THE Doctrine OF THE COVENANT OF REDEMPTION Wherein is laid the Foundation of all our HOPES and HAPPINESS Briefly Opened and Improved By Samuel Willard Teacher of a Church in BOSTON Psal 89. 3. I have made a Covenant with my Chosen I have Sworn to David my Servant Boston Printed by Benj. Harris over-againâ—â—â—e 5wordâ—-House 1â—92 To the Reader THE Great and Glorious God who has an absolute Dominion over his Creatures might had he pleased have dealt with Men in a way of Soveraignty only requiring Duty and Obedience from them without any promise of reward But he has seen Good to transact with them in a Covenant way There are but Two Covenants essentially differeing which the Most High has made with men Viz. That of Works And that of Grace The first Covenant which man whilst in Paradise was concerned in is rightly termed a Covenant of Works because Works or Doing was the Condition of it Thiâ— was soon broken and so made Null 〈◊〉 then the Lord out of his Infinite Goodness was pleased to establish another Covenant The first was made with a Righteous Pâ—â—son and so a Covenant of Worâ—â— between the Holy God and him This latter was made with sinners and is therefore a Covenant of Reconciliation And it is sitly stiled the Covenant of Grace Not but that there was Grace in the First Covenant for His Divine Majesty did infinitely condescend in binding himself to his Creature but to do thus to a fallen forlorn sinful Creature is by way of Eminent Grace The Scripture speaketh expresly of Two Covenants Gal 4. 24. And that not only as Diverse but as Opposite and differeing in their Natures The Law of Faith is set in direct opposition to the Law of Works Rom. 3. 27. For a man to find the Life of his hands to live by his own Righteousness and for him to depend solely upon the Righteousness of another that is of Jesus Christ for Life and Salvation are contrary things And from thence it is impossible for a man to be under both the Covenants at the same time he cannot be the Child of two Mothers the Child of Hagar and of Sarah too That the Covenant of Grace has for the substance of it been the same in all Ages differing only in Circumstances as to the manner of dispensations is denied by the Old Pelagians and by Socinians Arminians and some Baptists at this day But the Scripture assureth us That Believers under the Old-Testament were not made perfect without us Heb. 11. 40. They we are saved by the same Christ by the same Covenant the Mediator of the Covenant has always been the same Yesterday to day for ever the same The Son of God was an Intercessor for his People before his Incarnation Zach. 1 12. Believers under the Old-Testament were secured by him Neither is there salvation in any other If then the Partriarchs were saved as we know they were it was by Jesus Christ No man was ever saved since the world began but by him Under the Old-Testament Faith in Christ was necessary in order to Justification Salvation To him give all the Prophets Witness that through his Name whoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Promises which do concern Spiritual and Eternal as well as Temporal blessings were made to Old-Testament believers Our Saviour proveth that the bodys of Saints shall have a Glorious Resurrection to Eternal Life from the Covenant made with Abraham They of old Looked for a City which has Foundations whose maker and builder is God Which if Heaven and not Temporal Blessings only had not been Promised them they would not have done Now if there is an Identity as to the Mediator the Condition the promises of the Covenant made with Believers in the days of the Old Testament and of the New the Covenant must needs be effectually the same When therefore by the Old the New-Covenant that of Works and of Grace are intended the distribution is of the Genus into its Species But when the Covenant of Grace as under the Legal or Evangelical dispensation is meant so it often is in the Scripture the distinction is of the same subject according to its various adjuncts There is another Covenant which that of Grace is built upon Viz. The Covenant of Redemption That there have been blessed Transactions between God the Father and the Son from the Days of Eternity concerning the Salvation of the Elect is a glorious Truth which not the light of nature but only the written word of God has revealed That speaketh of Gods Purpose and Grace given us in Christ Jesus before the world began and of Eternal Life promised before the world began These transactions were Foederal The father said of the Son im Tasim si posuerit If he shall make his Soul an offering for Sin Isa 53. 10. Whatever is required to a compleat formal Covenant between two distinct Persons is to be affirmed concerning what has passed between God and Christ with respect unto the Redemption of those that were from Eternity given to him Articles of Agreement to speak after our Nature have been concluded accepted and exactly kept unto by them both On this account the Lord Christ is said to be a Surety He is not only Fidejussor but Expromissor He has so undertaken to answer for his Elect as that they were many of them set at liberty before the price of their Redemption was actually payed that by vertue of this Covenant wherein the Father did take the word of his Son Jesus Christ that the thing should in due time be performed As to the Efficacy of his Death He was slain from the Foundation of the World Believers that dyed in the beginning of time went to heaven because the Son of God had promised to lay down his life to satisfy divine justice in their behalf Concerning the Covenant of Grace this Author has Published a judicious Treatise ten years since whereby the Churches have been edified He has here with the like solidity discoursed on the Covenant of Redemption shewing himself a workman that needs not be ashamed The Reader will find therein Gospel Mysteries with Brevity and yet Perspicuity which is rare explained confirmed applyed so as that both Learned and Unlearned God has made us Debtors unto both may thereby be built up in their most Holy Faith in some more disputable Points He expresseth his own Judgement without reflecting on those whom He differs from It has been controverted amongst very Learned men whether it is consistent with the Rectoral Holiness of that God who cannot look upon iniquity to pardon sin without satisfaction made to his injured justice Grotius Vossius Voetius Turretin Heidan and of our own Divines the great Owen and Mr. Burgess have inclined to the Negative in the Question mentioned But others of great name and worth and in particular Dr. Twiss concerning whom our Mr. Norton in his Life of Mr. Cotton does
truly affirms that he was if any of this age a Star of the first Magnitude are for the Affirmative with whom the Worthy Author does concur but with such Modesty and Cander as no Ingenious person tho' of a differing Sentiment can be offended at him In Questions so Extrafundamental as long as the best of us know but in part we may to use Austins expression be diversly perswaded Salva side et Caritate Now the God of truth bless these endeavours for glory to his own Name the edification of his People and the rejoicing of his Servant and Grant that both Speaker and Hearers Writer and Readers may have Joy together in the Day of Christ Boston New-England February 6th 1693. Increase Mather CHAP I. An Introduction THE Unparallel'd and Incomprehensible Love of God to Sinful Man displayed in the wonderful Affair of his Redemption and Salvation is the great thing celebrated in the Scriptures and is that which invites our most frequent and raised Meditations Paul therefore prays for his Ephesians that they together with all Saints might be able to comprehend it Eph. 3. 17 18 19. Nor is there one passage in this whole Transaction but what is admirable and precious it being the foundation of our hope to enjoy Eternal Life who are by Nature Children of Wrath and but for it the whole forefeited Race of Adam must have perished hopelesly and everlastingly The Contemplation of this is truly surprizing Time is too short Eternity but long enough to spend in the Survey of it This Love is a Fountain which sprang up in and runs down to Eternity It never knew a beginning nor shall ever come to an end Now there are two general heads unto which our Speculation of this Glorious Mystery may be reduced 1. The Provision which God made for our deliverance before time in the days of Eternity 2. The things which are done in time for the actual Accomplishment of it They that would Search the Love of God to the Original and follow it up to the Well-head of it must ascend beyond the Creation of the World and look for it in that Eternity which had no Beginning Not only the things that he hath done for us but the thoughts also which he had of us do Recommend his Transcendent Good Will unto us the Meditation of them was very choise to David Psal 139. 17. That God bare Love to his People of Old He Himself assures them Jer. 31. 3. These Thoughts of his had lain hid from us but that he was pleased to Reveal them to us in his Word from whence we must borrow our Information and it is our Duty and will be our Advantage to enquire into it so far as we have Scripture Light to direct us The former of these is that which is Designed in the Ensuing Treatise by Divine Assistance and in truth all our Speculations about the latter will be dark short and confused except we trace them hither We shall neither know where our Salvation began nor what Security there is for it or how to act our Faith aright about it Here is the Idea or Exemplar of all that is done in bringing of Fallen Man to Glory here is the Ratification or Establishment of the whole concern here we are acquainted with the leading Causes to and unfailing Assurances of the Vocation Justification and Glorification of all Gods Chosen Ones for here we find the first Link of that Chain and that which fastens all Rom. 8. 29 30. The best and most suitable notion under which this great Affair may be represented to us for our Information and satisfaction is that of a Covenant which being of so much use among men is the more easily understood and because it carries in it the strongest confirmation of things that Humane Nature is capable of must needs be most accommodated to the establishing of our Faith Nor is this a meer notion of mans Invention but that which hath clear and firm footing in the Word of God as will in its due place appear Now this Covenant is by some Divines called the Covenant of Suretyship by others the Covenant of Redemption because there was in it a full Suretyship given for and a firm Compact made about the Redemption of a number of Mankind in order to their Salvation The enquiry into and right stating of the Doctrine of this Covenant is of excellent advantage for our better understanding of the whole tenour of the Scriptures the avoidance of many pernicious Errors which the ignorance of it hath given advantage to take rooting among such as call themselves Christians the true apprehension of the Terms of the Gospel Covenant and the comforting of the Hearts of Gods Children against the many Temptations which assault them I shall therefore as God shall please to assist me endeavour to pursue it in this method 1. To state the right notion of this Covenant 2. To prove from the Word of God that there is such a Covenant 3. To Explain it in those several things wherein the special nature of it may be rightly concerned 4 To shew the necessity of it in order to Fallen Mans Salvation 5. To shew the Influence which it hath into the Covenant of Grace which is made with us 6. To draw some practica Inferences from it CHAPTER 2. The right Notion of the Covenant of Redemption Stated THere are two enquiries apt to be made about a matter of Discourse viz. Ansit and Quidsit whether the thing be and what it is If the thing it self be taken for granted to be the former is Superseded but it it be Suspected it must be Cleared and either of these seems to claim the Precedency for though words be to signify things yet they are often Dark Ambiguous Aequivial and till we know what they Indigitate how shall we determine whether the thing be And yet on the other hand till we are satisfied that the thing is it is superfluous to enquire into the nature of it lest our dispute should prove to be about a non entity To avoid both of these I shall here only give some brief general account of the thing intended by the Covenant of Redemption in order to the proof of the Assertion that there is such a thing leaving the full explanation of it till afterwards Let it then be here observed It is certain that the whole concern of Mans Redemption and Salvation had it consideration and determination in Gods eternal Decree It is a sure rule That whatsoever God doth in time he purposed to do it before time for he worketh all things according to the counsel of his will Eph. 1. 11. God is a wise Agent he must therefore know his own works and this knowledge must be eternal or else it could not be Divine Acts 15. 18. Known unto God are his works from the foundation of the world He is a free Agent and so he doth nothing but what he will do And that will had no
beginning being Immutable Job 23 13. he is of one mind and who can turn him Now although the Decree of God be with respect to him Decreeing but one simple and undivided act yet in reference to the things Decreed it is various or hath many parts in it for which reason the scripture speaks of many thoughts and many purposes of his Among these Decrees Those of Predestination deserve to be peculiarly remarked by us because they contein in them the Idea of that special government by which God leads all reasonable creatures to an everlasting state of happiness or misery And among these that of Election carries in it matter of singular and eminent comfort to all true believers who by the knowledge of their Faith come to be acquainted with their Interest in and Title to it In which Decree of Election there was not only the designation of the end unto which the Creature was appointed but also the laying out of the whole way in which they were to be brought unto the Attainment of that end The end to which men are appointed by Election is Eternal Life That which is the end of our Faith is the Design of Gods Election and that is our Salvation 1 Pet. 1. 9. Among the means that which shines forth most illustriously is mans deliverance from Sin and Wrath by the Obedience of Christ who is the Eternal Son of God and in fulness of Time was made man in order to his Redeeming of us This way of mans Redemption had a room in Gods Eternal Purpose Our Election therefore was in him and that before the Creation Eph. 1. 4. Not that Christ as Mediator was the Meritorious procuring Cause of our Election but because in and by him we were to be made partakers of all the benefits which were to be the Fruits of this Electing Love to us Hence then the Son of God was appointed to do those things for us which were to procure all these benefits to be bestowed on us and for this reason is he said to be Slain from the Foundation of the World Rev. 13. 8. not that he was actually so but because of the Designation of it and so the Apostle expounds it 1 Pet. 1. 20. who was verily Foreordained before the Foundation of the World This Article in the Decree is in the Scripture represented unto us under the notion of a Covenant between God the Father and God the Son as will appear afterwards together with the reason why it is exhibited under such a notion So that by the Covenant of Redemption under our consideration we are to understand An Everlasting Compact clearly made and firmly Ratified between God the Father and God the Son about the Redemption and Salvation of a number of the Children of Men and this is a Covenant distinct from that which we call the Covenant of Works which past between God and Man at the first in Adam as also from the New Covenant or that of Grace which is Indented between God and Man in Christ as the Mediator of it This is the thing about which our Enquiry is and which may be laid open in the Sequel CHAP. 3. Scripture Evidence that there is such a Covenant of Redemption THat the Word of God doth not in Terms mention such a Covenant by such a Title must be acknowledged but that it doth give us the account of a Covenant which cannot be Interpreted of any other yea which fully amounts to the thing may safely be affirmed We read Psal 89. 3. I have made a Covenant with my Chosen I have Sworn to David my Servant There are divers Texts in Scripture especially in the Old Testament which have a double reference partly to the Type partly to the Antitype or to the Antitype under the Type This Psalm is one of those portions of Scripture in which David is made a notable Type of Christ Him therefore it mainly aims at The Covenant with him is here made the foundation of all Consolation to the People of God Here then we have 1. The Subject Matter viz. A Covenant 2. The firmness of it I have made Hebr. Cut alluding to that Custome mentioned in Jer. 34. 18. which was a solemn ratification and I have Sworn noting the Immutability of it according to Heb. 6. 17 18. 3. The Parties in it God on the one hand I God is the Speaker Christ on the other hand expressed in two words My Chosâ—n noting both his Excellency and his Election David my Servant which must needs ultimately aim at Christ as many Expressions in the Psalm will undeniably evince especially those in verse 19. 22 verse 28 29. 35 36. Christ is therefore elsewhere called David see Jer. 30. 9. Ezek. 34. 34 37. 24. and if we would know what Covenant this is the Context clearly indicates it to be that which concerns the Redemption and Salvation of the People of God for it was that wherein he was made helpful to his People verse 19. wherein he was Anointed to his Offices of a Mediating Redeemer verse 19 20. made Gods First-born verse 27. and hath an abiding Seed verse 36. we also read Zech. 6. 13. The Counsel of Peace shall be between them both which clearly points to this Covenant under consideration But I shall essay a little more particularly to make the thing evident I will not here insist upon the opening of the nature of a Covenant in general having done it in another Treatise the sum whereof is That it is a mutual obligation between two parties That which I have now to do is to make it manifest that there is such a transaction between those two glorious persons which amounts to or is suitably expressed by a Covenant and that with respect to fallen mans Redemption In order to the clearing up of which let it be observed That God in discovering of his mind to us is pleased to accommodate his language to our capacity clothing divine truths with such words as may best suit our understandings When therefore we say there is such a Covenant it intends that there is that which is Analogous unto and holds a full proportion with such a thing and is best accommodated to our understanding and faith by such a resemblance For evidence of this let us lay together these particulars and they will amoun to a Demonstration 1. That God hath from all Eternity Elected a number of Mankind to Glory The Scripture is so full and clear for this that it would be superfluous to insist upon it This is the beginning of all saving good which comes to any of the Children of Men. From hence it is that Salvation takes its rise Eph. 1. 3 4 5. 1 Thes 1. 4. 5. Hitherto is the application of grace in Effectual Vocation restrained Acts 13. 46. Ro. 11. 7. and what else can be designed in that Everlasting Love that God bears to men from whence their Conversion proceeds Jer. 31. 3. nor can all the Evasions of men elude the