566 HOLINESS NECESSARY FROM but we sought out many inventions. And, in the latter way, as it belongs to the covenant of grace, there is by virtue of that covenant, a supply of spiritual strength given in by the promise, unto all them that are taken into it, enabling them to answer the command for holi- ness, according to the rule of the acceptance of their obedience, before laid down. No man, who is instated in the covenant of grace, comes short or fails of the performanceof that obedience which is required and accepted in that covenant, merely for want of power and spiritual strength: for God therein, a according to his divine power, gives unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that bath called us to glory and virtue," I Peter i. 3. Sect. 20.It is true, this grace or strength is admi- nistered unto themby certain ways and means, which, if they attend not unto, they will come short of it. But this, I say, in the careful, diligent, seduloususe of those means appointed, none who belong to the covenant of grace, shall ever fail of that power and ability which shall render the commands of the gospel easy, and not grievousunto them, and whereby they mayso fulfilthem, as infallibly to be accepted. This the scripture is plain in, where Christ himself tells us, that,his yoke is easy, andhis burden is light, Matth. xi. 50. and his holy a- postle that his commands are notgrievous, i John v. 3. For, if they should exceed all the strength which we either have, or he ispleased to give untous, theywould be like the Jewish ceremonies, a yoke which we could not bear, and a law not only grievous, but unprofitable. But, on the contrary, our apostle expresslyaffirms, and so may we, that he could do all things, that is, in the way and manner, and unto the end for which they are required in the gospel, through Christ that strengthened him. Some would confound these things, and cast all into disorder. They would have men that are under the old covenant, to have a power and spiritual strength to fulfil the commands of the new, which God bath never spoken of nor declared, and which, indeed, is contrary to the whole design of his grace. They would have men, who having broken the old covenant, and forfeited all their strength and ability which they had by it, for obedience, and are not initiated in the new covenant, yet to have a power of their own to fulfil the command of the one or the other, which God neither giveth, nor is obliged to give; nor is it necessary to prove that the command is equal and holy: for, as was observed, God giveth us no command of holiness and obedience, but in, with, and by virtue of some covenant. And there is no more required to prove them to be just and equal, but that they are easy unto them who walk with God in that covenant whereunto they do belong, and that that performance of them shall be accepted which they have power for. Ifany will sinfully cast a- way their covenant ittterest and privilege, as we did all that of our original creation, we must thank ourselves, ifwe have not power to answer its commands. Nor doth it belong unto the equity of the command of the new covenant, that those who are not yet madepartak- ers of it by grace, should have power to fulfil them. Nay, if they had so, and should do so accordingly, (were any such thing possible) it would not avail them: for, being supposed not as yet to belong unto the new covenant, they must belong unto the old. And the per- formance of the commands of the new covenant, in the way and manner which are required therein, would not avail them who are really under the rule and law of the old, which admits of nothing short of absolute perfec- tion. But what the law speaks, it speaks unto themthat are under the lazy; and what thegospel speaks, it speaks unto them, who are not under the law, but under grace. And the formal transition of men from one of these states unto another, is by an act of God's grace, wherein them- selves are merely passive, as bath elsewhere beendemon- strated. See Col. i. 13. Sect. 21 This is that which I do intend. God at first made a covenant with mankind, the first covenant, the covenant of works. Herein hegave them commands for holy obedience. These commands were not only possible unto them, both for matter and manner, by virtue of that strength and power which was concreated with them, but easy and pleasant, every waysuited un- to their good and satisfaction in that state and condition. This rendered their obedience equal, just, reasonable, and aggravated their sin with the guilt of the most horrible folly and ingratitude. When, by the fall, this covenant was broken, we lost therewith- all power and ability to comply with its commands in holy obedience. Hereupon the law continued holy, and the commandment, holy, just, andgood, as our apostle speaks, Rom vii. 12. For what should make it otherwise, seeing there was
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