The Doctrine of the Covenant of Redemption, Chapter 5
CHAP. 5. Of the Riſe of this Covenant, or the Grounds of its being made.
IT now follows, in the next place, that we enquire, from whence this Covenant had its Riſe, or what was the ground of the making of it.
This will be beſt underſtood by our careful obſerving where this Covenant is placed; and that is under the head of Election and it refers unto the means which were in it Ordained for the accompliſhment of it in the Salvation of ſuch as were Choſen. In the Decree (as in the prudent purpoſes of all wiſe Agents) there is the reſolving of the End, and the laying out of the means by which it is to be advanced. Theſe are inſeparable in Gods Purpoſing, but diſtinguiſhable in the things purpoſed. In the Decree we find ſuch a thing as Election, wherein God hath appointed men unto Salvation, and alſo contrived the way in which he will accompliſh it; and to this way doth the Covenant of Redemption appertain: and therefore the riſe of it was the meer good Pleaſure of God, to advance the glory of the Riches of his Grace, by the Redemption of his Choſen, and bringing of them to Enjoy Eternal Life; for which end, he appointed his own Son to be the Redeemer, and Indented about it in a free Covenant.
Here let it be obſerved.
1. That a Covenant is not a Natural but a voluntary act. In every Covenant there is a conſent of the parties Covenanting, to the Articles upon which it is built. Now conſent is performed by the Will: and therefore there was no natural neceſſity of any ſuch Contract as this between theſe glorious Perſons: ſo that it was Gods meer good pleaſure that gave Being to it. The very thing about which it is concerned was arbitrary with God. There was no neceſſity lying upon him to ſave any of the race of fallen man, who had by their own fault deſtroyed themſelves: and therfore there could be no neceſſity lying upon him to contrive and fix a way in which this ſalvation was to be brought about. God doth nothing neceſſarily but what he doth naturally all his other acts are free. Election is a voluntary thing. Eph. 1 5.
2. The conſideration when this Covenant paſt, tells us th…t there could be nothing in the Creature to move theſe glorious perſons to indent it. It muſt be meer good pleaſure and nothing elſe, whatſoever can be ſaid of the creature which men can ſuppoſe to have argument in it to move towards ſuch a thing, is Poſteriour to, and Conſequent upon the Decree, to which this Covenant belongs. The object of it was a poſſible being; which as it had no being in it ſelf, ſo was here appointed to have a being, and to paſs through all theſe changes that have befallen it, being Predeſtinated thereunto. So that we can look at no conſideration on this account, but what falls behind of having any poſſible influence into the Covenant. Not the ſtate of integrity, in which man was at firſt; for in that ſtate, had he continued in it, he had not needed a Redeemer. Not the miſerable Eſtate he fell into by the Apoſtaſy; for, though that was a ſtep towards his Redemption, becauſe it put him into a capacity for it, and brought him under a neceſſity of it; yet it could not put God upon thinking of his Recovery; becauſe his Miſery was deſerved, and the Juſtice of God was concerned in it: and beſides, this fell under the Decree of Election, as a Medium towards the Declaration of Gods rich mercy in ſaving him. Not the previſion of any good nature or inclination in him; for there is not any ſuch thing truly in any ſinner by nature, nor the leaſt diſpoſition towards the acceptance of this Redemption on Goſpel-terms, unleſs God do work it in him: nor is this always wrought in ſuch as are ſuppoſed to be naturally beſt inclined, but at Gods pleaſure, Rom. 9. 18. God therefore could have nothing out of himſelf to move him.
3 The ultimate end of Gods deſi…n in this Covenant, was the Illuſtration of the Glory of his Rich Grace in them …at are ſaved, ſo we are told. Eph. 1. 6. God is his own laſt end in all his works of Efficiency, and therefore had that ultimate reſpect in all his Decrees. There are ſeveral reſpects to his Glory which his ſeveral Works do bear: that of Fallen Mans Salvation was peculiarly deſigned for the Exaltation of the Praiſe of his Grace: That this Article might have a ſpecial manifeſtation by it. Hither then Election had an eye, and conſequently, all the Contrivances that were laid for the bringing about of the Salvation to which men were Elected, were meaſured accordingly. Infinite Wiſdom ſought out the beſt way to make this Attribute to ſhine in its Luſtre ſo as might be admirable; and it contrived this, which is ratified in this Covenant.
4. Becauſe there was a wonderful Love at work in it, to thoſe that were Redeemed; hence the …is;e of this Covenant may well be aſſigned to the love of God which he bare from Eternity to his Elect. He Choſe them, and ſo Covenanted with his Son that he ſhould Redeem them; and why did he ſo? it was becauſe he loved them. The reaſon of this love is his good pleaſure. The firſt act wherein this love was expreſt, was in Chuſing us in Chriſt, and Covenanting with him to Redeem us; in which he laid a ſure and firm foundation for our Salvation: Gods ſending of Cbriſt is for this reaſon aſcribed to his unparalell'd love Joh. 3. 16. 1. Joh 4. 10.
5. That which ſtreins this love up to the higheſt degree, is that it was a free and deliberate act, both on the part of God the Father deputing, and of God the Son accepting and undertaking in this buſineſs, we cannot conceive how there ſhould be any other way in which grace could poſſibly more ſhine forth than in Chriſt's Coming upon mans neceſſity, to do and dy for him. A greater love than this cannot poſſibly be thought of, than that God ſhould not ſpare His Own Son, & that Chriſt ſhould not withhold himſelf. The Apoſtles argument concludes this to be the greateſt gift, Rom. 8. 32. Now the putting of this into a Covenant addes Emphaſis to it: that it ſhould not only be thought of, but indented for, and firmly Ratified in an Everlaſting and unchangable Compact: that thus the ſinners eternal ſalvation ſhould be made ſure againſt all that might be ſuppoſed to offer to prevent it. It was therefore that Grace might appear to be Grace indeed, and his love might be commended to us as moſt ſurprizing, that he put it into ſuch a method, which Infinite wiſdom concluded upon as moſt proper to ſet it off by: and therefore, when God would call us to the contemplation of his great love to us, he leads us up thus far. Jer. 31. 3.