Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 556

 

THIRD. THE PRIVILEGES OF THE NEW COVENANT.

In the next place, I shall show you the several privileges and advantages that the man or woman hath that is under this Covenant of Grace, over what they have that are under the Covenant of the Law and Works. As,

First. The Covenant of Grace is not grounded upon our obedience but God's love, even His pardoning love to us through Christ Jesus. The first covenant is stood to be broken or kept by us, and God's love or anger is to be lost or enjoyed thereafter as we, as creatures, behave ourselves. Still, now, the very ground of the Covenant of Grace is God's love, His mere love through Jesus Christ—"The LORD did not set His love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: but because the LORD loved you, and because He would keep the oath which He had sworn unto your fathers" (Deu 7:7,8). Again, "In His love and in His pity He redeemed them," "and the angel of His presence saved them," that is, Jesus Christ (Isa 63:9). And again, "Who hath saved us—not according to our 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" (2 Tim 1:9).

Second. This love is not conveyed to us through what we have done, as is before proved, but through what He had done with Whom the covenant was made, which was given us in Christ—According as He hath chosen us in Christ. "Who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." "God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you," that is, through Christ's doings, through Christ's sufferings (2 Tim 1:9; Eph 1:3,4; 4:32). Now if this be but rightly understood, it does discover the abundance of comfort to them, that are within the bounds of the Covenant of Grace. For,

1. Here, a believer seeth he shall stand if Christ's doings and sufferings stand, which is a sure foundation for God to deal with him through Christ. And so, secondly, he shall not fall, unless the suffering and merits of Christ be thrown over the bar, being found guilty, which will never be, before the eyes of Divine justice; for with Him the covenant was made, and He was the Surety of it; that is, as the covenant was made with Him, so He stood bound to fulfill the same (Zech 9:11; Heb 7:22). For you must understand that the covenant was made between the Father and the Son long before it was accomplished, or manifestly sealed with Christ's blood; it was made before the world began (Titus 1:2; Eph 1:4; 1 Peter 1:18-20). But the conditions thereof were not fulfilled until less than two thousand years ago, and all that while did Jesus stand bound as a surety, as I said before, is used to do, till the time in which the payment should be made. And it was b His Suretyship, having bound Himself by covenant to do all things agreed on by the Father and Him, that all those of the election that were born before He came, that they might be saved, and did enter into rest. For the forgiveness of past sins, though it was through the blood of Christ, yet it was also through the forbearance of God (Rom 3:25). That is, Christ becoming Surety for those that died before He came, that He should in deed and in truth, at the fullness of time, or at the time appointed, give complete and full satisfaction for them according to the tenor or condition of the covenant. (Gal 4:4). Again,

2. The second covenant, which believers are under, as the ground and foundation, if it is safe, so the promises thereof are better, surer, freer, and fuller, etc.

(1.) They are better if you compare the excellency of the one with the excellency of the other. The first had promised nothing but an early paradise—Do this, and thou shalt live here in an earthly paradise. But the other doth bring the promise of a heavenly paradise.

(2.) As the Covenant of Works doth promise an earthly paradise, yet it is a paradise or blessing, though once obtained, yet might be lost again; for no longer than thou doest well, no longer art thou blessed by that. O, but the promises in the new covenant do bring unto us the benefit of an eternal inheritance—That "they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance." O rare! It is an "eternal inheritance" (Heb 9:15).

Such one might be shaken, but this is said to be such (3.) The other, as it is not so good as this, neither is it so sure as this; therefore, he calls the one such a one as might be and be shaken, but this is said to be such a one that cannot be shaken. "And this Word," saith he, treating the two covenants from verse the 8th to the 24th—"And this Word, yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are," or maybe, "shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken," which is the second covenant, "may remain," (Heb 12:27); for, saith he (verse 28) "which cannot be moved." Ye blessed saints, seeing you have received a kingdom "which cannot be moved," therefore, "let us have grace, whereby we may serve" our "God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."