The Doctrine of Justification by Faith

1. That by the two Covenants I understand those which were absolutely given unto the whole Church, and were all to bring it [Greek or Hebrew] unto a complete and perfect State; that is the Covenant of Works, or the Law of our Creation as it was given unto us, with Promises and Threatenings, or Rewards and Punishments annexed unto it: and the Covenant of Grace revealed and proposed in the first Promise. As unto the Covenant of Sinai, and the New Testament as actually ⟨p. 397⟩confirmed in the Death of Christ, with all the Spiritual Privileges thence emerging, and the differences between them, they belong not unto our present Argument.

1. That by the two Covenants I understand those which were absolutely given unto the whole Church, and were all to bring it 〈non-Latin alphabet〉 unto a compleat and perfect State; that is the Covenant of Works, or the Law of our Creation as it was given unto us, with Promises and Threatnings, or Rewards and Punishments annexed unto it: and the Covenant of Grace revealed and proposed in the first Promise. As unto the Covenant of Sinai, and the New Testament as actually ⟨p. 397⟩confirmed in the Death of Christ, with all the Spiritual Priviledges thence emerging, and the differences between them, they belong not unto our present Argument.

2. The whole entire Nature of the Covenant of Works consisted in this; That upon our personal obedience, according unto the Law and Rule of it, we should be accepted with God, and rewarded with him. Herein the essence of it did consist. And whatever Covenant proceedeth on these terms, or hath the nature of them in it, however it may be varied, with Additions or Alterations, is the same Covenant still, and not another. As in the Renovation of the Promise wherein the Essence of the Covenant of Grace was contained, God did oft-times make other Additions unto it, as unto Abraham and David; yet was it still the same Covenant for the substance of it, and not another; so whatever Variations may be made in, or Additions unto the Dispensation of the first Covenant, so long as this Rule is retained, Do this and live; it is still the same Covenant, for the Substance and Essence of it.