The Covenant of Life Opened, Part 2 · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Of the promises made to Christ in the Covenant of Mediation, not to Christ-God, but to Christ God and Man the Mediator, and these of twelve sorts.
TO Christ-God promises of reward cannot be made, nor can Christ-God suffer, but they are made to the Person God-Man, for the incouraging of the Man Christ, and he incourages himself therewith, Isa. 50.7, 8. Christ-Man lived the life of faith by depending upon God for the joy set before him, and therefore did run, Heb. 1…. our life should be sweeter, should we fetch all our comforts and actings from his influences by the faith of daily dependency. Faith here promises to it self good, Isa. 26.12. Is. 30.31. Ps. 118.10, 11. Ps. 16.9, 10, 11.
If the kinds of promises made to Christ be asked for: Then 1. no such promise as remission of sin can be made to him;Justification promised to Christ; and that twofold▪ but a twofold Justification must be promised to him. A Law-Justification, this do and live: For the promise was made to the first Adam, to wit, that he should be justified and live, if he give consumate and perfect obedience to the Law▪ now this Christ did in al things. 2. There is a Justification of Christ from the band of suretyship, he having compleatly satisfied for our debts, this was due to him, and promised, 1 Tim. 3.16, Justified in the Spirit. Rom. 1.4. Declared to be the Son of God, by the resurrection from the dead: That was a judiciall declaration. Acts 2.24. Having loosed the pains of death, foreign, as a King by authority and judicially looses a prisoner from his fetters, having no more to say against him.Christ judicially loosed from death, came out, and we in him. Psa. 105.20. The King sent and loosed him. Isa. 50.8. He is near that justifies me, who is he that contends with me (in judgement?) Rom. 6.9. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead, dieth no more, death shall no more have Lordship or Lordly dominion over him, foreign. So the word, Luk. 22.25. The Kings of the Gentiles bear dominion over them. Rom. 14.9. Death had some Kingly dominion in Justice and by Law over him: But Christ by Law of satisfactory payment, who was also the mighty Son of God, wrought himself out of the grips and fetters of death: So in Christ death hath lost Law-dominion over the beleever. It is against Justice and the just Covenant between Jehovah and Christ, that we should be for ever among the worms and not at length be loosed from the sting and victory of the grace: O death, thou shalt, thou must let the captives go free, 1 Cor. 15.55. Hos. 13. the prison must be a free Jayle, when iron gates and fetters are broken. We have in Christ a good cause, the cause and action of Law is win, and carried on our favours.
2. There is a promise of heavenly influences made to Christ, Isa. 50.4.A promise of heavenly influences is made to Christ. He wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. 5. The Lord hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious. Some great Divines say, Christ had no sleepy nor closed ear: he must there speak of Isaiah. But so there was no sinfull drynesse in Christ; Was He not therefore anointed? Isa. 42.1. I will put my Spirit upon him. Then all influences are promised also, Isa. 11.2. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: — 3. And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord, and he shal not judge after the sight of his eyes, &c. 2. Christ was assured he could not sin,Christ was assured of influences. and so of influences to duties, Joh. 5.30. Joh. 8.26, 27, 38, 50, 55. Joh. 10.38. though he wanted influences at a time, as touching consolation and the felt fruition of God, being forsaken for a time, Psal. 22.1. Luk. 22.44. Math▪ 27.45. But Adam, Adam was not to beleeve he should have influences, nor yet to beleeve his own reprobation.as he was not to beleeve perseverance, nor yet sinfully to fear falling: so neither was he to beleeve influences to all acts of obedience, they not being promised to him. Yet was not Adam to beleeve his own reprobation; for it was neither true nor a revealed truth. Then the only nearest way against deadnesse and drynesse, is to have recourse to the fountain and fulnesse of life that is in Christ. Literall quickning of our selves, miskenning Christ, out of whose fulnesse we receive, produceth but literall fardinesse. 3. The speciall and cardinall promise (I will be his God, The great promise, I will be his God, made to Christ.Psal. 89.26. and he shall cry to me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my salvation.) is bound up with Christ in the Covenant of Suretyship, and is the key and corner stone of the frame and building of the Covenant of Grace, Joh. 20.17. Go to my Brethren, (saith Christ to Magdalen) and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father and to your Father, and to my God and your God. Its comfortable talking that Christ saith to us, I and you Beleevers are the Children of the same Father, and have one Covenant-relation to one God: though, as is said, Christ bear the relation of a Surety-Covenant to God, and we of a Covenant of Mediation; and notwithstanding of the differences, yet it may be said that Christ and Beleevers are in one writ,Christ and beleevers are in one writ. and one letter of acquittance dischargeth both from condemnation, Christ from condemnation of punishment, us from condemnation of inherent guiltinesse and punishment. Blessed we to be unite to him every way, and to joine our Amen and consent to the Covenant: yea, and in regard of profession, we should sub…cribe and write our names to it, Isa. 44.1, 2, 3. Our maimed and broken and half consent proclaims an overly and cold Covenanting. Its true, parties are but once married, once Covenanting by oath is as good as twenty:VVeare to make firmer our marriage-love with Christ. but frequent and multiplied acts of marriage-love adde a great deal of firmnesse and of strength to the Marriage band, they are confirmations of our first subscription. Renewed acts of faith to take Christ for Jesus and Redeemer, and renewed acts of love, do more and more ingadge the heart to Christ as Lord and King. Little conversing with Christ deadens marriage-love. Rare visits and thin bring on worn out acquaintance. We are apt to complain he visits us seldome: that is because we have not the childish hire of consolation and feeling, we refuse to work, and yet we should look at comfort for the duty, and not on the duty for the comfort,Our mistake touching comforts and duties. when its a duty to our Father; And who looks upon the comfort both as a comfort and a duty▪ 1 Thes. 4.18. Comfort one another with these words: and so must they comfort themselves. Comfort is mainly for beleeving, Colos. 2.2. Heb. 6.18. and there is a feast and a fill of joy in beleeving, Rom. 15.13. We seek but a comfort and a joy of chearing and solacing our selves, and that is all.
4. There is promised to Christ a seed, Isa. 53.10.A seed is promised to Christ, seed was much in the heart of Christ. When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed. Heb. 2.13. Behold I and the children that God hath given me. Jacob by Covenant served for Rachel: Christ also served, suffered and died of love for his Spouse, Eph. 5.25, 26. Isa. 53. he shall be satisfied. A Redeemed seed was his end, and we endure hard labour for a desired end, and we are sick till we get the great end we aim at. Its true the honour of God was the speciall end, Joh. 12.28. c. 17.1. yet it was heart satisfaction to Christ to have all his off-spring and children with him, Joh. 17.24. How should Christ not be our end? See if ye do all, and suffer all, to fetch this shoar, Phil. 3.8, 9. Examine comparative ends, by-ends, self ends. Its impossible a man can be ignorant of his last and main end, so strong an impulsion it hath upon his heart.
5. There's not onelyonly a seed, but a rich conquest, the heathen promised, and the ends of the earth, Psal. 2.8, 9. Dominion from sea to sea▪ Zech. 9.10. Psal. 72.8. Dan. 7.14. and both this and the former satisfies Christ. There is not a sight so desirable to the eye of Christ, as to see all his Redeemed ones conquering and last in the fields, and fairly landed on the shoar, passed Gun-shot and reach of all temptations. We satisfy our unbeleeving hearts too much▪ Christs …nd is satisfied by the Lord, therefore are we not to fear.Ah! who can stand, temptations are so strong. But as JEHOVAH fully satisfies Christs soul, his hope, his aim and intended end in all the Articles of the Covenant of Redemption: so fear not, JEHOVAH cannot break off the Treaty with his Son, nor can Christ be left unsatisfied.
6. The Lord promises help to Christ against his enemies, Psal. 89.21. With him my hand shall be established, mine arm also shall strengthen him. There be many against Christ, but he hath a divine furniture of strength. Hence protection is promised to him in the discharge of his Office, Isai. 49.2. In the shadow of his hand hath he hid me, and made me a polished sh…f…: in his quiver hath he hid me. The outlettings and manifestations of strength and furniture that is in the …ead redound… to a seasonable supplie of all his afflicted ones,Because victory is promised to Christ in temptations, we may flee to the Covenant, as Christ and the Saints have done. that they shall not be overwhelmed.
7. Victory is promised to Christ over all his enemies: The Lord will not leave his soul in grave, Psal. …6.10. Therefore (saith the Lord speaking Covenant-wayes, Isai. 53.12.) will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong: because he hath poured out his soul unto death. He shall triumph over principalities and powers, Col. 2.15. Luk. 11.22. and shall make all his enemies his footstool, and subdue them, so that he shall fill the pits with the dead bodies, Psal. 110.1, 6. and plague all his enemies, Gen. ….3. Psal. 89.2…. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. It supports not a little our faith, that when we tremble before temptations from Satan and the mighty of the world, the Lord hath written & Covenanted to Christ all his and our enemies destruction. Our turning away our eye from the Covenant is the cause why we succumb; Christ, under his sorest assault with hell and hels pursevants and officers, devils, and the felt anger of a forsaking God, dowbles his grips on the Covenant, my God, my God, Psal. 22.1. Mat. 27. O my Father, Mat. 26. Psal. 89.26. He shall cry to me, my Father, my God. A Covenant is (as it were) more then a promise, being a solemn promise in condiscension of mercy: So the Church, Psal. 89.38, 39. and Jer. 14.21. and the afflicted people, Isa. 63.16. and Dan. ….9.4, 5, 6. Ezra. 9.6.10.15. Hezekiah in a day of rebuke, Isa. 37.16, 20. the slain Church, Psal. 79.9. Psal. 80.1. flee to this shoar in their stormes, and the Lord professes he will be broken, intreated, and holden by his Covenant, Lev. 26.41, 42.
8. There is a promise of glory,A promise of glory is made to Christ. of a Name above all names made to Christ for his sufferings, Psal. 16.9, 10, 11. Isa. 53.12. Act. 5.31. and to such as suffer with him, and overcome, Luk. 22.29, 30. Rev. 3.21. Rev. 2.10. As also, he shall bear all the glory of his Fathers house, Isa. 22. Zech. 7.13.
9. The Lord promiseth forbearing mercy to the children of Christ, if they sin, he will correct them in measure, and in a Fatherly way give them repentance, but not remove the Covenant-mercy.Rods in mercy are Covenanted to us. So hath the Lord Covenanted and articled in the writ with his Son, a rod to children, to difference them from bastards, Heb. …2. And …e that hath hi… fire in Zion, and his furnace in Jerusalem, writes this up as a Covenant-mercy, that he will not suffer them to perish with the world. Hence, the rods of the wicked stand booked in the Covenant of Works among the curses of the book of the Law, Lev. …6. Deut. 28.15, 16, 17, &c. our rods are Covenanted mercies in the compact between the Lord and Christ, and written in the Gospel-book of the Covenant of Grace.
10. All the promises of the Gospel, are first (as it were) promised to Christ; the Gospel is put over in his hand. Jesus is the Angel, Rev. 10.1. ch…a…hed with a Cloud, and a Rain-bow on his head. v. 2. And hath in his hand a little book open; the Testament, and the book of all the promises to dispense them to such as the Father hath given to him, to give his Spirit to his own, to interceed and advocate for them, to ratifie and seal them with his blood.
11. There is promised to him an head-ship, and power of judgment,An headship is promised to Christ. over man and Angels, with an oath, that to him all knees shall bow, Rom. 14.11. Isa. 45.23. Phil. 2.10. and that he shall adde his seal to Gospel-hell and vengeance inflicted upon the despisers of the Gospel, Luk. 19.14. Mat. 26.64. The threatnings against Gospel unbeleef are put in the hands of Christ, not as Redeemer and Surety, but as a refused Surety and King, whom unbelievers will not have to raign over them.
12. Adam brake the whole frame of heaven and earth: and to the Second ADAM the whole broken and marred lump of the Creation is promised,The creatures in the Covenant of works are now broken out, when that Covenant is broken, but now in Christ they are taken in again & restored as under-Covenanters. that he may be the repairer of the waste places. Isa. 49.8. I will preserve thee, and give thee for a Covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherite the desolat heritages. Ps. 72.16. Under the raign of the Messiah, There shal be an handfull of corn upon the top of the mountains, the fruit thereof shall shake like Lebanon. Jer. 31.12. Therefore shall they come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together for the goodnesse of the Lord (Christ) for wheat, and for wine, and for oyl, and for the young of the flock, and of the herd.
1. The Lord made all things at the beginning very good, Gen. 1.31. Heaven, Earth, Sun, Moon, Beasts, Birds, &c. being all made servants to man, were in a manner fellow-Covenanters in their kind with man in the Covenant of Works: As a King covenants with a great Family, his servants and dependers have the benefite of the Kings Covenant-peace, all obeyed Adam without jarring: but when Adam sinned, war between the Lord, and between the Master and the servants is denounced, the earth is cursed for his sake, Genes. 3.17, 18. and Lions and wild Beasts rise against him like loose borderers. But in the Covenant of Grace, Hos. 2.18, 19, 20. the beasts of the field, the fowls of the heaven, the Sun which shall not smite by day, nor the Moon by night, Ps. 121.6. are by the Surety of the Covenant brought in a new league: yea the stones of the field, Job 5.23. are compartners of the peace, and Christ the King takes off the forefaultry upon all, and looses the arrestment of vanity that by sin was laid upon the Creation, which was made sick like a woman travelling in birth, Rom. 8.20, 21, 22. Hence are they blessed in Christ to the Saints, Deut. 28.4, 5. Levit. 26.4, 5, 6. and the Angels come in under their Head Christ, Col. 2.10. and serve the new restored heirs, Heb. 1.13. for their Heads sake.
2. God hath appointed Christ the Heir of all things, and, Heb. 1.2. hath given a Charter to Christ and put in bread, garments, houses and all to the Believer in Christ the first Heir: his great evidence is, 1 Cor. 3.21. All things are yours.
3. He makes all things new, Rev. 21.5. This Christ mends the broken gold ring which was broken by the first unattentive and rash Heir Adam; So that now Heavens, Earth, Mountains, Isai. 49.13. sea, trees, fields, Psal. 96.11, 12, 13. are commanded to sing a Gospel-Psalm of joy, because Christ the new King and Restorer of all is come to the Throne: yea let the stoods clap their hands, Psal. 98.9. and he purposes to purge with fire the great Pest-house infected with sin and under bondage of corruption, Rom. 8.21. 2 Pet. 3.10, 11. that he may set up the new world in Gospel-beauty▪ the new heavens and the new earth, 2 Pet. 3.13. Isai. 65.17. Isai. 66.22. Rev. 21.1. Oh what a life to have a cottage and a little yard of herbs in that new World, and how base to be but Citizens of this World!