[2.] They differ in their nature. The covenant of works stood more by commands, and less by promises ; but the covenant of grace stand- eth more by promises, and less by commands : therefore called the promise. Gal. iii. 18, ' For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise ; but God gave it to Abraham by promise.' The commands and promises were not commensurate. There was not a promise in that covenant for every command of the law of nature, but in the gospel God promiseth what he requireth. In the covenant of works, justice is the rule of God's dealing; for though he entered into that covenant, and promised a reward out of grace ; yet being entered into it, justice holdeth the balance, and weigheth the works of men, and giveth to every man according to his works, what is due to him : Kom. ii. 6-8, ' Who will render to every man according to his deeds ; to them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for life, and glory, and immortality, eternal life. But unto them that are conten- tious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indigna- tion and wrath,' &c. But the rule of God's dealing in the new cove- nant is grace. The covenant of works was more independent on God and grace without man, and more dependent on man and grace within himself. In it man was left to stand by his own strength, to be justi- fied upon his own righteousness, God having furnished him with a stock at first, or a sufficiency of power to keep that covenant. But the covenant of grace findeth us without strength ; therefore we are kept in dependence upon another: Ps. Ixxxix. 19, ' I have laid help upon one that is mighty;' and Phil. iv. 13, 'I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.' Man was to keej) the fii-st covenant, but here in effect the covenant keepeth us : 1 Peter i. 5, ' Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation;' Jer. xxxii. 40, ' And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not
376 SERMONS UPON PSALM cxix. [Ser. CXLVI.
turn away from them to do them good ; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me.'
[3.] In the terms. Unsiuning obedience is the condition of the covenant of works. The covenant of works is wholly made void, and the promise thereof of none efiect, by anyone sin, without any hope of cure or remedy. Once a sinner, and for ever miserable ; as the angels for one sin were thrown down from heaven, and ' reserved in chains of darkness unto the judgment of the great day,' Jude 6. It admitteth of no such thing as re})entance, neither doth it offer any provision for such ; it speaketh much to the whole, nothing to the sick ; it maketh a promise to the rigliteous, but none to sinners. But the covenant of grace is otherwise : Mat. ix. 13, ' I will have mercy, and not sacrifice ; for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance : Acts V. 31, ' Him hath God exalted with his right hand, to be a prince and a saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.' Every failing doth not make void the covenant, no not every grosser fault : Ps. Ixxxix. 33, 34, ' Nevertheless my loving-kindness I will not utterly take from him, nor suffer my faithfulness to fail : my cove- nant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips.' The first covenant is an uncomfortable covenant to a sinner, and can be only comfortable to a perfect righteous person ; for in case of the least failing it speaketh nothing but wrath and the curse. But the covenant of grace is comfortable to sinners, it oflfereth pardon to them. As to the first covenant, it is impossible to be fulfilled by man in the state of corruption : Rom. viii. 3, ' What the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh.' Since the day that Adam fell, never did nor could any man fulfil this covenant. Well, then, the demands of this covenant cannot be satisfied without a continuation in all things written therein, in height of exactness and perfection. But the gospel admits of a sincere, uniform obedience as perfect : 2 Cor. viii. 12, ' But if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.' There is a merciful lenity as to acceptance, though the rule is as strict : Mai. iii. 17, ' And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in the day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them as a man spareth his own son, that serveth him.'
Use 1. Then enter into this covenant. You have no benefit by it till you personally enter into the bond of it. The covenant of works was made with man generally, universally considered, with Adam as a public person, representing all his posterity ; but the covenant of grace is made with man particularly, and personally considered, and his consent is expressly required, or else it can convey no benefit to us. That was a law, and so did bind whether man did consent or no. This is a privilege, Christ draweth to consent to him, doth not force us against our will: John i. 12, ' But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name.' Will you own him as the Son of God, and Redeemer of the world ? Every man must consent for himself. The effects of the first covenant are uncomfortable for the present, the spirit of bondage: Heb. ii. 15, ' And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.' But dreadful hereafter : James ii. 13,