The Morning Exercise Methodized, Sermon 11
THE COVENANT OF Redemption OPENED.
Iſa. 53.10.
When thou ſhalt make his ſoule an offering for ſinne, he ſhall ſee his ſeed, &c.
O Fall the Prophets, this Prophet Iſaiah was the moſt Evangelical Prophet; (*Non tam Propheta dicendus est quam Evangelista. Ep. ad Paulam & Euſtochium. tom. 3. p. 9. Quanto Propheta hic aliis antecellit Prophetis, tanti haec ejus, c. 53. edita Prophetia caeteris ejus praestare videtur oraculis. Mo…uſ. in Praef. ad com. in c. 53. Iſaiae. Hierome calls him Iſaiah the Evangeliſt) Of all the Propheſies of this Prophet, that which you have in this Chapter, is the moſt Evangelical Propheſie. I do not remember any one piece of Scripture in the Old Teſtament, ſo often cited in the New Teſtament, as this 53. chapter of Iſaiah, it being cited there no leſſe than eight or nine times.
The Eunuch you read of in the Goſpel, was converted by a part of it; after God by the Miniſtry of Philip, Acts 8.30, &c.had opened his eyes to ſee Chriſt held out in it.
In the whole Chapter you have a moſt lively and full deſcription and repreſentation of the humiliation, death and paſſion of Jeſus Chriſt; which indeed is ſo exact, and ſo conſonant to what hath fallen out ſince, that Iſaiah ſeems here rather to pen an Hiſtory, than a Prophecy.
That Chriſt all along is here treated upon,Ingenuè proſ…cor illud inſum c…put ad fidem Christianam me adduxiſſe; nam plus millies, illud caput perlegi, &c. Joh. Iſ. Levit. vid. Horneb. contra. Jud. l. 6. c. 1. p. 408. and not the ſufferings of the Jewiſh ſtate, I ſhall not now inſiſt upon. Philip when he had this Scripture before him, he preached Jeſus, Acts 8.35. — Chriſt brings it down to himſelf, Mark 9.12. — And the matter of it is ſo convictive, from that cleare light that goes along with it, that ſeveral of the Jews in the reading of this Chapter, have been brought over to the Chriſtian Religion, as not able to ſtand out againſt the light and evidence of it.
The time allotted for this exerciſe being but ſhort, I muſt fall upon my work preſently.
I come to that Branch which I am to inſiſt upon, When thou ſhalt make his ſoul an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his ſeed, &c.
In the verſe before you have Chriſts innocency, he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth; why then did he undergo ſo much? It pleaſed the Lord to bruiſe him, and to put him to grief. How could the Father, ſalvâ juſtitiâ, deale thus with an innocent perſon, and with his own Son too? I anſwer, Chriſt had now put himſelf in the ſinners ſtead, and was become his foreign, his ſurety, and ſo obnoxious to whatever the ſinner had deſerved in his own perſon; and upon this the Father might, without any injuſtice, and actually did, for the manifeſtation of the unſearchable riches of his wiſdome and love, bruiſe him and put him to grief. The Lord Jeſus had no ſin in him by inhaeſion; he was holy, harmleſs, undefiled, Heb. 7.26.&c. but he had a great deale of ſin upon him by imputation; He was made ſin, that knew no ſin, that we might be made the righteouſneſſe of God in him. 2 Cor. 5.21.It pleaſed Chriſt to put himſelf thus under our guilt, and therefore it pleaſed the Father thus to bruiſe him.
If you ask further, what had Chriſt to encourage him either to, or in theſe ſufferings? Though there was infinite love in Chriſt to put him upon all this, and to carry him thorough all this, yet there muſt be ſomething more; you have therefore here very precious*Mr. B. looks upon theſe rather as Propheſies, than as promiſes. Append. p. 39. Verſe 10. Ver. 11. Ver. 12. promiſes, made to Chriſt upon this his undertaking; as that, he ſhould ſee his ſeed, he ſhould prolong his dayes, the pleaſure of the Lord ſhould prosper in his hand, he ſhould ſee the travel of his ſoul, and God would divide him a portion with the great, and he ſhould divide the spoile with the strong, becauſe he had poured out his ſoule unto death, &c.
This very briefly to clear up the Coherence of the words; I paſs over the various readings of them; and alſo what might be ſpoke for the explication of them (that will come in afterwards) becauſe I haſten to that which is my buſineſſe this morning, namely, the opening of the Covenant of Redemption. You have heard of the miſery of man by Nature, of the inability of man to help himſelf in this loſt condition, &c. I am now to ſpeak ſomething to his recovery or reſtauration, or rather to that which indeed is the foundation of his recovery, and that is the Covenant here called, The Covenant of Redemption.
By which Covenant, I mean that faederal tranſaction that was betwixt God the Father, and the Son from everlaſting, about the Redemption of loſt and fallen man. Underſtand me here aright; I am not to ſpeak to the Covenant of grace, but to the Covenant of Redemption. We make a difference betwixt theſe two. 'Tis true, the Covenant of Redemption is a Covenant of grace, but 'tis not ſtrictly and properly that Covenant of grace, which the Scripture holds out in oppoſition to the Covenant of works; but rather the means to it, or foundation of it. Amongſt other things wherein theſe two Covenants do differ, this is one, they differ in the faederati; for in the Covenant of Redemption, the faederati are God and Chriſt; but in the Covenant of grace, the confederates are God and Believers. I lay down this as my judgement with much ſubmiſſion, becauſe I know herein I differ from ſome of great repute,Maſculus, &c. Dr. Preſton, Mr. Rutherford, Aſſemblyes greater Catech. whom I very much honour in the Lord. The Lord Jeſus I grant is the very kernel and marrow of the Covenant of grace; the Mediator of this better Covenant, Heb. 12.24. the ſurety of this Covenant, Heb. 7.22. the Teſtator of this Covenant, Hebr. 9.16, 17. The Meſſenger of this Covenant, Mal. 3.1. All this is very clear; all that I ſay is this, that Chriſt is not the per…ona foederata, but believers. The Covenant of Grace was not made with God and Chriſt, (as a common head) but 'tis made with God and believers; and therefore whereas the promiſe is ſaid to be made to the ſeed, and that ſeed is Chriſt, Gal. 3.16. you are to take Chriſt there not perſonally, but myſtically as you have it taken, 1 Cor. 12.12. So alſo is Chriſt.
I only ſay this to clear up my way,Bulkely on the Cov. pag. 28, &c. Bl…ke on the Cov. ch. 6. p. 24. Baxter, his Append. to his Aphor. p. 35, &c. and therefore ſhall not lay down any Arguments for the confirmation of this opinion; he that deſires ſatisfaction in th is point, let him peruſe the Authours cited in the Margent. To the Buſineſſe in hand:
The Covenant of Redemption (I ſay) is that foederal tranſaction, or mutual ſtipulation that was betwixt God and Chriſt in the great work of mans Redemption. I call it a foederal tranſaction, or mutual stipulation, becauſe therein lies the nature of a Covenant; 'tis (as Civilians define it) a mutual ſtipulation or agreement betwixt Party and Party upon ſuch and ſuch Termes, with Reciprocal Obligations each of the other.
That the buſineſſe of Mans Redemption was tranſacted betwixt the Father and the Son is very clear. Zech. 6.13. The Counſel of peace ſhall be betwixt them both; the Counſel of Reconciliation: How man that is now an enemy to God, may be reconciled to God, and God to him; (for whatever the Socinians ſay. the Reconciliation is not only on the ſinners part, but on Gods alſo) this Counſel or Conſultation ſhall be betwixt them both; (that is) Father and Son. I know ſome interpret it of Chriſts offices; the Prieſtly and the Kingly office of Chriſt, both conſpire to make peace betwixt God and man; but I rather take it in the other ſenſe.
That this tranſaction betwixt theſe two glorious perſons, was alſo foederal, or in the way of a Covenant, and that too from everlasting, is to me a very great truth, (though I am not ignorant that ſome learned men are not ſo well ſatisfied about it.)
For the Explication and Confirmation of this great myſtery, I will lay down theſe ſeven Propoſitions.
Prop. 1 The firſt is this: God the Father in ord…r to mans Redemption ſtands upon Satisfaction; the ſinner ſhall be juſtified, but firſt God will be ſatisfied. Man is now fallen from that happy ſtate wherein at firſt God made him, and by this fall he hath offered an affront to God, and wronged God (ſo far forth as he was capable of ſuch a thing;) in this caſe therefore God will have ſatisfaction, in the Reparation of his Honour, in the Manifeſtation of his Truth, in the Vindication of his Holin…ſſe and Juſtice. 'Tis true, He being the Perſonal laeſa, he might freely have remitted the offence, and done what he pleaſed; but ſuppoſito decreto, (ſome go higher, even to Gods nature, which neceſſarily puts him upon the puniſhment of ſin.) I ſay, ſuppoſing Gods decree, he having decreed thus and thus, and alſo threatned thus and thus, he will have ſatisfaction; and therefore though he doth in Election give ſuch and ſuch freely unto Chriſt; yet for the carrying on, and execution of his purpoſe herein, he ſtands upon terms for the ſatisfying of his juſtice, (which Attribute God will advance as well as his Mercy; for all are alike dear to God) he will have an offering for ſin in an expiatory and propiatory way; a price and ranſome ſhall be paid him down,Iſa. 33.10. … Tim. 2.6. or the Captive ſhall never be releaſed: And in order unto this, or for the manifeſtation of this, you do not only read in Scripture of Election as to believers, but alſo as to Chriſt, whom God calls his Elect, Iſa. 42.1. The Father chooſes him,foreign. and ſets forth, or …ore-ordains him, as 'tis Rom. 3.25. To make ſatisfaction, without which fallen man ſhall not be taken into his favour again: who ſhall be redeemed and juſtified, but in ſuch a way that God may declare his righteouſneſſe: The Apoſtle doubles his Expreſſion as to this, To declare his righteouſneſſe for the remiſſion of ſins; To declare I ſay his righteouſneſſe, that he might be juſt, and the justifier of h…m which bel…eveth in Jeſus, Rom. 3.25, 26. You will have this great truth more fully inſiſted upon by another in the carrying on of this exerciſe; I will here ſay no more to it.
Prop. 2 Secondly, The Father you ſee demands ſatisfaction; well, To this he annexes many excellent, great and preci…us promiſes; that if Chriſt would engage in this work, and undertake thus to ſatisfie, (for he alone could do it) he would do thus and thus for him; as that he would fit him for the work, own him and ſtrengthen him in the work, ſucceed and proſper him in the work, and then reward him for it. And all this the Father makes good to Chriſt.
1. He fits him for this work, both in a large effuſion of the graces and gifts of the Spirit upon him. John 3.34. God giveth not the Spirit by meaſure unto him. And alſo in the preparing of a body for him, Hebr. 10.5.
2. He ſtrengthens him, and ſupports him in the work. Iſa. 42.1. Behold my ſervant (Chriſt is our Lord, but in the work of Redemption he was the Fathers ſervant) whom I uphold; and therefore you finde when Chriſt was put upon the greateſt tryals, God gave in eminent ſuccour to him; as in the caſe of temptation, Matth. 4.11. and in his agony in the Garden, Luke 22.43. And there appeared an Angel unto him from heaven, ſtrengthning of him. And certainly if Chriſt had not had ſupport and ſtrength from the Godhead, he had never been able to have bore up under, and carried thorough his terrible ſharp work: You finde him encouraging himſelf, and acting faith upon this, that God would own him, and ſtand by him in this undertaking. Iſa. 50.7, 8, 9. The Lord God will help me, therefore ſhall I not be confounded; Therefore have I ſet my face like a flint, and I know that I ſhall not be aſhamed; He is near that juſtifyeth me; who will contend with me? Pſal. 16.8, &c. I have ſet the Lord alwayes before me, becauſe he is at my right hand, I ſhall not be moved, &c.
3. Further, God the Father ſucceeds and proſpers him in the work. When thou ſhalt make …his ſoul an offering for ſin, he ſhall ſee his ſeed, the pleaſure of the Lord ſhall prosper in his hand. This was promiſed, and alſo made good to Chriſt in the numerous body of believers, paſt, preſent, and to come. I might here enlarge upon a threefold gift which the Goſpel holds forth▪ There's the Fathers gift, the Sons gift, and the Believers gift. The Fathers gift lies in Election; ſuch and ſuch individual perſons he gives to Chriſt; Thine they were, and thou gavest them me, John 17.6. We are a free gift to Chriſt in El…ction, as Chriſt is a free gift to us in Redemption. The Sons gift lies in the giving of himſelf for us, Who gave himſel… for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, &c. Tit. 2.14. And then there is the Believers gift, and that is, he gives up himſelf to Chriſt, to be ruled by Chriſt, diſpoſed by Chriſt, ſaved by Chriſt; he gives up himſelf to the Lord, 2 Cor. 8.5. The Father giving believers to Chriſt, and promiſing that believers in time ſhould alſo give themſelves to him, was a great encouragement to Chriſt to give himſelf for believers; and if you read John 17. you ſhall ſee there, that Chriſt when he had done his work, takes much notice of the accompliſhment of this promiſe to him, in believers (who are his ſeed) owning of him, and cloſing with him.
4. Laſtly, God will and doth reward Chriſt upon his undertaking to redeem man; he tells him he ſhall not loſe by it, His days ſhall be prolonged; Iſa. 33.10.(i. e. his Kingdome ſhall be ſet up in the world to endure for ever) God would divide him a portion with the great, and he ſhould divide the ſpoile with the ſtrong, becauſe he hath poured out his ſoul unto death. Ver. 12.And many ſuch promiſes you have made to Chriſt; Accordingly; God hath exalted him far above all principality and power, Eph. 1.21, 22.hath put all things under his feet, made him to be head over all things to the Church, given him a Name which is above every name, that at the Name of Jeſus every knee ſhould bowe; Phil. 2.9.and all becauſe (to give ſatisfaction to his Father) he made himſelf of no reputation, and became obedient unto death, Ver. 7.8.even the death of the Croſs. And thus you ſee what the Father demands, and what he doth indent and promiſe to his Son, in caſe he will engage in this undertaking; not as if the Son was unwilling ſo to do, (you muſt not ſo underſtand it) but the work being of ſuch a nature, ſo hard, ſo grievous, it pleaſed the Father thus to Treat with him.
Prop. 3 In the third place: The Lord Jeſus Christ engages in the work, accepts of the termes and conditions ſet before him, and undertakes to ſatisfie his Fathers demands. And in order to ſatisfaction, (which God ſtands upon as you have heard before) Chriſt is willing to fulfill the whole Law, which was the rule, or meaſure, or ſtandard for this ſatisfaction: God had been diſhonoured by the violation of his Law, and the diſobedience and non-performance of it was that which kept God and the ſinner at a diſtance, and therefore he will only be ſatisfied and reconciled upon the fulfilling of it; here is my Law ſaith God, ſatisfie it, and my juſtice is ſatisfied.
You muſt know this, that though a ſinner as to himſelf, is juſtified upon the termes of the Covenant of grace, yet as to his ſurety, he is juſtified upon the Covenant of works; for the ſurety muſt pay the whole debt, and the Father will bate him nothing.
Object. Where is then, ſome will ſay, the freeneſſe of grace in the juſtifying and acquitting of a ſinner? if God will be ſatisfied to the utmoſt, what becomes of mercy? if the ſurety pay the debt to the Creditor, is it any great favour for the Creditor to let the debtor out of priſon?
Sol. To this I anſwer, Free grace is very well conſiſtent with full ſatisfaction; and notwithſtanding the latter the former is very glorious, partly becauſe God himſelf found out this way of ſatiſfaction, partly becauſe God accepts it for the good of the ſinner, as though he had made it in his own perſon: That place of the Apoſtle is obſervable, Being juſtified freely by his grace, through the Redemption that is in Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 3.24. Notwithſtanding Redemption by Chriſt, yet we are juſtified freely; as freely as though Chriſt had done and ſuffered nothing at all. But this is a digreſſion.
I ſay, the Father demanding the fulfilling of the Law,Quod requi…it lex, nempe tum plenam paenae reatibus nostris debitae luitionē ut à condemnatione liberemur; tum plenam legis praestationē ut ad aeternam vitam foreign inveniamur, ex illa promiſſione, Hoc fac & vives. Beza. Chriſt undertakes to do it; and therefore he willingly puts himſelf under this Law. When the fulneſſe of time was come, God ſent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, to Redeem them that were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption of Sonnes, Gal. 4.4, 5. And he ſubmits not only to the duty of the Law, but alſo to the penalty of the Law; not only to do what the Law enjoynes, but alſo to ſuffer what the Law threatens; and the former he makes good by his active obedience, the latter by his paſſive obedience.
To open this a little further, Chriſt here doth two things.
Firſt, He undertakes to performe the whole moral Law; and therefore when he comes into the world, his eye was upon this; Thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteouſneſſe, Mat. 3.15. I am not come to deſtroy the Law, but to fulfill, Mat. 5.17. And all this Chriſt did for our good, that the righteouſneſſe of the Law might be fulfilled in us, Rom. 8.4. a very convincing place for the imputation of Chriſts active obedience.
Secondly, Whereas a ſpecial Law was laid upon him, as he was our Meditour; he is willing alſo to obey that in order to our redemption. That Chriſt ſhould die was no part of the moral law, but it was a poſitive ſpecial law laid upon Chriſt; well, he makes it good: I lay down my life, this Commandment have I received of my Fath…r, Joh. 10.18. Chriſt as Mediator had a command from his Father to die, and he obſerves it; And to be ſhort, whatever the Father put him upon in his whole Mediatory work, he did it all; ſo he tells us, I have finiſhed the work which thou gaveſt me to d…, Joh. 17.4.
Prop. 4 Fourthly, In this faederal tranſaction betwixt the Father and the Son, both parties were free; here was no neceſſity, co-action, or any thing of this Nature, but both were free.
The Father was free in his demands of ſatisfaction; he might have let man alone in his ſtate of guilt and wrath, he might have ſuffered all man-kind to have periſhed, and to be thrown into hell; he had been infinitely happy in himſelf, though there had been no ſuch thing as Redemption by Chriſt. 'Tis true, without this, God had not had ſatisfaction to his juſtice, (for if Adam and his poſterity had burned in hell to all eternity, all would have been nothing in a way of ſatisfaction) but there had not been the leaſt diminution of his eſſential glory and bleſſedneſſe in himſelf.
The Son is free too on his part; he freely conſents to the terms of this Covenant; and in the fulneſſe of time, freely engages in the making of them good. Heb. 10.5. Lo I come to do thy Will, O God. Pſal. 40.8. I delight to do thy Will, O God, yea, thy Law is within my heart. Ver. 6.And therefore he ſayes there, Mine ears haſt thou bored. As the ſervant in the Law, when he was willing to ſtay with his Maſter,Exod. 21.6. and to do his work, h…s eare was bored; ſo 'twas with Chriſt, he was willing to ſerve his Father in this buſineſſe, the greateſt that ever was carried on in the world, and therefore ſayes he, Mine eares haſt thou bored. Chriſt was free in all his obedience; and if it had not been free and voluntary, it would not have been ſatisfactory or meritorious: whatever he did or ſuffered, it was from love, not neceſſity. This truth is ſo evident from the whole current of the Goſpel, that I need not enlarge upon it.
Prop. 5 Fifthly, Th ſe two perſons in this bleſſed Covenant, they do mutually t…uſt each other; I ſay they do mutually truſt each other, for their reſpective making good the termes of this Covenant: the Father truſts the Son, and the Son truſts the Father; the Father truſts the Son for the making of his ſoul an offering for ſin; the Son truſts the Father for the ſeeing of his …eed: To bring th…s aſſertion down to time; in the times of the Old Teſtament, the Father truſts the Son; in the times of the New Teſtament, the Son truſts the Father. Before the coming of Chriſt, the Father takes up the Patriarchs and others to heaven, upon aſſurance of this, that Chriſt in the fulneſſe of time, would take our nature upon him, and therein make full ſatisfaction: Chriſt having promiſed to do thus, the Father takes his word, and ſo takes up old Teſtament-believers to glory. Since the coming of Chriſt, the Son now truſts his Father; for he hath offered up himſelf, paid down the full ranſome, and yet he doth not reap the full benefit of it, many believers being not yet glorified; but he truſts his Father, that one by one they all ſhall be ſo in due time. This may ſeem to be but a notion. I confeſſe we have no place of Scripture poſitively aſſerting this, but the nature of the thing demonſtrates it; for there being ſome diſtance of time in what was to be done by both perſons, there muſt be a mutual truſting each of the other.
Prop. 6 In the ſixth place; Theſe two perſons all along in their proper and peculiar tranſactions, they deal each with the other as under a Covenant, and they hold each other to the termes of the Covenant that was betwixt them. (Not that there's any queſtion of their breaking of it; but thus we may with an humble reverence conceive of it) The Father holds the Son to the engagement on his part; he will not ſpare him, or bate him any thing; ſatisfaction he will have to the utmoſt, though it coſt his life and blood;Rom. 8 32. And therefore you may obſerve the prayer of Chriſt, John 12.27. Father, ſave me from this houre; he ſeems to check or recall himſelf, but for this cauſe came I unto this houre: this is but that which I engaged to go through, and therefore I muſt do it: And his Father anſwers him there accordingly. Ver. 28. Father, glorifie thy Name; (ſtill Chriſts eye was upon that, his Fathers glory) well, ſaith the Father, I have both glorified it, and will glorifie it againe: He ſpeaks thus not only upon the accompt of his Soveraignty, but of the Covenant alſo that I am ſpeaking to.
The Son alſo ſtands upon the termes of this Covenant; and therefore having performed the conditions on his part, he now makes his claime both for himſelf and his members, that the Father will make good the conditions on his part. Father, ſayes he,John 17.4, 5. I have glorified thee on earth, I have finiſhed the work which thou gavest me to do; And now, O Father, glorifie thou me with thine own ſelf, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. And for his members he ſpeaks more in the language of a Covenant;Verſe 24. Father, I will, that they alſo whom thou haſt given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, &c. I will; not only I pray, or beſeech, but I will; I ask this as my right, by vertue of the Covenant betwixt us; I having done thus and thus, 'tis but my due (for though glory is a gift to us, 'tis a debt to Chriſt) and ſo I claime it, that thoſe whom thou haſt given me, may be with me in glory.
Prop. 7 I'le adde but one thing more, and then I have done with the Explicatory part. This federal tranſaction betwixt the Father and the Son, it was from all eternity. Here lies the difficulty, and this is that which ſtumbles ſome; I'le ſpeak but a word to it. I ſay, this Covenant of Redemption; it was from all eternity; it was not made when Chriſt was juſt coming into the world, but from everlaſting. Two Scriptures ſeem to hold out this, 2 Tim. 1.9. Who hath ſaved us, and called us with an holy calling; not according to our works, but according to his own purpoſe and grace, which was given us in Chriſt Jeſus before the world began. Here is the purpoſe of God, here is grace given in Jeſus Chriſt; how? in the Covenant betwixt the Father and him; when was this given? before the world began, (h. e.) from all eternity: So, Tit. 1.2. In hope of eternal life, which God that cannot l…e, promiſed before the world began. How was this life promiſed before the world begun, but in this everlaſting Covenant, wherein the Father promiſed unto Chriſt eternal life for all his ſeed?
I have been ſpeaking to you of a very great myſtery, of which the Scripture ſpeaks but little ſignanter; we have not the termes, but we have the ſenſe and ſubſtance of this Covenant of Redemption there laid down: If in any aſſertion I have ſeemed too bold, I am very ready to take ſhame for i…. I am ſorry my work did lie in ſuch an untrodden path, wherein I have but very few to give me any direction. I will ſhut up all with a little Application.
And firſt,Application. I would from hence ſtir you up to an high admiration of the great and infinite love of God, of God the Father, of God the Son; what manner of love hath the God of Grace revealed in this Covenant! Love, that for the freeneſſe of it, and greatneſſe of it, we ſhould admire in this life, as we ſhall admire it in the life to come. Both perſons have diſcovered unconceivable love in this tranſaction; Oh let both of them be admired with the higheſt admiration.
1. Admire the love of the Father; we are more apprehenſive of the love of the Son, than we are of the love of the Father. I would not ſpeak any thing to diminiſh the love of the Son; God forbid; Oh 'twas wonderful ſuperlative love! only I would heighten your apprehenſions of the Fathers love in the great work of our Redemption; Redemption was not only brought about by Chriſt, but the Father had a great hand in it; therefore 'tis ſaid, The pleaſure of the Lord ſhall prosper in his hand: And I have found a ranſome; God ſo loved the world, Iſa. 53.10. Job 33.24. John 3.16.that he gave his only begotten Son, &c. I might inſtance in ſeveral particulars to ſet out the Fathers love in our Redemption; but take only that which I have been upon: That the thoughts of God ſhould be upon poor loſt man, ſo as to finde out a way for his recovery; that he ſhould call his Son, and ſay, Come, let us conſult together, (I ſpeak after the manner of men) Is there no way to be found that man may yet live? he is now obnoxious to me, and I might throw him into hell; but may not I be ſatisfied, and he ſaved too? I am not willing he ſhould utterly periſh. I ſay, that God ſhould thus ſet his thoughts on work for wretched man, and treat with his Son, and ſtrike up a Covenant with his Son, and therein lay ſuch a foundation for mans recovery; let Angels and men, and all creatures adore this love; and oh that you would return love for love; return your drop for Gods Ocean. We muſt honour the Son as we honour the Father, John 5.23.and we must love the Father as we love the Son.
2. And then admire the love of the Son too; he is willing to engage in this Covenant, he knew the termes of it, what the Redemption of man would coſt him, even his life and precious blood; yet for all this he willingly and freely binds himſelf to redeem poor ſinners, whatever it coſt him. O the heights, depths, breadths of this love! Epheſ. 3.18.Bleſſed Jeſus, that ever thou ſhouldſt conſent to lay down thy life for me, to waſh away my ſins in thine own blood, 1 John 3.16. Rev. 1.5.to give thy ſoul as an offering for ſin, upon this encouragement and motive, that thou mighteſt ſ…e ſuch a poor worme as I brought in to God, that thou ſhouldſt ſet thy ſelf as a Skreen betwixt Gods wrath and my poor ſoul, and do and ſuffer ten thouſand times more than what tongue can expreſſe, or heart conceive! What ſhall I, what can I ſay to all this? but fall down, and wonder at that Love which can never be Fathomed! So much for the firſt thing.
Ʋſe 2 Secondly, This Covenant of Redemption may be improved for the encouraging and ſtrengthning of faith: Faith ſometimes is ready to queſtion the bleſſings of the Covenant of Grace, and the Continuance or Perpetuity of the Covenant of Grace; that's the great Foundation of Faith, and when it ſtaggers about that, 'tis very ſad with the ſoul.
Now I'le lay down two things for the help of Faith.
1. The bleſſings of the Covenant are ſure.
2. The Covenant of Grace it ſelf is ſure.
Firſt, The bleſſings of the Covenant are ſure. They are called the ſure mercies of David, Iſa. 55.3.Iſaiah 55.3. They are ſure for Continuance, and they are ſure for Performance.
1. For Continuance; common mercies are dying, periſhing, uncertain things; but Covenant mercies are ſtable, durable, laſting things. A great eſtate may come to nothing, Prov. 23.5. Riches are uncertain things,Imaginaria in ſaeculo, & nihil veri. Tertul. 1 Tim. 6.17. And ſo in all worldly comforts, they are but a faſhion, matters of fancy, rather than of reality, and they paſſe away, 1 Cor. 7.31. But now grace, pardon of ſin, adoption, &c. theſe are bleſſings that abide for ever, Rom. 11.29.
2. They are ſure alſo for performance; I mean, whatever bleſſing God hath put into this Covenant, (as 'tis full of bleſſings) all ſhall certainly be made good to believers; otherwiſe God would not be faithful to his Covenant, which certainly he will be; Men may be falſe in their Covenants to God, but God will certainly be true in his Covenant to men. Heaven and Earth ſhall paſſe away, rather than there ſhall be the leaſt entrenchment upon Gods truth, in the not performing of his Covenant.
Secondly, The Covenant of Grace is ſure in it ſelf; a Cov…nant firme, unalterable, never to be broken; 'tis called an everlaſting Covenant, Gen. 17.7. Hebr. 13.20. a Covenant that ſhall ſtand faſt, Pſal. 89.28. a Covenant ordered in all things, and ſure, 2 Sam. 23.5. The Covenant of Grace is ſo firmly ratified, that there can be no nulling of it.
1. God hath ratified it by his Oath, Gen. 22.16. Hebr. 6.13,Si non credimus Deo promittenti, at credamus Deo juranti. Hierom. Amant Scripturae pro pacto ponere Teſtamentum. Aug. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. His promiſe is enough, but ſurely h…s oath muſt put all out of queſtion; there's no room for unbelief, now God hath ſworn to it.
2. God hath ratified it by the death of his Son: A mans laſt Will as ſoon as he is dead, is in force, and cannot then be diſanulled. The Covenant of Grace is a Teſtamentary Covenant, which by the death of the Teſtator is ſo ſetled, that there's no altering of it. Gal. 3.15, &c. Hebr. 9.15, 16.
Again, the Covenant of Grace is ratified by the ſeals which God hath annexed to it. What was ſealed by the Kings ring could not be altered: Esther 8.8. God hath ſet his ſeal to this Covenant, his broad ſeal in the Sacraments, his privy ſeal in the witneſſe of his Spirit; and therefore 'tis ſure, and cannot be reverſt.
And further than all this, 'tis ratified in and by that Covenant which hath been now opened; The Covenant of Redemption betwixt God and Chriſt, ſecures the Covenant of Grace betwixt God and believers. What God promiſes us, he did before promiſe unto Chriſt, and the F…ther would not make good his promiſe unto Chriſt, if he ſhould not make good his promiſes to the Saints. And therefore as in other reſpects, ſo in this alſo, the Covenant may be ſaid to be confirmed of God in Christ, Gal. 3.17. with reſpect to that paction and ſtipulation that was betwixt them.
I lay all this before you for the ſtrengthning of your Faith, as to the ſtability of the Covenant of Grace; ſo long as that Covenant ſtands, you are ſafe; and you ſee there's no queſtion but that Covenant will ſtand, which God hath ſet upon ſuch firme pillars. This promiſe in the Text, He ſhall ſee his ſeed, will aſſuredly bring every believer into heaven. O that faith might triumph in the conſideration of this, the Covenant of grace is ſure. Davids Faith did ſo, when death was in his eye, and affliction in his eye; Yet he hath made with me an everlaſting Covenant, ordered in all things, and ſure; for this is all my ſalvation, and all my deſire, 2 Sam. 23.5. When Faith begins to faint, look up to this Covenant, and reaſon thus; God will not alter his promiſe to me, but to be ſure he will not alter his promiſe to his Son. I may fail in ſuch and ſuch conditions, but Chriſt hath been faithful in all; every childe of God may take much comfort from this.
Ʋſe 3 In the third and laſt place, I would have you to enquire what this Covenant of Redemption is to you. Here's a bleſſed Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son; how far are you and I intereſted in it, or like to receive benefit by it? Was it univerſal that all men ſhould have an equal ſhare in it? Some very learned men I know tell us of Pactum univerſale betwixt the Father and the Son;Daven. de morte Chriſti, &c. but I crave leave to differ from them.
1. Becauſe that which they make their Pactum univerſale, is rather a Propoſition or a Promiſe, than a Covenant; as he that believeth ſhall be ſaved.
2. I know not how to believe that there ſhould be a ſolemn Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son, upon which never any man ſhould be the better; Did ever any ſinner get any thing by this univerſal Covenant?
3. We may preach the Goſpel to all upon an indefinite Propoſition, He that believeth ſhall be ſaved; and we need not to aſſert an univerſal Covenant, for the univerſal preaching of the Goſpel. This was the great reaſon that prevailed with theſe worthy men to aſſert ſuch a Covenant. I know no Covenant but that ſpecial Covenant into which the ſeed of Chriſt were only taken. I am loth to fall into the duſty roade of Controverſies; all along in this Diſcourſe, where I could not avoide them, I have but juſt croſſ'd them over, and ſo preſently falne in again into ſome more quiet and private way.
Paſſing by therefore this univerſal Covenant of men more moderate, and the univerſal Redemption of others who go higher; I ſhall only lay down that which I judge to be a great truth, viz. That 'tis the Elect only who are concerned in this Covenant: Such and ſuch perſons there were, (individually conſidered) whom God the Father in his Electing love doth freely give to Chriſt; for theſe, and only for theſe, doth the Lord Jeſus engage to lay down his life: Redemption on the Sons part ſhall be no larger than Election on the Fathers part, that there may be a perfect Harmony and Agreement betwixt them in their love.
So then Beloved, if you would draw down comfort to your ſelves from this Covenant, you muſt finde out this, that you are the Elect of God, choſen of him to be Veſſels of his mercy before the world was; Chriſt undertook to give his life only for thoſe whom the Father had firſt given to him; theſe he only pray'd for, and therefore ſurely theſe he only dy'd for.
You'le ſay I put you upon a very difficult ſearch; 'tis true, 'tis very hard for a man to know his Election, but yet it may be known; otherwiſe the Apoſtle would never have urged this as a duty upon Chriſtians, To make their Election ſure, 2 Pet. 1.10. Paul knew that the Theſſalonians were elected of God, 1 Theſſ. 1.4. And he did not know it by Revelation only; No, he gives another account of it; he knew it by way of inference from what he ſaw of God in them: Ver. 5. For our Goſpel came not to you in Word only, but alſo in Power, and in the Holy Ghoſt, &c. If Election may be known by others, why not by our ſelves?
I grant à parte ante, ſo it cannot be known, ſo the book is cl…sped and ſealed, and none can open it,Rev. 5.3, 5. but the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah; but à parte poſt, by ſuch and ſuch effects and operations upon the heart, ſo it may be known.
Several of theſe might be ſet before you out of the Word, but I'le only inſtance in the grace of Faith. He that believes, is certainly in the number of Gods Elect, he's a choſen Veſſel of mercy. All the Elect ſhall believe, ſooner or later they ſhall cloſe with Chriſt upon the termes of the Goſpel. John 6.37. All that the Father giveth me (there's Election) ſhall come to me. (there's Faith) Acts 13.48. As many as were ordained to eternal life, believed. None but the Elect can ſavingly believe.
The ſum of all then for the clearing up of your intereſt in this Covenant of Redemption is this, Have you the precious Faith of Gods Elect? Are your hearts wrought up to a bleſſed accepting of Chriſt?Tit. 1.1. Have you ever had ſuch a ſenſe of ſin and guilt, and miſery, as to go out of your ſelves, and only to reſt upon the Lord Chriſt? Do you venture your ſouls upon his all-ſufficient merits? And is this Faith a working Faith, an heart-purifying Faith, a ſin-mortifying Faith,James 2.14. a world-overcoming Faith? a Faith that cloſes with Chriſt as a Lord, Acts 15.9. 1 John 5.4.as well as a Saviour? a Faith that is for obedience, as well as priviledge? Oh you that have this Faith, go away in peace, be of good comfort; This everlaſting Covenant betwixt the Father and the Son is yours, your good was promoted and ſecured in this Treaty and foederal Engagement. How much doth this Covenant ſpeak for the benefit of believers? if you be ſuch, 'tis all yours. By it you are already brought into a ſtate of Grace; by it you ſhall hereafter be brought into a ſtate of glory. Upon this Covenant Chriſt now ſees you as his ſeed, upon this Covenant you ſhall hereafter ſee him as your Saviour face to face unto Eternity. To this Father, to this Son, with the Holy Spirit be glory for evermore.