Of the Covenant of Grace
Quest. XX. DID God leave all mankind to perish in this state of sin and misery?
Ans. No, he entered into a covenant of grace to deliver the elect out of that estate, and bring them into a state of grace by a Redeemer.
Isa. Iv. 3., “I will make an everlasting covenant with you.” Man being by his fall, plunged into a labyrinth of misery, and having no way left to recover himself, God was ple«sed to enter into a new covenant with him, and so restored him to life by a Redeemer. — The great proposition I shall go upon is, that there is a new covenant ratified between God and the elect.
Quest. Wiat is the new covenant?
Ans. It is a solemn compact and agreement made between God and fallen man, wherein the Lord undertakes to be our God, and to make us his people.
Quest. UTiat ?iames are given to the covenant?
Ans. 1. It is called the covenant of peace, Ezek. xxxvii. 26., because it seals up reconciliation between God and humble sinners. Before this covenant there was nothing but enmity; God did not love us, — a creature that off”eiids cannot be loved by an holy God; and we did not love him, — a God that condemns, cannot be loved by a guilty creature; so that there was war on both sides. But God hath found out a OF THE COVENANT OF fiRAPF..
way In the new covenant to reconcile differing parties, so that it is fitly called the covenant of peace.
2. It is called a covenant of grace and well it may, for, lst. It was with grace, that, when we had forfeited the first covenant, God should enter into a new covenant, after we had cast away ourselves. The covenant of grace is tabula post naufraglum — as a plank after shipwreck. O the free grace of God, that he should parley with sinners, and set his wisdom and mercy ar-work to bring rebels into the bond of the covenant! — 2d. It is a covenant of grace, because it is a royal charter, all made up of terms of grace: that “God will cast our sins behind his back,” — that “he will love us freely,” Hos. xiv. 4., — that he will give us a will to accept of the mercy of the covenant, and strenglli to perform the conditions of the covenant, Ezek. xxxvii. 26. All this is pure gi-acc.
Quest. IVhy should God make a covenant with us?
Ans. 1. It is out of indulgence, favour, and respect to us. A tyrant will not enter into a covenant with slaves, he will not shew them such respect. God’s entering into covenant with us to be our God, is a dignity he puts upon us. A covenant is insigne honoris, — a note of distinction between God’s people and heathens, Ezek. xvi. 62., “I will establish my covenant with thee.” When the Lord told Abraham that he would enter into a covenant with him, Abraham fell upon his face. Gen. xvii. 2., as being amazed that the God of glory should bestow such a favour upon him.
A. 2. God makes a covenant with us, to tie us fast to him; it is called in Ezekiel, ’ the bond of the covenant.’ God knows we have slippery hearts, therefore he will have a covenant to bind us; it is horrid impiety to go away from God after covenant. If one of the vestal nuns, who had vowed herself to religion, was deflowered, the Romans caused her to be buried alive. It is perjury to depart from God after solemn covenant.
Quest. Jiow doth the covenant of grace differ from the first covenant made with Adam?
Ans. 1. The terms of the first covenant were more strict and severe: for, 1st. The
least failing would have made the covenant with Adam null and A’oid, but many failings do not null the covenant of grace. I grant, the least sin is a trespass upon the covenant, but it doth not make it null and void. There may be many failings in the conjugal relation, but every failing doth not break the marriage-bond. It would be sad, if, as oft as we break covenant with God, he should break covenant with us; but God will not take advantage of every failing, but “in anger remember mercy.” — 2d/g. The first covenant being broken, allowed the sinner no remedy, all doors of hope were shut, but the new covenant allows the sinner a remedy, it leaves room for repentance, it provides a mediator, Heb. xli. 24., “Jesus the mediator of the new covenant.”
A. 2. The first covenant did run all upon ’ working,’ the second upon ’ believing,’ Rom. iv. 5.
Quest. BiU are not works required in the coveiumt of grace?
Ans. Yes; Tit. iii. 8., “This is a faithful saying, that they which have believed in God, be careful to maintain good works.” But the covenant of grace doth not roqidi’e works in the same manner as the covenant of works did. In the first covenant, works were required as the condition of life; in the second, they are required only as the signs of a man that is alive. In the first covenant, works were required as grounds of salvation; in the new covenant, they are required as evidences of our love to God. In the first, they were required to the justification of our persons; in the new, to the testification of our grace. Quest. IVhat is the conditicm of the covenant of grace?
Ans. The main condition is faith. Quest. But ichy is fuilh more the condition of the new covenard than any other grace? Ans. To exclude all glorying in the creature; faith is an humble grace. If repentance or works were the condition of the covenant, a man would say, “It is my righteousness hath saved me:” but if it be of faith, where is boasting? Faith fetcheth all from Christ, and gives all the glory to Christ; it is a most humble grace. Hence it is God hath singled out this gTace to be the condition of the covenant. And if faith be the condition of the covenant of gi-ace, it excludes desperate presumptuous sinners from the covenant. They say there is a covenant of grace, and they shall be saved: but did you ever know a bond without a condition? The condition of the covenant is faith, and if thou hast no faith, thou hast no more to do with the covenant than a foreigner or a country farmer with the city charter.
Use 1st Of information. See the amazing goodness of God, to enter into covenant with us: he never entered into covenant with the angels when they fell. It was much condescension in God to enter into covenant with us in a state of innocency, but more so when we were in a state of enmity. In this covenant of grace we may see the cream of God’s love and the working of his bowels to sinners. This is a marriage-covenant, Jer. iii. 14., “I am married to you, saith the Lord.” In the new covenant, God makes himself over to us, and what can he give more? And he makes over his promises to us, and what better bonds can we have?
Use 2d. Of trial. Vliether we are in covenant with God. There are three characters.
1. God’s covenant-people are an humble people, 1 Pet. v. 5., “Be clothed with humility.” God’s people esteem of others better than themselves; they shrink into nothing in their own thoughts, Phil. ii. 3. David cries out, “I am a worm, and no man, Ps. xxii. 6.; though a saint, though a king, yet a worm. When Moses’ face shined, he covered it with a veil: God’s people, when they shine most in grace, are covered with the veil of humility. Pride excludes from the covenant; “God resisteth the proud,” I Pet. v. 5., and sure such are not in covenant with God, whom he resists.
2. A people in covenant with God are a willing people; though they cannot serve God perfectly, they serve him willingly. They do not grudge God a little time spent in his worship; they do not hesitate or murmur at sufferings; they will go through a sea and a wilderness if (iod call: Ps. ex. 3., “Thy people shall be a willing peoj)le,” — Heb. ’ a ])eople of willingness.’ This
spontaneity and willingness, is from the attractive power of God’s Spirit; the Spirit doth not impellers force, but trakerey sweetly draw the will; and this willingness in religion makes all our services accepted. God doth sometimes accept of willingness without the work, but never the work without willingness.
3. God’s covenant-people are a consecrated people; they have holiness to the Lord written upon them; Deut. vii. 6., ‘• Thou art a holy people unto the Lord thy God.” God’s covenant-people are separated from the world and sanctified by the Spirit. The priests under the law were not only to wash in the great laver, but were arrayed with glorious apparel, Exod. xxviii. 2. This was typical to shew God’s people are not only washed from gross sins, but adorned with holiness of heart, they bear not only God’s name, but image. Tamerlane refused a pot of gold, when he saw it had not his father’s stamp upon it, but the Roman stamp. Holiness is God’s stamp; if he doth not see this stamp upon us, he will not own us for his covenant-people.
Use 3d. Of exhortation. To such as are out of covenant, labour to get intu covenant, and have God for your God. How glad would the old world have been of an ark? How industrious should we be to get within the ark of the covenant? Consider, 1, The misery of such as live and die out of covenant with God. (1.) Such have none to go to in an hour of distress. When conscience accuseth, when sickness approacheth, (which is but an harbingei to bespeak a lodging for death) then what will you do? Whither will you flee? Will you look to Christ for help? He is a mediator only for such as are in covenant. O how will you be filled with horror and despair! and be as Saul, 1 Sara, xxviii. 15., “The Philistines make war against me, and the Lord is departed.” (2.) Till you are in covenant with God, there is no mercy. The mercy-seat was ])laced upon the ark, and the mercy-seat wa.s no larger than the ark, to shew, that the mercy of God reacheth no further than the covenant.
2. The excellency of the covenant of
OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE.
grace; it is a better covenant than the covenant made with Adam. (1.) Because it is more friendly and propitious. Those services which would have been rejected in the first covenant, are accepted in the second. Here God accepts of the will for the deed, 2 Cor. viii. 12.; here sii.cerity is crowned in the covenant of grace; wherein we are weak, God will give strength, and wherein we come short, God will accept of a surety. (2.) It is a better covenant, because it is surer, 2 Sam. xxiii. 5., “God hath ^ade with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure.” The first covenant was not sure, it stood upon a tottering foundation, works; Adam had no sooner a stock of righteousness to trade with, but he broke; but the covenant of grace is sure, it is confirmed with God’s decree, and it rests upon two mighty pillars, the oath of God, and the blood of God. (3.) It hath better privileges. The covenant of grace brings preferment. Our nature now is more ennobled, we ai’e raised to higher glory than in innoccncy, we are advanced to sit upon Christ’s throne. Rev. iii. 21. We are by virtue of the covenant of grace, nearer to Christ than the angels: they are his friends, we his spouse. God is willing to be in covenant with you. Why doth God woo and beseech you by his ambassadors to be reconciled, if he were not willing to be in covenant?
Obj. / would fain he in covenant with God, but I have been a great sinner, and I Jear God will not admit me into covenant.
Ans. If thou seest thy sins, and loathest thyself for them, yet God will take thee into covenant, Isa. xliii. 24., “Thou hast wearied me with thy iniquities; I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions.” As the sea covers great rocks, so God’s covenant-mercy covers great sins. Some of the Jews that crucified Christ, yet had their sins washed away in his blood.
Obj. But I am not worthy that ever God should admit me into covenant.
Ans. It never came into God’s thoughts to make a new covenant ui)on terms of worthiness. If God should shew mercy to none but such as are worthy, then must he shew mercy to none at all. But it is God’s design in the new covenant to advance the
riches of grace, to love us freely, and, when we have no worthiness of our own, to accept us through Christ’s worthiness. Therefore let not un worthiness discourage you; it is not unworthiness excludes any from the covenant, but unwillingness.
Quest, jriiat shall ice do that we may be in covenant icith God?
Ans. 1. Seek to God by prayer. Exige a Domino miser icordium, Aug. “Lord, be my God in coven.int.” The Lord hath made an express promise that, upon our prayer to him, the covenant should be ratified, he will be our God, and we shall be his people: Zee. xiii. 9., “They shall call upon my name, and I will hear them: I will say, ’ it is my people;’ and they shall say, ’ the Lord is my God.’” Only it must be an importunate prayer; come as earnest suitors, resolve to take no denial.
A. 2. If you would be in covenant with God, break off the covenant with sin; before the marriajje-covenant there must be a divorce, 1 Sam. vii. 3, “If ye do return unto the Lord with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods;” and they put away Ashtaroth, viz. their female gods. Will any king enter into covenant with that man who is in league with his enemies?
A. 3. If you would enter into the bond of the covenant, get faith in the blood of the covenant. Christ’s blood is the blood of atonement; believe in this blood, and you are safely arked in God’s mercy; Eph. ii, 13., “Ye are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” Use Ath. Of comfort to such as can make out their covenant-interest in God. 1. You that are in covenant with God, all your sins are pardoned. Pardon is the crowning
mercy, Ps. ciii. 3., “Who forgiveth thy iniquity, who crowneth thee,” &c. This isa branch of the covenant, Jer. xxxi. 33, 34., “I will be their God, and I will fi)rgive their iniquity.” Sin being pardoned, all wrath ceaseth. How terrible is it when but a spark of God’s wrath ilies into a man’s conscience! but sin being forgiven, no more wrath. God doth not appear now in the fire or earthquake, hut covered with a rainbow full of mercy.
2. All vonr temporal mercies are fruits of the covenant. Wicked men have mercies by providence, not by virtue of a covenant; with God’s leave, not with his love. But such ,as are in covenant have their mercies sweetened with (lod’s love, and they swim to them in the blood of Christ. As Naaman said to Gehazi, 2 Kinys v. 23., “Take two talents,” so saith (iod to such as are in covenant, take two talents, — take health, and take Christ with it, — take riches, and lake my love with them, — take the venison, and take the blessing with it, — take two talents.
3. You may upon all occasions plead the covenant. If you are haunted with temptations, plead the covenant: Lord, thou hast promised to bruise Satan under my feet shortly, wilt thou suffer thy child to be thus worried? take off the roaring lion. If in want, plead the covenant: Lord, thou hast said, “I shall want no good thing,” wilt thou save me from hell, and not from want .•* wilt thou give me a kingdom, and d«niy me daily bread?
4. If in covenant with God, all things shall co-operate for your good: etiam mala cidvnt in bomim, Ps. xxv. 10. Not only golden paths, but his bloody paths. Every wind of providence shall blow them nearer heaven. Affliction shall humble and purify, Hob. xii. 10. Out of the bitterest drug God distils your salvation. Afflictions add to the saints’ glory. The more the diamond is cut, the more it sparkles; the heavier the saints’ cross is, the heavier shall be their crown.
5. If thou art in coA’^enant once, then for ever in covenant. The text calls it, ’ an everlasting covenant.’ Such as are in covenant are elected; God’s electing love is unchangeable, Jer. xxxii. 40., “I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from lcln; but I will put my fear in their heart, that they shall not depart from me.” God will so love the saints, that he will not forsake them; and the saints shall so fear God, that they shall not forsake him. ‘Tis a covenant of eternity. It must be so; for who is this covenant made with? Is it not with believers? and have not they coalition and union with Christ? Christ is the head, they are the body, Eph. i. 23. This is a near union, much like that union between God the Father and Christ, John xvii. 21., “As thou, Father,
art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be One in us.” Now the union between Christ and the saints being so inseparable, it can never be dissolved, or the covenant made void; you may die with comfort.
C. Thou art in covenant with God, and thou art going to thy God: behold a death-bed cordial; death breaks the union between the hotly and the soul, but ])crfects the union between Christ and the soul. This hath made the saints desire death as the bride the wedding-day: Phil. i. 23., cupio dissolvi. “Lead me, Lord, to that glory,” (said one) “a glimpse whereof I have seen as in a glass darkly.”
Use o(h. Of direction: to shew how you should walk who have tasted of covenant-mercy — Live as a people in coven<ant with God. As you differ from others in respect of dignity, so you must in point of carriage.
1st. You must love this God. God’s love to you calls for love. 1. It is amor gralialus, — a free love. Vliy should Go<l p;i«8 by others and take you into a league of friendship with himself? In the law, God passed by the lion and eagle, and chose the dove: so he passes by the noble and mighty. 2. It is mnor plenus, — a full love. AVlien (lod takes you into covenant, you are his Ilcphziba/i, Isa. lxii. 5.; his delight is in you; he gives you the key of all his treasure, he heaps pearls upon you, he settles heaven and earth upon you, he gives you a bunch of grapes by the way, and saith, ‘Son, all I have is thine.’ And doth not all this call for love? Vlio can tread upon these hot coals, and his heai’t not burn in love to God?
2d/i/. Walk holily. The covenant hath made you a royal nation, therefore be an holy people. Shine as lights in the world; li e as earthly angels. God hath taken you into covenant, that you and he may have communion together; and what is it keeps up your communion with God, but holiness?
Sdii/. AValk thankfully, Ps. ciii. 1. God is your God in covenant, he hath done more for you than if he had made you ride upon the high places of the earth, and given you crowns and sceptres. O Uike the cup of salvation, and bless the Lord! Eternity will be little enough to jnaise him. Musicians love to play on their music where no
CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT.
there is the loudest sound; and God loves to hestow his mercies where he may have the loudest praises. You that have angels’
reward, do angels’ work. Begin that work of praise here, which you hope to he always doing in heaven.