Christs Blood therein signified But to say that the Old Testament was not at all nor at any time sealed with Christs Blood but onely by the blood of Bullocks and Sacrifices and that the New Testament onely was sealed with Christs Blood is to make a false difference For verily the Old Testament being nothing else but the New folded up and the New the Old opened to all the sealing of the New by Christs Blood was the sealing of the Old also yea as our Sacraments and the outward Signes of Bread and Wine are true outward Signes consecrated to signifie Christs Death past so were the Sacrifices of the Law and the Old Testament true Signes consecrated to signifie Christs Death to come and as ours Seale the New Testament so did they Seale the Old As with our right outward Sealing there goeth the inward Sealing of Christs Blood so also with those outward Seales rightly understood and used And therefore as it is absurd to say that the New Testament is sealed onely by Bread and Wine and Water when we administer and receive the Sacraments because wee use no other outward Signes so it is absurd to say of their Sacrifices that in them there is no Sealing but by blood of Beasts sacrificed and thus wee see the vanity of this difference also The third difference which the Schoolemen make and which onely the Papists doe hold is that the Old Testament did onely promise eternall blessings and the eternall inheritance and did foreshew them in Types as in the blood of Sacrifices Christs Blood in the promised Land the inheritance of Heaven and such like but it did not give them till CHRIST the Testator was dead But the New Testament doth promise and also give and exhibit the things promised This difference is very false and impious and is easily confuted by the former Doctrine and by the whole Scriptures For that which onely promiseth and giveth not is not a Testament it is never in force neither ratified at all for being in force by the Testators Death it must needes give as well as promise If the Testators Death never come betweene then it is no Testament But the Old is a Testament and was in force and did give and doth give Grace as well as promise it This the whole Scriptures shew for the Legacies promised and given in Christs Will are Himselfe with all his benefits which doe accompany him First his Conception and Birth most holy without spot to sanctifie our conception in sinne and our uncleane birth Secondly His perfect righteousnesse of life to make beleevers righteous Thirdly His Death and Sufferings to ransome them from eternall death and Hell by satisfying for their sinnes Fourthly His Spirit with all saving Graces as Faith and such like by which they come to have Communion with him of his Son-ship inheritance righteousnesse and right to all blessings Temporall and Spirituall Now though Christ was onely promised in the Old Testament that he should come and obey and suffer for mans redemption but was not actually exhibited nor did obey and suffer till the dayes of the New Testament yet his Manhood Birth Obedience and Death were then as effectuall to save the faithfull as now they are And in that respect hee is called the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world Also by the Words of promise in the Old Testament Christ communicated gave his Spirit to Adam Noah Abraham David and all the faithfull in the Old Testament wch Spirit wrought in them Faith and perfect Communion with Christ of his person so farre as to make them sonnes and heires of God of his Death for remission of their sinnes of his righteousnesse for their justification and of all saving Graces needfull to Salvation This appeares by Enoches translation into glory that hee might not see death and by Eliahs taking up into Heaven by vertue of Christs Resurrection and Ascention who is the first fruites from the beginning Also by that which is said of Abraham that hee by beleeving came to bee counted righteous And by that which David saith to himselfe That God is his portion Psal. 16. and with him hee had all things to make him blessed Therefore this difference is a blasphemous and wicked fiction excluding the Church of the Old Testament from Heaven and all fruition of Christs benefits and from all saving graces as Regeneration Remission of sinnes Iustification and Redemption which are the blessings promised and given in the Old Testament The fourth difference is that the New Testament is the end of the Old and the Old is but a meanes to obtaine the New This is confuted first by the Doctrine before for they which are both in substance one and the same Testament cannot the one be the end of the other But so are these two as I have before shewed and it is most manifest by the agreement betweene them that as the Old confirmes the New and serves to move men to receive it So the New being imbraced serves to give light to the Old that men may see into the true meaning of it and rightly understand it and so here is no difference in this respect they are both alike Secondly the Scripture is plaine even in the places which they cite to prove this difference to wit Rom. 10. 4. and Gal. 3. 24. and teacheth plainly that Christ is the end of both and both serve joyntly for this one and commō end to bring men to Christ and to perfect communion with him and therefore the New is no otherwise the end of the Old than the Old is the end of the New and so this difference is false and erronious The fift difference is that the Old Testament was given onely to the naturall Israelites the New to all the world which is here by the former Doctrine proved false For if the Old Testament is the Will of Christ as Mediatour who gave himselfe for all the Nations of the world and is one in substance with the New and giveth the same Legacies as is before shewed surely they were both given to all Nations even the Old as well as the New else what shall we say of Iob and the godly and the faithfull of his Countrey and Age mentioned in his Booke who had the promises sealed with bloody sacrifices and yet were not of the Nation of Israel Onely here is the difference the naturall Israelites had the keeping of the Old Testament and the Oracles of God committed to them for a time to wit from Moses untill Christ And yet even then it was lawfull for them to teach the Word and make knowne the promises to strangers of all Nations and to convert them and to receive them into the Church And many were converted and joyned themselves to to the God of Israel As Rahab of Iericho a Canaan itesse Ruth of Moab Ebedmelech of Ethiopia and divers others But the New Testament is committed to no speciall people but published to all the world
his part performeth are admirable farre surpassing mans reason The first is the All-sufficient Mediatour Christ his owne eternall Sonne whom God promised immediately after mans fall and who did then begin actually to mediate for man and did undertake to become Man and by a full satisfaction made in Mans nature to Gods infinite Iustice and just Law and a perfect and full ransom paid for mans Redemption to purchase pardon of all mans sins to justifie and make him righteous and to reconcile him to God The second is the Spirit to be given to man and shed on him through Christ the Mediatour Gal. 3. 14. and Tit. 3. 6. The third is spirituall Life derived frō Christ wrought in man by his quicking spirit together with all graces and blessings thereto belonging The fourth is union and communion with Christ of all his benefits as of his Son-ship to make all regenerate men sonnes of God and heires of eternall life glory and all blessings of his satisfaction and sufferings for remission of all their sins of his righteousnesse for justification The fift is a true right to the naturall life which Adam lost to the Creatures made for mans use and to all earthly blessings which are given him to possesse and injoy in this life The sixth is sanctification and holinesse whereby man is fitted to see and enjoy God Matth. 5. 8. and Hebr. 12. 14. The last which is the end of all is the eternall life of glory in the fruition of God in Heaven In this Covenant there is not any condition or Law to bee performed on mans part by man himselfe as in the first old Covenant of Nature and therefore it is called the free Covenant of Grace and not of Workes The perfect obedience righteousnesse and satisfaction of Christ which he performed to the whole Law for man in Mans nature though it stands in the place of every mans perfect obedience to Gods Law in his owne person and his subjection to the whole revealed will of God which was the condition of the Old Covenant of Works and when man is partaker of it by communion with Christ he is more perfectly justified and made worthy of life eternall than man in the state of nature could have beene by his owne perfect obedience and personall righteousnesse performed in his owne person Yet it cannot so properly bee called A condition of the New Covenant of Grace which God hath made with Mankinde because God imposeth it not as a condition to bee performed by every man in his person but is one of the blessings promised in the New Covenant So likewise the Gifts Graces and Workes and Fruits of the Spirit which are required to be in man to make him an actuall partaker of Christ and of life and salvation in him whether they be outward as the word preached and heard the Sacraments given and received and the like or inward as Faith by which Christ is received and applied Repentance Love Hope and other saving Graces they are all free gifts of God he gives them to us and by his Spirit workes in us both to will and to doe and without his Grace continually assisting us according to his promise wee cannot performe any thing which is mentioned in the Gospell as a conditionall meanes of life and Salvation in Christ And therefore this Covenant is foedus gratuitum a most free Covenant of Grace wherein no condition is propounded to man to be performed by any power of his owne for the obtaining of life but God of his owne free Grace promiseth all blessings and for his owne sake gives them and also all power to receive and enjoy them And the end and use of this Covenant is not any gaine which God seeketh to himselfe nor any good which he can receive from man or any creature but onely the making of man perfectly blessed in the fruition of himselfe and all his goodnesse and so gathering to himselfe all things in Christ This Covenant is that which is called the Covenant of Peace and is most highly extolled and commended in all the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament And howsoever the substance of this Covenant hath beene alwayes one and the same from the beginning even from the seventh day of the world wherein God first promised Christ the blessed Seed and so shall be for ever yet because the circumstances are divers and the manner of revealing the promise and of sealing it is far different in the Old and New Testament hereupon it comes to passe that the Spirit of God doth distinguish it into the Old and New Covenant and as it was revealed and sealed to the Fathers under the Law cals it the Old Covenant and as it is now revealed and sealed under the Gospell cals it the new Covenant Ier. 31. 31. 2 Cor. 3. 6. And both these are called by the name {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the Hebrew and by the name of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the Greeke Text CHAP. VI IN the Old Testament the Lord first made this Covenant with Adam but in very darke obscure and generall termes and in Types and figures even sacrifices wch were seales of it unto him and his posterity The words of the Covenant were these That the seed of the woman should breake the Serpents head the Serpent should bruise his heel that is Christ made man of the Seed of a Woman and being by the Old Serpent the Divell and by the generation of Vipers persecuted and put to an ignominious death should dissolve the Workes of the Divell and destroy sinne by satisfying for it to the full The sacrifices which God added to this promise further to illustrate and confirme it were clean and fat-fed Beasts wch the Lord commanded them to consecrate slay and to offer up to him by burning and consuming part thereof and the rest they themselves who were his Priests and Sacrificers did eate That the Lord taught Adam to sacrifice appeares by the practise of Cain and Abel and by their offrings which they brought to God being undoubtedly taught by their father Gen. 4. Yea it may be gathered from the Coates of Skinnes which God made and therewith cloathed our first Parents Gen. 3. 21. Those skinnes could be no other but of Beasts slain and offered in sacrifice For before Adams fal beasts were not subject to mortality nor slaine the slaughter and killing of Beasts and mans eating of their flesh came in by sinne and after mans fall In innocency mans meat was fruit of Trees and Herbes bearing seed Gen. 1. The first right which God gave to man to eat flesh was after the promise and after that Beasts were consecrated to be sacrificed as Types of Christ and of his Death Now these sacrifices of Beasts did shew the nature of the Covenant and the manner of mans reconciliation chusing of cleane and harmelesse Beasts shewed that Christ should be pure and holy
reason of the obscurity of the old it hath taken lesse effect and beene of lesse power And the new by meanes of plainenesse and light hath brought with it more excellent gifts and more abundance of grace to many and hath beene of greater force power and efficacy and the Spirit hath wrought more powerfully by it For as the Apostle saith faith which is as it were the roote of other graces commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word where the Word is more plainely preached and heard with understanding there must needs be greater knowledge and faith and there the Spirit must needes worke more powerfully and effectually and shew all graces more abundantly in the hearers Hereupon it comes to passe that the Old Covenant did worke but weakely in all except those that were exâ—â—aordinarily called and enlightened because of the obscurity of it and unfitnesse to beget knowledge and faith But by vertue of the Nâ—w the Lord writes his Law in our hearts and makes us all know him more fully Ier. 31. 33. and doth poure out his Spirit with aboundance of Grace upon all flesh Ioel 2. 28 A fourth difference is in the circumstance of the promises and gifts The old Covenant did promise life and salvation in Christ who then was to come And Christ who is the foundation of all the promises though he had then taken upon him to worke mans redemption and his future death and obedience were actually in force from the beginning able to save all beleevers yet he was not actually come in the flesh neither had actually performed these things for man But the new Cove nant doth promise salvation and all blessings in Christ being already come in the flesh And Christ hath actually performed all things which were needfull for our redemption and we are by the new Covenant made partakers of his sacrifice already offered and his righteousnesse already performed for us A fifth difference ariseth from the order and mixture of the promises The old Covenant did first and chiefely promise earthly and temporall blessings as deliverance from bodily enemies and dangers and plenty of worldly goods as houses lands wealth riches encrease of children length of dayes and such like and in and under these it did signifie and promise all spirituall blessings and salvation But the new Covenant promiseth Christ and his blessings spirituall in the first place and after them earthly blessings First it brings us to the Kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof and then it ministers other things unto us Againe the old Covenant abounded in earthly promises of worldly blessings but had few promises of spirituall and heavenly blessednesse intermingled But the new insists almost altogether on heavenly rewards and promises of spirituall blessings and hath but few promises of temporall and worldly good things And thus both the order of the promises and the unequall mixture of earthly and heavenly blessings doe make another difference betweene the old and new Covenant Sixtly they differ in the outward matter of the seales the outward rites and in the order of Sealing The seals of the old Covenant were many and those laborious costly heavy and burdensome circumcision was painfull sacrifices were costly and the many oblations offerings and purifications were a burden too heavy for the fathers to beare But the seales of the new are few and but two the least number that can be and those very easie without toyle or cost or paine of body or minde The matter of the old seales were oxen sheepe goats birds incense odours calves lambes cutting of the flesh shedding of the blood burning and killing of divers creatures The matter of the new seales is onely water sprinkled and Bread and Wine broken powred out distributed eaten and drunken and this is all that the seales differ much in outward matter also in the order of sealing for the old was first typically sealed with shadowes and after with the substance Christs Body and Blood The new was scaled first with Christs blood and death and is now sealed by the outward signes dayly in the Sacraments Lastly they differ in perpetuity For though the substance of both is one and the same eternall and unchangable yet the forme and manner of making and sealing is changable in the old but is in the new perpetuall The old Covenant hath new words added to it even the new Testament and the outward seales are abolished and new put in their place But to the words of the new Covenant no more or plainer words shal be added neither shall the outward seales thereof be altered but shall remaine till the comming of the Lord And therefore the old is but in substance onely but the new is in all respects perpetuall and unchangeable Thus much both of the agreement and the difference betweene the old and new Covenant of grace CHAP. XIIII FIrst the agreement which is between these two Covenants of grace doth serve to assure us that all the faithfull forefathers from the beginning did partake of the same graces with us and had fellowship and communion of the same spirit with one and the same Iesus Christ and were justified by his righteousnesse and saved eternally by faith in him even as we are at this day If sinne in them could have hindred the worke of Gods grace so it might doe in us for we are sinners as well as they and God hath as just a quarrell against us If our Mediator be of power to save eternally then must they also needs be saved as well as we for they had the same Christ He was yesterday is to day and shall be the same for ever If Gods promises be true if they cannot faile surely they had the same in substance which we have If salvation doth rest upon the condition of righteousnesse they had the same which we have even the righteousnesse of God in Christ and by the same faith they did partake of it If seales can helpe any thing at all they had them also as well as we And if we may judge of the power of the Covenant by the successe and effect in some persons we shall find that Enoch and Eliah were by the grace of the Old Covenant saved even from bodily death and taken up into heaven and happinesse And therefore let this consideration of the unity and agreement which is betweene the new and old Covenant of grace admonish us not to be puffed up with pride a false conceipt as if we onely under the Gospel were respected of God saved by faith in Iesus Christ Let this teach us to thinke reverently of the Fathers in the Old time and love and reverence the name and remembrance of them as Saints glorified in heaven spirituall members of the same Christ and partakers of the same grace with us But above all let this enflame our hearts with a deadly hatred and detestation of all those heretickes and their doctrine as the
and difference This may quickly be dispatched in few words for their agreement and difference may easily bee discerned by those things which have beene already delivered the onely thing which is now necessarily to be touched is the meaning of the words and the divers significations of them These being made plaine it will appeare that all the agreements and differences between them have been before fully laid open and expounded First for the Law it is in the Originall Hebrew Scriptures called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Torah a word derived of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Horah which signifieth to teach to instruct to admonish and also to shoot forth Arrowes and Darts and so if wee consider it according to the true notation of the name by Law in Scripture may be understood any Doctrine Word or Writing which doth teach instruct and admonish men how they ought to live and how to walke before God or among men and any Precept which as a Dart or Arrow is fastened in our hearts by our Teachers But in the New Testament the Law is called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and is derived of the verb {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifies to distribute because the Law injoyneth to distribute and give to God and men their due and the revelation of the Word and Law is Gods distribution or dividing of his promises and his will amongst men So then the word Law considered according to the naturall sense of it in the Originall Scriptures of the Old and New Testament may signifie any Doctrine Instruction Law Ordinance Custome and Statute humane or Divine which doth teach direct command or binde men to any duty which they owe to God or any of his creatures And indeed thus far the signification of it doth extend For in Scripture it signifies sometimes the speciall Lawes of Heathen Nations as of the Medes Persians and the statutes and customes of men according to which they live among themselves and their doctrines and instructions but I omit the humane significations of it as not necessary for our present purpose and I come to the divine which are divers in Scripture 1 First this word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Torah signifies in a most large sense any godly or profitable Counsell Doctrine Instruction or Precept which Parents give to their children or one man to another either by word or writing which is not contrary but according to the will of God and the rule of godlinesse and serves to direct a man how to live or how to walke either in his generall or particular calling Thus the word is often used in the Booke of the Proverbes as Chap. 3. 1 and 4. 2. and 7. 2. In which places the wise man exhorts his sonne to keepe his Law that is all his Precepts Counsels and Doctrines and not to forget or forsake them 2 Sometimes it signifies in a large sense the whole Doctrine of the Word of God which he hath at any time revealed or doth reveale in the whole Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament and so it includes the Law of Moses the writings of the Prophets and all the Evangelicall promises made unto us in Christ from the beginning thus it is used Psal. 1. 2. in these words But his delight is in the Law of the Lord and Psal. 19. 7. The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the soule that is Gods Word for the Law alone without the Gospell cannot convert soules and Psal. 1 19. in divers places where the Law is said to quicken and to be the godly mans delight and to comfort him in trouble 3 Sometimes this word signifies onely the Scriptures of the Old Testament as Iohn 15. 25. where our Saviour citing a speech out of the 35 Psalme 19 verse saith it is written in the Law that is the Old Testament And the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. 21. repeating the words of Isaiah Chap. 28. 11. saith it is written in the Law 4 Sometimes it signifies the whole Doctrine of the five Bookes of Moses as Iosh. 1. 7 8. Let not the Booke of the Law depart out of thy mouth and Luke 24. 44. where our Saviour distinguisheth the Law that is the writings of Moses from the Psalmes and the Prophets Also Mat 12. 5. Ioh. 7. 23. and Ioh. 8. 17. things written in the Booke of Genesis as well as things written in the other 4. books are said to be writtē in the law 5 Sometimes the word Law signifies in a more strict sense The Doctrine of the Law as it is different frō the doctrine of Grace and is opposed to the plaine Doctrine of the Gospel that is the whole summe of Precepts Morall Ceremoniall and Iudiciall set downe in the Writings of Moses thus the word is used by the Apostle in the Epistles to the Romanes and Galatians where hee opposeth the Law and Doctrine of Workes to the Gospell and Doctrine of Faith 6 Sometimes by law in a most strict sense is meant either the morall Law conteined in the ten Commandements as Exod. 24. 12. or any of the Ceremoniall Lawes as the Law of the burnt-offering Levit. 6. 9. the Law of Sacrifice vers. 14. the Law of the sinne-offering vers. 24. or the Iudiciall Law and any precept therof as Exod. 18. 16. Deut. 17. 11. 7 Sometimes the word Law signifies the Doctrine of the Gospell which as a new Law commands us to repent of all our sins and to beleeve in Iesus Christ Thus the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} is used Isa. 2. 3. where the Prophet saith That in the last dayes the Law shall go forth out of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Ierusalem meaning the publishing of the Gospell from thence into all Nations of the world and the Gospell as it injoyneth us to beleeve is called the Law of Faith Rom. 3. 27. 8 Sometimes the word Law signifies the power authority and dominion either of the flesh and the Old man of sin dwelling in our members or of the Spirit and the New man ruling in the mind where the Apostle saith I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind that is I see the power of sinfull corruption and of the Old man striving against the Spirit or part renued and Rom. 8. 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the law of sin and death These are the divers significations of the word Law which is called Torah in the Old and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} in the New Testament The word Gospel is in the Hebrew text in the old Testament called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Bessorah and in the new Testament {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} they both signifie good news glad tidings and a joyfull message the one is derived of the Hebrew verb {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman}
fit for the presse the publike view of the world and here I offer them up to God as a sacrifice of thanksgiving for his bounty extended to me by you his instruments by whose charity my necessities have beene supplied the burthen of worldly care removed from my shoulders and I have beene enabled and encouraged to performe these workes with cheerfulnesse If with you to whom I tender them as testimonies of my love and tokens of my thankfull heart they find acceptation and prove profitable to the Church and people of God I shall thinke my vowes performed my desires in some good measure obtained and the best recompence of my paines which I expect and seek in this world received And with strength courage alacrity and cheerfulnesse shall proceed in the opening and unfolding of the rest of Gods great works of wisdome power goodnesse and mercy which concerne the restauration of mankind corrupted by which the elect are gathered unto God in Christ lifted up out of their wofull wretched and miserable condition to the state of grace in this life and in the end exalted to the blessed state of glory As namely the works which belong to redemption which God hath wrought only by Iesus Christ And the workes which belong to the application of redemption which God worketh in his elect by the holy Ghost shed on them aboundantly through Iesus Christ in their new birth and spirituall regeneration as their effectuall vocation adoption justification sanctification and glorification Divers of which I have in my course of preaching opened and unfolded out of severall texts of holy Scripture as occasion hath heretofore been offered and if God be pleased to continue life health and liberty they may be continued into severall treatises in that order and method which I have in the first beginning and enterance into the body of sacred divinity propounded in the treatise of God Deut. 6. 4 For the accomplishing of these workes by the good will and pleasure of God I do in the words of the Apostle exhort and beseech you to continue in prayer and to watch in the same with thanksgiving praying alwayes with all prayer and supplication in the spirit and watching thereunto with all perseverance supplication for all Saints withall praying for us his Ministers that God would open unto us a doore of utterance that we may open our mouthes boldly to speake as we ought and to make knowne the mistery of the Gospel And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified George Walker The Contents of the severall Chapters Chap. 1. THe great profit and benefit which doth arise from the knowledge of the true difference betweene the Old and New Testament the Covenant of Workes and the Covenant of Grace the Law and the Gospell page 1. Chap. 2. What the Word Testament signifieth and what is the nature of a Testament That the Scriptures both of the Old and New Testament are called Testaments onely in respect of Christ who by his death ratified them and not in respect of God the Father who could not die to make them offorce The agreement and differencè betweene the Old and New Testament is plainly shewed 11 Chap. 3. The doctrine of the former Chapter is applyed by way of use to confute five differences which the Schoolemen have made and three differences which the Iesuites have added to them betweene the Old and New Testament and the vanity of them is therby discovered and a two-fold use is moreover shewed 21 Chap. 4. What the Word Covenant signifieth what is the Nature of a Covenant in generall 38 Chap. 5 The severall kindes of Covenants betweene God and men The Covenant of Nature is described The Covenant of Grace is unfolded and the blessings therein promised are rehearsed That this Covenant is a Covenant of free grace is plainely proved The division of it into the Old and New Covenant 49 Chap. 6. The Covenant of Grace first made with Adam after his fall The liberty thereby given to man proveth that we gain more by Christ then we lost in Adam Of the renuing of it with Noah The form of renuing it with Abraham and revealing it more plainly by 7 things Of the renuing of it with Israel at mount Sinah and by Moses That it is called the Old Covenant in respect of the New Covenant in the Gospell That it is mixt of the Covenant of Workes and of the Covenant of Grace The reasons why God in making it did renue the Covenant of Workes and mingle it with the Covenant of Grace made with man in Christ after his fall 58 Chap. 7. Of the New Covenant of Grace as it is made most plainely in the Gospell and in the New Testament The reasons why it is called the New Covenant 72 Chap. 8. The Method and Order propounded which is to be followed in shewing how the New and Old Covenants of Grace doe agree and differ 86 Chap. 9. The threefold agreement between the Covenant of Nature which is called the first Covenant and the Covenant of Grace which is called the second Covenant 87 Chap. 10. The sixe notable things in which the Covenant of Nature doth differ from the Covenant of Grace 90 Chap. 11. The profitable and holy use which may be made of the doctrine concerning those differences betweene the Covenant of Nature and the Covenant of Grace 100 Chap. 12. The sixfold agreement betweene the Covenant of Grace as it was revealed to the Fathers of the Old Testament and the same renued and more fully explained in the Gospell 103 Chap. 13. The sevenfold difference betweene the Covenant of Grace as it was made with the Fathers and the Covenant as it was made in the Gospell 112 Chap. 14. A twofold use is made of the doctrine in the two former Chapters 122 Chap. 15. The agreement betweene the pure and plaine Covenant of Grace in the Gospell and the mixt Covenant which God made with Israel on mount Horeh by the ministery of Moses which consisted partly of the Covenant of Workes and partly of the Covenant of Grce 127 Chap. 16. The severall differences betweene the pure and mixt Covenant 132 Chap. 17. The Use of the Doctrine is shewed for the discovering of Gods singular providence in preparing meanes of grace fit for the severall Ages of the World 154 Chap. 18. The signification of the words Law and Gospell How they agree and differ being taken in their severall senses The Use of the Doctrine 159 Iuly 30. 1640. Imprimatur The Wykes Faults escaped PAg. 1. line 4. for the read their p. 7. l. 2. for repentance read regeneration pag. 12. l. 6. read 9. for 19. and line 22. for New read Old page 13. line 13. read a for the page 37 line 14 blot out ye pag. 39 last line blot out of it page 47. line 2. for
of the Covenant which they principally signifie and what speciall things are therein required I will therefore first insist upon it a little Secondly I will shew the severall sorts of Covenants which the words signifie and will briefly describe all the Covenants betweene God and Men Thirdly out of the severall descriptions I will gather the agreement and difference betweene the Old and the New Covenant And lastly I will make some use and application of these considerations to our selves First the derivation of the words of it if it be rightly considered may give us great light The Hebrew word Berith is of some derived from {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Barar to purifie and to purge out Drosse Chaffe and all uncleannesse and to choose out and separate the pure from the impure the gold and silver from the drosse and the pure Wheate from the Chaffe The reasons of this derivation are two One because God in making the Covenant of naturall life did choose out man especially with whom he would make the Covenant And in the Covenant of Grace he doth chuse out the multitude of the Elect even his Church and faithfull people whom he did separate by Predestination and Election from all eternity to be an holy people to himselfe in Christ The other reason is because in a true and lawfull Covenant both parties must be of pure hearts free from all deceit and Sophistry and must deale faithfully and meane plainely and sincerely in every point and article Others derive the word Berith of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Bera which signifieth both to Elect or choose and also to divide or cut asunder The reasons wch they give are two The first because Covenants are not made but betweene choise persons chosen out one by another and about choise matters and upon choise conditions chosen out and agreed upon by both parties The second because God made the first Covenant of Grace and sealed it by sacrifices of Beasts slain divided and cut asunder and the choise fat and other parts offered upon the Altar and in making of great and solemne Covenants men in Old time were wont to kill and cut asunder sacrificed Beasts and to passe betweene the parts divided for a solemne testimony Gen. 15. 17. and Ier. 34. 18 Others derive the word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifieth to eate and refresh ones selfe with meate whereof there is some reason to wit Because the Old Covenant of God made with Man in the Creation was a Covenant wherein the Condition or Law was about eating That Man should eate of all Trees and Fruits except of the Tree of Knowledge of good and evill And in the solemne making and scaling of the Covenant of Grace in Christ the blessed Seed the publique Ceremony was slaying and sacrificing of Beasts and eating some part of them after the fat and choise parts were offered up and burnt on the Altar For God by vertue of that Covenant gave Man leave to eat the flesh of Beasts which hee might not doe in the state of innocency being limited to Fruits of Trees and Hearbes bearing Seed for his meate Gen. 1. 29. So also in solemne Covenants betweene men the parties were wont to eate together as appeares Gen. 31. 46. To these two other derivations may be added one that Berith may be derived of {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifieth to create whereof there is good reason to wit because the first state of creation was confirmed by the Covenant which God made with Man and all creatures were to be upheld by means of observing of the Law and Condition of that Covenant And that Covenant being broken by Man the world made subject to ruine is upheld yea and as it were created anew by the Covenant of Grace in Christ The other derivation is of the Hebrew word {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} which signifieth fat because in the Covenant of Grace God promiseth to Man the fat of Heaven and of the Earth that is the most excellent blessings which Heaven and Earth can afford and Man offereth up to God the fat of his soul of all his goods that is the most precious things which he hath besides the sweet and most excellent and precious sacrifice which Christ offers up for him to God These are the divers derivations of the word Berith which I have observed out of the writings of the learned to which I have added these two last And because this word doth well agree with the sound and signification of all the words of which it is derived by severall learned men so that if wee should make choise of any one derivation we might seeme to reject and despise others which stand with as good reason I hold it the safest and surest way to account of this word as of a speciall word invented and given by the Spirit of God himself who sees and knowes all circumstances of every thing at once and that it is purposely framed out of all the words before named and includes in it the sum of them all being as it were the quintessence of them all distilled together into one perfect sense And howsoever it may seeme strange to some at the first blush that one word should be derived of many and receive a mixt signification from them all yet if they better consider it they shall see good reason for it and shall finde that it is no rare thing in holy Scripture for one word to signifie in one place divers things and one word to be derived of many and to borrow the severall significations of them all The proper name of the Prophet Samuel is derived of foure Hebrew words the first Shaal which signifies to Aske the second Hu which signifies Him the third Min which signifies Of the fourth El which signifies God And it is said 1 Sam. 1. 20. that his Mother called him Shemuel that is one asked of God because shee said I asked him of the Lord So the Prophet Isaiah called his sonne by Gods appointment Sheariashub wch is derived of severall words which signifie A remnant shall returne And the Prophet Ieremy by inspiration of Gods Spirit told Pashur the persecuting Priest that his name should be Magormissabib terrour round about or on every side because the Lord would make him a terrour to himselfe Ier. 20. 3. Now if one name may by the testimony of Gods Spirt be derived of divers words and borrow a mixt sense from them all as the word Samuel which is derived or compounded of foure words and doth hold the signification of them all though it includes but one letter of some of them much more may wee thinke that the word Berith is derived of all the words before named and includes in it the sense and signification of them all as well as it includes a syllable at least of every one of
not in innocency yea the righteousnesse of that man who is one person with God and so it is the righteousnesse of God as the Apostle calls it 2 Cor. 5. 21. and is of value to justifie not onely those who have communion of it but also a whole world of men besides if they were made partakers of it Secondly the righteousnesse of the first Covenant was onely simple actuall obedience to the Law flowing from naturall uprightnesse But the righteousnesse of the second consists of habituall holinesse and of obedience both active and passive to the precepts and penalties commands and threatnings of the Law it hath in it both the sacrifice of righteousnesse and also perfect satisfaction for sinne by voluntary submission to sufferings and death Thirdly the righteousnesse of the first Covenant consisted onely in obedience to the morall Law But the righteousnesse of the second is obedience both to the morall and ceremoniall Law For our Saviour Christ was circumcised presented in the Temple did eate the Passeover and observed all the ceremoniall ordinances of God yea and was baptized by Iohn as the Gospel testifieth and that not for himselfe for he was free borne without sinne and needed not to offer sacrifice or to be circumcised or washed but onely to fulfill all righteousnesse and to supplie the defects of the Fathers in their obedience to Gods ceremoniall ordinances of old and also our defects in our baptisme and other Evangelicall ordinances so much he himselfe testifieth Math. 3. 15. Rom. 15. 8. Fourthly in the first Covenant God did not promise unto man a righteousnesse performed to his hand by a surety and intercessour but only gave man naturall strength and power to performe the righteousnesse which he required of him but yet such mutable strength that the devill by sudden tempration might prevent him before he was confirmed and so pervert and supplant him But in the second Covenant God gives both the righteousnesse performed to our hands and also his holy spirit which workes in us faith and strength of grace to receive and enjoy it yea by dwelling in us as Gods immortall seed doth unite us to Christ and bring us to communion of all his benefits as his sonship righteousnesse satisfaction and the rest and all this God doth both promise and give freely so that this is foedus gratuitum a most free Covenant The fifth difference is in the seales for though in this both covenants agree that seales were annexed to them yet they differ in the seales and manner of sealing both inward and outward The seale of the first Covenant was the tree of life But the seales of the second Covenant were the Sabbath of the seventh day sacrifices circumcision and the passeover in old time and now the sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords supper The seale of the first Covenant was but a pledge to confirme man in naturall life and in naturall beleefe and assurance But the seals of the second have the holy Spirit of God inwardly working with them and by them Lastly they differ in successe effect strength and perpetuity The first Covenant had no good successe it never tooke effect to save any one of Adams sons yea it is abolished only the law and condition of it stands firme in the matter and substance of it being Gods immutable will and eternall rule of righteousnesse to wit that without perfect obedience to Gods revealed will man shall never come to eternall life but is under the jawes of death But the second Covenant being made in such a perfect Mediator and sealed with the blood of Iesus Christ God and man which is of infinit and eternall value hath had good successe from the beginning hath taken effect in all ages and is of force and vertue for ever world without end CHAP. XI NOw the consideration of these differences serves to shew Gods infinit mercy and wonderfull bounty to miserable man In that by Adams fall he tooke occasion to be more good unto us and when we were become his enemies did more exercise and shew his goodnesse and give greater grace unto us If God had renued againe after mans fall the first Covenant of naturall life it had been a great favour but as if that were but a little in his eyes he makes a better Covenant even an eternall and that of better promises even promises of spirituall life and eternall blessednesse in heaven Also if God and man being by mans fault become utter enemies extremely contrary one to another God had yeelded so farre as to accept of a Mediator hired by man to speake for him surely it had been great mercy and clemency for we see that earthly Kings will admit no intercessors for rebells and traytors except feare and necessity drive them unto it But God in this point shewed mercy beyond all that reason could imagine or expect when man fled from God and had no minde will or inclination to sue for mercy God sought after him and offered freely to him a Mediatour not of the ordinary rank of creatures but his owne Sonne out of his bosome and that not to speake plead or intreat only for man but also to be incarnate and made man under the law and subject to the curse thereof in mans stead and by yeelding himselfe voluntarily to a cursed death to make a full satisfaction for mans sinne O heavens blush and O earth be a stonished at this to see the sonne of God thus abased for Gods enemies well might the sunne hide his face when this Mediatour suffered as the Gospel testifieth And yet the Lords bounty stayeth not here he goeth further when man neglecteth despiseth this his bounty and neither will nor can desire or seeke to be partaker of it he sendeth his word to call him and his spirit to convert him and change his heart and not only to make him hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousnesse but also to unite him to Christ and to bring him to communion of all his benefits and heavenly treasures Thus the more that we have multiplied our rebellion and trangression against God to provoke him to wrath the more hath he magnified his mercy and enlarged his bounty towards us and the more that sinne hath abounded in men the more hath his grace abounded towards them O let us now at length when he hath done all these things for us remember our selves and turne unto him with sorrow and repentance for our sinnes past let us labour to redeeme the time formerly mis-spent in vanity by double thankfulnesse and obedience and yet when we have done all we can let us to his glory professe that we are unprofitablenesse we have not done halfe our dutie and if we have any mind to glory and rejoyce let us glory and triumph in the Lord and give him all laud and praise for ever and ever CHAP. XII The agreement betweene the Covenant of grace as it was revealed to the Fathers
promise in Baptisme and whosoever doth wilfully live and continue in any sin and purposely abstaine from good when occasion is offered and omits holy duties which the law requires as observing of the Sabbath hearing of the word and such like we count him a carnall man and he hath no part as yet in the Covenant of grace For he that is justified is also mortified and sanctified and cannot purposely continue in any sin of omission or commission CHAP. XVI The Differences BVt the differences between them are many and great First they differ in the manner of requiring obedience to the law and exacting good workes The Covenant of Moses requires that a man shold first endeavour to fulfill the whole law that thereby he may be justified and live and if he cannot do so that then he should flie to sacrifices for sinne and free-will offerings and in them as in types to Christ and his righteousnesse and obedience that there he may finde that which by the law he cannot obtaine But the Covenant of the Gospel requires that a man should first renounce himselfe and all his owne righteousnesse and seeke salvation and righteousnesse in Christ by faith and that being justified by grace in Christ he should by way of thankfulnesse labour to the utmost to bring forth all fruites of holinesse righteousnesse and obedience to all Gods commandements and that for this end that he may glorifie God adorne his profession and be more and more assured of his communion with Christ and sincere love to God Secondly these Covenants differ in matter and substance The matter and substance of the Covenant made by the Ministery of Moses it was mixt it was partly conditionall and partly absolute partly legall and partly Evangelicall it required to justification both workes and faith but after a divers manner and it was a mixt Covenant of two divers Covenants both the Covenant of Workes and the Covenant of Grace First it required workes that men should doe the workes of the Law and live and this it did by way of the first Covenant For the morall Law written in two Tables of stone and consisting of the ten Commandements which God spake from mount Sinai is called by the name of a Covenant Deut. 4. 13. He declared to you saith Moses there his Covenant which he commanded you to performe even ten Commandements and he wrote them upon two Tables of Stone and Deuter. 9. vers. 9. These two Tables are called the tables of the Covenant by these testimonies it is plain that the law was given to Israel as a Covenant which required obedience for justification and life Secondly this Covenant given by Moses promised Christ and required that whēsoever they failed in their obedience to the Law they should flee to sacrifices and sinne-offerings which were Types of Christ and did prefigure signifie and seale his satisfaction and atonement for sinne and that by faith they should seeke righteousnesse and satisfaction in him and shoul rest upon those promises which God made with their Fathers that in Christ the blessed seed all Nations of the earth should be blessed And this is the second even the Evangelicall part of the Covenant and is called by the name of another Covenant Deut. 29. 2. For indeed this is the Covenant of Grace as the other part is the Covenant of Works This GOD propounds absolutely the other is conditionall that a man shall doe it if hee can and if hee can doe it hee shall live if hee cannot that he should flee by faith to Christ foreshadowed in types and promised to the Fathers Thus the Covenant which God made with Israel was not a simple but a mixt Covenant and the matter of it was mixt But the Covenant of Grace in the Gospell is simple without mixture and propounds no other way to salvation but onely in and through Iesus Christ no justification but that which is by faith in Christs obedience without our owne workes This is a second difference The rest of the maine differences are plainely laid downe by the Apostle Paul 2 Cor. 3. One is that the Covenant which God made with Israel was an old Covenant For it is called by the Apostle {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} vers. 14. But the Covenant made with all Nations by the Gospell is called {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} the New Covenant vers. 6. Now the Covenant with Israel may truely bee called Old and is so indeed in respect of the Covenant under the Gospell for two reasons First because the legall part of it which was the Covenant of Workes laid downe in the ten Commandements of the Law written in Tables of Stone is in substance all one with the first Covenant which God made with Man in the state of Innocency the summe of both is that one thing Doe this and live Secondly because the Evangelical part of it which promised life and righteousnesse in Christ the promised seed was given after the old manner as it was to the Fathers before the Law that is in generall darke and obscure promises did shew Christ onely afarre off to come in the latter ages of the world But the Covenant of the Gospel is every way new It is made with us after a new maner It sheweth Christ already come and that most plainely and it hath no reliques of the Old Covenant of works in it but teacheth justificatiō by faith without works even by communion of Christ and of his righteousnesse alone without any concurrence of our own righteousnesse and workes of the Law concurring for justification Another difference wch the Apostle makes betweene these Covenants is that the one is the Letter the other the Spirit For so he affirmes ver. 6 Now the reasons of this are two especially The first reason why the Covenant with Israel is called the letter and the Covenant of the Gospel the Spirit is because Moses who was the mediator of the Covenant with Israel did give onely the Letter of the Covenant that is the Law and the Covenant written in Tables and in Letters but he could not give the Spirit to make them understand the Covenant nor any inward grace and ability to make them keepe it But Christ the Mediator by whose Ministery the Covenant of the Gospell is given hath also the Holy Ghost in himselfe without measure which Spirit he by his Word and together with the word of the Covenant sends into our hearts and enables us to beleeve and to keepe the Covenant And as Iohn the Baptist comparing himselfe and his ministery with the ministery of Christ saith I baptize you with water but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire that is I give onely the outward signe but he gives the inward grace So it may be said of Moses and Christ that Moses gave onely the letter or writing of the Covenant but Christ gives the word and with it the Spirit of Grace also
which makes it effectuall to salvation And therefore the Covenant as it proceeds from Moses and comes by his Ministery is but a letter but that which Christ gave as Mediatour is the Spirit Another Reason may be drawne from the manner of giving Moses gave the Covenant written in Letters which many could see but could not read and many could read and could not understand and many could understand literally after a naturall and carnall manner according to the proper literall sense but they could not understand the words spiritually according to the spirituall sense they could not see nor discerne the true scope end and use of the Words But Christ did preach the Covenant of the Gospell by a lively voyce in words easie to be understood which did not onely sound in the eares but also pierce into the hearts and spirits of the hearers and did shew not onely the matter but also the manner end and use of every thing and how the Law and Commandements doe not onely binde the outward man and require the outward act but also do binde the inward man even the soule and spirit and doe require all holy thoughts motions dispositions of the heart and soul and thus the words of the New Covenant are fit Instruments of the Spirit and the Spirit doth worke powerfully by them Another difference laid downe by the Apostle verse 13 14 18. is that there was a vaile before the Covenant with Israel which hindred their sight so that the people could not looke into the end nor see the right use of the Law and the ceremonies thereof But the Covenant of the Gospell is given with much evidence of speech and therein we all with open face behold as in a glasse the glory of the Lord Now this vaile consisted of two parts The first was the darknesse and blindnesse of their hearts and the weaknesse of their sight The second was the obscurity and darknesse of the Covenant it selfe which both in respect of the words and also of the Seales the Types and Figures was very darke and hard to be understood First the people themselves were naturally by reason of originall corruption blinde and ignorant and not able to see the right end and use of the Law and Covenant yea their sight was so weake that they could no more looke upon Gods glory then the weake eye of a man can looke upon the bright Sunne when it shineth in full strength and therefore being not able to looke upon the glory of God shining in the Covenant they could in no case see into the end and use of it and so their owne weakenesse and blindnesse was a vaile unto them and is this day to all the Iewes till their hearts be converted to the Lord vers. 16. and till he powres out his Spirit on them Secondly the words of the Covenant were spoken and the Seales and Ceremonies ordained after such an obscure manner that a vaile of darknesse did hang over them till Christ by his actuall fulfilling of them and by the words of the New Covenant in the Gospel did make all plaine and pull away the vaile of darknesse This obscurity of the Covenant proceeded from three speciall causes the first was Gods hiding and concealing of his purpose in the giving of the Law For his purpose in giving the Morall Law was not that Israel should doe it and be justified thereby which after mans fall and corruption is impossible but onely to teach them and us what is true and perfect righteousnesse which leadeth unto life and to make all men examine themselves by it as by a rule that by it finding themselves destitute of righteousnesse and utterly unable to performe righteousnesse they might be driven out of themselves and so prepared to receive Christ and embrace his righteousnesse Also Gods purpose and counsell in giving the Ceremoniall law was not that men should performe them as any part of righteousnesse to justification neither did he ordaine them to be of themselves purgations from sinne and expiations of iniquity but onely to be Types foreshadowing Christ and his all-sufficient sacrifice and seales of the Covenant wch did seal it not by any vertue in them but by vertue of Christs which they signified Now though this was Gods counsell and purpose in giving the law morall and Ceremoniall yet he did conceale and not in plaine words expresse it he told them not that he meant by putting them upon the performance of the law to make them find out their own weaknesse and insufficiency and thereupon flee to Christ the end of the law and the substance of the Ceremonies and sacrifices But contrarily he required their performance of the Law for the obtaining of life and did so speake as though it had beene possible for them to fulfill it and to be justified thereby and so they commonly did understand his words erroniously even as the Papists doe at this day thinking that God would never have commanded them to doe the Law if hee had not knowne that it was in their power to doe it as he commanded and this was the first cause of the obscurity of that Covenant The second cause was the mixture of the legall part of the Covenant with the Evangelicall and the joyning of them both as it were in one continued speech For first God required by the morall law that they should do it for the obtaining of life then immediatly he addes unto it the ceremoniall law and ordained sacrifices for sin which did declare them to be sinners and so destitute of righteousnesse and gave them divers types and shadowes of Christ and by that law he required obedience and doing upon paines of death and cutting off so that the people of Israel did still imagine themselves to be in the Covenant of workes and from that manner of speech used by God and from the title of laws and statutes which God gave to the Ceremonies and from the words before going they gathered that the sacrifices oblations and other rites were rather laws to be observed for righteousnesse then seales of the Covenant of grace and signes of Christ and his righteousnesse they thought the use of them to consist in doing not in signifying and stirring up of faith to lay hold on Christ and this was a second cause of the darknesse of that Covenant The third cause was the great penurie and scarcitie of Evangelicall promises in that Covenant and the great inequality and disproportion which was betweene them and the legall Commandements of Workes For in that Covenant we finde few promises of life salvation but only upon condition of Workes Christ is very seldome pointed at in plaine words The Evangelicall promises as they are rare very few in all the Bookes of the Law which God gave them by Moses so they are either very generall or else very obscure more then those which were given to the Fathers long before But the Legall Commandements and Promises are
many and those very plaine in every place And this was a speciall cause which made the people of Israel to misconstrue the meaning of that Covenant and to thinke that all salvation was to be obtained by Workes and thus the Covenant was obscure and the end thereof was hid from their sight they could not understand the true use of the Types and Ceremonies But the Covenant of the Gospell is made in such plain words and doth after such a lively manner set forth Christ and his perfect Ransome satisfaction and righteousnesse unto us and the true way to justification and salvation by faith in him that the most simple may understand it and with that plaine Doctrine and multitude of Promises the Spirit of God workes powerfully and is given by Christ in such measure to all sorts of people that the darkenesse of their hearts is abolished also and so there is no vaile neither over their hearts nor over the Covenant it selfe but as Christ is plainely offered in the Word so their hearts are enlightned and enabled to looke on his glory and they are transformed into the same image and hereupon there comes to be great difference in this respect betweene the Covenant of the Gospell and the Covenant of the Law which God gave by Moses From these two last Differences there doe arise others which are there laid downe by the Apostle also to wit That the Old Covenant of the Law is the ministery of death but the Covenant of the Gospell is the ministery of the Spirit and of Life 2 Cor. 3. 7. The Old is the occasion of sinne and so the ministery of condemnation the New of righteousnesse to justification The Old brings bondage the New liberty The Old is lesse glorious and yet dazled the eyes of the Israelites that they could not looke on it stedfastly The New is full of glory and yet we can behold in it with open face the glory of God verse 18. These particular Differences are all named and noted by the Apostle and they doe arise from the two last going before For Reason tells us that because the Old Covenant was given by the Ministery of Moses a fraile man and was darke and obscure subject to be misconstrued and was not plainely preached by lively voyce but onely written in dead Letters in Tables of Stone therefore it was no fit instrument for the Spirit to worke by the Spirit did not worke by it such plenty of Knowledge Faith and other Graces It did onely shew them what they should do but enabled them not to do any thing rather made them more sinfull in provoking their corrupt naturewch more lusts after evils forbidden it made their sins more wilfull which before were done in ignorance and thus it became the Ministery of Sin Death and Condemnation unto them It also brought them into bondage by shewing them their slavish condition giving them no grace to flee from that miserable estate It dazled their eyes because it shewed them the glorious Majestie Iustice of God but gave them not the Grace of the Spirit to strengthen their sight to looke with boldnesse and comfort upon Gods majesticall justice But because the Covenant of the Gospell is made in plain words and given by a Mediatour who hath also the disposing of the Spirit dispensing of Spirituall Grace therefore it is a fit instrument for the Spirit to worke by the Spirit goeth forth in great power by and with the publication of it which regenerates men renues their hearts knits thē into one Body with Christ gives them the Communion of all his Righteousnesse and Obedience to justification of Life frees them from all feare and bondage makes them run freely and willingly in the way to life and in the pathes of Gods Commandements enables them to stand boldly before the glorious Tribunall of Gods Iustice and gives them an heavenly eye-salve to their sight that they may stedfastly behold GODS glory in the face of Iesus Christ And thus in those respects those two Covenants doe much differ betweene themselves The last difference is named by the Apostle in the 11 verse and it is this That the Covenant of the Law given by Moses and the glory thereof vanishes and is done away but the Covenant of the Gospell and the glory thereof abideth for ever Which Difference is thus to be understood not that the substance of the Law or the righteousnesse thereof ceaseth at any time neither that the Evangelical promises which were intermingled in that Covenant are abolished together with the Types and Ceremonies These things are in no case to be granted for the Law of God is an eternall rule of Truth and Iustice by the righteousnesse obedience and fulfilling thereof all the Elect shall be justified and saved for ever This our Saviour testifieth saying Think not that I am come to destroy the Law but to fulfill it for verily till heaven and earth passe not one jot or title of the Law shall passe Mat. 5. 17. Also his blessed Apostle Rom. 3. 31. Doe we then make void the Law through faith God forbid yea we estabish the Law Rom. 10. 4 Christ is the end or fulfilling of the Law for righteousness to every beleever And if we rightly consider the Ceremonies and the promises given to Israel wee shall perceive that Christ was the Body substance of them all and therefore so long as hee abideth the substance of them abideth firme sure and doth not vanish Wherefore the Law Covenant wch God gave by Moses doth vanish and is abolished onely in three respects First in respect of the extreme rigour thereof for as it was given to Israel it required obedience of every man in his owne person to justification and life but now it onely requires that a man have that righteousnesse which is a perfect conformity to it though performed by his surety and mediatour and that shall sufficiently save him Before it did require perfect righteousnesse upon paine of damnation performed by every man himselfe and threatned a curse to every breach of it Now it bindes a man himselfe to performe no more then he is able if hee doth his best and brings a willing minde God accepts the will for the deed because now we are not to obey the Law for justification Christ hath done that for us Now we are to obey it in thankfulnesse and in imitation of Christ that we may be conformable to his Image and by holinesse made fit to see God and to injoy the inheritance which Christ hath purchased for us Secondly the Law and Covenant givē by Moses is abolished in respect of the outward administration Their obedience to the morall Law was first preached and afterwards the sacrifice of Christ was promised in types and figures But now Christ is first preached and then after justification in him the Law is set as a rule to walk by in the wayes of sanctification and also