The Manifold Wisdom of God, Treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
FIrst for the word Testament, it doth signifie the last Will of a man which he makes before his death, and leaves behinde him either in word or writing, testified by seales and▪ witnesses; By vertue of which Will hee doth dispose his lands and possessions which he hath purchased, and all his goods which he hath gathered in his life time, and doth bequeath them as hee himselfe will, and to whom hee thinkes fit, either freely or with condition, to have and hold them after his death, and not before; This is the true and proper meaning of the Word, and thus it is used by the Apostle, Hebr. 19. 16. And because the Apostle there cals the Covenant Christs Testament, and also elsewhere in his Epistles wheresoever hee doth speake of the Old and New Covenant, that is, of the Covenant of the Law and of the Gospell, doth use the Greeke word foreign, even the same which there he useth for the last Will and Testament of a Testator, whereupon it comes to passe, that the Bookes of the Law and the Prophets, before Christ, and the Covenant in them are called the New Testament, and that very fitly in some respect, I meane in respect of Christ the Mediator. For the truth is, that the Covenant of Grace more obscurely revealed to the Fathers in the writings of the Law and Prophets, and more plainely in the Gospell and writings of the Apostles, was never in force, neither could be ratified but by the death of Christ. It was before his comming sealed by his Blood in Types and Figures; and at his Death in his Flesh it was fully sealed and ratified by his very Blood it selfe actually, and indeed shed for our sinnes, and in this respect it may be fitly called the Testament. Because as a Testament is not inforce till the Testator be dead, and where a Testament is, there the death of the Testator must come between to ratifie it; So it is with the Covenant of Grace, and the promises therein made unto us. Christ hath performed and purchased all things necessary for us, & doth freely give to us himself, his righteousness, and all his treasures, as a man gives his Lands and Goods in his last Will, but they cannot be of force to bring us to heaven, till his death come betweene as a satisfaction for sin also; It is as necessary that Iustice should be satisfied for sinne by his Death, as righteousnesse of life performed, and salvation purchased by him for us. Secondly, as a man doth seale his Testament when hee seeth or imagineth that his death is at hand; So Christ at his last Supper, by instituting the Sacrament of his Body and Blood, and by the outward Signes and Seales therein contained, did seale to his Church the Covenant of Grace. Thus in respect of CHRIST the Mediatour, God and Man, the Covenant of Grace, and the writings, Old and New, wherein it is contained, are called Testaments. But in respect of God the Father, and in respect of God, considered simply, or as the Maker of the Covenant with man, and the party betweene whom and man the Covenant is made; the Covenant and the Writing, Old and New, wherein it is comprehended, can in no case be called a Testament, because a Testament is of no force without the Testators death. But God the Father never dyed, nor can die, neither God simply considered, nor God the Maker of the Covenant with Man, and the other party in it wch is opposed to Man. Only Christ dyed as hee was Mediatour, God and Man, and as he was made a partner with Man, and stood on his side in the Covenant, and as he is the Testator, and free giver of his Word in the Old and New Testament, and of his graces and gifts therein promised; so they are called Testaments, and in no other respect at all.
From the word Testament thus expounded, wee may easily collect and gather what is the nature of a Testament, and both the agreement, and the true and maine difference betweene the Old and New Testament, and the Writings contained in both.
First, we see that they both agree in this, that they are the Writings and Instruments of one and the same Christ, and his last Will, in which, and by which hee doth give himselfe to his Church withall his righteousnesse and obedience, and all the blessings which thereupon depend, and they are both sealed by his Blood, and ratified by his death. This is manifest by the exposition of the word before laid downe, wherein is shewed, that both the Old and New Writings of the Covenant are called by the name of Testaments, only in respect of Christ the Mediatour, and as they are sealed by his Blood, and ratified by his Death, and he is the Testator in them as hee is Mediatour. If either of them bee not sealed, ratified and proceed from him as Mediator, it is no Testament at all; to call it a Testament, is to say that Christ is the Testatour, and his Death comes betweene to make it of force; And to say that he is not the Testatour, or that it is not ratified by his Death, is to say, it is no Testament. But all Christians grant that both the Old and New Writings of the Covenant are Testaments. Therefore it is manifest even by their names that Christ is Testator in both, that the Legacies given are his gifts, even himselfe and all his treasures, and inheritance, that his Blood healeth, and his Death ratifieth both, and thus in substance they agree; being of one Christ, of the same things, both confirmed by one Death, they must needes bee one, and confirme one another, and run one way; if they go divers waies, they must needs destroy one another; if they destroy not one another, it is plain they go both one way, and do confirme and illustrate each the other, which wee see evidently. The difference then betweene them, is onelyonly in circumstance, and in quality, not in substance.
First, the Old Testament did bequeath unto the Fathers, righteousnesse of life, expiation of sinne, adoption of sonnes, and eternall salvation, and happiness in, and through Christ the Mediatour promised, being not yet come in the flesh, but onelyonly seen a farre off, and apprehended by faith, as the Apostle sheweth, Hebr. 11. But the New Testament gives and bequeathes all these unto us, in, and through Christ, being already come in the flesh, and having actually performed all things for us.
Secondly, The Old Testament was more darke and obscure, not opened but to few, till the Testators death, and did not beget ordinarily so much knowledge and faith as the New doth, and therefore it was a weaker meanes of Grace, and did convert but few unto Christ. But the New is so plaine, that it may beget knowledge in children, and therefore by it the Spirit works more powerfully.
Thirdly, The Old Testament was sealed and ratified typically by the Blood and Death of Christ, and by types of them to come. The New is ratified by his Death in very deed, and in it selfe, and to us it is sealed in the Sacrament of the Lords Supper by tokens and remembrances of his death already past and fulfilled.
Fourthly, the Old Testament, Christ the Eternall Word in his Godhead spake to the Fathers, and published by Moses and the Prophets: But the New Testament hee publishd by himselfe, immediately as hee was Godincarnate, and appeared in our Nature, and by his Apostles and Evangelists, taught by his owne mouth, as appeares, Hebr. 1 2.
Fiftly, the Old Testament, in respect of the outward forme and manner of sealing and signifying was temporary, and changeable, and therefore the types are ceased, and onelyonly the substance remaines firme: But the New is unchangeable, and the seales thereof are commemorative, and shall shew the Lords Death untill his comming againe.