or other; they are either under a covenant of works—or they are
suitable to man, and most honorable for man, and the most amicable
and friendly way of dealing with man. No sooner was man made, but
God entered into covenant with him, "In the day you eat thereof, you
shall die the death," Gen. 2:17; and after this, he made a covenant
with the world, by Noah, Gen. 9:11-15, and 6:18; and after this, he
made a covenant with Abraham, Gen. 17:1-2; and after this, he made
a covenant with the Jews at Mount Sinai, Exod. 19. Thus you see that
God has commonly dealt with man in the way of a covenant. But,
2. Secondly, Premise this with me—All men are under some covenant
or other; they are either under a covenant of works—or they are
under a covenant of grace. All people who live and die without a
saving interest in Christ—they live and die under a covenant of
works. Such as live and die with a saving interest in Christ—they live
and die under a covenant of grace. There is but a twofold standing
taken notice of in the blessed Scriptures; the one is under the law,
the other is under grace. Now he who is not under grace, is under the
law, Rom 6:14. It is true, in the Scripture you do not read, of the
covenant of works and the covenant of grace; but that of the apostle
comes near it: Romans 3:27, "Where is boasting then? It is excluded.
By what law? of works? Nay, but by the law of faith." [The apostle
expressly tells us that there are two covenants, and no more, in Gal.
4:24.]
Here you have the law of works, opposed to the law of faith; which
essentially means the covenant of works and the covenant of grace.
The apostle sets forth this twofold condition of men, by a very