The Sum of Christian Religion, Catechism · Part 2 · covenant · Subsection 4
4. In what the old and new Covenant agree, and in what they differ.
The old and new Covenant agree in three things:WHereas the Covenant is one, and yet the Scripture ſpeaketh thereof as of two, we are to conſider wherein the old and new Teſtament concurre and agree, and wherein they differ. They agree, In their Author and Mediatour.In their Authour, which is God; and in their Mediatour, which is Chriſt. Object. But ſome man will ſay, Moſes was the Mediatour of the old Covenant. Anſ. True, as in a type, adjoyned to the Mediatour which was ſignified, who then alſo was Mediatour, but now is ſole Mediatour without that typicall Mediatour: For he is manifeſted in the fleſh, and is no more covered with types. In the promiſe of grace.In the promiſe of grace, touching remiſſion of ſins, and life everlaſting to be given freely by and for Chriſt the Mediatour, to thoſe only who beleeve; which promiſe was common to the old Church, as well as to us: For God promiſed the ſame grace and mercy unto all who beleeve in the Mediatour; In thy ſeed ſhall the nations of the earth be bleſſed. Gen. 22.18. Gen. 3.15. Gen. 17.7. John 3.36.The ſeed of the woman ſhall break the head of the ſerpent. I will be thy God, and the God of thy ſeed. He that beleeveth in the Son hath life everlaſting. We beleeve, through the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt to be ſaved, even as they doe. Now here wee ſpeak not in particular of the circumſtances of grace; but in generall, of the promiſe of grace. But Covenants have the ſame corporall promiſes alſo, but that only in generall. In their condition in reſpect of us. Gen. 17.1. Mark 1.15.In their tenour and condition in reſpect of us: for in both God requireth of men faith and obedience: Walk before me, and be thou upright. And, Repent and beleeve the Goſpel. The new and o…d Covenant therefore agree, as concerning the principall conditions of the Covenant, both in reſpect of God, and in reſpect of man.
But the two Covenants differ,The old and new Covenant differ, In promiſes of corporall benefits.In the promiſes of corporall benefits: for the old Covenant had ſpeciall promiſes of ſome certain definite corporall bleſſings, as the promiſe of the land to be given to the Church, of the form of ceremoniall worſhip, and Moſaicall policie or government to be obſerved in that region and nation untill the coming of the Meſſias, and laſtly, for the Meſſias to be born out of that people. But the new Teſtament hath no ſuch ſpeciall promiſes of corporall benefits, but only generall; as, that God will preſerve his Church unto the end, and give it ſome abiding and reſting place. In the circumſtance of the promiſe of grace.In the circumſtance of the promiſe of grace; for in the old Covenant the beleevers were reconciled unto God, and ſaved for the Meſſias ſake which ſhould be exhibited, and for his ſacrifice to come: in the new Covenant we are ſaved for the Meſſias being come and exhibited, and for his ſacrifice already offered. In the ſignes of the promiſe of grace.In the rights or ſignes added to the promiſe of grace: In the old Covenant the Sacraments were divers and painfull; as the Circumciſion, the Paſſeover, the Sacrifices and Oblations: But the Sacraments in the new are few and plain, even Baptiſm, and the Supper of the Lord. In cleerneſſe and evidence.In cleerneſſe and evidence. The old had types and ſhadows of good things to come, all things were figurative, as their Prieſts and Sacrifices, and therefore the more obſcure and dark: In the new is an accompliſhment of theſe types, and ſo all things are more cleer, as well in the Sacraments, as the doctrine thereof. In gifts.In gifts: In the old the effuſion and powring out of the gifts of the holy Ghoſt was more narrow and ſparing; in the new it is more large and plentifull:Jer. 31.31. 1 Cor. 3.9. Joel 2.28. I will make a new covenant. If the miniſtration of condemnation was glorious, much more doth the miniſtration of righteouſneſſe exceed in glory. I will powre out my ſpirit upon all fleſh &c. In continuance. Jer. 32.40.In continuance: The old was but for a time, during untill the coming of the Meſſias: the new is for ever; I will make an everlaſting Covenant with them. In their manner of binding.In their bond, or manner of binding: The old Covenant bound them to the obedience of the whole Moſaicall law, morall, ceremoniall, and civil: the new bindeth us only to the morall or ſpirituall law, and to the uſe of the Sacraments. In extent.In extent: In the old Covenant, the Church was incloſed and limited within the Jewiſh nation, whereunto it became all others that would be ſaved to repair: In the new the Church is ſpread over all nations, and there is an entrance into it open to all beleevers of whatſoever nation, eſtate, or language.
Why the old Covenant is taken for the Law, and the new for the Goſpel.Here is to be obſerved, that the old Teſtament or Covenant is in Scripture oftentimes taken by a figure of ſpeech called Synecdoche (which we uſe, when we take the whole for a part, or a part for the whole) for the law, in reſpect of that part which is eſpecially handled there: for in the old Teſtament the law was more urged, and there were many parts thereof; the Goſpel was then more obſcure. Contrariwiſe, the new Teſtament or Covenant is for the moſt part taken for the Goſpel; becauſe in the new Teſtament a great part of Moſes law is abrogated, and the manifeſtation and knowledge of the Goſpel is to us more cleer and ample.