SECT. 6-Ant. Well, sir, I had thought that God's covenant with the Jews had been a mixed covenant, and that they had been partly under the covenant of works; but now I perceive there was little difference betwixt their covenant of grace and ours.

Evan. Truly the opposition between the Jews' covenant of grace and ours was chiefly of their own making. They should have been driven to Christ by the law: but they expected life in obedience to it, and this was their great error and mistake.

Ant. And surely, sir, it is no great marvel, though they in this point did so much err and mistake, who had the covenant of grace made known to them so darkly; when many amongst us, who have it more clearly manifested, do the like.

Evan. And, truly, it is no marvel, though all men naturally do so: for man naturally doth apprehend God to be the great Master of heaven, and himself to be his servant; and that therefore he must do his work before he can have his wages; and the more work he doth, the better wages he shall have. And hence it was, that when Aristotle came to speak of blesshorns," Exod. xxxiv. 29, 30, so that he could not but be conscious of it. "Aaron and all the people perceiving Moses returning to them, went to meet him; but seeing an astonishing glory in his countenance, which they were not able to look at, they were afraid, and retired," ver. 30. 31. But Moses called to them to return, and goes into the tabernacle; whereupon the multitude not daring to return for all this, Aaron and the princes alone return to him, being now in the tabernacle, ver. 31, the middle part of which, 1 think, is to be read thus, "And Aaron and all the princes returned unto him in the testimony," i. e. in the tabernacle of the testimony, as it is called, chap. xxxviii, 21, Rev. xv. 5. From out of the tabernacle Moses speaks to them, ordering (it would seem) the people to be gathered together unto that place, ver. 31, 32. The people being convened at the tabernacle, he preached to them all that he had received of the Lord on the Mount, ver. 32. But in the meantime, none of them saw his face, forasmuch as the tabernacle, within which he was, served instead of a vail to it. Having done speaking, he puts a vail over his face, and comes out to them, ver. 33. Marg. Heb. "And Moses ceased from speaking with them, and put a vail on his face." Compare ver. 34, "But when Moses went in before the Lord to speak with them, he took the vail off until he came out."

The mystery of this typical event the apostle treats of, 2 Cor. iii. The shining glory of Moses' face did not prefigure nor signify the glory of Christ; for "the glory of the Lord Christ," ver. 18, is evidently opposed to the glory of Moses' countenance, ver. 7, and the open (or uncovered) face of the former, ver. 18, (as Vetablus seems to me rightly to understand it) to the vailed face of the latter, ver. 13. The glory of the one is beheld as in a glass, ver. 18, the sight of the face itself being reserved for heaven; but the glory of the face of the other was not to be beheld at all, being vailed. But that glory signified the glory of the law given to

edness, and to pitch upon the next means to that end, he said, "It was operation and working;" with whom also agrees Pythagoras, when he says, "It is man's felicity to be like unto. God, (as how?) by becoming righteous and holy." And let us not marvel that these men did so err, who never heard of Christ, nor of the covenant of grace, when those to whom it was made known by the apostles of Christ did the like; witness those to whom the apostle Paul wrote his epistles, and especially the Galatians: for although he had by his preaching, when he was present with them, made known unto them the covenant of grace; yet after his departure, through the seducement of false teachers, they were soon turned to the covenant of works, and sought to be justified, either in whole or in part by it; as you may see if you seriously consider that epistle. Nay, what says Luther? It is, says he, the general opinion of man's reason throughout the whole world, that righteousness is gotten by the works of the law; and the reason is, because the covenant was engendered in the minds of men in the very creation,* so that man naturally can judge no otherwise of the law than as of a covenant of works, which was given to make righteous, and to give life and salvation. This the Israelites, as the covenant of works, the glory of the ministration of death, ver. 7, agreeable to what the author tells us from Tindal, namely, that Moses' face is the law rightly understood. This Mosaic glory, while it was most fresh, was darkened by the excelling glory of the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, ver. 18, compared with Exod. xxxiv. 29, howbeit, the discovery of it to sinners makes their hearts to tremble, they are not able to bear it. That glorious form of the law must be hid in Christ the true tabernacle, and from thence only must the law come to them, or else they are not able to receive it; though before that discovery is made to them they are ready to embrace the law under that form, as the people were to receive Moses with the tables in his hand, till they found themselves unable to bear the shining glory of his face. The vail which Moses put on his face, keeping the Israelites from beholding the glory of it, signifies that their minds were blinded, ver. 14, not perceiving the glory of the law given them as a covenant of works. And hence it was "that the children of Israel fastened not their eyes, Luke iv. 20, Acts iii. 4, on (Christ) the end of that which is abolished," 2 Cor. iii. 13, Gr. for had they seen that glory to purpose, they would have fastened their eyes on him, as a malefactor at the stake would fix his eyes on the face of one bringing a remission. And that is the vail that is upon Moses' face, and their hearts, unto this day, ver. 14, 15, which nevertheless, in the Lord's appointed time, shall be taken away, ver. 16.

*This is not to be understood strictly of the very moment of man's creation, in which the natural law was impressed on his heart, but with some latitude, the covenant of works being made with man newly created; and so divines call it the covenant of nature, See Dickson's Therap. Sacr. book 1. chap. 5. p. 116.

pernicious opinion of the law, that it justifieth and maketh righteous before God (says Luther again), "is so deeply rooted in man's reason, and all mankind so wrapped in it, that they can hardly get out; yea, I myself, says he, have now preached the gospel nearly twenty years, and have been exercised in the same daily, by reading and writing, so that I may well seem to be rid of this wicked opinion; yet, notwithstanding, I now and then feel this old filth cleave to my heart, whereby it cometh to pass that I would willingly have so to do with God, that I would bring something with myself, because of which he should give me his grace." Nay, it is to be feared, that, as you said, many amongst us, (who have more means of light ordinarily, than ever Luther, or any before him had, yet notwithstanding) do either wholly, or in part, expect justification and acceptation by the works of the law.

Ant. Sir, I am verily persuaded, that there be very many in the city of London that are carried with a blind preposterous zeal after their own good works and well-doings, secretly seeking to become holy, just, and righteous, before God, by their diligent keeping, and careful walking in all God's commandments; and yet no man can persuade them that they do so : and truly, sir, I am verily persuaded that this our neighbour and friend, Nomista, is one of them.

Evan. Alas! there are a thousand in the world that make a Christ of their works; and here is their undoing, &c. They look for righteousness and acceptation more in the precept than in the promise, in the law than in the gospel, in working than in believing; and so miscarry. Many poor ignorant souls amongst us, when we bid them obey and do duties, they can think of nothing but working themselves to life; when they

*This is not to insinuate, that Luther had arrived but to a small measure of the knowledge of the doctrine of justification and acceptation of a sinner before God, in comparison with those of later times; I make no question but he understood that doctrine as well as any man has done since; and doubt not but our author was of the same mind anent him: but it is to show, that that great man of God, and others who went before him, found their way out of the midnight darkness of Popery in that point, with less means of light by far than men now have, who notwithstanding cannot hold off from it.

By which means they put their own works in the room of Christ, "who of God is made unto us-righteousness and sanctification," 1 Cor. i. 30. According to the Scripture plan of justification and sanctification, a sinner is justified by his blood, Rom. v. 9, sanctified in Christ Jesus, 1 Cor. i. 2, through sanctification of the Spirit, 2 Thess. ii. 13, sanctified by faith, Acts xxvi. 18.

are troubled, they must lick themselves whole, when wounded, they must run to the salve of duties, and stream of performances, and neglect Christ. Nay, it is to be feared that there be divers who in words are able to distinguish between the law and gospel, and in their judgments hold and maintain, that man is justified by faith without the works of the law; and yet in effect and practice, that is to say, in heart and conscience, do otherwise.* And there is some touch of this in us all; otherwise we should not be so up and down in our comforts and believing as we are still, and cast down with every weakness as we are. But what say you, neighbour Nomista, are you guilty of these things, think you?

Nom. Truly, sir, I must needs confess, I begin to be somewhat jealous of myself that I am so; and because I desire your judgment touching my condition, I would entreat you to give me leave to relate it unto you.

Evan. With great good will.

Nom. Sir, I having been born and brought up in a country where there was very little preaching, the Lord knoweth I lived a great while in ignorance and blindness; and yet, because I did often repeat the Lord's prayer, the Apostle's creed, and the ten commandments, and in that I came sometimes to divine service, as they call it, and at Easter received the communion, I thought my condition to be good. But at last, by means of hearing a zealous and godly minister in this city, not long after my coming hither, I was convinced that my present condition was not good, and therefore I went to the same minister, and told him what I thought of myself; so he told me that I must frequent the hearing of sermons, and keep the Sabbath very strictly, and leave off swearing by my faith and troth, and such like oaths, and beware of lying, and all idle words and communication; yea, and said he, you must get good books to read on, as Mr. Dodd on the Commandments, Mr. Bolton's Directions for Comfortable Walking with God, Mr. Brinsley's. True Watch, and such like; and many similar exhortations and directions he gave me, the which I

* It is indeed the practice of every unregenerate man, whatever be his knowledge or professed principles; for the contrary practice is the practice of the saints, and of them only. Matt. v. 3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit."-Phil. iii. 3, "We are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in flesh.

+ For these flow from our building so much on something in ourselves, which is always very variable; and so little on the "grace that is in Christ Jesus," 2 Tim. ii. 1, which is an immoveable foundation.

liked very well, and therefore endeavoured myself to follow them. So I fell to the hearing of the most godly, zealous, and powerful preachers that were in the city, and wrote their sermons after them; and when God gave me a family, I prayed with them, and instructed them, and repeated sermons to them, and spent the Lord's day in public and private exercises, and left off my swearing, and lying, and idle talking; and, according to exhortation, in few words, I did so reform myself and my life, that whereas before I had been only careful to perform the duties of the second table of the law, and that to the end I might gain favour and respect from civil honest men, and to avoid the penalties of man's law, or temporal punishment, now I was also careful to perform the duties required in the first table of the law, and that to gain favour and respect from religious, honest men, and to avoid the penalty of God's law, even eternal torments in hell. Now, when professors of religion observed this change in me, they came to my house, and gave unto me the right hand of fellowship, and counted me one of that number: and then I invited godly ministers to my table, and made much of them; and then, with that same Micah mentioned in the book of Judges, I was persuaded the Lord would be merciful unto me, because I had gotten a Levite to be my priest. Judges xvii. 13. In a word, I did now yield such an outward obedience and conformity to both tables of the law, that all godly ministers and religious honest men who knew me, did think very well of me, counting me to be a very honest man, and a good Christian; and indeed I thought so of myself, especially because I had their approbation. And thus I went on bravely a great while, even until I read in Mr. Bolton's works, that the outward righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees was famous in those times; for, besides their forbearing and protesting against gross sins, as murder, theft, adultery, idolatry, and the like, they were frequent and constant in prayer, fasting, and alms-deeds, so that, without question, many of them were persuaded that their doing would purchase heaven and happiness. Whereupon I concluded, that I had as yet done no more than they; and withal I considered, that our Saviour says, "Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees, you cannot enter into the kingdom of God," Matt. v. 20.; yea, and I also considered that the Apostle says, "He is not a Jew that is one outwardly; but he that is one inwardly, whose praise is not of men, but of God," Rom. ii. 28, 29. Then did