The Gospel Method of Gods Saving Sinners, Discourse · Proposition 3
PROPOS. III. Of the Covenant of Redemption.
THIS glorious Contrivance and Deſign for the recovery of fallen Man, was tranſacted between God the Father and the Son, by mutual ſtipulation and agreement: The Father promiſing to his Son a rich recompence of reward upon his undertaking to ſatisfie for Man's offence by his death and ſufferings; and the Son likewiſe engaging to the Father, upon theſe terms, to make ſatisfaction. And this is that which by Divines is now called the Covenant of Redemption, to diſtinguiſh it from the Covenant of Grace, or the New Covenant, as moſt commonly ſtiled in Scripture, made with Believers through Chriſt. A diſtinction highly neceſſary, and conſequently not to be paſt by without a due obſervation, in order to our better underſtanding the Nature and Obligation of this Goſpel Covenant, which is the main thing intended in this whole Diſcourſe: But where doth Scripture, without whoſe warrant we ought not to admit any Article into our Creed, mention any ſuch thing as God's covenanting with Chriſt for his Redeeming of the World? For this ſome refer us to Pſal. 89. v. 3, 4.28. &c. to v. 38. The main Contents of this Pſalm, do, I confeſs immediately relate to David and his Natural Seed. Nor can this be queſtioned, ſince the ſubſtance of what we have here recorded, was by Nathan the Prophet expreſly delivered to him from the Lord, upon his declared intention to build an Houſe to his Name, 2 Sam. 7. 1 Kings 17. All which is afterwards particularly applyed to Solomon his Son, who next ſucceeded him in the Throne, 1 Chron. 22.10. 1 Kings 6.12. And therefore the literal ſenſe of this place, ſo far as the words will bear it, ought not to be excluded. But yet, this being granted, 'twill not therefore follow but that the former interpretation of the words may alſo be admitted. Immediately they may reſpect David and his Seed, and yet ultimately they may refer to Chriſt, as prefigured by him. Jeſus Chriſt we know, in the prophetick ſtile of the Old Teſtament, is frequently called by the name of David, Jer. 30.9. as Believers alſo are called his Seed. 'Tis not unuſual therefore, in this Book of Pſalms, to aſcribe ſuch things to David and Solomon, being eminent Types of Chriſt, as are either proper only to Chriſt the Antitype, or applicable to them only as they were ſome way or other repreſentative of him; which is a thing ſo commonly known, and evident in it ſelf, as that I ſhall not need to give my ſelf or others the trouble to prove it. And why may not the Pſalmiſt be allowed to ſpeak here in the ſame dialect, principally intending Chriſt, by what he relates of himſelf and natural ſeed? Eſpecially if it be conſidered that ſeveral expreſſions here uſed in this Pſalm are ſuch as ſignally belong to Chriſt, as ſome of his Royal Titles, and Jewels of his Crown. As for inſtance, his being The elect and choſen of the Lord, Math. 12.18. Luke 23.35 His Holy One Acts 3.14. His Firſt-born, Heb. 1.6. His Mighty One, Eſa. 9.6. Higher than the Kings of the Earth, Phil. 2.9. Upon which account Calovius is poſitive in his aſſertion, that the 19. verſe of this Pſalm is ſpoken unicè de Chriſto, of Chriſt alone, and not at all of David and his literal ſeed. Beſides, many of the priviledges here mentioned were never in a literal ſenſe made good either to David or Solomon, or any of their ſucceeding Race; though all to Chriſt: As that his ſeed ſhould be eſtabliſhed for ever, and his Throne to all Generations, ver. 4. That his hand ſh…uld be in the Sea, and his right hand in the mighty Rivers, v. 25. That he ſhould be higher than the Kings of the Earth, v. 27. That his Seed and Throne ſhould endure as the days of Heaven, ver. 29.36, 37. But when was David or Solomon, or any of their Succeſſors higher than the Kings of Aſſyria or Perſia, by whom they were carried Captives? Or when did they rule from Sea to Sea, from the Mediterranean to Euphrates? Or how was his Throne and Seed eſtabliſhed as the Sun and Moon in the Heavens for ever? When not long after this Promiſe here recorded, Coniah, the Son of Jehoiakim, and in him the whole Race of David, were, for their violating of God's Covenant, finally rejected, from ſitting upon his Throne, Jerem. 22.28, 29, 30. And by the ſucceeding Prophet 'tis more than intimated, that all this was but to make way for the Meſſiah, who was principally intended in the Promiſe made to David, Ezek. 21.25, 26, 27. in whom we find a punctual accompliſhment of all here promiſed, both as to the eſtabliſhment of his Throne, Heb. 1.8. and the extent of his Government, Zech. 9.10. and the ſubjection of his Enemies, Pſal. 110.1. and the exaltation of his Name and Power, Rev. 17.14. and 19.16.
To all which it might be added, that the Pen▪men of the New Teſtament, who beſt underſtood the meaning of the Spirit ſpeaking by the Prophets in the Old, do apply this Pſalm, at leaſt ſeveral paſſages of it, to Jeſus Chriſt, as may be ſeen by comparing theſe places following; ver. 3, 4. with Acts 13.23. ver. 26, 27, 28, 29. with Heb. 1.5.8. ver. 28.33, 34, 35. with Acts 13.34. ver. 36, 37. with Luke 1.32, 33. If this then (which is the judgment of moſt Interpreters upon the place) may be admitted to be the Prophets meaning and intendment in this Pſalm, we have here an evident proof of a Covenant made with Chriſt, repreſented to us by that made with David and his Seed. But not to inſiſt further upon this, Scripture is not wanting elſewhere, though not in expreſs terms, yet in words to the ſame import, to bear witneſs to this Truth. Hence we read of the Counſel betwixt them both, Zech. 6.13. of a Command received from the Father for Chriſt to lay down his life for his ſheep, which were given to him, Joh. 10.18. of his finiſhing the work which his Father gave him to do, Joh. 17.4. of a promiſe of eternal life before the world began, Tit. 1.2. of Grace given to Believers before the Foundations of the Earth were laid, 2 Tim. 1.9. of his enduring the Croſs and deſpiſing the ſhame for the joy that was ſet before him, Heb. 12.2. and to name no more, of his coming to do the will of his Father, and having his Law within his heart, Pſal. 40.8. And what was that but the mediatory Law, which paſt betwixt him and the Father, for his aſſuming the Nature of Man, in order to his making ſatisfaction for him by his death and ſufferings? And therefore 'tis ſaid in the foregoing words, a body haſt thou prepared me, for ſo the Author to the Hebrews renders thoſe words of the Pſalmiſt, mine ears haſt thou bored, Heb. 10.5. of which more afterwards. But if what hath been already ſaid, be not thought ſufficient to demonſtrate the truth of this Propoſition, let but theſe following Scriptures be conſulted, and weighed in an equal balance, and I cannot doubt but they will abundantly ſatisfie the mind of the moſt ſcrupulous in this point, excepting they be reſolved, contrary to the cleareſt evidence to adhere to their own miſtaken ſentiments. Pſal. 2.7, 8, 9. Phil. 2.5. to the 12. 1 Joh. 10.15, 16, 17, 18.27, 28, 29. and to name no more, Eſa. 53. The very word Covenant 'tis acknowledged doth not here occur. But that's not the thing in queſtion, whether this tranſaction betwixt the Father and the Son be here or elſewhere (though that hath been already proved) expreſly called by that name; for if nothing were to be owned for Divine Truth, but what is ſo delivered to us in Scripture, we muſt then give a Bill of divorce to many of the grand Articles of our Faith: But whether it be not expreſt by ſuch terms and phraſes as do neceſſarily ſignifie and import all that which is eſſential to and is commonly meant and underſtood by the word Covenant. For the proof of which, two things we learn from the Scriptures before mentioned, that are naked and open to every obſervan… eye: Firſt, That Jeſus Chriſt engageth in the behalf of thoſe whom the Father had given to him, to take their Nature, to bear their Infirmities, to be wounded for their tranſgreſſions, and make his Soul an Offering for their ſins, &c. And on the other hand, that the Father thereupon promiſeth to him, by way of reward, that he ſhould ſee of the fruit of his ſoul and be ſatisfied, that he would divide him a portion with the great, and the ſpoil with the ſtrong, and that he would exalt him, and make him head over all Principalities and Power, and give him a Name above every Name, that every knee ſhould bow and every tongue confeſs him to the glory of God the Father, &c. And as upon this conſideration he was comfortably ſupported under, and joyfully triumphed over all his ſufferings▪ Heb. 12.2. So likewiſe having perfectly accompliſh… the work he undertook upon theſe terms▪ he pleads it with his Father as the reaſon why he ſhould be exalted and reaſſumed to Glory, Joh. 17.4, 5. And what can all this ſignifie leſs, than what we commonly underſtand and expreſs by the word Covenant? And when the thing it ſelf is ſo evidently declared in Scripture, why ſhould we ſcruple to call it by that name? any more than we do to call that original ſin which we derived from Adam; or the Law given to him, the natural Covenant; or the union of the Divine and Humane Nature in the perſon of Chriſt, the Hypoſtatical Union; or the three Perſons in the Godhead, the Trinity; or the Lords Supper, a Sacrament, &c. which are words no where to be found in Scriprure? Yet ſince the things themſelves which ar… ſignified by them, may be found there, 'tis thought ſufficient to juſtifie the uſe of them.
I have the rather inſiſted upon this Argument, becauſe the confounding of theſe two Covenants, this I mean of Redemption with that of the Goſpel, and making them but one, which, as will afterwards be made more fully to appear, are vaſtly different, and conſequently to be diſtinguiſht, hath been the fundamental cauſe of thoſe ſeveral Controverſies and Miſtakes, that have been concerning the Goſpel Covenant.