The Covenant of Works and the Doctrines of Salvation

Abstract

This chapter ties together lingering threads of argument by showing how Ussher used the covenant of works to explain various aspects of salvation. He used this covenant as a premise for preaching, in that the law showed sinners their need for salvation before the gospel was presented. The covenant of works explains how Christ’s obedience needed to be and could be imputed to believers. This covenant also provided a framework to explain how the law relates to sanctification. These discussions are situated within the broader historical context of debates between puritans and Laudians and the English civil war.