James Pope
Eternal Covenant of Grace
The New Covenant requires nothing by way of a condition on the creatures part, without which it is not made good, and without which the Promises are not made good, as appears by Hebrews 8:9, where he saith, “Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.” So that his not regarding them, proceeded from their not keeping the conditions of his covenant; but it is not such a Covenant; for (saith he, vs. 10-12) “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people; and they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord; for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.” See also the Prophesy of this Covenant, Jer. 31.31-34. In all which, we find nothing as a condition put upon the Creature, but God hath engaged Himself to do the whole work for them. James Pope {Unveiling of Antichrist, 1646}
Blood of the New Testament
If the blood of Christ {and not the blood of beasts} is the Blood of the New Testament, then here is the great privilege of Saints, the blood of the first Covenant. “For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” {Mt.26:28} And this blood purges the conscience from dead Works, to follow the living God. “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” {Heb.9:24} By this blood we have Remission of Sins, and a way made into the holiest through the veil, which is his flesh; and that with boldness, by that new and living way, and have a high Priest over the house of God. {Heb.10:18-21} Nay, it is not only our privilege that we enter boldly, but it is our duty, we ought to draw near in full assurance of faith. “And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” {Heb.10:21,22} So that which is our privilege, is our duty; and duty is our privilege. In this, we may take notice of the unspeakable freeness of the Grace of God, and magnify it; as also, the wonderful happiness of the Saints that are made to partake of such grace. When the blood of the first Covenant was to be offered, none could go into the holiest, but the High Priest, but now the veil that did keep the people from the holiest is done away, or rather the substance of that shadow is consecrated to be our New and Living way of entrance by the Blood of Jesus, into the Holiest; and this blessed way unto the Father is open to all the people of the Covenant, that they go as freely before the Mercy Seat, as the High Priest who is already entered. {Heb.9:24} But the way was not made manifest while the first Tabernacle was standing. {Heb.9:8} This shows us that for men to teach, that the people of God ought to mourn for sin, not declaring in what sense, is antichristian; because there is no need to offer this blood, year by year, nor a remembrance of sin every year, as under the Old Covenant; {Heb.10:1-3} but by one offering Christ has perfected forever them that are sanctified. {Heb.10:14} So that now for the people of God to mourn for sins as under sin, is sinful; since it undervalues the Blood of the Covenant, as if it needed to be offered yearly, as the blood of the first Covenant was. Again, it is sinful, because it opposes duty; for it is the duty of Saints to draw near in full assurance of Faith, but to apprehend ourselves to lay under the guilt of sin, keeps us off of this duty; so that those who are truly humbled for sin {those that are in the Covenant} are not humbled from a sense of guilt, and fear of wrath, but because they by sin do dishonor God, who is their loving Father, who also hath pardoned their sin. James Pope {Unveiling of Antichrist, 1646}