The Covenant of Grace
The covenant of grace is an agreement between God and sinful man, made out of God's free mercy and grace, to save fallen man and provide all the things that sinners or saints can need.
Thomas Brooks emphasizes the profound nature of the covenant of grace, which is God's merciful agreement to save sinful humanity. He explains that this covenant is rooted in God's free grace and mercy, providing believers with a new heart, the assurance of His goodness, and the promise of His presence. Brooks highlights the covenant's ability to meet the deepest needs of distressed sinners, offering them comfort, cleansing, and the strength to resist sin. He encourages listeners to recognize the covenant as a divine storehouse filled with everything they require for spiritual sustenance and peace. Ultimately, the covenant of grace reveals God's infinite love and care for His people.
Text
"I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will
never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them
to fear Me, so that they will never turn away from Me."
Jeremiah 32:40
The covenant of grace is that agreement which God has
made with sinful man out of His own free mercy and grace,
wherein He undertakes to save fallen man. All mankind
would have been eternally lost--had He not of his own
free grace and mercy made such an agreement with sinful
man. This covenant is called a covenant of grace, because
it flows from the free grace and mercy of God. There was
nothing outside of God, nor anything in God--but His free
mercy and grace--which moved Him to enter into covenant
with poor sinners.
The covenant of grace consists in these things:
(1.) that God will be our God;
(2.) that He will give us a new heart, a new spirit;
(3.) that He will not turn away His face from doing of us good;
(4.) that He will put His fear into our hearts;
(5.) that He will cleanse us from all our filthiness and idols;
(6.) that He will rejoice over us to do us good;
(7.) that we shall be His people;
(8.) that we shall fear Him forever;
(9.) that we shall walk in His statutes;
(10.) that we shall not depart from Him.
Oh what head can conceive, or what tongue can express
that infinite counsel, wisdom, love, care and tenderness,
which is in the covenant of grace--so as it may best suit
to all the needs, and straits, and necessities, and miseries,
and desires, and longings of poor sinners' souls.
The covenant of grace is so well ordered by the unsearchable
wisdom of God, that you may find in it . . .
remedies to cure all your diseases, and
cordials to comfort you against all your faintings, and
a spiritual armory to arm you against all your enemies,
namely, the world, the flesh, and the devil.
Do you, O distressed sinner, need a loving God, a
compassionate God, a reconciled God, a sin-pardoning
God? Here you may find Him, in the covenant of grace.
Do you need a Christ to counsel you by His wisdom,
and to clothe you with His righteousness, and to adorn
you with His grace? Here you may find Him in the
covenant of grace.
Do you need the Spirit to enlighten you, to teach
you, to convince you, to awaken you, to lead you,
to cleanse you, to cheer you? Here you may find
Him in the covenant of grace.
Do you need grace, or peace, or rest, or quiet, or
contentment, or comfort, or satisfaction? Here you
may find it in the covenant of grace. God has laid
into the covenant of grace, as into a storehouse,
all those things that sinners or saints can need.
Sermon Outline
- I. The Covenant of Grace
- 'A. Definition: An agreement between God and sinful man, made out of God''s free mercy and grace'
- 'B. Purpose: To save fallen man'
- II. Components of the Covenant of Grace
- A. God will be our God
- B. God will give us a new heart and spirit
- C. God will not turn away His face from doing us good
- III. Benefits of the Covenant of Grace
- A. Remedies for all diseases
- B. Comfort against all faintings
- C. Spiritual armory against all enemies
Key Quotes
“Oh what head can conceive, or what tongue can express that infinite counsel, wisdom, love, care and tenderness, which is in the covenant of grace--so as it may best suit to all the needs, and straits, and necessities, and miseries, and desires, and longings of poor sinners' souls.” — Thomas Brooks
“The covenant of grace is so well ordered by the unsearchable wisdom of God, that you may find in it remedies to cure all your diseases, and cordials to comfort you against all your faintings, and a spiritual armory to arm you against all your enemies, namely, the world, the flesh, and the devil.” — Thomas Brooks
“Do you, O distressed sinner, need a loving God, a compassionate God, a reconciled God, a sin-pardoning God? Here you may find Him, in the covenant of grace.” — Thomas Brooks
Application Points
- You can find a loving God, a compassionate God, and a sin-pardoning God in the covenant of grace.
- The covenant of grace provides remedies for all diseases, comfort against all faintings, and a spiritual armory against all enemies.
- You can find Christ to counsel you, clothe you with His righteousness, and adorn you with His grace, as well as the Spirit to enlighten, teach, convince, awaken, lead, cleanse, and cheer you in the covenant of grace.