part is voluntary humbling of himself Joh. 13.13 14 Ye call me master and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lord and master have washed your feet ye also ought to wash one anothers feet Phil. 2.7 But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men 3. He is God's Servant not for love only to the work wherein he Serveth but for wages as I have already shewed but he is our Servant for no wages nor reward which he could expect from us but purely for love Joh. 13.1 Having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man then this that a man lay down his life for his friends 4. He is God's Servant as a Son serveth his father yea as a Servant serveth his Master Mal. 1.6 A son honoureth his father and a servant his master Phil. 2.7 And took upon him the form of a servant Joh. 6.38 For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me But he is our Servant as a friend serveth his friend Joh. 15.14 Ye are my friends if ye do whatsoever I command you And as a man Serveth one whom he loveth and wooeth which he doth neither for fear nor reward but being wholly acted and determined to do so from a principle of love and a design of love within himself Joh. 3.29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegrooms voice Song 5.2 It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saying open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled 4. What kind of Service is it which belongeth to Christ by this Covenant-relation Answ 1. It was the greatest piece of Service and trust that ever was put upon man no less then the whole work of our Redemption and Salvation the weight of the lost World and of all the elect was upon his shoulders in this Service Isa 22.24 And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house the off-spring and the issue all vessels of small quantity from the vessels of cups even to all the vessels of flaggons Joh. 17.2 3 4 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him And this is life eternal that they might know thee the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do 2. It was the hardest piece of Service that ever was laid upon any person O what a hard Service was it to destroy the works of the Devil to bind the strong man and to spoil his house to fall into his quarters and to bring off the prisoners yea to go into the prison and to set open the dores and let the prisoners go free to enter his person in prison for them to pay the debt of so many broken men to bear their transgressions and the chastisement of their peace to endure the stroak of the wakened up sword of Divine Justice in our stead Heb. 2.14 Mat. 12.29 Isa 61.1 2. Zech. 9.11 Act. 2.24 Col. 2.15 1 Cor. 15.55 Isa 53. throughout It was the hardship of this Service that made him heavy and grieved that made him pray and cry and weep and sweat blood Joh. 13.21 Joh. 26.22 42 Heb. 5.7 Luk. 22.24 The Service of no labouring man of no slave that serveth for hire as a stranger in another country is to be compared with the hardship of his Service 3. This Service was an honourable place and Service he served as a King Heb. 8.1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum we have such an High-priest who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens Joh. 5.22 23 For as the father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the father He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the father which hath sent him Isa 22.23 24 And he shall be for a glorious throne to his fathers house And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his fathers house the off-spring and the issue Yea It 's a greater place than to be a King for by it the man Christ is exalted far above all principality and constituted Judg and Ruler of the Nations Prince of the Kings of the Earth head of the Church and King of Saints Phil. 2.8 9. Eph. 2.20 21 22. Col. 1.28 Isa 9.6 Act. 17.31 Rev. 15.3 and 17.14 4. It was the most kindly Service that ever was done by man for it was the Service of love the design of love that was in his heart made him with good will to serve Jer. 31.3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee He Served not only as a hired man and a stranger in a far Country and as a King and great Lord Ambassador whose Service was a Rule and Government but he served also as a lover because of the design of love and of eternal enjoyment of his chosen people which was in his heart he wearied not to serve his father who had promised to give him the people whom he loved with an everlasting love and he wearied not to serve his people that he might court and woo them to himself he did serve for the satisfaction that he promised to himself in the enjoyment of the people upon whom he had set his heart and as low a price as poor sinners are yet he counted them worthy to be compassed with so high a design he reckoned them a wager and recompence for all his Service Isa 53.11 He shall see of the travel of of his soul and shall be satisfied Heb. 12.2 Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross despising the shame and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God His Service is not unfitly resembled by Jacobs who Served for a Wife whom he loved Gen. 29.15 21 27 And Laban said unto Jacob Because thou art my brother shouldst thou therefore serve me for nought tell me what shall thy wages be And Jacob said unto Laban Give me my wife for my days are fulfilled Fulfil her week and we will give thee this also for the service which thou shalt serve with me yet seven other years 5. What was the Service which Christ did in the business of the Covenant though this cannot be sufficiently answered by us who have not yet come to know and understand half of that which he hath done for his people 1 Cor. 2.9 But as it is written Eye hath not seen nor ear heard
to your vertue knowledg c. 3. Quo ad executorem in the kindly genuine work of his spirit that the good which God hath done to thee is the true execution of the Testators will of grace to his people 1 Cor. 6.11 And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God Joh. 1.13 Which were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Rom. 8.9 But ye are not in the flesh but in the spirit if so be that the spirit of God dwell in you now if any man have not the spirit of Christ he is none of his CHAP. XXII Christ a Covenant of the people or in what respects Christ is all the Covenant BEsides the many and various relations before spoken of which Christ sustaineth in the Covenant of grace he is the Covenant it self for to him doth the father speak Isa 42.6 and 49.8 I will give thee for a Covenant of the people things attributed in abstracto have a great signification Rom. 1.7 The carnal mind is enmity c. Christ is called the peace Micah 5.5 And our peace Eph. 2.14 This is more than the peace-maker Col. 1.20 'T is all the transaction of peace the whole business of reconciliation comprized in the Mediator and acted by him So here Christ a Covenant is more than the Covenant-maker or the Mediator of the Covenant the phrase imports two things 1. The abridging and summing up of the whole Covenant in Christ Mediator in whose person the two parties at enmity were united I will give thee for a covenant of the people that is I make a gift of thee to be to my people the summary and compend of all that blessed transaction and Covenant which I purpose with them 2. It imports the commitment of the whole business which God purposed to do with his people in the way of a Covenant unto Christ the Mediator to be managed by him I will give thee for a covenant of the people is a designation of Christs work unto which he was called and for the doing of which promises of assistance are made to him in the words preceding these as if it were said I set thee over the whole business of the Covenant between me and the people given to thee that from beginning to end it may be managed by thee Again Christ is not only given for a Covenant but for a Covenant of the people that is to be on the peoples side and to deal for them for the people alone are not capable of confederation with God but Christ stands jointly with them and is gifted of God to the people to be given back again to God for their part of the Covenant Psal 89.19 Heb. 2.13 Hence let us consider of these Propositions Christ is all the Covenant or all this Covenant is comprized in Christ or God by giving Christ doth give the Covenant of the people with him Christ is the Covenant 1. Originally and fundamentally he is the original and root out of which the Covenant sprang and he is the foundation upon which it is grounded the Covenant of grace took its rise and being from Christ Rev. 22.16 I Jesus have sent mine Angel to testifie unto you these things in the Churches I am the root and the off-spring of David and the bright and morning-star Isa 28.16 Therefore thus saith the Lord God Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious corner-stone a sure foundation he that believeth shall not make haste Judg. 14.14 And he said unto them Out of the eater came forth meat and out of the strong came forth sweetness 1. He is the ancient foundation of that which was revealed of the Covenant from the beginning of the world therefore God revealing this Covenant in Paradise presently after the fall bottomed it upon Christ the seed of the woman Gen. 3.15 And revealing it to Abraham he grounded it upon Christ Abrahams seed in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed Gen. 12.3 and 17.1 2. 2. Christ is the eternal foundation of this Covenant upon whom it was bottomed in the eternal decrees of God hence our vocation and salvation are said to be promised and given to us in him before the world began Tit. 1.2 And in hope of eternal life which God that cannot lie promised befor the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Eph. 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in love 2. Christ is the Covenant primarily and by propriety as fire is hot for it self and all things hot for it and by participtation Because with him was the Covenant made as the chief party which believers it was made in subordination to him with him it was made at the first hand with us at the second hand with him it was made for himself with us it was only made for him therefore 't is his Covenant by propriety and ours only by participation and therefore all the promises are made first to him and fulfilled first to him and all the acts of Gods love terminate first upon him and come at us only in the second room and at the second hand Isa 59.21 As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My spirit that is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed saith the Lord from henceforth and for ever Psal 89.3 33 I have made a covenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant Nevertheless my loving-kindness will I not utterly take from him nor suffer my faithfulness to fail Isa 53.3 And I will make an everlasting covenant with you even the sure mercies of David Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ 3. Christ is the Covenant eminently because he is the chief blessing of the Covenant there being not such another promise and gift in all the bundle of promises contained in the Covenant therefore is he spoken of by way of eminence as being that transcendent gift of God matchless effect of Gods love besides which there is not another the like Joh. 4.10 Jesus answered and said unto her If thou knewest the gift of God and who it is that saith unto thee give me to drink Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have
neither have entered into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him 1 Joh. â— 1 2 Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him for we shall see him as he is Yet let us glance at it by that dim light which we have of the Scriptures It is in general called by himself the work which his father gave him to do Joh. 17.4 By which we understand all that Christ had in commission to do in our nature from the time of his receiving a commission to be the Mediator of the Covenant unto the time of his delivering up the Kingdom to his father more particularly this Service which Christ did in the business of the Covenant it 's called the restitution of all things Act. 3.21 When Christ shall bring all things out of that disordered and ruined condition whereunto they were brought by the fall of man and shall restore them to the Primitive integrity when he shall restore fore-faulted man into his first estate of innocency and happiness by taking of the fore-saulture and bringing him out of his excommunicated exiled condition into the presence and fellowship of God Eph. 2.12 13 That at that time ye were without Christ being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the Covenant of promise having no hope and without God in the world But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ And when the creatures shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 This Service is called the bearing the transgressions of many the making his soul an offering for sin Isa 53.10 12. It was the putting his Soul in our Souls stead that the law might overtake him that justice might smite him for us and might take satisfaction from him for the broken Covenant it was the offering up of himself in a Sacrifice the putting of his Soul in the flame of hot burning wrath for us that the furbushed and wakened-up sword of Divine Justice might be bathed in his blood until it was full of blood and satisfied Heb. 9.14 How much more shall the blood of Christ who through the eternal spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God Zech. 13.7 Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts smite the shepherd c. It 's called the reconciling of the world to God 2 Cor. 5.19 By which we understand all the travel of his Soul in the propounding treating and concluding of a peace 'twixt God and sinners for all that Service was laid upon him and was performed by him for he maketh the proposition of peace he carryeth on the treaty until his own hand lead our hand to sign the articles of peace propounded in the Gospel Eph. 2.17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off and to them that were nigh 2 Cor. 5.19 20 To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation 2 Cor. 9.13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorifie God for your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ This Service is called the saving of the lost world Luk. 19.10 And the bringing many Sons to glory Heb. 2.10 That was a great Service indeed to have the weight of the lost world upon his shouldiers to have the keeping and leading yea the bearing in his arms of all that numberless number of the ransomed and redeemed ones whom God had appointed unto Glory Joh. 17.12 While I was with them in the world I kept them in thy name those that thou gavest me I have kept and none of them is lost Isa 40.11 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosome and shall gently lead those that are with young In a word the Service which Christ did in the business of the Covenant was the the transacting of the Covenant he did all that business from beginning to end and without him was nothing done of all things pertaining to God and a new Covenant betwixt him and us whereof see more particularly what we have spoken of the Mediator of the Covenant Chap. 4. Vse 1. Think with your selves and consider the love that made him come under this Covenant-relation that made him a common Servant to both the parties for though he had wages and a reward propounded to him yet it was love that acted Christ in performing this great piece of Service His Service of love is much commended 1. From the infinite condescension that was in it O what condescension was it for a Son to become a Servant Heb. 5.8 Though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered for the Son the only begotten Son and Heir to become a Servant Mat. 21.37 38 But last of all he sent unto them his Son saying they will reverence my Son But when the husbandmen saw the Son they said among themselves this is the heir come let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance For the Son of God to become a Servant to the sons of men Phil. 2.6 7 Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God but made himself of no reputation And took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of men 2. From the voluntariness of his coming under this Covenant-relation when he was not a Servant by any necessity of nature that he made himself one that when nothing else was to do it his grace his love determined him to go and serve his enemies and make himself of no reputation Phil. 2.7 Rom. 5.8 But God commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Heb. 10.9 Then said he Lo I come to do thy will O God O what strange love was that which made Christ so willingly leave the Throne and come down to the foot-stool and stand and serve Mat. 20.28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister and to give his life a ransome for many Joh. 13.4 5 He riseth from supper and laid aside his garments and took a towel and girded himself After that he poureth water into a bason and began to wash the disciples feet and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded Gal. 2.20 And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the
acceptance of his work p. 101. 6. Those that relate to his reward for his work p. 104. 7. Those that relate to Interest p. 107. 8. Those that relate to the whole design and intent of his Suretiship p. 108. Chap. V. The harmony of the covenant of Suretiship made with Christ and the covenant of Reconciliation and Grace made with sinners They agree together 1. In their rise from Free-grace p. 113. 2. In their design the redemption of lost people p. 114. 3. In that Christ is the grand Instrument of both ibid. 4. They are both commensurable with Gods election of the parties with whom he made the Covenants p. 115. 5. The principal ends of both are the same ibid. 6. The advantage of both redounds to us the honour to the Lord. 7. There is exchange of places between Christ and his redeemed seed in both p. 116. 8. In many properties free gracious sure p. 117. They differ 1. In their rise one came from grace in both parties the other not p. 117. 2. In the property of Eternity 3. The parties are different in one Jehovah and Christ in the other Father Son and Spirit and lost sinners p. 118. 4. The covenant of Redemption is equal that of Reconciliation unequal p. 119 5. In the covenant of Redemption there was no Mediator in that of Reconciliation there is 6. The Promises of the two Covenants are different p. 120. 7. Threatnings are annexed to the covenant of Reconciliation 8. The commands and conditions of them are different p. 121. 9. The covenant of Redemption tarried not for our consent to make it an actual covenant the other does p. 122. The two Covenants are conjoyn'd together by a five-fold connection 1. By an inseparable connection p. 123. 2. By an infallible connection 3. An insuperable connection p. 124. 4. By a secret and hidden connection 5. By a beautiful connection p. 125. Their connection illustrated by a Similitude p. 127. Chap. VI. The grounds of comfort resulting from the covenant of Suretiship to those who are in the covenant of Reconciliation 1. The original of Gods covenanting with us is an eternal compact between Jehovah and Christ p. 128. 2. The same love of the Father and Christ now drawing thee into the New Covenant hath been in action for thee in Eternity 3. Our Redemption and Salvation hath little of our Will and much of Gods gracious Will in it p. 129. 4. By the covenant of Suretiship the fountain of life and salvation lay out of our selves in Christ 5. By the covenant of Suretiship our Rights and Charters the Promises are in a surer hand than our own p. 130. 6. By the covenant of Suretiship Christ and the Believer are in a manner in one Writ p 131. 8. By the covenant of Suretiship all the hard conditions lay upon Christ p. 135. 9. That in the covenant of Suretiship the Believer is undertaken for by both the parties Jehovah and Christ p. 136. 10. The Believer is in a sure and confirmed Estate p. 137. 11. Whatever Christ did in that Covenant it was for us and we did it in him p. 138. 12. By that Covenant besides all other Attributes the Justice of God is for the Believers salvation This 1. Is an argument to answer all temptations from our frailty inconstancy c. p. 140. 2. Admire and study the depths of Love in Gods Covenant p. 142. 3. Learn how needful the knowledg and perswasion of Christs Suretiship for us is p. 143. 4. Nothing more necessary to engage our hearts to study faith and hololiness p. 144. Chap. VII Concerning the Mediator of the New Covenant and 1. Of his Name what it signifies p. 145. Christ called Mediator on a four-fold account 1. In respect of his Person 2. Office 3. Fitness and qualification 4. His actual interposing p. 147. 1. Through him was the Covenant first moved 2. Through him was the business begun and ended in the Councel of God 3. Through him were we represented in his transaction with his Father p. 148. 4. Through him God did strike hands with us 5. Through him the Covenant is fulfilled 6. Through him came the news of it 7. Through him is the Mystery made manifest in the hearts of his people p. 149. 8. He paid the price to Justice for us 9. Through him is peace made 10. Through him the blessings of the Covenant are applyed to us 11. Through him we receive these blessings p. 150. 12. Through him was the Covenant with us confirmed 13. Through him are our hearts engaged to the bargain p. 151. 14. Through him is the Covenant made firm and stable Uses 1. The misery of those under the covenant of Works 2. The blessedness of Believers under the covenant of Grace 3. Since Christ is Mediator he must be employed and acknowledged p. 152. Chap. VIII Concerning the necessity of a Mediator and the reasons why the Covenant is establish'd in the hands of a Mediator of three sorts p. 153. 1 Respecting Gods Glory 1. The glory of his Honour 2. The glory of his Wisdom 3. The glory of his Goodness p. 154. 4. The glory of his Justice p. 155. 2 Reasons respecting Christ 1. In respect of his Offices King Priest and Prophet ibid. 2. His Power 3. In respect of the dependance we have on him 4. In respect of his sole working the whole business p. 156. 3 Sort of reasons respecting the creatures good negatively and affirmatively Negatively 1. Without the Mediator we could have had no saving-knowledg of God p. 156. 2. No union between God and man 3. No communion with God 4. No conformity to God Affirmatively 1. A foundation is laid for a higher happiness to be recovered in Christ than was lost in Adam p. 157. 2. There is a better security of that happiness 3. Solid grounds of Consolation Uses 1. This clears one difference between the covenant of Grace and that of Works wherein was no Mediator p. 158. 2. From the necessity of a Mediator be convinced of your need of a Mediator p. 159. 3. Carry it as those that need a Mediator p. 160. Chap. IX Concerning the person of the Mediator of the New Covenant p. 161 called 1. The Word of God p. 162. 2. The brightness of his Fathers glory p. 163. 3. The express Image of his Fathers person p. 164. 1. Christ hath in him a glorious resemblance of the excellency and Attributes of the Father 2. It is by Christ that all those Excellencies of God are revealed to us p. 164. Three things in God are discovered in Jesus Christ. 1. The Attributes of God Wisdom Goodness Mercy Power Soveriagnty Justice Holiness All-sufficiency Patience Faithfulness Majesty p. 166. 2. The distinct subsistences of the persons of the Godhead p. 171. 3. The distinct Offices of the three Persons 1. The Acts of the Father plotting and making the covenant with Christ Mediator 2. The Acts of Jesus Christ undertaking 3. The Acts of the Spirit Chap. X. Concerning the
Christ's answer bears a chearful consent to the Proposals made by God to him I delight to do thy will O God and thy law is within my heart because his heart was to the business and a design of love acted him all along his undertaking and performing the work of our Redemption Joh. 13.1 having loved his own therefore he took pleasure in the work therefore it was his delight Prov. 8.31 Rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth and my delights were with the sons of men Luk. 22.15 And he said unto them with desire I have desired to eat this passeover with you before I suffer I conclude then that this consent upon Christ's part to his Father's Proposals makes a Covenant betwixt Jehovah and Christ 3. Beside the former two which according to the opinion of Jurists amount to a Paction and a Contract or virtual Covenant and I think also to a formal explicite Covenant there is also vestiges to be found betwixt God and Christ of all things required unto explicite formal Covenanting Let us therefore enquire a little 1. What are the requisites of formal explicite Covenanting 2. What vestiges of these are to be found betwixt Jehovah and Christ 1. The peculiar propriety of formal explicite Covenanting stands in stipulation and restipulation in Conditional Proposals commands tenders or promises upon the one part and the accepting consenting or performing of conditions required upon the other part When the Proposals of whatsoever quality and kind they be are expresly conditional and the conditions propounded and required are expresly accepted and agreed unto there is a formal explicite Covenant even in the most strict and rigorous acceptation of the word Covenant Hence the Jurists confine mutual contracts and explicite Covenants within the compass of these few words Do ut des Soto de justitia Jure lib. 6. Quest 2. Art 1. Jo. Cal. lex Jurad in voce pactum facio ut facias do ut facias facio ut des 2. That there be clear footsteps of such dealing and Transactions betwixt Jehovah and Christ may appear from these instances all which evince stipulation and restipulation Conditions upon the one part and upon the other Conditions given and taken 1. Betwixt Jehovah and Christ there are Commands with Promises holding forth what was the Will of God to Christ in the matter of man's Redemption and what he should expect from his Father for doing that work and obeying his Will Joh. 6.39 40 This is the fathers will and this is the will of him that sent me Zech. 6.12 13 Behold the man whose name is the Branch and he shall grow up out of his place and he shall build the temple of the Lord and the counsel of peace shall be between them both Mich. 5.4 5 And he shall stand and feed in the strength of the Lord in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God and they shall abide for now shall he be great unto the ends of the earth And this man shall be the peace when the Assyrian shall come into our land Isa 42 1 2 3 4. He shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles He shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the street A bruised reed shall he not break and the smoaking flax shall he not quench he shall bring forth Judgment unto truth And if a command with a threatning annexed which had a promise in it implicitely did amount to a Covenant in God's dealing with man in his integrity by a Covenant of works as is acknowledged by all Civines Gen. 2.17 But of the tree of the knowledg of good and evil thou shalt not eat of it for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die Sure commands with explicite promises such as are betwixt God and Christ do amount to a Covenant 2. Betwixt Jehovah and Christ there are Promises with Conditions I say Promises with Conditions not absolute promises read Isa 53.10 11 12 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied By his knowledg shall my righteous servant justifie many for he shall bear their iniquities Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great and he shall divide the spoil with the strong because he hath poured out his soul unto death and he was numbred with the transgressors and he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors Now Promises with Conditions are promises with re-promissions or conditions upon the one part and upon the other this is a declaration of what God will do and what he doth require which is a formal Covenant and is plainly reducible to that which the Jurists call Do ut facias facio ut des c. 3. There is betwixt Jehovah and Christ not only Commands with Promises annexed and Promises with Conditions annexed but which is yet more Conditions with consent a formal consent and voluntary yielding unto the Proposals which were made unto him by Jehovah and this is without question a formal explicite Covenant consisting of stipulation and restipulation propounding and answering or accepting demanding and yielding or consenting he receives a command from his Father to lay down his life and he willingly consents Joh. 10.18 No man taketh it from me but I lay it down of my self I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again This commandment have I received of my father His Father propounds his Will to him and makes offer of fair conditions and he accepts Isa 53.10 When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin he shall see his seed he shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand Heb. 10.5 7 Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me Then said I Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do thy will O God Here is a formal explicite Covenant 4. There is betwixt Jehovah and Christ Consenting with Performing not only a mutual agreement upon the things to be done by Christ and to be done to Christ but a real performance of the mutual conditions agreed upon betwixt them and this is more than a consummate Covenant this is the fulfilling of an explicite Covenant and the acknowledgment of both parties that it was mutually covenanted and that the conditions were observed and were performed on both sides Joh. 17.4 I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do saith Christ and his Father saith Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth I have put my spirit upon him and he shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentilss Phil. 2.8 9 And being found in fashion as a
he well knew that it would be a wretched hopeless condition for man to provide a Physitian to himself and to have him to seek when his sickness should be desparate he therefore by a foresight and providence of pure soveraign free transcendent Grace did provide one and indeed it was necessary for our good that it should be so for had man fallen sick of sin before this Covenant for sending a healer to him he had died ere the cure could come 8. This Covenant was necessary for cutting off all matter and occasion of self-gloriation from man in his own Redemption and Salvation for if the business of our Redemption and Salvation was transacted concluded done and ended betwixt Jehovah and Christ without our knowledg or consent before we had a Being what have we to boast of If the agreement ahout the price to be payed and accepted tarried not for man wherein can we glory that we have contributed to our own happiness 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began Eph. 2.10 For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them 1 Joh. 4.10 19 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins We love him because he first loved us CHAP. III. Of the Nature Properties and Parties of the Covenant of Redemption THE general Nature of this Covenant is common to it with all other Covenants whatsoever different peculiarity they have this is essential and common to all Covenants they are Agreements and this is an eternal transaction and agreement betwixt Jehovah and the Mediator Christ about the work of our Redemption The peculiar propriety of its nature will appear by enquiring a little into 1. The various eternal acts of the will of God that concurred to make up this agreement 2. The distinction and order of these eternal acts of his will and the right manner of our conceiving of them 1. Supposing as we have said before that God purposed in himself not to save man without a satisfaction to his Justice These eternal acts of the will of God or rather the things which we conceive under these various acts and their denominations among men for we need to multiply acts in this matter but for the helping our own understanding did concur and meet together in this agreement 1. The designation of a Person to do this work there must needs have been a Person set apart and designed from eternity unto the doing of the work of Redemption and this Person was the Son only not the Father not the Spirit 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifested in these last times for you 2. The preparation and fitting of the Person set apart to take our Law-place and room that Justice might smite him in our stead which also was by an eternal act of the will of God decreed that the Son of God should be Immanuel God with us or God made manifest in the flesh Isa 7.14 1 Tim. 3.16 and unto this incarnation of the Son of God his own words have reference as unto the grand qualification whereby he was destinated before-hand that he might be in a capacity to do this work Heb. 10.5 A body hast thou prepared me 3. The calling of the Person designed calling is an act different from designation 't is something further Christ was by an eternal act of God's will called to this work and that long before he came into the world Psal 89.19 Then thou spakest in vision to thy holy One and saidst I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the people And Isa 42.6 I the Lord have called thee in righteousness and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles Heb. 5.5 So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest but he that said unto him Thou art my Son to day have I begotten thee 4. The investing of the Person designed with offices powers and authorities for the doing of this work such as his Mediatory-office and the powers and authorities thereunto belonging which was not suspended until the time of his actual discharge of the offices of King Priest and Prophet but by an eternal act of the will of God he was set up and vested with these offices and powers from everlasting and had the glory of the designed called invested Mediator as he plainly insinuates Prov. 8.23 I was set up from everlasting saith Wisdom several Expositors render it I was called or I was annointed Joh. 17.5 And now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was 5. The mission of the Son Christ designed sitted called invested for this work was also by an eternal act in the counsel of God sent to do this work he had a solema eternal authoritative mission a command to go and was bidden go he had the will of God by an eternal act or commission given out to him concerning all this work long before he was actually made under the Law to which he hath respect when he saith Lo I come to do thy will O God Heb. 10.7 even that will of God that was in the book of his eternal decrees Joh. 6.39 And this is the Fathers will which hath sent me And 10.18 This Commandment have I received of my Father But in all these we do not so much multiply the distinction of acts as we take notice of the distinction and difference of Phrase used by the Holy Ghost speaking of this mysterie in the Scriptures Upon the other part there concurred unto this agreement an eternal personal consent and compliance upon Christ's part unto all these eternal acts of the will of God for Christ God equal with the Father does not begin to consent and agree unto any thing in time nor can the eternal Son of God will any thing in time which he did not will and consent unto from eternity But Christ was present with the Father and did from eternity consent and agree to these eternal acts 1. To the designation of himself to be the person that should satisfie the Justice of God he heartily acquiesced and offered himself he said Lo I come to do thy will Heb. 10.5 7. He poured out his Soul unto death Isa 53.12 2. He consented unto the putting himself in that low capacity that the working of this work required Heb. 2.7 Thou madest him a little lower than the Angels to leave the throne of glory and come down to his footstool there to be in disgrace the Lord of the Law to be made under
and didst set him over the works of thy hands Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet for in that he put all in subjection under him he left nothing that is not put under him But now we see not yet all things put under him 7. The promises of the service of all the world and of all the creatures God promiseth and will have the services of all the creatures brought about first to Christ and then to him by Christ he hath the service of all the world promised him and indeed he payed for it for he bought it with a price the service of some as Sons to live with him and enjoy him for ever Psal 110.3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning and the service of others as slaves Psal 2.9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel And 72.9 11 They that dwell in the wilderness shall bow before him and his enemies shall lick the dust Yea all kings shall fall before him and all nations shall serve him The whole vessels of this great house the world whether they are vessels of honour or dishonour Men or Angels elect Men or Reprobate elect Angels or Devils yet all must be for the Master's use 2 Tim. 2.20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver but also of wood and of earth and some to honour and some to dishonour Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil CHAP. V. Of the Harmony of the Covenant of Suretiship made with Christ and the Covenant of Reconciliation and Grace made with Sinners 1. Wherein they agree 2. Wherein they differ 3. What Conjunction and Connexion is betwixt these Covenants THere is a great affinity between the Covenant of Redemption made with Christ and the Covenant of Reconciliation made with Sinners but it is not the same Covenant that is made with Christ which is made with us We are therefore to take heed to two extreams That we neither confound nor divide these two Covenants There is a likeness betwixt them but not a sameness there is an union here but not an evenness there is here a distinction but not a division a conjunction but not a confusion Let us therefore look upon these two Covenants 1. As agreeing in many things yet not being the same but still to be distinguished 2. Differing in many things yet not to be divided nor separated 3. Connected and conjoyned many ways yet not to be confounded 1. The Covenants of Redemption and Reconciliation agree together beside these things that are essential and so common to all Covenants which I do not here mention in the first rise of both pure soveraign free Grace was the fountain of both hence did both these Covenants spring There was no cause reason motive nor allurement from without nor any necessity of nature within that made Jehovah upon the one part nor Christ upon the other enter into this agreement of Suretiship it was his meer good and gracious pleasure as is already proved See Eph. 1.9 Having made known unto us the mysterie of his will according to his good pleasure which he purposed in himself 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began And the same is the fountain-cause the first spring and rise of God's Covenant of Reconciliation with us it is not from any reason cause or motive in us nor from any necessity upon God but meerly his gracious pleasure Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace Deut. 7.7 8 The Lord did not set his love upon you nor chuse you because ye were more in number than any people But because the Lord loved you and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers Mat. 11.25 I thank thee O father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so father for so it seemed good in thy sight 2. These two Covenants agree in this That it is the same design and business that is carried on in both The Redemption of a lost or lapsed elect people or as the Apostle calls it Heb. 2.10 The bringing many sons to glory This was the business that Christ did undertake by the Covenant of Suretiship and which he doth prosecute and perfect by the Covenant of Reconciliation This was the thing that was treated and agreed betwixt Jehovah and Christ and is now over again treated and agreed betwixt Christ and us Tit. 1.2 In hope of eternal life which God that cannot lye promised before the world began 2 Cor. 5.19 God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself not imputing their trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the word of Reconciliation Joh. 17.4 I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do 3. These two Covenants agree in this That the grand Instrumentality of doing the work in both these Covenants is upon Christ he was to be the main Instrument of action in the work of these two Covenants and is therefore as for other reasons so also upon this account called the man of God's right hand Psal 80.17 whose instrumentality and service God did use from beginning to end in all this business both of Redemption and Reconciliation Eph. 1.7 In whom we have redemption through his blood Col. 1.20 And having made peace through the blood of his cross by him to reconcile all things to himself 4. They agree in this that both these Covenants are commensurable with Gods election of the parties with whom he made the Covenants He first chused Christ and by an eternal destination elected him to be the only person that should work the great work of Redemption and be the Captain of Salvation to his people and with him only he makes the Covenant of Redemption Psal 89.19 I have exalted one chosen out of the people Again he makes choice of an elect Company to follow this Captain to be a people saved by the Lord and with this elect company only chosen in Christ he makes a Covenant of peace and reconciliation in him Luk. 1.68 69 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his people And hath raised up an horn of Salvation for us in the house of his servant David In both I say the Covenant is commensurate to God's election the parties with whom God made both these Covenants were first chosen he first chuseth and then covenanteth with the elect head and with the elect body and members
and with them only See Psal 89.3 I have made a Covenant with my chosen 2 Thess 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to Salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth 5. These Covenants of Redemption and Reconciliation agree in this that the principal ends of both are the same which were 1. The highest manifestation of all the Lords glorious attributes which were so manifested in Christ as they were never known before whereof in its proper place this was one of the principal ends which the Lord had before him both in the Covenant of Redemption and the Covenant of Reconciliation Eph. 3.9 10 11 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the Mystery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the Church the manifold wisdom of God according to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord. 2. The highest and nearest union of man with God was one of the Lords ends in both these Covenants to make up such an union betwixt God and Man as might be a ground and foundation of sutable communion Joh. 14.20 At that day ye shall know that I am in my father and you in me and I in you 1 Cor. 6.17 But he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit 3. Another principal end which God had before him in his Covenant-dealings was the highest and fullest communication of himself to man this end was proposed in both these Covenants of Redemption and Reconciliation God would dispense nothing of himself unto the creatures but by his Son and through his Covenant with him and with us he purposed to communicate himself to us 1 Joh. 5.11 And this is the record that God hath given to us eternal life and this life is in his Son And 1.3 And truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 6. The Covenant of Suretiship made with Christ and the Covenant of Redemption and Grace made with sinners agree in this That the good and advantage of both these Covenants redounded unto us even as the honour of both accrues unto the Lord who after the opening of this subject of his Covenant-dealings with Christ and through him with us Isa 42.1 to 8 immediately subjoyns I am the Lord that is my name and my glory I will not give to another both these Covenants were transacted to the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1.6 But the profit and advantage of both is ours not his and if these words Psal 16.2 3 My goodness extendeth not unto thee but to the Saints that are in the earth and to the excellent in whom is all my delight be the words of Christ or relating to Covenant-transactions betwixt Jehovah and Christ as most part of that Psalm is Jâ— Coce Dâ— soed c. p. p. 106. and some Expositors apply it and I do not see why it may not more fitly be applied to Christ than to David I say if these words be Christ's they speak the point in hand fully Besides see Rom. 5.15 The grace of God and the gift by grace which is by one man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many 2 Cor. 4.15 For all things are for your sakes that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God 7. They agree in this That there is exchange of places betwixt Christ and his elect redeemed seed in both these Covenants In the Covenant of Suretiship he taketh our Law-place and room and putteth himself in the sinners stead as hath been said Heb. 10.7 Lo I come to do thy will And again in the Covenant of Reconciliation we take Christ's Law-place or rather have bestowed upon us that place and room with God which the Law allowed to him that obeyeth the Law and satisfieth the Law to the full Hence 't is said that we are made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 This is our place by the Covenant of Reconciliation to have that high righteousness of our Surety unto which the God-head gave excellency and the righteousness of the Law is said to be fulfilled in us Rom. 8.4 to wit the passive righteousness thereof in suffering for the breach of the Law and how was this only by commutation and exchange of places with Christ our Surety who put himself in our place and put us in his 8. The Covenant of Redemption and the Covenant of Reconciliation agree in many properties both these Covenants are free gracious everlasting ordered in all things sure c. as may fully appear by what is already spoken of the properties of the Covenant of Suretiship and by the second part of this Treatise which relates to the properties of the Covenant of Grace 2. In the next place let us take notice of the difference between the Covenants of Redemption and Reconciliation whereby it may appear that these are two Covenants and not one and the same These Covenants differ 1. In the rise although they agree thus far in the rise See Mr. Rutherf Treat of the Covenant p. 2. c. 8. that both these Covenants had the rise from Grace as I have shewed yet they differ in this that the Covenant of Redemption and Suretiship did spring out of Grace in both the parties for therein did the Grace of Jehovah and the Grace of Jesus Christ appear it was the gracious pleasure and good will of both the parties which equally gave it the first rise But the Grace that giveth the rise to the Covenant of Reconciliation is not shared between the parties but it stands all upon one side Grace in God and in our Lord Jesus Christ without any gracious disposition or qualification upon our part till it be wrought in us by the Grace of Christ giveth the first rise to the Covenant of Reconciliation and Grace made with sinners Tit. 2.11 For the grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men 1 Joh. 4.10 19 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins We love him because he first loved us Rom. 5.6 8 For when we were yet without strength in due time Christ died for us But God commendeth his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 2. These Covenants differ in the property of eternity for although both are everlasting Covenants yet both are not eternal The Covenant of Redemption is eternal for the Lord does not begin in time to design Christ a Surety and Mediator nor does the Son begin in time to be a Consenter but we are to understand the Apostles saying he was made surety Heb. 7.22 by Christ's own saying I was set up from everlasting c. Prov. 8.23 1 Pet. 1.20 Who verily was
spring out of that fountain did grow out of that root for Covenant-grace is in God's dealings with us as sap is in the branch and water in the cistern but it is in his Covenant-dealings with Christ as sap is in the root and water in the fountain There is such a connexion betwixt these two Covenants as betwixt decree and execution deliberation and action promise and performance suretiship and satisfaction bond and payment c. for the Covenant with Christ was in the decree of God with us it is the execution of that eternal decree there it was deliberated and consulted here 't is acted there the promises were made the suretiship acted the bond given but in God's Covenant-dealings with us the promises made betwixt God and Christ are performed his act of suretiship satisfied and actual payment and satisfaction made of all obligements which he took on The connexion of the Covenants of Redemption and Reconciliation may be illustrated by a similitude or two It is as if a deed of favour were drawn for children and heirs not yet born and the whole conveyance setled how that deed of favour shall redound unto the benefit of children not yet born which in due time by the wisdom of the contriver takes place and becomes actually profitable to those for whom it was intended The Covenant of Redemption is the wise contrivance of this deed of favour to a seed given to Christ but not yet created and the Covenant of Reconciliation is the conveyance by which the favour intended for this elect people takes place Or as if a Marriage were concluded by a wise father betwixt his only son and a person wholly under his power at his disposing but now under-age not marriageable nor capable to give consent to such a contract as were drawn up but the knowledg of this is kept up from the bride a great while but at last the bridegroom makes proposals according to his fathers concluded contract and gains the brides heart and consent to the intended match this matter is all of a piece and every part of it connected with another but the first part is the work of the Covenant of Redemption betwixt Jehovah and Christ And the latter part is the work of the Covenant of Reconciliation betwixt God and Sinners Or as if a King upon paction with his Son should grant a fair Charter with many priviledges to persons who yet know nothing of the King's favour the actual communication of these priviledges being suspended till the King's Son actually own these persons for his Subjects and they actually own him for their Lord. The Covenant made with Christ is the fair Charter the Covenant made with us is the mutual owning betwixt the King's Son and the persons to whom the favours and priviledges of the great Charter of Redemption was intended CHAP. VI. Of the Grounds of assurance and comfort and supports of Faith resulting from the Covenant of Suretiship unto all those who are in the Covenant of Reconciliation and Grace I Shall shut up the Doctrine of the Covenant of Redemption and Suretiship with a collection of some grounds of comfort and supports of Faith which arise from it 1. That the original and foundation of God's Covenant-dealings with us is an eternal compact betwixt Jehovah and Christ and had not its beginning and rise from our first thoughts of that business when we begun to entertain the news of a Saviour and of Redemption by him it bred not in our breasts but was under deliberation betwixt God and Christ long before ever it entred into our hearts yea it was there transacted the heirs of Salvation were fore-ordained unto their lot and inheritance with them who are sanctified when the Captain of Salvation was destinate unto this work 2 Thes 2.13 God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the spirit and belief of the truth And it is only the manifestation of this to us and our consent to it that is of yesterday and but lately transacted Joh. 17.8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me Heb. 6.17 18 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his will comfirmed it by an oath That by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us O how comfortable and strengthening is this to the weak believer that eternal Covenant-love Covenant-dealings and Covenant-relations and engagements begin at the head Christ fall first upon him and descend to his redeemed seed Eph. 1.3 4 Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ according as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world c. 2. That the same love of the Father and of Christ which now hath appeared and broken forth in drawing thee into this new Covenant-state Jer. 31.3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee hath been in action for thee and about thee in eternity when thou wast not Prov. 8.23 31 I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was Rejoycing in the habitable part of his earth and my delights were with the sons of men How should that support faith and comfort and assure our hearts that the love of God and of Christ did provide a rich inheritance for us when we were not yet created and did provide a physician before we fell sick who had a Redeemer in readiness before the fall of Man which he foresaw who provided a Surety before he was needed to be in readiness to strike hands for our Debt that Christ spoke kindly for us when we were not present that he took our case in hand undesired that he undertook for us when we had neither being nor action nor vote nor knowledg of his undertaking 3. That our Redemption and Salvation hath so very little of our will in it and so much of Gods Will and that of Grace so much of his gracious Will or of the good pleasure of his Will Eph. 1.5 Being now by the Covenant of Suretiship the will of the Father and of Christ without our knowledg or consent or any act of our will Joh. 6.3 9 And this is the fathers will that hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last day With 17.24 Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am And there is now no more of our will in all the business but so much as is captivated bowed and carried
even as by the spirit of the Lord. 3. The way of Gods attaining his end and our attaining our happiness which are both one the way I say is also one it is in Christ the Mediator that God is manifested and in him do we see God the knowledg of his glory and our happiness are both in the face of Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 All the excellencies of God are manifested in Christ he revealeth the mysteries 1. Of his will as he is the Word 2. Of his nature as he is the brightness of his Glory 3. Of the subsistences and distinction of the Persons as he is the Image of his Person he only knows the Father and he only can reveal the Father Joh. 1.18 Col. 1.15 He is the image of the invisible God i.e. The excellencies of God otherwise invisible are revealed by him and to be seen in him These three things of God are discovered in Jesus Christ 1. The Attributes of God 2. The distinct subsistences of the persons of the God-head 3. The distinct offices of the three Persons 1. There is a full manifestation of the Attributes of God in Jesus Christ the Mediator of the new Covenant these Attributes that were never manifested before Mercy and Long-suffering are revealed in him and these that were manifested before shine mort brightly through Christ 1. The Wisdom of God there was great and infinite wisdom shewed in creating the world and ruling it by his wâ—â—â— providence but what is that to the wisdom that is shewed in Christ the wisdom that reconciled Justice and Mercy the wisdom that punished sin and pardoned the sinner how wonderful and unsearchable is that Wisdom that by the fall of man raised him to a greater height of happiness than ever he had before Rom. 11.33 34 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledg of God! how unsearchable are his judgments and his ways past finding out For who hath 〈◊〉 the mind of the Lord or who heth been his câ—uâ—seâ—â—â—r 〈◊〉 Eph. 3.10 To the intent that now unto the prinly 〈…〉 in heavenly places might be made known 〈…〉 the manifold wisdom of God this is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifold wisdom of God which yet doth not fully express the Greek word which signifies the manifold and various wisdom or the wisdom of God that is full of admirable varieties so Beza Erasmus Zanchius Stephanus 2. The Goodness of God is manifested in Jesus Christ his goodness and love to man appeared much at first in making him of the rank of the highest creatures on earth and putting all the rest of the Creatures under his feet Psal 8.5 6 For thus hasâ— made him a little fower than the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things under his feet This was penned to magnitie the nature of man but in Christ our nature is more magnified as we shall shew by and by Heb. 1.6 And again when he bringeth in the first begotten into the world he saith And let all the Angels of God worship him This is a higher pitch of the love of God this is the goodness of God more manifested than ever before to give his Son Christ for man and his Son to become sin and a curse for man Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but haeve everlasting life 2 Cor. 5. last For he hath made him to be sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us 3. The Mercy of God is eminently manifested in Jesus Christ man is made to rise by his fall Mercy never saw the light before it was never revealed but in Jesus Christ for it respects the creature in its misery Luk. 1.72 78 To perform the mercy promised to our fathers and to remember his holy Covenant Through the tender mercy of our God whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us When all the posterity of Adam were as fuel for the fire mercy rescues and reserves some to be sons and heirs Rom. 9.23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore prepared unto glory 4. The Power of God is manifested in Christ God shewed his power in the Creation as we read Isa 40.12 Who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand and meted out heaven with the span and comprehended the dust of the earth in a measure and weighed the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance c. Job 38 c. But what is this to the taking of our nature and uniting it in a personal union with the Son of God that God should become man the Ancient of Days become a Child the Incomprehensible to become comprehensible Col. 2.9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the God-head bodily The invisible God to become visible and to dwell here as in a tabernacle with men Joh. 1.14 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth 5. The Soveraignty of God is manifested in and through Christ great was the Soveraignty of God that was exercised in predestination in making of vessels of honour or dishonour according to the pleasure of his will Rom. 9.21 22 23 Hath not the potter power over the clay of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour and another unto dishonour What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known endured with much long-suffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had before prepared unto glory But all this was Soveraignty over the creature but that Jesus Christ the Son of God should be appointed a Mediator of the new Covenant made a Servant commanded to lay down his life this is greater Soveraignty Joh. 6.38 For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Chap. 10. v. 18 This commandment have I received of my Father 6. The Justice of God is manifested in Christ Justice was seen in casting off the Angels that fell without hope and in executing the sentence and curse of the first Covenant upon Adam for his transgression thereof but the world never heard of such manifestation of Justice as appears in the satisfaction of Christ to Justice That Christ the Son of God is made sin for us and being made so in obedience to his Fathers command Justice spares him not but he must be smitten to death that satisfaction may be made for sin in our nature Rom. 8.32 He that
soul Mat. 26.38 Then saith he unto them My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death Heb. 10.5 A body hast thou prepared me Luke 24.39 Behold my hands and my feet that it is I my self handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have 3. He hath all the names of a man Adam Enosh Ish Geber whereof see Zech. 6.12 and 13.7 Dan. 7.13 4. He took upon him all the affections of a man fear and sorrow and love and anger c. Mat. 26.38 My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death Heb. 5.7 And was heard in that he feared Joh. 11.33 35 36 He groaned in the spirit and was troubled Jesus wept Then said the Jews Behold how he loved him Mat. 10.14 Aud when Jesus saw it he was much displeased Mat. 21.12 5. He took upon him all the sinless infirmities of a man to hunger thirst be weary â—afflicted tempted die c. Heb. 2.18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted Chap. 4. v. 15 For we have not an High-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin Chap. 5. v. 2 For that he himself also is compassed with infirmity Mat. 8.17 Himself took our iniquities and bare our sicknesses Chap. 4. v. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights he was afterwards an hungred 2. Consider in Christs taking our nature upon him his condescending love union betwixt God and man was the great design intended through the Mediator this is brought about by his condescension and our exaltation where love is it will stoop and the greater condescension the greater love These things hold forth infinite condescending in Christs taking our nature upon him 1. Consider who condescends thus The higher that the person be who condescends the more love is in his condescension if it be a great condescending for God to look down upon things here below Psal 113.46 The Lord is high above all nations and his glory above the heavens who humbleth himself to behold the things in the heaven and in the earth What then must it be for the Son of God to take upon him the form of a Creature Phil. 2.6 7 Who being in the form of God thought it not robbery to be equal with God But made himself of no reputation and took upon him the form of a servant and was made in the likeness of man That he that made the world should be made of a woman That the immortal God should become mortal flesh it were a great condescension that the soul of a man should enter into a worm or that all the Angels should become worms yet that were nothing to Christs stooping to take our nature upon him 2. Consider what he took upon him not our person but our nature Heb. 2.15 16 The seed of Abraham our flesh and blood that is our nature many can be content to take upon them the persons of men to represent them who yet would not be willing to take their nature but Christ took our nature 3. The end wherefore he took our nature upon him sheweth yet more of his condescending 1. It was that he might suffer and that he might die for us in that nature Phil. 2.8 And being found in fashion as a man he humbled himself and became obedient unto the death even the death of the cross Non ad gloriam sed ad ignominiam to be abased in our nature 2. It was for our good not for any thing that it could profit him Gal. 4.5 To redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons 4. He took our nature upon him not for a day or a short time but to continue so It may be a Prince at a Masque for a little time might be moved to take the form of a servant upon him but to continue so he would not be moved but here is infinite condescension Christ takes our nature upon him and keeps it still he will come again in our nature to judg the world Act. 1.11 This same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Chap. 17. v. 31 Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained Though he doth nothing now in Heaven but acts of Majesty being a Priest set upon the right hand of the throne of Majesty Heb. 8.1 Yet he will do those acts in our nature yea when he shall deliver up the kingdom See Chap. 6. the Kingdom which he hath received as Mediator he will not lay down our nature 1 Cor. 15.24 5. Consider the time when he took our nature upon him not when our nature was a virgin but when it was defiled not mans nature in innocency but in his sinful corrupted condemned accursed estate Rom. 8.3 In the likeness of sinful flesh Chap. 5. v. 10 When we were enemies and when all the Creatures did hate us when we were not worth the following then he did thus condescend to love us and follow us 6. Consider the manner of his taking our nature upon him 1. He doth not personate our nature but is made flesh Joh. 1.14 2. He does it voluntarily and chearfully and with earnest desire when we were not following him but fleeing away from him he himself rose out of his place and followed after us and caught our nature as the words signifies Heb. 2.7 And took upon him the form of a servant Psal 40.7 Then said he Lo I come 3. He takes our nature upon him with all the infirmities of it Heb. 2.17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren Chap. 4. v. 15 For we have not an High-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin He would condescend so far that in all things he would be like us sin only excepted and even in that though he took not the corruption of sin yet he took upon him the guilt of our sin 2 Cor. 5. last For he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin He was legally the sinner though not intrinsecally and the punishment thereof Gal. 3.13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law being made a curse for us He was content to be numbred with the transgressors Isa 53.12 He was content to be punished for our sins even by God his Father And which is yet wonderful that he might come as near to us as possible he was content to condescend to be tempted to the thing wherewith it was impossible that he could be tainted Mat. 4.2 To be tempted of the Devil to sin and yet the Prince of the world had nought in him Joh. 14.20 7. Consider the comparison instituted by the Holy-Ghost which doth yet
if the kinsman had refused he is put to open shame by taking off his shooe which Christ will not let be done to him 2. By this means the Inheritance even the better Inheritance than that of Adams is setled upon our Family Jer. 32.8 For the right of Inheritance is thine and the Redemption is thine 5. That he might sanctifie our nature in the root and repair it in the very foundation where Adam defiled it when he and we have it of the same lump Now you know it is the first fruits that sanctifieth the lump Rom. 11.16 for except he had been the first fruits of the same lump that we are of the lump could not have been sanctified by him Heb. 2.11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one Col. 1.15 The first-born of every creature But in as much as he is the first fruits of the same lump with us he sanctifieth our nature in the root our conception birth nursing education life c. Quest 3. Why did not the Son of God take upon him Adam's nature in Innocency when it was a virgin but he took our nature upon him when it was at the worst when it was corrupted and accursed Ans 1. It was not Adam's nature in innocency that needed a Mediator but sinful nature therefore he will take upon him that nature that needed help and will sanctifie it by his taking of it upon him Rom. 8.3 God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh 2. He did this to magnifie his love as I have before shewed there was the more wonderful love in it There was 1. Distinguishing love in it that put difference betwixt us and the Angels Heb. 2.16 For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham 2. There was condescending love in it that loved us at our worst Rom. 5.8 But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us Ezek. 16.8 Now when I passed by thee and looked upon thee behold thy time was the time of love and I spread my skirt over thee and covered thy nakedness yea I sware unto thee and entered into a Covenant with thee saith the Lord God and thou becamest mine 3. He did this that he might be glorified in the greater destruction and confusion of mans enemy the Devil Consider 1. The weaker that the enemy be the greater is the confusion of them that fall by him how great is Satans confusion that by his power is able to destroy a world of men in a night if he were permitted when the man Christ in our nature and having taken our nature upon him at the worst is the destruction of the Devil for ever Heb. 2.14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil When by a babe and suckling the enemy and avenger is stilled Psal 8.2 2. For one to perish in his own plot is a great confusion when the Devil fell from Heaven and could not reach Angels to tempt them he becomes mans enemy and Christ destroys him in mans nature in the similitude of sinful flesh he is twice defeated in his own plot in our nature 1. The Devil tempts man to sin and this proves his greatest confusion for out of mans fall came the bruising of his head and it is observable that in Satans sentence is put the first promise of Christ to man Gen. 3.15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel Rom. 8.3 2. When Christ is manifested in the flesh the Devil tempts men to kill him and in this plot he is defeated again Heb. 2.14 That he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil When he hath made innocent man become sinful flesh he is destroyed in the similitude of sinful flesh by the man Christ who took our nature upon him when it was at the worst 3. It is a great confusion for one to have his enemy to become his Judg and to pronounce the sentence against him as his Judg and hereby is Christ yet more glorified in the destruction of mans enemy the Devil that the man Christ Jesus in the similitude of our flesh which he took upon him when it was at the worst hath judged the Devil and shall judg men and Angels Joh. 16.11 Of judgment because the prince of this world is judged Act. 17.31 Because he hath appointed a day in the which he will judg the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead 4. Our Mediator behoved to partake of all our infirmities Isa 53.3 A man of sorrows who is to leave us an example of sufferings and therefore behoved to take our nature upon him when it was at the worst Heb. 12.2 He endured the cross despising the shame 1 Pet. 2.20 21 But if when ye do well and suffer for it ye take it patiently this is acceptable before God For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that we should follow his steps He is a Mediator that is to be made perfect through sufferings Heb. 5.8 9. Chap. 2. v. 10. Which agrees not with mans nature in innocency Quest 4. Why must our Mediator be born of the seed of Abraham and when was there any matter what prerogatives he had might he not have been of any other stock since he is to be the redeemer of man both Jews and Gentiles Heb. 2.16 Answ That he might be known to be the promised Messias of whom all the Prophets had spoken all which agree that he should be a Jew by Nation of Abrahams seed and Davids son Deut 18.15 The Lord thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee of thy brethren like unto me unto him ye shall hearken Gen. 22.18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Psal 132.11 The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David he will not turn from it Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne 2. Because God had then no other people in the world at that time but Abrahams feed and he would honour his own people by taking his humâ—ne nature of their family 3. Christ was to be subject to the Law even the ceremonial Law which was among the Jews only and here for explicating this Branch of the Answer more fully we shall take it in a distinct Question Quest 5. Why must our Mediator be made under the law Gal. 4.4 Or subject to the Law both Moral and
his Legacy things pertaining to such persons c. Isa 42.1 53.10 Joh. 6.37 Joh. 17 throughout I proceed now to the third relation which Christ sustaineth in the Covenant of Grace he is the Witness of the Covenant Isa 55.4 Behold I have given him for a witness to the people Rev. 3.14 These thing saith the Amen the faithful and true witness Rev. 1.5 And from Jesus Christ who is the faithful witness Christ may be considered as the witness of the Covenant in a double respect 1. He is the Witness witnessed 2. He is the Witness witnessing The Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ghned is rendred and doth frequently signifie Testimonium as well as Testis and so the LXX render it Isa 55.4 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ is the Testimonium and the Testis the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 see Rev. 3.14 Write these things saith the Amen the faithful and true witness with 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time First I say Christ is the Witness witnessed or the great evidence and testimony of the Covenant betwixt God and his people and in this sense a Witness is used frequently in the Scripture to signifie not only a person that beareth testimony but for any thing that doth evidence as a witness Heb. 11.4 By which he obtained witness that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts Luk. 22.71 And they said what need we any further witness for we our selves have heard of his own mouth For First He is given of God as the great evidence of covenant-Covenant-love and of that special good-will to sinners which gave the first rise to the Covenant Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life Luk. 2.10 11 And the Angel said unto them fear not for behold I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people for unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Secondly He is given as the great evidence of Covenant-interest and relations betwixt God and sinners as the sign and evidence that the disagreeing parties are made one in him Isa 7.14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son and shall call his name Immanuel Thirdly As the great evidence and witness of Gods fulfilling all the promises of the Covenant 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are Yea and in him they are Amen therefore Christ was of old given as the sign of fulfilling all promises and accomplishing all deliveries to the Church before his coming in the flesh Zech. 6.12 and he shall build the temple of the Lord Isa 7.14 Fourthly As the great evidence and witness of the standing-perpetuity of these Covenant-relations betwixt God and his people Psal 89.34 35 37 My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lye unto David It shall be established for ever as the moon and as a faithful witness in heaven Selah Fifthly As the great evidence of the nature and complexion of the Covenant he is so given of God for a witness that all the Covenant is comprised in him Isa 42.6 And will give thee for a Covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles and therefore also when it was first revealed there was nothing heard of but this witness Christ in the promise of whom all the Covenant the union of God and man was simmed up Gen. 3.15 And I will put enmity between thee and the woman and between thy seed and her seed it shall bruise thy head and thou shalt bruise his heel If Christ be given to the people for a witness in this sense then 1. You who are under the Preaching of this Gospel qua faedus anunciatum consider the office of Christ and understand it as the great witness and evidence of Gods commanding and approving will that you should enter in Covenant with him and that you ought to believe on the Son of God and know for a certainty that if you obey not the command of believing and taking hold of this Covenant the offers of Christ that hath been made unto you shall be for a witness and evidence that shall acquit the Lord of your condemnation and shall cut off all excuse from you in as much as your Obligation and Duty to believe was revealed unto you and the offer of Christ is the witness of this to all the people who have heard the Gospel 1 Joh. 5.23 And this is his commandment that we should believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ Joh. 15.25 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin 2. To such as have the Covenant of grace acted in an effectual and powerful way upon their hearts according to Gods Decree and Will of purpose I mean such as have been brought under the bond of this Covenant upon their hearts Eze. 20.37 in which sense the Covenant is spoken of Jer. 31 and Ezek. 36 c. I would have you to understand Gods giving of Christ unto you as he doth intend it to wit as a witness and testimony of his Covenant with you as the greatest evidence and demonstration that can be of his Covenant-love to you of your Covenant-interest in him of the continuance of that Covenant-relation betwixt you and him and of the nature and substance of that Covenant you fearch for witnesses within you and from Heaven to testifie of your Covenant-state through grace you long for that which may evidence it satisfyingly unto you and it may be most of us sin more on the other hand through neglect of fearching after these witnesses which are attainable but it 's a pity that believers who have received Christ freely given to them by God should slight the greatest witness that ever God gave to his people a witness is at hand and you receive not the testimony thereof it may of this be said He that believeth on the son of God hath the witness in himself 1 Joh. 5.10 11 12. He hath Christ the great witness of the Covenant and who knows but we may be left of God to wander the more in the dark about our Covenant state because we lay so little weight upon the having of him whom God hath given for a witness to the people O let us not tempt God by slighting him thus but let us look upon the having of him given to us as the witness of all these things before-mentioned concerning a Covenant betwixt God and us he being given of God for this end so may we find the door and way which we grope for how to
Heb. 6.17 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath Eph. 1.9 Having made known unto us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure which he had purposed in himself 4. Whose Messenger is Christ in this Covenant-relation whether of one of the parties or of both Answ 1. In some respects he is only the Messenger of one of the parties I mean as the name doth import a Mission Delegation and Subordination so he is only Gods Messenger because Christ Mediator the Angel of the Covenant had his commission only from God and is to give an account of that honourable trust and employment to him only Isa 42.1 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth Joh. 5.22 For as the father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son c. 1 Cor. 15.24 Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God even the father Yea even in these things which he acteth upward toward his father as Messenger of the Covenant put case his negotiating with God for his people he hath his Mission and Delegation from God for that special effect Joh. 1.2 24 As thou hast given him power over all flesh that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me 2. In some respects he is the Messenger of both the parties as namely 1. In respect of the business about which he is employed his Message is about matters of huge concernment to both the parties of the Covenant for his fathers honour and his peoples happiness lay equally in the business about which he is employed Joh. 17.2 4 That he should give eternal life to as many as thou bast given him I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do 2. In respect of the travels of his soul in that business and Message he did it cordially and condescendingly did he run the Errants of both the parties he came his fathers Errant to us and he went our Errant to his father Joh. 13.3 Jesus knowing that the father had given all things into his hands and that he was come from God and went to God Joh. 14.2 12 I go to prepare a place for you because I go unto my father Joh. 16.5 28 But now I go my way to him that sent me and none of you asketh me whither goest thou I came forth from the father and am come into the world again I leave the world and go to the father 3. In respect of his Ambassage and Agency he was an Ambassador and Agent on Gods part while he was here upon the earth he was his Messenger who came to declare and to confirm the Covenant 2 Cor. 5.19 To wit that God was in Christ recanciling the world unto himself Gal. 4.4 5 But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons And he is now our Agent he is Messenger and Lieger in Heaven on our part in regard of his constant residence there for our business Heb. 9.24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands which are the figures of the true but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Act. 3.21 Whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things 4. In respect of his correspondency with both parties he is correspondent with God for his people Joh. 17.8 25 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me And these have known that thou hast sent me And he is correspondent with us for God Joh. 6.38 39 For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me And this is the fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day Luk. 12.32 Fear not little flock for it is your fathers good pleasure to give you the Kingdom He is correspondent betwixt the confederate parties 5. About what busmess is he Messenger and what is the special subject matter of his employment Answ His Name and Covenant-relations do declare the business he is Messenger of the Covenant Legatus faederis Mal. 3.1 His Message is as large and broad as all things pertaining to the Covenant Heb. 2.17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the sins of the people So that there is nothing which doth any way relate to the Covenant betwixt God and believers which falleth not under this Covenant-relation a sum whereof may be comprehended under these three heads 1. Whatsoever appertaineth to the making of the Covenant he is Messenger betwixt God and his people for that effect whether it be any thing which belongeth to the courting and wooing of his peoples hearts by commending his father and making offers of himself and of his love unto them Joh. 14.2 In my fathers house are many mansions if it were not so I would have told you Joh. 15.1 I am the true Vine Joh. 16.27 For the father himself loveth you Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son Joh. 10.14 29 I am the good shepherd my father which gave them me is greater then all Wisdom cryeth who will have Christ Prov. 9.1 Wisdom hath builded her house she hath hewn out her seven Pillars c. Joh. 7.37 38 In that last day that great day of the feast Jesus stood and cried saying if any man thirst let him come unto me and drink He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water Mat. 11.28 Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest Hos 2.14 Therefore behold I will allure her and bring her into the wilderness and speak comfortably unto her Song 2.1 I am the rose of Sharon and the lillie of the vallies Or whether it be any thing which belongeth to the engaging the hearts of his people in determining them by his grace and acting the Covenant upon their hearts he is Messenger also for that to command Souls to engage with him and to arise and go after him and to forsake all for him Ezek. 20.37 And I will cause you to pass under the rod and I will
bring you into the bond of the Covenant Ezek. 36.27 And I will put my spirit within you and cause you to walk in my statutes and ye shall keep my judgments and do them Heb. 8.10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days saith the Lord I will put my laws into their mind and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a people Psal 45.10 Hearken O daughter and consider and encline thine ear forget also thine own people and thy fathers house Gen. 12.1.4 Now the Lord had said unto Abraham Get thee out of thy countrey and from thy kindred and from thy fathers house unto a Land that I will shew thee So Abraham departed as the Lord had spoken unto him Mat. 4.19 20 And he saith unto them follow me and I will make you fishers of men And they streight-way left their nets and followed him 2. Whatsoever appertaineth to the maintaining and preserving of the Covenant and confederacy betwixt God and his people Christ is Messenger for that and herein he doth the part of the Messenger of the Covenant 1. By travelling betwixt the parties for keeping up free access betwixt them and liberty to speak with one another for it is by him that God hath access to speak to our hearts and that we have access to him by frequent mutual Messages the Messenger being a Courtier and Favourite with both the parties Eph. 2.18 For through him we both have access by one spirit unto the father Eph. 3.12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him Heb. 1.1 2 God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the Prophets hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son 2. By travelling betwixt the parties for correspondence and entercourse to maintain communion and a good understanding betwixt them to the end that none of the parties engaged in the Covenant of kindness become strangers to one another through the want of converse and corresponding Christ is a Messenger betwixt them to maintain the peace and friendship Joh. 16.16 A little while and ye shall not see me and again a little while and ye shall see me because I go to the father Joh. 14.18 19 I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you Yet a little while and the world seeth me no more but ye see me because I live ye shall live also 3. He is a Messenger to maintain the Covenant betwixt God and his people by travelling betwixt the parties with good reports Heb. 12.24 25 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things then that of Abel See that ye refuse not him that speaketh c. Commending God to his people and his love and speaking good of all his way with them Joh. 10.29 My father which gave them me is greater then all Joh. 16.27 For the father himself loveth you because ye have loved me Psal 25.10 All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies And commending believers unto his father and speaking good of them and for them frequently behind their back when they do not hear him Joh. 17.6 8 25 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were and thou gavest them me and they have kept thy word For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me and they have received them and known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send me O righteous father the world hath not known thee but I have known thee and these have known that thou hast sent me Jer. 31.20 Is Ephraim my dear son is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I do earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord. Jer. 12.7 I have given the dearly beloved of my soul into the hand of her enemies Christ maketh both a good report of his father to his people here on Earth and a good report of them to his father in Heaven he putteth good constructions not only upon his fathers way with his people which cannot reasonably bear an evil construction Rom. 8.28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God to them who are the called according to his purpose But also upon his peoples way and walk and duties to God-ward a construction and report of them which they would stand in awe to give of themselves yea they are in hazzard to contradict this blessed Messengers report many a time Joh. 14.4 5 And whither I go ye known and the way ye know Thomas saith unto him Lord we know not whither thou goest and how can we know the way 3. Whatsoever appertaineth to the repairing of the Covenant or to the renewing and establishing thereof in the case of any breach betwixt the parties he is a Messenger for that he is the repairer of the breach and doth declare himself the Angel of the Covenant 1. By taking up emergent differences betwixt God and his people that they may not controvert about them but may rather have satisfaction in him Isa 53.12 And he was numbred with the transgressors and he bare the sin of many and made intercession for the transgressors Heb. 9 7 But into the second went the High-priest alone once every year not without blood which he offered for himself and for the errors of the people For as our High-priest he makes offering for the errors of the people for all the differences arising betwixt God and his people are taken away alone by his travels 2. By renewing the Covenant-kindness and love and engagements he travels as a Messenger and cannot rest after breaches and differences betwixt his father and his people or betwixt himself and them until the wonted kindness be renewed and till it be betwixt God and his people as it used to be 1 Joh. 2.1 2 And if any man sin we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins Jer. 2.2 Go and cry in the ears of Jerusalem saying Thus saith the Lord I remember thee the kindness of thy youth the love of thine espousals when thou wentest after me in the wilderness in a land that was not sown Isa 54.8 In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee saith the Lord thy Redeemer Ezek. 16.60 Nevertheless I will remember my covenant with thee in the days of thy youth and I will establish unto thee an everlasting covenant 6. Let us a little consider the properties of the Messenger and Angel of the Covenant which do commend
Marriage-love of a match proposed to your Souls Psal 45. Song 1 c. Come and hear Christ commend Christ come and hear the Messenger of the Covenant commend the bargain commend the Covenant commend God commend Heaven and the lot of Saints and it became him well to do so his praise is savoury even in his own mouth Joh. 6.48 and 8.14 23 24. and 10.11 29. and 14.2 and 15.1 Song 2.1 Prov. 9.1 c. with Song 3. last 5. Be perswaded to receive the Messenger himself if it were possible to receive his Message and not to receive himself that could not avail you consider with your selves 1. What huge unkindness it were not to receive such a Messenger who hath travelled so far and through so much hardship and for this one errant To make offer of his love to you Joh. 13.1 Having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end Song 5.2 Saying open to me my sister my love my dove my undefiled for my head is filled with dew and my locks with the drops of the night 2. Consider how unexcusable before God this one act shall make you and how much it shall leave upon your selves and bind upon your selves your own blood and damnation Joh. 15.22 If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have no cloak for their sin Joh. 5.40 And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Joh. 3.19 And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men have loved darkness rather then light because their deeds were evil 3. Consider what high and excellent priviledges the receiving of the Messenger of the Covenant bringeth with it See Joh. 1.12 But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe on his name Rev. 3.20 If any man hear my voice and open the dore I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Joh. 14.23 Jesus answered and said unto him if any man love me he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Isa 56.7 Even them will I bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer their burnt-offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people 4. Consider how near God hath brought Heaven and Salvation unto you by the Messenger of the Covenant it is even come down to meet you and brought to your dore to knock for entry Rev. 21.3 4 And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying Behold the tabernacle of God is with men and he will dwell with them and they shall be his people and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes Luk. 10.9 And say unto them the kingdom of God is come nigh unto you Isa 46.13 I bring near my righteousness it shall not be far off and my salvation shall not tarry and I will place salvation in Zion for Israel my glory Rom. 13.11 And that knowing the time that now it is high time to awake out of sleep for now is our salvation nearer then when we believed 5. Consider that the Messenger of the Covenant is the jewel and precious stone of that ring he himself is the chief thing that is in the Covenant and much better than Salvation and Heaven Mat. 13.44 45 Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto treasure hid in a field the which when a man hath found he hideth and for joy thereof goeth and selleth all that he hath and buyeth that field Again the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant-man seeking goodly pearls c. 1 Pet. 2.7 Vnto you therefore which believe he is precious 6. Consider that he desireth no more satisfaction for all the travel of his Soul in this Message but that he may see some fruit of his travel through his peoples receiving his Message and making the Messenger of the Covenant welcome and it is a pity to refuse him so reasonable a desire Isa 53.11 He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied Luk. 19.41 42 And when he was come near he beheld the city and wept over it saying If thou hadst known even thou at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes 7. Consider that if you receive not the Messenger of the Covenant you miss the whole bargain for he is all the Covenant Isa 42.6 And I will give thee for a covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles 6. By all means take heed how you entertain the Messenger of the Covenant 1 Cor. 10.9 Neither let us tempt Christ as some of them also tempted and were destroyed of serpents If you use him kindly he will indeed deal well with you and be easily entreated Exod. 23.20 22 Behold I send an angel before thee to keep thee in the way and to bring thee in the place which I have prepared But if thou shalt indeed obey his voice and do all that I speak Then I will be an enemy unto thine enemies and an adversary unto thine adversaries Rev. 3.20 Behold I stand at the dore and knock if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Joh. 14.23 Jesus answered and said unto him If any man love me he will keep my words and my father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him Luk. 24.29 But they constrained him saying Abide with us for it is towards evening and the day is far spent and he went in to tarry with them But if you provoke him and slight him O you had need to beware of him he will not bear with it Exod. 23.21 Isa 61.2 3. 1 Cor. 16.22 CHAP. XIX Christ a Servant in the Covenant THE fifth relation which Christ sustaineth in the Covenant is He is a Servant in the business of the Covenant Many Scriptures point at Christ under this Covenant-relation Isa 42.1 and 49.3 5 6. and 52.13 and 53.11 Ezek. 34.23 24. and 37.24 25. Zech. 3.8 Mat. 12.18 Luk. 22.27 Mark 10.45 Rom. 15.8 For the better understanding whereof let us a little enquire in these six Particulars 1. In what respects this name is given to Christ 2. How he came under this Covenant-relation 3. Whose Servant he is 4. What kind of Service this is which lyeth upon Christ by this Covenant-relation 5. What doth pertain to his office as Servant in the Covenant and what was the Service he did in the business of the Covenant 6. Some things in his Service which commend his acting in this Covenant-relation And 1. This Name which is a name not only of
faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me 3. His Service of love is commended from the lowness of the wager and price which he is to have for his Service and love Was man a crown and wager for Christ to work and to run for that he might win it how great a disproportion is there betwixt the Service and the Wages Can poor polluted nothings such as we are be a price for such Love for such Service for such transcendent infinite Love and yet such was the wager for which he served Joh. 13.1 Having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end Joh. 17.19 And for their sakes I sanctifie my self that they also might be sanctified through the truth 4. His Service is commended from the largeness of his design of Love through which he did drive the serving of this Service that God the Son of God did drive this piece of Service through so deep and broad and long a design of transcendent love from everlasting to everlasting through so many decrees which at last could produce nothing in the result but this price To have his poor people engaged to him by a Covenant whereas we might think a lower design might compass sinners and a less price might buy poor man Jer. 31.3 The Lord hath appeared of old unto me saying Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love therefore with loving-kindness have I drawn thee 1 Joh. 3.1 Behold what manner of love the father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God therefore the world knoweth us not because it knew him not Eph. 3.18 19 may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledg that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God 5. His Service is commended for his performing of it and doing his work so long before he was to reap that low price of all the travel of his Soul to wit the enjoyment of his people Isa 53.11 He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied He served long ago for that wager which is not not yet payed to him and he knew when he served that Service that he should lie so long out of a great part of his satisfaction Joh. 17.20 Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their word Vse 2. This Covenant-relation speaks sad things to them who will not serve Christ 1. Wo to them that will not serve him who refuse a consent of their Service to him who made himself a Servant for our sake Luk. 19.14 But his citizens hated him and sent a message after him saying We will not have this man to reign over us Psal 2.3 Let us break their bands asunder and cast away their cords from us We love to be Lords over our own liberty and wills and to break his bands 2. Wo to them that think shame to serve him there is a generation that think it is below them to serve Christ they judg his Service is not honourable though he was not ashamed to serve us Luk. 22.27 For whether is greater he that sitteth at meat or he that serveth is not he that sitteth at meat but I am among you as he that serveth Heb. 2.11 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 And though it be no shame but honourable to serve him Psal 116.16 O Lord truly I am thy servant I am thy servant and the Son of thine hand-maid thou hast loosed my bonds Psal 84.10 For a day in thy courts is better then a thousand I had rather be a dore-keeper in the house of my God then to dwell in the-tents of wickedness Ifa 58.13 And call the sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honourable and shalt honour him not doing thine own ways nor finding thine own pleasure nor speaking thine own words 3. Wo to them that pretend to serve him and do nothing but Eye-service in his work though he was real and cordial in serving our Interest for his Soul travelled in the business but the spirits of such act nothing in his Service Eph. 6.6 Not with Eye-service as men-pleasers but as the servants of Christ doing the will of God from the heart Isa 29.13 Wherefore the Lord said Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth and with their lips do honour me but hath removed their heart from me and their fear toward me is taught by the precepts of men c. O Consider with your selves 1. What pride there is in refusing to serve him whose Service is so honourable an employment that it is not below the Kings of the Earth to bring their Glory unto Christ and to bow before him Psal 2.10 11 12 Be wise now therefore O ye kings be instructed ye judges of the earth Servo the Lord with fear and rejoice with trembling Kiss the Son lest he be angry and ye perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little Psal 54. throughout Who would not bow to him who shall break them all that will not bow unto him Isa 60.12 For the nation and kingdom that will not serve thee shall perish yea those nations shall be utterly wasted Psal 2.9 Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potters vessel Psal 110.5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath 2. Consider what huge and monstrous ingratitude and unkindness it is not to serve him who hath voluntarily humbled himself to serve us who though he was our maker Heb. 1.2 3 yet made himself of no reputation for our advancement Phil. 2.7 Consider how he hath commended his Service unto us and be ashamed not to be found among his servants and followers See more of this Chap. 18. Vse 3. Exhortation 1. Consider and know what he hath done in this Covenant-relation after he hath served this Service and done all that was incumbent to him in this relation he may put the question to us which sometimes he put to his Disciples Joh. 13.12 Know ye what I have done to you 't is a pity that his Service is so little known and taken notice of among his own people for whom he hath done this Service 't is a pity that it should be met with doubtings whether he hath done Service for us or denials of our interest in it which occasion diminutive thoughts and expressions of it 2. Consider how ill Christ was used in this relation that you may be broken for it he was smitten by both the parties It pleased the Lord to bruise him Isa 53.10 Rom. 8.32 He spared not his own Son Zech. 13.7 Awake O sword against my shepherd and against the man that
is my fellow saith the Lord of hosts And his own people smote him and used him very ill Mat. 21.38 But when the husbandmen saw the Son they said among themselves This is the heir come let us kill him and let us seize on his inheritance Joh. 1.11 He came unto his own and his own received him not Isa 53.3 He is despised and rejected of men a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him he was dispifed and we esteemed him not Yet his love did bear him through all this cold encouragement 3. Consider how you entertain his Service 2 Cor. 6.1 We then as workers together with him beseech you also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain Do not slight it do not refuse it upon whatsoever pretext but if he will do you Service and condescend to do you good suffer him to do it 't is no presumption to let him take his will of you he took it ill to be otherwise dealt with Joh. 13.6 8 And Peter saith unto him Lord dost thou wash my feet Peter saith unto him Thou shalt never wash my feet Jesus answered him If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me And no wonder he take it very ill to have his Service slighted and refused for his Service is the heighth of his love which he â—annot endure to have slighted his Service offered is slighted â—y all those who will not give their consent to let him do unto them all the good offices which are mentioned in the Gospel by all who do not subject their consent unto it Joh. 5.40 And ye will not come to me that ye might have life Mat. 22.5 But they made light of it and went their ways one to his farm another to his merchandise 4. Consider what advantages we have by his Service 1. His condescension was the cause of our exaltation if he had not served we had not reigned if he had not come down to the footstool we should never have come up to the Throne Heb. 5.8 9 Though he were a Son yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered and being made perfect he became the Author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him Rom. 8.17 And if children then heirs heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together 2. It was the hardship of his Service which makes ours so easie he left us little to do when he was made under the law he did bear away the bondage of our Service and Duties Rom. 7.4 Wherefore my brethren ye also are become dead to the law by the body of Christ that ye should be married to another even to him who is raised from the dead that we should bring forth fruit unto God He did hear the hard and insupportable yoke and left us nothing to do but to serve for love he brake the force and power of the adversary and left us only a broken party and routed forces to deal with 1 Cor. 15.55 O death where is thy-sting O grave where is thy victory Yea he hath not left us alone to deal with these 3. By his Service we have our liberty and can be no more Servants but Friends and Children of the house See Gal. 4.4 5 6 7 But when the fulness of time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of Sons And because ye are Sons God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba father wherefore thou art no more a servant but a Son and if a Son then an heir of God through Christ Joh. 8.36 If the Son therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed Joh. 15.15 Henceforth I call you not servants for the servant knoweth not what his Lord doth but I have called you friends for all thinâ—s that I have heard of my father I have made known unto you Rom. 8.2 For the law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death Gal. 4.31 So then brethren we are not children of the bond-woman but of the free We were slaves and condemned under perpetual bondage married unto an angry tyrant so was the law become to transgressors but by his becoming a Servant under the law by his putting on our condition we became sharers of his liberty and Sonship 4. By his Service we have wages and a reward for our Service even for our poor worthless endeavours after duty about which there are so many questionings in the hearts of believers whether they shall be accepted and but few thoughts of a recompence I say our Service could never have been rewarded but for his Service this brought with it not acceptation only but a reward to ours upon his account being done in his name Luk. 17.10 So likewise ye when ye shall have done all these things which are commanded you say We are unprofitable servants we have done that which was but our duty to do Heb. 11.6 And that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Isa 45.19 I said not unto the seed of Jacob Seek ye me in vain Isa 56.6 7 Also the sons of the stranger that join themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love the name of the Lord to be his servants every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it and taketh hold of my covenant even them will I bring to my holy mountain and make them joyful in my house of prayer their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people 5. By his Service we have that honourable marriage with him which was the price of the travel of his Soul even to have our Souls engaged to him for the Service of love which he served that he might have his people for his reward as Jacob served for the Wives that were given him in Laban his house Gen. 29.20 28 29. Isa 53.11 He shall see of the travel of his soul and shall be satisfied 5. Consider what this relation calleth for at our hands That Christ was a Servant in the business of the Covenant this calleth us 1. To yield our selves to be his Servants upon the terms of that Covenant wherein he served even to subject our consent to serve him in â—â—ke relations 2 Cor. 9.13 Whiles by the experiment of this ministration they glorified God for your professed subjection unto the Gospel of Christ 2 Chron. 30.8 Now be ye not stiff-necked as your fathers were but yield your selves unto the Lord Isa 56.6 2. His Service calleth us to serve all his interests and relations his people especially the people who are nearly related to him Mat. 12.40 50 And he stretched forth his hand toward
to do them It is grace that the same soul that sinned dieth not but another and yet more grace that every soul that sinneth dieth not but one for many one for all the Elect world Mat. 20.28 And to give his life a ransome for many 2 Cor. 5.15 And that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again 2. This was grace in God that he did not only admit this way of satisfaction but himself did find it out The finding out of a way of satisfaction to justice without the eternal punishment of the sinner this was Gods act and this was one act of special grace for it was not only above the reach of men and Angels but also before their being 1 Cor. 2.7 8 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery even the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the world unto our glory Which none of the princes of this world knew Prov. 8.23 30 I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was Then I was by him as one brought up with him and I was daily his delight rejoycing always before him 3. This was pure grace in God that he did design provide and foresee a Surety and sactisfaction for us before we became broken men and needed one that he designed a Physician before we were sick 2 Tim. 1.9 Who hath saved us and called us with an holy calling not according to our works but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began 4. This was grace even singular grace in God that he neither did admit of this way of satisfaction for the sin of Angels nor did he find it out for them but unto men only did he indulge this dispensation Heb. 2.14 16 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham 2 Pet. 2.4 For if God spared not the Angels that sinned but cast them down to hell and delivered them into chains of darkness to be reserved unto judgment Jude vers 6 And the Angels which kept not their first estate but left their own habitation he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day There was no relaxation of the rigour of the law toward them but a strict execution of justice upon them 5. It was unspeakable grace in God that having admitted of such a way of satisfaction he should put his own Son upon the work and make him the Surety who should make satisfaction unto the justice of God by giving his life a ransome for us such an act of grace as this hath not been heard of Joh. 3.16 For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believeth on him should not perish but have everlasting life Rom. 5.8 But God commended his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us 1 Joh. 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world 1 Joh. 4.10 Herein is love not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins 6. It is grace in God that when he hath found out this way of satisfaction and is content to admit of it and hath put his Son upon the work that he should be at the pains to reveal to us Christs Surety righteousness and to apply it unto us without which the satisfaction of the Surety could not avail us and what else can it be but grace in God that maketh the satisfaction of Christ effectual to one and not to another who hath also heard of this way of satisfying-justice Job 33.23 24 If there be a messenger with him an interpreter one among a thousand to shew unto man his uprightness Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom Joh. 6.44 No man can come to me except the father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day Eph. 2.8 For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of your selves it is the gift of God And upon this account it is that justification and remission of sins are called free notwithstanding the satisfaction of Christ that the wonderful riches of Gods free grace might shine in the Suretiship of Christ Isa 43.25 I even I am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for my own sake and will not remember thy sins Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus 4. For whom is Christ engaged as Surety of the Covenant I speak now of his Suretiship only as it relateth to his act of cautionry for his people remitting the consideration of it in a larger extent unto the next thing to be handled upon this Subject Before I answer this Question I shall premit some distinctions which make way for an answer to it 1. See Mr. Ruth treatise of the Covenant p. 2. c. 10. It is a necessary distinction of the Covenant of grace that it is considered either 1. As it is preached according to the commanding-will of God or 2. As it 's fulfilled in the Elect according to the Lords will of purpose the Covenant in the first consideration stands of promises commands threatnings c. And so it holds forth what is the command of God concerning our duty and the things which we may conditionally expect and puts nothing absolutely whether we perform it or not See Act. 2.38.39 Then Peter said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Ghost For the promise is unto you and to your children and to all that are afar off even as many as the Lord our God shall call Act. 16.31 And they said Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved and thine house In the second consideration the Covenant stands wholly in promises and those absolute promises and does not hold forth our duty and obligation and what is morally good or evil because God commands it or forbids it but what is Gods will of purpose and decree and what is his pleasure to act effectually upon the hearts of the Elect he over-ruling their corrupt wills so the Covenant is to be understood Jer. 31.31 c. Ezek. 11.16 c. and 36.25 c. 2. We must distinguish the parties of the Covenant according to this two-fold consideration thereof for the parties contracting with God in the
shall walk and not faint If your legs fail and your warmness decay the undertakers arms and bosom shall supply that Isa 40.11 29 He shall feed his flock like a shepherd he shall gather the lambs with his arm and carry them in his bosom and shall gently lead those that are with young He giveth power to the faint and to them that have no might he encreaseth strength Deut. 33.27 The eternal God is thy refuge and underneath are the everlastings arms If you want a ransom to present to offended Justice if you be anxious about a satisfaction to God at any time Christs Suretiship answers that for thereby a satisfaction was found and is performed Job 33.24 Then he is gracious unto him and saith Deliver him from going down to the pit I have found a ransom 1 Joh. 2.2 And he is the propitiation for our sins If you want comfort or assurance his Suretiship is the ground of that you need not want it but through your own default Heb. 6.17 18 Wherein God willing more abundantly to shew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel confirmed it by an oath that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lye we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us Vse 6. Believers for whom Christ hath become Surety let me exhort you 1. To admire the love which made Christ undertake for you and come under an act of cautionry for you in every piece of his Suretiship you may clearly read that which was read upon a lighter occasion Joh. 11.36 Behold how he loved him Read a demonstration of his love in every thing which he acted as your Surety in every state wherein he carried your condition and in every act wherein he acted your part in his humbling himself in his sufferings in his actings for you and in you Gal. 2.20 I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me Gal. 4.4 5 But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the Law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons It s strange that you who seek for demonstrations and proofs of his love should slight so great a proof of it and that you will not read it where he hath most legibly written it Joh. 15.13 Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friend Consider more of the person who was made Surety and the parties for whom he became Surety and of the motive and principle that acted him in this undertaking and of the special respect which he carried toward each of his people in this and the sweet spirit which waited on his discharging of so great undertakings that your hearts may be raised to admiration consider the extent of his Suretiship how it reacheth unto the whole Covenant and to every condition and command in it to every promise in it take it in the largest sense to fulfil all the promises to us to pay all our Debt and to perform all our Duty to work all our work and to undergo all our punishment 2. Consider how you are in Christs Debt and for what because of his Suretiship Believers you are in Christs Debt beyond all reckening that can be made of it 1. You are infinitely in his Debt you shall not be able while you live in this world once to reckon your obligations it shall be work throughout eternity to cast up the sum of this Debt of Grace Psal 40.5 Many O Lord my God are thy wonderful works which thou hast done and thy thoughts which are to us-ward they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee if I would declare and speak of them they are more than can be numbred 2 Sam. 7.18 to the end Eph. 3.18 19 That ye may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and length and depth and height and to know the love of Christ which passeth knowledg that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God Rev. 7.10 Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne and unto the lamb 2. You are eternally in his Debt you shall never be able to requite him nay though it be your duty to study thankfulness yet it would not become you once to think of recompencing him Psal 116.12 What shall I render unto the Lord for all his benefits towards me Rev. 5.9 12 And they sang a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seals thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kinred and tongue and people and nation Saying with a loud voice Worthy is the lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and blessing You shall through all eternity remain his Debtors for his undertaking and engaging for you for his paying that which he undertook and for his discharging of the Debt to you yea and for reporting his fathers discharge of it all which come to us by Christs Suretiship 1. You are in Christs Debt for his undertaking that unrequested when there was none to sollicite him and when there was no necessity of nature upon him to answer for our Debt that then he did consent and agree to put his name in our bond and to subscribe a satisfaction to the violated Law Gal. 4.4 5 But when the fulness of the time was come God sent forth his Son made of a woman made under the law to redeem them that were under the law that we might receive the adoption of sons Heb. 10.5 7 Wherefore when he cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldst not but a body hast thou prepared me then said I Lo I come in the volume of the book it is written of me to do thy will O God 2. You are in his Debt for paying so great a sum for you so great a ransome as you can neither count the Debt which was payed nor the price which was told down in satisfaction of the penalty which we had incurred Psal 40.12 For innumerable evils hath compassed me about mine iniquities have taken hold upon me so that I am not able to look up they are moe then the hairs of my head therefore my heart faileth me Luk. 7.47 Wherefore I say unto thee Her sins which are many are forgiven for she loved much but to whom little is forgiven the same loveth little 1 Pet. 1.18 19 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things as silver and gold but with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish and without spot Isa
When we value Christ out of love not out of necessity only as the manner of those is who come to him only in their exigency as men use Physicians Psal 116.1 I love the Lord because he hath heard my voice and my supplication 3. When the excellencies of Christ do affect the heart to take pains to seek him proportionably as we seek after other things Song 5.6 9 10 I opened to my beloved but my beloved had withdrawn himself and was gone my soul failed when he spake I sought him but I could not find him I called him but he gave me no answer What is thy beloved more than another beloved O thou fairest among women what is thy beloved more than another beloved that thou dost so charge us my beloved is white and ruddy the chiefest among ten thousand 4. When we are not easily offended at him Mat. 11.6 And blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me Song 5.7 8 The watch-men that went about the city found me they smote me they wounded me the keepers of the walls took away my vail from me I charge you O daughters of Jerusalem if ye find my love that ye tell him that I am sick of love There is nothing that argueth more clearly a low esteem of Christ than a readiness to be soon and easily stumbled at him or something in his way with us or attending the way of seeking him and on the other hand nothing argueth a higher esteem of him than not to be easily offended at him let him do what he will yet will I go after him let me meet with what can be imagined which stumbleth others yet will I hold on my way is the thoughts and heart-language of one that valueth Christ above all Job 13.15 Though he slay me yet will I trust in him Vse 4. To teach us whatsoever things appertaining to this Covenant we cast our eyes upon to observe more of Christ in it for if we look upon it aright there is no part of the Covenant but we may behold Christ ingraven upon it he is the precious subject-matter of the whole and of every part of the Covenant whether they be 1. Things covenanted by God to us Christ is ingraven upon every promise and blessing and priviledg of the Covenant the righteousness and life whereunto we are restored are the righteousness and life of Christ Jer. 23.6 And this is his name whereby he shall be called The Lord our righteousness Gal. 2.20 Yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the fiesh I live by the faith of the Son of God 1 Cor. 1.30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us wisdom and righteousness and sanctification and redemption Col. 3.2 3 Set your affection on things above and not on things on the earth For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God The Sonship the spirit the grace the title to God they are our partnership of Christs Sonship his spirit his grace his Covenant-right to God Rom. 8.17 And if children then heirs heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ if so be that we suffer with him that we may be also glorified together Gal. 4.6 And because ye are sons God hath sent out the spirit of his Son into your hearts crying Abba Father Joh. 1.14 16 And the word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth And of his fulness have all we received and grace for grace Or 2. Whether they be things re-stipulated by us to God as conditions of the Covenant or as duties of the confederate people upon every condition and duty of the Covenant Christ is ingraven the faith accepting Covenant-grace and blessings is the faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.20 The holiness and worthy walking whereunto we are called is that same thing whereunto we are chosen and created in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.10 and 1.4 Vse 5. For commending Christ to you 1. See the necessity of receiving Christ and of being in him without which we can have no right to the Covenant nor to any thing contained in it he is given for a Covenant if it were possible for you to receive all that is in the Gospel-offers and not to receive Christ all these things without him could not change your Covenant-state Eph. 2.12 If you continue without Christ you are still without the Covenant therefore is that expression so frequently used to denote one in Covenant with God they that are in Christ Rom. 8.1 2 Cor. 12.2 2. Learn the way how the confederate people should come to God it is not enough that we should come to God and bring Christ with us as a third person but we must also come to God as being in Christ as being one with him Joh. 15.2 And this is to come to God through Christ Heb. 7.25 3. Be perswaded to take him who is given of God for a Covenant of the people make Christ your own and you make all the bargain your own for he is the Covenant of the people and he is all saith the Apostle Col. 3.11 And whoso findeth me findeth life and shall obtain favour of the Lord saith he himself Prov. 8.35 We beseech you receive the gift which draweth all the Covenant along with it Joh. 1.12 But as many as received him to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name If you ask When do we receive Christ 1. When we receive the very bonds of the word and that which doth most cross our corruption and straiten the loosness and liberty of our flesh 1 Thess 1.6 And ye became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction with joy of the holy Ghost 2 Cor. 10.4 5 For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds Casting down imaginations and every high thing that exalteth it self against the knowledg of God and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ 2. When we imbrace and kiss the promises that is when we love them dearly and welcome them kindly for the good that is in them for the things which they carry forth unto us Heb. 11.13 These all died in faith not having received the promises but having seen them afar off and were perswaded of them and embraced them and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth So did those Worthies who obtained a good report through faith verso 390 3. When we find and receive something sweeter and better in the promises than salvation even Christ himself Song 5.16 His mouth is most sweet yea he is altogether lovely This is my beloved and this is my friend O daughters of Jerusalem A temporary may receive the word with joy and the promises of