11. Error 9: Absolute 'Covenant' of Grace — Confounding the Covenant of Grace and Covenant of Rede
urge humiliation for sin beyond the staple; teaching men they are not humbled enough, till they be content to be damned. (4.) It unreasonably supposes a Christian may not do that for his own soul, which he daily doth, and is bound to do for other men's souls, to pray, preach, exhort, and reprove for their salvation.
Error 9: Absolute 'Covenant' of Grace — Confounding the Covenant of Grace and Covenant of Redemption.
Error 9. They will not allow the new covenant to be properly made with us, but with Christ for us. And some of them affirm[7], 'That this covenant is all of it a promise, having no condition upon our part.' They acknowledge, indeed, faith, repentance, and obedience, to be conditions, but say they are not conditions on our part, but on Christ's; and consequently affirm, that he repented, believed, and obeyed for us.
Refutation 1. The confounding of distinct covenants leads them {588} into this error; we acknowledge there was a covenant properly made with Christ alone which we call the covenant of redemption.
This covenant, indeed, though it were made for us, yet it was not made with us: It had its condition, and that condition was laid only upon Christ, viz. That he should assume our nature, and pour out his soul unto death, which condition he was solely concerned to perform; but besides this, there is a covenant of grace made with him, and with all believers in him: with him primarily as the head, with them as the members, who personally come into this covenant, when they come into the union with him by faith. This covenant of grace is not made with Christ alone, personally considered, but with Christ and all that are his, mystically considered, and is properly made with all believers in Christ; and therefore it is called their
covenant, Zech. 9.11, "As for thee, also, by the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water." So when God entered into the covenant of grace with Abraham, Gen.
17.7, "I will establish my covenant (saith he) between me and thee, and thy seed after thee." So when he took the people of Israel into this covenant, Ezek. 16.8, "I sware unto thee, (saith he) and entered into a covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine."
This covenant of grace made with believers in Christ, is not the same, nor must it be confounded with the covenant of redemption made with Christ before the world began; they are two distinct covenants:
For in the covenant of grace, into which believers are taken, there is a Mediator, and this Mediator is Christ himself. But in the other covenant of redemption, there neither was, nor could be any
Mediator, which manifestly distinguishes them. Besides, in the covenant of grace, Christ bequeaths manifold and rich legacies, as he is the Testator; but no man gives a legacy to himself. This covenant is really and properly made with every believer, as he is a member of Jesus Christ, the head; and they are truly and properly fœderates with God: The covenant binds them to their duties and encourages them therein by promises of strength, to be derived from Christ, to enable them thereunto.
2. We thankfully acknowledge, that the glory of the new covenant is chiefly discovered in the promises thereof; upon the best promises it is established. And all the promises are reducible to the covenant.
They meet and center in it, as the rivers in the sea, or beams in the sun; but yet we cannot say, that nothing but promises is contained in this covenant: For there are duties required by it, as well as mercies promised in it.
Nor may we say, that those duties required by it are required only to be performed by Christ, and not by us; but they are required to be performed by us in his strength: Nor is it Christ that {589} repents and believes for us, but we ourselves are to believe and repent in the strength of his grace: and till we do so actually in our own persons,
we have no part or portion in the blessings and mercies of this covenant. If Christ by believing for us, give us an actual right and title to the promises and blessings of the new covenant, then it will unavoidably follow:
(1.) That men, who never repented for one sin in all their lives, may be, nay, certainly are pardoned as much as the greatest penitents in the world; because though they never repented themselves, yet Christ repented for them; expressly contrary to his own words, Luke
13.3, "Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish;" and contrary to his own established order, Luke 29.47. Acts 3.19.
(2.) It will also follow, that unbelievers, who never had union with Christ by one vital act of faith in all their lives, may be, nay, certainly shall be saved, as well as those that are actual believers: because though they be unbelievers in themselves, yet Christ believed for them; expressly contrary to Mark 16.16, "He that believeth not shall be damned." John 3.36, "He that believes not the Son, shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." And Luke 12.46, "He will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with unbelievers."
(3.) It will also follow from hence, that men may continue in a state of disobedience all their days, and yet may be saved, as well as the most obedient souls in the world; expressly contrary to Eph. 5.6, "Let no man deceive you with vain words; for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." And Rom. 2.8, "But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath." And 1 Pet.
4.17, "What shall the end of them be that obey not the gospel of God?"
This language sounds strange and harsh to the ears of Christians, a repenting Christ saving the impenitent sinner; a believing Christ saving unbelievers; an obeying Christ saving obstinate and disobedient wretches: Whither doth such doctrine tend, but to