A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace, Treatise · Chapter 10
CHAP. X. Of the Covenant that God made with Iſrael, after the Babyloniſh Captivity.
WHen the people of Iſrael was almoſt cleane deſtroyed and waſted in the Babylonian Captivity, the Lord by many ample promiſes did aſſure, that he would deliver them out of the hands of their enemies, and bring them again into their own land, ſet up the tokens of his preſence amongſt them, and delight in them to doe them good. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, ſaith Iſai. 4… 1, 2. Gen. 34. 3.your God: ſpeake ye comfortably to Jeruſalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accompliſhed, that h…r iniquity is pardoned; for ſhe hath received of the Lord double for all her ſinnes: that is, ſhe hath been puniſhed enough and more then enough for her tranſgreſſions.Jer. 1…. 18. and 17. 18. Behold, the Lord will c…me with ſtrong hand, and his arme will rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He Revel. 18. 6. Iſai. 40. …0, 1….ſhall feed his ſlock like a ſheepherd, he ſhall gather the Lambes with his arme, and carry them into his boſome, and ſhall gently leade thoſe that are with young. Feare not thou worme Jacob, and ye men of Iſrael: Iſai. 41. 14, 15, 16.I will help thee, ſaith the Lord, and thy Redeemer the holy One of Iſrael. Behold, I will make thee a new ſharpe threſhing inſtrument having teeth: thou ſhalt threſh the mountaines, and beat them ſmall, and ſhalt make the hils as chaffe. Thou ſhalt fanne them, and the wind Rev. 17. 14. and 19. 17. and 20. 8, 9.ſhall carry them away, and the whirlwind ſhall ſcatter them: and thou ſh…lt rejoyce in the Lord, and ſhalt glory in the holy One of Iſrael. When the poore and needy ſeek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirſt, I the Lord will heare them, I the God of Iſrael will verſ. 18. 19.not forſake them. I will open rivers in high places, and fountaines in the midſt of the vallies: I will make the wilderneſſe a poole of water, and the drie Land ſprings of water. But now thus ſaith the Lord that created thee O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Iſrael, Feare not; Iſai. 43. 1, 2, 3.for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. When thou paſſest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they ſhall not overflow thee: when thou walkeſt through the fire, thou ſhalt not be burnt, neither ſhall the flame kindle upon thee. For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Iſrael, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ranſome, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Remember Iſai. 44. 21, 22, 23.theſe, O Jacob and Iſrael, for thou art my ſervant: I have formed thee: thou art my ſervant, O Iſrael; thou ſhalt not be forgotten of me. I have blotted out, as a thick cloud, thy tranſgreſſions, and as a cloud thy ſinnes: returne unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Sing, O ye heavens, for the Lord hath done it: ſhoot ye lower parts of the earth: breake forth into ſinging ye mountaines; O Forreſt and every tree therein: for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himſelfe in Iſrael. Th… ſaith the Lord thy Redeemer, and he that formed thee from the wombe; verſ. …4.I am the Lord that maketh all things, that ſtretcheth forth the heavens above, that ſpreadeth abroad the earth by my ſelfe. That fruſtrateth 25.the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad, that turneth wiſemen backward, and maketh their knowledge fooliſh: That conf…rmeth the word of his ſervant, and performeth the counſell of his meſſengers, that ſaith to Jeruſalem, Thou ſhalt be inhabited, and to the Cities of Iudah, Ye ſhall be built, and I will raiſe up the decayed places thereof. That ſaith to the deep, Be drie, and I will drie up thy rivers. That ſaith of Cyr…s, He is my ſheepherd, and ſhall performe all my pleaſure, … ſayin Iſai. 45. ….Jeruſalem, Thou ſhalt be built, and to the Temple, Thy foundation ſhall be laid, Thus ſaith the Lord, The labour of Egypt, and merchandiſe Iſai. 45. 14, 15.of Ethiopia, and of the Sabeans, men of ſtature ſhall come over unto thee, and they ſhall be thine, they ſhall come after thee, in chaines they ſhall come over: and they ſhall fall downe unto thee, they ſhall make ſupplication unto thee, ſaying, Surely God is in thee, and there is none elſe, there is no God. Iſrael ſhall be ſaved in the Lord with an everlaſting ver. 17.Salvation; ye ſhall not be aſhamed, nor confounded world without end. Hearken unto me, O houſe of Jacob, and all the remnant of the houſe Iſai. 46. 3, 4.of Iſrael, which are borne by me from the belly, which are carried from the wombe. And even to your old age I am he, and even to hoare haires will I carry you: I have made, and I will beare, even I will carry and will deliver you. I will bring neere my righteouſneſſe: it ſhall not be verſ. 13.farre off, and my Salvation ſhall not tarry: and I will place Salvation in Sion for Iſrael my glory. Goe ye forth of Babylon, flee ye from the Iſai. 48. 20, 21.Chaldean with a voice of ſinging, declare ye, tell this, utter it even to the end of the earth: ſay ye, The Lord hath redeemed his ſervant Iacob. And they thirſted not when he led them through the deſerts, he cauſed the waters to flow out of the rock for them: he clave the rock alſo, and the waters guſhed out. The promiſes to this purpoſe are very many, and becauſe it was an hard matter to perſwade the faint and drooping ſpirit broken with long and grievous calamities, the Lord is pleaſed to confirme his promiſes by ſundry arguments, ſome whereof we will here repeat, becauſe the ample promiſes of their returne, and the repaire of the City and Temple, doth give ſome light what Covenant the Lord made with them after their returne.
Firſt, God promiſeth to deliver them, becauſe they had been beloved of him of old time. I am the Lord thy God, the holy One of Iſai. 43. 3, 4, 5, 6. Iſai. 46. 3, 4.Iſrael, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ranſome, Ethiopia and Seba for thee. Since thou wast precious in my ſight, thou haſt been honourable, and I have loved thee: therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life. Feare not, for I am with thee: I will bring thy ſeed from the Eaſt, and gather thee from the West. I will ſay to the North, Give up; and to the South, Keepe not back: bring my ſonnes from farre, and my daughters from the ends of the earth. Even every one that is called by my Name: for I have created him for my glory, I have formed him, yea, I have made him.
Secondly, The Lord hath not ſold them for price or gaine, therefore he might redeeme them without money. Awake, awake, Iſai. 52. 1, 2, 3. fortem poſce animum.put on thy ſtrength, O Zion, put on thy beautifull garments, O Ieruſalem the holy City; for henceforth there ſhall no more come into thee the uncircumciſed and the uncleane. Shake thy ſelfe from the duſt: ariſe, and ſit down, O Jeruſalem: looſe thy ſelfe from the bands of thy necke, O captive daughter of Zion: For thus ſaith the Lord, Ye have ſold your ſelves for nought: and ye ſhall be redeemed without money.
Thirdly, By former experience he doth aſſure them of their futureIſai. 52. 4, 5. return into their own place. For thus ſaith the Lord God, My people went downe aforetime into Egypt, to ſojourne there, and the Aſſyrian oppreſſed them without cauſe. Now therefore what have I here, ſaith the Lord, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howle, ſaith the Lord, and my Name continually is blasphemed. Therefore my people ſhall know my Name: therefore they ſhall know in that day, that I am he that doth ſpeake. Behold it is I.
Fourthly, This ſhall be to the Lord for a name and glory. For Iſai. 48. 11. and 42. 8.mine own ſake, even for mine own ſake, will I doe it: for how ſhould my Name be polluted? and I will not give my glory unto another. I will cauſe the Captivity of Iudah, and the Captivity of Iſrael to return, and will build them as at the firſt. And I will cleanſe them from all Jer. 33. 7, 8, 9. Ezek. 36. 22, 23.their iniquity, whereby they have ſinned, and whereby they have tranſgreſſed against me. And it ſhall be unto me a Name of joy, a praiſe, and an honour before all the nations of the earth, that ſhall heare all the good that I doe unto them: and they ſhall f…are and tremble for all the goodneſſe, and for all the prosperity that I procure unto it, &c.
Fifthly, That they might not faint through the long and great calamity which went before deliverance, the Prophet in the Name of the Lord, ſetteth before them the glory and dignity of the Meſſiah which followed his humiliation. Behold, my ſervant ſhall deale prudently, he ſhall be exalted and extolled, and be very Iſai. 52. 13, 14.high. As many were aſtonied at thee (his viſage was ſo marred more than any man, and his forme more then the ſonnes of men) ſo ſhall he ſprinkle many nations, the Kings ſhall ſhut their mouths at him: for that which had not been told them, ſhall they ſee, and that which they had not heard, ſhall they conſider. Another Prophet directing the faithfull how to behave themſelves in that long and grievous Captivity, ſcil. to wait patiently for the accompliſhment of the Promiſe, becauſe the viſion would ſpeake in its appointed ſeaſon, and not lie, he doth unfold the Doctrine of free Juſtification by faith in Chriſt more plainely then formerly it had been expreſſed in the Law of Moſes, adding, Behold, his ſoul which is lifted up, is not upright Hab. 2. 4.in him: but the just ſhall live by his faith. Whence the Apoſtle inferreth, that we are juſtified by free grace, and not by the works of the Law in the fight of God. In the OriginallGal. 3. 11. it is, The juſt ſhall live in his faith: but that particle is oft very wellforeign rendred by aDeut. 6. 5▪ Mar. 12. 30. Luke 10. 27. Rom. 1. 17. Gal. 3. 11. Heb. 10. 38. Deut. 32. 21. Hoſ. 12. 13. Pſal. 78. 2. Act. 17. 28. Pſal. 18. 30. Matth. 17. 21. Phil. 4. 13.Of, or By: and it is all one whether we reade it, The juſt ſhall live by, of, or in faith, the ſenſe being, The juſt ſhall live the life of grace here, and of glory hereafter in or by faith. That which the Prophet ſpeaketh in generall of all the Promiſes of God, that the godly might certainly and conſtantly hold, in what thing they ought to reſt in the midſt of all ſtormes and tempeſts, and whence they may live ſecurely in the diſtreſſes of death, that the Apoſtle doth ſpecially interpret of Juſtification and life eternall, which we obtaine by faith. The Prophet and Apoſtle both ſpeake of a lively faith, which is effectuall to bring forth good works: but we obtain life eternall by faith, and not by works. To live here is to obtaine life or glory, not to leade our life according to the Law, or rule of righteouſneſſe: as the drift of the Prophet, and Expoſition of the Apoſtle, oppoſing the life which is by faith, to that which is by the works of the Law, which could not be, if to live by faith had been to direct our life according to the Law. Though then the righteous man muſt exerciſe himſelfe in righteouſneſſe, yet he is juſtified and liveth, that is, obtaineth life eternall by faith, and not by the works of faith.
Now the Lord, the ſtrong Redeemer of his people, accordingJer. 24. 6, 7. and 50. 20, 34. Ezek. 20. 34, 35, 37. to the word of his Prophets, brought back their Captivity with joy in his time appointed, planted them in their own Land, brought them into the bond of his Covenant, and ſet up his Tabernacle amongſt them. When the Lord (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) brought back the Captivity of Zion, we were like them that dreame. Pſal. 126. 1, 2.Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with ſinging: then ſaid they amongst the Heathen, The Lord hath done great things for them. And the Prophet Zachary, As for thee alſo, by the blood Zech. 9. 11.of thy Covenant, I have ſent forth thy priſoners out of the pit, wherein is no water. By this great, ſpeciall, late and new bleſſing, the Lord did bind his Iſrael unto him more ſtrongly then heretofore. Behold, the dayes come, ſaith the Lord, that they ſhall no more ſay, The Jer. 23. 7, 8. and 16. 14, 15.Lord liveth, which brought up the children of Iſrael out of the Land of Egypt. But, the Lord liveth, which brought up, and which led the ſeed of the houſe of Iſrael out of the North Countrey, and from all Countries whither I had driven them, and they ſhall dwell in their own Land. In reſpect of this late and new bleſſing vouchſafed, the Covenant that God made with his people now brought back and planted in their own Land, may be called New: but in reſpect of the Author, matter, forme, end, effects, and meanes of adminiſtration, teaching and applying, it was one with the former. Nevertheleſſe, the Covenant which God made with his inheritance upon their delivery from the North Countrey, did exceed the former which he had made with their Fathers, when he brought them out of Egypt, in divers reſpects.
Firſt, the Mediatour in and through whom this Covenant was made or promiſed, is more plainly revealed, both in reſpect of his perſon, humiliation, reſurrection, place of his birth, time of his comming, kingly office, and manifeſt tokens whereby he ſhould be knowne, then in the former expreſſions. Behold, the dayes come, ſaith the Lord, that I will raiſe unto David a righteous branch, Jer. 23. 5, 6. and 33. 14, 15. Iſai. 40. 2. Zech. 3. 8.and a King ſhall raigne and prosper, and ſhall execute judgement and juſtice in the earth. In his dayes Judah ſhall be ſaved, and Iſrael ſhall dwell ſafely, and this is his name, whereby he ſhall be called, The Lord our righteouſneſſe. Surely he hath borne our griefes, and Iſai. 53. 4.carried our ſorrowes: yet we did eſteeme him ſtricken, ſmitten of God, and afflicted: but he was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was bruiſed for our iniquities: the chaſtiſement of our peace was upon him, and with his ſtripes we are healed: yet it pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, he ver. 10.hath put him to griefe: when thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his ſeed, he ſhall prolong his dayes, and the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall prosper in his hand. He ſhall ſee the travell of his ſoul, ver. 11.and ſhall be ſatisfied: by his knowledge ſhall my righteous ſervant juſtifie many: for he ſhall beare their iniquities. But thou, Bethlehem Mich. 5. 2. Matth. 2. 6.Ephratah, though thou be little among the thouſands of Judah, yet out of thee ſhall he come forth unto me, that is to be ruler in Iſrael: whoſe goings forth have been from of old, from everlaſting. Seventy weekes Dan. 9. 24.are determined upon thy people, and upon thy holy City, to finiſh the tranſgreſſion, and to make an end of ſinnes, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlaſting righteouſneſſe, and to ſeale up the viſion and propheſie, and to anoint the moſt holy. Rejoyce greatly, O Zech. 9. 9.daughter of Zion, ſhout, O daughter of Jeruſalem: behold, thy King commeth unto thee: he is juſt, and having Salvation, lowly, and riding upon an Aſſe, and upon a Colt the foale of an Aſſe. In the Promiſe of this Covenant, theſe and the like deſcriptions we have of the promiſed Meſſiah, by whom the Salvation of the Church is wrought, and in whom all the Promiſes of God are eſtabliſhed.
Secondly, Spirituall benefits and the graces of the Spirit were more plentifully beſtowed upon the Church, under this Covenant, then formerly. For thus the promiſe runneth, I will ſet mine Jer. 24. 6, 7.eyes upon them for good, and I will bring them againe to this Land, and I will build them, and not pull them downe, and I will plant them, and not pluck them up. And I will give them an heart to know me, that I am the Lord, and they ſhall be my people, and I will be their God: for they ſhall returne unto me with their whole heart. Then ſhall ye call upon me, and ye ſhall goe and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you. And ye ſhall ſeeke me and find me, when ye ſhall ſearch for me with all Jer. 29. 12, 13.your heart. And I will cauſe him to draw neere, and he ſhall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me, ſaith the Lord? They ſhall come with weeping, and with ſupplications Jer. 30. 20, 21. Jer. 31. 9.will I leade them: I will cauſe them to walke by the rivers of waters, in a ſtraight way wherein they ſhall not ſtumble, for I am a Father to Iſrael, and Ephraim is my firſt born: Therefore they ſhall come and ſing ver. 12.in the height of Zion, and they ſhall flow together to the goodneſſe of the Lord, for wheat, and for wine, and for oile, and for the young of the flock, and of the herd: and their ſoule ſhall be as a watered Garden, and they ſhall not ſorrow any more at all. I will poure water upon him that is thirſty, and flouds upon the dry ground: I will poure my Spirit Iſai. 4…. 3, 4, 5.upon thy ſeed, and my bleſſing upon thy off-ſpring: And they ſhall ſpring up as among the graſſe, as the willowes by the water-courſes. One ſhall ſay, I am the Lords: and another ſhall call himſelfe by the name of Jacob: and another ſhall ſubſcribe with his hand unto the Lord, and ſurname himſelfe by the name of Iſrael.
Thirdly, in the very tenour and adminiſtration of the Covenant it ſelfe it did excell. For this Covenant after it once began, did continue without interruption, untill it was perfected by the New Teſtament properly ſo called, whereas the former Covenant was broken or did expire. For during the time of the Babyloniſh Captivity, neither Judah nor Iſrael had either wandering TabernacleJer. 23. 6, 7. or ſtanding Temple: But in this Covenant, God did ſo aſſiſt Zerubbabel in the building of the Temple, that he brought forthZach. 4. 7. ver 9. the head ſtone thereof with ſhoutings, crying, Grace, Grace unto it; He laid the foundation of the houſe, and his hands alſo finiſhed it: and the Lord ſo preſerved it, that it continued untill Chriſt taking our nature upon him, came and dwelt amongſt his people. I will ſhake all Nations, and the deſire of all Nations ſhall come, Hag. 2. 7, 8, 9.and I will fill this houſe with glory, ſaith the Lord of Hosts. The ſilver is mine, and the gold is mine, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. The glory of this latter houſe ſhall be greater then of the former, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts: and in this place will I give peace, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts. And ſo we commonly find the promiſe of calling the Gentiles, and bringing them into the ſheep-fold of JeſusJer. 16. 19. Chriſt, is commonly annexed to this Covenant. O Lord, my ſtrength and my fortreſſe, and my refuge in the day of affliction: The Gentiles ſhall come unto thee from the ends of the earth, and Jer. 32. 37, 38, 39.ſhall ſay, ſurely our Fathers have inherited lies, vanity, and things▪ wherein there is no profit. Behold I will gather them out of all Countries, whether I have driven them in mine anger, and Ezek. 11. 17, 18, 19. Eze. 20. 40, 41, 42, 43. Lam. 4. 22. Thy puniſhment O daughter of Zion, is finiſhed, he will not adde to give thee to be carried away, ſcil. after thou ſhalt return into thy Country out of preſent Captivity.in my fury, and in great wrath, and I will bring them againe into this place, and I will cauſe them to dwell ſafely: And they ſhall be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may feare me for ever, for the good of them, and of their children after them. And I will make an everlasting Covenant with them, that I will not turne away from them to doe them good: but I will put my feare into their hearts, that they ſhall not depart from me. And in theſe reſpects, this Covenant which pertained to the old Teſtament might be called an inchoation of the new: becauſe the old ordinances diſtilling grace in ſome meaſure into the whole Covenant, were to continue, untill Chriſt ſhould be incarnate, and erect a new Tabernacle, which ſhould ſtand and continue for ever: when a new people ſhould be added to the Lord, and the old ordinances, becauſe of their weakneſſe, being taken downe, a new forme ſhould be ſet up, to abide for ever.
And from all this, we may briefly obſerve in what accidents the old and new Teſtament differ one from another, when for ſubſtance they be one and the ſame. They both flow from the free-grace and mercy of God looking at poore ſinners in Jeſus Chriſt. They have both one common matter: the obedience ofHeb. 5, 8. Act. 3. 19▪ Eph. 1. 14. faith required, and life everlaſting, and all ſecondary good things promiſed by the imputation of the righteouſneſſe of faith, and free adoption in Jeſus Chriſt. They have both one object Jeſus Chriſt, who being promiſed to the Fathers in propheticall Scriptures, God hath in due time exhibited under the Goſpel. They have both one generall end, viz. the praiſe of the glorious grace of God in Jeſus Chriſt. Both Covenants are ſtruck with man-kind, as inveſted in one and the ſame reall and formall conſideration, whither before or after Chriſt, viz. with ſinners, and thoſe which worke not, but beleeve in him that juſtifieth the ungodly. In both the ſame ſpirit ſealed up the truth of the Covenants to all under Covenant: for ſeeing the adoption, and inheritance in ſome meaſure belonged to the Fathers in the old Teſtament, the earneſt of that inheritance cannot be denied them. But the new Covenant doth in many things out-ſtrip the old, which do nothing derogate from their ſubſtantiall and reall unity and agreement.
Firſt, In the old Teſtament the Lord did proclaime himſelf to be mercifull and gracious, ſlow to anger, aboundant in goodneſſe and truth, which he confirmed by great and wonderfull deliverances of his people out of Egypt and Babylon: but yet at firſt he gave his Law with ſignes of Majeſty, glory and terrour, yea of anger and diſpleaſure againſt ſin and wickedneſſe. But the newExod. 19. 18. Heb. 12. 21, 22, 23. Eph 2 17, 18. 2 Cor. 5. 17, 18. Teſtament was given with manifeſt tokens of love, favour and free mercy, God being reconciled in the Son of his love, and therein he hath revealed his ſuperaboundant and tranſcendent love, mercy and long ſuffering, as ſhall be ſhewed hereafter.
Secondly, In the old Teſtament Chriſt was knowne to be the ſeed of the woman, the ſelected ſeed of Abraham, his bloud and death typified in Moſes, his perſon and office, humiliation and reſurrection fore-told by the Prophets, but all theſe were more obſcure and darke to the Jewes: but in the new TeſtamentJoh. 1. 12, …. Rom. 1. 4. Gal. 3. 19. 2 Co. 1. 20 he is openly manifeſted to be the Son of God, made unto us of God wiſdom, righteouſnes, ſanctification and redemption, to whom the promiſe was made, and by whoſe love & authority, as the great Teſtator of heaven, they are all made, put forth, ratified & eſtabliſhed.
Thirdly, The commandments of the old Teſtament were manyHeb. 7. 16. Col. 2. 14, 15. of them carnall▪ ſtanding in ceremoniall obſervances, and containing an hand-writing againſt them: and the promiſes were many corporall, as of an earthly inheritance, ſo that by them their faith was to aſcend up to ſpirituall and heavenly things, and the ſpirituall promiſes were obſcure, in number fewer, and ſuch as were farre off. But the commandments of the new Covenant are ſpirituall,Mat. 6. 33. and the promiſes ſpirituall, plainly revealed, nigh at hand, ratified by the comming of Chriſt, particular: earthly things are promiſed as an additament to them that ſeek the Kingdome of heaven, and included in the ſpirituall.
Fourthly, Moſes was the Mediatour of the old Teſtament, aGal. 3. 19. typicall, imperfect Mediatour, as not a right middle perſon; aHeb. 9. 15. 8. 8. 6. & 12. 14. Mediatour in reſpect of the outward adminiſtration, and that by the power and vertue of Chriſt, but the force of that Covenant had foundation in Chriſt, and it was in and through Chriſt, that the federates were partakers of the good things promiſed. But Chriſt the Mediatour of the new Covenant, a true and perfect Mediatour, a right middle perſon between God and man; who hath revealed the Goſpel, ſatisfied revenging juſtice, brought in everlaſting righteouſneſſe: who alone is able to remove the guilt of ſin from the conſcience, repaire the loſt image of God in his people, bow their hearts to walk in obedience, and procure acceptance to their ſervice.
Fifthly, The old Teſtament was confirmed with the bloud ofHeb. 9. 18, 19, 20. Heb. 9▪ 14. Mat. 26. 28. beaſts, becauſe the typicall Mediatour was not Teſtator, and ſo was not to die: but in the new Teſtament the true and perfect Mediatour, was alſo the Teſtator, and ſo the Covenant was confirmed by his precious bloud.
Sixthly, The Law was written in tables of ſtone, yet ſo as it wasExod. 31. 18▪ Deut. 9. 10. Deut. 30. 6, 11▪ 12. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10. engraven in the tables of the heart, though not in that plenty and abundance that afterward: for under the old Teſtament God would have both letter and ſpirit, but more letter and leſſe ſpirit. But the Goſpel is written in the fleſhie tables of the heart, yet ſo as it is committed to writing: for in the new Teſtament the Lord would have both letter and ſpirit, but more ſpirit and leſſe letter then in the old Teſtament.
Seventhly, The old Covenant was made with one ſelected Nation, though Proſelites, if any offered themſelves, might not be excluded; but in the new Covenant, the world in oppoſition toMat. 28. 1… Dan. 7. 14. the Jewiſh Nations, all Nations, people and languages are taken to be federates.
Eighthly, The Law was weake, unable to give life, to purgeGal, 3. 21. & 4. 9. Heb. 8. 7. & 9. 13. the conſcience, to pacifie the wrath of God, and therefore to be abrogated, when Chriſt was come, whereunto it pointed, and the new ordinances were ſet up and eſtabliſhed: but the Goſpel containeth the unſearchable riches of God, is the power of GodEph. 3. 8. Rom. 1. 16. Mat. 26. 28. … Heb. 9. 14, 15. & 12. 24. to Salvation, to continue for ever, and the blood of the new Teſtament doth expiate ſin, purge the conſcience, and ſpeak better things then the bloud of Abel.
Ninthly, The federates under the old Covenant are compared unto an heire under age, needing a Guardian, Tutour or Schoolemaſter, little differing from a ſervant, ſubject to the bondage ofGal. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. Gal. 4. 23, 24, 25. the Ceremoniall Law, and ſervitude of ſpirit, becauſe the curſe of the Law was more ſeverely preſſed, and the bloud of Chriſt, whereby freedome was purchaſed more covertly and ſparingly revealed: but the federates under the new are growne up unto a ripe age in Jeſus Chriſt, freed from the bondage of Ceremoniall ordinances, endued with holy liberty, partakers of the ſpirit of adoption, whereby they cry Abba Father. But of the priviledges of the federates under the new Covenant, and the excellency of that Covenant in the Chapters following.