Heaven Opened, Treatise · Chapter 2
CHAP. II. Christ in the Covenant.
2. GOd hath put Chriſt into the Covenant, and made over him to his people, Iſa. 42.6. I will give thee for a Covenant. He who is promiſed, as the chief matter, the Mediator, Surety, Scope of the Covenant, is by a metonymy, called the Covenant. I will give thee for a Covenant; that is, I covenant to give thee to the people. Whatever glory and bleſſedneſs there is in the fruition of God; wo is me, there is a great gulfe fixed between me and it, over which there is no paſſing; there's a partition-wall raiſed, over which there's no climbing; there's an hand-writing againſt me, whilſt that ſtands, all that is in God is nothing to me: Were this God mine, I had enough. Let me be put to labour, or ſuffering, let me dig, or beg, or ſtarve, and die; whether I be rich or poor, have ſomthing or nothing, be a praiſe or a reproach, it matters not, ſo God were mine.
But oh how may I obtain? Who ſhall bring me to God? why the Lord God hath given thee his Son, to undertake for thee; and to be thy way unto the Father, Heb. 11.19,20.
Jeſus Chriſt, who is the morning ſtar, the Sun of righteouſneſs; the Image of the Inviſible God; the first-born of every creature; by whom are all things, who is before all things, the head of the body the Church; who is the beginning, the firſt-born from the dead: In whom dwells all fulneſs, even the fulneſs of the Godhead bodily; who hath made peace by the blood of his Croſs. Col. 1. and chap. 2. Whoſe Name is Wonderful, Councellor, the mighty God, the everlaſting Father, the Prince of Peace, Iſa. 9.6. This Jeſus is granted thee in the Covenant, to bring thee to God. To which bleſſed and glorious purpoſe he is exhibited,
1. As the Light of Life.
2. As the Lord our Righteouſneſs.
3. As our Lord and King.
4. As our Head and Husband.
1. As the light of Life. A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Iſrael. Luk. 1.32. In him was life, and the life was the light of men, John 1.4. He that followeth me ſhall have the light of life, John 8.12. there is a light that ſerves to kill, and deſtroy, to bring death and condemnation to light: the light of the Law, that killing letter, concerning which the Apoſtle, Rom. 7.9,10. When the commandment came, ſin revived, and I died; the commandment which was ordained to life, I found to be unto death. But Chriſt brings life and immortality to light; heaven, glory, the inviſible God, which are loſt, out of reach, and out of ken, are all diſcovered in the face of Jeſus Chriſt, 2 Cor. 4.6. To give us the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jeſus Chriſt. He is the Image of the Inviſible God, the brightneſs of his Fathers glory, the glaſs in which by reflection we ſee the Sun. John 14.8,9. Shew us the Father, and it ſuffices us. Why ſayes he, Haſt thou known me, Philip! and yet ſayeſt, ſhew us the Father? He that hath ſeen me, hath ſeen the Father; and this is the light of life, John 17.3. this is life eternal, that they might know thee the onelyonly true God, and Jeſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent.
2. As the Lord our righteouſneſs. This is his Name Jer. 23.6. He ſhall be called the Lord our righteouſneſs. To this end he is given to us,
1. As our propitiatory Sacrifice, 1 John 2. The propitiation for our ſins, 1 Cor. 5. Chriſt our Paſsover, Rev. 13.8. A lamb ſlain from the beginning of the world. Our price, our ranſome; to ſatisfie Juſtice, pacifie wrath, diſcharge from the Curſe; to blot out the hand-writing, break down the wall of partition; to finiſh the tranſgreſſion, to make an end of ſins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlaſting righteouſneſs, and ſo to bring us to God. What-ever difficulties there appear in thy way, what-ever doubts ariſe in thine heart, from thy ſins, from thy guilt, from thy poverty, from thy impotence; what-ever objections thy fears may hence put in, there's the blood of the Lamb, that will anſwer all. Chriſt our Paſsover is ſacrificed for us.
2. As a merciful and faithful high Prieſt. Heb. 2.17. who hath made an attonement for us in the earth, and appears for us in heaven; who hath made reconciliation for us, and makes interceſſion for us, Heb. 9.24. to appear in the preſence of God for us: we read Exod. 28.12.29. That Aaron as the type of Chriſt, was to bear the names of the children of Iſrael, engraven in ſtones, upon his ſhoulders, and upon his breaſt-plate, when he went into the holy place, for a memorial before the Lord continually. Our Lord is entred into the Heavens, to appear in the preſence of God, with our names upon his ſhoulders, and upon his heart, for a memorial before the Lord; there is not the leaſt of Saints, but there his name is engraven. Here's my ranſome Lord, and behold my ranſomed ones. Here's my price, and my purchaſe, my redemption and my redeemed. What-ever accuſers there be, what-ever charge be laid againſt them, what-ever guilt lies upon them, here are the ſhoulders that have born all that was their due, and payd all that they owe; and upon theſe ſhoulders, and in this heart thou mayeſt read all their names; and when thou readeſt, remember what I have done for them; and acquit, abſolve, and let them be accepted before thee for ever. Remember the tears of theſe eyes, the ſtripes on this back, the ſhame of this face, the groans of this body, the anguiſh of this ſoul, the blood of this heart; and when thou remembreſt, what-ever name thou findeſt engraven upon this heart, and upon theſe ſhoulders; they are the perſons whoſe all theſe are; and what-ever theſe are, what-ever acceptance they have found with thee, what-ever ſatisfaction thou haſt found in them, put it upon their account: never let me be accounted the accepted, if they be rejected; never let me be accounted righteous, if they lye under the imputation of wicked. If they be not righteous in my righteouſneſs, I muſt be guilty under their guilt. What-ever I am, what-ever my ſatisfaction is, all is theirs: for them they plead, for them they pray; my tears, ſtripes, wounds, groans, anguiſh, ſoul, blood, they all cry and ſay, Father forgive them, Father accept them.
Of all cryes, there are no ſuch ſtrong cries as the cry of blood, and that whether it be againſt, or for the guilty; its voice ſhall be heard on high. Thy brothers blood cryeth unto me from the ground. Gen. 4. and what followed? Wo to thoſe perſons againſt whom blood cryeth: but where blood, ſuch blood cries for them, for pardon, for mercy, bleſſed are thoſe ſouls.
Chriſtian, this blood is for thee, it ſpeaks better things than the blood of Abel, Heb. 12. it pleads, ſues, preſſes for thy diſcharge from all that is upon thee. Thou haſt many cries againſt thee; Sathan cries, thy ſins cry, thine own heart, thy conſcience cries againſt thee; and thou art amazed at the dreadful noiſe they make; but behold the blood of the Lamb, the blood of God cries for thee. Thou haſt an accuſer, but thou haſt an acquitter: thou haſt adverſaries, but thou haſt an advocate. An Advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous, who is the propitiation for thy ſins: 1 John 2. Who ſhall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that juſtifieth: who is he that condemneth, it is Chriſt that died; yea rather, that is riſen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who alſo maketh interceſſion for us. Rom. 8.33,34.
Nay far…her, thou haſt not onelyonly a righteous, but a merciful high Prieſt; that is provided of a Sacrifice, and hath an heart to offer it for thee: thy name is in his heart as well as on his ſhoulders; in his bowels as well as on his back. He hath blood for thee, precious blood; and he hath bowels for thee, pitiful bowels. He can have pity and compaſſion on the miſerable, Heb. 5.2. if he can finde no other, he can finde arguments enough from thy wo, and thy miſery, to draw forth his ſoul towards thee. He is merciful, and his mercies are tender mercies; he is pittiful, and his compaſſions are tender compaſſions: thou art not ſo tender, of the wife of thy boſome, of the childe of thy bowels; thou art not ſo tender of thine own fleſh, of the apple of thine eye, of thine own ſoul, as thy Lord is of thee: His ſpirit is moved for thee, his ſoul melts over thee, he bleeds in thy wounds, he ſuffers in thy ſorrows, his eye weeps, his heart breaks over thy broken and undone ſtate; fear not his forgetting thee, his bowels will remember him of thee.
He is a merciful and a [faithful] high Prieſt. No dignity to which he is exalted above thee, no diſtance to which he is removed from thee, can make him forget his friends; He is gone into the heavens, and there exalted far above all Principalities and Powers, and ſet down at the right hand of God. He is gone, but he hath carried thy name with him, as a perpetual memorial for thee. Thou art unfaithful, ſhame to thee; thou forgetteſt thy Lord at every turn; every buſineſs that comes, every trouble that comes, every pleaſure that comes, every companion that comes in, makes thee forget thy Lord; forget his love, forget thy duty; Oh how ſmall a matter will ſteal thy heart from him, yea ſtir up tumults and rebellions againſt him. Thy comforts, thy hopes, thy needs thou haſt daily of him, will not all prevail to hold him in remembrance with thee. Thou forgetteſt thy Lord, but he will not forget thee, though thou haſt been unfaithful in many things, yet he is in nothing; 2 Tim. 2.13. Yet he abideth faithful, he cannot deny himſelf; he ſhould not be true to himſelf, if he be not faithful to thee; his intereſt lies in thee; thou art his, his poſſeſſion, a member of his body, fear not; if he ſhould be unfaithful to thy ſoul, he is therein unfaithful to his own body. If thy caſe be ſuch that he can help thee, if there be any thing wherein he can ſtead thee; if all that he hath, his blood, his righteouſneſs, his intereſt with the Father, will be ſufficient for thy help, he hath undertaken to procure it for thee, and ſecure it to thee. Faithful is he that hath called you, and will do it.
This now is that Jeſus that is given unto us; as our propitiatory Sacrifice, as our merciful and faithful high Prieſt, who ſuffered on the earth, and is gone into the heavens for us; ſtanding in his red robes, garments rolled in blood, with thoſe glorious whites upon the red; pardon, peace, abſolution, acceptance; with the names of his ranſomed ones engraven upon his heart, and upon his ſhoulders: This is that Jeſus who is, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.
3. As our Lord and King. A King ſhall reigne in righteouſneſs, in him ſhall the Gentiles truſt. Zach. 9.9. Shout O daughter of Zion, behold [thy] King cometh. Iſa. 9.6. The Government ſhall be on his ſhoulder. God hath more care of his Saints, than to leave the government of them on their own ſhoulder. Is not her King in her?
He is a King to gather them, a King to govern them, a King to defend and ſave them; to ſave them from their temporal enemies, the ſons of violence, the men of this evil world; from their ſpiritual enemies, to ſave them from their ſins. Thou ſhalt call his name Jeſus, for he ſhall ſave his people from their ſins, Matth. 1.21. 'Tis a mercy to be under government; under government, and under protection. What would become of us, were there no King in Iſrael? Where there's no King, all are kings; more kings than men: Sathan will be king, every luſt will be a lord, as many kings as there are devils and ſins. Whither would our unruly hearts carry us? How eaſily would our wily and potent enemies ruine us? What tyrannie would ſin exerciſe within? What cruelty ſhould we ſuffer from without? Whither ſhould we wander? where ſhould we fix? What peace, what order, what ſtability? Whence ſhould counſel, and protection, and ſalvation come, were there no Lord over us? 'Tis a mercy to be under government; but to be under ſuch a government, under a king, and ſuch a King? ſuch a wiſe and potent King, ſuch a meek and merciful King, ſuch an holy and a righteous King? O what a wonder of mercy! Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Zion, ſhout O daughter of Jeruſalem, behold thy King cometh unto thee, he is juſt, and having ſalvation; lowly, and riding upon an aſſes colt, &c. Zach. 9.9. [He is juſt having ſalvation] as a Prieſt he hath purchaſed, as a King he beſtows his ſalvation. He comes not to get, but to give; not to give Lawes only, but to give Gifts unto men; and he gives like a King, Palmes, Crowns, and Thrones; ſalvation to his people by the remiſſion of their ſins. Oh how unthankful, oh how fooliſh is this rebellious world? Impatient of ſubjection? ſhake off the yoke? groan under duty? under diſcipline? We will not have this man to rule over us? Who then ſhall ſave you? hard to be a Chriſtian? ſtrict laws, ſevere diſcipline, no liberty? Is this thy complaint? that is, wo is me, I am ſo limited, and hedg'd in on all hands, that there's no liberty left me to be miſerable; if I will be his, I muſt be happy.
Let fools inherit their own folly, but let Iſrael rejoyce in him that made him, let the children of Zion be joyful in their King; for the Lord taketh pleaſure in his people, he will beautifie the meek with ſalvation. Lift up your heads, O ye Gates, and be ye lift up ye everlaſting doors, and the King of glory ſhall come in. Who is this King of glory? the Lord of hoſts, yea the Lord our righteouſneſs, he is the King of glory. The Lord is our Judge, the Lord is our Law-giver, the Lord is our King, he will ſave us. Praiſe ye the Lord. Come all ye Nimrods, ye mighty hunters on the earth: come all ye ſons of Anak, ye ſeed of the Giants; come all ye ſons of Belial, ye ſeed of the Adulterer and of the whore; come all ye Iſhmaelites and Ammonites, ye Moabites and Hagarenes; aſſociate, confederate, take counſel together; ſmite with the tongue, bite with the teeth, puſh with the horn, kick with the heel; come all ye gates of hell, and powers of darkneſs; thou dragon with all thy armies, with all thy fiery darts, and inſtruments of death; come thou king of terrors, with thy fatal dart: the Virgin, the Daughter of Zion hath deſpiſed you all, ſhe hath laughed you to ſcorn: the Daughter of Jeruſalem hath ſhaken her head at you; her King is in the midſt of her; the Lord is her King, he will ſave her.
4. As our head and husband. He that is given to be head over all things [to] the Church, is given to be the head [of] the Church, Eph. 1.22,23. and of every member in particular, 1 Cor. 11.3. Believers are all joyned to the Lord, 1 Cor. 6.17. United [in] Chriſt as fellow members; united [unto] Chriſt as their common head. From which all the body, by joynts, and bands, having nouriſhment miniſtred, and knit together, increaſeth with the increaſe of God. Coloſſ. 2.19. they are married to Chriſt, 2 Cor. 11.2. I have eſpouſed you to one huſband.
From this Union follows:
1. A Communication of Influences.
2. A Complication of Intereſts.
1. A Communication of Influences. [Having nouriſhment miniſtred] Chriſt our head, is our fountain of life. Our head is our heart alſo, out of it are the Iſſues of life; from him we live, and are nouriſhed and maintained in life. He is our Joſeph, all the treaſures of the holy Land are with him. In him are hid all the treaſures of Wiſdome and Knowledge, Coloſſ. 2.3. It pleaſed the Father that in him ſhould all fulneſs dwell: Coloſſ. 1.19. He is the onelyonly begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth.
Here note,
1. What grace there is in Chriſt. The Schools tell us, that in him there is a three-fold grace.
1. Gratia Unionis. The Grace of Union. The humane Nature of Chriſt, hath received the high grace or favour, to be perſonally united to the ſecond perſon in the God-head; by vertue of which Union, the fulneſs of the Godhead is ſaid to dwell in him bodily: Bodily, that is perſonally, or ſubſtantially; in oppoſition to the types and ſhaddows of the Old Teſtament, in which God (in a figure) is ſaid to dwell. God is ſaid to dwell in the Tabernacle, in the Ark of the Covenant, in the Temple; but in theſe he dwelt onelyonly as figures, and ſhaddows of the humane nature of Chriſt: In Chriſt he dwells not in a figure, but perſonally and ſubſtantially. As Chriſt Coloſſ. 2.17. is called the Body, in oppoſition to the types of old, which were but the ſhaddow; ſo bodily here notes not a figurative, but a perſonal inhabitation. Chriſt is the body, not a ſhaddow; and God dwells in him bodily, that is ſubſtantially, and not in a ſhaddow.
2. Gratia Habitualis. Habitual Grace: All thoſe moral perfections, wherein ſtands the holineſs of his nature. The love and fear of God; his humility, meekneſs, patience; in ſumme, his perfect conformity to the Image and whole Will of God. Such an high Prieſt became us, who is holy, harmleſs, undefiled, ſeparate from ſinners. Heb. 7.26.
3. Gratia Capitis; or that honour which is given to him to be head of the Church.
2. How Chriſt is ſaid to be full of grace; there is a twofold fulneſs of grace.
1. Ex parte ipſius gratiae. In reſpect of grace it ſelf; thus he is ſaid to be full of grace, that hath all grace, and hath it in the greateſt excellency and perfection of it; that doth pertingere ad ſummum gratiae, Aquin.
2. Ex parte habentis gratiam, in reſpect of the perſon that hath it; and thus a perſon is ſaid to be full of grace, that hath as much grace as he is capable of. Chriſt is full of grace in both reſpects; that grace which is in him is grace in the higheſt perfection of it, and as much as his veſſel can hold.
3. That this fulneſs of Chriſt is ours, and for us; John 1.16. Of his fulneſs do we receive grace for grace, Coloſſ. 3.3. Your life is hid with Chriſt in God. Your life, that is both your ſpiritual life, grace; and your eternal life, glory; 1 John 5.11. This is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Our life is ſaid to be in Chriſt, in three reſpects.
1. Its hid in Chriſt, as the effect in the cauſe. As the life of the branches, is hid in the root, ſo is the life of a Chriſtian in Chriſt. He is our root.
2. It is depoſited with Chriſt; it is laid up with him, committed to his truſt and cuſtody; with him it is ſecured and put into ſafe hands.
3. The diſpenſation of it is committed to him. from him it is at his pleaſure to be derived to us. Of his fulneſs we receive. The Son hath life in himſelf, and he giveth it to whom, when, and in what meaſure ſoever he pleaſeth.
Chriſtian, art thou nothing in thy ſelf? Thou haſt enough in thy Jeſus. Art thou dark? He's a Fountain of light? Art thou dead? He's a fountain of life. Art thou poor, and low; weak in knowledge, in faith, in love, in patience, &c? He's a treaſure of all grace; and what he is, he is for thee. Is he wiſe? he is wiſe for thee: Is he holy? He is holy for thee: Is he meek, merciful, humble, patient? He is ſo for thee. Is he ſtrong, is he rich, is he full? 'Tis for thy ſake: as he was empty for thee, weak for thee, poor for thee; ſo for thee he is mighty, he is rich, and full. Whileſt thou bewaileſt thine own poverty and weakneſs, Oh bleſs thy ſelf in thy Lord, in his riches, righteouſneſs, and ſtrength.
2. A complication of intereſts. As the head and body, as the Husband and Wife, ſo Chriſt and his Saints are mutually concerned; are rich or poor, muſt ſtand and fall, live and die together. As the husband conveyes to the wife, a title to what he hath; as the wife holds of the husband; ſo is it betwixt Chriſt and his Church; they have nothing but through him; their whole tenure is in capite: they hold of the Head; they have nothing but through him; and whatſoever is his, is theirs: His God is their God; his Father is their Father; his blood, his bowels, his merits, his ſpirit, his victories, all the ſpoils he hath gotten, all the revenue and income of his life, and death, all is theirs. For them he obey'd, ſuffered, liv'd, died, roſe, aſcended, is ſet down in glory, at the right hand of God. He obeyed as their head, died as their head, roſe, aſcended, reigneth as their head; and hath in their names, taken poſſeſſion of that inheritance, which he purchaſed for them. This is that Jeſus which is given to us, and thus is he granted and made over to all his Saints in this Covenant of God.