The Covenant of God Entered with Mankind, Chapter 31
CHAP. XXXI.
The diſtribution of the Covenant of Grace into the Old and New Covenant with the harmony and agreement that is found between them.
BY Gods aſſiſtance we have been thus farre carried on in the work in hand, to finde out the nature of a covenant, and Gods way of entring covenant with man. And for the more clear diſcovery of both, we have held forth the agreement which is found, between the covenant of Works; which God entred with man in his ſtate of integrity; and the covenant of Grace entred of God with man, in his fallen condition, as alſo their reſpective differences, So that all that is eſſential in this covenant, (and neceſſarily required to the attainment of the priviledges and mercies promiſed in it) hath been made known, and a compleat definition given, with ſuch corolaries and inferences that have been judged neceſſary.
Now this covenant thus entred with man in his lapſed eſtate, and hitherto cleared,The Old and New Covenant admits of diſtinction; and is diſtinguiſhed in Scripture by the names of the Old and New Covenant, Heb. 8. 13. The firſt and ſecond covenant, Heb. 8. 7. The firſt ſome call, and not unfitly, a covenant of Promiſe; under that covenant Chriſt was known in promiſes only, and not manifeſted in the fleſh; Others call it a ſubſervient covenant, being to lead in the ſecond, in its full luſtre and glory, which alone they call a covenant of Grace, and make it a third covenant But I ſhall content my ſelf with the Scripture-termes, calling the firſt, Old, not becauſe it was firſt in being; but becauſe it is to be aboliſhed, and another to ſucceed, the later New, becauſe it is never to be antiquated, as the Apoſtle, Heb. 8. 13. explains himſelf. Now, it muſt needs contribute much to the clear underſtanding of the covenant; as well of the termes of it, as the mercies in it and be a great advantage for the better underſtanding of ſundry, both Old and New Teſtament-Scripture; in caſe the agreement between this Old and New covenant, together with their true differences be rightly aſſigned, and thoſe imaginary differences aſſigned by ſome (erroneous on either hand to the great prejudice of either of the covenants) be throughly examined.The method followed in the enſuing part of the Treatiſe. A work of difficulty, but (were it well followed) of ſingular profit. On this by the help of Gods grace I ſhall adventure, and in the firſt place lay down their agreement, afterwards their reſpective true and real differences, and then proceed to examination of ſuch differences which ſome have aſſigned, which I reſerve to the laſt place, ſeeing in the two firſt I ſhall be brief. The laſt will be found a buſineſſe full of tedious difficulty, and trouble. In ſeveral things there is a full agreement between theſe covenants.Agreement between the Old and New covenant in ſix particulars.
1. In the Authour propounding, God is the Authour of them both; God is the God, not of the Jews only, (who were in the firſt covenant) but of the Gentiles alſo, taken through grace into the ſecond covenant, Rom. 3. 29.
2. In the party accepting, as ſpecifically conſidered, they are both entred with man; Neither Angels, nor any other creature articles, or is articled with in it; and hitherto there is an agreement of both with the covenant of works.
3. In the motive or impulſive cauſe; Both of theſe are of ſingular grace, entred with fallen man in his loſt condition; there was no hint of this grace before the fall, nor any need, or uſe of it, being not for mans preſervation, but his reſtitution.
4. In the Mediatour Chriſt Jeſus, who was one and the ſame in both: For though Moſes have the name of Mediatour, Gal. 3 19. Receiving the lively oracles, and giving them to the people, Acts 17. 38. as the Judges in Iſrael had the name of Saviours, Nehem. 9. 27. and thereupon Camero makes this difference between the Old and the New covenant, That Moſes was Mediatour in one, Chriſt in the other, Theſ. 68. yet he confeſſes, that that mediation, by the benefit whereof men are truly and effectually united to God, belongs only unto Chriſt. De trip. foedere. Theſ. Moſes work was only to deliver the way of the worſhip of God in thoſe times, and that not in his own name, but as a ſervant, Heb. 3. 5. He that Moſes did ſerve, of whom he wrote, Joh. 5. 46. that Prophet like unto Moſes, whom God promiſed to raiſe, Deut. 18. 15. in all ages was Mediatour.
5. They agree in the conditions annext. Both theſe covenants have one, and the ſame conditions, on Gods part, Remiſſion of ſins, and everlaſting happineſſe, as after ſhall be ſhewed more fully; They are the ſame on mans part, Faith and Repentance. The juſt then did live by faith, Heb. 2. 4. And without faith it was then impoſſible to pleaſe God, Heb. 11. 6. Acts 10. 43. To him give all the Prophets witneſſe, that through his name, whoſoever beleeveth in him ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins. God then called for returne to himſelf, and ſincerity in our returnes, accepting thoſe that were ſincere, Ezek. 18. 31. The eyes of the Lord run to and fro through the whole earth, to ſhew himſelf ſtrong in the behalf of thoſe whoſe hearts are perfect before him, 2 Chron 26. 9.
6. They agree in the unity of Church-felloſhip, conſtituting one and the ſame Church of Chriſt. The Church in thoſe dayes in which the Fathers lived, is one and the ſame Church with this in Goſpel-times. In Goſpel-times men come from the Eaſt, and Weſt, and ſit down with Abraham, Iſaac and Jacob in the Kingdome of heaven, Matth. 8. 11. One and the ſame Kingdome receives both. Their Faith was terminated upon Chriſt as well as ours; Abraham ſaw his day and rejoyced, John 8. 56. Moſes bore his reproach, and esteemed it greater then the treaſures in Egypt, Heb. 11. 26. They did eat the ſame ſpiritual meat, and did drink the ſame ſpiritual drink; they drank of the Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Chriſt, 1 Cor. 10. 3. The ſame, not among themſelves, but the ſame with us. They are ſaved by the ſame free grace and mercy as we; Jews by nature, are juſtified by the ſame faith in Jeſus, as ſinners of the Gentiles, Gal. 2. 15, 16. All theſe identities evidence one and the ſame Church, ours and theirs; Therefore ſay I unto you, the Kingdome of God ſhall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof, Matth. 21. 43. The ſame Kingdom was taken from them and given to us, was taken from the Jewes, and given to the Gentiles; where Sem left, there Japhet took poſſeſſion, Gen. 9. 27. Sems Tents are Japhets. Theſe ſpeak the covenants,The Old and New Covenant in ſubſtance one. into which we have ſucceſſively entred, to be one and the ſame in ſubſtance. A covenant entred by the ſame parties, upon the ſame termes and propoſitions on either hand, is the ſame covenant; Such is the Old covenant entred with the Jewes, and the New covenant entred with Chriſtians, they are therefore one and the ſame in ſubſtance.