A57966:196
The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace
The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace containing something of the nature of the covenant of works, the sovereignty of God, the extent of the death of Christ ... the covenant of grace ... of surety or redemption between the by Samuel Rutherford ...The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace containing something of the nature of the covenant of works, the soveraignty of God, the extent of the death of Christ ... the covenant of grace ... of surety or redemption between the by Samuel Rutherford ...
Edinburgh: printed by Andro Anderson for Robert Brown, 1655
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
But the truth is, the Law as pressed upon Israel was not a Covenant of Works.
1. The Law as the Law or as a Covenant of Works is made with perfect men who need no mercy; But this Covenant is made with sinners, with an express preface of mercy: I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Egypt, &c. It is made with stiff-necked Israel, 1Deut. 29. Deut. 30. c. 31. c. 32. and that is called a Covenant from the end and object, as motions are denominate from their end: for the end of the Lords pressing the Law upon them was to bring them under a blessed necessity to seek salvation in their true City of Refuge Christ Jesus, who redeemed them out of the spiritual bondage of sin. 2. It was the Covenant made with Abraham, which was a Covenant of Grace: and though it be called,2 Deut. 29.1▪ a Covenant beside that which was made in Horeb: Because 1. Renewed again after their breach. 2. Repeated a little before the death of Moses, Deut. 31.28.29.30. (3.) Because there were some additions of special blessings, cursings, Ceremonial Commands, that were not in the formerly proposed Covenant, Exod. 20. yet the same it was in substance, to love the Lord with all the heart, Deut. 2.10, 12, 13, 14. The same with that of Abraham, Deut. 8.18