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Second. This covenant or bargain was made in deed and 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. The Scripture doth declare that the Son agreed on the price 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, 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 when 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 when he says, "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 this meet with any opposition? I should be in this larger.] Nay, did I look upon it here to be necessary? I should show you very primarily 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, were 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 also be 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 anyone to surmise. And therefore, 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. God spoke to them in such a way as to show or signify unto us how He made the covenant with Christ before the world began, and they were 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, hanging 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 forever, and His throne as the days of Heaven, etc.; still pointing at Christ. And, 3. They should stir up their faith and expectations to be constant until the end, waiting for He and His Son to conclude before time and what He had since the conclusion was 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!

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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).

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THE DOCTRINE PROVED.

In the doctrine, two things must be considered and proved: First, believers are under grace. SECONDLY, Not under the law as a Covenant of Works; you must understand me. For these two, we need to 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 allowed of no repentance, but accused, cursed, and condemned everyone that is under it—"Cursed is every one that continues 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 also forgiven them freely. They that stand in the first covenant and continue there will never have sin forgiven them unless they can give God 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 my 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 pardoned sin? They also have that freedom: "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? God is the first cause: "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 the 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 cannot 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; 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 triumph 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 are also His gifts, and He gives us all things to enjoy richly (Matt 25:34).

, if these things are duly and soberly considered, they will give satisfaction. So, if these things are duly and soberly considered, they will give satisfaction. I might have added many more to clear 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 saw him taking pleasure therein, with all delight and greediness. 2. He was fain to quicken him by putting His Spirit into him and translating 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 devil's snare and let poor man, poor bound and fettered man, out of the enemy's chains.

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WHAT MEN MAY ATTAIN THAT ARE UNDER THIS COVENANT OF WORKS.

And thus, you see, I have briefly spoken to you about something touching the law. First, what it is, and when given; second, how sad those men's conditions are that are under it; third, who they are that be under it; fourth, how far they may go, and what they may do and receive, and yet be under it; which hath been done by way of answers to several questions, for the better satisfaction of those that may stand in doubt of the truth of what hath been delivered.

Now, in the next place, I shall come to some application of the truth of that which hath been spoken, but I shall in the first place speak something to the second doctrine, and then afterward, I shall speak something by way of use and application to this first doctrine.

DOCTRINE SECOND.

The second doctrine now to be spoken to is, TO SHOW THAT THE PEOPLE OF GOD ARE NOT UNDER THE LAW BUT UNDER GRACE—"For ye are not under the law, but under grace" (Rom 6:14).

You may well remember that from these words, I did observe these two great truths of the Lord—FIRST, That there are some in Gospel times that are under the law, or Covenant of Works. SECOND, That there is never a believer under the law or Covenant of Works but under grace. I have spoken something to the former of these truths—to wit, that there are some under the law, together with who they are, and what their condition is, that are under it. Now I am to speak to the second, and to show you who they are, and what their condition is, that are under that [Covenant of Grace].

But before I come to that, I shall speak a few words to show you what the word "grace" in this place signifies; [I touched upon this in the first doctrine] for the word "grace" in the Scripture sometimes referred to favor 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 accused, 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 genuinely 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, but merely and alone because they were under 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.

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WHAT MEN MAY ATTAIN THAT ARE UNDER THIS COVENANT OF WORKS.

Now, if Christ doth give it, and that freely, then He doth not sell if for anything that is in the creature; but Christ doth give Himself, as also doth His Father, and that freely, not because there is anything in us, or done by us, that moves Him thereunto. If it were by doing, saith Paul, “Grace is not grace,” seeing it is obtained by works, but grace is grace, which is why it is given to men without their works. And if it is by grace, that is, if it is a free gift from God, without anything foreseen as done, or to be done, by the creature, then it is not of works, which is evident; therefore, it is grace, without the works of the law. But if you say, Nay, it is of something in the man done by him that moves God thereunto, then you must conclude that either grace is no grace, or else that works are grace and not works. Do but read with understanding (Rom 11:6).

Now before I go any further, it may be necessary to speak a word or two to some poor souls who are willing to close in with Jesus Christ and would willingly take Him upon His own terms, only they being muddy in their minds and have not yet attained the understanding of the terms and conditions of the two covenants, they are kept off from closing with Christ; and all is, because they see they can do nothing [to merit His favor]. For example, come to some souls and ask how they do; they will tell you that they are so bad that it is not to be expressed. If you bid them believe in Jesus Christ, they will answer that they cannot believe; if you ask them why they cannot believe, they will answer because their hearts are so hard, so dead, so dull, so backward to suitable duties; and if their hearts were but better, if they were more earnest if they could pray better, and keep their hearts more from running after sin, then they could believe; but should they believe with such vile hearts, and presume to believe in Christ, and be so filthy? Now, all this is because the spirit of the law still rules in such souls and blinds them so they cannot see the terms of the Gospel. To clear this, take the substance or the drift of these poor souls: “If I were better, then I think I could believe; but being so bad as I am, that is the reason that I cannot.” This is just to do something that I may believe, to work that I may have Christ, to do the law that I may have the Gospel; or thus, to be righteous that I may come to Christ. O man! Thou must go quite back again, thou art out of the way, thou must believe. Thou canst not pray, because thou canst not do; thou must believe, because there is nothing in thee naturally that is good, or desireth after good, or else thou wilt never come to Christ as a sinner; and if so, then Christ will not receive thee; and if so, then thou mayest see that to keep off from Christ because thou canst not do, is to be kept from Christ by the law, and to stand off from Him because thou canst not buy Him. Thus, having spoken something by the way for the direction of those souls that would come to Christ, I shall return to the former discourse, wherein ariseth this objection—

Object. But you did but even now put souls upon fulfilling the first condition of the Gospel, even to believe in Christ, and so be saved; but now you say it is alone by grace, without condition; and therefore by these words, there is first a contradiction to your former sayings, and also that men may be saved without the condition of faith, which to me seems a very strange thing. I desire, therefore, that you would clear out what you have said, to my satisfaction.

Answer, 1. Though there be a condition commanded in the Gospel, yet He that commands the condition doth not leave His children to their own natural abilities, that in their own strength they should fulfill them, as the law doth; but the same God that doth command that the condition be fulfilled, even He doth help His children by His Holy Spirit to fulfill the same condition; “For it is God which worketh in you,”—mark “in you,” believers, “both to will and to do of His own good pleasure” (Phil 2:13). “Thou also hast wrought all our works in us, and for us” (Isa 26:12). So that, if the condition be fulfilled, it is not done by the ability of the creature. But,

2. Faith, as it is a gift of God or an act of ours, take it which way you will, if we speak correctly of salvation, it is not the first nor the second cause of our salvation, but the third and that but instrumentally neither—that is, it only layeth hold of and applieth to us that which saveth us, which is the love of God, through the merits of Christ, which are the two leading causes of our salvation, without which all other things are nothing, whether it be faith, hope, love, or whatever can be done by us. And to this, the great Apostle of the Gentiles speaks entirely, for, saith he, “God, who is rich in mercy, loved us, even when we were dead in sins” (Eph 2:4,5). That is when we were without faith, and that was the cause why we believed, for He thereby hath quickened us together, through the meritorious cause, which is Christ, and so hath saved us by grace—that is, of His own voluntary love and goodwill; the effect of which was this, He gave us faith to believe in Christ. Read soberly Ephesians 2:4-8. Faith, as the gift of God, is not the Saviour, as our act doth merit nothing; faith was not the cause that God gave Christ as the first, neither is it the cause why God converts men to Christ; but faith is a gift bestowed upon us by the gracious God, the nature of which is to lay hold on Christ, that God afore did give for a ransom to redeem sinners; this faith hath its nourishment and supplies from the same God that at first did give it, and is the only instrument, through the Spirit, that doth keep the soul in a comfortable frame, both to do and suffer for Christ; helps the soul to receive comfort from Christ when it can get none from itself, beareth up the soul in its progress heavenwards. But that it is the first cause of salvation, that I deny, or that it is the second, I deny; but it is only the instrument, or hand, that receiveth the benefits, that God hath prepared for thee before thou hadst any faith; so that we do nothing for salvation as we are men. But if we speak correctly, it was God’s grace that moved Him to give Christ a ransom for sinners, and the same God, with the same grace, that doth give to the soul faith to believe, and so, by thinking, to close in with Him whom God out of His love and pity did send into the world to save sinners, so that all the works of the creature are shut out as to justification and life, and men are saved freely by grace. I shall speak no more here, but in my discourse upon the second covenant, I shall answer a Hell-bred objection or two to forewarn sinners how they turn the grace of God into wantonness.

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WHAT MEN MAY ATTAIN THAT ARE UNDER THIS COVENANT OF WORKS.

Object. Then, you grant conditional promises in the New Testament, as in the moral law or Ten Commandments.

Answ. Though this may be true, the conditional promises in the New Testament do not call to the same people in the same state of unregeneracy to fulfill them upon the same conditions.

The Law and the Gospel being two distinct covenants, they are made in divers ways, and the nature of the conditions also being not the same, as saith the Apostle, the righteousness of the law saith one thing, and the righteousness of faith saith another (Rom 10:4-6). The excellent condition in the law is that if you do these things, you shall live by them. Still, the condition, even the most excellent condition laid down for a poor soul to do, as to salvation—for it is that we speak of—is to believe that my sins be forgiven me for Jesus Christ's sake, without the works or righteousness of the law, on my part, to help forward. "To him that worketh not," saith the Apostle [that is] for salvation, "but believeth on Him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith"—mark, "his faith is counted for righteousness" (Rom 4:5). So that we, saith, he, "conclude that a man is justified by faith without"—mark again, "without the deeds of the law" (Rom 3:28).

But again, there is never a condition in the Gospel that can be fulfilled by an unbeliever. Therefore, whether there be conditions or whether there be none, it makes no matter to thee who art without the faith of Christ, for it is impossible for thee in that state to do them, to be ever the better as to thy eternal estate; therefore, lest thou shouldst split thy soul upon the conditions laid down in the Gospel, as thou wilt do if thou go about to do them only with a legal spirit; but, I say, to prevent this, see if thou canst fulfill the first condition; that is, to believe that all thy sins are forgiven thee, not for any condition that hath been or can be done by thee, but merely for Man's sake that did hang on Mount Calvary, between two thieves, some sixteen hundred years ago and odd. And, I say, see if thou canst believe that at that time He did, when He hanged on the Cross, give complete satisfaction, for all thy sins, before thou in thy person hadst committed ever a one. I say, see if thou canst believe this, and take heed thou deceive not thyself with a historical, notional, or traditional acknowledgment of the same. And, secondly, see if thou canst so well fulfill this condition, that the very virtue and efficacy that it hath on thy soul will engage thee to meet those other conditions, really in love to that Man whom thou shouldst believe hath frankly and freely forgiven thee all, without any condition acted by thee to move Him to it, according to that saying in 2 Corinthians 5:14, 15. Then thy doing will arise from a contrary principle than otherwise, it will do—that is, then thou wilt not act and do because thou wouldst be accepted of God, but because thou hast some good hope in thy heart that thou art accepted of Him already, and not on thine, but wholly and alone upon another man's account; for here runs the Gospel spirit of faith: "We believe,"—mark, "We believe, and therefore speak." So we believe, and therefore do (2 Cor 4:13). Take heed, therefore, that you do not DO, that you may believe, but rather think so effectually that you may DO, even all that Jesus doth require of you from a right principle, even out of love to your dear Lord Jesus Christ, which thing I shall speak to more fully by and by.

Object. But what do you mean by those expressions? Do not do that you may believe, but believe so effectually that you may do.

Answ. When I say, Do not do that you may believe, I mean, do not think that any of the things that thou canst do will procure or purchase faith from God unto thy soul; for that is still the old covenant spirit, the spirit of the law, to think to have it for thy doing. They that are saved, they are saved by grace, through faith, and that not of themselves, not for anything that they can do, for they are both the free gift of God, "Not of" doing, or of "works, lest any man should," be proud, and "boast" (Eph 2:8,9). Now, some people be so ignorant as to think that God will give them Christ, and so all the merits of His, if they will be but valiant, and do something to please God, that they may obtain Him at His hands; but let me tell them, they may lose a thousand souls quickly, if they had so many, by going this way to work, and yet be never the better; for the Lord doth not give His Christ to any upon such conditions, but He doth give Him freely; that is, without having respect to anything that is in thee (Rev 22:17; Isa 55:1,2). To him that is athirst will I give; He doth not say, I will sell; but, I will give him the water of life freely (Rev 21:6).

Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 521

 

WHAT MEN MAY ATTAIN THAT ARE UNDER THIS COVENANT OF WORKS.

Again, giving of alms is a Gospel command. Yet, if I provide alms from a legal principle, the command to me is not Gospel but legal. It binds me over, as aforesaid, to do the whole law—"For he is not a Jew," nor a Christian, "which is one outwardly"—that is, one only by an outward subjection to the ordinances of prayer, hearing, reading, baptism, breaking of bread, etc.—"But he is a Jew," a Christian, "which is one inwardly," who is rightly principled, and practiced the ordinances of the Lord from the leading forth of the Spirit of the Lord, from a genuine and saving faith in the Lord (Rom 2:28,29). Those men spoken of in the 7th of Matthew, for sure, for all their great declaration, did not do what they did from a right Gospel spirit; for had they, no question but the Lord would have said, "Well done, good and faithful servant." But in that the Lord Jesus doth turn them away into Hell, notwithstanding their great profession of the Lord, and of their doing in His name, it is evident that notwithstanding all that they did do, they were still under the law and not under that covenant as true believers are—to wit, the Covenant of Grace. If so, all their duties, which they boasted before the Lord, were not in and by a correct evangelical principle or spirit.

Again, saith the Apostle, "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rom 14:23); but there are some that do even practice baptism, breaking of bread, together with other ordinances, and yet are unbelievers; therefore unbelievers doing these things, they are not done in faith but sin. Now, to do these things in sin, or without faith, it is not to do things in an evangelical or Gospel spirit; also, they that do these things in a legal spirit, the very practicing of them renders them not under the law of Christ, as Head of His Church. Still, the works they do contradict the Gospel of God or the Covenant of Grace, that they that do them thus do even set up against the Covenant of Grace. Their very performance is of such force that it is sufficient to drown them subjected thereunto, even under the Covenant of Works. Still, these poor souls are not aware of, and there is their misery.

Quest. But have you no other way to discover the things of the Gospel, how they are done with a legal principle, and those you have already mentioned?

Answ. That thou mightiest be indeed satisfied herein, I shall show you the very manner and way that a legal, or old-covenant-converted professor, bear with the terms, doth take both in the beginning, middle, and the end of his doing of any duty or command, or whatsoever it is that he doth do. 1. He thinks this or that to be his duty, and considering of the same, he is also presently persuaded in his own conscience that God will not accept of him if he leaves it undone; he sees that he is short of his duty, as he supposeth, while this is undone by him, and also judging that God is angry with him until the thing is done, he, in the second place, sets to the doing of the duty, to the end he may be able to pacify his conscience by doing of the same, persuading of himself that now the Lord is pleased with him for doing of it. 2. Having done it, he contents himself. He sits at ease until some further convictions of his duty to be done, which when he sees and knows, he doth do it as aforesaid, from the same principle as he did the former, and so goeth on in his progress of the profession. This is to do things from a legal principle and from an old-covenant spirit; for thus runs that covenant, "The man that doth these things shall live in them," of "by them" (Lev 18:5; Gal 3:12; Rom 10:5). But more of this in the use of this doctrine.

Object. But, you will say, by these words of yours, you do seem to deny that there are conditional promises in the Gospel, as is evident in that you strike at such practices as are conditional and commanded to be done upon the same.

Answ. I think that a man in or with a legal spirit should not, nay, cannot, do any conditional command of the Gospel acceptably as to his eternal state because he doth it in an old covenant spirit. "No man put new wine into old bottles," but new wine must have new bottles, a Gospel command must have a Gospel spirit, or else the wine will break the bottles, or the principal will break the command.

Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 520

 

WHAT MEN MAY ATTAIN THAT ARE UNDER THIS COVENANT OF WORKS.

Quest. But, you will say, it is like, How should this be made manifest and appear?

Answ. I shall speak briefly in answer hereunto as follows—First, then, that man that doth take up any of the ordinances of God—namely, as prayer, baptism, breaking of bread, reading, hearing, alms-deeds, or the like; I say, he that doth practice any of these, or such like, supposing thereby to procure the love of Christ to his own soul, he doth do what he doth from a legal, and not from an evangelical or Gospel spirit: as thus—for a man to suppose that God will hear him for his prayer's sake, for his alm's sake, for his humiliation's sake, or because he hath promised to make God amends hereafter, whereas there is no such thing as a satisfaction to be made to God by our prayers or whatever we can do; I say, there is no such way to have reconciliation with God in. And so also for men to think, because they are got into such and such an ordinance, and have crowded themselves into such and such a society, that therefore they have got pretty good shelter from the wrath of the Almighty; when, alas, poor souls, there is no such thing. No, but God will so set His face against such professors that His very looks will make them tear their very flesh; yea, make them wish would they had the biggest millstone in the world hanged about their neck, and they cast into the midst of the sea. For your friends, let me tell you. However, you can now content yourselves without the holy, harmless, undefiled, perfect righteousness of Christ, yet there is a day a-coming in which there is not one of you shall be saved but those that are and shall be found clothed with that righteousness; God will say to all the rest, "Take them, bind them hand and foot, and cast them into outer darkness; there shall be weeping, and gnashing of teeth" (Matt 22:13). For Christ will not say unto men in that day, Come, which of you made a profession of Me, and walked in church-fellowship with My saints: no; but then it shall be inquired into, who have the reality of the truth of grace wrought in their hearts. And, for sure, he that misseth of that shall indeed be cast into the Lake of Fire, there to burn with the devils and damned men and women; there to undergo the wrath of an eternal God, and that not for a day, a month, a year, but forever, forever, forever and ever; there is that which cutteth to the quick. Therefore, look to it, and consider now what you do, and whereon you hang your souls; for it is not every pin that will hold in the judgment, not every foundation that will be able to hold up the house against those mighty, terrible, soul-drowning floods and destroying tempests which then will roar against the soul and body of a sinner (Luke 6:47-49). And, if the principle is rotten, all will fall, and all will come to nothing. The principle is Not to do things because we would be saved but to do them from this—namely, because we believe that we are and shall be saved. But do not mistake me; I do not say we should slight any holy duties; God forbid; but I say, he that doth look for life because he doth do reasonable responsibilities, he is under the Covenant of Works, the law; let his duties be never so eminent, so often, so fervent, so zealous. Ay, and I say, as I said before, that if any man or men, or multitudes of people, do get into never so high, so eminent; and transparent practices and Gospel order, as to church discipline, if it be done to this end I have been speaking of, from this principle, they must and shall have these sad things fall to their share which I have made mention of.

Object. But, you will say, can a man use Gospel ordinances with a legal spirit?

Answ. Yes, as quickly as the Jews could use and practice circumcision, though not the moral or Ten Commandments. For this, I shall be bold to affirm that it is not the commands of the New Testament administration that can keep a man from using of its self [that administration] in a legal spirit; for know this for sure, that it is the principle, not the command, that makes the subjector to the same either legal or evangelical, and so his obedience from that command to be from legal convictions or evangelical principles.

Now, herein the devil is wondrous subtle and crafty, in suffering people to practise the ordinances and commands of the Gospel, if they do but do them in a legal spirit, [I beseech you, do not think because I say this, therefore I am against the ordinances of the Gospel, for I do honour them in their places, yet would not that any of them should be idolized, or done in a wrong spirit,] from a spirit of works; for he knows then, that if he can but get the soul to go on in such a spirit, though they do never so many duties, he shall hold them sure enough; for he knows full well that thereby they do set up something in the room of, or, at the least, to have some, though but a little, share with the Lord Jesus Christ in their salvation; and if he can but get thee here, he knows that he shall cause thee by thy depending a little upon the one, and so thy whole dependence being not upon the other, that is, Christ, and taking of him upon his own terms, thou wilt fall short of life by Christ, though thou do very much busy thyself in a suitable walking, in an outward conformity to the several commands of the Lord Jesus Christ. And let me tell you plainly, that I do verily believe that as Satan by his instruments did draw many of the Galatians by circumcision (though, I say, it was none of the commands of the moral law) to be debtors to do upon pain of eternal damnation the whole of the moral law, so also Satan, in the time of the Gospel, doth use even the commands laid down in the Gospel, some of them, to bind the soul over to do the same law; the thing being done and walked in, by and in the spirit; for, as I said before, it is not the obedience to the command that makes the subjector to it evangelical, or of a Gospel spirit; but, contrariwise, the principle that leads out the soul to the doing of the command, that makes the persons that do thus practice any command, together with the command by them practiced, either legal or evangelical. As, for instance, prayer—it is a Gospel command; yet if he that prays doth it in a legal spirit, he doth make that which in itself is a Gospel command an occasion of leading him into a Covenant of Works, since he doth it by and in that old covenant spirit.

Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 519

 

WHAT MEN MAY ATTAIN THAT ARE UNDER THIS COVENANT OF WORKS.

Object. But, you will say, is not this a fair declaring of the work of grace, or doth it not discover that, without all gainsaying, we are under the Covenant of Grace, when we are able, not only to speak of the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ, but also to tell, and that by experience, that we have been changed from worse to better, from sin to a holy life, by leaving of the same, and that by hearing of the Word preached?

Answer 1. A man may, in the first place, be able to talk of all the mysteries of the Gospel, and that like an angel of God, and yet be no more in God's account than the sounding of a drum, brass, or the tinkling of a cymbal, which are things that, notwithstanding their sound and great noise, are absolutely void of life and motion, and so are accounted with God as nothing—that is, no Christians, no believers, not under the Covenant of Grace for all that (1 Cor 13:1-4). 2. Men may not only do this but may also be changed in reality, for a season, from what they formerly were, and yet be nothing at all in the Lord's account as to an eternal blessing. Read 2 Peter 2:20, the Scripture I mentioned before; for, indeed, that one Scripture is enough to prove all that I desire to say as to this very thing; for if you observe, there is enfolded therein these following things—(1.) That reprobates may attain to a knowledge of Christ. (2.) This knowledge may be of such weight and force that, for the present, it may make them escape the pollutions of the world, and this by hearing the Gospel. "For if after they have escaped the world's pollutions through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end of that man is worse than the beginning." [Some professors, take them at the best, they are but like dogs, spewing out their filth for a time.] Now that they are reprobates, dogs, or sows, read further; "But," saith he, "it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire" (Verse 22).

[Third part of the objection.] The last part of the objection. But, say you, our practices in the worship of God shall testify for us that we are not under the law; for we have by God's goodness attained to as exact a way of waking in the ordinances of God, and as near the examples of the Apostles, as ever any churches since the primitive times, as we judge.

[Answer to reason third.] What then? Do you think that walking in the order of the churches of old, as a matter of outward worship, is sufficient to clear you of your sins on the judgment day? Or, do you think that God will be contented with a bit of bodily subjection to that which shall vanish and fade like a flower, when the Lord shall come from Heaven in flaming fire, with His mighty angels (2 Thess 1:7,8)? Alas, alas, how will such professors as these fall before the judgment seat of Christ! Then such a question as this, "Friend, how camest thou in hither, not having a wedding garment?" will make them speechless and fall down into everlasting burnings, thousands on a heap; for you must know that it is not then your crying, Lord, Lord, that will stand you in stead; not your saying, We have ate and drunk in Thy presence, that will keep you from standing on the left hand of Christ. The principle and practice shall be inquired into on that day.

Quest. The principle, you will say, what do you mean by that?

Answ. My meaning is that the Lord Jesus Christ will then inquire and examine whether the spirit from which you acted was legal or evangelical—that is, whether it was the Spirit of adoption that drew you out to the thing you took in hand or a mere moral principle, together with some shallow and common illuminations into the outward way of the worship of God, according to Gospel rule. 

Works of John Bunyan: THE DOCTRINE OF THE LAW AND GRACE UNFOLDED. 518

 

WHAT MEN MAY ATTAIN THAT ARE UNDER THIS COVENANT OF WORKS.

The Jews were of a more precise understanding many of them than to conclude that the law, and only the law, was the way to salvation; for they, even they that received not the Christ of God, did expect a Saviour should come (John 7:27,41-43). But they were men that had not the Gospel Spirit, which alone can lead them to the very life, marrow, or substance of the Gospel in correct terms; and so being muddy in their understandings, being between the thoughts of a Saviour and the thoughts of the works of the law, thinking that they must be accomplished for the obtaining of a Saviour, and His mercy towards them; I say, between these they fell short of a Saviour. As many poor souls these days, they think they must be saved alone by the Saviour. Yet, they believe there is something to be done on their parts to obtain the good-will of the Saviour, as their humiliation for sin, their turning from the same, their promises, vows, and resolutions to become new men, join in church fellowship, and what not; and thus they, bringing this along with them as a means to help them, they fall short of eternal salvation if they are not converted; see that Scripture (Rom 9:30-32). The Apostle saith there, that they that sought not did obtain, when they that did seek fell short. "What shall we say then?" saith he. "That the Gentiles which sought not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness," yea, "even the righteousness which is of faith." And what else? Why, "but Israel which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness." How came that to pass? "Because," saith he, "they sought it not by faith, but as it were"—mark, he doth not say, altogether, no, "but as it were"—that is because as they sought, they did a little by the bye lean upon the works of the law. And let me tell you that this is such a hard thing to beat men off of that though Paul himself did take the job in hand, he did find enough to do touching it; how is he fain to labor in the ten first chapters of his Epistle to the Romans, for the establishing of those that did even profess largely in the doctrine of grace, and also in that Epistle to the Galatians; and yet lost many, do what he could. Now, the reason why the doctrine of grace doth so hardly down—even with professors—in truth, effectually, it is because there is a principle naturally in man that doth argue against the same, and that thus: Why, saith the soul, I am a sinner, and God is righteous, holy, and just; His holy Law, therefore, having been broken by me, I must, by all means, if ever I look to be saved, in the first place, be sorry for my sins; secondly, turn from the same; thirdly, follow after suitable duties, and practice the good things of the law and ordinances of the Gospel, and so hope that God for Christ's sake may forgive all my sins; which is not the way to God as a Father in Christ, but the way, the very way to come to God by the Covenant of Works, or the law, which things I shall more fully clear when I speak to the second doctrine.

Again, therefore, those that this day profess the Gospel, for the generality of them they are such, that, notwithstanding their profession, they are very ignorant of that glorious influence and lustre of the same; I say, they are ignorant of the virtue and efficacy of the magnificent things of Christ held forth by and in the Gospel, which doth argue their not being under the Covenant of Grace, but somewhat under the law or old covenant (2 Cor 4:3). As, for instance, if you do come among some professors of the Gospel, in general you shall have them pretty busy and ripe; also able to hold you in a very large discourse in several points of the same glorious Gospel; but if you come to the same people and ask them concerning heart-work, or what work the Gospel hath wrought on them, and what appearance they have had of the sweet influences and virtues on their souls and consciences, it may be they will give you such an answer as this—I do find by the preaching thereof that I am changed, and turned from my sins in a good measure, and also have learned (but only in tongue), to distinguish between the law and the Gospel, so that for the one—that is, for the Gospel—I can plead, and also can show the weakness and unprofitableness of the other. And thus far, it is like they may go, which is not far enough to prove them under the Covenant of Grace. However, they may have their tongues so largely tipped with the profession of the same (2 Peter 2:20), where he said, "For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ," which was not saving knowledge, "they are again entangled therein and overcome, the latter end" of that man "is worse than the beginning" (Matt 25:1-4, etc.; Matt 7:22).