The Covenant of Life Opened, Part 1 · Chapter 26
CHAP. XXVI. Of the property of the Covenant of Grace, the perpetuity thereof.
Quest. VVHerein stands the eternity of the Covenant of Grace? And what other properties there be of the Covenant?
How the Covenant of works is eternall.Ans. The Law and Covenant of Works is a rule of everlasting righteousnesse, and so may be called an everlasting righteousnesse containing precepts of the Law of nature intrinsecally good, such as to know love, fear, trust in him as the only true God: and in this sense it is an eternall Covenant.
But 1. it is not eternall in the positives of the second, and fourth, and fifth Commands, the way of worship, the means, as Ceremonies, Sabbath, Magistracie, and such like, which are not to continue in the life to come,How the Covenant of works is not eternal and so neither faith nor hope in God through Christ, 1 Cor. 13.13. Rom. 8.24, 25. 2 Cor. 5.7. nor a Temple, nor Ordinances, nor the Kingdom of Christ as now dispenced, are to be the binding rule for eternity to such as are confederats of the Covenant of Grace, Rev. 21.22, 23. 1 Cor. 15.24. though more of the smell and remnants of the Covenant of Grace, of the Lamb, of praises to him who was slain, Rev. 5.9, 11, 14. be in the life to come, then of the Law-Covenant, in regrad of our standing in a state of glory for evermore by the Mediator, to keep the nature in an eternall union, for evermore, by the Lord Christ his being cloathed with our nature, glorified for ever, Rev. 3.21. Rev. 5. Rev. 7. Rev. 20. Rev. 21. Ch. 22. And in that we shall be ever with Christ God-Man,There is more of the Covenant of grace in the life to come then of the Covenant of works. Luk. 23.42. Joh. 17.24. 1 Thess. 5. 2 Cor. 5.8. Phil. 1.23, 17. in an eternall state of glory, though not in regard of an advocation and intercession for fallen sinners. As 1 Joh. 2.1, 2. or of praying that our faith fail not, when winnowed, as Luk. 22.31, 32. In a word there is a mediation of the triumphing reign for the standing of the glorified nature, and a mediation for the reconciling of, and interceeding for of sinners. The latter must cease when the Kingdom is given up by the Sonne to the Father, 1 Cor. 15.24. The former is eternall and shall never cease.
2. The Law as a possible and standing way of justifying and saving sinners is not eternall, but is now ceased to all flesh, the Man Christ only excepted,Other differences between the Covenant of Works, and that of Grace. but the Covenant of Grace stands as the only way under heaven, by which sinners may be saved, and after the Covenant of Grace there is no dispensation, which Libertines and Familists call more spirituall without Ordinances and a way as they speak of all spirit, of pure spirit.
3. The Covenant of Grace is eternall, in regard in it there is promised actuall grace, and continuall influences of grace from the Head Christ, the High Priest, to keep the confederats in obedience and in perseverence to the end. And no such influences either for the habit of grace or for the continuated acts thereof, are promised in the Covenant of Works, in regard Adam a man, and poor men in him do undertake to obey. Whereas Christ-Man binds and undertakes as head Covenanter and Surety for all the under confederats, and for sinners in the Covenant of Grace. Which difference is much to be observed, between the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace: And for that cause the Covenant of Works is, 1. more independent, and requires more of mans strength and less grace then the other.
2. It stands more by precepts, lesse by promises, having only one promise of a reward and hyre to the obeyer, and consists all of precepts, the other though it want not precepts, especially, it is his command that we believe in the Son of God, yet stands most by promises, and this Covenant gets the name of a promise or the promise, Acts 2.39. Rom. 8.9. compared with Acts 3.25. Gen. 12.3.
3. The Covenant of Works hath more of hyre, more of man, of nature, of earning and working, and more of mans Covenant, where he binds for himself, and the other partie for himself, without the mutuall help of any of the confederate parties.
4. The Covenant of Grace is, thus, also eternall, in that the buried and dead parties Abraham, The perpetuitie of the Covenant of Grace in the life to come.Isaac and Jacob are still in the Covenant of Grace, and there remains a Covenant-union between Christ and their rotten flesh sleeping in the dust, which is not an union by faith, or by any actings obedientiall of dead men, as is most evident, if we compare our Saviours words, Matth. 22.32. with the Lord speaking out of the Bush to Moses, Exod. 3.6. and God is not the God of the dead, but of the living, no… is the rising of the body promised in the Covenant of Works, nor is there a standing Law-Covenant between the Lord and dead Abraham requiring the condition of faith from buried men. OnelyOnly there is a warrand to say that the Covenant is everlasting▪ because it goes beyond time, and stands with the dead in Christ, Matth. 22.32. (2.) Because two great promises of the Covenant, the rising of the body and life everlasting, are fulfilled after time is ended, Joh. 6.38, 39. 1 Thess. 4.14, 16, 17. and adde to this the publick owning and confessing of the Saints before the Father and the holy Angels; which is publick remission and declared justification before the world of Elect Men and Angels, Luke 12.8. Matth. 10.32. (3.) Because after all these, to walk among them as their God and dwell among them, Rev. 7.15, 16, 17. when they are cloathed in white Robs, and are before the throne serving him night and day, and that the Lord should be their God, Rev. 21.7. after they have overcome all temptations, is fulfilled eternally in heaven. Now for God to walk among a people and be their God is to be a Covenanting God to them, as is evident from 2 Cor. 6.16. Lev. 26.11, 12. Jer. 32.38. Zech. 13.6.
2. The second and principle propertie of the Covenant is the graciousnesse and freedome thereof, therefore is it made with sinners, without hire or price,Every thing in this Covenant is free Grace. and every article and lith of it is Grace. 1. The whole Gospel is the word of Grace, Acts 20.32. Col. 1.6. the Bargaine a p…ction of Grace, and the new Covenant, Heb. 8.8. for Grace is a new thing, and nature an old thing, the condition of the Covenant, to beleeve is a gift of grace, Phil. 1.29. the mercies bestowed and promised are all of free grace, for we are justified by his grace, Rom. 3.24. freely, and are saved and called with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, 2 Tim. 1.9. For by grace (saith Paul) are ye saved through faith, and that not of your selves, it is the gift of God, Eph. 2.8. and the new creation is framed in us of grace. 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, Eph. 2.4, 5. and the new heart promised, Ezek. 36.26. is given upon this account, v. 32. Not for your sakes do I this, saith the Lord, be it known unto you, be ashamed and confounded for your own wayes, O house of Israel. We have remission of sins freely of his grace, Eph. 1.7. In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgivenesse of sins, according to the riches of his grace, Col. 1.14. Perseverence is promised of free grace, Jer. 31.35. Jer. 32.39, 40. Isa. 54.10. as life eternall is the gift of God through Jesus Christ our Lord, Rom. 6.23. and every influence of grace is of free grace, Phil. 1.13. Joh. 15.5. and CHRIST the Surety of the Covenant, of free-grace and love, is given, Joh. 3.16. to taste of death for every man, Heb. 2.9.