the incouragement of Souls in seeking after them that if one be taken many more go along with it like many links in a Chain that are closed into each other The means and the end must not be severed Where there is such a connexion of Duties Graces and Blessings the matters may be sometimes expressed in a conditinal form with an If as Rom. 10. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy mouth be Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart thou shalt be saved Such â—fs note the verity of such propositions in their connexion they affirm this or that to be a certain truth as that he which believeth shall undoubtedly be saved yet that Grace is not properly the condition of Salvation For even believing is absolutely promised so as nothing shall intervene to hinder it Isa 53. 10 11. Heb. 8. 10. In that improper sense some Scriptures seem to speak of conditions viz. they intimate a connexion between Covenant blessings some are conjoyned as means and end yet the promises are really absolute for their performance There is a vast difference between the way of the Lord in the dispensation of Covenant blessings and the tenour of the Covenant Or between the New Covenant it self and the means which the Lord useth for its execution and accomplishment The Covenant it self is an absolute grant not only to Jesus Christ but in him to the house of Israel and Judah Heb. 8. Yet what the Lord hath absolutely promised and is determined and resolved upon to vouchsafe to them may be conditionally propounded as a quickening means unto Souls seeking a participation of it As it was absolutely determined yea and declared by the Lord that those very persons which were in the Ship should be preserved Act. 27. 22. There shall not be a loss of any mans Life and ver 25. I believe God that it shall be even as it was told me Yet as a means to their preservation he speaketh to them conditionally ver 31. Except these abide in the Ship ye cannot be saved So although the Salvation of all the Elect and also the causing them to believe is absolutely intended yet as a means that he may urge the duty upon Souls with greater vehemency and earnestness the Lord may speak in a conditional way if ye believe ye shall be saved when it is certain they shall believe Answ 2. There is no such condition of the New Covenant to us as there was in the Old to Israel for the Apostle is comparing them together and in opposition to the Old he giveth the New altogether in absolute promises and that to Israel Heb. 8. and shewing that the New is not according to the Old he discovereth wherein the difference lay ver 9. Because they continued not in my Covenant and I regarded them not saith the Lord and Jer. 31. 32. which Covenant they brake c. This argueth that the condition of the Old was such as the performance of it did give them assurance of the temporal mercies promised and a right to them and such as failed in left them at uncertainties whether they should injoy them or not so as it was not only in it self and its own nature uncertain but even as to the event I regarded them not saith the Lord. If their performing the condition had been as absolutely promised as the blessings of the New Covenant are then Israel would have continued in it which they did not and could not have forfeited what was promised thereupon as diverse times they did and were excluded out of Canaan upon that account Jurists say a condition is a rate manner or Law annexed to mens acts staying or suspending the same and making them uncertain whether they shall take effect or no. Cowell out of West part 1. Symb. 2. sect 156. And thus condition is opposed to absolute That there is no such condition in the New Covenant to be performed by us giving right and title to the blessings of it and leaving at uncertainties and liability to missing of them as there was in the Old to be fulfilled by Israel may appear 1. If there be any it must either be an antecedent or a subsequent condition but neither L. Coke upon Littleton saith of one precedent Conditio adimpleri debet priusquam sequatur effectus There can be no such antecedent condition by the performance of which we get and gain entrance or admittance into Covenant for till we be in it no act put forth by us can find any acceptation with God Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God And our being in Covenant is in order of nature though not of time before Faith because it is a priviledge or benefit of the Covenant a part of the New heart a fruit of the Spirit and so the Spirit which is the worker of it and another blessing of the Covenant is given first in order before it Jesus Christ is the first saving gift Rom. 8. 32. and with him he freely giveth all things Men ought to be in the use of means but it is the act of God that giveth admission into the Covenant Ezek. 16. 8. I entred into Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine Immediately before they were polluted in their blood Ver. 6. In an utter incapacity for acting in any pleasing way so as to get into Covenant Neither is there any subsequent condition to be fulfilled by us the use of that is for the continuation of a right and upon failing thereof all is forfeited as in the case of Adam Whereas there is no act of ours whereby our right unto Covenant blessings is continued to us upon failing whereof they may be forfeited Our right and the ground of our claim is upon a higher account than any act of our own it is even the purchase of Jesus Christ and they are the sure mercies of David Isa 55. 3. Sure to all the Seed Rom. 4. 16. And when they are become believers Eternal Life is absolutely promised Joh. 3. 16 36. 1 Joh. 5. 10 11 12. and it is a contradiction to say that it is absolutely and yet but conditionally promised to them 2. The Lord hath given assurance that there shall never be an utter violation of the New Covenant and therefore it hath no such condition as was annexed to the Old For the Lord declareth that they had broken his Covenant Jer. 11. ver 3 4 10. Jer. 31. ver 32. Littleton speaking of an Estate upon condition in deed by Feoffment saith it is called Estate upon condition for that the Estate of the Feoffee is defeasible if the condition be not performed Ten. lib. 3. Cap. 4. But the New Covenant is secured from such a violation it cannot be disanulled so as the persons interested in it should be deprived of the great blessings promised therein Jer. 32. 40. I will make an everlasting Covenant with them but may there not be such a condition of it as they may come
with mens receiving it through Faith Gods act of pardon disobliging Believers the instant of their sinning is to be answered with a renewed act of Faith applying this to themselves setting their Seal to what God hath done yea renewed acts of Repentance also are to follow Under the Old Covenant it was not possible that the blood of Bulls and Goats should take away sins Heb. 10. 4. but the New Testament is better for therein through the blessed Mediatour believers obtain real remission Heb. 9. 15. 2. To ask impunity or immunity and freedom from the execution of the Curse and from other tokens of Divine displeasure if they know they shall have it yet they are to ask it as I before evidenced Though Believers know that God is a Father and that the Eternal Curse will never seize upon them yet they are to pray for a freedom from it and the rather be incouraged and provoked to it because the Lord hath promised it Although by the New Covenant Justification is continued yet by gross acts of sin the Lord may be provoked so as many sweet effects of their being justified may be suspended David who was in a state of Grace when he had notoriously sinned before renewed acts of Faith and Repentance before confessing his sin his bones waxed old through his roaring all the day long Psal 32. 3 4. Day and Night the band of God was heavy upon him By this it is evident that although at the instant of sinning Believers are declared really disobliged from the Eternal Curse of the Law yet they may not be sensibly freed from that nor from temporal evils till afterward They are exempted from vindictive Justice in order to the making satisfaction for sin but not from paternal corrective dispensations to the humbling for and deterring from sin Psal 51. 2 7. Wash me throughly from my sin c. Purge me with Hyssop c. He was deeply sensible of his pollution defilement and uncleanness by reason of iniquity maketh confession and seeketh the removal of it Ver. 4. That he might justifie God whom he had greatly dishonoured and give glory to him by acknowledging his righteousness in all his judgements he cryeth out Ver. 9. Hide thy face from my sins they were not only ever before him but seemed to be so before the Lord also as if he were alwaies looking on them though he had not lost his Salvation yet he wanted much of the joy of it ver 11 12. Nathan told him God had pardoned him his sin 2 Sam. 12. 13 14. only some tokens of Divine displeasure must be expected and I think he Penned this Penitentlal Psalm after for the title sheweth that this confession was directed to the chief Musician it was for the use of the Temple he had confessed privately before to Nathan now he doth it more publickly after he had told him of pardon and also of judgements ver 4. So that after Souls are really disobliged and have pardon it self yet they may want the sense of it till there be a fresh application of the blood of Jesus Christ by the Spirit to them so as they may cry out for it as he ver 9. Blot out all my iniquities There may be inward cloudings and darkness sin and guilt may lie heavy upon the Conscience there may be throbbing there and a dreadful sense of it which may be enough to deterr from sin He will visit transgressions with a Rod though his loving kindness he will not utterly take from them Psal 89. 32 33. And who is willing to see the frowning face of God a tender Father and to have such smart rebukes not only by outward corporal afflictions but by the withdrawing the light of his countenance which is better than Life The Old Covenant did not purge the Conscience but the New is a better Testament for having mentioned the remission of sins afforded thereby Heb. 10. 16 17. he addeth let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith having our hearts sprinkled from an evil Conscience so Heb. 9. 15. In the way of a fresh exercise of Faith they may have freedom not only from other fatherly corrections but from those accusations of an evil Conscience which are the usual fruits of hainous sins till renewed acts of Faith and Repentance 5. The New Covenant raiseth a choice Spirit of filial Love and so is better than the Old which leaveth under a Spirit of servile fear the New being made up all of Promises must needs have a tendency to raise into the sweetest Spirit Rom. 8. 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bondage again to fear but ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father There is an excellency in the Evangelical Spirit then above the other I understand that Text of different states of the Church or People of God seeing in the former and following Chapters he evidently speaketh of Believers freedom from the Law by the Lord Jesus and the particle again doth intimate that once they were under that fearing Spirit viz. under the Old Mosaick dispensation but now in the times of the New Testament were freed from it Some by the Spirit of bondage understand operations of the Spirit in fear and terrour in order to conversion I cannot find that he is treating of that and it is more suitable to understand it of the state under the Old Testament and the rather because it is brought in as a proof of their Sonship as the particle for doth intimate it was therefore no desirable frame to be sought after but a misery to be under it and a mercy to be freed from it The Old Covenant carried with it more of the Spirit of a Servant as the word signifieth and although serving the Lord chiefly or only for reward savoureth of a legal Spirit and is one difference between the Spirit of a Servant and the Spirit of a Son yet here another difference is aimed at for it is said ye have not received it again to fear The Sinai Covenant put them on to duty by dreadful threatnings presented Curses before them and that not actually undergone for them by Jesus Christ as Arguments or inforcements thereunto which terrifieth and filleth with such fear as is found in Servants by the severe threatning of their Masters Israel was filled with fear and astonishment at the first promulgation of the Law And whewhether this was the proper effect of the Sinai Law to work into servile fear and bondage so as to make that duty then which now is not so and whether it were the approved effect of it in that day or not yet it intimateth that through the frailty of sinful man this would certainly be the issue of it and was even unavoidable hearing the Law from the mouth of an all-powerful God as a consuming fire and there was not enough in those conditional promises to free from this servile fear and so it left them under
foundation can no man lay then the is laid which is Jesus Christ The Covenant of Works was founded upon something in man his concreated ability and natural strength all the obedience of the first Adam if he had stood and the fruits thereof would have been resulting from the sufficiency of his own power and free-will and he failing all the fabrick fell But the Lord hath established another glorious Covenant and this is built upon what is firmer and of greater strength even Jesus Christ this stone that is laid in Zion is a tried stone Isa 26. 16. A sure foundation Now the structure of our Salvation will never fall because it hath such a sure ground-work able to bear up the weight and stress of all that is laid upon it No other can be laid He is the only foundation of all the promises of all the graces of all the obedience of all the peace of all the comfort of all the glory that is promised That with Abraham before his incarnation was confirmed of God in Christ Gal. 3. 17. He was the Mediator of Abrahams Covenant and therefore that had in it the same for substance with the new Indeed Jesus Christ is the foundation of all the blessings and special priviledges in the Covenant as with us If the Lord be a God to any it is in Christ if their iniquities be forgiven it is in the blood of Christ if the Divine Law be written in their hearts it is by the finger of the spirit of Christ thus he lieth at the bottom of all and so is the Covenant of the people 2. Jesus Christ maketh way for our injoyment of all federal blessings by standing in manifold relations to the Covenant As he standeth between God and us as a middle person to make reconciliation so he is the Mediator of the Covenant Heb. 9. 15. There was a wide breach that we could never have made up yea such a variance as there was no possibility of our approaching to God to enter upon a Treaty of Peace much less to procure our own reconciliation sin raised such an enmity as the Lord would have been a consuming fire to us if we had come near to him now the Lord Jesus interposed and took up this case undertook to compose and put an end to this difference There were iniquities in the way to hinder our fruition of promised mercies but he took an effectual course for the removal of these He is the Mediator of the new Testament to what end for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament Satisfaction was made by him to Divine Justice to the full he answered all the demands of the righteous Law and so wrought out reconciliation for us As he undertook for the parties at variance so he was the surety of the Covenant Heb. 7. 22. Jesus made a Surety of a better Testament The Lord would not take our bond for that great debt which we had contracted and were never able to pay It was now with us as with a poor man under an arrest for a vast sum unless there can be procured an able sufficient man to enter bond with him he must to prison without hope of being released any more so the Law of the righteous God arrested us for infinite breaches thereof it exacted a great and yet most just debt at our hand which we being already bankrupts were never able to answer it required a debt of infinite suffering the just due of our sin which if laid upon us would sink us for ever for the wages of sin is death The Lord demanded a debt of perfect obedience universal righteousness unto life which we were never able to yield and now unless one able and sufficient will undertake and be bound for us there is no possibility of escaping the prison of Hell the chains of infernal darkness the everlasting wrath of the Omnipotent God under this misery we must have layen without hope of recovery this was our state upon the fall of our first parents and in this strait and distress one not of our procuring but of his own grace offering it even Jesus Christ stepped in and became a surety for us to pay our ransom to answer our debt to the utmost farthing he put his name into our Obligation was made under the Law to redeem those that were under the Law Gal. 4 4. Yea he became God's surety to us to free us from all doubtings about the fulfilling of the Covenant to us he undertook and promised that he would lose nothing that was given him John 6. 39. But would raise in up at the last day i. e. to everlasting Salvation for others shall be raised up also unto Condemnation but these unto eternal glory As he ratified and confirmed all so he was the Testator of the Covenant Heb. 9. 16 17. Where there is a Testament then must also of necessity be the death of the Testator for a Testament is of force after men be dead Nothing less than death it self was threatned upon the first transgression Gen. 2. 17. that must be indured if ever Sinners be recovered unto a fruition of eternal life and now behold the matchless love of Jesus Christ saith he I will die in their stead to save them from eternal death and thus he hath turned it into a Testament a new Testament fealing it with his own blood As he acteth for our obtainment of the blessings promised so he is the Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. The Messenger of the Covenant whom ye delight in behold he shall come We should have been without a knowledge of this grace altogether strangers to it and unacquainted with it if he had not revealed it to us and so we should not have made out after but come short of those spiritual blessings of the Covenant but now Jesus Christ himself travelleth with these blessed tidings he maketh a report of all the federal transactions between the Father and him in order to our Salvation he openeth all those soul-ravishing Mysteries and all those precious promises yea the way to our participation of those blessed priviledges and so he is the Messenger of the Covenant As he seeketh to satisfie us of the reality of God in all those federal transactions so he is the wâ—tness of the Covenant Isa 55. 4. Behold I have given him for a witness of the people When poor sould hear the tidings of Covenant love in the heart of God towards them they are ready to suspect it is too good news to be true are apt to be incredulous here are hardly perswaded to believe the truth thereof at least as to themselves now Jesus Christ condescendeth so far as to take upon him the Office of a Witness to assure of the truth of all yea now he is in heaven he doth not throw up that Office he continueth still in this work and sendeth down news from heaven thereof Revel 1. 5. 3. 14. He
Christ in the way to Salvation but not in the least or that which justifieth or saveth See what earnestness and vehemency the Apostle useth herein vers 3. I testifie again to every man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to the whole Law Where is intimated that an acting in any work upon a legal account or on a legal ground is a putting our selves under the obligation of and is all one as if we sought life altogether by the Law For if they were circumcised upon a principle or opinion of its conducing to their Justification they became debtors thereby to the whole Law though they did not think other services required or themselves obliged to them yet by one they put themselves under the bond of the whole Thus then if any should act in any Gospel Institutions as Baptisme or the Supper of the Lord upon a like account as they did take up circumcision viz. with an opinion of their conducing to justification and acceptation with God unto Eternal Life they would thereby make themselves debtors to the whole Law So if they should give Repentance mourning for sin self-emptiness yea Faith it self the same place and act therein upon such a ground as they did in Circumcision Christ would be rendred of no effect unto such Souls 2. When there is a living in the Spirit of the Old Covenant in dealing with the Promises of the New then indeed there is a mixing of the two Covenants which are so distinct The Old Covenant carried with it a Spirit of bondage and terrour Rom. 8. 15. Heb. 12. 18. And if Souls in looking to the Promise carry it as if they were conversing with God upon the burning Mount eyeing chiefly Divine wrath dwelling more upon a Divine curse than upon the Grace of God in the free Promise in looking for mercy here is the Spirit of the Old Covenant so when souls are shie of the Promise and ready to stand at a distance from it when they carry it towards God as if Jesus Christ had not satisfied the curse of the Law and yet in part look to the Promise The Old Covenant did run upon Dâ— and Live intending that Jesus Christ should be the doer in reference to Eternal Life but when souls are like those who were hired into the Vineyard Mat. 20. vers 1 2 c. when they are indenting with God for their penny when they must have such incomes and such injoyments from God in case they act in duty when they seek the reward upon their own doing they may work hard and sink under their burthen and have little thank for their pains as that Parable sheweth When duty is not mannaged with a Gospel Spirit when the Divine Spirit is not acting the Soul by the Promise of the New Covenant it cometh to little The Old Covenant did run upon condition and so when Souls dwell upon conditions performed by or wrought within themselves and build their Hope Peace and Comfort upon them so as they look little or nothing to the free Grace of God in absolute Promises make but little use of these in comparison of the other then they are too much in the Spirit of the Old Covenant and mixing with the New CHAP. VII Of the nature of the Mount Sinai Covenant IT will now be asked What manner of Covenant was that at mount Sinai which is called the worse Covenant what kind of Covenant was it Sol. In general it was a Covenant of Works as to be fulfilled by Jesus Christ but not so to Israel Or It was the Covenant of Grace as to its legal condition to be performed by Jesus Christ represented under a conditional administration of it to Israel This is a knotty puzling Question in Divinity for the clearer opening of it I must answer both Negatively and Affirmatively SECT I. Answ I. NEgatively in four Propositions Prop. I. The Sinai Law was not given as a Covenant of Works to Israel It was designed to be a Covenant of Works as to be accomplished by Jesus Christ as will appear afterward but the end of the Lord was not that it should be so to Israel For 1. The nature of a Covenant of Works and also the general current of Scripture denieth the Sinai Law to be such A Covenant of Works requireth perfect personal obedience promising life or a reward of Justice thereupon and threatning death upon the least violation thereof This is evident from the Covenant with Adam in innocency Gen. 2. vers 17. He obeying it is implied he should live he disobeying by eating the forbidden Fruit the sentence of death passeth upon him and apparently this is a true description of a Covenant of Works for whatever is opposite unto this speaketh Grace if Justification and Eternal Life be attained by anothers righteousness or obedience without their personal performance of it there is Grace herein if the reward be not of Justice it must be of Grace if imperfections and sinful failings be not followed with death there is Grace in that also Now the design or intendment of God in giving the Sinai Covenant was not that Israel should by their own obedience obtain Eternal Life and Salvation Indeed the false Apostles in Gospel times did put upon personal obedience they urged Circumcifion and other works of the Law as necessary unto Justification and Eternal Life but in opposition to them the Apostle argueth in diverse Chapters in the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians proving that they come by a righteousness performed for us by Jesus Christ Rom. 3. vers 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law i. e. as performed by themselves shall no flesh be justified in his sight it is vers 28. Without the deeds of the Law Gal. 2. vers 16. Gal. 3. vers 10. As many as are of the works of the Law i. e. as performed by themselves are under the curse and vers 11 12. Gal. 5. vers 2 3. Yea our Salvation is not of works Ephes 2. vers 8 9. 2 Tim. 2. 9. Adam forfeiting life when he might have had it on the terms of his own doing hence the Lord would never deal with man in that way any more And lest any should think that this was only since the Sinai Covenant was at an end the Apostle proveth that our works are now excluded from the instances of Abraham and David Rom. 4. vers 2 3. For if Abraham were justified by works he hath whereof to glory but not before God and addeth it is to him that worketh not vers 5. and vers 6. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works Where it is plainly intimated that we are justified in Gospel times in the same way for substance with them of old and he expresly saith that this was not by works of their own performance no not by such as they came up to after they were in a state of grace much less by any works of theirs
short of all its blessings No I will not turn away from them to do them good but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me If there were any danger of forfeiting and losing these it must be either on Gods part by his leaving of them or on their part by their departing from him and here the Lord hath undertaken to secure against both these and so the matter is out of Question it was not thus in the Old Covenant Indeed what the Lord hath absolutely promised yet he hath appointed means in order to the attaining of it internal as Faith and external as Ordinances and commands utmost attendance upon him ordinarily in the use thereof this is necessary as a duty and sin ariseth upon the neglect of it Thus the Lord is unalterably determined to vouchsafe a frame of obedience Ezek. 36. 25 to 30. Yet obedience is to be performed by us we are to be the Agents and we may sin about the means in the way to the injoyment of such mercy as is laid up in absolute promises Faith is to be exercised in these else what use are they of and we may be faulty in not attending to it 3. If there be any such condition of the New Covenant it were most like to be precious Faith but that is not A condition properly taken is influential into right if performed it giveth right to the benefit promised if not performed there is no right and therefore is a cause it giveth jus ad rem which a man may have and yet be forced after to Sue for possession If it be only in a Mode or accident it is thus as if a great Estate be granted upon paying a white Lilly if a person bringeth a yellow Lilly and not a white he hath no right all is null and void upon such a tickle point are they who stand upon such conditions for Eternal mercies Now Faith giveth no right Joh. 1. 12. To as many as received him gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his Name Jesus Christ is offered in the free Promise of the Gospel Faith that consenteth or receiveth him and a right and title in him to the blessings of the Covenant it doth not give one The Father offereth righteousness in a way of gift Rom. 5. 17. Faith accepteth the offer receiveth Jesus Christ for righteousness and so conduceth to Justification Rom. 4. 3. Abraham believed God and it was counted to him for righteousness i. e. it was reckoned a means unto righteousness so ver 5. Not that Faith it self was reckoned the least of that righteousness whereby we are justified but a means for the applying of Jesus Christ who is our righteousness The Covenant as to that priviledge of it Justification is not so absolute as to be without all means yet may be absolute without any condition properly so called As condemnation without any new act of receiving is the resultancy from the Law upon disobedience to all under the Covenant of Works so Justification is the resultancy of a Divine Promise upon the obedience of Jesus Christ to all those that are under the New Covenant That unbelievers are not justified by it is because they are not actually under it Not because they have not fulfilled the condition of it but because they are not interested in the obediential righteousness of Jesus Christ which is the condition of it Rom. 10. 10. The act of God in justifying is to be answered by the act of Faith consenting to the offer of the Gospel As the death and satisfaction of Jesus Christ is enough to answer if the accusation be that we are sinners and deserve Eternal wrath so if the accusation be that we have no interest or portion in this satisfaction any thing that can evidence our interest in Christ is a sufficient plea to answer that be it Faith or other Graces they may be pleaded as evidences but not as titles as fruits and effects of a right given but not as causes and conditions fulfilled by us giving us that right It is a great mistake to think that there is no plea in this case but from the performance of a condition For an evidence may be from the effects as well as from causes even in civils a meer witness may carry it in such a charge when he can testifie I saw the person put into peaceable possession of such an Estate Besides if this charge he drawn up against those out of Christ many things may make it good if against those that are in Christ then who draweth this up Not God for he it is that justifieth and therefore he will not condemn Rom. 8. 33 34. if Satan or their own hearts then as gracious effects are enough to answer so by direct acts of Faith there ought to be a stedfast resisting and withstanding of Satan and he will flee from them 1 Pet. 5. 9. Jam. 4. 7. No necessity of pleading the performance of a condition to help against this 4. Our obedience though evangelical is no such condition of the New Covenant as there was of the Old unto Israel For the Lord hath undertaken that his people shall obey Ezek. 36. 25 to 30. I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my ways Heb. 8. 10. obedience is as absolutely promised as any other blessings in the New and therefore it cannot be the condition thereof The Apostle having asserted and largely proved Rom. 3. that justification is by faith not by the works of the Law he further cleareth it from the instances of Abraham and David Rom. 4. 3. Abraham believed c. and vers 4. Now to him that worketh the reward is not reckoned of grace but of debt This strongly implieth that the reward must be reckoned of grace but of debt This strongly implieth that the reward must be reckoned of grace and not of debt the emphasis is upon this so as if it were otherwise the whole force of his argument were taken away and the stress is not upon the word reckoned yet if it were the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being applied to both must signifie a true judgement and just estimation as Rom. 8. 18. 9. 8. 1 Cor. 4. 1. for really and in true account the reward is of grace and it is as firmly asserted that if it were of works it were in the same account of debt Say some only meritorious works would make it so but let it be considered that works can be meritorious only one of these two ways either 1. By being of such value and worth as that in justice such a recompence is deserved by them yea though there were no contract that way and dare any say that any works of men even in innocency could thus merit at the hands of God is not all obedience due to God so as when we have done all we are unprofitable servants Luk. 17. 10.
it and comparatively with the New Covenant which hath more Evangelical inforcements unto duty by Grace and the free Promise The Sinai Law hath a tendency to work into the fear of a Servant towards his Master and so as the Apostle saith gendreth to bondage rather than to the fear or love of a Son which is the issue of Gospel Revelations Christians now are to act upon more Evangelical accounts from more Love yea and more Faith having received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father it is by this believing Spirit that Souls have liberty of access to God with that freedom that Children use to have in going to a tender Father The fearing Spirit kept them at a distance from the Lord like a Servant that durst not come near an austere Master but by this they may with a holy boldness and firm assurance repair to him and cry Abba Father This will appear more clearly if we compare it with that parallel place Gal. 4. 1 2 c. The Heir so long as he is a Child differeth nothing from a Servant c. Even so we when we were Children were in bondage under the Elements of the World c. Here the state under the Old Sinai Covenant plainly is expressed by bondage not absolutely that of bondslaves they were not in pure slavery nor so in the condition of Servants but as under Tutors and Governours and in a state of subjection that they differed little in outward appearance to themselves or others from Servants they seemed to have more of that Spirit being acted by fear than of the Spirit of Sons but since the dispensation of the New Covenant they are freed from the servile state redeemed by Jesus Christ from the rigour of the Law and have much of the Spirit of Adoption ver 5 6. there is such an alteration for the better as if their Sonship now began ver 7. that is comparatively with the other therefore Christians now are to act in a different way from what they did of Old more in a free Spirit of Adoption thus bondage and freedom are opposed ver 24 25 26 31. not as taken for simple slavery but for a state of less freedom though in the same Family and House as Hagar and Sarah were the one expresly intending the state under the mount Sinai Covenant the other under the Free Promise so Gal. 3. 24. The Law was our Schoolmaster until Christ so it is in the Original we have not there those words to bring us This Text doth not speak of a work of the Law still continuing in order to conversion before closing with Jesus Christ for the bringing Souls unto him but telleth us of the rigorous discipline of the Law of Old to Israel the people of God like a Schoolmaster with a Rod compelling to duty until Christ i. e. until his Incarnation until his satisfaction it speaketh of such a use thereof which is now at an end in Gospel times as appeareth by the Antithesis ver 25. but after faith is come we are no longer under a Schoolmaster c. that is after Christ the object of Faith is come in the flesh and hath satisfied the Law hath purchased Redemption for us now we are no longer under the menaces and severities of the Law as a Schoolmaster as Christ is said to be our hope so he is our faith that is the object of it the thing believed That which is held forth here by the coming of faith is expressed by the coming of the seed vers 19. which is Jesus Christ and our present freedom from the Law as a severe Schoolmaster speaketh the betterness of our state and so of the New Covenant 6. The New Covenant is established upon spiritual Promises and so is better than the old Sinai Covenant which did run upon temporal promises to Israel now I speak of it as an administration to them all the promises of the New are of a spiritual nature that promiseth to give the Law into the heart that God will be their God their sins shall be pardoned Heb. 8. these spirituals are firstly promised and temporal things are comprised in these godliness hath the promise of this life but spirituals are mentioned here that we might be taken up mostly with spiritual injoyments grace peace communion with God c. I have wondred why the New should be made up of such promises as if only real Christians could be interested therein but I consider he speaketh of it not to exclude all from visible interest which elsewhere is witnessed to Act. 8. 12. even when the â—â—al was wanted but in opposition to the old to discover how these promises are better than those of the Old Covenant which run upon temporal things to Israel is long Life the Land of Canaan c. Deut. 5. 11. Levit. 26. these were most obvious there and better things represented by these whereas the New putteth on to duty rather by spiritual promises and blessings than by temporal and so is a better Covenant 7. The New Covenant it self ushereth in spiritual blessings and in a more immediate way than under the Sinai Covenant and so is established on better promises the more immediate mercies of God the better the more new pure and fresh from the fountain of Divine Love Immediate visions of God in Heaven will render them surpassingly excellent and in this world those that are not without all means but comparatively immediate are the best mercies as the more immediate judgements are the worst of these The Old Covenant did not it self dispense out spiritual and eternal blessings but provoked to have recourse unto the Abrahamatical Covenant for these they must setch a greater compass in travelling to those injoyments than under the New they must look from the Old for remission of sin which was typified there and so for such other mercies unto the free promise In the New Covenant mercies are absolutely promised Heb. 8. and therefore the application of them is more immediate than under the Old they may forth with by an eye of faith look to Jesus Christ for a fruition-of them there is not such a vail of typical institutions to intervene that is a better way to the obtainment of those blessings Joh. 1. 17. Yea the dispensation is also better the Apostle saith Heb. 1. 1 2. That God in the last days hath spoken to us by his Son This is the excellency of Gospel discoveries above visions dreams and such like afforded in old restament times that now Jusus Christ himself speaketh to us with his own mouth we have more immediate manifestations and on that account there is infinite danger in non-attendance to what is spoken Heb. 12. 25. As the Gospel is more extensive it reacheth not to Jews only but to Gentiles also as equal sharers in the blessings by faith the partition-wall being broken down Eph. 1. 12 14. Rom. 3. 22. So there is a more open door of access to
God Heb. 9. 8. under the old the way was not yet opened into the holiest which implieth that since the way is open there is a greater freedom Eph. 2. 18. Heb. 10. 19 22. and better incouragements the price is already paid and now Christians ask mercy as already pruchased Of old the people must not come near unto the Holiest but only the Priests now believers are become Priests unto God Rev. 1. and may have more immediate converses with him than before all which argueth this to be a better Covenant 8. The New Covenant is full of efficacy and so is better than the Old in the New all is undertaken by an omnipotent God Heb. 8. 10 11 12. and therefore whatever difficulty or opposition lieth in the way yet this word of power is enough sowards the accomplishment of it whereas in the Old Covenant much is required of Israel but no such absolute promises assuring effectually of their accomplishment there is such a difference between the Old and the New as between the letter and the spirit 2 Cor. 3. 6. The Ministers of the New Testament are not of the letter but of the spirit for the letter killeth the spirit giveth life The Lord not only uttered the Law by lively voice but did write it with his own fingers in those lasting monuments tables of stone and the Jews grosly mistaking did too much take up in the letter in external literal obedience the chief efficacy and impression they felt thereby was in the threatning part the letter killeth the Divine curse was a killing thing struck into the fear of death but the New hath more efficacious vivifying operations vers 6. 8. the spirit giveth life and so that is a ministration transcendantly glorious that is a powerful means for recovering the heart out of the greatest spiritual deadness indisposition disconsolation it is full of quickning life-giving influences abundance of the spirit in the gifts and graces of it may be found there and so it is a better Covenant Lastly The New Covenant is more durable and lasting not liable to such violations as the Old and so is a better Covenant the Lord in promising to make a New Covenant addeth Jer. 31. 32. Not according to the Covenant made with their Fathers c. which Covenant they brake c. So Jer 11. 4 6 10. Heb. 8. 9. yea the Old Covenant it self is said to be vanishing vers 13. which importeth that this is a grand difference between them that the Neâ— should not be subject to be broken as the Old was If those that are only externally and by visible profession within the New may totally and others who are internally and really in it may parsially break it yet not totally so as to cast themselves altogether out of it nor comparatively with those within the Old The vital principles and impressions of divine love in Gospel times shall be so strong and the Divine Law imprinted and ingraven in such lively characters upon the hearts of men as shall wonderfully secure those that are really in the New from the violation of it far bove the other and unsteadiness of spirit or want of establishment is an argument that souls have but a slender participation of its blessings and the New shall never be antiquated there is none to succeed that both the Mediator and the priviledges of it are eternal the blood of Christ is the blood of the everlasting Covenant Heb. 13. 20 21. and therefore it is better Covenant than the Old CHAP. XI Of the time of first coming into Covenant IT may be asked When is it that any are actually and personally interested in the Spiritual benefits or blessings of the New and better Covenant It is not a virtual but an actual interest that is here inquired after and not when they were representatively in Covenant in their common person but when personally by an application of its blessings to their own persons And indeed the New Covenant is for application and is the summ of all that is to be applyed though it be not the whole Covenant of Grace which taketh in all Articles between God the Father and Jesus Christ the Son in order to our restoration And it is to be noted That some are visibly others are really under the Covenant Some who are branches in Jesus Christ yet may be broken off Joh. 15. 2 6. Rom. 11. and therefore were but visibly in him Some are sanctified with the blood of the Covenant and yet afterward may count it an unholy thing Heb. 10. 23. and so are but visibly under it by an outward separation to or profession of the name and Faith of Jesus Christ to as to partake of common priviledges belonging to its external dispensation persons thus in Covenant and under the sign of it may be in a perishing condition still Act. 8. 13 23. Outward profession of Faith is not that which entituleth to the external administrations of it but only is a character or mark of persons fit for them as shewing a visible interest in the Promise by a possession of the things promised and their Seed have as sure a mark of their being visibly under the Promise by the Lords declaring them interested therein with their Parents Gen. 17. 7 9. Act. 2. 38. and this not by the Old Covenant as some would have it which is disanulled but by that with Abraham which is yet in force Gal. 3. 17. And besides the same that are the subjects of the New Covenant were the subjects of the Old even the house of Israel and Judah Jer. 31. 31 32. Heb. 8. As the Faith of Abraham was to be exercised in the Promise which was made to him for his Seed so many other Parents Faith be acting for theirs It 's true all of them may not be saved the same is to be said of adult Professours and therefore the Promise unto either as to rea interest is to be understood indefinitely not universally even as promises attending Family instruction yea and the publick Preaching of the Word Christ is with his Ministers to the end of the World though all that hear be not converted they are the means usually blessed to such ends But there is a real interest in the New Covenant such as is certainly attended with Salvation when the special blessings of it be theirs Heb. 8. 10. 1 Pet. 3. 9. 1 Pet. 1. 23. this is it that I would chiefly inquire after here when it is afforded Real actual and personal interest in the New and better Covenant is afforded unto Souls when they attain unto union with Jesus Christ and the gift of Faith not one moment of time before Abstractedly from Christ or till in him not one Promise is thine For all the Promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. Ephes 3. 6. all made treasured up and fulfilled or accomplished in him if Christless then Promiselessâ— Ephes 2. 12. Rom. 8. 32. Jesus Christ is
a cause or condition in the New Covenant There is Absoluteness 1. In the form of the New Covenant 2. In the actual admission into it 3. In the freedom of those under it from the curse of the Old and in their participation of the blessings of the New 1. Wherever the form of the New Testament is given forth it is in an Absolute way I will and ye shall Heb. 10. 16 17. Heb. 8. 8. to the end He insisteth upon it that now Jerem. 31. 31 32. was made good and this purposely to draw off the Hebrews from the Old Covenant which they did too much take up in and to put them upon looking unto the New Other Scriptures may discover what is our duty before and after being actually interested in the blessings of it but the nature of the Covenant is most fully expressed here in these Texts which speak of the great matters or promises contained in it of the Mediator and subjects of it The tenure thereof must be fetched from these places where the Covenant is purposely insisted upon rather than from others where only one promise is named and it not so much as mentioned And here it is not called a purpose or prophecie but a Covenant or rather Testament and is so absolutely held forth as God undertaketh all He promiseth as well that they shall be his people as that he will be their God He promiseth not only that he will remember their sins and iniquities no more but also that he will write hiâ— Laws in their hearts i. e. give a frame of faith and new obedience these are as absolutely promised here as any other matters and therefore believing and obeying cannot properly becauses or conditions but are fruits and effects of the Covenant by its being accomplished upon them Their duty iâ— necessarily implied yet as it standeth here in the Covenant the design of iâ— plainly is to express the work of God what he will do for them how he with furnish and capacitate them to discharge it towards him 2. The actual admission of all that Jesus Christ stood for into the New Covenant or the bringing them under it is absolutely determined he had an absolute assurance that his undertaking should take effect on all those that he designed therein Isai 53. 10 11. He shall see his seed all that he travelled for and therefore they must be effectually brought into Covenant with him There was no condition that his obedience had dependence upon or upon which it was to be accepted for such souls otherwise not He did not suffer at any such uncertainty but for those which were assuredly to become the heirs of promise Yea the making Covenant with us is challenged by the Lord as his work Isai 53. 3. 61. 8. I will make or cut an everlasting Covenant with you so Jer. 31. 31 32. Jer. 22. 40. Ezek. 16. 8. Heb. 8. 10. God hath undertaken to bring under the promise and make an application of it Attendance upon means is duty but it is not said that men do make the Covenant with God or bring themselves into it by an act of theirs but God maketh it with them they do but take hold of Gods Covenant Isai 56. 4 6. The will of God is not determined by any act of man When God will work who shall lett him what he undertaketh shall be absolutely accomplished hence as those under the Old Covenant who were to be redeemed are represented under the name of Israel so also are those under the New to whom all is to be applied the same are the subjects of both 3. Those that are actually in Covenant have an absolute freedom from the curse of the Old and a like Promise of the blessings of the New Jesus Christ hath not only suspended but redeemed us from the curse of the Law being made a curse for us Gal. 3. 13. Hence we are said not to be under the Law and to be dead to it Rom. 6. 14. 7. 4. Gal. 2. 19. Christians then have not only a conditional freedom from the curse of the Law in this life but such as is absolute and if they should believe themselves to be under it they should believe a lie Rom. 8. 1. Yet Divine threatnings are of great use not only to the unregenerate but even to believers to strike them into a filial fear so as to deter them from sin which hath such punishment annexed to it and this when they see themselves secured from it even as an ingenuous Child will be afraid upon hearing his father threaten another for a fault and will beware of committing it The non-elect are formally under the curse of the Law and vindictive Justice The Elect before conversion are not only materially under it but the Laws sentence of condemnation is against them Believers are so freed from it as their sicknesses death c. are but materially the same mentioned in the curse and turned into blessings to them Also all the Promises of the New Covenant are absolute to all that are under it Heb. 8. 6 c. No act of ours induceth an obligation upon God to vouchsafe salvation to us That great blessing of the Covenant Justification is by faith not said to be by it as a condition and the same may be said of other blessings thereof yet I deny not but figuratively that may be ascribed to faith which belongeth to Jesus Christ alone The absoluteness of the Covenant is not attended with any such consequence as that then man is at liberty but God is not for such as are yet out of Covenant or want a personal interest in the blessings of it even all men are under a Divine Law and an obligation to obedience else they could not be charged with sin as they are Rom. 3. 23. 5. 12. where there is no Law there is no transgression seeing sin is the transgression of the Law 1 Joh. 3. 4. So then the obligation unto duty doth not arise meerly from entring or coming into Covenant and that is so far from taking off the tie that it superaddeth strength to it but no man is at liberty whether he be in or out of Covenant As to the way of the Lords entring into Covenant with men it is thus He by his Spirit in the Gospel revealeth and giveth Jesus Christ for he is the first saving gift and all the Promises are vouchsafed in and with him Coloss 2. 6. 1 Joh. 5. 12. Rom. 8. 32. Eph. 3. 6. 2 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Pet. 1. 4. The same New Covenant or Testament hath various effects As the Spirit worketh effectually by the Promise of it upon the souls of men so it is a Covenant of life and grace to them it is by the New-Testament that the Lord saith to any souls live and that first grace is wrought in them Ezek. 16. 8. 36. 26. Heb. 8. 10. 2 Cor. 3. 6. As the Lord by giving and promulging the Promises obligeth or putteth
Rom. 6. 14. The accepting of Jesus Christ in our stead to be our second Adam was as by Covenant so of meer grace as well as what is promised to us through him they together make up but one Covenant of grace Some call the former a Covenant of amity or friendship because God and man were in perfect amity and a Covenant of nature because natural integrity did capacitate to perform it but these do not so fully express the nature of it seeing the promised life therein was to be by working Some call the latter a Covenant of faiths and there is indeed an opposition between the Law of faith and the Law of Works iâ— the matter of justification Rom. 3. 27 28. That particular priviledge of the Covenant viz. Justification is by saith and not by the works of the Law but in a distribution these are not the most distinct members oâ— the whole Covenant seeing Faith is but particular blessing and fruit of it hence that cannot be expressive of the whole nature thereof that is not the opposite Condition or doth not take the place that works had in that Covenant with the first Adam it is rather what was done or suffered by Jesus Christ that supplieth this Isa 53. 10 It is therefore improper especially unless by faith be meant the righteousness of Jesus Christ applyed thereby rather than that particular grace for application And note that in the Epistle to the Romans and Galatians justification is said to be by faith in opposition only to works not to Jesus Christ or free grace If we should give faith the place that was given by the false Prophets unto works we should be culpable and egregiously cross the mind of the Apostle in this matter as well as they did Some Grace in that Covenant with the first Adam do no more make it coincident with or deny that in and with Christ to be a Covenant of Grace than some Works viz. Evangelical in that with Christ doth deny that with the first Adam to be a Covenant of Works or than some faith in God required in the Covenant of Works viz. the believing that word Gen. 2. 17. doth deny that which they call the Covenant of faith to be so It must therefore be said it was not Gospel grace or faith in a Mediator that was found in the Covenant of Works and so as properly as this may be denominated of Works so may the other be called a Covenant of grace especially seeing the Gospel is called the word of grace Act. 14. 3. Act. 20. 32. As to the several parts following in the distribution of this Covenant of Grace some of them carry evidence with them as what is said of primary revelation renovation consummation c. the other will be further cleared in the sequel yet thus much I would say here for the clearing of them That the Covenant of grace was made with Jesus Christ that Text doth witness Isa 42. 6. for the Father is contracting with him yea all the Covenant of the people is firstly with him he not only removeth obstacles that would hinder their fruition of federal blessings as an interested Friend whose name is not in a Covenant may do among men but he is the great Covenanteer a Covenant of the people the promises are primarily made to him on the behalf of men and he maketh the first claim to all as his own right his own due by a grant or Covenant under the hand and seal of the Father to himself this will be proved in the next question That also the Covenant is made with us in Christ is no less evident Believers are of the seed of Abraham and David and of the house of spiritual Israel to whom the promises run they may lay claim to them in their head Gal. 3. 9 14 29. Rom. 11. 27. Ezek. 20. 37. Jer. 31. 31. Heb. 8. 8. If any doubt of the second distinction into Legal and Evangelical let them know I am far from thinking that the mount Sinai dispensation was a Covenant of Works to Israel as if the design and intendment of God therein had been to afford eternal life to Israel upon their own doing but yet it is called the Law Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 10 13 17. Even in way of opposition to the promise vers 12. Yea. vers 8. God preached before the Gospel to Abraham Here the Covenant with Abraham is expresly called Gospel and that in contradistinction from the very Sinai dispensation which is called the Law undeniably he speaketh of the Law not as given to Adam before the fall for then man himself must have been the door for life and not another for him but as given at mount Sinai 430 Years after that promise to faithful Abraham vers 17. So that the Covenant of grace is rightly distinguished by legal and Evangelical for the holy Spirit here giveth us both parts of the distinction speaking expresly of that at mount Sinai as one member of it yea he maketh these so opposite as he saith vers 12. and the Law is not of faith and so is not the Covenant of grace but yet the Sinai Law appertaineth and referreth to it viz. as holding forth the Condition thereof to be fulfilled by Jesus Christ CHAP. II. Of the Oneness of the Covenant with Jesus Christ and us THe Covenant of grace was made or established not only with us but joyntly with Jesus 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 must take in all that conduceth otherwise than by a meer Decree to our restoration and eternal Salvation And in Isa 42. 6. the Father is contracting with the Son I will give thee for a Covenant of the people therefore that with the Son and with the people belong to one and the same Covenant 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 as being within the grand contract with Jesus Christ as a branch and 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 one of Surety ship or redemption with Jesus Christ and another of grace and reconciliation made with us that distinction which some use is improper for the parts of it are coincident seeing that as with Jesus Christ was out of meer grace also John 3. 16. And it is promised that Jesus Christ should be given for a Covenant 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 the reconciling the World unto the Father 2 Cor. 5. 18 19. Coloss 1. 20 21. It is true Christ only 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 or degree yet this hindreth not the Oneness of the Covenant with him and us as it is promised unto Abraham that in him all the Families of the Earth should be blessed that he should be a Father of many Nations Gen. 12. 3. and 17. 4. Which promises are of a higher nature than are made to us for every Believer is not the Father of many Nations yet we are within the same Covenant that was made with Abraham Rom. 4. 11 12 13. Gal. 3. As in Covenants between Princes some Articles may be concerning prerogatives or royalties that are peculiar to them in their publick capacities which the people share not in but in them as striking sayl c. other grants may concern the people in their private capacities as Merchants Mariners c. yet Prince and people within the same contract So doubtless there may be diverse grants to Jesus Christ in his publick capacity in the office of a Mediator other promises made to his Seed yet King and Subjects head and members are within one and the same Covenant as the principal debtor and the surety within the same obligation Gal. 4. 4 5. Indeed the same Covenant of grace may be distinguished as it is made with Jesus Christ and as with us yet not to intimate two distinct and compleat Covenants but two Subjects of the same Covenant As with Jesus Christ it had its constitution from eternity before we had a being as with us it hath its application in time after we exist I had rather therefore distinguish one and the same Covenant of grace into these two parts 1. For redemption and reconciliation this as with Jesus Christ for us Gal. 3. 13. Tit. 1. 2. 2 For Application this as with us in him Heb. 8. 10. From eternity Jesus Christ was a Mediator undertaking the Covenant but in time is executing and interceding for our participation of it 2. The Covenant of grace was made with Jesus Christ as a publick person a second Adam and therefore with all his Seed in him the Covenant of Works being violated Jesus Christ was appointed as the means for restoration and recovery He was our David King of Saints Isa 53. 3. Luke 1. 32. and so represented many Subjects he was a common parent having a great Spiritual Seed Isa 53. 10. The first Adam was a figure of him that was to come Rom. 5. 14. i. e. of Jesus Christ and wherein it is specified as the first standing for his Seed derived unto them sin and misery death and condemnation So the second standing for and representing his Seed deriveth unto them righteousness justification and eternal life vers 15. to the end 1 Cor. 15. 45 47. Thus they are compared together and Jesus Christ the Second preferred before the first If the first Adam had never fallen it is not imaginable that he should have injoyed life by one Covenant and his posterity by another their life would have been by keeping as their death was by breaking one and the same Law of Works So Jesus Christ the Second Adam and all his spiritual Seed injoy justification and life by one and the same Covenant of grace We are quickened together with him Coloss 2. 13. i. e. as our common person standing in our stead 3. All in the Covenant as with us is undertaken for and promised in the Covenant as between the Father and the Son and so together make up but one Covenant For his being the Covenant of the people implieth that all promised to or to be performed by the people it is secured in the contract with Jesus Christ Whatsoever was requisite unto our restoration redemption and reconciliation he agreed to work it out Isa 53. 10. there were the same objects and end in that as with him and that as with us 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. 1 Cor. 6. 20. Yea all necessaries also for application is in the Covenant as with him Is Justification and the giving of a new heart promised to us Jer. 31. 31. The same is promised to Jesus Christ Isa 53. 11. By his knowledge i. e. by the knowledge of him shall my righteous Servant i. e. Jesus Christ justify many and he shall see his Seed and be a light to the Gentiles Isa 4. 2. 6. Which implyeth newness of heart and having God for their God 4. All blessings afforded in a Covenant way to us were primarily granted to Jesus Christ and therefore the Covenant is joyntly with him and us as Mr. R. observeth Christ is first justified and acquitted from the guilt of sin and then we Isa 53. 11. Christ first Sanctified and filled with the Spirit and then we Isa 42. 1. He first glorified and then we Heb. 1. 2. Rom. 8. 17. Jesus Christ is our great Fcosee in trust he hath all the riches of grace and glory granted to and vested in him to our use and behoof both have them by the same Covenant Indeed he hath the precedency he excelleth in dignity and power he is the first-born among many brethren Rom. 8. 29. the first born from the dead Coloss 1. 18 19. All fulness dwelling in him all is firstly granted into his hands and in the Second place to us If we would obtain any Spiritual gists any graces any comforts any glory we must be beholden to him borrow all from his store receive all from his hand The Divine Spirit is from him Joh. 16. 7 8. All grace from him Rom. 16. 20 24. 1 Cor. 16. 23. Repentance from him Act. 5. 31. He is exalted to give repentance and the forgiveness of sins Faith it self from him Heb. 12. 2. Which argue that all flow from the same Covenant The Name of Jesus Christ is in the Covenant he is the principal party there to whom all the promises are primarily made on our behalf 5. Union with Jesus Christ is the only way to promised blessings and therefore the Covenant is made joyntly with him and us 2 Cor. 1. 20. Not only some but all the promises of God in him are yea and in him amen Twice in him none of the promises are made immediately to us but all invariable unchangable in their making and in their performance or accomplishment yet it is in him I might argue also from Jesus Christ his receiving the same signs with us Baptism and the Supper and why were they applied to him if he were under one Covenant and we under another 6. All the antient Covenant expressures run joyntly to Jesus Christ and also to Relievers which are his Seed the promises to
perfect obedience they would have been hopeless of injoying these if such a typical expiation and attonement had not been provided that their sins might not hinder their arriving at them So that Morals Ceremonials and Judicials did belong to and with the promises and threatnings annexed made up the Sinai Covenant Answ 2. The better Covenant is an absolute Divine grant by way of Promise of those great blessings which come in by the mediation and Ministry of Jesus Christ as its excellency it is said to be that whereof he is Mediator and so it is the New Covenant or Testament Heb. 9. 15. and 12. 24. That it runneth upon absolute terms may be seen Heb. 8. 7. to the end And it is declared that it is not according to the Old vers 9. Therefore the chief scope and design of the Apostle in mentioning these promises rather than any other is the discovering wherein especially the New is differenced from and is said to be better than the Old Here are four grand Promises of the New Covenant instanced in which are so comprehensive as all others made to us are some way reducible to them 1. The inscription of the Divine Law in the hearts of men Heb. 8. vers 10. I will put my Laws into their mind and write them in their hearts In the state of innocency the Law was found in lively Characters there but since the fall it needeth to be transcribed or written over again The Old Covenant had the Law written upon Tables of stone without not absolutely promised and but rarely found within insomuch as the Lord even weepeth over them Deut. 5. 29. O that there were such a heart in them that they would fear me and keep all my Commandments But in opposition to the Old here the Lord undertaketh to write it upon better Tables even of the heart importing his affording an inward frame disposition and inclination for an universal compliance with the Divine Will and then no sooner is any thing offered of a Divine stamp but all the faculties of the Soul understanding will and affection with the greatest readiness stand bent for a conformity to it yea the Soul is carried forth that way not so much by legal external inforcements as by internal powerful obligations that whereas the Old had a large Volume of Laws Institutions and Ordinances which they were commanded to yield obedience to in the New all is comprised in a little room and turned into Promise I will write my Law in their Hearts the spiriting for all is assured to them Here the Promise leadeth the way to the Obedience And O how sweet is it when it beginneth with and is the fruit of a Divine Promise 2. A mutual relation between God and Souls Heb. 8. 10. I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people Here is propriety each in other By the Old Covenant they were externally interested in God but as by that with Abraham then so by the New since it is more absolutely promised unto some that he will be their God which must import that they shall have more sweet converses and communion with him under the New than under the Old and have higher manifestations of their injoyment of him And happy is that people whose God is the Lord Psal 144. 15. What then can they want All Creatures are theirs yea Christ theirs Grace theirs Glory theirs all the Attributes of God theirs his Wisdom Power Goodness Faithfulness Loving kindness all theirs all his Promises yea his All-sufficiency theirs and what can they desire more than to have him who is all in all Also they shall be to me a People that is I will own them in a clearer more eminent and glorious way than under the Old There shall be a greater separation in their Spirit and in their whole course from all corruption from Sin Satan the World and a greater dedication unto God 1 Cor. 6. 19 20. and 2 Cor. 6. 17. Zech. 14. 19 20. In that day every Pot in Jerusalem and in Judah shall be holiness to the Lord there shall be an Universal tincture of holiness Isa 44. 5. and One i. e. one by one shall say I am the Lords There shall be a more voluntary and free self-resignation unto him yea when they find their hearts stand off and hang back from God it is under Promise they shall be to me a People they may plead the Promise for enablement to make over themselves in a fuller way unto God than formerly 3. Special illumination is Promised Heb. 8. vers 11. They shall all know me from the least to the greatest There shall be an enlargement of their knowledge and acquaintance with God and Divine things It would seem rather to exclude private teaching than publick they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother but it is not absolutely exclusive of outward teachings by instruments and means but comparatively it holdeth forth how surpassingly excellent those discoveries under the New Testament should be above those under the Old they far transcend and go beyond these are more eminent and universal not only some but all shall know me c. Yet publick and private teachings were to be attended to as means conducing to this end Mat. 28. 19 20. Ephes 4. 11 12 13. and 6. 4. Col. 3. 16. Those teachings then of the Divine Spirit do not render the other void or unnecessary Under the Old they had some dark typical shaddowy representations of God and Jesus Christ under the New they shall have those that are more clear and out-strip the other Yea it is under Promise they shall all know me and therefore they are to make an improvement of that toward the gaining a more eminent measure of knowledge than those in Old Testament times arrived at 4. Remission or Pardon of Sin is promised Heb. 8. vers 12. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more That particle for argueth it to be a reason of his affording other federal blessings he will write his Law in their hearts for he will forgive their sins he will be their God and they shall be his people for he will pardon their iniquity Forgiving Grace is the very spring of other mercies that maketh way for sharing in them and nothing without that There was a typical forgiveness in the Old Covenant Heb 9. 9 10 14. and 10. 1 2 3 c. but there is real Remission in the New Heb. 10. vers 16 17. and by this the whole of our Justification is noted out whence the Apostle Rom. 4. from the way of the non-imputation of sin proveth our Justification to be by Faith and not by the works of the Law But Pardon of Sin denoteth 1. Freedom from an obligation unto the punishment of the Law for pardon is opposed to guilt which properly is obligation to punishment Exod. 34. Pardon our iniquity and
of the Covenant with Abraham and his seed and proveth it on this wise Gal. 3. vers 15 16 17. This I say that the Covenant that was confirmed before of God in Christ the Law which was four hundred and thirty years after cannot disanul Where he argueth thus That which was made at Mount Sinai coming after could not disanul that with Abraham which was of a more antient date or long before it He speaketh not of the moral Law barely as a Rule of Life for so even before Abraham it was immortalities were ever sinful and exposed those that were guilty of them unto dreadful Judgements as Sadom and Gomorrah to fire and brimstone and the old World to a deluge of Water therefore he must speak of the Law considered as a Covenant given at Mount Sinai and thus it was not till four hundred and thirty years after that with Abraham so these must be two distinct Covenants of vastly different dates else the Apostles argument which is built upon their difference in respect of time is not cogent it is of no force if they be of the same date one as early as the other for the false Apostles among the Galatians might have said the Law as a Covenant was as early as Abraham for substance though not for form and administration this had been enough to elude his plea which was grounded upon the time of it especially seeing the Law was urged amongst the Galatians not meerly as to any circumstances in that new ministration but as to the substance of it the question then being Whether Justification and the eternal inheritance were by the works of the Law or by Grace and in a way of Faith The Apostle argueth that this federal transactiion at Sinai not having a being till Moses so long after that with Abraham hence it could not establish another way of life opposite to that viz. by works of the Law Also Deut. 5. vers 2 3. The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in Horeb the Lord made not this Covenant with our Fathers but with us The Sinai Covenant is clearly intended here by that at Hâ—reb compare Deut. 4. vers 10 11 12 13. with Exod. 19. vers 1 8. 9. and this is expresly denied to be made with their Fathers the Sinai Covenant then was not made with the Patriarchs not made with Abraham Isaac and Jacob or with any that lived before the time of Moses they that were alive at that day are intimated to be the first with whom it was made it was not with our Fathers but with us even with us who are all of us here alive this day those then which before the times of Moses were dead had not this Covenant made with them and therefore it is distinct from that which was made with the Fathers Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. He doth not say the Lord made not this administration of it with our Fathers or he made it not in this form but the Lord stroke not this Covenant he denyeth the Covenant it self to be cut with them It is an adding to the word to put in as some do tantum as if the meaning were this not only with our Fathers but also with us This is to say it was made with the Fathers when the Holy Spirit expressly denieth it Such additions admitted else-where in Scripture would be found to be desperately dangerouâ— and here can by no means be allowed seeing the Apostle giveth it an after date Gal. 3. 17. 2. The better Covenant and that at Sinai are contradistinguished and so must be two distinct Covenants else the opposition were groundless Jer. 31. vers 31 32 I will make a New Covenant Not according to the Covenant I made with their Fathers i. e. not according to the Sinai Covenant for that was it which was made when they were brought out of the Land of Egypt He doth not say I will set up a new administration of my Covenant though that had been true but a New Covenant there is a plain opposition between Covenant and Covenant and therefore the New and that at Sinai must be two distinct and not one and the same in different forms and the rather because this New Covenant is not opposed to the Covenant with Abraham and to that with David but only to that with Moses and Israel at Mâ—â—ent Sinai Let any instance be given of any thing that is found contradistinguished in such a manner as these are when only some modification and different respects of the same subject is intended to be signified thereby 3. The bitterness of the Covenant were not a sufficient evidence that the ministration of Jesus Christ is of greater excellency than the other if they were not two distinct Covenants The Apostle proveth that Jesus Christ hath obtained a more excellent Ministry by this Medium Heb. 8. vers 6. By how much also he is a Mediatour of a better Covenant He doth not say Only a better administration but a better Covenant and much of the force of his Argument were lost if the Ministry of those Levitical Priests and also Christs were conversant about the same Covenant but if they be two then it is very foreible they ministred about one Covenant and Christ about another and a better and therefore his is the more excellent Ministry Besides it is taken from his being a Mediatour of that better Covenant which implieth that he was not then a Mediatour of that worse Sinai Covenant though of old typified therein which their Ministry related to Indeed it had been a slender proof of the excellency of his Ministry if the better Covenant were the same for substance with the worse seeing then that at Sinai must be still continuing and so Jesus Christ not only in his Type but in his own person must be Mediatour thereof Ministring therein which that Text doth not give the least countenance to but there and also else-where Christ is called the Mediator of the New Covenant in opposition to the Old Heb. 12. vers 18 19 20 24. Heb. 9. 15. Even in the satisfying the Old by his death And therefore they must be two distinct Covenants 4. The many Notes of distinction that are given of them argue that they are two Covenants they are not only called the Old and the New this possibly might be said of the same Subject as we say the Old and the New Moon and yet one and the same Moon but the first and the second Heb. 8. vers 7. If that first Covenant had been faultless then should no place have been sought for the second As Dr. C. saith That it should be affirmed of one and the same Covenant that this is the first Covenant and that is the second and yet those two should be but both one that is strange 5. They are successive the Second cometh in the place of the First and so they must two distinct Covenants Heb. 10. vers 9. He taketh away the First
Law of liberty but let all be done in the strength of Christ and in the way of the New Covenant make use of a promise of grace in setting about all duty And beware of seeking to keep up the Old Covenant which really is not continuing we seek to keep it up When we live in the spirit of the Old Covenant acting by its inforcements terror wrath curse rather than by the allurements of grace in the free promise Also when there is a grounding acceptation with God upon our own duties and performances the Old Covenant did run upon do and live intending a doing for eternal life which was peculiar to Jesus Christ but our nature is prone to run our own doing into the place of his as if we could gain acceptation unto life by our own services or do something that way We are apt to build expectations of mercy upon our own doing in stead of building them upon Jesus Christ Evangelical obedience may be a secondary evidence but when we dwell more upon any thing done by us yea or upon any inherent grace any thing within our selves than upon the free grace of God in Christ we then make something of our own a ground of acceptance and not an evidence only when something within raiseth our hope of acceptance more than the grace of God in the New Covenant The promise and Oath of God which are both without us are the two immutable things of Divine appointment for the raising strong consolation Heb. 6. vers 18. All grace within should be improved for carrying out our souls to God and Jesus Christ therein Also when there is not an improvement of our freedom from the Law towards making out the more after Jesus and the free grace of God in him then we seek to keep up the Old Covenant still Rom. 6. vers 14. Being under the Law and under grace are opposites there the less grace exerciseth Lordship over the soul the more sin domineereth and getteth the upper hand of it and the more it is under the Law The greater freedom from the Law as a Covenant the more grace is used towards freedom from the dominion of sin Also when there is a looking for what is promised only in a conditional way then there is a keeping up the Old Covenant which did run upon Conditional Promises when souls have acted in duty and now are ready to count the Lord ingaged to give out or afford mercy upon their performing thereof when they look for nothing but as a fruit of some condition performed by themselves Isa 58. vers 3. and their hopes of mercy rise or fall by that rule of their own performance rather than by the free grace and faithfulness of God then there is a holding up the Old Covenant CHAP. IX Of the good that was in the Sinai Covenant I Shall now shew what excellency there was in the Mount Sinai or worse Covenant The more good there was in this the greater excellency will appear in the new which is a better Covenant There was excellency in the matter of it such Precepts were contained in it as had a stamp of righteousness upon them Deut. 4. vers 8. such as did advance Israel above other Nations Neh. 9. vers 13. Psal 147. vers 19 20. It was excellent in the manner of its manifestation there was a dreadfully glorious appearance of the Majesty of God in giving of it forth Exod. 19. vers 16 17 18. he revealed himself in an unwonted way in thundring lightning thick darkness c. it was a stupendous dispensation to humble that rebellious people the mountain was smoaking the thick cloud covering it the trumpet sounding all indications of his Divine Majesty that they might discern him from dumb idols vers 22. ye have seen that I have talked with you from heaven as if the Lord himself had spoken in an immediate way It was not altogether immediate the ministry of Angels was used in it Act. 7. vers 38. but it was by the authority of God himself with more than ordinary demonstrations and tokens of his Almighty power such as struck them into a marvellous consternation and admiration that they were alive Exod. 20. vers 19. Deut. 5. vers 26. Who is there of all flesh that hath heard the voice of the living God speaking out of the midst of the fire as we have and yet lived O what grace is it that the Lord is not dealing with us in such a dismaying terrifying dispensation but in a milder and more familiar way in the dispensation of the Gospel It was excellent in the special uses and ends it served to the two principal I have opened already which must here be remembred viz. for eternals upon the obedience of Christ for temporals upon the obedience of Israel I shall now hint some other uses and ends of the Sinai Covenant 1. To be a provocation unto Israel to look unto a Mediator the Lord Jesus to fulfil and accomplish it for them both the terrible publication and the experienced impossibility of keeping it themselves were excitations this way Exod. 20. 19. They said unto Moses speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us left we die Here they asked a typical Mediator and therein a real one Jesus Christ for so the Lord expoundeth their Petition and promiseth to grant it Deut. 18. 15. The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet c. that thou desiredst at Horeb c. and that Prophet is said to be Jesus Christ Acts 3. 20 22. They were provoked by the terrour of the Sinai Law to ask a Mediatour that he would pass into the burning Mount to receive it for them and give it forth as a Law of Love and this request they are highly commended for Deut. 5. 27 28. so that the use of that fiery dispensation was not that Life should be attained thereby but to impell to look out unto another Covenant for that 2. To constrain to Duty and restrain from Sin Exod. 19. 9. Lo I come to thee in a thick Cloud but to what end That the people may hear when I speak with thee and believe thee for ever It was then to startle them out of their unbelief and win credit to his Word And under their affrightment Moses for incouragement saith Exod. 20. 20. Fear not for God is come to prove you that his fear may be before your faces that ye sin not It was then one end of the Sinai Covenant to deter them from sin 3. To be a Directory to Israel for the Worship of God The Church had been Domestical or in Families but the Posterity of Abraham swelling into a great number the Lord would have them become Congregational they must coalesce and become federally united together the whole to constitute one Ecclesiastical body by this Mosaic dispensation which had Ordinances of Worship sutable to that new state of the Church now introduced The Lord gave
is to be demanded of him but all must certainly be accomplished unto us The Apostle in the Text is purposely putting a difference between these and seeing the Old Covenant was unquestionably conditional and the New here in opposition to it or distinction from it is as undoubtedly absolute must it not needs be concluded that herein standeth much of the excellency of the New above the Old It was Prophesied of Jesus Christ Dan. 9. ver 27. He shall confirm the Covenant with many for one week A great end of his coming and death was the confirmation of the New Covenant on the behalf of the many which he stood for so as now it is turned into a Testament as the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which generally it is expressed by doth evidence Gal. 3. 15 16 17. Though it be but a mans Testament yet if it be confirmed no man disanulleth or addeth thereto The Free Promise was confirmed by Oath before and by way of Testimony since but especially confirmed by the death of Jesus Christ by his performing the condition of it and therefore it can admit of no addition or alteration Heb. 9. 16 17. For where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the testator for a Testament is of force after men are dead c. It beareth the name of a Testament as in relation to his death so in such a proper sense as it hath the Laws of a Testament attending it on which account he mentioneth a necessity of the testators death and its being in force thereupon Indeed a man may put some conditions into his last Will I do not argue thus it is a Testament and therefore absolute but therefore unalterable and so being delivered in an absolute form I will and ye shall hence it must abide in it even in its accomplishment and whereas some argue for conditions from the nature of a Covenant against that it is asserted to be a last Will or Testament which may bequeath Legacies without any condition There is a vast difference between the way of Jesus Christ his acting in the Work of his mediation before and since his Incarnation and the latter is much more glorious than the former Before he might plead Father thou hast promised me upon my obedience hereafter to be performed that those Souls which I have undertaken for should enjoy such blessings there was a mutual trust between them and so he might plead it in point of faithfulness but now he hath actually performed the condition of the Covenant and may plead it in point of Justice Christ being actually exhibited as a propitiation upon that God is said Rom. 3. 25 26. to declare at this time his righteousness c. in opposition to the time of the Old Testament he saith at this time that is at the time of the New Testament wherein the Blood of Jesus Christ is truly shed now God declareth his righteousness in the justifying him that believeth in Jesus it is an act of Grace to those who attain the remission of Sin but an act of righteousness to Jesus Christ he may plead Father I have made satisfaction to the full for the sin of these Souls now declare thy righteousness in pardoning of them it is that which I have purchased for them I have finished the Work which thou gavest me to do Joh. 17. 4. I have paid the full price of their Redemption now let them have what I have procured for them thus he appeareth in Heaven in our nature not as a meer Intercessor but as an Advocate 1 Joh. 2. 1. to plead that in Law in right we are to be discharged and this putteth a great excellency upon the New Covenant that it is in it self and to Jesus Christ thus absolute And note if some priviledges of the Covenant were dispenced out properly in a conditional way as suppose Justification were afforded upon Faith as a condition or temporal mercies upon obedience yet this would be far from proving any thing to be the condition of the Promise or of the Covenant it self Indeed even Faith is a particular blessing of it and therefore cannot be the condition of the whole Covenant for what shall be the condition of Faith And there is no such special Covenant now extant as the Old was for temporal mercies they are indefinitely promised and Soveraign Grace is the determining rule of dispencing out these to the Saints when they are wanted for time and measure as it is most for the glory of God and their good Matth. 6. 32 33. Nothing performed by us then is conditio foederis the condition of the Covenant it self Jesus Christ hath performed all required that way But whether any thing be conditio foederatorum cometh now to be considered Object Is the New Covenant absolute to us or conditional Are there not conditional promises therein to us as there were in the Old unto Israel Can we expect any mercy but upon our performing some condition that it is promised to Answ 1. If condition be taken improperly for that which is only a connex action or medium fruitionis a necessary duty way or means in order to the injoyment of promised mercies in this sense I acknowledge there are some promises belonging to the New Covenant which are conditional and thus are many Scriptures to be taken which are urged this way That this might not be a meer strife of words I could wish men would state the Question thus Whether some Evangelical duties be required of and graces wrought by Jesus Christ in all the persons that are actually interested in the New Covenant I should Answer yea For in the very Covenant it self it is promised that he will write his Laws in their hearts Heb. 8. 10. and that implyeth Faith Repentance and every gracious frame and those that have the Lord for their God are his people If the accusation be that there is a want of interest in Jesus Christ they need not plead that they have fulfilled the condition of the Covenant but that the Covenant it self in some promise of it which uses to be distinct from its condition hath its accomplishment upon them therein And those that are altogether without those precious Graces are strangers to the Covenant Ephes 2. 12. they cannot lay claim to the blessings of it It is our duty earnestly to be seeking after what is promised and one blessing may be sought as a means to another as the Spirit as a means to Faith and Faith as a means to obedience Gal. 5. 6. Believing is a great Duty in connexion with and a means of Salvation he that believeth shall be saved Mark 16. 16. Joh. 3. 36. Ephes 2. 8. 1 Pet. 1. 5 9. There is an order in giving sorth these blessings to us and that by Divine appointment so as the neglecting to seek them therein is highly displeasing unto God This is our priviledge that Divine promises are so conjoyned and twisted together for
salvation some act of ours then should give the â—iâ—le to life and we might claim it upon our own act but such doing for life is disclaimed and condemned in the Gospel whatever the act be Rom. 4. 4. Eph. 2. 8 9. Tim. 1. 9. Faith it self doth but receive a right doth not give one It is not upon any act of ours that the Lord is ingaged to make good his promise and that we lay claim to it If a Malefactor had not petitioned to the Prince he had died though no promise of life was made to him upon it and so his petitioning was only a way or means to his being spared had it been a condition thereof then the Prince had been unfaithful yea unjust if he had not granted it In the most absolute grants or where there is no condition making an estate liable to forfeiture by the non-performance yet there may be parties and stipulation It is the excellency and glory of the New Covenant that it runneth upon absolute promises it doth not leave at uncertainties no liability to a forfeiture of its special priviledges and this with the admirable treeness of it afford matter of great incouragement and everlasting consolation to all under it See more for this in the last question concernig the use of those called conditional Promises The New Covenant bringeth in a real plenary and perfect remission of sins and so is better than the Old which left short oâ— it Some sins had no sacrifice provided for them in the Old and were not forgiven so as they might injoy temporal blessings promised Some must be cut off as they that did ought presumptuously were to be cut off from among the people Numb 15. 28 30. yet believers in that day might be forgiven those very sins and injoy eternal salvation through the free promise in Jesus Christ and Act. 13. 38 39. By him i. e. by Jesus Christ those that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses The typical remission did not reach to all sins as Christs doth except to that against the holy Spirit Matth. 12. 31. 1 Joh. 1. 7. The great design of the Epistle to the Hebrews is to shew the excellency of Jesus Christ and his sacrifice above the Levitical and how much better the New Covenant is than the Old in the point of the remission of sin There was imperfection in the legal sacrifices the forgiveness there was only so far as temporal judgements were averted and temporal mercies afforded they could not really take away sin did not purge the Conscience or make the comers thereunto perfect Heb. 9. 9. Heb. 10. 1 2 3 4. but in opposition hereunto it is the glory of Jesus Christ vers 12 14. by one offering he hath perfected for ever those that are sanctified i. e. the people of God those in Covenant This he cleareth from the New Covenant vers 15 to 19. which saith their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Saith Calvin from this we gather that sins are now pardoned in another manner than they were in old time but this diversity consiseth neither in the word nor in faith but in the ransom of the remission thus he In the old there was a repetition and iteration of their sacrifices the typical pardon of new sins was stayed and suspended till they had offered new sacrifices and there was a yearly remembrance of their old sins vers 3. but in opposition to that it is the perfection of the New Covenant that as there will be no more offering for sin so there will be a remembrance of the sins of believers no more that is they will not any more come one moment under the curse or obligation of the Law to eternal punishment for them the declared discharge from this which is that wherein â—he pardon of sin doth properly consist as it is Gods act is not suspended till the putting forth new acts of saith or repentance although these ought to follow but is afforded to the believer the very moment of his sinning whether he then taketh notice of it or not I confess there is difficulty here on either hand for if believers be under the Laws curse and obligation by new sins then they are unjustified as often as they sin which may not be admitted and if they be not under it then it seemeth they are not daily pardoned seeing pardon consisteth in a declared discharge from that obligation this will be answered in a following objection It is actual pardon that is here inquired after for it will be granted that at our first justification all sins past present and to come are virtually pardoned That the actual remission pardon or forgiveness of their sins who are in Covenant and already justified is the very instant wherein the sins are committed so as believers remain not one moment under the obligation of the Law to eternal punishment or the immediateness of pardon may appear thus 1. Believers have always an actual interest in Jesus Christ his righteousness and the satisfaction made by him and therefore are not one moment so unpardoned after the commission of new sins Eph. 1. 7. In whom we have redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins It is a glorious mysterie of the Gospel that sin is removed upon a full satisfaction and yet in a way of forgiveness It was in a way of redemption to Jesus Christ and yet in a way of pardon and free grace to us it cost Christ dear even his precious blood it cost us nothing The Elect whilst unconverted are not interested in that redemption in their own persons and so are unpardoned but we believers not only shall have it hereafter but have it already and therein the remission of sins they cannot one minute be without that for there is an inseparable connexion between these they that have the one have the other also Christ is theirs in whom they have redemption there will never be an interruption of believers union with him and Christ being theirs his satisfaction is theirs which answereth and dischargeth the obligation of the Law and so they are always in a state of freedom from that Jesus Christ being theirs they are always interested in his righteousness and the Law cannot actually oblige or curse any that are interested it its righteousness but only those that want it righteousness and pardon are in such connexion that the Apostle argueth from one to the other Rom. 4. 6 7 8. He proveth the blessedness of men in imputed righteousness from Davids saying vers 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven therefore unless believers could be disrobed of that righteousness and for some space lose that blessedness they cannot be the smallest season unpardoned If souls were actually under the Law guilt of any sin one moment they were then not perfectly righteous for these are inconsistent to be compleatly righteous and yet to be under the Law guilt
being actually disobliged for the subjects must exist before even a relative change can pass upon them also after they are born they are at a great distance from God without making up of that they are uncapable of an actual possession of Redemption As a common person Jesus Christ represented many that lived in several Ages of the World and therefore of necessity the actual discharge of particular persons must be at different times not all at once but when they become his Seed Further A debt may be charged upon the principal debtor by an Old Law till a New Law or Covenant declareth his discharge from the obligation Thus the Sentence of the violated Covenant of Works may stand against men till they be declared to be discharged by the New Covenant Heb. 10. 16 17. Yea observe Jesus Christ in suffering death for our Redemption stood as Mediatour of the New Testament Heb. 9. 15. Though therein he satisfied for our breaking of the Covenant with the first Adam as this was drawn into the Covenant of Grace as the condition thereof Once more A debt may be charged upon the principal debtor after a Sureties satisfying the obligation in case the Sureties name was not at first in the same obligation but is admitted afterward by voluntary contract Covenant and consent For there the Covenant is the only determining rule of all matters concerning the discharge Why are they not sanctified and glorified immediately after their coming into the World these being effects of the death of Christ but because the Covenant provideth otherwise If the Name of Jesus Christ as as Surety had been Originally or at first in Adams obligation then more might have been said for an immediate discharge upon his payment of our debt and suffering death but this was not the case for if it had then his suffering death had been necessary and unavoidable though no New Testament had ever been made yea the making of it had been unnecessary vain and useless Whereas it was extreamly necessary there could have been no transferring of our guilt to him without it and his submitting to death was by a voluntary contract Joh. 10. 17 18. And his name not being at first in our bond hence his payment was a refusable satisfaction It was by an act of Free Grace that he was admitted to undertake for us and his payment accepted in our stead and so though he paid the idem the same that we did owe yet there was nothing contrary to justice or equity if the Father added other terms than before and so no need that we should be ipso facto discharged And the Law passeth Sentence not only upon sinful actions but upon the persons for them Gen. 2. 17. Gal. 3. 22. And therefore no Justification till delivered out of this state which is at union with Jesus Christ and Faith 5. I might argue from the many absurdities that attend the asserting Justification from Eternity It would sound harsh to deny that Adam was an Elect vessel and being Elected if Eternal Justification be admitted then he must be actually both under the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace at once and so was bound at the same time to seek Life in two waies utterly inconsistent each with other Gal. 3. 12. viz. by Works and by Jesus Christ through Faith Yea then Adam was actually justified from sin before he had any sin to be justified from before sin entred into the World by his Fâ—ll Rom. 5. 12. and did not become guilty by â—his falling being disobliged from Eternity Neither will this be evaded by saying Our sin was imputed to Jesus Christ before committed and an actual existence of sin is no more requisite unto our disobligation than unto our obligation unto the punishment thereof I Answer The sins of the Elect were not actually upon Jesus Christ till he came actually under the Law which was their very obligation Gal. 4. 4 5. And thus all their sin by that Law did meet upon him before committed answerably when persons do actually come under the New Covenant I grant they are justified yea even virtually from sins not yet committed but the Old Law of Works must needs be in force against them till a New dischargeth from it and this is not till union with Jesus Christ and the gift of Faith And O how miserable then are all they who are out of Christ they are in an unjustified estate seeing they have no Word or Promise to assure them that the Lord hath laid down his Sute against them but great is the happiness of all in Christ of all believers in that they stand justified before the Lord Rom. 4. vers 7. Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven c. it is sin alone that rendreth miserable and now the Apostle challengeth even Earth and Hell for all such Rom. 8 33 34. It is God that justifieth who shall condemn It was God that was injured by sin and who hath power to discharge from it none can reverse or disanul Gods act who shall lay any thing to their charge Sin Satan their own hearts may draw up many charges but will be able to make none good against them why it is God that justifieth It is very extensive it reacheth to all sins Col. 2. 13. Jesus Christ is a propitiation for the sins that are past Rom. 3. 25. that is for sins committed before his Incarnation for it is spoken in opposition to those that sought to be justified by the Works of the Law vers 20 21. To draw off from this he telleth them as Heb. 9. 15. that the Redemption of transgressions that were under the first Testament or their remission was not by legal sacrifices and observances but by the blood of Jesus Christ It doth not deny his being a propitiation for sins to come his faithfulness is ingaged to afford the remission of these 1 Joh. 1. vers 8 9. 1 Joh. 2. vers 1 2. even Believers are daily sinning and the Lord will be extending pardoning mercy unto them yea he will all their life long be magnifying this Title or part of his Name The Lord God pardoning iniquity transgression and sin Exod. 34. 7. yea it is his glory that he is a sin pardoning God Mica 7 ver 18. Who is a God like unto thee pardoning iniquity c. CHAP. XII Of the evidences of interest in the New Covenant IT may be Questioned How or by what means may a Soul know its actual Interest in and Title to the New and better Covenant and the better promises thereof For the clearing of this I shall not insist upon the testimony of the Divine Spirit which is the primary evidence Rom. 8. 16. 1 Joh. 5. 8. nor upon Sanctification as it standeth in spiritual dispositions and inclinations for compliance with the Divine Will either in causing an answerableness of heart to what is commanded from us comprised under a writing the Law there or working into Evangelical
obedience in the Life or bringing up a self-resignation to the Lord as Isa 44. 5. in tho Covenant it is expresly promised they shall be my people These things are insisted upon elsewhere yea frequently by others therefore I shall pass them over at present and mention only one evidence Answ By the operations and actings of precious Faith a Soul may have a clear knowledge of its actual interest in the New and better Covenant That noble Grace of Faith hath such a special relation to the Covenant which is made up of promises that the Gospel is called the Word of Faith Rom. 10. 8. It is so expressive of the great matters of it that Faith often and the Law or Old Covenant are the opposite terms of a distinction Gal. 3. ver 2 5 12 23. Yea ver 9. they that are of Faith are blessed with faithful Abraham they are sharers with him in the same Covenant and blessed therein the very blessings of Abraham come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ ver 14. That we might receive the Promise of the Spirit through Faith Much is to be drawn out of the free Promise for our relief and succour in any condition yea for the influenceing of any other Graces by Faith By that our entercouse with God here is kept up Not that the Promise is made to beliving as a Grace in us or as a gracious Act put forth by us but to the Believer as in Christ Faith is not magnified as a quality but as in the Office of receiving the Promise and of excellent use therein Vers 22. That the Promise through the Faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe Faith is not then properly the condition of the Covenant upon the performance of which they have a right and title to it but a choice effect of it and a singular means for the application of the promises and fetching in of Covenant blessings to the Soul by that the Promise or what is in the Promise is given to it and Faith having thus to do with the Promises it must needs have an aptitude above other Graces above Sanctification and Evangelical obedience to witness a Souls interest in the everlasting Covenant Heb. 11. 1. It is an evidence of things not seen and therefore it self is not as inevident as those other things There are various acts of Faith that by the concurrence of the Divine Spirit may evidence interest in the Covenant 1. By Faith in the Free Promise such glorious discoveries of the Grace and Lovâ— of God in Jesus Christ unto sinners arâ— afforded as their hearts consent to thâ— offer thereof it is by the shining of Gospel light through the Free Promise into the hearts of men that they are turned from darkness to light Act. 26. 18. The highest natural light will leave them short of a discovery of sin in its exceeding sinfulness and of the riches of Grace in Jesus Christ for the recovery of lost sinners they cannot see these aright till they be revealed by the Divine Spirit Matth. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 10 14. Tit. 2. 11 12. Unbelievers may have a notion of these things but when they are seen by an eye of Faith they appear in another manner Rom. 1 16 17. The Gospel is the power of God to Salvation to every one that believeth The heart stood immediately before at an infinite distance from the Lord Jesus and was full of opposition against him but when there is a work of Faith upon it then Diâ—ine power is exerted by the Word or Promise of the Gospel for the drawing it off from all other objects to â—itch upon Jesus Christ alone for Salvation in a way of Free Grace then it â—ccepteth of the blessed offer when all â—rguments in the World before would not prevail with it The heart that stood off from him is then brought over to him by the Gospel and why For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith It is in a Gospel-Glass that a Soul gaineth a right discovery of the excellency of Jesus Christ and that righteousness of his without which no Salvation It is by Faith that there is a learning of the Father so as effectually to be drawn unto the Son This cordial consenting to the offer of the Gospel in submitting to the obediential righteousness of Jesus Christ alone for acceptation unto Life this is Faith unto Justification Rom. 10. ver 3 4 6 10. as the like consent to have him for our Lord to rule over us by his Spirit dwelling in us is Faith unto Sanctification Act. 15. 9. Rom. 8. ver 9 to 16. Thus the Soul maketh out to the blood of Jesus Christ for cleansing from all sin and the first act of closing with Jesus Christ is by Faith in a Free Promise that is the first Grace that lives in it the first breathings of Spiritual Life are thereby such powerful and admirable alterations are found at first acquaintance with Jesus Christ by discoveries above sense fetching in the heart unto him beyond all other means that they must needs be evidencing of interest in the Promise or Covenant from whence all these come Such first things have a mark upon them and often are most discernable the state thereupon being so vastly different from what it was how refined so ever the nature was before Thus some have had their interest cleared up in such a word as that 1 Tim. 1. 15. This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners of whom I am chief By the eye of Faith a Soul gaineth such a prospect of matchless Love and Free Grace as it is won over to Jesus Christ thereby through a powerful application of the Promise to it self 1 Joh. 5. 10 11. He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself he being inabled by Grace to entertain and cordially subscribe to the blessed record upon a Divine Testimony viz. that God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son thereby he setteth to his Seal that God is true in the Word of his Grace that hath a witnessing power and the person hath the witness within himself even when he sometimes doth not discern it 2. By Faith the Soul maketh out to Jesus Christ in the Free Promise as he alone that giveth it subsistence in spiritual Life Oneness with Jesus Christ cannot be without interest in the Covenant 2 Pet. 1. 4. In whom are given to us exceeding great and precious Promises c. Ephes 3. 6. Partakers of the Promise in Christ Ver. 17. That Christ may dwell in your heart by Faith It is a promise-hold that we have of Jesus Christ here his in-being and indwelling is by Faith so he even animateth the Souls of Saints Gal. 2. 20. I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me how I live by the Faith of the Son of God Others live by sense they
Grace are of great efficacy to render deeply humbled and abased and he breaketh forth into admiration of God on this account ver 22. Wherefore thou art great O Lord for there is none like thee And as the absoluteness of the Promises setteth forth the excellency of the New Covenant above the Old and the gloriousness of this dispensation above any that was preceeding so it may help against that temptation to live in the Spirit of the Old Covenant and it is mentioned in the Epistle to the Hebrews for this purpose 2. They are of use in the impartation or communication of first Grace unto the Souls of men their first interest therein is by the efficacious operations of the Spirit in absolute Promises These are called by some Promises of Grace which presuppose a being without it thus Heb. 8. 10 11 12. Immediately before writing the Law in the heart another Law of sin was found in its power there The moment before the Lords becoming their God they were without God in the world Eph. 2. 12. The instant before the remission of sin the guilt of it was found there All first Grace is comprised under these Promises so that the bringing Souls over to a first close with Jesus Christ â—s by an absolute Promise though they may have their eyes upon those called conditional Promises in conversion yet if ever they arrive at any Drachme of especial Grace it is in an absolute way it is the fruit the result and issue of an absolute Promise for as all first Grace is contained therein so till that be accomplished upon them no qualifications or conditions are wrought in their Souls altering their state or which are acceptable and pleasing unto God The instant before quickening Souls were dead in trespasses and sins Eph. 2. 4. Immediately before reconciliation they stood at enmity against the Lord Col. 1. 21. The moment before Sanctification they were under sin and pollution It is groundlesly therefore that any Souls stand off from Jesus Christ and the Free Promise upon the account of a want of any qualifications they should rather immediately close with him therein as the way to gracious qualifications which are derived to them through the absolute Promise The Lord is a free Agent may work how he pleaseth but hath not warranted any Souls to stay one moment before closing with Jesus Christ upon the want of any qualification or upon any account whatsoever indeed if he had then he must testifie his allowance of their persisting so long in unbelief whereas that hateful and abominable to him 3. They are of Use as a provocation to seek and a direction where to find all supplies of Grace wanted Other Promises may referr to some particular state or condition but there are absolute Promises that are of generaluse whatever the condition or compliant be Heb. 8. 10 11 12. As first Grace is promised there so all after degrees of it in that of writing the Law in the heart As first interest in God is promised in that of his being their God so all after communion with him is included in it As first Justification is promised in his remembring sin no more so all after remission of sin that is afforded to those in Covenant with him So that absolute Promises are useful at all times when Souls are ready to say What have we to do with other Promises there is enough in these to help and succour in all cases when Souls are at the greatest loss and cannot find other Promises mentioning their particular conditions to be sure they must either want some Grace or fellowship with God or pardon of sin and the absolute Promises extend and reach to all these that they are a standing relief bread that never fail waters that are for ever sure all is laid up here that souls can groundedly desire at the hands of God And being Absolute they are Free Promises no discouragement laid in the way of souls for closing with them Often men do ungroundedly take discouragement for meddling with other Promises because they cannot see that they have the qualifications which they are annexed to but to be sure those that are absolute do not presuppose any such qualifications as necessarily antecedaneous to the closing with them but they promise all gracious qualifications that souls have the deepest sense of the want of Whatever Grace or degree of it they want it is here they are directed to turn in hither No ground to stand off from these one moment upon the account of a want of humiliation c. but the rather should they repair hither for it and for first Grace when they seem to be without it for Evangelical sorrow and all spiritual frames of heart desirable when there is nothing discerned as the qualification but sinfulness then they had the more need look to and fasten upon the Lord in absolute Promises that all desirable qualifications may be wrought within them How should they obtain these but by looking to the Free Promise The absolute Promises are theirs so far as to make use of them and venture upon the Lord in them for the obtainment of Grace wanted though they cannot claim an interest so as to conclude a good estate thence or that Grace is injoyed before a powerful application of them 4. They are useful for the strengthening against and supporting under all temptations that gracious Souls can be attended with If it be suggested that the Promise is none of theirs they have nothing to do to meddle with it Here is enough to answer possibly other Promises may be theirs though at present they cannot discern it there are such cloudings as all experiences all qualifications may be out of sight they may thus sit in darkness and see no light and yet may be Children of light Isa 50. 10. But however though they cannot claim any Promise so as to conclude interest in Salvation and Eternal Life thence yet they may so far as to seek an interest therein The absolute Promise is theirs in the offer of it if they should yet be without the special Grace offered therein All where the Gospel cometh have so far a right and Title to the absolute Promise as it is their duty to fasten upon it for the begetting all gracious qualifications that they seem to be or are without else they could not be blamed condemned and punished for unbelief as many are Mark 16. 16. Joh. 3. 18. Ro. 11. 20. If the temptation be that it would be presumption to meddle with the Promise which is none of thine It is answered thou art to look to the Lord in the absolute Promise that it may be thine that Grace may be thine that God may be thy God that pardon of sin may be thine though thou canst not discern at present that these are thine Such a looking to the Promise as thence to take incouragement to indulge itself or persist in sin this indeed is presumption but a cordial