The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

3. It is granted, that man continued not in the Observation of this Law, as it was the Rule of the Covenant between God and him. The Covenant it was not, but the Rule of it, which that it should be was superadded unto its Being as a Law. For the Covenant comprised things that were not any part of a Result from the necessary Relation of God and Man. Wherefore man by his sin as unto Demerit, may be said to break this Covenant, and as unto any Benefit unto themselves to disannul it. It is also true, that God did never formally and absolutely renew or give again this Law as a Covenant a second time. Nor was there any need that so he should do, unless it were declaratively only, for so it was renewed at Sinai. For the whole of it being an Emanation of Eternal Right and Truth, it abides and must abide in full force for ever. Wherefore it is only thus far broke as a Covenant, that ⟨p. 346⟩all Mankind having sinned against the Commands of it, and so by Guilt, with the Impotency unto Obedience which ensued thereon, defeated themselves of any Interest in its Promise, and possibility of attaining any such interest, they cannot have any Benefit by it. But as unto its power to oblige all mankind unto Obedience, and the unchangeable Truth of its Promises and Threatenings, it abideth the same as it was from the Beginning.

3. It is granted, that man continued not in the Observation of this Law, as it was the Rule of the Covenant between God and him. The Covenant it was not, but the Rule of it, which that it should be was superadded unto its Being as a Law. For the Covenant comprized things that were not any part of a Result from the necessary Relation of God and Man. Wherefore man by his sin as unto Demerit, may be said to break this Covenant, and as unto any Benefit unto themselves to disannul it. It is also true, that God did never formally and absolutely renew or give again this Law as a Covenant a second time. Nor was there any need that so he should do, unless it were declaratively only, for so it was renewed at Sinai. For the whole of it being an Emanation of Eternal Right and Truth, it abides and must abide in full force for ever. Wherefore it is only thus far broke as a Covenant, that ⟨p. 346⟩all Mankind having sinned against the Commands of it, and so by Guilt, with the Impotency unto Obedience which ensued thereon, defeated themselves of any Interest in its Promise, and possibility of attaining any such interest, they cannot have any Benefit by it. But as unto its power to oblige all mankind unto Obedience, and the unchangeable Truth of its Promises and Threatnings, it abideth the same as it was from the Beginning.