Goodwill Towards Men, Part 2 · Section 20
Sect. 20.
PROP. XX. The Covenant of Grace is the best Covenant.
NOt but that the Covenant of Works was perfect in its kind, and most exactly fitted to that State, wherein Man was Created. God therein required nothing but what was mans Duty, as he was His Creature. Required nothing, but what man was able to perform. And promised all that man could desire. As perfect perpetual Obedience was required of Man in the Covenant of Works; so perfect and perpetual Happiness was promised thereupon. Thus the Covenant of works did excellently Comport with the state of Man in Innocency.
But then the Covenant of Grace only can be to Mans advantage, in his fallen Estate. The Covenant of Grace is the best Covenant for us sinners. It is impossible, that sinners should have Relief, and Benefit by the Covenant of Works. Indeed it may be beneficial unto sinners, Occasionally, Indirectly, that is, shewing our Misery by sin, that hereby we are fallen short of Glory and Happiness, laid under the Curse and Condemnation of the Law; and become Obnoxious to Gods Wrath, and subject to Death Temporal, and Eternal. Thus it is true, the Covenant of Works may be an Occasion of Awakening our Consciences, shewing what lost Creatures we are, should we stick to that Covenant, and if no other way be found out, but we must stand or fall by the sentence of that Covenant. And thus it may some way prepare sinners to accept of the Covenant of Grace, propounded and held forth. As the Israelites Bondage under the Egyptian Task-Masters should have prepared them to hearken to, and welcome Moses and Aaron, who were sent about their Deliverance, Exod. 4.31. But observe, all the benefit sinners can have this way from the Covenant of Works, is only upon supposition of a Covenant of Grace, provided to relieve them from the strict Sentence of that other Covenant.
That sinners can have no benefit Properly, and Directly from the Covenant of Works, (which makes against them) but only from the Covenant of Grace, framed on purpose for sinners Relief.
And that the Covenant of Grace is best for us: Appeareth thus,
(1.) The Covenant of Works was for the Preservation and Continuation of Mans Happiness: But it speaketh not to his present case, being now sinful and miserable, whereas the Covenant of Grace was provided for his Recovery: Post naufragium tabula, a Plank after Shipwrack. The Covenant of Grace holds forth the way of Mans Restitution and Restauration to Happiness.
(2.) The Condition of the Covenant of Works, is utterly Impossible to sinners. To be a sinner, and to be perfectly Conformable to the Will and Law of God; to be a sinner, and not to be a sinner; is a plain Contradiction: It is impossible, Quod factum est infectum fieri. But the Condition of the Covenant of Grace is possible, and attainable; yea, easily in it self.
Object. But do not many Divines say, That it is as possible for a man to keep the Law perfectly, as heartily to accept of Christ upon the Terms of the Gospel?
Answ. Such Expressions must not be taken strictly, and Rigorously, but with a favourable Construction. For it is simply, and naturally impossible, that a sinner should be perfectly Conformed to Gods Law: But it is not naturally impossible that a sinner should Repent, and should come to Obey from the Heart.
True, (as I have proved before) none so without Gods Special Grace; yet that any, who are called on to Repent, and Believe, do it not, they can only blame themselves: The hindrance is in their Wills. They might come to Christ if they would. As Mr. Ball says: Of the Covenant. p. 343.The Invitation of God is not so hard, that Man cannot fulfill it, if he would: But such as if Man would, he could not but Execute.
Sinner, How it it? Art thou unfeignedly willing to leave thy sins, that would Ruine thee for ever? Art thou heartily willing to accept of Christ; as to be Redeemed and Saved, so to be Guided, Ruled, and Governed by him? This is the Sum and Substance of the Condition of the Covenant of Grace. If thou art unwilling to this, certainly, thou judgest thy self unworthy of Eternal Life, and shalt be Self-condemned. You see, they are no hard Terms, whereon Life and Happiness is offered and promised in the Covenant of Grace. If you be but willing, truly willing, it is done. And if you be unwilling to abandon your Lusts, that would be your Death, and unwilling to give up your selves to Jesus Christ, the only Redeemer, and an All-sufficient Saviour; it is evident, your Destruction is of your selves, that you are left without excuse.
(3.) The Covenant of Works requiring and exacting Obedience every way perfect, as the Condition of it, there was no provision of a Mediator, no place for a Mediator, when God made that Covenant with man. The Covenant of Works owned no such thing, as Acceptation through, and for the Righteousness of another. But the Covenant of Grace does admit of, and hold forth a Mediator. According to the Covenant of Grace, we may be Justified and Saved for the Righteousness of another, scil. of Jesus Christ, the Lord our Righteousness; when it was impossible that we should be Justified, and Saved by our own Righteousness. And the Righteousness of Christ (God-man) which is made over to a believing sinner for his Justification, is a more excellent Righteousness, than that of any meer Creature.
(4.) The Covenant of Works holds forth no such thing, as Pardon. Absolute perfect Obedience being (as I said) the Condition of it, upon the least sin, that Covenant was Irreparably broken. But the Covenant of Grace accepting of sincere Obedience, and requiring no more as its Condition, granteth out a Pardon to those, whose sins are not Inconsistent with Sincerity. And so this Covenant is capable of Renewing. Wast thou not obliged to forsake sin, and to give up thy self to Christ, and his Service, by thy very Baptism? But alas, Hast thou not broken thy Baptismal Covenant? Yea, Hast thou not lived long in the breach of Covenant? And yet if at last thou wouldst Repent, and come in to Christ, thou shouldst be pardoned, and accepted.
(5.) Man might keep the Condition of the Covenant of Works for a time, and yet afterwards fall off, and lose all. God Created Man at first in a state of Integrity, with sufficient ability to Obey perfectly if he would; but did not then think meet to Engage, and Undertake for him, that his will should be ever to Obey. But such as come up to the Terms of the Covenant of Grace, stand safe, are upon surer ground than Adam in Innocency. Their Perseverance is certain; and as their Perseance is certain, so their Salvation, and Happiness. Thus get within the Ark of the Covenant, and you are Lodged safe indeed.
Now, Ʋse. 1. Here take Notice of the Riches of Divine Grace and Mercy. When man had once broken Covenant with God, one would have thought, the Divine Majesty should have been so Incensed against him for it, as never more to have dealt with man in this way; or if He did make another Covenant with man, it should have been upon harder Terms: Yet behold, and wonder, from mans breach of the Covenant of works, he takes occasion to manifest more of his Grace, in making another Covenant more to his Creatures advantage, when man might rather have concluded, that he would cast off for ever, and would be favourable no more. Is this the manner of man, O Lord God? If a man find his Enemy, will he let him go well away out of his hand? God dealt not so with the Angels that fell, as he hath done with sinful men.
2. See here the gross Ignorance, Folly, and Madness of Self-justitiaries. Such as adhere to the Covenant of Works, and hope to be saved by their works, slighting and contemning Christ, and Grace offered. They that say to the works of their hands, ye are our Saviours: And say, we are Lords, we will not come to thee. Surely, they are miserable, foolish Creatures, they know not what is good for themselves, that go about to establish their own Righteousness, rejecting Christ, and his Righteousness. These trust to a broken reed: To turn away from Christ, to relie on ones own Righteousness, is to build on the Sand, not on the Rock: Or as if a man leaned his hand on a Wall, and a Serpent bit him. Indeed better no hope, than false hope; Better no confidence, than Carnal confidence. It is better to have no peace, than that which is false. A lying refuge will at last prove no Refuge, will be no Protection, but the Confusion of those that put their trust in it. I should have far greater hopes of one that is low in Self-despair, than of one that is highly Confident in himself.