righteousness to those who are his. 3dly, Of that war or struggle with sin, by the death of the body. 4thly, Of all the effects of it, by the resurrection from the dead.

tions thereon.

XXIII. But let us give our reasons, why we have Our reflechitherto doubted, whether these things are conceived and digested with sufficient accuracy. 1st, All the particulars here mentioned belong to the covenant of grace. But the covenant of grace does not abrogate, but supposes the abrogation of the covenant of works; because there could be no place for this, without the abrogation of the other, in the sense now mentioned. 2ndly, The covenant of grace is not the abolition, but rather the confirmation of the covenant of works, in so far as the Mediator has fulfilled all the conditions of that covenant, so that all believers may be justified, and saved, according to the covenant of works, to which satisfaction was made by the Mediator. This is the apostle's meaning, Rom. iii. 31: "Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid; yea, we establish the law." And again, Rom. viii. 4: "That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us." "Which signifies," as the learned person whose opinion we are now examining comments on this place, "that what the law accounts for righteousness is fully bestowed on us; and consequently, that what merits the reward of the law becomes perfectly ours." 3dly, The very law of the covenant, which gave up the human sinner to sin, when his condition is once changed by union with Christ the surety, does now, without any abolition, abrogation, or any other change whatever, abso lvethe man from the guilt and dominion of sin, and bestow on him that sanctification and glorification, which are gradually to be brought to that perfection, which he shall obtain at the resurrection of the dead; as being constrained to bear witness to the justification of the covenant of grace. This is what the learned person not improperly says, in the words we have just quoted: "So that the same law, abolished in the Redeemer as the law of sin, becomes the law of the Saviour, and bestows righteousness on those who are his;" which he has at large and learnedly explained on Rom. viii. 2. In a word, the same law, which was to man in innocence a commandment to life, and is to man in sin the law of sin, giving him up to the dominion and guilt of sin, becomes again in the Redeemer the law of the spirit of life, testifying that satisfaction was made to it by the Redeemer, and bestowing on man, who by faith is become one with the Redeemer, all the fruits of righteousness for justification, sanctification, and glorification. All the change is in the state of the man, none in the law of the covenant, according to which man, in whatever state he is, is judged. Which things seem not to have escaped the observation of the learned person himself, when, Summa Theolog. c. xxxi. §. 1, he speaks to this purpose:

"Nevertheless when we say this, we mean, that this fourfold abolition and removal of the covenant concerning works to be done, which is connected with our own happiness, is founded on the same law: not that this could be done by virtue of the law in itself alone, but that the intervention of a surety and Redeemer made it, at last, possible to the law." I allow that what he calls the abolition of the covenant concerning works, is founded in the law of works: but I leave it to the reader's consideration, whether it is not a strange way of talking, to say, that "the abolition and removal of the law, is founded on the law itself, and that the intervention of a surety and Redeemer made it at last possible to the law;" namely, that itself should effect its own absolution and removal? From all which I conclude, that it would be more proper to treat of these things, when we speak of the fruits and effects of the covenant of grace, than when considering the abolition of the covenant of works: which is, on no account, abolished, but in so far as it is become impossible for man to attain to life by his own personal works.

THE ECONOMY

OF THE

DIVINE COVENANTS.

BOOK II.

CHAPTER I.

Introduction to the Covenant of Grace.

By the breach of the cove.

nant of works, man became a slave to sin,

Satan, and

himself.

I. WHEN the covenant of works was thus broken by the sin of man, and abrogated by the just judgment of God, wretched man was cast headlong into the deepest gulf of ruin, whence there could be no escape. For, listening to the solicitation of the devil, and giving way to his own reasonings, he, in a most violent manner, withdrew himself from God, that he might be at his own disposal; and, like the prodigal son, Luke xv. 12, throwing off his rightful subordination to God, sold and enslaved himself to the devil. All which were acts of the highest injustice; for man had no right thus to dispose of himself, nor the devil to accept of what was God's. Yet God, considering that by this rash and unjust action man was justly punished, did, by his righteous judgment, ratify all this for his further punishment; gave him up to himself, as the most wretched and foolish of masters; and to sin, as a cruel tyrant, which would continually force him to every abominable practice. And even as they did not like to.retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient," Rom. i. 28. He also gave them up unto vile affections," verse 26; that so "they. might receive that recompence which was meet," verse 27. In fine, he delivered them up as slaves to the devil, to be "taken captive by him at his will," 2 Tim. ii. 26. And all this according to that most equitable law: Of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought in bondage," 2 Pet. ii. 19.

Without God and without

II. Moreover, when man was no longer in covenant hope in the with God, he then became "without God and without world. hope in the world," Eph. ii. 12. For it was impossible for him to devise any method, becoming to God, whereby, consistently with divine truth, justice, and holiness, he could be reconciled to God, and return again to his favour. The law of sin was also just, by which man was enslaved to sin, to the dominion and condemnation of it, and given up to the devil, as his tormentor. In which sense, he is said to be not only the captive of the devil, of the strong man, mentioned Matt. xii. 29, but also the lawful captive, Isa. xlix. 24; for he had "the power of death," Heb. ii. 14, and that by the law, 1 Cor. xv. 56, "the strength of sin is the law" Nor could man contrive any way, whereby sin, condemning by a most equitable law, could itself be justly condemned by God,

God lays the

covenant of

the most stu

ting up the

grace.

III. But it pleased God, according to the riches of breach of the his unsearchable wisdom, to lay this breach of the leworks as the gal covenant as a foundation for his stupendous works; foundation of for he took occasion to set up a new covenant of grace; pendous in which he might much more clearly display the inworks, by set estimable treasures of his all-sufficiency, than if every covenant of thing had gone well with man according to the first covenant and thus he discovered what seemed to surpass all belief and comprehension, that God, who is true, just, and holy, could, without any diminution to, nay rather with a much more illustrious display of, his adorable perfections, become the God and Salvation of the sinner; for he found out that admirable way to reconcile the strictest vindictive justice with the most condescending mercy, so that the one should be no obstruction to the other. For so illustrious an exercise of these perfections there could have been no place under the covenant of works.

Worthy of our

IV. If, therefore, any thing ought to be accounted most attentive worthy of our most attentive consideration, certainly it consideration. is the covenant of grace, of which we now attempt to treat. Here the way is pointed out to a Paradise far preferable to the earthly, and to a more certain and stable felicity than that from which Adam fell. Here a new hope shines upon ruined mortals, which ought to be the more acceptable, the more unexpectedly it comes. Here conditions are offered, to which eternal salvation is annexed; conditions, not to be performed again by us, which might throw the mind into despondency; but by him, who would not part with his life, before he had truly said, It is finished! Here, with the brightest splendour, shine forth the wonderful perfections of our God-his wis-. dom, power, truth, justice, holiness, goodness, philanthropy, or goodwill to man, mercy, and what tongue can rehearse them

all? Never were they before displayed on a more august theatre, to the admiration of all who behold them. Whoever, therefore, loves his own salvation, whoever longs to delight himself in the contemplation of the divine perfections, he must come hither, and deeply engage in holy meditations on the covenant of grace, which I think may not improperly be thus defined :—

of grace.

V. The covenant of grace is a compact, or agree- Definition of ment, between God and the elect sinner; God on his the covenant part declaring his free good-will concerning eternal salvation, and every thing relative thereto, freely to be given to those in covenant, by and for the mediator Christ; and man on his part consenting to that good-will by a sincere faith.

CHAPTER II.

Of the Covenant beween God the Father and the Son.

A two-fold

compact in the grace. 1. Bether and the

covenant of

tween the Fa

tween God

I. In order the more thoroughly to understand the nature of the covenant of grace, two things are above all to be distinctly considered. First, the covenant which intervenes between God the Father and Christ the Mediator. Secondly, That testamentary disposition Son. 2. Beby which God bestows, by an immutable covenant, and the Elect. eternal salvation, and every thing relative thereto, upon the elect. The former agreement is between God and the Mediator: the latter, between God and the Elect. This last pre-supposes the first, and is founded upon it.

between the

plained.

ex

II. When I speak of the compact between the Fa- The compact ther and the Son, I thereby understand the will of the Father and Father, giving the Son to be the head and Redeemer the Son of the elect; and the will of the Son, presenting himself, as a sponsor or surety for them; in all which the nature of a compact and agreement consists. The Scriptures represent the Father, in the economy of our salvation, as demanding the obedience of the Son even unto death, and, upon condition of that obedience, promising him in his turn that name which is above every name, even that he should be the head of the elect in glory; but the Son, as presenting himself to do the will of the Father, acquiescing in that promise, and in fine, requiring by virtue of the compact, the kingdom and glory promised to him. When we have clearly demonstrated all these particulars from Scripture, it cannot, on any pretence, be denied, that there