suffered as our Head and Representative in our stead or room the Just for the Vnjust or the Surety for the Principal or for the Sinner and this according to the Terms agreed upon in the Covenant of Peace and not simply for our good any otherwise God being in his own Nature Just as well as Gracious could not without Wrong or Injury to his Justice Holiness and the Sanction of his Law Acquit Justifie and Pardon any Sinner without a full Satisfaction to both Law and Justice and this must either be done by us or by our Surety for us 2. We affirm that the Law of Perfect Obedience results from the Holiness Purity and Rectitude of God's Nature and therefore it stands as a perpetual Law and can never be abolished as a Rule of Life tho it be taken away as it required perfect Obedience of us or as a Law of Works to be fulfilled and satisfied for in our own Persons in point of Justification Do we then make void the Law through Faith God forbid Yea we establish the Law because by Christ we attain a perfect Righteousness being interested in his most compleat and perfect Obedience to the Moral Law and by his Spirit to live in more exact Conformity thereunto My Brethren Is it not our Duty still and as much as ever it was To love the Lord our God with all our Hearts with all our Souls and with all our Strength and our Neighbour as our selves not only sincerely but perfectly nay to be perfect as our Father in Heaven is perfect Tho we are not able to do this yet the Moral Law still remains and requires us thus to do true we shall not be Damned for want of this perfect Obedienc because Christ hath in our Nature and stead kept the Law perfectly for us and so he is the end of the Law in respect of Righteousness to all that believe Christ did not come to engage or undertake as a Mediator that we should perfectly in our own Persons keep the Moral Law and so be Justified in God's Sight nor did he come to undertake that we should sincerely keep any other Law to that end much less leave us to the exercise of our Natural or Spiritual Abilities to keep such a Law as the Condition of our Justification and Acceptation with God but he came to procure for us such a Righteousness by his own Obedience and Suffering that the Holiness Justice and Law of God doth require of us if we are Justified with God for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the Flesh God sent furth his Son c. T is a hard case my Brethren that these degenerate Presbyterians or any pretending to be Gospel-Preachers should deny Christ to be a Common Head and Surety for the Elect for he that dies in the stead and room of others is by the consent of the Law-giver substituted in their Law place and so takes upon him the Capacity of a Surety Representative or common Person undertaking to do and suffer what others should but these Men deny this Relation or Capacity of Christ as a Surety in this Sense and therefore deny he obeyed and died in our stead And from hence it follows also that Christ did not do that for us which our own Perfect Obedience did do whilst Man stood and would have done had he not sinned i. e. Justified him or have given him a Title to Life 3. Moreover if Christ was not put in our Law place as our Representative and Surety Why was he made of a Woman and made under the Law Was it not that the Law might reach him 1. As to its commanding Power as our Surety to pay the Debt of Perfect Obedience thereunto 2. And as a Sinner in a Law Sense to die or be made Sin for us that is by Imputation for had not he been under the Law the Law could not have reached him in either sense i. e. either to do or suffer and had not he took our Law place upon him we could not have been the better for what could his taking our Nature on him have profited us had he not been substituted in our room But as we were obliged by the Law Justice and Holiness of God to keep the Law perfectly so he was made under the Law to keep it for us and as we were sinful Men and liable to the Just Sentence of the Law for our Violation of it so he was made under the Law and as our Representative and Surety to die and to satisfie Divine Justice for our Transgressions that were against it He was made under the Law i. e. under the Preceptory part of it to fulfil and establish that he satisfied for that part of the Law He was under the Law as being liable to the Punishment or Penalty of the Law that he might answer and fulfil that and for ever deliver us from the Punishment thereof and all this as our Surety standing in our Law place Reproof This may tend severely to reprehend those new and erroneous Notions that so prevail amongst us concerning Christ's Work and Office as Mediator we say and prove that by Christ's Active and Perfect Obedience to the Law we are justified and delivered from Wrath and Condemnation or that by Christ's Righteousness imputed Believers are perfectly Justified and freed from the Curse of the Law and are certainly entituled to Eternal Life 1. But our new Work-mongers assert That our Justification or Right to Life dependeth wholly upon our Obedience to the Gospel as a Law as the Condition to which it is promised Therefore as one observes it puts us into a Condition of Life imperfect and subject to change as Obedience it self is and that we are not perfectly Justified till our Obedience is perfected Thus Mr. Clark of High-Wickham and others Take Mr. Clark's Words viz. Our Justification at present while we are in this World is but Partial Imperfect and Incompleat Ans. Now say I this confounds Justification with Sanctification and as I have told him then it also follows that Believers are partly justified and partly condemned i. e. we are not acquitted from the guilt of all Sin whilst in this World and so Christ's Dove is not Vndefiled Lord what an Age do we live in 2. We say that we are made Partakers of Christ's Righteousness and the Benefits of it by our Union with him through the Spirit by which means Faith is wrought in us by which we apprehend him and we say that Faith is an Instrument whereby we receive him Faith only Justifying us objectively i. e. It is not Faith but Jesus Christ that Faith takes hold of that doth Justifie us in the Sight of God But they say That Faith in its whole Latitude is our believing and obeying the Gospel that is Faith and all the Fruits thereof or Faith and Obedience or if you please Faith and Gospel-Works For Mr. Clark says That
with the Strong because he poured out his Soul unto Death All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth He shall strike through Kings in the Day of his Wrath. But we see Jesus who was made a little lower than the Angels for the suffering of Death Crowned with Glory and Honour And he shall bring all his to Glory too For it became him for whom are all things and by whom are all things in bringing many Sons to Glory to make the Captain of their Salvation perfect through Sufferings As this was promised by the Father to him and to us in him so he as our Surety engaged to bring it to pass or to make it good unto us Object If Jesus Christ entered into Bonds for us and that by virtue of the Sanction of the Law of Works was obliged as our Surety to suffer for our Sins doth it not follow that he was Surety of the Covenant of Works And how then is it said He was Surety of a better Covenant 1 Answ. Tho Christ was obliged as our Surety to fulfil the Covenant of Works or of perfect Obedience yet he was not Surety of the Covenant of Works because he did not undertake that we should perfectly keep the Law in our own Persons which he must have done had he been Surety of the Law of Works but that he would keep that Law for us and therefore it was another and better Covenant 2. The Covenant of Works was made betwixt God and Man without a Surety the Covenant of Grace is made betwixt God the Father and Jesus Christ as our Surety for us therefore another and better Covenant These Men plead for a Covenant of Grace made betwixt God and us distinct from the Covenant of Redemption in which Christ as our Surety engaged that we shall keep the New Law of Faith and sincere Obedience Christ having abolished the Law of perfect Obedience and merited this mild Law c. 1 Answ. Tho the Law as a Covenant of Works Do this and Live is taken away yet as a Law or Rule of perfect Obedience it remains for ever As the Reverend Mr. Cross hath fully proved 2. As to their New Law it brings in Justification by Works and such Works too that are attended with Sin or Imperfections and therefore their Doctrine is to be abhorred See Mr. Clark's New Book but more of this hereafter IV. I shall shew that Christ's Suretiship greatly differs from Suretiship among Men. 1. A Surety among Men is not of the Creditor's but of the Debtor's procurement But the Surety of the Covenant of Peace was of God's procurement who is Man's Creditor or rather offended Creator God as an Act of Infinite Wisdom Love and Mercy found him I have found a Ransom Moreover the Father Chose him Called him and Anointed him to be the Mediator and Surety of this Covenant as hath been fully proved Therefore it doth not follow that so soon as our Surety struck Hands or just when he laid down the Price all God's Elect must actually be acquited For should a Creditor find a Surety for the Debtor all must confess it is in his choice how and when the Debtor should be actually acquited Moreover 't is evident that we had no actual Existence when Christ struck Hands for us besides it was for such that he foresaw would fall under Sin Wrath and Condemnation and Christ did not become a Surety to keep the Elect from falling under Wrath and the Sentence of Death but to recover them out of that State Justification presupposeth we were once Charged and Condemned 2. A Surety and Debtor among Men both enter into the same Bond and the Debtor is look'd upon the principal Bondsman But Christ's single Bond in this Covenant is accepted for all here is a Change of Persons God leaves out our Names and puts in Christ's Name that the Debt Satisfaction and Curse might fall upon him alone See Dr. Goodwin He was made Sin for us Christ hath redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us he was wounded for our Transgressions And now Jesus Christ here by puting his Name unto this Bond is become the principal Debtor and is wholly obliged to pay and satisfie for all the Sins of God's Elect his Suretiship hath swallowed up the offending Debtors Obligation to satisfie Law and Justice Object Doth it not then follow we need not be concerned to keep or fulfil the Law Answ. We are not to be concerned to keep the Law to that end Christ kept it i. e. not to be Justified by it for so it is removed but the Moral Law as a perfect Rule of Righteousness obligeth us to perpetual Obedience it being so unchangable a Law 3. Among Men when the Surety makes a full satisfaction for Debtors the said Debtors cannot be said to receive their Release or Discharge as an Act of Grace and Favour but as an Act of Justice only But Jesus Christ in the Covenant of Peace makes full Satisfaction for us and yet we receive our Release and Discharge as an Act of Grace and Favour alone 1. In that God and not we found the Surety which was an Act of his own Sovereign Grace he being wholly at Liberty whether he would save Man or not So that our Discharge through the Satisfaction of Christ must needs primarily and originally flow out of pure Grace Favour Love and Pity of God to us Had Man found the Surety it had been otherwise 2. Because the Surety being the only begotten Son of God it is a farther Demonstration of Infinite Love and Favour to us in that God should substitute him in our stead and dispence with the rigorous Action of Satisfaction from us and take it from our Surety as put in our Law-place 3. Because God that he might work about our Discharge in a way of Grace and Mercy to the Honour of his Justice c. made his own Son a Sacrifice for our Sins 4. Because that Interest we have in that Redemption Pardon Peace and Reconciliation by Christ's Undertakings is freely bestowed on us as an Act of God's Sovereign Grace and Goodness for as Christ purchased all Grace for us so as an Act of God's Favour and Christ's Purchase and Merits he gives us the Spirit and Faith in order to our actual Interest in all Covenant Blessings so that altho it all is in a way of Justice as to Christ yet it is all in a way of Mercy and Free-Grace as to us 5. In that God accepted of Christ as a Surety for us who deserved no Pity we having wilfully forefeited our vast Inheritance and were become his Vile Enemies and rebels against him 6. Because Christ became our Surety from whom he could expect no after Recompence or Satisfaction for that vast Sum he laid down for us he never expected any Recompence from us for the Debt paid 7. Because we are not only pardoned and have
of his Son as Mediator for tho the Father might make the first Proposal of this to his Son yet 't is by Christ's Undertaking that God is pacified c. He was made a Curse for us therefore as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation so by the Righteousness of one the Free-gift came upon all Men unto Justification of Life For as by one Man's Disobedience many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made Righteous As Adam brought us into Debt and made us obnoxious to Divine Wrath so Jesus Christ hath paid our Debts by his active Obedience to God's Law and by bearing that Wrath on his Soul and Body which our Sins had brought upon us For the Transgressions of my People was be stricken 2. See how the Mediator prevails with God for instead of God's demanding an inherent Righteousness a Righteousness wrought out in our Persons he accepts of an Imputed Righteousness wrought out in the Person of his own Son in our Nature as Mediator Who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption In the Lord shall one say have I Righteousness and Strength And then on the other side 1. Christ is of a mollifying Temper towards Man for he brings Man that he might partake of the Blessings of Peace to forego or give up all his own Righteousness as good for nothing nay to account it as Dung in point of Justification at God's Bar or when it is compared to the Righteousness of God in Christ and instead of seeking Justification by our own Righteousness or by our Faith and sincere Obedience utterly to renounce it and to submit to the Righteousness of God That we may be Justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus 2. Not to work to be Justified not to repent or love God to be Justified But to work not but believe in him that Justifies the Vngodly 3. Not to work for Life but from Life i. e. from a Principle of Life wrought in the Soul not to change one Work or Act of the Creature in Justification to another Work or Act of the Creature I mean not to renounce all Works of the Law in point of Justification and to include Gospel-works or Faith and Obedience as part of our Justifying Righteousness before God no no but to exclude all manner of Works Faith and Obedience whatsoever and to rest upon Christ alone or on his Righteousness exclusive of all the Creature doth or can do 4. And tho the Soul sees he is already Justified and accepted in the Beloved and for ever delivered from Wrath and Condemnation yet to live a Holy Life and renounce all Sin and Iniquity from a Principle of Faith and because Sin is so hateful unto God and so abominable in his Sight and because Christ is his Lord therefore to do all things whatsoever he commandeth him and all this in Love to Christ not to seek his Acceptance and Justification by the Worth of his Faith and Obedience but in Christ and to account himself an Vnprofitable Servant when he hath done all that Christ hath commanded him 5. Christ never leaves his Elect until he hath brought them to these Terms XIII A Mediator whose Mediation is rejected after long Patience leaves the Offended and Obstinate Person to the Severity of that Law he hath broke and under the Sentence thereof So my Brethren will the Lord Jesus Christ after long Patience and Forbearance leave all Obstinate Rebellious and Unbelieving Sinners to the Severity of the Law of God which they have broken and to the Wrath and Vengeance of God He that believeth not is Condemned already All are condemned in the first Adam and their Condemnation will be aggravated upon them because they reject the Offers of Peace or the Mediation of Jesus Christ and believe not in him and indeed all Men would do this was not Infinite Love shewed and Power put forth towards some according to God's Eternal Purpose in Election XIV A Mediator leaves no liberty of an Appeal after he hath passed the definitive Sentence Moreover it is some times left to him also to pass that Sentence So my Brethren the Lord Christ at the last Day will leave no room for any Sinner to appeal to any other Court or Person there will be no relief for God the Father hath committed all Judgment to the Son he will therefore pass the definitive Sentence against all Mankind in the Day of Judgment For the Father Judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son All Judgment in the Administration of the Mediatory Kingdom is given to Jesus Christ and in and by the Son will God Judge the World Because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will Judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance to all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead The Mediator of this Peace shall Judge all Men he shall execute Judgment because he is the Son of Man and this God will do That all Men may honour the Son even as they honour the Father Which shews that the same Honour and Divine Worship is due to Christ that is due to God the Father he being the very same Eternal God So much at present as to Christ's Work as Mediator of this Covenant of Peace And now let me apply this before I proceed to the next thing which is the Suretiship of Christ. APPLICATION 1. We infer from hence that Sin is exceeding sinful O what Evil is there in Sin That nothing can atone for it nor make our Peace but the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ the Mediator It is not his bare Pleading but it must be done by his bleeding or dying for us or in our stead And O how great was that Breach which nothing could make up but such a Bloody Sacrifice 2. We also infer from hence that God's Love to us in Christ is an amazing and wonderful Love our Peace shall be made tho it cost God the Blood of his own dear and beloved Son God so loved the World How was that Who can conceive of the greatness of it Even so as he gave his only begotten Son to die for us even for his Enemies God commended his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us for when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Not that God was only reconcileable but by that Sacrifice God was reconciled our Faith doth not reconcile God to us but we thereby receive the Atonement or the Blessing of Peace and Reconciliation 3. We infer likewise from hence that the Love of Jesus Christ was wonderful and his Condescention exceeding great What did God take our Nature into Union with
and Teacher of the Church No Man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any Man the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will revâ—al him No Man knoweth the Essence of the Father or hath a perfect knowledge of the Godhead nor do they know the Councils Purposes and Dispensations of the Father of his saving of Men by Jesus Christ except Jesus Christ reveals these Mysteries to them all true and saving knowledge of God is in and through Christ as a Prophet But as Christ doth not Atone for our Sins as a King but as a Priest so he doth not give forth Laws c. as a Priest but as a King nor doth he teach instruct or reveal God and Salvation to us simply as a Priest or King but as a Prophet besides there are some things about the Covenant of Peace which he doth not simply as a King Priest nor Prophet but as simply consider'd a Mediator Surety and Testator c. I would therefore desire Mr. Sam. Clark for all his Confidence to consider of his great mistake in his late Treaty doth it follow should it be granted because Christ's Active Obedience doth not properly belong neither to his Kingly his Priestty nor to his Prophetical Office that therefore his Active Obedience to God's Law or Active Righteousness is no part of the matter of our Justification before God for may not some things be done by Christ as Mediator or as Surety or Testator that doth not properly relate to either of his other three Offices for evident it is that the whole of Christ's Work in this Covenant of Peace doth not strictly belong to these threefold Offices therefore the Scripture gives an account of other Offices besides these which he exerciseth But I will proceed a little further to open the Offices of Christ in the Covenant of Peace And I. Of the Necessity of his exercising of these Offices as Mediator 1. Of his Priestly Office it was absolutely necessary that he should be a Priest and that in our Nature because he was to answer the Types under the Law the Priests of the Law that were ceremonially Sanctified and were to Sanctifie others were of the same Nature with the People And since they offered Sacrifices up to God it also behoved him to offer up the Antitypical Real and Wrath-appeasing Sacrifice And 2. Forasmuch that we were Slaves and Captives of Sin and Satan being in Chains and Fetters by such Enemies that none could redeem us out of their Hands but one cloathed with Almighty and Infinite Power It behoved Jesus Christ to be a King who is invested with God-like Power and Authority upon this Account And since it was the Father's good Pleasure to exalt and magnifie him with the sole Government of the World and of the Church it was necessary he should be Constituted and Invested with Kingly Authority likewise 3. And since we were ignorant of God and under deep alienation from God Having the Vnderstanding darkened being alienated from the Life of God through the ignorance in them because of the blindness of their Hearts It behoved Jesus Christ to be a Prophet yea such a Prophet that can not only teach the Knowing and Understanding Heart but can give Knowledge to the Heart which is without Understanding and seeing we were blind and ignorant of the way of Salvation it behoved him that was to make our Peace to bring us to the knowledge of that Peace and Reconciliation he hath made Moreover we were dead therefore he must quicken us we were Enemies therefore he must reconcile us to God as well as God to us we were Impotent and could not come to the Father therefore he as a Kingly-Prophet must draw us the Father draws us by Jesus Christ to himself also we were in Debt and Divine Justice will be satisfied and will not abate us one Farthing therefore Christ must be our Surety to engage and also actually pay all our Debts in respect of the Preceptory and Penal parts thereof for we owed Perfect Obedience unto God as well as Punishment Also he was to confirm the Covenant of Peace by his Blood and make his Last Will and Testament and bequeath many Legacies to all the Legatees therefore it was necessary that he should be a Testator yea the Testator of the New Testament or Covenant Furthermore we were Sick therefore it behoved him to be appointed our Physician we were as Sheep gone astray therefore he is our Shepherd II. As to the End and Excellencies of Christ's Offices I have lately opened them in a late Treatise upon Jacob's Ladder to which I shall direct you but know this the whole design and purport of all his Offices are that he might effectually be impowered with all things necessary in respect had to the Glory and Honour of God and for our good and to give us interest in all the Blessings of the Covenant of Peace Objection 'T is objected That Christ did not suffer for Sinners as a common Person Head and Representative of all the Elect or their Surety but did all meerly as a Mediator or as one indeavouring to compose the Difference betwixt God and Sinners 1 Answ. I answer Sad it is to see how in these Perilous Days Men are degenerated from the Apostolick Doctrine in this most important case and oppose all our Authoâ—â— Protestant Writers and deny Christ to be a Common Person Head Representative and Surety c. but that he as Mediator hath by his Death merited a new and mild Law of Grace i. e. of Faith and Sincere Obedience and hath made a Compensation to the Justice of God and Law of Works and so removed the Law of perfect Obedience or abolished it for ever so that now God deals with us not according to the strict Law of perfect Obedience but according to this New Law i. e. on easier Conditions viz. such that believe and sincerely obey shall be Justified even so far as they do Obey and are Sanctified not that Christ's Obedience to the Law or that his Active and Passive Obedience imputed to us and our trusting in him according to the Free Promise of God is the immediate and sole cause of Pardon by virtue of Christ's Satisfaction but that tho Christ hath made God a means for Legal Righteousness having satisfied that Law and took it away yet our Obedience to this New Law according to these Men is our Evangelical Righteousness whereby we fulfil the Gospel and that our Obedience is the Condition of our Justification before God Thus Mr. Baxter Mr. Williams Mr. Clark of Wickham and many others And thus is Popery revived amongst us and Justification by Works asserted by these Law and Work-mongers for I cannot call them Gospel-Ministe-s true they affirm that Christ died for our good but not in our stead the Doctrine we maintain is that he died for our good But how for our good Even so that he
Justification by Works springing from Faith is Justification by Faith in this Sense Again they say That we are made Partakers of the Benefits of Christ he having purchased this Grant or Law i. e. That they that do obey him to the end shall be saved that is Our Obedience doth both Justifie us and Save us Answ. The Vanity of which and how erroneous it is we have shewed some time since * 3. They say Christ hath merited a New Law or easier Terms and Conditions that our Faith Obedience and Good Works may Justifie and Save us but what saith Paul All boasting is excluded not legal boasting only but all boasting and cause of boasting but by their New Law boasting is let in Moreover he says If it be of Grace it is not of Works and if it be of Works it is not of Grace or else Grace is no more Grace and Works no more Works Brethren Works cannot mix with Free Grace they are directly contrary to each other in their Nature besides these Men forget that we are Justified alone by the Obedience and Righteousness of one even as we were made Sinners by the Disobedience of one and that is by the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us for it was by the Disobedience of Adam as imputed to us that we became Sinners In a word Christ hath wrought out a Righteousness for us which is put upon us or accounted or imputed to us and not that Christ merited a Law that a Justifying Righteousness might be wrought out in us or by us in conforming to that New Law Who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption Not only that his Righteousness is the Meritorious Cause of our Justification as Mr. Clark affirms p. 104. but the Material Cause thereof or that by which we are Justified no other Righteousness but his which is perfect being pleadable at God's Bar. 4. We say That Justification of a Sinner is the acceptance of his Person or the pronouncing him Just and Righteous in God's Sight through the Imputation of the Righteousness of Christ whereby he hath a full Right and Title to Eternal Life They say That Justification is nothing else but the pardon of Sin i. e. the not executing the Punishment of Sin due by the Law of Works and an acceptance of a Man so long as he performeth the New Condition of Sincere Obedience For the Lord's sake and for your Souls sake beware of those Men and their new and strange Doctrine for it appears Salvation must be a Debt and not wholly of Grace if what they say were true because it is granted upon our fulfilling of the Conditions required which are indeed not light but weighty and difficult Conditions as Faith Regeneration and Perseverance even Mr. Dan. William's Baptismal Covenant which all they who do not fulfil it he says shall be damned the Violating of that Covenant being as he affirms the Damning Sin And this so far as I can see is that which is their Covenant of Grace not that Christ ingaged for us to the Father to do all for us and in us in the Covenant of Redemption even to reconcile God to us and us to God no but that that was a distinct Covenant from the Covenant of Grace which was to make way for us to enter into a Conditional Covenant of Grace i. e. of Faith Good Works or Gospel-Obedience Which Error and Mistake I purpose God willing to refute before I leave my Text and prove the Covenant of Peace is but one intire Covenant with that of Redemption Comfort and Consolation if my Brethren it is as you have heard that Jesus Christ as a Mediator is equally interested in both Parties then what Comfort is here for Believers 1. We have no ground to suspect him of partiality he will not fail us because he is so dearly and nearly related to us and also considering what he hath done and suffered for us And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the Truth 2. Consider his Ability not only to reconcile us to God but to continue us in that reconciled State we may depend upon his Power For I know whom I have believed and I am perswaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that Day 3. Considering his Love and Faithfulness towards us in the Exercise of his Work and Office Faithful is he that calleth you and also he will do it 4. With what boldness also may we come to God by him Seeing we have such a great High-Priest that is passed into the Heavens Jesus the Son of God Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus This I say may encourage us to make our humble Supplications to God with boldness since we have such a Mediator between God and us the Man Christ Jesus SERMON IV. Wherein the Suretiship of Christ is opened ISA. Liv. x. Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Doct. THAT there is a Covenant made or agreed on and stands firm in the behalf of all God's Elect. I am my Brethren a speaking concerning those Transactions betwixt God the Father and God the Son before the World began about the bringing in and establishing of the Covenant of our Peace in which Transactions I have shewed you the Son of God was chosen Mediator considered as God-man and as to that Office of his we have spoken distinctly but as he is Mediator so you have heard he is Surety of the Covenant of Peace and so more than a meer or simple Mediator And since the Covenant of Peace so much dependeth upon the Suretiship of Christ I shall here I. Shew what Surety doth import or open this Relation II. Shew why Christ came under this Relation III. Shew what Christ was to do and we were to receive as Christ's our Surety IV. Shew how his Suretiship differs from Suretiship among Men. V. Apply it 1. A Surety is one that undertakes for others wherein they are defective really or in Reputation in Latin Sponsor fide jussor a Surety is one that engages to make Satisfaction for one or more or ingageth for others Thus Ruben became Surety to his Father Jacob Gen. 43.9 to bring Benjamin again and Paul for Onesimus Philem. 18 19. If he hath wronged thee or oweth thee ought put that on mine Account I Paul have written it with my own Hand I will pay it In this Sense we take Christ to be a Surety 1. It signifies likewise to give a Pledge Isa. 36.8 2 Kings 18.23.3 2. Also to strike Hands Prov. 22.26 Thus Christ is our Surety i. e. he struck Hands with God for us in this Covenant I say a Surety is one that undertakes for one or more Persons whose Credit is gone or is not good one not to be
Peace but by Christ's Undertaking are raised to great Honour And O what Grace Love and Divine Goodness is here VSE I Admiration What hath God done Christ done for us What Love is this 1. Christ knew before he became our Surety that the whole Payment would fall upon him and yet struck Hands 2. O! what Exemption and discharge have we hereby from the Law and Justice of God The Law as our Husband is dead and we dead to that that Cruel Husband has no more Power over us though as a Law or Rule of Righteousness it still commands us yet it cannot Kill us Curse us nor Condemn us to Eternal Burning 3. Bless God for Jesus Christ our Surety What a sweet Covenant is this that we are brought into How sure are all Covenant Mercies What Riches Glory and Power is in Christ the Mediator As thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him We are in Christ's Hand and none can pluck us out 4. We shall for ever abide in this Covenant our Surety hath engaged to keep us that we shall never break Covenant with God any more so as to lose our Inheritance 5. How easie hath God made the Terms of Peace as to us since Christ is obliged to work all our Works in us as well as for us II. What Good News is here for broken Sinners who lie Condemned by the Covenant of Works O sue out your Pardon by taking hold of Christ. III. Reproof How doth this again tend to reprove such that turn the Gospel-Covenant or Covenant of Peace into a Law with the Sanction of Rewards for Obedience and Threatnings for Disobedience denying that Christ stood in our Law-place to do and suffer for us or to keep the Law of perfect Righteousness in point of Justification and to die in our stead Why will Men stand upon their own Legs Proud Man would fain live of himself or have whereof to Glory but not before God or in Christ Jesus he would have God take his Copper and refuse his own most pure Gold Why will they seek Relief other ways than by the Surety and Mediator of the Covenant Can our Imperfect Righteousness or Sinful Duties Justifie us at God's Bar Will they dare to plead it at Death IV. Trial. Is Grace given to you Have you Union with Christ Have you a new Heart Do you truly and savingly know the Lord Then you are brought into the Bonds of the Covenant of Peace V. Consolation If you are once in Covenant you are for ever in Covenant and all Covenant-Blessing even all things that are therein promised to Christ as your Surety shall be given to you But no more at this time And with this I conclude the Second Thing under the Second General Head viz. That the Terms proposed in the Covenant of Peace betwixt the Father and the Son were agreed to and of Christ's Work as Mediator and Surety therein I have endeavoured to clear to the Weakest Capacity SERMON V. Containing the Ratification or Confirmation of the Covenant of Peace shewing how and by what and when it was confirmed also how proclaimed and what the Proclamation is ISA. Liv.x. Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Doct. THAT there is a Covenant made or agreed on and stands firm in the behalf of all God's Elect. I have shewed you First That in a Covenant of Peace there is a treating betwixt the Covenanting Parties about the Terms upon which it is made And accordingly in order to the making or bringing in of this Covenant you have heard that there was a treating between the Father and the Son before the World began Secondly That in such a Covenant the Terms proposed are agreed unto by both Parties so I have shewed you it was here and also that the Mediator of the Covenant of Peace is Jesus Christ who was also the Surety thereof whose Work both as he is Mediator and Surety we have opened Thirdly I shall now proceed to the next thing which is the Ratification or Confirmation of the Covenant My Brethren there was a twofold Confirmation of the Covenant I. It was confirmed by God in Christ and this was as I conceive in that Council of Peace that was held in Eternity betwixt them both True among Men this is called The Signing of the Articles of Peace but there was a full Confirmation of this Covenant when it was Agreed on and Signed and that by both Parties 1. The Father Confirmed it to Christ and to all the Elect in him by his Oath I have made a Covenant with my Chosen I have sworn unto David my Servant By David is meant Jesus Christ and I see no reason to doubt but that this Oath of God the Father to the Son as Mediator of our Peace passed to him before the World began Once have I sworn by my Holiness that I will not lye unto David My Brethren when God concluded this Covenant of Peace with Jesus Christ he made a Promise to him of performing all things which he agreed unto and evident it is that this was before the World began In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lye promised before the World began And as it was promised then to Christ as the Head and Representative of all the Elect on their behalf so there is the same Parity of Reason to believe that then the Oath of God passed to our Lord Jesus Christ and to us in him also and now this Promise and Oath of God to Christ gives not only Solemnity but also firm and sure Stability to this Covenant 1. He added his Oath to his Promise saith our late Annotator on the Holy Bible to make and prove it to be Immutable Hence Christ it is said was made a Priest by an Oath not after the Order of Aaron 2. But after the Order of Melchisâ—â—ck This Oath is said to be sworn once which Word and Phrase saith he implies the Compleatness Certainty and Irrevocableness of the thing 3. God swore by his Holiness What is more Sacred By which God is seldom known to speak or to swear therefore nothing can more fully confirm this Covenant to Christ and to us in him 4. Jesus Christ then confirmed also the Covenant on his part on our behalf by his putting his Hand in our stead and to stand in our Law-place for us as you have heard This my Brethren was more than a bare Signing and Sealing the Covenant of Peace But II. There is yet a farther Ratification and Confirmation of the Covenant of Peace as also there is among Men. 1. It was agreed betwixt God the Father and the Son as Mediator that this Covenant should come under another Acceptation i. e. as the Last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ True it was not only Christ's Will or Christ's
Covenant and Testament but the Father's Will and Covenant also Hence the Testament is called The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him that is a Mediator Yet Christ is the Testator or he that is to dispose of all those rich Legacies which the Father by him as Mediator designed to bestow on all his Elect it is called his Covenant Testament or Last Will. And now since the New Covenant was to come under this Character viz. Christ's Last Will and Testament there was a Necessity for many other Reasons that the Covenant should be Confirmed and Ratified by his Death 〈…〉 The Greek Word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Diathemenos 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Berith A Testament is the Sentence or Declaration of our last Will of what we would have done after our Death now this Testament contains all the Blessings Grants and Priviledges agreed unto and given to Christ as Mediator of the Covenant of Peace and more properly it denotes Christ's giving them forth as one Dying to confirm the Covenant 1. A Testator signifies a Disposer one that makes his Last Will and Testament who hath Goods to bestow and Persons to give them unto 2. It denotes that a Dying Person who to confirm his Will and Testament there is a Necessity of his Death and thus Christ as a Testator died by virtue of those Covenant Transactions betwixt God the Father and himself on the behalf of God's Elect Where a Testament is there must also of necessity be the Death of the Testator 3. It also denotes that he the Testator hath or is Invested with some Estate and hath a proper Right to dispose of it Jesus Christ in this Covenant had all the Riches of Grace and Glory given to him as Mediator See John 13.3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his Hands c. 4. Moreover it denotes that whatsoever he gives as a Testator is of meer Grace or of the Good Pleasure of his Will 5. Also it gives a Just Right to all such to whom he bequeaths any Legacies to what is given so that such may sue out for them as their own Furthermore it imports the Revelation and Declaration of his Will Love and Affections to all his Relations and Friends So did Jesus Christ in his Last Will and Testament reveal his Will Love and rich Bounty to all God'â— Elect. Now the Design of God and Christ herein was 1. To give or superadd a new Title to alâ— Believers as one well observes of all Covenant Blessings that we might have all manneâ— of Security imaginable to the Inheritance 2. Also to shew the Absolute Freeness of thâ— Conveyance of all Covenant Grants and Bleâ—sings to Believers 3. And more directly to the purpose iâ— hand Jesus Christ came under this Relation to ratifie and confirm the Covenant of Peace anâ— our sure Right and Title to all Blessings contained therein Tho it be but a Man's Testament yet if it be confirmed no Man disanulleth or addeth thereunto The Covenant was in force even from the Beginning and all God's Elect who lived under the Old Testament Dispensation received the Grace and Blessings thereof through Faith in Christ's Death who they knew would come in the fulness of time and by his Blood confirm this Covenant The Father indeed trusted the Son upon his Holy Compact or Covenant with him upon the account of what he was to do and suffer in time Pray Brethren observe That the Death of Christ is the great and sure Ratification and Confirmation of the Covenant of Peace It is a Confirmation of such Validity that it is made unalterable and cannot be disannulled To proceed there are Beloved seven or eight things to be considered in the Death of Christ. I. The Death of Christ put an end to or abrogated the Old Covenant He took away the first that he might establish the second Having abolished in his Flesh the Enmity even the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances for to make in himself of twain one New Man so making Peace The first Will or Covenant is made void by the second i. e. by the Last Will and Testament nor is the Ceremonial Law only abolished but the Moral Law as a Covenant of Works Do this and Live not as it is a Law requiring perfect Obedience on Righteousness but as to the Tenure or Terms of it Not my Brethren but that all Believers who lived under the Old Testament were saved by the Covenant of Grace Christ was to establish as I said before Yet was not the Old Covenant actually taken away till Christ died the latter Covenant is called an Everlasting Covenant not I say again that the first as to Righteousness is ceased or disannulled no but as a Covenant of Works requiring perfect Righteousness of us in our own Persons if ever we are Justified in God's Sight but that the perfect Obedience which Law required of us is transmitted to another Head i. e. the Christ Jesus who having answered all its Demands in point of Obedience and Righteousness so that He is the end of the Law as touching Righteousness to every one that believeth Insomuch that the Law cannot Curse nor any more Condemn them that are in Christ Jesus II. Christ's Death as well as his Active Obedience to the Law was the Condition on his part for us upon which God the Father entered into this Covenant of Peace on our behalf therefore had not Christ died all that believed before he came had perished but neither of these were possible III. The Death of Christ was the Price of our Redemption by this vast Summ we were Redeemed Ye are not your own you are bought with a Price Not our own observe 1. We were sold under Sin and were in bondage to the Law and Justice of God 2. There was a treating about the Price of our Redemption and the Terms were agreed to which was That Christ must die For asmuch as ye know that ye were not Redeemed with corruptible things as Silver and Gold c. but with the Precious Blood of Christ Who verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World or was delivered up according to the Compact or Result in the Covenant of Peace to Redeem us from Wrath and Hell held in Eternity between the Father and himself 3. The Time also when this should be done was also then agreed on that is when Christ should die But when the fullness of Time came God sent forth his own Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh To Redeem them that were under the Law c. IV. The Death of Christ was that Price by which all Grace is purchased for us for tho we have all Covenant Grants and Blessings freely given to us or merely of God's Free Grace yet Faith a New Heart Regeneration Repentance Pardon and Peace and all other Grace and Blessings here and Glory hereafter were all purchased
that are lost We being all naturally as vile and as bad as they nay perhaps there are some Sinners in Hell that were not so bad as some of us once were which he has magnified his Soveraign Grace and Favour unto III. The Covenant of Peace is alone of God's Free Grace because as our Peace was made without us not purchased by our Money nor by any thing done by us so the Promise of our having interest in the Blessings of this Peace or the Application of the Blood of Atonement are not Conditional Promises I say not on Conditional Promises depending upon the corrupt and depraved Will of Man to perform but they are alone free and absolute I will put my Law in their inward part and write it in their Heart and will be their God and they shall be my People they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest I will forgive their Iniquity and will remember their Sins no more I will sprinkle clean Water upon them I will give them a new Heart I will take away the Stone out of their Heart and will give them a Heart of Flesh Are these Promises made upon any Conditions to be performed by the Creature or on previous Qualifications to prepare us for Grace no they are all free Promises I will and they shall God it is that opens our Eyes that works Faith in us that makes us willing to accept of that Peace he has made for us By the Blood of thy Covenant I have sent out the Prisoners out of the Pit wherein there was no Water My Brethren the Covenant of Peace from hence appears to be the Covenant of Grace it was with Christ for us on hard Conditions but to us in him only by way of Free Promise IV. That this Covenant is the Covenant of Grace appears not only because it is wholly or alone of Grace that we are brought into the Covenant but also because by God's Free Grace we are kept in this Covenant or preserved in a State of Peace with God unto the end They shall not depart from me my Sheep hear my Voice and they follow me and I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish V. But to proceed 'T is the Covenant of Grace in opposition to the Law the Inheritance is not of the Law 1. For if they which are of the Law be Heirs Faith is made void and the Promise made of none effect Again saith Paul For if the Inheritance be of the Law it is no more of Promise but God gave it to Abraham by Promise What is the Inheritance but God himself in the Covenant c. and this is not by our Obedience to the Law but by Christ's Obedience thereto 'T is not my Brethren by our Obedience to any Law not to the Gospel as a Law for that would tend as much to make the Promise of God void as the other For had there been a Law given that could have given Life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law And then also Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2.21 2. In opposition to any after-Service which we could do in order to make God or Christ any Compensation or Return by way of Gratitude for making our Peace sometimes Men shew great Favour to the Poor in Distress and pay their Debts upon the Condition that they shall Work it out or make a Compensation that way but so it is not here for when we have done all we can do we are but unprofitable Servants Can Man profit God Whoever gave any thing unto him VI. The Covenant of Peace is wholly of Grace to us because we are Quickned Justified Called Pardoned Regenerated Adopted have Faith a new Heart Repentance Sanctification and all things else whatsoever by Vertue of this Covenant in a way of Free Grace or all is freely given to us of God Let me give you two or three Reasons of this 1. Because God will have all the Honour to himself of our Salvation he alone will have the Glory and abase the Creature 2. Because his Design herein is to Exalt and Magnifie his own Son our Lord Jesus Christ. 3. That Man might have no cause left him to boast nor Sacrifice to his own Drag But that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord. 4. Because God will have the Covenant of Peace to be sure to all the Seed i. e. to all his People but if it were not of Grace alone it would not be sure but an Uncertain and Mutable Covenant or on such Conditions that might or might not be performed Secondly I shall shew you that the Covenant of Peace is the Covenant of Grace as compared with or in opposition to the Covenant of Works My purpose herein is to shew you the vast difference betwixt the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Works I. The Covenant of Works was made with Man or betwixt God and the first Adam Adam was set up as the common Head or Representative of all his Seed and he was obliged to perform all the Conditions in his own Person in that Covenant But the Covenant of Grace primarily was made with our Lord Jesus Christ or betwixt God the Father and God the Son as Mediator in the Name and behalf of all God's Elect he being set up from Everlasting as their Covenanting Head II. The Covenant of Works was made with Man without a Surety Adam in his own Person for himself and for all his Seed being obliged to perform perfect Obedience or live and sin not yet had he none to engage to God or to undertake for him that he should thus do But the Covenant of Grace and Reconciliation was made solely upon the Vndertaking or Suretiship of our Lord Jesus Christ true he was obliged to perform perfect Obedience to the same Holy Law of God which Adam and we in him was required to do yet it is said That Christ was made a Surety of a better Covenant and that not only in respect of the Promises thereof which are better Promises but also in regard of the Oath of God which renders this Covenant firm together with Christ's Ability and Faithfulness to perform all the Conditions thereof and it being a full and free Covenant and also ratified by the Death of Christ. III. The Covenant of Works was a Conditional Covenant as made with Adam It was made upon mutual Restipulation between God and him and in the second Addition of the said Covenant to the whole House of Israel God promised them that upon their keeping this Covenant of perfect Obedience he would be their God and they should be his People Thou shalt have no other Gods before me and if thou keep my Laws and obey my Voice then thou shalt be a peculiar People unto me And this also they Undertook Promised and Covenanted to to do All that the Lord our God speak unto thee we will
Reverend Author hath Asserted in this case That Scripture Isa 53.10 11 12. Is saith he a place wherein this Covenant is clearly described between the Father and the Son and it holds forth the Covenant of Grace fully clearly yea the promise of all Grace and Benefits that are contained in the said Covenant of Grace And the Apostle tells us expresly that this Covenant agreement was the Will by which Will we are Sanctified thro the Offering the Body of Jesus once for all He further argues 2. That Covenant that contains in it the whole matter and form in Conditions and Promises of the Covenant of Grace doth not Essentially differ from it but the Covenant of Redemption doth contain in it the Conditions and Promises of Grace yea all things that pertain to Life and Godliness And it contains in it all conditions upon which we may be partakers of any Promimises i. e. Christ's Person Offices Sacrifice Righteousness active and passive there 's no Covenant condition of Atonement Propitiation or Satisfaction unto the Justice of God But it is here Christ is the great fulfiller of the Law and satisfier of it and he is the end of the Law for righteousness to every one that believeth 3. From the vailed dispensation of the Covenant of Grace saith he before the coming of Christ their Sacrifices and Ceremonial Administration held forth in a Figure that it was made with Christ and confirmed in him as the great Offering and Atonement Christ is there exemplified and set forth as the fulness of the Covenant of Grace both in respect of Promises and Conditions 4. When we plead saith he for any thing of the Covenant of Grace it is the Promises of Life made to us in Christ as Yea and Amen and to us in him in respect of obtaining and performing to us 5. Our Justifying acts of Faith is fixed on Christ as the Sum of the Covenant of Grace as satisfying for our Sins and as to whom the Promises were made and the great things promised as the Fountain and Meritorious cause of all Blessings He is given to us as the Covenant 6 There is saith he all Grace to be had in this Covenant Frustra sit per plura quod fieri potest per pauciora There is no Grace but is given forth and received by us by the Covenant between the Father and the Son the gift of the Spirit the Grace of Faith Justification by his Blood by him came all Grace yea all other supposed Grace that came not from the Father and through Christ is no Grace and will not profit us 7. Where the Covenanters Conditions and Promises are all from Free Grace and Love to us there 's a Covenant of Grace but in that Covenant they call a distinct Covenant of Redemption the Covenanters the Conditions and Promises are all of Free grace and Love to us God the Father from his Free grace and Love to us called his Son to this Undertaking and Covenanting with him God the Son in our Persons or in our behalf from his Love and Free grace Covenanted with the Father he came and freely offered himself to perform the Covenant Conditions the condition of this Covenant in all mediatorial perfections and performances is freely promised and bestowed upon us the promise of Eternal life All Grace and Glory are promised and given in this Covenant that is a Covenant of Grace wherein God is to us a God of all Grace 8. If the Covenant of Redemption be not the Covenant of Grace then there is more Covenants than the Covenant of Works and the Covenant of Grace for Life and Salvation but there is no more Covenants for Life and Salvation but that of Works and that of Grace the Minor I think hardly any will deny If Church Covenants be alledged they add nothing to this Grand Covenant but are the accomplishments of the promises thereof to whom it doth belong it being promised that they shall be Gods People in this Covenant Christ stipulates and we in him as we did in the first Adam then And when we stipulate being moved thereunto from the grace of the Promise and enter personally into this Covenant embracing that Covenant which was made for us in Christ 't is called a laying hold of it it is solemnly also own'd professed and restipulated to when we enter into Church Fellowship the repeating and restipulating and renewings of the same Covenant may be without changing the Covenant For we find God often repeating this Covenant and renewing it with his people in Revelation and Establishment as with Adam Noah Abraham Isaac and Jacob c. yet it was was the same Covenant So are Gods Children excited and encouraged thereunto from the Free-grace of the said Covenant Thus this Author 1. Now let me add one or two arguments more to what this worthy Author hath said viz. If the Covenant of Redemption be not the Covenant of Grace or Covenant of Peace and Reconciliation which God calls his Covenant The Covenant of my Peace shall not be removed saith the Lord Then it will follow that our Peace is made with God or God is reconciled to us by a Covenant of Grace which we enter into with him which Covenant Christ Merited for us in his performing the Covenant of Redemption and if it be so how is it Paul saith God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself Indeed as far as I can see this notion of two distinct Covenants of Redemption and of Grace seems to be defended of late on purpose to favour the grand Errors of our new Methodists viz. In the Covenant of Redemption say they Christ made God amends for our breach of the Law of perfect obedience by himself alone and for himself only that so he might be a fit Mediator and Merit a new Law of Faith and sincere Obedience for their Covenant of Grace is a Law of Obedience which Law or Covenant he Confirmed by his Death So that now God say they enters into a Covenant with mankind and if they perform the Conditions of it or so far as they do so far they shall be justifyed and shall have Eternal life provided they continue unto the end and thus as before I have hinted Christ is our legal righteousness in the Covenant of Redemption he fulfiled the Law of Works or the strict Law of perfect Obedience by giving God a satisfying recompence And so he hath abolished the Law of perfect obedience but our Faith inherent-Inherent-righteousness Gospel-holiness and Sincere obedience is our Evangelical Righteousness or that which justifies us at Gods Bar or in his sight Now this dangerous Error I say seems to follow the allowing of two distinct Covenants 2. There is no distinction between the Covenant of Redemption and the Covenant of Grace because Redemption presupposeth Peace and Reconciliation and not only Gods Reconciliation to us but our reconciliation to him for Redemption is not from the Curse of the Law
Night he prayed he feared he cryed with strong Crying and Tears the Pangs of Hell took hold of him no Man ever felt what he felt in his Soul he poured forth his Soul to Death or came under a Spiritual Death My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 2. Consider what an Ignominious Death he suffered to be hanged on a Tree was a Death which none but Slaves and notorious Malefactors endured the Lord of Heaven and Earth suffered the Punishment of a vile and cursed Offender and all this to make our Peace 3. Consider how painful this Death was â—y Brethren it was not only a shameful and igâ—ominious Death but also a very painful and â—ingering Death for from his Scourging by Pilot to his giving up the Ghost it is observed it was six Hours all which time he was in bitter Torture and Anguish both in Soul â—nd Body too he suffered from Heaven from Earth and from Hell 4. Consider it was also a cursed Death He was made a Curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree and all this to make our Peace 5. Consider when this was done even at such a time when Multitudes were come out of the Countries round about to Jerusalem to keep the Feast who no doubt had heard of the great Fame of Christ and of his mighty Miracles and longed it is like to see him and now for them to behold this Person thus Mocked Scourged and Hanged on a Tree as a Miserable Wretch must needs wound his tender Heart but all this he bore to make our Peace which abundantly proves he was inclined to Peace willing to make our Peace and appease God's Wrath. 6. Consider his most importutate Endeavours to bring poor Sinners to accept of that Peace which he hath made 1. What Arguments doth he use 2. How long he doth wait knocking at their Doors 3. And what Repulses doth he daily meeâ— withal and sustain and what abominable Affronts doth he suffer from Unbelieving and Hard-hearted Sinners O how much is he for Peace VI. A Mediator must be of a yielding and condescending Spirit one that can comply with each Party not Self-will'd nor seeking his own Honour c. Our Lord Jesus Christ condescended in every thing to do his Father's Will nevertheless Not my Will but thy Will be done tho he was a Son yet learned he Obedience by the things which he suffered He stuck at nothing I did not withhold my Face from Shame and Spitting No Mediator ever condescended as Christ did He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own Glory but he that seeketh his Glory that sent him the same is true and there is no Vnrighteousness in him All his whole design in his working about our Redemption and Reconciliation was to advance his Father's Glory and he complied to do whatsoever was requisite in order thereto VII A Mediator ought to be cloathed with Power I mean not only with a legal Authority for that I have spoken to already but to be one that hath Ability Wisdom and Discretion to make up the Breach that is between Parties at variance every one is not in a capacity to become a Mediator were they called to that Office for want of Ability Now our Lord Jesus Christ is mighty in Power He is mighty to save 1. He is every way capable to accomplish the Work of making Peace and Reconciliation with God He is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God He is called God's Arm and the Man of his Right Hand Let thy Hand be upon the Man of thy Right Hand upon the Son of Man whom thou madest strong for thy self Let thy Hand of Justice be upon him take Satisfaction in him Beloved whatever Justice required the Holiness of God required the Veracity of God required or the Law of God required in order to our Peace Christ is able to answer all I that speak in Righteousness mighty to Save 2. Moreover whatsoever our deplorable Condition and Necessities do require in order to our Peace and Restoration he is able to answer it fully also 1. He is able to encounter and overcome Satan and as he hath done this in his own Person for us so he also doth it in us for naturally we were in Satan's Chains even Captives to the Devil the strong Man armed held us fast but Christ being cloathed with greater Power hath delivered us out of Satan's Hands He was Anointed to set at Liberty those that were bound 2. He hath overcome Sin or destroyed that Enemy This was part of his Work i. e. To make an end of Sins and to make Reconciliation for Iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousness c. That is to make an end of Sin as to the Guilt Condemning Power and Punishment thereof and at last he will make an end of the very Being of Sin also in all his People 3. To overcome the World In the World yâ—â— shall have Tribulation but be of good chear I have overcome the World As he overcame the World in all its Snares Temptations Flatteries and Frowns for us so through him we shall overcome the World also We overcome in him and shall by him or through his Aid and Assistance at last and so sit down with him on his Throne 4. He is able to open blind Eyes This he was also Anointed to do even not only to proclaim Liberty for the Captives But the recovering of Sight to the Blind for we by Nature were all born Blind and none but Christ can give us Sight or open the Eyes of our Understanding 5. He hath Power to raise the Dead The Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live You hath he quickned that were dead in Sins and Trespasses Not one Soul could receive any benefit by his Mediation unless he had been cloathed with power to raise dead Lazarus from the Grave I mean every elect Sinner dead in Sin 6. To change our Rebellious Hearts or bow and bend our stubborn Wills or to make the Unwilling Will willing which he doth in the Day of his Power And so to take away that Enmity that naturally was in our Hearts against God or remove all our Vitious Habits or that averseness that was in us to God and to the things of God or to Circumcise our Hearts to love the Lord our God which could not be done by any but by one cloathed with a creating Power for it is he that forms the Image of God again in us 7. To cloath the naked Soul by putting on the Robe of his own Righteousness upon it 8. To raise us up from the Dead at the last Day I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave I will redeem them from Death O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy Destruction Moreover 9. He
himself What is the Lord of Heaven and Earth Born of a Woman The Ancient of Days became a Child of a Day old He that was in the Form of God found in the Form of a Servant Shall God purchase his Church with his own Blood This is amazing to think upon 4. We infer from hence also how wonderfully God hath hereby exalted and magnified Man Christ is a Man truly Man tho God as well as Man he that is God is a Man Forasmuch as the Children are made Partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself took part of the same and by this means we are nearly related to God he is our Kinsman the nearest of Kin had under the Law the Right of Redemption to raise up Seed to the Dead Christ is our Kinsman our Brother and by this means the Inheritance even God and all he hath is setled on the whole Heavenly Family or on all his Seed or Elect What can exalt Man more than this O what greater Honour could be conferred on our Nature then for the Son of God to assume it into Personal Union with the Godhead 1. Hereby we are made near to God even nearer than the Holy Angels Verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham Angels are not the Spouse of Christ they are not Bone of his Bone and Flesh of his Flesh but Christ is flesh of our Flesh and Bone of our Bone and hereby also we have a nearer Union with God than Adam had in Innocency nay as I said nearer than the Angels have for Believers are Christ's Mystical Body Christ is the Head of the Church For both he that Sanctifieth and they who are Sanctified are all of one for which Cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren 2. Our Nature hereby as one observes is the Store-house or Treasury of all that good which God intends to dispense to Men and Angels Moreover Angels and Men Worship God in our Nature that is Jesus Christ God-man And how astonishing is this 3 Moreover God in our Nature shall be the Judge of Men and Angels the Man Christ is God's Equal God's Fellow And 4. What Dignity and Honour is it then to be espoused to such a Prince 5. This speaks great comfort to Believers Christ who is Mediator is near unto God and as near unto us the Father hath Called Chosen Anointed and Accepted of him in our behalf he can sympathize with us he knows our Infirmities and he hath always God's Ear and God's Heart and represents us and our Cause to the Father Exhortation Sinners Will not you accept of Peace 1. Shall such a Mediator make your Peace nay die to make your Peace with God and shall any refuse to accept of that Peace which he hath made 2. The Terms are not hard but easie it is to believe in him to trust in him to believe he hath made your Peace or that God in him is reconciled 't is to sue out your Pardon through Faith in his Blood Take a few Motives to stir you up thus to do 1. Consider that you cannot have Peace with God any other ways There is no other Name given under Heaven whereby you can be saved 2. That whosoever cometh to him receiveth him believeth in him resteth upon him shall not Perish but have Everlasting Life 3. Consider how able he is to save He is able to save all that come to God by him and to save them to the uttermost tho they are never such great Sinners abominable Sinners prophane Sinners 4. Consider the Necessity of the Application of his Blood or of that Atonement which he hath made He that Believeth not shall be Damned if ye believe not that I am he that is that I am the only Messiah the only Mediator the only Saviour and that I am able to save you Ye shall die in your Sins 5. Consider the woful Condition of such that reject Jesus Christ or lay not hold on his Strength or that slight his Mediation or that think to find Peace some other way some think to have Peace by the Law by the Moral Law either as it is written in the two Tables or as it is written in the Hearts of all Men or by the Light of their own Natural Conscience others by a new Law turning the Gospel into a Law and so bring in and seek to establish their own Righteousness Alas If there had been a Law as Paul shews that could have given Life then Christ is dead in vain These cast great Contempt upon the Mediation of Jesus Christ nay strive to frustrate the grand Design of God in contriving our Salvation by his Son Jesus Christ which was to magnifie his own Free Grace alone and to abase the Creature that no Man might boast or glory in himself but that all might be ashamed and confounded for ever Question What Offices doth Jesus Christ exercise as he is Mediator 1 Answ. I answer Divines generally assert That he exerciseth a threefold Office and this every one ought to know and also the Work of Christ in respect had unto each Office or what peculiarly relates to his Priestly Office and what to his Kingly Office and what to his Prophetical Office c. A little to each of these 1. He is a Priest and as a Priest he is the Propitiation for our Sins he hath satisfied Justice by a condign Price the Price of the Blood of him who is God he paid our Debts to the last Farthing as a Priest he laid down the atoning Sacrifice and thereby quenched the Flames of God's Divine Wrath and Vengeance which ootherways would have fed on us to an endless Eternity 2. And as a Priest he interceeds now in Heaven that all those for whom he died may be called and have the Merits of his Blood applied to their Souls and that all that are called and do believe may have all that Grace which they need bestowed upon them to help them to resist Temptations and to be supported under all Trials and Afflictions and be enabled to perform all Holy Duties and have all their Sins pardoned If any Man sin we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous he presents his Righteousness the Deserts Merits and Satisfaction of his Blood for Remission of all their Sins neither can Sin be charged at any time upon any Believer as to that Vindicative Wrath which is due to it because he pleads the Satisfaction of his own Blood as their full Discharge from the Guilt and Punishment thereof for ever for otherwise Justified Persons might again come under Condemnation which they cannot For there is now no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus c. And thus was Christ a Priest i. e. On Earth he eminently Sacrificed and Offered up himself to God How much more shall the Blood of Christ who
Trusted or whose Faithfulness or Ability is suspected Now my Brethren when Man had broken the Law of the first Covenant his Credit was gone or lost for ever God would not enter into Covenant any more with him without a Surety he knowing that Man's Inability and Unfaithfulness in his Fallen Estate therefore was graciously pleased to provide for us or in our behalf a Sponsor or Surety By so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better Covenant As Christ engaged to God for us to satisfie for our Sins and to bring us into a State of Grace and Peace with God and preserve us in that State to the end and to give Security to the Covenant of Peace which he is a Surety of he is call'd a Surety And as he gives all good things and Divine Blessings to us he is called a Testator for a Testator denotes one dying making his Last Will and Testament firm and bequeathing Legacies to his Friends some I know would not have Christ be a Surety of that Covenant that was made betwixt God the Father and himself which they call the Covenant of Redemption but of the Covenant of Grace made with us but I know no ground for such a distinction as I shall hereafter prove my Brethren evident it is that had not our Mediator engaged in this Covenant of Peace and Redemption for us there had been no Covenant nor Peace for us at all because all dependeth on Christ's Suretiship or on Christ's Obligation to the Father for us nor did God ever manifest more rich Grace to us than he did in providing of such a Surety for Man And hence God saith speaking of the Covenant of Grace My Mercy will I keep for him for ever and my Covenant shall stand fast with him I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the People one able to perform and do all his Pleasure one that he can trust who neither wants Ability nor Faithfulness 3. A Surety commonly engageth for one Party even for him whose Credit is suspected or who being poor the Creditor will not nor cannot Trust him the Lord Jesus is only a Surety for us unto God not for God to us for God had no need for any to engage or be a Surety for him he never failed any of his Creatures he broke not his Covenant with Man but Man with him Because they continued not in my Covenant I regarded them not saith the Lord. Therefore God will not Treat nor Trade with Man any more without such a Mediator and Surety as Christ is therefore I am not of his Opinion that saith That the Suretishâ—p of Christ was that Sinners might be induced to give God Credit and that he might have a Responsal Party to deal with for this is to cast Contempt upon the Holy and Faithful God as if he is not to be Trusted in without he gives us good Security that he will not fail nor deceive us 4. The end of Suretiship among Men is to give Stability and Security in case of Bonds or Covenants c. that such Bonds or Covenants may be firm and sure and to this end did Christ become the Surety of this Covenant of Peace Grace and Redemption My Brethren this Covenant depends upon the Suretiship of Jesus Christ upon whose Undertakings and Security God Promised and Covenanted with him to be our God again and to give to us all that good which was in his Heart to bestow upon his Elect from everlasting There being such things requisite to be done in order hereunto which God well knew we were not able to perform i. e. the Satisfaction of his Justice or Payment of all our Debts and Victory over all our Enemies and that this Covenant might not be broken as the first was My Covenant shall stand fast in him 5. Suretiship imports that the Obligation be free and voluntary for the Law forces none to be a Surety or to engage for others My Brethren tho God chose Jesus Christ to be the Surety of this Covenant for us yet Christ as a most free and voluntary act on his part undertook that Office for that Law we had broke laid no Obligation on him nor was he under any necessity of Nature to undertake herein because he was the Son of God but it is ascribed wholly to his Infinite Love and Goodness and as a Sovereign Act of his own Free Grace to undertake for Man and not for Angels and also only for some of the lost Sons of Adam and not for all No Man taketh my Life from me but I lay it down freely I have power to lay it dnwn and I have power to take it up again Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God 6. Suretiship imports not only a voluntary Obligation for others or for another but also Union of Parties or Assumption of the Condition of that Person or Debtor In a Law sence it denotes a Foederal or Law Union the Surety and the Debtor are but one Party yet not so but that it is the Surety that pays it is his Money and not the Debtors My Brethren Christ by vertue of his Suretiship did not only take our Sins upon him but our Nature and put himself in our Law-place he took our Condition upon him He was made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them Object I know it is objected If Christ and the Elect are but one Party and that his Righteousness be ours i. e. imputed to us or that he did and suffered all in our stead then we are our own Saviours we are Mediators as having a Mediator's Righteousness Ans. This as one well observes follows not for they may as well argue the Debtor is the Surety because his Surety's Payment is accepted for him Object Again they object If Christ our Surety and we are one and that his Righteousness is ours then we are as Righteous as Christ. Ans. They may as well affirm the Bankrupt is as rich as his Surety because his Surety pays his Debts 7. A Surety doth not only ingage for Debtors but also sometimes for Criminals Those that Christ became Surety for in the Covenant of Peace to Reconcile to God and to Redeem from Sin and Hell were Criminals and not only Debtors we all deserved Death and were under the Sentence thereof The Evangelists render the Words Sins and Debts promiscuously as Luke 11.4 compared with Matth. 6.12 the Laws of some Countries admit of a Surety for a Criminal i. e. that one Man shall die for another Thus did Christ obey the Law for us and die for us He was made a Curse for us Gave himself for us His Life a Ransom for us The Just for the Vnjust Made Sin for us All proves he was a Surety for Condemned Criminals and so died in our stead to satisfie the Law and Justice of
God What the Law could not do God sent his own Son i. e. we could not keep it perfectly nor satisfie for the breach of it therefore Christ died not only nostro bono for our good and profit as the Socinians and our Work-Mongers say but nostra vice in our room he died for his Church for his Elect as he died not for the Holy Angels yet he died for their good and for the whole Creation in some sense he is the Head and Confirmer of the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is instead the Sufferings of the Saints are for the good of the Church but they are not substituted to obey and die in the stead of others A Surety to obey and die for others as one hath abundantly proved is to obey and die in their stead or room 8. A Surety having paid all and fully satisfied for Debtors it follows that neither the Creditor nor the Law can exact Satisfaction of the Debtors and also that the Debtors for whom Satisfaction is made shall be delivered out of Prison and be actually discharged and acquited according to the Time and Terms agreed on between the Creditor and the Surety God will not cannot in point of Justice and Righteousness exact Satisfaction of any Sinners for whom Christ became a Surety and hath safied for i. e. they cannot suffer in Hell but shall all in due time be actually discharged and acquited and the Law Sentence taken off of them For no sooner are their Eyes opened or are illuminated by the Spirit but they plead that their Surety hath paid all for them he hath paid their Debt of perfect Obedience and hath also born all that Vindictive Wrath and Vengeance that was due to them for their Sins Who was delivered for our Offences and was raised again for our Justification The Lord laid on him the Iniquities of us all II. Why did-Christ become a Surety for us and put his Hand to the Covenant 1. Because his Love and Bowels were such to God's Elect his Love constrained him thus to do 2. Because he would readily comply with his Father's Will Design and Purpose herein which was to exalt his Infinite Grace and Divine Goodness to Mankind 3. It was to raise the Honour or cause all the Divine Attributes to shine forth in their equal Glory and meet together in his Work and Undertakings as Mediator and Suretiship in sweet harmony 4. Because he would magnifie God's Law and make it honourable But more of this hereafter 5. Because he knew God would not otherwise enter into a Covenant of Peace to save lost Sinners Man being weak and unable to answer what both Law and Justice required in order to our Peace and Reconciliation with God Whatsoever the Law exacted on us he engaged and condescended to do as our Surety he promised and struck Hands to satisfie whatsoever the Law I say could demand of God's Elect. See Heb. 9.15 Rom. 3.25 Heb. 10.5 7. III. What was Christ to do and we receive by vertue of his Mediation and Suretiship First Whatsoever Christ as Mediator Covenanted with the Father to do that he considered as the Surety of the said Covenant engaged to perform 1. To vindicate the Honour of God in all the Perfections of his Nature particularly to preserve the Justice and Veracity of God and Sanction of his Holy Law 2. He engaged as the Surety of the Covenant to restore to Man or to all God's Elect that Righteousness which Man lost that as we were made Sinners by Adam's Disobedience so by his Obedience we should all be made Righteous that as the Sin of the first Adam was imputed to our Condemnation so his Righteousness as our Covenanting Head might be imputed to all his Seed and all this according to the Contrivance of God's Infinite Wisdom and to answer the Design Purpose and Proposal of God the Father in the Council of Peace 3. And seeing Man was a Rebel and in Arms against God and filled with Rage and Madness and having Enmity in his Mind against God Being alienated from the Life of God Jesus Christ as our Surety engaged to change the Hearts of all he undertook for and bring them to accept of Terms of Peace through the Blood of his Cross I say he ingaged to God to bring home all that were given to him Hence he says Them I must bring and they shall hear my Voice He must bring them because of the Covenant he had made with God the Father and upon the Consideration of that Obligation he laid himself under as their Surety He must Circumcise our Hearts to love the Lord our God for Christ also hath once suffered for Sins the Just for the Vnjust that he might bring us to God From hence it appears that Christ by virtue of these Articles of Peace as our Surety engaged to open Blind Eyes and to bring the Prisoners out of the Prison-house and to set at liberty those that were bound or by the Blood of his Covenant to send the Prisoners out of the Pit where there was no water for this was agreed should be the Effects of his Undertakings See Zech. 9.11 Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath Anointed me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor he hath sent me to heal the Broken-hearted to Preach Deliverance to the Captives and recovering of Sight to the Blind and to set at liberty them that were bruised He engaged to take away the Heart of Stone and to give us a Heart of Flesh to give a new Heart for this the Father promised in the Covenant and what he promised Christ ingaged to do for us for without Almighty Power this cannot be done He works all our Works in us and for us He engaged to subdue Satan and divest him that strong Man Armed of all his Power In a word Christ as the Surety of this Covenant engaged to Renovate our Hearts Regenerate our Souls or to Create the Image of God again in us And that from his Fullness we should all receive Grace for Grace And indeed to this end it pleased the Father that in him should all Fullness dwell 4. Jesus Christ as our Surety engaged to make good another Article in this Covenant which was to preserve all his People in a State of Grace not only to bring us into a State of Grace but to preserve us in the State or to preserve Grace as a Vital Principle in our Souls That as all the Promises of God are made to us in Christ so Christ hath engaged that we should persevere in Grace and Holiness and that we shall never finally depart from God any more He that hath begun a good Work in you will perform it to the Day of Christ. It is not said he will finish it but he will perform it which denotes his Covenant as when a Faithful Man hath engaged to do a piece of Work
Faith and Perseverance compare this with Rom. 8.32 My Brethren 't is the same All or World that Christ promised that he would draw to him and that he takes away the Sin of Moreover if he had reconciled the whole World to God he would have prayed for the whole World but that he saith he did not yet he prayed for all he died for III. Because the Gospel discovers the Meritorious Cause or Foundation of our Reconciliation viz. the Death of Christ this was that Sacrifice that turned away God's Anger and Vindictive Wrath and Vengeance He saw the Travel of his Soul and was satisfied IV. Because the Gospel contains mutual Reconciliation not only an account of God's Reconciliation to us but also our Reconciliation to him which is through the receiving the Atonement God is reconciled in Christ by his Wrath-appeasing Sacrifice but the Gospel shews that Sinners are not actually reconciled to God until they are by the Spirit united to Christ and believe in him having that Natural Enmity removed that is in their Hearts against God V. The Gospel is the instrumental means through the Spirits Operations of the Sinner's Reconciliation to God We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God It is called the Power of God to Salvation because therein the Righteousness of God is revealed Vers. 17. It is my Brethren an Instrument of his Power or a powerful means ordained of God to this purpose it having an excellent and efficacious Influence attending it through the Spirit where it is proclaimed and received My Brethren Faith Regeneration Convertion or Holiness do not reconcile us to God no no nothing doth that but the Blood of Christ. And this I might make appear 1. Because our Reconciliation on God's part is by the Death of Christ For when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Hence we are said to be Justified by his Blood that is Meritoriously yet Materially it is by his Active as well as his Passive Obedience 2. Because our Reconciliation on God's part I mean his being Reconciled to us is antecedent to Faith Regeneration c. your Faith doth not make your Peace tho it be an Instrument by which you receive that Atonement that Christ hath made 3. Faith c. is an effect of our Reconciliation that we may be actually acquitted and saved from Sin and Wrath in our own Persons and have it evidenced to our own Consciences it is our receiving that of Christ which he received for us upon his Discharge as our Head and Surety Much more being now Justified by his Blood we shall be saved through him Therefore Christs Blood must be the appeasing Sacrifice that delivers us from the Wrath we lay under 4. Nay my Brethren Justification is the Effects of Reconciliation for had not Christ satisfied Divine Justice for us we had not been pronounced Just or Righteous in him the Prisoner is acquited as the Effects of the Payment of his Debts his believing his Debts are paid and the Law and justice satisfied doth not pay his Debts tho a Sinner is not in his own Person actually discharged until he doth believe or leastwise in his own Conscience True Jesus Christ as Mediator doth both these i. e. he pays our Debts and knocks off our Chains he makes the Atonement and sprinkles the Blood upon our Consciences by his Spirit if Reconciliation was the bending of our Hearts to God to believe in him and love him why should Faith and Sanctification be laid down as the End and Effect of this Reconciliation Yet now hath he reconciled in the Body of his Flesh through Death to present you Holy and Vnreprovable in his Sight VI. A Proclamation discovers or reveals who they are that shall receive the Blessings of that Peace which is made and upon what Terms So my Brethren the Gospel makes known who they are that are comprehended in that Peace our Lord Jesus Christ had made viz. all that God hath Elected or Chosen in Him or all his Seed or all that the Father hath given to him or if you please all that do believe in him and also it shews upon what Terms viz. wholly of meer Grace and Favour By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God not of Works least any Man should boast not by any Act of the Creature not by his Faith and sincere Obedienceâ— nor by Works of Righteousness that we have done either in Obedience to Law or Gospel See Rom. 11.6 the Terms are without Money and without Price VII Some Proclamations proclaim Peace so my Brethren the Gospel Proclaims our Peace with God Peace Peace to them that are afar off and to them that are nigh It proclaims Liberty to the Captives c. Hence our Lord saith to his Disciples That which ye have spoken in the Ear shall be proclaimed on the House Top And came and preached Peace or proclaimed Peace to you which were afar off and to them that are nigh And hence the Gospel also comes so to be called for what is Gospel but glad Tydings good News Peace on Earth good Will to Men It is called the Joyful Sound Blessed is the People that know the Joyful Sound c. Not they that only hear it but that know it it is that which when known and received pacifies a Wounded Conscience VIII A Proclamation of Peace and Pardon is that which a Self-condemned Traytor takes hold of and presently submits himself with Tears and falls down at his Sovereign's Feet being broken to Pieces at the Thoughts of his Prince's Clemency and Free Pardon Also it gives an Assurance to all such of Pardon and Peace So my Brethren the Gospel is that which Sin-convicted and Self-condemned Sinners and Stubborn Rebels against God takes hold of and it is this that breaks and melts their hard Hearts What hear that their Peace is made and God reconciled Nay and that he has Sacrified his own Son to this very end this breaks the Heart of Stone and brings the Rebel to lay down his Arms and to take hold of Pardon And it gives to each poor Sinner also an assurance of Mercy he brings the Proclamation as it were to God and pleads his Pardon Where the Word of a King is there is Power The King's Word and Promise saith the Soul is passed in his Proclamation that I shall have Free Pardon and here it is IX A Proclamation is Written nay Printed that it may be read and known of all Men so God in his Providence hath caused his Gospel to be Printed that it may be read and known to all to whom it is sent it was first Written as Holy Men speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and since it has been Printed also X. A Proclamation is set up in the Market-place
the Lord that hath mercy on thee I AM upon the Second General Head first proposed to be opened viz. to clear up the main Covenant Transactions about the bringing in and Establishment of the Covenant of Peace 1. I have passed through those Eight Explanatory Propositions 2. The Second I have been some time upon i. e. the Covenant Transactions I. I shewed you there was a treating about it between the Father and the Son as our Head and Representative before the World began II. That the Terms of our Peace were then by them both agreed on and that Jesus Christ was chosen Mediator and Surety of the Covenant III. That this Covenant is confirmed IV. And that it is Proclaimed Here I told you that I should do four Things 1. Shew you what the Proclamation is this we did the last Day 2. Shew you who are the Ambassadors of Peace 3. Open the Nature of the Proclamation 4 Shew you upon what Terms Peace is offered or proclaimed To proceed Secondly My Business is to shew you now who they are that God hath appointed impowered or authorized to be the Ambassadors of his Peace I. The Great and Chief Ambassador of this Peace is the Lord Jesus Christ and from hence he is called the Messenger of the Covenant The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger of the Covenant All Expositors agree that this is meant of Christ yea as one observes both Christian and Jewish Interpreters and the same Author also shews from the Hebrew that a Messenger signifies an Ambassador 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messengers i. e. Ambassadors of Peace My Brethren I shewed you that Jesus Christ considered as Mediator was our great Plenipotentiary representing us and treating with God for us in that Council of Peace held betwixt them both 1. He was authorized and approved of by the Father to Treat about it and Conclude the Peace upon such Terms that the Father proposed to him on our behalf As thou hast given him power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him I was set up from Everlasting c. 2. He only was able to make our Peace not only capable to treat about it but as the Grand Ambassador to answer all the Just Demands of the Holy and abused Majesty of Heaven in order finally to conclude it 3. He was sent from Heaven to Earth actually to do this and from thence as I conceive he bears the Name or Title of Messenger or Ambassador My Brethren Christ as Mediator was sent by the Father The Father that sent me is with me God so loved the World that he sent his only Begotten Son 4. He was the first that Published or Preached the Gospel of Peace Which at first began to be spoken by the Lord c. First As to the full and clear Promulgation of it some conceive this may refer to his publishing of it to our first Parents after the Fall yet I rather conclude it refers to his Ministry in his own Person whose Doctrine was confirmed with Signs and Wonders The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath appointed me to Preach good Tidings unto the Meek Moreover he is called A Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man This Work refers to his Prophetical Office 5. He only knows the Counsel of God or the whole Covenant Transactions between the Father and himself and therefore could best reveal them or make them known to us nor can we know or understand the Mysteries of God the Mysteries of the Covenant and Gospel but by this Interpreter Who is one among a Thousand Neither knoweth any Man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him He only is the Ambassador that can make the People to hear and understand I have given them the Words that thou gavest me He hath the Tongue of the Learned he was God's Great Ambassador whilst he was on Earth to make known the Joyful News of Peace and Reconciliation purchased by his own Blood and that gives Success to his Servants whom he employs 6. Without the Exercise of this his Office as a Prophet Minister or Ambassador he could not perfect his Work as Mediator for it is hereby he reconciles us to God by speaking to our Hearts by enlightening our Understandings bowing our Wills and renovating our Souls Moreover all other Ambassadors labour in vain if he works not labours not with them 7. He hath all the excellent Properties of a Messenger or of an Ambassador of Peace 1. A regular Call or Authority this he received from the Father 2. Wisdom He excels in Wisdom and Knowledge he is the Wisdom of God and in him is hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge never Man-spake like him 3. Faithfulness He was Faithful to him that appointed him as also was Moses and as Faithful to us witness his Death and also his continual Intercession now in Heaven 4. Lowly and of a Condescending Spirit How did he abase himself to become God's Servant that is his own Eternal Son nay our Servant he came to serve us and was as one that served while here on Earth 5. Active and Diligent It is my Meat and Drink to do the Will of him that sent me 6. Swift and Speedy How much Work did he do in three Years and a half For Swiftness he is compared to an Hart or young Roe But no more as to this II. Jesus Christ hath substituted ordained or appointed others under him for him and in his stead to be his Ambassadors of this Peace Quest. Who are they 1 Answ. Negatively they are not the Holy Angels tho it is true the Angels brought the Good News of his Arrival or first coming into the World and also proclaimed Glory to God on high on Earth Peace Good Will to Men Yet these he hath not appointed to be his Ambassadors of Peace No no they are Men or Gospel-Ministers 2. Yet Negatively they are not all which are called Gospel-Ministers 1. Some are Legal Ministers Preachers of a Law who know not what they say nor what they affirm yet not Preachers only of Moses Law but of a New Law turning the Gospel or Free Promise of God and Eternal Life to such that believe in Jesus into a Law of Imperfect Faith and Sincere Obedience as the Matter and Condition of Justification before God and indeed they seem to violate the Perfect Law of God as if that was abolished and a new Law or Rule of Obedience procured by Christ's Merits in its room 2. Not such that only Preach Good Manners or Morality tho Christ's Ministers Preach this yet to Preach this is not to Preach Christ and Peace to lost Sinners neither is this the great Doctrine contained in their
hear it and do it But what saith the Lord to them O that there was such an Heart in them He knew well their great Inability and Averseness to do whatsoever he required But the Covenant of Grace is an absolute Covenant as to us as I have and shall further shew you by and by IV. The Covenant of Works tho it required perfect Obedience Personally to be performed by the Creature yet it gave no strength to perform what it commanded 1. But in the Covenant of Peace whatsoever God's Law required of us to our Justification in his Sight Christ covenanted and performed it for us and we in him Hence the Apostle saith That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us In us Christ and Believers are here represented but as one Person because what he did we are said to do in him Paul can't refer in this place to our inherent Sanctification for so no Believer can fulfil the Law because his best Works and Sanctification are imperfect 2. Moreover whatsoever Duties God requires of us as to our actual Justification in our own Consciences and as to our Sanctifica-also he hath promised to give us his Spirit to perform and work in us 1. He commands us to Believe and he hath promised to give us Faith so to do For Faith is not of our selves it is the Gift of God to you it is given not only to believe c. 2. He hath commanded us to make us a new Heart and he hath promised to give us a new Heart and to put a new Spirit into us 3. He commands us to love him c. and he hath promised to Circumcise our Hearts so to do c. V. The Covenant of Works laid all that broke it under God's denounced Wrath and Curse and admitted of no Mercy of no Forgiveness Heb. 10.28 In the Covenant of Grace Christ hath born that Wrath and Curse He hath Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us No doubt but under the Law he that was Hanged on a Tree was not made a Curse only Politically but also Typically as signifying that Curse Christ should be made on the behalf of the Elect. And by being made a Curse for us he bore the Punishment due to us for our Sins and satisfied Divine Justice so that all our Sins who do believe in Jesus are in the Covenant of Grace forgiven for ever VI. The Covenant of Works as to the Tenure of it runs thus i. e. Do this and live but the Covenant of Grace runs thus in the Tenure of it i. e. Believe and be saved Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved The One puts Men upon working or doing for Life the other puts them upon believing and working from Life The first promises Rewards for the Creatures Obedience and threatens Wrath and Death for the Creatures Disobedience The second promises Rewards of Grace to Believers for what Christ hath done or through his Merits and threatens Wrath for not believing or for non-receiving of Free Justification through Christ's Obedience or for refusing the only Remedy or for neglecting that great Salvation purchased and merited by the Lord Jesus VII The Covenant of Works represents God an Angry God an Incensed Judge or as a Consuming Fire But the Covenant of Grace represents God in Christ a Reconciled Father This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Fury is not in me There is no Fury in God no Wrath no Condemnation to any that believe or that are in Jesus Christ. VIII The Covenant of Works consisted all in Precepts in Commands which were partly Moral and partly Ceremonial the latter being numerous some speak of more than three Hundred Precepts that were injoyned on the People for tho the Ceremonial Law shadowed the Gospel yet Paul counts it part of the first Covenant See Heb. 9.1 Yet I deny not but that there was much Grace held forth in it But the Covenant of Grace as to us consisteth only of Free Promises Hence the Elect are called The Children of the Promise Vnto Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made Now we Brethren as Isaac was are Children of the Promise And hence the Covenant of Grace is called The Covenants of Promise Note 'T is called Covenants in respect of the divers Revelations or Declarations of it as to Adam Abraham David c. and as revealed in the Gospel tho it is but one and the same Covenant True it may differ in some Accidents but in Substance it was the same viz. Jesus Christ promised and Free Justification through him Is the Law against the Promises That is Is the Law as given in Mount Sinai against the Covenant of Grace No but given in Subserviency thereunto or as leading to it by discovering the Evil of Sin and the absolute Necessity of Christ's perfect Obedience thereunto in our stead IX The first Covenant required perfect Obedience to the Law in every Man 's own Person in respect to their Justification at God's Bar by which means through Man's Weakness and Inability to perform it 't is called The Killing Letter The Letter kills for Sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived me and by it slew me Sin revived and I dyed That is as to any hope of Life by the Law But the Covenant of Grace admits of a Substitute or of a Surety to keep the Law for us and God accepteth of his Obedience and Suffering as imputed to us to our free Discharge and Justification in his Sight And hence the Gospel is called The Ministration of the Spirit and Life Thus the Covenant of Peace is the Covenant of Grace 1. As considered in it self 2. Comparatively or in opposition to the first Covenant or Covenant of Works Thirdly The Covenant of Peace is the Covenant of Grace appears in that 't is an absolute Covenant I. It is not made on Conditions to be performed by us i. e. which being performed gives us a Right unto the Reward promised thereupon because our Right and Title to Heaven is only by the Righteousness of Christ through his perfect Obedience to the Law c. The Nature of the Covenant of Grace saith a Worthy Divine is Absolute or a Covenant of Promise notwithstanding all the Conditionalty contained therein 1. In respect of the Original Proposer of this Covenant it came from the Free and Absolute Will Grace and Purpose of the Father 1 Tim. 1.9 The Covenant of Peace was not purchased by Christ I mean the Covenant it self tho the Blessings in it were Christ's Purchase 2. The Covenant is Free and Absolute as to the Elect Personally considered because the whole of the Foederal Conditions lay upon their Head as undertaking for them II If we consider the Covenant saith he in respect to its Application or its being actually applied to the Elect
V. Also in that this Covenant sets forth the Glory Beauty and Personal Excellencies of Jesus Christ. 1. In respect of his Person as God-Man 2. In respect of his Offices of which I have already spoken VI. It is a Glorious Covenant in respect of those Things which we are hereby delivered from and are also invested with and raised up to possess Is not that a Glorious Covenant by the Blessings of which Sinners are delivered from Sin which is the greatest Evil and that brings them out of a State of Death Wrath the Curse and Condemnation And that which also gives them through the Application thereof an Interest in God the chiefest Good or which restores God to them to be their God forever Consider what Glorious Gifts and Priviledges are given and granted in this Covenant Is not that a Glorious Covenant in which God is given Christ is given to the Soul But this I shall open more largely under the next Head But O! what Glorious Priviledges are contained herein as granted to all true Believers Moreover What Glorious Grace is by this Covenant procured for all the Elect And what a Crown and Kingdom do they hereby obtain a true Title unto Sixthly The Covenant of Peace is a full Covenant there is nothing wanting in it either respecting the Glory of God or our Good and Eternal Happiness I. It is a full Covenant in respect of Satisfaction Merit and Righteousness my Brethren neither Divine Justice nor the Law of God can require any more than what Christ hath by his Active and Passive Obedience paid God saith This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Christ is called the Sun of Righteousness denoting that fullness of Righteousness which is in him as Mediator What is fuller of light than the Sun And who is fuller of Righteousness than Jesus Christ And as the Sun communicates its Light to all the Earth even so Christ communicates his Righteousness to all the Elect i. e. His Righteousness is imputed to all that Believe not the Effects of his Righteousness but his Active and Passive Obedience is the Material cause of our Justification and the Imputation of it is the formal cause thereof and from him by the Spirit an Inherent Righteousness is also infused into the whole Body to whom he is a Head of Influence to their Sanctification II. This Covenant is a full Covenant because in it or in Christ who is the Sum of the Covenant there is a fullness of Sufficiency and in the application of it by the Spirit There is a fullness of Efficacy to all the Elect He is the Head of the Body the Church the Fullness of him that filleth all in all Christ makes the Covenant Effectual or Efficatious to all his Members filling all who believe with all grace by the Spirit leaving not one believing Soul empty of what is truly good Doth the Soul want light Christ will give it He is the Light of the Gentiles The Light of the World Doth he want Liberty Christ releases the Captives Doth he need Rest Christ gives the weary and heavy-laden rest In a word Christ in the Covenant is Food to the Hungry Cloaths to the Naked Strength to the Weak Health to the Sick Courage to the Faint-hearted Succor to the Tempted Beauty to the Deformed Riches to the Poor Peace to the Troubled Life to the Dead Christ is all in this Covenant III. It is a Full Covenant because it answers not only all the wants of the Soul but of the Body also He will give meat to them that fear him he is ever mindfull of his Covenant Meat to the Soul and Meat to the Body Also Trust in the Lord and do good and so shalt thou dwell in the Land and verily thou shalt be fed All things both for the Body and Soul which God sees is good for us we shall have he will give Grace and Glory and no good thing will he withold from them that walk uprightly But yet we must not be the Judges of what is good but leave it to God We may think that is good for us which he may see to be hurtful IV. It is a Full Covenant because in it there is the Mediators Fulness Communicated to all such that are united to him as the effects thereof 't is not a Creature-Fulness that is in Christ no but the Fulness of God For it pleased the Father that in him all Fulness should dwell in him dwelleth the Fulness of the God-head Bodily The Fulness of the God-head dwells as truly in the Son as in the Father and of his Fulness do all Believers partake Of his Fulness all we receive and Grace for Grace 1. Therefore in this Covenant we do not only receive Light but the Fulness of Light 2. Not only Life but the Fulness of Life because Christ is our Life whom we receive in this Covenant 3. Not only Strength but the Fulness of Strength The Lord is the Strength of my heart and my Portion for ever 4. Not only Pardon of Sin but a Fulness of Pardon or the Fullest Pardon compleat Pardon 5. Not only Righteousness but the Fulness of Righteousness perfect and compleat Righteousness and you are compleat in him 6 Not only Peace but the Fulness of Peace Peace that passeth all understanding 7. Not only Beauty but the Fulness of Beauty For it was perfect thro' my Comliness which I put upon thee saith the Lord God 8. Not only knowledge but the Fulness of knowledge And ye also are Full of all goodness filled with all knowledge c. The parts may be weak yet where Christ dwells or hath taken possession of the heart there the Soul hath a Fulness of Spiritual knowledg Our Vessels may be full tho' but small And 9. Not only Joy but the Fulness of Joy These things have I spoken unto you that my joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full Again he saith Ask and ye shall receive that your joy may be full 't is called unspeakable joy and full of Glory 10. Lastly And not only Glory but the Fulness of Glory for the Fulness of the Glory of Heaven is contained in this Covenant or the perfect and full enjoyment of God even the Beatificial Vision Seventhly It is a seasonable Covenant I. In respect of God's early contrivance and making of it for us with Christ it was provided my Brethren before Man sinned or ready against the very time of need Poor Adam when he had sinned knew nothing of it But God provided the Plaister before we received the Wound he provided us a Physitian before we were Sick or a Saviour in this Covenant before we had sinned had not this Covenant been made before with Christ for us we had been lost no doubt for ever that very moment Man fell every thing being Beautiful in its time or proper season 'T is
have not only Crucified the Flesh or are become dead to Sin but have Crucified the World also But God forbid that I should Glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is Crucified unto me and I unto the World The World careth not for them and they care not for the World they are dead to the Honours Pleasures and Riches of the World Moses contemned all the Glory of Pharaoh's Court yea all the Pleasures of Sin and Riches of Egypt and so do all God's sincere People contemn this World If any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him 3. They that are God's peculiar People are become dead to the Law to that cruel Husband and to all their own Righteousness accounting it but Dung or a dead Carkase or Dogs-meat in comparison of Christ Ye also are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ c. The Union with that Husband is dissolved they seek not Life and Justification by the Law or are not in love with self-Self-Righteousness but dead to it whilst others make an Idol of it and trust in it 4. They have renounced themselves also and confess they are not their own but that their Souls their Bodies their Substance their Graces their Gifts their Time their Strength their Lips and their Lives are all the Lord's and for him for as all that God hath which is communicable is theirs or freely imparted to them and for them so all they are and have they account it is the Lord's they being but only Stewards of all they have and do possess Shall such think that they are the Lord's who live to themselves seek themselves or only bring forth Fruit like empty Vines to themselves No they that are the Lord's People esteem all they have to be his and for his Service and are willing to render it up to him when he calls for it Nay they have given God their Hearts not their Lips only or their Tongues nor their Ears nor their Substance but their Hearts also My Son give me thy Heart God complains of some that drew near to him with their Lips and sate before him as his People sate and with their Tongues shewed much kindness but saith he their Hearts went after their Covetousness after the World these God's Soul abhors and he will not own them to be his People Some give their Hearts to Pleasures to strange Women and to Vanity and to meer Folly and others give their Hearts to Riches but God's Covenant-People give their Hearts to him not a part of the Heart but their whole Heart they love the Lord their God with all their Hearts with all their Souls and with all their Strength Others have their Hearts divided between God and the World between God and their Lusts but such that love not God with their whole Heart hate him for the lesser Love is accounted Hatred in Scripture II. They that are God's peculiar Covenant-People are Begotten and Born of God for they this way as you heard become his Children there are none my Brethren that are the Lord's People by Adoption but they are his also by Regeneration they have his Image formed in them they are like to their Father in Holiness Heavenliness in Humility Mercy Meekness Love Goodness Charity c. they partake of the Divine Nature every one resembles the Son or Daughter of a King Then said he unto Zeba and Zalmunna What manner of Men were they whom ye slew at Tabor And they answered As thou art so were they each one resembled the Children of a King They are nobly descended they have sublime Spirits Holy Hearts Desires Aims and Ends in all they do they are not meer Dunghil-Rakers like the Men of the World but far excel all others The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour he has an excellent Spirit Life and Principles in him III. They that are God's Covenant-People Trust in him as their God as well as Love him as their God all People trust in their God tho it be a God of Gold or Silver a Worldly Man's strong Confidence is his Wealth he makes Gold his Hope So they that have God to be their God trust in him depend upon him They that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee They trust in the True and Living God God is their Hope their Confidence they rely upon his Power his Mercy his Love his Faithfulness his Covenant and on his Blessed Promises and this at all times in Afflictions Desertion Temptations c. and when called to any hard Service in Prosperity and in Adversity in times of Want and Necessities and in Times of Fulness in Life and also at the Hour of Death This tends my Brethren to the Glory of God and by this they shew what a value and esteem they put upon God How often does David say he trusted in the Lord and because God was his God O my God I trust in thee Job says Tho he slay me yet will I trust in him Tho they see not feel not or have no sensible Comfort or Relief yet can and will trust in God tho God hides his Face or they walk in Darkness and have no Light IV. God's peculiar People highly love value and prize the Lord Jesus Christ They can say with David Whom have I in Heaven but thee Neither is there any on Earth that I desire besides thee They have tasted how good the Lord is and beholding his Beauty can say He is the chiefest among Ten Thousand they live upon Christ fetch all their Comfort and Hope of Salvation from him and rejoyce in him alone Serving God in Spirit and have no Confidence in the Flesh. Moreover when they have done all things that Christ hath commanded they look upon themselves Unprofitable Servants they live in him to him and by him their living in him shews Christ is their Life their living to him shews Christ is their ultimate End their living by him shews Christ is their Strength they receive the Spirit and so live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit they bring up the bottom of their Lives to the top of their Light they do not only know what is to be done but do what they know the Darkness of Carnal Professors will be the blackest because their Light seemed to be the clearest but these are better inwardly in substance than outwardly in appearance in a word they are as much in love with the Imployment of Holiness as with the Injoyment of Happiness or to be Holy here as well as Happy hereafter or to live to God on Earth as well as with him in Heaven V. God's Covenant-People ascribe all the Glory to him and take all the Shame to themselves Both Riches and Honour come of thee the Power the Glory and the Victory is thine and of thine own have I
eternal Wisdom of God so also it shews there was a voluntary and ready consent in our Lord to undertake in the Work of our Peace and Redemption that he was set up and did agree to undertake as our Mediator to make our Peace with God and also that he took pleasure in his so engaging on our behalf To this let me add what David in the Person of Christ speaks Sacrifice and Offerings thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened Burnt Offerings and Sin Offerings hast thou not required then said I lo I come to do thy Will O God This place is cited by the Apostle Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldst not but a Body hast thou prepared me In Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure Then said I lo I come in the Volmn of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God Nothing can more fully shew Christ's chearful Consent What God the Father required Jesus Christ yielded to do which was to make satisfaction for Sin in his Body on the Tree and so to make our Peace with the Eternal Jehovah I. Consider who the Persons transacting and treating with each other were even God the Father and God the Son the Father stands upon satisfaction to his Law and Justice or demands the whole Sum or Price of our Redemption that so our Peace might be made and Christ engageth to give it II. The business or grand Matter transacted I say betwixt them was our Peace and Reconciliation unto God and so to recover all God's Elect from Sin Wrath and Misery and work about their Eternal Happiness the Elect tho not then in Being yet are here considered as fallen wretched and forlorn Creatures III. That the Manner or Nature of these Transactions were faederal or in a Covenant-way one Person mutually engaging and stipulating with the other The Father stands upon the strict demands of Law and Justice the Son consents to glorifie the Father therein and raise the honour of all the Divine Attributes which in time he did do I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do And now Father glorifie me with thine own Self As if he should say the Terms agreed upon or thy Demands are done therefore let me have my Reward and let mine Elect be made one in us Let me not only Personally be one with thee but also Mystically one and so be glorified as it is due to me as the Hire or Reward of my Work IV. If any ask when this Covenant or holy Compact was made I told you and say again it bears Date from Eternity or before the World began when we had as I said before no Existence but only in the Eternal Decree and Purpose of God Moreover Remember this Covenant was made with Christ for us and in him with us for all that Grace which is given to us in time was promised unto us in Christ nay given to us in Christ from Eternity 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 1.1 2 3. as our Surety Covenanting-Head and blessed Representative As to the special and particular Articles agreed upon on which the Covenant of Peace was made and concluded I shall open them under the next Head of Discourse V. Commonly in all Treaties or Covenants of Peace amongst Men there is a Mediator chosen So God chose a Mediator of this Covenant yet his Work as Mediator greatly differs from the Work and Office of all other Mediators as I might make it appear For Christ is not only Mediator of the Covenant but Surety Messenger and Testator of it also And as he is considered Mediator he is invested with a Threefold Office more particularly which Offices he faithfully executeth in order to the making our Peace with God in reconciling God to us and us to God which I purpose to treat of and open in order The Work of our Mediator is not barely to see our Peace made or to labour by Intreaty to bring each Party to Moderation and pliable Terms and to see every thing done according to the Preliminaries agreed upon but the whole Work of making Peace is solely committed to our Lord Jesus Christ not to see others do it but he himself doth it all even all that God requires on his part and what is necessary to be done for us in us and by us also I. Let it be also considered That God would not make any Covenant of Peace with us without a Mediator without such a Mediator and that Jesus Christ alone is the Mediator is evident There is one Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus I say God chose his Son to be the Mediator of this Covenant of Peace and hence he is said to be given for a Covenant unto the People that is as some conceive To be the Mediator thereof II. God the Father's Demands must be granted he will not suffer his Just Right and Honour to be invaded nor his Glory eclipsed therefore was this Mediator chosen besides the Sanction of his Holy Law must be preserved Private Persons may forgive Offences as they please but the Just and Holy Governour of the World will not cannot pass by Offences till the end of Government be secured that so his Holiness and Justice be not stained nor his Law fall to the Ground Hence one main Article proposed was That the Mediator of our Peace do make full Satisfaction and if he doth not this there could be no Covenont of Peace concluded this therefore was the result of that Counsel of Peace held in Eternity III. There was I say a necessity for the Son of God to be both Mediator and Surety of this Covenant I do not say that there was a necessity laid either upon the Father or the Son to enter into this Covenant of Peace for us No no! But if God will in a way of Free and Sovereign Grace enter into such a Covenant for Mankind there was a Necessity for Christ to be the Mediator and Surety of it I say Necessity so far as we can or are able to conceive in respect of this Matter 1. Because God hath not revealed or made known any other way by which our Peace could be made but by a Mediator I do not say that God could not any other way make our Peace but that he could not in reguard of his own Honour so far as it appeareth unto us Moreover if God hath not made known any other way then there is no other way for us to obtain Peace with him But no other way is made known 2. There could be no other way as we can conceive because the breach that was between God and us must be made up by a full satisfaction to the Law and Justice of God God being Just as well as Gracious and hence one end why Christ was made a propitiation through Faith in his
bloud was To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God v. 25. To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus vers 26. that is That no wrong might be done to the Essential Purity of God's Nature or Rectitude of his Will nor yet to his immediate Justice by which he cannot but hate Sin and for it require a Satisfaction 3. In regard of the Truth of God's Threatning pronounced against all Mankind in Adam upon his Disobedience legal Threatnings are such that they admit of no Pardon without Satisfaction be made to the Justice and Holiness of God and this was signified by all those Typical Sacrifices and Offerings under the Law therefore in vindication of the Truth or Veracity of God together with the Honour Equity and Sanction of the Law there must be Satisfaction made or no Peace with God for fallen Mankind and this could not be done but by such a Mediator as Jesus Christ is For that which could not be done by Men or Angels nor as a simple Act of God's Mercy without the Impeachment of his Holiness Truth and Justice c. could not be done at all But no pardon no Peace could be procured by Men nor Angels nor as an absolute or simple Act of Mercy without the Impeachment or eclipsing the Glory of the Attributes of God's Justice Truth and Holiness c. therefore it could not be so done at all 4. To say God might have entered into a Covenant of Peace for us any other way than by the Mediator Jesus Christ or through his Death and Atonement would as one observes reflect upon his Love to his own dear Son For why should the Son of God be made a Curse for us or suffer the cursed Death of the Cross to make our Peace if Peace could be made any other way without the least injury to the Justice Law or Holiness of God c. No doubt my Brethren but that the Son of God had been spared if he had foresaw that our Peace might have been made some other way Moreover would it not then follow that there might have been two Ways to obtain Peace and Reconciliation with God which is contrary to what our Blessed Lord says No Man cometh to the Father but by me that is cannot come to have Peace with God any other way but by me by my Death or through my Blood nor without believing or depending upon me For thus it is with the adult 5. There is no other way of Peace with God and therefore a Necessity of Christ's Mediation because without the shedding of Blood there is no Remission no Pardon and so no Peace there could be no discharge from the guilt of Sin no removal of the Punishment of Sin nor any Purgation from the filth and pollution thereof without the Blood of Christ be shed 6. Because it is positively said There is no other Name given under Heaven whereby we must be saved If there is no other Name Way or Means given but by Jesus Christ then there is a Necessity that our Peace be made alone by him But this is so therefore there is a Necessity of Christ's Mediation In the next place we will enquire what is absolutely necessary for the Mediator of our Peace to do or were Requisites in him according to the Articles agreed on in this Covenant to make our Peace with God 1. A Mediatour of this Covenant of Peace must understand the Nature of that difference or breach which was betwixt God and Man and what Terms the Holy God who is the Injured Party stands upon and must have granted him if ever our Peace be made and who but Jesus Christ who is God knew this It was he only that well knew what it was that could satisfie Infinite Justice Had it been proposed either to Men or Angels to resolve this Question i. e. By what Means shall fallen Man come to be reconciled to God and God be righted as touching all that wrong Sin and Sinners have done him What Answer think you could they have made Alas no meer created Being could resolve such a Question 2. He that is the Mediatour of this Covenant or that maketh our Peace must not only know what will do it but also he must be able to answer all God's Demands both in respect of his Law and Justice and also be able to supply all our Wants and Necessities He must seek the Honour of the Blessed God and equally seek and be able to relieve poor Sinners and none but Jesus Christ could do this who is an indifferent Person or one equally related unto both he being both God and Man in one Person 1. He being God the one and the same Eternal God he could not know what concerned the Glory of his Father and therefore would not could not eclipse his Glory 2. And he being Man he could not but sympathize with the poor Creature and as being God he did not only know all our Wants but he is able also to supply them This brings me to the next particular III. The Mediator of this Covenant must therefore be every ways suitably qualified or capacitated for this Work and Mediatorship and to this end I say he must be God nay God in our Nature for a meer Man could not satisfie Infinite Justice his Obedience or Sufferings else could not therefore have been meritorious For it was from the Union of the Divine Nature with the Humane that put such a Worth or meritorious Efficacy in his Sacrifice I say Jesus Christ our Mediator must be God 1. Because those Evils which he was to expiate could never be taken away by any Person that was not God or whose Sacrifice or Atonement had not an infinite Worth and Satisfaction in it because Sin is against the Infinite Majesty of Heaven 2. Jesus Christ as Mediator must be God because otherwise he could not sustain or bear in his Body and Soul that great weight of Sin and Wrath laid upon him for if but the guilt of one Sin was laid on any meer Man it would sink him down to the lowest Hell much more then would the weight of all the Sins of God's Elect have sunk down the Lord Jesus Christ when laid upon him had he not been God but a meer Man How doth David cry out of the burden of his Sins Mine Iniquities are gone over mine Head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Nay my Brethren when our Sins were laid upon our Lord Jesus Christ and he began to bear and feel the weight of them tho he was God how did he cry out and he began to be sore amazed and said My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death Tarry ye here and watch and he went forward a little and fell on the Ground The weight of our Sins and