7.6 Under the gospel, when Christ, the substance,1 was exhibited, the ordinances in which this covenant is dispensed are the preaching of the Word, and the administration of the sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper:2 which, though fewer in number, and administered with more simplicity, and less outward glory, yet, in them, it is held forth in more fullness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy,3 to all nations, both Jews and Gentiles;4 and is called the new Testament.5 There are not therefore two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same, under various dispensations.6

 

1 Col 2:17;  2 Mt 28:19–20; 1 Cor 11:23–25; 3 Heb 12:22–27; Jer 31:33–34;  4 Mt 28:19; Eph 2:15–19;  5 Lk 22:20;  6 Gal 3:14, 16; Acts 15:11; Rom 3:21–23, 30. Ps 32:1; Rom 4:3, 6, 16–17, 23–24; Heb 13:8.

我们之前已理解为什么“并不是有两个实质不同的恩典之约，而是在不同时代的同一个恩典之约。”  我们有时用 “施行” 一词来替代 “时代”，是因为有一个错误的理论从1830年起开始传播，名为 “时代论”。当时代论者用 “时代” 这个词时，他所想的是一些特定的时代，在其中人类要满足不同的责任和测试。如果人类失败了，他们会受到上帝的审判，在此之后是一个新的时代。我们的信条却与此不同:”时代”一词仅仅是指恩典之约不同的外表施行。

We have already seen how there are “not … two covenants of grace, differing in substance, but one and the same, under various dispensations.” We had used the word “administrations” rather than “dispensations,” because of an error that has emerged since the 1830s known as Dispensationalism. When a Dispensationalist speaks of “dispensations”, he has in mind specific periods of probation in which humanity is given responsibilities and tests to fulfil, failing which they will experience God’s judgement before He introduces a new dispensation. Our Confession, on the other hand, uses the word “dispensations” simply to refer to the outward administrations of the Covenant of Grace.

 

在新约中（信条中叫作“福音时代”），恩典之约的施行是简洁，明确而完全的，因为耶稣基督已经完成了祂救赎之工。新约比旧约更优越，而其原因有以下几点：

 

The Covenant of Grace is administered under the New Testament (known here as the ‘gospel’) in greater simplicity, clearness and fullness since Christ Jesus has completed His work of redemption. The New Testament dispensation, or in other words, the New Covenant, is superior to the Old Covenant for the following reasons:

 

首先，在这个新的施行中，“预表的实体——基督”是显实的。在此之前，基督只有通过预表与象征体现。但现在，通过祂道成肉身的历史，也通过在祂寄居于世上时亲身与祂交往的那些人所写下的论述，祂已体现了自己。

 

Firstly, it is under this new administration that “Christ, the substance [of the covenant], was exhibited.” Hitherto, Christ was revealed only partially in types and symbols. But now He is revealed in person, in the actual history of the incarnation and in clear expositions of His person and work by those who interacted with Him personally during His earthly sojourn.

 

 

Secondly, the old administration was largely external, carnal and ceremonial—involving land, temples, sacrifices, rituals and feasts. But under the new administration, all these are done away with, and the administration of the covenant is largely through persuasive “preaching of the Word” and “the [two bloodless] sacraments of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper.”

 

第三，虽然这些新约的蒙恩之道 “为数较少，并且施行起来更加简洁，少有外表的荣耀”，但是“在它们里面，[基督和祂的圣约祝福]显明得更丰富，更清晰，有更大的属灵果效”。其原因，至少有一部分，是因为上帝以祂的主权指定了圣灵在基督在新约中复活和升天后才浇灌上帝的子民。只有到那时，重生、圣灵的内住和光照才成为基督选民的心灵和生活中常见的特征。

 

Thirdly, though these two New Covenant ordinances are “administered with more simplicity, and less outward glory, yet, in them, [Christ and His covenant blessings are] held forth in more fullness, evidence, and spiritual efficacy.” This is, at least in part, due to the fact that God has sovereignly appointed that only after the resurrection and ascension of Christ under the New Covenant, would the Holy Spirit be poured out upon God’s people. It is only then that the gift of regeneration, indwelling and illumination of the Spirit becomes a common feature in the heart and life of the elect of Christ.

 

在旧约中，选民也会基于基督将要完成的救赎之工，享受一部分这些益处。但是上帝将完全的表现留给了新约。这是为什么耶利米预言道：“耶和华说：“那些日子以后，我与 以色列 家所立的约乃是这样：我要将我的律法放在他们里面，写在他们心上；我要做他们的神，他们要做我的子民。”（耶31:33）

 

Under the Old Covenant, the elect would also enjoy these benefits to a degree on the basis of the anticipated completion of the work of Christ. But God has reserved a fuller manifestation of the power of the Spirit for New Covenant. This is why Jeremiah prophesied: “But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts; and will be their God, and they shall be my people” (Jer 31:33).

 

最后，更重要的是，圣约的成员曾经只属于一个民族，但现在它包括“万民，连犹太人带外邦人”，没有种族或地理的区别。若非如此，我们则无法享受基督圣约的祝福！

 

Finally, moreover, covenant membership was confined to one people, but now it embraces “all nations, both Jews and Gentiles” without racial or geographic distinction. Were it not so, we would not be enjoying Christ’s covenant blessings!

原文作者： 林集章 、蔡林斯 、欧阳效正
中文譯者： 何恩杰，刘行
來源： Westminster Confession of Faith — With Brief Pastoral Comments  

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