A Discourse of the Two Covenants, Book 1 · Chapter 8 · Section 1
SECT. I. The ſubſervience of the firſt Covenant to the ſecond in general.
§. 1. HAving largely opened to you the Doctrine of the firſt Covenant, we are come at laſt to conclude it in theſe three heads.
(1) A mans Tranſlation out of this Covenant, with the nature and neceſſity thereof.
(2) The abolition of this Covenant unto all that are in Chriſt, that it is a writing cancelled.
(3) The ſubordination thereof unto the Goſpel and Covenant of Grace.
Of the two firſt we have formerly treated, and come now to ſpeak of the laſt, and ſo to conclude the Doctrine of the firſt Covenant.
There are in this Chapter two principal parts: (1) Here is a Doctrine confirmed. (2) Here are ſome Objections againſt it anſwered and cleared.
1. Here is a Doctrine confirmed, in which Satan had bewitched the Galatians, and they had fallen off from it, and that is Juſtification by the righteouſneſs of Chriſt alone, without the works of the Law: and this the Apoſtle proves by ſeveral arguments: (1) That which conveys the gifts and graces of the Spirit, by that a man is juſtified in the ſight of God: but that is not by the works of the Law, but by the Doctrine of the Goſpel, v. 2. (2) All men that are Abrahams ſeed muſt be juſtified the ſame way that Abraham was; but Abraham was juſtified by faith; for he believed God, and it was counted to him for righteouſneſs, Rom. 4.21, 22. Therefore they that are juſtified by faith only are the children of Abraham. (3) Juſtification and bleſſedneſs are upon the ſame perſons, and that either to them that are of faith, or of the works of the Law; but it is not by the works of the Law, but by faith that they are bleſſed with faithful Abraham. (4) They that are under the curſe cannot receive Juſtification and Life from the Law; but they that are under the Law are under the curſe. (5) God has ſaid that the juſt ſhall live by faith; but the Law is not of faith, that is, it does not require faith, and propound that way of ſalvation and life, but it requires obedience; for it ſaith, He that does them ſhall live in them. (6) If a man do make a Covenant he does diſinable himſelf by his ſubſequent acts to break it, for by his own act he is bound: how much more then is the wiſe God engaged to keep his Covenant, who is not as man that he ſhould repent; therefore his acts are firm, and unchangeable like himſelf. So that the Covenant with Abraham being made 430 years before, an after-act in giving the Law cannot make it void.
2. Now the Objections follow: It will be ſaid that the way of Juſtification and Salvation by the Law, and by the promiſe, are directly contrary, or contradictory one to the other, the Law is not of ſaith; if the inheritance be by the Law, it is no more of promiſe; ſo that Juſtification and Salvation cannot be by them both, they cannot ſtand together, and therefore it ſhould ſeem that God did repent of his promiſe to Abraham, and diſanulled it, or elſe why would he for four hundred and thirty years after reveal the Law as a quite contrary way to Heaven, one by doing, and the other by believing? It ſhould ſeem therefore that the Law doth make the promiſe of God of none effect, or at leaſt, that God would have both ſtand together. For if a King ſhould at firſt make a Proclamation unto Rebels, that they ſhould live if they would accept of pardon, and then afterward ſhould publiſh a new one, that they that would live ſhould keep the Law; either a man would conclude, that the King had called in his former Proclamation, and made it null, or elſe would have them both ſtand together: and ſo it is here, God did at firſt promiſe righteouſneſs and life, to be had by believing, and afterwards he did publiſh a Law, requiring duty. Surely either the Lord did repent of the former, and ſo that Covenant is become of no effect, or elſe it ſeems he would have both joined together; and man ſhould be juſtified and ſaved, partly by doing, and partly by believing. Now to this objection the Apoſtle anſwers:
Anſw. (1) Gods intention in giving the Law, was not thereby to make the promiſe …oid, and of none effect; for God did purpoſe to juſtifie the Heathen by faith, and the in…eritance is ſtill by promiſe, the Covenant made with Abraham was a Covenant eſtabliſhed by an Oath, that nothing ſhould ariſe de novo to make an alteration in it.
(2) Gods intention was not to join the Law and the Promiſe together in the matter of Juſtification and life; becauſe they be quite croſs and contrary one to another; therefore by the righteouſneſs of the Law no man can be juſtified in the ſight of God: they do directly de…oy each other; if the inheritance be by the Law, it is no more of promiſe; and therefore … man can be juſtified by both.
(3) Yet God having revealed the Law after the Promiſe, and ſeeing he will have them …oth to be perpetual and laſting, they muſt ſtand together, and a way muſt be found out …ow they may, and not croſs one another, nor deſtroy or diſanul each other; for the Law … not againſt the promiſe of God, God forbid we ſhould think ſo; then if they cannot and together in a way of ingrediency, they may very well in a way of ſubſerviency, if not … co-ordination, they may in ſubordination, both tending to honour the Mercy and Grace of …od in his Son; the one primarily, and the other ſecondarily, as an appendix or an additi… thereunto.
And ſo much the Text does clearly manifeſt; (1) In that it's ſaid, the Law was added, was an appurtenance to ſomething elſe, and was not ſet up as that way alone by which men …e to attain righteouſneſs and life; now added by way of conjunction, it cannot be, they c…not mix together and be concauſes of the ſame thing, and in the ſame kind; therefore it muſt be by way of ſubordination, the one as the principal, the other as the acceſſary or additional. (2) It is ſaid, that the Law was given in the hand of a Mediator, that is by the miniſtry of a Mediator. [1] Moſes was the Typical or the Notional Mediator; for he ſtood between God and the people in receiving of the Law,Deut. 5.5. and Chriſt was the real and univerſal Mediator. And hence it will appear that it was not ſet up alone as a Covenant of Works, as … was at firſt; for that was faedus amicitiae, a Covenant of friendſhip, when God and man …ere not at variance, when man ſtood before God in his own righteouſneſs, and there was … difference nor variance between God and him; for a Mediator is not a Mediator of one, t…erefore God giving it in the hand of a Mediator, doth clearly manifeſt, that he did not ſet it up as a Covenant alone. [2] The real Mediator was Chriſt, though Moſes Typical; and Chriſt did not by his Miniſtry bring in this Covenant of the Law, to make void the Covenant of Grace, which was the better Covenant, of which he was appointed Mediator, the Covenant that was made with him as the ſeed, and with all the Saints in him.Ver. 16. Seeing therefore theſe two muſt ſtand together, and the former cannot be diſanulled by the lat…er; hence then it muſt needs be inferred, that Gods intention was in publiſhing the Law, to …o it in ſubordination unto the Goſpel, and the ſecond Covenant, and that ſo it is to ſtand …nd to be made uſe of by the Saints. Hence the Doctrine that lies before us is this, … Doct. That for all thoſe that are in Chriſt, God has made the firſt Covenant ſubordi…ate unto the ſecond. The whole uſe of the Law unto the Saints, and of all the parts of it is, …hat it may be a ſervant to the Goſpel; and as to be freed from the Law ſtanding alone as a Covenant is the greateſt part of a mans Chriſtian liberty, ſo to have the Law of God preſſed …pon the new Covenant, and ſtanding in ſubordination to the Goſpel as a ſervant, is a great …art of a Chriſtians dignity; and a right underſtanding and apprehenſion of both theſe opens … very great door unto all Goſpel-myſteries.
§. 2. Now that I may be underſtood, we are to conſider that the Law is taken in Scripture two ways, as it was given by God upon Mount Sinai for a double end: (1) It is taken largely,Jer. 31.33. 2 Cor. 3.3. for the whole Doctrine delivered by God upon Mount Sinai, with the Precepts and the Promiſes thereof; and ſo Grace is the Law written in the heart, it is the Epiſtle of Chriſt miniſtred by us. (2) It is taken ſtrictly, ſetting down an exact rule of righteouſneſs, and promiſing life upon condition of perſonal and perfect obedience. And ſo the Apoſtle ſays,Rom. 10.5, 6. That the law is not of faith, the righteouſneſs of the law ſpeaketh in this manner, he that doth them ſhall live in them. Now if we take the Moral Law as given upon Mount Sinai, in the firſt ſenſe, ſo it is a Covenant of Grace; but if we take it in the latter ſenſe, ſo it is a Covenant of Works; for the Lords intention in giving the Law was double, unto the carnal Jews to ſet forth to them the old Covenant which they had broken; and yet unto the believing Jews it did darkly ſhadow and ſet forth unto them the Covenant of Grace made with Chriſt, and therefore it was not only delivered as a rule of righteouſneſs, but in the form and terms of a Covenant, this do and thou ſhalt live.
(1) In the firſt ſenſe, the Law given upon Mount Sinai was a Covenant of Grace; for this Law does teach them, [1] That the Lord was their God, now ſince man ſinned God is the God of none but in Chriſt▪ [2] This Law did ſet forth God to them as ſhewing mercy, pardoning iniquity, not viſiting iniquity, a God forgiving iniquity, tranſgreſſion and ſin; and there is no pardon but under a ſecond Covenant. [3] All the Sacrifices they were Types of Chriſt, and they were commanded in the ſecond Commandment, and they did all belong unto the Covenant of Grace, and did ſhew that without ſhedding of blood there is no remiſſion of ſins, and God did ratifie this Covenant by blood which he ſprinkled upon the Book, and upon all the people; and all things under the Law were cleanſed and ſanctified by blood, Exod. 24.23. therefore the Law in the adminiſtration of it unto them, was never intended by God to ſet forth a Covenant of Works, but it was a Covenant of Grace, and is uſually called a Covenant, Deut. 29.10, 11. They ſtood to enter into Covenant with God, that he might eſtabliſh them to be a people to himſelf, and that he might be unto them a God, Deut. 26.17, 18, Thou haſt avouched the Lord this day to be thy God, and he hath avouched thee to be his people. So that the Law was given by Moſes in Gods intention, plainly as a Covenant of Grace unto all thoſe that were able to look upon the intent of God therein. (2) But yet the Lords intention was alſo that it ſhould be a copy of the Covenant of Works, that God made with Adam before his fall, which was never wholly blotted out of the mind of man; becauſe God would not have that wholly to periſh, and be forgotten; and therefore it was delivered after a ſort in the form of the Covenant of Works; and in this reſpect the Lord has made it a handmaid to the Goſpel, not that the Lord did intend it for a Covenant of Works, as if men ſhould attain righteouſneſs and life thereby, but as faedus ſubſerviens, a ſubſervient Covenant, as that which in this manner God would make uſe of, to advance the ends of the Goſpel, and the new Covenant. By all this you ſee that the Covenant, of which Circumciſion was a ſign and a ſeal, was not the Covenant of Works, but was the ſame that was made with Abraham, becauſe the Covenant was the ſame; Circumciſion was the ſeal of the righteouſneſs of Faith, and continued amongſt the Jews in this Covenant; and that Covenant that binds to the obſervation of the Ceremonial, as well as the Moral Law, is not a Covenant of Works; but the Covenant made upon Mount Sinai did bind to the Ceremonial Law alſo: nor was the Covenant that God made with Moſes a Covenant of Works, for Moſes was (Heb. 11.23.) a Believer, but Exod. 34.27. it is called the Covenant which I made with thee, and with all Iſrael when I ſtood before the Lord forty days; and he wrote the words of the Covenant, the ten Commandments.
But more particularly, the Lord did intend to make the Law given upon Mount Sinai a copy of the Covenant of Works, and to be materially and for ſubſtance the ſame that he did make with Adam, and with all mankind in him, in the ſtate of his integrity. 1. Death reigned from Adam till Moſes, Rom. 5. Gen. 4. ult.and therefore ſin came in, and we ſee that murder was a ſin in Cain, and publick worſhip was a duty. Men did begin to call upon the name of the Lord; ſo that the Law was in the World before Moſes; and it was not only written in the hearts of men,2 Pet. 2.5. So Beza, Gen. 6.5. but it was taught in the publick Miniſtery before Moſes; for Noah was the Preacher of Righteouſneſs, and in the Miniſtry of the Word, we know that the Spirit of God did ſtrive with men, Gen. 6.3. The word in the Hebrew is to ſtrive in judgment, and by way of argument for conviction, ſo that the Law was given to Adam and Noah, and Abraham, as well as unto Moſes, and was for ſubſtance the ſame.
2. It is given in the form of a Covenant of Works, with a this do, and thou ſhalt live; and ſo it was afterwards by Chriſt, and by the Prophets alſo preached: it was to the carnal Jews plainly a Covenant of Works, not in Gods intention, but by their own corruption, they going about to eſtabliſh their own righteouſneſs,Rom. 10.3. and not ſubjecting themſelves to the righteouſneſs of God, it is ſet forth to them as a Covenant of Works. Now if the Lord will not give it as a Covenant, why does he not propound it as a rule, and lay down the precepts without any ſuch terms of a Covenant, as if men ſhould attain life by it, when he did never intend to deliver it as a Covenant, in which men ſhould attain life by doing, but by believing? Thus the Lord did, that the terms of the firſt Covenant might be promulgated to the World, and that they that did ſtill deſire to be under the Law, might not plead ignorance of the terms that God required in the Law, if they did expect life and happineſs thereby.
3. Though I ſay it be for ſubſtance, and materially the ſame, yet in many circumſtances it differs from Adams Covenant; for this was a Covenant of ſuch promiſes and ſanctions annexed to it, as were not in the Covenant made with Adam, and a Covenant confirmed by blood, and thereby ſanctified, which Adams Covenant never had; and therefore though it did for ſubſtance agree, yet in many things there was a difference. This Covenant given unto Adam in a ſtate of Innocency, and for ſubſtance renewed upon Mount Sinai, when it was by ſin wholly obliterated and blotted out, God has made a handmaid, or foedus ſubſerviens, a Covenant ſubſervient to the Goſpel; it is Hagar, Gal. 4.23.but the Covenant of Grace is Sarah; and it is given in the hand of a Mediator, not only by Moſes but by Chriſt alſo; for Chriſt delivered the Law to them;Act. 7.38. Moſes was in the Wilderneſs with the Angel who ſpake to him in Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and what Angel was it but Chriſt? he that ſaith, I am the God of Abraham, and he that was alſo tempted in the Wilderneſs; and the Apoſtle ſays, We are come to Jeſus, whoſe voice then ſhook the earth, in the giving of the Law,1 Cor. 10.4. Heb. 12.25, 26. it was his voice: and then by an enumeration of particulars, how the Lord has made every part of the Law as it is materially the firſt Covenant, a ſervant to the Goſpel, for the diſcovery of ſin, the Law entred that the offence might abound; and the Apoſtle ſays,Rom. 5.20. I had not known ſin but by the Law: and alſo for the conviction of Conſcience, and the imputation of ſin, Rom. 5.13. ſin is not imputed where there is no Law; and for the condemnation of ſin, that it may be a Schoolmaſter to bring the ſinner unto Chriſt, the avenger of blood,Gal. 3.10. a killing letter, and the miniſtration of death, to kill them and hew them; and it reſtrains ſin, and puts a bridle upon a man, and is a means of converſion; the curſe of the Law is ſanctified, and the threatnings ſweet, when the curſe is taken out, death has no ſting, the grave has no victory, and it is to all under the ſecond Covenant a rule, a companion and a counſellor.
The Law is to be conſidered, as I told you, two ways: (1) Largely, as containing all the Doctrine delivered upon Mount Sinai, and all things that may be reduced thereunto, even the whole Doctrine of Moſes; ſo it is diſtinguiſhed from the Prophets, the Law came by Moſes. (2) Strictly, for the precepts of the Moral Law,Mat. 11.13. Joh. 1.17. as holding forth a perfect rule of righteouſneſs, and as promiſing life upon the terms of perfect and perſonal obedience thereunto; and ſo the Apoſtle takes it in Rom. 10.5. The righteouſneſs which is of the Law is thus deſcribed, The man that doth theſe things ſhall live in them. If we take the Law in the firſt ſenſe, it was a Covenant of Grace darkly revealed; for therein God did enter into Covenant with that Church and State, and unto all the Saints that were in Chriſt it was a Covenant of Grace.
1. That the Law was given upon Mount Sinai as a Covenant, cannot be denied; for the Scripture does plainly call it ſo, Deut. 4.12, 13. The Lord ſpake unto you, ſays Moſes, out of the middle of the fire, and he declared unto you the Covenant, which he commanded you to perform, even ten Commandments, and he writ them upon two tables of ſtone. And Deut. 5.2, 3. The Lord our God made a Covenant with us in Horeb; he made not this Covenant with our fathers, but with us, even with us, who are here alive this day; the Lord talked with you face to face in the Mount, out of the middle of the fire. It was the ſame Covenant that God before made with Abraham, for the ſubſtance of it; but when it is ſaid, not to be made with their fathers, it is to be underſtood only of the form and manner of the promulgation in that clear and glorious manner, and taking a Nation into Covenant with himſelf in a publick, eminent and ſolemn manner. And it had all the parts of a Covenant: there are two things make up a Covenant, (1) Direction of ſomething to be done by both parties, ſomething that they are bound unto; and ſo the Law is the rule of the Covenant. (2) There is a Sanction, which is the conſent and agreement of both parties, binding themſelves each to other; and therein properly does the formality of a Covenant lye. Now they were both in this, here was a rule, and therefore they are ſaid to tranſgreſs the Covenant, that is the precept, or rule of the Covenant, as Deut. 17.2. and here was a ſanction, or a promiſe, you ſhall be my people: and all good things were promiſed them. And when the Lord does fulfill his promiſe, he is ſaid then to eſtabliſh his Covenant, Deut. 8.18.and to remember his Covenant. So that the Law was given upon Mount Sinai, not barely as a Law, but it was given alſo in a Covenant-way.
2. This Covenant was a Covenant of Grace. (1) That Covenant wherein God promiſes to be our God ſince the fall, is a Covenant of Grace; but ſo he doth in this, I am the Lord thy God. (2) That Covenant which does hold forth pardon of ſin, is a Covenant of Grace; but ſo does this ſet forth God as ſhewing mercy to thouſands, pardoning mercy; for it ſtands in oppoſition unto viſiting of iniquity. (3) Circumciſion was a ſeal of the Covenant of Grace, Rom. 4.11. this was a ſeal of the Covenant upon Mount Sinai, He that is circumciſed is a debter to the whole Law, Gal. 5.3, &c. (4) That Covenant that was confirmed and ratified by blood, was a Covenant of Grace; but ſo was this Covenant that God made with Iſrael upon Mount Sinai, Exod. 24.3. See Buckley of the Covenant.He took the book of the Covenant and read it in the audience of the people, and they ſaid all, What the Lord has ſaid will we do. And he took the blood and ſprinkled it upon the people, and ſaid, Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord made with you. (5) That Covenant that binds to the obſervation of the Ceremonial Law, that is a Covenant of Grace; for the Ceremonies were all Types of Chriſt, and ſhadows of good things to come, and the body is Chriſt. The firſt Covenant had Ordinances of Divine ſervice,Heb. 9.1. and a worldly Sanctuary, (it is ſpoken of the Covenant made upon Mount Sinai) and they were all of them enjoined in the ſecond Commandment. (6) The Covenant made in the hand of a Mediator was not a Covenant of Works; for that was foedus amicitiae, a Covenant of friendſhip, that was made between God and man, he being perfect and needing no Mediator,Gal. 3.19. but this was given in the hand of a Mediator, and therefore it was of Grace.
But if we conſider the Law ſtrictly, ſo it contains the ſum of the Covenant of Works, which God did therefore reveal, becauſe it was even wholly obliterated, and blotted out of the mind of man; and therefore it was ſpeculum primitivae hominis juſtitiae, &c. a glaſs of the primitive righteouſneſs of man. And unto all men out of Chriſt in an unregenerate ſtate, it remains as a Covenant of Works, binding them to perſonal and perfect obedience; if they hope to attain life. (1) The Moral Law is the ſame to the ſinner out of Chriſt that it was unto Chriſt the Surety; for what it was to the Surety, that it was to the ſinner; for he did put his name into our bond; only in us it was neceſſary, in him voluntary. But Gal. 4.4. the Law was unto Chriſt a Covenant of Works; therefore to every ſinner out of Chriſt it remains ſo. (2) That which teaches us Juſtification and life by doing, that is a Covenant of Works; but ſo does the Law ſtrictly taken; and it is therefore oppoſed unto the Goſpel; there is the righteouſneſs of the Law, and the righteouſneſs of the Goſpel. (3) The Curſe under which all unregenerate men are,Rom. 3.20. Gal. 3.1, 2. is the curſe of the Moral Law, but that is the curſe of the Covenant of Works; therefore the Moral Law is a Covenant of Works.Gal. 3.13. Gal. 4.5. Gal. 4.23, 24. (4) Therefore the Apoſtle makes it a diſtinct Covenant, from the Covenant of Grace. The Law thus taken ſtrictly as a copy of the Covenant that God made with Adam, and containing the ſum of the Covenant of Works, and being delivered in the form of this Covenant, this Covenant has the Lord made ſubſervient and ſubordinate unto the Covenant of Grace, as Hagar to Sarah.