The Doctrine of the Covenant of Redemption, Chapter 3
CHAP. 3. Scripture Evidence that there is ſuch a Covenant of Redemption.
THat the Word of God doth not in Terms mention ſuch a Covenant by ſuch a Title, muſt be acknowledged: but that it doth give us the account of a Covenant, which cannot be Interpreted of any other, yea which fully amounts to the thing, may ſafely be affirmed. We read, Pſal 89. 3. I have made a Covenant with my Choſen, I have Sworn to David my Servant. There are divers Texts in Scripture, eſpecially in the Old Teſtament, which have a double reference, partly to the Type, partly to the Antitype; or to the Antitype under the Type: This Pſalm is one of thoſe portions of Scripture, in which David is made a notable Type of Chriſt: Him therefore it mainly aims at. The Covenant with him, is here made the foundation of all Conſolation to the People of God: Here then we have.
1. The Subject Matter, viz. A Covenant.
2. The firmneſs of it; I have made; Hebr. Cut, alluding to that Cuſtome mentioned, in Jer. 34. 18. which was a ſolemn ratification; and I have Sworn; noting the Immutability of it, according to Heb. 6. 17, 18.
3. The Parties in it; God on the one hand; I: God is the Speaker, Chriſt on the other hand, expreſſed in two words: My Choſ…n: noting both his Excellency, and his Election; David my Servant; which muſt needs ultimately aim at Chriſt, as many Expreſſions in the Pſalm will undeniably evince, eſpecially thoſe in verſe 19. 22, verſe 28, 29. 35, 36. Chriſt is therefore elſewhere called David, ſee Jer. 30. 9. Ezek. 34. 34, 37. 24. and if we would know what Covenant this is, the Context clearly indicates it, to be that which concerns the Redemption and Salvation of the People of God: for it was that wherein he was made helpful to his People, verſe 19. wherein he was Anointed to his Offices of a Mediating Redeemer, verſe 19, 20. made Gods Firſt-born, verſe 27. and hath an abiding Seed, verſe 36. we alſo read, Zech. 6. 13. The Counſel of Peace ſhall be between them both; which clearly points to this Covenant under conſideration.
But I ſhall eſſay a little more particularly to make the thing evident. I will not here inſiſt upon the opening of the nature of a Covenant in general, having done it in another Treatiſe; the ſum whereof is.
That it is a mutual obligation between two parties. That which I have now to do, is to make it manifeſt, that there is ſuch a tranſaction between thoſe two glorious perſons, which amounts to, or is ſuitably expreſſed by a Covenant; and that with reſpect to fallen mans Redemption. In order to the clearing up of which, let it be obſerved.
That God in diſcovering of his mind to us, is pleaſed to accommodate his language to our capacity, clothing divine truths with ſuch words, as may beſt ſuit our underſtandings. When therefore we ſay, there is ſuch a Covenant, it intends that there is that which is Analogous unto, and holds a full proportion with ſuch a thing; and is beſt accommodated to our underſtanding and faith by ſuch a reſemblance. For evidence of this, let us lay together theſe particulars, and they will amoun to a Demonſtration.
1. That God hath from all Eternity Elected a number of Mankind to Glory. The Scripture is ſo full and clear for this, that it would be ſuperfluous to inſiſt upon it. This is the beginning of all ſaving good which comes to any of the Children of Men. From hence it is that Salvation takes its riſe, Eph. 1. 3, 4, 5. 1 Theſ. 1. 4. 5. Hitherto is the application of grace in Effectual Vocation reſtrained, Acts 13. 46. Ro. 11. 7. and what elſe can be deſigned in that Everlaſting Love that God bears to men, from whence their Converſion proceeds? Jer. 31. 3. nor can all the Evaſions of men, elude the application of theſe, and many more Scriptures, to Eternal Election. If Redemption and Salvation belong to the Works of God, then there was a Decree that paſt concerning them, unleſs we will deny that God works in them as a Cauſe by Counſel.
2. That in this Decree of Election, God hath appointed for his Choſen, not only the end to which he will bring them, which is Glory; but alſo the means which are requiſite in order thereunto. For this reaſon it is called the Counſel of his Will, Eph. 1. 11. now Counſel hath a proper and next reference unto the means. Counſel according to our conception of the thing, is a deliberate enquiry after the most ſuitable way for the accompliſhing of a Deſign which one hath in his thoughts; and is aſcribed to God after the manner of men. Wiſe Agents will contrive their Buſineſs in order to their ſetting about it. Gods Purpoſes are diſplayed unto us under the conſideration of end and means. He determines with himſelf, both what to do, and how to do it: and this properly refers to the Eternal Idea of his; and for this reaſon he aſſures his people that he knows what his own thoughts are, Jer. 29. 11. i. e. what methods he hath contrived for the management of their Affairs.
3. Gods ultimate end in this Deſign, being the advancement of the glory of his Grace; hence by a wiſe and blameleſs Counſel, he ordered the permiſſion of man to fall into ſuch a State of Miſery, as to put him into an abſolute need of a Redeemer. That mans Fall came within the compaſs of the Decree, muſt needs be concluded, except we will aſſert ſome things to come to paſs againſt or beſide Gods Will; which is to deny his actual Supremacy over the whole Creation; or how is that Eph. 1. 11. true? Man therefore had not Fallen, if he had not purpoſed to permit it; In which he acted his holy Soveraignty beyond the capacity of any Impeachment by the Creature. His ſpotleſs Holineſs ſo ordered it, that no Iniquity could be laid to his Charge on this account, Pſal. 141. 17. That the glory of his Grace was the end of this, ſo far as his Elect were involved in it, herein appears, becauſe he took the occaſion from hence, for the Illuſtration of that precious Attribute, Rom. 5. 20. and but for it the whole concern of Goſpel Grace had been excluded; and that this Fall of Man put him into an abſolute need of a Redeemer is manifeſt, both from the rigour of the Law, exacting death of all its Tranſgreſſors, without any abatement, Ezek. 18. 4. Matth. 5. 17. the utter impotency of man, by the deadly influence of the Apoſtaſy, to do any thing towards his own delivery, being left by it without ſtrength, Rom. 5. 6. and the dreadfulneſs of the miſery which he was under the efficacy of, and muſt undergo, if there were no Redemption for him, Rom. 6. 23. either he muſt periſh with an Everlaſting Deſtruction, or there muſt be a powerful Redemption laid in for him. This is the fearful condition in which this whole Race is involved.
4. Hence, among the means, the Eternal Son of God was ſet apart in the Decree, to be a Redeemer. The Son of God was not only an actual Redeemer in time, but a choſen Redeemer from Eternity, and for that reaſon is called Gods Choſen One, Pſal. 89. 3. and his Elect, Iſa. 42. 1. That the Son of God came within the compaſs of the Decree, and had his Name written there, as one who was to become a Ranſome for his People, is manifeſt by Scripture Teſtimony, Prov. 8. 23. I was ſet up from Everlaſting. It is the Son who is the true Wiſdom, that is brought in ſpeaking here: the word [Set up] denotes the conſtituting of one in ſome Office; and therefore a noun from it ſignifies a Governour. It doth not deſign his natural Coeſſentiality with his Father, but his being ordained to ſome Employment; and what was that but this of a Redeemer? hence is he called A Lamb ſlain from the Foundation of the World, Rev. 13. 8. which muſt be intended with reſpect to the Decree. Hence our Election is involved in his, Eph. 1. 3, 4. Chriſt was not ſent in haſte into the World: it was not a raſh and indeliberate Undertaking of his, but it was all Determined in the Counſel of God, in every paſſage relating to it, Acts 2. 23. 8. 4. 27, 28. when therefore he came in the Fleſh, he profeſſeth that it was to do his Fathers Will, Pſal. 40. 7.
5 The Decree of God is a firm, ſtable, Immutable Purpoſe of his. A very Heathen could ſay, Nulla est Litura in Decretis Sapientum. The Medes and Perſians, under a proud opinion of their infallible Wiſdom, ſet a Stamp of Immutability upon all their Laws. But this is peculiar and proper to the Purpoſes of God. Gods Wiſdom is like himſelf, Infinite: he can never be wiſer than he was, then when he eſtabliſhed his Decree. He did it in Counſel, and his after thoughts cannot mend his former. It was his Will that things ſhould be ſo, and he hath but one Will, which is not to be altered, Job 23. 13. Nor can he ever want for Power to put that in Execution, which he hath purpoſed; for he can do every manner of thing. The Records of Eternity ſhall ſtand unſhaken; what he hath ſaid ſhall certainly come to paſs, Prov. 19. 21. Pſal. 102. 27.
6. The Son of God, who was thus conſtituted Redeemer in the Decree, is a Perſon in the God-head, infinitely free and uncompellable. Though the Doctrine of a Trinity of Perſons in the Unity of the Divine Eſſence, be a Myſtery beyond the capacity of our ſhort Underſtandings to fathom; yet in as much as theſe are exhibited to us under the notion of three Perſons, each one having a diſtinct Subſiſtence, (though all have but one and the ſame Eſſence) we muſt therefore allow to each of them all that is Eſſential to the God head: and thus we are to conceive of each of them to have a Divine Will; though it be one and the ſame in all. The Son of God, being God, is in this reſpect Coequal with the Father; for this reaſon he challenged this Equality as his due, Phil. 2. 6. and God calls him his Fellow, Zech. 13. 7. He is thereupon incapable of Compulſion. So that, upon an impoſſible ſuppoſition, that the Son had not complied with his Fathers Will in this matter, he could not have been Decreed to be a Redeemer; and from this very Argument the Apoſtle proves, that what Chriſt did upon this account was his own voluntary act, Phil. 2. 5, 6, 7. The Father no ſooner propoſed it to him, than he readily complied with it.
7. Hence, to the firm and immutable conſtituting of the Son of God a Redeemer in the Decree, there paſt an Eternal Tranſaction between the Father and him, which is beſt ſhadowed to us, by the notion of a Covenant: and becauſe it had a proper reſpect to the Ranſoming of his Choſen from ſin and miſery, it may there fore well be called the Covenant of Redemption. If the Son of God became a Redeemer by his own Conſent freely, and was determined unto it before the World began, it infers, according to our Capacity, that there was ſomething propounded to him, and that he did accordingly accept of it.
The Tranſactions between the Glorious Divine Perſons; Infinitely Tranſcend our Underſtandings: but if we will form a Conception of them, it muſt be after this manner: and God is pleaſed ſo to declare it unto us, that we may be able to entertain it in our Faith; and in as much as this ſtands among the Decrees of God, in which there is the whole Idea of this work, and it is in all of it ratified unchangeably; there muſt together with the mention of all thoſe things which relate to it, be alſo a final and determinate concluſion about it; all muſt be ratified. In this regard the Counſel of Peace is ſaid to be between them both, Zech. 6. 13. hereupon alſo, the propoſal of it by the Father to the Son, is repreſented under the form of a Covenant, Hypothetically propounding both a Condition and a Reward Iſa. 53. 10. and in Pſal 110. 7. there is a Connexion which amounts to the ſame thing, for in a Copulate Axiom, where there are things joyned together, that are conſequent the one upon the other, it bears the force of a Connex; and ſo it is in the Text; and this may ſuffice for the evidence of the thing, or that there is ſuch a Covenant.