Looking Unto Jesus, Book 3 · Chapter 1 · Section 5
SECT. V. Of the Covenant of Promiſe, as manifeſted to David.
THe next breaking forth of this Gracious Covenant was to David; and in this manifeſtation, appears yet more of Chriſt; the expreſſion of it is chiefly in theſe words. Although my Houſe be not ſo with God, yet he hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant, ordered in all things and ſure.2 Sam. 23.5
For the right underſtanding of this, we ſhall examine theſe Particulars.—
1. Who is the Author of this Covenant?
2. To whom is the Covenant made?
3. What is this, that the Covenant is ſaid to be made?
4. How is the Covenant ordered?
5. Wherein is the Covenant ſure?
6. VVhether is Chriſt more clearly manifeſted in this breaking forth of the Covenant, than in any of the former?
1. Who is the Author of this Covenant? David ſayes, he hath made it: he (i,) God; the Rock of Iſrael, the everlaſting Rock; The Rock of their Salvation, Pſal. 19.5. The Rock of their Strength, Pſal. 62.7. The Rock of their Heart, Pſal. 73.26. The Rock of their Refuge, Pſal. 94.22. Their Rock and their Redeemer, Pſal. 19.14. The Pſalmiſt is frequent and ordinary in this ſtile, to ſhew that God is the mighty, ſtable and immutable foundation and defence of all the faithfull, who fly unto him, and will truſt in him; he is ſuch a Rock as will not ſhrink nor fail his Creatures; man is unſtable, but he is God, and not man, who is the Author of this Covenant.
2. To whom is the Covenant made? why, ſaith David, He hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant; (i.) either with Chriſt the Antitype, or elſe with David himſelf, the type of Chriſt. To the former ſenſe we have ſpoken elſewhere; the latter I ſuppoſe more genuine; the Covenant indeed was firſt made with Chriſt, and then with David as a member of Jeſus Chriſt. Some are wholly for a Covenant betwixt God and Chriſt, and they deny any ſuch thing as a Covenant betwixt God and man; but are not the Teſtimonies expreſs?Deut. 4.23. Je…. 31.31. Take heed to your ſelves, leſt you forget the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you. And, I will make a new Covenant with the Houſe of Iſrael; and with the Houſe of Judah. And by name do we not ſee God Covenanting with Abraham, with Iſaac and with Jacob? Gen. 17.7. Gen. 26.2. Gen 35.12. Levit. 26.42. And here do we not ſee God Covenanting with David? I have made a Covenant with my choſen, I have ſworn unto David;Pſa. 8….313, 5. Pſa. 132.11. and once have I ſworn by my holineſs, that I will not lie unto David, and the Lord hath ſworn in truth unto David, he will not turn from it. Oh take heed of ſuch Doctrines as tend unto Liberty & Licentiouſneſs! the Covenant Gods makes with us, binds us faſter to God: and if there be no Covenant betwixt God and us, it opens a gap to the looſeneſs of our ſpirits; for how ſhould we be charged with unfaithfulneſs unto God, if we have not all entred into a Covenant with God
3. What is this that the Covenant is ſaid to be made? this holds forth to us the freeneſs of Gods entring into Covenant with us: I will make my Covenant between me and thee, ſaith God:Gen. 17.2. or, I will give my Covenant, I will diſpoſe my Covenant between me and thee, ſo it is in the Originial. And elſewhere it is plain, Behold I give unto him my Covenant of peace: when God makes a Covenant, then he gives the Covenant of Grace unto all that he takes into Covenant with him: The Lord ſet his love upon you (ſaid Moſes to Iſreal) to take you into Covenant with him, Num. 2….12.not becauſe ye were more in number than other people, but becauſe he loved you, Deut. 7.7, 8.and choſe your Fathers; as noting out the freeneſs of his love towards them: he loved them: Why? He loved them becauſe he loved them. This freeneſs of his Grace in giving a Covenant, may appear in theſe Particulars.
1. In that God is the firſt that ſeeks after us, to draw us into Covenant with him; we ſeek not him, but he ſeeks us; we chuſe not him, but he chuſeth us; he loves us firſt; I am found of them that ſought me not: 1 Joh. 4.19. Iſa. 65.1.I ſaid, behold me, behold me, unto a Nation that was not called by my name.
2. In that there is nothing in us, to draw God into a Covenant with us: many a man ſeeks firſt after the unmarried Virgin, but then there is Beauty, or there is Dowry, or there is ſomething or other which draws on the man; but there is no ſuch thing in us: this made David ſay, when he heard of Gods Covenant with him and his, Who am I, O Lord God? 2 Sam. 7.18, 19and what is my Fathers Houſe that thou haſt brought me hitherto? — and is this the manner of man, O Lord God? q. d. O Lord God, thou dealeſt familiarly with me as a man dealeth with man;1 Chr. 17.17. or as it is elſewhere, Thou haſt regarded me according to the eſtate of a man of high degree. It would make any ſoul cry out, that deeply weighs the freeneſs of this Covenant;Pſal. 8.4. Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the ſon of man, that thou viſiteſt him?
3. In that there is enough in us to keep off the Lord from ever owning us; we are as contrary to God as darkneſs is to light, or as evil is to good: The carnal mind is enmity againſt God (ſaith the Apoſtle) it is not ſubject to the Law of God, Rom. 8 7.neither indeed can it be. We are a crooked Generation, that cannot abide the ſtraight wayes of the Lord; our whole nature is ſinful and corrupt before him, and for the moſt part when we are moſt averſe and backward, and have leaſt thought of ever ſeeking after him, then it is that he ſeeks us, to take us unto himſelf; thus the Lord called Saul when he was Perſecuting, and raging, and breathing out ſlaughter againſt the Lord, and againſt his Saints: and thus the Lord called thoſe Jews that mocked the Apoſtles when they ſpake diverſe Languages, Theſe men are full of new wine; ay but the next word that they ſpake, is,Acts. 9.4. Acts 2.13, 37. Men and Brethren, what ſhall we do? O the free and unexpected Grace of our God!
4. In that we are by nature no better than others that are without God,Eph. 2.12. and without Covenant: what makes the difference betwixt us and them, but this free Grace of God? Is there any reaſon in us why one is taken into a Covenant, and another is not? Nay, I'le tell you a wonder; ſo it pleaſeth the Lord, that ſometimes God chuſeth the worſt, and leaves thoſe that are better than they; We read that Publicans and Harlots were taken in, and the righteous Generation which juſtified themſelves, and were juſtified by others, were paſſed by: ſurely God reſpects none for any thing in them; his deſign is that the freeneſs of his Grace might be ſeen in thoſe whom he takes to himſelf. Hence the Apoſtle, God chuſeth the fooliſh things of this world, and the weak things of this world, baſe and deſpiſed things; 1 Cor. 1.27, 28, 29.whileſt in the mean time he paſſeth by the wiſe and mighty, and things of high eſteem, that all men might ſee, it is the Grace of God, and not any thing in man, by which we are taken into Covenant with him.
5. How is the Covenant ſaid to be ordered? The word ordered will help us in the Anſwer: it ſets out to us a marſhalling, and fit laying of things together, in oppoſition to diſorder and confuſſon; the Septuagint renders it foreign, which ſignifies marſhalled, diſpoſed, prepared, ſet forth, as an Army in comely order: the ſame word is in Judg. 20.22.Judg. 20.22. And the men of Iſrael incouraged themſeves, and ſet their Battle again in array. As we ſee in an Army, every one is ſet in rank and file; ſo is every thing in this Covenant ranked, diſpoſed, ordered, that it ſtands at beſt advantage to receive and repel the enemy: a poor Chriſtian that hath a troubled ſpirit, he ſets himſelf againſt Free Grace and this everlaſting Covenant, he raiſeth thouſands of objections againſt it; but now the covenant is ordered, it ſtands like a marſhall'd Army to receive him, and repel him. Come, let us ſee how it is ordered in all things. I ſhall inſtance only in theſe particulars: As, —
1. It is well ordered in reſpect of the Root out of which it grew: This (ſay Divines) was the Infinite Soveraignty, and Wiſdom, and Mercy of God. 1. It was founded in Gods Soveraignty; he had a right to do what he would with his fallen Creatures: he might damn or ſave whom he pleaſed: Hath not the Potter Power over the Clay, Rom. 9.21.of the ſame lump to make one Ʋeſſel unto honour, and another unto diſhonour? 2. It was founded in wiſdom: The Covenant of Grace was a reſult of Council; it was no raſh act, but a deliberate act with infinite wiſdom: God being the Soveraign of all his Creatures, and ſeeing mankind in a periſhing condition, he determined within himſelf deliberately to make ſuch a Covenant of Peace, firſt with Chriſt, and then with all the Elect in Chriſt. 3. It was founded in Mercy, (i e.) in the goodneſs of God flowing out freely to one in miſery: for mercy, we ſay, is made up of theſe two Acts. 1. There muſt be an Object of Miſery. 2. There muſt be a free efflux of goodneſs on that Object. Now the Covenant of Grace was founded on theſe; as, 1. There was an Object of Miſery, loſt man, wretched man, undone by ſin: and, 2. There was an efflux of Gods Goodneſs, his very bowels moved within him, and they could not hold: I have loved thee, with an everlaſting love (ſaith God) therefore with loving kindneſs have I drawn thee. Jer. 31.3.Surely this was well ordered; a perplexed ſoul may have his ſpirit up in arms againſt the Covenant of Grace, O, cries the Soul, in its ſad condition, I am miſerable, I ſhall not live, but die, my ſins will damn me, I am loſt for ever. Why, but ſee how the Covenant is ordered in reſpect of the root or riſe: it ſtands like a well marſhalled Army to receive, and to repel thoſe doubts: as, 1. God acted in a way of Soveraginty, and cannot God ſave thee if he will? 2. God acted in a way of Wiſdom, and though thou ſeeſt no way but one with thee, Death and Damnation; yet cannot infinite wiſdom contrive another way? 3. God acted in a way of Mercy, and O thou afflicted toſſed with tempeſts, Iſa. 54.11.and not comforted, is not infinite Mercy above all thy Miſery? Why ſee, ſee poor ſoul how the Covenant repels all thy oppoſitions in reſpect of its riſe.
2. It is well ordered in reſpect of the perſons intereſted in it from all eternity, and they are God the Father, and in Jeſus Chriſt his Son; as for the Saints Elect, they were not then, and therefore the Covenant could not be immediately ſtruck with them; now there was great need of this order; for ſhould the Covenant have been made betwixt God the Father and the Elect from all eternity, and that immediately, a troubled ſoul would have oppoſed it thus. 1. If it was from all eternity, how then ſhall I be capable of it? alas my being was not ſo long ſince. 2. If it were made with me immediatly, then I had ſome part to perform of mine own Power and Strength; but alas I have failed, I can do nothing: O but now the Covenant is a well ordered Covenant, in theſe reſpects: For,
1. Chriſt hath been from all eternity? and thou, as an Elect Veſſel hadſt thy being in him, as he was thy Head. 2. Chriſt is able to perform the Covenant, and being contractor, it lies upon his ſcore to ſatisfie his Father; he that firſt made the bargain, muſt look to fulfill it; and for thy part, if thou doſt any thing, it muſt be through him. Without me ye can do nothing. John. 15.5.Why, ſee now, ſee how the Covenant repels all thy oppoſitions in reſpect of the Perſons intereſted in it from all eternity; God hath his place, and Chriſt his place, and Faith his place, and the Sinner his place.
3. It is well ordered in reſpect of the method of the Articles in their ſeveral workings? firſt God begins, then we come on: firſt, God, on his part, gives Grace and Glory, and then we, on our parts, act Faith and Obedience: God hath ever the firſt work; as firſt,Jer. 31.33, Eze. 36, 26, 31 Ezek. 36.25, Ezek. 36.27 Zech. 12.10, I will be your God, and then ye ſhall be my People: firſt, I will take away the ſtony heart, and give an heart of Fleſh, and then you ſhall loath your ſelves for your iniquities and for your abominations: firſt, I will ſprinkle water upon you, and then ye ſhall be clean from all your filthineſs: firſt, I will put my Spirit into you, and cauſe you to walk in my Statutes, and then ye ſhall keep my Judgments and do them: firſt, I will pour out my Spirit of Grace and ſupplication upon you, and then ye ſhall mourn as a man mourning for his only Son: firſt, I will do all, and then ye ſhall do ſomething: A perplexed troubled ſpirit is apt to cry out, O! alas I can do nothing; I can as well diſſolve a Rock, as make my heart of ſtone a heart of fleſh! Mark now how the Covenant ſtands well ordered like an Army: I will do all, ſaith God, and then thou ſhalt do ſomething? I will ſtrengthen and quicken you, and then ye ſhall ſerve me, ſaith the Lord.
4. It is well ordered in reſpect of the end and aim, to which all the parts of the Covenant are referred;Eph. 1.6, the end of the Covenant is the praiſe of the Glory of his Grace: the parts of the Covenant are the Promiſe and the Stipulation; the Promiſe is either Principal or Immediate, and that is God and Chriſt; or ſecondary and conſequential, and that is Pardon, Juſtification, Reconciliation, Sanctification, Glorification; and the Stipulation on our parts are Faith and Obedience: we muſt believe in him that Juſtifies the ungodly, and walk before him in all well pleaſing. Obſerve now the main deſign and aim of the Covenant, and ſee but how all the ſtreams run towards that Ocean: God gives himſelf to the Praiſe of the Glory of his Grace, God gives Chriſt to the Praiſe of the Glory of his Grace, God gives pardon, juſtification, ſanctification, ſalvation to the praiſe of the Glory of his Grace; and we Believe, we Obey to the Praiſe of the Glory of his Grace; and good reaſon, for all is of Grace, and therefore all muſt tend to the Praiſe of the glory of his grace: it is of Grace that God hath given himſelf, Chriſt, pardon, juſtification, reconciliation, ſanctification, ſalvation to any Soul; it is of grace that we believe; By grace ye are ſaved through faith, Eph. 2.8,not of your ſelves, it is the gift of God. O the ſweet and comely order of this Covenant! All is of Grace, and all tends to the praiſe and glory of this grace, and therefore it is called a Covenant of grace: Many a ſweet ſoul is forced to cry, I cannot believe, I may as well reach heaven with a finger, as lay hold on Chriſt by the hand of faith; but mark how the Covenant ſtands like a well marſhalled army to repel this doubt;Phil. 1.29, if thou canſt not believe, God will enable thee to believe; to you it is given to believe: O the Covenant of Grace is a gracious Covenant: God will not only promiſe good things, but he helps us by his Spirit to perform the condition: He works our hearts to believe in God, and to believe in Chriſt, all is of Grace, that all may tend to the praiſe of the glory of his grace.
5. Wherein is the Covenant ſure? I anſwer, it is ſure in the performance and accompliſhment of it.Iſa. 55.3, Hence the promiſes of the Covenant are called the ſure Mercies of David; not becauſe they are ſure unto David alone, but becauſe they are ſure, and ſhall be ſure unto all the Seed of David, that are in Covenant with God, as David was: the Promiſes of Gods Covenant are not Yea and Nay, various and uncertain, but they are Yea and Amen, 2 Cor. 1.20.ſure to be fulfilled. Hence the ſtability of Gods Covenant is compared to the firmneſs and unmovableneſs of the mighty Mountains; nay Mountains may depart, and the hills be removed by a Miracle, but, my kindneſs ſhall not depart from thee, neither ſhall the Covenant of my peace be removed, Iſa. 54.10,ſaith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee. Sooner ſhall the Rocks be removed, the Fire ceaſe to burn, the Sun be turned into darkneſs, and the very heavens be confounded with the earth, than the promiſe of God ſhall fail.pſal. 19.7, The teſtimony of the Lord is ſure, ſaith David: Chriſt made it, and writ it, with his own blood; to this very end was Chriſt appointed, and it hath been all his work to enſure Heaven to his Saints. Some queſtion whether it be in Gods preſent power to blot a name out of the Book of Life? We ſay no; his deed was at firſt free, but now it is neceſſary, not abſolutely, but, ex Hypotheſi, upon ſuppoſition of his eternal Covenant. Hence it is, that the Apoſtle ſayes; If we confeſs our Sins, He is Faithful, 1 John 1.9.and Just to forgive us our Sins: It is Juſtice with God, to pardon the Elect's Sins, as the Caſe now ſtands. Indeed Mercy was all that ſaved us primarily; but now Truth ſaves us, and ſtands engaged with Mercy, for our Heaven: And therefore, David prayes, Send forth Mercy and Truth, and ſave me. We find it often in the Pſalms, as a Prayer of David; Pſ…l. 57.3. Pſ. 31.1.—3▪ 24.—119.40.143.1.Deliver me in Thy Righteouſneſs; and, Judge me according to Thy Righteouſneſs; and, Quicken me in Thy Righteouſneſs; and, In Thy Faithfulneſs anſwer me; and, In Thy Righteouſneſs. Now, if it had not been for the Covenant of Grace, ſurely David durſt not have ſaid ſuch a word. The Covenant is ſure in every reſpect;Iſa. 55.3. I will make an Everlaſting Covenant with you (ſaith God) even the ſure Mercies of David.
6. Whether is Chriſt more clearlier manifeſted in this Breaking-forth of the Covenant, than in any of the Former? The Affirmative will appear, in that we find in this Manifeſtation, theſe Particulars:—
1. That He was God, and Man, in One Perſon; David's Son, and yet David's Lord: The Lord ſaid unto my Lord, Sit Thou on My Right Hand, Pſal. 110.1.until I make Thine Enemies Thy Foot-ſtool.
2. That He ſuffered for us; and in His Sufferings, How many Particulars are diſcovered? As firſt, His Cry, My God, My God, Why haſt Thou forſaken Me? Secondly, Pſal. 22.1. Mat. 27.46. Pſal. 22.8. Mat. 27.43. Pſ. 22.16, 17, 18. Mat. 27.35. Pſal. 16.10. Acts 2.31. Pſal. 68.18. Epheſ. 4.8.The Jews Taunts; He truſted on the Lord, that He would deliver Him; let Him deliver Him if He delight in Him. Thirdly, The very Manner of His Death; They pierced My Hands, and My Feet; I may tell all My Bones, they look and ſtare upon Me: they part My Garments among them, and caſt Lots upon My Veſture.
3. That He Roſe again for us; Thou wilt not leave My Soul in Hell, neither wilt Thou ſuffer Thine Holy One to ſee Corruption.
4. That He Aſcended up into Heaven; Thou haſt Aſcended on High, Thou haſt led Captivity Captive, Thou haſt received Gifts for Men.
5. That He muſt be King over us, both to Rule and Govern His Elect, and to bridle and ſubdue His Enemies: I have ſet My King upon My Holy Hill of Sion;Pſal. 2.6, 7. I will declare the Decree, the Lord hath ſaid unto Me, Thou art My Son, this day have I begotten Thee. Acts 13.33.— The Lord ſaid unto My Lord, Sit Thou at My Right Hand, Pſal. 110.1, 2. Heb. 1.13.until I make Thine Enemies Thy Foot-ſtool. The Lord ſhall ſend the Rod of Thy Strength out of Zion, Rule Thou in the midſt of Thine Enemies.
6. That He muſt be Prieſt, as well as King; and Sacrifice, as well as Prieſt;Pſal. 110.4. Heb. 5.6. The Lord hath Sworn, and will not Repent; Thou art a Prieſt for ever, after the Order of Melchiſedech. — Thou loveſt Righteouſneſs, and hateſt Wickedneſs; Pſal. 45.7.therefore God, Thy God, hath anointed Thee with the Oyl of Gladneſs, above Thy Fellows: (i.e.) Above all Chriſtians, who are thy Fellows, Conſorts, and Partners, in the Anointing: Sacrifice and Burnt-Offering Thou wouldſt not have; but mine Ear haſt Thou bored; Pſal. 40.6, 7. Heb. 10.5, 6, 7.Burnt-Offering, and Sin-Offering haſt Thou not required. Then ſaid I, Loe I come: In the Volume of the Book it it written of me, That I ſhould do Thy Will, O God. Mine Ears haſt Thou bored, or digged open; The Septuagint, to make the Senſe plainer, ſay; But a Body haſt Thou fitted me, or prepared for me: Meaning that His Body was ordained, and fitted to be a Sacrifice for the Sins of the World, when other legal Sacrifices were refuſed as unprofitable. O ſee, how clearly Chriſt is revealed in this Expreſſure of the Covenant! It was never thus before.
And thus far of the Covenant of Promiſe, as it was manifeſted from David till the Captivity.