No Fine Print, No Conditions!

"It appears, in that it [the new covenant] was a free covenant, in respect of the subjects thereof; there was no Condition put into it, the performance whereof doth entitle to the Blessings therein contained. It's their Union with Christ entitles, and not any thing done by them, 1 Cor.3.22,23. Gal.3.29. You can't find one Condition put into the Covenant, with respect to the subjects thereof, in all the places where it is most largely described: All the Conditions were to be, and are performed by Christ. Now if this be granted, that the New Covenant contains nothing but Conditions on Christ's part, and nothing but Promises on the Father's part, it will follow, that such as have no interest in the Merits of Christ, that have no Interest in the Promises of the Father, have no Interest at all in the New Covenant."

  Anonymous. Truth Vindicated (London: Printed for the Author, 1695), p.266

Christ our Covenant

"For as it is Christ, alone that is given for a Covenant of the People: So it is by his Blood alone that all the Promises of the Gospel Covenant are Confirmed unto us. It is evident therefore that the Promises of the Gospel Covenant do all of them run to Christ the Inheriting Seed; to him they are made; In him do they all Center; And by him alone to be Communicated to all his Members."

Philip Cary. A Solemn Call (London: Printed for John Harris, 1690), p.211.

Reformed View of the Covenant of Grace Destroys Justification by Faith!

Thomas Patient says, "Fifthly, this opinion [believing the covenant of circumcision to be the covenant of grace, aka Reformed view] destroys the doctrine of Justification by faith in Christ, only seeing that it doth hold out another way than by faith, to come to Justification, which is by carnal birth of beleeving parents; for if a soul be admitted into a Covenant of life, I hope you are not ignorant, that Justification is a great privilege in the new covenant, and really the portion of all that are in that covenant."

Thomas Patient, The Doctrine of Baptism and the Distinction of the Covenants (London, Henry Hills, 1654), 80.

Christ a Covenant, declaring Grace!

"As the Father thus gives forth Christ a Covenant, in whom he declares grace, doing all in him, for us, without us, so he comes to soules by the same spirit that he was in Christ; so that Christ comes not onely as a Covenant to us, but in us, and the same law of spirit and life takes possession of us; and this is the law written in the heart, which will occasion soules in whom it is, never to depart from God."

Thomas Collier, A Second Generall Epistle to all the Saints (London: Printed for Giles Calvert, 1649), preface.

Christ's Church is Christ's Garden

"The first is, That the Church of Christ, are believers in Christ. Secondly, That the Church of Christ are such as are sweetly overcome, or fetch'd in to Christ, by the comings in of Christ. Thirdly, That the Church of Christ, must worship Christ. Fourthly, That the word of Christ, is the Rule of the worship of Christ."


Hobson further develops these four points, but it is the last that I want for us to hear. "Every king must, and doth rule by a Law suitable to himself: kings that govern, and rule in civil things, are to govern and rule by a civil Law; but Christ who is a king spiritual, ruleth and regulateth his Church by a spiritual Law; civil Laws cannot reach Christ's government; Neither hath Christ centered any power in the civil authority, to regulate mens spirits in the worship of Christ; though that was formerly in the Church of the Jews, which was a type of Christ; it is now ended by Christ; and all power in matter of worship is called home to him, and resided in him . . ."

Paul Hobson, A Garden Inclosed and Wisdom Justified only of Her Children (London: James and Joseph Moxon, 1647), 13, 22-23.

Two Covenants in Abraham

"I answer, that Abraham had the promises of both Covenants, and had also the types of both; to wit, Agar and Sarah, and so virtually he had both; but always the types go before the thing typified, and the promises before the things promised; and God saith expressly he made the first Covenant with that people, when he took them by the hand, to lead them out of the Land of Egypt: The second, or New Covenant was actually made out at the death of the Testator, Heb.9:16-17."

James Pope, The Unveiling of Antichrist (Printed by Jane Coe, for Henry Overton, 1646), 3.

Baptism says, "Keep the Law of Christ."

"Circumcision was to be a Bond and Obligation to keep the whole Law of Moses's; but Baptism witnessed that Moses Law was made void, and that only Christ's Law was to be kept."

Henry Danvers, A Treatise of Baptism (London, Printed for Francis Smith, at the Elephant and Castle near the Royal Exchange in Cornhil, 1673), 222.

Exercise the Heart and Mind in Christ Jesus

"It may be easy to get the mind fraughted with noise, news, notions; but to get the heart established with grace, drawn into a more substantial and experimental communion with Jesus Christ, according to the tenor of the New-Covenant, and in the Grace and Truth thereof; this is not so easy to be found and maintained, without extraordinary watch and diligence . . . Soul-searching, Heart-preparing, Sin-mortifying work, may have more advantage from the retirement of a nasty Prison, then (unless abundance of Grace be ministered) from being left to walk in a large place, especially if with a large principle of Liberty to touch withal, but being laid in Gospel-bonds under the Instituted charge of none."

Abraham Cheare, Words in Season (London, Printed for Nathan Brookes, in Bartholomew-Close, 1668), 252

Christ our Covenant & our Sabbath

Robert Garner addressing Isaiah 56:4 & 6 says, "Why may we not say, without wrong to this or any other Scripture, that by taking hold of the Covenant here, may be understood in part, believers obedience to Christ in baptism? For whatsoever Christ commandeth to his servants, may in a true sense, according to the Scripture, be called his Covenant. But if we come up to the spiritualness of this Scripture, I conceive, that by Covenant in this place, we are to understand Christ himself. For as I said, this Scripture is a Gospel-scripture. Therefore by Sabbath here, we are to understand the Lord Jesus only, who alone is the Sabbath or Rest of Believers under the Gospel. And to keep this Sabbath from polluting it, is to believe in him only unto righteousness. For to do any work, I mean to seek righteousness, or peace, or reconciliation with God by any works, is to pollute this Sabbath or this Rest; by whom alone, such as believe in him, do and shall enjoy a glorious, and everlasting rest."

Robert Garner, A Treatise of Baptisme (Print location & printer unknown, 1645), 16.

A Weighty Responsibility

William Allen in dealing with the pastor's responsibility to know the Word of God beyond that of his people says, "For while this way of a studious laboring in the Word, is omitted or neglected, whether through any wry opinion in the teacher, as if there were no necessity of such a thing; or through his idleness and laziness, as the bottom of it; or through the fault of the Church in with-holding that outward supply and support, without which few have the opportunity, though they should have the will; I say where this omission or neglect is, however it comes about, this usually is among the rest, one evil naughty consequence of it, viz. the little and low esteem which the people have of their Pastors, to their own great detriment and spiritual loss. For while the Elders shall but observe the common course of daily meditation in the Word, which is every common Christians duty, they will be able to speak but little more to the edification of the people, than other common Christians which are in no such office, can do. And if the Elders preaching, prove little more to the edification of the people than the common exhortations of Brethren do, which cost them little or no study, (not to mention the mischief of such brethrens being sometimes puffed up hereby, to their fall,) it will be a hard matter to raise an extraordinary building upon a common foundation; it will be hard for the people in this case to vouchsafe those extraordinary respects of singular love & double honor, which the Scripture with a loud voice calls for from them towards those that are over them in the Lord, and which labor in the Word and Doctrine, 1Thes.5:13, 1Tim.5:17. For it is not to be imagined that that extraordinary debt of love and honor which the Lord hath imposed upon the people as due from them towards those that feed the Flock of God, above what is due from them to other of their fellow brethren, should be founded upon anything less, then the extraordinary benefit they may or do receive by their Ministry."

William Allen, A Glass of Justification or the Working of Faith with Power (London: G. Dawson, 1658), Preface Dedicatory. (emphasis mine)

A Peculiar People

That all believers are a holy and sanctified people, and that sanctification is a spiritual grace of the new Covenant, and effect of the love of God, manifested to the soul, whereby the believer is in truth and reality separated, both in soul and body, from all sin and dead works, through the blood of the everlasting Covenant, whereby he also presses after a heavenly and Evangelical perfection, in obedience to all the Commands, which Christ as head and King in this new Covenant has prescribed to him.

The Confession of Faith, Of those Churches which are commonly (though falsely) called Anabaptists, Section XXIX (London), 1644.

What are you by Free Grace?

That the tenders of the Gospel to the conversion of sinners, is absolutely free, no way requiring, as absolutely necessary, any qualifications, preparations, terrors of the Law, or preceding Ministry of the Law, but only and alone the naked soul, as a sinner and ungodly to receive Christ, as crucified, dead, and buried, and risen again, being made a Prince and Savior for such sinners.

That the same power that converts to faith in Christ, the same power carries on the soul still through all duties, temptations, conflicts, sufferings, and continually what ever a Christian is, he is by grace, and by a constant renewed operation from God, without which he cannot perform any duty to God, or undergo any temptations from Satan, the world, or men.

The Confession of Faith, Of those Churches which are commonly (though falsely) called Anabaptists, Sections XXV and XXVI (London), 1644.

The New "Gospel" Covenant

To prove this to be the new and Gospel Covenant, I must have recourse unto Gen. 12:3 and chap. 22:18 where is the covenant most lively stated, and made to and with Abraham in Promise, as it was to be promulgated when the fullness of time was come, viz. In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed, and ch. 22:18. God upon Abraham's obedience in offering his son Isaac (a lively type of Christ, the true seed that was to be offered) brings up his covenant into an oath, and swear to Abraham that he would perform it, that in thy seed shall all nations be blessed; that is, truly and eternally blessed. Hence it is that in the new covenant the blessing is eternal life, not only life as in the old, but eternal life. And doubtless, there is no blessing spiritual or eternal that the Saints are interested in, but it is the blessing of this covenant, and as God freely gives blessedness in this covenant, so he works all things in his people in order to do it, without which they could not be blessed; and that is evident in the promise of this covenant, Jer. 31:31, 32, 33. I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, &c. That is, I will work a willing mind in them, to what ever I do require of them in order to their true and eternal blessedness. This is the new covenant that God in Christ (the true seed) hath interested all his people in. Hence it is said that God made this covenant in Christ, Gal.3:17.

Thomas Collier, A Discourse Of the true Gospel Blessedness IN THE NEW COVENANT, or The distinction of the two Covenants, New and Old, First and Second (London: H.Hills, 1659), pp. 47-48.

Free Grace, Glorious Free Grace!

What he hath done for his people on the new covenant account, consists especially in these two things.

1.       He loved them freely, and that while they were enemies: a wonderful mercy indeed! He loved them before they were, and so before they had any love to him, Eph. 2:4-5. But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ. Note, Gods love was a great love to his people, even when they were dead in sin. Hence it is that God saith, Jer. 31:3 I have loved thee with an everlasting love.

2.       He gave Jesus Christ freely for them, this is new covenant mercy, Jesus Christ given for us, Isa. 9:6. Unto us a Son is given, and Jesus Christ is the gift of God, for and to his people, John 3:16. God so loved the World, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Jesus Christ was not only a gift, but a great gift, a new covenant gift, such a new covenant gift as without which the new covenant could not have been established; for the covenant is established in him, and with him, and by him for us, and God having given him for us.

Thomas Collier, A Discourse Of the true Gospel Blessedness IN THE NEW COVENANT, or The distinction of the two Covenants, New and Old, First and Second (London: H.Hills, 1659), p. 48.

The Heart Inscribed with the Gospel

"[T]he Law here spoken of is the very doctrine of the Gospel; and that Gods putting this Law into mens inward parts & writing it in their hearts, is his making them to understand, and to love; to believe, and to obey this Gospel."

John Spilsbury, God's Ordinance, The Saints Privilege, part II (London:M.Simmons, 1646) 64.

"For faith is the law that God in the covenant did promise to write in the hearts of his people, Jer.31:32 with Rom.3:27. Hence it is that faith is said to be the gift of God, Eph.2:8 Ye are saved by grace through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God.

Thomas Collier, A Discourse of the true Gospel Blessedness in the New Covenant (London: H.Hills, 1659), 50.

"Q. What ought to be the ground and motive of a Christians obedience?
A.1. The command of Christ, with is the bond of the conscience, Rom.1:14, Acts 20:22.
A.2. The love of God, from whence our obedience ought to flow, John 14:15, 2 Cor.5:15."

Christopher Blackwood, A Soul-searching Catechism, second ed. (London: J.C., 1653), 24

Faith is the Law Written upon the Hearts of His People

"For faith is the law that God in the covenant did promise to write in the hearts of his people, Jer. 31:32. with Rom. 3:27."

Thomas Collier, A Discourse Of the true Gospel Blessedness IN THE NEW COVENANT, or The distinction of the two Covenants, New and Old, First and Second (London: H.Hills, 1659), 50.

Free from the Law

Thus Christ having freed us from under the tutorship of the Law, takes us under his own tuition, and teaches us to yield obedience of faith to his Fathers will, and to serve him in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the Letter . . . For the ten Commandments are called a Covenant, Deut.4:13. Exod.34:28. And the Apostle in his Epistle to the Hebrews calls it an old, faulty, vanishing Covenant, Heb.8:7,9,13. opposing against it, that new, perfect and everlasting Covenant of the Gospel. You know the zealous Jews sought Righteousness and Life by the works of the Law. Rom.9:31-32. That is to say, They did think (as many of the professors of our times do) to be saved by keeping the ten Commandments. Luke 18:18,20-22. And Paul bears them record, that they were zealous, but it was not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of Gods Righteousness went about to establish their own Righteousness, and the Apostle hereupon tells them, that Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness, to every one that believes, Rom.10:2-5. And therefore we may use great plainness of speech and safely conclude, that the Administration of the Law (written and engraved in stones, even the ten Commandments as they were first, old, faulty and vanishing Covenant) is now done away and abolished; And yet we do not hereby make void the Law, but establish it, Rom.3:31. For we say that we ought to yield obedience of Faith, in newness of spirit, and so fulfill the Royal law according to the Scripture, James 2:8 . . . Neither are we without Law to God, but under the Law to Christ, 1Cor.9:21.
Hanserd Knollys, Christ Exalted (London: Jane Coe, 1646), 24.