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CHAP. V.
Of the Covenant of Promise made with Adam
immediately upon his fall.
THE Covenant of Promise began immediately upon the fall, and reached unto the coming of Christ in the flesh, which is obscure in comparison of the new Covenant, but in itself receiveth distinction of degrees, according to the several breakings out of it to the dark world, and the growth from several manifestations of God, as was proportionable to the number and qualities of those, who in succeeding ages should take benefit: so that at first being like a young sapling, it grew to be firm, always a fruitful tree. In Scripture it is delivered unto us under these degrees of growth, both in respect of fuller and more clear manifestation, and as we may suppose of numbers that received benefit by it. First, from Adam until Abraham. Secondly, from Abraham until the Covenant made with Israel upon the Mount. Thirdly, from Moses to Christ: which must be subdistinguished: for the Covenant which God did promise to make with Israel and Judah upon the delivery from the North Country, was to exceed the (p37) former Covenant, which he had made with their Fathers, when he brought them out of Egypt. Jer. 23:5,6,7,8. The first breaking forth of this gracious and free Promise and Covenant was immediately upon the fall, and is expressed in these words, I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed, and her seed: He shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.R Herein God setting down the irrevocable judgement and final overthrow and destruction of Satan, the arch-enemy of his glory, and man's Salvation, God's fearful doomsman: into whose power man was now fallen, he proclaimeth his rich grace and mercy towards mankind in Jesus Christ, the woman's seed, who should break the Serpent's head. In the malediction of the Serpent is included the greatest blessing of God most merciful towards miserable and wretched sinners. In reference to this gracious ancient Proclamation of mercy the Gospel is called everlasting. Rev. 14:6. I saw another Angel flying through the midst of Heaven, having the everlasting Gospel, not in respect of the future, but of the time past, scil. which was promised from the beginning of the world. For as the hills, paths, and desolations are said to be everlasting or ancient,R so the Gospel, that is from the beginning.
This first Promise of grace and life was published by the Lord himself to mankind now dead in sin, and enemies to God, that as they had heard from him the curse against sin, and saw and felt the same in part executed upon them, so they should hear from him the promise of absolution, lest they should be swallowed up in despair. When they should hear peace proclaimed by the Author of Peace and Judgement, both by him that was immediately provoked and offended by sin, and came now to sentence the transgressors: when they should hear peace proclaimed by him in his own person, by his own voice, it must needs put more life and encouragement into them, than if the glad tidings had been brought by some Messenger, or divulged by some Herald only.
The party upon whom the Promises of mercy are settled, is here propounded as the seed of the woman, and under the next degree as the seed of Abraham: called the Angel of the Covenant,R The head of all things to the Church:R even Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of God,R who being God over all blessed for ever, (p38) Rom. 9:5, should come of DavidR and Abraham, and so of Eve according to the flesh, for she was the mother of all living. Christ God and man is made of God an Adam (often opposed to the first Adam, 1 Cor. 15:21,22,23,45.) Head, root, common receptacle and storehouse, in whom are treasured all good things, which from him are communicated to the faithful. As in Adam our being natural, our hopes of life and death, and in event our condemnation, was received, before ever they came to be applied and received actually in us: So in Christ as in a common storehouse everything is first placed, which afterward is to be imparted to any believer. The first Adam, created after the Image of God, but a mere creature only, was entrusted with the Promise of life for his posterity, and he betrayed all the body:R But now God of his infinite mercy ordaineth a second Adam, even the seed of the woman, that is, Christ-man,N but lifted up above the condition of a creature by union unto the Divine Person, that so as man he might be fit to receive that trust for men, as God he might undergo the burden and charge, which was now greater than God laid upon the first Adam's shoulders. To have put the prime right of the Covenant upon every particular, had left occasion to infinite falls; and withal opened a gap to disunion, which the Lord abhorreth: To have chosen out a mere creature, and under the fall, how could he have made satisfaction for sin formerly committed, or free himself from the bondage of Satan? Therefore that the Promise might be sure to the Heirs of Promise, God puts this honour and charge upon Jesus Christ, who was the seed to come, to whom the Promises were made,R and in whom all the Promises for all his brethren are Yea and Amen.R
The parties who are to partake of the benefits promised, are enclosed in the woman as the Mother of the good, or rather under the former term, the woman's seed. For the word seed is sometimes taken for one, but often collectively, which must be judged by the circumstances of the place.R Now in this Text by the woman is meant Eve, and by the seed of the woman, the posterity of the woman, those, scil. which degenerate (p39) not into the seed of the Serpent, which is proved by the opposition of seeds there made. For as the seed of the Serpent must be taken collectively, so also the seed of the woman,N that the opposition may be fit. But by the Serpent's seed are meant not only venomous beasts, but wicked men. 1 John 3:12. And the enmities fore-spoken of do pertain to all the godly posterity of Eve, even from the beginning, so that the faithful who lived before the manifestation of Christ in the flesh, cannot be excluded, but they must be understood under the name of the seed. Christ peculiarly was the seed of the woman, but the faithful are comprehended under that title also; the seed of the woman is to be taken collectively, but so as it doth comprehend them only, who are not the Serpent's seed, but opposite to them. Christ properly is the seed by which the Promise is to be fulfilled: the faithful are the seed to whom the Promise is made: The Promise is made to the faithful, and they are and shall be partakers of the Promise: but Christ only is the cause of the blessing to be communicated. Christ and the faithful are comprehended under one kind of seed spiritual, not carnal: but Christ the principal, who in that seed doth so excel, that in him he doth bring all the seed of Abraham according to the Spirit unto unity; the faithful are the seed also, as they shall inherit the Promise in and through Jesus Christ.
The work of Christ the woman's seed is to bruise the Serpent's head: which is a phrase of speech fitted to the condition of the Serpent, which is obnoxious to this hurt, when he is compelled to creep on the ground, that his head should be crushed and bruised by the feet of men. And thereby is signified, that Christ should destroy death, and him that had the power of death, that is, the devil,R Heb. 2:14, that he should destroy the works of the devil. 1 John 3:8. And this is true of the faithful also by communication with Christ. Christ hath bruised the Serpent's head by his own power: but the faithful overcome by the power of Christ. The victory is common to all the seed: but the author of victory in the seed, is he who is the Head and chief, and to whom as to an Head, (p40) the unity of all the rest is reduced. Ye have overcome the evil one, 1 John 2:13. By bruising the Serpent's headR we must not only understand the deadly wound given to the actor's person and his instruments, but the desolation of those works, which the Tempter had by the fall planted in the nature of the fallen creature, as pride, vanity, ignorance, lust etc. 1 John 3:8, Ephes. 2:15. Now the nature of the fallen creature is such, that if you continue his being, and remove off him the works of the Serpent, you must necessarily bring in the contrary habits of Grace and goodness, as of knowledge, faith, love, fear and other Graces of the Spirit. So that under this one blessing is comprehended whatsoever is necessary to spiritual blessedness. For if Satan be vanquished, the curse of the Law is removed, sin is pardoned, the Image of God repaired, spiritual freedom and adoption obtained, and everlasting happiness shall in due time be possessed. All these blessings, which concur to make up perfect happiness, are inseparably linked, and the possession of any one is an undoubted pledge of the rest in due season to be enjoyed. So the Apostle saith, God that cannot lie, promised eternal life before the world began,R or rather, ante tempora sæcularia, that is, from the beginning of ages, scil. in that famous promise of the blessed seed. It seems somewhat harsh to interpret the word promised, by decreed to promise: and therefore it is better to refer it to this promise made from the beginning of the world. And it is manifest, by this phrase pro chronon aionion, he meaneth nothing but what the same Apostle signifieth by chronois aioniois, Rom. 15:25, and nothing is signified thereby, but what elsewhere the same Apostle doth intimate by this phrase, apo ton aionon, Ephes. 3:9, and apo ton aionon, Col. 1:26; and that notes the same that apo tou aioniou, Acts 15:18; as eis ton aiona, Heb. 7:24, and eis tous aionas, Heb. 13:8 are the same. But this phrase apo tou aioniou, in its own force and propriety doth not signify from eternity, Luke 1:70, Acts 3:21.R
But how must the Serpent's head be bruised? even by Christ's suffering death to satisfy revenging Justice, which was offended by transgression under the former Covenant. This is expounded under this term of bruising his heel by the Serpent and his seed: which work and labour of love is typified in the blood of the Sacrifices, executed in his cross and passion. The devil and all his instruments (the Scribes and Pharisees and Romans whom Christ (p41) calleth the children of the devil) laboured mightily to bring him to the cross, supposing they had gotten full conquest when he was laid in the grave: but when they hoped to have vanquished him, the Kingdom of darkness was utterly overthrown,N Satan, sin and death were conquered and taken captive, and whatsoever might be brought against us, was taken away, as the least bill or scroll, Col. 2:14,15, 1 John 3:8, 1 Pet. 3:18. Christ was wounded in the heel: but by the power of his divine nature, he soon recovered of his wound: being put to death concerning the flesh, he was quickened by the Spirit, and liveth through the power of God. 2 Cor. 13:4, 1 Pet. 3:18. But by the wound he received, he wounded his enemies irrecoverably: he bruised the head of the Serpent, which wound is deadly, He spoiled principalities and powers, and made a show of them openly. And it is not improbable, that in reference to this promise, that Christ by his death should conquer and subdue the enemies of our Salvation, he is said to be the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, Rev. 13:8. For what can we understand by that phrase from the foundation of the world, but from the beginning, which cannot note eternity which is without beginning: for then from the beginning should be as much as before all beginning or without beginning. But seeing the death of Christ to vanquish and subdue the enemies of our soul is published in this ancient and famous promise, ever renowned in the Church of God, in reference to it, it may be said, that he was slain from the foundation of the world.
These words do contain a manifest distinction betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent, and a promise of assured victory to the seed of the woman over Satan, and all spiritual enemies to be administered according to the decree of God. So we read, that the names of some are written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, Rev. 17:8, that God hath saved some, and called them with an holy calling, not according to their works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given them in Jesus Christ before the times of the ages, 2 Tim. 1:9, that God hath from the beginning chosen some to Salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth, 2 Thes. 2:13. In all which passages that choosing, writing and calling is to be understood, which is taught in this famous promise, whereunto they seem to be referred. For the phrase, from (p42) the beginningN or the beginning, doth sometimes note the time of the constitution of the Jewish Church, and its policy, presently from the going out of Egypt: as Psalm 74:2, Remember the Congregation which thou hast purchased of old,N LXX. ap arches, It signifies also the beginning of the dispensation of the Gospel preached of Christ himself: for then a new manner of revelation of the Doctrine of the Gospel was brought in, Luke 1:2. Also from the beginning is as much as from the beginning of the world, from the foundation of the world, or at least, little after the beginning of the world, John 8:44 the devil is said to be a murderer from the beginning, and to sin from the beginning, 1 John 3:8. The word beginning absolutely and precisely put, is taken one of these ways, but with an addition or restraint from the circumstances of the Text, it imports some other beginning, as of preaching of the Gospel, to this or that place or people, or the like; as Phil. 4:15, 1 John 2:7,8,23,24. But this phrase from the beginning never imports from eternity, in any passage of Scripture: and it is somewhat strange to interpret the beginning of duration by eternity, which is essentially and absolutely without beginning of duration. Now when the Apostle saith, God hath chosen the Thessalonians from the beginning, what can we understand thereby, but God hath manifested some outward declaration of their election, according to this famous promise made to Adam and Eve, that the seed of the woman should break the Serpent's head. Some would refer it to the time that the Gospel was preached amongst them, or to the time of their effectual calling: but the word beginning precisely and absolutely put is never so taken: neither can it be said, that the Thessalonians were chosen as soon as the Gospel was first preached unto them: for it may well be, that it was often preached unto them before they believed: nor from the beginning of their effectual calling, if (as they would have it) the faithful persevering, not simply the faithful, be the object of God's Election. Of the other Texts alleged the same may be said, unto which the foresaid answer can in no sort, be fitted: so that we may conclude, in all the fore-cited passages there is an apparent allusion to this grand, ancient promise of mercy proclaimed immediately upon the fall, setting forth a manifest difference betwixt the seed of the woman and the seed of the Serpent, according to the election of God. Besides, in these words is implied (p43) a Covenant consisting of a promise and stipulation, made not internally alone with the heirs of promise, but externally administered, offered unto and accepted of all the members of the Church, viz. of Adam and Eve, and all their posterity, that were dedicated to God by them, or did accept or receive the promise of mercy. If no Covenant had been made, there could have been no Church, nor pleasing service tendered unto God. If this Covenant had not been externally administered, no unregenerate man could have been in the Church, nor have communion in the ordinances of Religion. But by virtue of this Covenant, Cain as well as Abel offered Sacrifice unto God, as a member of the Church, and after his Sacrifice was rejected he hears from God, If thou do well shalt thou not be accepted?R which is a promise of the Covenant that took place after the fall; for the former Covenant made no mention of mercy to be vouchsafed to the delinquent upon repentance, nor of acceptance after transgression. Of this Covenant there be two parts; first a promise, 2. a stipulation. The promise is, that God will pardon the sins of them that repent unfeignedly, and believe in his mercy: which he doth truly promise to all in Covenant, and effectually bestow upon them that be heirs of the promise. 2. The stipulation is, that they believe in him that justifieth the ungodly, and walk before him in all well-pleasing. This may be gathered, because the promise of forgiveness cannot be received, but by faith, and by faith it is that we overcome the world, and vanquish Satan, the enemy of our souls. Thus we read, that by faith the Elders obtained a good report:R and that by faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain: by which he obtained witness that he was righteous: and that by faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death: and that Noah became heir of the righteousness which is by faith: which is an argument sufficient, that they understood how faith was required in this Covenant or promise. And seeing it is the property of faith to work by love, and to be fruitful in all good works, of necessity if faith be commanded, obedience is required, though not as the cause of life, yet as the way to life, and the fruit of faith. If we must believe in God, we must also walk with God, and work righteousness. To whom God gives to believe in him, to them he gives to obey, and do all his Commandments; as he doth to all that be effectually and internally in Covenant with (p44) his Highness: and of whom he requireth faith in his Promise, of them he exacteth obedience to his Commandment, scil. of all them that be outwardly in Covenant. Thus we find, that by faith Enoch walked with God, or walked before God in all well-pleasing, Heb. 11:5,6, Gen. 5:22,24. And to what end is remission from sin promised, that man set free from the curse of the Law and stroke of revenging justice should wallow in profaneness? No, but that he should serve God in holiness and righteousness all the days of his life.
But how doth God require these things at the hand of the reasonable creature fallen, unless he give them sufficient grace to believe if they will?
The answer is, man in the state of Innocency, being made after the Image of God, had power both to believe and obey, which being lost by sin, God is not bound to repair. And though he had not justifying faith, because it argueth imperfection and sin, and could not lose what he had not: yet by transgression he brought himself into such a state of bondage and wrath, which could not be removed but by faith in Christ.
2. When God in justice doth shut men up in ignorance and unbelief, and withhold from them both the graces of his Spirit, and the means thereof, his judgements are just, though secret. And if for the sin of man, God may justly cast off millions, and not vouchsafe so much as outward means of Salvation unto them; he may also exact faith and obedience upon promise of pardon and eternal happiness, when he doth not deliver them from thraldom and bondage spiritual whereunto they plunged themselves. Was it injustice in God, to promise acceptance to Cain if he did well, when as yet he was not free from the bondage of Satan.
3. God doth deny nothing to them that be outwardly in Covenant with his Highness, that he is bound to give either in justice or by promise, so that it will be in vain for them to plead with God: for if they come short of mercy promised, it is through their own wilful neglect or contempt.
4. No, man is hindered from believing through the difficulty or unreasonableness of the command, or through his own simple infirmity, as being willing and desirous to believe, but not able, which inability deserves pity: but his inability is of corruption (p45) and wilfulness: he doth not believe, because he will not, he is unable, because he doth not covet or desire, which is inexcusable.
5. His inability to believe is joined with the wilful refusal of mercy promised and voluntary pursuit of some inferior good, as more to be desired than God's favour. But of this more in the next degrees of the Covenant.
Under this Covenant outwardly administered, were comprehended both Adam and his posterity, even so many as he should dedicate unto God, or should accept of the Covenant, until by wilful departure from the faith and worship of God they discovenanted themselves, and their posterity. As the Covenant was after made with Abraham and his seed, and is now made with believing Parents for themselves and their children after them: so was it with Adam, and those that should descend from his loins.
They that lived under this administration of the Covenant did offer sacrifice unto God by divine institution and appointment as is manifest in the example of Abel and Noah. We read not indeed, that God gave any Commandment touching burnt offerings or sacrifices: but without question what they did, was done by divine prescription.N What a faithful servant doth on earth, which he cannot do but by command and appointment of his Master, for that, if he do it, we presume he hath the Commandment of his Master, although he do not say so. But Abel and Noah faithful Servants of God, offered sacrifice, which they could not well do, but by the Commandment of God: therefore they were so commanded, though so much be not expressed. All Ceremonies which signify grace are ordained of God, or they be unlawful. But the Sacrifices were Ceremonies which signified grace. It is written of Abel, that by faith he offered a better sacrifice than Cain, and that God had respect unto Abel and his sacrifice: Of the sacrifice of Noah it is said, that God smelled a savour of rest: but in faith the sacrifice could not have been offered, if it had not been prescribed: it should not have been accepted, if it had not carried the stamp of God. For those Sacrifices were the types of Christ, and seals of propitiation and remission of sins in and through the blood of Jesus: which must be prescribed, or they cannot be accepted. These Sacrifices then were were instituted of (p46) God, and may well be called seals of the Covenant, as they did signify remission of sins in and through the blood of Christ, our true Priest and Sacrifice. Whether God was pleased to confirm his Covenant by any other visible signs or seals, in that state of the Church, is more than the Scripture hath revealed.
One question remaineth to be discussed, scil. Whether this Covenant of Promise was made in Adam with all and every Infant that should afterwards be born into the world?
There be some that hold the affirmative part, viz. That all Infants, whether born of believing, or infidel parents, are comprehended under the Covenant of Grace, according to the internal efficacy, though not according to the external administration, so as they be truly and effectually partakers of the benefits promised therein. But the Authors of this opinion do neither consent with themselves in this, nor with the truth. Not with themselves: for they say Christ died for all men considered in the common lapse or mass, in respect of impetration, not of application. But if all Infants be partakers of the Benefits of Christ, he died for them, and so for all men in respect of application: all men are effectually regenerated, justified, sanctified and adopted, until by disobedience they fall from that estate. Again they confess, that God with the Fathers may and hath reprobated the children, which is directly contrary to this assertion. Arm. in Perk. pag. 92. Probas (Perkinse) gratiae rejectionem praevisam, non esse causam desertionis, quia Infantes extra foedus evangelicum morientes, gratiam non repudiaverunt, qui tamen reprobi sunt, & à Deo deserti: At, inquam ego in Parentibus, avis, abavis, atavis, tritavis Evangelii gratiam repudiarunt, quo actu meruerunt, ut à Deo deserentur. Velim enim mihi solidam adferri rationem, cur cum omnes in Adamo contra legem peccaverint, posteri ejus, atq~~ eo ipso poenam meriti sunt & desertionem, etiam infantes in suis parentibus quibus gratia Evangelica oblata est, ac repudiata, non peccaverint contra gratiam Evangelii: Perpetua enim est foederis Dei ratio, quod filii in parentibus comprehendantur & censeantur. And whereas they teach that Christ died for all men in respect of impetration considered in the mass, but not as impenitent, unbelievers, or obstinate, let this opinion stand, and he died for impenitent and unbelievers only in respect of impetration, but for all men in the mass effectually, so as they be actually set into (p47) the state of grace, and made partakers of the benefits of Christ's death. It is contrary to the truth. For no such thing can be found in the Scripture. In this first promise we find a manifest distinction betwixt the seed of the woman, and the seed of the Serpent: but that all Infants be of the seed of the woman, that we read not: and therefore we cannot receive it. And when we see by experience, that many thousands are excluded from the external Covenant, and God hath left them without all means, whereby they should come to the knowledge of Christ if they live, we cannot think all Infants effectually to be comprehended within the Covenant, and to be partakers of the good things promised therein. We know God is not tied to the means, nor do we absolutely exclude every particular man from the grace of the Covenant, who is excluded from the Covenant outwardly administered: but we cannot think, they should universally be partakers of the grace of the Covenant, who are rejected and cast off in respect of the external pledges and administration. And if all Infants be partakers of the benefits of the Covenant, it is a wonder the fruits thereof do seldom or never show themselves in them that live; or that God should leave them in such condition, as if they live, it is ten thousand to one, being destitute of all means to bring them to the knowledge of Christ, they shall fall from the grace received, and so plunge themselves into eternal perdition. Whether this opinion will stand with the tenor of the Covenant as it was renewed and further manifested to Abraham and the Israelites after him, we shall have occasion to consider in the Chapters following.
[Footnotes for Part 1 Chapter 5: when clicking on a link the point to which the note refers should be the first appearing on the screen.
Numbers before a Hebrew or Greek word refer to Strong's numbering system.]
Gen. 3:15.<BACK>
euaggelion aionion, Rev: 14:6; eremoi aionioi, Isaiah 58:12 & 61:4; triba aionia, Jer. 6:16 & 18:16; bounoi aionioi, Deut 33:15, Gen 49:26; Isaiah 54:4 aischuma aionia; Jer. 5:22 prostagma aionion. [References are to the Septuagint Greek version of the Old Testament. PJR 1999] <BACK>
Mal. 3:1. <BACK>
Eph. 1:22. <BACK>
John 3:18; Gal. 4:4. <BACK>
Rom. 1:3. <BACK>
Matt. 28:19. [It is not clear to me, for which part of the text this reference is given. I have set it next to the punctuation mark in the line opposite which it is printed. PJR 1999] <BACK>
It is clear, that this battle pertained to the woman and her seed on the one party, and to this Devil that spake by the Serpent, and all the wicked, on the other party. Dow. But then it cannot in special be applied to the Virgin Mary. If the Virgin Mary may be said to bruise the Serpent's head, because Christ was born of her, by the same reason we may say, she was crucified and died for us, etc.<BACK>
Gal. 3:19. <BACK>
2 Cor. 1:20. <BACK>
Gen. 4:25 & 21:13. <BACK>
The Papists read it Ipsa, contrary to all Hebrew copies, and all circumstances of the Text.
The Septuagint translates it autos or auto:
Chrysost. Hom. 17. in Gen. hath autos, though his Latin Interpreters hath made him say Ipsa.
Iren. l. 3. advers. hæraes. c. 38. seems to have read it Ipsum.
Andradius def. l. 4. Comas(?). l. 2. c. 15. Cajetan. Steuchæ(?). Cosmop. in Gen. c. 3. Pagnine, Ar. Montanus, Sacraboscus, Francis. Georg. tom. 1. Pathemat. probl. 15. Felisius elucidat. Gen. 17:2, Gal. 3:16. Decal. præc. 1. c. 49. Riber. in Hab. 1:15 & de Tempt. l. 2. c. 2. Perer. in Dan. cap. Lindan. de opt. genere interpretandi. l. 3. pag. 126, 127 dislike the reading.
See
Cypr. sect. Adversus Iudæos. l. 2. c. 9.
Panel Leo. Sermo 2. de Nativ. Dom.
Rainold. praesat. de Idol. Rom. §. 6.
[Transcription of this note not guaranteed accurate. PJR 1999]
<BACK>
John 12:31. <BACK>
Rom. 16:20, Luke 11:21. <BACK>
Titus 1:2 pro chronon aionion, Mead in Ap. 14:6. <BACK>
Jer 28:8. <BACK>
The very fight itself was triumph: while the Devil ran with all his might against Christ; he killed himself. Angry Bees stinging once, make themselves drones for ever: So Satan. <BACK>
ap arches <BACK>
qevem <BACK>
Gen 4:3,4. <BACK>
Heb 11:2,4,6. <BACK>
Quem ad modum in terris, quum famulus aliquid agit, quod non potest nisi jussu Domini, & non est stultus, omnes intelligunt, eum batere mandatum, etiamsi non dicat. Bell. de Sacr. Conf. l.2.c.2
[Transcription of this note not guaranteed accurate. PJR 2000] <BACK>
