[7.] The conditions in both covenants were suitable to the ends and
374 SERMONS UPON TSALM CXIX. [SeR. CXLVI.
scope appointed. In the first covenant God would show forth justice in rewardine: man's works and his own ol)edience. Now what more suitable condition than works, without the least indulgence in case of failing ? Gal. iii. 10, ' Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.' And what more suitable to show forth grace than the condition of faith required by the covenant of grace? Kom. iv. 16, ' Therefore it was of faith, that it might be of grace, to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed ; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all.' So he would make it full of comfort to the creature, and honour to his justice. 2. The diflferences between these two covenants. [1.] They differ in the ends, both as to man and God. (1.) As to man. The end of the first covenant was to preserve and continue man in that happiness wherein it found him, and in Avhich he was created ; but the covenant of grace was for the reparation and restitution of mankind to that happiness which he had lost, and from which he had fallen. The law saith to man in his best, his pure and perfect estate, Continue in it. It speaketh to the innocent, that they may continue in their original hai)piness. The gospel saith, Be ye reconciled and renewed : 2 Cor. v. 20, ' Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us ; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God ;' for it speaketh to the fallen and miserable : it is a restitution of what was lost, and redeeming us from misery and sin. The one was made with man in statu t7istituto, as he came out of God's hand, in his primitive integrity, when he was a lively resemblance of God, and his abilities for obedience not yet broken. The other covenant was made with him in statu destituio, when at the worst, sinful and wretched, in his fallen estate, disabled for obedience to God : Kom. viii. 3, ' For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin condemned sin in the flesh.' In the one there was perfect amity between the confederates, God and Adam, and this covenant was made for the continuance and standing thereof ; but there was enmity and distance between the parties when the new covenant was set afoot ; and this was to be taken away, and the breach made up ; and therefore it is called a covenant of peace : Isa. liv. 10, ' For the mountains shall depart, and the hills shall be removed, but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee.'
(2.) As to God. In the one, God is considered as a gracious and merciful redeemer, who being displeased with them for the breach of the first covenant, did enter into a new covenant to show the riches of his grace and mercy : Eph. i. 6, ' Unto the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved,' Man fallen was not a suitable object of God's love, as man in innocency ; he was then lovely, and an allurmg object, because of the beauty God had put upon him ; but now he was loathsome, like an infant in his blood and filthiness : Ezek. xvi. 6-8, ' When I passed by thee, and saw thee pol- luted in thine own blood. I said unto thee, when thou wast in thy
VeR. 132.] SEEMONS UPON PSALM CXIX. 375
blood, Live ; j^ea, I said unto tliee, when thou wast in thy blood, Live, I have caused thee to multiply as the bud of the field, and thou hast increased and waxed great ; and thou art come to excellent ornaments ; thy breasts are fashioned, and thy hair is grown, whereas thou wert naked and bare. Now when I passed by thee, and looked upon thee, behold thy time was the time of love ; and I spread my skh't over thee, and covered thy nakedness ; yea, I sware unto thee, and entered into a covenant with thee, and thou becamest mine, saith the Lord.' Therefore God had a different end as to himself. The glory of his creating bounty was the end in the old covenant, the glory of his redeeming grace and pardoning mercy was the end in the new cove- nant, showed in the recovery of lost sinners. In the one, he intended the advancement of those attributes that were known to man by the law and light of nature, as wisdom, power, goodness, bounty, and justice : Ps. viii. 9, ' 0 Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth ! ' The end of the covenant of grace was to set forth redeem- ing mercy : Eom. v. 21, ' That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord.' If the creature had never been in misery, mercy had never been known, and grace had not been so glorious, as in ffivina; Christ. All the natural attributes of God receive a new lustre in Christ.