Looking Unto Jesus, Book 3 · Chapter 1 · Section 3
SECT. III. Of the Covenant of promiſe as manifeſted to Abraham
THe ſecond breaking forth of this gracious Covenant, was to Abraham; and now it ſhines in a more glorious light then it did before: at firſt it was propounded in very dark and cloudy termes, not eaſie to be underſtood, and moſt things ſparingly expreſſed; but in this ſecond riſe and manifeſtation, we have it laid down in plainer termes, I will eſtabliſh my Covenant between me and thee, and thy ſeed after thee, in their generation, Gen. 17 1….for an everlaſting Covenant, to be a God to thee, and to thy ſeed after thee. —For the right underſtanding of this, we ſhall examine theſe particulars.—
1. What a Covenant is?
2. What is the eſtabliſhing of this Covenant?
3. Betwixt whom is the Covenant to be eſtabliſhed?
4. For what time is the eſtabliſhed Covenant to endure?
5. What are the priviledges of this Covenant?
6. What is the condition of this Covenant?
7. Who is the head, both as undertaker, and purchaſer, and treaſurer, upon whom this Covenant is eſtabliſhed?
1. What is a Covenant? It is a contract of mutual peace and good will, obliging parties on both hands to the performing of mutual benefits and offices. Thus was the Covenant betwixt God and Abraham, there was a mutual ſtipulation in it, on Gods part to performe his promiſes of temporal, ſpiritual, and Eternal grace; and on Abrahams part to receive this grace by faith, and to performe due obedience and thankfulneſs to God. Hence a little nearer, we ſay the Covenant is a mutual compact, or agreement betwixt God and man, whereby God promiſeth all good things, eſpecially Eternal happineſs unto man; and man doth promiſe to walk before God in all acceptable, free, and willing obedience, expecting all good from God, and happineſs in God, according to his promiſe, for the praiſe and glory of his grace. Others, deſcribing the Covenant of grace (for with the Covenant of works we will not meddle) they give it thus, The Covenant of grace is a free and gracious compact, which God of his meer mercy in Jeſus Chriſt hath made with ſinful man, promiſing unto him pardon of ſins and eternal happineſs; If he will but repent of ſin, and embrace mercy reached forth by faith unfeigned; and walk before God in willing, faithful, and ſincere obedience. —In this deſcription many things are conſiderable. As, 1. That the Author of this Covenant is God; not as our Creator, but as our merciful God and Father in Chriſt Jeſus. 2. That the cauſe of this Covenant is not any worth, or dignity or merit in man, but the meer mercy, love, and favour of God. 3. That the foundation of this Covenant is Jeſus Chriſt, in and through whom we are reconciled unto God; for ſince God and man were ſeparated by ſin, no Covenant can paſs betwixt them, no reconciliation can be expected, nor pardon obtained, but in and through a Mediator. 4. That the party Covenanted with, is ſinful man; the fall of our firſt Parents was the occaſion of this Covenant, and God was pleaſed to permit the fall, that he might manifeſt the riches of his mercy in mans recovery. 5. That the form of this Covenant ſtands on Gods part in gracious and free promiſes of forgiveneſs, holineſs, happineſs; and on mans part in a reſtipulation of ſuch Duties as will ſtand with the free grace and mercy of God in Chriſt. 6. That the ſtipulation on mans part required, is repentance for ſin, belief in the promiſes; and a yielding of fear, reverence, worſhip, and obedience to God according to his word. Theſe I might inſiſt on, but my purpoſed brevity will not permit.
2. What is the eſtabliſhing of this Covenant? Some ſay, this ſpeaks the duration of it, of which anon; I ſuppoſe it intends alſo the confirmation of it. We find that the Lord had before made a Covenant with Abraham, Gen. 15.4, 5.Gen. 15.4, 5 And now he doth not aboliſh the former, and make another; but rather, he renews, confirms, and eſtabliſheth the former. It may be there was ſome heſitation or doubting in Abraham; ſo we ſee Gen. 15.1, 2.Gen 15.1, ….3 But now God would aſſure him infallibly of his will and purpoſe: O when a man hears that God will vouchſafe ſo much favour as to enter into a covenant with him; he is ready to ſay as Gideon did,Judg. 6.15. alas, my family is poor in Manaſſes, and I am the leaſt in all my Fathers houſe; and who am I that I ſhould be raiſed up hitherto? that God ſhould make ſuch promiſes as theſe to me? And hence, to prevent ſuch Objections, the Lord will confirm and eſtabliſh his Covenant; as ſometimes by his Promiſes; ſometimes by an oath, ſometimes by the blood of Chriſt himſelf; ſometimes by ſeals. So here in this very place, God adds the ſeal of Circumciſion, Ye ſhall circumciſe the fleſh of your fore-skin (ſaith God) and it ſhall be a token of the Covenant betwixt me and you. Gen. 17.11. Gen. 9.13.15, 16.As ſometimes he ſaid of the Rain-bow, I do ſet my Bow in the cloud, and it ſhall be for a token of a Covenant between me and the Earth; — That the waters ſhall no more become a flood to deſtroy all fleſh —For I will look upon the Bow, that I may Remember the everlaſting Covenant. After this manner are the ſigns and ſeals of the Covenant? Circumciſe your ſelves ſaith God, and when I ſee the Circumciſion, I will remember my Covenant, and I will make good to you all the promiſes thereof. — But what is Circumciſion to the Covenant? much every way; Circumciſion was not without ſhedding of blood, becauſe the Covenant was not yet eſtabliſhed in the Blood of the Meſſiah, ſure there was much in this, howſoever the rite of it ſelf was nothing, yet as it led the faithful Patriarchs to the Blood of Chriſt, and as it aſſured the purging away of ſin by the Blood of Chriſt, and as it ſigned the Circumciſion of the heart by the Spirit of Chriſt, ſo it found acceptance with God; no ſooner he looks on it, but he remembers his Covenant, and confirms it, and makes it good to Abraham, and to his ſeed after him.
3. Betwixt whom is the Covenant to be eſtabliſhed? between me and thee, (ſaith God) and thy ſeed after thee The two heads of this Covenant are God and Abraham; on Gods part are the whole Trinity of perſons, the bleſſed Angels, and all the Hoſt of Heaven; on Abraham's part are all his ſeed, and his poſterity, yet with this limitation,Rom. 9.6, 7, 8. that all are not Iſrael, which are of Iſrael; neither becauſe they are the ſeed of Abraham, are they all children of Abraham; but in Iſaac ſhall thy ſeed be called; that is, they which are the children of the fleſh, are not the Children of God, but the Children of the promiſe are counted for the ſeed. No queſtion this Covenant was not to be extended to the Iſhmaelites, Idumeans, or Kethureans. Abraham's carnal ſeed; theſe quickly departed both out of Abraham's family, and Abraham's faith; No, no, ſaith God, I will eſtabliſh my Covenant with Iſaac for an everlaſting Covenant, and with his ſeed after him, wi…h Iſaac, Gen. 17.19.and with his ſeed (i.) with the ſpiritual ſeed of Abraham; now under the ſeed, 1. all believing Jews, and 2. All Gentil s are comprehended, all may be called the ſpiritual ſeed of Abraham that walk in the ſteps of the faith of Abraham; and indeed thus runs the Promiſe, in thee ſhall all the families of the earth he bleſſed. Gen 12.3. And in thee ſhall all the Nations of the earth be bleſſed, Gen 8.18. theſe families and Nat…ons muſt needs comprehend the Gentiles; the Apoſtle is very plain: As it is written, I have made thee a Father of many Nations. —That he might be the father of all them that believe, Rom. 4.17.11. Gal. 3.14.though they be not circumciſed. —That the bleſſing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jeſus Chriſt, that we might receive the promiſe of the ſpirit through faith. Chriſtians I here is our happineſs the Covenant was not written for Abraham's ſake alone, but for us alſo, Rom. 4.23, 24.if we believe in him that raiſed up Jeſus our Lord from the dead. You may think all this while we are only diſcovering the priviledges of Abraham, Iſaac, Jacob, and of the Jews; no, bleſſed be God, Heaven is no freer to a Jew, than to a Gentile; there is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, male nor female, &c. But if ye be Chriſts, Gal. 3.28, 29.then are ye Abraham's ſeed, and Heirs according to the promiſe.
4 For what time is the eſtabliſhed Covenant to endure? it is not for a few dayes, or months, or years, but for ever and ever; it is an everlaſting Covenant; and indeed the word eſtabliſhed ſounds this way; I will eſtabliſh my Covenant, Pſ. 89.3. Pſ. 89.28.that is (ſay ſome) I will have it ſtand and continue for ever; as it was ſaid of David, I have made a Covenant with my croſen, I have ſworn unto David my ſervant, thy ſeed will I eſtabliſh for ever; and again, my mercy will I keep for him for evermore, my Covenant ſhall ſtand faſt with him. —
Now this Covenant is ſaid to be everlaſting, a parte ante. (as we ſay) and a parte poſt. 1. A parte ante, as being from everlaſting, in reſpect of the promiſe made to Chriſt for us, which was done (as you have heard) before the foundation of the world; it is not an infant of dayes; this Covenant bears the ſame date with the divine being it ſelf; As the mercy of God is from everlaſting, ſo the Covenant of grace is from everlaſting; the Writs,Pſ. 103.17▪ Evidences, and Charters of our Salvation were concluded, and paſſed the ſign and ſeal of the bleſſed Trinity from eternity; the Goſpel and this Covenant is not of yeſterday, no, no, it is an old counſel of the infinite wiſdom of God.
2. A parte poſt, as continuing from everlaſting to everlaſting. Hence it is called a Covenant of ſalt, becauſe it corrupteth not, it faileth not:1 Chron. 13.5. hence all the bleſſings of the Covenant are ſaid to be everlaſting; forgiveneſs of ſins is everlaſting, being once forgiven they are never remembred any more; peace and joy is everlaſting, your heart ſhall rejoyce, and your joy no man taketh from you; Jer. 31.13. Joh. 16.22. Iſa. 45.17.ſalvation is everlaſting. Iſrael ſhall be ſaved in the Lord with an everlaſting ſalvation; decretal Covenant-mercy was not a leaſe, but a making the fee-ſimple (as we call it) of grace and glory to the Saints for ever: death may put an end to other Covenants, as betwixt man and man, or betwixt man and wife: but this Covenant betwixt God and us ſtands faſt for ever; though Abraham be dead, yet God is Abraham's God ſtill, and by vertue of this Covenant Abraham ſhall be raiſed up at the laſt day.
5. What are the priviledges of the Covenant? I anſwer, the priviledges of the Covenant are many, as they are great things, and great bleſſings which our great God promiſeth, ſo they are very many and numerous; the Covenant is full of bleſſings, it is a rich ſtore-houſe, repleniſhed with all manner of bleſſings; it is not dry, nor barren, but like the fat Olive or fruitful Vine, it is a Well of ſalvation, a fountain of good things, a treaſure full of goods, or unſearchable riches, which can never be emptied, nor come to an end. Hence it is that our finite narrow capacities can never apprehend the infinite grace that this Covenant contains, yet as we may ſee things darkly in a Map, ſo let us endeavour as we are able to view them in ſome Map, or brief compendium; that by the little we do ſee, we may be raiſed up to the conſideration of things not ſeen, which ſhall be revealed in due time.
The priviledges of the Covenant are folded and wrapped up in the promiſes of it; every promiſe contains a priviledge, but the time of unfolding every promiſe is not yet come; then only ſhall the promiſes of all ſorts be unfolded, when the heavens as a veſture ſhall be folded up. Heb. 1.12.In the mean time we have a right & intereſt in the priviledges of eternity by vertue of the promiſe; and hence the very terms of Covenant and promiſe are taken for the ſame, Epheſ. 2.12. Rom. 9.4. I ſhall for the preſent confine my ſelf only to thoſe promiſes and priviledges of the Covenant which were manifeſted to Abraham. And they were, Of things
Temporal.
Spiritual.
Gen. 12.2, 3, 7.1. Of things Temporal. Thus we read God promiſeth Abraham, I will make of thee a great Nation, and I will bleſs thee, and make thy name great, and thou ſhalt be a bleſſing, & I will bleſs them that bleſs thee, and curſe him that curſeth thee, and unto thy ſeed will I give this Land. We may add hereto the repetitions that God makes of theſe promiſes over & over;Gen. 13.14, 15, 16. lift up now thine eyes, and look from the place where thou art, North-ward, and South-ward, and Eaſt-ward, and Weſt-ward, for all the Land which thou ſeeſt, to thee will I give it, and to thy ſeed for ever. And I will make thy ſeed as the duſt of the Earth, ſo that if a man can number the duſt of the Earth, then ſhall thy ſeed alſo be numbered.—And the Lord brought forth Abraham abroad, and ſaid, look now towards Heaven, and tell the ſtars, if thou be able to number them; and he ſaid unto him, ſo ſhall thy ſeed be.—And the Lord again appeared to Abraham, Gen. 15.5. Gen. 17.2.4, 5, 6.and ſaid, — I will make my Covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly, — and thou ſhalt be a Father of many Nations, neither ſhall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name ſhall be Abraham, for a Father of many Nations have I made thee; and I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make Nations of thee, 8.and Kings ſhall come out of thee,—and I will give unto thee, and thy ſeed after thee, Gen. 22.16, 17.the Land wherein thou art a ſtranger, all the Land of Canaan for an everlaſting poſſeſſion. — By my ſelf have I ſworn ſaith the Lord, that in bleſſing I will bleſs thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy ſeed as the Stars of the Heaven, and as the ſand upon the Sea-ſhore, and thy ſeed ſhall poſſeſs the gate of his enemies. See here the temporal bleſſings that God promiſes Abraham; Gen. 12.2, 3, 7.they are heaped together in Gen. 12.2, 3. —As,
1. I will make of thee a great Nation, and this he promiſeth once and again; it ſeemed a thing incredible, becauſe Abraham was old, and Sarah was barren and old, & it ceaſed to be with Sarah after the manner of women; yet for all this God is all-ſufficient; Abraham ſhall have his deſire, he ſhall be a Father, not only of a few Children, but of a numerous Nation, yea of many Nations; Iſhmaelites, and Midianites, and that famous Nation of the Jews (of whom it is ſaid,Deut. 4.7, 8. what Nation is ſo great) muſt all deſcend from Abraham: Scripture and heathen Authors uſe three things proverbially, to ſignifie an huge and exceeding great number, the duſt of the Earth, the ſands of the Sea, and the Stars of Heaven: and all theſe are brought in to reſemble the number into which the Seed of Abraham ſhould break forth.
2. I will bleſs thee, ſaith God; and this bleſſing had relation to his wealth and riches, Abraham was very rich in cattel, in ſilver and in gold. Gen. 13.2No queſtion thoſe riches came from this bleſſing; the bleſſing of the Lord it maketh rich, and he addeth no ſorrow with it. This was Gods care of the children of Abraham, that he would give them riches, but leſt their hearts ſhould be lifted up, and they ſhould forget the Lord in the midſt of their riches, he learns them and bids them remember this leſſon;Deut. 8.17, 18 ſay not in thine heart, my power and the might of my hand hath gotten me this wealth; but remember the Lord thy God, for it is he that giveth thee power to get wealth; that he may eſtabliſh his covenant, which he ſware unto thy fathers, as it is this day. True riches come from God, and by vertue of this covenant; O that none of us had any wealth, but ſuch as comes by vertue of a promiſe, and of the covenant of grace!
3. I will make thy name great, ſaith God; no Monarch was ever ſo famous in conquering nations, or the whole world, as Abraham for his faith and obedience; God hath magnified his name amongſt the Hebrews, who for theſe three thouſand years and upwards have acknowledged none (except Moſes) greater than Abraham; the Jews could ſay to very Chriſt, art thou greater then our father Abraham? John 8.53— whom makeſt thou thy ſelf? and God hath ſo magnified his name amongſt Chriſtians, that all believers look upon it as a glory to be called children of Abraham; nay, we cannot be Chriſts, we have no part in Chriſt, unleſs we are Abrahams ſeed, and heirs according to promiſe.Gal. 3.29
4. Ʋnto thy ſeed I will give this Land, ſaith God, as an everlaſting poſſeſſion, Gen. 17.8.Gen. 17.8 but how ſhould that which the Iſraelites poſſeſſed only for a time, be called an everlaſting poſſeſſion? The anſwer is, that the word tranſlated everlaſting, doth not ever ſignifie that which ſhall have no end, but an age, a term, or continuance; as it was ſaid of Samuel, he ſhould appear before the Lord, and there abide for ever, 1 Sam. 1.22 Pſ. 145.1, 2 Pſ. 146.2 Jer. 25.9(i.) as long as he lived: and I will praiſe the Lord (ſaid David) for ever and ever, (i.) whiles I live will I praiſe the Lord, as long as I ſhall have any being I will ſing praiſes unto my God. And the deſolations of the captivity were called perpetual deſolations, (i.) long deſolations, even for ſeventy years.
Touching theſe bleſſings, or priviledges, I have no more to ſay but this, that God gave more of the temporal, leſs of the ſpiritual, to the natural ſeed in the firſt ages; but in the latter ages more of the ſpiritual priviledges, and leſs of the temporal; yea, and thus it is this day for the moſt-what among the Chriſtian ſeed of the Gentiles;1 Cor. 1.26 for ye ſee your calling brethren, how that not many wiſe men after the fleſh, not many mighty, not many noble are called.
2. Of things ſpiritual, thus we read, fear not Abraham, I am thy ſhield, and thy exceeding great reward; I am God all-ſufficient or omnipotent, the almighty God, Gen. 15.1 Gen. 17.1-17.7& I will be a God unto thee, and to thy ſeed after thee. O what precious promiſes are theſe? 1. I am thy ſhield, to keep thee from all evil; ſuch a ſhield that no creature can pry through, ſuch a ſhield as ſhall cover thee over; nay, ſuch a ſhield as ſhall cover thee about; as ſometimes God ſpoke of Jeruſalem, I, ſaith the Lord, will be unto her a wall of fire round about. So here,Zach. 2.3 I will be a ſhield, a wall of fire round about; not only a wall to keep thee ſafe, but a wall of fire to conſume all them that are againſt thee; as a fire which ſtands about like a wall, doth not only defend thoſe that are within, but it burns thoſe without that come near unto it; ſo is God to his people. 2. I am thy exceeding great reward; I am the almighty God; I will be a God unto thee. This is the very ſoul of the covenant, and of all the promiſes of God: q. d. quantus, quantus ſim veſter ero; all I am is thine, my ſelf, my goods, my grace, my glory; whatſoever is in me, all that I have, and all my attributes are thine; my power, my wiſdom, my counſel, my goodneſs, my riches, whatſoever is mine in the whole world; I will give it thee for thy portion; I, and all that I have are thine, for thy uſe; Chriſtians! was not this an exceeding great reward? who can underſtand the height, and depth, and length, and bredth of this reward? ſurely happy is the people that is in ſuch a caſe, yea, happy is that people whoſe God is the Lord, Pſal. 144.15but more of this hereafter.
6. What is the condition of this covenant? I anſwer, the condition of the covenant of grace is faith, and only faith; to this purpoſe it is ſaid of Abraham, he believed in the Lord, and he counted it to him for righteouſneſs. This text is often alledged by the Apoſtles;Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.3 Gal. 3.6. Jam. 2.23 Gen 45.25, 26 the word believed imports, that he thought the Word of God to be ſure, certain, ſtable, and conſtant; it is ſuch a belief as is oppoſed to fainting, as it is ſaid of Jacob when he heard the report of his ſons that Joſeph was alive, his heart fainted, becauſe he believed not; but when he believed, his heart revived; and David ſaith of himſelf, I had fainted, unleſs I had believed. So that it is a lively motion of the heart, aſſenting unto, and truſting in God,pſal. 27 13 and in the word of God as firm and conſtant. This was the very condition of the covenant which God required of Abraham; q. d. Abraham, doſt thou believe that ſuch a Meſſiah ſhall be ſent into the world? art thou able to believe? yes, I believe Lord, ſaid Abraham; well ſaith God, I will put thee to the trial; I will give thee a Son, though thou art as a dead man, and Sarah as a dead woman; yet I will promiſe thee a ſon, art thou able to believe? again, thou ſeeſt the land of Canaan, thou haſt not one foot in it, yet I will give thee this land in the length and bredth of it for thy poſſeſſion, art thou able to believe this? you will ſay, what are theſe to the condition of the covenant, which is only to believe in God, and to believe in Jeſus Chriſt? O yes, 1. Theſe were ſhaddows of the great promiſe, Chriſt; and therefore that act of faith, whereby Abraham believed that he ſhould have a ſon, and that his Children ſhould poſſeſs the land of Canaan was likewiſe a branch, a ſhaddow, a pledge of that main act of faith whereby he believed the promiſed ſeed, in whom himſelf & all the Nations of the earth ſhould be bleſſed. But 2. Let this be remembred that Abraham did not only believe the temporal promiſes, but every promiſe; as I will be thy ſhield, and thy exceeding great reward; now who is our ſhield but Chriſt; and who is our reward but Chriſt? but eſpecially he believed the promiſe of the ſeed, and who is the head of the ſeed but Chriſt? yea, he believed in that promiſed ſeed in whom all the nations of the earth ſhould be bleſſed; and who was that but Chriſt? your father Abraham (ſaith Chriſt) rejoyced to ſee my day, J…hn 8.56and he ſaw it, and was glad. He ſaw it? how could he ſee it? thou art not yet fifty years old (ſaid the Jews) and haſt thou ſeen Abraham? or could Abraham ſee thee, or thy day? yes, even then he ſaw it when he believed in Chriſt? he could ſee it no other ways but by an eye of faith? & therefore no queſtion he believed in Chriſt, and that was counted to him for righteouſneſs.
But (may ſome ſay) if faith alone be the condition of the covenant, then what need is there of any obedience, or works of holineſs? — this was the old plea of looſe libertines in the Apoſtles times,Jam. 8.20 to whom James gave anſwer, But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead: a good tree (ſaith Chriſt) is known by its fruits; and ſo is right and ſound faith; let a man believe in truth, and he cannot but love; and if he love, he cannot but be full of good works; thus Abraham was juſtified by faith, Abraham believed God (ſaith the Apoſtle) and it was imputed to him for righteouſneſs; but was not this faith accompanied with works; obſerve but (ſaith the Apoſtle) when God bade him offer his ſon,Jam. 2.23. compared with 21.22 did he not do it? and was not that an exceeding great work, ſurely his faith wrought with his works, and by faith was his works made perfect.
7. Who is the head both as undertaker, and purchaſer, and treaſurer upon whom this Covenant is eſtabliſhed?2 Cor. 1.20 I anſwer, Chriſt, and none but Chriſt. All the promiſes of God in him are Yea, and Amen, unto the glory of God by us. This was very darkly held forth in the firſt manifeſtation of the Covenant to Adam, but now in this ſecond breaking forth of it, it is very fully expreſſed and often repeated; thus Gen. 12.3.Gen. 12 3 in thee ſhall all the families of the earth be bleſſed; and Gen. 18.18.Gen. 18.18 all the nations of the earth ſhall be bleſſed in Abraham, and Gen, 22.18.Gen. 22.18 See the ſame in Gen. 26.4 and 28.14 in thy ſeed ſhall all the nations of the earth be bleſſed. In comparing theſe texts we have a clear underſtanding thereof; in thee, in Abraham ſhall all the families, and nations of the earth be bleſſed; but leſt Abraham himſelf ſhould be thought author of this univerſall bleſſing, therefore is the explication, in thee, (i.) in thy ſeed; Gal. 3 16and this ſeed, ſaith the Apoſtle very expreſſely, is Jeſus Chriſt; now to Abraham and his ſeed were the promiſes made; he ſaith not, and to ſeeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy ſeed which is Chriſt. So then here is the ſenſe; out of thy poſterity ſhall ſpring the Meſſiah, by whom not only thy poſterity, but all the nations of the earth ſhall be bleſſed. You may remember in the firſt promiſe Chriſt was called the ſeed of the woman; but now the ſeed of Abraham; Chriſt was the Son of Eve, or (if you will) the Son of Mary, and ſo the ſeed of the woman; and Mary was a daughter of Abraham, and ſo Chriſt, and Mary, and all upwards were of the ſeed of Abraham. But where ſhall we find mention of the paſſion of Chriſt in this expreſſure of his Covenant to Abraham? in the firſt manifeſtation it was included in that phraſe of bruiſing his heel, and ſurely this is eſſential to the covenant of grace in any overture of it: ſome anſwer that this is thrice put on in the paſſage of this covenant with Abraham: Gen. 15.17.firſt, in the federal confirmation by the ſm…aking furnace, and burning lamp, that paſſed between thoſe pieces of the ſacrifice: as the ſacrifice was divided, ſo was Chriſts body torn: and as the ſmoaking furnace, and burning lamp paſſed between the divided pieces, ſo the wrath of God run betwixt (as I may ſay) and yet did not conſume the rent and torn nature of Chriſt.Gen. 17.10, 11 2. In that federal confirmation by the ſign of circumciſion: there could not be circumciſion without ſhedding of blood, and where God commands ſhedding of blood in any of his antient ordinances, it doth certainly reach to the blood of Chriſt, and his everlaſting teſtament. 3. In the reſolved Sacrifice of Iſaac, which was a plain type of the death of Chriſt. See it in theſe particulars. 1. Iſaac was Abraham's ſon, his only ſon; his innocent ſon,Gen. 2….10. the beloved ſon of his Father, and yet Abraham freely offers up his ſon; ſo Chriſt was the ſon of God, his only Son, his innocent ſon, like to us in all things, ſin only excepted; and the beloved ſon of his Father, this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleaſed; and yet God more freely offers up his Son out of his own boſome. 2. Abraham by Gods commiſſion roſe early in the morning to ſacrifice his Son; and the Jews by Gods permiſſion riſe early in the morning to condemn the Son of God: and hence he is called the Hind of the morning, Pſa. 22.1compaſſed with dogs that hunted and purſued his life. 3. Abraham muſt offer his Son upon the Mount, the very Mount on which Solomon's Temple was built,John 2.19 which typified the body of Jeſus Chriſt, Joh. 2.19. So God offered his Son upon the Mount, if not on the ſame Mount (as Auguſtine thinks) yet on a Mount not far diſtant from it; Golgotha was the very skirt of Moriah; the one being within the gate of the City, and the other not far without, the very neareſt to the City of all. 4. Abraham firſt laid the wood on Iſaac, and then he laid Iſaac on the wood; ſo God firſt layes the Croſs on Chriſt,Joh. 19.17, 18 He bearing his Croſs, went forth into a place called the place of a skul, and then he layes Chriſt on the Croſs, there they crucified him ſaith John; or there they bound him to the Croſs, and faſtned his hands and feet thereto with nails. 5. Iſaac muſt be offered alone, the ſervants muſt ſtay at the foot of the hill, little knowing the buſineſs and ſorrow in hand;Iſa. 63.3 ſo Chriſt muſt tread the wine preſs alone: the diſciples fear and fly, and little conſider the agony of their Maſter. 6. Abraham carries in his hand the ſword and fire againſt his Son, ſo God carries in his hand the ſword and fire; the ſword ſignifying the Juſtice of God, the fire his burning wrath againſt the ſins of men; and both theſe were bent againſt Chriſt, in whom the juſtice of God is ſatisfied, and the flame of his wrath extinct and quenched.Gen. …2.16, 17, 18. That this was a plain type of Chriſts paſſion is hinted at in the bleſſing that God ſpeaks to Abraham after this tryal, by my ſelf have I ſworn, ſaith the Lord, for becauſe thou haſt done this thing, and haſt not with-held thy Son, thine only Son, that in bleſſing I will bleſs thee, and in thy ſeed ſhall all the nations of the earth be bleſſed. All believers are bleſſed in the death of Chriſt, who was that ſeed of Abraham, typified by Iſaac, Abrahams Son; for as Abraham intended, ſo God truely ſacrificed his Son, his onelyonly Son, to take away ſin.
Thus far of the Covenant of promiſe as it was manifeſted from Abraham to Moſes.