the word “grace” in this place signifies; [I touched upon this in the
first doctrine] for the word “grace” in the Scripture referreth
sometimes to favour with men (Gen 33:10; 39:4; 50:4). Sometimes to holy
qualifications of saints (2 Cor 8:7). And sometimes to hold forth the
condescension of Christ in coming down from the glory which He had with
His Father before the world was, to be made of no reputation, and a
servant to men (2 Cor 8:9; Phil 2:7). Again: sometimes it is taken for
the free, rich, and unchangeable love of God to man, through Jesus
Christ, that for our cause and sakes did make Himself poor; and so it
is to be understood in these words, “For ye are not under the law,” to
be cursed, and damned, and sent headlong to Hell, “but” you are “under
grace,” to be saved, to be pardoned, to be preserved, “and kept by the
mighty power of God, through faith,” which alone is the gift of grace,
“unto eternal glory.” This one Scripture alone proves the same—“For by
grace are ye saved” (Eph 2:8), by free grace, by rich grace, by
unchangeable grace. And you are saved from the curse of the law; from
the power, guilt, and filth of sin; from the power, malice, madness,
and rage of the devil; from the wishes, curses, and desires of wicked
men; from the hot, scalding, flaming, fiery furnace of Hell; from being
arraigned as malefactors, convinced, judged, condemned, and fettered
with the chains of our sins to the devils to all eternity; and all this
freely, freely by His grace (Rom 3:24) by rich grace unchangeable
grace; for, saith He, “I am the LORD, I change not: therefore ye sons
of Jacob are not consumed” (Mal 3:6). This is grace indeed.
The word “grace,” therefore, in this Scripture (Rom 6:14) is to be
understood of the free love of God in Christ to sinners, by virtue of
the new covenant, in delivering them from the power of sin, from the
curse and condemning power of the old covenant, from the destroying
nature of sin, by its continual workings; as is all evident if you read
with understanding the words as they lie—“For,” saith he, “sin shall
not have dominion over you,” or, it shall not domineer, reign, or
destroy you, though you have transgressed against the Covenant of
Works, the law; and the reason is rendered in these words, “For ye are
not under the law”—that is, under that which accuseth, chargeth,
condemneth and brings execution on the soul for sin,—“but under grace”;
that is, under that which frees you, forgives you, keeps you, and
justifies you from all your sins, adversaries, or whatever may come in
to lay anything to your charge to damn you. For that is truly called
grace in this sense that doth set a man free from all his sins, deliver
him from all the curses of the law, and what else can be laid to His
charge, freely, without any foresight in God to look at what good will
be done by the party that hath offended; and also that doth keep the
soul by the same power through faith—which also is his own proper
gift—unto eternal glory.
Again; that it is a pardon not conditional, but freely given, consider,
first, it is set in opposition to works—“Ye are not under the law.”
Secondly, The promise that is made to them (saying, “Sin shall not have
dominion over you”) doth not run with any condition as on their part to
be done; but merely and alone because they were under, or because they
had the grace of God extended to them. “Sin shall not have dominion
over you: for,” mark the reason, “ye are not under the law, but under
grace.”
The words being thus opened, and the truth thus laid down, HOW THERE IS
NEVER A BELIEVER UNDER THE COVENANT OF WORKS, BUT UNDER GRACE, the
free, rich, unchangeable love of God, it remaineth that, in the first
place, we prove the doctrine, and after that proceed.
THE DOCTRINE PROVED.
Now in the doctrine there are two things to be considered and
proved—FIRST, That believers are under grace. SECONDLY, Not under the
law as a Covenant of Works; for so you must understand me. For these
two we need go no further than the very words themselves; the first
part of the words proves the first part of the doctrine, “Ye are not
under the law”; the second part proves the other, “but” ye are “under
grace.” But besides these, consider with me a few things for the
demonstrating of these truths, as,
First. They are not under the law, because their sins are pardoned,
which could not be if they were dealt withal according to the law, and
their being under it; for the law alloweth of no repentance, but
accuseth, curseth and condemneth every one that is under it—“Cursed is
every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the
Book of the Law to do them” (Gal 3:10). But, I say, believers having
their sins forgiven them, it is because they are under another, even a
new covenant—“Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, when I will make a
new covenant with them.”—“For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no
more” (Heb 8:12).
Second. They are not under the law, because their sins and iniquities
are not only forgiven, but they are forgiven them freely. They that
stand in the first covenant, and continue there, are to have never a
sin forgiven them unless they can give God a complete satisfaction; for
the law calls for it at their hands, saying, “Pay me that thou owest.”
O! but when God deals with His saints by the Covenant of Grace it is
not so; for it is said, “And when” He saw “they had nothing to pay, He
frankly” and freely “forgave them” all—“I will heal their backsliding;
I will love them freely.”—I will blot “out thy transgressions for Mine
own sake,” etc. (Luke 7:42; Hosea 14:4; Isa 43:25).
Third. The saints are not under the law, because the righteousness that
they stand justified before God in is not their own actual
righteousness by the law, but by imputation, and is really the
righteousness of Another—namely, of God in Christ (2 Cor 5:21; Phil
3:9). “Even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of Jesus Christ
unto all and upon all,” that is, imputed to “them that believe” (Rom
3:22). But if they were under the old covenant, the Covenant of Works,
then their righteousness must be their own, [But it is impossible that
the righteousness of man by the law should save him.] or no forgiveness
of sins—“If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted?” but if thou
transgress, “sin lieth at the door,” saith the law (Gen 4:7).
Fourth. In a word, whatsoever they do receive, whether it be conversion
to God; whether it be pardon of sin; whether it be faith or hope;
whether it be righteousness; whether it be strength; whether it be the
Spirit, or the fruits thereof; whether it be victory over sin, death,
or Hell; whether it be Heaven, everlasting life, and glory
inexpressible; or whatsoever it be, it comes to them freely, God having
no first eye to what they would do, or should do, for the obtaining of
the same. But to take this in pieces—1. In a word, are they converted?
God finds them first, for, saith He, “I am found of them that sought Me
not” (Isa 65:1). 2. Have they pardon of sin? They have that also
freely,—“I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely” (Hosea
14:4). 3. Have they faith? It is the gift of God in Christ Jesus, and
He is not only the Author, that is, the beginner thereof, but He doth
also perfect the same (Heb 12:2). 4. Have they hope? It is God that is
the first cause thereof—“Remember the word unto Thy servant, upon which
Thou hast caused me to hope” (Psa 119:49). 5. Have they righteousness?
It is the free gift of God (Rom 5:17). Have they strength to do the
work of God in their generations, or any other thing that God would
have them do? That also is a free gift from the Lord, for without Him
we neither do nor can do anything (John 15:5). 7. Have we comfort, or
consolation? We have it not for what we have done, but from God through
Christ; for He is the God of all comforts and consolation (2 Cor
1:3-7). 8. Have we the Spirit, or the fruits thereof? it is the gift of
the Father—“how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy
Spirit to them that ask Him (Luke 11:13)? “Thou has wrought all our
works in us” (Isa 26:12).
And so, I say, whether it be victory over sin, death, Hell, or the
devil, it is given us by the victory of Christ—“But thanks be to God
which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Cor
15:57; Rom 7:24,25). Heaven and glory it is also the gift of Him who
giveth us richly all things to enjoy (Matt 25:34).
So that these things, if they be duly and soberly considered, will give
satisfaction in this thing. I might have added many more for the
clearing of these things; as 1. When God came to man to convert him, He
found him a dead man (Eph 2:1,2). He found him an enemy to God, Christ,
and the salvation of his own soul; He found him wallowing in all manner
of wickedness; He found him taking pleasure therein; with all delight
and greediness. 2. He was fain to quicken him by putting His Spirit
into him, and to translate him by the mighty operation thereof. He was
fain to reveal Christ Jesus unto him, man being altogether senseless
and ignorant of this blessed Jesus (Matt 11:25,27; 1 Cor 2:7-10). 4. He
was fain to break the snare of the devil, and to let poor man, poor
bound and fettered man, out of the chains of the enemy.
[THE NEW COVENANT FREE AND UNCHANGEABLE, WHO ARE UNDER IT, AND THEIR
PRIVILEGES.]
Now we are to proceed, and the things that we are to treat upon in the
second place are these—First. [Besides the reasons already given.] Why
is it a free and unchangeable grace? SECOND. Who they are that are
actually brought into His free and unchangeable Covenant of Grace, and
how they are brought in? THIRD. What are the privileges of those that
are actually brought into this free and glorious grace of the glorious
God of Heaven and glory?
[THE NEW COVENANT FREE AND UNCHANGEABLE BECAUSE MADE WITH CHRIST.]
FIRST. WHY IT IS A FREE AND UNCHANGEABLE GRACE.
And for the opening of this we must consider, first, How and through
Whom this grace doth come to be, first, free to us, and, secondly,
unchangeable? This grace is free to us through conditions in
Another—that is, by way of covenant or bargain; for this grace comes by
way of covenant or bargain to us, yet made with Another for us.
First. That it comes by way of covenant, contract, or bargain, though
not personally with us, be pleased to consider these Scriptures, where
it is said, “I have made a covenant with My Chosen: I have sworn unto
David [The word David in this place signifieth Christ, as also in these
Scriptures—(Eze 34:23,24; 37:24,25).] My servant” (Psa 89:3). “And as
for Thee also, by the blood of Thy covenant,” speaking of Christ, “I
have sent forth Thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water,”
(Zech 9:9-11). Again; “Ye have sold yourselves for nought; and ye shall
be redeemed without money” (Isa 52:3). “Blessed be the Lord,”
therefore, saith Zacharias, “for He hath visited and” also “redeemed
His people, and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house
of His servant David; as He spake by the mouth of His holy Prophets,
which have been since the world began; that we should be saved from our
enemies, and from the hands of all that hate us; to perform the mercy
promised to our fathers, and to remember His holy covenant,” or bargain
(Luke 1:68-72). [I might give you more Scriptures; but pray consider
the second thing.] And if any should be offended with the plainness of
these words, as some poor souls may be through ignorance, let them be
pleased to read soberly Isaiah 49:1-12, and there they may see that it
runs as plain a bargain as if two would be making of a bargain between
themselves, and concluding upon several conditions on both sides. But
more of this hereafter. Now,
Second. This covenant, I say, was made with One, not with many, and
also confirmed in the conditions of it with One, not with several.
First, that the covenant was made with One (Gal 3:16). “Now to Abraham
and his Seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of
many; but as of one, And to thy Seed, which is Christ” (Verse 17). “And
this, I say, that the covenant that was confirmed before of God, in
Christ,” etc. The covenant was made with the Seed of Abraham; not the
seeds, but the Seed, which is the Lord Jesus Christ, our Head and
Undertaker in the things concerning the covenant.
Third. The condition was made with One, and also accomplished by Him
alone, and not by several; yet in the nature, and for the everlasting
deliverance of many; even by one man Jesus Christ, as it is clear from
Romans 5:15-17, etc., and in Zechariah 9:11, the Lord saith to Christ,
“And as for Thee”—mark, “As for Thee also, by the blood of Thy
covenant,” or as for Thee whose covenant was by blood; that is, the
condition of the covenant was, that Thou shouldst spill Thy blood;
which having been done in the account of God, saith He, I according to
My condition have let go the prisoners, or sent them “out of the pit
wherein is no water.” Those Scriptures in Galatians 3:16,17 that are
above cited, are notably to our purpose; Verse 16 saith it was made
with Christ, Verse 17 saith it was also confirmed in or with God in
Him. Pray read with understanding. “Now,” saith Paul, “the promises
were not made unto seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy Seed,
which is Christ.” . . . . “The law, which was four hundred and thirty
years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none
effect.” Not that the covenant was made with Abraham and Christ
together, as two persons that were the undertakers of the same; the
promise was made with, or to, Abraham afterwards; but the covenant with
Christ before.
[Neither Abraham nor the fathers able to undertake the accomplishment
of this covenant.]
Further, that the covenant was not personally made with Abraham, no,
nor with any of the fathers, neither so as that they were the persons
that should stand engaged to be the accomplishers thereof, either in
whole or in part; which is very clear.
First. Because this covenant was not made with God and the creature;
not with another poor Adam, that only stood upon the strength of
natural abilities; but this covenant was made with the second Person,
with the Eternal Word of God; with Him that was everyways as holy, as
pure, as infinite, as powerful, and as everlasting as God (Prov
8:22-31; Isa 9:6; Zech 13:7; Phil 2:6; Heb 1; Rev 1:11-17; 22:13,17).
Second. This covenant or bargain was made in deed and in truth before
man was in being. O! God thought of the salvation of man before there
was any transgression of man; for then, I say, and not since then, was
the Covenant of Grace made with the Undertaker thereof; for all the
other sayings are to show unto us that glorious plot and contrivance
that was concluded on before time between the Father and the Son, which
may very well be concluded on for a truth from the Word of God, if you
consider, 1. That the Scripture doth declare that the price was agreed
on by the Son before time; 2. The promise was made to Him by the Father
that He should have His bargain before time; 3. The choice, and who
they were that should be saved was made before time, even before the
world began.
1. For the first, That the price was agreed upon before the world
began. Consider the word which speaketh of the price that was paid for
sinners, even the precious blood of Christ; it saith of Him, “Who
verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was
manifest in these last times for you, who by Him do believe,” etc. (1
Peter 1:20,21). Mark, it was foreordained or concluded on between the
Father and the Son before the world began.
2. The promise from God to the Son was also made in the same manner, as
it is clear where the Apostle saith with comfort to his soul, that he
had “hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before
the world began,” (Titus 1:2) which could be to none but the Mediator
of the new covenant, because there was none else to whom it should be
made but He.
3. The choice was also made then, even before man had a being in this
world, as it is evident where he saith, “Blessed be the God and Father
of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual
blessings in heavenly places IN Christ: according as He hath chosen us
in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and
without blame before Him in love” (Eph 1:3,4). [Did I think this would
meet with any opposition, I should be in this more large.] Nay, did I
look upon it here to be necessary, I should show you very largely and
clearly that God did not only make the covenant with Christ before the
world began, and the conditions thereof, but I could also show you that
the very saints’ qualifications, as part of the covenant, was then
concluded on by the Father and the Son according to these Scriptures,
which, it may be, I may touch upon further anon (Eph 1:3,4; 2:10; Rom
8:28). But,
Third. This covenant was not made with any of the fathers, neither in
whole nor in part, as the undertakers thereof; for then it must be also
concluded that they are co-partners with Christ in our salvation, and
so that Christ is not Mediator alone; but this would be blasphemy for
any once to surmise. And therefore, by the way, when thou readest of
the new covenant in Scripture as though it was made with Adam, Noah,
Abraham, or David, thou art to consider thus with thyself—1. That God
spake to them in such a way for to show or signify unto us how He did
make the covenant that He did make with Christ before the world began,
they being types of Him. 2. That He thereby might let them understand
that He was the same then as He is now, and now as He was then; and
that then it was resolved on between His Son and HIM, that in after
ages His Son should in their natures, from their loins, and for their
sins, be born of a woman, hanged on the Cross, etc., for them: for all
along you may see that when He speaketh to them of the new covenant, He
mentions their seed—their seed—still aiming at Christ; Christ, the Seed
of the woman, was to break the serpent’s head (Gen 3:15; 17; Psa
89:36). Now to Abraham and his Seed was the promise made; his Seed
shall endure for ever, and His throne as the days of Heaven, etc.;
still pointing at Christ. And, 3. To stir up their faith and
expectations to be constant unto the end in waiting for that which He
and His Son had concluded on before time, and what He had since the
conclusion declared unto the world by the Prophets. 4. It appeareth
that the heart of God was much delighted therein also, as is evident,
in that He was always in every age declaring of that unto them which
before He had prepared for them. O this good God of Heaven!
Objection: But you will say, perhaps, the Scriptures say plainly that
the new covenant was and is made with believers, saying, “The days
come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of
Israel, and with the house of Judah; not according to the covenant that
I made with their fathers in the day when I led them out of the land of
Egypt,” etc. (Heb 8:8-10). So that it doth not run with Christ alone,
but with believers also—I will make a new covenant with the house of
Israel and Judah, etc. (Jer 31:33).
Answer first: It cannot be meant that the new covenant was made with
Christ, and the house of Israel and Judah as the undertakers thereof;
for so it was made with Christ alone, which is clear, in that it was
made long before the house of Israel and Judah had a being, as I showed
before. But,
Answer second: These words here are spoken, first, to show rather the
end of the ceremonies than the beginning or rise of the new covenant.
Mind a little; the Apostle is labouring to beat the Jews, to whom he
wrote this Epistle, off of the ceremonies of the law, of the priests,
altar, offerings, temple, etc., and to bring them to the right
understanding of the thing and things that they held forth, which were
to come, and to put an end to those. If you do but understand the
Epistle to the Hebrews, it is a discourse that showeth that the Son of
God being come, there is an end put to the ceremonies; for they were to
continue so long and no longer—“It,” saith the Apostle, “stood in meats
and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances imposed on them
until the time of reformation”; that is, until Christ did come. “But
Christ being come an high priest of good things to come,” etc., puts an
end to the things and ordinances of the Levitical priesthood. Read the
7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Chapters of Hebrews, and you will find this
true. So, then, when He saith, “The days come in which I make a new
covenant,” it is rather to be meant a changing of the administration,
taking away the type, the shadow, the ceremonies from the house of
Israel and Judah, and relieving by the birth of Christ, and the death
of Christ, and the offering of the body of Him whom the shadows and
types did point out to be indeed He whom God the Father had given for a
ransom by covenant for the souls of the saints; and also to manifest
the truth of that covenant which was made between the Father and the
Son before the world began; for though the new covenant was made before
the world began, and also every one in all ages was saved by the virtue
of that covenant, yet that covenant was never so clearly made manifest
as at the coming, death, and resurrection of Christ; and therefore,
saith the Scripture, “He hath brought life and immortality to light
through the Gospel.” “Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy
calling” not according to the “works” of righteousness which we have
done, “but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us
in Christ Jesus before the world began,” there is the covenant, but it
was “made MANIFEST by the APPEARING of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who
hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to LIGHT through
the Gospel” (2 Tim 1:9,10). Therefore, I say, these words are therefore
to discover that the time was come to change the dispensation, to take
away the type, and bring in the substance, and so manifesting that more
clearly which before lay hid in dark sayings and figures. And this is
usual with God to speak in this manner.
Again; if at any time you do find in Scripture that the Covenant of
Works is spoken of as the first covenant that was manifested, and so
before the second covenant, yet you must understand that it was so only
as to manifestation—that is, it was first given to man, yet not made
before that which was made with Christ; and indeed it was requisite
that it should be given or made known first, that thereby there might
be a way made for the second, by its discovering of sin, and the sad
state that man was in after the Fall by reason of that. And again, that
the other might be made the more welcome to the sons of men. Yet the
second Adam was before the first, and also the second covenant before
the first. [This is a riddle]. And in this did Christ in time most
gloriously answer Adam, who was the figure of Christ, as well as of
other things. Romans 5. For, Was the first covenant made with the first
Adam? so was the second covenant made with the second; for these are
and were the two great public persons, or representators of the whole
world, as to the first and second covenants; and therefore you find God
speaking on this wise in Scripture concerning the new covenant—“My
covenant shall stand fast with HIM.” “My mercy will I keep for HIM for
evermore,” saith God: “My covenant shall stand fast with HIM” (Psa
89:28,34,35); this HIM is Christ, if you compare this with Luke 1:32,
“My covenant will I not break”—namely, that which was made with
HIM—“nor alter the thing that is gone out of My mouth. Once I have
sworn by My holiness that I will not lie unto David,” [David here is to
be understood Christ.] to whom this was spoken figuratively in the
Person of Christ; for that was God’s usual way to speak of the glorious
things of the Gospel in the time of the Law, as I said before.
The conditions of the new covenant.
The conditions also were concluded on and agreed to be fulfilled by
Him: as it is clear, if you understand His saying in the 12th of John,
at the 27th verse, where He foretelleth His death, and saith, “Now is
My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour:
but for this cause came I” into the world “unto this hour”; as if He
had said, My business is now not to shrink from My sufferings that are
coming upon Me; for these are the things that are a great part of the
conditions contracted in the covenant which stands between My Father
and Me; therefore I shall not pray that this might be absolutely
removed from Me; For, “for this cause came I” into the world; even this
was the very terms of the covenant. By this you may see, “we are under
grace.”