The Glory of Free Grace Displayed, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
A ſecond Inſtance of grace, Adding light unto the former, ſhewing how the gracious decree is accompliſhed notwithſtanding the difficulty. The Covenant between God the Father and the Son which is the Covenant of reconciliation, or the Mediatorial Covenant diſcovered in ſome of its particulars. The uſe ſhewing how grace is hereby glorified.
THat God might effectually accompliſh the Salvation of any, in a way conſiſtent with the glory of his Holineſs, Righteouſneſs, Truth and Faithfulneſs, and accordingly ſee the Execution of the decree of Grace, 'twas abſolutely neceſſary, that Infinite Wiſdom be in exerciſe; for, the work was ſtupendious, too great for finite capacitiesto engage in, a work no way beneath God himſelf. A Holy Good and juſt Law, unto which was annexed a ſevere threatning, is tranſgreſſed, mankind is become unholy and unclean, altogether filthy and polluted, liable to to the greateſt miſeries: the Lord ſtill Juſt and Righteous, True, and faithful, a God of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, or delight in ſin, or in the unreconciled ſinner; Sin muſt be puniſhed, juſtice muſt be ſatisfied, Holineſs and Truth Glorified, but, Man in the circumſtances he then was, unable to do either; He cannot appeaſe Gods Wrath, nor ſatisfy Juſtice, nor purifie, or cleanſe his own heart to perfection, how then can he become the object of everlaſting love: or how is it poſſible that the Gracious decree be executed? I anſwer,
Whoever conſiders theſe things ſeriouſly, cannot but cry out, and ſay, if this work be accompliſhed, it muſt be the Lords own doing; and marvelous in our eyes. The contrivance muſt be the effort of infinite wiſdome; and the Glory of that Grace, for which ſuch a work muſt be carried on, is Unſpeakable: and verily the Lord hath ſhewn himſelf to be God, even in that he hath found out a way for the doing this. Wiſdom dwelt with Prudence, and found out the knowledge of this witty invention. Prov. 8.12,30. 3. God the Father, conſulted with God the Son, and it rejoyced their ſoul, that Grace might bemagnified, that Juſtice and Mercy might greet each other. That the Love of God might be made known unto man, without the impeachment of the honour of his other Attributes.
But what was the contrivance? 'twas this; God the Father entred into a Covenant with God the Son, in which Covenant there is obſervable,
1. What the Father required from the Son.
2. What the Father Promiſed the Son.
1. What the Father required the Son to do, which more generally, was the exalting Free-Grace in the actual Salvation of ſome, even in a way agreable with the other glorious perfections of God.
But more particularly ſeveral things in order to the obtaining this end muſt be done.
1. A body muſt be prepared for the Son, he muſt aſſume humane nature: it being neceſſary, that he that ſanctifieth, and they who are ſanctified, ſhould be of one, of one common Parent, Adam; and therefore God the Son took on him the fleſh and blood, viz. The nature of the Brethren, the humane (but not corrupt) nature, Heb. 2.11,14,16. And therefore a body was prepared for the Son, Heb. 10.5. &c.
2. In this nature, God the Son muſt come into the World, Prov. 8.30,31. And ſuffer f… mans ſin, Iſa. 53.5. He was wounded for our tranſgreſſions, he was bruiſed for our iniquities, Gal. 3.13. John 10.18.
3. He muſt render a ſinleſs, a full, compleat and perfect obedience to Gods Law, being made under the Law, Gal. 4.4. It became him to fulfil all Righteouſneſs, Math. 3.15. He came not to deſtroy the Law but to fulfil it, Math. 5.17. In doing which, the end of the Law was anſwered, the honour of Gods Juſtice, and governing wiſdom conſerved, and the door of grace opened to believing, repenting, returning ſinners, who were givens to the Lord Jeſus.
4. The Lord Chriſt was obliged to keep and preſerve theſe given him, This is the Fathers Will, that of all that he hath given me, I ſhould loſe nothing, but ſhall raiſe it up at the laſt day, John 6.39.
2. God the Father moreover doth make rich promiſes unto the Son, on the Sons performing the required conditions; The Son ſhall be greatly rewarded, he ſhall be exalted, and made very high, Iſa. 52.13. Yea, God highly exalted him, giving him a name above every name, Philip. 2.9. &c. Again God gives him a ſelect number, who ſhall in proceſs of time be actually with him in the eternal glory: He ſhall ſee his ſeed, and the travel of his ſoul, and be ſatisfied, Iſa. 53.10.11. yea, a ſelect number among the Heathen, Pſal. 2.8. Nations ſhall run unto him, Iſa. 5.5. Who are called Children, given unto Chriſt, Heb. 2.13. So John 10.29. The Lord Jeſus Chriſt ſpeaking of his ſheep, that is, of thoſe that were ordained to eternal life, doth ſay my Father which gave them me. Thus you ſee, the terms of the Covenant, all ordered for the exaltation of infinitely free Grace.
The USES
'Tis wonderful that the thoughts of God ſhould from all eternity be concerned for faln man's ſalvation.
3. That the Lord Chriſt, God-man, muſt engage in this great work, that he, who was eternally in the boſom of the Father, ſhould empty himſelf of the Glory of God and take upon him the form of a ſervant, is mightily ſurprizing. That God ſhould humble himſelf ſo infinitely, as to undergo the wrath of the Father! Oh what manner of love, what manner of Grace is this! Read believingly, and conſiderately the account given in the Scriptures of our Lord Jeſus his fulfilling his part of the Covenant in the particulars thereof,and you cannot but ſee free-grace, highly exalted.
1. God aſſumes humane nature.
What a wonder is this, and how many miracles, were wrought for the effecting it, conſidering humane nature was by ſin Corrupted, and yet, it muſt be aſſumed, and united unto the divine, without Corruption!
2. God in this nature ſuffers; not, that the divine nature, as ſuch, is capable of the leaſt ſufferings; and therefore, 'tis the humane nature, that is the immediate ſubject of ſufferings; but paſſions, as well as actions being of perſons, we may ſafely ſay, That he, who is God, ſuffered: for, our iniquities were laid on Chriſt, Iſay, 53. Chriſt was made ſin, as 'tis 2 Cor. 5.21. yea, and a curſe, that ſuch as do believe might be delivered from an eternal curſe. Gal. 3.13.
But, how was Chriſt made ſin, or in what ſenſe, were the iniquities of any laid on him? was the filth of ſin laid on Chriſt?