A Treatise of the Covenant of Grace, Treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Of the Covenant God made with man in the ſtate of Innocencie.
IT hath pleaſed God to deale with the reaſonable creature, by way of Promiſe and reſtipulation, that is, by way of Covenant: In which God himſelfe is one partie covenanting and promiſing, and the whole reaſonable creature, the other reſtipulating and obeying. The thing holden out by God is eternall life with all immediate bleſſings, the condition on the part of the reaſonable creature is free, ready and willing obedience, whether from nature or grace. The cauſes why God made choice to deale with the reaſonable creature in this manner are principally three. Firſt, that the creature might know what to expect from the Creator, into what ſtate ſoever caſt. Secondly, that the ſame creature might alwayes recognize, and acknowledge what to retribute. Thirdly, Such manner of dealing ſuites beſt with the nature of the reaſonable creature, and his ſubordination to the Almighty. But paſſing by what might be ſpoken of the Covenant with reaſonable creatures, both men and Angels: we will only conſider what Covenant God hath made with mankind, becauſe the knowledge thereof doth in ſpeciall manner concerne us, and in the unfolding thereof the Scripture is moſt plentifull. We reade not the word Covenant betwixt God and man, ever ſince the Creation, both in Innocency, and under the fall: but we have in Scripture what may amount to as much. As in Innocency God provided and propoſed to Adam, eternall happineſſe in the preſent injoyments, and cals for perfect obedience: which appeares from Gods threatning, Gen. 2. 17. For if man muſt die if he diſobeyed, it implies ſtrongly that Gods Covenant was with him for life, if he obeyed. And after the fall, it is moſt evident, God was pleaſed to hold this courſe with man, in all ages and conditions, but with ſome alterations, as ſeemed beſt in his infinite wiſedome, and beſt fitted the preſent condition of the creature. In this manner hath God afforded both the prime and ſecondary good unto man under Covenants and ſeales, that he might have the greater aſſurance, ſo long as he walked in obedience: and herein God was pleaſed to condeſcend to mans weakneſſe, and for the confirmation of his faith to adde Seales to his Covenants, in all times to bind the bargaine. The Covenant in generall may be deſcribed, a mutuall compact or agreement betwixt God and man, whereby God promiſeth all good things, ſpecially eternall happineſſe unto man, upon juſt, equall and favourable conditions, and man doth promiſe to walk before God in all acceptable, free and willing obedience, expecting all good from God, and happineſſe in God, according to his Promiſe, for the praiſe and glory of his great Name.
The Author of the Covenant is God, not God and man, for God doth enter into Covenant with man, not as his equall, but as his Soveraigne, and man is bound to accept of the conditions offered by the Lord. There can be no ſuch equality of power and authority betwixt God and the creature, as that he ſhould indent with the moſt High, but he muſt accept what the Lord is wellpleaſed to offer and command. The Covenant is of God, and that of his free grace and love: for although in ſome Covenant the good covenanted be promiſed in juſtice, and given in juſtice for our workes: yet it was of grace that God was pleaſed to bind himſelfe to his creature, and above the deſert of the creature: and though the reward be of juſtice, it is alſo of favour. For after perfect obedience performed according to the will of God, it had been no injuſtice in God, as he made the creature of nothing, ſo to have brought him unto nothing: it was then of grace that he was pleaſed to make that promiſe, and of the ſame grace his happineſſe ſhould have been continued. The partees covenanting are God and man: for God promiſeth unto man upon condition, and man promiſeth unto God what he requireth. In reſpect of Gods promiſe the Covenant is called his: but in reſpect of the conditions, it may be called mans. God promiſeth freely to recompenceZech. 9. 11. In the bloud of thy Covenant. Sept. foreign 68. the good of obedience, which is already due, and might be exacted without promiſe of reward; man promiſeth to pay that debt of duty, which he oweth unto the Lord, in reſpect of the manifold relations, wherein he ſtands obliged unto him. The forme of the Covenant ſtands in a Promiſe and reſtipulation, wherein the Lord, though he might have required the wholeTo will and to nill the ſame things is the ſure bond of all amity and friendſhip. Now becauſe the communion betwixt God and us is of infinite diſparitie, therefore his will is a Law to us, and our obedience is true love to him. debt of obedience, without promiſe of reward, in reſpect of the good things already beſtowed upon the creature, yet to the end that man might yeeld cheerfull and free obedience, he firſt bound himſelfe to reward the obedience of man, before he bound man unto him in obedience.
The Subject of this Covenant in generall is man not differenced by ſpeciall reſpects: for as the Law was given, ſo the Goſpell is revealed to man. Man in this or that ſpeciall conſideration is the ſubject of the Covenant, as it is divided for kinds, or altered for circumſtances, and degrees: but man is the ſubject of the Covenant without ſuch particular conſiderations. The Lord having reſpect to the mutability and weakneſſe of mans nature, was pleaſed, as to try his obedience by Symbolicall precepts, ſo to evidence the aſſurance of his faithfull promiſe by outward ſeales: but when the creature ſhall grow to abſolute perfection and unchangeableneſſe, ſuch ſymbolicall precepts and outward ſeales ſhall ceaſe as needleſſe. The good promiſed is eternall bleſſedneſſe with all good things that doe accompany it, or belong thereunto: the good required is obedience to the juſt and righteous Commandement of God, which he as our Soveraigne Lord doth claime and call for, according as he ſhall preſcribe and appoint. The end thereof is the glory of God, viz. the praiſe of his wiſedome, juſtice and bountie. And in all theſe things the Covenants howſoever divided in kinds, or varied in degrees and circumſtances, doe ſweetly conſent and agree. But ſeeing the Covenant is not one, but manifold, both in kinds and degrees, we muſt diſtinguiſh it, and weigh more diligently what doth agree to every kind, and whe…ein they agree, and wherein they differ one from another. Some diſtinguiſh thus, the Covenant is either of Nature, or of Grace, or ſubſervient to both, which is called the Old Teſtament. Others thus, the Covenant is Legall or Evangelicall, of works, or of grace. The Covenant of workes, wherein God covenanteth with man to give him eternall life upon condition of perfect obedience in his owne perſon. The Covenant of Grace, which God maketh with man promiſing eternall life upon condition of beleeving. And this diſtinction is one for ſubſtance with the former: and with that which may be taken from the ſpeciall conſideration of the ſubject with whom it was made, ſcil. the Covenant made with Adam in the ſtate of Innocencie, or with man after the Fall. We reade not in Scripture, the Covenant of works, or of grace totidem ſyllabis: the neereſt we come to it is Rom. 3. 27. the Law of works oppoſed to the Law of faith; which holds out as much as the Covenant of workes, and the Covenant of Grace. For there the Apoſtle is diſputing about juſtification, and by conſequent eternall Salvation, which is Gods part to give under a Covenant. But of this hereafter. The Covenant which God made with our firſt parents, is that mutuall contract or agreement, wherein God promiſed eternall happineſſe to man upon condition of intire and perfect obedience to be performed in his owne perſon.
The Author of this Covenant was God his Creator and Soveraigne, who had beſtowed many and great bleſſings upon man, furniſhed him with excellent abilities, and enriched him with ſingular priviledges. This Covenant God made in Juſtice; yet ſo as it was of Grace likewiſe to make ſuch a free promiſe, and to beſtow ſo great things upon man for his obedience. God did in ſtrict juſtice require obedience, promiſe a reward, and threaten puniſhment: but yet as bountifull and gratious unto his creature, intire and perfect, if he ſhould ſo continue. God did in juſtice proportion the reward and the worke, the weight of the bleſſing promiſed, and the work of obedience required: but yet I cannot thinke it had been injuſtice in God to have given leſſe, or not to have continued ſo great things to man, ſo long as he continued his obedience: No, God was pleaſed to manifeſt his goodneſſe to man continuing in obedience, no leſſe then his juſtice, as formerly in creation he had ſhewed himſelfe exceeding gratious to man, above other viſible and corporall creatures.
This Covenant God made with man without a Mediatour: for there needed no middle perſon to bring man into favour and friendſhip with God, becauſe man did beare the image of God, and had not offended: nor to procure acceptance to mans ſervice, becauſe it was pure and ſpotleſſe. God did love man being made after his Image: and promiſed to accept of his obedience performed freely, willingly, intirely, according to his Commandement. The forme of this Covenant ſtood in the ſpeciall Promiſe of good to be received from juſtice as a reward for his work, Doe this and live: and the exact and rigid exaction of perfect obedience in his own perſon, without the leaſt ſpot or failing for matter or manner. The good that God promiſed was in it kind a perfect ſyſteme of good, which was to be continued ſo long as he continued obedient, which becauſe it might be continued in the eye of creating power for ever, we call it happineſſe, life, and everlaſting happineſſe. But upon a ſuppoſition of Adams perſiſting in a ſtate of obedience, to ſay that God would have tranſlated him to the ſtate of glory in Heaven, is more then any juſt ground will warrant; becauſe in Scripture there is no ſuch promiſe. And if we muſt not preſume above what is written, we may ſay, Adam ſhould have continued in that bleſſed eſtate in which he was created, but as for his tranſlation after ſome number of yeares ſpent on earth, we reade it not. In this ſtate and condition Adams obedience ſhould have been rewarded in juſtice, but he could not have merited that reward. Happineſſe ſhould have been conferred upon him, or continued unto him for his works, but they had not deſerved the continuance thereof: for it is impoſſible the creature ſhould merit of the Creator, becauſe when he hath done all that he can, he is an unprofitable ſervant, he hathLuke 17. 10. done but his duty. The obedience that God required at his hands was partly naturall, to be regulated according to the Law engraven in his heart by the finger of God himſelfe, conſiſting in the true, unfained and perfect love of God, and of his Neighbour for the Lords ſake: and partly Symbolicall, which ſtood in obedience to the Law given for his probation and triall, whether he would ſubmit to the good pleaſure of God in an act of it ſelfe meerely indifferent, becauſe he was ſo commanded. Though God had put many abilities and honourable priviledges upon man, yet he remained his Soveraigne, which by an act of reſtraint, he was pleaſed to make man thus exalted to know, which he did by requiring and commanding his creature to abſtain from one fruit in it ſelfe pleaſant to the eye, and good for meat. This was mans Homage-penny, a thing before the command indifferent, unto which he had a naturall inclination, from which he was now to abſtaine, becauſe God (who had before given to man as part of his patrimony, and not as reward of his obedience to this particular reſtraint, liberty to eat of every tree of the Garden) here interpoſed himſelfe and reſerved this as an Homage unto himſelf. God in his Soveraignty ſet a puniſhment upon the breach of thisGen. 2. 16. his Commandement, that man might know his inferiority, and that things betwixt him and God were not as between equals. The ſubject of this Covenant is man intire and perfect, made after the Image of God in Righteouſneſſe and true holineſſe, furniſhed not only with a reaſonable ſoule and faculties beſeeming, but with divine qualities breathed from the whole Trinity, infuſed into the whole man, lifting up every faculty and power above his firſt frame, and inabling and fitting him to obey the will of God intirely, willingly, exactly, for matter and meaſure. Whether this was naturall or ſupernaturall unto the firſt man, is a queſtion needleſſe to be diſputed in this place, and peradventure if the termes be rightly underſtood, will be no great controverſie. Only this muſt be acknowledged, that this was Adams excellencie above all the creatures, and that in the fallen creature this quality is ſupernaturall. Unto this mutuall Covenant God added a ſeale to aſſure the protoplaſt of his performance and perſiſting in Covenant with him, and further to ſtrengthen his obedience, with the obedience of his poſterity, which upon his breach with God was made void. This Covenant of works made with Adam ſhould have been the ſame unto his whole poſterity, if he had continued as in all after Covenants of God, they are made with Head and Root, reaching unto all the branches and members iſſuing from them, Rom. 5. 17. 1 Cor. 15. 22, 47. The proportion holding in Abraham to Chriſt, till the Covenant be rejected in after commers. But this Covenant was ſo made with Adam the root of all mankind, that if tranſgreſſed, his whole poſterity ſhould be liable to the curſe temporall and eternall, which entred upon his fall. This Covenant was a Covenant of friendſhip not of reconciliation; being once broken it could not be repaired; it promiſed no mercy or pardon, admitted no repentance, accepted no obedience, but what was perfect and compleat. If Adam had a thought after his breach, that he might have healed the matter, it was but vaine preſumption, and leaſt he ſhould rely upon a vaine confidence in eating of the tree of life, God drove him out of the Garden. But this Covenant was not peremptory, not the laſt nor unchangeable. Woe to all the poſterity of Adam, if God ſhould deale with them according to the ſentence here denounced. When man had plunged himſelfe into miſery, it pleaſed the Lord to reveale his abundant Grace in the Covenant of Grace, of which hereafter.
The end of this Covenant is the demonſtration of Gods wiſedome, bounty, goodneſſe and juſtice, both rewarding and puniſhing: and it made way for the manifeſtation of his rich grace and abundant free mercy brought to light in the ſecond Covenant.
Three queſtions may be moved here not unprofitable, nor impertinent. 1. Why in the Covenant of nature (as it is called) Quest. 1 God doth not expreſſely require Faith, but Obedience and Love. And the anſwer is, That only by conſequent Faith is required, and not expreſſely in this Covenant, becauſe there was not the leaſt probable cauſe or ſuſpition why man ſhould doubt of Gods love, for ſinne had not as yet entred into the world: but in the Covenant of Grace it was contrary, for that is made with a conſcience terrified with ſinne, which could be raiſed up by none other meanes, but by the free Promiſe of mercy, and Faith imbracing the Word of Promiſe, freely and faithfully tendered, and to be received by faith only.
Againe, in this Covenant is conſidered, what in exact juſtice man doth owe unto God: (but he oweth juſtice and Sanctity:) but in the Covenant of Grace what God reconciled to man in his Sonne, would offer, and that is bountifully offered.
2. How that Faith, which preſuppoſeth exact juſtice in the Quest. 2 Covenant of Nature, differs from that Faith which is required in the Covenant of Grace?
Anſw. Faith, which the exact righteouſneſſe of man in the Covenant of Nature, doth preſuppoſe, agreeth with faith which is required in the Covenant of Grace in this, that both are of God, both is a perſwaſion concerning the love of God, both begette…h in man mutuall love of God, becauſe if faith abounds, love abounds; languiſhing, it languiſheth; and being extinct, it is extinguiſhed. But they differ firſt in the Foundation. For Faith which the Righteouſneſſe of nature preſuppoſeth, leaneth on the title of intire nature, and therefore after the fall of Adam it hath no place; for although God love the creatures in themſelves, yet he hates them corrupted with ſinne. No man therefore can perſwade himſelfe, that he is beloved of God in the title of a creature; (for all have ſinned) nor love God as he ought. But the Faith, of which there is mention in the Covenant of Grace, doth leane upon the Promiſe made in Chriſt. Secondly, when both are of God, yes that faith which exact righteouſneſſe preſuppoſeth is of God (as they ſpeake in Schooles) per modum naturae: But the Faith required in the Covenant of Grace, is of God, but per modum gratiae ſupernaturalis. Thirdly, the righteouſneſſe, which the faith of nature begetteth was changeable; becauſe the faith whence it did flow, did depend upon a changeable Principle of nature: But the Sanctity, which the Faith of the Covenant of Grace begetteth, is eternall and unchangeable, becauſe it comes from an eternall and unchangeable beginning, the Spirit of Grace.
But if the Faith and Holineſſe of Adam was changeable, how Object. could he be ſecure, or free from diſtracting feares; the anſwer is, the mind of Adam, which was wholly fixed, and ſet in the admiration and ſenſe of Gods goodneſſe, could not admit of ſuch thoughts; ſuch cogitations could not creep into it.
3. Whether the Covenant of works ſtand on foot in the poſterity Quest. 3 of Adam, though not in reſpect of life and happineſſe, yet in reſpect of the things of this life? To this ſome anſwer affirmatively, becauſe many of them, from ſome remainders of the forementioned abilities, did many good things for the good of bodies politicke wherein they lived. Rom. 2. 13, 14, 15, 16. which God retributes with good things in this life, to ſome more, to ſome leſſe, but to all ſome. And it cannot be denied; but ſome remainders of Gods Image or notions of good and evill, are to be found amongſt the Heathen: and that theſe things, in them who lived without the pale of the Church, have been increaſed by culture of nature under Diſcipline, by Arts and Exerciſes, and might receive improvement by vicinity to the Church; from which they might learne ſome things to enrich them in this trade: And that God hath beſtowed many and great bleſſings upon them pertaining to this life: But it may be queſtioned, whether theſe things come from the compact of workes, or be gifts of bounty and Gods righteous adminiſtration, for a time reſpiting the ſentence denounced againſt man for breach of Covenant, and vouchſafing unto him ſome temporall good things for the uſe and benefit of humane Society. Yea, it may be worthy conſideration, Whether theſe things be not granted unto them in Jeſus Chriſt, according to the Covenant of Grace, which was made upon the very fall▪ by whom not only the Elect, but the whole frame of nature received benefit. In the Creation God raiſed up a great Family, wherein he made Adam the head, and all his poſterity inhabitors, the frame of Heaven and Earth his domicile, the creatures his ſervants, this Family upon the fall was broken up, the preſent Maſter turned out of his imployments, the children beggered, the ſervants returning to God their Soveraigne, and the whole frame of the creature under attainder. God thus defeated, (if I may ſo ſpeake) ſets up a ſecond Family, called the Family of Heaven and Earth, wherein Jeſus Chriſt, the womans ſeed, Gen. 3. 19. is the Head, Matth. 28. 18. Epheſ. 1. 22. Col. 1. 19, 20. ſtiled the ſecond Adam, Lord of all things in Heaven and Earth, and that with more ſoveraignty and amplitude of injoyment then ever the firſt Adam had; the whole creature being put under his feet. The children of this Family are the faithfull, who be the adopted Brethren, Rom. 8. 15. ſometimes called the ſeed. The ſervants be the wicked, and thoſe of two ſorts, either ſuch as attend in the Church, neerer about Chriſts perſon, or further off, as in farme-houſes for baſer offices. The creatures, by a ſecond ordinance from their former Maſter free, are ſtated upon Chriſt, though they beare ſome brands of evill from the ſinne of their former Maſter: the domicile, though not ſo beautifull, returnes to Chriſt. So the Covenant of Grace, entring upon the breaking up of the former Family, inveſteth Chriſt with all as purchaſer of the loſt creature from revenging juſtice, and as Lord of all things in Heaven and Earth, who freely conferreth the heavenly inheritance upon the adopted ſonnes and brethren, and vouchſafeth earthly bleſſings, and ſome ſpirituall common gifts to the wicked, which may be called ſervants, both thoſe that more neerly attend his perſon, and thoſe that be further off. But of this more hereafter.