The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · covenant · Subsection 1 – Subsection 3
1. What a Covenant is.
What a Covenant in generall is.A Covenant in generall ſignifieth a mutuall contract or agreement of two parties joyned in the Covenant, whereby is made a bond or obligation or certaine conditions for the performance of giving or taking ſomething, with addition of outward ſignes and tokens, for ſolemn teſtimony and confirmation, that the compact and promiſe ſhall be kept inviolable. Hence we eaſily collect the definition and nature of Gods Covenant:What Gods Covenant with us is. For it is A mutuall promiſe and agreement between God and men, whereby God giveth men aſſurance, that he will be gracious and favourable to them, remit their ſins, beſtow new righteouſneſſe his holy Spirit, and life eternall for and by his Son our Mediatour: And on the other ſide, men bind themſelves to faith and repentance; that is to receive this ſo great a benefit with true faith, and to yeeld true obedience unto God. This mutuall compact between God and men is ſealed and confirmed by outward badges and tokens,Sacraments the ſignes of the Covenant. A Teſtament. which we call Sacraments; that is, ſacred ſignes, teſtifying Gods good will towards us, and our thankfulneſſe and obſequious dutifulneſſe towards him. A Teſtament is the laſt will of a Teſtator, whereby hee at his death diſpoſeth of his things what hee would have done concerning them.Teſtament and Covenant of like ſignification. In Scripture the name of Covenant and Teſtament, to expreſſe ſignificantly this Gods Covenant, are uſed and taken alike for one and the ſame thing: for both of them ſhew our reconciliation with God, or the mutuall agreement between God and man.Why our reconciliation is called a Covenant. This agreement and reconcilement is called a Covenant, becauſe God promiſeth unto us certain bleſſings: and on the other ſide, demandeth of us, as a pledge, our obedience, uſing withall certain ſolemn ceremonies to the confirmation and ſtrengthening of the contract.Why it is alſo called a Teſtament. It is called a Testament, becauſe this reconciliation was made by the death of the Teſtator Chriſt coming betweene, that ſo it might be firme and ratified: or, becauſe Chriſt hath purchaſed this our reconcilement with God by his death, and hath left it unto us, even as parents at their deceaſe deliver their goods unto their children. This reaſon is alledged in the Epiſtle to the Hebrews:Heb. 9.15, 16, 17. For this cauſe (ſaith the Apoſtle) is he the Mediatour of the new Teſtament, that through death they which were called might receive the promiſe of eternall inheritance. For where a Testament is, there muſt be the death of him that made the Teſtament. For the Teſtament is confirmed when men are dead: for it is yet of no force, as long as he that made it is alive. For while the Teſtator liveth, he retaineth a right to change, detract, or add any thing. The Hebrew word Berith only ſignifieth a Covenant, not a Teſtament: yet the Interpreters tranſlate it by the word foreign, which word with the Greeks ſignifieth both a covenant and teſtament; whence it is gathered, that that Epiſtle was not written in Hebrew (as ſome think) but in Greek.Acts 20.28. Obj. A Teſtament is ratified by the death of the Teſtator: But God cannot die: Therefore his Teſtament is not ratified, or at leaſtwiſe this reconcilement may not be called a Teſtament. Anſ. The Minor is to be denyed, becauſe God is ſaid to have redeemed the Church with his bloud, therefore he died; but he died according to his humanity: for Chriſt is the Teſtator, who is both God and man; but he died according to his humanity only:1 Pet. 3.18. The ſame is called an interceſsion in reſpect of Chriſt, who by interceſsion worketh it: and reconciliation in reſpect of us, who are reconciled. witneſſe Peter, who ſaith, He was put to death concerning the fleſh. Repl. But Chriſt is the Interceſſor, and God the Teſtator: Therefore the reconciliation is not of force. Anſ. They differ in perſon and offices: the perſon of Chriſt differeth from the perſon of the Father, and the holy Ghoſt in office, not in efficacy and power; and in reſpect of him it is an interceſſion; in reſpect of us, a reconciliation, or receiving into favour.
2. How a Covenant may be made between God and men.
THat Covenant could not be made without a Mediatour: for we could neither ſatisfie, nor come again in favour with God, no nor receive the benefit of reconciliation procured by another. Furthermore, God in his juſtice would not admit of us without ſufficient ſatisfaction: we were the enemies of God, therefore the entrance and acceſſe to God lay not open to us before he was pacified by the merit of our Mediatour, as it hath been ſhewed more at large before in that queſtion, Why a Mediatour is neceſſary for us. The reconciliation could not be plenarily accompliſhed without the ſatisfaction and death of the Mediatour. Again, without the Mediatour regenerating us, we ſhould not have been able to ſtand to the conditions; and ſo had the Covenant been made of no force.
3. Whether there be one or moe Covenants.
There is but one Covenant in ſubſtance, two in circumſtance.THe Covenant of God is but one in ſubstance and matter, but two in circumſtances: that is, it is one in reſpect of the more generall conditions by which God combineth or compoundeth with us, and we with God: but it is two in reſpect of leſſe principall conditions, or (as ſome ſpeak) it is two, as touching the manner of the adminiſtration thereof. There is but one in ſubſtance, How one in ſubſtance.1. Becauſe there is but one God; one Mediatour between God and men, Chriſt Jeſus; one mean of reconcilement; one faith; one way of the ſalvation of all who are ſaved, and have been ſaved from the beginning. It is a great queſtion, Whether the ancient Fathers were ſaved by any other means then we are: which, except it be well and circumſpectly conſtrued, obſcureth with palpable darkneſſe the light of the Goſpel. But theſe teſtimonies of Scripture doe leſſon and ſchoole us the truth herein;Hebr. 13.8. Eph. 1.22. & 4.1. Jeſus Christ yesterday, and to day, and the ſame alſo for ever. God hath appointed him over all things to be the head of the Church. By whom all the body is coupled and knit together, &c. No man hath ſeen God at any time: the only begotten Son, which is in the boſome of the Father, John 1.18.he hath declared him. There is given no other name under heaven whereby we muſt be ſaved. No man knoweth the Father but the Son, and he to whom the Son will reveale him. Acts 4.12. Matth. 11.27. John 14.6.I am the way the truth, and the life; no man cometh to the Father but by me: Hee meaneth, I alone am the way by which even Adam attained ſalvation.Luke 20.24. John 8.56. Many kings have deſired to ſee theſe things which ye ſee, and have not ſeen them. Abraham rejoyced to ſee my day, and he ſaw it and was glad. All therefore, as well under the Law as under the Goſpel, who were to be ſaved, had reſpect to the onelyonly Mediatour Chriſt, by whom alone they were reconciled unto God, and ſaved: Therefore there is but one Covenant. 2. The Covenant is only one, becauſe the principall conditions, which are termed the ſubſtance of the Covenant, are the ſame, both before and ſince Chriſts incarnation: for in both Teſtaments, before and after the exhibiting of Chriſt, God promiſeth remiſſion of ſins to beleevers, and repentant ſinners: and men bind themſelves to beliefe and repentance. There are ſaid to be two Covenants,How two in circumſtance. the old and the new, as concerning the circumſtances, and thoſe conditions which are leſſe principall, which are the forme of adminiſtration ſerving for the principall conditions, that the faithfull may attain unto them by the help of theſe. Now, what theſe principall conditions are, ſhall appear out of that which followeth. A rule here may be obſerved:The diverſity of Covenants is known by the diverſity of their conditions. In all Covenants their conditions are ever to be conſidered: which if they be the ſame, then are the Covenants alſo the ſame; if diverſe, then the Covenants alſo diverſe; if partly the ſame, and partly diverſe, then the Covenants are alſo in part the ſame, and in part diverſe, as in this Covenant.