would be subversive of all religion, that faith, and all other graces,
are required by God, and our obligation thereunto is indispensible;
whether it be reckoned a condition of the covenant or no, it is no less
a duty.[100] It is true, there are some who distinguish between the
obligation of a law, and that of a covenant; the former of which depends
on an express command; the latter is the result of some blessings
promised or conferred, which has in it the obligation of a law, but not
the formal nature of it; and therefore they conclude, that we are
commanded by God, as a Lawgiver, to believe and repent, but that it is
more proper to say, we are rather engaged by him, as a covenant-God,
than commanded to exercise these graces: but this dispute is rather
about the propriety of words, than the main substance of the doctrine
itself; and therefore I shall enter no farther into this critical
enquiry, but content myself with the general assertion, that faith, and
all other graces are necessary duties; without which, _it is impossible
to please God_, to use the apostle’s expression, Heb. xi. 6. or to have
any right to the character of Christians.
_2dly_, Faith, and all other graces, are to be also considered as
blessings, promised in the covenant of grace. This appears from those
scriptures that speak of them as _the gifts of God_, Eph. ii. 8.
purchased by the blood of Christ, and so founded on _his righteousness_,
2 Pet. i. 1. and wrought in us by his Spirit, and the _exceeding
greatness of his power_, Eph. i. 19. and as discriminating blessings,
which all are not partakers of, as the apostle says, _All men have not
faith_, 2 Thess. iii. 2.
This may be farther argued, from what Christ undertook to purchase for,
and apply to his people, as their federal Head; so that, in pursuance
hereof, all spiritual blessings in heavenly things, are bestowed on
them, in him; and hereby the covenant is made good to them, as God is
said, _together with Christ, to give them all things_, Rom. viii. 32.
First, Christ is given for a covenant of his people, and then, upon his
fulfilling what he undertook to procure for them, all that grace, which
is treasured up in him, is applied to them; therefore faith, and other
concomitant graces, are covenant-blessings.
_3dly_, There is a certain connexion between faith, with other
concomitant graces, and salvation. But this having been considered
elsewhere, together with the sense of those scriptures, that seem to be
laid down in a conditional form, from whence the arguments, to prove the
conditionality of the covenant of grace, are generally taken;[101] all
that we shall add, at present, is, that since, in this eternal covenant
between the Father and the Son, it was agreed, established, and, on our
Saviour’s part, undertaken, that the elect should be not only redeemed,
but sanctified, and enabled to exercise all grace, before they are
brought to glory, this is made good to them in this covenant; and
therefore, as the consequence of Christ’s purchase, faith, and all other
graces, are wrought in the soul, which afterwards, in receiving the end
of faith, is brought to eternal salvation; so that we may as well
separate Christ’s undertaking to redeem his people from their attaining
salvation, as we can his applying those graces which accompany it.
However, when we speak of these graces, as connected with salvation, we
must not conclude that they are the cause thereof. Though we are saved
in a way of believing, we are not saved for our faith; and therefore I
cannot but approve of what is observed by many divines, who treat of
this subject, that these graces are the way to heaven, though Christ’s
righteousness be the cause of our coming there.[102] I am sensible there
are some who express their dislike of some of the most unexceptionable
modes of speaking, if not altogether agreeable to those which they make
use of, who can hardly approve of any one’s asserting, that faith, and
other graces, are the way to salvation; partly, because they are the
beginning of salvation, and principally, because Christ styles himself,
_The Way_, John xiv. 6. But to this it may be replied, that though grace
be glory begun, yet it may as truly be said to be the way to complete
salvation, as the traveller’s setting out, and going forward on his
journey, is the way to the end thereof, without which it can never be
attained; and, though Christ be the way to salvation, as every thing
that tends to fit us for, and bring us to it, is founded on what he did
for us, as Mediator; yet this does not, in the least, overthrow the
connexion of grace with glory, in the method in which he brings his
people to it, by first working faith, and all other graces in them,
before the work is brought to perfection, or the top-stone thereof is
laid.
_4thly_, If we assert more than this, namely, that faith is a condition
of the covenant of grace, or, as it is expressed in this answer, a
condition to interest believers in Christ, we must distinguish between
God’s bestowing the blessings of the covenant of grace, pursuant to his
secret will, or his eternal purpose; and our having a visible ground, or
reason, to claim an interest in them; the former of these cannot be
supposed to be conditional, without making God dependent on our act; the
latter may, and, I think, ought to be deemed so. Thus faith is a
condition, or an internal qualification, without which no one has a
warrant to conclude his interest in, or lay claim to the saving
blessings of the covenant of grace, so that when it is said to be a
condition to interest believers in Christ, in this answer, we are to
understand it, as that which evinces our claim to him, or gives us
ground to conclude, that we are redeemed by him, and to expect that he
will bestow upon us complete salvation. To deny this, would be to
suppose, that an unbeliever has a warrant to conclude that Christ loved
and gave himself for him, or that he shall be saved by him; which is a
doctrine that I cannot but oppose with the greatest detestation, as what
contains in it an unwarrantable presumption, and leads to
licentiousness, which, I hope, nothing, that has been said on this
subject, has the least tendency to do. Thus we have considered how faith
may be said to be a condition of our laying claim to an interest in
Christ; we proceed,
VII. To consider how the grace of God is glorified, in his having
ordained, that we should apprehend or discern our interest in Christ,
and the blessings of the covenant, by faith. Of all other graces, faith
is that which has the greatest tendency to discover to the soul its own
vileness, and nothingness; and, indeed, every thing that we behold in
Christ its object, has a tendency to abase us in our own sight. Do we,
by faith, behold Christ’s fulness? This has a tendency to humble us,
under a sense of our own emptiness. Do we look on Christ as the Fountain
of all righteousness and strength? This leads us to see that we are
destitute hereof in ourselves; so that, as faith beholds all that we
have, or hope for, as being founded on, and derived from Christ, and
gives us hereupon the greatest sense of our own unworthiness, this is in
its own nature adapted to advance the grace of God; and therefore God,
in taking this method to apply the blessings of the covenant, requiring
faith, as an instrument, hereof, ordained the best expedient, to
illustrate, and set forth his own grace as displayed therein. But since
it is a very difficult matter to believe, as this grace of faith is the
gift and effect of the power of God, we are now to consider,
VIII. That the grace of the covenant is farther manifested, in that God
has promised, and pursuant thereunto, gives his Holy Spirit to work
faith, and all other graces that are connected with, or flow from it.
That we have in the covenant of grace a promise of the Holy Spirit, to
work in us, that grace which God requires, is very evident; for he says,
_I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace, and of supplications_, Zech. xii. 10.
and elsewhere, God promises _to pour his Spirit upon their seed, and his
blessings upon their offspring_, Isa. xliv. 3. and this is farther set
forth, in a metaphorical way, when he promises _to sprinkle clean water_
on his people, and that _he would cleanse them from all their
filthiness, and from all their idols, and give them a new heart, and put
a new spirit within them, and take away the stony heart out of their
flesh, and give them an heart of flesh_, and all this is said to be done
by _his Spirit_, which he promised _to put within them_, Ezek. xxxvi.
25-27. And more particularly, the Spirit, as working faith in the hearts
of believers, is called, for that reason, _The Spirit of faith_, 2 Cor.
iv. 13. and all other graces are called, _The fruit of the Spirit_, Gal.
v. 22, 23. so that they are from the Spirit, as the Author of all grace,
and they proceed from faith, as one grace tends to excite another: thus
the heart is said _to be purified by faith_, Acts xv. 9. which is said
also _to work by love_, Gal. v. 6. and hereby we are enabled _to
overcome the world_; and this produces all holy obedience, which is
called, _The obedience of faith_, Rom. xvi. 26. Thus concerning the
Spirit’s working faith and all other graces.
Again, it is farther added, that the truth and sincerity of faith is
evidenced as well as the grace of faith wrought by the Spirit; and this
is also a blessing promised in the covenant of grace. Hereby we are
enabled to discern our interest in Christ, and our right to all the
blessings that accompany salvation; in which respect, the _secret of the
Lord is with them that fear him, and he shews them his covenant_, Psal.
xxv. 14. He not only discovers to them that there is such a dispensation
of grace in general, but that they have a right to the blessings
promised therein, and accordingly _seals them unto the day of
redemption_, Eph. iv. 30. and hereby they are enabled to walk
comfortably, as knowing in whom they have believed, and, are induced to
the greatest thankfulness, as those, who are under the highest
obligations to God, who promises and bestows these, and all other
blessings, whereby his grace is abundantly manifested, in this covenant.
Footnote 97:
_Such an one is more properly called Internuncius, than Mediator._
Footnote 98:
_Vid. Bez. and Whitby in loc._
Footnote 99:
_See Quest._ lxvii.
Footnote 100:
“The law of God itself requires no creature to love him, or obey him,
beyond his _strength_, or with more than all the powers which he
possesses. If the inability of sinners to believe in Christ, or to do
things spiritually good, were of this nature, it would undoubtedly
form an excuse in their favour; and it must be as absurd to exhort
them to such duties, as to exhort the blind to look, the deaf to hear,
or the dead to walk. But the inability of sinners is not such as to
induce the Judge of all the earth, (who cannot do other than right) to
abate in his requirements. It is a fact that he does require them, and
that without paying any regard to their inability, _to love him_, and
_to fear him_, and _to do all his commandments always_. _The blind_
are admonished _to look, the deaf to hear_, and _the dead to arise_.
Isa. xlii. 18. Ephes. v. 14. If there were no other proof than what is
afforded by this single fact, it ought to satisfy us that the
blindness, deafness, and death of sinners, to that which is
spiritually good, is of a different nature from that which furnishes
an excuse. This however is not the only ground of proof. The thing
speaks for itself. There is an essential difference between an
inability which is independent of the inclination, and one that is
owing to nothing else. It is equally impossible, no doubt, for any
person to do that which he has no mind to do, as to perform that which
surpasses his natural powers; and hence it is that the same terms are
used in the one case as in the other. Those who were under the
dominion of envy and malignity, COULD NOT _speak peaceably_; and those
who have _eyes full of adultery_, CANNOT _cease from sin_. Hence also
the following language—_How_ CAN _ye, being evil, speak good
things?—The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God,
neither_ CAN _he know them—The carnal mind is enmity against God; and
is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed_ CAN _be—They that
are in the flesh_ CANNOT _please God—No man_ CAN _come to me, except
the Father who sent me draw him._—It is also true, that many have
affected to treat the distinction between natural and moral inability
as more curious than solid. ‘If we be unable, say they, we are unable.
As to the nature of the inability, it is a matter of no account. Such
distinctions are perplexing to plain Christians, and beyond their
capacity.’ But surely the plainest and weakest Christian in reading
his bible, if he pay any regard to what he reads, must perceive a
manifest difference between the blindness of Bartimeus, who was
ardently desirous that _he might receive his sight_, and that of the
unbelieving Jews, who _closed their eyes, lest they should see, and be
converted, and healed_; Mark x. 51. Matt. xii. 15. and between the
want of the natural sense of hearing, and the state of those _who have
ears, but hear not_.
“So far as my observation extends, those persons who affect to treat
this distinction as a matter of mere curious speculation, are as ready
to make use of it as other people where their own interest is
concerned. If they be accused of injuring their fellow-creatures, and
can allege that what they did was not _knowingly_, or of _design_, I
believe they never fail to do so: or when charged with neglecting
their duty to a parent, or a master; if they can say in truth that
they were _unable_ to do it at the time, _let their will have been
ever so good_, they are never known to omit the plea: and should such
a master or parent reply by suggesting that their want of ability
arose from want of _inclination_, they would very easily understand it
to be the language of reproach, and be very earnest to maintain the
contrary. You never hear a person, in such circumstances, reason as he
does in religion. He does not say, ‘If I be unable, I am unable; it is
of no account whether it be of this kind or that:’ but labours with
all his might to establish the difference. Now if the subject be so
clearly understood and acted upon where interest is concerned, and
never appears difficult but in religion, it is but too manifest where
the difficulty lies. If by fixing the guilt of our conduct upon our
father Adam, we can sit comfortably in our nest; we shall be very
averse to a sentiment that tends to disturb our repose, by planting a
thorn in it.
“It is sometimes objected, that the inability of sinners to believe in
Christ, is not the effect of their depravity; for that Adam himself in
his purest state was only a _natural man_, and had no power to perform
spiritual duties. But this objection belongs to another topic, and
has, I hope, been already answered. To this, however, it may be
added—_The natural man who receiveth not the things of the Spirit of
God_, (1 Cor. ii. 14.) is not a man possessed of the holy image of
God, as was Adam, but of mere natural accomplishments; as were the
_wise men of the world_, the philosophers of Greece and Rome, to whom
the things of God were _foolishness_. Moreover, if the inability of
sinners to perform spiritual duties, were of the kind alleged in the
objection, they must be equally unable to commit the opposite sins. He
that from the constitution of his nature is absolutely unable to
understand, or believe, or love a certain kind of truth, must of
necessity be alike unable to _shut his eyes_ against it, to
disbelieve, to reject, or to hate it. But it is manifest that all men
are capable of the latter; it must therefore follow, that nothing but
the depravity of their hearts renders them incapable of the former.
“Some writers, as hath been already observed, have allowed that
sinners are the subjects of an inability which arises from their
depravity; but they still contend that this is not _all_; but that
they are both _naturally_ and _morally_ unable to believe in Christ;
and this they think agreeable to the scriptures, which represent them
as both _unable_ and _unwilling_ to come to him for life. But these
two kinds of inability cannot consist with each other, so as both to
exist in the same subject, and towards the same thing. A moral
inability supposes a natural ability. He who never in any state was
possessed of the power of seeing, cannot be said to _shut his eyes_
against the light. If the Jews had not been possessed of natural
powers, equal to the knowledge of Christ’s doctrine, there had been no
justice in that cutting question and answer, _Why do ye not understand
my speech? Because ye_ CANNOT _hear my word_. A total physical
inability must of necessity supersede a moral one. To suppose,
therefore, that the phrase, _No man_ CAN _come to me_, is meant to
describe the former; and, YE WILL NOT _come to me that ye may have
life_, the latter; is to suppose that our Saviour taught what is
self-contradictory.
“Some have supposed that in ascribing physical or natural power to
men, we deny their _natural depravity_. Through the poverty of
language, words are obliged to be used in different senses. When we
speak of men as _by nature_ depraved, we do not mean to convey the
idea of sin being an essential part of human nature, or of the
constitution of man as man: our meaning is, that it is not a mere
effect of education and example; but is from his very birth so
interwoven through all his powers, so ingrained, as it were, in his
very soul, as to grow up with him, and become natural to him.
“On the other hand, when the term _natural_ is used as opposed to
_moral_, and applied to the powers of the soul, it is designed to
express those faculties which are strictly a part of our nature as
men, and which are necessary to our being accountable creatures. By
confounding these ideas we may be always disputing, and bring nothing
to an issue.
“Finally, It is sometimes suggested, that to ascribe natural ability
to sinners to perform things spiritually good, is to nourish their
self-sufficiency; and that to represent their inability as only
_moral_, is to suppose that it is not insuperable, but may after all
be overcome by efforts of their own. But surely it is not necessary,
in order to destroy a spirit of self-sufficiency, to deny that we are
men, and accountable creatures; which is all that natural ability
supposes. If any person imagine it possible, of his own accord to
chuse that to which he is utterly averse, let him make the trial.
“Some have alleged, that ‘natural power is only sufficient to perform
natural things; and that spiritual power is required to the
performance of spiritual things.’ But this statement is far from
accurate. Natural power is as necessary to the performance of
spiritual, as of natural things: we must possess the powers of men in
order to perform the duties of good men. And as to spiritual power,
or, which is the same thing, a right state of mind, it is not properly
a faculty of the soul, but a quality which it possesses: and which
though it be essential to the _actual performance_ of spiritual
obedience, yet is not necessary to our being under _obligation_ to
perform it.” FULLER.
Footnote 101:
_See Vol. 1. page 479, 480._
Footnote 102:
_The former of these is generally styled_, Via ad regnum; _the
latter_, Causa regnandi.
Quest. XXXIII., XXXIV., XXXV.
QUEST. XXXIII. _Was the covenant of grace always administered after
one and the same manner?_
ANSW. The covenant of grace was not always administered after the
same manner; but the administrations of it, under the Old Testament,
were different from those under the New.
QUEST. XXXIV. _How was the covenant of grace administered under the
Old Testament._
ANSW. The covenant of grace was administered under the Old
Testament, by promises, prophecies, sacrifices, circumcision, the
passover, and other types and ordinances, which did all fore-signify
Christ then to come, and were, for that time, sufficient to build up
the elect in faith in the promised Messiah, by whom they then had
full remission of sin, and eternal salvation.
QUEST. XXXV. _How is the covenant of grace administered under the
New Testament?_
ANSW. Under the New Testament, when Christ the substance was
exhibited the same covenant of grace was, and still is, to be
administered in the preaching of the word; and the administration of
the sacraments of Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, in which, grace
and salvation is held forth in more fulness, evidence, and efficacy,
to all nations.
Having considered the nature of the covenant, in which God has promised
salvation to his people, and how his grace is manifested therein, we
proceed to speak concerning the various dispensations thereof, or the
way in which God has been pleased, from time to time, to discover and
apply the blessings contained in it, for the encouragement of his people
to hope for salvation. This he has done, _at sundry times, and in divers
manners_, Heb. i. 1. the first method of administration was before
Christ’s incarnation; the other, in all succeeding ages, to continue to
the end of the world. Accordingly we are led to consider,
I. How the covenant of grace was administered under the Old Testament.
As God has always had a church in the world, in the earliest ages
thereof, which has been the seat of his special presence, and been
favoured with the displays of his glory; so he has made known, and
applied to them, the blessings of salvation, or the promises of this
covenant, in which they are contained. How he has done this, is
particularly considered in this answer; in which there is something
supposed, namely, that it was absolutely necessary, for the salvation of
the elect, that God should, some way or other, reveal Christ to them, by
whom they were to obtain remission of sins; for he was to be the object
of their faith, as well as the fountain of their blessedness. This he
could not have been, unless he had taken some methods to lead the world
into the knowledge of his Person, and that work he designed to engage
in, whereby they, who lived before his incarnation, might be encouraged
to look for the benefits which he would procure, by what he was to do
and suffer, in order thereunto. Now, that he has done so, and that the
method which he has taken therein, was sufficient to build up his elect
in the faith of the promised Messiah, is what we are particularly to
consider, and so shall shew,
1. That God revealed Christ, and the blessings of the covenant of grace,
to his church of old. There were two ways by which he did this; one was
by express words, or an intimation given from heaven, that the Messiah,
the prince of life, should, in the fulness of time, take our nature, and
dwell among us; and that what he was then to be, and do, should be
conducive to the salvation of those who lived before his incarnation, as
much as though he had done this from the beginning of the world: the
other was, by types, or significant ordinances, which are only different
ways of discovering the same important doctrines to them.
(1.) God revealed Christ then to come to the Old Testament church, by
promises and prophecies; to the end, that though they were not, at that
time, to behold him, as manifested in the flesh, they might take a view
of him by faith, and hereby he might be rendered the object of their
desire and expectation, that when he came, it might be no unlooked-for
event, but the accomplishment of those promises and predictions that
related thereunto: thus God told Abraham, not only that he should be
blessed with a numerous off-spring, but that, _in his seed_, that is, in
the Messiah, who should descend from him, _all the nations of the earth
should he blessed_; he likewise says to Israel, by Moses, _The Lord thy
God will raise up unto thee a Prophet, from among thy brethren, like
unto me; unto him ye shall hearken_, Deut. xviii. 15. and, in following
ages, there were promises and predictions, that gave farther light,
concerning the person and offices, the sufferings and glory of the
Messiah, as it is said, _To him give all the prophets witness_, Acts x.
43. And the prophet Isaiah is so express, in the account he gives of
this matter, that he is styled, by some, the evangelical prophet; what
he says, concerning him, is so particular, as though it had been an
history of what was past, rather than a prophecy of what was to come;
accordingly he foretells, that he should _be born_, or _given_, as a
public blessing to the world, and describes him not only as having _the
government upon his shoulder_, but as having the perfections of the
divine nature, which discover him fit for that important trust, when he
styles him, _Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting
Father, the Prince of peace_, Isa. ix. 6. And, as he speaks of his
birth, so he intimates, that he should be _born of a virgin_; chap. vii.
14. and he describes him, in chap. liii. as condescending to bear our
sins, as standing in our room and stead, designing hereby to make
atonement for them; he speaks of him, as _brought like a lamb to the
slaughter_, and _cut off out of the land of the living, making his grave
with the wicked, and with the rich in his death_, and after this, that
_he should prolong his days_, and that the consequence hereof should be
glorious to himself, and of the highest advantage to his people: and he
describes him elsewhere, chap. lxiii. 1, &c. in a most elegant manner as
one triumphing over conquered enemies; _travelling_, or pursuing his
victories, _in the greatness of his strength_, and making it appear that
he is _mighty to save_.
Another prophet speaks of him as _a Branch_ that should grow out of the
root or stock of David, when it was almost dead and dry, and that he
should set up a more glorious throne, and exercise a government over his
people in a spiritual way, Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. And the prophet Micah gives
us an account of the very place of his birth, and speaks of Bethlehem,
as rendered famous and renowned by his being born therein, _who should
be a ruler in Israel_, though otherwise it was _little among the
thousands of Judah_, Micah v. 2. Another prophet signifies his coming at
that time, when God would _shake all nations_, that is, fill the world
with civil commotions, and cause it to feel the sad effects of those
wars, whereby the kingdoms of the world had been dis-jointed, and many
of them broken in pieces, that then _the desire of all nations should
come, and fill his house_, to wit, the second temple, _with glory_, Hag.
ii. 7. And the prophet Daniel speaks of him as the Messiah, or Christ,
the character by which he was most known, when he was here on earth, and
gives a chronological account of the time when he should come, and _be
cut off, though not for himself_, and hereby _confirm the covenant_, and
at the same time, _cause the sacrifice and oblation_, that is, the
ordinances of the ceremonial law, _to cease_, and so make way for
another dispensation of the covenant, to wit, that which we are under,
which was to succeed in the room thereof.
(2.) The covenant of grace was also administered by the various types
and ordinances of the ceremonial law, which were all significant signs
of that grace, that should be displayed in the gospel, which was to be
obtained by Christ. Many of these types and ordinances were instituted
before the whole body of the ceremonial law was given from mount Sinai.
The first we read of was that of sacrifices, which were offered in the
first ages of the world, whereby they had an early intimation given them
of the blood of the covenant, which should be shed to expiate sin. And,
after this, circumcision was instituted, first given to Abraham, as a
visible mark, or token, of the covenant, immediately before the birth of
Isaac, the promised seed, at that time, when God was pleased to enter
into covenant with him, Gen. xvii. 9, 10. and this ordinance was
continued in the church, throughout all the generations thereof, till
our Saviour’s time, and is explained by the apostle, as a sign, or _seal
of the righteousness of faith_, Rom. iv. 11.
Another type was the passover, which was first instituted in
commemoration of Israel’s departure out of Egypt, which had in it many
significant rites and ceremonies, whereby our redemption, by Christ, was
set forth; upon which occasion, the apostle calls him _our Passover, who
is sacrificed for us_, 1 Cor. v. 7. and in allusion hereunto, he is
styled, _The Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world_, John
i. 29.
There were many other ceremonial ordinances, or types, which God gave to
the Jewish nation, which were significant representations of the grace
that was to be displayed in the gospel, or, as it is expressed in this
answer, they fore-signified Christ then to come, which contained as the
apostle expresses it, _A shadow of good things to come_, Heb. x. 1. so
that they all pointed at the grace of the covenant, or the
accomplishment of what was to be performed by Christ, after his
incarnation: but this will be more particularly considered, when we
speak of the ceremonial law, as distinguished from the moral, under a
following answer[103]. Therefore, at present, we shall only consider the
types in general, and their reference to the grace of the covenant,
whereby the Old Testament church were led into the knowledge of the
Messiah then to come, together with what he was to do and suffer, to
purchase and apply the blessings of this covenant to his people. And
here we shall shew,
_1st_, That there were typical ordinances under the ceremonial law. This
we are obliged to maintain, against those who have advanced several
things relating to the origin of the ceremonial law, which tend very
much to divest it of its spirituality and glory[104], when they assert,
that all the rites and ordinances thereof were derived from the
Egyptians; and that they were first observed by them, before known and
received by the church; and that the reason why God accommodated his law
thereunto, was because he knew how tenacious they were of that religion
in which that generation had been trained up in Egypt, and how difficult
it would be for them wholly to lay it aside, and to give into another
way of worship, which was altogether foreign to it: nevertheless, they
say that he cut off, or separated from it, every thing that was
idolatrous, and adapted other things to that mode of worship, which he
thought most conducive to his glory. But though he commanded his people,
when they left Egypt, to borrow vessels of silver and gold, to be used
in that service they were to perform in the wilderness; yet far be it
from us to suppose, that God, in ordaining this law, borrowed any part
of it from them. It is true, there were rites of worship used by the
Egyptians, and other nations, which had some affinity with the divine
law, and were received by them in common with other heathen nations, by
tradition, from the church, in former ages; and it cannot be denied, but
that the Israelites sometimes corrupted the worship of God, by
introducing some things into it, which were practised by neighbouring
nations: but God gave no countenance to this matter, by accommodating
his law to theirs. But since this has been purposely and largely
insisted on, with much learning and judgment, by others[105], I shall
pass it over.
There are others, who make farther advances on this subject, tending to
overthrow that which appears to be the main design of the ceremonial
law, together with the spiritual meaning of it; these not only conclude,
that the main end of God’s giving it to the Jews, was because it was
necessary that there should be some form of worship erected, otherwise
they would have invented one of their own, or practised that which they
had received from the Egyptians; and the more pompous and ceremonious
this form was, and especially the nearer it came to that of neighbouring
nations, it would more readily be received and complied with: but, that
there was no design herein to typify, or shadow forth Christ, or the
blessings of the covenant of grace; these therefore, were commanded
duties[106], (whereby the people were to be kept employed,) but not
typical ordinances. But it is very strange that any, who have read some
explications hereof, occasionally mentioned in the Old Testament, and
especially that large comment on the ceremonial law, given by the
apostle, in his epistle to the Hebrews, should embrace this opinion.
_2dly_, Whatever ordinances were typical, they respected Christ, his
person, offices, the grace of the covenant, and the way of salvation, by
him; therefore I cannot approve of what I occasionally meet with, in
some ancient commentators, and other modern writers, who sometimes speak
of things being typical of other things besides Christ, and what relates
to the work of redemption by him. Thus some speak of those notorious
wicked persons mentioned in scripture, as Cain, Pharaoh, and others, as
though they were types of the devil; and of Antiochus Epiphanes, as a
type of Anti-christ. And others speak of some things as types of
Gospel-ordinances, so they call circumcision a type of baptism, and the
passover of the Lord’s supper; and several writers, amongst the Papists,
suppose, that the bread and wine, that was brought forth by Melchisedek
to Abraham, was a type of the Eucharist, as they call that ordinance.
Others speak of Noah’s being saved in the ark from the deluge, as a type
of baptism, being mis-led herein by a mistaken sense of the word, used
by the apostle, when he says, having spoken before of Noah’s being saved
in the ark, _The like figure whereunto, even baptism, doth also now save
us_, 1 Pet. iii. 21. &c. whereas the meaning of the Greek word[107] is
not that this was a type of baptism, but that it signified, as baptism
also doth, that salvation, which we have by Christ.
_3dly_, When we consider what was typified by those ordinances, under
the ceremonial law, we must avoid two extremes; namely, that of those
who make more types, than the Holy Ghost designed in scripture; and
others, who will not acknowledge many things to be types, which plainly
appear to be so: the former give too great scope to their wit and fancy,
when they reckon every thing to be a type, that may be adapted to
Christ, and the gospel-state; and accordingly suppose, many persons and
actions done by them to be typical, which it is hard to prove that they
were designed to be, or were looked upon as such by the Old
Testament-church. Thus it would be a difficult matter to prove that
Samson (especially in any other respect than as he was a Nazarite) was a
type of Christ. But, if it could be proved, that the success he
sometimes had in his skirmishes with the Philistines, was a type of
Christ’s victories over his and our enemies; yet it doth not appear,
though some have extended the parallel so far, that his carrying the
door and posts of the gate of Gaza to the top of a hill that is before
Hebron, Judges xvi. 3. signifies Christ’s resurrection. But it is
abominable, when any one supposes, as some have unwarily done, that his
loving a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah, ver. 4.
was a type of Christ’s loving the Gentile church.
But, because I would not give any occasion to conclude that I have light
thoughts of the performance of some, who have explained many things,
which they call types, in scripture, with a very honest and good design,
to lead the world into the knowledge of several great gospel-truths; I
shall take leave to distinguish between those things, which were plainly
designed, in scripture, to be types, and some other, which, though it
doth not appear that they were looked upon as such by the Old
Testament-church, yet they may be accommodated to illustrate or explain
some doctrines contained in the gospel. If any one call these methods of
illustration, types, because there is some analogy or resemblance
between them and Christ, or the benefits of the covenant, they may
extend their illustrations as far as they please; I will not contend
with them. It is not their saying, that such and such things are
similitudes, by which Christ may be set forth; but their asserting that
these similitudes were designed by God, to be ordinances for the faith
of his church, to lead them into the knowledge of Christ, that I
militate against, when I suppose that some are chargeable with an
extreme, in extending this matter too far, which, it is certain, many
have done.
But this may give occasion to enquire; when we may determine that a
thing is designed, by God, to be a type of Christ, and the grace of the
covenant? To this I answer,
(1.) As to what respects persons, or, as it is commonly expressed,
personal types, though I cannot say, that every one, whose life and
actions bear a very great resemblance to some things that are remarkable
in the life of Christ, is a type of him, in any other sense, than, as we
are led, by the analogy, or resemblance of things, to speak of it, in a
way of accommodation or illustration; yet we have some directions given
us, by which we may conclude some persons to be types of Christ; one of
which is, when he is called by their name: thus our Saviour’s being
called David, in several scriptures, Hos. iii. 5. Ezek. xxxiv. 23. and
David’s often speaking in the Person of our Saviour, in several of his
Psalms, seems to intimate, that he was looked upon, by the church in his
day, as a type of Christ.
Again, Moses seems to imply as much concerning himself, when he speaks
of Christ as _a Prophet, whom the Lord God should raise up from among
their brethren_, and he adds, that he should be _like unto him_, and
consequently typified by him, Deut. xviii. 15. and the apostle seems to
intimate as much, when he compares Moses and Christ together, in point
of faithfulness, that _the one was faithful as a servant_ in God’s
house, the other as _a Son over his own house_, Heb. iii, 2, 5, 6.
Again, when any remarkable actions, were done by persons mentioned in
scripture, which were allowed to be typical, it follows, from thence,
that the person, who was appointed to be God’s minister in doing them,
was a type of Christ. Thus we may conclude Joshua to have been reckoned,
by Israel, a type of Christ, in leading them into the land of Canaan,
upon the same ground that they had to look upon that land, as a type of
the gospel-rest, which we are brought to by Christ. And, for the same
reason, Solomon might be called a type of Christ, as he built the
temple, which was reckoned, by the Jews, as a type of God’s presence, in
a way of grace with his people; and there are other passages, that might
be referred to in scripture, which farther prove him to be a type of
Christ.[108]
And nothing is more evident, than that the priests, under the law, who
were ministers in holy things, and the high priest, in a way of
eminency, were types of Christ; they are so considered in the
explication thereof, given in the epistle to the Hebrews; and they
farther appear to be so, inasmuch as the church had sufficient ground to
conclude, that their ministry was typical, or the gifts, or sacrifices
that they offered, were types of what was offered by Christ, for our
redemption. And this leads us,
(2.) To consider those types, which are called real, or things done, as
being ordinances designed to signify the grace of the covenant. These
were either occasional, or stated; the former whereof were designed for
types, at those times, when the things were performed. But it doth not
appear that they were so afterwards, in succeeding ages; as their
_passing through the red sea_, being _under the cloud_, their _eating
manna_ in the wilderness, and _drinking water_ that came _out of the
rock_. All these things are expressly mentioned, by the apostle, as
types, 1 Cor. x. 1, 3, 4. compared with ver. 11. and we may add thereto
_the brazen serpent_, which was plainly a type of Christ, and, as such,
our Saviour applies it to himself, in John iii. 14. But all these were
occasional types, which were ordinances to the church no longer than the
action was continued.
Again, there were other things, which seemed to be standing types, or
ordinances, in all successive ages, till Christ the Antitype came, as
circumcision, the passover, sacrifices, and other rites of worship, used
in the temple service; these things being expressly mentioned, in
scripture, as types, we have ground to determine them to be so. Thus
concerning the covenant of grace, as revealed to the church of old.
2. We are now to consider, that the method which God took in the
administration of the covenant of grace, under the Old Testament, was
sufficient to build up his elect in the faith of the promised Messiah.
There were, indeed, many types given to the church, but these would not
have led them into the knowledge of Christ, and salvation to be obtained
by him, unless God had taken some method to explain them; for they had
not a natural tendency to signify Christ, and the blessings of the
covenant of grace, as words have, according to the common sense thereof,
to make known the ideas they convey: but their signification was, for
the most part, if not altogether, instituted, or annexed to them, by the
divine appointment, and many of them had not the least resemblance, in
themselves, of what they were ordained to signify; therefore it was
necessary that they should be explained. For we may say the same thing
of a type, that is said of a parable, as they are both figurative
representations of some less known ideas, that are designed to be
conveyed thereby; now a parable is styled, by the Psalmist, _A dark
saying_, Psal. lxxviii. 2. and, by the prophet Ezekiel, _A riddle_,
Ezek. xvii. 2. and our Saviour, speaking thereof, in this sense, tells
his disciples, that _unto them it was given to know the mysteries of the
kingdom of God, but to others in parables_, Luke viii. 10. and they are
elsewhere opposed to a plain way of speaking, as when the disciples say,
_Now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb, or parable_, John
xvi. 29. as it is rendered in the margin; so when Nathan reproved David
for his sin, in the matter of Uriah, he first represented it by a
parable, taken from _the rich man’s_ robbing _the poor man_ of his
_ewe-lamb_, which, before he explained the meaning of it, was not
understood by him, 2 Sam. xii. 1-6. But when he told him, _Thou art the
man_ intended hereby, it was as evident to him, as though he had made
use of the most significant words relating to this matter. The same may
be said concerning types under the Old Testament dispensation; they
would have been unintelligible, had there been no explication annexed to
them, whereby the spiritual meaning thereof might be understood. And, if
we consider them as a part of religious worship, we cannot suppose that
that consisted only in some bodily exercises, such as killing of beasts,
sprinkling the blood, &c. for that is no part of religion, any otherwise
than as it refers to, and leads the faith of those, who are engaged
therein, into the knowledge of some things, in which it is more
immediately concerned.
But this argument having been insisted on elsewhere,[109] and the
necessity of God’s leading his church into the meaning of the ceremonial
law, having been considered and proved, from the divine goodness, and a
brief account having been given of the method which God took to lead
them into it, which tends to obviate any objection that might be made
against it we shall only observe, at present, that as there is a very
clear explication given hereof, in several places in the New Testament,
so there are some expressions used in the Old, which seem to refer to
the spiritual meaning thereof; and, if it be allowed that the church had
then the least intimation given them, either by some hints, contained in
scripture, or by some other methods of revealing it, that there was a
spiritual meaning affixed thereunto, which it is plain there was, then
it will follow, that they might easily, from this direction, have
applied this to particular instances, and have attained a very great
degree of the knowledge of the spiritual meaning of these types and
ordinances.
That this may farther appear, let it be considered, that they were led
into several doctrines relating to the Messiah, and the offices that he
was to execute as Mediator, by express words, and they must be given up
to a very great degree of judicial blindness, as the Jews are at this
day, if they could not understand thereby many of those great truths,
which relate to the way of salvation by Christ. Now, if they were led
into them, by this more plain method, they might easily accommodate the
typical ordinances thereunto, and accordingly the one would be a key to
the other: thus, when they were told of the Messiah’s _bearing the
iniquity_ of his people, as the prophet Isaiah does, or of _the Lord’s
laying on him the iniquity of us all_, Isa. liii. 4, 6. they might
easily understand that the same thing was signified by some rites used
in sacrificing, as when the priest was to lay his hand on the head of
the sacrifice, before he slew it, and its being, upon this occasion,
said _to bear the iniquity of the congregation_, Lev. iv. 4. compared
with chap. xvi. 21, 22. therefore they could not be at a loss, as to the
spiritual meaning thereof. And, when we read elsewhere such expressions,
as plainly refer to the thing signified, by some ceremonial ordinances,
_viz._ _The circumcision of the heart_, Deut. xxx. 6. _The calves of the
lips_, Hos. xiv. 2. _The sacrifice of thanksgiving_, Psal. cxvi. 17. and
many other passages of the like nature, it cannot reasonably be supposed
that they were wholly strangers to it; and therefore these types and
ordinances were, in an objective way, sufficient to build them up in the
faith of the Messiah.
This being considered, it may very evidently be inferred, from hence,
that they had full remission of sins, and eternal life, as it is farther
observed; and therefore it is not necessary to suppose, with some of the
Pelagians and Socinians, that they might be saved without the knowledge
of Christ; nor, with the Papists, that they were incapable of salvation,
till Christ came and preached to them after his death, and so discharged
them from the prison, in which they were detained; nor with some among
the Protestants, who extend the bondage of the Old Testament-church so
far, as though they were not fully justified, but lay under a perpetual
dread of the wrath of God. This we often meet with in the writings of
many, who, in other respects, explain the doctrine of the covenant of
grace in a very unexceptionable way. And here I cannot but observe, what
is well known, by those who live in the United Netherlands, that this
matter has been debated with so much warmth in those parts, that it has
occasioned divisions and misunderstandings among divines, who, in other
respects, have adhered to, and well defended the doctrines of the
gospel, against those who have opposed them. The judicious and learned
Cocceius, whom I cannot but mention with the greatest respect, who lived
about the middle of the last century, has been, and is now, followed by
many divines, in those particular modes of explaining this doctrine,
which he makes use of: his sentiments, indeed, about this matter, were
not wholly new; but having written commentaries on several parts of
scripture, he takes occasion to explain great numbers of texts,
agreeably to that particular scheme, which he maintains; and while, on
the one hand, he runs great lengths, in explaining what he reckons to be
scripture-types and predictions, and thereby gives great scope to his
imagination on the other hand, he extends the terror, bondage, and
darkness, which the church was under, during the legal dispensation,
farther than can well be justified, and advances several things in
defending and explaining his scheme, which many divines, who do not give
into his way of thinking, have excepted against.
Instead of making but two dispensations of the covenant of grace,
according to the commonly received opinion, he supposes that there were
three;[110] namely, the first from God’s giving the promise to our first
parents, immediately after they fell, relating to the seed of the woman,
that should break the serpent’s head, to his delivering the law from
mount Sinai; which dispensation had nothing of terror, or bondage, in
it, any more than the dispensation which we are under; and he supposes,
that the church had clearer discoveries of Christ, and the blessings of
the covenant, than they had after Moses’s time. The second dispensation
was, that which took place when God gave Israel the law from mount
Sinai, which he generally describes as a yoke, which they could hardly
bear; and sometimes as a curse, a rigorous dispensation, in which there
was a daily remembrance of sin: and the reason of God’s exercising this
severity, and shutting them up in a judicial way, under terror,
darkness, and bondage, was, because they revolted from him, by
worshipping the golden calf, a little before the law was given; upon
which occasion, God put a vail upon his ordinances, covered the
mysteries of the gospel by types, and, at the same time, did not lead
them into the meaning thereof, which as was before observed, would have
a tendency to leave them in a state of darkness, as to the great
doctrines that were signified by these types and ordinances of the
ceremonial law. And this he supposes to be the meaning of what the
apostle says, concerning the double vail; one put on the things
themselves, the other, on the hearts of the Jews; and both these were
typified by the vail, which Moses _put over his face_, 2 Cor. iii.
13-15, and this darkness was attended with distress and terror of
conscience, whereby they were, as the apostle says elsewhere, _All their
life-time subject to bondage_, Heb. ii. 15. which they explain,
concerning the church of the Jews, under the legal dispensation. And
they add, that all this continued as long as that dispensation lasted,
or till it was succeeded by the third, _viz._ the gospel-dispensation,
which we are under, whereby the church was delivered from this yoke,
which neither _they, nor their fathers, were able to bear_. But that
which I would take occasion to except against, in this scheme, is,
1. They seem to make the terror, bondage, and darkness, which the church
was under, greater than they ought to do; for, I humbly conceive, all
those scriptures, which they refer to for the proof hereof, are to be
taken, not in an absolute, but a comparative sense. It is one thing to
say, that this dispensation was less bright and comfortable, than the
present dispensation, which we are under, is; and another thing to say,
that it was so dark and comfortless, as they generally represent it to
be.
2. I cannot but think, as I have before observed, that the church of
Israel had a clearer discerning of the meaning of the ordinances of the
ceremonial law, than these divines would allow them to have had; or, at
least, that the vail, that was upon their hearts, principally respected
a part of them, and that in some particular ages, not in every age of
the Jewish church; for some of the Old Testament-saints seem to have
discovered a great degree of light in the doctrines of the gospel, as
appears more especially from several of the Psalms of David, and some of
the writings of the prophets.
3. Whatever degree of judicial blindness and darkness the church of the
Jews might be exposed to for sin, it does not so fully appear that this
was inflicted as a punishment on them, for worshipping the golden calf
at the foot of the mount Sinai: but there were several instances of
idolatry and apostacy from God, that gave occasion thereunto, which,
when they repented of, and were reformed from, the effects of his wrath
were taken away; therefore we are not to suppose, that the ceremonial
law was given, at first, as a yoke, or curse, laid on them for this sin
in particular.
4. We are not to extend the bondage and darkness thereof so far, with
respect to any of them, as to suppose, that, under that dispensation,
they had not full remission of sin; for the contrary hereto seems to be
contained in several scriptures; as when it is said, _Blessed is he
whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered, blessed is the
man to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity_, Psal. xxxii. 1, 2. and,
_There is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared_, Psal.
cxxx. 4. and elsewhere, _Thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive, and
plenteous in mercy, to all that call upon thee; and thou hast forgiven
the iniquity of thy people, thou hast covered all their sin_, Psal.
lxxxvi. 5. and lxxxv. 2. and elsewhere, _Who is a God like unto thee,
that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant
of his heritage? He retaineth not his anger for ever, because he
delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, he will have compassion upon
us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins
into the depths of the sea_, Micah. vii. 18, 19.
These, and such-like scriptures, seem so plainly to overthrow this part
of their scheme, that they are obliged, in defence thereof, to
understand them all, as containing nothing else, but a prediction of
that blessedness, which the New Testament-church should receive, and not
as a privilege that was enjoyed under the legal dispensation, which I
cannot but think to be an evasive perversion of the sense of those
scriptures, but now referred to, and others of the like nature; for it
is plain that the apostle, referring to one of them, to wit, the words
of the Psalmist, in Rom. iv. 6. compared with ver. 9. says, that therein
_David describes the blessedness that cometh not on the circumcision
only_, that is, not only on the Jews, _but on the uncircumcision also_,
that is, the gospel-church; which is a plain argument, that this
blessedness, that accompanies forgiveness, was a privilege, that the Old
Testament-church enjoyed, and not barely a promise of what the New
Testament-church was to expect: _q. d._ was the Old Testament-church the
only blessed persons in enjoying forgiveness? No, says he, as they
formerly enjoyed it, we who believe, are partakers of the same
privilege.
And to this we may add, that, in consistency with this scheme, they
entertain some unwarrantable notions about the justification of the Old
Testament church. Some say, that it was less full; others, which is a
more unguarded way of speaking, that it was less true;[111] and,
agreeably hereunto, they suppose, that they had no other ideas of the
doctrine of justification, but as implying in it the divine forbearance,
or not punishing sin; though they had a perpetual dread that it would be
punished at last, and no comfortable sense of the forgiveness
thereof.[112] But this is certainly an extending the terror and bondage
of that dispensation farther than we have just ground, from scripture,
to do, whatever turns they give to several scriptures in defence
thereof; and therefore we must conclude, as it is observed in this
answer, that the Old Testament-church had full remission of sins, as
well as eternal salvation.
II. We are now to consider the covenant of grace, as administered under
the New Testament, which is the dispensation thereof, that we are under
and is to continue to the end of the world, which by way of eminency, we
call the gospel-dispensation; concerning which it is observed,
1. That it began when Christ, the Substance, was exhibited. He is called
the Substance thereof, without any particular limitation of the word;
and therefore we may understand thereby, either that he was the
Substance of the ceremonial law, as all the promises and types thereof
had a peculiar reference to him; and, as the apostle says, _To him give
all the prophets witness_, Acts x. 43. or else he may be considered as
the Substance of the New Testament-dispensation, the subject-matter of
the ministry of the gospel. Thus the apostle speaks of _Christ
crucified_, as the principal thing which _he determined to know_, or
insist on, in the exercise of his ministry, and that with good reason,
since all gospel-doctrines were designed to lead us to him, and set
forth his glory, as the Fountain and Author of our salvation, 1 Cor. i.
23. chap. ii. 2. And both the seals of the new covenant, namely,
Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, signify that salvation which we enjoy,
or hope for, by Christ, our consecration to him, and communion with him:
thus he is truly styled the substance of both the dispensations of the
covenant; the former looked forward, and pointed out Christ to come, as
the object of the church’s desire and expectation; the latter represents
him as being come, and so the object of our joy and thankfulness, for
the blessings which he has procured for us.
And this leads us to consider when it was that the New
Testament-dispensation commenced, which is here said to be upon Christ’s
being exhibited. Christ’s exhibition implies in it, either his public
appearing when he was made flesh, and dwelt amongst us, or else it has a
particular respect to the time when he first entered on his public
ministry and went about doing good, confirming his mission by
uncontested miracles: this he did immediately after his baptism, whereby
he appeared to be the Person, whose coming the prophets had foretold,
and whom John the Baptist had pointed at, and given the world ground to
expect that he would immediately shew himself, in a public manner to
them which he did accordingly. This appearing of Christ, was like the
sun’s rising after a night of darkness, and therefore, in some respects,
the gospel-dispensation might be said to begin then; nevertheless, in
propriety of speaking, it could not be said fully to commence till
Christ’s resurrection: then it was that the ceremonial law ceased, all
the types and ordinances thereof having had their accomplishment in him.
Thus the prophet Daniel speaks first of Christ’s _being cut off_, and
thereby _confirming the covenant_, and then of the _sacrifice and
oblation’s ceasing_, Dan. ix. 26, 27. and, when that dispensation was at
an end, the gospel dispensation immediately succeeded it. We are now to
consider,
2. How these two dispensations differ. They were, indeed, the same for
substance, both before and since the coming of Christ, as was before
observed, when we considered that the covenant of grace, notwithstanding
the different dispensations thereof, is but one. And this farther
appears, in that the blessings promised therein were the same, to wit,
redemption through the blood of Christ, and compleat salvation by him.
He was the Mediator and Fountain of all that happiness which his people
enjoyed, either before or after his incarnation; nevertheless, the way
of administering this covenant, under the gospel dispensation, differs
from its former way;
(1.) In that it was, before this, predicted and signified, that Christ
should come, and therefore the Old Testament-church waited for his
appearing; and accordingly they are represented as saying, _Until the
day break, and the shadows flee away; turn, my beloved, and be thou like
a roe, or a young hart upon the mountains of Bether_, Cant. ii. 17. But
the New Testament-church adores and magnifies him, as having appeared
_to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself_, and fully accomplish the
work of our redemption thereby; and, in the preaching of the gospel, he
is represented as _having abolished death, and brought life and
immortality to light_, and done every thing for us that is necessary to
bring about our redemption. And this is also signified by the sacraments
of the New Testament, Baptism, and the Lord’s Supper, which, though they
may be justly called gospel-types, or external signs of Christ, and the
blessings of the covenant of grace; yet they differ from the types under
the ceremonial law, not only in the matter of them, but in that they
refer to the work of redemption, as fully accomplished by him, which the
ceremonial law could not from the nature of the thing, be said to have
done.
(2.) The gospel-dispensation differs from the legal, and very much
excels it, as grace and salvation is therein held forth in more fulness,
evidence, and efficacy, to all nations. This is founded on what the
apostle says, 2 Cor. iii. 7-11. when comparing the two dispensations
together, he calls one _the ministration of death_, or _condemnation_,
and describes it, as that which is now _done away_, which while it
continued, was _glorious_; the other he calls, _the ministration of the
Spirit_, or _of righteousness_, and speaks of it, as _excelling in
glory_. Whether the former is styled, _The ministration of death_,
because of the terrible manner in which the law was given from mount
Sinai, upon which occasion the people said to Moses _Let not God speak
with us_, in such a way, _any more, lest we die_; or whether it respects
the many curses and threatenings, denounced in that dispensation, to
deter the people from sin, we will not determine: but it is certain,
that the apostle speaks of the gospel-dispensation, as excelling in
glory, which is the principal thing we are now to consider, and this it
might be said to do.
_1st_, As grace and salvation are therein held forth with greater
clearness, or evidence. This we may truly say without supposing the
legal dispensation to be so dark, as that none of the church, in any age
thereof, could see Christ, and the way of salvation by him, to be
signified by any of its types or ordinances. We may observe, that when
the apostle speaks of this dispensation, he does not say absolutely that
it had no glory, but that _it had no glory in this respect by reason
of_, or compared with, _the glory that excelleth_. Now the
gospel-dispensation excels the legal, as to its clearness, or fulness of
evidence, in that the accomplishment of the predictions, or the making
good of the promises of redemption and salvation by Christ, affords
greater evidence of the truth and reality of these blessings, than the
bare giving the promises could be said to do; for though one gave them
the expectation, the other put them into the actual possession thereof,
when Christ the Substance, was, as was before observed, exhibited, and
the ceremonial law had its accomplishment in him.
_2dly_, Under the gospel-dispensation, grace and salvation revealed
therein, are attended with greater efficacy; for as the greatest part of
the Old Testament-church were not so much disposed, as they ought,
especially in some ages thereof, to enquire into, or endeavour to attain
a clearer discerning of the spiritual meaning of the ceremonial
institutions, through the blindness of their minds, and the hardness of
their hearts, so the effect and consequence hereof, was answerable
thereunto, inasmuch as there was but a small remnant of them, who
obtained mercy to be faithful, who rejoiced to see Christ’s day, and
embraced the promises which they beheld afar off; whereas, in the
gospel-dispensation, _the word of the Lord had free course, and was_
more eminently _glorified_ in those places where it was made known: but
this will farther appear, if we consider,
_3dly_, That it excelled in glory, in regard of the extent thereof;
for it was under this dispensation that that promise was to have its
accomplishment, that Christ should be _a light to the Gentiles_, and
God’s _salvation unto the end of the earth_, Isa. xlix. 6. or that God
would _destroy the face of the covering cast over all people, and the
vail that was spread over all nations_, chap. xxv. 7. It was then that
a commission was given _to preach the Gospel to every creature_, Mark
xvi. 15. or that Christ should be _preached unto the Gentiles_ and
_believed on in the world_, 1 Tim. iii. 16. In this respect, the
gospel-dispensation certainly excelleth in glory, and it is owing
hereunto that we enjoy, at present, this invaluable privilege. But if
this present dispensation be only reckoned the dawn and twilight, or
the beginning of that glory that shall be revealed at Christ’s second
coming, as grace is sometimes styled glory begun; or if the apostle’s
description of it, when he says, that _we are come unto the heavenly
Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, to the general
assembly and church of the first-born, and to the spirits of just men
made perfect_, Heb. xii. 22, 23. contains an intimation, that the
glory, which still remains to be revealed, is nothing else but the
perfection of this present dispensation, that we may conclude that it
far excelleth all others in glory.
From what has been said, in comparing the former, and present
dispensation of the covenant of grace, we may infer:
[1.] The care of God extended to his church, in all the ages thereof; so
that he never left them without the means of grace, which, how various
soever they have been as to the matter of them, have yet tended to
answer the same end, namely, leading the church into the knowledge of
Christ.
[2.] We may farther infer the necessity of external and visible worship,
which the church was never wholly destitute of, for then it would have
ceased to have been a church; and also the necessity of divine
revelation, as to what respects the way of salvation by Christ; and
therefore we must not conclude, that the church was, at any time,
without some beams of gospel-light shining into it, or that they were
left, as the Heathen are, _to seek the Lord, if haply they might feel
after him_, as the apostle speaks, Acts xvii. 27. or that, before the
gospel-dispensation commenced, salvation was to be obtained, by adhering
to the light and dictates of nature, which discovers nothing of the way
of salvation by Jesus Christ, or of that remission of sin, which is only
to be obtained through him.
[3.] Christ’s having been revealed to, and consequently known by the Old
Testament church, as the promised Messiah, may give some light to our
understanding what we often read in the New Testament concerning persons
believing in him, upon his working of miracles, or using some other
methods to convince them that he was the Messiah, when, at the same
time, we do not read of any particular discovery made to them relating
to the glory of his Person, and offices, and the design of his coming
into the world, which was necessary to their believing him, in a saving
way, to be the Messiah. Thus when he converted the woman of Samaria, by
revealing himself to be _that Prophet_, whom the church expected, when
he told her some of the secret actions of her life, she immediately
believed in him, John iv. 18, 19, 29. and many of her fellow-citizens
believed on him, upon the report that she gave them hereof, ver. 39.
and, when he opened the eyes of the man that was born blind, he only
asked him this question, _Dost thou believe on the Son of God?_ and then
discovers that he was the Person; and it immediately follows, that _he
believed and worshipped him_, John ix. 35, 37, 38. And there were many
other instances of the like nature in the New Testament, in which
persons believed in Christ, before he gave them a particular account of
his design in coming into the world, barely upon his working miracles,
which gave them a conviction that he was the Messiah; whereas faith
supposes not only a conviction that Christ is the Messiah, but a
knowledge of his Person, and the offices he was to execute as such. This
may very easily be accounted for, by supposing that the Jews had been
before instructed in this matter, and therefore they wanted no new
discoveries hereof; accordingly they believed in him, and worshipped
him, as being induced hereunto, by those intimations that were given to
them, under the Old-Testament dispensation, that the Messiah, whenever
he appeared, would be the Object of faith and worship.
[4.] Since the gospel is more clearly preached under this present
dispensation, than it was before; this tends to aggravate the sin of
those who despise Christ, as revealed therein, as our Saviour says,
_This is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men
loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds are evil_, chap.
iii. 19. Before our Saviour’s incarnation, the Old Testament-church
might be said to reject the covenant of promise, or not regard the
gospel contained therein; but, under the New Testament-dispensation,
sinners reject the covenant of grace, as confirmed, ratified, and
sealed, by the blood of Christ; and, as the apostle says, _Count the
blood of the covenant wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and_
therefore _are thought worthy of much sorer punishment_, Heb. x. 29.
Footnote 103:
_See Quest._ xcii.
Footnote 104:
_Vid. Spencer. de leg. Hebr. and ejusd. Dissert. de Urim & Thummim; &
Marshami Can. Chron._
Footnote 105:
_Vid. Witsii Egyptiaca._
Footnote 106:
_Præcepta observantiæ._
Footnote 107:
αντιτυπος.
Footnote 108:
_See Psal._ lxii. _the title, compared with the subject-matter of the
Psalm, which speaks of Christ in the person of Solomon._
Footnote 109:
_See Vol. I. pages 53-56._
Footnote 110:
_The first, he and his followers call_, Oeconomia promissionis, _or_,
ante-legalis; _the second_, Oeconomia legalis; _the third_, Oeconomia
evangelica.
Footnote 111:
Minus plena, _or_ minus vera.
Footnote 112:
_For the proof of this, they often refer to that scripture in_ Rom.
iii. 25. _in which it is said_, Whom God hath set forth to be a
propitiation, to declare his righteousness, for the remission of sins
that are past, through, _or after_, the forbearance, of God, _which
they suppose to contain an intimation of the privilege which the
gospel-church enjoyed, namely, remission of sins; whereas, under the
legal dispensation, there was nothing else apprehended by them, but
the forbearance of God: so that the Old Testament-church had_ παρεσιν
αμαρτιων; _the New Testament church_, αφεσιν; _and they all suppose,
that they looked upon Christ as_ Fide-jussor, _and not_ Expromissor,
_which are terms used in the civil law; the former of which signifies
a person’s undertaking to be a surety, and, at the same time, leaving
the creditor at his liberty to exact the debt, either of him, or the
debtor himself; whereas_, Expromissor, _signifies, a person’s
undertaking to be a surety, in so full and large a sense, as that, by
virtue hereof, the debtor is discharged. Therefore, since they did
not, so clearly, know that God would discharge them, by virtue of
Christ’s undertaking to be a Surety, but concluded that he might exact
the debt, either of him, or them; this was the foundation of that
terror and bondage, which they were perpetually subject to._
Quest. XXXVI., XXXVII.