CHAP. VII. Of God's Covenant with Man.

is , that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have any fruition of him as their blessedness and reward, but by some voluntary condescension on God's part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant “.

II. The first covenant made with man was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam, and in

him

a

I. a Isa. xl. 13. Who hath directed before his presence with singing: the Spirit of the Lord, or, being his Ver 3. Know ye that the Lord he: counsellor, hath taught.him? V. 14. is God: it is he that hath made us, . With whom toek. he counsel, and and not we ourselves :. we are his who instructed hiin, and taught him people, and the sheep of his pasture.. in the path of judgment, and taught Job. xxii

. 2. Can a man be profitable him knowledge, and shewed to him mto God, as he that is wise may be the way of uuderstanding ? Ver. 15. profitable unto himself.?. Ver. 3. Is Behold, the nations are as a drop of iti any pleasure to the Almighty that a bucket,, and are counted as the thou art sighteous ? or is it gain to . mal dust of the balance :, behold, him that thou nakest thy ways pere. he taketh - up the isles as a very fect ? Job xxxv 7. If thou.. be righe. little thing. Ver. 10. And Lebanon teous, what givest theu him? or what is not sufficient to burn, nor the receiveth he of tõine hand :: Ver. 8. beasts thereof sufficient for a burnt Thy wickedness.may hurtia man as offering. Ver. 17. Al nations before thou art, and thy righteousness may him are as nothing; and they are profit the son of man. Luke xvii. 10. counted to him less than nothing, So likewise ye, .when ye shall have and vanity. Job.ix. 32.: For he is done all those things which are com-not a man as I am, that I should manded you, say, We are unprofiter answer him, and we should come able servants : : we have done that together in judgment. Ver. 33. Nei- which was our duty to do. Acts ther is there any days-man betwixt xvii. 24. God, that; made the world, ui, that might lay his hand upon us and all things therein, seeing that both. 1 Sam. ii. 25. If one man sin he is Lord of heaven and earth, , against another, the judge shall. judge. dwelleth not in temples made with.. Lim: but if a man sin against the hands : , Ver.. 25. Neither is woreLord, who shall entreat for him!. shipped with men's hands, as though Psal. cxiii. 5. Who is like unto the he needed any thing, seeing he Lord our God, who dwellèch ,on giveth to all life, and breath, and bigh; Ver. 6. Who humbleth, him

all things. self to behold the things that are in II. b Gal. üi. 12. And the law keaven, and in the earth! Psal. c. 2. is not of faith : :but, The man that. Serve the Lord with gladness: come

doeth them shall live in them.

C.5.

C Roma.

him to his posterity °; upon condition of perfect and personal obedience d.

III. Man by his fall having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased to make a second, commonly called the Covenant of Grace: wherein he freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in him, that they may be saved'; and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life his Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe

IV. This

Rom. x. 5. For Moses descri- put enmity between thee and the beth the righteousness which is of woman, and between thy seed and the law, that the man which doeth her seed : it shall bruise thy head, those things shall live by them. and thou shalt bruise his heel. Isa. Rom. v. 12. to 20. (See Chap. vi. xlii. 6. I the Lord have called thee Sect. 3. letter f.]

in righteousness, and will hold thine d Gen. ii. 17. But of the tree of hand, and will keep thee, and give the knowledge of good and evil thee for a covenant of the people, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the for a light of the Gentiles. day that thou eatest thereof, thou f Mark xvi. 15. And he said unto shalt surely die. Gal. iii. 10. For as them, Go ye into all the world, and many as are of the works of the preach the gospel to every creature. law are under the curse : for it is Ver. 16. He that believeth, and is written, Cursed is every one that baptized, shall be saved; but he continueth not in all things which that believeth not, shall be damned. are written in the book of the law John üi. 16. For God so loved the to do them.

world, that he gave his only begotten Ill. Gal. iii. 21. Is the law then Son, that whosoever believeth in him against the promises of God? God should not perish, but have everlastforbid : for if there had been a law ing life. Rom. 2. 6. But the righgiven which could have given life, teousness which is of faith speaketh verily righteousness should have been on this wise, Say not in thine heart, by the law. Rom. viii. 3. For what Who shall ascend into heaven? (that the law could not do, in that is was is, to bring Christ down from above :) weak through the flesh, God sending Ver. 9. That if thou shalt confess his own Son in the likeness of sinful with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and flesh, and for sin condemned sin in shalt believe in thine heart that God the flesh. Rom. iji. 20. Therefore hath raised him from the dead, thou by tlæe deeds of the law there shall shalt be saved. Gal. ii. 11. But no Besh be justifed in his

that no

man is justified by the by the law is the knowledge of sin. law in the sight of God, it is eviVer. 21. But now the righteousness dent: for, The just shall live by of God without the law is manifested, faith. being witnessed by the law and the 8 Ezek, xxxvi. 26. A new heart prophets, Gen. ïïi. 15. And I will also will I give you, and a

spiri

ht: for

new

IV. This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in the scripture by the name of a Testament, in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the testator, and to the everlast

ing inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein Oh, bequeathed

V. This covenant was differently administered in the time of the law, and in the time of the gospel *: under the law it was administered by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the paschal lamb, and other types and ordinances delivered to the people of the Jews, all foresignifying Christ to come", which were for that time

sufficient

k

of me,

spirit will I put within you; and also the cup after supper, saying,
I will take away the stony heart This cup is the new testament in
out of your flesh, and I will give my blood, which is shed for you.
you an heart of flesh. Ver. 27. And 1 Cor. xi. 25. After the same manner
I will put my Spirit within you, and also he took the cup, when he had
cause you to walk in my statutes, supped, saying, This cup is the new
and ye shall keep my judgments, testament in my blood : this do ye,
and do them. John vi. 44. No as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance
man can come to me, except the
Father which hath sent me draw V. i 2 Cor. ii. 6. Who also hath
him : and I will raise him up at

niade us able ministers of the new the last day. Ver. 45. It is written testament; not of the letter, but of in the prophets, and they shall be the spirit: for the letter killeth, but all taught" of God. Every man che spirit giveth life. Ver. 7. But therefore that hath heard, and hath if the ininistration of death, written, learned of the Father, cometh unto and engraven in stones, was glorious,

so that the children of Israel could IV. h Heb. ix. 15. And for this not stedfastly behold the face of cause he is the Mediator of the new Moses for the glory of his countetestament, that by means of death, nance, which glory was to be done for the redemption of the transgres- away; Ver. 8. How shall not the sions that were under the first testam. ministration of the Spirit be rather ment, they which are called might glorious ? Ver. 9. For if the minim receive the promise of eternal inhe- stration of condemnation be glory, ritance.

Ver. 16. For where a much more doth the ministration of testament is, there must also of righteousness. exceed in glory. necessity be the death of the testator. k (Heb. Chapters viïi, ix, x.) Roma Ver. 17. For a testament is of force iv. 11. And he received the sign of after men are dead: otherwise it is circumcision, a seal of the righteousof no strength at all while the testator ness of the faith which he had yet liveth. Heb. vii. 22. By so much being uncircumcised; that he night was Jesus made a surety of a better be the father of all them that believe, testament. Luke xxii. 20. Likewise though they be not circumcised;

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me.

sufficient and efficacious, through the operation of the Spirit, to instruct and build up the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they had full remission of sins, and eternal salvation; and is called the Old Testament m.

VI. Under the gospel, when Christ the substance" was exhibited, the ordinances in which this covenant is dispensed are the preaching of the word, and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord's Suppero

which,

n

that righteousness might be imputed m Gal. iii. 7. Know ye therefore unto them also. Col. ii. 11. In that they which are of faith, the whom also ye are circumcised with same are the children of Abraham. the circumcision made without hands, Ver. 8. And the scripture foreseeing in putting off the body of the sins that God would justify the heathen of the flesh by the circumcision of through faith, preached before the Christ : Ver. 12. Buried with 'him gospel. unto Abraham, saying, In in baptisni, wherein also ye are risen thee shall all nations be blessed. with him through the faith of the Ver. 9. So, then they which be of operation of God, who hath raised faith are blessed with faithful Abrahim from the dead. 1 Cor. v. 7. ham. Ver. 14. That the blessing Purge out therefore the old leaven, of Abraham might come on the that ye may be a new lump, as ye Gentiles through Jesus Christ ; that are unleavened. For even Christ our we might receive the promise of the. passover is sacrificed for us.

Spirit through faith. 1.1 Cor. x, 1. Moreover, brethren, VI. n Col. ii. 17. Which are a I would not that ye should be igno- shadow of things to come; but the rant, how that all our fathers were body is of Christ. under the cloud, and all passed • Mat. xxviii. 19. Go ye therethrough the sea ; Ver. 2. And were fore and teach all nations, baptizall baptized unto Moses in the cloud, ing them in the name of the Father, and in the sea ; Ver. 3. And did all and of the Son, and of the Holy eat the same spiritual meat; Ver. 4. Ghost : Ver. 20. Teaching them to And did all drink the same spiritual observe all things whatsoever I drink : (for they drank of that spiritual have commanded you: and, lo, I am Rock that followed them :, and that with you alway, even unto the end Rock was Christ.), Heb. xi. 13. These of the world, Amen. 1 Cor. xi. 23.' all died in faith, not having received For I have received of the Lord the pronuises, but having seen them that which also I delivered únto afar off, and were persuaded of them, you, That the Lord Jesus, the and embraced them, and confessed same night in which he was bethat they were strangers and pilgrims trayed, took bread : Ver. 24. And, on the earth. John viii. 56. Your when he had given thanks, he brake. father Abraham rejoiced to see my it, and said, Take, eat; this is day a and be saw it, and was glad. my body, which is broken for you :

which, though fewer in number, and administered with more simplicity, and less outward glory, yet in them it is held forth in more fulness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy P, to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles 9; and is called the New Testament'. There are not therefore two covenants of grace differing in substance, but one and the same under various dispensations'.

CHAP.

of me.

this do in remembrance of me. Israel; After those days, saith the Ver. 25. After the same manner at Lord, I will put my law in their so he took the cup, when he had inward parts, and write it in their supped, saying, This cup is the new hearts; and will be their God, and testament in my blood : this do ye, they shall be my people. Ver. 34. as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance And they shalt teach no more every

man his neighbour, and every man D Heb. xii. 22. But ye are come his brother, saying, Know the Lord: unto mount Sion, and unto the city for they shall all know me, frona of the living God, the heavenly the least of them unto the greatest Jerusalem, and to an innumerable of them, saith the Lord : for I will company of angels, Ver. 23. To forgive their iniquity, and I will rethe general assembly and church of member their sin no more. the first-born, which are written in 9 Mat. xxviii. 19. (See letter o heaven, and to God the Judge of immediately foregoing ] Eph. ii. 15. all, and to the spirits of just men Having abolished in his flesh the made "perfect, Ver. 24. And to enmity, even the law of commande Jesus the Mediator of the new cove- ments, contained in ordinances, for nant, and to the blood of sprinkling, to make in himself of twain one that speaketh better things than that new man, so making peace. V. 16. of Abel. Ver. 25. See that ye re- And that he might reconcile both fuse not him that speaketh: for if unto God in one body by the cross, they escaped not who refused him having slain the enmity thereby : that spake on earth, much more Ver. 17. And came and preached shall not we escape, if we turn away peace to you which were 'afar off, from him that speaketh from heaven: and to them that were nigh. V. 18. Ver. 26. Whose voice then shook For through him we both have an the earth: but now he hath pro- access by one Spirit unto the Father. mised, saying, Yet once

Ver. 19. Now therefore ye are na shake not the earth only, but also more strangers and foreigners, but heaven. Ver. 27. And this word, fellow citizens with the saints, and Yet once more, signifieth the re- of the household of God. moving of those things that are "Luke xxii. 20. Likewise also che: shaken, as of things that are made, cup after supper, saying, This cup that those things which cannot be is the new testament in my bloody shaken may remain. Jer. xxxi. 33. which is shed for you. But this shall be the covenant that s Gal. ii. 14. That the blessing I will make with the house of of Abraham might come on the