A77360:492
Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation
Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation. : Gods return to the soul, or nation; together with his preventing mercy. : Delivered in ten sermons, (viz.) 1. Christs personal excellencies, the object of our love. 2. Christ crucified, the object of our faith. 3. The new covenant of grace opened. 4. Christ the mediator of the new covenant. 5. The way and spirit of the new covenant, or New Testament. 6. The blood of sprinkling. 7. The sweetness and profitableness of divine meditation. 8. The work and way of this meditation. 9. Gods return to the soul and nation. 10. Preventing mercy. / By W.B.
London: printed for N. Ranew, 1667
Sermons › Sermon 5: The Way and Spirit of the New Covenant, or New Testament. SERM. V.
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.
4. A legal Old Testament spirit, trades much, or most, or altogether, with conditional Promises; for the Old Covenant Promises were most conditional, and ran conditionally: But now when God promises the New Covenant, he gives out an absolute Promise; and therefore a New Testament spirit trades much with absolute promises. For he knows ⟨p. 366⟩(and you may know) that though a promise be conditional, the Lord hath promised the very condition in another Scripture, and that without a condition. And he knows (and you may know) that when God gives a promise with an Oath, though the promise do run conditionally, it shall be fulfilled absolutely.
5. In the time of the Old Testament, they came unto Christ by the promise, for Christ was not yet come, but promised: But now in the times of the New Testament, we come first to Christ, and so unto the Promise; for all the Promises are Yea, and Amen in Christ.
6. In the time of the Old Testament, they came unto Christ by the Law, and, without the Law they might not come to Christ: For the Law was a School-master for to bring to Christ. But now in the time of the New Testament, The Law is not our School-master for to bring to Christ. And though seldom any go to Heaven, but come by the gates of Hell; And seldom men do come to Christ now, but they have some workings of the Law first: Yet notwithstanding, if I will lay a necessity upon such a precedency of a legal work, before I do come to Christ, then I am too legal.
6. In the time of the Old Testament, they came unto Christ by the Law, and, without the Law they might not come to Christ: For the Law was a School-master for to bring to Christ. But now in the time of the New Testament, The Law is not our School-master for to bring to Christ. And though seldome any go to Heaven, but come by the gates of Hell; And seldome men do come to Christ now, but they have some workings of the Law first: Yet notwithstanding, if I will lay a necessity upon such a precedency of a legal work, before I do come to Christ, then I am too legal.