Question 20

Must all mankind unavoidably perish in their sins and misery?

No, not the elect of God.^a

Whom do you mean by Gods Elect?

Those whom God hath chosen to everlasting life.^b

What moved God to Elect any?

His meer good pleasure.^c

What mean you by that?

The most free, absolute, or undetermined Will of God.

When did God Elect them?

From all Eternity.^d

What mean you by that?

Before time began, or before any thing was created.

What did God do for his Elect, to accomplish his decree touching their Salvation?

He entred into a Covenant of Grace with them.

Why is the second Covenant called the Covenant of Grace?

Because Free-grace was the only motive God had to make, and perform the Promises contained in it.^e

By what other name is this Covenant called?

It is also called the New Covenant, because it never decayeth, nor waxeth old; but remaineth in full force, effect and vertue to the end of the world.^f

But what is become of the Law of that first Covenant made with Adam in Paradise, that old Covenant, the Covenant of Life, or Works; repeated to the Iews ▪ The sum of which we have fully express’d, Ezek. 18. 4. The Soul that sinneth, it shall die?

It is neither executed nor abrogated; but released, or dispensed with.

Is it not fully executed?

No.^g

Nor abrogated?

No.

How prove you that?

By these two Reasons, 1. It is in part executed upon Believers themselves; they are liable to the miseries of this life,^h and to Death it self, viz. to the first or natural Death,ⁱ which is the wages of sin, although the second Death hath no power over them.^j 2. It is totally executed upon finally impenitent unbelievers; who are liable to the pains of Hell for ever,^k over whom not the first only, but the second Death also hath power.^l

But seeing Iesus tasted Death for every man, doth not the Gospel relieve impenitent unbelievers?

The Gospel finds them, and every one in a state of Condemnation: Those who believe, it proclaims deliverance unto and relieves them; but those who through unbelief reject it, and^m put it from them, and judge themselves unworthy of everlasting life, it leaves such as it found them, viz. under the Condemnation of the Old Covenant, since they refuse the pardoning mercy of the New.

You have now satisfied us that the first Covenant is neither fully executed nor abrogated; But how is it released, or dispenced with?

By super-inducing a New Covenant of Grace over it; that whosoever closeth with, and comes into the terms of the new, shall be exempted from the rigour and extremity, i. e. from the eternalⁿ condemnation of the old; although he may be liable to the miseries of this life, and to the first Death.

Is the Covenant of works, as to its execution upon such as are in the Covenant of Grace, in the chief part restrained, although in some part inflicted?

Yes.

In the chief part restrained, and in some part inflicted; what do you mean by that?

We mean, that Believers shall never complain under the eternal and destructive, although they do bear the temporal, and corrective punishment of their fins.^o

But because generals are obscure, tell us particularly, for the clearer understanding of this Mysterie, what obligation the first Covenant laies on sinful man?

A double obligation; first, in reference to what is past. And secondly, in reference to the future.

What obligation doth it lay on him, in reference to what is past?

It requires satisfaction, and reparation from him, for his sin in breaking it.^p

What, in reference to the future?

It requires perfect conformity still as at the first, and absolute obedience to all Gods commands, being the eternal debt of the reasonable creature to that God, that made it in his own Image.

Is it possible for us to satisfie Gods injured Law for our first breach?

No.

But if we could, might not the Law come upon us for future exact conformity, to pay the residue of that eternal Debt, due to God as our Creator?

Yes, it might.

Doth the Covenant of Grace relieve us as to both these cases, and dispence with the rigour of the Law?

Yes.

How doth it relieve us as to the first obligation?

It comforts us with the good news that the Son of God hath satisfied his Fathers Justice; and if we believe but in him, God will accept of us, as if we had satisfied in our own persons. [The case the Law leaves us in, is well expressed, Isa. 33. 14. and Heb. 10. 31. But the relief the Gospel brings us, in St. Paul’s language, Rom. 8. 33, 34. you have both together excellently, Ezek. 33. 10, 11.]

How, as to the second?

The New Covenant dispenceth with the rigour of that too; and justified and pardoned persons shall not lose all again upon the least defailance; therefore the Gospel proclaims pardon of sin upon Repentance, and acceptance of sincere endeavours to obey him.

God gave the Law from Mount Sinai, and the voice of words was so dreadful there, that they which heard it, intreated that the Word should not be spoken to them any more: But we are come to Mount Sion; what is Gods language to us now?

Sinners, be but in good earnest, do but love me heartily and my waies; let me but see a child-like ingenuity in you, and I will put down your upright, though imperfect performances, in the Book of my remembrance.^q

How is it possible our performances should be recorded in the Book of Gods remembrance, since the best of them are imperfect, and we do daily break the Commandments of God in thought, word and deed?

If there be a willing mind, it is well accepted according to that we have, and not according to that we have not. And the Commandments of God may be reputed as done▪ when whatsoever is not done is pardoned. Thus doth the candour of the Gospel dispence with the rigour of the Law.^r

But how doth it stand with Gods veracity and immutability having once declared that the soul that sinneth shall die, to contradict it by declaring, That he that believeth shall never die, but have Eternal Life?

We must look upon threatenings as a part of the Law, declaring the dueness of the punishment, what the offender hath deserved to suffer; Not as predictions of the event, any more than Thou shalt, and Thou shalt not in the command, are Predictions: but only are expressive of the dueness of obedience.

How do the Old and New Covenant differ?

They differ more especially, these two waies, 1. In their tenor; the tenor of the Old is, Obey [perfectly] and live, sin and die; The tenor of the New is, Believe on the Lord Iesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved. 2. The New Covenant admits of Repentance, which the Old doth not.

But must not a believer acknowledge perfect obedience to be still his duty?

Yes.

Why so?

Because this honours the equity of Gods Commandments.

And hath the Redeemer then by making this one of the Conditions of the Gospel-Covenant, given his Father his Law back again?

Yes.

Doth he not repeal it?

No, it’s still the Rule of life, and every Commandment still obligeth a Believer.

What hath Christ then done for us?

Christ hath only released us from the condemning power of the Law, not the commanding power of it.

How understand you that?

We must still press after perfection; but though we fall short of it, we shall not die for it: Christ having Redeemed us from the curse of the Law, being made a curse for us; He leaves us under the Government and Command of the Law.

But have you any Scripture-warrant for what you say in this matter?

Yes, the whole matter is excellently expressed, 1 Ioh. 2. 1. My little Children, these things write I unto you, that you sin not: And if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father, Iesus Christ the righteous.

But generally and more briefly, what doth God promise to deliver the Elect out of in the Covenant of Grace?

Out of the estate of sin and misery.

But how doth God perform this Promise to them, seeing that they also are liable to the miseries of this life, and to the first Death as the wages of sin?

Although the Old Covenant in part be executed on them, yet doth not God leave them in the state of sin and misery; but hath entred into a New Covenant with them to bring them out of it: And what they suffer is for their good, that being reformed by stripes, they may be freed from those punishments which fall on the unreformed to all eternity.^s

And what doth God promise to bring the Elect into in the Covenant of Grace?

Into an estate of Salvation.^t

Is then the Deliverance of Gods Elect out of the estate of sin, and his bringing them into an estate of Salvation, the sum and the substance of what hath been said more at large in several particulars concerning the benefits of the New Covenant?

Yes.

How doth God promise to do all this?

By a Redeemer, Isa. 53. 10. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his daies, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand, vers. 11. He shall see of the Travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied, &c. And this by some learned Divines is called the Covenant of Redemption.

What do they mean by it?

That federal transaction that was betwixt God the Father and the Son from everlasting, about the Redemption of lost and fallen Man.

Is not this the same with the Covenant of Grace?

This Covenant is a Covenant of Grace, but ’tis not strictly that Covenant of Grace, which the Scripture holds out in opposition to the Covenant of works; but rather the means to it, or foundation of it.

Wherein do these two Covenants differ?

In the Confederates, For in the Covenant of Redemption, the Confederates are^u God and Christ, but in the Covenant of Grace, the Confederates are God and Believers.^v