union with God adoption free access to the Father yea all things that appertain to life and godliness and when this Life is ended eternal Life and Glory in Heaven therefore 't is well ordered in all things for our good Fifthly It is a sure Covenant ordered in all things and sure 1. 'T is a sure Covenant because it was made in and with our blessed Surety Jesus Christ the Lord would not enter into Covenant with us any more nor take our Bond for that great Summ of Ten thousand Talents that vast Debt which we had contracted and were never able to pay for we had nothing no not one Farthing And therefore unless a Surety could be found who was able and sufficient to enter into Bond with God for us we must have perished for ever we were Arrested by the Justice of God for breach of his Holy Law and in Prison and must suffer Infinite Wrath and divine Vengeance for the just demerit of our Sin had not the Wise and Almighty God sought out a Surety to pay our Debt and undertaken this New Covenant for us Now Jesus
Righteousness for us I took flesh O my Father I suffered death according to thy good Pleasure in their stead I gave my Soul a Ransome for them I was made a Curse for them wounded to heal their Wounds I bore their Sins and carried their Sorrows O condemn them not for their Iniquities which met in me they are my Purchase my Members I have paid their Debts and brought in everlasting Righteousness for them he is heard all ways O! pray in his Name and all your wants shall be supplyed 2. let the Fruits of God's Grace shine forth in your Lives what shall we render to God for all his Covenant-Blessings You are bought with a price and are not your own therefore glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which is the Lord's 1 Cor. 1.19 20. Quest. But methinks I hear some poor sinner crying out How may I come to be in this Covenant Answ. Soul it is by thy being united to Christ or by Union with him through the Spirit 't is by Faith O close with Christ cry to God for his Spirit attend on the means of Grace see if thou canst find in thy heart to love Christ to espouse him enter into an Holy Contract with him to this end he sends his Ministers O that thou didst but see the wâ—â—t of him and behold the Beauty that is in him he that has the Son has Life he is actually in this Covenant but know this is the Work of Christ 't is he must make thy heart willing and dissolve those Bonds thou hast ty'd with other Lovers Thou art not first to enter into a Covenant with God or offer thy Terms of Gospel-Faith and Holiness so as on that Condition to oblige God to enter into a Covenant with thee no Christ is first given and then God gives us to him nay himself with him Christ's Love is first set on us before we can love him and when we were in our blood not washed that was the time of his Love and then he entered into a Covenant with us Ezek. 16. Reverend Mr. Cotton saith The Lord is the first thing that he giveth by his Covenant and with himself all things else Rom 8.32 and there is the Precedency Christ is given and in him all spiritual Blessings Eph. 1.3 and this for the Order of Nature in giving in the Covenant not Obedience first nor Faith first nor any thing else first but himself Donum primum primarium and in him all his Goodness p 14. on the Covenant Art thou weary dost thou thirst art a wretched sinner then take Christ go to him and drink Thou art not O sinner first to wash thy self from thy Wickedness and get a clean heart and then come to the Fountain of Christ's Blood but as a poor vile lost sinner to come unto him believe in him that justifies the ungodly Rom. 4.5 Also 't is Christ who is thy Physician 't is he that has undertaken thy Cure and must apply the Remedy and none can do it but he and tho' thou hast no money yet this Physician is to be had and his Medicines too and all freely Isa. 55.1 2. But to close Let us reflect a little on the Deceased my Brethren whose Corps is it we are to follow to the Grave this Evening Sirs 't is the Corps of a godly Man nay a Minister an ancient Minister one who long and faithfully served Jesus Christ under many Afflictions great Tryals and Sufferings O how many of late have we lost and how few raised up in their stead the harvest is great but the labourers are few one drops here and another there some by Distempers of Body made unable to labour before death comes as it was with our honoured Brother deceased while others are taken away in their full strength have we not cause to fear what is coming on See that in Isa. 57.1 2. God calls home his Ambssadours a-pace what may we expect O look for approaching Judgments God hath given us divers ways warning before Wrath breaks out upon us the sins of the Nation are near fully ripe and the sins of God's people tend to fill up the measure But tho' we must all die as well our painful Ministers as the people yet in this Covenant death is ours 1 Cor. 3.22 't is a Blessing it is Gain the Sting is taken away by the Lord Jesus so that we ought not to mourn for our godly Friends that die as such who have no hope for the righteous in this Covenant have hope in their death This God is our God and he will be our Guide even unto death Thus is the Covenant of Grace all the Desire Hope and Consolation of Relievers both in Life and Death Our honour'd Brother is fall'n asleep in the Lord i. e. in Union with Christ and as Death has put an end to all his Sorrows so now his Spirit possesses all eternal Joy and Comfort for tho' he as well as we was attended with weakness and many Infirmities yet he could say God had made with me an everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure and this is all my Salvation and all my Desire altho' he makes it not to grow FINIS AN ELEGY Upon the Death of That Reverend and Faithful Minister of the Gospel M r. Henry Forty Late Pastor of a Church of Christ at Abingdon in the County of Berks who departed this Life in the 67 th Year of his Age and was Interred in Southwark Jan. 27 th 1692 3. MOurn mourn O Sion thou hast Forty lost Wave upon wave with Tempest thou art tost Our Sorrow's great and worser things draw near Sad Symptoms of most dismal Days appear Christ's blest Ambassadors are call'd away And few these things unto their hearts do lay Many we lost before for which we mourn And shall we Forty lose without a Groan Shall we not sigh for him who lately fell Or not deem him a Prince in Israel Say if you can what cause gave he to fear He was not ev'ry way a Man sincere How many years did he his Master serve And never from Christ's Truth did start or swerve Shall Envy then his Name or Glory stain Or Prejudice wound him to death again O let his Name his precious Name still live And to his Ashes no Abuses give Near Twelve long Years he did in Prison lie As Exeter can fully testifie For witnessing unto God's holy Truth Which he most dearly loved from his Youth An Instrument was he in Jesus Hand In his Converting many in this Land Nay his own Father and his Mother were Ev'n both Converted by him I do hear I think without offence I may declare Few godly Preachers gone more spotless were Or with more Clearness did the Gospel Preach And in his Life shone forth what he did teach He was no flasâ— he lik'd no upstart Strains New Schemes he loath'd which now our glory stains By the Text he left to be insisted on And opened when