Part 2. CHAPTER IX.
James Dodson
The 13. Argument, from the necessity of God’s call. 2. Of Typical sprinkling of the blood of the Covenant, and of the Testament: The place, Heb. 13:20. the blood of the everlasting Covenant opened. Of the place, Heb. 7:22. the act of suretyship, the assurance of our state.
He who took not on him to be Priest and King, but upon the call of God must be made Priest and King by Covenant.
An Argument 13. is taken from the necessity of this Covenant of Redemption.
1. From the call of God: Christ took not on him to be a Priest, nor did he glorify himself to be made an High Priest, but that he said unto him, Heb. 5. Thou art my Son, today have I begotten thee: That is, I have ordained thee to have the honourable calling of the High Priest. The Apostle also, Heb. 1. applieth this in part to the eternal generation of the Son: And Act. 13:33. the Apostle applies this to Christ’s rising from the dead, because in these two latter, manifestly appears the God Head of the Son, in that he is true High Priest, who, by offering himself hath taken away our sins, which only God can do. In the other, Rom. 1:4. He is declared to be the Son of God with power,—by the resurrection from the dead. He who took not upon him to be High Priest while God called him, and neither took upon him to be King, while God called him, and said, Psal. 2:6. I have Anointed him my King, upon my holy Hill of Zion, and willingly consented to the call of God, to be King and Priest. He must be made Priest and King by Covenant between him and God: for Priests and Kings were called by Covenant, Mal. 2. v. 5; 2 King. 11:17; 2 Sam. 5:3.
2. It is necessary that the promises that are our Writs and Charters, of Heaven be in a surer hand than in our own, to wit, in the keeping of Christ: For this is an absolute promise made to us, Ezek. 36:26. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you, and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh. This promise is not formally made to Christ, yet it is a special Covenant-promise, Jer. 31; Ezek. 11; Heb. 8. for there is no stony heart in Christ, yet the promise is laid down in him, and made to him, eminenter [eminently]; for by the merit of his blood (for he sanctified the people with his own blood, Heb. 13:12.) he sprinkles many Nations, Isai. 52:15. Some say, as Calvin, Luther, Musculus, by the Preached Gospel: But it is clear, he alludeth to the Law of sprinkling, Exod. 24:8. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the Covenant which the Lord hath made with you, concerning all these words. Now of that blood it is said, Exod. 24:6. And Moses took half of the blood (of the oxen that the young men of the children of Israel offered, v. 5.) and put it in basons, and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.
The sprinkling of the Altar with blood.
(1.) The half of the blood was divided betwixt the altar and the people, to note. (say the English Divines) the mutual stipulation of God (of Christ God the true Altar) to his people, and his people to him, who were atoned and made one by the blood of Christ, v. 7.
The sprinkling of the Book with blood.
(2.) Moses took the book of the Covenant, and red it in the audience of the people: Not the Book of the Covenant of the ten Commandments, for Moses had not as yet brought the two Tables of Stone containing the ten Commandments, down from the mountain. Then it was the Book of the Judicial Laws and Promises, Heb. 9:19. For when Moses had spoken every Precept to all the people according to the Law: he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water (lest the blood should thicken and congeal, nor being mixt with water, noting also some other mysteries, 1 Joh. 5:6, 8.) and scarlet, wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the Book and all the people. Its true there is no mention of wool and hyssop and scarlet, Exod. 24. but the Author to the Hebrews adds nothing of his own to Moses: for there’s a ground for these, Num. 19:6. and Moses speaks not of the sprinkling of the Book, but the Book lying upon the sprinkled Altar was also sprinkled with blood; for saith the Holy Ghost, Heb. 9:22. Almost all things are by the Law purged with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. There was no guiltiness in the Book, but these written Lawes and Ceremonies were the hand-writing of Ordinances which was against us, which was contrary to us: which Christ by his bloody death behooved to blot out, take out of the way, and nail to His Cross, Colos. 2:14.
How the Covenant is a Testament.
But another Question riseth, Exod. 24:6. What needed the sprinkling of the people with one half of the blood, and the sprinkling of the Altar, that is Christ the Mediator, with the other; For, 1. Neither the work of dying to redeem man can be divided between Christ and the people: nor needed Christ, our true Altar, forgiveness of sins.
Ans. The typical sprinkling of the people is expounded, Heb. 9:14. the purging of the conscience from dead works to serve the living God, & to obey the Gospel, 1 Pet. 1:3. But the sprinkling of the Altar Christ with the blood, is a far other thing: So the Holy Ghost, Heb. 9. He who is constitute the Mediator of a Testament, his death must intervene to ratify and make valid, in Law, the Testament. v. 16, 17. That the friends of the Testator may have right to the goods that are bequeathed to them in the Testament.
But Christ is the Mediator of the New Testament, v. 15. Ergo, &c. Now we are to know that Christ’s dying is considered;
1. As a paying of ransom for captives, by which, in Law and by way of merit, the ransom of the blood of God exceedeth the worth of the bought captives, or the crime committed by the captives; and so Christ’s death meriteth to his friends ransomed righteousness, life, pardon.
We have right to the goods bequeathed to us in a Testament not simply as a Testament, but as such a Testament in which the death of the Testator in the meritorious cause of the goods tested.
2. His dying is considered as a Testament of a dying friend. Now the living friends, by virtue of a Testament as a Testament, have not jus and right by buying and selling to the goods tested. The essence and nature of a Testament is saved, whether the goods that are bequeathed in legacy be the free gift of the Testator, not bought with a price by him, or goods of the father of the friend, to which the friend being a German-brother hath as good right or the same right, by birth, that the Testator hath.
However: the comparison holds in this. Christ
(1.) hath bequeathed to believers these goods.
(2.) The Testament is no Testament, nor valid in Law, except the Testator be dead. No man can sue by Law tested goods, if the Testator himself be living; Nor can we have right to a new heart, forgiveness, perseverance, eternal life, to grace and glory, except Christ our Testator had died. But because the Tested goods are more than goods left to us in Testament; they are left to us by such a Testament as is both a Testament and a death perfectly meritorious (this is superadded to the nature of a Testament and beyond all Testaments) yea a death which is a price to ransom us from the wrath to come; Therefore Christ so dying in our stead, of justice meriteth that the friends should have these goods, though they belong by mere grace and free promise, to the friends. Now this is a most clear ground: Christ hath a well purchased right by giving a condign price for the goods and blessings promised in the Covenant of Grace to us: This right he hath by paying a price, laying down his life for us. This buying is not by necessity of nature, of justice, but by a voluntary, free and uncompelled agreement and Covenant, Joh. 10:18; Isai. 53:6. No man can exact upon him, Psal. 89:22.
The Testament is confirmed by blood of some living creature slain.
(2.) If the Old Testament was confirmed by the blood of beasts, then must the New Testament be confirmed by the blood of Christ prefigured in these. But the Old Testament was so confirmed, Heb. 9. v. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. Ergo, now neither Testament nor Covenant was confirmed by blood simply, but by the blood of a living creature slain.
3. Hence the making of a Covenant was by cutting a calf or a beast in twain, and passing between the parts thereof, Jer. 34:18. and so they entered into a curse, Nehem. 10:29. devoted themselves to destruction, wishing they might be cut in twin [two] (which is a strange kind of death, Math. 24:51.) if they should break the Covenant. Hence the Phrase of striking a Covenant. So the Romans slew a sow: So the Romans and Albani [i.e., their enemies] made a Covenant, as Livius. A Herauld or Officer at Arms slew the beast and prayed a curse on the people of Rome, that they might be the same way stricken, if they should break the Covenant.[1] Its like they had it from the Jews. So Christ died to ratify and confirm the Covenant, Exod. 24:6. This is the blood of the Covenant. Now the Covenant hath no blood. This blood of slain beasts (for it is a figurative speech) is a sign confirming the Covenant that believers shall have remission of sins in that blood of Christ which is shadowed forth by the blood of these beasts. So Christ the great Shepheard of the flock, Heb. 13:20. is said to be brought from the dead, ἐν αἵματι, by the blood of the everlasting Covenant. [Franciscus] Junius, the Article is understood: Or as the Hebrew Phrase, ב is put for ἐν, as [John] Calvin and [Johannes] Piscator.
The question may be, How did God bring Christ again from the death by the blood of the everlasting Covenant, had the blood of Christ any influence to bring himself back from the dead? Or did he, by dying, merit his own resurrection?
Ans. Some read the word thus, and shun the Question, The God of peace who brought again from the dead the great shepherd of the sheep: Understanding, ὄντα [who], being the great shepherd or feeder, by the blood of the everlasting Covenant. So Beza, who makes these words, ἐν αἵματι [by the blood], to be referred to ποιμένα [shepherd]: So as Christ’s right to be Pastor is in, and by his blood and suffering. And, the words, ἐν αἵματι [by the blood], so is not to be constructed with the particle, ἀναγαγὼν [brought again]: But Beza confesseth, that he changed the situation of the words.[2] But if Christ be made a Pastor and feeder of the sheep by the blood of the eternal Covenant: then is he called to be a Pastor by Covenant. And what influence hath his death in his Pastoral Office? Is it by way of merit? Or did Christ merit to himself? Hardly, if not curiously, can we say that, though I nothing doubt but Christ gave perfect obedience as man to the Covenant of Works, and he did merit as man, jure operum [the right of works], life eternal, the way that Adam should have merited life eternal, so he had never fallen. But the words naturally bear this sense, as [Giovanni] Diodati expounds them, that Christ is risen by virtue of his death: As it is well said, the just surety hath right and Law to come out of prison, by paying the sum, and neither Justice nor Creditor can keep him in prison: solutus aere est solutus carcere [released from debt, released from prison].
Christ justified in his cause comes out of the prison of the grave, by paying of the ransom of blood.
Christ having satisfied our debt, and paid the ransom of his blood to the death, and being dead, and under the dominion of death by justice, is freed from either remaining in death, or dying anymore; he is now justified, not in his person, for Christ in person was habitually righteous, and from the womb, Luk. 1:35. τὸ ἀγίον, That holy thing Jesus was sinless, and so never condemned, but justified in his cause and in his condition by Law for us, and so appeareth, ἐκ δευτέρου χωρὶς ἁμαρτίας, the second time without sin unto salvation [Heb. 9:28.]; the second time without sin, hath relation to the first time, without sin, that is, he shall appear the second time no less without sin, and so justified in regard of his condition in Law, then he was, when he was conceived by the Holy Ghost, and so that eminently holy thing born of the Virgin Mary, Luk. 1:35. that is, as justified as if he had never been made sin, and never had been under the Law-burden of our sins, as Isai. 53:6. And 1 Tim. 3:16. ἐδικαιώθη ἐν πνεύματι, He was justified in the Spirit, declared to be just, and the innocent Son of God, by his resurrection from the dead, Rom. 1:4. so that in the Spirit, is, in the eternal Spirit, Heb. 9:14. the Godhead: For he came from under that act and band of Cautionary and Suretyship without sin, that is, acquit from sin, which he was made, and was laid upon him, 2 Cor. 5:21; Isai. 53:6.
Christ is not a surety by nature, but is made a surety by a Covenant-consent of Jehovah, and by his own consent.
4. We know, Heb. 7:22. Jesus, γέγονεν ἔγγυος, He was made the Surety of a better Covenant, as the LXX. ever translate it, of a better Testament.
Now here is a judicial and a Law-act of suretyship put upon Christ.
(1.) He was made Surety, then he was not Surety by nature, but so made by a free transaction and Covenant. For in Christ’s coming under that act, when he was made Surety, there be two things:
[1.] His eternal condescending to take on him our nature, and to empty himself and be a servant.
[2.] His agreeing and plighting of his faith and truth to take on our condition in Law, that God should lay upon him the iniquity of us all, Isa. 53:6. and that God should make him who knew no sin, to be sin for us, ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν [in our stead], in our Law, place and room, 2 Cor. 5:21. not against his Father’ will, nor yet without his own free consent. That is against all reason: For that which God made Christ, that he was not by nature, but that God willingly made him, and that he was willingly and by free Covenant made. But God gave him a body, Heb. 7:5. and God made him sin, ἁμαρτίαν ἐποίησε, 2 Cor. 5:[21]. So a Surety is one that promises to satisfy for another, and comes from a Verb which signifies to promise by striking of hands, Prov. 22:26. Be not thou among them that strike hands, or, of them that are surety for debts. The Seventy, give not thyself, εἰς ἐγγύην [in surety], as a Surety. Aries Montan. Inter percutientes fide jubendo [among those who strike in faith I command]. The Verb in the Hebrew [עָרַב; give in pledge] is from a root [עֵרֶב; a mixture, or mixed company] that signifies to mix together: as the owl light, when light and darkness after the Sun-set are mixed together. And by a Metaphor it notes suretyship and mixture of persons, as M. [Edward] Leigh: when one is tied for another, and mixed with him in his place.
That Christ was made a surety in a Capital crime to die for us, is suitable to the Law of nations.
As Christ put himself in the bond and writ of blood that we were in: We were in the Law-writ, Deut. 27:26. under a curse, and Christ shifted the believers out, and was made a curse by his own consent for us, Gal. 3:10. and was written and acted in the Law-book the sinner, and answered all the demands of Law and Justice, and put in our names in the Gospel. writ: And that from everlasting, God was in Christ, Θεὸς ἦν ἐν Χριστῷ, reconciling the world (of the elect) not imputing their sins unto them, 2 Cor. 5:19. And in time we believing, are written blessed and righteous in him, Gal. 3:13, 14; 2 Cor. 5:21. And what could more be done by Christ, who substitute himself by Covenant in our place, and put us in his place? Nor is this Suretyship just in debts only, but also whatever [Faustus] Socinus, [Johannes] Crellius, and others say on the contrary, in Capital punishments. For Mr. Thomas Goodwin [Support of faith from Christ’s Resurrection. c. III.], page 51. Eucritus did (ἠξίωσεν ἐγγυήσασθαι) willingly become a surety for Euephenus.[3] Yea, and in hostages and pledges in war, Plutarch faith, that the Thessalians slew two hundred and fifty hostages. The Romans (saith Livy) did the like to three hundred of the Volsti, and cast the Taratines over rocks, de saxo Tarpeio [down on the Tarpeian rock]: and these were humane people. The children of Tyrants were killed with the Tyrants, by some Cities of Greece, as Cicero, and Halicarnaseus say. Curtius [i.e., Quintus Curtius Rufus] saith, that the Macedonians put to death such as were near of blood to traitors: Marcellinus saith so much also of the Persians.
How mercy calleth by a sort of need for a surety.
The just Lord punishing the sins of the fathers upon the children, to the third and fourth generation, teacheth, that conjunction of blood (such as was between Christ our Kinsman. גּוֹאֵל [Goel; kinsman-redeemer] Job 19:25. and us) may well make it most just, that Christ be punished for us, the Surety for the sinner, though the sinner be under the hand of the Judge; for he is unable to satisfy Justice, and mercy saith that there is no essential reason in Law-justice why the same head which sinned and no other should suffer. But grace may intervene, so that though God need no surety, yet tender mercy, or God decreeing to show mercy, in some good sense, needs such a Surety as Christ.
Justice suits not that the debtor repay to the surety anything in some cases.
Neither is it much that justice saith that the Surety ought to have satisfaction made to him and restitution by the broken debtor, because justice gives his due to every man.
For (1.) if the surety be more than a man, and have absolute sovereignty over what he expends, as Christ hath over his own life, to lay it down, and take it up again, Joh. 10:18. As of free grace he paid for us, so of free grace he pleads not in Law that the broken man pay him back, and make restitution of his losses: and this saith demonstratively that God doth neither punish, nor show mercy, by necessity of justice.[4]
(2.) When the surety hath a band of relief, and as it were, a back-band, that his soul shall not be left in grave, Psal. 16:10. but that he shall be victorious and more, he may give out, and look for nothing in again.[5]
And the necessity of a surety to say, remove the scaffold, the guilty man shall not die, pleads, that if the Lord shall be merciful to sinners, as he decreed, then must Christ transact so with God, as the everlasting out-goings of mercy, may be with the free consent (as it were) of truth, and righteousness.[6]
Punishment suffered by a Surety can remove punishment from the guilty man, but cannot remove formally the inherent guilt, and make him formally and physically and inherently innocent, except the punishment of the Surety so excellent procure, by way of merit, the expelling of sin, and the incoming of inherent holiness in its room, as Heb. 10:10.
But it may be said, if Christ’s dying for sinners remove as a satisfactory punishment, the guilt and obligation to eternal wrath, what way is the real, and as it were, the physical inherency and essence of sin removed?
Ans. The obligation to wrath is removed only in a legal way by suffering of punishment due to sin, which Christ hath done; But the essence real of sin is only removed, as every other contrary is removed, by the expelling of sin out of its subject, and by introducing the contrary form, to wit, inherent righteousness, and the perfect habit of Sanctification and holiness. Now for this, Christ’s dying and suffering wrath due to us, suppose Christ should die a thousand thousand times for us, his dying cannot as a satisfying cause, or as a punishment remove this.
For (1.) a punishment suffered by our Surety can but exhaust and remove the punishment due to the sinner for whom the suretyship is undertaken.
But (2.) Christ’s dying cannot as a punishment remove sin as sin, and as contrary to the holy Law, and make us defiled wretches and servants of sin holy, as the paying of ten thousand Crowns for a forlorn waster, cannot make him to be no waster, and a man that hath obeyed the Law; only it makes that in Law the payment cannot be charged upon him.
What will of GOD, Heb. 10:10. sanctifieth us.
(3.) Christ’s transacting with God as our Surety is not only then merely to remove eternal punishment, but to purchase by the merit of his death the healing and sanctifying of our nature, Heb. 10:10. By the which will we are sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Then our Sanctification is procured to us by the will of God, not simply as his commanding will: for then should all and every one whom the Lord commands to be holy, 1 Pet. 1:16. be sanctified, which we see is not done: but by the will of the Father, commanding Christ to die, Joh. 10:18; Joh. 14:31. and the will of Christ offering himself once for a sacrifice for sin, is the will which sanctifies us. So [David] Pareus well saith, it is the will with its correlate, for in the willing passive obedience of Christ are we sanctified really by the merit of his death, though this be wrought by degrees.
[2.] Since the Father consents and wills that Christ die, and the Son willingly offers himself a sacrifice, the number (as judicious and Godly M. [David] Dickson hath well observed on the place [Exposit. of the Epistle to the Hebrews, cap. 10. v. 10.]) and these all, for whom Christ offered himself, were condescended upon betwixt the Father and the Mediatour. God knew those whom he gave to the Son, to be ransomed: and Christ knew those whom he bought. And the necessity of this Covenant appears in this, that the comfort cannot be solid, if a child of God never have any assurance of his being gifted of the Father to the Son in particular.
For two things are clear here. 1.) That the Lord knows who are his, 2 Tim. 2:19. and that, if God gave some to the Son, as Joh. 17. then the Son received them in a certain number. And if Christ bought them by Covenant, he must know how many: As one who buys a flock, but he knows the quality and number of the flock.
Solid comfort in knowing these number of these gifted to the Son, & I am one of them.
2.) The knowledge sometime shall be this distinct, that I was by name among them, who loved me, and gave himself for me. And as the offering of every Priest is by way of Covenant and promise, so, if a sacrifice, in the faith of the great sacrifice, be offered to God, then will God accept it (here is a Covenant) so is the Body of Christ offered by the Covenanting-will, Heb. 10:10. And any doubt that may, or doth arise concerning yourself by name:
1.] It may as well be moved, in some respect, against the whole number, and no wise man will say that the bargain betwixt the Father and the Son was so blind, as the number was not agreed upon. For since all the bought are sinners, and so inclined to sinful doubting of the bargain, that, which as a doubt is moved by one, may be moved by all severally, and all severally denying themselves to be the men for whom Christ bargained: By this sinful questioning of the transaction, none at all were agreed upon.
2.] Every doubting of God’s love to me once justified, and who have once fled to Christ for refuge, is grounded upon sin and unworthiness; now none were given by the Father to the Son from eternity upon respect of either faith, or unbelief, or holiness, or bad deserving: Its true, it is not known to me but by believing, that I was given Covenant ways to the Son.
Sin is no cause why a justified one should doubt of his justification.
3.] But the Question is, if sin be any ground why one justified should cashier himself out of the number of the gifted ones to Christ, and committed to the Mediatour. Its true, it should be mourned for as a thing that doth not a little hinder Sanctification in its progress, but should not brangle Justification, nor the faith of our interest in Christ.
Much of the Lord his gracious will is in the Covenant of suretyship.
4. The necessity of this Covenant appears, in that salvation is taken off free-will, and the slippery yea, and no, of free-will in the Covenant of Works, and laid upon one that is mighty, upon David, to govern Israel as their King; but Psal. 89:19. upon Christ (as excellently M. Dickson [in loco Psa. 89:19.]) in all respects more eminently then David, a stronger help, mighty to save, appointed of the Father in all cases,—he is one of our kind, taken out of the people, acquainted with our condition, &c. The less of the creatures will, and the more of God’s will, if gracious, as here, be in a Covenant, the better: Because the more grace and stability, even the sure mercies of David, that is, of Christ, Is. 55:3; Eze. 34:23; Eze. 37:24. must be here.
Christ the first heir of the promises undertakes for all his.
5. The well-head of salvation (for mere free-will and good pleasure in God, instituted this dispensation) must be here: And most eminent freedom of grace made the bargain; so that the Magna Charta, the great Charter of the Gospel, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, is here eminently, for mercy and free-love began at the head man. For the Covenant of Grace (as notably M. [David] Dickson [in loco Ps. 89. v. 26.]) is consolidated in Christ our head, and he hath the first right as man to say unto the Father, that which is here said, as Intercessour and Mediatour for the Elect; he shall cry unto me, thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation. As a father binds for his heirs and children: A King subscribes articles of peace and seals them for the land and subjects: The Ambassadour for the Prince and State that sent him, makes answer.
More grace (if we may compare) in the Redeemers Covenant, then in ours.
So Christ acts in the Covenant of Redemption for his heirs, seed, subjects, people; and if the comparison, might be made, Gospel-free-grace, as Covenant-mercy is more in the Covenant of Redemption, than in the Covenant of Reconciliation, for principally they are here as waters in the fountain.
Fountain-grace, and fountain-mercy in this Covenant.
Hence, in this Covenant, is fountain-love, fountain-grace, all the satisfaction that the Lord craves of sinners, begins at this spring, the old and eternal design of love in the heart of God toward his Son, his everlasting delight, the bosom darling and beloved of the Father, is the designed Prince, upon whose shoulder is the Government: Here was mutual love-delight acted by the Father and Son, Prov. 8:31. My delights were with the sons of men, even before the fountains of waters were created, v. 24. O what everlasting outgoings and issuings of eternal love came from the heart of the Father and the Son in their eternal Covenant-delights towards the sons of men; here was the eternal marriage of the Lamb the King’s eternal Son, and of the not as yet created Bride first written and sealed by the King and his Son, and our not knowing of this, and Gods delighting in us, when we little knew or dreamed of his eternal love, highness, his grace. Should the heart of God be taken, and (to speak so) be sick of love for so many Nothings, whom he was to make heirs? Far more being reconciled and justified we need not fear we shall be saved.
Here in this Covenant were first drawn the lineaments and draughts of the free and gracious interest of Jesus Christ to the sons of men: And who should not wonder here at the purest fountain-grace that is in Jesus Christ, which did set on work eternal wisdom to frame such an eternal peace of God Covenanting with the Son of God, and love eternal hiring love eternal with the reward (to speak so) of the certain hope of enjoying a soul-satisfying seed, and a numerous off-spring of Redeemed ones, if love should die and triumph over justice, which was done by love.
God’s essential love to the Son in this Covenant.
6. There is here much of the eternal interest of JEHOVAH to the Son, and of the essential love of God to his only begotten Son, Prov. 8:24. When there was no depths, I was brought forth.—30. Then I was by him as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him. And they may that have been verified, Jer. 30:21. And their noble One shall be of themselves, and their Governour shall proceed from the midst of them, and I will cause him to draw near, and he shall approach unto me: for who is this that engaged his heart to approach unto me, saith the Lord? The love eternal here in JEHOVAH loves and wonders that Christ his Son lays hands upon his own heart to take upon him the Office of Redeemer and Priest: and the Lords saying, Who is this? is a note of love and wonder, as Psal. 24:8, 10; Isa. 63:1; Cant. 6:10. and that his heart closes with the Covenant-design.
The Covenant between the Lord and the Son, that Arminius teacheth, is not the true Covenant of redemption.
Obj. But Arminius himself also teacheth that there was a Covenant betwixt the Lord and Christ.[7] God required of Christ our Priest, that he would lay down his life for sin, give his flesh for the life of the world,—and he promised, if he should so do, he should see his seed, and be an eternal high Priest after the order of Melchizedek, and by the exercise of his Priestly Office, he should be exalted to a royal dignity. Christ our Priest closed with the condition, and said, Behold, here am I to do thy will, &c. And Socinians, who hold him to be a divine Man only, will agree that Christ was under an obediential Covenant to God.
Ans. Arminians and others may yield to a Covenant between the Father and the Son, but it is a far other thing then such as we hold: for Christ did close with the condition of laying down his life for sinners.
But when Christ hath ended his work, and paid the price of Redemption, laid down his life for Pharaoh, Cain, for Aegyptians, Syrians, Persians, Chaldeans, and all in whomever was the breath of life; yet cannot the Lord promise to Christ that he shall have any seed, or one redeemed one, nor can the Lord either promise or pay wages to Christ: For a promise, if sincere, is of things that are in our power to do, even among men. Can a King promise that tomorrow he shall cause the wind for seventy days to come, blow out of the North-West? Its not in his power. Now Arminians, Socinians, and all of that Family teach, that God hath no forceable antecedent dominion to bow and determine the free-will of any one man:
The Lord cannot promise by the Arminian way that Christ shall have a seed, because the Lord, by their way, hath no dominion over the free will of any man.
The Lord then no more can promise, nor give the reward of a seed to Christ, for his work of laying down his life for man, then he can engage that the Serpent (with reverence to our blessed Lord) shall see his seed. For when Christ hath wrought the same work, paid the same very ransom (as these Sophists teach) for millions that perish, through their own free-will, eternally: What seed hath he of them? Where is his wage? Were not all and every one of mankind promised in the Arminian Covenant, to be the gifted seed of Christ, upon condition that they should repent and believe? But Arminians deny that God doth promise faith, or that he is so Lord and Master of the free-will of any, as indeclinably and insuperably he can make good his promise, and cause them believe and persevere therein to the end, and that is it by which they are his seed. Its but said in vain that God promises they shall be Christ’s gifted seed, providing they be willing to believe: that is but to say, the Lord promises all shall be his seed, providing they shall be his seed: For willing believing makes them his seed.
(2.) By this also the Lord promises what is in men’s power to perform, and it might fall out that all and everyone should do the like that multitudes do, who perish eternally, and so shall Christ do his work, and enjoy no seed at all.
But the Covenant of suretyship which we teach, makes not the truth of God to depend upon our faith, or our unbelief; Yea the Lord promises that Christ without all fail, shall indeclinably see his seed, yea, and shall be the restorer of the Tribes of Jacob, and a light to the Gentiles, and the salvation of God to the ends of the earth, Isa. 49:6; Isa. 54. He shall be King and Lord of the Isles, Isa. 42:6, 7; Isa. 60:9; Psal. 2:8, 9. A Prince and a shepherd over his people, Ezek. 34; Ezek. 37:24, 25; Psal. 89:25. not upon condition they be willing, over whom he is set, but to meet with the temptation. Ah! my iron and rocky will shall still resist the Lord; and he shall be King of the Nations, if the Nations shall determine their own will to submit to him, and vote that he be Crowned King:
The Lord King of the will.
Nay, but the Covenant-promise saith, he shall be King of thy will. This is a part of his reign, Psal. 110:2. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. 3. Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, Deut. 30:6; Ezek. 11:19, 20; Ezek. 36:26, 27; Jer. 31:31, 32, 33, 34, 35; Jer. 32:39, 40. Neither can there be confidence and faith in God through the sure mercies of David, nor peace, nor solid consolation, nor warrant to pray for the Lord’s gracious bowing of the will to be his seed, except it be believed, Covenanted, that God shall be the God of his people, and their King, not over the element of the sea only to rule it, and over the mountains, and the stones, and rocks, but also over the particular wills, and the willing and nilling, choosing of good, and refusing of evil in the men of the Isles.
The Son cannot pray for the heathen to be his inheritance by the Arminian Covenant betwixt Christ and the Father.
And how could the Son pray, Father, give the inheritance of the Heathen to me, according to promise? Ask of me, and I will give thee, &c. Psal. 2. If the Father could answer nothing, but what Arminians and Socinians say he answers, as also, the believer out of the flesh’s weakness must dictate this return of prayer. Son, with good will, I grant the Heathen, and the ends of the earth to thee in heritage and possession, so they be willing to submit to thee: But, what if they refuse to obey either me or thee? I did never Covenant with thee, Son, to do more than I can, try thy strength, and force their free-will, if thou can; if they be willing, well, and good it is, there is a bargain: My approving and commanding will is that they be thy seed, and thy willing people; but my decree is not to Lord it over their will, that is a fundamental act of Government, that all my subjects have liberty of conscience, to will or nill, as they please. Nay, but the Covenant of Suretyship includes the sure mercies of David, and the Lord gives band, word, and writ, and seal of blood, and the Oath of God to the Son, Psal. 110:4; Heb. 7:21. for the will. Isa. 53:4. Behold I have given him for a witness of the people, a leader and commander to the people. But what if they will neither lead nor drive? Yea the Lord promises they shall not need to be driven, they shall be willing, and run. [v.] 5. Behold thou shalt call a Nation that thou knowest not, and Nations that knew not thee, shall run unto thee, because of the Lord thy God, and of the Holy One of Israel, for he hath glorified thee. And a strong reason of this is given, the Gentiles run; Whence comes this forwardness of the Gentiles who knew not God? Because (saith Isaiah) of Jehovah thy God (of Christ Mediatour) in Covenant with thee, Psal. 22:1; Joh. 20:20. because of thy God the Holy One of Israel: the running (saith [John] Calvin) noteth the efficacy of the calling, and they run to Christ, because of Jehovah, and the mighty power of God in the Man-Christ. Noteth because (saith Piscator.) And another reason, because he hath glorified thee, O Christ, he hath declared thee to be the Son of God by thy rising from the dead, ascension to heaven, given thee a Name above all names, Rom. 1:4; Phil. 2:7, 8, 9, 10. So [Wolfgang] Musculus, [Johannes] Piscator, [Augustin] Marlorat, [Rudolph] Gualther, [Giovanni] Diodati: So the running of the Gentiles to Christ is the glorifying of Christ, and a part of the reward; its Christ’s glory that he hath a seed that runs after him.
Christ both by free Covenant and by merit of condignity and justice may challenge a seed, they are both promised to him, and he gave a due price for them.
Then: And M. [David] Dickson [in loco Psal. 2.] upon these words, Ps. 2. Ask of me, after Christ’s resurrection and declaration of his formerly overclouded Godhead, he should continue in the Office of his Mediation and Intercession, and by virtue of his paid ransom of Redemption call for the enlargement of his purchased Redemption among the Gentiles, for this is the Fathers compact with the Son, saying, ask of me, and I will give thee, the Heathen; so that both by free Covenant and by merit, Christ challengeth a seed: and it were injustice in the Lord (with reverence and glory to his Holiness) to deny to Christ that for which he hath given a condign ransom and price: But he hath paid a condign Covenant-ransom of his own precious self, and offered blood for has seed.
Hence (1.) though a weak believer cannot by merit suit a bowed will and a circumcised heart from the Lord:
Yet [1.] may be suit it by the band of the Covenant of Redemption between Jehovah and the Son: and a Redeemed one may say, it was an Article of the Covenant of Redemption, that my stony heart should be taken away, and a heart of flesh given to me, and faith hath influence to be supported that God articled Covenant-ways such a wretch as I am, to Christ: and look, as the book of life, called, the Lamb’s Book of Life; contains so many by name, head, and in all their individual properties, Jacob, Paul, &c. that are written and enrolled for glory, so are all (and I by name) in a Covenant-relation given of the Father to the Son, Joh. 17:3, 9:11; Joh. 6:39. and that is surer than heaven or the fixed ordinances of nature, Jer. 31:35, 36; Psal. 89:37, 38. Happy such as can ride at this anchor: Though I mean not that the decree of election and the roll of the Mediatour to me, or the gracious Surety-Covenant between Jehovah and the Son, as relating to me by name, must be the nearest object of faith, or that always a believer doth read this roll; but his faith often is, and ought, and may be supported thereby.
There is mercy, in the bill of our suits & merit and justice in the bill of the suits of Christ for us.
(2.) Christ may suit, by virtue of both the Surety Covenant and by the justice of God, his condign merit to, me, a fixed will to run the way of his Commandments. Christ’s appearing with blood, Heb. 9. and his prayer as high Priest, Joh. 17. prove that, in Christ’s Bill for us, there is justice, the merit of blood, and that his Advocation is, 1 John 2:1. grounded upon justice, and he stands there as Jesus Christ, δίκαιος, the righteous without sin now imputed, not now made sin, nor made a curse, but by order of strict justice justified and righteous, and the act of Suretyship taken off, and as the hand-writing against us is cancelled upon the Cross, Col. 2.
Christ was delivered from the act of suretyship.
So the hand-writing of obliged punishment due to Christ as our Surety is removed, and he now justified in the Spirit, without sin, Heb. 9:28. Such a one as cannot die, Rom. 6:9; Rev. 1:18. and cannot die a death satisfactory for sin, because as believers cannot die the second death, Christ having died for them, neither can Christ suffer the second death again, or be twice a curse, for once he died for all. But our faith is so supported not a little in this, I dare not put merit or justice in my suits to God, but I believe it is, and must be in Christ’s bill, and that bill is for me: mercy, and only mercy is in the sinners bill, but the justice of a condign ransomer is in Christ’s suits, and so faith looks to Christ:
As [1.] having the first Covenant-right to heaven, as the great Lord receiver of the promises. And then we have a second right in him.
Christ hath the first right of us by justice, and more right then we have of ourselves.
[2.] Faith looks to Christ as having more right to us, because he hath the right of justice, then we have to ourselves; for its free-graces title which we have to ourselves, for we gave no ransom for ourselves, and we gave no ransom for eternal life: and therefore all the doubtings and acts of unbelief in order to the Surety of the Covenant, do resolve upon some apprehended breach between the Father and the Son, that either the one or the other, or both have failed to each other, and have broken the Articles of the Covenant, which is a reproaching of both the Father and the Son: So that nothing is more necessary then to believe firmly the Covenant-faithfulness of God.
Our doubtings, being once justified, reflect upon the Covenant of Suretyship.
[3.] What strong bands of believing and holy living have we from this Surety Covenant?
When 1.) goodwill and freegrace is become the engager of the faithfulness of God as he is true God, and with a Covenant-tie to keep sure our salvation, as he will be true to his Son, and so to himself and to his own Holy Nature, that we shall be saved, yea, and not that only, but by Office, as King and High Priest, he hath laid bands upon himself, and made it the duty of his Office to save us: So that any good man thinks his office of a King, and a Prophet, or a Priest, lays bands upon him to acquit himself faithfully in the charge;
Christ hath laid bands by office upon himself to compassionate us.
So that Christ’s sworn Office of High Priest lays bands upon him to compassionate as a feeling head, all his own, and to be touched with their infirmities: then must unbelief in these particulars say, we judge that Christ will not do his duty in his Office, and that he shall break his faith of Suretyship, and fail under his band of Suretyship.
Its needful to believe the sufficiency of Christ to save.
How needful then must the firm persuasion of complete qualifications and fullness of anointing of Christ for the complete discharge of his duty be? O! believe him to be the faithful High Priest, who expiates and heals you in all the measure, kinds, degrees, circumstances of time, place, of the particular transgressions you are guilty of, Psal. 103:3. Who forgiveth all thine iniquities: who healeth all thy diseases. And if a man judge himself engaged to go about such duties as his surety and ransom-payer in his name hath promised, far more are we to walk as the redeemed of the Lord, since there was an eternal Covenant-undertaking between Jehovah and the Son of God, that we should fulfill the undertaking.
The believed Covenant hath more influence on us then the Law-faith can have.
And sure it is, Law-faith or believing of Law-threatenings cannot have such influence upon our spirits to cause us obey the Law, as the motives of a concluded act of suretyship and closed compact between the Father and the Son, that we shall obey him: And indeed it is a meditation that morally and spiritually should obtain from us that we be holy as he is holy, and strongly melt the rocky heart. When we remembered that JEHOVAH, as a designed Surety, gave band for the heart of a sinner from eternity, and enters himself Cautioner for our rebellious will, it should put us to believe so much, and morally lay bands on our will.
The eternal undertakings of Jehovah & of Christ for us.
Q. How are we to conceive of the act of Suretyship?
A. Jehovah from eternity decrees that the Son be the designed person who shall take on our nature, and lay down his life for sinners: The Lord promises he shall have a redeemed seed for a reward.
In this offer Jehovah engages that we shall be Christ’s seed, and so shall be, by the immortal seed, born again, and shall believe and be gifted to Christ as saved; here Jehovah undertakes that we shall believe.
2. Christ agrees to the designed person: It is written of me, and so decreed of God from eternity, I delight to do thy will, I shall lay down my life for these given to me: And here the other party, Jesus Christ coming by his own consent to die, does also undertake,
(1.) In dying to ransom us from hell, and merit life to us, and make us his purchase.
So (2.) he being a Saviour by merit, he by his death purchaseth the Spirit, and meriteth the new heart, and so undertakes for us: in this regard, both parties undertake for us. And the Spirit being the same very God with the Father and the Son, also is by his own consent designed comforter and actor in his way by the anointing without measure, that he puts on the Man Christ, and the grace given to his members: But the only formal parties in the compact are the Lord Jehovah and the Son party consenting before time, and his Manhood in time becoming one who embraces the Covenant of Suretyship, and calls the Lord his God, Ps. 22:1; Joh. 20:17; Rev. 3:12; Isa. 55:5.
This Covenant answers our temptations.
Hence, if we employ faith, and hold out to the Lord the undertaking for us in the Covenant, there is an answer framed to all our temptations from our own frailty: As Adam and the Angels fell, and how can we stand? But God said never of them, as Psal. 89:19. I have laid strength upon one that is mighty: and Christ was no designed undertaker for Adam, nor was Adam to believe such a thing. Therefore it is fit to observe, that not only the Head Christ and the body changes names, as the body is called Christ, 1 Cor. 12:12. and Christ called David, Isai. 53:3; Ezek. 34; Ezek. 37:14. David my servant shall be King over them. So also many things in one Psalm are spoken of David, both in an Historical and Typical truth, as Psal. 22.
In one Psalm some things spoken only prophetically of Christ, other things historically and typically both of David & others.
But there are some things, Psal. 16. so spoken of David, that they are true only Typically of Christ, and spoken Prophetically, as David saith, Ps. 16:10. Thou will not leave my soul in grave, neither will suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. And the Apostle Peter denies that this can be exponed [expounded] of David, for Acts 2:26, 27, 28, 29, 30. and Paul, Acts 13:34, 35. And as concerning that God raised him from the dead, now no more to return to corruption: he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. Wherefore he saith also in another place, thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 35. But David after he had served his own Generation, by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption. And it is not to be doubted that the Prophecy, Psal. 22. They divided my garments, they pierced my hands and my feet, is only a Prophecy of Christ’s being crucified: Nor was ever David crucified. To say in another case David was crucified, will not help: for it might be said in another case David saw no corruption, for all believers are delivered from the dominion, curse, and sting of death. Hence, it may well be said, that same Psal. 89. must prove both the Covenant of Suretyship, and the Covenant of Grace: v. 3. I have made a Covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant; thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy Throne to all Generations.
That which is called David’s throne, is Christ’s throne.
Though it be called David’s Throne here, Luk. 1:32. yet we may freely speak of David’s Throne as of David’s body, both saw corruption: there is an end of David’s Throne temporal. But sure the Scripture calls it the Throne of Christ, Heb. 1:8. But unto the Son he saith, thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever. Luk. 1:33. And he shall reign over the house of Jacob, and of his Kingdom there shall be no end. Dan. 7:14. And there was given him Dominion, and Glory, and a Kingdom, that all Nations and Languages should serve him: His Dominion is an everlasting Dominion which shall not passe away, and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed. Isai. 9:7. Of the increase of his Government and peace there shall be no end: upon the Throne of David and upon his Kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice, from henceforth, even for ever.
Obj. But this Covenant is made to, and with David, that Solomon, and one of David’s line, shall sit upon David’s Throne, until the Messiah, the true beloved shall be born, 2 Sam. 7:12, 13.
Ans. Its true, and although these of David’s line sinned, yet by virtue of this Covenant, for David’s sake, God gave a Throne temporal to him, 1 King. 11:32, 34; 2 King. 8:19; 2 King. 19:34. But it is as true that this also, to wit, Christ’s everlasting Throne is here meant: I will build up thy Throne to all generations, for David’s Throne is not builded to all generations, nor can it be said of David’s Throne, which is said of this Throne. Heb. 1:8. But unto the Son, he saith, thy Throne, O God, is for ever and ever. Therefore this oath and promise is made to Christ as well as to David: except we say that an everlasting Throne is more properly the Throne of David, then the Throne of Christ.
The Covenant, Ps. 89 must in the main heads agree to Jesus Christ.
2. [Psalm 89:] 19. I have laid help upon one that is mighty, I have exalted one chosen out of the people. [20.] I have found David my servant. Most grave Divines (and it may be they gathered it from v. 38, 39, &c.) think that the Psalm was composed upon the occasion of the ten Tribes division from David’s house, as composed by Ethan, 1 King. 4:31. Others, that Ethan lived in the captivity of Babylon after David’s death: But the calamity seems greater than the division of the ten Tribes. Philo refers it to the time of Jehoiakim. Ambrose maketh the mighty to be Christ: So Eusebius and Hieronimus expound the whole Psalm. And our Divines say that the verity must be in Christ, for the help and deliverance of the new afflicted and captive people (for the like of this public desolation, as v. 38, 39, 40, &c. never befell David after he was King) cannot be laid on a dead man: And though he were now alive, the help of David’s fallen glory, v. 42, 43, 44, &c. must be the Messiah. Hence, the Covenant must be with him whose Throne is built for ever, and shall not fall, v. 3, 4. and upon whom as upon a mighty one is laid the help of his fallen Church: This is not David only (though he be not excluded) but Christ principally.
3. With him the Covenant must be made, in his way, as with Surety, Head, and Redeemer: upon whom the enemy shall not exact; whose enemies shall be plagued, v. 22, 23. and, whose enemies shall be made his foot-stool, Ps. 110:1, 2. and that is Christ, as well as David.
4. With him must the Covenant of Redemption be made in his way; of whom God saith, v. 25. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers. The Chaldee Paraphrase expounds his hand to be his power and command, which is to Euphrates: as is promised, Exod. 23:31; Num. 34:3. but fulfilled in David and Solomon, 1 King. 4:8. Solomon reigned from the sea of Sodom the red sea, to the Mediterranean sea, and west, and from Euphrates, to the utmost of Canaan, North and South: but specially in Christ, who hath all Nations, Gentiles and Jews, for his own, Psal. 2:8, 9; Psal. 22:27; Psal. 72:8, 9, 10, 11; Isai. 2:1, 2; Rev. 11:15. Christ Jesus, not David, Zech. 9:10. shall speak peace to the Heathen, and his Dominion shall be even from sea to sea, and from the river, even to the ends of the earth. The Angel and Creator of Angels, who set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot upon the Earth, Rev. 10:2. is this great Conquerour.
5. With him this Covenant must stand, of whom the Lord, v. 26. saith, He shall cry unto me, Thou art my Father, my God, and the Rock of my salvation. 27. I also will make him my first-born, higher then the Kings of the earth. Now this cannot well agree to David, at least, most coldly (as [John] Calvin saith) should the Apostle reason and conclude that Christ were above the Angels when he citeth this place, Heb. 1:4, 5. For unto which of the Angels said he at any time, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee? And again, I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son. In the literal sense, it is meant of Solomon, 2 Sam. 7:14; 1 Chron. 22:10. and is meant here of David. Athanasius [Serm. 4. contra Arianos.] proves him hence to be God, the first begotten of many Brethren. Cyprian [l. 2. c. 1.], Cyrillus [Hierosolymit. Catech. 7. & 12.], Augustine [de civit. de l. 17. c. 9.], Hieronimus [in Isa. 53.], contend against the Jews, that this is necessary to be understood of Christ, not of Solomon, not of David, who cannot bear the Name of the Lord’s first-born, but must be so named as the Type of him who is the first-born of every creature, &c. Col. 1:15.
6. So my mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my Covenant shall stand fast with him. 29. His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his Throne as the days of Heaven. If the Covenant be made with him who hath an eternal seed, then sure, principally with Christ: Without whom (saith [John] Calvin, who otherwise much loves to follow the letter of the word) this Prophecy hath no effect, for eternity is only in Christ, not in David.[8]
Ver. 30. If his children forsake my Law, &c. a pre-occupation, if an eternal seed be promised to Christ, then although Christ and his Children sin, no matter, the hazard is not great? He Answers, the danger is not to be despised; I will visit the sons, of Solomon and others, 2 Sam. 7:14. with the rod of men: 15. But my mercy (of the Covenant of Redemption, and of Reconciliation) I will not take from him, as I took it from Saul. This is not spoken of Christ, for he cannot sin, but of Christ’s seed, his spiritual seed, and the business is so contrived, as the seed of Christ and his children shall not sin unpunished: but yet there is a difference between the sins of the reprobate Saul, and such like, and of the spiritual seed of Christ. So he takes his mercy, Covenant-mercy (but offered conditionally) utterly away from reprobates when they sin, but takes not away Covenant-mercy from the seed of Christ: And the reason is, from the nature of the Covenant, v. 34. My Covenant I will not break. &c. If then the elect and chosen of Christ should fall away, God should break and alter his Covenant: but impossible is the latter.
The justified man’s question of his state reflecteth upon God & his truth.
Hence, 1. the questioning of the stability of our state, being once internally in Covenant with God, is a reproaching of God, and to make him a liar. v. 35. Once have I sworn (saith he) by my Holiness, that I will not lie unto David.
Though (1.) we seem to reproach ourselves in questioning our state, being once in Christ, yet the truth is, the plea is against God, and his Truth and Holiness.
(2.) Its easier to believe general truths, then to believe particular truths, in which ourselves and our own actings are interested: So spiritual and wily a snare is unbelief, that when we think we are unbeliev[ing]ly fearing our own treachery, we are indeed charging treachery and falsehood upon the Holy Lord.
(3.) In our sinful plea’s with our own state, Ah! I am casten out of his sight, Psal. 31:22; Jona. 2:4. we are overturning the whole Gospel and Covenant of Suretyship and Reconciliation, and we say, God lied to David, and to his Son Christ: contrary to that, Psal. 89:35. Once have I sworn by my Holiness, I will not lie unto David. 36. His seed shall endure forever, for the Lord once justified thee.
How selfy [selfish] we are in the unbelieving challenging of our Justification.
(4.) We shall find ourselves so selfy [selfish] in controverting with God in the matter of fact touching ourselves: am I in Christ? Or, am I an Apostate and fallen from Christ? That we are more taken up with a hellish fretting for our falling in a state of condemnation, then we are grieved for the injurie of unbelief in traducing the Holy Lord with a lie. There is a taste here of Judas his fiery unbelief, for he complains more, Mat. 27:4. I have sinned, in betraying the innocent blood, then that God is dishonoured, and Christ’s love offended: The grief is more for the interest of I, of self, that is entered in the borders of hell, then that his glory who commands believing is overclouded. It were good in such a case to go about two things:
[1.] Be less moved that self is under these apprehensions, lost and cast away, then that the spotless glory of the Lord suffers: What matter of me, and of self, in comparison of the dishonour done to God? What though I, and millions like me, were tormented, if God were not offended. Now God, 1. who hath bought me.
2.) Who hath accepted a ransom for me.
3.) Hath justified me.
4.) Hath witnessed all these, is contradicted in all these: and yet we complain only, Ah I am fallen!
[2.] Leave the Question concerning yourself, whether ye be cast away or no, when you cannot come to a peaceable and quiet close about it, and dwell upon the duty of fiducial relying on God’s general Covenant to David’s Son, Christ his engaging with him, and Christ his gracious accepting of the condition.
When ye cannot apply, its good to feed the thoughts upon Christ’s applying himself & the Covenant to you and to other single persons.
(5.) God sware to the Son of David for the seed, that is, for the whole race, and gave them all to Christ, and gave you among them; and Christ closed with the condition, though ye cannot come to application. Its good to feed the soul upon the solatious [pleasant] thoughts, I cannot apply, but Christ whose egressions, outgoings, have been from of old, from everlasting, Mic. 5:2. did apply: For Christ’s everlasting outgoings are not only his eternal generations from the Father, but the decrees, the sweet eternal flowings, emanations, and issuings of Christ’s holy thoughts of me, of all the individuals, by name, of the seed given and received by Christ, his eternal acts of soul-delighting thoughts of every redeemed son of man, Prov. 8:30, 31; Rom. 9:11; Eph. 1:4; 1 Pet. 1:2. the eternal acts of love, and love-thoughts to Jacob, David, Peter, Mary, &c. his acts of designing you (if ever you believed, and can rub and blow up experiences under ashes, Rom. 5:4; Ps. 77:6.) and the thousands that stand before the Throne, from eternity, his actings of eternal love, appointing and setting Chairs, Thrones, Mansions, and dwelling places for this man, and this man, are so many applications of Christ to you: Feed and feast upon these, by believing the ancient Covenant, and you cannot but come to quietness of peace in your apprehended estate.
FOOTNOTES:
[1] Livius, lib. 1 [sec. 24]. Populus (inquit Faecialis) Romanus prior non deficiet. Si prior defecit, publico consilio malo dolo, Tu illo die, Jupiter, populum Romanum sic ferito, ut ego hunc porcum feriam tanteque magis ferito, quanto magis potes pollesque. Id uhi dixit, porcum, silice saxoque percussit [“The Roman People (says the Herald) will not be the first to depart. If it shall first depart from them, by general consent, with malice aforethought, then on that day do thou, Jupiter, so smite the Roman People as I shall here to-day smite this pig: and so much the harder smite them as thy power and thy strength are greater.” When he had said these words, he struck the pig with a flint.].
[2] Beza, in An itaque ut hoc planius fieret, non dubitavi verborum collocationem mutare [In order to make this more clear, I did not hesitate to change the meaning of the words.]
[3] The editorial note from Goodwin’s Collected Works on this passage: [It is remarkable that Goodwin has, through inadvertence, mistaken the meaning of this expression. It was Evephenus, who, having sent for Eucritus, ἠξίωσεν ἐγγυήσασθαι, asked him to stand surety for him. The mistake does not affect the argument, which depends upon the meaning of ἐγγυήσασθαι, and not upon that of ἠξίωσεν.—Ed.]
[4] See Andre. Essenius, in Triumpho Crucis, de satisfact. Christi, l. 2. Sect. 3. c. 1. pag. 468, 469, 500.
[5] Socin. de Serva. l. 3. c. 3.
[6] Ulpianus L. S. quis reum. D. cust & exhib. reorum. Vale. Maximus de Dionysior. Siculo tametsi debita tot sacrilegiis supplicia non exolvit, dedecore tamen filli poenas rependit, quas vivus effugerat [Farewell. Maximus of Dionysius. Although he did not release the punishments owed to the Sicilians for so many sacrilegious acts, yet he recompensed in disgrace to his son the punishments which he had escaped while alive.].
[7] Jac. Armi. orat. de Sacerdotio Chrsti, pag. 16, 17. Postulavit Deus ut animam suam poneret hostiam pro peccato [God demanded that he should lay down his life as a sacrifice for sin.], &c.
[8] Calv. Com. in locum. Unde sequitur non posse constare vaticimi hujus effectum, donec ad Christum ventum fuerit in quo solo demum reperietur vera Aeternitas [Whence it follows, that the effect of this prophecy cannot be established until it shall come to Christ, in which only then will the true eternity be found].