A79028:39
Two solemn covenants made between God and manTwo solemne covenants made between God and man
Two solemn covenants made between God and man: viz. [brace] the covenant of works, and the covenant of grace. [brace] Clearly laid open, distinguished, and vindicated from many dangerous opinions; the right knowledge of which [sic] will be very profitable to all those that have escaped the first, and are confirmed in the second at the Sacrament. January 15. 1646. Imprimatur. John Downame.Two solemne covenants made between God and man: viz. [brace] the covenant of workes, and the covenant of grace. [brace] Clearly laid open, distinguished, and vindicated from many dangerous opinions; the right knowledge of which [sic] will be very profitable to all those that have escaped the first, and are confirmed in the second at the Sacrament. January 15. 1646. Imprimatur. John Downame.
London: printed for Thomas Banks, 1647
Title page typeset from the transcription.
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 then he saith, as the law worketh death, so the gospel to some is the savour of death, and if Christ had not come then men had had no sin, and they shall have greater judgements that despise Christ then they that despised the Law, and this effect is accidental through our corruption, and then he saith that God doth not vouchsafe grace and justification in a legal way by that Law at Sinai but evangelically, but I say then it was by the ceremonial Law, and not from the moral Law, or at least the moral Law did show them their misery, and the ceremonial Law showed them Christ their only remedy, then the moral Law is not a covenant of grace.
But then he saith, as the law worketh death, so the gospell to some is the savovr of death, and if Christ had not come then men had had no sin, and they shall have greater judgements that despise Christ then they that despised the Law, and this effect is accidentall through our corruption, and then he saith that God doth not vouchsafe grace and justification in a legall way by that Law at Sinai but evangelically, but I say then it was by the ceremoniall Law, and not from the morall Law, or at least the morall Law did shew them their misery, and the ceremoniall Law shewed them Christ their only remedy, then the morall Law is not a covenant of grace.
Thirdly, He saith that the Apostle speaks these derogatory passages and they seem to be as well the ceremonial law, yet all do acknowledge here was Christ and grace held forth; but by his good leave, Paul was not willing to be found in his own righteousness which is of the law, but that which is of the faith of Jesus Christ only, Phil. 3.9. because that which comes only by the moral law is but our inherent righteousness, when as the other by the gospel is not in us but in Christ, and imputed to us, and by this we stand just in the sight of God, the one we have by the first Adam, and the other we have by the second Adam, then if these do but seemingly differ let the Reader judge, and that other place Rom. 4.13, 14. where it is said the promise to Abraham was not to him and his seed through the law, but through the righteousness of faith, for if it had been by the law the promise of Christ or the covenant of grace had been void; so that here also is more then a seeming difference, and so