ning the imperfections of our beft performances. If perfection was rigidly exacted, no flesh could be faved: if not at all commanded, imperfection fhould not be fin, nor perfection to be laboured after. The faith that is lively to imbrace mercy is ever conjoyned with an unfained purpose to walke in all well pleafing, and the fincere performance of all holy obedience, as opportunity is offered, doth ever attend that faith, whereby we continually lay hold upon the promises once embraced. Actuall good workes of all forts (though not perfect in degree) are neceffary to the continuance of actuall justification, becaufe faith can no longer lay faithfull claime to the promises of life, then it doth ver tually or actually leade us forward in the way to Heaven. For if we Jay, we have fellowship with God and walke in darknesse, we lie and doe not the truth:But if we walke in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, 1 Joh. 1.6,7. This walking in the light,as he is in the light, is that qualification, wherby we become immediatly capable of Chrifts righteousnes,or actuall participants of his propitiation, which is the fole immediate caufe of our juftification, taken for remiffion of finnes, or actuall approbation with God.. The truth of which Doctrine St John likewife ratifies in tearmes equivalent, in the words prefently following: And the blood of Ioh.1.7. Christ cleanfetb us, (walking in the light as God is in the light), from all finne. But of thefe things more largely in the feverall de grees how this Covenant hath been revealed. In this Covenant man doth promise to repent of his finnes, and repenting to cleave unto the promife of mercy made in Iefus. Christ, and in faith to yeeld willing, cheerefull and continuall obedience. In contracts amongst men, one may aske more, and the other bid leffe, and yet they may ftrike agreement: But it is. altogether bootleffe, for men to thinke of entring into Covenant with God, if they be not refolved to obey in all things. The pra Яife of all Gods people, who ever made Covenant with his Highneffe, doth expreffely fpeake thus much, when they folemnly entred into, or renewed their Covenant: for thus they promise, What foever the Lord faith, that will we doe, Exod.24.3.7. The people faid unto Jofhua, The Lord our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey, Josh.24.23. And they entred into Covenant to feeke the Lord God of their Fathers, with all their heart,and with all their foule: T bat whosoever would not secke the Lord God of Ifrael, should be put to death, whether (mall or great, whether man or woman, 2 Chron. 15. 12,13. And the King stood by the pillar, and made a Covenant before the Lord, to walke after the Lord, and to keepe his Commande ments, and his Teftimonies, and bis ftatutes, with all their heart, and all their foule, to performe the words of this Covenant that were written in this booke : and all the people stood to the Covenant, 2 Chran.34. 31. 2 Kings 23.3. They entred into a Curse, and into an Oath to walke in Gods Law, which was given by Mofes the Servant of God, and to objerve and doe all the Commandements of the Lord our God, and his Iudgements, and his Statutes, Neh.10.29. And thus runneth the exhortation of Joshua to the two tribes and halfe when he fent them home;Take diligent heed to doo the Commandements of the Law, which Mofes the fervant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God, and to walke in all his wayes, and to keepe his Commandements, and to cleave unto him, and to ferve him with all your heart, and with all your feule, Iob.22.5. Which must not fo be understood, as if he that did of frailty and infirmity offend in any one jotor tittle, fhould be held a Covenant breaker: for then roman should be innocent, but the promise must be interpreted according as the Law or rule of obedience is giver, which calleth for perfectionbut accepteth fincerity. In the Covenant of mercy we bind our felves to believe and reft upon God with the whole heart, fo as doubting or diftruft of weakneffe and infirmity, must be acknowledged a finne, but every fuch frailty doth not ar gue the perfon to be a tranfgreffour of the Covenant. And the fame holds true of obedience. But of this more largely in the par ticular manner how God hath been pleafed to adminifier this Covenant. Man then doth promise to ferve the Lord, and to cleave unto him alone, which is both a debt of duty, and speciall preroga tive,and he doth reftipulate or humbly intreat, that God would be mindfull of his holy Covenant or teftimony,that he would be his God,his Portion,his Protectour,and rich reward. These things be fo linked together in the Covenant, as that we must conceive the Promife of God in order of nature to goe before the Promife and obedience of man: and to be the ground of faith, whereby mercy promised is received. The offer of mercy is made to man an unbelcever, that he might come home,and the promise must be conceived before we can beleeve, elfe we should beleeve we know not what, and faith should hang in the aire without any founda tion: but mercy offered is embraced by faith, and vouchsafed to him that beleeveth. Also the duty which God calleth for, and man promifeth, is manis duty but given of God. By grace man is enabled and effectually drawne to doe what God commandeth. The Covenant could not be of grace, nor the good things cove nanted, if man by his own ftrength did or could performe what God requireth. This Covenant was first published, and made knowne by lively voice: afterwards it was committed to writing,the tables there 14. of being the holy Scripture. It was made both by word and Pfal.85.4,3 5. Oath, to demonftrate the certainty and conftancy thereof: and Deut.29.13, fealed by the Sacraments, which on Gods part doe confirme the Ifai. 54.9. Promife made by him: and on mans part are bils obligatory or Heb.6.17,18. hand-writings, whereby they teftific and bind themselves to the Gen.22.16. performance of their duty. Luke 1.72. For manner of adminiftration this Covenant is divers, as it pleafed God in fundry manners to difpenfe it: but for substance it is one, the laft, unchangeable and everlafting. One, For Jefus Christ is the fame yesterday, and to day, and for ever. The last: for it Heb. 13.8. fucceeded the Covenant of works, but none fhall fucceed it. In it God hath revealed his whole pleasure touching the Salvation of man,and hath manifefted his principall properties, the riches of his grace, wherein he delighteth to be magnified. He that is not faved by the Covenant of Grace, must and shall perish everlastingly. Unchangeable and everlasting: for therein God hath revea led himfelfe, in refpect of the things he willeth concerning mans Salvation to be one and the fame for ever. There is none other relation and refpect, that might give occafion to another Covenant. It was the pleasure of God to fhew mercy to man miferable; but he will not extend compaffion to him that obftinately and wil fully fhall contemne the riches of his grace. The Covenant made with Adam in the state of Innocency,is altered for our great good and comfort:, but this Covenant is like the Covenant of the day and of the night, it stands faft for ever and ever. Though men be unfaithfull,God continueth faithfull: he waiteth for the converfion of them that goe aftray, and if they returne, he will receive them into favour. The Lord will not utterly caft off that people, Jer.3.1,2. whom he hath once chofen, and received unto mercy. And in Rom.c.6. refpect of the life to come, the Covenant is eternall: for after this life Ifai.245. 1 Sam.7.3. Deut.4.31. and 11.1,29, Hol.13.14. life the people eff:&tually in Covenant fhall live with the Lord Matth, 22.3. for ever. Externally this Covenant is made with every member of the Church,even with the Parents and their children,fo many as heare and embrace the Promises of Salvation, and give and dedicate their children unto God according unto his direction: for the Sacraments what are they but feales of the Covenant? But favingly, effectually, and in fpeciall manner it is made only with them,who are partakers of the benefits promised. And as the Covenant is made outwardly or effectually,fo fome are the people of God externally, others internally and in truth. For they are the people of God, with whom God hath contracted a Covenant, and who in like manner have fworne to the words of the Covenant, God ftipulating,and the people receiving the condition: which is done two wayes: for either the Covenant is made extrinfecally, God by fome fenfible token gathering the people, and the people embracing the condition in the fame manner, and fo an externall confociation of God and the people is made: or the Covenant is entred after an invifible manner, by the intervention of the Spirit, and that with so great efficacy, that the condition of the Covenant is received after an invifible manner, and fo an internall con fociation of God and the people is made up, Here it may fuffice briefly to mention these things, because in the fundry manners of difpenfation,they will come to be difcuffed more at large. From that which hath been said two things may be gathered. 1. How the Covenant made with Adam, called by fome Divines the Covenant of Nature, agreeth and differeth from the Covenant of Grace. They agree in a generall confideration of, 1. The Author, which is God only wife,moft holy,our fupreme and abfolute Soveraigne. 2.The matter of the Covenant, which is a Commandement and Promife of reward. 3. The perfons contracting or covenanting, which are God and man. 4. The Subject not differenced by speciall refpects, for the Law was given and Gofpell revealed to man. 5. The forme of adminiftration, because to both Corenants is annexed a reftipulation. 6. The end,viz. the bleffedneffe of man, and the glory of God manifested in his wisdome, bounty and goodneffc. 7. As Adam in the ftate of Innocency was made made able to fulfill the Covenant made with him fo is the Covenant of Grace written in the hearts of them that be heires of the Promife in Chrift. They differ, 1. In the fpeciall confideration of the Authour, caufe and foundation of the Covenants, God gave his Law to Adam as bountifull and gratious to his creature intire and perfect, but in ftrict justice requiring obedience, promifing a reward and denouncing punishment. But the Covenant of Grace he made as loving Father in Jefus Chrift, of his meere Grace promifing to receive them into favour,that fincerely and unfainedly turne unto him. The Creation of man and integrity of humane nature, is the Foundation of the former Covenant: but the Redemption of man by Chrift is the Foundation of the Covenant of Grace. 2. In the forme of Sanction. In the Covenant of Nature there is no Mediatour: but the Covenant of Grace is made in Christ, in whom God hath made us accepted. The Covenant of Nature was not promifed before it was promulgated: but the Covenant of Grace was first promised, and long after promulgated and established or ratified in the bloud of his Sonne. 3. In the fpeciall matter of the Covenants, and that both in refpect of the Promife and ftipulation. For the Covenant of Nature promised life, but not righteoufneffe but in the Covenant of Grace God promifeth to tread Satan under the feet, and to write his Law in the hearts of them that be heires of Salvation. That Covenant promiseth life to them that perfectly obey, but not remiffion or forgiveneffe of any, even the leaft iniquity. But this promifeth forgiveneffe of finnes and life eternall to the penitent finner believing in Chrift, and embracing the free promife of mercy. In that, life eternall is promised as the reward of justice: in this, life and glory as the reward of free and rich grace and mercy. To him that worketh, the wages is of debt; but to him that beleeves the reward is of Grace. In that God as a Creatout doth exact his right of man pure: but in this as a loving Father he doth offer himselfe to the finner fmitten with the conscience of his finne. In that, life eternall and most bleffed is promised, but only animal, to be enjoyed in Paradife, or continuance in that good eftate wherein he was fet at firft of the rich bounty of God: but in the other, tranflation out of ignominy and death into eter mall happinesse and glory in Heaven. In the Covenant of Nature E perfec |