A Manual of Practical Divinity, Treatise · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. The Covenant between God the Father, and the Lord Ieſus our Surety.
ITs a thing of unſpeakable comfort to know that the Covenant of Grace is an everlaſting Covenant, and that it was principally made with Chriſt as the head of the Elect; ſeveral things ſhew, that there was a Covenant and Agreement between God the Father & the Lord Jeſus concerning the work of Redemption; Chriſt being called the ſurety of the better Covenant, Heb. 7.22. ſhews that there was a Covenant between God the Father and him, as there is between a Creditor and a Surety, that Chriſt gave Bonds (as it were) to God the Father, and payed the debt: when Chriſt is called Gods ſervant, Eſay 42.1. holds forth as much, that though Chriſt as to his Divine nature was equal with God, yet as Mediatour he became the Fathers ſervant; God the Father and he agreed and Covenanted about the doing of this great. Work of ſaving ſinners. Yea in Pſalm 89.28. God the Father ſaith, my Covenant ſhall ſtand faſt with him, that is, which Chriſt (for many things in that Pſalm ſhew, that its to be interpreted of Chriſt,) ſo then there is a Covenant that God the Father hath made with Chriſt the Mediatour, which Covenant the Lord ſaith ſhall ſtand faſt; upon this account the Lord Jeſus is ſaid Revel. 13.8. to be the Lamb ſlain from the Foundation of the world, becauſe that it was agreed and Covenanted between God the Father & Chriſt, that he ſhould in the fulneſs of time be made fleſh, and die for ſinners, and therefore it was ſaid to be done from the Foundation of the world, becauſe ſo it was written in the Volume of Gods Book, that the Lord Jeſus had agreed to come to do the will of God, Heb. 10. which was to offer up one Sacrifice for ſins for ever, which was himſelf; and for the ſame Reaſon it is ſaid, that the Promiſes are made to Abrahams ſeed which is Chriſt, Gal. 3.16. not to ſeeds as of many; but they are principally made to one ſaith he, and that is Chriſt; and this the Apoſtle aſſerts, 2 Tim. 1.9. when he ſaith we are ſaved and called, not according to our works, but according to his own purpoſe and Grace which was given us in Chriſt Jeſus before the world began: which ſhews that God the Father and Chriſt dealt together about the Redemption of ſouls before the world began; and all things agreed on and made ſure between them. This the Lord Jeſus means, John 10.16. when he ſaith, there were other ſheep which he muſt bring home; why muſt he bring them home? how was he bound to it? only by this Covenant and Agreement with God the Father wherein he had covenanted to do it.
Thus then it may be expreſſed in three particulars:
1. God the Father decreed the ſalvation of the Elect; all thoſe expreſſions where he is ſaid to chuſe them, love them with an everlaſting Love, evince ſo much.
2. God the Father appointed the Lord Jeſus to be the Way and means by which they ſhould be ſaved; therefore is Chriſt ſaid to be appointed by God the Father, Heb. 3.2. therefore God is ſaid to lay help upon him for poor ſinners, Pſalm 89. and therefore God is ſaid to appoint us to obtain by our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, 1 Theſ. 5.7. this is everywhere ſpoken of in the Scripture.
3. God the Father made a ſure Covenant with the Lord Jeſus, and agreed with him that he ſhould do this great Work of bringing many ſons unto glory.
And ſo as we may expreſs it to our Capacities under the Notion of a Covenant, there were ſeveral things agreed on between God the Father and Chriſt our Mediatour.
1. They agreed of price what that Ranſom ſhould be that ſhould diſcharge poor ſinners, and make full ſatisfaction to Gods Juſtice; and it was agreed that it ſhould be the death and blood-ſhedding of the Lord Jeſus! this is expreſſed, Heb. 10. where Chriſt ſaith to God the Father, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldſt not, according to the Law, but in the Volume of thy Book it is written of me, Lo I come to do thy will O God, that is, I come to give thee ſatisfaction according to thy own heart by that which we agreed upon, My own death.
2. They agreed of the time of payment; therefore it is ſaid, Gal. 4. when the fulneſs of time was come God ſent his Son, that is, when the time that was agreed upon between the Father and Chriſt, was come, then Chriſt was ſent forth, not that Chriſt had time given him becauſe he was not able to pay our debt before, but God ſaw that the fitteſt time, after the Church had been ſo long under Ceremonies and hard ſervices, then Chriſt comes forth to purchaſe a Redemption from ſin and thoſe things to, that we might ſee more of the great Benefits we have by him.
3. It was agreed what power the Lord Jeſus ſhould have to carry on the work of Redemption, and all power was given to him, Mat. 28. and John 17.2. Thou haſt given him power over all fleſh, that he ſhould give eternal life to as many as thou haſt given him; Now Chriſt as God had of himſelf power over all things, but now as Mediatour, God the Father gives him power over all fleſh; and ſo Epheſ. 1.22. God the Father is ſaid to have given Chriſt to be Head over all things to the Church: Now Chriſt as God was Head over all things without any giving of it to him: but Chriſt as Mediator hath it given to him to be Head over all things to the Church, that is, for the benefit of the Church, that ſo the Lord Jeſus is the Head over all things, hath command over the good Angels, Devils, men and all creatures for the good of the Church, whoſe Head he is in another manner then he is Head of all things: ſo I ſay, this was agreed that the Lord Jeſus ſhould have univerſal power and dominion for the managing of this great Work.
4. It was agreed in this Covenant between the Father and Chriſt, that the ſins and failings of Chriſts members ſhould not break the Covenant that the Father and Chriſt had made for their ſalvation; therefore it is ſaid in that 89. Pſalm from 23. to 32. that the Covenant ſhould ſtand faſt with Chriſt; and ſaith God, if Chriſts children break my Commandements, I will viſit their Iniquity with a Rod, I will have liberty ſaith God, to chaſtiſe them and whip them home when they play the Prodigals and wander from my Houſe: but then it ſhall not break the Covenant that they ſin againſt me, but I will pardon their iniquities, and remember their ſins no more.
Upon the account of this Covenant between the Father and Chriſt, the Lord Jeſus is ſaid to truſt God the Father as Mediatour, Heb. 2.13. Behold, I put my truſt in him: and again, behold I and the children which God hath given me. Chriſt as Mediatour truſted God the Father to carry him through the great work of his Mediation. (2.) He truſted him that he would accept of his death. (3.) He truſted him that in the appointed time he would beſtow all the good things purchaſed by his death upon them for whom he died: which good things were eſpecially forgiveneſs of ſins, the Spirit, Sanctification, and eternal life; God the Father had trufted Chriſt with the ſalvation of his people, with which he would not have truſted all the Angels in Heaven: and therefore Chriſt might well truſt God the Father in this matter; Chriſt knew Gods infinite Love to thoſe for whom he died, and knew the Covenant between the Father and him on their behalf, and ſo truſted the Father fully in the buſineſs, relying upon the love and faithfulneſs of God: his love to the Elect, and his faithfulneſs to keep Covenant with him.