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A79028 Two solemne covenants made between God and man: viz. [brace] the covenant of workes, and the covenant of grace. [brace] Clearly laid open, distinguished, and vindicated from many dangerous opinions; the right knowledge of which [sic] will be very profitable to all those that have escaped the first, and are confirmed in the second at the Sacrament. January 15. 1646. Imprimatur. John Downame. Calamy, Edmund, 1600-1666. 1647 (1647) Wing C268; Thomason E373_6; ESTC R201327 30,224 34

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Law given in the 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. now this ceremoniall Law being in types and shadowes of Christ to come were all ended when Christ was once offered to beare the sins of many although the Priests stood daily ministring and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices but when Christ had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever sate down at the right hand of God Heb. 9.28.10 11 12. so then those sacrifices were not seales of the morall Law but of the ceremoniall which was their Gospell in dark types and shadowes shewing them Christ with whom the covenant of grace was made from all eternity and that it is so observe the morall Law was given with terrible thundrings and earthquakes that the people durst not come neare but cryed let not God speak unto us lest we dye Exod. 20.18 19. but when the ceremoniall Law was given they saw the God of Israel and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a Saphirstone and as it were the body of heaven in his clearnesse also they saw God and did eat and drink see Exodus 24.3.4.10 11. thus the Morall Law was given with darknesse and terors and this with light and comfort then the morall Law is not a covenant of grace His sixt Argument if the Law was the same covenant and the oath which God made to Isaac then it must needs be a covenant of grace but saith he God when he gave the Law made it an Argument of his love and grace to them saying if ye hearken to these judgements and do them that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and mercy which he swore unto thy Fathers Deut. 7.12 I answer if this Law at Sinai should be the same which God swore to Isaac then the Law and Gospell would be the same thing but I need go no further then this one text to confute it where God saith if ye hearken to these judgements being the rule of their obedience then God will keep with them the covenant made with their fathers before the Law at Sinai was given this at Sinai is called judgments that is called a covenant this is called judgments in opposition to the other being an oath and promises then the copy of the morall Law given at Mount Sinai for a rule of obedience was not a covenant of grace But then saith M. Burgesse there are strong objections against these Arguments from Rom. 10. Gal. 3.18 Rom. 4.14 and it seems they are too strong for him for I heare no more of them only he saith if it should be rigidly and universally true then the Doctrine of Socinians would prevaile that there was no grace nor faith nor nothing of Christ vouchsafed to the Jewes but what necessity is there of this Christ was held out to them by the brazen Serpent John 3.14 and Moses complains for their want of faith saying they are a froward generation a people in whom there is no faith Deut. 32.20 and they were punished at Meribah because they beleeved not yea they could not enter into the promised laid because of their unbeliefe Heb. 3.19 but then I say Christ was tendred by the ceremoniall Law and faith in Christ is required from that and not from the morall Law yet I will neither exclude the Law nor Gospell nor will I divide them in the working grace in the elect for by the law we see our misery and by the Gospell our remedy and they are enemies to the truth 〈◊〉 deny either in the work of a sinners conversion but all this will not prove that the Law at Sinai was a covenant of grace But then he saith as the law worketh death so the gospell to some is the savovr of death and if Christ had not come then men had had no sin and they shall have greater judgements that despise Christ then they that despised the Law and this effect is accidentall through our corruption and then he saith that God doth not vouchsafe grace and justification in a legall way by that Law at Sinai but evangelically but I say then it was by the ceremoniall Law and not from the morall Law or at least the morall Law did shew them their misery and the ceremoniall Law shewed them Christ their only remedy then the morall Law is not a covenant of grace Thirdly He saith that the Apostle speaks these derogatory passages and they seem to be as well the ceremoniall law yet all do acknowledge here was Christ and grace held forth but by his good leave Paul was not willing to be found in his own righteousnesse which is of the law but that which is of the faith of Jesus Christ only Phil. 3.9 because that which comes only by the morall law is but our inherent righteousnesse when as the other by the gospell is not in us but in Christ and imputed to us and by this we stand just in the sight of God the one we have by the first Adam and the other we have by the second Adam then if these do but seemingly differ let the Reader judge and that other place Rom. 4.13 14. where it is said the promise to Abraham was not to him and his seed through the law but through the righteousnesse of faith for if it had been by the law the promise of Christ or the covenant of grace had been void so that here also is more then a seeming difference and so Gal. 3.18 if the inheritance were by the law it is no more of promise if grace were had at Sinai it could not be had by the covenant of grace to Abraham made by promise then are these but seeming derogatories no they are such objections that seem to be too strong for him therefore it still holds good that the morall Law at Sinai was no covenant of grace Fourthly He saith it is true that the law is a killing letter to those that take it without Christ and so is the gospell but I would know how any can take Christ from the morall law at Sinai when as he was never tendred by that law Christ only is tendred in his own covenant of grace made from all eternity and the promises in Christ are yea and amen 2 Cor. 1.19 but he saith if any had said to Moses your doctrine is but a killing letter and not a doctrine of life he would have been judged a blasphemer against the law of Moses I answer as the Law at Sinai was a rule to beleevers if any man despised this Law he dyed without mercy because by Christ it was made a rule for them to walk by and such a one shewed plainly that he was not a believer and so not in the covenant of grace confirmed before to Abraham so then the law at Sinai was a rule of life but the gospell is the chiefe instrumentall cause of life and therefore he that sins against the gospell shall have the great punishment yet all this will not make the
law at Sinai to be a covenant of grace Lastly he saith we must retain that distinction of a large and a strict sence of the law but I say let him take the law at Sinai as strict or as large as he will it is not a covenant of grace and therefore cannot state a man in grace only it is given both to them and us as a rule to walk by and we ought still to obey it so far as we are able and yet not as a covenant of grace but as a rule of life In the next place I shall prove that the law at Sinai was not a covenant of works if the Lord had set them upon a covenant of works this would have disanul'd the covenant of grace given 430. years before and if salvation came by works it is no more of grace Gal. 3.17.18 Rom. 11.6 but saith Paul is the law against the promises of God God forbid Gal. 3.21 then the law at Sinai was not a covenant of workes Secondly if the law at Sinai had been a covenant of works this were to make them their own savoiurs but it was the happinesse of Israel to be saved by the Lord Deut. 33.29 then the law at Sinai was not a covenant of works Thirdly If all mankind lye dead in sin under the guilt and penalty of the covenant of works already then they are uncapable of another covenant of works but all men are dead in sins 1 Ephes 2.1 Rom. 5.12.3.19 then the law at Sinai was not given to Israel as a covenant of works but as a rule of life to them being in the covenant of grace before Fourthly If Israel was a peculiar speciall holy people to the Lord and yet born into the world dead in sin uncapable of working then this must needs be done by a covenant of grace but they were such a people Deut. 7.6 then not by working but by faith in that covenant of grace confirmed to Abraham 430. yeares before they became such a people and not by the law at Sinai Fifthly If Israel was married to the Lord as the spous to the husband and in relation of children to their father then this was done by the covenant of grace confirmed to Abraham but Israel was such a people Jer. 3.14 Isa 54.5 Hosea 2.19 20. Psal 103.13 Isa 49.15 then the law at Sinai was only a rule of life but not a covenant of works whereby to make themselves such a people Sixtly If the Lord had put them that were dead in sins and under the curse and penalty of the covenant of works already to work themselves out of that misery by doing the works of that covenant this had been no mercy at all to Israel but that law at Sinai was a great mercy to Israel he had not dealt so with any nation as to give them his lawes and Statutes Psal 147.18 19. then it was not given to them as to Adam a covenant of works but as a rule of life Now some may ask why it is so frequent in the old Testament doe this and live and if ye keep my Covenant then ye shall be a peculiar people unto me above all people Exodus 19.5.6 I answer it is no more then is said in the new Testament he that doth the will of my Father shall come to heaven and he that keepeth my Commandements hath right to the tree of life and shall enter into the holy City the doers of the Law are blessed in the deed see Mal. 7.21 Rev. 22.14 James 1.25 2. This doth not deny the doing of the law by a surety for it is not said that no other shall do it for thee but do this either thy selfe or by a surety and thou shalt live 3. There is an Evangelicall doing of the Law when with our desire and endeavour we obey the whole Law 4. We must understand it to be of those in the covenant of grace who do all in the strength of Christ and his perfect obedience to the law is imputed to them as if they had done it and they obeying the law not as a covenant of works but as a rule of life and God accepting it as done by themselves and that perfectly they that thus do the law shall live yet this doth not make the morall Law to be a covenant of Works Now some it may be will say there is more then two covenants made with mankind for saith the Lord behold the daies come that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah Jer. 31.31 then if it be a new covenant it is neither the covenant of Workes with the first Adam nor the covenant of grace with the second Adam I answer This promise is made to Israel and Judah at their return out of captivity but suppose it is meant now since the coming of Christ yet it amounts but to the same thing which is a new discovery or a larger manifestation of the covenant of grace made with Christ as mediator before the world began which was first declared to Adam immediately after his fall the seed of the woman shal break the Serpentshead Gen. 3.15 after that in processe of time Cain and Abel brought their offerings to the Lord and Abels lambe did then tipifie the true Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world for he was slain from the beginning of the world Rev. 13.8 John 1.29 and God accepted Abels offring Gen. 4.3 4. and God commanded Noah to take of clean beasts and foules into the Ark by seavens which was to sacrifice to the Lord and the Lord smelled a savour of rest and said in his heart I will not again ourse the ground for mans sake Gen. 7.2 3.8.20 21. now all this could not be so accepted but as they had faith in Christ the true sacrifice see their faith Heb. 11.4.7 after this when the ceremoniall Law was written through the whole book of Leviticus and from the 24. of Exodus to the 32. then they saw God and did eat and drink they saw the God of Israel with comfort and as it were the body of heaven in his clearnesse Exod. 24.10 11. that is the covenant of grace was manifested more clearly then formerly after this the Lord makes known unto them that a Virgin shall bear a son and call his name Imanuel after this unto us a child is born unto us a son is given and the government shall be on his shoulders it is so in respect of certainty Isa 17.14.9.6 for the covenant was made after the world began after this a further manifestation in Ezekiels vision where the foure estates of Christ are lively set forth his birth mean he had the face of a man 2. His life couragious he had the face of a Lyon 3. In his death sacrificed as an oxe 4. In his ascension like an Eagle Ezek. 1.4 compared with Rev. 4.7 now these are the badges or mottoes of the foure Evangelists for they
ours Heb. 7.22 by this key of faith we fetch daily new grace out of his treasury of grace to sanctifie us more and more till at last we have our full measure according to the gift of Christ Thus I have shewed with whom the two covenants were made the covenant of works with Adam a meer man but the covenant of grace with Jesus Christ both God and man and also the time when they were made one with Adam as soon as created but the other with Jesus Christ from all eternity also I have shewed how all men enter into these two covenants first all men enter into Adams covenant by nature but the Elect only enter into Christs covenant by grace also I have shewed how that Adam by his breach of covenant defil'd all his posterity and also brought guilt upon them for it but Jesus Christ sanctifies by the holinesse of his nature all in his covenant and acquits them and justifies them from all their guilt by his active and passive obedience fulfilling the covenant of works perfectly now if all the whole race of mankind be contained in one of these two covenants then it must needs follow that God never made any other but these two touching the eternall estate of mankind but I have proved that all men by nature enter into Adams covenant save Jesus Christ that did not come into the world by the ordinary course of nature and so they all continue till Jesus Christ free them from that covenant of works and so state them in the covenant of grace therefore God never made any other covenant touching the eternall estate of mankind but these two Now some will object and say God made a covenant with Abraham Gen. 17. and another with Israel at their return out of Aegypt Jer. 11.3 4. Deut. 4.13 and a third or new covenant at the death of Christ the testator Heb. 8.8.10 and some deny the covenant of works with Adam in the time of his creation and the covenant of grace with Jesus Christ made from all eternity affirming there was no covenant made with man before Israels return from Aegypt and this they call the covenant of works and no covenant of grace made before the death of Christ and this they call the covenant of grace now when I have answered these objections I hope I shall give some satisfaction to those that are troubled with so many severall opinions touching the covenant of grace and the covenant of works made with the two Adams representing all mankind For answer to the first objection if God made a covenant with Abraham and that also a covenant of grace then it will follow that God made two covenants of grace and then we must have two redeemers and if one of them was made to Abraham this is to make him who saith he is but dust and ashes Gen. 18. to be one of those redeemers or saviours who was but a poor creature himself but they will say to Abraham and Christ were the promises made Gal. 3.16 I answer as one King makes a league or covenant with another by an Embassadour so Abraham represented Christ for the promise of eternall life was made before the world began Titus 12. therefore before Abraham had his being or it may be answered thus Abraham received the sign or token of this covenant Gen. 17.10 11. when as the covenant it selfe was made with Christ from all eternity and those elect that fall in every age of the world since Adams fall God hath been in Christ not in Abraham reconciling them to himself 2 Cor. 5.19 20. and if Abraham should stand for all the Elect to receive a covenant for them then he should stand for them with an Image also without sin to answer for their lost Image by Adam but this he could not do because he was desiled with sin as other men then the covenant of grace was not made with him but with Christ who took upon him our nature and our infirmities and yet without sin Heb. 4.15 so then Abraham received circumcision the token of the covenant but himselfe was saved by his faith in Christ for saith Christ Abraham saw my day and was glad John 8.56 it was Christ that was given for a covenant he is the redeemer of Israel that holy one Isa 49.7 8. it was Christs righteousnesse that was imputed unto to him and received by faith when he received the sign of circumcision Rom. 4.11 and Abraham did but receive a further confirmation of the covenant of grace made with Christ before the world was by the sign of circumcision when God took in that Nation into the visible Church so much for answer to this objection Object 2. Some object and say the Law at Mount Sinai was a covenant of grace and others say it was a covenant of works but I shall prove that it was neither but only given to those that were in covenant as a rule of obedience so runs the preface I am the Lord thy God that is by the covenant of grace made with Jesus Christ and confirmed to Abraham therefore thou shalt have none other Gods but me and in all those places where doing is required it is first said I am the Lord your God therefore ye shall keep my Statutes and judgements which if a man do he shall live in them Deut. 18.2.4.5 Exod. 2.1 and saith the Lord God in the day that I chose Israel and made my selfe known to them in the land of Aegypt saying I am the Lord your God then it followes I gave them my Statutes and shewed them my Judgements which if a man do he shall even live in them Ezekell 20.5.11 Thus they were in covenant before the rule of obedience was given for the Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them Gal. 3.12 that is he that obeyeth that rule being in the new covenant by faith in Christ shall live yet not for his doing but for his believing Rev. 5.1 2. Gal. 3.26 it was given as a glasse to see their sin James 1.23 24 25. by the Law is the knowledge of sin see Rom. 3.20.7.7 it was given them as a schoolemaster to drive them to Christ Gal. 3.24 as the pursuer of blood drove the murtherer to the City of refuge Joshua 20.3 then the Law at Sinai cannot be a covenant of grace 2. If it was a covenant of grace with every particular person in Israel this were to make them all to be their own saviours and redeemers but this cannot be for with many of them God was displeased and their carkases fell in the wildernesse 3. The faithfull amongst them were saved by their faith in Christ crucified which the brasen Serpent signified and they did eat the same spirituall meat with us and drink of the same spirituall drink for they drank of the rock which was Christ and those that were prophane are said to tempt Christ 1. Cor. 10.4.9 4. It is plainly said
that they were in covenant with God before the Law at Sinai was given for God is said while they were in Aegypt to remember his covenant and to have respect unto them Exod. 2.23 24 25. and the Lord calls himself the God of the Hebrewes and the God of Israel and bids them say to Pharoah let my people go that they may serve me and sacrifice to the Lord their God and I will be to you a God and ye shall be to me a people which is the very tenour of the covenant of grace see Exod. 3.6 7 8 9. and 5.3 and 6 7. but Mr. Anthony Burgesse whom in respect of his great worth I much reverence although in this particular point I dissent from him till I beconvinced with more evidence of truth saith the Law at Sinai is a covenant of grace because it beares the name of covenant Deut. 4.13 I answer it beares that name from the old tenure when it was given to Adam for a covenant of works but it will not follow that it is still a covenant no more then the calling Rahab a harlot will conclude her still to be a harlot after her faith is so highly commended Heb. 11. but he saith it hath the properties of a covenant there be the parties God and Man and it is written with penalties and promises I answer It was a covenant to Adam therefore those things remained to shew them their misery by his fall and those that were not brought off by Christ were still under that covenant and as yet never freed from it then it had been a vain thing to give them that old bond as a covenant unto which they were still bound and condemned for ever then I say it was given them for those forenamed ends and not as a covenant But he saith it was a covenant of grace because God did not deale with them as absolutely considered but as their God for to them belong the covenants the giving of the Law and the promises Rom. 9.4 I answer God was in covenant with them before the Law at Mount Sinai was given therefore the Law at Sinai did not bind them as a covenant to obey it or else lye under the penalty of it and from this very text the giving of the Law is distinguished from the promises the first although given as a rule yet bearing the name of covenant and the latter they had many promises of Christ which is the Gospell declaring the covenant of grace the Gospell was preached to them Gal. 3.8 Heb. 4.2 1 Pet. 4.6 John 8.56 then all this will not prove the Morall Law to be a covenant of grace His 2. Argument if it be considered the good things annexed to the covenant then this at Sinai must be a covenant of grace for at Si nai was remission of sinnes and shewing mercy to thousands Ex. 20.5 I answer it is true to all those that did obey the Law as a rule of righteousnesse yet not for it but because they were in the covenant of grace before for all grace and comfort flowes from the covenant made with Christ and not from that made with Adam nor from the copy of it given as a rule to Israel at Mount Sinai grace and truth came by Jesus Christ John 1.16 His 3. Argument if we consider the duties commanded in the Law so generally taken it must needs be a covenant of grace for what is the meaning of the first Commandement but to have one God in Christ to be our God by faith I answer it is true to those that are in the covenant of grace before but the copy of Adams covenant cannot reconcile them to God in Christ that must be done by the covenant of grace and being in that covenant of grace already the Law at Sinai may command us to walk accordingly but saith he shall we think that any can do the Law without any spot of sin or without the grace of God to pardon them I answer no for the Law was not given them and us for that end for it was given in the hand of a mediatour and now God accepts of the will for the deed and the preface hath relation to the covenant of grace going before therefore although the Law be a perfect copy of the covenant of works yet being given to another end it cannot disanull the covenant of grace that was confirmed before of God in Christ nor make the promises of it of none effect Gal. 3.16 then this copy of the morall Law is not a covenant of grace His fourth Argument from the Ceremoniall Law all Divines say it was reduced to the Morall Law so that sacrifices were commanded by vertue of the second Commandement and sacrifices were Evangellicall and held forth remission of sins through the blood of Christ I answer those that were in the covenant of grace before and did by faith see Christ in those sacrifices grant that Law at Sinai did command them to walk accordingly as being made subservient to the covenant of grace and so the positive Lawes of the Land are usefull and subservient to the covenant of grace so that he who shall presume either against mans Law or Gods Law as now it is made usefull to us doth exceedingly aggravate his sin to treasure up wrath to himselfe against the day of wrath although neither the Law of God nor man is the covenant of grace His fifth Argument he saith will appear from the visible seale to ratifie this covenant which you have heard was by sacrifices and sprinkling the people which did signifie Christ as mediatour to this covenant I answer the covenant of works to Adam needed no sacrifices for sin as a seale of that covenant and for the copy of it given at Mount Sinai to Israel was not given as a covenant but as a rule of life for those already in covenant Therefore the Morall Law at Sinai need no sacrifices which were as seales to the covenant of grace and not to that Law at Sinai and those seales were long before the Law at Sinai was given Abels Lambe signified the Lambe of God that taketh away the sins of the world John 1.29 for Christ was then the true Lambe sacrificed Revel 13.8 now lest any should mistake there was three sorts of Lawes published in writing at Mount Sinai which were not written before first that eternall Morall Law in the 20. chap. of Exodus now this was not only written for them but for us allso Rom. 15.4 1 Cor. 10.11 yea for Saints and Angels eternally Psal 119.89.103.20 not one title of this Law shall faile and the Apostles do not seek to make void this Law but do establish it Rom. 3.31 but then at Mount Sinai there was the Judiciall Law given in the 21 22 23. chapters of Exodus and that Law belongs no more to us then our Lawes of the Land belong to them any farther then they are grounded on the morall Law 3. There was the Ceremoniall
did lively set forth the birth life death resurrection and ascension of Jesus Christ so that that this is the last and fullest manifestation of the covenant of grace and if when the ceremoniall law was written they did as it were see the body of heaven in his clearnesse Exod. 24.10 may not we say with Stephen when all the Church Officers are set in their places now I see the heavens not only cleare but opened and Christ at the right hand of God Acts 6.5.7.55 so then preaching of the Gospel the highest and fullest manifestation of Christ in the covenant of grace which was made before the world began Titus 1.2 and saith Paul the preaching of Jesus Christ was kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest by the scriptures according to the command of God to all nations for the obedience of faith Rom. 16.25 26. But some will say when the new covenant is made the old shall vanish away Heb. 8.13 I answer it is true when Christ was sacrificed he put an end to all sacrifices and ceremonies that tipified him crucified for sins all those types and shadowes are done away it is called the first covenant and the manifesting of Christ crucified by the History of the foure Evangelists is called the new covenant see Heb. 8.7 8 9. but some will say when the new covenant is made God will write his lawes in their hearts Heb. 8.10.10.16 I answer it is not said that this shall only be done in the times after the Incarnation of Christ although grace shall more abound then before his death for as the Priestly office of Christ did shew it selfe most before his resurrection by sacrifices so from thence his propheticall office is most seen and shall be to the end of the world so that the knowledge of God now shall be as the waters that cover the Sea Isa 11.9 and from thence his Kingly authority shall be seen clearly and shall never end Luke 1.13 when all humane power is cast down Dan. 7.9 and his own Kingdome rendred up by which he rules the Heathen with a rod of iron 1 Cor. 15.24 Psal 2. in that day shall all be willing to obey him or else made to suffer his will eternally so then although more in number have the Law of God written in their hearts since the coming of Christ yet the same thing was before for saith David I have hid thy Law in my heart that I may not sin against thee the Law of God is in his heart none of his steps shall slide Psal 37.3.119.11.40.8 then the preaching of the gospell is not a new covenant but a clear manifestation of the covenant of grace made with Christ before the world began Now let us see what James Pope hath to say in his unveiling of Antichrist of these two that are called covenants Heb. 8.8 9. namely the ceremoniall law pointing at Christ to come in all those types and shadowes and now the glorious preaching of the Gospell declaring Christ to be already come and finished the work of our redemption with the differences between these covenants with uses and application of those differences to our selves and first by the way he saith to maintain something still that pointed at Christ to come when as he is already come and hath done away those things Gal. 3.24 25. must needs be Antichristian but to men of understanding rather Judaisme for Papists do not use circumcision nor sacrifices tipifying Christ to come but then by his proof he seemes to mean that the morall Law was ended at the coming of Christ being a Schoole-master to them before his coming to bring them to Christ to be justified by faith but I have proved that this morall Law of God is an eternall rule for Saints and Angels Psal 119.89.103.20 and it is still as a School-master to bring men out of liking with their corrupted estate by reason of the misery that attends them both in this world and in the world to come Then he speaks of the ends why God made these covenants which is to take people neer unto himself Exod. 9.5 6. Heb. 8.10 1 Pet. 2.9.10 I ans First if he means the ceremoniall Law and our preaching the Gospell These I have shewed to be but manifestations of the covenant of grace now in that covenant God did intend his own glory in the salvation of the elect but if he speak of that covenant of Works to Adam they were created near unto God in holinesse and righteousnesse before that covenant was made with them which should rather confirm then reconcile them to God as the Angels were that never sinned but I passe on to his differences between these two covenants which are as followeth First In regard of the time when they were made the first of them being made with Israel when God led them out of the land of Aegypt Heb. 8.9 Jer. 11.4.31 32. now these things I have answered already when I shewed the covenant of grace was made with Christ before the world was and the covenant of works to Adam as soon as crerted but if these covenants were not made before Israel went out of Aegypt how comes it to passe that all before Christ came in Adam dyed as well as we and what is become of all those holy men before his Incarnation If the covenant of grace was not then made again would Christ first pay the purchase before he make the covenant and if Adam condemn'd all mankind by his fall what held off the wrath of God all that time before the covenant of grace as he would have it was made we know the Angels that sinned were immediatly cast down then notwithstanding his cavilling the first covenant was not made at their departure out of Aegypt and if he speak of the ceremoniall law it is as old as Abell and Caine But he saith some will object that this covenant of works is the same that God made with Adam but he saith our state is different from this but I say no for while Adam stood we stood when he fell we fell with him then he saith this covenant was to take some of the lost seed of Adam near to himself and the rest were strangers to the covenant of promise Ephe. 1.12 I answer it is true of the covenant of grace and this manifestation of it was a means to bring them into that covenant But he saith some will say was it not made with Abraham Gen. 17. he answers he had the promises of both covenants and the types of both Gal. 4. and vertually he had both but I say if he mean the morall Law as a rule then it was not a covenant or if he mean the covenant of works wherein he was born all the promises are lost by Adams fall and only curses and threatnings remain in it so then he that hath a right to the covenant of grace must be freed from the covenant of works or else he cannot