The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 6 · Section 1
SECT. I.
Object. I Know there is a great diſpute How any condition can be allowed in a Covenant of Grace: And ſome are very eager againſt it: and think that if any condition be admitted, then preſently we are Legaliſts, and are ſetting up a Covenant How any condition can be allowed in the Covenant of Grace.of works inſtead of a Covenant of Grace.
Sol. But I humbly conceive that there is no need of ſuch heat, nor fear of ſuch an inconveniency in this Point, if parties would but patiently hear one another, and calmly conſider the matter.
Therefore firſt I think it neceſſary to diſtinguiſh of that word (condition) which may be taken in a three-fold ſenſe.Diſtinguiſh of the word condition. No ſuch condition as to work any one grace in our own hearts.
1. For ſuch an Act which we may, or may not perform, according to the power and pleaſure of our own free will, without the preventing, or determining grace of God: And truely in this ſenſe, I know no godly Chriſtian, who doth, or dare to thruſt in a condition to the Covenant of Grace, as if there were ſomething to be done by us (that is) by the ſole power of our free wills, upon the drawing out of which, a Covenant is made up, and accompliſhed twixt God and us.
2. For the doing of ſome work which hath in it a meritorious reaſon on our part, either for the acceptance of our perſons with God, or for the performance of No ſuch condition as merit and ſelf-worthineſs.his promiſes unto us, ſo as wages are due to a workman; no ſuch condition as merit and ſelf-worthineſs. Neither in this ſenſe dare we admit of a condition in the Covenant of Grace; for the thirſty drink of the water of life freely, and the poore buy without mony, and without price: Both our graces, and our rewards are only of the grace of God in Chriſt.
3. For ſome qualifications in the ſinner, not wrought in him by his own power, but by the ſole power of Gods grace: without which he cannot ſtand in an actual relation But a qualification wrought by God, without which we cannot ſtand in Relation to God.unto God as his God, nor can apply the promiſes of pardon and ſalvation by Christ unto himſelf: In this ſenſe we do hold a condition in the Covenant of Grace, namely, That ſomething there is required of us, which yet God doth promiſe to work in us (and which he doth work effectually in the hearts of all the Elect in time) therefore Faith is called the operation of God, Col. 2. 12. and the work of his power, 1 Cor. 2. 5. without which they cannot look on God as their God, nor can apply the Promiſes of forgiveneſs and eternal life, and which (when they do finde wrought in themſelves by the power of Gods grace) they can, and may apply both unto themſelves.In this ſenſe there is a condition.
Look as to make up a conjugal Relation, there is ſomething required on either party; The woman muſt be willing to take and receive the man for her husband, as well as the man is willing to take the woman for his wife: So it is in the making up of the Spiritual marriage (which is the Covenant) twixt God and us; as he is willing to be our God, ſo muſt we be willing to be his people. And as be (therein) takes us to be his people, ſo do we (therein) take him to be our God; Only with this difference, That in the civil Covenant of marriage, our own will leads us to that; but in the Spiritual, God doth by his Such a condition as it is ſimply neceſſary, ſo it is expreſly dete…mined in Scripture.Spirit work in us that will, which is a condition neceſſary to make the Covenant between himſelf and us.
2. A condition (as thus interpreted) as it is ſimply neceſſary to the Covenant of Grace (being a mutual compact, and not a meere promiſe) ſo it is expreſly determined in Scripture. Joh. 3. 16. God ſo loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoſoever believeth in him ſhould not periſh, but have everlaſting life: ye ſhall not periſh if you do believe: and ye ſhall have everlaſting life if ye do believe. Mark 16. 16. He that believeth ſhall be ſaved; and he that believeth not ſhall be damned. Iſa. 55. 3. Incline your ear and come unto me; hear, and your ſoul ſhall live, and I will make an everlaſting Covenant. Exod. 24. 7. He took the book of the Covenant, and read in the audience of the people; and they ſaid, All that the Lord hath ſaid will we do, and be obedient. verſe 8. and Moſes took the blood and ſprinkled it on the people, and ſaid, Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you concerning all theſe words. Acts 2. 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jeſus Chriſt for the remiſſion of ſins. Chap. 3. 19. Repent and be converted that your ſins may be blotted out, &c. Chap. 13. 18. Through this man is preached unto you the forgiveneſs of ſins. verſe 39. And by him all that believe are juſtified, &c 2 Cor. 6. 17. Come out from among them, and be ye ſeparate, ſaith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you. Verſe 8. and will be a Father unto you, and ye ſhall be my ſons and daughters, ſaith the Lord Almighty.
3. Every condition annexed unto a Covenant, doth not make that Covenant to be a Every condition doth nor make the Covenant to be a Covenant of Works except it be the ſame condition. The Covenant of graceCovenant of Works, unleſs you do put the ſelf ſame condition into that other Covenant which is placed in the Covenant of works: But thus it is not in the Covenant of grace; which
1. Puts not the ſame condition, but another condition of a quite different nature from that condition in the Covenant of work: There it is, Do this and live, Here it is, Believe and you ſhall be ſaved.
2. Puts ſuch a condition which is compatible with the grace of God: Indeed works (that is) a ſelf perfect, and abſolute obedience is incompatible, and inconſiſtent with ſalvation by grace; but a ſaving by faith is not inconſiſtent with Requires another condition. And a condition compatible with the grace of God.grace: Of which if any doth doubt, let him but read the Apoſtle in Epheſ. 2. 5. By grace are ye ſaved. verſe 8. By grace are ye ſaved through faith, and that not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God. Rom. 4. 16. Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace. What can be can ſpoken more expreſly to ſhew the conſiſtence twixt grace and faith? grace ſaves, and yet faith ſaves; ye are ſaved by grace through faith.
Now from all which hath been diſcovered, it doth appear that the Covenant of grace can admit of a condition, namely ſuch a condition which is graciouſly given, and ſuch a condition which will in the nature and uſe of it exalt all the grace of God. And truely this condition is Faith, and no other thing; for This condition is faith.Faith
1. Is the gift of God, Epheſ. 2. 8. and Phil. 1. 29. It doth not (at all) flow from our ſelves. Therefore believers are ſaid (Joh. 1. 13.) to be born not of blood, nor of the will of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
2. And it is ſuch a gift of God as is compleatly adopted to the Covenant of Grace: (To no Covenant but that, and to that it is) For that Covenant on Gods part is all in offers, and promiſes, and givings; and faith is all in receiving, and is depending, and acknowledging, and magnifying the grace of God.
And that Faith is the condition annexed to this Covenant, I ſhall preſent unto Demonſtrations of it.you a few Arguments (beſides the Scriptures above mentioned) to demonſtrate it.
1. That without which God is not our God, nor are we his people: And upon Without faith God is not our God, nor we his people.which God is our God, and we do become his people and children; This is a condition of the Covenant; But faith is that without which God is not our God, nor are we his people, and upon faith God is our God, and we are his people and children: See it in the particulars.
1. Without Faith there is no Relation (by way of Covenant) twixt God and us;
1. For God and unbelievers are not in Covenant.
2. Refuſers of the Covenant, are not in Covenant.
3. Perſons under wrath and condemnation are not in Covenant. He that believes not, is condemned, and he ſhall not ſee life, but the wrath of God abides on him, Joh. 3. 18. Epheſ. 2. 11. Remember that ye being in times paſt Gentiles in the fleſh, &c. verſe 12. That at that time, ye were without Chriſt, being aliens from the common-wealth of Iſrael and ſtrangers from the Covenant of promiſe, having no hope, and without God in the world. This was their condition before they were quickned from the dead, and had obtained faith, 1 Pet. 2. 10. Which in times paſt were not a people, but are now the people of God; which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.
2. Upon faith, God becomes our God in Covenant, and we become his people and children. He upon believing becomes our God in Covenant, Iſa. 55. 3. Incline your ear, and come unto me: Hear, and your ſoule ſhall live, and I will make an everlaſting Covenant with you. And Rom. 8. 15. Ye have received the Spirit of Adoption whereby we cry Abba Father: And that ſpirit of Adoption preſuppoſeth faith: None are ſons but by faith: And we upon believing do become his people and children. Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all the children of God by Faith in Chriſt Jeſus.
2. That which gives you an intereſt in Chriſt, the ſame thing gives you an intereſt in Faith gives an intereſt in Chriſt.the Covenant of Grace. (For this is a ſure truth, that according to your intereſt in Chriſt, ſo is your intereſt in God, and in the Covenant. Out of Chriſt you ſhall finde no God to be your God) But Faith is neceſſary to give you an intereſt in Chriſt, foraſmuch as Chriſt becomes ours by faith: By faith we are planted into Chriſt, and built upon Chriſt, and married unto Chriſt, he is ours, and we are his.
3. If all the good of the Covenant comes unto us upon believing: Then Faith is All the good of the Covenant comes to us upon believingthe condition annexed unto the Covenant (you can have none of the good of it but upon believing; unbelief cuts you off from all title, and all fruition) but all the good of the Covenant comes to be ſetled upon you by believing. If you believe, you ſhall be ſaved: If you believe, you ſhall be juſtified and pardoned: you have the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt by faith, and you have the pardon of your ſins by faith, you are heirs of all by faith: He that believeth on the S…n hath everlaſting life, Joh. 3. 26. The promiſe that he ſhould be the heir of the World was not to Abraham, or to his ſeed through the Law, but through the righteouſneſs of Faith, Rom. 4. 13.
4. All the dealings with God as a God in Covenant, is by Faith; you can have no communion with him at all without faith; you cannot acknowledge him, All our dealings with God is by Faith.nor love him, nor deſire him, nor delight in him, nor call upon him, nor truſt him, nor take any thing from him, nor make any uſe of him or of his promiſes but by faith. Heb. 11. 6. He that cometh to God, muſt believe that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently ſeek him, James 1. 6. But let him ask in faith, &c.