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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A42773	The ark of the covenant opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of redemption between God and Christ, as the foundation of the covenant of grace the second part, wherein is proved, that there is such a covenant, the necessity of it, the nature, properties, parties thereof, the tenor, articles, subject-matter of redemption, the commands, conditions, and promises annexed, the harmony of the covenant of reconciliation made with sinners, wherein they agree, wherein they differ, grounds of comfort from the covenant of suretiship / written by a minister of the New Testament.	Gillespie, Patrick, 1617-1675.	1677 (1677)	Wing G766; ESTC R3490	407,671	492

believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life 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 thou wouldst have asked of him and he would have given thee living-water Isa 42.6 And give thee for a covenant of the people for a light of the Gentiles Rom. 8.32 He that spared not his own Son but delivered him up for us all how shall he not with him also freely give us all things Yea 't is in and for Christ that the Covenant is a free Covenant for the same righteousness and life and Covenant-blessings which are freely promised and offered to us at the first hand were purchased by Christ and a satisfaction given to the justice of God for them and because he payed a price for them therefore they are free gifts to us he made all covenant-Covenant-mercies free to us by Covenant because they were bought by him in the Covenant that was made between God and Christ Isa 53.10 11 12 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief 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 Joh. 17.4 5 I have glorified thee on the earth I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do And now O father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was I do not say that Christ was the cause of Gods eternal transaction which he purposed in himself but that he is the cause of these effects of Covenant-graces which come freely to us for his sake who bought them with a great price 1 Pet. 1.19 20 21 But with the precious blood of Christ as of a lamb without blemish without spot Who verily was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times for you who by him do believe in God that raised him up from the dead and gave him glory that your faith and hope might be in God 2. The everlastingness of the Covenant is comprized in Christ the Covenant is an everlasting Covenant and he is God everlasting yea an everlasting Mediator who was set up from everlasting and shall endure to everlasting Isa 9.6 For unto us a child is born unto us a son is given and the government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called wonderful councellor the mighty God the everlasting father the prince of peace Prov. 8.23 I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the earth was Heb. 7.25 Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them Yea it is in and through and for Christ that the Covenant of grace hath everlastingness in it whether we consider it as everlasting a parte ante it could not have been an e●●●lasting Covenant in this respect unless there had been an●●●●r everlasting party for the everlasting God to deal 〈…〉 and there was not another party of this kind but 〈…〉 in whom grace was given to us and promises of life 〈…〉 made to us before the world began 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 1. 〈…〉 8.23 Or if we consider the Covenant as everlasting 〈…〉 parte post Christ is the foundation of that and it is 〈…〉 for Christ that the Covenant is an everlasting Cove●●●● 〈…〉 and because he is given for a Covenant of the people 〈…〉 everlastingness is given to that Covenant Psal 89. ●● 〈…〉 5 I have made a covenant with my chosen I have sworn unto David my servant 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 Isa 59.21 As for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit which 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 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 3. The order of the Covenant is comprised in Christ the Covenant is a well ordered Covenant and the order of the whole treaty of reconciliaton and of this Covenant-transaction is summed up in Christ in whom the parties meet together in this order God coming down to us in Christ and we coming up to God in Christ 2 Cor. 5.19 To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself Mat. 1.23 God with us Yea all things that are ordered and disposed concerning Covenant-grace and blessings are ordered in him and for him and by him for the methods and ways of Gods dispensing and ordering Covenant-blessings are through him and in him as the channel and conveyance thereof and for him as the cause and by him as the great Administrator who is over all that business for the managing thereof Eph. 1.3 4 5 6 Blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all the spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ 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 Having predestinated us into the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved Eph. 2.6 10 And hath raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them 4. The stability of the Covenant is comprised in Christ the Covenant of Grace is a sure Covenant and he is a firm and sure Christ who fails not and changes not Heb. 13.8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and to day and for ever Yea he is the very stability of the Covenant of Grace 2 Cor. 1.20 For all the promises of God in him are yea and in him Amen unto the glory of God by us The sure foundation upon which it is established Isa 28.16 Because Christ is in

love to man Heb. 2.16 For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham This necessity belongs only to the divine Nature which is most perfect and cannot by any Agent whatsoever be brought not to be or to be other or otherwise than he is Jam. 1.17 with whom is no variableness neither shadow of turning 2. A natural necessity when any thing floweth necessarily and meerly from the principles of nature and thus the fire burneth and the stone descendeth Now the Covenant of Redemption is not necessary by this natural necessity for God did not enter in Covenant with Christ as the fire burns necessarily and naturally for 1. Then it had been impossible for God not to have shewed mercy upon fallen man and that in this very way of Redemption by Christ for natural Agents cannot but act according to their natural properties but it is manifest from God's passing by the fallen Angels that he might have passed by man also in his sinful state 2. If God had either purposed in himself or exercised justice or mercy or both which is inconsistent implicant and impossible by this natural necessity then his justice and mercy being infinite he should have shewed mercy up on all or exercised justice upon all he should either have punished all that sinned to the utmost as soon as they had sinned or he should have shewed mercy upon all as soon as there were qualified objects for mercy the reason is obvious because all natural Agents work to the utmost they can 3. Then there should have been no Compact nor Covenant betwixt Jehovah and Christ for supposing such a natural necessity we destroy free consent and agreement which is essential to this Covenant and is proved in the foregoing Chapter 3. There is an hypothetical necessity which ariseth from God's ordination and appointment or as others call it a necessity of consequence when any thing is necessary upon supposition of some other thing and this is not an absolute necessity in the things themselves and their immutability but a limited respective necessity upon connexion of one thing with another Again this limited respective necessity as Mr. Anth. Burgess well observes is sometimes from the efficient cause True Doctrine of Justif Part 2. Serm. 11. because he is thus and thus disposed as when 't is said there must be heresies 1 Cor. 11 29. That is partly in regard of the efficient cause although the Text mentioneth there only the final cause because there will be Ignorance and Pride always in men 2. From the material cause Thus death is necessary and inevitable because we have principles of corruptibility within us 3. From the formal cause because that is immutable and unchangeable 4. From the final cause supposing such an end When we speak of the necessity of the Covenant of Suretiship or Redemption it is this third and last kind of necessity we mean it was hypothetically and respectively necessary only that God should enter in Covenant with Christ to wit upon supposition of some other thing that God had decreed and purposed in himself And here let us a little enquire Quest 1. What were these things which God's entering in Covenant with Christ doth suppose 2. What was the necessity of a Covenant betwixt God and Christ supposing these things 3. Whether this hypothetical and respective necessity of a Covenant with Christ flowed only from the final cause from the ends which God had purposed in himself or from the efficient cause also that is from God's natural propension to Justice or Mercy Answ 1. The Covenant of Redemption wherein God entered with Christ did proceed upon supposition of these things mainly I do not say only nor do I determine the order of the things supposed 1. This Covenant supposeth that God had purposed in himself and decreed eminently to glorifie himself in the way of justice and mercy Rom. 9.22 23 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 afore prepared unto glory 2 This Covenant supposeth that God had purposed and decreed that there should be objects qualified and fit for the glorifying of both these Attributes and this was absolutely necessary to that purpose both quoad exercitium quoad specificationem actus in respect of the exercise of the act and the specification and manner of it For to some properties in God there is required no object and to others no qualification of the object To God's Omnipotency there is required no object because it makes its objects and to God's Wisdom there is required no qualification in the object for he can order every thing to a glorious end Yet to God's mercy and justice ad extra there are not only required objects but objects so qualified either with Grace or Sin as Mr. Burgess observes Therefore the Covenant of Redemption doth suppose the purpose and decree of God about the creation of man in a blessed but mutable state Doct. of Justif p. 1. p. 105. p. 2. p. 105. and his fall from his Primitive blessedness and first Covenant-state into Sin that there might be objects and qualified objects for glorifying the Attributes of mercy and justice upon which the Apostle in the place before-mentioned Rom. 9.22 23. calls vessels of mercy and vessels of wrath 3. The Covenant of Redemption supposeth God's purpose and free decree so far to follow his Covenant-truth and justice upon man as not to acquit him without a satisfaction to Justice in his own person or by a surety of the same kind that sinned Heb. 9.15 And for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament they which are called might receive the promise of the eternal Inheritance 4. The Covenant of Redemption supposeth that God had purposed to have in Makind the objects for plorifying both these Attributes of mercy and justice that he would not punish all sin with eternal death nor yet let all go unpunished but would manifest his justice in some objects and the riches of his Grace in others Rom. 9.22 23. 5. The Covenant of Redemption supposeth that God had chosen Christ first to do the work of Redemption by satisfying justice and entreating mercy Psal 89.3 I have made a Covenant with my chosen And 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 And that he had chosen the vessels of mercy in him unto grace and glory Eph. 1.4 5 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 Having predestinated us unto the Adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself according to the good pleasure of his will I say then his suppositis these and such like things being supposed God enters in a Covenant with Christ Quest 2. But supposing that it is decreed that divine justice shall be satisfied and that the truth of the threatning of the Covenant of works should be verified upon man offending or upon a sufficient surety supposing also that Christ is designed in the counsel of God unto this work of redeeming lost man by performing a satisfaction to the justice of God It is yet a question What needed the Covenant of Redemption or Suretiship betwixt God and Christ Might not the work have been done without any Compact Covenant or Agreement betwixt the Father and the Son Answ I shall only here give a short answer referring the more full and particular satisfaction of this question unto the latter part of this Chapter wherein I have purposed the handling of the particular ends and intents for which the Covenant of Redemption is necessary For present I say 1. It might suffice that God decreed and plainly revealed that the satisfaction which his justice will have for sin and which Christ has given was agreed betwixt them by a Covenant and so in respect of infinite wisdom which worketh by deep counsel and doth nothing without a reason it was necessary because God thought fit that it should be so he pitched upon this way But beside this 2. Whatsoever necessity was in regard of infinite wisdom that lost man should be redeemed sin should not be pardoned without a satisfaction that Christ should be our Redeemer and should come and give that satisfaction the same necessity also requires a Covenant betwixt God and Christ for carrying on that work in the way of Agreement so that if a Mediator a Saviour and Redeemer a Surety a ransom were necessary in regard of infinite wisdom which found out this Gospel-dispensation and new way of life then was a Covenant of Suretiship and Redemption necessary also in the same respect 3. The work of Redemption performed by Christ was such as could not be undertaken and performed without a Covenant for it required commanding and obeying sending and going asking and receiving working and rewarding all which import and suppose superiority and inferiority or subordination which could not be betwixt the Father and the Son who is equal with God Phil. 2.6 unless that by Agreement Compact Consent and Covenant the Son of God had humbled himself and became obedient unto death even the death of the Cross Phil. 2.8 The work of Redemption unto which Christ was designed in the counsel of God required several offices employments trusts and relations to be sustained by him whereof I hinted something in the foregoing Chapter which not being essential to the Son of God nor belonging to him by any natural absolute or immutable necessity upon supposal of the decree of God that the Son should do the work of Redemption there was a necessity of Consequence that there should be a Covenant of Redemption and Suretiship that by the Father's calling and command and by the Sons consent and agreement making up a voluntary Compact the Son of God might bear these offices and trusts and relations which otherwise he should not have born Isa 42.1.6 Behold my servant whom I uphold mine elect in whom my soul delighteth I the Lord have called thee in righteousness and will hold thine hand Psal 2.7 I will declare the decree the Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this day have I begotten thee Heb. 5.5 6 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 As he saith also in another place Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedeo Quest 3. Whether did this Hypothetical necessity of God's entering in Covenant with Christ to pay a ransom or as others speak this necessity of consequence flow only from a finall cause to wit God's ends which he purposed in himself or from the efficient cause also to wit from justice in God that could not remit sin without satisfaction Answ 1. Concerning the necessity of God's covenanting with Christ in respect of the ends which he purposed in himself there is no question Which were 1. The supream end to glorifie his mercy and justice I mean his declarative glory that shines ad extra not the essential glory of God whereby he was infinitely glorious from eternity and should eternally be essentially glorious though neither Man nor Angel nor any other object of his glory had been created This is the glory spoken of in these Scriptures Prov. 16.4 The Lord hath made all things for himself yea even the wicked for the day of evil Eph. 1.6 To the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved 2. The subordinate end which also is a medium or means for advancing the supream end the Redemption and Salvation of his elect people to be brought about in such manner as might manifest and declare the glory of justice and mercy both in saving some not all and passing by others upon whom he had purposed to declare his justice and in saving these whom he purposed to redeem in such a way as justice might be satisfied and mercy also entreated Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Eph. 1.7 In whom we have Redemption through his blood the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his grace It is manifest I say that in regard of these great ends the Covenant of Redemption made with Christ was necessary God having purposed in procuring our Salvation to glorifie his mercy and justice a Mediator and Surety behoved to be engaged and there being in regard of infinite wisdom which determined it none so fit as the Son of God he must needs be engaged by his own consent and by a Covenant-agreement with Jehovah Q. But here is the question about the necessity of the Covenant of Suretiship in regard of the efficient cause to wit whether or not there was any necessity of nature or natural essential justice in God which required this way of Suretiship and Redemption necessarily in regard that he could not pardon sin without a satisfaction A. Concerning this question two reasons mainly prevail with me to be sparing in the agitation of it Pisc amica col cum vorst Lubbert 99. Error Vorst Par. in c. 2. Gen. 9. Ad Rom. dub 12. Brotb animed in Vorst Martin de Pers Christi Steg Photin p. 506 507. 1. The great difference of Judgment that is among the Orthodox in this point Several Learned men holding God's Justice in punishing and correcting sin to be so natural that he cannot but punish it

or require satisfaction otherwise he should deny himself and his own nature Again there are others that hold if God be confidered absolutely in regard of his power and not upon a supposition of this decree which is de facto to let no sin go unpunished but to punish it either in the Person or in his Surety In this absolute sense they say God might freely have remitted sin without any satisfaction Aug. Serm. 3. de Sanct. Dom. lib. 3. de Trin. 13. cap. 10. Calv. in Joh. 15.15 Twiss Vind. lib. 1. de Elect. Digres 8 Lumhard Others again have followed a middle way and by some distinctions have studied to reconcile the difference which whether they reach the end or not yet have shewed a good spirit in the endeavours 2. Because it seems the less useful to dispute about the possibility of another way of taking away sin and satisfying the curse of the Law since whatsoever God might have done yet he hath plainly revealed that he hath decreed and pitched upon this only way Mr. Burg. True Doct. of Justif p. 2. p. 104 c. that he will not pardon sin without a price and satisfaction For my own poor apprehensions of this point 1. I look upon the Socinian opinion in this matter as extream and of dangerous consequence for they deny Justice and Mercy to be Properties or Attributes of God making Justice or as they call it Anger no property in God but the meer voluntary effect of his Will denying any such Justice in God whereby he propends to punish sin and making it wholly arbitrary to punish or not to punish Upon this foundation they build that Christ did not die by way of satisfaction at least there was no necessity of it Ibid. p. 1. p. 107 c. The arguments used by Mr. Burgess in confutation of the Socinian opinion are thus far cogent that they conclude justice to be a natural property in God understanding the word natural for that which floweth from nature yet by the help of free will and that God's punishing of sin is not meerly from his Will And indeed the Scriptures which hold forth sin as not only contrary to God's holy Law but also contrary to his holy Nature I mean morally contrary to him though not physically Heb. 1.13 Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil and canst not look on iniquity and which attribute the punishing of sin not only to the justice of his Law but to the righteousness and justice of his Nature Psal 11.7 For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness his countenance doth behold the upright Rev. 16.5 And I heard the Angel of the waters say Thou art righteous O Lord. These also which reckon punitive justice among his attributes when his name was proclaimed Exod. 34.7 and that will by no means clear the guilty Thefe Scriptures and the like I say have weight with me to reckon justice among the properties of God and to believe that his punishing sin is not meerly from his will 2. It is another extream to infer hence that because justice is in some sense a natural property in God and his punishing of sin is not meerly from his will therefore God punisheth sin by necessity of nature and cannot but punish it or require satisfaction more than he can deny his own Nature or cease to be God Against this assertion Treat of the Covenant of Grace p. 1. c. 7. the Reasons brought by Mr. Rutherford to which I refer the Reader do strongly conclude 3. I conceive that these extreams may admit of abatement without prejudice to the Lord's Soveraignty and the absolute freeness of his grace or without derogation from the satisfaction of Christ and the respective necessity thereof For 1. Supposing that God doth not punish sin by any natural necessity and that he doth not punish sin nor require any satisfaction by any necessity of justice yet this can be no advantage to the Socinian superstruction who conclude that then there was no necessity of Christ's dying by way of satisfaction since God hath plainly revealed that he will not pardon sin without a satisfaction and an attonement made and this decree of his doth infer an hypothetical necessity of Christ's dying by way of satisfaction 2. Supposing that justice punitive justice be natural to God and among his properties it will not necessarily follow upon supposition of the being of sin that God punisheth sin by necessity of Nature and Justice more than it will follow that because 't is natural to man to speak to laugh c. Therefore he speaks he laughs from necessity of nature for he doth these things most freely and notwithstanding it is natural to him to laugh or speak he might notwithstanding never laugh nor speak as pleaseth him For if so 1. Then his justice should carry him to punish sin without any moderation that is to punish sin as soon as ever it is committed to punish sin to the utmost degree of punishment to punish sin in every Soul that sinneth without mercy shewed to any and in the same Soul that sinneth not in a Surety because natural Agents work to the utmost they can 2. Because the natural properties of God as they are essential to him do not so much as require any objects ad extra though the manifestation of these do require objects for God should have been infinitely and eternally wise holy good just c. though there had never been any creation of Men or Angels and if these do not necessarily require objects then far less exercise of acts so that it will not follow if Justice be natural to God then he must punish sin by necessity of Nature 3. If we shall place justice among these properties in God the objects whereof may be said to be necessary which must be understood in respect of the exercise of acts about these objects otherwise no natural property in God necessarily requires any object ad extra yet the objects supposed the acts are not even then necessary by any absolute necessity of nature but only by a hypothetical necessity supposing the decree of God that gave these objects a being and ordered their being qualified objects for exercising justice or mercy upon according to his pleasure which worketh all things according to the counsel of his will and if so here is no punishing of sin by necessity of nature 4. Supposing Justice to be natural to God in that sense that Mr. Burgess asserts it Ibid. p. 104. and supposing the objects thereof to have a being yet sure he doth not punish sin by necessity of nature as the fire burns since the exercise of Justice yea the choice of objects upon which he will exercise it are subjected to his free will and soveraignty as is manifest from Rom. 9.18 Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy and whom he will he hardeneth Rev. 4.11 Thou art worthy O Lord to receive honour and

ends which God hath before him in the work of our Redemption The glory of God the glory of Christ and the good of his people 1. Some Reasons there are which most directly respect God himself and his glory 2. Others respect Christ and his honour as Mediator in this employment The third sort respect the Creatures good and happiness And 1. The Reasons of establishing this Covenant in the hands of a Mediator which respect God himself and his glory may be 1. For the glory of his Greatness and Majesty it is his glory to be dealt with like himself throughout the whole business of our Salvation 1. It was for his honour that he should carry like a Superiour wronged it became the Majesty of the Lord to keep at a distance with sinners and not to be dealt with immediately by the parties who had done him the wrong but by the Mediation and Intercession of another great Person Mal. 1.14 For I am a great king saith the Lord. Heb. 7.25 Men must therefore come to God by him by a Mediator 2. It became the Majesty and Honour of God to be dealt with only by his own Son he being the greatest Courtier in Heaven and who knew most of his fathers mind Joh. 1.18 No man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the father he hath declared him 2. For the glory of his Wisdom This was a plot becoming the wisdom of God and much for the honour of it to find out this way of making up an union betwixt God and man Again by bringing down God to man and bringing up man to God and treisting both to meet in a Mediator wonderful did the wisdom of God appear in the Reconciling Justice and Mercy and making them meet together in this business in punishing sin and setting the sinner free in making a Covenant with us through a Mediator when there could be none without a Mediator Eph. 3.10 11 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. 3. It was for the glory of Gods Goodness and Free-grace that grace may be acknowledged and dealt with like Free-grace therefore there must be a Mediator who throughout the accomplishment of our Salvation shall deal with grace by way of entreaty and requests and shall obtain our Salvation as freely by requests as if there had been no purchase made of it through satisfaction to Justice Heb. 5.17 Who in the days of his flesh when he had offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared Chap. 7. v. 25 Seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them 4. It was for the glory of his Justice which must be dealt with in a way of satisfaction grace will be dealt with by requests salva justitia which must be dealt with by a satisfaction therefore the Covenant is established in the hands of a Mediator who may tell down a price to Justice 1 Tim. 2.6 Who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time These two the Apostle joyns Rom. 3.24 25 26 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus The highest Justice and the freest grace met together in the Mediator to save us by paying a price as fully as if there had been no grace and entreating of favour in the matter of our Salvation and yet as much entreaty and request is made to grace as if Justice had received no satisfaction Secondly Other Reasons respect Christ the Covenant is established in the hands of a Mediator for the glory of the Mediator in this employment whose honour and glory God had in his eyes as well as his own Joh. 5.23 That all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father And 16.14 He shall glorifie me for he shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you Now the constituting and appointing Christ Mediator of the new Covenant is for his honour 1. In respect of the honourable offices which are laid upon him as Mediator for it is as Mediator that he is constituted a King a Priest and a Prophet to his people Heb. 1 and 7 Chap. throughout which are honourable offices Heb. 5.4 And no man taketh this honour unto himself but he that is called of God as was Aaron Joh. 5.22 23 But hath committed all judgment to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father 2. In respect of the exceeding great power which is put in his hand as Mediator no less than the administration of the whole affairs in Heaven and Earth and that every knee should bow to him Phil. 2.10 And the government shall be upon his shoulder Isa 9.6 Mat. 28.18 All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth Rev. 3.7 He that hath the key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth 3. In respect of the great dependance that shall be upon Christ Mediator by many supplicants resorting to him and waiting on him for the representing and offering of their requests Joh. 15.16 Whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name he shall give it you Zeph. 3.10 From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia my supplicants even the daughter of my dispersed shall bring mine offering 4. In respect of his sole and absolute working of the whole business of our Salvation from beginning to end every part of it being immediately from him as the Fountain and store-house and Great Lord Treasurer of all the blessings of the Covenant Heb. 12.2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith Eph. 1.3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ Act. 2.33 Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the promise of the holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear The third sort of Reasons respecting the creatures good and happiness may be holden forth 1. Negatively 2. Affirmatively 1. Without Christ the Mediator we should have had no knowledg of God which is saving for since the fall God dealeth not with man immediately nor can man see him or hear him speak without a Mediator This was typified Exod. 20.19 And they said unto Moses Speak thou with us and we will hear but let not God speak with us lest we

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 w●●● 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 c●u●se●●●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 has● 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

a Testator Joh. 14.27 Peace I leave with you to wit by Legacy 2. He sustained this relat on to declare the absolute freeness of his grace in the conveyance of Covenant-blessings which howsoever covenanted and promised to us condition-ways yet are purely deeds of Grace and of the pleasure and will of God as all testamentary deeds are which are the sole will and meer pleasure of the Testator Joh. 17.24 Father I will and Luk. 22.29 I appoint unto you a kingdom 3. He sustained this relation for the ratification of that title and interest which believers have unto Covenant-blessings for their holding being by a deed of will and pleasure so long as he who disposeth of his estate and goods is alive his will is ambulatory and alterable therefore he is a Testator which takes in the death of Christ that his will of grace to his people declared in his Testament might be irrevocable so the Apostle argues Gal. 3.15 Though it be but a mans testament yet if it be confirmed to wit by his death no man disannulleth or addeth thereunto Heb. 9.16 17 For where a testament is there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator For a testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the testator liveth 4. Christ sustained the relation of a Testator in the new Covenant to make way for a possession of these Covenant-blessings unto which his people have a right he makes his Testament and dies that his will in his Testament might be executed which could have no execution till by his death typical or real and contemplation thereof he declared a cession of his possession that this was his very design the Apostle-proves Heb. 9.15 That by means of death they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Joh. 16.17 If I go not away the comforter will not come but if I depart I will send him unto you 3. Let us consider how this design hath its accomplishment in Christs sustaining the relation of Testator in the Covenant of Grace And 1. 'T is unquestionable that by this relation Believers have a new active title to the Covenant-blessings to wit a testamentary title they are his friends and legators and do hold their mercies as Legacies left to them by the latter will of Christ the Testator his will of favour and grace is their title so he often taught his Disciples to remember their testamentary title to their mercies Mat. 26.28 and 1 Cor. 11.25 This is my blood of the new testament shed for many for the remission of sins c. Joh. 5.21 The Son quickeneth whom he will Jam. 1.18 Of his own will begat he us Here is that title of will acknowledged and the design of absolute free-grace in the Testator accomplished 2. The design of God in Christs sustaining the relation of a Testator in the Covenant of Grace is accemplished in so far as a ratification and confirmation of the testamentary Covenant is thereby intended because by Christs death the right that believers have by this Testament receives a threefold confirmation 1. A confirmation of the verity and reality of it that it is a true and real deed which by the strictest tryal for probat of Wills cannot be rejected for 't is confirmed says the Apostle Gal. 3.15 to wit to be an authentick instrument and evidence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 authenticatum confirmatum ratum habitum Act. 3.15 And killed the prince of life whom God hath raised from the dead whereof we are witnesses Luk. 24.48 And ye are witnesses of these things 2. A confirmation of validity it is made unalterable so that it cannot be disannulled or abrogated thereafter so that no man can make it void or put any alteration upon it as the Apostle proves Gal. 3.15 No man disannulleth or addeth thereunto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nemo abrogat eodem sensu quo leges dicuntur abrogari cum vim suam amittunt as Heb. 7 18 Christs Testament cannot be made void and of none effect for 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 testamentum ratum Heb. 9.17 Firm and setled as a pillar on its base 3. A confirmation of efficacy it is made available to our use as our evidence in judgment it is of strength says the Apostle Heb. 9.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 valet But the next and third accomplishment of the design of God in this Covenant-relation will clear this further to wit the executing of Christs Testament by his ceeding the possession Let us therefore consider how Christs being Testator doth make way for those that are called to receive the inhenitance Heb. 9.15 1. Christ the Testator is vested with the right and possession of all the Covenant-blessings for he is the first begotten of many brethren Heb. 1.6 And God gave him to be head over all things to the Church Col. 1.15 17 18 Who is the image of the invisible God the first born of every creature And he is before all things and by him all things consist And he is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first-born from the dead that in all things he might have the preheminence 2. The Testator by his Will and Testament bequeaths disposes and leaves in legacy the very same mercies and Covenant-blessings that were his at the first-hand and all treasured up in the Mediator and Testator as in a store-house Lo says he I give you the sure mercies of David Act. 13.34 with Isa 35.3 3. The Testator dies when Christ hath made his Will he laid down his life and by his death he opens a way and gives Legal access to his people to have his Testament executed and his will therein actually fulfilled 1. He renders up the possession and by a cession yields it unto his people Heb. 9.15 The Mediator and Testator dies that by means of death they which are called might receive eternal inheritance and Joh. 16.7 If I do not go the comforter will not come unto you c. If the Testator had not died there had never been room nor access for them who are called to receive the inheritance though in this there be something singular and different from humane conveyances because Christ does so give up the possession for his peoples access to it that he also keeps it for the same end that he and they after ratifying his Testament by his death may live and possess the inheritance together as joint heirs with Christ Rom. 8.17 Joh. 14.2 3. But in humane poss●ssions there is no room for two to possess the same thing by a compleat intire title to it nor for a person that yields the possession or inheritance to another to return to it without divesting that person to whom it was resigned 2. The Testator himself pleads his Testament and his making way through his death for his peoples coming at the inheritance and the possession of his goods I say he pleads

that to be of force through his death as a valid Legal right that they also may now possess and injoy with him Joh. 17.24 Father I will that they may be where I am And in Heaven he appears for us and upon our account in the force of the Testators death Heb. 17.23 24. 3. The Testator who before possest the inheritance upon his own right and title does now possess the inheritance by a title super-added to that to wit upon our account as our Attorney as one representing the Elect and having wrought for their heaven Joh. 17.4 and come to heaven to be vested with a possession in their name and for their account for now he appears in heaven in the presence of God for us Heb. 9.24 And by the Testators being in Heaven God hath made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.6 And he as a fore-runner is for us entered Heb. 6.20 4. The Testator surrogates his spirit in his absence and after his death to see his Will executed in all points and to give real and actual possession of his Testament-blessings unto those to whom he left them Joh. 15.26 But when the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the father he shall testifie of me and Joh. 16.7 8. Which accordingly is fulfilled and our possession quo ad exequnta is ascribed to this Executor surrogate by the Testator and doing his will in his name 1 Cor. 6.11 But ye are washed but ye are sanctified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God the Executor of the Lord Testators will Vse 1. This Covenant-relation does exceedingly magnifie the riches of the grace and love of Christ Jesus the Testator 1. That the king immortal 1 Tim. 1.17 should become a man subject to mortallity Heb. 2.17 2. That he should act any thing in contemplation of mortality and be a Testator even he who was to see no corruption Psal 16.11 with Act. 2.31 Joh. 13.1 3. That he who could not see corruption yet never theless should die and give up the Ghost for conveying a title and possession of life and immortality to his people Gal. 2.20 Vse 2. Let the friends and Legators of this blessed Testator know that your holding is of absolute grace and of the meer pleasure of the Testator your right and title is testamentary and you have your mercies by Christs will of favour you are Legatories and he is the Testator Joh. 5.21 The Son quickeneth whom he will And yet you are not left at uncertainty for there is nothing sure to changeable creatures but what is pure Grace and hangs upon the free will of God and the motions of his heart Rom. 4.16 Therefore it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed Mal. 3.6 For I am the Lord I change not therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed You may say to him as he said to his father upon your account Mat. 11.25 26 I thank thee O father And even so father because so it seemed good in thy sight Vse 3. Comfort to believers in Christ whose names are written in this Testament 1. That our Lord Jesus died not untested and without a plain declaration of his Will to whom he left his goods and what the things be which he left unto them Act. 13.34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead now no more to return to corruption he said on this wise I will give you the sure mercies of David Joh. 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you Joh. 13.1 Now before the feast of the passeover when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the father having loved his own which were in the world he loved them unto the end Joh. 15.11 13 14 15. and 16.33 2. That your right is testamentary the Covenant betwixt God and Christ being turned unto a testament betwixt him and you the blessings thereof are the absolute will of the Testator Joh. 14.27 Peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you not as the world giveth give I unto you let not your heart be troubled neither let it be afraid Joh. 17.24 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 3. That there is force and strength in his latter Will by vertue of his death that we can bring his Will as a valid deed of Law now after his death and can plead it with God Heb. 9.15 17 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance For a testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the testator liveth 4. That he hath left one to execute his Will that the Testator wants not an Executor of his Testament Joh. 14.26 But the comforter which is the Holy-ghost whom the father will send in my name he shall teach you all things and bring all things to your remembrance whatsoever I have said unto you Joh. 15.26 But when the comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the father even the spirit of truth which proceedeth from the father he shall testifie of me Vse 4. For Exhortation both to consider of the design of Grace that lyes wrapt up in this Covenant-relation and to search into the experimental knowledg of the vertue and efficacy of Christs being the Testator of the new Covenant 1. I say study the design of grace which is wrapt up in this Covenant-relation as it super-adds a new title to Covenant blessings as it declares the absolute freeness of Covenant-mercies as it ratifies Christs will of grace and as it makes way for our possession of the things bequeathed unto us in Christs Testament wherof we have spoken 2. Search I say after the experimental knowledg of vertue of Christs Testatorship 1. Quo ad executionem in the force and efficacy of it that through the Testators death his Testament hath been executed and fulfilled as to thee Heb. 9.17 For a testament is of force after men are dead otherwise it is of no strength at all whilst the testator liveth Zech. 9.11 As for thee also by the blood of thy covenant I have sent out thy prisoners out of the pit wherein there is no water 2. Quo ad executa in the latitude of his Legacies that nothing disposed and bequeathed to believers in Christs Testament hath escaped thee that no part of his goods which is the portion of his people be wanting with thee 2 Pet. 1.5 And besides this giving all diligence add to your faith vertue and