The Natural Mans Case, Part 1 · Sermon 8
SERMON, VIII.
EPHES. 2. 12.
—And ſtrangers to the Covenants of Promiſe—
WEE come now in order to the third part, And ſtrangers to the Covenant of Promiſe, but before I ſhall draw out any Doctrines from theſe words, I ſhall reſolve theſe five queſtions which are very needfull to be diſcuſſed.
Queſt. 1 1. What is the difference between the Covenants and the Promiſe? For many look upon them to be both one and the ſame thing.
2. What is meant here by the Covenants of Promiſe.
3. Why it is called the Covenants of Promiſe.
4. Why it is called in the plurall number, the Covenants of Promiſe.
And laſtly, What it is to be a stranger to the Covenants of Promiſe.
Queſt. 1 1. Queſt. What is the difference between a covenant and a promiſe?
Anſw. Anſw. In anſwer to this, you muſt know, that though every Covenant is a promiſe, yet every promiſe is not a Covenant, a Covenant is a more comprehenſive thing then a promiſe, for a Covenant is nothing but a bundle of promiſes, all the promiſes in the Goſpell bound up together in a bundle, ſo that herein you ſee the difference between a Covenant and a Promiſe.
Queſt. 2 2. What is meant by the Covenants of Promiſe?
Anſw. I anſwer, That it is the free and gratious promiſe, that God made with Adam after the fall, and with the Patriarchs, Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, and all the faithfull, wherein he promiſed them Salvation and eternall life, through Chriſt, which was to come, this is the Covenant of Promiſe, even the promiſe which God made with his children, before the coming of Chriſt, wherein he did covenant to give them life and ſalvation, through Chriſt which was promiſed to come.
Queſt. 3 3. Why is it called the covenants of promiſe?
Anſw. Anſw. It is called ſo, becauſe Chriſt the matter of this Covenant was not actually come, but onelyonly promiſed that he ſhould come, that is the reaſon of this phraſe here [the covenant of Promiſe].
Queſt. 4 4. Why is it called in the plurall number the Covenants of Promiſe, ſeeing there was but one Covenant of Grace, the Covevenant of Works was made to Adam before the fall, and the Covenant of Grace after the fall?
Anſw. Anſw. It is called the Covenants of Promiſe, not as if there were ſeverall kindes of Covenants, and of Salvation by Chriſt, but becauſe there were divers exhibitions and adminiſtrations of this one Covenant; not as if this Covenant were many in kinde and ſubſtance, for it is the ſame now that it was at the beginning, but only it was diverſly adminiſtred, explained and enlarged; ſometime it is called a new Covenant, that is, new in regard of the urging, & exhibition of it: the like phraſe you have touching Love, Behold, a new command 1 Joh.I give unto you, that you love one another, it was called new, becauſe it was then newly enforced upon the people: The Covenant of Grace, the tenor of which is, that we ſhall have life and ſalvation through the bloud of Chriſt, it is called Covenants, becauſe it was ſo often renewed and adminiſtred, firſt it was made to Adam after his fall, The ſeed Gen. 3. 15.of the woman ſhall bruiſe the Serpents head, and then it was renewed to Abraham, Paul explains it in Heb. 3. and after him, to Heb. 3.Iſaac, and then to Jacob, and David, and Solomon, and all the faithfull, but the Covenant was ſtill for ſubſtance the ſame, though it was many times renewed, and ſo it continues the ſame to this very day, thus you have a brief account of theſe four Queries.
Queſt. 5 5. What is it to be a ſtranger to the Covenants of Promiſe?
Anſw. Anſw. Did you but dive and look into the bottome of it, you would finde it to be the finall upſhot of the miſery of an unconverted man; to be a ſtranger to the Covenants of Promiſe, is to be in ſuch a diſmall and lamentable and deplorable condition, as that none of all the promiſes of God, for Grace, and life, and Salvation by Chriſt, doth appertaine to him: and is not this a very miſerable and ſad condition, that the Lord lookes upon a man in an unregenerate eſtate, as uncapable of any mercy, life or ſalvation by Chriſt? A Covenant (as I told you) is a bundle of promiſes, it containes all the promiſes of Grace, life, and ſalvation, now if you be without the Covenant, you muſt needes be deſtitute of all the promiſes by Chriſt.
Thus having by way of premiſe opened theſe five particulars, I ſhall now draw out this one Obſervation from the words.
Doctr. Doctr. That all men during the time of their unregenorácy, are ſtrangers to the Covenants of Grace, ſo that they can lay no juſt claim to any promiſe of having life and Salvation by Chriſt; you are ſtrangers to the Covenants of promiſe; and (Beloved) when I tell you, that you have no title to any one promiſe of life or Salvation by Chriſt, it is the ſaddeſt news that ever you can open your ears to hear; if you are a ſtranger to the Covenant you are without all the promiſes, for the covenant is a bundle of promiſes, all the promiſes of God bound up together; In the handling of this point I ſhall onelyonly ſhew you two things, and then apply it.
1. I ſhall ſhew you what the Covenant of Grace is.
2. How you may know whether you are men without the Covenant of Grace, yea or no, and can lay no juſt claim to any promiſe of life and Salvation by Chriſt.
3. I ſhall winde up all in a practicall uſe, both for conſolation to thoſe, that are in the Covenant, and for terrour to thoſe that have no right to the Covenant.
1. For the Nature of the Covenant of Grace, it is that free and gracious Covenant which God made with Adam after the fall, promiſing him pardon of ſin and eternall life, through the righteouſneſſe of Jeſus Chriſt. This is the ſumme and ſubſtance of the Covenant of grace, it is the promiſe of God firſt made to Adam, and then renewed to Abraham, Iſaac, and Jacob, David and Solomon, and all the faithfull, it is the ſolemn promiſe that God made to the Elect of their obtaining Salvation through the righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt: Now here you muſt be very careful leſt you run into a miſtake, for there are two ſorts of people that run into very dangerous errours concerning this particular: As
1. The Socinians, that are of an opinion, that all the Patriarchs and good men in the old Teſtament did none of them go to heaven, till Chriſt came in the fleſh; a very uncharitable and ungodly opinion; And
2. There are others that hold, that living in obedience to the Morall Law of Moſes, is to tye the people to the Covenant of Works, to be juſtified by it, they hold the Jews did not live under a Covenant of Grace till Chriſt came, but if it were ſo, none of them could poſſibly be ſaved, for by the workes of Law ſhall no fleſh living be juſtified, no man in the World can ever goe to heaven by the Covenant of Works. This I doe onelyonly mention by the way, that you may ſee and underſtand, that ſince the fal of Adam, al men are ſaved by the Covenant of Grace, the Covenant of Works was no longer in force then while Adam lived and continued in Innocency, but as ſoon as ever he fell, the Goſpel was preſently preached unto them, as well as it is to us now, only it was preached unto them more darkly, and to us more clearly; Chriſt was preached unto them as to come, but he is preached unto us as come already.
Queſt. II We come now to the ſecond queſtion, to ſtir you up and put you upon enquiry, how you may know whether you are the people that are in Covenant with God yea or no, ſo as that you can lay a juſt claim to the Covenant of Grace, and to all the promiſes therein contained for ſalvation and life eternall by Chriſt. I ſhall handle this Query not in the poſitive but in the negative part of it, how you may know, that you are not in the Covenant of Grace, I ſhall give you three or four diſcoveries of it.
Anſw. 1 1. Thou oh man art not in Covenant with thy God, that haſt not yet broken the League and Covenant, which thou haſt made with thy luſts, you that doe ſtill keep up and maintain the League and Covenant with your luſts and corruptions, you are not as yet come within the Covenant of Grace; that man that makes a Covenant with death and hell, cannot be under the Covenant of Grace, and therefore you that have not broken off your ſins by repentance and righteouſneſſe, and your iniquities by ſhewing mercy, you that are in a wicked courſe and reſolve to continue ſo, lay no claim to the Covenant of Grace; you that are engaged to your luſts, you have been bad and you will be ſo ſtil, you have no intereſt in the Covenant of Grace.
2. You that think to be ſaved by a Covenant of works, cannot be under a covenant of grace, You that hope to be juſtified by Works, Gal. 5. 4.are faln from Grace, as the Apoſtle ſays in Gal. 5 4. you are faln from Grace, that is, not that you are faln from the habit of Grace, you are faln from the Doctrine of Grace, that holds out juſtification by Chriſt, that man ſhall never be ſaved by Chriſt that thinks he cannot be ſaved by Chriſt; and therefore a Papiſt, living and dying in this very opinion that he muſt be ſaved by a Covenant of works, cannot be ſaved; if you be not caſt out of your ſelves, ſo as to rely wholly and only upon Chriſt for life and Salvation, you can lay no juſt claime of being under the Covenant of Grace.
3. You are ſtrangers to the Covenant of grace, that do make no conſcience of breaking the engagements & promiſes you have made to God, you that are careleſs of keeping the Covenants you have made with God, this is an evident demonſtration, that you are not in Covenant with God, thoſe that are in Covenant with God make conſcience of keeping their Covenants with God if in times of affliction & trouble, you can make large promiſes to God of better obedience, and yet afterwards return with the dogge to his vomit, and are as bad, or worſe then ever you were, this argues, that you have no intereſt at all in the Covenant of Grace.
Thus I have done with the ſecond Query, the diſcoveries of thoſe that are not in the Covenant of Grace; I have onelyonly now the Application of the point to ſpeak to, and the Uſe that I ſhall make of it ſhall be Uſe. 1. For conſolation to all that are in the Covenant of Grace, you have a bundle of promiſes to which you may have recourſe, and lay claim to them as your own. 2. By way ofterrour, to ſhew the miſery of thoſe that are ſtrangers to this Covenant of Grace.
1. This may be matter of great conſolation to you that are under the Covenant of Grace, that are in Covenant with God, this ſhould provoke you to joy and comfort, in the conſideration of the great happineſſe you enjoy in being under the Covenant of Grace, from the miſery you would be expoſed to, did you live under a Covenant of Works. And now (Beloved) The great happineſſe in being under a Covenant of Grace.lend me your thoughts a little, while I ſhew you in fourteen particulars, the great happineſſe you are now in, being in Covenant with God under a Covenant of Grace, from the miſery you had lain under, in being only under a Covenant of Workes, Doe this and live, I ſhall but only name them to you, and run over them very briefly.
1. The Covenant of Works was given by God to Adam, as a Creator, but the Covenant of Grace is given by God to a Believer, as a Father; God had not this term of a Father before the fall, but only of a God and Creator, but being under a covenant of Grace, you may look upon that God that was only a Creator to Adam, as a Father to you.
2. This had been your miſery under a Covenant of Works; for that exacts perfect obedience, and does puniſh the offendour in caſe of diſobedience: but being under a Covenant of Grace, the Lord accepts through Chriſt of ſincere obedience, though it be not perfect.
3. The Covenant of Works is not contented with perfect obedience neither, unleſſe it be perſonall; it muſt not be perfect, done for thee by another, but done by thy ſelf in thy own perſon; but now the Conant of Grace, accepts of perfect obedience, though it be not done by thy ſelf, but in the perſon of Jeſus Chriſt; God the Father doth as fully accept of Chriſt obeying and fulfilling his will in doing and ſuffering in our behalfe, as if we had done and ſuffered what he did in our own perſons, and herein lies the great happineſſe of a man under the Covenant of Grace.
4. The Covenant of Works was made by God to Adam without a Mediator, there was no third perſon between God and Adam, but the covenant of Grace was made by God with us, in the hand of a Mediator Jeſus Chriſt. You may conceive it thus, ſuppoſe two men ſhould be at diſcord and variance one with another, and a third perſon a friend to both theſe that are falne out, ſhould come and endeavour to decide the difference, firſt going to one and deſiring him to be reconciled to the other; and then going to the ſecond, and entreating him to be pacified towards the firſt, till he hath united and reconciled them both together; ſo it is here, Chriſt is a friend both to God and man, he is the Son of God, and he is husband of his Church, and being the Mediatour of the new covenant, he comes firſt to his Father, and ſayes, Father I know, that all mankind hath broken that firſt covenant which they made with thee, and are thereby juſtly lyable to all that wrath & puniſhment due to the breach of it, and I know thy anger and diſpleaſure againſt them, but I pray thee oh Father, be reconciled and well pleaſed with thy people, give them the ſanctification of their Natures, while they live here, and give them heaven and happineſſe when they dye; and then Chriſt comes to Beleevers, and tels them; Sirs, I have procured peace, and pardon, and reconciliation for you, the ſanctification of your Natures here, and heaven when you dye, and therefore lift up your heads with joy; Chriſt firſt goes to his Father, and ſues to him for pardon, and then comes to us, and begs of us to be comforted.
5. Adam under the Covenant of Works he had nothing but Works to ſave him, and he was to keep this Covenant of Works only by his own ſtrength, he had no ſtrength but his own, to perform any duty, he had no bottome, no foundation, but himſelfe to ſtand on; but under the Covenant of Grace we are kept by the mighty power of God through Faith unto Salvation; we are under a far better condition under the Covenant of Grace, then Adam was at firſt, in the State of innocency, for though hee was perfectly holy, yet he was not immutably holy, but now the foundation of God ſtandeth ſure, we are kept by the mighty power of God unto Salvation.
6. The Covenant of Workes, if a man did once break them, that did admit of no repentance; had Adam and Eve after the fall, wept their eyes out, or prayed their hearts out, all would have done them no good; repentance will no way avail the Covenant of Works; as it is in the civill Law, if a man hath committed murder, the Law does not enquire whether the man does repent, or is ſorry for what he hath done, no, but the Law takes notice whether he hath done the fact, or no, if he hath, he muſt dye, no repentance will avail; but in the Covenant of Grace it is far otherwiſe, for though you have done the fact, and broken Gods Commandemants, yet if you repent, and mourn, and grieve for the ſins you have committed againſt God, the Lord will pardon and forgive them, as if they had never been committed, ſo that this is another great happineſſe you enjoy in being under the Covenant of Grace.
7. Adam being under the Covenant of Works, God took the very firſt forfeiture of breaking of this Covenant, and one ſinne made God to diſanul that covenant, whereas the Covenant of Grace is not made void nor diſanul'd although you commit many ſins: as you may ſee in Ro. 5. 16, 17. ſays the Apoſtle there, Not as it was by one that ſinned ſo is the gift, for the judgement was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto juſtification, that is, under the Covenant of Works, there one ſin did condemne all the world, but being under the Covenant of Grace there the free gift is of many offences unto juſtification, many ſins are pardoned and many offences are paſſed over, the Covenant of Grace pardons many ſins and over lookes many weakneſſes and failings, though you break your Covenant often, time after time, yet the Covenant of Grace ſhall not be broken, the firſt Covenant was diſanuld for one ſin, but the ſecond Covenant ſhall not be diſanuld for many ſins, as you may ſee in Pſal. 89. 31, 32, 33. ſayes God there, If they break my statutes, Pſal. 89. 31, 32, 33.and keep not my Commandements, then will I viſit their tranſgreſſions with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes, nevertheleſſe my loving kindeneſſe will I not uttery take from him, nor ſuffer my faithfulneſſe to fail, my Covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips, and ſo in Pſal. 11. 5. The Lord will ever be Pſal. 11. 5.mindefull of his Covenant: ſo that this is another part of your happineſſe.
8. (Pray obſerve this) had Adam continued ſtill under the Covenant of Works, and kept the Covenant, performing exact and perfect obedience to it, yet he could never have come to heaven, he ſhould have had onelyonly an ever laſting continuance in Paradiſe, he ſhould never have enjoyed heaven, but being under the Covenant of Grace, that entitles you to everlaſting Salvation and happineſſe in heaven, by Jeſus Chriſt.
9. Under the Covenant of Workes, though God did promiſe life to Adam, upon the performing of the Covenant, yet God did not promiſe pardon to Adam upon the breach of the Covenant; God promiſed him thus, Do this and thou ſhalt live, but God did not promiſe him, that though he ſhould break his commands and ſin againſt him, yet hee ſhould bee ſaved notwithſtanding: in the Covenant of works, there is no promiſe at all of pardon, but only of life; but under the Covenant of Grace you have a double promiſe. 1. You ſhall obtain life eternall, and Salvation by Chriſt: And 2. you ſhall have all your ſins pardoned and waſhed away in the bloud of Chriſt, that you doe commit againſt him, you ſhall have pardon and remiſſion of ſins by Chriſt, ſo that no ſin ſhall be charged upon you.
10. Under the Covenant of Works God did accept the perſon for the workeſake, but under the Covenant of Grace, he doth accept of the Work for the perſons ſake: and herein lies our happineſſe, under the Covenant of Works God did accept of Adams perſon meerly becauſe his works were altogether righteous and good, and he accepted his perſon no longer then his works were good, for as ſoon as ever he broke the command, God was diſpleaſed with him, but under the Covenant of Grace God doth accept of the works for the perſon ſake; as you ſee in Abel, he was first accepted, and then the ſacrifice, firſt his perſon was well pleaſing to God, and then the ſacrifice for the perſons ſake: ſo God accepts of our praying, reading, hearing, and all that we doe through Jeſus Chriſt, he being well pleaſed with our perſons in Chriſt, he is delighted and well pleaſed with all our ſervices in him.
11. The Covenant of Works was made to all men generally and univerſally without exception, but the covenant of grace was made onelyonly to a ſelect and choſen people: all mankinde were in Adam under a Covenant of Workes, if Adam had kept the Law, all mankinde had lived by him; but herein lies your happineſſe, in being under the Covenant of grace, when it is made onelyonly to a few, to a peculiar and choſen number of men.
12. The Covenant of Works that entitles men to no further honor, then to be a worthy and honourable ſervant of God, not a child of God, but under the Covenant of Grace, we doe not only become ſervants, but adopted ſons, we are the children of promiſe by Faith in Chriſt, the Covenant of Grace puts us into a ſtate of Sonſhip: Adam was the ſon of God by creation, but not by grace and adoption, till the Covenant of Grace was made.
13. Creation was the foundation of the Covenant of Works, but it is Redemption that is the foundation of the Covenant of Grace, the foundation of this is, becauſe Chriſt hath died for us, and ſhed his bloud for us.
14. In the Covenant of Works God did onelyonly manifeſt the attributes of his greatneſſe, and power, and wiſdome, and juſtice; but in the covenant of grace hee does demonſtrate the attributes of his grace and mercy, goodneſſe and patience, &c. God in the covenant of works was only a juſt God, Do this and live, ſo long as thou keepeſt my Commandments thou ſhalt live and no longer; but in the covenant of grace, he is a mercifull God too, the Lord did make the attributes of his mercy and goodneſſe to ſhine forth in this covenant; ſhould God ſay to us, ſo long as you doe well it ſhall be well with you, but if even you break one command or commit one ſin, you ſhall be damned, if God ſhould ſay thus to us, we were in a moſt miſerable and undone condition, and could not eſcape damnation; but we being under the covenant of grace, by his Son Jeſus Chriſt, he tels us that although we doe break his commands, and ſin againſt him, yet in his Son he will pardon us, and paſſe by all our tranſgreſſions, as if they had never beene committed.