CHAPTER 7

OF GOD’S COVENANT WITH MAN

1 The distance between God and the creature is so great, that although reasonable creatures do owe obedience unto him as their Creator, yet they could never have attained the reward of  life, but by some voluntary condescension on God’s part, which he hath been pleased to express by way of covenant.

2 The first covenant made with man, was a covenant of works, wherein life was promised to Adam, and in him to his posterity, upon condition of perfect and personal obedience.

3 Man by his fall having made himself incapable of life by that covenant, the Lord was pleased ,to make a second, commonly called the Covenant of Grace; wherein he freely offereth unto sinners life and salvation by Jesus Christ, requiring of them faith in him that they  may be saved, and promising to give unto all those that are ordained unto life, his Holy Spirit, to make them willing and able to believe.

4 This covenant of grace is frequently set forth in the Scripture by the name of a Testament,  in reference to the death of Jesus Christ the testator, and to the everlasting inheritance, with all things belonging to it, therein bequeathed.

5 Although this covenant hath been differently and variously administered in respect of ordinances and institutions in the time of the law, and since the coming of Christ in the flesh; yet for the substance and efficacy of it, to all its spiritual and saving ends, it is one and the same; upon the account of which various dispensations, it is called the Old and New Testament.

Go to Chapter 8 – Of Christ the Mediator

Go to Chapter 6 – Of the Fall of Man, of Sin, and of the Punishment thereof

Go to Contents – The Savoy Declaration of Faith and Order 1658

Here is a sermon prepared by Mr Bradley for the Philippines Churches.  It is part of a series of commentary on each chapter of the Savoy Declaration.  We trust each one may also be helpful here in the UK