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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 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
then every man may do what is right in his own eyes his answer is only this if Magistrates be commanded to rule the nations and Christ to order the affaires of his Kingdome then the objection is resolved but this he cannot prove that Christ is confin'd only to rule his Church for when God raised him from the dead he set him at his own right hand far above all principalities and powers might and dominion and every name that is named both in this world and in the world to come and put all things under his feet and gave him to be the head over all things to his Church Ephe. 1.20.21 22. neither are Magistrates confined so to rule the State as to have no relation to the Church but to be as a guard to it and to punish the disturbers of it Rom. 13. The use of his last difference if the Lord have taken away the first that he might establish the second Heb. 10.9 then this should teach us to take heed that we do not go about to establish againe that which God hath taken away as all those do which go about to bring into the worship of God the rights of the first covenant this is indeed to give the spirit of God the lye for in effect they say the first covenant is best when as the spirit of God saith the second is best being established upon better promises I answer Christ and all his benefits were then promised and is any thing better then Christ and his benefits Gal. 3.8.16 so then the things promised were not better but the manifestation or discovery now is better the promises of grace were seal'd to them by the blood of beasts the type of Christs blood and to us the promises of grace are seal'd by his own blood but Christ and his benefits were the same both to them and us Then he is perswaded that each godly heart longs for the utter ruine of Antichrist which will be compleated so soon as this is generally seen that the upholding of the first covenant is the upholding of Antichrist for the Apostle admires that in as much as Christ was crucifyed and so clearly held forth among them which did put an end to all the rights of that covenant that they should be so bewitched as to bring them in again but here I would know of him who it is that seeks to bring in circumcision or any of their ceremonies which he seems to charge upon us without proof because the Galathians were bewitched with those beggerly elements which we have not the least shadow ofthen he saith circumcision was the signe of that covenant that did so deceive them for if ye be circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing ye are debters to the whole law Gal. 5.2 3. I answer with M. Perkins on these words that circumcision must be considered according to the circumstance of time three waies before Christ it was a Sacrament and seale of the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith Rom 4.1 after the death of Christ it was a dead ceremony yet some used it as a thing indifferent till the destruction of the Temple but afterwards it was a deadly ceremony and ceased to be a thing indifferent so then although it would be to us a renouncing of Christ yet to the Jewes it was a Sacrament or seal of the righteousnesse of Christ to their faith as our Sacraments do to us thus the Jewes that believed were under the covenant of grace as well as we although not under the same manifestation of it they had the glad tydings of Christ in the promise and we in the performance their promises are ceased in our performances and their types and shadowes ceased when Christ the substance came their ceremonies were gospell to them to shew them Christ but these ceremonies are now worn out and are but beggerly Elements to us they saw as it were the body of heaven in its clearnesse by those spectacles but we cannot see at all with them thus their Gospell is ceased to us but our preaching and declaring Christ to be already come is that everlasting Gospell preached by men and Angels in the midst of heaven for ever saying fear God and give glory to him and worship him that made the Heaven and Earth and Sea and Fountain of waters Rev. 14.15 16. and we shall then sing the song of Moses as well as the song of the Lambe Rev. 15.3 that is we shall be as cheerfull in our duty to the morall law being a rule of righteousnesse as to extoll and praise the Lord for his mercies so then although the ceremoniall law be ceased yet the morall law abideth eternally Psal 103.20.119.89 not as a covenant of grace nor as a covenant of works but as a rule of righteousnesse for Moses wrote all the words of the Lord touching the ceremoniall law Ex. 24.3 4. and after that the Lord called Moses up into the Mount and there he gave him the tables of stone and a law and Commandements which himself had written ver 12. to this end to be a rule of righteousnesse that thou maist teach them their duty after they had seen the God of Israel reconciled to them ve 10 11. now the righteous being in the covenant of grace shall enjoy the good things of it and that eternally when as the wicked being still under the covenant of works shall suffer the misery and lye under the penalty of it eternally But some will say the yoake of Christ is easie and his burden is light Mat. 28.11 when as the law was a yoake which neither our fathers nor we are able to beare Acts 15.10 therefore they were not in the covenant of grace nor under the yoake of Christ I answer it was the same covenant of grace with ours although not the same way administred unto them circumcision was a seale of the righteousnesse of faith to them Rom. 4.11 yet a very heavy burden to flesh and blood Exod. 4.25 and baptisme an easie service is come in the place of it and so their Passeover was very chargeable to sacrifice so many of their cattel this we are eased of and now the Lords Table requires but little of our estate so also they had long and tiresome Journies to come to the Passeover at Jerusalem Psal 84.6 7. when as now God accepts of our Passeover or Sacrament neare our own homes so then Jewes and Christians have the same covenant only their burden of administration is taken off and made easie for which we are exceedingly bound to praise the Lord and that for ever FINIS Errata Page 16. line 20. after read before p. 32. r. is the highest p. 20. l. 8. reverence r. receive l. 15. r. leave out many p. 21. l. 37. all read also the r. their risen r. arisen Christian Reader I Have lived an unworthy Minister in the same town with the Authour of this Treatise these six and twenty years and have been a constant observer and admirer as of her other eminent gifts so especially of those which give the highest lustre to them all her humble piety and charity And if I mistake not this Deborah doth here present unto thee in these her labours Bee-like a sting and hony conjoyn'd Hony-sweet instructions counsels and exhortations gathered out of severall flowres growing in Gods Paradise tending to all sorts of good husbandry and also sharp stings of reproof against all kinds of unthriftiness not sparing the worst of them our Church-dividing Errours in these times Who knows but that after the lightnings of so many worthy Barak's and thundrings of so many powerfull Boanergesses both from the Pulpit and Presse against these Troublers of our Israel the Lord may be pleased to make some of these Sisera's fall by the hand and pen of a woman First read then judge and as Barnabas did at Antioch Acts 11.23 when thou hast seen the grace of God be glad and say The Lord be magnified who as he may do what he will with his own so hath given such gifts to a woman the fruits whereof shee here by her private pains sends forth with her earnest desire for the glory of God and the publike good Which is also the hearty prayer of Thy Christian friend and well-wisher in the Lord Robert Cade REader in this Tract as in a former by her written thou mayest find verified eminency of gifts humility of spirit elegancy of style soldity of matter height of fancy depth of judgment cleernesse of apprehension strength of reason all sweetly met together and truly as well as piously improved for the mayntenance of the old truths of Jesus Christ against the new errours of these times by the Phoenix of this age this rare and precious Gentlewoman the envy and glory of her sex 〈…〉