take not, fignifies the mysterious and unfearchable Contrivance, formed for the Recovery of ruined Man.-Formed and carried into Execution, by the LORD Almighty, or GOD the FATHER; and that illuftrious Person, who is to build the Temple, and bear the Glory. A Character, which None can claim; a Task, to which None is equal; but the bleffed JESUS only.

In Pfalm the xlth, the Conditions of the Covenant are circumftantially recorded. Which were the Incarnation, Obedience, and Death of the eternal SON: A Body haft Thou prepared me. Lo! I come to do thy Will; and to offer one Sacrifice for Sin *. The Accomplishment of these Conditions, is alledged and pleaded by our great MEDIATOR, in the Introduction to his laft, folemn Prayer +. What He implores, in the Procefs of his Supplications, may be looked upon as the Recompence ‡, decreed Him by the FATHER, and ftipulated in this magnificent Treaty.-Implores, did I say? 'Tis very obfervable, that our LORD makes a Demand, rather than a Requeft. The Expreffion is not spwlw, but Jew. A Word of Authority, not of Supplication. He claims what, by the FATHER's Engagement, and by his own Obedience, was become his unquestionable Right.

Here are the Parties of the Covenant; the Conditions of the Covenant; the Performance of the Covenant; and the Reward, which, by virtue of fuch Per

+ John xvii.

*Heb. x. 5, 7, 12. This Recompence is specified and promised, in another authentic Copy of the fame grand Treaty, registered Ijai. xlix. 1-6.

Not I beg, but I will. John xvii. 24. Sic volo, fic jubea.

Performance, is merited, is claimable, is due. All this, I fhould imagine, amounts to an Intimation, and fomewhat more than an Intimation of the Covenant.

Ther. This You call the Covenant of Grace: But if We are juftified by CHRIST's fulfilling of the Law, We are juftified by Works. So that, before You can strike out such a Way of Salvation, You muft contradict Yourself: And, what is more adven-" turous, You must abolish that fundamental Principle of the Gospel; By the Works of the Law, fhail no Flesh be justified.

Afp. We are, I grant it, justified by Works. But whofe? The Works of CHRIST, not our own.

This is very far from contradicting Ourselves; equally far is it from abolishing, what You call a "Principle of the Gofpel." Which, though an undeniable Truth, is not an evangelical Doctrine. Because, it only fhews Us our miferable State, and the utter Impoffibility of relieving Ourselves, Whereas, nothing is genuine Gospel *, but what speaks Comfort, and adminifters Recovery.

Between the Covenant of Works, and the Covenant of Grace, this, I apprehend, is the Difference. In the former, Man was to obtain eternal Life by his perfonal Obedience. By the latter, the Obedience of his Surety is accepted, instead of his own. The Righteoufnefs required by both, is not fincere, but complete; not proportioned to the Abilities of fallen Man, but to the Purity of the Law, and the Majefty of the LAWGIVER.-By this Means,

the

The Gospel, precifely confidered, and as it ftands in Contradiftinction to the Law, is the Doctrine of Pardon and Life through JESUS CHRIST; through his Satiffaction and Righteoufness, freely prefented to loft Sinners, and freely to be applied for their Salvation.

the Glory of GOD as an awful Sovereign, and the Glory of his Law as an inviolable System, are entirely preferved and illuftrioufly difplayed. The Salvation of Sinners, neither clashes with the Truth, nor interferes with the Juftice of the Supreme LEGISLATOR. On the contrary, it becomes a faithful and juft * Procedure of the most High GOD, to juftify Him that believeth on JESUS.

Ther. When You make this Difference between the two Covenants, where is your Authority from Scripture? Which of the facred Writers have taught Us, that, though one demanded personal, the other is content with vicarious Obedience?

Afp. Which?-The firft Three. The most eminent Hiftorian; the most enraptured Poet; and the moft zealous Preacher. I need not inform You, that I mean Mofes, David, and Paul.

The Testimony of David has already been recited. -Mofes gives Us a concife, but very instructive Account of the second Covenant. With Whom, according to his Representation, was it made? Not with Adam, or any of his Pofterity; but with the LORD JESUS CHRIST, in the Room and Stead of both. None of the Articles are propofed to a poor, impotent, ruined Creature. It is not a Law of Commandments, but a free Promife only, that muft afford Relief in a fallen State. Therefore the whole Burden is configned over to the interpofing SAVIOUR, fignificantly defcribed by the Seed of the Woman. It is not faid, "Thy beft Endea❝vours, O Adam, thy true Repentance and fincere "Obedience, shall retrieve this fatal Miscarriage; "but, the Seed of the Woman shall bruife the Serpent's Head.

1 John i. 9.

"Head*. The SON of the MOST HIGH, by taking thy Nature, fubmitting to thy Obli"gations, and fuffering Death for thy Sins, HE, " even HE fhall fully repair thy Lofs."

CHRIST, We fee, undertook to execute the Conditions. CHRIST was our Reprefentative in this great Tranfaction. For which Reafon He is ftyled by St. Paul, The fecond Mant, and the Surety of a better Covenant .-Our Help being laid upon ONE, that is fo mighty; upon ONE, that is fo faithful; the Covenant is faid to be, In all Things well ordered and fure | Admirably well ordered indeed, for the Comfort of the Chriftian, and the Security of his Salvation." "Tis true, may He ar"gue, I cannot fulfil the Conditions; and 'tis "equally true, that no fuch Thing is required at "my Hands. The LORD JESUS CHRIST, "of his adorably rich Goodnefs, has performed all "that was conditional $; and has eftablished, for

me and for his People, a valid Title to the Pro"mises ¶, the Privileges, and―

* Gen. iii. 15.

+ 1 Cor. xv. 48. 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.

Ther.

Heb.

vii. 22. § Witfius, inftead of representing the Covenant of Grace as a chimerical Thing, moft affectionately and charmingly difplays its Excellency; Si quicquam ergo attentissima Confideratione dignum cenferi debeat, Jane id Foedus Gratia eft. Hic Via oftenditur ad meliorem terreftri Paradifum, & ad certiorem fabilioremque Felicitatem, eâ qua Adamus excidit. Hic nova Spes perditis Mortalibus allucet, que eo gratior effe debet, quo inexfpectatior obvenit. Hic Conditiones offeruntur, quibus æterna Salus annexa eft; Conditiones non a Nobis rurJus præftanda, quod Animum defpondere faceret ; fed ab EO, qui Vitâ non excedet, antequam vere dixerit, Confummatum eft. De Oecon. Lib. II. Cap. i. Therefore the Apofle ufes this remarkable Expreffion, Covenants of Promife, Eph. ii. 12.-Covenants, in VOL. II.

E

the

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Ther. "has thereby released me from all Obligation to practical Duty."Farewel then to our own Obedience. No more Occafion for any E linefs of Life. Nay, the Sluice is opened for an Inundation of Ungodliness. Fine Divinity truly! Should I not rather fay Downright Antinomianifm! Afp. No, my Friend: CHRIST came not to deftroy the Law, but to fulfil *. He has fulfilled it, to the uttermoft, in his own Perfon. He has also merited for Us, thofe Supplies of the SPIRIT, which alone can enable weak corrupt Creatures, to yield acceptable Obedience. Though our LORD. JESUS died, and was obedient for the Ungodly; though He always finds Us ungodly, when He juftifies Us; yet He never leaves hiss People in this abominable State. On the contrary, He teaches them, and by this very Grace of free Juftification, to deny all Ungodliness and worldly Luftsto

Pray, let Us confider the Tenour of this Covenant; fince You are fo very apprehenfive of its Confequences. I will put my Laws into their

Minds, and on their Hearts will I write them ‡. "They fhail difcern fuch a Beauty and Glory in "my Precepts, as will engage their Defires, and

win their Affections. So that it fhall no longer be their Burden, but their Delightgi even their << Meat

the plural Number. Becaufe, adminiftered ate fundry Times, and manifefted in diverfe Manners. Though the Substance of each was one and the fame, namely CHRIST.-Covenants, not of mutual Contract, but of abfolute Grace; because the Bleffings were not propofed on the Foot of obligatory Conditions, but by Way of free Grant, or unconditional Promife. I will be their GOD; they shall be my People. Jer. xxxi. 38

*Matt. v. 17.

f

† Tit. ii. 12. ↑ Heb, viii. 10.