life for none can duly keep them before believing and then they have it but that their right to it may be evidenced by such good effects For these were already in a state of grace and were before interested in Jesus Christ unto eternal life on which account they are opposed to those that are without vers 15. without are dogs c. The use of the tree of life was the confirming in life Gen. 3. 22 23. So this keeping his Commandments of which believing is chief is the way to a confirmation in a living state or to give a further testimony of their right to life So Jam. 2. 24. By works a man is justified and not by faith only Not that love or evangelical works come in the least into justification it self as a cause or condition thereof the Epistles to the Romans and Galatians are full against this but are the fruits and effects of it They as evidences testifie to a mans self or to others that he is justified as vers 18. I will shew thee my faith by my works We are then not properly but only declaratively justified by works they as precious effects do argue a lively saith which is a means unto imputed righteousness and justification not a syllable that it is a condition thereof So 1 John 1. 9. If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Not that our confession is properly a condition ingaging the faithfulness and justice of God to forgive I proved before that is not suspended till our confessing but a way and means to our gaining a sense a fresh application an evidence and manifestation of our interest in forgiving grace And as evidences so they may promote comfort only we are to take heed that we do not ground and bottom our consolation on the qualifications within but on the promise it self or the Lord therein without Many are drawing and fetching their comfort from their faith and other graces and lay the stress of it there and accordingly are up and down ebbing and flowing therein in stead of fetching it from the Lord in the promise an immutable thing Heb. 6. 18. by the means of faith and taking that and other graces only as evidences of interest in it Some because they are weary and heavy laden thence take their rest and refreshment whereas they are called out of themselves to come for it to Jesus Christ Matth. 11. 28. When qualifications lie most dark or are most clearly discerned yet we should not look so much to these as to Jesus Christ in the promise for Consolation Thus I have endeavoured to open the nature of the Old and New Covenant As to the Mediatorial Office of Jesus Christ it is largely handled by others and so shall not be insisted upon by me at present Only I would say thus much when Jesus Christ was upon Earth he performed the Office of a Mediator as to satisfaction and now he is in Heaven he doth it still as to intercession Heb. 7. 25. He presenteth his obedience continually to the Father for our obtainment of what he hath purchased Would we have any soederal blessings thè Law written in our heart in more lively characters the Lord witnessed more fully to be our God or sin to be pardoned let our faith be acting upon him as one that mediateth for our obtainment of all for he is the Mediator not of the Old but of the New and Better Testament which is established upon better Promises FINIS Books Printed and are to be sold by Elizabeth Calvert at the Black-spread Eagle at the West end of St. Pauls Folio THe Scripture Directory for Church Offices and People Or a Practical Commentary upon the whole Third Chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians To which is annexed The Godly and the Natural Mans Choyce upon Psal 4. vers 6 7 8. By Anthony Burgesse Pastor of the Church of Sutton Coldfield in Warwick-shire IEPON 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Temple of Solomon Pourtrayed by Scripture Light wherein all its famous Buildings the Pompous Worship of the Jews with its Attending Rites and Ceremonies the several Officers imployed in that Work with their Ample Revenues And the Spiritual Mysteries of the Gospel vailed under all are treated of at large by Samuel Lec The History of Diodorus Siculus containing all that which is most memorable and of greatest Antiquity in the first Ages of the World until the War of Troy Renodaeus his Dispensatory containing the whole body of Physick discovering the Natures and Properties and Vertues of Vegetals Minerals and Animals Burgess on the Corinthians Wrighton the Pentateuch Quarto Christopher Goad his Sermons Entituled Refreshing Drops and Scorching Vials Samuel Gorton his Exposition on the fifth Chapter of James Samuel Hartlib of Bees and Silkworms Large Octavo Owen of In-dwelling Sin Steels Anditote His Husbandmans Calling Gales Idea of Jansenism Conversion Exemplified Heaven Realiz'd FINIS
thus reasoneth That cannot be a justifying righteousness in our present fallen estate 1. Which is not perfect for the least sin is enough to condemn Rom. 3. 20. Gal. 3. 10. Nor 2. which is our own of our own working out Rom. 10. 3 5. Nor 3. Which leaves any place for boasting Ephes 2. 9. Rom. 4. 2. Nor 4. which is opposite unto grace Rom. 4. 4. And upon these accounts all Evangelical Works are excluded out of Justification for they are imperfect they are our own subjectively they would leave room for some boasting if acceptance to life were upon these seeing it should be by our giving unto God also the way were opposite to grace for if the condition were never so small yet being performed the reward might be claimed upon our act and so would be of debt not of Gospel-grace Rom. 4. 4. The works of Abraham and David after conversion are excluded out of justification vers 2 3 6. which argueth that although Evangelical obedience kept in its due place doth not derogate from the grace of God yet it doth and is opposite to it if introduced into justification So that Gospel-grace doth not consist in a bare abatement of the rigor of the Law nor in making a bargain with us for the sake of Christ to accept of our faith repentance and sincere obedience instead of that which is perfect but it standeth in excusing us from a personal performance of that righteousness which is the condition of life and admitting Jesus Christ to answer the Law in our stead For the grand difference between the Law and the Gospel is the one justifieth by our own the other by anothers righteousness If man himself be the Doer for life that is the righteousness of the Law which saith Rom. 10. 5. the man that doth them shall live in them In opposition to it that of the Gospel is called the righteousness of faith vers 6. and of God vers 3. because it is to be sought out of our selves in another in the free promise and that which we are the subjects of is to be disclaimed here Phil. 3. 9. Rom. 10. 3. The asserting it to be by any of our personal performances giveth them the very place of works in the Covenant of Works which is anti-evangelical and introduceth some merits as well as perfect works would have done The being enabled by grace to them doth not hinder meriting any more than as one saith my furnishing a man with my tools to work with hinders his deserving a reward All ability that Adam had in innocency was from the favour of God and what he was to do was duty Faith it self is not the least of that righteousness it is an act of obedience but as such it is not said to justifie nor as it worketh by love although it doth so work Gal. 5. 6. Nor as a condition of life as I have elsewhere manifested but only as a means for the applying Christ and his righteousness much less can any works of ours be a part thereof The new creature availeth to being crucified to the world Gal. 6. 14 15. i. e. as a means but it is not said that it availeth to justification To justifie is to declare a person to be righteous the true God cannot pass a false sentence therefore we cannot have justification without having a righteousness this cannot consist in any act of ours as faith repentance or obedience as is already manifested therefore it must be of anothers working out the very righteousness of Jesus Christ Rom. 5. 18 19. 1 Cor. 1. 30. And if his obedience being to the Law may be called a legal righteousness yet as the same is applied by faith it is to us an evangelical righteousness All the question then is whether evangelical works are not of the same use in justification that faith is of have they not the same place and office there that faith hath I answer negatively they have not for often we read of the righteousness of faith never of the righteousness of love in that business We are said to be justified by faith not in the same sense to be justified by love or works It 's true there is a necessity of Evangelical works to testifie our faith obedience and thankfulness to God but they are required not as conditions but as effects and declarations of our justification Things are said to be done when they are manifested as Rom. 3. 7. 4. 15. A tree is known by the fruits And thus not only open acts but those that are secret when regular have an aptitude to evidence faith and that a person is justified even when they are not actually seen Paul speaketh of being justified before God by receiving or applying the righteousness of Jesus Christ in the free promise this is only by faith James speaketh of being justified by manifesting to a mans self or others that it is applied this is by Evangelical works and not by faith only Thus by offering up Isaac the person of Abraham was declaratively justified as it did shew his faith to be true vers 18. Gen. 22. 12. and not his working but his believing is said to be imputed to righteousness Jam. 2. 23. if this be justification in the sense of Paul yet it is by faith and he was called the friend of God there is justification declared by works as God acted kindly towards him so he acted in a friendly way towards God He is a vain man that contenteth himself with a faith that standeth in a bare assent to some propositions of truth without the power of them upon his heart vers 14 19 20. That is a dead faith which doth not profit is not attended with salvation which remaineth without works vers 17 20 26. therefore it is not the same true faith which any are justified by but another thing That unfruitful faith which is blamed here certainly was as far from justifying them as it was from saving them and so is not the faith which Paul insisteth upon for by that men were justified and that in order before works for they cannot be performed in an instant though they certainly follow but the justification and faith which they are put upon and called to declare by works these are of a Gospel stamp The Lord Jesus having fully performed the Law as the condition of the New-Testament hence it becometh absolute to us If improperly a duty a way or means to the enjoyment of some blessings of it be called a Condition I contend not But a Condition properly is more than a causa sine qua non it is a cause that hath a moral efficiency in it for the fulfilling of it is that which giveth right and upon which a man hath a title to what is promised and without it none and so it is a moral efficient cause of the enjoyment of the good promised in a Covenant Faith and repentance are great duties but nothing performed by us can be such
the first saving gift of God Christ and the Promises go together There are special marks of distinction whereby persons in Covenant are differenced from the World which agree to none that are out of Christ Heb. 9. 15. they are called ones that receive the Promise Abraham that famous Covenanter was not actually so till the time of his effectual calling from thence the four hundred and thirty years do commence which give the first date to the Covenant or Promise as made with him Gen. 12. Gal. 3. 17. not from the day of his Nativity much less from Eternity although then he was an Elect Vessel by becoming Christs men become Abrahams Seed and Heirs of Promise ver 9. 14 26 29. So the New Covenant runneth to the House of Israel and Judah Heb. 8 13. and none are the spiritual Israel for Life and Salvation till in him Rom. 2. 28 29. Till then they are so far from a Covenant state which is of Life Peace Mercy Salvation Mal. 25. Isa 54. 10. and 55. 3. Luk. 1. 71 72. Rom. 11. 26 27. That they are declared to be in an opposite state they are at enmity dead in trespasses and sins and children of wrath as well as others Ephes 2. 1 2 3 5 8 15 16. Col. 1 21. This may appear further by an enumeration of the principal blessings of the New Covenant it is promised there that he will write his Law in their hearts and be to them a God Heb. 8. 10. but till in Christ they are without God in the World Ephes 2. 12. The greatest difficulty is as to the great priviledge of Pardon or Remission of sin under which the whole of Justification is signified Heb. 8. 10 12. Rom. 11. 27. Some think that we are justified from Eternity others at the death of Christ but actual personal Justification of a sinner before God is at his union with Jesus Christ and the gift of Faith not before For 1. None are actually interested in the righteousness of Jesus Christ before union with him and the gift of Faith it is he that is made unto us righteousness 1 Cor. 1. 30. 2 Cor. 5. 21. if without Christ then without his righteousness Rom. 5. 18. By the righteousness of one upon all unto Justification of Life none therefore ever attain Justification without a righteousness For it consisteth in a Divine declaration of a persons being righteous and if he were not so it were a false Sentence which is incompatible to the true God Neither will a righteousness of his own working out though by the help of Grace serve for this end of Justification but of that one Jesus Christ hence ver 19. By the obedience of one many are made righteous As his suffering and death did make satisfaction for sin so his obedience is a righteousness meriting blessings even Eternal Life ver 21. and it is called the righteousness of Faith Phil. 3. 9. that being a means for our application of that righteousness which is given Rom. 3. 22 25 26. Not that Faith is the meritorious procuring cause of our Justification it hath not the same causality therein that Jesus Christ hath No more is required to the release of our obligation it self than what the Law by which we are obliged doth exact which is satisfaction as to Duty and Penalty the solution thereof was by Jesus Christ alone but more is required partly to make way for this viz. a compact or new Covenant concerning it without which all sufferings by another had been of no advantage to us partly as a means of application viz. Faith Rom. 10. 10. with the heart man believeth unto i. e. as a means unto righteousness and hence Justification is often said to be by Faith Rom. 3. 28. Rom. 5. 1. And the Question then was not how are men manifested and declared in their own Consciences to be justified but how are they justified before God and in his fight and that is not before but by Faith Gal. 3. 11. The scope of the Apostle Rom. 4. is to prove that we are justified by Faith and the righteousness thereof and not by works of the Law without cause of glorying ver 2. from the instances of Abraham and David ver 3. for what saith the Scripture Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness and ver 6. David deseribeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without Works And here note Pardon of sin is not the whole of Justification there is also necessary unto that end a righteousness if it were of our own working out then we were justified and saved by our own works which the Scripture generally denyeth this were to confound Justification and Sanctification as if Jesus Christ only satisfied for the sins and defects of a righteousness which we perform so as that is accepted unto Life whereas it is by a righteousness of Faith which is not of our own working out but wrought out for us by Jesus Christ The false Prophets themselves from among the Jews that urged these works of the Law upon the Romans and Galatians insisted much upon the ceremonials which plainly implieth an acknowledgement of sin and argueth that they did not expect Justification without pardon but carnally looked for pardon in the way of their own works and the Apostle in opposition to them excludeth out of Justification not only works wrought by their own natural power but even those which were by sanctifying Grace for the works of Abraham and David who were believers are here excluded Some think the righteousness of Jesus Christ or his active obedience in our stead needless unless as a part of his satisfaction for sin because say they the Law requireth not of us both suffering and obedience I Answer The Law as a Covenant of Works required suffering in satisfaction for sin and as it belongeth to the Covenant of Grace so it requireth perfect obedience to be fulfilled by Jesus Christ as the condition of the Justification and Life of sinners and new obedience which referreth to sanctification is to be performed by Christians as the fruit and effect of their spiritual Life Rather it was needless that Jesus Christ should fulfill righteousness or yield active obedience to the Law as part of a satisfaction for sin when by his passive obedience he underwent death which was the very same and all that the Law threatned against the sinner If man had never violated or broken the Covenant of Works or had never sinned then the Law would have required only righteousness of him for Life the tenour of it being Do and Live When man had sinned then the Law at a Covenant of Works required only suffering and threatned death Gen. 2. 17. but ceased in its promise of Life that immediately became null and void It is true the Law as a natural rule of righteousness required still perfect obedience that was due to God by right of Creation and his sinning could not
seed upon earthly comforts but Christians live by Faith by what is laid up in Divine Promises by these things they live they know not how to subsist in any state or condition without a Promise they would count themselves dead creatures without that whatever earthly enjoyments they had in possession Neither will a Promise alone satisfie without Jesus Christ in it Christ liveth in me he is the very Life of their lives without him nothing but spiritual swoonings faintings dyings and all from the want and failings of Faith That fetcheth in all influences from Jesus Christ for the supporting and hath the great hand and stroak in all the actings of spiritual Life all spiritual motions are managed thereby Heb. 11. 6. Without Faith it is impossible to please God And therefore Sanctification is but a secondary or after evidence That is not discernable till first there be a discerning Faith which speaketh Justification If Faith be inevident all other Graces will be so also Faith may be shewed unto others by Works Jam. 2. 18. A man may be Declaratively justified by Works but if a man doubteth of his Faith he will as well doubt of his Works whether they be from a Gospel root or not For no Love of the right stamp and so no due obedience but what is the fruit and issue of Faith in the Lord Jesus For that worketh by Love Gal. 5. 6. As first acts of Faith do not consist in believing that our sins are pardoned but in a receiving Jesus Christ and his righteousness as the way to pardon Joh. 1. 12. So if Christians kept up in acts of Faith by outgoings of heart to him in the way of the Promise for all that is wanted there would be not only sweet flowings of Love and Evangelical obedience issuing thence but also they would be filled with all joy and peace in believing Rom. 15. 13. I have often thought if Christians did give more attendance to such direct acts of Faith and spent less time in questioning their conditions or giving way to doubtings about them they would find their interest in the Covenant cleared up yea and consolation also coming in as by the by 3. By Faith Souls are venturing upon the Free Grace and faithfulness of God in his Covenant in the greatest distresses with good success The New Covenant is made up all of Promises and the Gospel is called the Word of Faith because it is the Work of Faith to draw out what is vesseled up there Heb. 10. 38. Now the Just shall live by Faith Not only as to Justification but as to expectation of mercy promised Many would be acting Faith in the concluding interest in Christ and Eternal Life but they should be acting it by a cordial owning of Evangelical principles Yea Christians should lead their whole Life in looking to the Love and Faithfulness of God in his Promise for all their relief and succour in any condition they come into here yea even for Eternal Mercy Heb. 6. 18. They are pursued by spiritual enemies corruptions and Temptations and are in great danger but by hope which floweth from Faith and can act no higher than Faith doth they go yea run for refuge to the hope to the heavenly glory that is set before them so as they lie as at Anchour in such stormy daies and here are two immutable things the Promise and the Oath of God that by these they might have strong consolation By Faith they realize the very things contained in the Promise or Covenant and so their interest in it is experimentally witnessed to them They can say at such a time when we were in Soul distress so as all the means in the World could contribute nothing towards inward ease quietment and consolation then we being inabled by Grace to bear the weight of our Souls and our conditions upon the Faithfulness of God in his Covenant or Free Promise we found relief and refreshment It was not meerly our own fancy and imagination but we were delivered out of our distresses by Faith we were inabled to draw out of the Promise the Milk of consolation which it was beyond the power of all creatures to afford us and thus they find that the Covenant or Promise is their own 4. By Faith in the Free Promise there is a standing Conquerours in Jesus Christ over all spiritual enemies it is a great matter of the Covenant that the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents bead Gen. 3. 15. And therefore there is through Grace a vanquishing all the enemies of Salvation Sin and Satan through the blessed Seed the Lord Jesus The Promises are accomplished within the Soul but the way is Ephes 6. 16. Above all take the Shield of Faith That not only is best for descrying Satan in all his Stratagems but for the withstanding of him also Joh. 5. 4. This is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith When the Soul hath Combates or Spiritual Conflicts and reason is foiled cannot bear up then Faith appeareth as Victorious not in its own strength but in the strength of Christ and his conquest which it maketh use of in these encounters And thus conquering acts of Faith as before venturing relieving and discovering acts are useful for witnessing interest in the Covenant I might shew that Faith hath other acts as acts of assurance drawing up conclusions he hath loved me and given himself for me Gal. 2. 20. But I have said enough to shew that it giveth a knowledge of being within the New Covenant CHAP. XIII Of the Use of Absolute Promises THe Question will now be What Use is there of absolute better Promises When or in what cases are they to be made use of Answ 1. They are of Use for the manifestation of the riches of Divine Grace and Love to sinners if there may be some Grace in promising great blessings upon a very small condition certainly there must be more Grace and Love in promising the same absolutely without any condition This maketh to the magnifying of the Lord in his owning Israel above all people that he loved because he would love Deut. 7. 6 7 8. not because they were greater or more lovely than others or had any beauty or comliness in them but for his own sake as is often intimated Absolute Promises are high expressions of Divine Love as Heb. 8. 10 11 12. They proclaim rich mercy and great Love Eph. 2. 4 5. That the Lord should break through all unworthiness and undeservings this may work into the greatest self-emptiness and self-abasement The Lord peremptorily promised the establishing of Davids throne for ever 2 Sam. 7. 13 16. and this Grace melts his heart into a deep sense of his own nothingness ver 18 19. Who am I O Lord God what is my house c. Thou hast spoken also of thy Servants house for a great while to come and is this the manner of man O Lord God So that absolute Promises of Divine
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
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
before they did believe else the Apostles argument were not cogent for the false Prophets might easily have answered that now in Gospel times we are not justified as Abraham and David were and so they might have waved whatever is urged from these instances seeing all that he saith is built upon this very foundation that we are justified as they were only this can hardly be evaded that David who lived under the Sinai Covenant yet is denied to be justified by works of his own Yea the Apostle excludeth them even from the nature of a Covenant of works which is such a ground as denieth lapsed man in any Age to be saved by his own obedience vers 4. Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt Therefore unless it could be said that those under the Sinai Law had Eternal Life not of grace but of debt it must be said that they had it not in the way of a Covenant of works 2. Moses and the Children of Israel were antecedently under a Covenant of grace or before the making that at mount Sinai therefore that could not be a Covenant of works In the very Preface he saith Exod. 20. vers 2 5. I am the Lord thy God the Lord did not first become their God by that but was so before as they were the seed of Abraham and under that with him Exod. 2. vers 24. and 3. vers 6 7. I have seen the affliction of my people vers 15 16. And Moses himself entred into the same Sinai Covenant with the people Exod. 34. vers 27. I have made a Covenant with thee and with Israel Not only with Israel but with him also Now it is not imaginable that the Lord would reduce them and Moses himself from Covenant of Grace back to that of Works Surely the Lord would advance them highor rather than bring them lower He is ever one and the same in his Grace and Promises unto souls no such unconstancy and changeableness is found with him 3. The Sinai Testament typically revealed mercy for sinful men and therefore was not a Covenant of Works For that being once violated and broken holdeth forth nothing of mercy to the smner whatever his Repentance be giveth no hope of Salvation but denounedth Judgement Death and utter destruction against him Adam having eaten the forbidden Fruit that saith Gen. 2. 17. Dying thou shalt die Whereas the Sinai Covenant includeth the Ceremonial Law as well as the Moral as is plain Heb. 9. vers 1 2 3 c. The first Testament had Ordinances of Divine Service and a worldly Sanctuary a Tabernacle Priests and Sacrifices offerings for the errors of the people c. Although these services did not of themselves expiate sin and purge the Conscience yet they did point out a way wherein they might have an expiation of and freedom from sin which a Covenant of Works giveth not the least intimation of Yea the Sinai Covenant was ordained by Angels Gal. 3. vers 19. in the hands of Moses a typical Mediator and this argued a variance between God and Israel else no need of any and there is grace in a Covenant that doth admit of any way for the making up of such differences there was abundance of Grace wrapt up in many Types and Ordinances in the Sinai Covenant yea it was confirmed by blood and sprinkling called the blood of the Covenant Exod. 24. vers 3 4 5. Which typified the blood of Jesus Christ and therefore it was no Covenant of Works for that speaketh nothing thereof 4. There had been an utter impossibility for Israel or any other to have attained unto Eternal Life and Salvation if they had been under that at Sinai as a Covenant of Works For they could never have performed the works which were the condition of it and so must have been hopeless of the benefit which was promised thereupon Gal. 3. vers 21. If there had been a Law that could have given life righteousness had been by the Law This clearly concludeth that righteousness did not come by the Law i. e. as performed by us in our own persons and also that the Law could not give Life no Eternal Life to be expected by it and he speaketh of the Sinai Law as is clear vers 17. and therefore that could not be a Covenant of Works to Israel or us for Eternal Life Rom. 8. 3. also proveth the Law could not free from condemnation in that it was weak through the flesh and so no Eternal Life was attainable thereby 5. That way which the Lord had established with Israel for Life and Salvation before the Sinai Covenant was utterly inconsistent with that of Works and therefore that could not be a Covenant of Works Gal. 3. vers 18. For if the inheritance be of the Law it is no more of Promise These two waies cannot stand together if it be by one of them then it is not by the other they carry a contradiction each to other If Israel had the inheritance by the Law i. e. by works performed by themselves then it could not be by the obedience of another of Jesus Christ for them if it were by their own righteousness of the Law then it could not be by the righteousness of Jesus Christ entertained in the Promise by Faith one of these waies doth necessarily subvert overthrow and destroy the other so as the same person at the same time cannot have it both waies Now such an opposite way of a Gospel Promise was established with Israel long before the Sinai Covenant Gal. 3. ver 16 17. They were the seed of Abraham and be concludeth that the Sinai Law coming so long after could not disanul the Abrahamatical Covenant or Promise wherein they had interest which was so long before it and consequently it was no Covenant of Works to Israel for then it must necessarily have disanulled the foregoing Promise as that demonstration vers 18. doth evidence SECT II. Prop. 2. THat the Sinai Law was not a mixt Covenant for Eternal Life to Israel It was not partly a Covenant of Works to them and partly of Grace For 1. It is an undoubted obstacle or hindrance in the way of Salvation to be seeking it in a Covenant of works by personal performances and therefore that at Sinai could not be so much as in part such a one to Israel The reason why Israel obtained not righteousness and so life was because they sought it not by Faith i. e. in another in Jesus Christ but as it were by the Works of the Law Rom. 9. vers 31 32. He doth not say they sought it altogether by their own Works but after a sort as it were and this obstructed and hindred their arriving at it Thus their coming short of Salvation is resolved into the same cause Rom. 10. vers 1 3. They going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God A seeking Salvation then by
righteousness consisting in Precepts Threatnings and Promises holding forth life upon an impossible condition to lapsed man perfect doing in this sense Moses gave it not nor is it a Covenant of faith but of works But this doth not satisfie for I see no ground for that large acceptation of the Law Rom. 10. vers 4. speaketh of the Law for righteousness and so is taken as strictly as vers 5. only it is said to be performed by Jesus Christ and then by believing souls are interessed in his performance and Gal. 3. vers 12 23 24. he speaketh of the Law as a Schoolmaster to Christ which we are not under Besides the Law in that strict sense wherein this Objection granteth it to be a Covenant of Works is that in which it was given at Sinai Rom. 10. vers 5. Moses describeth the righteousness of the Law he that doth them shall live in them Therefore the Law was given in that restrained sense by Moses Further in that large acception it cannot be proved to be cloathed with the nature of a Covenant whatever in that is of a foederal nature or can belong to it as a Covenan trunneth upon the terms of that perfect Obedience in that strict sense Do and Live and so apparently it putteth on the Nature even of a Covenant of Works though not intended to be performed by Israel for life but by Jesus Christ for them SECT VII Prop. 2. THat the Sinai Covenant under a typical servile administration of the Covenant of grace promised temporal mercies to Israel upon the condition of their Obedience It s servile and typical nature is clearly holden forth Gal. 4. vers 3. 24. Heb. 8. vers 9. and will be more fully manifested elsewhere It s Conditional form is obvious it promiseth nothing but upon the condition of obedience and that not only to be performed by Jesus Christ but also by Israel Exod. 19. vers 5 6. If ye Israel will obey my voice and keep my Covenant c. Deut. 4. vers 13. He declared unto you his Covenant which he commanded you to perform even ten commandments you i. e. Israel as v. 1. is required to yield obedience or commanded to perform it and he speaketh of the same Covenant made in Horeb or at Sinai when the Lord spake to them out of the midst of the fire vers 10 11 12. yea Israel is blamed for violating that Covenant Jer. 31. vers 32. Which Covenant they brake c. therefore it was their duty to keep it That it promised Temporal mercies to Israel upon the condition of their obedience is manifest Levit. 26. vers 3 4 c. If ye walk in my statutes and keep my commandments and do them what then then will I give you rain in due season and the Land shall yield her increase c. these are outward mercies vers 6. I will give you peace in the Land c. there is another temporal mercy And not only obedience to the judicial commands which respecteth them as a Commonwealth but to all moral and ceremonial precepts is required to these ends The Ten Commandments are rehearsed Deut. 5. and then Statutes and Judgements mentioned and observing all is urged to this end that they may live and enjoy the land of Canaan and length of dayes therein V. 31 32 33. Deut. 6. vers 1 2 3 17 18 24. and Deut. 11. vers 8. Therefore shall you keep all the commandments which I command you this day here a universal obedience is injoyned they were to keep not only some but all the Commands and what will follow Vers 9. I will give you the rain of your land in his due season c. by all which it appeareth that Israels obedience to the whole Sinai Covenant was required in order to their fruition of temporal blessings Yea not only external viz. that of the outward man but cordial obedience is required to this end Deut. 11. vers 13. If ye will hearken diligently to my commandments which I command you this day to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul Then vers 14. I will give you the rain of your land c. send grass c. outward mercies So Deut. 6. 5. Conscience then was concerned even about these things and disobedience to moral precepts which did bind their Conscience was given as a reason of their being excluded from their temporal mercies Jer. 11. vers 8 10 c. Jer. 44. vers 21 22 23. It resteth then to be proved that the Sinai Covenant as to be performed by Israel did belong to the administration of the Covenant of grace or had grace in it to them It is true it required of them not only sincere but perfect obedience even in order to temporal mercies it must be to all commands with all the heart as I have proved their coming short of that was sinful for in that very Covenant some Sacrifices were appointed where sincere obedience was performed for sins of infirmity as of ignorance c. as well as for others Lev. 4. vers 26 29 31 35. and 5. vers 10 13 16 18. and alsewhere This providing a relief a remedy doth imply that Israel would fail would sin and stand in need of that forgiveness which in many cases was here promised yet in pursuance of these directions which are punctually given by the Lord in offering sacrifices exactly according to appointment they should be forgiven that is so far as temporal judgements threatned should be averted and temporal mercies promised should be afforded these sins should not be any hindrance in the way of them thus far it was a real forgiveness for if there had been no real expiation by those sacrifices and something forgiven how could they have been typical of that forgiveness which Believers have of their sins by the true sacrifice Jesus Christ It was not real spiritual forgiveness as to the Conscience that was promised there so the Law could not make him that did the service perfect as pertaining to the Conscience Heb. 9. 9. And let it be observed when the Apostle speaketh not in relation to temporals but to eternals then he mentioneth the tenor of the same Sinai Law to be Do and live and cursed is he that continueth not in all things Gal. 3. vers 10. Rom. 10. verf. 5. We are not to think that the righteousness whereby we are justified is to be performed by our selves as if the sacrifice of Jesus Christ were intended only to expiate and obtain the pardon of our sins in coming short thereof No such a righteousness is exacted unto justification and eternal life as is absolutely perfect hath no flaws or sinful imperfections in it no forgiveness is needed there it is such as could not be performed by any but Jesus Christ alone vers 4. Rom. 5. latter end hence if the Romans and Galatians would so much as attempt the seeking it by any works of their own
to Moses a pattern of the Tabernacle which was for publick Worship with a strict injunction Heb. 8. 5. See that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed thee in the Mount Heb. 9. 1. Exod. 25. 40. And in that and the following Chapters of the Book there are rules about the Ark Table Candlestick and the institution of Ministers used in the service of the Tabernacle as Aaron and his Sons in the Priests Office here is direction for the consecration of the Ark and Tabernatle the Altar of incense and many Ordinances and Institutions which hold forth another use of the Sinai dispensation 4. To be a Platform model or rule for Government Ecclesiastical and Civil Israel received righteous Laws Statutes and Judgements from God himself therein they were differenced from and excelled the Nations that they were more immediately under the Government of God as their only Law-giver And not only an Eternal Curse but many Ecclesiastical and Civil penalties and censures are threatned upon breaking of those Divine Laws Exod. 22. ver 1 4 20. Levit. 20. Numb 5. and 19. Deut. 13. and 25. with many others This then was one use of it to be an instrument for the Government of the Children of Israel 5 Another end of it was to give a typical representation of many glorious mysterious appertaining to the Covenant of Grace these matters were not empty insignificant rites but by Divine appointment served as shaddows types and patterns of heavenly things Heb. 8. 5 6. and 9. 23. Even their temporal mercies were typical representations of Spiritual and heavenly blessings The Land of Canaan figured out the heavenly rest The Levitical or Aaronical Priests were eminent Types of our great High-Priest the Lord Jesus Heb. 7. The Tabernacle a Type of his humane Nature Whence he is said to be a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with hands Heb. 9. 11. and 8. ver 2. It might also figure out the true Church Rev. 21. 3. The Ark the furniture for the most holy place which none but the High-Priest might enter into Heb. 9. ver 3 4 7. properly referreth to Jesus Christ who is the great repository in whom the Divine Law is treasured up for Believers He is their glory and direction unto eternal rest many other Types there were of him I might also note that Moses was below with the people for their incouragement against fear at the promulgation of the Law and making and confirming the Covenant but was called up higher towards the top of the Mount for receiving the Tables of the Covenant and the pattern of the Tabernacle Exod. 19 ver 24 25. and 20. ver 1 20. and 24. ver 12. 18. all which may typifie that Jesus Christ standeth with us for our incouragement in receiving the fiery Law and upon more immediate converses with God giveth forth the frame of his solemn Worship These were the ends of the Sinai Covenant CHAP. X. Of the Differences between the Old and the New Covenant and the excellency of the latter above the former IT may be inquired How is the New Covenant wherein the ministration of Jesus Christ doth lie a better Covenant than the Old which was made at Mount Sinai I would premise that in Heb. 8. and also Jer. 31. ver 31 32. the opposition is not between the Covenant of Works as with the first Adam and the New but between the Old made when Israel came out of Egypt at Sinai and the New Covenant These are they which are compared and therefore the Differences between these either in their matter or form must hold forth the excellency and betterness of the New Covenant above the Old 1. The New Covenant presupposeth obedience unto life to be performed already by Jesus Christ and so is better than the Old which required an after performance of it The very tenour of the Sinai Covenant was Do this and Live Levit. 18. 5. Deut. 27. 26. Rom. 10. 5. Here Israel was ingaged in a federal way to perform the righteousness required in the unspotted Law the very doing is injoyned which our Eternal Life hath dependance upon even perfect doing Gal. 3. 12. Indeed Israel ingaged yet they were to perform this by their Surety Jesus Christ But all was then undone unfulfilled unperformed Jesus Christ not being then manifested and hence the Law had then a commanding force might exact that obedience at the hand of Israel who Covenanted there that it should be yielded in time to come But the New Covenant taketh it for granted that all this doing for Life is over already past and not to come Jesus Christ being actually exhibited that as the Old Covenant seemed to be made up of Precepts or Commandments so the New is made up of Promises consisteth of nothing else Heb. 8. ver 8 to the end giving a declaration that all is fulfilled there remaineth nothing to be done either by Principal or Surety for that end viz. Life The Lord is so fully satisfied as in the New he giveth a general acquittance and acknowledgeth that he hath no more to demand all is turned into Promise I will and ye shall Jesus Christ is said to be the Mediatour of the New Testament ver 6. that is actually so to intimate that in this short term Mediatour we have now in accomplishment the summ of all the doing required in the Old Covenant and way is made for our receiving the Promise Heb. 9. 15. Within the seventy weeks the Messiah came Dan. 9. 24. To make reconciliation and bring in everlasting righteousness before righteousness was commanded viz. in the Sinai Covenant but then it was introduced By one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. Nothing remaineth to be done for the procurement of these Eternal blessings Hence in opposition to that Sinai Law which ran upon those terms Do and Live under the dispensation of the New we hear so often of Believe and be saved and he which believeth hath everlasting Life Mark 16. 16. Joh. 3. 16 36. Not that believing now taketh the place of doing in the Old Covenant For then it must be our righteousness unto Justification Gal. 3. 12. Rom. 10. 5. whereas that which justifieth is called the righteousness of Faith ver 6. and Phil. 3. 9. and therefore Faith is distinct from that righteousness it self is not the least Atome of it therefore not our believing but the obedience of Jesus Christ is that which cometh in the room and stead of that doing for Life intended in the Law Rom. 5. 19. He is the Lord our righteousness Jer. 23. 6. 1 Cor. 1. 30. But to note that it lieth wholly out of our selves that it is not by any of our performances but in another even Jesus Christ it is said to be by Faith i. e. as a means of application Believe that the work is not now to do Jesus Christ hath done all and saith he Joh. 8. 24. If ye believe not
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.
of any sin at the same time See 2 Cor. 5. 21. â—om 3. 23 25. Yea further Jesus Christ suffered not the tantundem something in lieu or stead of what we should have suffered but the idem the very same punishment of the Law that was due to us and therefore continual interest in that must needs render at all times disobligâ—d or pardoned Gen. 2. 17. In the day thou eatest dying thou shalt die Death then was the utmost penalty that was exacted nothing more was required of us by the Law of works and nothing less was suffered by Jesus Christ in our stead Heb. 2. 9. That he by the grace of God should tast death for every man The very thing that was threatned was undergone by him for us As to the eternity of the death and such circumstances that we are liable to these arise from the incapacity of our persons that cannot bear infinite sufferings in a short time as Jesus Christ did for us or as Mr. B. observeth that despair and death in sin proceed not from the threatning in it self considered but from the condition and disposition of the persons upon whom the execution of the curse falls punishment properly is satisfaction for injury done but sin is a continuing of the injury See Christ in Travel pag. 71. Gal. 3. 13. Made a curse for us the very thing yea all that the Law threatned was the curse and Jesus Christ did not undergo something in the room of it but the very curse of the same Law that we were under and therefore the idem Jesus Christ having undertaken the office of a great high Priest Isai 53. 6. The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all I cannot understand how iniquity it self could be transacted upon the Lord Jesus it is a non ens a privation of good if it could pass from one subject to another yet it could not fall upon any without the pollution of the subject where it resteth for it is altogether evil any thing short of this is not sin deny pollution and you deny sin it self to be upon any subject Jesus Christ was so infinitely pure as he could not suffer the least tincture of defilement therefore by iniquity must be understood the guilt of sin or its obligation to punishment not a tantundem that had not indeed been our iniquity but it was our very guilt whatsoever the Lord threatned against us and might exact from us on the account of our sin it is expressed by his being wounded for our transgression vers 5. by his being made an offering for sin vers 10. by his hearing iniquity vers 11. whatsoever burthen therefore was to be undergone or man was liable to bear for his iniquity this was laid upon Jesus Christ and that by the Fathers hand the Lord laid it there O what grace was here to us it was the Lord that was offended provoked dishonoured by sin and yet how desirous was he that we should be discharged from it in that he would with his own hand lay it upon his beloved Son Jesus Christ And it is the iniquity of us all it was not at an uncertainty the persons were determined by tale by number by name in whose stead he underwent all this He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our sin and the chastisement of our peace was upon him vers 5. 6. 2 Cor. 5. 21. Now seeing Jesus Christ underwent the idem the very same penalty that was threatned by the Law and for the very persons and believers are always interested therein hence they cannot one minute of time be unpardoned 2. Believers are at all times actually interested in the general acquittance obtained by Jesus Christ and therefore are not without the actual pardon of particular sins one moment after the commission of them for that acquittance is our general pardon As he was charged with our sin so he was discharged by the father from it Isai 50. 8. He is near that justifieth me c. It is spoken of Jesus Christ as appeareth vers 6. He had justification not for himself he needed none but for us our sin or guilt being laid upon him and all demands of Divine justice being fully answered he was justified obtained a general acquittance for the whole body of his seed hence it is not only said he was delivered for our offences Rom. 4. 25. i. e. suffered death the wages due to us for sin but also was raised again for our justification If he had not made full satisfaction for us death would have held him still in that it could not hold him any longer this argueth that it had no Dominion over him but he had a compleat victory over that last enemy and his resurrection was his general acquittance for all the Elect and thus it was for their justification Believers have a ground to say as Rom. 8. 34. It is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again They have then not only a continual interest in his death but also in his resurrection and they are put upon triumphing in faith on this account vers 33. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods Elect it is God that justifieth c. It is the standing priviledge of all that are in a justified state that nothing can be justly laid to their charge and therefore none of their sins are one moment actually unpardoned as to Law guilt for then they might be laid to their charge Colos 2. 12 13. Quickned together with him He stood as a common person and virtually his seed might be said to die and rise at the death and resurrection of Christ himself in their room and stead but some actual sharing with him is here intended for he saith you are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God this priviledge is not injoyed till they attain a work of faith with power and then the whole advantage of his resurrection becometh theirs in Jesus Christ they have a general acquittance and discharge Believers are risen with him it is reckoned unto them as if they had died and risen again in their own persons neither is this suspended until daily acts of Faith although these are not to be neglected but it is at their first conversion at their first Faith and recovery out of a spiritually dead condition you being dead in your sins both be quickened together with him That general Justification at his rising becometh theirs at first believing which will secure from all Law guilt that it will seize upon them no more as it followeth having forgiven you not only some but all trespasses they have then in their rising with Jesus Christ a general discharge in hand not only for sins past and present actually but for all even those to come virtually this general pardon will be ever ready that as soon as there is an actual commission of particular sins by that they will be immediately disobliged from them The actual
pardon will be as early as the actuality of the sin and hence he speaketh as if all were actually forgiven already 3. Believers are alwaies under Justification unto life and therefore cannot at any time be actually under the obligation of the Law unto Eternal death It is nothing less than a sentence of death and condemnation a dreadful Curse that the Law denounceth against sinners Gen. 2. 17. Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every one that continueth not in all c. So that if Believers were one day or moment laid under the obligation of the Law by new acts of sin then so long they must be unjustified again there must be an intermission of their Justification For condemnation is opposed to and utterly inconsistent with present Justification Rom. 5. 16 18. Rom. 8. 33 34. Whereas it is expresly said Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus There is not a bare suspension of the Curse but they are differenced in respect of their state from others which are out of Christ after union with him yea after the fullest pardon yet every sin deserveth condemnation pardon doth not remove the desert of sin but the legal obligation which is to condemnation that is taken off vers 33 34. Joh. 5. 24. He that believeth hath everlasting Life and shall not come into condemnation By daily pardons there is a continuation of a persons Justification and some Faith he hath but although the new acts of Faith may not alwaies be put forth the same moment that he sinneth yet he is secured from condemnation even at first believing or passing from Death to Life The same might be evinced from the declared freedom from the Law and in Curse Rom. 6. 14. Gal. 3. 10 13. At many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse this strongly implieth that others viz. Believers are not under the Curse so ver 13. And though materially the afflâ—ctions of the Elect before conversion be the same with others under the Curse yet the least Atome of that doth not formally light upon them For Jesus Christ underwent the whole of it on their behalf They were sententially by the Law under the Curse before believing but not executively then much less after being united to Jesus Christ 4. Believers are continually under the New Covenant and therefore the very instant wherein their sins are committed they are remitted or the persons are disobliged from the Law Curse and so actually pardoned For unto this there is requisite only interest in the satisfaction of Jesus Christ which they have in union with him and the Lords declaring their discharge thereupon and this is by the New Testament which was established by his blood for the remission of sins Matth. 26. 28. All pardoning mercy is treasured up there this is the very act of Pardon Believers are alwaies within the New Covenant and therefore have an actual right to the pardon of all sins not only past and present but also to come they have it beforehand in the Promise though not actually in possession they have a ground of claiming after pardons may urge the faithfulness of God in his promise for the affording of them also the instant wherein their sin is committed the New Testament declareth it remitted for that is a standing pardon ever speaking on this wise to all under it your sins and iniquities will I remember no more Jer. 31. 31 34. Heb 8. 12. so as they cannot be under the Laws obligation to punishment any more Believers are under the Promise of a New Heart and writing the Law there which assureth that they shall further repent believe c. Yet such spiritual frames may not immediately be afforded seeing these are gradually attained by a real change but remission of sin is a relative change made in an instant by the Promise upon all under it when they want it And here let it be observed that pardon or forgiveness of sin is a Divine grant by the Law of Grace the New Covenant that is his act of Oblivion Heb. 8. 12. Heb. 10. 16 17. Rom. 11. 27. On which account we read of the Law of Works and the Law of Faith Rom. 3. 27. and this latter in reference to Justification and remission of sin As present condemnation is by a Law even by the Divine Law of Works that passeth Sentence upon sinners the seed of the first Adam who are under it the very instant of their sining whether they be aware of it or not So answerably present Justification and remission of sin is by the Law of Grace the New Covenant that passeth a Sentence upon all the seed of Jesus Christ the second Adam who are under it the very instant of their sinning when often at the very time they do not discern it And as among men oâ—â— may have his offences pardoned by an Act of Oblivion which he is under though no accusation be drawn up against him to put his case upon tryal before a Judge that may come afterward thus it is not by a judicial Act by an Act of God as a Judge but as a Law-giver that he giveth present Justification and Pardons they are the Sentence of his Law the New Testament which Believers are alwaies under accusations from Satan or their own Consciences may come afterward and a tryal before the Judge in the great day The not understanding this hath run into many mistakes some asserting Justification to be from Eternity whereas they might easily understand that the Elect may yea must be under a Sentence of the Law of Works without the least execution of the Curse upon them by the Lord as a Judge till by coming under the Sentence of another Law even the New Testament they be discharged from it Others talk of pleading to a charge and upon a plea being discharged as their Justification whereas that is only the Sentence of one Law declaring a discharge from the Sentence or Curse of another Law upon their interest in the righteousness of Jesus Christ by union with him The Lord is not dealing as a Judge there often the Lord is mentioning Judgement as a future thing Paul reasoned of Judgement to come Act. 24. 25. Matth. 11. 22 24. and 12. 36. 2 Pet. 2. 9. Joh. 12. 47 48. The Word will judge you at the last day The present work of Jesus Christ is not to judge the World but to save it Now he cometh in a dispensation full of Grace with intreaties and beseechings that he may win over Souls to a subjection unto the Law of Faith which is a ministration of righteousness and Life exceedingly glorious 2 Cor. 3. But he will deal in another way when he cometh forth as a Judge then he will come cloathed with terrour and we must all appear before his judgement Seat 2 Cor. 5. 10. When the times of refreshing shall come then will their sins be blotted out Act. 3. 19. Not as if they wanted
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
Cor. 3. Israels obedience is required for its due and proper end but yet under that the perfect obedience of Jesus Christ is principally intended for a higher end viz. Eternal Life for it is applyed unto Christ and the fulfilling of the Law and delivering us from it is ascribed unto him 6. The great difficulties about this Sinai Covenant vanish if we understand it primarily of the legal condition of the Covenant of Grace to be performed by Jesus Christ and any other way they will hardly be removed The tenour of it plainly is Do and Live and Cursed is he that doth not here lieth the difficult of it Hence on the one hand some account that at Sinai a Covenant of Works to Israel and deny it to be a Covenant of Grace or to belong to that it requiring perfect obedience and not dispensing with one offence Gal. 3. vers 10. There being a Curse annexed to the breaking of it as a blessing to the keeping of it even to doing vers 10. The Seed of it being out-casts Gal. 4. the latter end Now all such Objections melt away if we understand it of the Covenant of Grace as to its legal condition to be fulfilled by our Surely immediately it was thus Covenanted by Israel but terminatively it looked at a performance by Jesus Christ that he should be the only doer for Life and thus a perfect doing was aimed at in the Sinai Covenant and thus it was perfectly fulfilled by Jesus Christ no offence dispenced with the Curse fully undergone by him and they that crowd into the place of Jesus Christ in it and would fulfill it for that end he did even for Eternal Life they are the Seed which are the out-casts On the other hand some assert the Sinai dispensation to be an admistration of the Covenant of Grace only gradually or accidentally and in some circumstances differing from other federal expressures even from the New Covenant Whereas all the blessings of the New are promised as precious Fruits and effects of a pre-supposed accomplishment of the Old by Jesus Christ It is easie to discover the invalidity of other interpretations of Do and Live in the Sinai Covenant which confine the Doing to Israel and do not extend it primarily to Jesus Christ As Say some it is not spoken of the Law abstractly and separately considered but of the Law and the Promise joyntly or as including the Promise But this doth not satisfie for the Apostle saith the Law is not of Faith Gal. 3. vers 12. and addeth but the man that doth them shall live in them Therefore the Law speaketh of such a doing for Life as doth not include the Promise for then it should be of Faith Nay plainly it is a doing directly opposite to believing in the matter of Justification and Life Levit. 18. vers 5. with Rom. 10. vers 5 6. Gal. 3. vers 12. viz. if any men undertake to be the Doers Say others it is not Do and Live by Doing but in Doing Christians live in obedience though not by obedience But this doth not satisfie For it is such a doing as maketh up a righteousness unto Life and is contradistinguished from the righteousness of Faith Rom. 10. vers 5 6. and hence it cannot be meant only of sincere or Evangelical obedience to be performed by Christians at all times but vastly differeth therefrom Say others This Do and Live hath not reference to the Moral Law only but to the Ceremonial also Neither doth this satisfie for there is no ground to exclude the Moral Law it was such a Law as concluded all under sin Gal. 3. 22. Besides the difficulty is the same whether it be by one or the other If in Do and Live a ceremonial doing were intended for Israel that would speak as much for its being a Covenant of Works as if it were a Moral doing even that with Adam in innocency did run upon a Positive Precept concerning Eating or not Eating that Fruit Gen. 2. vers 17. Neither doth the Lord here make a repetition of the Covenant of Works to put them upon their choice whether they would be saved by Working or Believing For they were already within the Covenant of Grace and had the Lord for their God Exod. 20. 1. And doubtless the Lord would not leave them to a liberty to go back from that Grace much less would he enter into such a solemn Covenant as that at Sinai was with them for that end to open a door for their crossing his grand design of free Grace Say others If we look upon the Law separately so it standeth upon opposite terms but if you look upon it relatively as it hath respect to the Promise so those opposite terms have their subservient ends to the Promise and Grace convincing of our sin and impotency c. The Law considered absolutely in it self as Gal. 4. vers 21 to the end so it is nothing else but a Covenant of Works but considered respectively and rerelatively as Gal. 3. vers 17. to Gal. 4. vers 21. and so it is not a Covenant of Works Now it is true that the Sinai Covenant was designed for the ends of the Covenant of Grace or of the Gospel for the Apostle putting the Question Is the Law against the Promise Gal. 3. vers 21. He Answereth God forbid we must then so understand the Sinai Law as in respect of its design and end it may not be against the Promise vers 24. The Law was our Schoolmaster until Christ yet it was for a Gospel end not that we might be justified by the Law but that we might be justified by Faith But still the difficulty remaineth in that separately and absolutely considered it is the Sinai Covenant and runneth upon Do and Live Yea it gendreth to bondage Gal. 4. vers 24. Even as it is the Sinai Covenant It would not conduce to those ends the convincing of sin humbling for it exciting to believing c. But by its own inability for the getting of Life and the avoiding of the Curse as Arguments that way it is therefore presupposed as such a Covenant before its usefulness to these ends Neither can we imagine that the great God would trifle with men in entring into such a solemn Covenant with them on those terms Do and live if there must not be this very doing here intended by some or other or else no life to be attained and it is perfect doing that is called for as I have proved which could not be fulfilled by Israel they were utterly unable for it Gal. 3. vers 21. and therefore it is a doing by Jesus Christ for them that is there intended Say others The Law is taken largely for the whole Doctr ine and Administration of the Sinai Covenant and so it holdeth forth life upon believing in Christ Rom. 10. vers 4. Gal. 3. vers 23 24. and is a Covenant of faith or it is taken strictly as it is an abstracted rule of