The Difference Between the Old and New Covenants, Chapter 5
CHAP. V.
General Inferences from the whole.
Corol. 1. HEnce, we may behold infinite condeſcention that the eternal God will deal or treat with us, in a familiar Covenant way: What an honour is this? by his prerogative and Soveraignty he could have commanded all duty from us, without promiſing any thing to us; but behold the Lord hath put himſelf under everlaſting engagements to his people, that upon the account of his faithfulneſs, they may expect (through Chriſt) all mercy needful in all eſtates and conditions. When they are under great ſufferings (as Iſrael of old) this Covenant may be of incouraging uſe, Exod. 2. 23, 24. God remembred his Covenant and bad reſpect to them. When under temptation to think that Divine wrath and diſpleaſure will go out againſt them, it is of ſuccouring uſe, Iſa. 54. 9, 10. As readily might the waters of Noah return, and as eaſily might the Mountains depart, as the Covenant of his peace be removed. When under preſſing wants, it is of relieving uſe, … Chron. 6. 42. Remember the mercies of David thy ſervant. When looking Death in the face it may be of comforting uſe 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my houſe be not ſo with God, yet he hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant. Theſe were the laſt words of David, verſ. 1. So that this unchangeable Covenant may make a dying man lift up his head with rejoycing. His houſe was not duly ordered towards God, and yet he could bear up with this againſt all his failings, unworthineſs, undeſervings.
Corol. 2. Hence, there are tranſcended excellencies in the Covenant of grace, far above what are found in the Covenant of Works: For, here the Father is promiſing unto the Son, that he ſhould be a Covenant of the people, the excellency of this might be evinced from its properties, it is a free, gratious, holy, well regulated, ſure, and an everlaſting Covenant, 2 Tim. 1. 9. Luk. 1. 72. 2 Sam. 23. 5. Iſa. 55. 3. Theſe things being largely handled by others, I do but touch upon them.
Alſo the vaſt difference between thoſe Covenants of Works and of Grace clear this. This Covenant of Works was made with the firſt Adam, and with all his ſeed in him, without a Mediator, requiring perfect, perſonal obedience, by his natural concreated power, with free-will to ſtand or fall, implicity, promiſing life upon keeping and threatiſing death and a forfeiture of all upon breaking of it, Gen. 2. 17. It ſpeaketh nothing of remiſſion of ſin, upon the deepeſt ſorrow and repentance: if Adam could have wept day and night, and even tears of blood; yet that promiſed nothing, not the leaſt mercy or favour after its violation, nothing but death to be expected from it; which ſpeaketh the miſery of all who are in a natural condition, and not come under a better Covenant.
But the Covenant of Grace, is made with Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond Adam, and with all his ſeed in him, as their Mediator to make it conciliation, and work out a righteouſneſs for them, ſo as now the promiſe is ſure to all the Seed, 1 Tim. 2. 5. Rom. 4. 16.
The Father is Covenanting with Jeſus Chriſt as a more glorious head than the firſt Adam, promiſing to give him to be a Covenant of the people, to ſtand on their ſide: this muſt argue a pacification in that he who was God, (the perſon offended) would be God-man, a redeemer, ſo as he and the people make but one party in this Covenant; yea, he wrought out that righteouſneſs which is unto juſtification of life, Rom. 5. 18, 19.
In handling the ſubject of the Covenant, the cleareſt way is, to compare the Covenant of Works with the firſt Adam, and the Covenant of grace with Jeſus Chriſt the ſecond Adam together; ſo the two Adams are paralleled, Rom. 5.
And alſo to compare, the old Covenant at mount Sinai, with the new Covenant, as Jer. 31. v. 31, 32. The jumbling of theſe together hath occaſioned darkneſs in many matters; theſe differences being rightly ſtated, in a ſecondary way any of them, might be compared, with leſs danger of miſcarrying.
Corol. 3. Hence, it is rich grace and ſpecial favour to be in the number of the people that were Covenanted for, between the Father and the Son; ſeeing none are freed from the ſentence of death and condemnation or ſaved, but in the way of a Covenant of grace, Epheſ. 2. 8. 2 Tim. 1. 9. The being under that, is not a priviledge that betideth all; it reacheth ſome and not others: For, there is no Covenant expreſſure that extendeth now to all man-kind without exception, that Gen. 3. 15. implieth, that ſome are the Seed of the Serpent, as others are the Seed of the Woman; all the world are not the Seed of Abraham or David, nor the houſe of Iſrael and Judah, with whom the new Covenant is made Jer. 31. 31. The Fathers act of donation was not of all without exception, Joh. 17. 9. I pray not for the world, but for them which thou haſt given me—The Antitheſis or oppoſition, doth ſtrongly prove, that ſome are of the world, and theſe are not given unto Jeſus Chriſt, nor prayed for by him. It would ſound harſh to ſay, either that he Covenanted with the Father to die for and redeem ſome that were never given him, or that he would not intercede and pray for ſome that he did redeem; and the giving act was abſolute, not upon the condition of our believing. For, Job. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me ſhall come to me. All them that were given ſhall certainly believe (and ſo ſhall be ſaved, Mark 16. 16.) and therefore ſome were never given to him. Impetration and application are of equal latitude and extent, Rom. 5. 10. From reconciliation which is by the death of his Son, the Apoſtle argueth unto Salvation with a much more. All thoſe therefore that it was purchaſed for, ſhall certainly have it applied to them, and be reconciled in their own perſons.
Yea in the great Charter, the Covenant as between the Father and the Son an effectual application of ſederal bleſſings is abſolutely promiſed, Iſa. 53. 10, 11. He [Shall] ſee his Seed, and he [Shall] ſee of the travail of his Soul and be ſatisfied, and he [Shall] juſtifie many. How many [Shalls] are here, and on this account, becauſe he [Shall bear their iniquities]. All then whoſe iniquities he did bear, he ſhall convert and juſtifie. He hath the higheſt aſſurance that he ſhould enjoy the very Seed which he travelled for: it was not a meer conditional ſatisfaction that he made; upon his death all matters became abſolute: the very perſons were appointed, and an unalterable determination of the Father concerning their converſion, which cannot reach unto all men without exception, for then all ſhould certainly be ſaved. So Iſa. 42. 6, 7. It is not only promiſed that he ſhould be a Covenant [of the people] the Jews, but alſo [a light of the Gentiles]; which importeth a removing of ſpiritual blindneſs by affording ſpecial illuminations: not only will he be redemption to the Gentiles, but a light for the applying of it to all that he hath redeemed. Yea, he will bring them from the Priſon, from their ſpiritual thraldom and bondage, to ſin and Satan, which denote effectual vocation, Acts 13. verſ. 47, 48. Acts 26. 18. So that an effectual application of Covenant grace unto converſion is abſolutely promiſed to be vouchſafed unto all thoſe that Jeſus Chriſt did undertake for; yet you ſee there, that the accompliſhment hereof, is by waies and means of his appointment, and the Lord doth not mock or delude men, in the general invitations and calls of the Goſpel, any more than he mocked Pharoah, when he (by Moſes) commanded him to let Iſrael go, and yet declared that he would barden his heart, that he ſhould not let the people go, Exod. 4. 21. 23. The Lord by his Will of Precept commandeth all whereever the Goſpel cometh to believe, and all which do believe ſhall certainly be Saved, Mark 16. 16. and therefore he doth not mock. The diſpenſation of the Goſpel is the means which he ſanctifieth and bleſſeth to that end, for the working or begetting of Faith. If any will neglect, abuſe, and miſimprove or make light of it, Mat. 22. v. 5. and intreat ſpightfully the meſſengers that are ſent with that bleſſed tidings; or if they will be attended to their worldly matters, their Farms and Oxen—They ſinning againſt the means of grace, it is a putting a ſlight upon the grace and ſalvation tendred in the means, and this leaveth inexcuſable and will expoſe the ſinners to juſt condemnation. They had power to forbear ſuch acts of ſin againſt the means, though they had not power to render it effectual; and who (either Speaker or Hearer) knoweth that he is not of that number, which Jeſus Chriſt Covenanted for and will make it effectual to? however, the Lord is not bound to abat… of his demand of duty, becauſe of mans impotency and (ſinfully contracted) diſability to obey.
All therefore ought to give utmoſt attendance to the general call of the Goſpel, as a matter of higheſt concernment to their ſouls for Eternity; and the neglecting hereof is a deſpiſing of Jeſus Chriſt and his benefits, Luk. 10. 16. And then no wonder if the wrath of God abideth on them.
Corol. 4. Hence there were glorious tranſactions in order to the ſalvation of the Elect, long before their believing: though the actual application of federal bleſſings to them, is not one moment of time before the gift of Faith, yet before that there are glorious advantages, ariſing from the Covenant, as between the Father and the Son on their behalf.
Vertually and ex faedere all conducing unto happineſs was ſecured for them from Eternity; then there was not only a paſſing ſuch an act as they cannot eventually be damued (which is ſo far from proving an actual juſtification as that) a meer decree of Election, would have been ſufficient unto this, ſeeing that muſt certainly have its execution, but by a federal act, ſo early was the undertaking of Jeſus Chriſt on their behalf; then was the Covenant made between the Father and the Son, which had all bleſſedneſs in the womb of it, Tit. 1. 2. Indeed he had not actually our ſin upon him, nor was ſo juſtified before his incarnation, Iſa. 50. 7, 8. For, his coming in the fleſh had been vain and unneceſſary, if he had been actually diſcharged before.
And this may ſhew that our juſtification doth not every way run parallel to his; For, believers under the Old Teſtament were actually juſtified before Jeſus Chriſt was ſo: but ſo early the Elect did in ſome ſpecial way belong unto God, being federally made over by him to Jeſus Chriſt for gratious ends, Job. 17. 6. Thine they were, and thou gaveſt them unto me.
And this was a great buſineſs, for he was appointed to be their repreſentative, and to pay their ranſom money, ſo as when he did it, they were virtually deemed as juſtified, yea ſanctified and glorified there, not in their own perſons, but in him, Eph. 2. 5, 6. Hath quickened us together with Chriſt, and hath raiſed us up together, and made us ſit together in heavenly places in Chriſt Jeſus
Corol. 5. Hence, there was ſome love in the boſom of God towards the Elect from all Eternity: Sending Chriſt himſelf (who is given for a Covenant and is the ſum of it) is the fruit and effect of it, Joh. 3. 16 God ſo loved the world that he gave hi… only begotten Son—And if the Covenant was from everlaſting, then that Divine love, which is the Fountain and firſt ſpring from whence it floweth, muſt needs be ſo early alſo.
God doth actually love the Elect before they are regenerate or can actually believe, with a love of benevolence or good will, though not with a love of complacency and delight. He beareth love, to their perſons, though not to their qualities and actions, nor to their ſtate and condition. Yea, God owneth them not only with electing but with redeeming love, Rom. 5. 8. God commended his love towards us, in that while we were yet ſinners, Chriſt died for us. This extolleth his love, and maketh it ſurmount all others, that he gave his Son to die for them, whilſt they were in a ſtate of ſin and miſery. There was ſome federal love ſo far as to give them unto Jeſus Chriſt to be redeemed by him, Job. 6. 37, 39. So as to owne them as the perſons which ſhould ſhare in Covenant grace afterward when others were left out. The love of God is an unchangeable and eternal act of his Will, ever one and the ſame, admitteth of no increaſe or decreaſe in him; he doth not begin to love any perſon that he hated before, be changeth not, Mal. 3. 6. But to help our weak underſtandings, according to his acting towards us, and to the change that is made in us, and as we partake of his benefits, ſo he is ſaid to let it out to us, 1 Job. 3. 1. Behold what manner of love the Father hath beſtowed on us, that we ſhould be called the Sons of God. Thus the Lord loveth not his creatures equally, or all alike, but ſome more than others; the regenerate more than the unregenerate, and thoſe moſt, who ſhare moſt in the effects of it, both for this life, and that which is to come. From Eternity, although God had not a love of approbation to the ſtate of the Elect unconverted, yet he had a love of commiſeration unto their perſons, Pſal. 103. 17. But the mercy of the Lord (which hath miſerable creatures as the proper objects of it) is from everlaſting to everlaſting upon them that fear him, &c. Before the foundations of the earth were laid, he conſidered them as poſſibly miſerable, and was a God of mercy. Then he had ſuch a love of benevolence to them as certainly iſſueth in a love of beneficence or ſoul inriching bounty, Eph. 2. 4, 5. But God who is rich in mercy for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in ſins, hath quickened us together with Chriſt, &c. Here the firſt operations of Divine grace, the recovery of a ſoul out of a dead ſtate unto ſpiritual life, the firſt quickenings of a ſoul from the death of ſin are made the iſſues of Divine favour, they ſpring from mercy and rich mercy, from love and great love.
Corol. 6. Hence, the Covenant of grace as made with Jeſus Chriſt, h…d the precedency, was before the Covenant of works, that was firſt, this after: For, though there was a Divine Decree concerning the Creation and the Covenant of Works to be in time, yet that was not actually made ſo early, becauſe Adam (who was to be the head of it) was not then exiſting, had not a being for it to be made with. Whereas, Jeſus Chriſt (who was the head of the Covenant of grace) was not only really exiſting but undertaking from Eternity. The Covenant of grace, (without any incongruity) may be aſſerted, in its conſtitution and making to be firſt, or before the Covenant of Works, though in its execution and application it cometh after, and preſuppoſeth the breaking of it: As a healing balſam may be prepared, before the wound is made, and a ſalve before there be a ſore, although the applying thereof be afterward: So, the Covenant of grace was made from Eternity, not actually with us in our own perſons, but with Jeſus Chriſt for us, as our great Feoffee in truſt, though we then were unborn and had not a being.
Corol. 7. Hence, the whole contrivement of the Covenant of grace, muſt be aſcribed to God alone, ſeeing it was from all Eternity. No creature was then exiſting to have any hand or ſtroke therein: there was none to counſel, adviſe, or perſwade this way. It was conceived in the heart and boſome of God, and none but he had to do in the concluding of it, and ſo he is alone to be magnified and extolled therein. A Chriſtian, as one tranſported, may cry out on this account, as Iſa. 25. 1. O Lord I will exalt thee—for thou haſt done wonderful things, thy Counſels [of old] are faithfulneſs and truth. Now, there is no room for our boaſting, nothing to be aſcribed to our ſelves, God alone is to be admired in Covenant grace, ſeeing it was working towards as from all Eternity, 2 Tim. 1. 9. It is ſaid to be, not according to our Works. The Eternity of our mercy is excluſive of our duty as any cauſe of his affording of it. This putteth a glory upon Covenant grace and love, that it is antient, before the world began.
Corol. 8. Hence, there is ſtability is Covenant mercies, ſeeing that compact. which giveth aſſurance thereof was from all Eternity Saith he, Pſal. 25. 6. Remember, O Lord thy tender mercies and thy loving kindneſſes Why? For, they have been ever of old. The antientneſs thereof, is a good argument to urge for the obtainment of them. We may have hope to receive, what the Lord was ſo early determined to give out, 2 Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God ſtandeth ſure. The apoſtaſie of eminent profeſſors is a great temptation unto many ſincere Chriſtians: they are apt to ſay, If ſuch gliſtering, ſhining Stars fall, good Lord how ſhall we ſtand? But to help againſt it, he telleth us, the foundation that is ſtedfaſt, firm, unmoveable, it ſtandeth ſure, by the Covenant of grace they are granted to Jeſus Chriſt from all Eternity, 2 Tim. 1. 9. Such eternal acts of God are firm and ſtable, abiding for ever, will ſecure againſt defection or falling away; Satan ſhall never utterly prevail againſt them; grace ſhall never utterly be overthrown or extinguiſhed. [Having this Seal; the Lord knoweth them that are his.] He hath ſet his mark upon them, and where ever they be, he can diſtinguiſh them from the world; as he knoweth them by number, ſo alſo by mark, or ſcal, and when he maketh up his jewels, not one of them which are his ſhall be wanting.
Corol. 9 Hence, there is a bottom of conſolation for all that are within the Covenant of grace, in that it was eſtabliſhed from all Eternity: O how may it fill them with comfort, that their ſalvation ſtandeth by an eternal act of God, that cannot be revealed, altered, or changed, yea by a Covenant act, wherein the fai hfulneſs of God …s ingaged for the affording of it, even by the Fathers gift. How often doth Jeſus Chriſt mention them as given to him, Joh. 6. 37, 39. Joh. 17. 2, 9, 12. as if he delighted, and gloried in, or boaſted of, this giving act. How may this ſecure them gainſt all fears of everlaſting miſcarrying, that they are given to Jeſus Chriſt from all Eternity? For, he will never forſeit his Fathers gifts, nor diſpleaſe him ſo as he ſhould withdraw them from him; they will be gifts without Repentance. This eternal act will never be recalled, which may make for their everlaſting Conſolation.