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* 1.1THe new Couenaunt agreeth with the old, in respect of God, in these. 1. The same is the Author of both Coue∣naunts. 2. The same parties are ioined in both Couenaunts, to wit God and man. 3. The same is the mediatour of both. Moses in deede is called also the Mediatour of the old Testament, but as a type: For Christ was also in the old Testament the Media∣tour
but had adioined vnto him Moses as a type, but nowe he is Mediatour without that typicall Mediatour. For he is manifested in the flesh, & is no more couered with types. 4 The promise of grace is in both the same, to wit, remission of sinnes, the giuing of the holy Ghost or regeneration,* 1.2 & life or glorie euerlasting, to bee giuen freely by and for Christ the Mediatour to those onely who beleeue. For God pro∣miseth grace and mercie to all who beleeue in the Media∣tour. Gen. 22. In thy seede shall all nations be blessed. Gen. 3. Hee shall breake the serpents head. Gen. 17. I will bee thy god, and the god of thy seede. This is the same with the promise, which is made to the faithful of the new Couenaunt: Hee that belee∣ueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life. Now here wee speake not in particular, of the circumstances of grace, but in ge∣nerall, of grace it selfe which was promised. Both Coue∣naunts haue the same corporal promises also, but that only in generall.
Now, in respect of men, the new agreeth with the old: that in both men are bound to faith and new obedience. Gen. 17. Walke before me, and be thou vpright. I will be thy god, and the god of thy seede. But the Lord cannot be our god, except by a true faith we applie the merite of Christ vnto vs, for which alone he will receiue vs into fauour; and except wee bring forth the fruites of true repentance. The new and old Co∣uenaunt therefore agree as concerning the principal con∣ditions of the Couenaunt, both in respect of god, and in respect of man.
But they differ, in respect of god, in these. 1.* 1.3 In the promises of corporall benefites. For these in the old Testament were spe∣cial, certaine, and definite, as the promises of the Land of Canaan, of the Church, of the gouernement and Mosaical ceremonies to be obserued in that region and nation vntil the comming of the Messias: and lastly of the Messias to be borne out of that people. In the new Testament there are no speciall promises of certaine corporall benefites, but onely generall; as that god will alwaies in this life giue his Church some abiding and resting places, although it be dispersed and scattered throughout all Nations. 2. They differ in a circumstaunce of the promise of grace. For in the olde Couenaunt they were reconciled vnto god, and saued for
the Messias sake who shoulde come, or be exhibited: we in the newe Couenaunt are saued for him beeing come and exhibited. 3. In the signes or symboles of the promises. In the old were many and diuers signes and Sacramentes, as the Circumcision, the Passeouer, the Sacrifices: in the new few, and plaine, euen Baptisme, and the supper of the Lord. 4. In the olde Couenaunt were types and figures of good thinges to come, and so all thinges were the more obscure and darke; in the newe is an accomplishment and exhibiting of those things, and so all thinges more cleare. The doctrine and knowledge of the Gospell, especially nowe Christ beeing come and mani∣fested, is more bright and plentifull, for that a declaration of thinges done vseth to bee more perspicuous than the fore-telling of thinges which shall bee done. 5. In the olde the pouring out and effusion of the gifts of the holie Ghost is more narrow and sparing, in the new more large & plentifull. Hierem. 31. vers 31. I will make a newe Couenaunt. 2. Cor. 3.6. The olde was but for a time, during vntil the comming of the Messias. The newe is for euer: According to that, I will make an euerlasting Couenaunt with them.* 1.4 They differ in respect of men. First, For that in the olde testament the Church stood bound to the obedience of the whole Mosaicall lawe, Morall, Ceremoniall, and Ciuill. In the newe testament wee are bounde onelie to the spirituall or morall worship, and the vse of the Sacramentes. The Ceremoniall and Ciuil lawes of Moses binde not vs. Se∣condly, The olde was made to one certaine Nation. The Pro∣phets therefore were sent vnto the people of Israell, and to them they applyed their speeches. The newe belongeth to all Nations. For God will that all bee saued, of what Nation, language or condition so euer they bee. The Apostles therefore were sent to the whole world to gather the Church of Christ out of all Nations: or, which is the same, in the old testament the Church was tied vnto a certaine Nation; In the newe it is Catholicke and vniuersall, that is, spread through all Nations.
* 1.5Here is to be obserued, that the old Couenāt is takē by a figure of speach called Synecdoche (which we vse when wee take the whole for a part, or a part, for the whole) for the law, in re∣spect of that part, which was especially handled there. For in the old testament the law was more vrged, & there were
many partes thereof. Contrariwise the gospel was then more obscure. The newe also is taken for the Gospell, because in the newe testament a great part of Moses law is ab∣rogated; and the manifestation and knowledge of the gospell is to vs more cleare and ample.
1. The same au∣tor of both co∣uenaunts.
2. The same parties in both reconciled.
3. The same me∣diatour of both.
4. The same promise of grace in both.
How the old and new Coue∣naunt differ in respect of God.
How they differ in respect of men.
Why the old co∣uenant was ta∣ken for the law, and the New for the Gospel.