The Doctrine of the Covenant of Redemption, Chapter 9
CHAP. 9. What are the Articles of the Covenant?
IT Belongs to the nature of a Covenant that there are terms agreed upon, and concluded between the parties in it; or ſomething in which each obligeth himſelf to the performance of: and by the diſtinct knowledge of theſe it is, that we come to have an inſight into the particular nature of any Covenant. It is therefore needful that we take the account of the Articles of the Covenant of Redemption, that ſo we may diſcover the main and eſſential difference between that and the Covenant of Grace, to prevent our confounding of them one with the other. Here let it be obſerved that this is one of thoſe Covenants which is made between equals & therein is divers from the other, which is made between a Superiour, and inferiour▪ They are equal, whether we conſider them in their nature, Phil. 2. 6. or if we conſider the things ariſing from it; the Glory of One God in Three Perſons is the deſign which was laid in it: or if we conſider the mutual obligation: they ſtand equally bound each of them to the terms which he Undertakes. Now for a more diſtinct and particular view of theſe Articles, it may be Enquired,
1. What were the common Terms between both the Parties?
2. What were the Obligations lying upon each Party by himſelf?
1. What were the common Terms between both Parties?
A. They were ſuch as theſe that follow, viz.
1. That a certain number of Mankind ſhould be made the Monuments of Rich Grace: or, That the Glorious Attribute of Grace ſhould be exalted in the Eternal Salvation of a Definite Company of men; and to this Article belongs the conſideration of mans being Created in his Integrity; put under a …; and permitted to fall from it, and make himſelf miſerable, in order to the making way for the Illuſtration of this Grace. That ſuch a thing ſhould be, was voluntary on Gods part, and therefore there paſt a Decree for it: and this being Eſſential, it belongs to all the Three perſons. Hence the Scripture ſpeaks of mens being Ordained or appointed to Glory, and of their being Elected or Choſen to the Kingdom: which expreſſions, denote this eternal deſignation, which was agreed upon, and ſo paſt between God, Father, Son, and Spirit; ſee' 1. Theſ. 5, 9. Mark. 13. 20. 1 Theſ. 1. 4. 2 Theſ. 2. 13. and all this was with an eye to the glorifying of the Grace of God, Eph 1. 6.
2 That in order to the Illuſtration of this Grace in mans Salvation, the firſt Covenant ſhould be Satisfied in all the demands of it, That whatſoever that required ſhould be fully reſponded. The conſideration of mans being under a Law-Covenant, and forfeiting himſelf to the Curſe of it, being ſuppoſed in the former Article; there is a Proviſo, that the Covenant ſhall not be baulked, and that therefore the Salvation intended ſhould make no breach upon, nor offer any violence to the Rule of Justice; but that it ſhould in all points be complied withal, and mans Salvation be ſo effected as that no jot or tittle of the Law ſhould paſs: for ſo it is brought about Math. 5. 18. and that Justice and Peace ſhould agree in one, Pſal 85. 10. that God ſhould be Just in Justifying of the ſinner. Rom. 3. 26.
3 That in order to the accompliſhment of this great affair, there ſhould be a ſutable and ſufficient Redeemer provided, who ſhould undertake this work, and accompliſh it in all things that were requiſite for the compleating of it. The agreement about a Redeemer ſtill belongs to the common conſent among the three Divine Perſons, according to our diſtinct conception of it; for it is an act of abſolute Divine Soveraignty to accept of Satisfaction at the hands of any beſides the proper Offender, the caſe being Criminal: it muſt therefore proceed from that Soveraign Will of his to determine that it ſhould be ſo, from whence alone it could be a thing acceptable to God, when therefore Chriſt appeared in the Execution of his Work, God declared his acceptableneſs to him by a voice from Heaven, Mat. 3. 17.
2. What were the Articles peculiar, or the Engagements lying upon each party by himſelf?
A. Such there were, and here in general we are to obſerve: That though the Parties were equal in their Covenanting, yet in the Covena…t; one Party Indented to be Inferiour to the other. The Son of God was to take to himſelf a Nature, in which he was to be his Fathers Servant, hence he is ſo called, Iſa. 42. 1. and becauſe there was ſomething to be done by him firſt, in order to his meriting of that which he was to receive of his Father for it; this may firſt come under our conſideration: Here then
1. We may conſider the Engagement which the Son took upon himſelf. The work of Redemption was laid upon his Shoulders, he was the party agreed upon, and conſenting to take that Province upon him in his own perſon: and it may ſuffice to ſpeak generally of this, and ſo his Undertaking may be comprized in two things.
1. He accepted of and took upon him to perform the work of Redemption, and thereby he received the Relative Title of Redeemer from Eternity. To this the Scripture bears witneſs, when it tells us, that he was the Lamb ſlain from the Foundations of the World, Rev. 13. 8. and when it ſaith that we are Choſen in him, to obtain Redemption by him, Eph, 1. 4, 7. which Scriptures clearly expreſs his deſignation to this Office … Work, and this being perſonal, hence there was, not only the Father Propounding, but the Son alſo conſenting and accepting: ſo that this amounts properly to one Article of the Covenant: for we cannot rationally ſuppoſe a perſon free, ſovereign, and under no natural obligation to it, to be deſigned, conſtituted, and ſet apart to an Office, without his own free and voluntary conſent. Hereupon it follows, that on this very ſcore or account, all the old Teſtament believers, dying before his appearing in the fleſh, went to heaven upon the credit of his undertaking; having their ſins diſcounted, and their happineſs conferred upon them, in the merit of that ſatisfaction and obedience which he had engaged for.
2 He undertook and engaged to do all that which was requiſite for the performance and accompliſhment of this Redemption, and this is neceſſarily inferred upon the former. He who takes upon him to do any work, engageth himſelf to do all that without which the work cannot be done. What this was will appear, both by taking a view of that which was needful for mans recovery from miſery, and being reſtored to favour and happineſs; and by obſerving what it was that the ſon of God did actually perform. Whatever Chriſt did go thorough here, was according to the foreknowledg and determinate Counſel of God.; i. e. the Covenant between God the Father and the Son: and this was ſummarily in two things
1 That he would aſſume to his perſon the nature of man, and thereby put himſelf into a capacity of performing Redemption work. That the Covenant was made with the Son of God not conſidered as God man, but only as Son, hath been already made to appear. This undertaking then is to be conſidered as an Article belonging to it, and it muſt needs be ſo, for the Son of God could not be appointed to be a Man but by a Covenant, becauſe his conſent was abſolutely requiſite in ſuch an appointment, it being a Covenant between equals, as is granted on all hands: hence we muſt either unneceſſarily multiply Covenants, or elſe aſſign it unto this. The Scripture mentions no more but three covenants in which God is concerned about man; viz: that of works that of Grace and this of Redemption; and it muſt belong to this, if to any of theſe; for in the other two, men themſelves are parties. Beſides, the Humane Nature to be aſſumed needs not to be reſpected as Covenanting, but only … Covenanted for, inaſmuch as the Divine Nature aſſuming the Humane, wrought it into a perfect ſubordination to itſelf: for it was not to have an Humane Perſonality, but to be of the Perſon of the Son of God, and to be an organ or inſtrument in and with which the Son of God was to do this work. It was a body, i. e. (an Humanity) Prepared for him, Heb. 10. 5.
2 That in this nature he would become ſponſor or ſurety for Gods Elect, and ſo put himſelf under the law, and ſtand reſponſible to it for all that was demanded of them whether of active obedience as they were Gods ſubjects, or Paſſive, as they were ſinners. Hence that Gal. 4. 4. 5. He was not only to be in our nature, but alſo in our ſtead, he was to do that we might be happy, and to dy that we might be delivered from miſery. This is included in Iſa. 53. 10. Thus he became a ſurety by way of exchange, not as bound joyntly with us, but as bound alone for us. Gods Holineſs did expect Obedience, and his Juſtice did exact Satisfaction from him upon our account. for this reaſon is he called, not only a Lamb, but a Lamb ſlain from the foundation, Rev 13. 8. for then was his death agreed upon and fully concluded: hence when they who were the inſtruments of it, had w… ed their malice upon him, the … of God acquaints us that it was according to Appointment, a thing determined long before, Acts 2. 23. the whole work that Chriſt did upon Earth, was nothing elſe but a fulfilling of this Covenant: he did not do it by any compulſion, but voluntarily; ſo he tells us, Joh. 10. 17, 18.
2. The obligations which God the Father bound himſelf in, in this Covenant, were of two ſorts.
1. Such as relate to Chriſts help and Encouragement in the Undertaking and Management of the work of mans Redemption: and theſe are principally three.
1. The Inveſting him with ſuch Offices as were needful for the diſcharge of this great Work. It was meet that the Son of God ſhould come with Authority. There were great things to be done in the performance of this Buſineſs; and the acceptance of all depended on the good pleaſure of God: The Redeemer therefore muſt not only be deſigned but Inveſted. The Son of God was, in our Nature to be Inaugurated in his Mediatorly Function; hence his being Anointed King, was according to the Decree, Pſal. 2. 9, 8. and hereupon alſo he is ſaid to be an Everlaſting Prieſt, Pſal. 110. 7. and a deſigned Prophet, Iſa. 42. 6, 7. for theſe Prophetical Predictions concerning him were diſcoveries of the Tenour of this Covenant.
2. The fitting of him for this work, with all the things which were requiſite for his being every way furniſhed for the diſcharge of it, elſe his Offices had been in vain. God is not wont to ſend a Meſſenger without Legs. If God calls any to ſpecial Service, he furniſheth him, and this was promiſed to the Son: he was therefore to have an Humane Nature Hypoſtatically United to his Perſon, without which he could not have actually appeared in the Buſineſs of mans Redemption, or poſſibly have ſtood our Surety, according to the Tenour of the firſt Covenant. This is by a Synecdoche called a Body, and his Father is ſaid to prepare it for him, Heb. 10. 5. and this refers to that ancient Covenant in which there was ſuch a proviſion made as is expreſt in Pſal. 40. 7. He was alſo to have this Humane Nature fitted and qualified with all the neceſſary Endowments, whereby it might be capacitated for the doing of what was requiſite, and to this end was his Unction promiſed, Iſa. 61 1, 2 whereby he was not only In…ug…r…ted in his Offices, but alſo his Humane Nature was Sanctified, and all thoſe Graces which were needful for him in his active and paſſive Obedience▪ …ere put into him in an overflowing meaſure, Pſal. 45. 8. Joh. 3. 34.
3. The affording to him all the ſupplies of all conſtant aſſiſtance in his Work, that ſo it might not fail in his Hand. It was a great work, and it was a frail nature in which it was to be performed; for this cauſe it would need mighty aſſiſtance to ſupport or uphold it ſo as not to …ail. There was Infinite Wrath which our Nature was to ſuſtain, and therefore a mighty arm muſt be underneath to bear it up, el…e it would have been broken in pieces by it. Almighty Power therefore did ſtand engaged for him, whereby a good iſſue of this Affair was ſecured. God promiſed him that he ſhould not ſink under the weight of it, Pſal. 89. 21. Iſa. 42. 4, 6.
2. Such as relate to the Fruit and Efficacy of his Undertaking: and theſe are comprehended in two things.
1. The acceptance that this work ſhould find at the Fathers Hands. We have already obſerved, that not only the Valuableneſs of the Satisfaction offered, but alſo the Acceptance of it with God, is to be conſidered in the making of it a Redemption: becauſe it is at Gods liberty whether he will let the Priſoner of Juſtice go free, and receive another to ſtand in his room. Now God promiſed to his Son in this Covenant, that he would take content in this Satisfaction of his; that it ſhould be a very grateful or pleaſing thing to him; and accordingly it is expreſſed concerning him, Iſa. 42. 1.
2. The Reward which he ſhould receive for this work of his. There was a Reward Indented for, and Chriſt had an Eye to it in this Work, and Improved it for his Relief, when he was under the ſoreſt Agonies of Temptation, Heb. 12. 2. and that was.
1. In regard of himſelf perſonally; that he ſhould receive the higheſt honour and glory in our nature, Pſal. 89. 27. this therefore was propounded after the nature of a reward, Iſa. 53. 12. Phil. 2. 8, 9. Yea, ſuch a Reward is promiſed, as ſhall give him full content, Iſa. 53. 11. we find that his Work and Recompence are put together, Pſal. 110. ult. He was to have the Everlaſting. Honour of this Work aſcribed to him, and to Triumph gloriouſly
2. In regard of thoſe who were to be Redeemed by him. As he Sanctified himſelf for their Sakes, and undertook to Redeem them by Satisfying for them, as a fruit of his Everlaſting Love to … the Father promiſed him that he ſhould Enjoy them as a Purchaſe, and that they ſhould be a Generation of his Praiſe, Pſal. 22. 30. Iſa. 53. 10. He was aſſured that not one of all thoſe whom he was to Dye for, ſhould ever be Loſt, or finally miſcarry, but they ſhould all of them be brought to the Poſſeſſion of that Glory which he ſhould procure for them: that they ſhould be his Spouſe; and therefore we have him claiming this Reward, as that which he had Indented for, Joh. 17. 24. and theſe are the Summary Articles of this Wonderful Covenant.