Abridgment of the Whole Body of Divinity, Part 2 · Subpart 21
Of the Covenant of Grace.
The Covenant of grace is Gods free promise of Christ,The Covenant of Grace. and his benefits to every repentant sinner, that will receive him by Faith, Hosea 2. 18, 19, 20. Ezek. 33. 11. to the 15. and 36. 25. to the 27. Malach. 3. 1.
This Covenant is called a Testament, because it is confirmed by the death of the Testatour; Heb. 9. 16, 17.
This Covenant is like a man's last Will and Testament, it is not for the profit of the Testatour, but for the benefit of the Heir; we do here receive from God, and not promise, or offer unto God.
In substance the Old and New Testament is the same.
The old Covenant, or Testament prefigured Christ in Types, & shaddows, who was then to come.
The New Testament declareth Christ, already come in the flesh, and sheweth him apparently in the Gospel.
The Gospel is that part of God's word, which containeth the welcome message of Christ, and of the benefits that do come to mankinde by him; Joh. 3. 14. Act. 10. 43.
The Gospel doth manifest that righteousness in Christ, by which the whole Law is fully satisfied, and salvation attained, Rom. 1. 16. 17.
The Gospel is that instrument, or Conduit-pipe, by which the holy Ghost doth convey Faith into the Soul; 1 Cor. 1. 21. Act. 11. 19. to the 21. Joh. 4. 28. to the 42.
And Faith is the hand by which we do apprehend Christ and his righteousness; Joh. 6. 63.
The Sacraments are appendants to the word.Of the Sacraments.
A Sacrament is that, whereby Christ and his saving graces are signified, exhibited, and sealed to a Christian by certain external rites; Genes. 17. 11. Rom. 4. 11.
The parts of a Sacrament are the sign, and the thing signified.
The sign is the visible, and sensible matter.
The thing signified is Christ.
The matter, or signs of the Sacrament have no inherent force, or efficacie at all in them to make any that receiveth them holy; this is the alone work of the holy spirit, which indeed doth ever accompany the signs when at any time they are received by faithfull, and believing Souls.
So that the sign doth onelyonly signify grace, either already received, or to be received, and doth not give it.
The thing signified is, 1. Christ, 2. His Graces.
The action about Christ is spiritual, and it is, 1. Either of God, or 2. Of Faith.
The action of God is the offering, and application of Christ, and his graces to the Faithfull.
The action of Faith is the consideration,M. P. p. 73 desire, apprehension, or receiving of Christ in the Lawfull use of the Sacrament.
By a figure called a Metonymie, one thing is put for another in the Sacrament:
As the sign for the thing signified, Joh. 6. 51. 1 Cor. 5. 7. and 10. …7.
And the name of the thing signified, is given to the sign, 1 Cor. 11. 24. Matt. 26. 28. Exod. 12. 11.
And the effect of the thing signified is given to the sign, as circumcision is a Covenant, Genes. 17. 10. Act. 7. 8. Luke 22. 20. Tit. 3. 5.
And that which is proper to the sign, is attributed to the thing signified; Deut. 10. 16. Joh. 6. 53.
The ends of the Sacrament areThe ends of the Sacraments.
1. To confirm our Faith.
2. To be a badge, or note to distinguish the true Church of God from other Congregations.
3. It is a means to spread abroad the Doctrine of the Gospel.
4. It doth binde the faithfull to continue Loyal, and gratefull to their Lord God.
5. It is a bond of mutual amity betwixt the faithfull.
The Covenant of Grace is absolutely necessary to salvation; for a man must be within the Covenant, and receive Christ the substance thereof, or he cannot be saved.
But a Sacrament is not absolutely necessary to salvation; for it is onelyonly a stay for Faith to lean on, whilest that it doth assure to us that which God hath bestowed on us.
The want of the Sacrament condemneth not,M. P. p. 72 but the contempt of it doth. For in the*(i. e.) Though a man hath never used the Sacraments. neglect of a Sacrament, true repentance will obtain pardon of God. M. P. 72.
Unbelievers receive onelyonly the sign, and not the thing signified, and therefore it doth not profit them; Rom. 2. 25.
OnelyOnly true believers do receive the Sacraments with profit.
Sacraments and Sacrifices do thus differ.Sacraments & Sacrifices how they differ.
In a Sacrament God doth bestow his Graces on us.
In a Sacrifice we return thanksgiving, Faith, and obedience unto God.
The Sacraments of the two Testaments thus differ.
The Sacraments of the Old Testament were many.
But the Sacraments of the New Testament are but few.
These pointed at Christ to come.
These shew him to be come.
They belonged properly to the posterity of Abraham.
These are common to all the Church, called out of the Jews and Gentils.
The Sacraments are two,The Sacraments are two Baptism. Baptism and the supper of the Lord.
The Fathers had these Sacraments, the first of the Corinth. 10. 1. to the 4.
Baptism belongeth to all the faithfull, even to all the promised seed.
It belongeth to infants whose parents are believing, or which have but one believing parent; 1 Cor. 7. 14. Rom. 11. 16. Genes. 17. 7, 13. Act. 16. 31.
It belongeth to all, even young and old that believe; Act. 8. 36, 37, 38. Matth. 3. 6. Exod. 12. 48.
Baptism signifieth our regeneration by the holy spirit; Titus▪ 3. 5.
And assureth, or sealeth to us our engraffing, and incorporating into Christ; Gal. 3▪ 27. 1 Cor. 12. 13.
The parts of Baptism, or of washing,The parts of Baptism. are three.
1. A putting into the water, to signifie that all our sins are washt away by the bloud of Christ, and that his righteousness is imputed to us; Act. 22. 16. 1 Cor. 6. 11.
It doth also signify the mortification of sin, by the power of Christ's death; Rom. 6. 3, 6, 7.
2. Continuance in the water, which signifieth to us the burial of our sins, and a continual encrease of mortification in us by the power of Christs death, and burial, Rom. 6. 4.
3. A coming out of the water, which signifieth unto us our regeneration, or spiritual vivification, or a newness of life, or quickning in holiness and justice, which we do obtain by the power of Christs resurrection; Rom. 6. 4, 5.
The once administring of Baptism is a sign of the washing away of all sins, both past, present, and to come, 1 Pet. 3. 21.
And this may be a good encouragement to all those that through infirmity fall into sin.
The Lord's supper is a Sacrament,The Lords supper. by which, in the signs of bread and wine, is signified the nourishment of our Souls through Christ, by the holy spirit; 1 Cor. 11. 23. to the 25.
The receiving of the bread, and wine, signifieth the receiving of Christ, Joh. 1. 12.
The eating of the bread, and drinking of the wine, signifieth the applying of Christ to our selves by Faith, that so we may finde our Communion with him dayly increased, and perceive our Union with him; 1 Cor. 10. 16.
The whole Scope and intention of the Lord's supper, as it was instituted by our Lord, was for no other end, but to be a remembrance of him; 1 Cor. 11. 24. Luke 22. 19.
Men must not, because of infirmities abstain from the Lord's supper, but they must use it to confirm them, and to strengthen them.
So much for the outward means, whereby the decree of Gods election is executed.
The degrees of the execution are two.The degrees of the execution of Election.
1. The love of God, whereby he doth freely love us in Christ Jesus, who in our selves are corrupt; 1 Joh. 4. 19. Rom. 5. 8, 10.
2. The Declaration of God's love.
God doth declare his love, either in a secret way by his holy spirit, as to infants; 1 Cor. 12. 13. Luke 1. 35. to the 80. Jer. 1. 5.
Or to men of ripe years, and that more manifestly; as Rom. 8. 30. 1 Cor. 1. 30.
As first,1. The first degree of the Declaration of God's love is effectual calling. By an effectual calling, in which God separateth a man from the World, and doth entertain him into his own family, Eph. 2. 17, 19.
And for this cause it is, that the World do hate the faithfull; Joh. 15. 19.
In this calling God doth give us to Christ; Eph. 5. 21. 33. Joh 17. 2, 6, 7. and 10. 29. Isai 9▪ 6. Rom. 8. 32.
And hence ariseth the admirable Union betwixt Christ and his Members, which is the engraffing of a man into him; Joh. 15. 1, 2. and 17. 20, 21. Eph. 2. 20, 21, 22. and 5. 30.
This Union, or Communion, Conjunction, or engraffing, is wrought by the operation of the spirit, which is an infinite essence, and therefore sufficiently able to conjoyn those things which of themselves are far distant, even as the Soul of a man joyneth all his Members together, and doth cause them all to grow and move, and live together; Eph▪ 2▪ 22. 2▪ Pet. 1. 4. Phil. 2. 1.
By this Union it is, that we are said to be Crucified with Christ, to die with him, to be buried with him, and to be quickned, raised and placed in heaven with him; Rom. 6. 4, 6. Eph. 2. 1, 5.
And by this Union, as we all are said to sin in Adam, so we may be all said in Christ to fulfill the whole Law of God.