Obs. VIII. The work of grace in the new covenant passeth on the whole soul, in all its faculties, powers, and affections, unto their change and renovation.—The whole was corrupted, and the whole must be renewed. ‘The image of God was originally in and upon the whole, and on the loss of it the whole was depraved. See 1 Thess. v. 23.
Obs. 1X. To take away the necessity and efficacy of renewing, changing, sanctifying grace, consisting in an internal, efficacious ope- ration of the principles, habits, and acts of internal grace and obedi-
ence, is plainly to overthrow and reject the new covenant. , IS p y : A}
Obs. X. We bring nothing to the new covenant but our hearts, as tables to be written in, with the sense of the insufficiency of the precepts and promises of the law, with respect unto our own ability to comply with them.
The last thing in the words, is the relation that ensues hereon between God and his people: “I will be unto thema , , eyiiey God, and they shall be to me a people.” This is in- esis cis Ociv, xa deed a distinct promise by itself, summarily comprising #97 ?7rei wa
all the blessings and privileges of the covenant. And“ 220%
it is placed in the centre of the account given of the whole, as that from whence all the grace of it doth spring, wherein all the blessings of it do consist, and whereby they are secured. Howbeit in this place it is peculiarly mentioned, as that which hath its foundation in the foregoing promise. For this relation, which implies mutual acquiescency in each other, could not be, nor ever had been, if the
minds and hearts of them who are to be taken into it were not
changed and renewed. For neither could God approve of and rest in his love towards them, whilst they were enemies unto him in the
152 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP. VIII.
depravation of their natures ; nor could they find rest or satisfaction in God, whom they neither knew, nor liked, nor loved.
This is the general expression of any covenant relation between God and men, “ He will be unto them a God, and they shall be to him a people.” And it is frequently made use of with respect unto the first covenant, which yet was disannulled. God owned the people therein for his peculiar portion, and they avouched him to be their God alone.
Nor can this be spoken of God and any people, but on the ground of an especial covenant. It is true, God is the God of all the world, and all people are his; yea, he is a God unto them all. For as he made them, so he sustains, rules, and governeth them in all things, by his power and providence. But with respect hereunto God doth not freely promise that he will be a God unto any, nor can so do; for his power over all, and his rule of all things, is essential and natural unto him, so as it cannot otherwise be. Wherefore, as thus declared, it is a peculiar expression of an especial covenant relation. And the nature of it is to be expounded by the nature and pro- perties of that covenant which it doth respect.
Two things we must therefore consider, to discover the nature of this relation: 1. The foundation of it. 2. The mutual actings in it by virtue of this relation.
1. Unto the manifestation of the foundation of it, some things must be premised :—
(1.) Upon the entrance of sin there continued no such covenant relation between God and man, as that by virtue thereof he should be their God, and they should be his people. God continued still in the full enjoyment of his sovereignty over men; which no sin, nor rebellion, nor apostasy of man could in the least impeach. And man continued under an obligation unto dependence on God and subjection unto his will in all things. For these cannot be separated from his nature and being until final judgment be executed; after which God rules over them only by power, without any respect unto their wills or obedience. But that especial relation of mutual in- terest by virtue of the first covenant ceased between them.
(2.) God would not enter into any other covenant with sinful, fallen man, to be “a God unto them,” and to take them to be a “peculiar people” unto him, immediately in their own persons. Nor was it consistent with his wisdom and goodness so to do; for if man was not steadfast in God’s covenant, but brake and disannulled it when he was sinless and upright, only created with a possibility of defection, what expectations could there be that now he was fallen, and his nature wholly depraved, any new covenant should be of use unto the glory of God or advantage of man? To enter into a new covenant that must necessarily be broken, unto the aggravation of
VER. 10-12.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 153
the misery of man, became not the wisdom and goodness of God.
If it be said, ‘God might have so made a new covenant immediately
with men as to secure their future obedience, and to have made it firm and stable,’ I answer, It would not have become the divine wisdom and goodness to have dealt better with men after their re- bellion and apostasy than before, namely, on their own account. He did in our first creation communicate unto our nature all that grace and all those privileges which in his wisdom he thought meet to en- dow it withal, and all that was necessary to make them who were partakers of it everlastingly blessed. To suppose that, on his own account alone, he would immediately collate more grace upon it, is to suppose him singularly well pleased with our sin and rebellion. This, then, God would not do. Wherefore,—