A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace, Treatise · Chapter 1
CHAP. I. Of the New Testament or Covenant, and how God hath revealed himſelf therein.
IN Scriptures New is put for admirable, unuſuall, not beforeIn …mnibus linguis penè id novum dicitur, quod aliis ſuccedit: u… n…vus rex, novu… maritus. Exod. …. 8. Sept. foreign. Aq. & Theod. foreign. Act. 7. 18. heard of; as Jer. 31. 22. The Lord hath created a new thing in the earth. Iſai 42. 9. Behold, the former things are come to paſſe, and new things doe I declare. Iſai. 48. 6. I have ſhewed thee new things. And for neceſſary, noble, illuſtrious, excellent to admiration or aſtoniſhment; as new doctrine, Mark 1. 27. is wonderfull, excellent doctrine; a new Commandement, Joh. 13. 34. that is, a neceſſary and excellent Commandement; new wine, Matth. 26. 29. that is, wine, which by reaſon of its excellency is had in admiration. And ſo we reade, a new Name, Rev. 2. 17. Iſai. 62. 2. and my new name,Follio eſt ipſ… facit nova carmina Virg. Eccl. (i.) magna & miranda. Serd. Rev. 3. 12. and a new ſong, Pſal. 33. 1. (which by ſome is interpreted an excellent ſong) and a new work, or a new thing, Iſai. 43. 19. Behold, I will doe a new thing. The Apoſtle John ſaith, I write no new Commandement unto you, 1 Joh. 2: 7. but that hinders not the former interpretation of the word new; becauſe it is uſuall with that Apoſtle, to uſe the ſame word in divers manners. That is ſaid to be new alſo, which is another or divers from that which was before Chriſt came into the world, or which was granted to no former age of the world, but to theſe laſt times only: as 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any man be in Chriſt, he is a new creature: old things are paſſed away, behold all things are made new. And ſo a new ſong, is a ſong, wherein the name of God is celebrated for ſome new and admirable benefit of deliverance by the comming of Chriſt; as Iſa. 42. 10. Sing unto the Lord a new ſong, and his praiſe from the end of the earth. Pſal. 96. 1. O ſing unto the Lord a new ſong, ſing unto the Lord all the earth. Rev. 5. 9. And they ſung a new ſong, ſaying, Thou art worthy to take the booke. Rev. 14. 3. And they ſung as it were a new ſong before the throne, and before the foure beasts. Though now and then that is called a new ſong, wherein the name of God is celebrated for ſome new benefit of deliverance at what time ſoever vouchſafed; as Pſal. 40. 3. And he hath put a new ſong in my mouth, even praiſe to our God. Againe, that is new, which is perpetuall, ſhall never wax old, or vaniſh away; Heb. 8. 13. In that he ſaith, A new Covenant, he hath made the firſt old, Now that which decayeth, and waxeth old is ready to vaniſh away. And in this ſence may that of the Apoſtle, 1 John 2. 8. well be underſtood, Againe, a new Commandement I write unto you, which thing is true in him, and in you.
In the Covenant of grace God promiſeth to put a new ſpirit into his people. Ezek. 11. 19. not new for the matter, not for the inward forme or kind, but the frame and faſhion: a new ſpiritEzek. 18. 31. renewed in qualities, not changed in ſubſtance. And ſo the faithfull are ſaid to put on the new man, which after God is created in holineſſe and righteouſneſſe, Epheſ. 4. 24. Col. 3. 10. And in Chriſt neither Circumciſion availeth any thing, nor uncircumciſion, Eph. 2. 15.but a new creature, Gal 6. 15. that is, a new man refined, reformed, and renewed by God in Chriſt Jeſus. And it may be, the renewed ſoule is called the new man, or new creature, becauſe it is noble, beautifull, freſh and vigorous, never to wither or decay with age. And whatſoever we muſt underſtand by the new heavens and the new earth promiſed, Iſai. 65. 17. and 66. 22. Revel. 21. 1. the title new ſeemeth to import the admirable excellencie and continuance thereof, never to alter or decay, but to remaine before the Lord.
In all theſe reſpects the Covenant of Grace is fitly called the new Covenant or Teſtament, Jer. 31. 31. Heb. 8. 8. 2 Cor. 3. 6. for it is divers from that which God made with the Fathers before Chriſt, moſt neceſſary and excellent, never to wax old, or to decay. By it a new light of the doctrine of the Goſpell ſhined to the world, it had new worſhip, new adoration, a new forme of the Church, new witneſſes, new tables, new Sacraments and Ordinances, and theſe never to be abrogated or diſanulled, never to wax old. Heb. 8. 13. and it was eſtabliſhed after a new manner, by the bloud of the Mediatour. It is called a Covenant of peace, an everlaſ…ing Covenant, which ſhall not be removed: the Covenant of my peace, Ezek▪ 36 27. and 34. 25. Iſai. 54. 10. and 55. 3. Heb. 13. 20. Iſai. 61. 8. It is called a Covenant and a Teſtament. A Covenant in reſpect of the manner of agreement; a Teſtament in reſpect of the manner of confirming. A Covenant in reſpect ofHeb. 9. 16. God; a Teſtament in reſpect of Chriſt, who being appointed of the Father Lord and Prince, with full poſſeſſion of all things neceſſary to Salvation, died as Teſtatour, and confirmed by his death the teſtamentary promiſe before made, of obtaining the eternall inheritance by the remiſſion of ſinnes. John the Baptist by the light of preaching was greater then the Prophets, that had gone before him: but properly he was not a Miniſter of the new Teſtament, as it differed from the old: wherefore a middle place is rightly aſſigned to him, being the forerunner of Chriſt to prepareMatth. 11. 11. the way before him. From the birth of Chriſt, the things foretold in the old Teſtament pertaining to the conſtitution of the new, began to be fulfilled; and that firſt by his comming in the fleſh, afterwards by his adminiſtration, and then by his death: by whoſe death the old Teſtament was aboliſhed, and the new did ſucceed in the roome thereof. The old Teſtament was aboliſhed by the death of Chriſt in right, but not in act. For before the promulgation of that innovation by the ſound of the Goſpell, they amongſt the Jewes that did beleeve in Chriſt were true beleevers, though they were zealous for the Law: but after the doctrineAct. …0. 21. of grace was ſufficiently publiſhed, they that obſtinately did cleave to the ſhadowes and Ceremonies of the Law, did reject the promiſe and Covenant in Chriſt. So that properly theHeb. 13. 10. beginning of the new Covenant is to be fetched from that time, wherein Chriſt hath fulfilled all things, which were ſhadowed of him in the Law, or foretold in the Prophets, that is, after that Chriſt was corporally aſcended into Heaven, and had ſent downe the holy Spirit in the viſible ſhape of fiery tongues upon his Apoſtles,Act. 2. 3, 4. at the ſolemne feaſt of Pentecoſt; For the ſumme of the Goſpell or new Teſtament is this, that the Ceremoniall Law is ceaſed, and the uſe of the Law (whereby we were kept in bondage untill faith was revealed) aboliſhed: and that Chriſt being already crucified, dead, buried, and received into Heaven, remiſſion of ſinnes in his bloud is clearly, plainly and openly propounded, offered and given to all them that by true and lively faith doe beleeve that he is Chriſt the Lord and Saviour, and that the Spirit of Adoption is ſent into their hearts, who by firme affiance and confidence doe reſt in the Redeemer, that being taught of God they ſtand not in need of the legall pedagogie. Surely, that doctrine concerning faith in Chriſt, cannot ſtrictly be called the Goſpell, which did take place, the Moſaicall worſhip as yet in force, and that by the approbation of Chriſt, thoſe things not being fullfilled as yet, which were preached in the Goſpell. For the Goſpell is a meſſage of good tidings or things paſt, which affect the heart with ſingular joy and chearefulneſſe. And as the old Covenant was not promulgated without great pompe upon Mount Sinai, the people of Iſrael hearing and beholding, and ſwearing unto it, Exod. 19. 18. and 20. ſo it was meet that the New Teſtament, ſhould be publiſhed on a ſolemne ſet day, in the aſſembly almoſt of all Nati…ns, with great ſplendour and glory, as it was on the feaſt day of Pentecoſt. And before that time the doctrine concerning faith was of that ſort, that men were rather called to the future Kingdome of God, then commanded to reſt in the preſent ſtate of things. John the Baptiſt put over his hearers to▪ Chriſt, Joh. 1. 26, 27. Luke▪ 3. 16. Mark 1. 7, 8. Matth. 3. 11, 12. Chriſt invites men to the Kingdome of Heaven, that is, the Evangelicall Government of the Church, as future at hand, but not yet preſent. Matth. 4. 17. Mark 1. 15. Nay, after he was riſen from the dead, although he profeſſe openly and plainly to his Diſciples, that all power was given unto him in Heaven and earth, and he command them to preach the Goſpell to every creature, Matth. 28. 18, 19. yet he gives them a charge to tarry at Jeruſalem, to waite for the accompliſhment of the promiſe concerning the ſolemne ſending of the holy Ghoſt, and to be endued with power from above, Luk▪ 24. 49. as if they were deſigned before, but then to be inaugurated, and by extraordinary gifts, many hearing and beholding, openly to be approved. The dayes immediately following the death and reſurrection of Chriſt, were the dayes of the Churches widowhood, wherein ſhe ſate (for a while) deſtiture and comfortleſſe, and barren, having neither power to beare, nor to bring forth children. But within ten dayes after Chriſt, the Lord, the Bridegroome of the Church, had aſcended from earth to Heaven in glory, the holy Ghoſt came downe upon the Apoſtles in viſible ſhape, in token that Chriſts Church was now betrothed unto him, and had received ſtrength to conceive and bring forth, and breaſts repleniſhed with plenty of Milk to nouriſh and feed her children. This was as the Solemnization of the Marriage, and then did the barren begin to rejoyce, that ſhe ſhould be the mother of many children. From this time properly the New Teſtament tooke its beginning.
The nature of this Teſtament ſtands principally in three things. 1. In the kinde of Doctrine, plaine, full, and meerly Evangelicall. 2. In freedome from the curſe of the Law, and freedome from Legall Rites. 3. In the amplitude and enlargement of the new Church, throughout all Nations of the world.
It may be deſcribed, the free Covenant which God of his rich grace in Jeſus Chriſt incarnate, crucified, dead, buried, raiſed up to life, and aſcended into Heaven hath made and plainly revealed unto the world of Jew and Gentile, promiſing to be their God and Father by right of Redemption, and Chriſt to be their Saviour; to pardon their ſinne, heale their nature, adopt them to be his Sonnes, protect them from all evill that may hurt, furniſh them with all needfull good things ſpirituall and temporall, and crown them with everlaſting glory in the world to come, if they repent of their iniquities, beleeve in Chriſt and through or by Chriſt in him, and walk before him in ſincere, conſtant and conſcionable obedience: which he doth inwardly ſeaſe by the witneſſe of the holy Spirit, who is the earneſt of their inheritance, in the hearts of the faithfull; and ratifie and confirme by outward ſeales univerſall, plain, eaſie, and perpetuall.
The Author of this Covenant is God in Jeſus Chriſt: for none can make theſe promiſes but God, none can make them good but his Highneſſe. Therefore the Lord doth evermore challenge this unto himſelf, that he is the maker of the Covenant: And as it isJer. 31. 1, 31, 32, 33. called our Covenant in reſpect of the conditions required, Zech. 9. 11. So it is called the Lords Covenant, becauſe he hath made, and will eſtabliſh it. If ye can break my Covenant of the day, and my Covenant of the night, &c. Then may alſo my Covenant be broken Jer. 33. 20, 21.with David my ſervant. Chriſt alſo as Mediatour is both the foundation and Author of this Covenant, as he is appointed of the Father Lord and King, advanced at the right hand of God to give repentance and remiſſion of ſinnes unto Iſrael, and as TeſtatourHeb. 9. 16. he hath confirmed the Covenant by his death. But of this in the next Chapters.
God is both the Author of this Covenant, and one partie confederate. Fathers, we know, ſeldome frame Indentures, thereby to bind themſelves what they will doe for their children, if they will be obedient, but by right of Fatherhood they challenge of them their beſt ſervice: Lords and great perſonages ſeldome indent with their free ſervants what preferment they ſhall expect after ſome terme of ſervice and attendance, but if they look for reward, they muſt ſtand at their courteſie. But our Lord and Maſter, to whom we owe our ſelves by right of Creation, who might take advantage againſt us for former diſobedience, is content to undertake and indent with us, and by Indenture to bind himſelf to beſtow great things and incomprehenſible upon us, if we will accept his kindneſſe and bind our ſelves unto him in willing and ſincere obedience.
If you demand a reaſon of this dealing, none can be given, but the meere grace and rich mercy and love of God. Thus ſaith the Ezek. 36. 22.Lord God, I doe not this for your ſakes, O houſe of Iſrael, but for mine holy Names ſake. I will cauſe you to paſſe under the rod, and I will bring you into the bond of the Covenant, &c. And ye ſhall know Ezek. 20. 37.that I am the Lord, when I ſhall bring you into the Land of Iſrael, &c. And there ye ſhall remember your wayes, and all your doings, wherein 42. 43.you have been defiled, and ye ſhall lothe your ſelves in your own ſight, for all your evils that you have committed. And ye ſhall know that I am the Lord, when I have wrought with you for my Names ſake, not according to your wicked wayes, nor according to your corrupt doings. Man can doe nothing of himſelf to procure his ſpirituall good. In ſpirituall things it fareth with him much what as with a child new borne into the world, which being naked can neither provide cloathes, nor being provided and laid by him, can put them on: for man deſtitute of all ſpirituall goodneſſe, can neither move to helpe himſelf, untill it be freely beſtowed, nor manage and wield it well, when it is of grace vouchſafed, without direction and aſſiſtance from God. And there is as little worth or dignity in man to move God to promiſe him help, as there is ability in man to procure help. There is nothing in man to move God to ſhew mercy, but only miſery, which might be an occaſion, but can be no cauſe, either why mercy is promiſed, or ſalvation granted. If man had not fallen from grace and ſtate of Innocency, God had never ſent his Sonne to redeeme him, nor ſhewed mercy reaching to the pardon and covering of his iniquity: If he had not loſt himſelf, Chriſt had never come to find and reſtore him; if he had not wounded himſelf, he had not been healed and repaired of grace. Man then is a ſubject on whom God beſtowes grace, and in whom he works it; and his m…ſery an occaſion that the Lord took of manifeſting his mercy in ſuccouring and lifting him up out of that diſtreſſe: but the free grace and love of God is the ſole cauſe of what the Lord hath promiſed in this new Covenant, and doth give according to promiſe.
And though the old and new Covenant be of the ſame nature, and from the ſame fountaine, yet the new Covenant is preferred above the old, as farre as Sunne-light before Torch light, in this, that God who makes the Covenant hath more fully manifeſted the riches of his grace and ſuperaboundant love in Jeſus Chriſt, the brightneſſe of his glory and engraven forme of his perſon, to the federates of the new Teſtament. In the old Covenant the Lord had made it knowne, that he was mercifull and gracious, ſlow to anger, aboundant in goodneſſe: But in the new Covenant he doth moſt familiarly reveale himſelf to be the God and Father of our Lord Jeſus, and in him the Father of the faithfull: which moſt ſweet and pleaſant name doth breathe out unſpeakable love and tenderneſſe.
Again, though the ancient federates had ſome knowledge of Gods Attributes, as an introduction to the Covenant of Grace, yet they never knew that tranſcendency of Gods love, which is brought to light in the new, mentioned in theſe and ſuch like paſſages of Scripture: Behold, what manner of love the Father hath 1 Joh. …. 1.bestowed upon us, that we ſhould be called the Sonnes of God. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Sonne: that whoſoever Joh. 3. 16.beleeveth in him, ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life. He ſpared Rom. 8. 3….not his own Sonne, but delivered him up for us all: how ſhall he not with him freely give us all things. Who will have all men to be ſaved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, 1 Tim. …. 4, 5.and one Mediatour betweene God and man, the man Christ Jeſus. They that ſeek to ſtretch this ſpeech of the Apoſtle to the furtheſt, doe yet confeſſe it is ſpoken of the times of the Goſpell: and that appeareth evidently by the reaſon of the Apoſtle, confirming that ſaying, that God will that all men be ſaved, from this, that God is the God of all men by Covenant, and Chriſt the Mediatour of all men in Covenant, and by the Goſpell, the Word of truth, the ſaving truth of God was brought unto all in Covenant. Beſides, in the old Teſtament the Doctrine of the Trinity of perſons in the unity of the God head was more obſcurely taught: but in the new Teſtament we are clearely and moſt comfortably aſſured, that the Father, Son, and holy Ghoſt do ſweetly conſpire to perfect the Salvation of the Faithfull, and confirme unto them the promiſes of the Covenant; There be three that beare record in 1 Joh. 5. 7.Heaven, the Father, the Word, and the holy Ghoſt, and theſe three are one. Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations, baptizing them into the Matth. …8. 19.Name of the Father, and of the Sonne, and of the holy Ghoſt. If in the mouth of two or three witneſſes every word muſt ſtand: why ſhould a Chriſtian queſtion or doubt of the promiſes of mercy made in the Covenant, aſſured unto him by the Father, Sonne and holy Ghoſt. God the Father promiſeth, that in his only begotten Sonne, he will be a mercifull Father to all Believers, that he will give him to them for a Redeemer, accept his ſatisfaction for them, give them his Spirit, and beſtow upon them righteouſneſſe and ſalvation. The Sonne doth promiſe, that he will be Redeemer of the faithfull, by doctrine, merit, and efficacy; that he will deliver them from the power of Satan, bring them into perpetuall favour with God, waſh them from all the filthineſſe of their ſins, and be unto them, as he is made of the Father, Wiſedome, Righteouſneſſe, Sanctification and Redemption. The holy Ghoſt doth promiſe, that being redeemed by the bloud of Chriſt, by the preſence of his grace, he will cleanſe them from all inherent ſinne, and repaire the Image of God in them: leade them into all truth and holineſſe, inable them to cry, Abba Father, ſeale them for the Lords, and abide with them by his grace and comfort as an earneſt of the inheritance, untill the redemption of the purchaſed poſſeſſion.
This Covenant was ſtricken with all Nations, or the world in oppoſition to the Jewiſh Nation: for now the promiſe madeGal. 3. 8. to Abraham was fulfilled, In thee ſhall all Nations of the earth be bleſſed: now the prophecies touching the calling of the Gentiles,Iſai. 44. 6 and bringing them to the Sheep-fold of Chriſt, were accompliſhed: now the Apoſtles were ſent forth to preach the Goſpell toMatth. 28. 19. Mar. 16. 13. Rom. 1. 16. Col. 1. 6, 23. Act 10. 45. every creature: and God gave ſuch a bleſſing unto the Word, that by their preaching a great part of the habitable world was converted unto the faith. Now upon the Gentiles was powred out alſo the gift of the holy Ghost, Chriſt having broken down the partition wall betwixt Jew and Gentile, and aboliſhed in his fleſh the enmity, even the Eph. 2. 14, 15.law of Commandements, contained in Ordinances, for to make in himſelfe of twaine, one new man, ſo making peace.
The Covenant of promiſe was firſt made with Adam and his poſterity; not with him as the common parent of all mankind, and ſo with every man that ſhould come of his loines howſoever in all generations: but with Adam as a beleever, and his poſterity untill by wilfull departure from the faith they ſhould diſcovenant themſelves and thoſe that did proceed from them. In like manner it was made with the Patriarchs, with Noah, and his poſterity: then with Abraham and his family; afterwards with one ſelected Nation: but under the Goſpell all Nations are brought into the bond of the Covenant. All nations, I ſay, but not every one in every nation, nor every nation in all periods of that time. For many nations have lived, we know, for a long time in infidelity, without the Goſpell, without God in the world, aliens from the Common-wealth of Iſ…ael, and ſtrangers from the Covenant of Grace. And we find the Apoſtles to make a manifeſt2 Cor. 6. 14, 17. difference betwixt the people of God and unbelievers, ſo that all in their dayes were not admitted into Covenant, though the Goſpell was preached unto them. For they that be in Covenant are in phraſe of Scripture the people of God, that is, ſuch with whom God hath contracted Covenant, and who in like manner have ſworne unto the words of the Covenant, God ſtipulating, and they accepting the condition. God as an abſolute Soveraigne hath right and authority over all men: but in a certaine and peculiar reaſon they are called his people, who receive his Commandement, and acknowledge him to be their Lord and Saviour. And theſe be of two ſorts; for God doth make his Covenant with ſome externally, calling them by his Word, and ſealing them by his Sacraments, and they by profeſſion of faith and receiving of the Sacraments oblige themſelves to the condition required: and thus all members of the viſible Church be in Covenant. With others God doth make his Covenant effectually, writing his Law in their hearts by his holy Spirit, and they freely and from the heart give up themſelves unto the Lord, in all things to be ruled and guided by him. And thus God hath contracted Covenant with the faithfull only. The firſt ſort are the people ofRom. 2. 28. God outwardly or openly, having all things externall and pertaining to the outward adminiſtration. The ſecond are the people of God inward or in ſecret, whom certainly and diſtinctly the Lord only knoweth. Experience hath confirmed it, that in the dayes of the Goſpell, the Church of Chriſt hath ſometimes been ſhut up within narrower bounds and limits, ſometimes it hath ſpread it ſelfe over the face of the earth more gloriouſly, and ſo much was plentifully foretold in the Scriptures, that ſuch as lived in the times of that great apoſtaſie and falling from the faith, might not be offended at it. What the ſtate of Gods Church ſhall be in theſe latter dayes, time will manifeſt more certainly then we can yet define: but ſome Divines are of opinion that the bounds thereof ſhall extend further, and the glory thereof be greater then ever heretofore. And this is not improbable: for when the Apoc. 11. 15.ſeventh Angel ſounded, there were great voices in heaven, ſaying, The Kingdomes of this world, are become the Kingdomes of our Lord and of his Christ, and he ſhall raigne for ever and ever; which accordeth with that of Daniel, Behold, one like the Son of man, came with the Dan. 7. 13, 14.clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of dayes, and they brought him neere before him: And there was given unto him dominion and glory, and a Kingdome, that all people, nations, and languages ſhould ſerve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which ſhall not paſſe away, and his kingdome that which ſhall not be deſtroyed.