Hypostatical Union of the two Natures in the Person of Christ we had never been able to have drawn near to God nor have been united mystically to God had not there been such an Hypostatical Union of our Nature to the Divine Nature in Christ's Person for that was the Spring I say and Foundation of our Union 2. Moreover Christ must be God-man because the Covenant of Peace was transacted with Christ not as God simply so considered but as God-man or as Mediator and as so he struck Hands with God Christ-God as one observes could not be under the Law nor represent Man and take his Law-place nor could the Godhead suffer and pay the price of Blood nor receive a Mission and Mandates Christ simply considered as God could not be a Messenger nor be sent nor as God could there be Promises made to him nor any Rewards given him but as Mediator this was done 3. Had Christ not been God-man how could there been two Parties Covenanting with each other about making of our Peace For Christ-God the second Person could not constitute a Party distinct from God considered essentially one I and my Father are one but a Mediator is not a Mediator of one but God is one Therefore the Covenant of Peace was made with Christ as God-man God in our Nature I shall now proceed to shew you what a Mediator signifies and so open the Work of Christ as Mediator 1. A Mediator properly signifies a Midler a middle Man a Reconciler or a Days Man that lays his Hands upon both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 one that interposeth to make up the Breach or Difference that is between disagreeing Parties Now Jesus Christ is a middle Person and fit every ways to be a Mediator betwixt God and Man he is at an equal distance and equally drawing near to and a like related unto both he being God and Man in one Person he is a meet and a proper Reconciler of God to Man and of Man to God For there is one Mediator between God and Men the Man Christ Jesus and for this cause he is the Mediator of the New Covenant c. For as he is God's Son so also he is our Brother or Kinsman and so the Right of Redemption falls upon him 2. A Mediator must have a legal Call to this Office or be authorized to manage this great Trust as well as be every ways fitly qualified so to do and must be allowed to undertake herein by the Injured Party Now my Brethren Christ was Chosen Called Authorized and Anointed by the Father to be Mediator and willingly as I have shewed you he accepted of this Work and Office He did actually interpose or step in betwixt God and Man and acted and executed the Mediator's Office as a Days-man's part in this Treaty of Peace by the Appointment Call and Authority of God God accepteth him for us to make our Peace I have made my Covenant with my Chosen He was chosen Behold mine Elect Again God saith I have called thee in Righteousness and will hold thy Hand c. God did with him strike Hands with us the Stipulation on our part was made by him I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the People In Christ we were represented by mutual Agreement in those Covenant Transactions with his Father 3. A Mediator must comply with the just demands of the wronged Party and do that which he requires without which he will never make Peace Jesus Christ therefore must be Man because the shedding of his Blood is absolutely necessary in order to the making of our Peace the just Right of the offended Soveraign of Heaven and Earth must be vindicated and to this End the Son of God took our Nature upon him that he might offer up or Sacrifice that Body to the Justice of God he laid down his Life as the Father gave him Commandment for he is our Peace who hath made both one And that he might reconcile both unto God in one Body by the Cross having slain the Enmity thereby and having made Peace by the Blood of his Cross by him to reconcile all things to himself c. 4. A Mediator must be a Person that hath interest in both Parties and be one whom both Parties may trust being equally affected unto both seeking to do all just right to one and to relieve the offending Party so far as he is capable to do it Now our Lord Jesus Christ hath interest in God being his own Son and one and the same God and being Man he is nearly related unto as God therefore can trust him as his most Faithful Servant and God in Mercy and Infinite Love chose him as our Trustee knowing that he would not could not fail us therefore he committed our Interest and Concernments of our Peace to him we having no other Friend in Heaven nor Earth And this Brethren was before we had any Being or were able to dispose of our Interest or Concernments 5. A Mediator ought to be a Person that is a Well-wisher to Peace or one that loves Peace longs after it there being nothing more acceptable to him than Peace Jesus Christ is called the Prince of Peace not only a peaceable Prince but the Prince of Peace the only Person of Peace or Peace-maker Never did any Person give such clear full and undeniable Proofs and Demonstrations of his being a Well-wisher to Peace or a Lover of Peace as Jesus Christ hath done As I. Witness how freely he offered himself to the Father in our behalf to treat about and yield to the terms of and sign this Blessed Covenant of Peace II. Witness the Glory he was willing to leave in order to his actual accomplishment thereof III. Witness the long Journey he took from Heaven to Earth that he might reconcile God and Man IV. Witness his great Abasement and wonderful Condescention for being in the Forâ— of God he thought it not Robbery to be equal wiâ—â— God not equal by a delegated Power from God for in Essence he is Co-equal Co-essential and Co-eternal with the Father but made himself of 〈◊〉 Reputation and took upon him the Form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of sinful Man his Condescention was free and voluntary oâ— unconstrained unless it was by Love he suffered his Glory for a time to be eclipsed yet he did not lay down the essential Form of God no that was impossible but he assumed the Form of a Servant by taking our Nature into Union with his Divine Nature and all this to make our Peace V. Witness how desirous he was of Peace by considering what in that Body he past through from first to last that he might make Peace 1. Consider his Bloody Agony Divine Wrath touched his Soul he sweat great Drops or congealed Clots of Blood tho it was in a cold
for us by the Death of Christ for as you heard Christ did more than pay our Debts V. Christ's Death was the Pacifying or Atoneing Sacrifice his Precious Blood quenched the Fire of God's Wrath and so it is the only way by which we come to be delivered from Hell Our Jonah was cast over-board to make a Calm and caused the Storm of Divine Vengeance to cease VI. And more directly to our present Purpose I say again the Death of Christ was to ratifie and confirm the Covenent VII Moreover the Death of Christ was not only to confirm the Covenant of Peace it self but to confirm all Covenant Grants Covenant Blessings and Covenant Promises also for had not the Testator died none could sue for any Legacy therein bequeathed to them Furthermore also the Holy Ghost is appointed to be the Executioner of this Covenant or of the Last Will and Testament of our Lord Jesus Christ How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself to God Purge your Consciences from Dead Works to serve the true living God It is the same Spirit of Jesus that offered up his Body that applies his Blood and makes it efficacious to us and also puts us into the Possession of the Inheritance purchased for us And for this Cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament that by means of Death that they which are called might receive the Promise of the Eternal Inheritance That is through his Intercession and the Agency of the Holy Spirit the Effects of his Sacrifice might become effectual to all the Elect viz. to their Justification Vocation Sanctification and Glorification If the Will of Man had been left or substituted to be the Executioner of Christ's Last Will and Testament not one Soul might have been saved or if otherwise yet all the Glory would not have then redown'd to Jesus Christ but one great part thereof to the Creature But thus it is not left 'T is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth No no it is wholly committed to the Blessed Agency of the Holy Ghost who doth and must bow and bend the Will of Man unto God But more of this hereafter My Brethren It is very remarkable what Knowledge some of the Ancient Jews had of the Messiah Rabbi Hadars as I find him quoted by a Worthy Divine speaks thus viz. God treating with the Messiah said Righteous Messiah Those who are hid in thee are such whose Sins in time shall bring thee to Grief thy Ears shall hear Reproaches thy Tongue cleave to the Roof of thy Mouth thou shalt be wearied with Sorrows The Messiah answered Lord of the World I joyfully take them upon me and Charge my self with their Torment but upon this Condition that thou shalt quicken the Dead God saith this Rabbi granted him this and from that time the Messiah charged himself with all kinds of Torments VSE I. From hence we may infer what horrid Evil there is in Unbelief or the Shamefulness of Unbelief and O what Ignorance there is in Men of this Covenant Agreement God is pacified and reconciled but Sinners will not believe it and from hence retain frightful Thoughts of God 2. We infer That our Salvation stands upon a sure and certain Foundation and that the Elect shall be saved 1. They are the Seed of Christ and are given to him tho never so unworthy in themselves 2 In regard of the firmness of the Covenant of Peace you hear how and by what it is confirmed 3. In regard Jesus Christ hath done his Suffering Work his Bleeding Work his Dying Work confirming his Covenant and he is bound to do all the rest in us and for us and the Spirit is the Executior Christ tho he died is alive and dies no more and therefore can and will see his own Will fully executed 4. Because God hath link'd in this Covenant his own Glory and our Good together II. Contemplate on the Love of your dying Friend Shall the King Immortal become a dying Testator O search into this Will to find your Names and see what vast Legacies are bequeathed therein to you Moreover you see that your Right to Grace and Glory is a Testimentory Right the Covenant betwixt God and Christ is turned into a Testament between him and you My Peace I leave with you He hath paid dear for it III. Sinners will you by Unbelief make void if it were possible this Covenant or not sue out by Christ's Blood your Pardon but think to get it some other ways Sirs all 〈◊〉 saving Grace is comprehended in this Covenant IV. What are all Earthly Legacies to those Christ hath left in his Last Will and Testament V. Terror Let all such tremble that turn Christ's Last Will and Testament into a Law of Works or into a Conditional Covenant or that give the Glory to their Faith to their Obedience or to the Creature and let all such fear likewise that venture to alter any thing contained in Christ's Last Will and Testament Lastly Do not forget your dying Friend O keep up his Remembrance in those Holy Signs of his Death and Suffering which he hath left in his word This do in remembrance of me I shall now proceed to the next thing proposed under this General Head Fourthly After a Covenant of Peace is ratified and confirmed it is proclaimed and so it is here also this is the next thing God assisting I shall speak to And now as Peace among Men is commonly published by a Proclamation so hath God graciously ordered this Peace to be published by a Proclamation Also And in speaking to this I shall 1. Shew you what is the Proclamation of this Peace 2. Who they are that God hath authorized to Proclaim it 3. Open the Nature of the Proclamation 4. Open the Terms upon which it is proclaimed The Proclamation of this Peace is the Gospel of Jesus Christ Hence the Gospel is called The Word of Reconciliation and the Gospel of Peace I. Because the Gospel only shews us how Reconciliation is made between an offended God and offending Creatures and no otherways is this revealed or made known to Men. II. Because God my Brethren is hereby declared to be reconciled or pacified towards Sinners even in Jesus Christ To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them Some would have this extend to all the World universally but then all would be saved for if all were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son they shall much more be saved by his Life for so Paul argues in respect of all them that God by the Death of his Son was reconciled to For if when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son much more being reconciled we shall be saved by his Life If God gave us the great Gift he will much more give the lesser Gift i. e.
of his Son as Mediator for tho the Father might make the first Proposal of this to his Son yet 't is by Christ's Undertaking that God is pacified c. He was made a Curse for us therefore as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all Men to Condemnation so by the Righteousness of one the Free-gift came upon all Men unto Justification of Life For as by one Man's Disobedience many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of one shall many be made Righteous As Adam brought us into Debt and made us obnoxious to Divine Wrath so Jesus Christ hath paid our Debts by his active Obedience to God's Law and by bearing that Wrath on his Soul and Body which our Sins had brought upon us For the Transgressions of my People was be stricken 2. See how the Mediator prevails with God for instead of God's demanding an inherent Righteousness a Righteousness wrought out in our Persons he accepts of an Imputed Righteousness wrought out in the Person of his own Son in our Nature as Mediator Who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption In the Lord shall one say have I Righteousness and Strength And then on the other side 1. Christ is of a mollifying Temper towards Man for he brings Man that he might partake of the Blessings of Peace to forego or give up all his own Righteousness as good for nothing nay to account it as Dung in point of Justification at God's Bar or when it is compared to the Righteousness of God in Christ and instead of seeking Justification by our own Righteousness or by our Faith and sincere Obedience utterly to renounce it and to submit to the Righteousness of God That we may be Justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus 2. Not to work to be Justified not to repent or love God to be Justified But to work not but believe in him that Justifies the Vngodly 3. Not to work for Life but from Life i. e. from a Principle of Life wrought in the Soul not to change one Work or Act of the Creature in Justification to another Work or Act of the Creature I mean not to renounce all Works of the Law in point of Justification and to include Gospel-works or Faith and Obedience as part of our Justifying Righteousness before God no no but to exclude all manner of Works Faith and Obedience whatsoever and to rest upon Christ alone or on his Righteousness exclusive of all the Creature doth or can do 4. And tho the Soul sees he is already Justified and accepted in the Beloved and for ever delivered from Wrath and Condemnation yet to live a Holy Life and renounce all Sin and Iniquity from a Principle of Faith and because Sin is so hateful unto God and so abominable in his Sight and because Christ is his Lord therefore to do all things whatsoever he commandeth him and all this in Love to Christ not to seek his Acceptance and Justification by the Worth of his Faith and Obedience but in Christ and to account himself an Vnprofitable Servant when he hath done all that Christ hath commanded him 5. Christ never leaves his Elect until he hath brought them to these Terms XIII A Mediator whose Mediation is rejected after long Patience leaves the Offended and Obstinate Person to the Severity of that Law he hath broke and under the Sentence thereof So my Brethren will the Lord Jesus Christ after long Patience and Forbearance leave all Obstinate Rebellious and Unbelieving Sinners to the Severity of the Law of God which they have broken and to the Wrath and Vengeance of God He that believeth not is Condemned already All are condemned in the first Adam and their Condemnation will be aggravated upon them because they reject the Offers of Peace or the Mediation of Jesus Christ and believe not in him and indeed all Men would do this was not Infinite Love shewed and Power put forth towards some according to God's Eternal Purpose in Election XIV A Mediator leaves no liberty of an Appeal after he hath passed the definitive Sentence Moreover it is some times left to him also to pass that Sentence So my Brethren the Lord Christ at the last Day will leave no room for any Sinner to appeal to any other Court or Person there will be no relief for God the Father hath committed all Judgment to the Son he will therefore pass the definitive Sentence against all Mankind in the Day of Judgment For the Father Judgeth no Man but hath committed all Judgment to the Son All Judgment in the Administration of the Mediatory Kingdom is given to Jesus Christ and in and by the Son will God Judge the World Because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will Judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained whereof he hath given assurance to all Men in that he hath raised him from the Dead The Mediator of this Peace shall Judge all Men he shall execute Judgment because he is the Son of Man and this God will do That all Men may honour the Son even as they honour the Father Which shews that the same Honour and Divine Worship is due to Christ that is due to God the Father he being the very same Eternal God So much at present as to Christ's Work as Mediator of this Covenant of Peace And now let me apply this before I proceed to the next thing which is the Suretiship of Christ. APPLICATION 1. We infer from hence that Sin is exceeding sinful O what Evil is there in Sin That nothing can atone for it nor make our Peace but the Blood of the Lord Jesus Christ the Mediator It is not his bare Pleading but it must be done by his bleeding or dying for us or in our stead And O how great was that Breach which nothing could make up but such a Bloody Sacrifice 2. We also infer from hence that God's Love to us in Christ is an amazing and wonderful Love our Peace shall be made tho it cost God the Blood of his own dear and beloved Son God so loved the World How was that Who can conceive of the greatness of it Even so as he gave his only begotten Son to die for us even for his Enemies God commended his Love towards us in that while we were yet Sinners Christ died for us for when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Not that God was only reconcileable but by that Sacrifice God was reconciled our Faith doth not reconcile God to us but we thereby receive the Atonement or the Blessing of Peace and Reconciliation 3. We infer likewise from hence that the Love of Jesus Christ was wonderful and his Condescention exceeding great What did God take our Nature into Union with
II. A seasonable Covenant in respect of the Revelation or Manifestation of it even just as Adam had sinned and when Divine Justice was ready to lift up his direful Ax of Divine Vengeance How seasonable is it for a poor condemned Criminal to hear of a Pardon just when he is brought to the place of Execution and the Halter is put about his Neck or the Ax lifted up to Cut off his Head III. It is a seasonable Covenant in respect to the application of the blessings thereof to a poor Sinner 1. 'T is by the Spirit applyed when the sinner sees he is Condemned being under the sense of Sin Wrath and Condemnation beholding himself just dropping into Hell then this Covenant is opened and the blessing of free Justification and Pardon is applied 2. When the Soul and Conscience of a sinner is wounded and his wounds bleed then is the Balm of the Covenant applied to heal him 3. When the Sinner sees he is pursued by the Avenger of Blood and sees no way to escape then his Eyes are opened and he is directed to fly to the City of refuge the way being made plain and easie and the Holy Spirit directs the Soul to Christ and crys Refuge Refuge 4. When the Sinner sees he is so sick that he can't live even then the Physician provided in the Covenant comes immediately and pours in his Oyl and Wine When I passed by and saw thee polluted in thy Blood I said unto thee live Ye I sware unto thee and entred into Covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine Eighthly It is a Sure Covenant Ordered in all things and sure Incline your ear and come unto me hear and your Souls shall live and I will make an everlasting Covenant with you even the sure mercies of David I. It is a sure Covenant because it is made with such a Surety as Jesus Christ is it is not made primarily with us but with Christ for us and with us in him the sure mercies of David That is our Lord Jesus Christ he is the true Antitipical David Sure because they are Mercies granted to us thro' Christ's suretiship and when a Sinner is brought into the bands of the Covenant God is said to make this Covenant with him i. e. he actually entering then thro' Christ into Covenant with God but our standing then in it is upon the account of Christ's Covenant with the Father for us II. It is a Sure Covenant because it stands upon the absolute purpose and unchangeable Decree and Councel of God My Mercy will I keep with him and my Covenant shall stand fast with him My Covenant will I not break nor alter the thing that is gone out of my mouth Hence the absolute Decrees of God are compared to mountains of Brass Zach. 6.1 Denoting how unmovable stedy and unchangable his Councels are nay Tho' the Mountains should depart and the Hills be removed yet saith the Lord my loving kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed c. All Covenant-Mercys are according to God's Eternal purpose which be purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord The Covenant stands not only as the act of God's Eternal Wisdom but as his Eternal Decree and Purpose before all Worlds III. The Covenant of Peace is sure because it is confirmed by the witness of the Holy Ghost 1. The Spirit of God was a witness to the Covenant when it was made 2. Moreover it was confirmed in the promulgation of it by the Holy Ghost by wonderfull Miracles for what served all those Miracles more clearly for than to confirm the Authority of the Mediator and the verity and stability of the Gospel Covenant IV. Furthermore The Covenant was as you heard confirmed by the Blood of Jesus Christ therefore it is a sure Covenant V. The Covenant is sure because it is confirmed by the Promise and Oath of God Once have I sworn by my Holiness that I will not lye to David his Seed shall endure for ever and his Throne as the Sun before me This is as the waters of Noah unto me for as I have sworn that the waters of Noah shall no more go over the Earth so have I sworn that I will not be wrath with thee nor rebuke thee compared with Heb. 6.13 16 17 18. VI. It is a Sure Covenant to all Gods Elect because the Execution of it is put into Christ's own hands he is the Executioner of his own Will and Testament for tho Christ was dead yet he is alive I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore Christ sees his last Will and Testament fully executed by his Spirit Ninethly It is a Covenant of Peace this is the Name that is given to it in my Text which also shews it is of an excellent and precious nature I. 'T is a Covenant of Peace with God God is hereby reconciled to us and we to him and that for ever II. Hereby we come also to have peace in our own Souls or peace of Conscience nor indeed can we ever have true peace any other ways For can your repentance give you peace of Conscience Can Tears of Blood apease Divine Wrath or satisfy Divine Justice Can Reformation of life give you Peace or your inherent Sanctification or pious and religious duties Do you fetch your peace from thence If you do your peace will be turned into trouble and anguish of Spirit or can your lively and spiritual Frame give you true and lasting peace I affirm 't is a false peace that is simply grounded on a lively and Spiritual Frame or disposition of Heart for there can be no true peace of Conscience but by Jesus Christ thro' the Blood of the everlasting Covenant He is our peace c. He will speak peace to his People Not as the World giveth give I unto you Dare a Man plead his Faith or good Duties to Justifie him and so from thence fetch his peace and comfort alas What unrighteousness cleaves to our righteousness what doubtings attend our Faith and what wandrings of heart attend us in our best Duties nay may we not find some Hypocrisie in us also tho in the main we are sincere our peace is only had in Christ. III. 'T is only by the peace made by Christ as is revealed in this Covenant that a poor wounded disparing and distressed Soul comes to have peace I once cited a passage out of Dr. Owen being pious Anselem's directions to a poor tempted Soul on a Death-Bed let me repeat it here once again Minister Dost thou believe thou canst not be saved but by the Death of Christ. ' Sick-man Yes I do so believe Minister Then let it be said unto thee go and whilest thy Soul abideth in thee and put all thy confidence in Christ's death alone place thy trust in no other thing commit thy self wholly to
Christ's death cover thy self wholly with his death wrap thy self wholy in his death and if God would judge thee say Lord I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and thy Judgment and no other ways will I contend with thee And if he shall say unto thee thou art a sinner say I place the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between me and my sins and if he shall say unto thee that thou deservest Damnation say Lord I put the death of our Lord Jesus Christ between thee and all my sins and I offer his Merits for my own which I should have and have not If he shall say that he is Angry with thee say Lord I place the death of Christ between me and thine Anger O Sinner here is thy relief it is in the Blood of the Covenant it is Christ's death under all Fears Temptations Dispair and Anguish of Soul here is peace even under the accusations of thy own Conscience and Satan's temptations even in Life and at the hour of Death O Blessed Covenant of Peace Who is it that is just a going to God's Tribunal that dares to plead what he hath done or is wrought in him alas all hands will be weak all hearts faint and all felf-confidence will faâ— them This Covenant is therefore all oâ—â— Hope our Peace and all our Salvation and in it there is indeed a Salve for every Sore VSE 1. Sinner take hold of this Covenant and tho thou art an Eunuch i. e. a poor dâ—â— barren and fruitless Soul yet if thou takâ— hold of God's Covenant or canst but geâ— Faith to take hold of Christ God will givâ— thee a Name in his House better than that oâ— Sons and Daughters 2. Saints do you fix your eyes also upoâ— this Covenant to plead the Blood and Merits of Christ in this Covenant Rest alonâ— upon the Lord Jesus and on the Faithfulnesâ— of God in his promises in this Covenant foâ— tho thou knowest nothing of thy self yet thâ—â— art not thereby Justified nor can thy sâ—â— condemn thee if thou art in Christ for thoâ— art perfect in him touching thy Justification before the Throne of God 3. With what comfort then mayst thou 〈◊〉 Believer take the Sacrament as a Token 〈◊〉 the Covenant-blessings Yea thou takest iâ— as a pledge from God that all his wrath 〈◊〉 over in Christ and that Divine Justice is satisfied towards thee in Christ and that all thâ— Sins are for ever pardoned that God is thâ— Father Jesus Christ is thy Saviour and Heaven is thy Inheritance but here I shall Conclude at this time SERMON X. Shewing the Covenant of Peace is a try'd Covenant that it is but one Intire Covenant viz. That the Covenant of Grace and Rededemtion are not Two distinct Covenants as some lately affirm but only one and the same Covenant That t' is a Covenant full of the Strongest consolation and lastly an Everlasting Covenant ISA. Liv. x. Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee I AM upon the opening the nature of the Covenant of Peace or to shew you what kind of Covenant it is I have passed thro an Induction of Nine Particulars already shall proceed Tenthly It is a Try'd Covenant I. All the faithfull Children of God venturâ— their Souls and their Salvation upon it and never failed any one of them Adam no douâ—â— ventured his Soul and Salvation thereon 〈◊〉 did Abel Enoch Noah Abraham Isaac and Jacob and all the Holy Patriarchs and all thâ— Holy Prophets and the Apostles of Jesus Chrisâ— together with all the Saints both in thâ— times of the Old and New Testament anâ— they all found it having try'd it a Sure Covenant II. Multitudes of Souls departed this Liâ— are already made Perfect in Heaven by thâ— Grace and Blessings thereof they find it tâ— their own unspeakable Joy and Comfort a sum and happy Covenant For it was by the Merits and Righteousness of Jesus Christ or blooâ— of the Everlasting Covenant they are all goâ—â— to Heaven III. Never did any person venture 〈◊〉 Soul upon Jesus Christ by vertue of this Covenant by Believing truly on him but 〈◊〉 found it a Firm and saving Covenant 〈◊〉 how many have try'd and found it so tâ— be IV. Satan that great enemy of Believers and of the Souls of Men hath often tryd 〈◊〉 and endeavoured to shake the hopes of Believers and break this Covenant but hâ— to his shame and confusion sees that he cannoâ— break the bonds thereof Eleventhly It is one intire Covenant i. e. the Covenant that was made with Christ â—rom Eternity is the Covenant of Peace and â—econciliation or the Covenant of Grace â—s well as of Redemption For 1. Was it not made with him as our Coâ—enanting Head and so in him with all Gods â—lect and for them Some of late times would â—ave this Covenant to be a Covenant of Reâ—emption and not the Covenant of Grace â—nd Reconciliation but a distinct Covenant â—nd so plead for Two Covenants besides the â—ovenant of Works which we read no where â—f in the Holy Scriptures 2. Was it not wholly of the Free Grace â—f God yea and the highest Act and Deâ—onstration thereof that he was pleas'd to â—nter into that Covenant with his own Son â—s our Surety and Mediator 3. Was not all the good which we receive â—n time promised to us in Christ before the World began See Tit. 1.2 Nay was not all â—race given Foederaly to us in Christ in that Covenant See 2. Tim. 1.9 Who hath savâ—d us and called us not according to our works â—ut according to his own purpose and Grace which â—as given to us in Christ before the World beâ—an 4. Was it not that Covenant that was made â—etwixt the Father and the Son that Christ was made the Mediator and Surety of and Confirmed by his death and did not he unâ—ertake to Die for all Gods Elect when the Fulness of time was come Or was not God in Christ in and by vertue of that Covenant from everlasting a reconciling the World to himself And if so Was not the Covenant made with Christ of Redemption a Covenant of Peace and Reconciliation also Was it not representitively made then for us in Christ and actually made with us by Application and that it might be thus Apply'd to us in time did not Christ engage to see it done for us before time in that Holy Covenant then agreed on 5. Is there any one Promise one Blessing or one Priviledg which we received which was not Primarily granted to Christ for us in that Covenant viz. That our Acceptation should be in Christ that our Justification should be in him and our Sanctification should be in and by him c 6. Was not the Covenant of Redemption made with Christ as a Publick Person a Second Adam And if so was it not made in him with all his Seed Take here what a
and Wrath of God only but also from Sin or a vain Conversation and out of the Power and Kingdom of Satan which Christ by his Blood as poured forth and in applying it undertook to do in the Covenant of Peace which is called Christ's Covenant As for thee by the blood of thy Covenant I have sent forth the Prisonâ—rs out of the Pit wherein there was no water Reverend Charnock says Christ is the surety of the Covenant of Grace but the Covenant of Redemption had no surety the Father and the Son trusted one another the Covenant of Redemption was not Confirmed by Blood c. Answ. Had God only entred into Covenant with Christ as a single Person and for himself there had been no need of a surety but since he entred into that Covenant as a publick person and that for broken and fallen mankind whom God regarded not their Credit being for ever gone there was a necessity of Christ's suretyship in that said Covenant in respect had to those things which Christ was to do for us and also work in us which he then engaged to the Father to perform and if the Covenant of Redemption from Sin and Wrath was not confirmed by the Blood of that Covenant one grand part of our safety and security is gone for ever My Brethren Our Lord Jesus Christ when he first entred into the Covenant with the Father agreed to be the Mediator and Surety thereof also evident it is that there are some Transactions where suretiship is required which a Surety must undertake to do and readily agree unto even all such things which the Creditor requires and the nature of the Covenant calls for So that there are some things that peculiarly belong to him as surety even so and in like manner it was here about the compleat accomplishment of the Covenant of Grace entered into between the Father and the Son in behalf of the Elect. Yet all the good we receive through the applicatory part of the said Covenant are but the effects fruits or product of the same Covenant as it was made with Christ for us as our Surety Also among Men those things and Covenant Transactions betwixt the Creditor and the Surety which peculiarly appertain to him to perform and answer though the poor debtor nevertheless is mainly concerned therein they being such things that must be performed by the Surety for him or the Debtor can have no benefit by it yet the free grants to the Debtor in the said Covenant upon the Suretys engagement is never called a distinct Covenant in it self but as I said before 't is one and the same Covenant our Covenant therefore is but a branch of Christ's Covenant with God the Father in which he engaged to Spouse and Marry us to himself for ever Therefore I know not what these Mens nice distinctions signifies unless it be to amuse the world or except it be for the worser purpose just now hinted Brethren The distinction lies not in two distinct Covenants Essentially differing from each other but in the distinct parts of the said one intire Covenant I. One part as it refers to Christ viz. he is the Surety and we the Debtors whom he engaged for his money and not ours pays all and makes satisfaction to God Christ is the Redeemer in this Covenant and we the Redeemed Christ is the Saviour and we the Saved II. That part that appertains to Christ was upon conditions of what he was to do and suffer he hath obtained all for us wholly by Desert and Merit and we have all every way of meer grace and favour particularly in the applicatory part thereof Moreover let it be noted that there is a difference in respect of the time of the making of the Covenant and of the Revelation Execution and Application thereof Christ in the Covenant first Articl'd with the Father to be Mediator and Surety c. and in the execution of the Covenant actually discharges those Offices and all things that appertains to them one thing being his bringing of us home to God or into the bonds of his Covenant Moreover Take here what the Reverend Assembly of Divines have said about the Covenant of Grace viz. Q. 30. Doth God leave mankind to perish in a state of Sin and Misery Answ. God doth not leave all mankind to perish in a state of Sin and Misery into which they fell by the Breach of the first Covenant called the Covenant of works but of his meer love and Mercy delivereth his Elect out of it and bringeth them into a state of Salvation by the second Covenant commonly called the Covenant of Grace Q. 31. With whom was the Covenant of Grace made Answ. The Covenant of Grace was made with Christ as the second Adam and in him with all the Elect as his Seed Thus that Learned Assembly From hence it doth appear that this opinion of two distinct Covenants was not received by that Assembly they own but two Covenants i. e. that of Works and that of Grace and I am sure the Scriptures bear witness of no other Covenant of Redemption but that of Grace and Reconciliation which includes Redemption and all Covenant-Blessings My Brethren That very Covenant made between the Father and the Son was hidden or kept secret as to the clear manifestation of it till Christ came and then it was manifested and the clear revelation of it is in the Gospel which shows how God manifesteth the grace of this Covenant by offering Pardon and Peace to sinners by revealing of Christ who is called the Covenant and offering him to them for Life and Salvation so that this Covenant contains all Grace Mercy and Redemption Moreover Remarkable it is to see how that Learned Person that wrote the Book called The Ark of the Covenant who too boldly asserts the Covenant of Redemption a distinct Covenant from the Covenant of Grace doth in divers places contradict himself herein take some of his words viz. So that I take saith he the meaning of these words This is my Covenant with them my Spirit that is upon thee c. to be This is my Covenant that I have made with thee upon their account and for their behoof or the Covenant that I have made with them to wit virtully when I Covenanted with thee and made promises to thee for their behoof He confesseth that the Covenant of 〈◊〉 was made with Christ primarily and representatively and with the Elect in him and all promises of Grace was made to us in Christ in that Covenant And what do we say more but this is to overthrow his own Notion of two distinct Covenants Nay the same Author confesseth that the grand thing he argues for is to prove that there is nothing spoken of Christ's Seed as parties with whom God deals in this Covenant and upon whom he layeth any Commands Answ. We say so too Christ is only the Covenanting party for us and on
Necessities but also to the making of us very Rich and Great 3. I mean by it God's Gracious Acceptance of our Persons Duties and all our Holy and Spiritual Performances or Services which is no small Favour and Blessing but one of the greatest we can partake of for this must always be premised that God will never accept of any Man's Duties till he first accepteth of his Person for thus he first accepts of Abel that is of his Person The Lord had a Respect unto Abel and to his Offering he offered his Offering in Faith he was a Believer and God accepted of his Person in Christ and so he doth of the Persons of all True Believers Wherein he hath made us accepted in the Beloved in whom we are united and made Members of his Body and it is in him that God looks upon us Secondly I shall endeavour to prove that this Trade or Blessing of free Access unto God is the Effects of the Peace made by Jesus Christ. 1. The Navigable River by which we Trade to Heaven by virtue of this Peace is opened viz. the Holy Spirit is poured forth This is that River that makes glad the City of God c. and this it doth not only in that it supplies God's People or his Holy City with Water to drink which is indeed Water of Life but also in that it is by it we Trade to Heaven all our Spiritual Trade and Traffick is in and through this River Our Trade my Brethren is a Trade of Merchandise For the Merchandise of it is better than the Merchandise of Silver and the Gain thereof than fine Gold Now this River proceeds from the Throne of God and the Lamb and that this River is opened by the Sacrifice of Christ or by that Peace he hath made See Acts 2.31 This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all Witnesses Therefore being by the Right Hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear Vers. 32. Moreover Jesus Christ promised the Spirit to his Disciples upon his Ascention and this Promise he graciously made good Therefore saith the Apostle being Justified by Faith we have Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom also we have access by Faith into this Grace c. Again he saith And came and Preached Peace to you that were a far off c. For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father that is through the Mediator and Peace-maker who hath reconciled us to God We are now admitted or introduced into the presence of the Father and this with boldness In whom we have Boldness and Access with Confidence by the Faith of him And this not only in Prayer but also in all Holy Fellowship Commerce and Heavenly Communion Having therefore Brethren Boldness to enter into the Holiest by the Blood of Jesus It was the Blood of Christ that opened this Trade or procured this Access to Heaven for us By a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the Veil that is to say his Flesh. Hence our Blessed Lord saith I am the Way no Man cometh to the Father but by me Except this River had been opened we could never have Traded to Heaven and that this is done by Jesus Christ or by the Peace which he hath made I have thus fully proved Thirdly I shall shew you that this is the best Trade or there is no Trade like unto it in all the World 1. Because the Word of God declares it so to be The Merchandise hereof is better than the Merchandise of Silver and the Gain thereof than fine Gold Now what Merchandise of this World do Men account to excel that of Silver and fine Gold But Spiritual Merchandise the great God declares is better than these or whatsoever else you can think or speak of Now this I shall further indeavour to make appear in this Method following 1. In respect of the Subject these Merchandises enrich 2. In respect of the Nature of the Things Traded in or for 3. In respect of that Blessed Correspondent who manages all our Affairs in Heaven and that makes us Returns of all we venture 4. In respect of the Terms upon which we Trade 5. I shall apply the whole I shall speak briefly to each of these First The Subject that these Merchandises inrich is the Soul the Precious and Immortal Soul of Man which all other Trades and Merchandise cannot in the least degree relieve the Wants of much less inrich but these Heavenly Merchandises doth this 1. It is hereby the Soul of a Believer or a Spiritual Merchant comes to have God again God to be his God yea a God in Covenant with him and to be his Portion for ever as you have heard 'T is through Jesus Christ or by the Peace he hath made that this Blessing is obtained God is hereby our Father and Christ is our Saviour and the Spirit is our Sanctifier whosoever will venture out by Faith and Trade in these Seas or on this Voyage shall obtain a sure Interest in Christ and in God through Jesus Christ for ever 2. Because this Trade answers all the Necessities of the Soul or all its Wants My God shall supply all your need according to his Riches in Glory by Christ Jesus Graciously nay Gloriously or according to his own Fulness or rich Mercy or Riches in Glory Nay 3. Not only supply the Needs of our Souls but these Merchandises tend to inrich the Soul with Grace yea with all Grace This Trade or this Merchandise puts a Crown better than that of Gold on its Head and Chains about its Neck They shall be an Ornament of Grace unto thy Head and Chains about thy Neck This my Brethren makes the Soul amiable and honourable in the sight of God and all good Men A meek and quiet Spirit is in the sight of God of great price No other Ornaments are of any worth in the esteem of God but are hateful to him when the Creature is lifted up with Pride thereby What are the Curled Locks and Chains of Gold and Glisâ—â—â—ing Robes in the sight of God Poor Lazarus was far more lovely before his Eyes 4. Because these Merchandises inrich the Soul with Choice and Blessed Experiences Hence David saith The Law of thy Mouth is better to me than Thousands of Gold and Silver And again he saith speaking of his Experiences Thou hast put Gladness into my Heart more than in the time when their Corn and Wine encreased One Day in thy Courts is better than a Thousand And from hence it is that he cries out Whom have I in Heaven but thee Neithâ—r is there any on Earth I desire besides thee Again saith he O taste and see how good the Lord is He is
Time Therefore it will be Wisdom in all to forbear too hard Censures of this Worthy Person Let us wait to see what will be produced by Divine Providence between this and the end of the Year 1700. No doubt but amazing Revolutions are ready to break out in the Earth God will overturn overturn overturn till he come whose right it is viz. our Lord Jesus Christ and it shall be given unto him Things look abroad as if we may expect a Religious War and such an one doubtless will be produced when God puts it into the hearts of the Ten Kings or some of them to hate the Whore So that from the whole we may expect God will yet take Peace from the Earth tho blessed be his Name we enjoy a little repose at this time But what may such Princes and People expect who having got Peace from abroad continue or raise an Open War against the Lord and his People at Home nay shew their Rage and Malice more since in persecuting them than before Oh! That all of us may be stirred up to cry to the Lord mightily for those poor People and against their Enemies as they are Foes and Opposers and make War against the Lamb and those that follow him These things tend to cause me to conclude that the Present Peace in the European World may not last long My Brethren Peace made between Kingdoms and Nations may soon be broken or removed But there is a Peace which being made shall be lasting and never be removed And this brings me to the Words of my Text For the Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee The Text containeth a most Gracious Promise in which are Five Things to be considered I. Who it is that makes this Promise II. To whom the Promise is made III. What is contained in the Promise IV. The Spring or Rise of the Promise V. The Stability of the Promise I. It is GOD the great God and Father of Mercy which makes this Promise he that made and created us see verse 5. For thy Maker is thy Husband the Lord of Hosts is his Name the God of the whole Earth shall he be called A Promise of Peace from such a King is worth regard and to be prized by all to whom it is made II. This Promise is made unto the Gentile Church and therefore it wonderfully behoveth us to consider it and lay the matter to heart some of those great Promises contained in the Writings of the Prophets do peculiarly refer to the Jews the Natural Seed of Abraham but this wholly and particularly respecteth the Gentile Church as you may see if you read v. 1. Sing O barren thou that didst not bear break forth into Singing and cry aloud thou that didst not travel The Jewish People were in a Legal Covenant Married to the Lord and many among them were spiritually espoused unto him and brought forth blessed Fruit the Church of Israel had a numerous Off-spring but for a long Period of Time we poor Gentiles were passed by God espoused us not the Gentiles were not Married or taken into a Covenant Relation with God until the Times of the Gospel and it was upon the Rejection and casting off of the Jews that they were grafted in as Paul shews at large Rom. 11. Now the Reasons why the Gentile People are called or excited here to Rejoyce and Sing may be these 1. From what precedeth in the 53 d. Chapter where mention is made of the Sufferings Humiliation and Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Surely he hath born our Griefs and carried our Sorrows c. ver 4. He was wounded for our Transgressions he was bruised for our Iniquities For our Iniquities that is for all the Iniquities of Gods Elect not only for them among the Jews but them also amongst the Gentiles Therefore Sing O Barren sing ye Poor Gentiles for Jesus Christ Dyed for you he bore your Transgressions 2. Upon the Consideration of the Promise of the Father to Jesus Christ in respect of them as well as any other Chap. 53.10 He shall see his Seed or the Travel of his Soul even them amongst the Gentiles as well as them amongst the Jews i. e. He shall see all them for whom he Died brought into a Covenant Relation with himself even Married to him and his own gracious Image stampt upon them they shall be called he shall see them Converted he shall enjoy them and imbrace them in his Arms and they shall lie in his Bosom They are called upon to Sing as I conceive in respect of that great and glorious Priviledge of there being thus Married to Jesus Christ who before had no Husband For thy Maker is thy Husband 3. From the Consideration she is delivered from the shame of being Barren see ver 4. Cry aloud thou that didst not Travel c. 4. Upon the Consideration of her numerous off-spring For more are the Children of the Desolate than the Children of the Married Wife saith the Lord verse 1. Enlarge the Place of thy Tents and let them stretch forth the Curtains c. verse 2. For thou shalt break forth on the Right Hand and on the Left This shews that there should be a Multitude of the Gentiles Converted unto Jesus Christ yea a far greater number than of the Jews which hath been made good in the Gospel Days and will yet more abundantly in Times that now draw very near when the fulness of the Gentiles shall be brought in But O! How barren is she now that once was the Darling of Heaven and the only Church and People of God hardly one Jew to be found throughout the Earth that owns the true Messiah or is a Believer or a true Christian. 5. Because she shall never suffer shame any more though for a short Time she was forsaken and seemed not to be regarded by the Lord but being now Espoused she shall perpetually be Beloved and injoy Christs special Favour 6. From the Consideration of the Covenant that God has made with Christs for them For the Mountains shall depart and the Hills be removed but my Kindness shall not depart from thee neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed c. This brings me to the next Thing III. Which is that which is contained in the Promise viz. Peace Peace is a sweet Blessing Peace with Men is highly esteemed but this is Peace with God which is far better and exceeds all kind of Peace whatsoever Yea Peace by Vertue of a Covenant a Covenant made by God himself The Covenant of my Peace saith the Lord. IV. We have the Spring or Rise of this Promise or the grand Motive that moved God to enter into this Covenant of Peace or to make this Promise viz. His Love and Mercy Saith the Lord that
hath Mercy on thee This shews that the Covenant of Peace was founded for poor Creatures who were in Misery or in a deplorable Condition Man before his fall needed not Gods Mercy he was the Object of Gods Love and Favour but not of his Mercy For Mercy extended to any Person denotes he was in a forlorn and Miserable Condition before and at that Time when Bowels of Pity and Compassion were moved towards him V. We have here also the Stability of the Promise the Mountains that stand so fast shall or may sooner depart and the Hills be removed than this Covenant of Peace can be broken or he removed nay and he that saith this is the Lord the faithful and true God that cannot lie but to make it yet more firm he hath sworn to his Promise for as I have sworn that the Waters of Noah shall no more go over the Earth so have I sworn that I would not be Wrath with thee nor rebuke thee that is not to forsake her utterly So much shall suffice as to the Parts and Explanation of the Words of our Text. I shall only raise and prosecute one Point of Doctrine from hence viz. Doct. That there is a Covenant of Peace made or agreed upon and it stands firm ui behalf of all Gods Elect. In the speaking unto this Proposition I shall take this Method following viz. 1. Lay down eight Explanatory Propositions by way of Premise 2. I shall endeavour to open the main or chief Transactions about the bringing in and establish-of this Covenant of Peace 3. I shall open the Nature of this Covenant of Peace 4. I shall shew you what is contained granted or given in this Covenant 5. Shew the Nature of the Peace comprehended in this Covenant 6. Apply it Proposit. I. That God foresaw from Eternity that Man would fall from that happy and blessed State in which he was Created and that a fearful Breach would arise betwixt himself and Mankind Thereby Had it not been thus there would have been no room no need no occasion for God to enter into a Covenant of Peace with his own blessed Son in behalf of Mankind without a War foreseen there could I say be no occasion of a Covenant of Peace and Reconciliation II. Proposition That this Covenant of Peace was entered into between the Father and the Son before the World began Hence the Apostle saith aluding to this Covenant God 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 Moreover Our Lord Jesus saith that he was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was That is ordained substituted and anointed to be the great Representative and Covenanting-Head in behalf of all the Elect of GOD. III. Proposition That the Breach which God foresaw would arise would be very great or a most amazing or fearful Breach betwixt himself and lost Mankind and that it was so might abundantly be demonstrated It was a Breach occasioned by Sin God did not first fall out with us or proclaim War against Mankind but we first broke that League and Covenant of our Creation with God Man rebelled against his Creator casting off his Obedience and Allegiance and subjected himself to Sin and the Devil Lo this only have I found that God hath made Man upright but they have sought out many inventions Tho all the Wickedness that is in Man's Heart that Deceit Hypocrisie and streams of Filthiness that is there Solomon the Wisest of Men could not find out Yet this he had discovered viz. the Fountain of it namely Original Sin or what it was that first caused that Breach and War which is between God and all Unconverted Men or all ungodly Ones in the World And now That it is a fearful Breach appeareth 1. In that Man run away from God and hid himself And the Lord God called unto Adam and said unto him Where art thou And he said I heard thy Voice in the Garden and I was afraid because I was naked and I hid my self That God who was before the Object of his Love and Delight was now become Terrible unto him because of his horrid Sin and Guilt which lay upon him 2. It was an unreasonable act of Disobedience and most horrid Rebellion considering what God had done for Man and how Great Noble and Honourable God had made him he formed Man in his own Image and made him capable of enjoying sweet Fellowship and Communion with his Creator he made him Lord and Governour of all things on Earth and gave him a lovely beautiful Spouse to be a sit help meet for him he gave him power to stand in that happy Estate tho he left him in a possibility of Falling to prove his Fidelity and Obedience to his Maker But Man cast horrid Contempt upon God by his Unbelief He disbelieved the true and faithful God and believed the Devil that Father of Lies and so gave more Glory to Satan than to his blessed and most rightful Sovereign 3. The Dismal Nature of this Breach further appears on Man's part by considering of that vile and abominable Enmity which is in the Hearts of all Mankind who abide in that old Nature against God as the effects of that first Sin The carnal mind is enmity against God for it is not subject unto the Law of God neither indeed can be he doth not say it is an Enemy but in the abstract it is Enmity an Enemy as one observes may be reconciled but Enmity can never be reconciled Man by this Sin came to be alienated in the highest degree from God having the Vnderstanding darkned being alienated from the life of God And in another place saith the same Apostle And you that were sometimes alienated and enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled 4. This still further appears In that all Men naturally resist God and his good Spirit they fight against God Ye stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye Nay they are called haters of God The haters of God saith David should have submitted themselves Ye have both hated me and my Father saith our blessed Lord. What can render Sin more evil or Man more vile than to be called a Hater of God they are haters of God and despightful Their soul saith the Lord abhorred me and my Soul loathed them Moreover They are said to be Contemners of God they even dare God to his Face and harden their Hearts against him Wherefore doth the wicked contemn God He saith in his heart thou wilt not require it They fear him not they atheistically deny his Providence nay his very being or wish at least there was no God And all this is the fruit and
the Fallen Angels he had not been unjust if all Adam's Posterity had been cast into Hell and not one Soul saved as he is not unjust in throwing all the fallen Angels into Hell for ever without affording one of them any Relief Redemption or hope of Recovery neither is he obliged to save the whole Lump of Mankind either in a way of Justice or Mercy because he is pleased to save a remnant of them God was at the liberty of his Will whether he would make this World or not it was I mean the only Act of his Sovereignty its actual existence in time was according to his absolute Decree and Purpose from Everlasting and according to his absolute Sovereignty he governs and disposes of all things and may do what he will with his own All Nations tremble before him whom he would he slew and whom he would he kept alive The most High doth according to his Will in the Armies of Heaven and among the Inhabitants of the Earth and none can stay his hand or say unto him what dost thou So he hath mercy upon whom he will have mercy and compassion on whom he will have compassion and whom he will he hardeneth He called Abraham and revealed himself to him and let the most of Mankind in his days remain ignorant of him as to Salvation by Jesus Christ He also entred into a Covenant with the Seed of Abraham and gave them his Laws and Ordinances he did not do so to any other Nation And in Gospel Times he called a few poor and illiterate Fishermen and such like Persons and let the Pharisees and Learned Rabbins remain under the power of Sin and Satan and all this as the act of his own absolute Sovereignty and Good Pleasure of his Will as our Lord sheweth At that time Jesus answered and said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to Babes Even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight So now at this day he sends the Gospel into one Nation and not into another and then also in such Nations where the Gospel is Preached it is but here and there clearly opened Nay and many who come under the powerful Ministration of the Gospel have it only come unto them in Word that which is the savour of life unto life to some is the savour of Death unto Death to others Now from whence is all this but meerly from the Sovereignty of God or good pleasure of his Will for It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy God's special Love and Election is not from any Man 's willing or running it riseth not from Natural Powers emproved not from his Desires Good Deeds or Good Inclinations or from the fore-sight of his Faith and Obedience but from and of God's meer Mercy Sovereign Grace and Favour The Truth is to deny God to have the power of his own Free Act in dispensing his own Sovereign Bounty is to Eclipse his Glory and to render him to have less Sovereign Power than that which he hath given and alloweth to Mankind May not a Man shew his Favour and Goodness in redeeming a few Captives out of a Multitude who wilfully brought themselves into Bondage but he must redeem them all or be unjust Or cannot a Man give a bountiful Gift to One or Two poor Men in a Parish but he must bestow like Bounty to all the Poor in the said Parish Or can't a King contrive and enter into a Covenant of Peace for a few Rebels that have with a Multitude of others taken up Arms against him but he must be charged with Injustice because he did not extend like Favour in the said Covenant to them all sure no Man in his right Senses will deny him this Liberty And now Shall not GOD have like power to dispense his Sovereign Grace to whom he pleaseth who is said to do all things according to the pleasure of his own Will and eternal purpose in Jesus Christ Proposition VII And from hence it appeareth That the Covenant of Peace is the Covenant of Grace For tho the Covenant of Peace in respect had to Christ as our Mediatour Head and Surety was upon the Condition of his Merits yet as to the Design End and Purpose of it in respect of us it was only an act of Pure Grace hence said to be according to the good pleasure of his Will Ephes. 1.5 And to the praise of the glory of his Grace v. 6. 1. It was the Free Grace of God the Father to vouchsafe us a Substitute a Saviour a Mediator of this Peace and to Choose Ordain and Appoint his own Son to be the Person and to accept him in our stead Oh! What Favour is this God so loved the World c. 2. And it was the Free Grace of God the Son to engage himself to the Father to enter into this Covenant to make our Peace the Glory of Both Persons equally shine forth to the amazement of all in Heaven and Earth the Counsel of Peace was between them both 3. Nay my Brethren the Free and Rich Grace of God in this Covenant is to be adored even as to the Main and Ultimate End and Design thereof Not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace which was given to us in Christ before the World began The whole Contrivance Foundation and Rise of this Covenant of Peace is of love and Grace Neither do we receive any Grace from God in Time but as it results from the Covenant of Peace made with us in Christ before all Time But this I purpose to enlarge upon further when I come to open the nature of the Covenant Proposition VIII And as the Covenant of Peace is the Govenant of Grace so it results from God as an act of Infinite Mercy It is therefore a merciful Covenant it was not made with Man considered in his State of Innocency for Man as so considered could not be the Object of God's Mercy for tho God appeared very good and gracious to us in our First Creation and as we came out of his Hands and that many ways Yet such was our Happy State that we stood then in no need of Mercy for where Mercy is shewed it is to such that are in Misery but before Man fell he knew no Misery Pain or Sorrow but when God first cast his Eyes upon us and entered into this Covenant of Peace with his own Son for us he saw us lie in our Bloud and fallen under his Divine Wrath and Anger and this indeed the very name of the Covenant of Peace doth import There was no need of Peace had there not been a War or a fearful Breach between God and us and that this Covenant results from God's great Mercy read again
my Text Saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee God foresaw us cast out like a wretched Infant in the day of its Nativity whose Navel was not cut neither washed in Water nor salted nor swadled at all and what doth God say more None Eye pitied thee to do any of these things for thee but thou wast cast out in the open Field to the loathing of thy person in the day thou wast born This was the time of his Love and also of his Pity and tender Mercy And when I passed by thee I saw thee polluted in thine own bloud ver 6. that is when he was first concerned for us in this Covenant of Peace and entered into that holy Compact with his own Son Behold thy time was a time of love and I spread my Skirt over and covered thy nakedness yea and I sware unto thee and entered into Covenant with thee saith the Lord and thou becamest mine This was the time of God's entering into Covenant with his Elect viz. it was with them in Christ and what of this is actually accomplished on us in Time in our own Persons is but the execution of all that Grace Pity and Mercy manifested to us in Christ from Eternity he then shewed his Eternal Purpose of Compassion towards his Chosen and he then said in his blessed Covenant to them live I should now proceed to the next general Head but shall say no more at this time SERMON II. ISA. Liv. x. the last part of the Verse Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Doct. THAT there is a Covenant of Peace made and agreed on and standeth firm in behalf of all the Elect of God The last Day we spoke to those Explanatory Propositions proposed to be opened by way of premise And now to proceed to the next General Head Secondly I shall endeavour to open the main or chief transactions about the bringing in this Covenant of Peace There are my Brethren Six Things to be considered in a Covenant of Peace among Men and so also in and about this Covenant I. A Treaty or a Solemn Consultation or a Treating about the Terms of Peace II. An Agreement upon the Terms proposed III. Who the Mediator is of this Covenant of Peace together with his Work and Office IV. The Ratification of the Covenant V. The Proclamation or proclaiming the Peace VI. The Time when the Peace shall commence and who are included in it and what is required in order to their actual possession and enjoyment thereof My Brethren These are the main things that are contained in and about a Covenant of Peace among Men as the chief Covenant Transactions and my Purpose is to speak unto these Six things particularly Tho I grant there is some difference between a Covenant of Peace between Kingdoms and States among Men and this Covenant especially concerning the Work of the Glorious Mediator of this Covenant and a Mediator of Peace concluded between Earthly Princes and States As we God assisting shall make appear But to proceed I. Concerning the Treaty or Treating about this Covenant My Brethren Commonly Princes and States appoint their Extraordinary Embassadors or Plenipotentiaries to Treat about the Terms upon which they design and are willing to conclude a Peace after a ruinous and destructive War They do not Treat about it in their own Persons but the Treaty of Peace in this Covenant was only between God the Father and God the Son Sinners then had no actual Being or did not exist and therefore could not send any Plenipotentiary to agitate Matters on their behalf It is true Our Lord Jesus Christ is called The Messenger of the Covenant whom we delight in He is indeed our Delegate Messenger or Trustee but the Father alone and not we Delegated that Office and Power to him for us and on our Behalf out of his own Sovereign Grace and Goodness before the World began This Name of Messenger of the Covenant doth 1. Denote Christ's Dispensatory Employment Work and Office and his free and voluntary condescention to undertake in this Treaty according to the Design Purpose and Will of the Father as our great Trustee Embassador and Plenipotentiary And 2. He may not only be called The Messenger of the Covenant as our great Representative to Treat with the Father in Eternity upon the Terms of our Peace but also in his being sent from Heaven to Earth actually to work about and accomplish all things that were agreed on between them both concerning the making of our Peace He travelled from Heaven to Earth on this Errand and to effect this blessed Work 3. He may be so called because he is the Messenger that published the Happy News of the Peace contained in this Covenant in the clear and glorious Ministration of it Hence it is said it was first began to be spoken by the Lord. Our Lord Jesus is the great Apostle and Chief Minister and Messenger of the New Covenant a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man 4. He is the Messenger who doth interpret open and explain all those dark and obscure Mysteries contained in the Covenant of Peace that were kept secret and hid from the beginning of the World He is that Messenger one of a thousand All things saith he are delivered unto me of my Father and no Man knoweth the Son but the Father neither knoweth any Man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him No Man hath seen God at any time the only begotten Son which is in the bosom of the Father he hath declared him But no more as to this now 1. I shall prove that there was a Covenant between God and Christ or a blessed Treaty about our Peace before the World began see Psalm 89. v. 3. I have made a Covenant with my chosen God first chose his Son as the Representative Covenanting Head and Surety of his Elect and then Treated with him about the Terms of our Peace It is said to be made with David but no otherwise than as he was a Type of Christ. It is Jesus Christ who is the true David My Mercy will I keep for him evermore and my Covenant shall stand fast with him Hence our Blessed Lord it is said was delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God 2. Here are the two Covenanting Parties the Covenant of Peace is between them both that is between the Lord of Host and the Man who is the Branch betwixt them it was consulted agreed to or concluded I was set up from everlasting from the beginning or ever the Earth was that is as the Covenant-Head of all God's Elect or as Mediator and Peace-maker between God and them and this setting up that clearly implies a Covenant or holy Compact that was between them both 3. The consent of two Parties
or more upon the Proposals made by the one Party and the agreement of the other tends to make a formal Covenant so here was my Brethren a mutual re-stipulation betwixt God the Father and Christ about our Peace and Redemption For here were things commanded by the one and agreed to be done in obedience by the other In these Transactions the Father makes Proposals to the Son and shewed him what he will have him do if ever our Peace succeed and is made And 4. Moreover Upon the doing of which many great Promises are made to Christ for the Merit or Desert of his Work and to the Elect in him out of meer Grace for Christ's sake or for his just deservings hence our Lord saith he came to do the will of his Father This is the Will of him that sent me c. he laid down his Life as his Father commanded him he knew it was according to the Eternal Compact Purpose and Decree of his Father unto which he consented God the Father agreed to prepare the Son a Body the Son consented to assume our Nature or take that Body Then said I lo I come to do thy Will O God! and in that body he was enjoined to die I have power to lay down my life and power to take it up again this Commandment have I received of my Father Also these Faederal Transactions betwixt God the Father and Jesus Christ are held forth in Isa. 53.10 11 12. He shall make his Soul an offering for Sin this was that which Christ was obliged to do and then we have the Promise of the Fathers to him 1. Of justifying of many 2. Of seeing his Seed He shall see his Seed 3. That the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand he shall have them all united to himself pordoned and saved for ever Again Isa. 42.6 The Covenanting Parties are mentioned the Father saith I. will give thee that is thee my Son for a Covenant to the People Here 's the Father's Designation and first Sealing of our Lord Jesus Christ to the Mediatorial Office and Employment Moreover Our Lord Jesus readily complied with the Father's Purpose and Will herein The Lord God hath opened mine Ear and I was not rebellious I gave my Back to the Smiters and my Cheeks to them that plucked off the Hair I hid not my Face from shame and spitting I gave consent thus to do I readily yielded to my Father's Pleasure herein and in the Fulness of Time he actually thus suffered to fulfil and answer the Terms of this Covenant I will declare the Decree or as Dr. Hammond reads it the Covenant that is I will publish or manifest that which was agreed upon betwixt God the Father and me This my Brethren was long kept secret but it is now clearly revealed The secrets of the Lord is with them that fear him and he will shew them his Covenant The Hebrew Word Decree the Learned in that Language render Statute Decree Agreement Pact Covenant the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is here used saith a Learned Author is in the Scripture sometimes promiscuously or synonimously used with the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is usually render'd Covenant Covenant is taken either properly or figuratively First Properly for a mutual Contract Compact or Agreement between two Parties which differs from a Law which is without Obligation on the Lawgiver and also from a single Promise which is without Stipulation Covenant may be thus taken as one Notes i. e. in a proper sense when applied to the whole Covenant of Peace or Grace between the Father and the Son because there was a mutual Stipulation 2. Figuratively For a bare Promise so it was to Noah Gen. 9.9 and so the Covenant of Grace run to Abraham viz. being no more than a free Promise of God and thus we are to take the Word Covenant when it refers to us in Christ for we receive no Covenant-Blessings upon any mutual Stipulation betwixt God and us upon or from the Merit of our Work but all upon the account of Free Grace and of Christ's Covenant with God and by vertue of that Faederal Union we had then with him for all things which we receive in Time was promised to us in Christ from Eternity therefore the Elect must faederally be considered in Christ from everlasting The Covenant of Peace with Christ my Brethren was not made simply for himself but for the Elect he merited that we might possess True all is to him of meer Desert and Merit but to us in him of meer Grace and Favour So much as to the first thing that was proposed to be opened viz. That there was a Treaty or Treating between the Father and the Son about this blessed Covenant of Peace II. I shall shew you more fully That there was an Agreement upon the Terms Or That the Son of God did consent to what the Father proposed 1. It is very evident from what hath been said That God proposed Matters to his own Son or what he must do to procure and establish the Covenant of Peace but let me add here one or two Scriptures more to shew you that Christ consented unto those Proposals made by the Father I the Lord have called thee in righteousness and will hold thine hand and will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant of the People for a light unto the Gentiles to open blind eyes to bring out the Prisoners from the Prison and them that sit in darkness out of the Prison-House And in Isa. 49.5 6. it is said And now saith the Lord that formed me from the Womb to be his servant to bring Jacob again to him tho Israel be not gathered yet shall I be glorious in the eyes of the Lord And my God shall be my strength And he said it is a light thing that thou shouldst be my Servant to raise up the Tribes of Jacob to restore the preserved of Israel I will give thee for a light to the Gentiles that thou mayst be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth These things all Expositors that are Orthodox agree were spoken by Jehovah to Jesus Christ and do contain Proposals concerning the Covenant of Peace And now 2. Let us in the next place consider of such Scriptures that prove that Christ did consent unto these Proposals To this effect see Prov. 8.22.23 24. The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way before his work of old I was set up from everlasting from the beginning before ever the Earth was When there was no depths I was brought forth when there was no Fountains abounding with Water 30 31. Then was I with him as one brought up with him and was daily his delight rejoicing always before him rejoicing in the habitable part of the Earth and my Delights were with the Sons of Men. As this Text proves the Eternity of the Son of God who is the substantial
eternal Wisdom of God so also it shews there was a voluntary and ready consent in our Lord to undertake in the Work of our Peace and Redemption that he was set up and did agree to undertake as our Mediator to make our Peace with God and also that he took pleasure in his so engaging on our behalf To this let me add what David in the Person of Christ speaks Sacrifice and Offerings thou didst not desire mine ears hast thou opened Burnt Offerings and Sin Offerings hast thou not required then said I lo I come to do thy Will O God This place is cited by the Apostle Wherefore when he cometh into the World he saith Sacrifice and Offerings thou wouldst not but a Body hast thou prepared me In Burnt Offerings and Sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure Then said I lo I come in the Volmn of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God Nothing can more fully shew Christ's chearful Consent What God the Father required Jesus Christ yielded to do which was to make satisfaction for Sin in his Body on the Tree and so to make our Peace with the Eternal Jehovah I. Consider who the Persons transacting and treating with each other were even God the Father and God the Son the Father stands upon satisfaction to his Law and Justice or demands the whole Sum or Price of our Redemption that so our Peace might be made and Christ engageth to give it II. The business or grand Matter transacted I say betwixt them was our Peace and Reconciliation unto God and so to recover all God's Elect from Sin Wrath and Misery and work about their Eternal Happiness the Elect tho not then in Being yet are here considered as fallen wretched and forlorn Creatures III. That the Manner or Nature of these Transactions were faederal or in a Covenant-way one Person mutually engaging and stipulating with the other The Father stands upon the strict demands of Law and Justice the Son consents to glorifie the Father therein and raise the honour of all the Divine Attributes which in time he did do I have glorified thee on Earth I have finished the work thou gavest me to do And now Father glorifie me with thine own Self As if he should say the Terms agreed upon or thy Demands are done therefore let me have my Reward and let mine Elect be made one in us Let me not only Personally be one with thee but also Mystically one and so be glorified as it is due to me as the Hire or Reward of my Work IV. If any ask when this Covenant or holy Compact was made I told you and say again it bears Date from Eternity or before the World began when we had as I said before no Existence but only in the Eternal Decree and Purpose of God Moreover Remember this Covenant was made with Christ for us and in him with us for all that Grace which is given to us in time was promised unto us in Christ nay given to us in Christ from Eternity 2 Tim. 1.9 Tit. 1.1 2 3. as our Surety Covenanting-Head and blessed Representative As to the special and particular Articles agreed upon on which the Covenant of Peace was made and concluded I shall open them under the next Head of Discourse V. Commonly in all Treaties or Covenants of Peace amongst Men there is a Mediator chosen So God chose a Mediator of this Covenant yet his Work as Mediator greatly differs from the Work and Office of all other Mediators as I might make it appear For Christ is not only Mediator of the Covenant but Surety Messenger and Testator of it also And as he is considered Mediator he is invested with a Threefold Office more particularly which Offices he faithfully executeth in order to the making our Peace with God in reconciling God to us and us to God which I purpose to treat of and open in order The Work of our Mediator is not barely to see our Peace made or to labour by Intreaty to bring each Party to Moderation and pliable Terms and to see every thing done according to the Preliminaries agreed upon but the whole Work of making Peace is solely committed to our Lord Jesus Christ not to see others do it but he himself doth it all even all that God requires on his part and what is necessary to be done for us in us and by us also I. Let it be also considered That God would not make any Covenant of Peace with us without a Mediator without such a Mediator and that Jesus Christ alone is the Mediator is evident There is one Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus I say God chose his Son to be the Mediator of this Covenant of Peace and hence he is said to be given for a Covenant unto the People that is as some conceive To be the Mediator thereof II. God the Father's Demands must be granted he will not suffer his Just Right and Honour to be invaded nor his Glory eclipsed therefore was this Mediator chosen besides the Sanction of his Holy Law must be preserved Private Persons may forgive Offences as they please but the Just and Holy Governour of the World will not cannot pass by Offences till the end of Government be secured that so his Holiness and Justice be not stained nor his Law fall to the Ground Hence one main Article proposed was That the Mediator of our Peace do make full Satisfaction and if he doth not this there could be no Covenont of Peace concluded this therefore was the result of that Counsel of Peace held in Eternity III. There was I say a necessity for the Son of God to be both Mediator and Surety of this Covenant I do not say that there was a necessity laid either upon the Father or the Son to enter into this Covenant of Peace for us No no! But if God will in a way of Free and Sovereign Grace enter into such a Covenant for Mankind there was a Necessity for Christ to be the Mediator and Surety of it I say Necessity so far as we can or are able to conceive in respect of this Matter 1. Because God hath not revealed or made known any other way by which our Peace could be made but by a Mediator I do not say that God could not any other way make our Peace but that he could not in reguard of his own Honour so far as it appeareth unto us Moreover if God hath not made known any other way then there is no other way for us to obtain Peace with him But no other way is made known 2. There could be no other way as we can conceive because the breach that was between God and us must be made up by a full satisfaction to the Law and Justice of God God being Just as well as Gracious and hence one end why Christ was made a propitiation through Faith in his
bloud was To declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God v. 25. To declare I say at this time his righteousness that he might be just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus vers 26. that is That no wrong might be done to the Essential Purity of God's Nature or Rectitude of his Will nor yet to his immediate Justice by which he cannot but hate Sin and for it require a Satisfaction 3. In regard of the Truth of God's Threatning pronounced against all Mankind in Adam upon his Disobedience legal Threatnings are such that they admit of no Pardon without Satisfaction be made to the Justice and Holiness of God and this was signified by all those Typical Sacrifices and Offerings under the Law therefore in vindication of the Truth or Veracity of God together with the Honour Equity and Sanction of the Law there must be Satisfaction made or no Peace with God for fallen Mankind and this could not be done but by such a Mediator as Jesus Christ is For that which could not be done by Men or Angels nor as a simple Act of God's Mercy without the Impeachment of his Holiness Truth and Justice c. could not be done at all But no pardon no Peace could be procured by Men nor Angels nor as an absolute or simple Act of Mercy without the Impeachment or eclipsing the Glory of the Attributes of God's Justice Truth and Holiness c. therefore it could not be so done at all 4. To say God might have entered into a Covenant of Peace for us any other way than by the Mediator Jesus Christ or through his Death and Atonement would as one observes reflect upon his Love to his own dear Son For why should the Son of God be made a Curse for us or suffer the cursed Death of the Cross to make our Peace if Peace could be made any other way without the least injury to the Justice Law or Holiness of God c. No doubt my Brethren but that the Son of God had been spared if he had foresaw that our Peace might have been made some other way Moreover would it not then follow that there might have been two Ways to obtain Peace and Reconciliation with God which is contrary to what our Blessed Lord says No Man cometh to the Father but by me that is cannot come to have Peace with God any other way but by me by my Death or through my Blood nor without believing or depending upon me For thus it is with the adult 5. There is no other way of Peace with God and therefore a Necessity of Christ's Mediation because without the shedding of Blood there is no Remission no Pardon and so no Peace there could be no discharge from the guilt of Sin no removal of the Punishment of Sin nor any Purgation from the filth and pollution thereof without the Blood of Christ be shed 6. Because it is positively said There is no other Name given under Heaven whereby we must be saved If there is no other Name Way or Means given but by Jesus Christ then there is a Necessity that our Peace be made alone by him But this is so therefore there is a Necessity of Christ's Mediation In the next place we will enquire what is absolutely necessary for the Mediator of our Peace to do or were Requisites in him according to the Articles agreed on in this Covenant to make our Peace with God 1. A Mediatour of this Covenant of Peace must understand the Nature of that difference or breach which was betwixt God and Man and what Terms the Holy God who is the Injured Party stands upon and must have granted him if ever our Peace be made and who but Jesus Christ who is God knew this It was he only that well knew what it was that could satisfie Infinite Justice Had it been proposed either to Men or Angels to resolve this Question i. e. By what Means shall fallen Man come to be reconciled to God and God be righted as touching all that wrong Sin and Sinners have done him What Answer think you could they have made Alas no meer created Being could resolve such a Question 2. He that is the Mediatour of this Covenant or that maketh our Peace must not only know what will do it but also he must be able to answer all God's Demands both in respect of his Law and Justice and also be able to supply all our Wants and Necessities He must seek the Honour of the Blessed God and equally seek and be able to relieve poor Sinners and none but Jesus Christ could do this who is an indifferent Person or one equally related unto both he being both God and Man in one Person 1. He being God the one and the same Eternal God he could not know what concerned the Glory of his Father and therefore would not could not eclipse his Glory 2. And he being Man he could not but sympathize with the poor Creature and as being God he did not only know all our Wants but he is able also to supply them This brings me to the next particular III. The Mediator of this Covenant must therefore be every ways suitably qualified or capacitated for this Work and Mediatorship and to this end I say he must be God nay God in our Nature for a meer Man could not satisfie Infinite Justice his Obedience or Sufferings else could not therefore have been meritorious For it was from the Union of the Divine Nature with the Humane that put such a Worth or meritorious Efficacy in his Sacrifice I say Jesus Christ our Mediator must be God 1. Because those Evils which he was to expiate could never be taken away by any Person that was not God or whose Sacrifice or Atonement had not an infinite Worth and Satisfaction in it because Sin is against the Infinite Majesty of Heaven 2. Jesus Christ as Mediator must be God because otherwise he could not sustain or bear in his Body and Soul that great weight of Sin and Wrath laid upon him for if but the guilt of one Sin was laid on any meer Man it would sink him down to the lowest Hell much more then would the weight of all the Sins of God's Elect have sunk down the Lord Jesus Christ when laid upon him had he not been God but a meer Man How doth David cry out of the burden of his Sins Mine Iniquities are gone over mine Head as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me Nay my Brethren when our Sins were laid upon our Lord Jesus Christ and he began to bear and feel the weight of them tho he was God how did he cry out and he began to be sore amazed and said My Soul is exceeding sorrowful even unto Death Tarry ye here and watch and he went forward a little and fell on the Ground The weight of our Sins and
Night he prayed he feared he cryed with strong Crying and Tears the Pangs of Hell took hold of him no Man ever felt what he felt in his Soul he poured forth his Soul to Death or came under a Spiritual Death My God my God why hast thou forsaken me 2. Consider what an Ignominious Death he suffered to be hanged on a Tree was a Death which none but Slaves and notorious Malefactors endured the Lord of Heaven and Earth suffered the Punishment of a vile and cursed Offender and all this to make our Peace 3. Consider how painful this Death was â—y Brethren it was not only a shameful and igâ—ominious Death but also a very painful and â—ingering Death for from his Scourging by Pilot to his giving up the Ghost it is observed it was six Hours all which time he was in bitter Torture and Anguish both in Soul â—nd Body too he suffered from Heaven from Earth and from Hell 4. Consider it was also a cursed Death He was made a Curse for us as it is written Cursed is every one that hangeth on a Tree and all this to make our Peace 5. Consider when this was done even at such a time when Multitudes were come out of the Countries round about to Jerusalem to keep the Feast who no doubt had heard of the great Fame of Christ and of his mighty Miracles and longed it is like to see him and now for them to behold this Person thus Mocked Scourged and Hanged on a Tree as a Miserable Wretch must needs wound his tender Heart but all this he bore to make our Peace which abundantly proves he was inclined to Peace willing to make our Peace and appease God's Wrath. 6. Consider his most importutate Endeavours to bring poor Sinners to accept of that Peace which he hath made 1. What Arguments doth he use 2. How long he doth wait knocking at their Doors 3. And what Repulses doth he daily meeâ— withal and sustain and what abominable Affronts doth he suffer from Unbelieving and Hard-hearted Sinners O how much is he for Peace VI. A Mediator must be of a yielding and condescending Spirit one that can comply with each Party not Self-will'd nor seeking his own Honour c. Our Lord Jesus Christ condescended in every thing to do his Father's Will nevertheless Not my Will but thy Will be done tho he was a Son yet learned he Obedience by the things which he suffered He stuck at nothing I did not withhold my Face from Shame and Spitting No Mediator ever condescended as Christ did He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own Glory but he that seeketh his Glory that sent him the same is true and there is no Vnrighteousness in him All his whole design in his working about our Redemption and Reconciliation was to advance his Father's Glory and he complied to do whatsoever was requisite in order thereto VII A Mediator ought to be cloathed with Power I mean not only with a legal Authority for that I have spoken to already but to be one that hath Ability Wisdom and Discretion to make up the Breach that is between Parties at variance every one is not in a capacity to become a Mediator were they called to that Office for want of Ability Now our Lord Jesus Christ is mighty in Power He is mighty to save 1. He is every way capable to accomplish the Work of making Peace and Reconciliation with God He is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God He is called God's Arm and the Man of his Right Hand Let thy Hand be upon the Man of thy Right Hand upon the Son of Man whom thou madest strong for thy self Let thy Hand of Justice be upon him take Satisfaction in him Beloved whatever Justice required the Holiness of God required the Veracity of God required or the Law of God required in order to our Peace Christ is able to answer all I that speak in Righteousness mighty to Save 2. Moreover whatsoever our deplorable Condition and Necessities do require in order to our Peace and Restoration he is able to answer it fully also 1. He is able to encounter and overcome Satan and as he hath done this in his own Person for us so he also doth it in us for naturally we were in Satan's Chains even Captives to the Devil the strong Man armed held us fast but Christ being cloathed with greater Power hath delivered us out of Satan's Hands He was Anointed to set at Liberty those that were bound 2. He hath overcome Sin or destroyed that Enemy This was part of his Work i. e. To make an end of Sins and to make Reconciliation for Iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousness c. That is to make an end of Sin as to the Guilt Condemning Power and Punishment thereof and at last he will make an end of the very Being of Sin also in all his People 3. To overcome the World In the World yâ—â— shall have Tribulation but be of good chear I have overcome the World As he overcame the World in all its Snares Temptations Flatteries and Frowns for us so through him we shall overcome the World also We overcome in him and shall by him or through his Aid and Assistance at last and so sit down with him on his Throne 4. He is able to open blind Eyes This he was also Anointed to do even not only to proclaim Liberty for the Captives But the recovering of Sight to the Blind for we by Nature were all born Blind and none but Christ can give us Sight or open the Eyes of our Understanding 5. He hath Power to raise the Dead The Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son of God and they that hear shall live You hath he quickned that were dead in Sins and Trespasses Not one Soul could receive any benefit by his Mediation unless he had been cloathed with power to raise dead Lazarus from the Grave I mean every elect Sinner dead in Sin 6. To change our Rebellious Hearts or bow and bend our stubborn Wills or to make the Unwilling Will willing which he doth in the Day of his Power And so to take away that Enmity that naturally was in our Hearts against God or remove all our Vitious Habits or that averseness that was in us to God and to the things of God or to Circumcise our Hearts to love the Lord our God which could not be done by any but by one cloathed with a creating Power for it is he that forms the Image of God again in us 7. To cloath the naked Soul by putting on the Robe of his own Righteousness upon it 8. To raise us up from the Dead at the last Day I will ransom them from the Power of the Grave I will redeem them from Death O Death I will be thy Plague O Grave I will be thy Destruction Moreover 9. He
Trusted or whose Faithfulness or Ability is suspected Now my Brethren when Man had broken the Law of the first Covenant his Credit was gone or lost for ever God would not enter into Covenant any more with him without a Surety he knowing that Man's Inability and Unfaithfulness in his Fallen Estate therefore was graciously pleased to provide for us or in our behalf a Sponsor or Surety By so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better Covenant As Christ engaged to God for us to satisfie for our Sins and to bring us into a State of Grace and Peace with God and preserve us in that State to the end and to give Security to the Covenant of Peace which he is a Surety of he is call'd a Surety And as he gives all good things and Divine Blessings to us he is called a Testator for a Testator denotes one dying making his Last Will and Testament firm and bequeathing Legacies to his Friends some I know would not have Christ be a Surety of that Covenant that was made betwixt God the Father and himself which they call the Covenant of Redemption but of the Covenant of Grace made with us but I know no ground for such a distinction as I shall hereafter prove my Brethren evident it is that had not our Mediator engaged in this Covenant of Peace and Redemption for us there had been no Covenant nor Peace for us at all because all dependeth on Christ's Suretiship or on Christ's Obligation to the Father for us nor did God ever manifest more rich Grace to us than he did in providing of such a Surety for Man And hence God saith speaking of the Covenant of Grace My Mercy will I keep for him for ever and my Covenant shall stand fast with him I have laid help upon one that is mighty I have exalted one chosen out of the People one able to perform and do all his Pleasure one that he can trust who neither wants Ability nor Faithfulness 3. A Surety commonly engageth for one Party even for him whose Credit is suspected or who being poor the Creditor will not nor cannot Trust him the Lord Jesus is only a Surety for us unto God not for God to us for God had no need for any to engage or be a Surety for him he never failed any of his Creatures he broke not his Covenant with Man but Man with him Because they continued not in my Covenant I regarded them not saith the Lord. Therefore God will not Treat nor Trade with Man any more without such a Mediator and Surety as Christ is therefore I am not of his Opinion that saith That the Suretishâ—p of Christ was that Sinners might be induced to give God Credit and that he might have a Responsal Party to deal with for this is to cast Contempt upon the Holy and Faithful God as if he is not to be Trusted in without he gives us good Security that he will not fail nor deceive us 4. The end of Suretiship among Men is to give Stability and Security in case of Bonds or Covenants c. that such Bonds or Covenants may be firm and sure and to this end did Christ become the Surety of this Covenant of Peace Grace and Redemption My Brethren this Covenant depends upon the Suretiship of Jesus Christ upon whose Undertakings and Security God Promised and Covenanted with him to be our God again and to give to us all that good which was in his Heart to bestow upon his Elect from everlasting There being such things requisite to be done in order hereunto which God well knew we were not able to perform i. e. the Satisfaction of his Justice or Payment of all our Debts and Victory over all our Enemies and that this Covenant might not be broken as the first was My Covenant shall stand fast in him 5. Suretiship imports that the Obligation be free and voluntary for the Law forces none to be a Surety or to engage for others My Brethren tho God chose Jesus Christ to be the Surety of this Covenant for us yet Christ as a most free and voluntary act on his part undertook that Office for that Law we had broke laid no Obligation on him nor was he under any necessity of Nature to undertake herein because he was the Son of God but it is ascribed wholly to his Infinite Love and Goodness and as a Sovereign Act of his own Free Grace to undertake for Man and not for Angels and also only for some of the lost Sons of Adam and not for all No Man taketh my Life from me but I lay it down freely I have power to lay it dnwn and I have power to take it up again Lo I come in the Volume of the Book it is written of me to do thy Will O God 6. Suretiship imports not only a voluntary Obligation for others or for another but also Union of Parties or Assumption of the Condition of that Person or Debtor In a Law sence it denotes a Foederal or Law Union the Surety and the Debtor are but one Party yet not so but that it is the Surety that pays it is his Money and not the Debtors My Brethren Christ by vertue of his Suretiship did not only take our Sins upon him but our Nature and put himself in our Law-place he took our Condition upon him He was made of a Woman made under the Law to redeem them Object I know it is objected If Christ and the Elect are but one Party and that his Righteousness be ours i. e. imputed to us or that he did and suffered all in our stead then we are our own Saviours we are Mediators as having a Mediator's Righteousness Ans. This as one well observes follows not for they may as well argue the Debtor is the Surety because his Surety's Payment is accepted for him Object Again they object If Christ our Surety and we are one and that his Righteousness is ours then we are as Righteous as Christ. Ans. They may as well affirm the Bankrupt is as rich as his Surety because his Surety pays his Debts 7. A Surety doth not only ingage for Debtors but also sometimes for Criminals Those that Christ became Surety for in the Covenant of Peace to Reconcile to God and to Redeem from Sin and Hell were Criminals and not only Debtors we all deserved Death and were under the Sentence thereof The Evangelists render the Words Sins and Debts promiscuously as Luke 11.4 compared with Matth. 6.12 the Laws of some Countries admit of a Surety for a Criminal i. e. that one Man shall die for another Thus did Christ obey the Law for us and die for us He was made a Curse for us Gave himself for us His Life a Ransom for us The Just for the Vnjust Made Sin for us All proves he was a Surety for Condemned Criminals and so died in our stead to satisfie the Law and Justice of
God What the Law could not do God sent his own Son i. e. we could not keep it perfectly nor satisfie for the breach of it therefore Christ died not only nostro bono for our good and profit as the Socinians and our Work-Mongers say but nostra vice in our room he died for his Church for his Elect as he died not for the Holy Angels yet he died for their good and for the whole Creation in some sense he is the Head and Confirmer of the Angels 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is instead the Sufferings of the Saints are for the good of the Church but they are not substituted to obey and die in the stead of others A Surety to obey and die for others as one hath abundantly proved is to obey and die in their stead or room 8. A Surety having paid all and fully satisfied for Debtors it follows that neither the Creditor nor the Law can exact Satisfaction of the Debtors and also that the Debtors for whom Satisfaction is made shall be delivered out of Prison and be actually discharged and acquited according to the Time and Terms agreed on between the Creditor and the Surety God will not cannot in point of Justice and Righteousness exact Satisfaction of any Sinners for whom Christ became a Surety and hath safied for i. e. they cannot suffer in Hell but shall all in due time be actually discharged and acquited and the Law Sentence taken off of them For no sooner are their Eyes opened or are illuminated by the Spirit but they plead that their Surety hath paid all for them he hath paid their Debt of perfect Obedience and hath also born all that Vindictive Wrath and Vengeance that was due to them for their Sins Who was delivered for our Offences and was raised again for our Justification The Lord laid on him the Iniquities of us all II. Why did-Christ become a Surety for us and put his Hand to the Covenant 1. Because his Love and Bowels were such to God's Elect his Love constrained him thus to do 2. Because he would readily comply with his Father's Will Design and Purpose herein which was to exalt his Infinite Grace and Divine Goodness to Mankind 3. It was to raise the Honour or cause all the Divine Attributes to shine forth in their equal Glory and meet together in his Work and Undertakings as Mediator and Suretiship in sweet harmony 4. Because he would magnifie God's Law and make it honourable But more of this hereafter 5. Because he knew God would not otherwise enter into a Covenant of Peace to save lost Sinners Man being weak and unable to answer what both Law and Justice required in order to our Peace and Reconciliation with God Whatsoever the Law exacted on us he engaged and condescended to do as our Surety he promised and struck Hands to satisfie whatsoever the Law I say could demand of God's Elect. See Heb. 9.15 Rom. 3.25 Heb. 10.5 7. III. What was Christ to do and we receive by vertue of his Mediation and Suretiship First Whatsoever Christ as Mediator Covenanted with the Father to do that he considered as the Surety of the said Covenant engaged to perform 1. To vindicate the Honour of God in all the Perfections of his Nature particularly to preserve the Justice and Veracity of God and Sanction of his Holy Law 2. He engaged as the Surety of the Covenant to restore to Man or to all God's Elect that Righteousness which Man lost that as we were made Sinners by Adam's Disobedience so by his Obedience we should all be made Righteous that as the Sin of the first Adam was imputed to our Condemnation so his Righteousness as our Covenanting Head might be imputed to all his Seed and all this according to the Contrivance of God's Infinite Wisdom and to answer the Design Purpose and Proposal of God the Father in the Council of Peace 3. And seeing Man was a Rebel and in Arms against God and filled with Rage and Madness and having Enmity in his Mind against God Being alienated from the Life of God Jesus Christ as our Surety engaged to change the Hearts of all he undertook for and bring them to accept of Terms of Peace through the Blood of his Cross I say he ingaged to God to bring home all that were given to him Hence he says Them I must bring and they shall hear my Voice He must bring them because of the Covenant he had made with God the Father and upon the Consideration of that Obligation he laid himself under as their Surety He must Circumcise our Hearts to love the Lord our God for Christ also hath once suffered for Sins the Just for the Vnjust that he might bring us to God From hence it appears that Christ by virtue of these Articles of Peace as our Surety engaged to open Blind Eyes and to bring the Prisoners out of the Prison-house and to set at liberty those that were bound or by the Blood of his Covenant to send the Prisoners out of the Pit where there was no water for this was agreed should be the Effects of his Undertakings See Zech. 9.11 Luke 4.18 The Spirit of the Lord is upon me because he hath Anointed me to Preach the Gospel to the Poor he hath sent me to heal the Broken-hearted to Preach Deliverance to the Captives and recovering of Sight to the Blind and to set at liberty them that were bruised He engaged to take away the Heart of Stone and to give us a Heart of Flesh to give a new Heart for this the Father promised in the Covenant and what he promised Christ ingaged to do for us for without Almighty Power this cannot be done He works all our Works in us and for us He engaged to subdue Satan and divest him that strong Man Armed of all his Power In a word Christ as the Surety of this Covenant engaged to Renovate our Hearts Regenerate our Souls or to Create the Image of God again in us And that from his Fullness we should all receive Grace for Grace And indeed to this end it pleased the Father that in him should all Fullness dwell 4. Jesus Christ as our Surety engaged to make good another Article in this Covenant which was to preserve all his People in a State of Grace not only to bring us into a State of Grace but to preserve us in the State or to preserve Grace as a Vital Principle in our Souls That as all the Promises of God are made to us in Christ so Christ hath engaged that we should persevere in Grace and Holiness and that we shall never finally depart from God any more He that hath begun a good Work in you will perform it to the Day of Christ. It is not said he will finish it but he will perform it which denotes his Covenant as when a Faithful Man hath engaged to do a piece of Work
we say he will perform it He shall bring forth Judgment unto Victory 1. He will according to his Promise and Covenant strengthen our Faith and encrease it 2. Subdue our Iniquities He will subdue our Iniquities thou wilt cast all their Sins into the Depths of the Sea thou wilt perform thy Truth to Jacob. 3. To support and succour us under all Temptations thus he hath promised and he is Faithful therefore will do it 1. Cor. 10.13 No Temptation hath befallen you but such that is common to Men and God is Faithful who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able c. 4. To comfort us in all our Sorrows I will not leave you Comfortless c. 5. To help us under all our Afflictions Reproaches Losses and Persecutions all these are Covenant Blessings and therefore promised to us 6. To enable us to perform acceptably all Holy Duties for without him we can do nothing 7. To make us Fruitful and so to abide unto the end I have chosen you and ordained you that you go and bring forth Fruit and that your Fruit should remain the Righteous shall flourish like a Palm-tree Those that are planted in the House of the Lord shall flourish in the Courts oâ— our God they shall still bring forth Fruit in Old Age they shall be fat and flourishing And all this God hath promised to us by vertue of Christ's undertaking as our Surety for us For the Grace by which all this is done was promised first to Christ he is filled full of Grace as our Head of Influence And he hath engaged to God for us to act and influence us with that Grace which he so received which he doth perform in what measure and manner he pleaseth through or by virtue of that Union we have with him and by the constant communication of fresh Supplies from himself Therefore it is added To shew that the Lord is Vpright and that there is no Vnrighteousness in him Brethren pray consider this well that all Grace and Spiritual Blessing whatsoever which we receive is all promised to us by God the Father and made good to us through Christ's Mediation and Undertakings as our Surety For all the Promises of God in him are Yea and in him Amen unto the Glory of God the Father I say that that Mutual Covenant betwixt God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ makes all Covenant Blessings and Promises sure to us all Promises are from the Father through Christ by the Holy Spirit Christ received the Spirit without measure upon his Covenanting with the Father and he engaged to send the Spirit to be the Almighty Agent to do all things for us for as he purchased the Spirit for us so he hath asked it of the Father and still as our Surety and Advocate he intercedes with the Father for us that we may receive a Gracious Measure thereof I will pray the Father and he will give you another Comforter The Father upon Christ's Suretiship promised to him that his Spirit shall never depart from him nor his Seed As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put into thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seeds Seed from henceforth and for ever 8. Christ hath engaged to confirm us to the end this he undertook as our Surety it was God's Promise to him He shall see his Seed This was promised to him upon what he was to do and suffer and Christ I say hath engaged as our Surety to confirm us Who shall confirm you to the end God is Faithful by whom ye were called unto the Fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Jesus Christ by vertue of this Covenant was to have many Companions or fellow Heirs of Glory and God's calling us is the first Foundation Act in God of performance of this Covenant with Christ and to us in him The Father is as much bound and obliged to keep us as Christ is because of that Price he hath received for us by Christ which he accepted of in this Covenant of Peace 9. Christ was obliged as our Surety not to lose one of them which the Father gave him And this is the Father's Will that sent me That of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up at the last Day This is as if our Lord should have said The Father's Will and Covenant made with me is That I should not lose one of his Elect. The Father as one observes promised three things to the Son in this Covenant upon what he was to do and suffer 1. His Assistance 2. That he should have a Seed which he should see 3. He promised Eternal Glory to him and to all them in him I. His Assistance The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him the Spirit of Wisdom and Vnderstanding the Spirit of Counsel and Might the Spirit of Knowledge and of the Fear of the Lord. Behold my Servant that I uphold mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth I have put my Spirit upon him Well and what hath Christ engaged to do He shall bring forth Judgment to the Gentiles A bruised Reed shall he not break and the smoaking Flax shall he not quench he shall bring forth Judgment unto Truth I the Lord have called thee in Righteousness and will uphold thine Hand and will keep thee and give thee for a Covenant of the People for a Light of the Gentiles That is for the Surety of my Covenant To open Blind eyes c. He shall feed in the Strength of the Lord in the Majesty of the Name of the Lord his God Christ was to plead these Promises He shall cry unto me Thou art my Father my God and the Rock of my Salvation II. God promised him a Seed 1. A Numerous Seed As the Dew of the Morning in abundance upon the Flowers and Plants fear not for I am with thee I will bring thy Seed from the East and gather thee from the West I will say to the North Give up and to the South Keep not back Bring my Sons from afar and my Daughters from the Ends of the Earth 2. A Perpetual Seed or a Seed that shall endure for ever His Seed will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the Days of Heaven My Covenant will I not break c. III. The Father promised him great Glory and an Eternal Kingdom Ask of me I will give thee the Heathen for thine Inheritance and the uttermost parts of the Earth for thy Possession behold my Servant he shall deal prudently he shall be exalted and extolled and made very high I will divide him a Portion with the Great and he shall divide the Spoil
Peace but by Christ's Undertaking are raised to great Honour And O what Grace Love and Divine Goodness is here VSE I Admiration What hath God done Christ done for us What Love is this 1. Christ knew before he became our Surety that the whole Payment would fall upon him and yet struck Hands 2. O! what Exemption and discharge have we hereby from the Law and Justice of God The Law as our Husband is dead and we dead to that that Cruel Husband has no more Power over us though as a Law or Rule of Righteousness it still commands us yet it cannot Kill us Curse us nor Condemn us to Eternal Burning 3. Bless God for Jesus Christ our Surety What a sweet Covenant is this that we are brought into How sure are all Covenant Mercies What Riches Glory and Power is in Christ the Mediator As thou hast given him Power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him We are in Christ's Hand and none can pluck us out 4. We shall for ever abide in this Covenant our Surety hath engaged to keep us that we shall never break Covenant with God any more so as to lose our Inheritance 5. How easie hath God made the Terms of Peace as to us since Christ is obliged to work all our Works in us as well as for us II. What Good News is here for broken Sinners who lie Condemned by the Covenant of Works O sue out your Pardon by taking hold of Christ. III. Reproof How doth this again tend to reprove such that turn the Gospel-Covenant or Covenant of Peace into a Law with the Sanction of Rewards for Obedience and Threatnings for Disobedience denying that Christ stood in our Law-place to do and suffer for us or to keep the Law of perfect Righteousness in point of Justification and to die in our stead Why will Men stand upon their own Legs Proud Man would fain live of himself or have whereof to Glory but not before God or in Christ Jesus he would have God take his Copper and refuse his own most pure Gold Why will they seek Relief other ways than by the Surety and Mediator of the Covenant Can our Imperfect Righteousness or Sinful Duties Justifie us at God's Bar Will they dare to plead it at Death IV. Trial. Is Grace given to you Have you Union with Christ Have you a new Heart Do you truly and savingly know the Lord Then you are brought into the Bonds of the Covenant of Peace V. Consolation If you are once in Covenant you are for ever in Covenant and all Covenant-Blessing even all things that are therein promised to Christ as your Surety shall be given to you But no more at this time And with this I conclude the Second Thing under the Second General Head viz. That the Terms proposed in the Covenant of Peace betwixt the Father and the Son were agreed to and of Christ's Work as Mediator and Surety therein I have endeavoured to clear to the Weakest Capacity SERMON V. Containing the Ratification or Confirmation of the Covenant of Peace shewing how and by what and when it was confirmed also how proclaimed and what the Proclamation is ISA. Liv.x. Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Doct. THAT there is a Covenant made or agreed on and stands firm in the behalf of all God's Elect. I have shewed you First That in a Covenant of Peace there is a treating betwixt the Covenanting Parties about the Terms upon which it is made And accordingly in order to the making or bringing in of this Covenant you have heard that there was a treating between the Father and the Son before the World began Secondly That in such a Covenant the Terms proposed are agreed unto by both Parties so I have shewed you it was here and also that the Mediator of the Covenant of Peace is Jesus Christ who was also the Surety thereof whose Work both as he is Mediator and Surety we have opened Thirdly I shall now proceed to the next thing which is the Ratification or Confirmation of the Covenant My Brethren there was a twofold Confirmation of the Covenant I. It was confirmed by God in Christ and this was as I conceive in that Council of Peace that was held in Eternity betwixt them both True among Men this is called The Signing of the Articles of Peace but there was a full Confirmation of this Covenant when it was Agreed on and Signed and that by both Parties 1. The Father Confirmed it to Christ and to all the Elect in him by his Oath I have made a Covenant with my Chosen I have sworn unto David my Servant By David is meant Jesus Christ and I see no reason to doubt but that this Oath of God the Father to the Son as Mediator of our Peace passed to him before the World began Once have I sworn by my Holiness that I will not lye unto David My Brethren when God concluded this Covenant of Peace with Jesus Christ he made a Promise to him of performing all things which he agreed unto and evident it is that this was before the World began In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lye promised before the World began And as it was promised then to Christ as the Head and Representative of all the Elect on their behalf so there is the same Parity of Reason to believe that then the Oath of God passed to our Lord Jesus Christ and to us in him also and now this Promise and Oath of God to Christ gives not only Solemnity but also firm and sure Stability to this Covenant 1. He added his Oath to his Promise saith our late Annotator on the Holy Bible to make and prove it to be Immutable Hence Christ it is said was made a Priest by an Oath not after the Order of Aaron 2. But after the Order of Melchisâ—â—ck This Oath is said to be sworn once which Word and Phrase saith he implies the Compleatness Certainty and Irrevocableness of the thing 3. God swore by his Holiness What is more Sacred By which God is seldom known to speak or to swear therefore nothing can more fully confirm this Covenant to Christ and to us in him 4. Jesus Christ then confirmed also the Covenant on his part on our behalf by his putting his Hand in our stead and to stand in our Law-place for us as you have heard This my Brethren was more than a bare Signing and Sealing the Covenant of Peace But II. There is yet a farther Ratification and Confirmation of the Covenant of Peace as also there is among Men. 1. It was agreed betwixt God the Father and the Son as Mediator that this Covenant should come under another Acceptation i. e. as the Last Will and Testament of Jesus Christ True it was not only Christ's Will or Christ's
Faith and Perseverance compare this with Rom. 8.32 My Brethren 't is the same All or World that Christ promised that he would draw to him and that he takes away the Sin of Moreover if he had reconciled the whole World to God he would have prayed for the whole World but that he saith he did not yet he prayed for all he died for III. Because the Gospel discovers the Meritorious Cause or Foundation of our Reconciliation viz. the Death of Christ this was that Sacrifice that turned away God's Anger and Vindictive Wrath and Vengeance He saw the Travel of his Soul and was satisfied IV. Because the Gospel contains mutual Reconciliation not only an account of God's Reconciliation to us but also our Reconciliation to him which is through the receiving the Atonement God is reconciled in Christ by his Wrath-appeasing Sacrifice but the Gospel shews that Sinners are not actually reconciled to God until they are by the Spirit united to Christ and believe in him having that Natural Enmity removed that is in their Hearts against God V. The Gospel is the instrumental means through the Spirits Operations of the Sinner's Reconciliation to God We pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled to God It is called the Power of God to Salvation because therein the Righteousness of God is revealed Vers. 17. It is my Brethren an Instrument of his Power or a powerful means ordained of God to this purpose it having an excellent and efficacious Influence attending it through the Spirit where it is proclaimed and received My Brethren Faith Regeneration Convertion or Holiness do not reconcile us to God no no nothing doth that but the Blood of Christ. And this I might make appear 1. Because our Reconciliation on God's part is by the Death of Christ For when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the Death of his Son Hence we are said to be Justified by his Blood that is Meritoriously yet Materially it is by his Active as well as his Passive Obedience 2. Because our Reconciliation on God's part I mean his being Reconciled to us is antecedent to Faith Regeneration c. your Faith doth not make your Peace tho it be an Instrument by which you receive that Atonement that Christ hath made 3. Faith c. is an effect of our Reconciliation that we may be actually acquitted and saved from Sin and Wrath in our own Persons and have it evidenced to our own Consciences it is our receiving that of Christ which he received for us upon his Discharge as our Head and Surety Much more being now Justified by his Blood we shall be saved through him Therefore Christs Blood must be the appeasing Sacrifice that delivers us from the Wrath we lay under 4. Nay my Brethren Justification is the Effects of Reconciliation for had not Christ satisfied Divine Justice for us we had not been pronounced Just or Righteous in him the Prisoner is acquited as the Effects of the Payment of his Debts his believing his Debts are paid and the Law and justice satisfied doth not pay his Debts tho a Sinner is not in his own Person actually discharged until he doth believe or leastwise in his own Conscience True Jesus Christ as Mediator doth both these i. e. he pays our Debts and knocks off our Chains he makes the Atonement and sprinkles the Blood upon our Consciences by his Spirit if Reconciliation was the bending of our Hearts to God to believe in him and love him why should Faith and Sanctification be laid down as the End and Effect of this Reconciliation Yet now hath he reconciled in the Body of his Flesh through Death to present you Holy and Vnreprovable in his Sight VI. A Proclamation discovers or reveals who they are that shall receive the Blessings of that Peace which is made and upon what Terms So my Brethren the Gospel makes known who they are that are comprehended in that Peace our Lord Jesus Christ had made viz. all that God hath Elected or Chosen in Him or all his Seed or all that the Father hath given to him or if you please all that do believe in him and also it shews upon what Terms viz. wholly of meer Grace and Favour By Grace ye are saved through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God not of Works least any Man should boast not by any Act of the Creature not by his Faith and sincere Obedienceâ— nor by Works of Righteousness that we have done either in Obedience to Law or Gospel See Rom. 11.6 the Terms are without Money and without Price VII Some Proclamations proclaim Peace so my Brethren the Gospel Proclaims our Peace with God Peace Peace to them that are afar off and to them that are nigh It proclaims Liberty to the Captives c. Hence our Lord saith to his Disciples That which ye have spoken in the Ear shall be proclaimed on the House Top And came and preached Peace or proclaimed Peace to you which were afar off and to them that are nigh And hence the Gospel also comes so to be called for what is Gospel but glad Tydings good News Peace on Earth good Will to Men It is called the Joyful Sound Blessed is the People that know the Joyful Sound c. Not they that only hear it but that know it it is that which when known and received pacifies a Wounded Conscience VIII A Proclamation of Peace and Pardon is that which a Self-condemned Traytor takes hold of and presently submits himself with Tears and falls down at his Sovereign's Feet being broken to Pieces at the Thoughts of his Prince's Clemency and Free Pardon Also it gives an Assurance to all such of Pardon and Peace So my Brethren the Gospel is that which Sin-convicted and Self-condemned Sinners and Stubborn Rebels against God takes hold of and it is this that breaks and melts their hard Hearts What hear that their Peace is made and God reconciled Nay and that he has Sacrified his own Son to this very end this breaks the Heart of Stone and brings the Rebel to lay down his Arms and to take hold of Pardon And it gives to each poor Sinner also an assurance of Mercy he brings the Proclamation as it were to God and pleads his Pardon Where the Word of a King is there is Power The King's Word and Promise saith the Soul is passed in his Proclamation that I shall have Free Pardon and here it is IX A Proclamation is Written nay Printed that it may be read and known of all Men so God in his Providence hath caused his Gospel to be Printed that it may be read and known to all to whom it is sent it was first Written as Holy Men speak as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and since it has been Printed also X. A Proclamation is set up in the Market-place
or in some Publick place so is the Gospel publickly made known Wisdom cryeth without she uttereth her Voice in the Streets in the chief Place in the Concourse in the opening of the Gates in the City she uttereth her Voice see Prov. 8.1 It is and shall be made known to all Nations to their Joy and Comfort and for their Obedience of Faith But let me note here some Disparities 1. Proclamations are not put into a Book I say I think that is not usually done to be kept for after Times upon Record but the Gospel or good News to Sinners or this Proclamation is put into a Book for all succeeding Ages and Generations to know and understand 1. This Book Brethren is wholly by Inspiration given out to remain as a Witness of God's Eternal Love and Christ's Eternal Love and Favour 2. There is a Blessing pronounced to him that reads and that understands this Book 3. It is a Book ratified and confirmed by Miracles 4. A Book that all Holy and good Books point to Moses points to this Book the Prophets point to this Book and all Divine Writers point to this Book 5. It is a Book of all Truth and no Errors 6. A Book that all Good Books Holy Books were taken out of 7. A Book kept and preserved by Almighty Power in spight of Rome Hell and Devils But let me add one thing more here viz. That there were different ways of proclaiming this News of Peace by Jesus Christ. 1. It was first proclaimed to Adam upon his Fall by the Promise of the Seed of the Woman 2. To Abraham it was proclaimed in these Words i. e. In thy Seed shall all the Nations of the Earth be Blessed Thus Paul saith God Preached the Gospel to Abraham to Jacob by the coming of Shilo To Moses by a Prophet that God would raise up of their Brethren like unto him and by Types and Sacrifices To David by a Promise of a Son to Sit upon his Throne and by a Covenant made with him as a Type of Christ. To the Prophets many ways very clearly But in the New Testament Times more fully and clearer then ever before it was hid as it were but the Vision is now opened and hidden things things long kept secret are plainly revealed We behold with open Face Many Prophets and Kings desired to see and hear what we see and hear but saw and heard them not 3. A Proclamation doth not usually contain the Sum of all the Articles of Peace nor give an Account of all the Gifts Grants Blessings and Priviledges thereof But this Proclamation i. e. the Gospel doth publish and make known to all the World the Summ of all the Articles of this Covenant of Peace together with all the great Gifts Grants Blessings and Priviledges thereof In the Gospel we read of the Council Compact and Eternal Purpose of God concerning of all those Covenant Transactions that were betwixt the Father and the Son from Eternity which were hid or kept secret until this Proclamation came forth 4. A Proclamation of Peace doth not particularly give an account of all the horrid Crimes and Offenders that are by virtue thereof freely pardoned upon their coming in for such a Proclamation is rather put out by a Prince to reclaim Stubborn Rebbels in which their Names are inserted but this Proclamation i.e. the Gospel proclaims Free Pardon for all manner of Sins Iniquities and Transgressions and to all the vilest Traitors Enemies and Rebbels against the Eternal God as to all Swearers Lyars Drunkards Harlots Whoremongers or Adulterers Idolaters Effeminate Persons Abusers of themselves with Mankind Proud Persons Covetous Backsliders Thieves Extortioners Malicious Persons Murtherers Back-biters Blasphemers Sorcerers ye all manner of Sinners have Free Pardon offered to them upon their coming in and laying hold of Jesus Christ and none are excepted but such who have sinned against the Holy Ghost VSE 1. Bless God for the Gospel that ever this Proclamation came to your Ears Peace is proclaimed to you this Day to you Sinners What do you say Do you resolve to throw down your Arms and come in 'T is no matter what kind of Rebbels you have been Here 's a Pardon for all Sins and Blasphemy in this Proclamation committed against the Father and Son and but one sort of Sinners are excluded and but one Sin i. e. the Sin against the Holy Ghost Is not this Good News Do you believe it And is it in your Hearts to take hold of the Promises of the Gospel What Answer shall I return to him that sent me II. This informs us of the Necessity of Revealed Religion I mean of the Gospel for without this Proclamation had been published the way of Peace could not be known or without such a way of Revelation 1. For the Moral Law written in the two Tables reveals nothing of this Peace made by Jesus Christ. 2. The Law or Light within all Mankind reveals nothing of it tho that convicts of Sin yet it reveals nothing of a Saviour The Moral Law and Light in all discovers a God but no Christ no Mediator What doth the Pagan World know of this Covenant of Peace Or of this Mediator or of this Proclamation What will those Arch Hereticks say to this who Talk of the Light within and boldly affirm That they should have known by a Christ within as much as they do now if the Word had never been written But why then do not the poor Indians and Pagans know it who have the same Light in them And why can't they tell us What those other things are that Jesus Christ did that are not written Believe them not These things are written that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ and that believing ye might have Life through his Name These Hereticks deny not only the Christ of God but the only Rule of our Faith and Practice also 3. Certainly here is good News to you Sinners who hear me this Day I am appointed by the Lord to proclaim Peace to you in this Place and do assure you in the Name of my Great Lord and Master Jesus Christ that if you come in and i. e. believe in him ye shall have Eternal Life tho you have been long Enemies to God ye Stout-hearted and far from Righteousness or tho never so Vile and Notorious Sinners Grace Pardon and Peace is offered freely to you this Day Without Money and without Price i. e. without any Previous Qualifications or any thing required of you 't is all freely tendered upon your Believing upon your Espousing of Jesus Christ all the Blessings of the Covenant of Peace are yours Whosoever will let him take the Water of Life freely SERMON VI. Wherein is shewed who are the Ambassadors of Peace or who are appointed to Proclaim or Preach the Gospel of Peace ISA. Liv. x. Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith
the Lord that hath mercy on thee I AM upon the Second General Head first proposed to be opened viz. to clear up the main Covenant Transactions about the bringing in and Establishment of the Covenant of Peace 1. I have passed through those Eight Explanatory Propositions 2. The Second I have been some time upon i. e. the Covenant Transactions I. I shewed you there was a treating about it between the Father and the Son as our Head and Representative before the World began II. That the Terms of our Peace were then by them both agreed on and that Jesus Christ was chosen Mediator and Surety of the Covenant III. That this Covenant is confirmed IV. And that it is Proclaimed Here I told you that I should do four Things 1. Shew you what the Proclamation is this we did the last Day 2. Shew you who are the Ambassadors of Peace 3. Open the Nature of the Proclamation 4 Shew you upon what Terms Peace is offered or proclaimed To proceed Secondly My Business is to shew you now who they are that God hath appointed impowered or authorized to be the Ambassadors of his Peace I. The Great and Chief Ambassador of this Peace is the Lord Jesus Christ and from hence he is called the Messenger of the Covenant The Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple even the Messenger of the Covenant All Expositors agree that this is meant of Christ yea as one observes both Christian and Jewish Interpreters and the same Author also shews from the Hebrew that a Messenger signifies an Ambassador 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Messengers i. e. Ambassadors of Peace My Brethren I shewed you that Jesus Christ considered as Mediator was our great Plenipotentiary representing us and treating with God for us in that Council of Peace held betwixt them both 1. He was authorized and approved of by the Father to Treat about it and Conclude the Peace upon such Terms that the Father proposed to him on our behalf As thou hast given him power over all Flesh that he should give Eternal Life to as many as thou hast given him I was set up from Everlasting c. 2. He only was able to make our Peace not only capable to treat about it but as the Grand Ambassador to answer all the Just Demands of the Holy and abused Majesty of Heaven in order finally to conclude it 3. He was sent from Heaven to Earth actually to do this and from thence as I conceive he bears the Name or Title of Messenger or Ambassador My Brethren Christ as Mediator was sent by the Father The Father that sent me is with me God so loved the World that he sent his only Begotten Son 4. He was the first that Published or Preached the Gospel of Peace Which at first began to be spoken by the Lord c. First As to the full and clear Promulgation of it some conceive this may refer to his publishing of it to our first Parents after the Fall yet I rather conclude it refers to his Ministry in his own Person whose Doctrine was confirmed with Signs and Wonders The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me because the Lord hath appointed me to Preach good Tidings unto the Meek Moreover he is called A Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not Man This Work refers to his Prophetical Office 5. He only knows the Counsel of God or the whole Covenant Transactions between the Father and himself and therefore could best reveal them or make them known to us nor can we know or understand the Mysteries of God the Mysteries of the Covenant and Gospel but by this Interpreter Who is one among a Thousand Neither knoweth any Man the Father save the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him He only is the Ambassador that can make the People to hear and understand I have given them the Words that thou gavest me He hath the Tongue of the Learned he was God's Great Ambassador whilst he was on Earth to make known the Joyful News of Peace and Reconciliation purchased by his own Blood and that gives Success to his Servants whom he employs 6. Without the Exercise of this his Office as a Prophet Minister or Ambassador he could not perfect his Work as Mediator for it is hereby he reconciles us to God by speaking to our Hearts by enlightening our Understandings bowing our Wills and renovating our Souls Moreover all other Ambassadors labour in vain if he works not labours not with them 7. He hath all the excellent Properties of a Messenger or of an Ambassador of Peace 1. A regular Call or Authority this he received from the Father 2. Wisdom He excels in Wisdom and Knowledge he is the Wisdom of God and in him is hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge never Man-spake like him 3. Faithfulness He was Faithful to him that appointed him as also was Moses and as Faithful to us witness his Death and also his continual Intercession now in Heaven 4. Lowly and of a Condescending Spirit How did he abase himself to become God's Servant that is his own Eternal Son nay our Servant he came to serve us and was as one that served while here on Earth 5. Active and Diligent It is my Meat and Drink to do the Will of him that sent me 6. Swift and Speedy How much Work did he do in three Years and a half For Swiftness he is compared to an Hart or young Roe But no more as to this II. Jesus Christ hath substituted ordained or appointed others under him for him and in his stead to be his Ambassadors of this Peace Quest. Who are they 1 Answ. Negatively they are not the Holy Angels tho it is true the Angels brought the Good News of his Arrival or first coming into the World and also proclaimed Glory to God on high on Earth Peace Good Will to Men Yet these he hath not appointed to be his Ambassadors of Peace No no they are Men or Gospel-Ministers 2. Yet Negatively they are not all which are called Gospel-Ministers 1. Some are Legal Ministers Preachers of a Law who know not what they say nor what they affirm yet not Preachers only of Moses Law but of a New Law turning the Gospel or Free Promise of God and Eternal Life to such that believe in Jesus into a Law of Imperfect Faith and Sincere Obedience as the Matter and Condition of Justification before God and indeed they seem to violate the Perfect Law of God as if that was abolished and a new Law or Rule of Obedience procured by Christ's Merits in its room 2. Not such that only Preach Good Manners or Morality tho Christ's Ministers Preach this yet to Preach this is not to Preach Christ and Peace to lost Sinners neither is this the great Doctrine contained in their
He is Faithful and cannot deny i. e. He can as soon cease to be God as cease to be True and Faithful Hence all Covenant-Blessings come to be so firm and sure In hope of Eternal Life which God that cannot lie promised before the World began Besides he hath given good Security even his own Oath he hath Sworn to his Covenant by his Holiness c. 4. An Ambassador is welcome if he comes to offer Peace on easie Terms Now The Terms upon which God offers Peace you have heard are very easie true on his part our Peace was made on hard Terms it was by the Blood of his own Son Had he said you shall have Peace upon a Sacrifice of a Thousand Rams or Ten Thousand Rivers of Oyl that might seem hard or if you would Offer your First-born in Sacrifice or run your Knife into his Throat and let out his Hearts Blood you would think those hard Terms but it is not your First-born but his First-born whose Blood must be let out to make your Peace you are but to look to him trust in Christ Hear and your Souls shall live What tho Faith will launch the Plague Sore and let out all the Filth and Corruptions of your Polluted Hearts will a Man think that is a Cure on too hard Terms Sirs the Spirit will cause you to vomit up that Poyson that you have taken down But is that too hard to save the Life of your Immortal Souls Is it hard to tell a Man he must give up the Traytor he has harboured in his House If he would have the King's Pardon or possess that Peace purchased by the Blood of his own Dear Son VI. That Love and Respect People shew to an Ambassador a Prince looks upon as shewed to himself because the Ambassador represents his Person and that Contempt which is shewed to his Ambassador he takes as cast on himself So Jesus Christ takes the Honour Love and Respect which is shewed to his Faithful Ministers as if it was shewed to him and the same Dishonour done to them as if it was done to himself He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me VII An Ambassador is to do his uttermost in order to accomplish his Ambassy and to bring the King's Enemies to accept of Peace So are Christ's Ministers they are to pray to intreat to beseech Sinners to be reconciled to God We pray you in Christ's stead c. Paul besought them with Tears Faithful Ministers are willing to spend their Lives to win Souls to Christ yea to die upon the spot to save one poor Sinner Knowing the Terror of the Lord we perswade Men. Our Great Master thought not his Blood too dear to make our Peace and shall Ministers think their Strength their Lives their Blood too much that so they might see the Travel of Christ's Soul I mean Sinners reconciled unto God or Christ's Blood by Faith sprinkled on their Hearts Many like the Minister's Dignity but few like their Work and Duty My Brethren it is a great Trust that is committed to them 1. The Charge of the Souls of Men that are more worth than all the World is committed to them 2. The wonderful Worth of Gospel Verities Truth is a rich Treasure We have this Treasure in Earthen Vessels this is committed to them 3. 'T is the Ambassy of that Peace which was made by the Blood of the Son of God that is committed to them 4. The Charge of the Church of God which he hath purchased with his own Blood is committed to them VIII An Ambassador is to keep close or exactly to his Instructions or to the Words of his Commission not to add to it alter it or diminish from it on pain of incurring his Prince's highest Displeasure so must Christ's Ambassadors keep close to their Commission Add thou not to his Word least he reprove thee and thou art found a Lyar they must deliver their whole Message There is a Curse pronounced to him that adds or diminisheth 1. They must in all things exalt Jesus Christ or seek the Honour alone of their Blessed Sovereign The whole of their Work is to magnifie Christ exalt Christ To Preach Christ the Lord and themselves but Servants for Jesus sake Not magnifie the Creature nor set the Crown on the Head of the Will of Man but throw the Creature down at Christ's Feet and to Teach all Men to account all Things done by them or in them in comparison of Christ but Dung or Dogs Meat for thus did Paul 2. They are to preach nothing to be Christ's Ordinance but what he hath instituted or positively appointed in the New Testament or Word of God they must look into their Commission Matt. 28.18 19 20. IX An Ambassador if his Soveraign sees he cannot succed in his Work or that Rebels will not have Peace nor lay down their Arms whilst the White Flag of Mercy is put out he orders him to proclaim War and puts forth the Bloody Flag and nothing but War Slaughter and utter Ruine follows So when Christ sees that his Ministers cannot prevail with Rebellious Sinners but that they remain Obstinate and Obdurant rejecting Peace upon the Terms of this Covenant or will not believe to be saved but seek their Peace some other way or continue in their Sins and Unbelief he orders them to shake off the Dust of their Feet as a Witness against them and so to proclaim War and such will fall into the Hands of Divine Wrath and Vengeance and Christ will at the last Day say Bring out those mine Enemies who would not that I should Reign over them and slay them before my Face And hence Wrath came on the Jews to the uttermost And saith Paul Lo we leave you and turn to the Gentiles X. When an Ambassador is called Home it is a sign the Patience of his Prince is worn out and that he will wait on his Enemies no longer What may'st thou then think O London Tremble tremble for how many Faithful Ambassadors in thee hath God called Home very lately Thy Day of Grace thou mayest fear draws to an end XI An Ambassador must give an account of his Ambassage to his Prince So Christ likewise will call all his Ministers to give an account to him how they have succeeded in their Work they must all appear before the Judgment-Seat of Christ and happy will such be who have been Faithful in all things unto him and have won many Souls to the Lord Jesus Christ and have their Accounts to give with Joy My Brethren there are one or two Disparities concerning the Work of other Ambassadors and the Ambassadors of Christ. 1. Other Ambassadors are impowered to make Peace betwixt States and Kingdoms or betwixt one Prince and another that are at variance they are not imployed only to proclaim Peace but to make Peace but this Christ's Ambassadors are not impowered to
My Brethren observe that the Salvation 〈◊〉 by Christ was antecedent to our Faith and both were to be performed for us by our Surety that is he was as much obliged to give us Faith or by his Spirit to apply his Blood as to pour it forth upon the Cross for us tho he has ordained the Preaching of the Gospel as an Instrument in and by the Spirit to work it in our Souls Secondly This Proclamation it is an Universal Proclamation 1. Peace and glad Tidings is to be preached or proclaimed to all the World Go ye therefore into all the World and Preach the Gospel to every Creature What is this Gospel why Peace by Jesus Christ or that God is reconciled his Justice satisfied and his Wrath appeased by the Sacrifice and Obedience of his Son that being the meritorious or procuring Cause thereof and Christ requires them commandeth them to believe this Believe what Why that God in Christ through his Death was reconciled to us when we were Ungodly not that God will be reconciled and appeased if we Repent Believe are Regenerated and Baptized c. That which remains to be done which he will also begin and perform for all the Elect is the Sinners believing what Jesus Christ hath done 't is to receive the Atonement or to stretch out the Hand of Faith to receive the Pardon procured by Christ's Blood not that any Sinner can believe until the Spirit as a Vital Agent infuses Grace into him the Seed must be sown before the Fruit can appear Christ gives the Sinner Grace that he may be reconciled unto God as God in him is reconciled See Paul's Word And all things are of God who hath reconciled us unto himself by Jesus Christ and hath given to us the Ministry of Reconciliation vers 18. to wit that God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them and hath committed to us the Word of Reconciliation vers 19. Now then we are Ambassadors for Christ as tho God did beseech you by us we pray you in Christ's stead be ye reconciled unto God God by the Blood of his Son was reconciled to us that being the Meritorious Price or Atoning Sacrifice and by the Spirit his Blood is actually applied and made effectual or efficacious unto us to our Reconciliation to God We pray you be ye reconciled c. that is we pray you to receive the Atonement Christ hath made or believe the Record God hath given of his Son i. e. believe there is Life in him that God is satisfied in him and reconciled in him if this my Brethren be not the Nature of the Gospel or of this Blessed Proclamation I profess I know not what it is II. And as Peace is Universally to be proclaimed to all Nations or in all Parts of the World whither God by his Providence is pleased to send the Gospel So also in respect to all sorts of Sins and Sinners i. e. Pardon is proclaimed of all kind of Sins and free Forgiveness and Peace in Christ is offered to all manner of Sinners Rebels and Traitors to God whatsoever they are not one Sin excepted save only the Sin against the Holy Ghost in some Proclamations or Acts of Indemnity many Crimes are excepted as Murther High-Treason Fellony and the like but it is not so here for whosoever they are tho never such horrid Blasphemers haters of God Traytors to him and Rebels against him if they come in and accept of Peace and lay hold of the King's Grace humbly believing in Jesus Christ or throwing themselves at his Feet all their Treasons Murthers Fellonies Blasphemy Adultery Drunkenness Swearing Idolatry Heresie Sodomy Incest Buggery Covetousness Lying Thieving Back-biting Cheating Backsliding or whatever else they have done all shall be forgiven forgotten and passed by for ever as I told you before yea tho they have done all the evil things as they could Will he reserve his Anger for ever will he keep it to the end behold thou hast spoken and done evil things as thou couldest Tho this People had committed Adultery Idolatry and had rejected the True God and worshipped Idols and dealt most treacherously with the God of Heaven and Earth yet see what the Lord says Go and proclaim these Words towards the North and say Return thou Backsliding Israel saith the Lord That is Believe plead your Pardon in and by the Blood of my Son and I will not cause mine Anger to fall upon you for I am merciful saith the Lord and I will not keep Anger for ever God out of Christ is a consuming Fire but in him a reconciled God only acknowledge thine Iniquity What Proclamation can be more free or universal than this is Object If Christ is to be offered to all or Peace proclaimed unto all is there then not Vniversal Redemption purchased by him 1 Answ. Redemption is a Word that denotes Persons were in Slavery or Bondage for whom a Price is paid and they therefore are set at Liberty Suppose Ten Men were Slaves in Algier and a Thousand Pound was paid down to Redeem them all and yet but four were actually Redeemed is it true to say all the Ten were Redeemed So here Is it true to say That the Redemption by Christ is Universal when the greatest part of the World were never Redeemed but remain under the Power of Sin and Satan That Redemption which is by Jesus Christ is from Sin from the Guilt Power and Punishment thereof And are all Men in the World thus Redeemed 'T is not a Redemption only from the Curse of the Law and Wrath of God but also fom all Iniquity Who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of Good Works And are all thus Redeemed 2. If Christ laid down his Life to Redeem every Man and Woman in the World hath he his whole Purchase A Man would think himself cheated or strangely deceived that laid down a Thousand Pounds to Redeem Ten Men when he finds there are not above Three or Four indeed actually Redeemed this renders Christ's Blood spilt in vain for the greatest part for whom it was shed or whom he intended to Redeem thereby and so he is deceived or disappointed 3. There can be no Universal Redemption unless Christ were a Universal Redeemer but Christ is not a Universal Redeemer Millions of Souls are left under the Power of Sin and dominion of Satan 4. Will a Man lay down Ten Thousand Pounds to purchase such or such an Estate and will he refuse to part with Ten Pounds to take up that Estate to make it sure to himself Brethren the Gift of Christ for us i. e. his laying down his Life is far the greater Gift and will he do this and not give the Gospel to many Nations nor Faith to believe and receive him and yet died for them all See how
Paul argues Rom. 5.10 Chap. 8.32 5. Or would Jesus Christ die for the whole World and yet refuse to pray for them that they may all be saved See Joh. 17.9 The Reprobate World he prayed not for yet he prayed for all that should be saved Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on me through their Words that World Christ is a Propitiation for their Sins or had made their Peace with God for he died for Even that World which he takes away the Sins of he died for and that All which he draws to himself by his Spirit he died for on the Cross he taketh away the Sin of the World by bearing it himself or by satisfying for the Sins thereof He was made Sin for us that knew no Sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him He made a Plenary Satisfaction to the Justice of God for the Sins of this whole World and obtained plenary Remission and Grace by his Blood that we might be Redeemed from a vain Conversation The Elect before Calling are as much the World as any others yea and the best part of it too Moreover by A Metonomy All is put for a part frequently in the Scripture God so loved the World that he gave his only Begotten Son that is God so loved Sinful Mankind both Jews and Gentiles That whosoever believeth on him might not perish but have everlasting Life Object We do not plead for an absolute Vniversal Redemption but for a Conditional one that is so that if all Repent act Faith are Regenerated obey Christ and are Holy and continue so to the End they shall be saved Answ. Is this Gospel Doth the Proclamation of Peace run thus 1. I argue then that Christ is but a Conditional Redeemer and hath only made a Conditional Peace i. e. he made our Peace and paid our Debts upon this Condition viz. That we Repent change our own Hearts or are Regenerated and get Faith and sincere Obedience and continue Holy and Obedient to the end 2. Moreover this Notion of a Conditional Peace and Redemption renders our Salvation not to be of God's Free Grace alone through that Redemption that is in Jesus Christ but that we procure our Peace or make it with God our selves with our own Money i. e. by our Repentance Faith Holiness and final Perseverance and that Christ only merited or purchased this Grant that our Money i. e. our Faith Obedience c. should go for good Coin in Heaven and procure our Justification Peace and Eternal Life for us And thus the Glory that we are saved would not belong to God and Jesus Christ alone true that we might be saved we may thank God and Christ God by the Death of his Son is made reconcilable but that we are saved we may thank our selves Christ doing no more for us that are saved than he did for them that perish but only we had more Wit and Care than they had i. e. for by improving our common Grace God was obliged to give us his Special Grace 3. After this Notion Christ might be or might not be a Redeemer at all our Peace might or might not be made with God because it wholly dependeth upon the Will of Man Man's Will determines the Issue of the whole matter not that Christ undertook to how our Wills or reconcile us to God no but that we our selves must Answer the Condition of Repentance Faith Obedience c. or else all that Christ hath done is lost and comes to nothing and why might not all refuse to do this as well as some who never will believe c. Christ shall be a Redeemer and make our Peace if we please this puts a Bar to the Purchaser as one observes a Man can't in any good sense be called a Redeemer of such Persons out of Slavery till the Persons perform those Conditions upon which he laid down the Price As for Example saith he I lay down an Hundred Pounds for the Redemption of a Person in Slavery upon this Condition that he yield to serve me Seven Years after I must have his Consent before I can Redeem him and therefore upon these Conditions I am certainly suspended from being a Redeemer nay and am no Redeemer of such Persons if they refuse the Terms So that for Christ to be an Universal Redeemer is a Contradiction for it is to be a Redeemer of all if they please but can be a Redeemer of none but of such that consented to the Terms proposed 4. Besides this casteth horrid Reproach upon the Son of God as if he had done some great thing for us in dying and making our Peace when indeed according to this Notion he doth but deceive poor Creatures for he has made their Peace and Redeemed them if they will but get out of Satan's Hands and break his Chains and Bonds in pieces and raise themselves from the Dead and change their own Hearts c. whereas he knew we were no more able to do this than to create a new World Therefore Brethren pray observe we affirm that whatsoever Conditions were agreed upon in the Covenant of Peace our Lord Jesus Christ undertook to do and perform them all both for us and also in us I will give them a new Heart I will take away the Stony Heart and I will give them a Heart of Flesh I will put my Fear into their Hearts and they shall not depart from me I will Circumcise their Hearts to love the Lord their God He that hath begun a good Work in you will perform it to the Day of Christ who were born not of Flesh nor of Blood nor of the Will of Man but of God To believe is our Duty but 't is Christ that gives us Grace and Power so to do and this Grace was also purchased for us by his Blood He is exalted at God's Right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour to give Repentance c. And Faith also is the Gift of God Eph. 2.8 5. Moreover Who can believe that Christ would shed his Blood for such whom he knew would never answer those Conditions which these Men speak of besides they being Conditions out of their power to perform 6. Moreover I might argue thus i. e. If Christ died for all he intended to save all but he never intended to save all therefore he died not for all Who shall frustrate his Purpose or Intention 7. That Purchase of Peace and Remission of Sins that leaves many Man under a certainty to be Damned is not to be esteemed a Redemption at all 8. Moreover Christ's Death and Resurrection shall have its full and proper Effects for whom or in whose stead he died See Joh. 12.23 24. 9. If there be the same Eternal and Unchangeable Cause of the Price of the Redemption as of the Application to the same Persons then whosoever his
wellcome News shall be saved from Hell and be Crowned with Glory in Heaven for ever and ever 9. O Bless God for the Gospel for the News of Peace and you Sinners see that you attend upon the Preaching of the Word of Reconciliation for this way he has ordained to work Faith in you O! Cry to him to pour out his Spirit and help you to believe never rest till you have got a Heart a Will to take of the Water of Life 10. Terror But tremble you that reject these Tidings this Grace for such that finally do so shall never have a share of that Peace Christ hath made by his Blood for on such the Wrath of God abides and will for ever Moreover he will also make it appear that Man's Destruction is of themselves tho their help is only in him Dread least God gives you up to blindness of Mind and hardness of Heart nay leave you also to Temporal Plagues and Judgments as he dealt by the Jews of old 11. Comfort Moreover here is Comfort to Believers who have heard and do know the Joyful Sound 1. They have Interest in this Peace and have a Title to Heaven by Christ's Righteousness alone 2. It is also a sign they were beloved from Everlasting because drawn to Christ or were Elected before time because called in time therefore let all such praise the Holy God To whom be Glory now and for ever Amen SERMON VIII Shewing when the Covenant did Commence also the Nature of the Covenant opened ISA. Liv. x. Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee Doct. THAT there is a Covenant of Peace made or agreed on and stands firm in the behalf of all God's Elect. The next thing under the General Head I am upon I shall as it were but mention which is the Sixth thing proposed viz. Quest. When did the Covenant of Peace Commence and who are included in it and what is required in order to their actual Possession of the Peace and Blessings thereof 1. The Covenant was made in Eternity but the time of its first Commencement was after our first Parents had violated the Law of the first Covenant 2. But it did not so fully commence in the actual dispensation thereof until Christ put an end to the Covenant of Works then it was as you have heard established He took away the first that he might establish the second II. As to those who were included in it they were all the Elect or all the Seed of Christ or all that he as a publick Head represented and no more True the whole World receives many external Blessings by virtue of it for the Elect sake for Jesus Christ is their Great Landlord and Glorious Sovereign The World is upheld by a new Title i. e. from Christ as Mediator for had not he interposed between God and it the whole visible Fabrick doubtless had been dissolved and the whole Race of Mankind lost for ever III. That which is required in order to actual Interest in and Possession of the Sacred Blessings of this Covenant and the Peace thereof is Union with Christ I will cause you to pass under the Rod and bring you into the Bonds of the Covenant Under the Rod God brings Sinners under Convictions that wounds like a Rod and makes them pass under the Yoke i.e. he Marries them to his Son and so brings them into the Covenant Sinners by Faith take hold of this Covenant and Christ being given to them they also give themselves to him to be his and no more their own but the Lords they take God to be their God and Christ to be their Saviour and so come to possess the Blessings of the Covenant and the Peace thereof But no more as to this I shall proceed to the third General Head Thirdly My Business and Work is now to open the Nature of the Covenant of Peace 1. I shall God assisting shew you what a kind of Covenant it is or explain the Properties of it 2. Apply it I. The Covenant of Peace is the Covenant of Grace But pray observe that the Covenant of Peace may be considered as twofold or a mixt Covenant 1. As it refers to Christ or to his part and Work therein and as thus it was a Conditional Covenant Christ receives all for us wholly upon the account of his own Desert or Merits 2. But whatsoever we receive by virtue of this Covenant it is wholly in a way of Free Grace and Favour through his Merits or through that Redemption we have by his Blood But take it either ways 't is of Grace First As to the Rise Spring or Efficient Cause thereof it was God's Infinite Love and Free Grace to his Elect This moved the Fato send his Son to be our Mediator and to accept of him as our Surety to do and suffer for us and in our stead I have before shewed God was no more obliged to enter into a Covenant of Peace with Christ for us or any of Adam's Off-spring than he was to reconcile himself to the Fallen Angels for they were his Creatures and more glorious in their first Creation than Mankind were The Surety of the Covenant was alone of God's finding he procured him He hath devised means that his Banished might not for ever be expelled from him For the Lord hath ransomed Jacob and he sent Jesus What could be an Act of higher or greater Grace and Favour than for God to vouchsafe or provide such a Mediator and Surety for his Enemies One so Great Glorious Worthy and Able and one so willing to undertake to make our Peace and bring us again home to God Secondly And then as to us this Covenant God entered into with Christ for us must needs be of God's Free Grace For as I have before hinted I. It was not of Constraint I mean there was no Necessity laid on God or Jesus Christ thus to Love Redeem and Save us in respect of Motive there was nothing in Man I say that could move the Affections of God thus to do and much less was there any thing in us in respect of Merit we deserved no such Love either absolutely or comparatively because we were not only undeserving but an ill-deserving nay Hell deserving Creatures being Rebels to God Vile Contemptible and Base Creatures even as loathsome as filthy Worms What is Man that thou art mindful of him What is his Deformity his Polution his Filthiness And O! What Cursed Enmity was there in our Carnal Mind Yea how much like to the Devil were we by Nature II. In that God hath manifested his Love and Mercy to so many this shews his Infinite Grace to us-ward Object May be you will say Why not to more Nay Why not to all Answ. I answer Why to so many Nay why to any at all Or Why to such that are called Why to us and not rather to those
that are lost We being all naturally as vile and as bad as they nay perhaps there are some Sinners in Hell that were not so bad as some of us once were which he has magnified his Soveraign Grace and Favour unto III. The Covenant of Peace is alone of God's Free Grace because as our Peace was made without us not purchased by our Money nor by any thing done by us so the Promise of our having interest in the Blessings of this Peace or the Application of the Blood of Atonement are not Conditional Promises I say not on Conditional Promises depending upon the corrupt and depraved Will of Man to perform but they are alone free and absolute I will put my Law in their inward part and write it in their Heart and will be their God and they shall be my People they shall all know me from the least of them to the greatest I will forgive their Iniquity and will remember their Sins no more I will sprinkle clean Water upon them I will give them a new Heart I will take away the Stone out of their Heart and will give them a Heart of Flesh Are these Promises made upon any Conditions to be performed by the Creature or on previous Qualifications to prepare us for Grace no they are all free Promises I will and they shall God it is that opens our Eyes that works Faith in us that makes us willing to accept of that Peace he has made for us By the Blood of thy Covenant I have sent out the Prisoners out of the Pit wherein there was no Water My Brethren the Covenant of Peace from hence appears to be the Covenant of Grace it was with Christ for us on hard Conditions but to us in him only by way of Free Promise IV. That this Covenant is the Covenant of Grace appears not only because it is wholly or alone of Grace that we are brought into the Covenant but also because by God's Free Grace we are kept in this Covenant or preserved in a State of Peace with God unto the end They shall not depart from me my Sheep hear my Voice and they follow me and I give unto them Eternal Life and they shall never perish V. But to proceed 'T is the Covenant of Grace in opposition to the Law the Inheritance is not of the Law 1. For if they which are of the Law be Heirs Faith is made void and the Promise made of none effect Again saith Paul For if the Inheritance be of the Law it is no more of Promise but God gave it to Abraham by Promise What is the Inheritance but God himself in the Covenant c. and this is not by our Obedience to the Law but by Christ's Obedience thereto 'T is not my Brethren by our Obedience to any Law not to the Gospel as a Law for that would tend as much to make the Promise of God void as the other For had there been a Law given that could have given Life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law And then also Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2.21 2. In opposition to any after-Service which we could do in order to make God or Christ any Compensation or Return by way of Gratitude for making our Peace sometimes Men shew great Favour to the Poor in Distress and pay their Debts upon the Condition that they shall Work it out or make a Compensation that way but so it is not here for when we have done all we can do we are but unprofitable Servants Can Man profit God Whoever gave any thing unto him VI. The Covenant of Peace is wholly of Grace to us because we are Quickned Justified Called Pardoned Regenerated Adopted have Faith a new Heart Repentance Sanctification and all things else whatsoever by Vertue of this Covenant in a way of Free Grace or all is freely given to us of God Let me give you two or three Reasons of this 1. Because God will have all the Honour to himself of our Salvation he alone will have the Glory and abase the Creature 2. Because his Design herein is to Exalt and Magnifie his own Son our Lord Jesus Christ. 3. That Man might have no cause left him to boast nor Sacrifice to his own Drag But that he that glorieth should glory in the Lord. 4. Because God will have the Covenant of Peace to be sure to all the Seed i. e. to all his People but if it were not of Grace alone it would not be sure but an Uncertain and Mutable Covenant or on such Conditions that might or might not be performed Secondly I shall shew you that the Covenant of Peace is the Covenant of Grace as compared with or in opposition to the Covenant of Works My purpose herein is to shew you the vast difference betwixt the Covenant of Grace and the Covenant of Works I. The Covenant of Works was made with Man or betwixt God and the first Adam Adam was set up as the common Head or Representative of all his Seed and he was obliged to perform all the Conditions in his own Person in that Covenant But the Covenant of Grace primarily was made with our Lord Jesus Christ or betwixt God the Father and God the Son as Mediator in the Name and behalf of all God's Elect he being set up from Everlasting as their Covenanting Head II. The Covenant of Works was made with Man without a Surety Adam in his own Person for himself and for all his Seed being obliged to perform perfect Obedience or live and sin not yet had he none to engage to God or to undertake for him that he should thus do But the Covenant of Grace and Reconciliation was made solely upon the Vndertaking or Suretiship of our Lord Jesus Christ true he was obliged to perform perfect Obedience to the same Holy Law of God which Adam and we in him was required to do yet it is said That Christ was made a Surety of a better Covenant and that not only in respect of the Promises thereof which are better Promises but also in regard of the Oath of God which renders this Covenant firm together with Christ's Ability and Faithfulness to perform all the Conditions thereof and it being a full and free Covenant and also ratified by the Death of Christ. III. The Covenant of Works was a Conditional Covenant as made with Adam It was made upon mutual Restipulation between God and him and in the second Addition of the said Covenant to the whole House of Israel God promised them that upon their keeping this Covenant of perfect Obedience he would be their God and they should be his People Thou shalt have no other Gods before me and if thou keep my Laws and obey my Voice then thou shalt be a peculiar People unto me And this also they Undertook Promised and Covenanted to to do All that the Lord our God speak unto thee we will
hear it and do it But what saith the Lord to them O that there was such an Heart in them He knew well their great Inability and Averseness to do whatsoever he required But the Covenant of Grace is an absolute Covenant as to us as I have and shall further shew you by and by IV. The Covenant of Works tho it required perfect Obedience Personally to be performed by the Creature yet it gave no strength to perform what it commanded 1. But in the Covenant of Peace whatsoever God's Law required of us to our Justification in his Sight Christ covenanted and performed it for us and we in him Hence the Apostle saith That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us In us Christ and Believers are here represented but as one Person because what he did we are said to do in him Paul can't refer in this place to our inherent Sanctification for so no Believer can fulfil the Law because his best Works and Sanctification are imperfect 2. Moreover whatsoever Duties God requires of us as to our actual Justification in our own Consciences and as to our Sanctifica-also he hath promised to give us his Spirit to perform and work in us 1. He commands us to Believe and he hath promised to give us Faith so to do For Faith is not of our selves it is the Gift of God to you it is given not only to believe c. 2. He hath commanded us to make us a new Heart and he hath promised to give us a new Heart and to put a new Spirit into us 3. He commands us to love him c. and he hath promised to Circumcise our Hearts so to do c. V. The Covenant of Works laid all that broke it under God's denounced Wrath and Curse and admitted of no Mercy of no Forgiveness Heb. 10.28 In the Covenant of Grace Christ hath born that Wrath and Curse He hath Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law being made a Curse for us No doubt but under the Law he that was Hanged on a Tree was not made a Curse only Politically but also Typically as signifying that Curse Christ should be made on the behalf of the Elect. And by being made a Curse for us he bore the Punishment due to us for our Sins and satisfied Divine Justice so that all our Sins who do believe in Jesus are in the Covenant of Grace forgiven for ever VI. The Covenant of Works as to the Tenure of it runs thus i. e. Do this and live but the Covenant of Grace runs thus in the Tenure of it i. e. Believe and be saved Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved The One puts Men upon working or doing for Life the other puts them upon believing and working from Life The first promises Rewards for the Creatures Obedience and threatens Wrath and Death for the Creatures Disobedience The second promises Rewards of Grace to Believers for what Christ hath done or through his Merits and threatens Wrath for not believing or for non-receiving of Free Justification through Christ's Obedience or for refusing the only Remedy or for neglecting that great Salvation purchased and merited by the Lord Jesus VII The Covenant of Works represents God an Angry God an Incensed Judge or as a Consuming Fire But the Covenant of Grace represents God in Christ a Reconciled Father This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Fury is not in me There is no Fury in God no Wrath no Condemnation to any that believe or that are in Jesus Christ. VIII The Covenant of Works consisted all in Precepts in Commands which were partly Moral and partly Ceremonial the latter being numerous some speak of more than three Hundred Precepts that were injoyned on the People for tho the Ceremonial Law shadowed the Gospel yet Paul counts it part of the first Covenant See Heb. 9.1 Yet I deny not but that there was much Grace held forth in it But the Covenant of Grace as to us consisteth only of Free Promises Hence the Elect are called The Children of the Promise Vnto Abraham and his Seed were the Promises made Now we Brethren as Isaac was are Children of the Promise And hence the Covenant of Grace is called The Covenants of Promise Note 'T is called Covenants in respect of the divers Revelations or Declarations of it as to Adam Abraham David c. and as revealed in the Gospel tho it is but one and the same Covenant True it may differ in some Accidents but in Substance it was the same viz. Jesus Christ promised and Free Justification through him Is the Law against the Promises That is Is the Law as given in Mount Sinai against the Covenant of Grace No but given in Subserviency thereunto or as leading to it by discovering the Evil of Sin and the absolute Necessity of Christ's perfect Obedience thereunto in our stead IX The first Covenant required perfect Obedience to the Law in every Man 's own Person in respect to their Justification at God's Bar by which means through Man's Weakness and Inability to perform it 't is called The Killing Letter The Letter kills for Sin taking occasion by the Commandment deceived me and by it slew me Sin revived and I dyed That is as to any hope of Life by the Law But the Covenant of Grace admits of a Substitute or of a Surety to keep the Law for us and God accepteth of his Obedience and Suffering as imputed to us to our free Discharge and Justification in his Sight And hence the Gospel is called The Ministration of the Spirit and Life Thus the Covenant of Peace is the Covenant of Grace 1. As considered in it self 2. Comparatively or in opposition to the first Covenant or Covenant of Works Thirdly The Covenant of Peace is the Covenant of Grace appears in that 't is an absolute Covenant I. It is not made on Conditions to be performed by us i. e. which being performed gives us a Right unto the Reward promised thereupon because our Right and Title to Heaven is only by the Righteousness of Christ through his perfect Obedience to the Law c. The Nature of the Covenant of Grace saith a Worthy Divine is Absolute or a Covenant of Promise notwithstanding all the Conditionalty contained therein 1. In respect of the Original Proposer of this Covenant it came from the Free and Absolute Will Grace and Purpose of the Father 1 Tim. 1.9 The Covenant of Peace was not purchased by Christ I mean the Covenant it self tho the Blessings in it were Christ's Purchase 2. The Covenant is Free and Absolute as to the Elect Personally considered because the whole of the Foederal Conditions lay upon their Head as undertaking for them II If we consider the Covenant saith he in respect to its Application or its being actually applied to the Elect
our behalf and all the doing and suffering work is laid upon him he is substituted Mediator Surety Saviour and Redeemer 't is enough we were to be the Saved and Accepted and Justified in and by his Obedience and Merits Moreover all Commands concerning us are given to us from God in Christ as Mediator but not to bring us into the Covenant but as being his Redeemed People as he is our King we ought to obey and serve him Again he saith In this Covenant Christ received his Offices Imployment Trust Powers and Authority A great truth and in the next place he says Christ is Lord Mediator of the new Covenant c. Answ. Is not the New Covenant the Covenant of Grace this they Confess and he affirms Christ was chosen Mediator of the Covenant of Grace let me infer upon him viz. If Jesus Christ in that Covenant he entred in with the Father was constituted Mediator of the New Covenant and he is Mediator of the Covenant of Grace How can that Covenant be distinct or Essentially differ from the Covenant of Grace Moreover 't is observable how this great Author and Reverend Charnock differ one with the other yet both assert the Covenants are distinct This Man says that Christ was surety of the Covenant of Redemption the other denies it and says The Covenant of Redemption had no surety but the Father and the Son took each others words True we say none was a surety for Christ to God in this Covenant nor for God to us but Christ in this Covenant was our surety to God he undertook on our behalf one says Christ is Mediator King Priest and Prophet of the Covenant of Redemption The other says Christ is Mediator of the Covenant of Grace but not the Mediator of the Covenant of Redemption The mistake I humbly conceive lies in this viz. They distinguish not between Christ's part and work in the Covenant as our Covenanting head and the Blessings we receive as the effects of his Mediation But again our Scotish Author saith Christ is the Covenant of Grace comprehensively he is the very compound or there is an abridgment of the Covenant in the Mediators Person there is the little sum or the whole Covenant Consider this how the Parties Articles Mutual Stipulations Promises Proportion and Blessings of the Covenant are all some way abridged in Christ and summed up in his Person 1. Christ is all the Parties of the Covenant of Grace or rather both the Parties are comprehended in the Mediator's Person he is both the Parties in three respects 1. Because of the Union of the two Natures in his Blessed Person he is God-Man God made manifest in the Flesh. 2. Because the Person who is Mediator is upon both sides of the Covenant as being one with the Father and Holy Ghost he is on God's part Joh. 5.7 2 Cor. 9.13 And as he is one with us he is on our side Heb. 2.11.13 For both he that Sanctifieth and they that are Sanctified are all of one 3. He is not only upon both sides of the Covenant but he contracts for both the Parties 2. Christ obtains the Consent of both Parties p. 459. 3. The everlastingness of the Covenant is comprized in Christ he is God everlasting yea an everlasting Mediator he was set up from everlasting p. 462. Now these things being granted by our Author what cause he hath to affirm That the Covenant of Redemption and that of Grace are two distinct Covenants I will leave to all Mens Considerations But further to confute this Notion take what another Reverend Writer hath written on this Subject The Covenant of Grace was made and established not only with us but joyntly with Jesus Christ and with us in him so that both are but one and the same Covenant For the great Transactions with Jesus yea even the giving and sending of him and his accepting the Office of a Redeemer and undertaking for us are all of Grace as well as what is promised to us through him therefore the Covenant of Grace must take in all that conduced otherwise than a meer Decree to our Restoration and eternal Salvation 1. There is saith he no Scripture Evidence for making these to be two Covenants one of Redemption with Christ and another of Grace and Reconciliation made with us that distinction which some use is improper for the Parts are coincident seeing that which was made with him was of meer Grace also Joh. 3.16 and it is promised that he should be given for a Covenant Isa. 42.6 therefore it 's of Grace we are Redeemed by him 2 Tim. 1.9 There was Grace before the World was and that must needs be in the Covenant as with Jesus Christ which was for reconciling the World to the Father 2 Cor. 5.18 19. Col. 1.20 21. It is true Christ only is our Redeemer and Surety not we in our own Persons and Christ hath some peculiar Precepts and Promises appropriated to him which are not afforded to us in the same manner and degree yet this hindreth not the Oneness of the Covenant with him and us 2. The Covenant of Grace was made with Christ as a publick Person a second Adam and therefore with all his Seed in him 3. All in the Covenant as with us is undertaken for and promised in the Covenant between the Father and the Son and so together make but one Covenant 4. All Covenant Blessings are primarily granted to Christ Thus this Great and Worthy Person See also the Everlasting Covenant A Sweet Cordial for Drooping Souls p. 10. to 18. But because in my two Sermons Preached and Published on the Everlasting Covenant I have answered the Reverend Mr. S. C's Eight Arguments to prove the Covenant of Redemption a distinct Covenant I shall refer the Reader to that small Tract and say no more to this at this time Twelfthly The Covenant of Grace is a Covenant of Consolation of strong Consolation 1. Considering what is contained in it and also the Nature of it 2. In that it is all our Hope and Salvation all the Water of Life flows down to us through this Covenant 3. In that also it affords us Comfort in all Times States and Conditions both in Life and at the Hour of Death and this was that which was David's Dying or Sick-bed Cordial For Consider Art thou afflicted or tempted Look into this Covenant His Seed will I make to endure for ever If his Children forsake my Law then will I visit their Transgressions with the Rod c. but my loving Kindness I will not take away 〈◊〉 from him nor suffer my Faithfulness to fail See 1 Cor. 10.13 Or Art thou Backsliden from God See what God saith I will heal their Backslidings and love them freely Do thy Sins grieve thee 〈◊〉 thy Soul Look into the Covenant I will be merciful to their Transgressions and their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more Or
This God is our God for ever and ever and he will be our Guide even unto Death This Grant will never be revoked by the Giver nor can it be forfeited by the Receiver you have heard how sure and firm the Covenant is by which we hold the Inheritance he is our Father our Friend our Portion our Strength our Help our Riches our Honour and our God for ever Secondly Jesus Christ is given to all Believers in this Covenant this is a glorious Gift or Grant O! how great and how comprehensive is this Gift God is not our God till Christ is ours O! consider every Saint may say with Thomas My Lord and my God Christ is not only a Saviour but a Believer may say my Saviour he is not only a Redeemer but my Redeemer not only the Life of the World but my Life When Christ who is our Life shall appear c. Christ is not only Light but our Light and not only a Peace-maker but our Peace He is our Peace that hath made both one He is not only a Bridegroom but our Bridegroom my Beloved is mine not only a Physician but our Physician and not only a Shepherd but our Shepherd The Lord is my Shepherd yea and our King our Priest our Prophet he is our Righteousness our Strength our Food our Cloaths our Foundation who of God is made to us Wisdom and Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption In a word Christ in this Covenant is all in all Where there is neither Greek nor Jew Circumcision nor Vncircumcision Barbarian Scythian Bond nor Free but Christ is all and in all Thirdly The next great Gift that is given in this Covenant is the Holy Ghost Isa. 59.21 the Holy Spirit is given to unite us to Christ to quicken us to illuminate our Minds and to renovate our Soul to be our Guide our Comforter and to dwell in us for ever and to seal all Covenant Blessings to us Fourthly All Grace is given in this Covenant Faith Repentance a pure Heart Love Hope Humility Patience Charity Temperance Meekness c. But to every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ and not only Grace but all Spiritual Gifts also yea Sanctified Gifts thus many great Gifts are given Fifthly Consider what other Grand Blessings and Priviledges are also given and granted by vertue of this Covenant viz. 1. Adoption to as many as received him to them gave he power to become the Sons of God 2. Righteousness and Justification from all things 3. Sanctification 4. Pardon of all Sins and that for ever and not only forgiven for ever but they also are forgotten for ever 5. Peace 6. Communion with the Father and the Son 7. Godly Zeal 8. Spiritual Strength and Courage 9. All Ordinances are given yea Fat and Green Pastures Bread and Water of Life 10. The Ministers of Christ are given Whether Paul or Apostles or Cephas or the World or Life or Death or things present or things to come all is yours and ye are Christ's and Christ is God's They have a Right and Title to all things that are good 11. All the Promises of God are given in the Covenant Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious Promises Promises that suit every State and Condition that we are or may be in great as to their Quantity and precious as to their Quality All the Promises of God are in him yea and in him Amen unto the Glory of God the Father Moreover all Gospel Ordinances are given 12. Yea a Right to Eternal Life also is given and granted to all in this Covenant even a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away a Kingdom a Crown and a Throne is given To him will I grant to sit with me in my Throne 13. Final Perseverance is given by this Covenant Lastly A Free Trade to Heaven is granted or free access to the Father But to this I shall more largely and distinctly speak at another time O stand and Wonder O what Gifts Grants Blessings and Priviledges are procured in the Covenant of Peace Happy are they that are taken into it But I shall go no farther at this time SERMON XII Shewing that as God in the Covenant of Peace is our God so we also are his People opening what this denotes i. e. our being God's People 2. How this appears to be a Covenant Priviledge And 3. Also what a Wonderful Blessing it is ISA. Liv. x. Neither shall the Covenant of my Peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee THE last Day I shewed you what wonderful Gifts Grants Blessings and Priviledges are contained in the Covenant of Peace particularly that God gives himself and his Son Jesus Christ to all that are brought into it he has promised to be our God c. But to proceed There is yet one great Blessing which is included in the former viz. That as God gives himself to be our God so he hath promised we shall be his People this Grant and Priviledge is in the Covenant And I will be their God and they shall be my People compared with Heb. 8.10 And I will be a God to them and they shall be a People unto me First Let me by way of premise Note here four or five Things 1. That this is a most gracious high and sublime Priviledge viz. God to be our God is the first and this is comprehended in it also as the second and next in order to be esteemed by us i. e. we shall be his People 2. That this is granted only as an Act of God's Free Grace and Sovereign Goodness through Jesus Christ Brethren it is not upon Condition of our doing this or that that we procure this Blessing 't is not as the Promise run to the People of Israel under the first Covenant But 't is an absolute Promise if there is any such in all the Word of God I will be your God and you shall be my People Men nor Devils Ungodly Relations our own evil Hearts nor our great Unworthiness shall ever hinder us from being God's People 3. That God's giving himself to us is the Spring the Cause and Reason why we become his People we have not God Christ and the Holy Spirit because we are Believers or Penitent Persons but he first gives himself his Spirit c. God first gives himself in working of Faith saith Reverend Cotton before Faith can be there Therefore Faith is called The Fruit of the Spirit Man is passive in Regeneration or in God's infusing the first Principle Root or Habit of Faith and of all Grace in him 4. This implies that we were once not actually God's People notwithstanding the Design and Purpose of Grace that was in his Heart concerning us I will call them my People which were not my People and her Beloved that was not Beloved
that is that were not actually his People nor own'd and acknowledged so to be we lost this Relation to God by the Fall when God ceased to be our God by way of Special interest we ceased to be his People 5. They shall be my People this denotes the certainty of their Special Vocation and of our being his People for ever He shall see his Seed all that the Father hath given to me shall come unto me that is they shall believe in me c. Now in speaking unto this Promise Grant and Priviledge 1. I shall first shew you in what Respect or Consideration we may be said to be God's People 2. Shew you what kind of People God's Covenant People are I mean such that are actually owned to be his People 3. Shew you what a great Blessing this is 4. Apply both these great Priviledges together I shall wave several Acceptations by which a People may be called God's People that I may directly come to the Business in Hand 1. We may be said to be God's People and he our God decretively or by virtue of God's Eternal Election God chose Christ as our Head and all the Elect in him See our Lord's Words Other Sheep have I that are not of this Fold them I must bring He calls them his Sheep and yet then they were ungodly and unbelieving ones So he said to Paul I have much People in this City they were his People decretively tho not actually his at that time 2. The Elect were God's People Foederally or by virtue of that Holy Covenant made betwixt the Father and the Son as I hinted before and now that this Relation also arises from those Covenant Transactions is most evident for Jesus Christ struck Hands with the Father in behalf of all God's Elect to procure this Priviledge But a little further to open this pray consider that there is a Foederal Union and Relation as when the Father of a Young Man and the Father or Guardian of a Young Damsel shall mutually agree and Covenant that they two shall be Man and Wife even thus God the Father and God the Son Agreed and Covenanted in behalf of all the Elect Christ was as I may say their Guardian yea and also he Covenanted to Espouse and Marry them to himself for ever and God the Father gave the Elect to Christ in this Covenant Moreover herein he had the advantage of others for may be such a Young Man as before mentioned might not Love the Person his Father Covenanted with her Guardian to be his Wife or he might not be able to obtain her Affections but Christ's Love was set upon his intended Spouse from everlasting and also he knew how to gain our Love and unite our Hearts to himself and that by sheding his Love abroad in our Hearts by the Holy Ghost Rom. 5.5 The Love of Christ hath in it a Physical Operation And thus my Brethren by Covenant and the free donation of the Father we become God's People or in a remote sense were thus brought into this Blessed Relation to him Thine they were that is by Election and thou gavest them me Again he saith I pray not for the World but for them that thou hast given me for they are thine 4. The Elect are God's People by virtue of Christ's Purchase he bought them with his own Blood Ye are not your own for you are bought with a price c. and it was that they might be a peculiar People unto God Hence the Apostle saith Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of Good Works or a famous or principal People as the Greek Word renders it Without this Price had been laid down we had never been brought into this Relation unto God 5. They are God's People by Renovation or Regeneration Of his own Will begat he us by the Word of Truth 6. By Conquest also Believers are brought into this Relation God hath subdued them unto himself he has by his Victorious Grace overcome them and this way they are made his Liege People and he becomes their God and Soveraign as having rescued them out of the Hands of Sin and Satan those cruel Tyrants whose Slaves Subjects and Servants they were before Christ has set them free or made them a free People indeed to and for himself 7. The Elect are actually the Lord's People by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit or by virtue of their Mystical Vnion with Christ by the Spirit which is the Bond of this Union on Christ's part and by this means we come to chose Jesus Christ as the only Object of our Affection and Blessed Bridegroom of our Souls and also hereby we take God to be our God and thus we are actually and personally brought into this Relation to him in which sense and in respect of these and the two last things mentioned we were not his People before for notwithstanding the Covenant Agreement of Parents or a Marriage by Proxy betwixt great Persons yet they must after that actually and personally be Married together before they can injoy each other or properly be said to be Man and Wife And so my Brethren it is here for notwithstanding the Decree and Purpose of God and his eternal Compact and Donation and also notwithstanding the Purchase of Christ yet till by the Spirit we are united to Christ and do believe in him close in and imbrace him and enter into an actual Covenant with God in and by Jesus Christ we cannot be said to be properly God's People for before this we were the Children of Wrath and the Slaves of Sin and Satan But so much to the first thing proposed Secondly I shall endeavour to shew you what a kind of People these are that are thus brought into Covenant with God I. They that are God's peculiar People have renounced all other Lords from having any claim to them or interest in them 1. They have broke that Covenant which they had made with Sin that Union is dissolved their Love to Sin is gone for ever I do not say the Being of Sin in them is gone no Sin will be in their Hearts and in their Conversations too but it is not in their Affections they approve not of it they regard it not The Evil which I hate that do I saith Paul I have vain Thoughts saith David to love Sin is worse than to commit it and to hate Sin is better than to leave it a Good Man may commit Sin and yet loath it and a wicked Man may leave Sin and yet love it Ye that love the Lord hate Evil Ye do so or else you are none of God's People i. e. it is your Character and also your Duty 2. They have renounced the Love of this World they are dead nay Crucified to the World they that are God's peculiar People
have not only Crucified the Flesh or are become dead to Sin but have Crucified the World also But God forbid that I should Glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ by whom the World is Crucified unto me and I unto the World The World careth not for them and they care not for the World they are dead to the Honours Pleasures and Riches of the World Moses contemned all the Glory of Pharaoh's Court yea all the Pleasures of Sin and Riches of Egypt and so do all God's sincere People contemn this World If any Man love the World the love of the Father is not in him 3. They that are God's peculiar People are become dead to the Law to that cruel Husband and to all their own Righteousness accounting it but Dung or a dead Carkase or Dogs-meat in comparison of Christ Ye also are become dead to the Law by the Body of Christ c. The Union with that Husband is dissolved they seek not Life and Justification by the Law or are not in love with Self-Righteousness but dead to it whilst others make an Idol of it and trust in it 4. They have renounced themselves also and confess they are not their own but that their Souls their Bodies their Substance their Graces their Gifts their Time their Strength their Lips and their Lives are all the Lord's and for him for as all that God hath which is communicable is theirs or freely imparted to them and for them so all they are and have they account it is the Lord's they being but only Stewards of all they have and do possess Shall such think that they are the Lord's who live to themselves seek themselves or only bring forth Fruit like empty Vines to themselves No they that are the Lord's People esteem all they have to be his and for his Service and are willing to render it up to him when he calls for it Nay they have given God their Hearts not their Lips only or their Tongues nor their Ears nor their Substance but their Hearts also My Son give me thy Heart God complains of some that drew near to him with their Lips and sate before him as his People sate and with their Tongues shewed much kindness but saith he their Hearts went after their Covetousness after the World these God's Soul abhors and he will not own them to be his People Some give their Hearts to Pleasures to strange Women and to Vanity and to meer Folly and others give their Hearts to Riches but God's Covenant-People give their Hearts to him not a part of the Heart but their whole Heart they love the Lord their God with all their Hearts with all their Souls and with all their Strength Others have their Hearts divided between God and the World between God and their Lusts but such that love not God with their whole Heart hate him for the lesser Love is accounted Hatred in Scripture II. They that are God's peculiar Covenant-People are Begotten and Born of God for they this way as you heard become his Children there are none my Brethren that are the Lord's People by Adoption but they are his also by Regeneration they have his Image formed in them they are like to their Father in Holiness Heavenliness in Humility Mercy Meekness Love Goodness Charity c. they partake of the Divine Nature every one resembles the Son or Daughter of a King Then said he unto Zeba and Zalmunna What manner of Men were they whom ye slew at Tabor And they answered As thou art so were they each one resembled the Children of a King They are nobly descended they have sublime Spirits Holy Hearts Desires Aims and Ends in all they do they are not meer Dunghil-Rakers like the Men of the World but far excel all others The Righteous is more excellent than his Neighbour he has an excellent Spirit Life and Principles in him III. They that are God's Covenant-People Trust in him as their God as well as Love him as their God all People trust in their God tho it be a God of Gold or Silver a Worldly Man's strong Confidence is his Wealth he makes Gold his Hope So they that have God to be their God trust in him depend upon him They that know thy Name will put their Trust in thee They trust in the True and Living God God is their Hope their Confidence they rely upon his Power his Mercy his Love his Faithfulness his Covenant and on his Blessed Promises and this at all times in Afflictions Desertion Temptations c. and when called to any hard Service in Prosperity and in Adversity in times of Want and Necessities and in Times of Fulness in Life and also at the Hour of Death This tends my Brethren to the Glory of God and by this they shew what a value and esteem they put upon God How often does David say he trusted in the Lord and because God was his God O my God I trust in thee Job says Tho he slay me yet will I trust in him Tho they see not feel not or have no sensible Comfort or Relief yet can and will trust in God tho God hides his Face or they walk in Darkness and have no Light IV. God's peculiar People highly love value and prize the Lord Jesus Christ They can say with David Whom have I in Heaven but thee Neither is there any on Earth that I desire besides thee They have tasted how good the Lord is and beholding his Beauty can say He is the chiefest among Ten Thousand they live upon Christ fetch all their Comfort and Hope of Salvation from him and rejoyce in him alone Serving God in Spirit and have no Confidence in the Flesh. Moreover when they have done all things that Christ hath commanded they look upon themselves Unprofitable Servants they live in him to him and by him their living in him shews Christ is their Life their living to him shews Christ is their ultimate End their living by him shews Christ is their Strength they receive the Spirit and so live in the Spirit and walk in the Spirit they bring up the bottom of their Lives to the top of their Light they do not only know what is to be done but do what they know the Darkness of Carnal Professors will be the blackest because their Light seemed to be the clearest but these are better inwardly in substance than outwardly in appearance in a word they are as much in love with the Imployment of Holiness as with the Injoyment of Happiness or to be Holy here as well as Happy hereafter or to live to God on Earth as well as with him in Heaven V. God's Covenant-People ascribe all the Glory to him and take all the Shame to themselves Both Riches and Honour come of thee the Power the Glory and the Victory is thine and of thine own have I
given thee Luther was contented to be counted a Devil so that Christ might be exalted others make their End their God but these make their God their End The Glory of God saith one should be the Golden-Butt at which all our Arrows of Duties are shot the only way to be Crown'd in Heaven is to cast our Crowns at Christ's Feet on Earth VI. God's Covenant-People can say there is nothing which they enjoy that is of any worth without God be injoyed with it Therefore they know to want God is the greatest Evil and to enjoy God is the greatest Good if God be withdrawn all their Comfort is gone 't is Day when we have him but 't is Night when we want him What is Health and no God Riches and no God Pleasures and no God Honours and no God Relations Wives Children Friends and no God A little will do with God nay if we have nothing besides him we have enough nay all but if we have all other things and no interest in God we have nothing VII They that are God's peculiar People are a Holy People a Heavenly People a Humble People To this Man will I look that is Poor and of a Contrite Heart and that trembleth at my Word God resisteth the Proud but giveth Grace to the Humble Be ye Holy for I am Holy My People shall be willing in the Day of my Power in the Beauty of Holiness c. VII They are an Obedient People they walk in God's Ways and keep his Precepts For all People will walk every one of them in the Name of his God and we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever They yield Universal Obedience to God or do whatsoever Christ says and that too because they love him and also they are constant in their Obedience they keep God's Precepts always even to the end IX They are an Upright People a Sincere People Sincere in their Obedience Surely they are my People Children that will not lie not Children of Deceit or Falshood but Faithful and Upright in Heart They are called The Assembly of the Vpright that is Sincere Worshipers of God Israelites indeed in whom is no Guile no Falshood or no reigning Hypocrisie Moreover they are called The Generation of the Vpright Men of clean Hearts and Undefiled in the way or Perfect ones i. e. they want no Essential thing of True Christians X. God's Gospel Covenant-People are an United People being constituted or incorporated into a Church State according to the Institution of Christ in the New Testament being separated from the World in Worship and all Evil Traditions Customs c. Worshiping God in Spirit and in Truth giving themselves up one to another keeping all the Ordinances of Christ as they were once delivered to the Saints owning the Holy Scriptures to be the only Rule of their Faith and Practice having regular and ordained Officers viz. both Pastors and Deacons and walking in Love and watching over one another as becometh Saints XI Lastly The peculiar People of God love all the Children of God even such that differ from them in some things that are Circumstantials they love as Christ loves As they love him that begat so they love them also and all them that are begotten of him If God was your Father you would love me for I proceeded forth and came from God saith our Saviour he that loves the Father will love the Child so far as he resembleth the Father By this shall all Men know ye are my Disciples if you love one another He that loveth not his Brother abideth in Death And this is a sign that they are passed from Death to Life Brethren this Love is not in Word and in Tongue but in Deed and in Truth also How doth it appear you love your Wife your Children Even so let it appear you love all the People of God i. e. let nothing be too dear to part with for their sakes speak well of them and do much for them and bear them always upon your Hearts when you are at the Throne of Grace If you would approve your selves to be God's People this being so what shall we think then of him that hates any one of the Children of God or bears Malice in his Heart against him and reproaches him Thirdly I shall shew you what a great Blessing and Priviledge this is 1. Can there be a greater Priviledge than to be made God's own peculiar People For hereby God is their Father and they his Children 1. He loves them as his Children 2. He Feeds them as his Children 3. He Cloaths them as his Children 4. He Teaches them as his Children 5. He Pities them as his Children Isa. 63.9 10. 6. He Guides Leads and Protecteth them as his Children 7. He Chastens them in Love as his Children Heb. 12 5 6 7. 8. And lays up for them also as his own Children If Children then Heirs Heirs of God and joynt Heirs with Christ O! what an Honour is it to be the Sons and Daughters of God 2 Cor. 6.16 Of the Great God the King of Heaven and Earth Nay to be Begotten and Born of him Joh. 1.12 13. 2. They have the Priviledge to dwell in his House nay to dwell with God and to walk with God and to have Communion with him 1 Joh. 3. Moreover 3. Their Enemies are God's Enemies and their Friends are God's Friends the Angels that are God's Servants are their Servants and are sent to Minister unto them c. 4. They are Espoused by Jesus Christ they are the Jewels of his Heart Mal. 3.17 or his chiefest Treasure 5. God will never leave them nor forsake them And 6. All things shall work together for their good 7. And he will Crown them at last with Glory and Immortality Question What Assurance hath God given that they shall be his People for ever 1 Answ. Because his Love is Eternal or Unchangable his Love is their Security nothing can separate them from the Love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord. 2. The Decree and eternal Election of God is their Security 3. Because the Mercy of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord endureth for ever 4. Because the Goodness of God indureth also for ever 5. Because his Covenant and Faithfulness can never fail in which they are made his People 6. Because he hath put his fear into their Hearts that they shall not depart from him 7. The Promise and Oath of God is their Security 8. They are Justified and Pardoned for ever 9. Christ's Suretiship is their Security they are put into his Hand and none can pluck them out These Things have been fully opened already as you have heard 10. The Death Resurrection Ascention and Intercession of
so Good yea so Precious so Sweet in his Love and Favour that I am not able to express it as if he should say Therefore pray taste your selves and then by experience you will find it to be as I say Solomon also found by experience this was the best Trade Wisdom is better than Gold and to get Vnderstanding rather to be chosen than Silver Yea better than Rubies all things that may be desired are not to be compared to it Solomon had the experience of all other Things he had Riches in abundance Honours beyond all Men on Earth and Pleasures of all sorts and such Wisdom also which no meer Man ever attained to yet he cries out Vanity of Vanity all things are Vanity Doubtless God might let him try the Nature of all Worldly good or whatsoever the Heart of Man could desire that by him all Men might know even by his Experience the emptiness and vanity of them no Man ever decry'd the Vanity of all things under the Sun more than he did And in the close of all by that experience he had how doth he commend Spiritual Things or the Merchandise of Wisdom i e. the Love and Favour of God in Christ or our Lord Jesus Christ himself whom he sets forth under the Name of Wisdom Moreover Moses chose rather to Trade in these rich and rare Commodities than in all the Treasures and Glories of Egypt or of Pharaoh's Court nay he esteemed the Reproaches of Christ greater Riches or much better than all the Riches and Treasures of Egypt or all the Pleasures of Sin for a Season Also you may take Paul's Experiences on this account What says he But what things were Gain to me those things I counted Loss for Christ yea doubtless I account all things but loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Jesus Christ my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but Dung that I may win Christ. In his Judgment all things in comparison of Christ were but as Dung or Dogs-meat O! that every Soul that hears me this Day would but endeavour to play such a Game as Paul did or get such Experiences as he had 5. By this Trade also the Soul is inriched with all the Promises of God precious Promises exceeding great and precious Promises Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises Whereby that is through the Knowledge of God in Christ That by these ye may be Partakers of the Divine Nature Those Promises by which we partake of the Nature or Image of God must needs greatly inrich the Soul it is by and through them we attain to an Impress of the Divine Nature or Divine Qualities and Dispositions as Knowledge Righteousness Mercy Goodness Holiness c. They are full Promises suitable Promises suited to every Condition and seasonable Promises and also sure and certain Promises 6. Because this Trade inriches both the Soul and Body too they that drive this Trade in a right manner shall have their vile Body changed and made in likeness to Christ's Glorious Body and be Crowned with Glory for evermore 7. This Trade through Faith in Jesus Christ gives the Soul full Satisfaction it fills it with Joy and Comfort for as hereby we come to have a likeness to God so also to have Communion with God and Jesus Christ it is therefore a most sweet and honourable Calling it makes us happy while we live and happy at Death also Thus in respect of the Subject these Merchandises do inrich it appears it is the best Trade in all the Earth Secondly This will further appear by considering of the Nature of the things about which the Soul Spiritually Trades I. They are Things of great Worth Riches or of an Inestimable Value This appears 1. In respect of the great Price by which they were bought which was the Blood of Jesus Christ they cost an Infinite Sum of rich Treasure 1 Pet. 1.18 19. Who would not highly account of Things bought with such a Price and part with all things for them as Paul did The Merchant-Man sold all he had and bought the Pearl of great Price The Redemption of the Soul is precious c. That which is most costly is commonly most preferred My Brethren Jesus Christ did not over-buy them he never repented that he laid down so great a Price to purchase them for us O costly Ware saith one O dear bought Goods For which the Pearl of great Price went Will you not value those things highly which the Son of God bought with his own Heart's Blood 2. They are Heavenly Things Heavenly Riches What are the Nature of all Earthly Things to Heavenly Things Alas God gives the Things of this World to his Enemies to such that hate him What said Luther of all the Turkish Empire It was but a Crust that God casts to a Dog Brethren we shall never fully know the Worth and Nature of Heavenly Things till we come to Heaven 3. They are Incorruptible Things and Things that Thieves can't steal and Things that corrupt not perish not they are not the worse for keeping their Nature changes not all other things perish in the using and as our Lord shews Moth and Rust corrupteth them But God is unchangable and Christ is the same Yesterday to Day and for ever The Word of God is incorruptible which liveth and abideth for ever 4. They are Vnsearchable Riches no finding out perfectly either the Quality or Quantity of this vast Mine of rich Treasure To me who am less than the least of all Saints is this Grace given That I should Preach among the Gentiles the Vnsearchable Riches of Christ What are the Spanish Gold Mines or the Riches of Mexico or Potosi to Christ's Riches Mines of Gold may be exhausted or such that have those Mines may be poor as the Spaniard is Brethren Millions of Millions live upon Christ yet his Treasure is full the Riches of Christ are permanent abiding Riches With me are durable Riches and Righteousness 5. The Riches procured by this Covenant in this Trade are not only Soul-satisfying but also Soul-fatening Riches Eat that which is good and let your Soul delight it self in fatness These were those Riches that satisfied Divine Justice and appeased Divine Wrath and that quiets a guilty and wounded Conscience they fill the Soul faten the Soul They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy House and thou shalt make them drink of the Rivers of thy Pleasures They shall be fat and flourishing c. 6. They are certain Riches the Riches of this World are called Vncertain Riches they make themselves Wings and fly away Besides they will not avail in the Day of Wrath they will stand in no stead then nor any ways profit the Wretched Sinner at Death nor in the Judgment Day But Godliness is profitable for all things
Trust and Dependance And what is that but filthy Rags We have nothing to part with but cursed Filth and Pollution 2. Sirs whatsoever you have which is good it is his own Of thine own have we given thee saith David 'T is true we must give him the Glory of our External and Internal Riches Gifts Grace Righteousness but this is but to give him what is his own If thou art Righteous what givest thou him Or what receiveth he at thine Hand 3. He gave us Grace from whence our Tears of Sorrow proceeded Christ Reaps nothing but what he first Sowed it was his Grace his Spirit that broke our Hearts it was his Spirit that created Faith Love Hope Humility c. in us we only Trade with Christ's Money Secondly Christ makes sure Returns certain Returns 1. They that Sow in Tears shall Reap in Joy Again he saith Your Labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. 2. Christ is our great Insurer he keeps an Insuring Office in Heaven and hath ingaged his Faithfulness and Holiness to make us sure and certain Returns you shall not go forth Weeping but he assures you that you shall return Rejoycing and bring your Sheaves with you Thirdly Jesus Christ makes quick Returns 1. Nay we sometimes meet with Returns when 't is in our Hearts to Trade with him before we venture out in Trading Before they call I will answer and whilst they are yet speaking I will hear Object But sometimes we do not presently receive what we ask of God in Christ's Name 1 Ans. God answers us sometimes tho not in that manner or in that thing we request of him yet he gives us that which he sees is better for us 2. He gives us always quickly or right early that is when he sees the Fruit is ripe and good for us or in the proper Season Vnripe Fruit is not good 't is hurtful you know 3. When we are fit to receive the Mercy desired and know how to improve it to his Glory and our Profit then we shall have it and would you have it sooner 4. He may forbear sometimes to give us what we ask because we ask amiss or to try our Faith Love Patience c. but God must be Judge and not we of what is best for us and of the time when given to us also APPLICATION 1. Bless Christ for the Covenant of Peace upon the account it opens such a happy Trade or procures for us such free access to God 2. We infer that Sinners are wofully blind that so few will study this Trade they will not Trade to Heaven nor deal in Spiritual Things 1. Satan has blinded their Minds And 2. The World is got into their Hearts they are for present Things for sensual Things sensual Pleasures Profits Honours 3. They know not the way how to Trade Christ is the Way but they know him not they will Trade in forbidden Goods even with their own Money c. They think by their Tears by their Repentance by their own Faith Righteousness and Obedience to procure all things they want even both Justification and Eternal Life 3. Train up your Children in this Trade labour to instruct them into the Knowledge of Jesus Christ bring them up in the Way that they should go 4. This also reproves such that grow weary of this Holy Calling or that decay or waste their Stock and grow poorer and poorer every Day 1. The Price of Heavenly Commodities are fallen in their Esteem Prayer Reading Meditation Christian Converse Church Communion Peace with God and Peace of Conscience too is but of little worth now with them 2. Their Faith is low their Love to Christ his Truth and People is decay'd their heat of Zeal is gone 3. They are but little at Home do not watch their own Hearts or are more abroad to find faults in others and spying the Moat that is in their Brother's Eye Quest. Can 't Men Break that follow this Trade Answ. False Traders false Professors may nay will Break and come to nothing 1. They Set up without a Stock I mean without true Saving Grace 2. They Trade with their own Money or have Confidence in the Flesh and trust in their own Strength which had almost undone Peter 3. They are far in Debt and see not the way of coming out they do not see that all their Debts are paid by Jesus Christ. 4. They Trade not alone in Christ's Name nor are they strong in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus 5. They look one way and Row another look Heavenward but their Hearts are Earthly 6. They prize Earthly Riches above Heavenly Things so that 't is no wonder if these Break but no true Christian I have proved can ever Break or be Undone 5. Be exhorted to Trade for Heaven and to buy of Christ Buy of me Gold tried in the Fire c. Buy the Truth and Sell it not Do not only Cheapen his Wares but resolve to buy Do you not love Gold O! Buy presently you hear how without Money What are all Things here free And yet do you not like the Terms Alas Proud Man would fain pay for all he has this Plague reigns amongst those of this Generation Directions to Trade to Heaven 1. Trade with God by Christ make use of this Blessed Correspondent come to God by him or you will get nothing obtain nothing Hitherto you have ask'd nothing in my Name and therefore received no more 2. Know and be assured that by the Peace Christ has made you may freely Trade and come to God but be sure see that 't is in Faith you come to him or you will never speed plead the absolute Promises 3. Observe the Motions of the Spirit Mariners set out with the Wind and Tide so must you The Wind blows where it listeth God's Spirit will not always strive with Men. 4. Mind the Exchange-time Merchants will not fail here O! see you do not neglect God's Publick Worship no lose not one Opportunity if it be possible one Neglect in this case had almost ruined Thomas When Ministers Preach you ought to hear nay you must hear 5. Be sure you keep up Closet Prayer much of this Spiritual Trade lies in this Duty also you must labour to pray in Faith and also fervently cold Prayers will never prevail with God 6. Keep up your Acquaintance with Jesus Christ you that are Believers see to this and you that are Sinners see that you get Union with him Acquaint thy self with him and be at Peace thereby good shall come to thee without Union there can be no Communion with Christ Brethren here is great Complaint of Badness of Trade may be 't is a Judgment because this Trade is slighted or so much neglected O! remember this is your general Calling and it must have the perferance whatever business is neglected this must not How did God blast the Jews in
Children of Wrath before they believe Faith also must be somewhat more than an Evidence the Soul having that in its actual possession which it had not before 2. Because they that believe God says Are passed from Death to Life that is from a State of Death and Condemnation into a State of Life and Justification See Joh. 5.24 1 Joh. 3.14 3. Because the Holy Spirit in Convictions represents the state of an Elect Sinner to himself to be before Grace wretched and miserable who is a true and faithful Witness and cannot lie Brethren as the first Adam and all in him were Condemned by the pronunciation of the Sentence of the Holy God in Paradise so the second Adam or all his or all in him are for ever Justified And as whilst we remain in the first Adam his first Sin is imputed to us so not till we are in Christ is his Righteousness to our actual and personal Justification imputed to us tho I grant Foederally and Representatively in Christ it was imputed before to all the Elect yet 't is through the reception of Grace or the infusion of the Spirit whereby Faith is wrought that the Soul receives the Atonement and comes actually possessed with the Blessing of Peace The God of Hope fill you with all Joy and Peace in believing There is no Peace to the Wicked saith my God And this because they have not an actual Interest in Christ Where the Spirit of Christ is there is liberty and therefore Peace and in none else 7. And thus the Sinner is brought to God and comes to be taken into the Covenant of Grace the which the Spirit doth renew and confirm in his Baptism Rom. 6.1 2 3 4 5. and which is further renewed and confirmed to him in the Holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper which is a Sign or Pledge of the New Covenant in or by Christ's Blood Hence called The New Covenant in his Blood 8. Moreover let it be noted That a Man may be in a State of Grace and Peace and yet not know it all that have Faith or do believe do not know they have Faith or believe but have Doubts about it 1 Joh. 5.13 all injoy not what they have in possession therefore true Faith as to the Essence thereof cannot be a simple Evidence to the Soul of what it hath nor a full Perswasion that Christ is mine and I am his for if so then he that has not this Evidence or Assurance is no true Believer or if he lose it he loses the very Essence of Faith and so ceases to be a Believer Moreover it would then follow that there are no weak Believers or Babes in Christ for every Babe must be a Strong Man were it thus For is not he a strong Christian that has a clear Evidence of his Justification and a full assurance of Eternal Life 9. There is no steady and full Injoyment of this Spiritual Peace without keeping up and maintaining a War against Sin also this War is maintained by every Faculty the whole Soul being united in carrying it on and also against every Sin Moreover it is a War in which the Soul by the Spirit prevails Sin shall not have Dominion over you c. 'T is a resolute War or carried on with uttermost Revenge against Sin and likewise always even to the end of our Days and if called to it to resist unto Blood striving against Sin All my Brethren that have Peace with God or are Reconciled to him are at War with Sin Satan and the World resolving never to be Reconciled to these Enemies or be at Peace with one Sin whilst they live 10. Our Peace as to the degree of it as in our selves is and will be according to that degree or measure of our Faith we have a weak and doubting Believer hath but little Peace in his own Conscience he being too subject to ground his Peace on his good and lively Frame or to judge of his Justification by the degrees of his Sanctification or inherent Holiness tho the State of the weakest Christian is as safe as the strongest yet he has not that Peace and Comfort others have But no more as to this Secondly I shall open the Nature of this Peace 1. It is Peace with God the Mighty God God is hereby become our Friend all Enmity or Wrath in God against the Soul is gone for ever and all Enmity that was in the Soul against God is removed or taken away also there being a Mutual Peace and Reconciliation I do not say God can no more be offended with the Soul but if he be yet he will not be provoked to Wrath or to let out his against such a Person any more for ever 2. All the actings of God towards his People are in Love tho the poor Believer perhaps cannot see it thus but fears the contrary My Brethren God receives us into his intire Affections and le ts out his Love and Bowels towards us and acts always towards us as a tender Father to his Children 3 We hereby enter actually into a League with God God takes the Soul into an everlasting Covenant of Peace and the Soul also takes God to be his God in the same Everlasting Covenant as you have heard which Covenant all the Powers of Hell and Darkness can never break or violate the Peace and Union with Christ in this Covenant is indissolvable The Covenant of my Peace shall not be removed saith the Lord Tho we may sin yet God will blot them all out Sin nor Satan nor the World nor Life nor Death neither any thing else can separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more All the Attributes of God are for us and no Accusation of Satan can provoke God against us so as to become our Enemy True Sin or Satan may spoil the sensible Peace and Comfort of our Souls but they cannot spoil our Peace with God or break our Union 4. It is Soul-Peace Spiritual Peace O! how great how sweet and precious is that Peace Earthly Peace National Peace Congregational Peace and Family Peace is good and to be prized But what is any kind of Peace to true Spiritual Soul Peace As no Trouble no Sorrow is like Soul-Trouble so no Peace is to be compared to Soul-Peace Great Peace have they that love thy Law and nothing shall offend them 5. Such have Peace also with the Holy Angels the Angels of God are at Peace with them that God is at Peace with they are hereby become our Friends and take our part and fight for us and against the Devil our grand Enemy they War against the Evil Angels who hate and envy us And they Minister unto them that shall be Heirs of Salvation nay the Angels of God encamp round about them that fear him They also War against
as the Glory of Christ and of the Holy Spirit therefore let him primarily have the Honour of our Peace and Salvation O how did Love and Bowels move towards us in the Heart of God the Father from everlasting III. Exhort Also be exhorted to prize and highly esteem of the Lord Jesus Christ from what you have heard concerning the Covenant because Christ is the Sum of the Covenant I will give thee for a Covenant to the People 1. Christ is originally and fundamentally the Covenant saith a Worthy Writer he is the Original Root out of which this Covenant sprang and he is the Foundation upon which it is grounded Behold I say in Zion for a Foundation a Stone a tried Stone a precious corner Stone a sure Foundation c. God fixt his Eye on Christ and entered into Covenant with him he is the Foundation Stone of this Covenant had there not been a Mediator found there had been no Covenant of Peace ever made nor any Redemption for poor Sinners 2. When it was first revealed it was expressed by his Person viz. The Seed of the Woman nothing else is mentioned there yet this contains the first Revelation of this Covenant to Fallen Man And what was the Covenant of Grace as revealed to Abraham but Jesus Christ In thy Seed shall all the Kindreds of the Earth be Blessed Thus Christ is represented as the Sum of the Covenant 3. Christ is the Covenant primarily as the same Author notes and by Propriety As Fire is hot for it self and all things hot for it and by participation With Christ the Covenant was made as the chief Party with Believers it was made in Subordination to him with him it was made at first Hand with us at second Hand Now Brethren this certainly is true therefore all Promises were made first to Christ and first fulfilled to him and all Acts of God's Love terminate first upon him and come to us through him Who has made us accepted in the Beloved Had not God's Love been fixt first on him as Mediator it had never run out to us all Covenant-Blessings are in him Blessed be God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who hath blessed us with all Spiritual Blessings in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Christ as our Head is the Repository or Seat of all Divine Blessings Christ is the Jewel the Riches or the Sum of all things in the Covenant as Life Righteousness Pardon Peace c. And he that receives this Jewel receives all things with him From hence he is compared to a Cluster of Camphire 4. Jesus Christ saith the same Author is the Covenant eminently because he is the chief Blessing of the Covenant there is not such another Promise in all the Bundle of Promises contained in the Covenant If thou knowest the Gift of God c. Christ is the Gift of God yet certainly our Author forgot that God the Father and the Holy Ghost are given as well as Christ in the Covenant but when Christ is given God the Father and the Holy Spirit is given He that has the Son has the Father also All other things in the Covenant are saith he but as the Garnish of this Jewel 5. Christ is the Covenant virtually he is the just value of all the Bargain he is of as much worth as all that is promised If you would know the worth of the Covenant consider the worth of Jesus Christ. Moreover my Brethren they that have Christ have all that is promised in the Covenant 6. Jesus Christ purchased all that good which is in the Covenant when we say God is our God we must say he is our God in Christ or by Christ or through his Redemption and Procurement 7. Christ is the Covenant comprehensively or summarily he is the very Compound or Abridgment of the Covenant he is the whole Covenant by way of Stipulation on our part c. 8. Jesus Christ is the only way of Conveyance of all Covenant Blessings through whom we receive all we need or that is Communicaed unto us Moreover the Tender of the Covenant and Interest in it is contained in the free Tender of Christ and Interest in him Get Christ be but in Christ and thou art in the Covenant Sirs when God gives Christ to a Sinner the whole Covenant is performed to that Person and he that receives not Jesus Christ shall never have one saving Benefit or Blessing thereof And thus may Christ be called the Covenant But IV. From hence also we may infer the wonderful worth that there is in the Blood of Christ It is not only precious Blood in respect had unto his Person whose Blood it is viz. the Eternal Son of God but also in respect of that Atonement it hath made and that Wrath it has appeased and that Peace it has procured and in regard of those Infinite Blessings and Priviiedges it hath merited for us and that precious Soul it Sanctifies O prize this Blood What will become of them that contemn and slight this Blood and the Vertue and Efficacy that is in it Or account it as the Blood of another Man or as an unholy and unprofitable thing it had been better for such if they had never been Born V. We may moreover from hence see the absolute necessity there is of the Work and Office of the Holy Spirit in order to the Application of the Blood of the Covenant and all Covenant Blessings unto us The Holy Ghost deserves my Brethren equal Glory with the Father and the Son The Holy Spirit must plant Grace in our Hearts or be a Vital Principle in the Soul it is he which infuses sacred Habits from whence all Vital Acts proceed by the Spirit we come to have the root of the matter in us from whence all Spiritual Fruit flows 't is the Spirit that draws us to Christ that unites our Souls to him without it the Death of Christ profits no Man it is he which sprinkles his Blood on our Consciences O let our Mediations swim in the unlimited Ocean of Love and Divine Goodness and magnifie all the three Persons of the Blessed Trinity VI. We may furthermore learn from hence to see what absolute necessity there is of the Revelation of this Mystery through the Word or Holy Gospel what signifies all Natural Religion doth naturally light in Man discover any thing of our Redemption and Reconciliation by Jesus Christ And from hence let us be moved to abhor those New and Cursed Notions which at this Day so much prevail which tend to raze the very Foundation of the true Christian Religion for such that contemn all revealed Religion contemn the Christian Religion From hence also VII We may perceive the Necessity of True and Saving Faith and likewise the Excellency thereof no Man is possessed of this Peace that has not the Faith of God's Elect He that believeth not is Condemned already and shall be Damned unless
Ministers declare and preach the same thing and the Holy Ghost in Convictions represents the State of the Soul to be deplorable before effectual Calling There is it is evident a Relative Change passing on the Soul by the Spirit as well as a Real Change Consolation In the last place and to close with all I shall say What ground of Comfort and Consolation to Believers is here 1. Your Sins are fully and for ever expiated When he had by himself purged our Sins sate down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on high that is he hath removed the Guilt Stain and Punishment of Sin by his Satisfaction and Merits so as God may be Just as well as Gracious in Pardoning and Justifying of us that believe in Jesus 2. All Accusations of Sin the Law Satan and our own Consciences shall be silenced and answered by the Intercession of Christ He doth and will out-plead them all 3. All your Wants shall be richly supplied all your Graces strengthened and all your Enemies are and shall be Overcome Conquered and Vanquished for ever 4. You are brought to God and Reconciled to him in his own way in a sure way Comfort ye my People saith your God Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem And cry unto her that her Warfare is accomplished and her Iniquity is pardoned for she hath received of the Lord's Hands double for all her Sins War is for ever ceased betwixt God and you and as God has received by Christ double Satisfaction as it were For where Sin abounded Grace hath much more abounded So you have and shall receive hereby double at his Hands viz. not only a Discharge from Sin and Wrath in Hell but also Eternal Life and Glory in Heaven 5. All your Afflictions and whatsoever else shall work together for your good 6. You stand firmer and more sure in â—his Covenant than Adam stood in Paradice â—â—â—ore he fell 1. Your Peace is increasing The Path of the Just is as a shining Light that shines more and more to the perfect Day And not only your Personal Peace or Peace of your Souls but the Peace of all God's Israel also O how great will that Peace be in the latter Days when God delivers his People from all their external Enemies and Troubles and also unites them altogether to serve him with one consent 2. You shall have Peace not only while you live but also when you die Mark the Perfect Man behold the Vpright the latter End of that Man is Peace He shall enter into Peace they shall rest in their Beds c. 3. You shall be found in Peace at the Great Day when the Lord Jesus shall appear Be diligent that ye may he found of him in Peace without spot and blameless That is give diligence to make it evident to your own Consciences that you are in Christ or are sincere Christians that so the Peace of God may rule in your Hearts by the Holy Ghost 4. Lastly None can deprive you of this Peace and Joy or take it away from you Peace I leave with you my Peace I give unto you not as the World giveth give I unto you Let not your Hearts be troubled neither let it be afraid Your Hearts shall rejoyce and your Joy no Man taketh from you Therefore be of good chear for tho you have many things that trouble you and Satan may greatly disquiet your Minds yet lift up your Heads and Hearts My Brethren I shall conclude all with the words of the Apostle The God of Peace shall bruise Satan under your Feet shortly The Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you Amen FINIS The Occasion of the Preaching on this subject 2 Kings 9 18.22 Things look as if this may be the last Year in which the Turks may be a Plague to the Antichristian state Ezek. 2.27 Rev. 17.16 17. The Text opened Who makes this Promise To whom this Promise is made What is contained in this Promise The Rise or Spring of the Promise Isa. 54.9 The Doctrine raised Explanatory Propositions 2 Tim. 1.9 Pro. 8.23 The Nature of the breach betwixt God and Man opened Eccl. 7.29 Gen. 3.9 10. Rom. 8.7 Eph. 4.18 Col. 1.21 The fearful state of Man by Nature Acts 7.51 Joh. 15.24 Rom. 1.30 Zech. 11.8 Ps. 10.13 Ps. 34.16 10.3 Psal. 7.11 12 13. Gal. 3.10 Eph. 2.2 Joh. 3.36 Joh. 3.18 The cause of the great Breach betwixt God and Man Gen. 2.17 Petto Answ. Rom. 2.14 15. 3.19 20. 4.13 14 15. 7.13 Heb. 7.16 8.7 8. 9.13 Gal. 3.19 Rom. 5.20 3.19 8.3 Gal. 3.24 No meer Man nor Angel could make our Peace Concerning God's sovereignty in the display of his Grace Dan. 4.22 cap. 5.19 Exod. 4.11 Rom. 9.17 18. Mat. 11.25 26. 2 Cor. 2.16 Rom. 9.16 chap. 9.11 11.5 6. Titus 3.5 Tho I inlarged on this Proposition when I preached this Sermon yet I shall refer it to another Head now Joh. 5.16 John 3.16 Zaâ—h 6.13 2 Tim. 1.9 Ez. 16.4 5 Mal. 3.1 Heb. 2.3 c. 8.2 6 10 Joh. 33.23 Mat 11.27 1 Joh. 1.18 Psa. 89.28 Acts 2.23 Zech. 6.13 Joh. 6.40 Heb. 10.9 Isa. 50.5 6 Ps. 25.14 Ark of the Pag. p. 11. Buxt Rab. Tal. p. 818. The Covenant made with Believers is only a free promise not upon mutual stipulation 2 Tim. 1.9 Titus 1.2 3 Christ consented to the Fathers proposals in the Covenant of Peace Isa. 42.6 7 Psa. 40.6.7 8. Heb. 10.5 6 7. Jo. 17.4 5 The Covenant of peace was made from all Eternity Christ is the only Mediator of the Covenant of peace â— Tim. 2.5 Isa. 42.6 The necessity of a Mediator of the Covenant of Peace and that Christ is he Rom. 3.25 Joh. 14.6 Heb. 9.22 Act. 4.12 The Requisites in Christ as a Mediator Christ is every way qualified to be Mediator of the Covenant Why Christ must be God Psal. 3 4. Mark 14.33 34. Hos. 13.14 Joh. 2.19 Eph. 2.1 2. Christ must be Man Exod. 34.7 Rom. 5.18 19. Dr. Manton 4 Vol. p. 1084. Levit. 25.23 26. Ver. 47.48 * The Dr. saith Adam Joh. 1.16 Gen. 27.14 Ark of the Covenant p. 76. Joh. 10.30 Job 9.33 The Work of Christ as Mediator 1 Tim. 2.5 Heb. 9.15 Christ called or authorized to be a Mediator Psal. 89.3 Isa. 42.1 6 Christ comply'd with the Father's Demands Joh. 10.18 Eph. 2.14 16. Col. 1.20 Christ as Mediator has interest in both Parties Christ a Well-wisher to Peace Isa. 9.6 Phil. 2.6 7 Heb. 5.7 Gal. 3.13 Christ as Mediator of a yield-and condescending Spirit Heb. 5.8 Joh. 7â— 8. Christ as Mediator cloathed with power 1 Cor. 1.24 Ps. 80.17 Isa. 63.1 Isa. 61.1 Dan. 7.24 Joh. 16.33 Rev. 2.21 Luke 4.18 John 5.25 Eph. 2.1 Ps. 110.3 Rom. 8.7 Hos. 13 14 1 Cor. 15 55. Jude 1. Christ as Mediator is to reconcile both Parties one to the other See Mr. Dan. Williams's Book Christ a patient Mediator Rom. 8.32