IV. Question. Whether Gods Laws were not written in his Peo∣ples Minds and Hearts before the time of this New Covenant?

The Reason of this Question is, because this New Covenant is here said to be znot according to the Covenant made with the Fathers, &c. and this is laid down as the first particular point wherein the New Covenant should differ from the Old, viz. That now God would give his Laws into their Mind, and write them in their hearts, which seems to import that his Laws were never so written in the heart before. Which to assert, seems very strange; especially seeing the New Covenant is substantially one and the same with former Cove∣nants: And Gods Foederates of Old were Partakers of Reno∣nation in and after the image of God, as well as since the New Cove∣nant.

Answ. For clear Resolution to this Question, these two things are to be heedfully Considered, viz.

1. That, Before the time of this New Covenant there was some kind and manner of Gods writing his Laws in the Hearts of his People. As, 1. A Natural writing of the Substance of his Moral Laws in the Heart of Adam in his innocency, under the Covenant of Works. This is evident, Partly by the aintegrity and uprightness of man in his first Creation in the image of God: which was his conformity to Gods Page  1384 Law. Partly, by the bWork of the Law in some measure written upon the hearts of Pagans, who never had the written Law. If so much of the Law remain in mans corrupt Nature; how compleatly was it written in mans perfect Nature? Now this writing of the Law in Adams heart, was only Natural, and Concreated; it was such a writing as belonged and was agreeable to the pure primitive state and constitution of man in his very Creation, he had it only natural∣ly from God as Creator, not supernaturally from God as Redeemer. 2. A Supernatural writing of Gods Moral Law, for the Substance of it in the hearts of his people, after the Fall, under the Covenant of Faith. This is evident; Partly, because Gods people under the Covenant of Faith, and before the time of the New Covenant, had in effect some such thing Promised to them, as Gods ccircumcising their hearts to love him; His dputting his fear into their hearts that they should not depart from him; His egiving of his Spirit into their hearts, together with many excellent Influences of the Spirit, f formerly explained. What were these supernatural blessings, but principles of Grace conforming them to the Law of God, and the writing of Gods Laws in their Hearts. Partly, Because before the time of the New Covenant Gods people experimen∣tally received such an Inscription of Gods Laws upon their hearts, as appears by their Renovation, their inward Principles, their holy Practises, and sometimes their express acknowledgements hereof. Thus (¹) Under Gods Covenant with Adam;gAbel was a be∣liever, and his works righteous.hEnoch a believer, and walked with God. (²) Under Gods Covenant with Noah;iNoah was a believer, upright in his Generations, walked with God, and moved with fear, by Gods warning obediently made an Ark. (3) Under Gods Covenant with Abraham; Abrahamkbelieved in the Lord; walked before God, was perfect; most obedient to Gods call and com∣mands, to follow him (even ad coecam obedientiam) although he knew not whither; and commanded his children and houshold after him to keep the way of the Lord. So lIsaac a believer, Feared God. mIacob a believer, wrastled with God in prayer and prevailed, &c. (4) Under Gods Sinai-Covenant with Israel; Moses an eminent nbeliever, and an excellent Self-denyer.oCaleb and Ioshuah, men of another spirit, followed the Lord fully.pGedeon, Barack, Iephta, Sampson, &c. were also renowned believers. (5) Under Gods Covenant with David; David himself was qa man after Gods own heart: and himself confesseth; rI delight to do thy will, O my God, yea thy Law is within my Heart, Hebr. in the midst of my bowels. (⁶) Finally, Under Gods Covenant with the Captives; God assured them of sa New heart and a New Spirit, promising to take away their heart of stone, and to give them an heart of flesh, that they might walk in his Statutes, and keep his Ordinances, and do them. By all which its very evident, that in some sort God did supernaturally write his Laws in the Minds and Hearts of his people, before the Page  1385 time of this New Covenant. I say, Supernaturally; Because whatso∣ever writing of this sort is savingly printed upon any mans heart since the Fall under the Covenant of Faith in any Administration thereof, is wrought by Christ the Redeemer, by the supernatural efficacy of his Spirit. Every such writing is the Epistle of Christ: his Grace, his Spirit, his efficacy, his image, is illustriously evi∣dent therein. This is the first thing to be considered, by way of Concession.

2. That, Notwithstanding all this, thus granted, till the time of this New Covenant Gods Laws were not so written in his peoples hearts, as since they have been. This is very evident; If we take notice how far The Manner, Efficacy and Extent of this New Covenant-Admi∣nistration, differed from, and transcended all Foederal Administrati∣ons that went before it: Answerable unto which is Gods Manner, Efficacy and Extent of writing of his Laws, especially under the Old & New Testament. 1. The Manner of Gods former Covenant-Ad∣ministations was more Carnal and External, and ran for the most part upon Carnal and outward blessings, as to the Letter of them. As, tBruising the Serpents Head by the Seed of the woman;uPreser∣vation in the Ark from the flood of waters that drowned all the world; The xInheritance of Canaan, long life and Prosperity there; The y Continuance and Glory of Davids throne and Kingdom to his Seed; The zRedemption of the Captives out of Babylon and Re∣stitution of them into their own land, &c. And proportionably Gods Manner of writing his Laws, was more Carnal and External; viz. In two Tables of stone, Deut. 4. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 3, 7. But the man∣ner of Gods New Covenant Administration, is more Spiritual and In∣ternal, mostly consisting of Inward Spiritual Blessings. Yea as to the Letter of the Covenant it wholly runs upon Spirituals altogether, Ier. 31. 31, 32, 33, 34. Heb. 8. 8. to 13. And proportionably Gods manner of writing his Laws is Spiritual and Inward; not in Tables of stone, but in the soft fleshly Tables of the Mind and Heart, Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8▪ 10 2 Cor. 3. 3. This different Form and Manner of the Old and New Covenants administration is much to be noted, which eminently holds forth such a different writing of Gods Laws: That, in Literal Tables of stones, This, in spiritual Tables of the mind and heart. 2. The Efficacy of former administrations, was very weak and small, in Comparison of this New Covenant-Administra∣tion which is great and powerfull. Under those The, Holy Spi∣rit was but as it were a sparingly sprinkled upon them; Their knowledge and love of God was dark, feeble b childlike; Their hearts were very stony hard and inflexible, as God intimated to them in writing his Laws upon stones, &c. But under this, The Holy Spirit is c plentifully poured forth as in Streams & Rivers upon them; and in∣to them; Their knowledge and love of God is clear, strong, ripe, man like: Their Hearts very fleshy and flexible to God and his will, &c. Hence, The Old Testament-Ministration is called dThe Mini∣strationPage  1386of the Letter, that condemns and kills, viz. An ineffectual Mi∣nistration, shewing the Letter of the Duty and Death in case of Non-performance, but affording no Ability for that Duty: But the New Testament-Ministration is called the Ministrationn of the Spirit that quickneth, and is a Ministration of righteousness, viz. An effectual and powerfull Ministration, that affords sufficiency of abi∣lity for the Duty which it requireth. Hence, The Spirit is said enot to be given, till Christ was glorified: Not as if it had not been given at all; but because it was bestowed so sparingly and slenderly, in comparison to what is now, that it might seem not to be given at all. 3. The extent of former Covenant-Administrations, was but to Par∣ticular Familes, as of Adam, Noah, Abraham, David; or to some Parti∣cular Tribes, as to the Captives of Iudah and Benjamen; ar to a Select Nation, as to the Jews at Mount-Sinai: Alas, how few, what a small handfull were all these to the rest of the world! And yet of this small number, how few were there that had any saving inscription of Gods Laws upon their hearts at all? And we say, Minimum in magne nihil, a small thing in that whch is great is as nothing; a drop is as nothing in the Sea, a grain of sand is as nothing in the Earth: so the writing of Gods Laws in the hearts of so few, is as nothing in the world But the extent of this New Covenant-Administration is universal, fTo all Nations in the whole world; and consequently Gods writing of his Laws in mens hearts is proportionably extended to all Gods people in all those Nations: to many thousands and ten thousands more then under all former Covenant-Expressures.

Thus the Lord under this New Covenant writes his Laws in his Peoples hearts; (1) Not Naturally, as at First in Adams heart in his state of creation, under the Covenant of Works; But Supernaturally, by the Spirit of Jesus Christ, restoring them from their State of corruption under the Covenant of Faith: And this (2) Not so im∣perfectly as under foregoing Covenant-Administrations, but much more perfectly and compleatly in Efficaciousness and Extensiveness. The chiefest of former Covenants, the Old Covenant holding forth, in the publique and open Administration of it, only a writing of Gods Laws in stones: This New Covenant, in the open and manifest Ad∣ministration of it, revealing only a writing of Gods Laws in the Minds and Hearts of Gods Foederates.