Bullinger On the Superiority Of The New Covenant

Now in order that I might conceal nothing in this matter, I will briefly mention how the church of Christians, which was established after the birth of Christ, excels. First, we are indeed better off than those who lived under the law with this name because, having been freed from the entire burden of ceremonies, we have a close connection with the ancient and distinguished religion, namely, that of the patriarchs, which rested upon faith and innocence without ceremonies, that is, on the basic terms of the covenant. Second, we rejoice then in the evident truth the the shadows have been dispersed by the bright light of the gospel and that the typological foreshadowings have been fulfilled. Third, then, God has made our church superior to the church of our dead fathers before the coming of Christ, because we believe that the Christ has come to us, who they believed would come and whom they awaited with the greatest desire. He has given his Spirit most abundantly; he has now spread his glory throughout the whole world; and he has perfectly completed all things. For this reason, that very elderly man, Simeon, counting himself very fortunate, cries out, “Now, Lord, dismiss your servant in peace according to your word, for my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all peoples, a light for the enlightenment of the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel (Luke 2 [29–32]).

Heinrich Bullinger | The One Eternal Testament or Covenant of God (1534) trans. Charles S. McCoy and J. Wayne Baker eds. Fountainhead of Federalism: Heinrich Bullinger and the Covenantal Tradition (Louisville: Westminster/John Knox Press, 1991), 125.


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