-5C 5 *l^ 7X^ f- ^^^ SCS *<3k% 1ma KAINA KAI nAAAIA. SACRED CONTEMPLATIONS IN THREE PARTS. £nferc& in .Stationers SB*!!. K A I N A K A I nAAAIA, SACRED CONTEMPLATIONS: IN THREE PARTS, I. A. VIEW of the COVENANT of WORKS • in its natural STATE, as common to all Mankind, — and in its positive state, as peculiar to our Firft Pa- rents : Difcovering the singular goodness of God, in that positive state. II. A VIEW of the COVENANT of GRACE ; in the establishment of it from Eternity, the accom- plishment of it in Time, and the effect of it through Eternity. III. A VIEW of the absolute and immediate DE* PENDENCE of all things on GOD : In a Dif- eourfe concerning Liberty and Necessity. By ADAM GIB, Minister of the Gospel j Edinburgh* Every Scribe "which is inftrufted unto the kingdom of heaven, is like unto a man that is an houfeholdery -which hringeth forth cut of his treafure [KAINA KAI nAAAIA] THINGS NEW AND OLD. Mat. xiii. 52, Knovt ledge fiall be increafed. Dan. xii. 4' EDINBURGH: PR I N.TED BY NeILL AND COMPANY. Sold by C. Dilly, in the Poultry, London ; and J. Dickson, Edinburgh. m,dcc;lxxxvi. PREFACE. DURING the long courfe of my mini- ftry, in a numerous Congregation at Edinburgh, — under a variety of perfonal trials, and amidft grievous breakings among thofe of the fame denomination ^ I have obtained mercy to perfevere in the fame ftate of religious principles and pro- feflion upon which, having been unani- moufly called, I was folemnly ordained to that miniftry, on the fecond day of April 1741- I have ufed my beft endeavours all along, through evil report and good report , to maintain the caufe of the Seceflion-tefti- mony which I profefs ; on behalf of the Reformation-principles of the Church of Scotland y againft the manifold errors and corruptions of the prefent age. But I have very feldom entertained my hearers from the pulpit, with any pecu- liarities of that caufe. It has been always my principal, and almoft only bufinefs there, vi PREFACE. there, — to explain and enforce thofe doc- trines and duties which are accounted of among Chriftiaris of all denominations ; fo far as they take the fubftance of their Chriftianity from the Bible. The prefent Work is of the fame gene- ral nature; as it meddles with nothing peculiar to any of thofe denominations? And I have a particular fatisfadtion in this providential ordering; that my former appearances before the. world, in favour of the fpecial Teftimony which I have efpoufed, — -are fucceeded by the prefent appearance, on behalf of the common in- terefts of Chriflianity. I have endeavoured to write, as with perfpicuity, fo with piainttefs and fimpli- city j without affe&ing any modifh orna- ments of ftyle, — which might not well fuit the gravity of the fubjedt, nor the appre- henfion of common readers. Befide that fome repetitions of the fame fentiments were very incident, — when writ- ing at diftances of time, in the intervals of other bufinefs ; it is prefumed that none of thefe will be reckoned vain repetitions : As they are made with new applications f and PREFACE. vii and illuftrations ; or natively occurred for completing the fenfe, in different parts of the fubjedt, I make no account of; refledions (fuch as I: have met with) about my way of pointing, from its being uncommon. My concern is, that it may be what I reckon juft and accurate ; properly diftinguifhing the co-ordinate and fubordinate parts of matter in fentenees : Of feme refemblance, as our language can admit, to the divine accuracy of punctuation (by what are call- ed [accents) in the Hebrew Bible. - I have introduced two or three mate- rial corrections (not originally mine) upon our tranflation of the holy Bible. But this is very ..different from the practice of fome moderns, who have done defpite to the great Prophet of the Church,— on the matter charging him with falfe- hood and impofture [Matth. v. 18.] ; while impioufly prefuming ta amend and innovate the received reading of the He- brew Scriptures. And here I will fet up an Ebenezer, — a monument of thankfulnefs, that hitherto (batb the Lord helped me ; preferring me in viii PREFACE, a capacity of body and mind, for accom- plifhing this Work in my feventy-third year : Which I will leave behind me as a fum- mary (efpecially in the fecond part) of that Gofpel which I have been preaching ; and as a teftimony for truth, againft the pre- fent flood of errors, — in oppofition like- wife to many mifapprehenfions which ge- nerally prevail : Defirous and hopeful that I may be ufeful by it, after having finifh- ed my eourfe. But, in a particular manner, I mean a fpeaking thereby to thofe now under my charge ; when they ihall no longer hear any thing from the mouth of Their fervant for Jesus' fake, Edinburgh, 7 Ax^*n*^.-r-r^ Aug,x8.i786.5 ADAM GIB, ERRATUM. Note, page 173. -, after Part I. read Chap. II. con. CONTENTS. PART FIRST. Page A View of the Covenant of Works, 17 Chap. I. A general View of the Covenant of Works, in Genefts ii. 16, 17, - 1 8 Sect. I. A Divi/ton and Explication of thefe words, - - ib. II. General Remarks, for a further open- ing of the fubject, . 26 III. Of the Refriclion laid upon the firft man, • - 34 IV. Of the Penalty under which the re- flriclion was laid upon the firft man, 45 V. Some Inferences from the aforegoing general view, - 59 Chap. II. Of God's Covenant -dealing with the firft man as a public Perfon, - "75 Sect. I Of the Reality of God's Covenant-deal- ing with the firit man as a public per- fon, - - ib, II. Of the Nature of God's Covenant- dealing with the firft man as a public perfon, - - 103 III. Of the Propriety of God's Covenant, dealing with the firft man as a public perfon, - - 118 Chap. III. Of the Covenant of Works in its natu- ral State, - - 12a IV. Of the Covenant of Works in its pofi- tive State, - • 130 t b Chap. x CONTENTS. Page Chap. V. Of the Breach of the Covenant of Works, 137 VI. Of our natural Subjection to the Cove- nant of Works, . 148 VII. Of our natural Condition under the Co- venant of Works, - 156 PART SECOND. A View of the Covenant of Grace, 171 PERIOD I. Of the Eftablifhment of the Covenant of Grace from eternity, - - 173 Sect. I. Of the Reality of the Covenant of Grace, - - ib. II. General Observations about the Cove- nant of Grace, - 180 III. Of the Origin of the Covenant of Grace, - - 192 IV. Of the glorious Parties concerned in the eftablifhment of the Covenant of Grace, - - 198 V. Of the Maker of the Covenant of Grace, - 202 VI. Of the Undertaker in the Covenant of Grace, - 206 Head I. Of the Eternal Son/hip of Je- fus Chnft, - 20f II. Of -the Mediatory State of Jefus Chrift, - 227 VII. Of the Objects of the Covenant of Grace, - - 235 VIII. Of the Condition of the Covenant of Grace, - - 239 Sect. CONTENTS. 3d Page Sect. IX. Of the Premifes of the Covenant of Grace, - 242 X. Of the End of the Covenant of Grace, 250 PERIOD II. Of the Accbmpltjhment of the Covenant of Grace in time, - - 252 Head I. Of the Mediatory accomplifhment of the Covenant of Grace, - 255 Sect. I. Of the accomplifhment of the Cove- nant of Grace by Chrift as a Prieft, 256 ART. I. Of the Incarnation of Jefus Chrift, 258 II. Of the Service of Jefus Chrift, 263 III. Of the Sufferings of Jefus Chrift, 270 IV. Of the Entrance of Jefus Chrift into his Glory, - 280 V. Of the Inter cejfton of Jefus Chrift, 287 Sect. II. Of the accompliihment of the Co- venant of Grace by Chrift as a Pro- phet, - - 299 III. Of the accomplifhment of the Co- venant of Grace by Chrift as a King, 307 Head II. Of the Minifterial accompliihment of the Covenant of Grace, - 327 §ECT. I. Of the ordinance of Preaching, as it refpecl.s the members of the Vifible Church, - - 330 II. Of the ordinance of Preaching, as it refpe&s the members of the Invi* fible Church, - 340, PERIOD III. ©f the Effect of the Covenant of Grace through eternity, - - 355 Sect* xu CONTENTS. Page Sect. I. Of the eflfeft with regard to Christ, 358 II. Of the effeft, with regard to Chri- ftians, - - 367 Conclusion, - - 388 PART THIRD. A Discourse of Liberty and Necessity, 395 Chap. I. Of the Infidel-Scheme of Liberty and Ne- ceflity, - - ih. Sect. I. The Infidel-fcheme explained, ib, II. The Infidel-fcheme expofed, 405 Chap. II. Of the Chrljlian and Rational fcherae of Liberty and Neceffity, - 435 Sect. I. Of Liberty and Neceffity in the mate- rial World, - - 440 Art. I. Of Neceffity in the material world, 441 II. Of Contingency or Chance in the ma- terial world, - 453 Sect. II. Of Liberty and Neceffity in the moral World, - - 459 Art. I. Of the exercife of man's rational powers, - ib. II. Of man's Dependence on God as a rational creature, - 470 III. Of man's Dependence on God as a Jinful creature, - 473 IV. Of moral Neceffity, - 482 V. Of moral Liberty, - 484 Conclusion, - . 489 General Recollection, - 493 SACRED SACRED CONTEMPLATIONS; PART FIRST. A VIEW OF THE COVENANT of WORKS: IN ITS NATURAL STATE, AS COMMON TO ALL MANKIND; AND IN ITS POSITIVE STATE AS PECULIAR TO OUR FIRST PARENTS; DISCOVERING THE SINGULAR GOODNESS OF GOD, IN THAT POSITIVE STATE. Search the Scriptures, John v. 39. 0%ui Veritatem occultat reus ejit quia prodejfe non vult. augustinus. [In English.] He who conceals the Truth is criminal, became he declines to be profitable. ADVERTISEMENT. A conversation which the Author lately happened to have with a friend, upon fome things relative to the fubject of the following View, — occafioned the defign of drawing up his Contemplations upon it in the pre- fent form : From whence he was led forward to the other parts of this Work. His prefent judgment on that fubject, fo far as lingu- lar, was generally formed above forty years ago ; when he knew of none having gone before him in the fame way : Nor has he met with any fince. Several indigefted and untenable notions, as he appre- hends, in the doctrine of fome eminent writers on the Covenant of Works, — are here obviated ; but not in a controverfial manner, and without taking any direct no- tice of them. As to what new THINGS are taught in this perform- ance,— he is in no difficulty about fubmitting them to the moft critical, if candid examination : Being fully confi- dent that they are well founded in the holy Scriptures, and in the real nature of the fubjr ct. An explaining of what neceflarily belongs unto, and refults from thefe grounds of argument, is entirely different from a dealing in fanciful conjectures ; and from a dipping into thofe fe- cret things which belong unto the Lord. The adverfaries of divine Revelation, in their perverfe difputings, may arraign the Scripture-doctrine of the Co~ venant of Works, — as if it could not confift with the goodnefs of God, or what they call the moral character of the Deity ; that the firft man, and all his pofterity, mould have been expofed to the puniihment of eternal death, — for an action fo plainly indifferent in its nature, and likewife fo infignificant, as an once eating a bit of wholefome and pleafant fruit : As if a doctrine of fuch defpotic [ xvi ] defpotic rigour and feverity, were quite unworthy of, yea reproachful to the infinite goodnefs of God. But it is conceived that an infallible antidote may be afforded, againft the poifon of fuch deiflical reflections ; by the prefent difplay of a mofl fmgular goodnefs and condefcenjion, in God's nuking the eternal ftate of mankind to turn up- on the hinge of the p vfnive precept about the fruit of a certain tree : Much more favourable, than if it had been left to turn upon the moral law, or the laws of nature at large ; or even upon the moft important and efTential precept thereuf, — a tranfgreflion of which would have been the moft (hocking wickednefs in its nature, that could have been propofed by Satan and perpetrated by man. And this publication cannot but be very feafonable ; when the falhionable teachers are come the length of de- nying that there ever was a Covenant of Works, a cove- nant with the firft man as the head and reprefentative of bis p6fterity ! SACRED [Note, for the frf paragraph on p. 109.J The renewing of a covenant, in the general fenfe of that phrafe, means the reviving and applying of a former engagement. But theie could have been no peculiarity, in God's renewing the Covenant of Works with Ijrael at Sinai, — according to that general ferfe of the phrafe; as it could mean no more than the work of conviction, which finners are (till brought under by the law : For -what things foever the law faith, it faith to them who are under the law ; that every mouth may be flopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. A fuppofition, therefore, of God's renewing the Covenant of Works with Ifrael at Sinai, in any peculiar manner,— could only mean a lay- ing afide the old ftate, and letting up a new ftate of that Covenant ; unto the confequences mentioned on the page refeired to. TV. B. A nute on p. 474, 475, — i» applicable to the matter oa p. 136. 137. w OF THE COVENANT of WORKS, ^, TH E light of nature, in the common dictates of reafon, ferves to determine, — that this world could not have made itfelf : And that nei- ther the matter nor form of it could have been from eternity, in a fuccefllon of revolutions and generations ; but muft have had a beginning. Yet our knowledge of the period and manner in which this beginning took place, is wholly deri- ved from revelation; particularly in the firft chapter ofGene/is. It is likewife evident to reafon, that God could not have made man fuch a corrupt creature as he is now. But the uprightnefs and fpeciality of his primitive eftate, with the origin of moral evil in his fall, could not have been known by us, — otherwife than from the revelation which is made thereof, in the firft three chapters of Gene/is.. And this is the fubjedl now propofed to fome particular examination. t A CHAP- i8 A View of the CHAPTER I. A general View of the Covenant of Works, a: exhibited in Genesis ii. 16, 17. And the Lord God commanded the man , faying; Of every tree of the garden thou may efl freely eat. But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou Jhalt not eat of it : For in the day that thou eateft thereof thou foalt furely die. SECT. I. A Divifion end Explication ofthefe Words. The pafTage now quoted contains the wThole account which Mofes hath given, of God's deal- ing with the firft man in a Covenant of Works ; "a very fhort defcription of an eftablifhment which, in its original Hate, was of a very fhort duration. We have, in thefe words, a Right which God granted unto the firft man ; and a Reflriclion un- der which he granted it. § I. A Right which God granted unto the firfl man : And the Lord God commanded the man, fay- ing ; Of every tree of the garden thou may eft freely eat. We may confider the Author, cbjccl, efla- ment, and import of this grant. Covenant of Works. 19 if}, The Author of this grant is the Lord Cod. Thefe are two awful names of the Supreme Being. The Lord, in the original Jehovah, is a name which belongs to him abfolutely and exclufively, as he is in himfelf; or as he is a Being eternal, neceflarily exigent, felf-exiftent, independent, infinite in all perfections, and infi- nitely blefled in himfelf, — the high Fountain of all finite being, which is neceffarily in a flate of univerfal and abfolute dependence upon him. God, in the original Elohim, is a name which belongs to him as an infinitely adorable Being : The abfolute Proprietor and Sovereign of the world which he had newly created ; and who had made a number of rational creatures for glo- rifying him in all the proper ways of adoration, of the higher!: worihip and moil abfolute obedi- ence. Elohim is the name by which he is men- tioned in the firft verfe of Genefis ; as the won- derful Creator of that world in which he was to be adored. There, and in the paffage now con- fidered, it is a name conftructed with verbs of xkzfingular number, — created, commanded ; deno- ting acts of One Being : And yet the name is of the plural number ; evidently referring to a plurality (a Trinity) of perfons, moll myflerioufiy fubfifling in that One Being or Godhead. idly, The objeel of this grant was the Man : The man whom God had juft then made, as the laft part of his created work ; and the nobleft part 20 A View of the part thereof, in the vifible world. He was a ve- ry lingular part of that work : Compofed of a material body ; with an immaterial, immortal, and reafonable foul. He was not brought into being, as any of his natural pofterity were to be \ but immediately by God himfelf : The Lord God formed man of the ditfl of the ground, and breathed into his noftrils the breath of life ; and man became a living foul *. He was the firfl man, the natural root of all mankind : The great parent of the in- numerable millions of the human race, who have overfpread the earth for near fix thoufand years bypaft, — and are yet to be produced upon it, till the reflitution of all things ; the progenitor cf all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues f . He was made after God's own image ; in know- ledge, righteoumefs, and holinefs, — with domi- nion over the other creatures in this lower world. He was thus a holy man. For (as is well exprefled by a divine of the laft century }) " In " the ilate of innocency, man was created right 6 ' ox upright, and very good ; endued with fuch " ftrength and integrity in all parts, as did " wholly difpofe them to all operations conform- " able to God's will. His underftanding, fo far " as was needful before his tranflation, had a clear " apprehenfion of the Deity in his nature, attri- " butes * Gen. ii. 7. -{- Rev. vii. 9. X William Pemble, In his V indicia Gratice} p. 4, 5. Covenant of Works. . 21 44 butes and worfhip ; as alfo of the creatures, (i in their effence and qualities. His will em- '* braced and clave fait unto God, whom Adam " knew to be the Author of his being and happi- " nefs. His affections, and all inferior faculties, " obeyed, without all refiftance, the rule of " reafon, and motions of the fanctified will. "Xhis univerfal holinefs and perfection, in the 4i whole man, was that image of God, or original *' juftice wherein Adam was created, but con- 4i tinued not." He was, accordingly, a man with whom the infinite ONE held a wonderful familiarity and diftinctnefs of intercourfe, beyond what we can conceive of; fpeaking to him as a man doth to his friend, while the man had abfolute certainty of the being and truth of the infinite Speaker. — *And as the woman was not then formed out of the man, God fpake to the woman in the man ; fo that, upon her diftinct formation, he and fhe were but one party in the great trans- action now to be confidered : God created man in his own image ; in the image of God created he iiim ; male and female created he them *. $dly, The efiablijhment of this grant is in the word commanded. The original word, fo tran- flated, doth not merely fignify a fimple act of enjoining a duty : But it farther fignifies an ex- prefiion of the divine will in appointing^ ordaining^ conjlitut'wg * Gen. i. 2?. 22 A View of the conftituiing or eftablijhing a thing. Thus it is ufed to denote God's appointing, ordaining, or con- itituting of judges over Ifrael # ; and of David to be king in Jfrael f : As alfo to denote God's efta- blijhing of his covenant of Grace J. And the ori- ginal language, in the pafTage before us, natural- ly leads to this fenfe of the word here : For it literally fignifies, God commanded upon the man. Now, though it is proper to fay, that God com* manded the man, and that a command was thus laid upon the man ; yet it is not proper language to fay, that God commanded upon the man, — but that he conftituted or eftahlijhed upon the man. The meaning, therefore, is plainly this, — that God now made a conflitution or eftablijhment upon or concerning the man : An eftablifhment of a right which, under its covenant-reftriction, was of the greater! importance, to be of a Handing nature and effecl:, — with regard to the whole human kind. qthly, As to the import of this right granted unto, and eftablilhed upon the man ; we are in- formed about what, and/cr what it was. i. About what it was : Every tree of the garden. God had put the man into the garden of Eden, or (as the word fignifies) of pleafure ; a type of the heavenly paradife, — in which there is fulnefs of joy and pleafure for evermore. God had planted this * 2 Sam. vii. II. j I Chron- xvii. 10. f I Sam. xiii. 14. j 2 Sam. vi. 2i. \ Ffel* csl- 9» Covenant of Works. 2 5 this garden, certainly in a moll delightful fitua- tion ; and, as we may well fuppofe, of an order and beauty far excelling all human plantations. And out of the ground, in that garden, made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pie af ant to the fight and good for food. And the trees were then loaded with their various and pleafant fruits, in a ftate of ripenefs ; the beginning of the world's time, or of its firft year, appearing to have been the autumn, — the time of rife fruits. 1. For what it was : Saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayefl freely eat. The man had an animal life, which was to be fuftained by food. The trees of the garden, in great variety, and on every fide, exhibited and offered to him their ripe fruits ; fruits pleafant to the fight and good for food, molt delicious and nourifhing food : And food which was to colt him no toilfome labour for procuring it ; he had only to drefs the garden and to keep it, an employment which belonged to his pleafure. Of thefe fruits the abfolute Proprietor and So- vereign of all granted unto him, eltablifhed upon him a right to eat ; Thou mayefi freely eat. It is li~ terally on the margin, eating thou Jh alt eat ; but more literally flill, to eat thouftalt eat. It referred to a prefent eating ; and alfo to a future, a Hill farther eating : Thou /halt eat prefently ; with the fame right Hill to eat, according to every follow- ing occalion. And 24 -^ View of the And the right thus granted to the man> was not to himfelf individually and exclusively ; but* through him, to all his poilerity : In connection with the general and Handing right from the fovereign Proprietor of all, to him and them, for ufing the fruits of the earth as the fupport of their animal life, according to the 29th verfe of the preceding chapter ; though, upon his ex- pulrion from the garden, this right was tranf- ferred to an eating the fruits of labour and toil in cultivating the ground, — then become curfed for his fake *. § II. The matter of principal consideration, about the right thus granted unto the man, is the Reflriclion under which it was granted ; as that by which it was turned into a covenant- Hate : But cf the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou Jh a It not cat of it ; for in the day that thou eateft thereof thou Jhalt furely die. And we may confider this reftriclion as expreffed and enforced. i/2, ExpreiTed : But cf the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thoufnah not eat of it. We are here informed about what, and from what this reftric- tion was made. 1. About what : The tree of the knowledge of good and evil. This was the tree which had been men- tioned in the 9th verfe of this chapter ; and was again mentioned in the 3d verfe of the next chapter : * Gen. iii. 17, 18, 19. Covenant of Works. 25 chapter : A tree in the mid/i of the garden. It was called The tree of the knowledge of good and evil, not from any thing diftinguifhing in its na- ture ; but from a divine conflitution concerning it, as may be afterwards explained. 2. From what : Thou fhalt not eat of it. This tree the man (and afterwards the woman upon her diftincl: formation) knew well enough; or could moil readily and immediately diilinguiih it, with abfolute certainty, from all the other trees of the garden. And while he had a right to eat of all the other trees, he was moil pofvtive- ly and abfolutely reilridled from eating of this. idly, Enforced : For in the day that thou eatejl thereof, thou /halt furely die. Here is a cafe fup- pofed, and the confequence of it. 1. A cafe fuppofed : For in the day that thou eatejl thereof. Here the man was warned of a hazard which he was in of this eating : A fup- poiition was thus made to him, of what foon became a matter of fad ; while the fuppoiition was made, for putting him upon his ftricleit guard againil its becoming fo. And he thus got a knowledge, but only a fpeculative know- ledge, of the evil of finning ; particularly of this eating, as the only fin which he was immediately in hazard of committing. 1. The confequence of it : As to what the fame would be. and when. B (1.) t 26 A View »f the ( i.) What the confequence would be: Thou Jhalt furely die. It is literally, on the margin, dying thou floalt die ; but more literally flill, to die thou jhalt die : Referring to both a prefent and a future dying, as may be explained after- wards. And he thus got a knowledge, but only a fpeculative knowledge, of the evil of fuffer- ing ; as neceflarily connected with the evil of finning. (2.) When this confequence would be : In the day that thou eateft thereof. The dying was thus to be immediate upon the eating, in that very day : While the death then taking effecl: would be a fure and enfuring pledge of a farther death afterwards. The fum of the whole is, — That God reftridt- ed the firji man from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death. SECT. II. General Remarks, for a farther opening of the Sub- jecl. § I. The pqfitive law, forbidding the man to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, was not the only law given to him in his primitive eftate. It was, indeed, the only law of obedience then given to him, in the way of external Covenant of Works. 27 external difpenfation. But it was not given to him till after he was created, completely formed as a reafonable creature : And, if he had been under no law of duty till this was given, he would have been for fome time, however fhort, in a ftate of independency upon his glorious Creator. The man, as all other creatures, was made very good ; and in a much higher fenfe than any other part of the vifible creation. God made man upright * ; not merely in the poflure of his body, but mainly in the perfection of his foul. As made after God's image, he had the moral law originally written or imprefled upon his heart : Not indeed under that form in which it was af- terwards fummarily difpenfed from Sinai, and more fpecially through the holy Scriptures ; but the very fame law upon the matter, in all its extent and fpirituality, — as holy, and juft, and good. His underflanding was formed for dictating, and his confcience for enforcing, and his will for praclifing according to all his occa- fions, and his affections for delighting in every moral duty, — manifeftly founded in the nature of God and of man. §11. As the moral law, which was a natural' law to the man, had a penalty of death belong- ing to it ; fo he needed not to have this declared to * Eccl. vii. 29. 28 A View of the to him, after he was created : For the penalty, as well as the preceptive tenor of that law, was fuf- ficiently notified to him in his creation *, in the knowledge and cpnfcience with which he was formed. But the cafe was very different, with regard to the pofitive law. The eating from which he was reftricted, was, in itfelf, a matter quite in- different : The evil of it did nowife lie in the nature of the thing \ but wholly arofe from that prohibition which God was fovereignly pleafed to make of it. And as the man could have no knowledge of this prohibition, but from an ex- preffion made of it to him after he was created ; it was from the like exprefftoii only, that he could have, any knowledge of the penalty of death, as annexed to the prohibition. And he knew the will of God in all this matter, with moil abfolute certainty ; from the diftinct lan- guage which was made of it to him, in the words now under conlideration. § III. There belonged to the pofitive law a promife of life, as well as a penalty of death. A law was then given to the man, which could have given life *. This was plainly implied in the penalty ; which could not but mean all its reverfe,— if thou eatejl not, thou jh alt fur el y live. But * Gal iij. 2x, Covenant of Works. 29 But that matter was put beyond all doubt, by a tree in the midft of the garden (verfe 9.), cal- led the tree of life : While the man mufl have known, well enough, the reafon of the diflin- guilhing name given to this, as well as to the other tree in the midft of the garden. And the tree of life could not have been fo called, from any fuperlative virtue in its nature, for the pre- ferring and prolonging of his animal life : For then he would have been, upon the matter, confined to an eating of that tree, — fo long as it fhould bear enough of fruit ; contrary to the right which was beftowed upon him, even meaning an injunction, about the other trees of the garden. That name given to the tree could only arife, therefore, from a divine conftitution concerning it. It was evidently fet forth to the man, as a pledge and facramental fign of life; to be fully enjoyed by him, in the way of obedi- ence to that pofitive law which he was now laid under. § IV. While the death to be incurred, by the breach of that law, comprehended all evil oifuf fering ; the life promifed, being the full reverie of it, muft have comprehended all good of enjoy- ment. And as the man was evidently defigned, in the nature of his foul, for an eternal dura- tion ; the life promifed could not limply mean a continuance of the life which he then had in the garden, 30 A View of the garden, — being a life which could not have ad- mitted of eternity in its duration. Nothing lefs, therefore, could be in the promife, than a ilate of eternal life in heaven ; where the man mould be advanced to a glorious enjoyment of God, in an immediate manner, — not through any inter- vention of creature-benefits, or of the exercifes belonging to animal life. This is the eternal life, which ftands oppofed to the wages of fin *■ This is the eternal life which our Lord did plainly fet forth, as provided in the promife of the firft co- venant f . And this is the eternal life of which he has loofed the forfeiture; by taking upon himfelf, for his people, their penalty of death : That as fin hath reigned unto death , even fo might grace reign through righteoufnefs unto eternal life^ by Jefus Chrift our Lord\. § V. By the promife of life, the pofitive law was turned into the nature of a Covenant. The penalty belonged to the nature of it as a law $ but not the promife. The man's obedience could have no intriniic merit ; being what he natural- ly and abfolutely owed to his Sovereign Creator. The promife added to the law, was not there- fore an effect of God's juftice ; while the man's obedience could not naturally deferve any good, beyond his prefent enjoyment. It was an effect of God's favour, of his mere good pleafure : So that * R_am. vi. 23. f Luke x. 25, — 2 9. t Rom. v. 21 . Covenant of Works. 31 that the man was then an object of God's grace toward him, as undeferving ; though it was not till afterwards, that he became an object of it as ill-deferving, — which laft is the view of grace, as ordinarily mentioned in fcripture. But while the man was naturally engaged to God by the law, God became graciouily enga- ged to him by the promife. And this did con- ftitute the general nature of a covenant ; as it is a tranfaction between two parties, — for a benefit to be bellowed by the one, upon a condition to be performed by the other. And this is called a Covenant of Life ; as the man was to be thereby entitled to eternal life, upon a determined condition. But it is more commonly called a Covenant of Works ; as the man's right or title to eternal life, according to that covenant, was to lie in his works of obedi- ence, or to depend upon this condition : Not from any natural merit of thefe works, but from the gracious conftitution which God then made concerning them. § VI. In this covenant, under the pofitive law, the man was put into a public capacity ; as the covenant-head, or repnfentative of all his na- tural pqfter it y. It is evident that God, in deal- ing with him, wras dealing with human nature, with all mankind ; fpeaking to all, in what was faid to him. God was then making no efta- blifhment 3* A View of the blifhment at all about mankind, but as making it immediately with the man : And it would be abfurd to fuppofe that the millions of his pofte- rity, who were all prefent in God's eye, were then brought under no eflablifhment at all. The law of dominion over the other vifible creatures ; the law about the method of fuftain- ing the animal life ; the law for being fruitful, and multiplying, and replenishing the earth \ and the law of marriage : All thefe were evi- dently laws for mankind. And it is as evident, that God's covenant- tranfaction with the man mull have included all men, to proceed from him by ordinary genera- tion ; that being all in him as their natural root, they were likewife ftated before God in him as their covenant-head. And there can be no other way of accounting for the effect of his tranfgreffing the law ; that the death which he thereby brought upon himfelf, hath actually parTed upon all his natural pofterity, — even them that had not finned after the fimilitude of Adam's tranfgreffion *. § VII. In dealing with the man, the Lord God was not proceeding only in the characters of a Creator and Lawgiver. As he is eifentially and infinitely good, he was then doing good : Ke dealt bountifully with the man, as an object of his * Rom. v. 14. Covenant of Works. 33 his fpecial favour ; preventing him with the bleffings of goodnefs. This appears, from the great excellency of the nature and ftate in which the man was cre- ated ; from the richnefs, beauty and pleafantnefs of the accommodation which was provided for him : And from the wonderful condefcenlion of the infinite ONE toward him ; in ftooping fo low, as to hold the greater! particularity and familiari- ty of friendly intercourfe with him. But, efpecially, the lingular goodnefs of God was manifefted,— - by the pofitive Jlaie into which he brought the Covenant of Works. This will come to be particularly explained in another place. It fhali only be oblerved here,**-That from this tranfaclion, the man was privileged with a great advantage to his faith and hope. Abftraclly from that pofitive conftitution, his profpecl of eternal life was only to be inferred from the nature of God, in the unerring dictates of his reafon and confcience. But now, he had the faithfulnefs of God particularly and direftly engaged to him for this, in a fignified and feal- ed promife of eternal life. SECT. 34 A View of the SECT. III. Of the Reftridtion laid upon the firjl man, As in the right with which the man was invert- ed, to eat of every tree of the garden, — he was reftri&ed from eating of the tree of the know- ledge of good and evil ; this reftri&ion was ar~ bitrary9 reafonable, abfolute, extenfive, probatory, pe- culiar to our firfl parents, and temporary. § I. The reftriction was arbitrary in its nature ; wholly founded in the mere will of God, or in his fovereign good pleafure. The moral law, impreffed on his heart, was of a very different nature. There wTas no neceflity in God for creating man, a reafonable being : But there was fuch a neceflity of creating him under an impreflion of the moral law \ as other- wife, he could not have been originally in a {late of active fubjedlion to his Sovereign Crea- tor. This law, therefore, was not founded in the divine pleafure, but in the divine perfeclions : Particularly, in God's eflential right of moral do- minion over his reafonable creature ; and his ef- fential claim of obligation upon that creature, for living in a conformity to the holy nature of his creating Lord *. Nor could this moral law • i Pet. i. 16. Covenant of Works. 35 law have been any other to the man, in his rea- fonable nature, than it actually was ; while the diftinctions between moral good and evil cannot be arbitrary, more than the attributes of the di- vine nature in which they are founded. A fo- vereignty in God, which could have fettled thefe diftinctions in a different, or even an op- polite manner, (as fome have imagined in their metaphyfical fpeculations), — would have been fuch as could have difpofed, in the fame man- ner, of his own infinite properties. And the unalterable date of thofe diftinctions cannot de- pend originally on the unchangeablenefs of the divine will, when once expreifed in a law ; but on the unchangeablenefs of the divine nature. But the fofitive law given to the man, after his creation, was wholly an effect of the divine pleafure. It was equal with God, to give or not give it. The forbidden fruit had nothing hurtful in its nature ; more than that of any other tree in the garden. The eating of it was not therefore forbidden becaufe evil ; but it became evily by the forbidding of it. § II. The reftriction was reaf enable. There was no reafonablenefs of it, before it was laid Upon the man : But it became reafonable, in the laying of it upon him ; as the will of God bears in it a fufficient reafon for itfelf. Though 36 A View of the Though the moral law has a reafon in the na- ture of God, and in the nature of thofe things which it requires and forbids ; yet the will of God is the immediate and formal reafon of obe- dience to him, not the intrinfic or natural ratio- nality of the thing. As the fupreme Lawgiver is entitled to the abfolute fubjeclion of his reafon- able creature ; fo likewife to an implicit obedience, or fuch as hath no reafon for it but in his will: And it was moil reafonable that he Ihould re- quire this, as he did in the pofitive law. That law was therefore a moil proper tell, and the only teft then prefcribed to the man, of perfeclly implicit obedience to the divine pleafure ; as the highefl teft of his abfolute fubjedion and obedi- ence : While the will of God, which is the im- mediate and formal reafon of all proper obedi- ence to him, — was made the mere reafon of it, in the cafe of that pofitive law. And it was moil reafonable, that God Ihould thus exprefs a rejervation of his own fupreme and abfolute property in that lower world — over which he had given a dominion to the man ; as a dominion which did, by no means, make it abfolutely his : And that he mould thus be kept in mind, of his owing all his enjoyments in it to the divine pleafure ; as being accountable to God for all his ufe of thefe enjoyments. Be- fides, he was hereby moft properly put in mind, that his fupreme, ultimate and unlimited Jiappi- nefs Covenant of Works. 37 iiefs could not lie in any benefits of his animal life ; but was to be fought in the immediate en- joyment of God himfelf. § III. The reftri&ion was abfolute. It is the cafe of every evil which God forbids, — that whatever any way leads or tends to it, is to be underftood as therein alfo forbidden. And fo it was with regard to the eating now considered. The facl of eating the fruit was forbidden : And that fo long as the tree fhould bear fruit ; or till God Ihould make a different Signification of his will. And all imagination, inclination or deiire of eating it, was to be underftood as likewife forbidden. He was not to touch it, as is expref- fed in the third verfe of the next chapter. He was to guard againft all entering into a temptation to eat of it ; againft all queftioning or reafoning upon the fubjecl, — all admitting of any doubt or helitation about the truth, the ab- folutenefs or equity of the prohibition : Such as the ferpent did foon afterwards effectuate. When the tempter entered upon his deceit, no communi- cation mould have been held with him, — no ear Ihould have been given to him ; no attempt fhould have been made, to withftand him in the way of argumentation : As it is the duty of a Chriftian ftill, under temptation, — to guard againft all defiling of his mind therewith, by admitting the matter of it into his meditation ; while 38 A View of the while he cannot overcome the temptation, in the way of trying to get himfelf reafoned out of it, — inftead of immediately rejecting it on the firfl propofal. And as the man was not to touch the fruit by his hand, fo neither by his eye, nor even by his thought ; in any tendency toward eating it. — He was not indeed abfolutely forbidden to look at it or think of it : But the look and thought were only to be unto frefh recollections of God's will concerning it ; under a full perfuaflon of and acquiefcence in the fame. He might thus waTrantably look and think, in a difpofition of abfolute and cheerful homage to his Sovereign Lord ; with renewed approbations of his will in that matter : And with renewed thankfulnefs for the fufficient proviiion which he otherwife enjoyed ; according to all the neceffities of his animal ftate. § IV. The reftriction was extenfve, in the gene- ral meaning of it ; though confined, in its terms, to one particular fac~i. — The pofitive law did not. fuperfede the moral law, or come into the place of it : On the contrary, the whole of this was virtually comprehended in that ; or, as it were, wrapt up in it. The pofitive law is therefore to be confidered as extending to every article of that homage which the man owed to God ; but immediately under the form of compliance with his Covenant of Works. 39 his will about the forbidden fruit. This com- pliance was a general form of his a&ive and ready fubje&ion to the divine fovereignty and authority ; virtually extending to all the par- ticular difplays thereof, in the precepts and prohibitions of the moral law. In fulfilling the pofitive law, he would fulfil the moral law : And in breaking the pofitive law, he would alfo break the moral law, — it being the fame divine fove- reignty and authority which was engaged in both ; fo that a particular trampling upon it in the one, was a general trampling upon it in the other likewife : For whofoever Jhall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all*. The fum of the whole moral law is this : Thou /halt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy foul, and with all thy flrength, and with all thy mind ; and thy neighbour as thyfelf\. Accordingly, the man's love to God and to his own pofterity, as to be manifefted in keep- ing the pofitive law, — was the fum of, and vir- tually the whole law under which he then flood. The whole moral law belonged to the law of the Covenant of Works : And that whole Covenant was to be kept or broken, according as the pofitive law mould be fo. sy. * James ii. id. \ Luke x. 27, 40 A View of the § V. The reftriction was probatory. The po- fitive law was given for a proof and the higheft proof, of the man's active and abfolute fubjec- tion to the will of God : Of his being difpofed for yielding implicit obedience to his Sovereign Lord, where he could fee no reafon for his obe- dience but mere will and pleafure ; a purpofe which could not have been ferved by any pre- cept or prohibition of the moral law. It was thus defigned for a tejl of his fidelity, with re- gard to the whole law of the Covenant of Works : It was made the trying point, the turning hinge of the whole ; that the whole was to be kept in keeping this,— and, in breaking this, the whole was to be broken. And the breaking of the whole would thus be afcertained, for his convic- tion, beyond all queflion or excufe ; by one in- dividual, diftinet, and external fact. It was from this conflitution, and not from any thing in the nature of one of the trees in the midit of the garden, that it got the name of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. — It highly concerned the man to know the infinite difference between good and evil ; as to the doing and enjoying of good, on the one hand, — with the doing and fujfering of evil, on the other : As alfo the infeparable connection between the good of obedience and of blejfednefs ; as between the evil of dif obedience and of mifery : And that he Covenant of Works. 41 he could not know, in his behaviour, both the good of obedience and the evil of difobedience, — but only the one or the other ; as alfo that the good of bleffednefs and the evil of mlfery, could not both9 but only the one or the other, be matter of his experience. And his coming to the full enjoyment of all good of bleffednefs, or finking into the depths of all evil of mifery, — was to turn on the hinge of his dealing with this tree ; by doing the good of obedience, or the evil of difobedience, — with re- gard to the reftrietion which was laid upon him. In abftaining from the fruit, he was to know all good experimentally ; and evil only fpeculaiively : But, in eating, he was to know all evil experi- mentally ; and good only fpeculaiively. In the one cafe, he was to know good and evil as God doth ; but in the other cafe, he was to know them as the devil doth, — and, naturally, for ever. At the 22d verfe of the next chapter, the in- finite Three-in-one and One-in-three comes in faying, according to our tranflation : Behold the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil. It is at leaft very hard, to put a decent fenfe upon thefe words. They can only mean a fort of divine irony or ridicule, faying one thing and meaning the contrary, — with regard to' fallen man. And it is hard to conceive of God's fpeaking fo lightly, about his creature lately fo much favoured, — as newly funk into D f the 4^ A View of the the deeps of fin and mifery. But the Hebrew text, according to its punctuation, gives a very different fenfe.— The word tranflated is become, naturally and ordinarily iignifies was : And there is a minor dijlinclive upon the word tranf- lated the man ; by w7hich it is abfolutely fepa- rated from an immediate con ft ru&ion with the following word (which fhould be rendered) was, —and ftands in an immediate conftruclion with the foregoing word rendered heboid. The man is therefore an accufative governed by the fore- going word 'r and not a nominative to the fol- lowing verb. And the proper tranflation, in the true emphafis marked by the Hebrew punc- tuation, is this ; Behold the man, he was as one of us, to know good and evil. He was fo, but be- hold what he now is • Mod ftriking language of divine pity and compaffion. And as the whole condition of the Covenant of Works was fummed up, in the one law about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,— re- ducing the trial of the man's maintaining his firft eftate to that fingle point ; it was by the breach of it that he plunged himfelf into a new and dreadful knowledge of good and evil I Which he has wofully left as an inheritance to his po- ilerity. § VI. The reftriclion was peculiar to the man; extending to the woman upon her di- ftin& Covenant af Works. 43 ilin& formation, as one party with him in the Covenant of Works. This is evident, — from there being no natural impremon or prefumption of the reftriction about the forbidden tree, in the hearts or confciences of any of the man's po- fterity; as there is, in fome meafure, of the moral law, the natural law of the Covenant of Works, in the hearts and confciences of them all. And, indeed, it could not be otherwife ; as the reftri&ion was only the revealed will of God to the man, after he was made upright. — Befides, almoft all his pofterity were neceflarily to be difp~erfed ; beyond all reach of any bufinefs with that tree. But the matter of chief confideration here, is, —that the reftriction was the immediate condi* tion of the Covenant of Works, prefcribed to the man, as the covenant-head of mankind ; in which view, it could belong to him only : As the keeping or breaking of the Covenant, the ful- filling of or failing in its condition, could, in the nature of the thing, be by him only, — and not by any of his natural pofterity. Had he flood, they could not have fallen, — confiftently with his covenant-headihip : Had he perfevered in the fulfilling of the condition, till the time of his trial mould have been expired ; he and they would have been confirmed, againft all hazard of any future breaking of it, — even fuch of them as might have continued or come within the reach 44 A View of the reach of the forbidden fruit. And as it was not to be their abftaining, but his abftaining from that fruit, on which the keeping and good effect of the Covenant was to depend ; while the con- dition of it, in the aforefaid reftriction, was pre- fcribed to him alone : Immediately upon his breaking thereof, both he and they were expel- led from all future accefs to any tree in the gar- den. § VII. The reftri&ion was temporary, as to the man's abflaining from the forbidden tree. — -He was, by no means, formed for an eternity in the exercifes of an animal life, about any tree in the garden. And as his abftaining from that tree, was the immediate condition of the Covenant of Works ; this condition mull have been fulfilled^ in fome period of his temporal ftate. That Covenant had a promife of eternal life in heaven ; of immediate and glorious communion with God, infinitely above all animal exercifes and enjoyments. But he could not have been advanced to that happy ftate, till the condition of the Covenant was fulfilled : And if it had not been to be fo at a certain length of time, but to be always running on in the fulfilling \ the pro- mife would have been quite vain, the promised life never to be obtained. This condition muft therefore have been ful- filled at a certain moment ; wThen he would have Covenant of Works. 45 have been no longer in a ftate of trial, but brought into a ftate of confirmation, — as the an- gels who left not their own habitation. And all his pofterity, after that ilTue of his trial, mull have been confirmed in and with him for ever ; according to the very nature of the Covenant. For his covenant- head/hip could have been of no reality, without communicating his confirming righteoufnefs to them if he had flood ; as he com- municated his condemning guiltinefs to them, up- on his falling into the breach of the Covenant made with them in him. As to what we may reafonably fuppofe, about the time, and manner, and circumflances, of the covenant-condition coming to be fulfilled, — ac- cording to the nature of the Covenant, and the man's reprefentation in it ; fome account may be given in another chapter. SECT. IV. Of the Penalty under which the Reftric"lion was laid upon thejirft Man. As the man was reflridled from eating of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, upon the pain of death ; he certainly knew what was meant by the denounced death, as comprehending all evil of punifhment and fuffering. But the par- ticular ftate of his knowledge upon this head, fo long 46 A View of the long as he had it only for a matter of fpecula- tive apprehenfion, — cannot now be explained. We are therefore to conlider it as it proved to be, when become a matter of fact: in woful ex- perience. Accordingly there was meant a death prefent, future, jujl, infallible, permanent, univerfal, and peculiarly connected with an eating of the forbidden fruit. § I. The penalty meant a prefent death, ac- cording to the exprefs terms of it,— for in the day that thou eatejl thereof thou Jhalt furely die. The eating and the dying were to be both in the very fame day. This did not only mean his imme- diately becoming liable to death, as laid under a fentence of death ; and fo, becoming judicially dead. Nor did it mean only a begun mortality in the Hate of his body ; its immediately be- coming difpofed toward a diflblution, through a begun principle of animal diforder. But, in the moment of his eating, there was an aclual and real death inflicted upon him ; as, otherwife, the penalty could not have been verified, according to the truth and propriety of its terms. And this was a death as to the flate of his foul, in an immediate feparation of it from God ; in- finitely more dreadful, than the feparation to be afterwards made of it from his body. In this fpiritual death, he loft his original conformity to God ; friendly communion with him, and fa- vourable Covenant of Works. 47 vourable communications from him : His con- fcience became pofleffed and defiled by guilt ; a- bolifhing confidence in God, and making him a terror to the finning creature : His love to God, as a friend, was extinguished ; giving place to hatred of him as an enemy : His under/landing was horribly darkened ; through a withdrawing of that light of the glorious perfections and fpe- cial favour of God, which had been directly mining into it ; His will was flated in a wicked contradiction to the authority and will of God : And his affeclions, turned quite away from God ; were fet upon a molt vain fearch of happinefs in the enjoyments of his animal life. Thus, his foul did immediately fink into a flate of uni- verfal corruption ; of abfolute difconformity un- to, and alienation from God : And as this prefent death was, in one refpedi, moft finful ; it was, in another refpecT:, a dreadful punifhment of fin. § II. The penalty meant a future death. It ftri&ly runs, as hath been obferved ; to die, or to a dying thoujhalt die : Thou Jhalt die prefently, in the very day of eating ; but ftill to die, or to- ward a further dying afterwards. He immediate- ly became dead, as to the all of the threatened death, judicially ; but not aftually. Though the execution of the fentence was immediately be- gun, yet not toward a being immediately finifh- ed 48 J View of the ed or completed : As this could not have confifl- ed with the manifeft neceflity of his being pre- ferred, during fome time, in a capacity for the propagation of his offspring, who were to be par- takers with him in the death. This future death is twofold ; in time, and beyond time : Or, on earth and in hell. I/?, He wTas to undergo a further death in time ; or on earth, at the end of his time. And this death was to coniift in a feparation of his foul from his body : For, as God had formed his bo- dy of the dull of the ground, — the penalty did comprehend this dreadful article \ unto dujl thou Jhalt return #. The man, in his primitive condition, was im- mortal, as to the ftate of his body. Had he Hood, the union of his foul and body could never have been diffolved. This doth not imply, that his body had then a natural immortality, like his foul : For it was naturally difFolvable or fepa- rable into parts, as much as now. But it was then under a pofitive confiitution or eftablifh- ment, for an unimpairable Hate of prefervation, in a perpetual union with his foul, — by the fo- vereign will and power of God ; from which he wofully fell, by falling into fin. And it is to be fuppofed, that the fame immortal, condition would have belonged to all his poflerity, if he had flood ; as they muft have flood in and with him, ac- cording * Gen. iii. 19. Covenant of Works. 49 cording to the nature of the covenant : Without fuppoling that they muft have all continued on the earth, till all were brought forth ; for they might have been gradually tranilated in their times, as Enoch was, — fo that the earth would never have been overpeopled. But, by iin, bo- dily death entered into the world of mankind. zdly, He was fentenced to undergo a ilill fur- ther death, beyond time ; or, in hell, as the place of final punifhment. This death was to be the reverfe of the eternal life promifed in the Cove- nant of Works : As it is likewife the reverfe of that eternal life which is provided in the Cove- nant of Grace *. This death means the deflruc- tion of both foul and body in hell : To take ef- fect upon the foul, immediately on its fepara- tion from the body ; and on both foul and body as reunited, in the Tefurrection of this from the grave. And fuch was to be the completement of the penalty in its execution : A ftate of abfo- lute lofs, as to all forts and even appearance of good ; in fuffering all extremities of fenfible pu- nifhment. § III. The penalty meant a juft death. The wages of fin is death * ; wages nowife exceeding the demerit of the work. It is the judgment of God, that thefe who perpetrate fuch work not only are to undergo, but are worthy of death f. * Rom. vi. 23. \ Rom. i. 32. So A View of the Sin is an abfolute oppofition to the infinite pei feclions and goodnefs of God, his infinite autho- rity and power. It is the all of one fort of evil, againft God ; and therefore it muft deferve the all of the other fort of evil, from God. As the finner will not have God to be for him, he muft have God againft him; wholly for or againft him. The holinefs of God ftands in an infinite and abfolute oppofition to fin ; which therefore can- not but be effeclive in the punifhment of the fin- ner, as the fun's light is effective againft dark- nefs. And God's moral dominion over the rea- fonable creature cannot be maintained, but in one of two ways ; either in that creature's active fubjeclion to his preceptive will, or paffive fub- je&ion to his punifhing will : For if the creature could make off, or be exempted from both, he would immediately be in a ftate of moral inde- pendence upon God. The infinite ONE would therefore be, upon the matter, renouncing the fovereignty of his being, and the righteoufnefs of his nature, fhould he fuffer fin to pafs altogether unpunifhed. And the finning creiture being made for an eternity of exiftence ; while he can never make an atone- ment for the fin which he has committed, as he can never recover himfelf from finning : The punifhment of his fin muft therefore be eternal $ as will be more particularly obferved in a little. Moreover, Covenant of Works. 5* Moreover, though fin be a finite difpofition or action, as belonging to or committed by a finite being ; it muft be of infinite malignity, — as it is an hoftility againft the infinite Being in all his perfections, yea in his very exiftence : And it mult therefore deferve all extremity of punifh- ment to which the finner can be fubjedled. And tfie fait hfulnefs of God is engaged for this, in the penalty of his law ; a penalty not arbi- trary,— but founded in the righteoufnefs and rights of his nature, equally with the precepts. The death denounced is therefore abfolutely juft : And there is a neceility of its being inflicted upon the finner, or upon a furety in his place ; as abfolutely indifpenfable, as the neceffity of God's not denying himfelf. § IV. The penalty meant an infallible death. This is evident from thzjujlnefs of it, which has been confidered. It is likewife abfolutely and unconditionally denounced, in the penalty of the law : While the infallibility of it, as to its effect, is eftablifhed in the faithfulnefs, yea in the very nature of God ; as alfo in the intrinfic nature of fin, and its effential tendency toward fuffer^ ing. But that infallibility of the death, befide this general ftate of it, is to be confidered likewife in a more particular view ; as it ftands in a con- fiftency, yea in a connection with all the difpen- fations 52 A View of the fations of God's forbearance, or long-fuffering patience : And with his bellowing of many pro- vidential favours or privileges upon fuch as are continuing under the fentence of that death ; even loading them with fuch benefits. It is not a blind and impetuous necefiity of puniihing fin, which belongs to the divine nature ; like that of the fun mining, or the fire burning. The gofpel manifefts, that the penalty did leave room for the fubilitution of a furety to bear its effecT: : And it quickly appeared in providence, that there was ftill an open door for delays, as to that future death which it meant — with regard to thofe continuing under it. Though there is no redemption from the temporal death as to the matter of it, but only from its panal nature ; yet there are confiftent delays of it, for various lengths of time. The man was not overtaken by it, till nine hundred and thirty years after his fall : And though it is to be fuppofed that he had a begun recovery, upon the ground of the promife given to him when newly fallen ; yet there is no reafon to fuppofe, in the cafe of his having ftill continued under the penalty, that this death would have overtaken him any foon- er. And fuch delays did neceflarily belong to God's original conftitution, about the production of the human kind. They were to be produced in the way of natural propagation, from one race Covenant of Works. 53 race to another : And as it was neceffary, that the world fhould be continued in a ftate admit- ting of fuch propagation ; fo alfo, that men fhould be continued in it, through different lengths and various conveniencies of life, for the fame purpofe. It is therefore evident, that the (landing of this world in its prefent ftate, af- ter the man's fall, was nowife properly owing to the interpofition of the Mediator : But that the continuance of this ftate was fecured by the pe- nalty, till the generations of mankind fhould be completed ; as it neceffarily required the pro- duction of all the feed who finned in, and fell with the firft man, — for having an immediate effect upon them. Though the threatened death was infallibly to take effect, or fin was neceffarily to be punifh- ed ; yet the divine fovereignty and wifdom were alfo to have an effect, in fettling the times and other circumftances of the punilhment, — parti- cularly as to the fenfible parts thereof. And there is no inconfiftency of any providential favours or privileges beftowed on men, with their con- tinued and full fubjection to the legal penalty, —or with the nature of that penalty itfelf : Be- caufe, under all thefe enjoyments, it is ftill ta- king a fecret and infenfible effect upon them ; as God is ftill dealing judicially with them, — curfing their bleflings, their bafket and their ftore. And fo, through their mifimprovement and abufe of fuch 54 A View of the fuch blefiings, they are judicially hardened in fin ; unto a being more and more ripened for that full effect, which the death meant in the penalty will moft infallibly and dreadfully have upon them, at the end of their times. So it is, as to the natural and moil grievous ftate of matters. The fupernatural and moft gracious ftate thereof, under another covenant, —-is of a very different confideration, § V. The penalty meant a permanent death. The execution of it was not to be over at a cer- tain time ; as the punifhment of death, annex- ed to the tranfgreflion of a human law. The death meant in the penalty was to be an ever- dying ; ever fuffering the pains of death, with- out intermiflion or end. The temporal death, in the feparation of the foul from the body, was indeed to be over and ended, as to the material fact of it, — in a feafon of God's appointment. But it was likewife to be of a permanent nature, not only as excluding from all return into the former condition ; but mainly, as the punifhment fuffered therein was to be continued upon the foul, — immediately configned thereby to the ftate of death in hell. And this death, firft of the foul, afterwards of foul and body reunited, was to be eternal : Agreeably to the eternal duration of the finner, with the nature and demerit of fin ; and accord- ing Covenant of Works. 55 ing to moft exprefs teftimonies of holy Scripture. It is called, in general, eternal judgment* ; ever- lofting contempt \ ; and ever laft ing puniftment\. And an endlefs permanency belongs to the fen- fible nature of this dying ; a permanent fuffer- ing of all the inexpreffible agonies of that death, without any abatement for ever : As it is called everlqfting burnings || ; everlafting fire § ; nfuffer* ing the vengeance of eternal fire** ; where their worm (a tormenting confcience) dieth not, and the fire (of God's vengeance) never Jhall he quenched \\ ; a furnace of fire, there Jhall be wailing and gnafhing of teeth XX. And thus it is, that the death meant in the penalty was to be a moft proper and full re- verfe of the eternal life which wras promifed to the man upon his obedience ; and is now the gift of God> through Jefus Chrijl our Lord. But, in a particular manner, the fpiritual death, which was to take effect in the very day of eat- ing the forbidden fruit, — hath an eiTential per- manency belonging to it. The death of the foul, in the univerfal corruption or depravity thereof, bears upon it a flamp of eternity \ ac- cording to its nature, it muft be perpetual. The power of God could not be exerted in re- covering from it, confiftently with the righteouf- nels and rights of his nature \ without fuch an atonement * Heb. vu 2. f Dan. xii. 2; % Matth. xxv. 46, || Ifa. xxxiii. 14. \ Matth. xxv. 41. ** Jude vcr. 7. -J-f Markix. 43, 44. %% Matth. xiii. 42. 56 A View of the atonement for fin as no creature could make, or even devife. The (inner could have neither any ability nor inclination to recover himfelf, in re- turning to God ; he is abfolutely without ftrength, and loves to have it fo. Wherefore, the depra- vity of his foul is naturally quite incurable, for ever. This death is otherwife reprefented as a ftate of univerfal difeafe : The whole head is fick, and the whole heart faint ; from the fole of the foot even unto the head, there is no foundnefs in it, but wounds and bruifes and putrifying fores *. And though the natural body, under a difeafe, may Hill retain a principle of recovery ; fo as nature can get the better of this difeafe : Yet no fuch principle remains under that foul-difeafe : No- thing but a natural, or eiTential and infallible tendency toward eternal death in hell ; where the death of the foul is to be continued in a flate of abfolute corruption and finning, as well as of fuifering, for ever. § VI. The penalty meant an univerfal death. It did not merely afcertain the death of the in- dividual man then exifting, in the event of his tranfgreffion ; but likewife of all his pofterity, who mould exift in fucceffive generations. The Lord God was not then fpeaking to the man as a private perfon, or only as the natural root of mankind ; but likewife as reprefenting them all • Ifa. i. 5, 6. Covenant of Works. 57 all in a ftate of covenant -headfhip. His firming was not to be the fin only of his perfon, but of human nature ; his fall was to be the fall of mankind, arid his death was to comprehend the death of them all. So it was, with regard to his jirft fin, to be committed by him (if at all) in his public character ; though not with regard to the guilt and demerit of any fin to be afterwards committed by him, when fallen from that character in committing his firft fin. Thus all the death, fpiritual and temporal, which has and will overfpread the world, — and the eternal death which multitudes of mankind have been and will be plunged into ; all belonged to, or was included in the dreadfully univerfal death which had been denounced in the penal- ty.— And the teftimony of Scripture, on this head, is moil explicit ; that by man came death *, all the death of mankind : By one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin ; andfo, death paf- fed upon all men f . All the death which has paf- fed, and will pafs upon all men, is therefore a continued execution of that awful penalty ; the very death which belonged to the original mat- ter of it, in its covenznt-univerfality. § VII. The penalty meant a death peculiarly connecled with the eating of the forbidden fruit. F f Death, * 1 Cor. xv. 21. \ Rom. v. 12. 58 A View of the Death, in all the extent which has been con- fidered, is the wages of fin , — of every fin : " E- " very fin defervcth God's wrath and curfe ; " both in this life, and that which is to come." The ?noral law, that natural law, imprefled up- on the man's foul in his creation, — had the fame penalty of death belonging to it, which was afterwards exprefled in the pofitive law ; and be- longing feparately to every article of it. The man's reafon and confcience as naturally dicta- ted that penalty, as it did the precept ; bearing this awful determination, concerning the breach of all and every precept of the moral law, — the foul thatfinneth) it Jlwll die. But, in the pofitive law9 this death was de- nounced as the fpecial punifhment of that fin which was to confift in eating the forbidden fruit. The man was placed in an holy and hap- py (late ; but not beyond a hazard of falling from it. In the penalty, God expreiTed to him a warning of his hazard ; which muft be con- lidered, in the nature of the thing, as a fair and full warning of all the hazard in which he then actually flood. Such was all his hazard, not abfolutely and ultimately ; but immediately, or only at firfl inftance. When informed, that upon eating he fhould die ; he was certainly given to underftand, that upon not eating he Jljould not diet —mould live. And no reaibnable interpreta- tion Covenant cf Works. 59 tion could be put upon the penalty, but as it means, — that the eating was the only Jin which he was immediately in hazard of committing ; and that all the hazard he was in of death, was im- mediately through a committing of that fin. Yet, in committing that fin, he was to fall into all other fin ; an univerfal breach of the whole mo- ral law : And he was thence to become fubjecl to death, not only as the penalty annexed to the pofitive precept ; but like wife as it was natu- rally annexed to every precept of the moral law. But a further explanation of this mat- ter, is referred to another chapter. S?CT. V. Same Inferences from the aforegoing general 'View, Several things which refult as necefiary con- iequences from this general view, may be more properly obferved,— when the view comes to be more particular. At prefent, there may be a deduction of the following inferences. Inf. I. Man was originally defigned for an eternal State, The important declaration, that whatfoetver God doeth (or made, as the word is applied to the work 6o •( View 0/ the work of creation *), it Jloall be for ever ; may bear fome application to his producing of creatures out of nothing. Annihilation, or the reducing of creatures, particularly reafonable creatures, to their original nothing, — though it could not properly bear the nature of puniihment, is yet a matter of moft horrible apprehenfion. And fuch annihilation could not require any exer- tion of divine power ; but only a with-holding of that exertion thereof, upon which the mo- mentary fubfiftence of every creature depends : While no creature has any principle of felf-exijl- ence, for a moment. At the fame time, there ap- pears no reafon to fuppofe, — that God will ever fufFer any thing to which he has given a being, to drop at any time out of being, — or become as if it had never been. The earth and heavens Jhall wax old as a garment ; as a vejiure Jhall he change them, and they Jhall he changed ' \ : But this is abfolutely different from reducing them to nothing. All thefe things jhall he diffolved, not an- nihilated ; giving place to new heavens and a new earth J. God faith, — Behold, I make all things new || . The holy Scripture exprefsly teacheth, that . the earnejl expecla'tion of the creature waiteth for the manifeftation of the fons of Cod ; — becaufe the creature itfelf alfo jhall be delivered from the bandage f * Gen. i. 7, 16, 25. ; ii. 2, 3, 4. ; Exod. xx. 11. -J- Pfal. cii. 26. t 2 Pet. jii. ii, 13. || Rev. xxi. j[, Covenant of Works. 6i of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God*. And this plainly fignifies, that, in a future period, the material world fhall be no longer fubjecl to vanity ; Shall no longer be a feat of human wickednefs as now, inftrumental by finful men in difhonouring God ; but fhall be renewed into fuch glorious forms as we cannot now conceive of, into a world wherein dwelleth righteoifnefs f ; wherein thefe works of God fhall completely praife him, — through eternal ac- knowledgments of his glory therein, by holy •angels and men. Yet this doth nowife mean, — that the mate- rial creation fhall be either continued in or re- ftored unto its prefent ftate and form. And it gives no countenance to the flrange abfurdity ; as if, after the great diffolution of all things, not only all the matter of this world, but likewife all pr any particular forms of that matter, in mere animal or unintelligent life, were to be reflored and preferved for ever. But as man had a foul of natural immortality, fo he had a body of pofitive immortality. In this complex and wonderful flate of being, he had a promife of eternal life. And it is evident from revelation, that the dilfolving of the myfterious union betwixt foul and body, upon his tranfgref- fion, — was to be only for a time ; thefe were to be reunited afterwards, for an eternal fubflftence in * Rom. viii. 19, 20, 21. \ 2 Pet. iii. 13. 62 A View of the in that ftate. And there is no reafon to fuppofe that, in the other world, there will be any other forms of living matter, than in the bodies of man- kind upon their refurrection. Inf. II. The Depravity cf human Nature is net fo ancient as that Nature itfelf. Some infidels of the prefent age have done open defpite to divine revelation, in the moll ex- prefs terms of it ; by a new fcheme of philofo- phy, concerning the original ftate of mankind. According to that fcheme, people have wrought themfelves up to a far better condition than ori- ginally belonged to human nature : As if man had been at firit a favage animal ; and gradually raifed up from this brutality, by the means of what is called civilization. But the fcriptural account of man's primitive eftate is abiblutely different. According there- to,— he was made an upright creature, after the image of God ; in knowledge, and righteouf- nefs, and true holinefs : PoiTefTed of thefe quali- fications in fuch a meafure, as none of his na- tural defcendants ever did or can attain to in this world. Such was the honour of his firil eftate ; though he abode in it but for a very fhort time. And thefe who confider God as having otherwife made man, even in a worfe condition than the civilized part of his pofterity is now in, Covenant of Works. 63 in,— cannot be fuppofed to have right apprehen- lions of the God who made him ; or to confider him as God's workmanfhip. Inf. III. The Origin of moral Evil, in human De- pravity, is only made known by Revelation. Nothing is more obvious, than that naturally the whole world lieth in wickednefs *. This ap- pears to be the cafe, even in the moft early ftages of rational life. And it cannot be reafonably pretended, that the original of this wickednefs lies in bad example. For the firft finner of the human kind could have no bad example, in that kind, for being imitated. Belides, there are moft evident workings of moral depravity fo ve- ry early in childhood, as to anticipate all capa- city for obferving and following the example of others. And there are frequent inftances of per- fons turning out remarkably wicked, though trained up under the bell examples and inftruc- tions that the world affords. Such depravity, or corruption, muft therefore be original to every perfon ; ingenerate with the various principles of his nature : Though, it is not fuffered to have equal operations in all. And fo, every perfon has reafon to acknowledge, with the Pfalmift ; / was Jhapen in iniquity, and in Jin did my mother conceive me f. Some * ijohn v. 19. f Pfal. Ii. 5. 64 A View of the Some modern, and even contradictory fchemes of natural hiftory, do yet agree on the fide of Deifm ; rejecting the fcriptural hi/lory of the cre- ation of this world, and of the various creatures which it contains, — as preferring thereto, the product of vain imaginations. But, abftracting from the fcripture-accounts of this matter ; none who acknowledge God as God can fuppofe, that human nature was primitively formed by him in its prefent ftate of corruption. Whence, then, can this have proceeded ? What can have been the real origin of it ? Every one may fee that it is a matter of fact : But none can give even any appearance of a rational account, how it has come to be fo. Heathens could not mifs to ob- ferve the depravity of human nature : But they were abfolutely at a lofs about explaining the rife of it ; otherwife than by fooliih or impious fables. There is, therefore, no knowledge to be had of the real origin of moral evil in human depravi- ty, but from the revelation which is made of it to us ; particularly, in the fecond and third chap- ters of Gene/is. There, we have a definite cha- racter of Xhtfrjl fin, that was committed by the firft man ; as the only fin, at firft inftance, which was committible by him. By one man, that fin entered into the world ; and, with it, all other fin. And the corruption which his nature did thus immediately fink into, has been propagated from Covenant of Works. 65 from him to all his natural pofterity ; as may be further confidered in the fequel. Inf. IV. Inhere can be no proper and acceptable Obe- dience to God, but in a direcl Regard to his Will, as the formal or precife Reafon of it. It is not enough to the lingular profiigatenefs of our time, that it has produced a new faihion of natural philofophy, — by which God is, upon the matter, turned out of the natural world ; or left in it only as a Spectator of how matters go, ac- cording to what are called the Laws of Nature : In oppofition to -the immediate and abfolute de- pendence which all things in it, with all caufes and effects, have upon the continual exertions of the divine Will and Power ; as much for their momentary fubjijlence in any courfes and connec- tions, as for their Jirji exiftence. — But, by fome modern- and famionable doctrines of moral philo- fopby, God is alfo turned out of the moral world. For, according to this philofophy, full of incon- fiftencies, yet all rooted in Atheifm, — the founda- tion of morality lies in the nature and will of man : While the ground and reafon of moral ob- ligation is ftated in certain tq/res, feelings , difpoft- tions or ajfeclions of the human mind or heart, — or in what is taken to be the natural ftnefs of things ; without any dired regard to the autho- rity and will, or to the very being of a God. G f The 66 A View of the The precepts of the moral law have indeed an intrinfic reafonablenefs of what it requires and forbids. Our reafon can eafily apprehend a na- tural equity and propriety, or fitnefs, in the matter of thefe precepts ; as originally founded in the perfections of the divine nature. Even abftracting from the authority and will of God, the matter of them approves itfelf to the human mind, — as of natural and necelTary obligation : That obedience thereto is required becaufe good, not merely good becaufe required. But this original ground of moral obligation in the divine nature, cannot be the immediate ground upon which our obedience is to proceed. For then, we would not be fo properly obeying God as our own reafon : We would not be direct- ly ferving him, but ourfelves ; in fubmitting to our natural appreheniions of what is proper and juft. It is not the nature of God, or the reafon of duty in his nature, that muft be the immediate rule of our obedience, — the formal and precife reafon of it. This can only be the will of God, as his authority is interpofed in manifefting the fame to us. Let the duty required be ever fo reafonable in its nature ; it is not this, but God's requifition of it, that we muft have an immediate refpect unto in every act of obedience. And thus only can we be properly acknowledging God as our Judge, cur Lawgiver, our King * ; Not doing * Ifa. xxxiii. 22. Covenant of Works. 67 doing what is required, merely or mainly be- caufe we think it right ; but becaufe he requires it. This point was moll eminently fettled, in God's procedure with the firft man. — He was under the obligation of the whole moral law, as imprefTed on his heart and confcience in his creation. But when he had the will of God to comply with in the precepts of that law, it was not mere will : He could not but fee a glorious reafon for it in the nature of God. Yet, while this was to be confidered as a reafon of God's giving the law ; he was not to confider it as likewife the proper reafon for his obeying it : It was the will of God in that law, not the reafon* ablenefs of his will therein, to which man was to pay homage ; though this was at the fame time to be acknowledged, with complacence and ado- ration.— And the man got a mofl lingular in- ftruclion, for making the will of God the proper reafon of all his obedience : When it was all brought to turn upon the hinge of the pofitive precept, in which he had only the mere will of. God to regard as the reafon of his obedience ; without any reafon for it in the matter of that precept. This tell of abfolute and implicit obe- dience to the mere will of God, was to be a {landing memorial, — for making the will of God the formal and precife reafon of all his other obedience. Inf. 68 A View of the Inf. V. "There can be no proper and acceptable Obe- dience to God, but immediately upon the ground of Revelation. The moral law, which was to the man a na- tural law, contained a difcovery to him of God's will about his duty, — a rule for his obedience to his Sovereign Lord. But he was not left a mo- ment, to yield obedience immediately on that ground ; or limply from the natural dictates of his reafon and confcience. The pofitive precept was inftantly difpenfed as an article of God's revealed will to him ; and he was to maintain his moral obedience, in and through a compli- ance with this revealed will of God. Had he flood, he mull have Hill had his firft refpecl to that revealed law, in the whole matter of his obedience : Never fuppoling, that he was to do the will of God in any moral precept, — but as, in the firft place, maintaining a fubmiflion to and dependence upon the pofitive revelation of the divine pleafure about the forbidden tree. And had he flood out the time of his probation or trial, till he mould have had no more con- cern with that tree, as being brought into a {late of confirmation ; this would have been the matter of a farther revelation to him, for the immediate ground of all his acceptable obedience. And, upon his fall, when the firft revelation of God's Covenant of Works. 69 God's will in the pofitive precept was to be of no longer benefit to him ; he got a farther re- velation, in the promife of the blefled and blef- fing Seed, for the immediate ground of all his future obedience and acceptance. It is -therefore evident that man, in his pri- mitive eftate, knew nothing of, had nothing ado with a mere natural religion ; the mere religion of natural reafon and confcience. He could yield no proper and acceptable obedience to God, in that manner. Man was never made for any religion at all, without pofitive revelation as the immediate ground of it : And fo, every fcheme of a mere natural religion is a falfe religion, or a mere fiction. It is even abfurd to fuppofe, that there can be any reality of fuch religion in the cafe of finful men, upon whofe hearts the ori- ginal impreffion of the moral law is fo much de- faced ; or that any fuch religion, whatever be pretended, can be of any account or acceptance with God. Was man, in his upright Hate, to have his religion proceeding upon God's revealed will ; much more mull this be the cafe with fal- len men. We can have no truth of religion at all, but what proceeds upon the revelation which we are now blelfed with, — the religion of the go- fpel. We can make no proper account of the moral law, but as we embrace that revelation ; for having our moral obedience regulated by the dodrines and promifes of the gofpel. And fo far 7° A View of the far as men are rejecters, or perverters of that re- velation ; they are fo far in a date of irreligion and immorality, according to the eftiinate which ought to be made of their cafe. Inf. VI. All God's Dealingwith Men about their ever- lqfting Concerns, has ever been in a Covenant-Far/^. God eftablifhed a Covenant of Works with the firft man, comprehending the whole ground of his claim and expectation, — not only for being preferved in his original happinefs while on earth ; but alfo for being tranflated, in due time, to a glorious ftate of eternal life in • hea- ven. That Covenant was eftablifhed with him, not only for himfelf ; but alfo with and for all his natural pofterity, according to the radical and reprefented being which they had in him. And if he had fulfilled the condition of that Covenant, he and they would have enjoyed a full accomplifhment of its promife of eternal life. Upon the breach of that Covenant, there re- mained not for him and them, either any na- tural profpecl: or poflibility of efcaping eternal death. But God was pleafed, in his gracious fovereignty, to provide a fupernatural way of efcape ; which began to be revealed, in the great promife on the back of the fall. And as the ruin was through one Covenant now bro- ken ; Covenant of Works. fi ken ; the recovery was to be through another, and an everlafting Covenant: The Covenant of Grace, This is not the place, for any particular account of that Covenant. But it may be ob- ferved in general, — that herein lies the only way of God's dealing with men now, about their obtaining eternal life. All are loll, on the way to everlafting perdition in hell, according to the broken Covenant of Works : And it is vain for any to imagine that they can be faved from that horrible perdition, otherwife than by the Covenant of Grace ; upon the ground of the condition thereof, as fulfilled by the fecond man, the Lord from heaven *. According to his invariable conftitution, God can have no dealing with men about their ever- lafting concerns, — but in the way of the one or the other of thefe Covenants, There is not any third or middle way, in which thefe concerns can be fettled. All muft have God to deal with them according to the firft Covenant, unto a fuf- fering of eternal death ; or according to the fe- cond Covenant, — in being faved unto eternal life, by Grace reigning through the righteoufnefs of the glorious Head of that Covenant. As it is upon one common covenant-gvound, that fmners are ruin- ed ; it is upon ort^ common covenant- ground, that fome of them are recovered. And now, when the old way of life by the firft Covenant is for ever * x Cor. xv, 47, 7* J View of the ever fhut up ; and a new way of life is opened up by the fecond Covenant : There remains, therefore, no alternative for fmners, — but to re- nounce all holding of the firft Covenant, and to take hold of the fecond Covenant for eternal life ; or to perifh for ever. Inf. VII. "There was never any Good to be looked for from God, but immediately on the Ground of his Promife. Goodnefs is eiTential to God, a neceffary per- fection of his nature. But this has never been fet forth to either upright or fallen man, as the im- mediate ground upon which he might look for any good of true bleflednefe at God's hand : Be- caufe, though goodnefs be eifential to God ; it is not of a neceffary, but of a fovereignly free egrefs upon creatures.— -/The firft man, as God made him, was good, very good ; while an en- joyment of many good things belonged to the conftitution of his primitive eftate : And he was to look for the continuance of thefe, and alfo for additional bleflings of goodnefs, — not imme- diately on the ground of God's efTential good- nefs ; but on the ground of his promife in the Covenant of Works. As that Covenant, with regard to the moral law, was naturally interwoven with his foul \ his confeience could as readily dictate a promife from Covenant of Works. 73 from God of good, upon his doing good,— as it could dictate a threatening from God of evil, upon his doing evil. Yet he was not left to reft his hope of good on God's promife, merely in this natural dictate of it. He had that pro- mife more fpecially and pofitively fet forth to him, in an article of God's revealed will : As it was plainly implied in the penalty under which he was debarred from one tree in the garden ; while it was alfo lignified and fealed to him by another tree in it, the facramental tree of life. Thus, all his hope from God, ail his dependence upon God for good, even in his primitive eftate, —was to proceed immediately upon God's re- vealed will in a way of pofitive promife. Upon man's fall, all that profpect of good from God, both natural and revealed, was whol- ly extinguifhed : No benefit was to be ever had, of the promife belonging to the Covenant of Works. And fuch is the woful ftate, in which he left his pofterity. — God, indeed, beflows ma- ny good things of common providence, upon fuch as are not feeking or looking to him for the fame ; and are making no acknowledgment of him, in their ufe of thefe common benefits. But fuch things are not good things to them, as abufed by them ; nor are they, in their na- ture, fuch things as belong to true bleffednefs, —or effects of God's favour. As to good things of this fpiritual and blefling nature, finful men H f have 74 A View of the have no ground at all upon which to look for them, — but God's promifes in the Covenant of Grace. For any to fatisfy themfelves with ge-r neral conclufions from God's being good and merciful in his nature, fuch conclufions as even innocent man was never immediately to pro- ceed upon, — is to deceive themfelves into a moft woful and everlafting difappointment. We have no true good to look for at God's hand, but in the way of a fpecial and entire depen- dence on thefe New-covenant promifes ; which will have a fure and full effect, upon all who have their fouls formed into that gracious dif- pofition. CHAP- Covenant of Works. 75 CHAPTER IL Of God's Covenant-dealing with the firji Man, as a public Perfon. SOME particular explanations are to be made, in this and the following chapters, of feve- ral things in the general view which has been given. And, in this chapter, God's Covenant- dealing with the firft man as a public perfon is to be explained ; as to the reality, the nature, and the propriety of that difpenfation. SECT. I. Of the Reality of God's Covenant-dealing with the Jirjl Man, as a public Perfon. That God's dealing with the firft man was of a Covenant-nature, and that he was fo dealt with as not only the root but likewife the public fum- mary of mankind, — doth generally appear from the account given of this matter by Mofes ; as hath been fet forth in the preceding chapter. But the fame thing was more particularly re- vealed afterwards, in the holy Scripture. — It is not without reafon, that God's Covenant with the firft man has been inferred from his decla- ration by the Prophet ; They like men (on the margin! 76 A View of the margin, like Adam) have tranfgreffed the Cove* nant #. But the principal evidence, on this fub- jecl, arifes from the New-Teftament ; in the glo- rious character of Jesus Christ, with the parallel betwixt him and the Jirjl man, — as therein moft exprefsly revealed. And of thefe matters, fome particular view is to be propofed. § I. With regard to Jesus Christ, — no ac- count is to be made here, of thofe monfters that now abound among profefTed Chriftians ; who blafpheme the holy Trinity, with the proper di- vinity and mediation of Jesus Christ. But it is to be obferved concerning him, that ift, He is truly God : the one and only true God, He is frequently, in Scripture, called God. He is the true God, and eternal life ; over all, God bleffed for ever ; the bleffed and only Potentate f . And the name Jehovah, that incommunicable name of the One Supreme Godhead, belongs to him J.- — He is pofferTed of all divine per- fections ; as the King eternal, immortal, invifible, the only wife God ||. He is the mighty God, the everlafling Father ; or, Father of eternity § . He is the beginning and the ending \ which is, and which was, and which is to come ; the firjl and the lafl \ the Almighty **. And the Scripture abounds with particular afcriptions of divine properties to him.— * Hof. vi. 7. f 1 John v. 20. ; Rom. ix. 5. ; 1 Tim. vi. 15. t Jer. xxiii. 6. ; Mai. Ill- 1. j iv. 5. || 1 Tim. i. 17c § lfa. ix. 6. ** Rev. i. 8. ; xxii. 13- Covenant of Works. 77 him. — Moreover, by him were all things created, that are in heaven and that are in earth ; vifible and invifible ; whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers : All things were created by him and for him ; and he is before all things, and by him all things confijl *.— Accordingly the call is given concerning him ; let all the Angels of God worjhip him : And it is required, that at the name of Jefus every knee fhould bow, — and that every tongue Jhould confefs, that Jefus Chrijl is Lord ; Lord of all -f. idly, Jesus Christ is a divine Perfon, the per- fonal Word of God, There are three that bear record in heaven; the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghoft : And thefe three are One J. Thefe do not merely agree in one ; but they are all one Being, one and the fame Being, fubiifting in three Perfons. Each of the Perfons is the only living and true God ; and all of them are fo, in the fame one Godhead. Our Lord a- vouched this glorious truth concerning himfelf ; / and my Father are one ||. He is God, not abfo- lutely, but in the fecond Perfon of the adorable Trinity. He is not merely an attribute or quali- ty of the Godhead, but a Perfon fubiifting in it ; to whom moll diftiiiguilhing relations and ac- tions, of the higheil importance, are afcribed, — fuch as the Scripture cannot admit of being afcribed *CoI. i. 16, 17. \ Heb. i. 6. 5 Phil. ii. 10. 11. ; Aifts x. 36. X l J°hn v. 7. || John x. 30. 78 A View of the afcribed to the Father or Spirit: And which cannot, without . grofs abfurdity, be afcribed to an attribute or quality. He is begotten of the Father, the Son of God, by an eternal and necef- fary generation ; deriving from the Father, not Godhead, but Perfonality : While he is the fame in fubftance, equal in power and glory. There is nothing more plainly taught in Scrip- ture, than this myilery of the Three-one, the One-three God. And it is taught for being believed by us, as the glorious and only founda- tion of the Chriftian religion \ of the whole doc- trine of the grace of God, in the falvation of finners. But it is not taught for being compre^ bended by us, which is impoflibie. And its be- ing infinitely above the comprehenfion of finite minds, is no reafon why it mould be rejected by us. We might well enough aflert that it would be a contradiction or abfurdity, if one finite being were faid to fubfifl in different per- sons : But we cannot reafonably pretend any fuch thing, about the doctrine of different per- fonalities in one infinite Being ; becaufe it is quite irrational to pretend that we may judge of what is competent to fuch a Being, whom we cannot comprehend. This whole character of Jefus Chriit, is merely a matter of faith, not of reafon : Being eflential to that doctrine, which we mull believe, and be faved \ or diibelieve, and be damned. And Covenant of Works. 79 And it mull be grofsly unreafonable, as well as impious, to reject the revelation which God has moil plainly made to us that thefe things are fo; becaufe we cannot find an anfwer to the queftion, about how thefe things can be fo : While a fearching mind mud be reduced to an infuperable nonplus, even about the moil com- mon things in nature. We have no knowledge of any material fubflance, or bit of matter, but in its fenfible qualities : We know that thefe qualities are not the fubflance : Yet what is the fubflance to which they belong, what it is ab- ftraclly from all thefe qualities, — is quite unin- telligible by us. Thus, the mofl philofophic mind will lofe itfelf, when obflinately fearch- ing into the nature of a blade of grafs or a flraw. $dly, Jesus Christ is God-man. Ihe mighty God, the Father of eternity, in the perfon of the eternal Son, — became a Child born, a Son gi- ven unto us*. The Word, who effentially was God, and perfonally was with God,— was made fiejh, and dwelt among us f . God was manifefied in the jlefh \. — Next to the my fiery of the holy trinity, is the myflery of the Incarnation of the eternal Son. He afFumed a true body and a reafonable foul ; the whole of what makes a per- fon in us : But, as aflumed by him, it did not make a perfon ; having never had any feparate or * Ifa. ix. 6. f John i. 1, 14. % 1 Tim. iii. tC 8o A View of the or diftincl fubfiftence and agency, or otherwife than as in a ftate of union with his divine Per* Jon *. It was therefore the human nature, of a public and common relation to mankind-finners a9 fuch (though for the falvation of fome only) that he amimed ; and not a human perfon, of a private and peculiar relation to any. And fuch is the wonderful union of the di- vine and human natures in his perfon ^ that the peculiarities of each nature are afcribed to the perfon : What things originally belong to the different natures, are not afcribed feparately to thefe natures ; but ftill to the one perfon Jefus Chrift, God-man. He was ftill a divine Perfon in the human nature ; and what originally be- longs to this nature, is affirmed of the divine Perfon. It is affirmed, that God laid down his life for us ; and that God hath purchafed the Church with his own blood ; and that the righte- oufnefs of his obedience, as made of a woman, made under the law, is the right eoitfnefs of God f . Such is the wonderful conftitution of his perfon : From which, he is an all-fufficient Sa- viour ; * In us, the foul is not now a perfon, as having never had any feparate or di ftinct fubfiftence 5 but the foul in union with the body makes the perfon : At death, the foul be- comes a perfon ', as a feparate or diftincl rational agent : at the refurreclion, the foul will be no longer a perfon by itfelf ; but only the foul and body as reunited, to continue fo for ever. \ 1 John iii. 16. 5 Acls xx. 28. ; Rom. iii. 21. Covenant of Works. 8i viour ; an infinite dignity, value and merit, be- longing to what he did and fuffered in human nature. 4tbfy> Jesus Christ is a Mediator, There is one God; and one Mediator between God and men, the man Chriji Jefus *. In the myfterious confuta- tion of his perfon, he is a middle-perfon between God and men ; being himfelf both God and man. And he was moil fitly conflituted into the office of a Mediator between God and men : For ma- king up the dreadful breach between thefe par- ties ; in bringing about a mutual reconciliation, upon honourable and indefefible terms. He thus became a day/man, an umpire, or arbitra- tor, to lay his hand upon both f. — -For, after the tranfgreffing of the Covenant of Works, there could be no longer any friendly intercourfe be- tween God and man ; according to that Cove- nant. Man became abfolutely fet againft God, and God againft man. And there could be no making up of the breach on man's part ; yea* fo far as depended on him, it could only be more and more widened. Nor could there be any making up of the breach on God's part, confiflently with his not denying himfelf, but through a Mediator ; the one Mediator, the man Chriji Jefus, — of whom God the Father gives this marvellous character, the Man that is my fel- low J. I f ' $thlh * I Tim. ii. 5. \ Job ix. 33. % Zech. xiii. 7. 82 A View of the Sthly, Jesus Christ is a Covenant-mediator* — One's being limply a mediator between a party offended and a party offending, doth not imply any public capacity. It coniifts with the me- diator being only a private perfon, uling friend- ly endeavours for reconciling the parties ; with- out making himfelf any way anfwerable as a furety, for the offender on whofe behalf he me- diates. But it is quite otherwife with the mediation of Jefus Chrift. He never exifted or acted in it for a moment as a private perfon ; or otherwife than in a public capacity. When he was made un- der the law of the Covenant of Works, it had no fort of demand upon him, but from a gracious constitution. It had a natural demand upon a human perfon; but could have no fuch demand up- on a human nature fubfifling in a divine perfon. And it wTould be very injurious to the character of Jefus Chrift, to allege that he had or could have any thing ado with the law as a private perfon ; for yielding any obedience to it on his own ac- count. Could God man be a natural fubject of that law ? Could this glorious One, whofe name is Wonderful, be ever for a moment in a pri- vate ftate as a mere man f His having owed any obedience to the law for himfelf, could not con- lift with his obeying of it for his people. But this fubject may be more particularly refumed in another place. As Covenant of Works. 83 As he became a Mediator between God and men, it was wholly in a -public capacity, — as a Co- venant-mediator. He is exprefsly called the Me- diator', the Surety, of the New Covenant * : Con- cerning which the Lord declared by the Pfalm- ift, / have made a Covenant with my chofenj—my Covenant Jhall Jl and fajl with him f . It was but a very partial allufion, which was made in that pfalm to the earthly David. It is evident, at firft view, that many things in it could bear no fort of application, either primary or fecondary ; except to him who is the great Antitype of the earthly David : A glorious Antitype, who was propheiied of and promifed under the fame name, fome hundreds of years after the typi- cal David had been laid in his grave ; / will fet up one Shepherd over them^ and ht jhall feed them9 even my fervant David?— and David my fervant Jhall be King over them J. All this can be under- ftood of none other but Jcfus Chrijl ; who was raifed up to lit upon the throne of his father Da- vid || . With him was the Covenant made, as a Covenant- mediator. It is called the everlajling Covenant §. As it is to everlajling in its effects, it was from ever la/ling in its conftitution. He, as the mediatory Head of * Heb. xii. 24. ; vii. 22. f Pfal. lxxxix. 3, 28. X Ezek. xxxiv. 23. j xxxyii. 24. || Luke i. 32, § Heb, xiii. 20. 84 A View of the of this Covenant, was fet up from everlafling* . And concerning this fame Covenant it is declared by the Prophet, the counfel of peace Jhall be between them both f ; between Jehovah and the man whofe name is the Branch, the eternal Father and his eternal Son. God's eternity, what we conceive of as both before and after this world, is with him all one eternity ; without any fucceffion of pe- riods. He is ever the great I AM ; which is, and which was, and which is to come J. What he was he is, and what he is he ever will be; with whom is no variablenefs, neither Jhadow of turning ||. The infinite ONE, who can have no fucceffion of ideas or thoughts in his mind, but at once thinks all that is thinkable,— ^-can have no fucceffive du- ration belonging to him : His one eternity, as he at once fully inhabiteth eternity § , mull be with him a perpetual prefent now ; wholly coin- ciding with all time, and every part of time. The counfel of peace, though held from eternity, comes therefore to be varioufly confldered by us ; in our finite view of paftt prefent, and to come. As to the paft, this counfel was ; as to the prefent, it is ; and as to the future or to come, it fhall be. The counfel of the Lord fiandeth for ever ; never broken up, but ever Handing : The thoughts of his heart to all generations ; never palling, but ever permanent. * Prov. viii. 23. + Zech. vi. 13. J Exod. iii. 14.$ Rev, i. 4. || James i. 17. § Ifa. lvii. ^5. Covenant of Works. 85 permanent*. Wherefore the Prophet's decla- ration, that the counfel of peace Jhall be, bears no inconfiftency with its having been from all eternity : But only refpe&s it as permanently one ; the fame from eternity, and through time, and to eternity. What it was it is, and what it is it Jhall be ; and fhall further appear to have been from everlafting,— as a counfel which ever was, and is, and will be held : Like God him- felf; which is, and which was, and which is to come. In this counfel of peace from all eternity, was the Covenant of Grace made with Jefus Chrift ; therein conftituted to be a Covenant-mediator. The Covenant of Works was made with the firft man, not only for his pqfterity, — but alfo for himfelf : He had a private intereft in it and de- pendence upon it, for his own enjoyment of eter- nal life. But the Covenant of Grace was made with Chrift, nowife for himfelf ; it was wholly for the elect of mankind, who were to become his fpiritual feed. For thefe, he became an under- taking Surety, as their Covenant-head : Subftituted into their place, and reprefenting them all in his own perfon ; for fulfilling the whole righte- oufnefs of the Law-covenant, not only on their behalf, but alfo in their name : While their name was transferred to him ; as the Father faid to him, — Thou art my Servant, 0 lfrael, in whom I will # Pfal. xxxiii. 1 1. 86 A View of the will be glorified *. Their whole debt of obedience to that law, according to the precepts, as the condition of life, — was thus transferred to him : And alfo their whole debt of Suffering according to its incurred penalty ; as all their iniquities, in refpect of guilt, or fubje&ion thereby to pu- nifhment, — were laid, or made to meet upon him f . He, his own fe If bare our fins in his own body on the freey — as he hath once fuffered for Jins9 the ju,t for the unjujl J. He was made fin for us, — that we might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him ||. He is the end of the Iaw9 for righteoufnefs to every one that believeth § \ who are reckoned of as having obeyed in his obeying, and as having fuffered in his fuffering ; according to their Handing in him as their Covenant-head, their Covenant -media* tor. — And for acting moft effectually in this ca^ pacity, he was infinitely well qualified ; in his Godheadt his divine perfonality, and his incarna* tion. § II. The preceding obfervations concerning Jesus Christ are neceffary, for illuftrating the parallel which the Scripture Hates between him and the firfi man. There is indeed no parallel of their perfonal conditions, which are infinitely different ; except their both partaking of human nature. But the parallel is mainly flated in the public * Ifa. xlix. 3. f Ifa- lili* 6- t l Pet* "• 24- > Mi x8« II 2 Cor. v. 2ic § Rom. x. 4. Covenant of Works. 87 public chara&er of both : The one having been a Covenant-head of his natural feed ; and the other being a Covenant-head of his fpiritual feed. For if a Covenant of Grace was made with Christ in the name of his feed, as hath been fhown ; a Covenant of Works muft have been made with the firft man in the name of his feed : Of which we have the following evidences ; in a parallel to what has been obferved about Jesus Christ. ift, God's Covenant-dealing with the firft man as & public perfon, appears from Rom. v. 12. Where- fore9 as by one man fin entered into the world, and death by fin ; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned. — This verfe, both in the original and tranflation, is clofed with a point of a full paufe ; as making a complete fentence. Yet the contexture of the language cannot ad- mit of its being confidered as fuch : It is evi- dently but a part of a fentence ; or one half of a fentence, in one fide of a comparifon. And the other fide of it, or what is called the reddition% is not to be found in the verfe next following ; neither according to grammatical conftruciicn, nor what is there expreffed. If we look forward to the 1 8th verfe, which makes a complete fen- tence by itfelf, we will find the matter of both fides of the comparifon : But, though the inter- mediate verfes were to be confidered as a pa- renthefis ; yet the iBth verfe cannot be brought into 88 A View of the into grammatical conftrudtion with the 12th verfe, fo as to finifh the fentence which (accord- ing to our tranflation) is there only begun. Were the fecond and thrown out of the 12th verfe, it would be thereby reduced to the form of a complete fentence : But the fenfe would be thereby loft ; for what follows the faid and is not another fide of the comparifon, but a con- tinuing of the fame. The natural way of clearing this apparent dif- ficulty in the Apoftle's language, is by under- Handing a fupplement to be made of the fub- ftantive verb fignifying it is; as being very commonly left to be underftood, in the originals of the holy Scripture. The verfe would then run thus : Wherefore it is as by one man fin enter- ed into the world, and death by fin ; and fo death paffed upon all men, for that all have finned. The fupplement thus to be inferted, makes a reference to what the Apoftle had already faid : And fo, the other fide of the comparifon meant in the 1 2th verfe, — is not to be fought in what follows; but in what goes before. The one man, in this text, can only mean the firft man. The Jin which is here faid to have en- tered by him, can only be underftood of Yiisfirfi. fin ; that fin which did not follow upon, but in- troduced his fubjedtion to all the threatened death, — with his actual linking into a ftate of fpiritual death : Even the peculiar fin of his eating Covenant of Works. 89 eating that fruit which had been forbidden upon the pain of death. By him this fin entered into the world, the world of mankind. And by this fin, the death which had feized upon himfelf did likewife enter into the world ; fo that it paffed upon all men : All mankind became fubjecled to death, according to all the extent of the penal- ty under which the law was given to the firft man. The laft claufe of the verfe, in our tranilation of it, contains a rea/on for this woful pairing of death upon all men ; for that all have finned. — The molt natural tranilation of the original words, is that which we have on the margin ; in whom all have finned. And this iignifies, that all men have finned in the jirfb man, in his firfi fin ; as the fin, and the only iin, which they all committed in him, according to the Handing which they had in him as their Covenant-head : So that the threatened death, as the juil demerit of this iin, hath paiTed upon them all. But the conftrucrion may thus appear to be fomewhat remote ; in making this laft claufe to look back immediately upon the one man in the beginning of the verfe : And there is no necef- fity for rejecting our tranilation of that claufe ; feeing the fenfe, in both ways, is precifely the fame. — For the all, who are faid to have iinned, can be none other or fewer than the all men in the preceding claufe ; not only all the men who K f exifted cp A View of the exifled before and in the Apoftle's time, but likewife all who mould afterwards exifl : And all thefe are faid to have finned already ; which can only be underflood of their having done fo in the one man, as their Covenant-head. Beflde, this having finned cannot be underflood of any finning which has followed the palling of death (particularly fpiritual death) upon all men ; it can only be underflood of that finning which preceded and primarily introduced this palling of death upon them all : And, therefore, it can on- ly mean the firfl finning of the one man ; all men being conlidered, as having then linned in him. By the one man, fin entered into the world ; fo that, with death, it faffed upon all men : The fin was the fin of the world in him ; as the death is the death of the world through him. The verfe before us doth thus bear an ample tellimony, by itfelf, — to the truth of God's Co- venant-dealing with the firfl man as a public per- fon, reprefenting all his natural pollerity. But this is further evident from the reference, before obferved, to the preceding context ; as contain- ing the other fide of the comparison meant in this verfe. The glorious method of the recovery of mankind-finners from the ruin of their natu- ral eflate, is there fet forth : In thefe declara- tions, that Chrifi died for the ungodly y — Chrifi died for us ; — being now juflified by his bloody we Jhall be favedfrom wrath through him ; — we were reconciled tc Covenant of Works. 91 to God by the death of his Son, — we foall befaved by his life ; — by whom we have now received the atone- ment ; we have received the atonement for fin in his blood, made over unto and beftowed up- on us, as our ground of plea for j unification,— to be fuftained as having been made by us in him. Such is the gracious method of recovery by Je- sus Christ, in the capacity of the Covenant- head of all his fpiritual feed. And the Apoftle proceeds, in the 12th verfe, to reprefent this cafe as exa&ly parallel to the woful method of ruin by the firfl man ; that it is juft as through one man death hath pafTed upon all men, as having all fin- ned in him. And, according to the nature of the comparifon, — as the recovery is through one Covenant-headfhip, the ruin muft have been through another Covenant-headfhip : That the Covenant of Works having been made with that one man, not only for himfelf, but alfo for all his natural poflerity ; they all finned in him, and fell with him in his firfl tranfgreffion. idly, God's Covenant-dealing with the firfl man as a public perfon, appears from Rom. v. 13, 14, 17. For until the law, fin was in the world ; but fin is not imputed when there is no law : Never- thelefs death reigned from Adam to Mofes, even over. them that had not finned after the fimilitude of Adam9 s tranfgreffion : — For if by one ?nan9s offence, death reigned by one ; much mure they which receive abun- dance 92 A View of the dance of grace, and of the gift of right eoufnefs , fhall reign in life by one Jefus Chrifi. Until the law ', fin was in the world.* That Jin which entered into the world by one man, was Hill in the world : It was lying, in its guilt, upon the world ; being the world's fin, which (as hath been obferved) the whole world of mankind had committed in that one man. It was fo in the world until the law ; all along till the external difpenfation of the moral law by Mofes, above two thouiand and five hundred years after the entry of that fin. And it was then in the world, fo as to be imputed unto all thofe who had fprung from the firfl man ; which could not have been the cafe, if there had been then no law for the ground of the imputation. But the moral law was otherwife and all along exilling, before the fpecial giving of it by Mofes ; as a law which had been originally imprerTed on the human foul : And coniidered as a law, the whole of which was broken in the one fin committed by the firft man as a public perfon, — his breaking the pofitive precept. Thus, though there was no external difpenfa- tion of the moral law from Adam to Mofes ; yet, neverthelefs, in virtue of that original ftate of this law, — death reigned from Adam ts Mofes, even over them that had not fumed after the fimilitude of AdarrCs trarfgreffion. And this cannot mean a denying only the particular fimilitude of finning as he did, in Covenant a/* Works. 93 in eating the forbidden fruit: For none of his pofterity could have finned in this manner ; be- caufe, upon his committing that fin, he and they were expelled from all future accefs to any * tree in the garden. Yet, while it is here figni- fied, thaty^ of his pofterity had not finned after the fmilitude of his tranfgreffion ; it is plainly fuppofed, that others of them had done fo. And, therefore, the Apoftle could only mean the gene- ral fmilitude of his finning ; or of his finning ferfonally and aclually, committing an a&ual tranf- greffion. Wherefore, by them that had not finned after the fmilitude of Adam's tranfgreffion, can only be un- derftood infants ; fuch as had not arrived at a capacity of perfonal and aclual finning. And it is afterted, that death reigned even over thefe ; multitudes whom death had fwept away in in- fancy, according to the common ftate of gene- rations : But particularly referring to the great deflruclion of the old world, as alfo of Sodom and Gomorrah, with other cities of the plain ; in which a great many infants mufl have been involved. And the righteous Judge of all the earth could not have proceeded in that manner againft them, but upon fome guilt which they were lying un- der ; while death could have had no pairing up- on them, but as introduced by fn. We are, therefore, necefTarily led to confider the death which reigned over them, as ftill the demerit of the 94 A View of the the fir/} Jin ; the guilt of which was imputed to them, from the reprefentation which had been made of them in the committing of that fin. The amount of the whole is, that by one man's offence death reigned by one : By the one offence of the one man, as the Covenant-head of all his na- tural pofterity, death reigned. And this is illu- flrated, as exprefsly Hated in a parallel with the abundance of grace and of the gift of right eoufnefs— by one Jefus Chrijl. In the context, the Apoftle Hated the great excellency of the recovery by Jefus Chrifl ; as the ruin was by the guilt of one offence, and the recovery is from the guilt of many offences: While the recovery is unto a much greater height and glory of happinefs than had been originally propofed to man. But ftill a general parallel or correfpondence is exprefsly Hated betwixt the methods of ruin and recovery. And while this is by Jefus Chrifl as a Covenant- heady that mud have been by the firft man in the like capacity. 3 17, Covenant of Works. 125 root of his pofterity could not necejfarily infer, that he fhould be alfo their Covenant-head. — Accordingly, he fell from his public character of Covenant-headfhip, by breaking the pofitive pre- cept : Whereas, if that character had been natu- ral to him, or had belonged to the natural ftate of the Covenant of Works; he could not have fallen from it, but by an entire deftruction of the Covenant-law in his heart, — even a deftruc- tion of his rational nature. The natural impref- fion of that law on his heart, could not dictate his being thereby in any public ilation ; more than the remains of it in each of his pofterity, can dictate their being feverally in any fuch con- dition. § IV. The firft man was endued with zfuffi- cient capacity, for fulfilling the righteoufnefs of that Covenant-law under which he was made. There was no defect in his knowledge of it ; and no defect in his inclination toward it, nor any contrary principle in his nature : So that he had a fufficient capacity of foul, for maintaining a courfe of perfect obedience to this law ; while he had a fufficient capacity of body, for all ex- ternal actions belonging to that obedience. He was then in a full capacity for all the moral ex- ercifes of a fpiritual life ; fuch as healthy and vigorous men are ft ill in, for all the natural ex- ercifes 126 A View of the ercifes of their animal life, — according to their pleafure. § V. This fufficient capacity which man was endued with, as a habit of his foul, was not fuf- ficient for an aclual maintaining of his integrity : He moreover needed a continual and unremitted influence of divine power on his foul, for carry- ing out the habit into exercife, as to every parti- cular act of obedience. This arifes from the necefiary, abfolute, and immediate dependence of all things on God. He is above all, and through all, and in all : He giveth (continually giveth) to all life, and breath, and all things : For in him we live and move, and have our being *. As no creature hath a felf- exiflence, fo no creature hath a felffufficiency for even one moment's prefervation of its exiftence ; nor even for the drawing of one breath, or the performing of any one motion,-— as of itfelf. God's enduing of creatures with habits, leaves them ftill under a neceflity of the continual and immediate influence of his power, for an actual exercife of thefe habits. So it is, in all the concerns of human life. As we cannot for a moment be of ourfelves, we can- not for a moment acl of ourfelves ; or otherwife than as continually fubiifling in God, and con- futing by him f. We are in a continual depen- dence * Eph. iv. 6. 5 Ads xvii. 25, 28. f Col. i. 17. Covenant of Works. 127 dence every moment upon the God who made us, for maintaining us both in being and acting. And to entertain any different apprehenfions of God, is, upon the matter, to exclude him from his own world ; from his continual preferving and governing of all his creatures, and all their actions : As if, upon his enduing them with ha- bits, he had only to behold how they will exer- cife the fame ; without any need of his influ- ence upon them for doing fo, or without any dependence on him in their actings. The Su- preme Being mull flill be the Jirjl caufe, and an immediate caufe, of all effects in the world which he made and upholds, — as of him, and through him, and to him, are all things * ; yet without be- ing the author of creature-evil, about the moral circumftances of thefe effects. But this divine influence upon the actual ex- ercife of a good habit, is wholly a matter of God's fovereign pleafure. He cannot withdraw the good habit once bellowed, without fome pro- vocation by the creature for doing fo ; as this could not confifl with his own unchangeable goodnefs : But he can fuperfede or fufpend that immediate influence, for carrying out the habit into proper exercife, — according to his abfolute fovereignty. And the rational creature fufFers no defect in this cafe, but fuch as lies in a wrong turn of his own free pleafure. §VL * Rom. xi. 36. 128 ^ View c/ the § VI. While man was upright in his primitive eftate, he was likewife fallible. Natural infalli- bility is a diftinguifhing prerogative of Godhead ; and, therefore, could not be made a natural pro- perty of any creature. The angels were natu- rally fallible ; and, accordingly, many of them foon fell. The only infallibility which is com- petent to rational creatures, made upright, — is what the Lord graciouily fuperadds to the inte- grity of their natures : When he is pleafed to bring them under a fovereign conftitution, for eftablifhing and upholding them in their integri- ty ; or to bring them into a flate of confirmation. So it was that he appears to have dealt with all the angels now in heaven, — immediately upon their not concurring in the very early apoftafy which was made by many once of their number. And this confirmation bears an afTurance to the upright creature, endued with a habitual capa- city of (landing, — that the divine influence, through which only this capacity can be ftill ex- erted unto an aclual Handing, — mall never be fuperfeded or fufpended ; and that, thus, he mall never be left to fall. — But fuch confirma- tion and aflurance, though bellowed upon the redeemed from among men, did not belong to man's primitive eftate. § VII. Had the firft man been continued un- der the Covenant of Works at large, according to Covenant of Works. 129 to its natural ftate ; his fituation would have been extremely difficult and hazardous. He muft have been in a fallible condition, equally and immediately as to every article of the moral law ; with a tempting devil ready to catch at every opportunity againfl him. He muft therefore have been in a ftate of liablenefs to fuccefsful temptation in every place, and at every time, with regard to every fin. His hazard of this would have been at all hands, on all occafions ; according to the multiplicity of objects conti- nually encompaffing him, which might have been ufed as matters of temptation. And fup- poiing that this might have been the cafe through all the courfe of his animal life in this world, ne- ver to be brought into a ftate of confirmation during that manner of life ; he muft thus have been for many years, for ages, in a ftate of con- tinual jeopardy, — without one moment's refpite from the danger of falling. CHAP- i$o A View of the CHAPTER IV. Of the Covenant of Works in its pofitive State. § I. HP* H E Covenant of Works was not left JL with the firft man in its natural ftate, but was brought into a pofitive ftate ; by the dif- penfation of a pofitive law, about the tree cf the knowledge of good and evil. As hath been for- merly considered *} — his fulfilling of that pofi- tive law was made, to him, the immediate condi- tion of the Covenant of Works. The whole con- cerns of his life and death were brought to turn immediately upon the hinge of his not eating or eating of the fruit of that tree. The determina- tion exprefTed to him, in the day that thou eatejl thereof thou fhalt furely die, — could not be under- stood by him, but as meaning an aflurance of that being the cafe. § II. The Covenant of Works was very quick- ly turned into that pofitive ftate unto the firft man. It was on the very day of his creation : And the pofitive law appears to have been given to him, fo foon as he was formed into the ftate of a rational agent. There is no reafon, as it doth not feem confiftent with an uniformity of God's procedure concerning him, — to fuppofe that, * Chap. I. Sea. III. § V, VI. Covenant of Works. 131 that, when fo formed, he was for one moment in a private Jlation> under the Covenant of Works as merely a natural Covenant ; or could have his firft obedience to perform under it in that character : But his very firffc cutfetting in an active obedience to his LoRn-Creator, was to be in maintaining a regard unto the pofitive law then given to him. § III. By this pofitive law, or the fpecial form which the Covenant of Works was thus brought into ; the firft man was put into the ftate of a public per f on, a Covenant -he ad of all his natural pofterity. It is evident that God's dealing with him, on that occafion, was a dealing with man- kind in him * ; as being all reprefented by him, not naturally, but in that pofitive ftate of the Covenant of Works. Accordingly, his finning came to be their finning in him ; by his difobedience they were made ftnners^ and in him they died f . But this w7as peculiar to his firft Jin, of eating the forbidden fruit : This being the onlyftn which he was liable to a committing of as his ftrftftn ; and in the committing of which he fell from his Co- venant-headfhip, while it was the only fin com- mittable by him in that capacity. § IV. This pofitive ftate of the Covenant of Works, is wholly a matter of revelation. The firft * Chap. I. Sea, II. 5 VI, f Chap. II. Se6>> I. 5 II, X32 A View of the firfl man had not, nor could have any natural apprehenfion of it,— or of any evil, in eating the fruit which was forbidden : Becaufe the evil of doing fo had no reafon for it in the nature of the thing, but only in the mere good pleafure of God ; which he could not know but by a reve- lation of it to him, when he was created. And this revelation was exprefsly made to him, fo foon as his underflanding was formed for re- ceiving it. — Nor could we have any knowledge of this whole matter, otherwife than by a reve- lation which is made of it to us. The Covenant of Works, according to its natural ftate, has a place in the natural dictates of reafon and con- fcience : But the pofitive ftate of it, in God's dealing with the firfb man, is wholly a matter of divine teftimony in the Scriptures. § V. God's bringing the Covenant of Works into that pofitive and revealed ftate, was a moil favourable difpenfation ; containing a very emi- nent difplay of his singular goodness. For, i/?, By the pofitive ftate of the Covenant of Works with the flrft man, there was a moft fa- vourable abridgment of his natural fallibility. As hath been pbferved, this fallibility was at large, according to the whole extent of the moral law. He was in a ftate of very hazardous liablenefs Xofuccefsful temptation, as to every duty, — and every where, and every moment ; fo long as he fhculd Covenant of Works. 133 fhould not be brought into a ftate of confirma- tion. But, by the aforefaid pofitive difpenfa- tion, his fallibility was confined, at firft inftance, to the fingle point of his behaviour about the forbidden fruit. The afiurance given him, that in eating he mould die, — could mean nothing lefs, than that in not eating he mould not die : That all his hazard of dying was confined, im- mediately, to his eating ; and fo, that all his hazard of finning was likewife confined, imme- diately, to the committing of that fin. Thus, he was brought into a conditional ftate of confirmation, with regard to the whole moral law. He was not in any hazard of being fuc- cefsfully tempted to any breach of it, but in and through a breaking of the pofitive precept ; while, in breaking this, he would become a breaker of that whole law. And fo, upon con- dition of his not breaking the pofitive precept, and the moral law in it, — he was confirmed againft any immediate breach of this law ; that, however much he could be tempted to tranf- grefs any article of it, the temptation could not be fuccefsful : God being gracioully engaged by the pofitive difpenfation, in the very nature of it,— never to fufpend the divine influence through which he would aclually ftand as to all moral duties ; fo long as he fhould not fall, by eating the forbidden fruit. And 134 A View of the And the confining of his hazard immediately to that point, was particularly favourable ; as he mull thus have always feen where, and where only his hazard did lie : And that he was in no hazard of death, through a being fuccefsfully tempted to any fin, fo long as he mould keep clear of the forbidden fruit. It was likewife par- ticularly favourable, — that the teji which he was thus brought under of abfolute fubmiffion to the mere will of God, was the eafiejl imaginable : An abftaining from the fruit of a particular tree, which had no particular excellency in it ; and which he could never find the fmallefl need of, being otherwife moft abundantly fupplied by many trees in the garden. idly, By the pofitive ftate of the Covenant of Works with the firft man, there was a moft fa- vourable confinement of human fallibility — imme- diately to him/elf. As he was the Covenant-head of all his natural pofterity, their {landing or fal- ling was to be immediately in him. In his falling, all of them fell ; and if he had flood, all of them would have flood alfo. It is grofsly abfurd, as abfolutely inconfiflent with his Covenant-repre- fentation, — to imagine that any of them could have been left to fall, but in and through his falling ; or that any of them could have been left to a finning for themfelves, without firfl finning in him. Had Covenant of Works. 135 Had he flood out, in fulfilling the righteouf- nefs of the Covenant which he was under, and which they were under in him ; had he fo flood till he had been brought into a flate of confir- mation, the condition of that Covenant being fulfilled : All his poflerity mufl have been con- firmed in and through him, according to the effential nature of the Covenant ; they having to fland in a flate of confirmation, upon the ful- filled condition of his Covenant-righteoufnefs. They would have been as much obliged as ever he was, to maintain a perfect conformity to the moral law, (the law of the pofitive precept, in the cafe fuppofed, being come to an end) ; and would have as perfectly done fo : Yet not a con- formity to it as a Covenant-law, but only as a rule of righteoufnefs. For their Handing in a flate of confirmation, as actually and abfolutely entitled to eternal life, would have been flill upon the ground of the fulfilled condition of the Covenant in his public righteoufnefs ; not on that of any perfonal righteoufnefs of their own, which could not have come in for any fhare in the condition of that Covenant. — And fo, the cafe would have been parallel to what actually takes place in the New Covenant ; with regard to the glorious Head of this Covenant, and his fpirituai feed. 3CxX<>C>cX>00<><^ ADVERTISEMENT. After having made fome progrefs in the View of the Covenant of Works, the Author con- ceived a defign of proceeding afterwards, as he hath now done, to a View of the Covenant of Grace. The writings of fome eminent men on that fubjecl:, have been of lingular ufe for preferving and propagating the truth of the gofpel. But they could not exhauft that great fubjecl: : And the Author has been led to conlider it in a very different manner. At the fame time, — he hath freely obviated feveral things advanced in fome of thefe writings, which he confidered as mif- apprehenfions of the fubjecl:. The doctrine of this Covenant is the fum of the gofpel ; in which only, all our help and hope for eternity is to be found : And people are wofully impofed upon, to their everlafting perdition, — when any thing contrary unto, or even different from this, is put upon them un- der the character of the Gofpel. The courfe U f which [ I70 ] which God prefcribes to every firmer for falva- tion, is this, — Let him take hold of my Covenant : And, in order to this, it is neceflary that they underftand the matter and method of that Co- venant, in the adminiftration of it to them by the gofpel. This Covenant is full of Right ecufnefs, for the juftification of guilty finners ; and of Grace, for thtiv fanclification to eternal glory : So that, with- out taking hold of it by faith, — men mull die under all the guilt, and in all the defilement of their fin ; unto a ftate of eternal death in hell. I E W OF * H E COVENANT of GRACE, tfc TH E truth of the Covenant of Works, in Its permanent flate, is naturally known : All may find fome evidence of it, in an imprefiion thereof upon their own hearts. The full repre- fentation of that Covenant, indeed, is only to be found in the Scriptures : Yet thi9 is properly a reftoration of it from the deficiencies of that natural imprefiion, which have taken place fince the breach of it ; and from thofe errors which corrupt minds have fallen into concerning it.*— But the truth of the Covenant of Grace is known only by revelation : It is fet forth to us in the holy Scriptures, as wholly a matter of faith upon the divine teftimony ; which is the higheft fort of evidence that can be propofed to the human mind. We 172 A View of the We are faved through faith *, as embracing and improving that revealed Covenant ; of which natural reafon has no apprehenfion, and could make no difcovery. The eternal falvation of a finner, as to both the fact and poffibility of it, lies entirely without the compafs of reafon \ which fcrves only for the purpofes of the pre- fent life, nowife of the life to come. The mat- ter of that falvation, and the manner of its at- tainment, belong wholly to the object and exercife of a divine faith ; according to that Covenant. The mockers of this laft time, filled with a pride of their own reafon, do indeed laugh at faith in the matters of eternal happi- nefs ; but they do fo, at the peril of their ever- lafting damnation. It is now propofed to take fome view of the Covenant of Grace, in the three great Periods of it ; or in its EJiablifhment from eternity, and its Accomplijhment in time, and its Effecl through eter- nity. -*Eph. ii. 8. P E- Covenant of Grace. 173 PERIOD I. Of the Eftablifhment of the Covenant of Grace from Eternity. SECT. I. Of the Reality of the Covenant of Grace. This Covenant is nowife a matter of imagina- tion, but of abfolute reality or truth. Many evidences of this might be collected from the Scriptures ; but it may fuffice, after what has been formerly faid #, to infift on fuch of them as are of a more direct and decifive nature. § I. The reality of the Covenant of Grace appears, from the mention which is exprefsly made of it in Scripture. The only inftance of this, among many, which fhall be prefently in- filled on, lies in the 89th pfalm : / have ?nade a Covenant with my Chofen, I have fworn unto David my fervant ; thy feed will I ejlablijh for ever9 and build up thy throne to a1 I generations f . The fpeaker, in this paffage, can be no other but the Lurd ; who is mentioned in the begin- ning of the pfalm. That the deiignations \_my cho- fen9 David my fervant~\ were immediately meant of the literal David, will not be queftioned. But * Part I. Seft. I. § I. $thly. f Pfcl. Ixxxix. 3, 4. 174 A View of the But it would be an ufing of the reader with fome indignity, to be at pains for proving to him, — that the gracious declarations and pro- mifes in the pfalm referred to, could bear but a very fubordinaie application to that perfon ; as this will be obvious, at one reading of the pfalm. Jesus Christ, and his fpiritual kingdom in the Church, were moil fignally typified by the li- teral David and his kingdom in IfraeL Ac- cordingly, long afterwards, the Lord did again and again fpeak of Jlsus Christ, and promifed him as to come, under the fame defignation, — Da- vid my fervant #. And a folemn declaration was made concerning him when he came, to the fame purpofe : The Lord God Jhall give unto him the throne of his father David ; and he Jloall reign over the hovfe of Jacob (not literal but fpiritual)/ar ever, and of his kingdom there Jhall be no end f. More- over, long after the literal David had difappear- ed, the Lord promifed this fpiritual David to make his appearance, under a parallel defigna- tion \ my fervant ivbcm 1 have chofen, mine Elccl in whom my foul delight eth J. It is therefore beyond all reafonable queftion, — that the pafTage now under confederation muft be underftood, as having its ultimate and prin- cipal verification in Jesus Christ; afferting a covenant made with him on behalf of his fpiri- tual * Ezek. xxxiv. 23, 24. •> xxxvii. 24, 25. f Luke i. 32, 33. X Ifa. xlii. !■ ) xliii. 10. Covenant of Grace. 175 tual feed, and of his royal government among them. And this covenant was then fpoken of as already made ; even made from all eternity, ac- cording to the eternity and immutability of the divine parties : So that it can be no other but a Covenant of Grace with Chrift, on behalf of finful men. § II. The reality of the Covenant of Grace appears, from the flate of matters about fome of fallen mankind before the world began. A ftriking difcovery of this, lies in the 8th chapter of the Proverbs #. Sufficient evidence will be given in another fection, — that it is Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, who is there fpeaking of himfelf under the character of Wif- dom ; the perfonal Wifdom of God. He fays, — that he was fet up from everlafling^ from the begin- ning, or ever the earth was. As thus fet up by the eternal Father from everlafting, he fays, — I was rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights were with thefons of men ; as then all prefent to him, in the decree about their fu- ture exiflence and condition. And this muft certainly coincide with his having been fore- ordained for them before the foundation of the world \. He was then fet up and foreordained, fo that grace was given them in Chrifi Jefus be- fore the world began\. Accordingly, God promifed eternal * Prov. viii. 23. 31. f 1 Pet. i. 20. % 2 Tim. i. 9. 176 A View of the eternal life to them before the world began * : And this promife could not be given to themfelves immediately, when they had no exiftence ; it could only be given to them in Cbrijl, as grace was given to them in him. -And all this can mean nothing other than what it is brought to prove ; a gracious eftablifhment then made, a Covenant of Grace with Chrift on their behalf. § HI. The reality of the Covenant of Grace ap2 eavs, from the fact of the final and everlaft- ing falvation of fome of fallen mankind. The Scriptures are fo full of this blefTed fact, that it is quite needlefs to deal in any proof of it. And their final falvation through eternity, mull be the effect of a decree concerning it from, eternity ; as nothing could come to pafs, but from its having been foreordained by God's eternal purpofe. And unto this falvation they are exprefsly faid to have been chofen before the foundation of the world ; being predejiinated there- to, according to the purpofe of him who worketh all things after the counfel of his own will f-. But this could not be by afimple decree. Ac- cording to what has been obferved in another place J, — the elTential perfections and preroga- tives of the divine nature could not have admit- ted *Tit. i. 2. +Eph. i. 4, 11. J Part I. Ch. I. Sea. IV. § III. Covenant of Grace. 177 ted of their falvation, but through a full effect of the law-curfe to which they are naturally fubje&ed : And fuch an effect of it upon them- felves, mull have abfolutely prevented their fal- vation for ever. It could only be, as the Scrip- ture declares it to have been ; through their being redeemed from the curfe of the law, by Chrifl's being made a curfe for them *. The de- cree of their falvation mull therefore have been fuch, as contained a gracious eflablifhment for having it efFe&uated in that manner ; a Cove- nant of Grace with Chrifl in their behalf. § IV. The reality of the Covenant of Grace appears, from the method of grace in the actual falvation of fome of fallen mankind. They are faved by grace f : By the mere grace, or free fa- vour of God toward them, without the deeds of the law ; in oppofition to all pretended merit by any works of righteoufnefs which they have done, all to the praife of the glory of his grace \. But this grace could not take effect upon them, in- confiflently with the glory of divine holinefs and juflice and truth. It was neceffary that mercy and truth Jhcuid meet together* that righteoufnefs and peace Jhou Id kifs each other || ; that the divine holi- nefs and juflice, as well as grace, mould be glo- rified in the manner of their falvation : That it X f mould * Gal. iii. 13. f Eph. ii. 5, 8. % Rom. iii. 27, 28. ; Tit. iii. 5. > Eph. i. 6. Ji Pfal. lxxxv. 10. 178 A View of the fliould be through a repairing of the breach of the Covenant of Works ; and through a main- taining of the glory of the divine juftice and truth, by a fatisfaction for that breach. Accordingly, we are exprefsly taught, — that grace reigns through righteoufnefs unto eternal lifey by Jefus Chrift our Lord ; in his repairing the breach of the Covenant of Works, by fulfilling all the righteoufnefs of it for them : And it is through his being made fin for them, under the imputed guilt and inflicted punifhment of it ; that they might be made the righteoufnefs of God in him *. Such is the method of grace in their actual falvation, to the glory of all the divine perfections ; a method which mull have been fettled in the counfel of God from eternity, ac- cording to which only he proceeds in time : And which muft certainly import a gracious eftablifhment for this purpofe ; a Covenant of Grace with Chrift about their falvation. § V. The reality of the Covenant of Grace appears, from the perfonal ftate of Jesus Christ. It iliall only be obferved here, that he bears the ftate of a public perfon. In comparifon with the firfl man, he is called the fccond man f . Of him the firfl man was a figure {, a representing type. In him all the redeemed from among men are made * Rom. v. 21. 5 2 Cor. v. 21. f 1 Cor. xv. 47. J Rom. v. 14. Covenant of Grace. 179 made alive ; as they have all died in the fir ft man *. By his obedience they are all made righteous ; as, by the firfl man's difobcdience, they were made finners f . And it is impoflible to put any rational fenfe upon all this, but as de- noting a Covenant -head/hip in the perfon of Chrift ; which can only be in his having a Co- venant of Grace made with him from all eternity, for the falvation of all who are faved from among men. In a word, — the whole matter and manner of the falvation of finners, according to the gofpel, proclaims the reality of that Covenant. For this falvation could not be by mere acts of di- vine will and power , confidently with God's not denying himfelf : It could not be but through an interpofition of the manifold wifdom of God J ; providing for this falvation by price as well as power, to the glory of all his name, — in an efta- blifhment of a Covenant of Grace with Jefus Chrift for that purpofe. Every thing which be- longs to our recovery from the finfulnefs and mifery of our natural eftate, muft be traced up to that Covenant 1 And upon the faith of it de- pends all our falvation, with all proper exercife concerning the fame. SECT. * 1 Cor. xv. 22. f Rom. v. 19. See Part I. Chap. II. Seft. I. % Eph. "?'• 10. 180 A View of the SECT. II. General Obfervations about the Covenant of Grace* § I. The Covenant of Grace has no parallel, or any other tranfaction that may be properly brought into a comparifon with it ; but the Co- venant of Works which was made with the firft man. This parallel is very proper ; as it is ex- prefsly ftated in feveral paffages of Scripture which have been confidered. Thzfrfl man was a Covenant-head or reprefentative of all his na- tural feed : Who were to fland or fall, in and with him ; as he mould fulfil or break the con- dition of that Covenant which was made with Jiim for them, and with them in him. Accor- dingly, Jesus Christ is a Covenant-head or re- prefentative of all his fplritual feed : Who have a ftanding in a ftate of acceptance with God, and a title to eternal life ; wholly upon his ful- filled condition of that Covenant which is made with him for them, and with them in him. Eut no covenants which God ever made with any others [as with Noah, Abraham, Mofes, Phi- neas, and David"], ought to be mentioned in any comparifon with the Covenant of Grace ; as to a reprefentative capacity of the parties covenanted w7ith. For none of thefe were reprefentatives9 in any fuch fenfe as Chrifl was. They were natural Covenant of Grace. 181 natural roots of different parties, to whom pro* mifes were made through them : But they were nowife Covenant-heads or reprefentathes of thofe parties, as at once to ftand or fall in and with them ; more than parents ftill are, when having the promife unto them and their children. § II. The Covenant of Grace, in comparifon with the Covenant of Works, is called they£- cond and the New Covenant : But this is not with any refpecl: to the period or order in which it was made. In all fuch refpecfs, it was the firft and an old Covenant ; this having been made from eternity, and the other only in time. But there was no place for its being revealed and taking any effect, till the Covenant of Works was broken ; fo that, with regard to the manifeftation and adminiflration thereof, it is the fcond and the New Covenant. According to our finite way of conceiving, we have to think of this Covenant as made of old ; in a period long ago pafl, infinitely before all worlds. But, with-, regard to the divine Par- ties concerned in the making of it, this is ever prefent and new ; as, unto them, nothing can be pad or future. The fulfilling of its condition was to man a matter of futurity at the revela- tion of it, for about four thoufand years : But it was ever prefent to God ; fo that he proceed- ed upon it in faving finners, under the Old-Te- ftament 182 A View of the ftament ftate, as a fulfilled condition. And though this was a matter of futurity to the man- hood of Jems Chrift, till he finifhed his work up- on the crofs ; yet, with regard to him as God- man, it was ever prefent : For, as to himfelf in that blefTed character, he faid of himfelf, — before Abraham was (not, / was, but) iam#; all that is paft to us, with all that is future to us, being ever prefent to him. Such is the glorious and inconceivable manner of duration which be- longs to the divine Being, in each perfon of the Godhead ! § III. The Covenant of Grace is a Covenant of Redemption, The bleffednefs therein provided through Chrift for finners of mankind, is fet forth in Scripture under the general character of redemption ; eternal redemption, which he has obtained for them f . He is often called the Re- deemer ; and Job looked forward to him in that character, my Redeemer j. He is the Redeemer of men, as becoming a kinfman to them ; the only kinfman of the human family, who has a right and capacity for redeeming them : Nor could he accomplifh their redemption, but in this re- lation to them ; that he might be capable of ferving and fuffering for them in their nature. — And all the faved people of that family, are called * John, viii: 58. ■J- Heb. ix. 12. % Job. xix. 25. Covenant of Grace. 183 called the redeemed of the Lord *. His great employment concerning them in that Covenant was, to redeem them that were under the law \ from their natural fubjedtion to the law of the Covenant of Works, in all its commanding and curling power as fuch : To redeem them from the curfe of the law, in all its obligation and ef- fects ; to redeem them from all iniquity ; to redeem them unto God, into a Hate of glorious con- formity to him and communion with him in heaven for ever f. And all this redemption is, not only by an efficacy of his infinite power, but alfo by a price of infinite value ; the precious blood of Chrifi J. It is therefore a Covenant of Redemption to Chrift, as to the matter of his employment there- in. But at the fame time, as to the origin of it, and our enjoyment of that redemption, — it is wholly a Covenant of Grace to us. Our redemp- tion through it, is according to the riches of his grace : Before God, we are jujlified freely by his grace ; but it is through the redemption that is in Jefus Chrijl ||. § IV. There is only one covenant of God's making, the Covenant of Grace and Redemp- tion, for the eternal falvation of mankind fin- ners. The Scripture reveals but one for that purpofe \ the new Covenant, the everlafling Cove- nant. * Ifa. lxii. 12. f Gal. iv. 5. ; iii. 13. ; Tit. ii. 14. j Rev. v. 9. J 1 Pet. i. 19, || Eph. i. 7. j Rom. iii. 24. 184 A View of the riant. As Iran's ruin is by one Covenant, his recovery is likewife by one. God has but one falvation ; one way of faving linners, by one Christ. There is, therefore, no propriety in this defini- tion which has been given of the Covenant of Grace : " It is a gracious convention betwixt 41 God and iinful elect man ; by which, for the " intervening mediation of Chrift, all faving " grace and glory is allotted to thofe who believe " and repent :" — Or, in other words, " It is a 44 gracious convention betwixt an offended God 44 and offending man ; for bellowing grace and " glory, in Chrift, upon iinful man, under the 44 condition of faith." And it may be obferved, that, 1/?, Such a Covenant as this muft have its be- ginning in time ; as it could not be entered into immediately with elect iinful men before they exifted. And, therefore, it muft be very differ-* ent from that Covenant of Grace which was en- tered into immediately with Jefus Chrift, from all eternity. idly, According to the above-cited definition, Chrift is fet forth as the Mediator betwixt God and iinful man : But he cannot, according to the Scriptures, or without abfurdity, be fet forth as the Mediator of two diftincl Covenants ; the one made with him for men from all eternity, and Covenant of Grace. 185 and the other made with man through him in time. $dly, According to the above-cited definition, faith and repentance is the proper and formal condition of the Covenant of Grace ; fo that it muft be the immediate ground of title to the pro- mifed bleifings, as really as man's perfect obedi- ence would have been under the Covenant of Works. His perfect obedience under that Co- venant could have had no intrinfic merit in it ; but it would have had a pactional merit in it, by God's favourable conftitution : And the cafe would be the fame, with regard to that alleged condition of the Covenant of Grace ; God gra- cioufly admitting of it, through Chrift's media- tion, as the immediate ground of the perfon's title to eternal life. qtbfy, The Scripture ftates an abfolute oppo- fition betwixt grace and works, with regard to the ground of a finner's claim for juftification and eternal life ; fuch an oppofition betwixt thefe as can admit of no mixture at all #. But, according to the above-cited definition, there is at leaft a mixture of works brought in, under the name of faith and repentance : That, through Chrift's mediation, thefe are accepted of as a condition for obtaining eternal life. And fuch a Covenant of Grace, would be but a new fort of a Covenant of Works, pretended to be on f Y eafier * Rom, xi. 6, 186 A View of the ealier terms than the old \ obtained for finners by the Mediator. $tblyy According to the above-cited definition, the intervening of Chrift, or of his mediation, is betwixt God on the one part, — and the believing penitent finner on the other part ; thefe being the two contracting parties in the Covenant, be- twixt whom the mediatory intervention is made : For the finner mull be firft ftated as a believing and repenting perfon, before God doth eftablifh the Covenant with him. But he can no more make himfelf fuch a perfon, than he can per- form the whole condition of the Covenant of Works. How, then, comes he to be a penitent believer, before God's entering into a Covenant of Grace with him ? Doth Chrift firft make him fuch, beftowing on him all this good qualifica- tion ; in order to God's gracious dealing with him after that manner ! 6tbly9 According to the above-cited definition, all that is allowed to Chrift's mediation, is an obtaining of a Covenant of Grace with a finner : That, through his mediation, God condefcends to promife all bleftings to the finner, on the con- dition of his own faith and repentance. This is really the fame as to fay, — that in Chrift, and for his fake, God is pleafed to accept of the per- fon's own righteoufnefs, as the immediate ground of his juftification, and title to eternal life ; the righteoufnefs Covenant of Grace. 187 righteoufnefs of Chrift only meriting this, on be- half of the perfon's own righteoufnefs. Jtbfyj The above-cited definition muft fuppofe a diftinction betwixt the Covenant of Redemption and the Covenant of Grace ; the former made with Chrift from eternity ; but the latter, with a believing and repenting finner in time. And then, this mould not be called the Covenant, but the Covenants of Grace : There muft be as many diftincl Covenants, and as many diftincl conditions thereof, though all of the fame general nature, — as there have been and are believers and pe- nitents, even an innumerable multitude of them ; one for each : And the number of thefe Cove- nants would be ftill increaiing, — as iinners come to be converted, one by one, in the fucceffive periods of the church-ftate. § V. As there was an immediate and primary making of the Covenant of Grace with Christ from eternity ; it was then alio eftablifhed, that there mould be a mediate and fecondary making of it with church-members in time : Which was to be in the way of both general and fpecial dif- penfation. This is evident in many places of Scripture. It is fo, particulary in what the Lord faid to Abraham, — / will eftablifo my Covenant between me and thee, and thy feed after thee, in their generations , for an everlafling Covenant ; to be a God unto thee, and ' 188 A View of the and to thy feed after thee * : In what he promifed to Ifrael of old, and promifcth to the church- body Hill, — This is the Covenant that 1 will make with the houfe of Ifrael, after thofe days , faith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts ; and I will be to them a God, and they fnall be to me a people \ : In what David faid concerning him, — lie hath made with me an ever I 'fling Covenant, ordered in all things, and fur e ; for this is all my falvation, and all my defire \ : In what David affirmed of his dealing with his people, — He will fjew them his Covenant |j : And in what he ilill promifeth, — Every one that taketh hold of my Covenant, even them will I bring to my holy mountain , and make thc?n joyful in my houfe of prayer § : / will bring you into the bond of the Cove- nant **. The above pafTages denote a general difpenfa- tion, toward the members of the vifible Church ; in an exhibition which is made of the Covenant of Grace to them. It is exhibited, as wholly confifting of exceeding great and precious promifes ; the accomplifhment of which is to proceed upon the rnediatory righteouihefs of Jems Chrift, as the alone condition thereof. It is exhibited in gracious offers of it, for them to take hold of it py faith ; with gracious calls for their doing fo. In * Gen. xvii. 7. f Jer. xxxi. 33. 5 Heb. viii. 8. % 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. [j Pial. xxv. 14. § Ha. lvi. 6, 1r ** Ezek. xx. 37. Covenant of Grace. 189 In this refpecl:, it is a Covenant made with them, as to all God's engagement in it ; to take effect: through their embracement of thefe promifes, in a dependence on that condition. And the above paffages denote a fpecial dif- penfation, toward the members of the invifible Church. Thefe are bleffed with an experience of the Lord's fhewing his Covenant to them, by a fupernatural illumination of their minds. They are enabled to take hold of it by an applying faith, as to both the condition and promifes of it. They are brought into the bond of it ; under the bond of God's gracious engagement to them, and of their dutiful engagement to him : So that they are feverally and fpecially interefted in that Covenant, unto eternal life. According to this view, it is made with them ; for the glorious condition of it is made theirs, in God's imputa- tion thereof to them, — and the appropriation which they make of it to themfelves by faith : And the promifes of it are made theirs ; as they enjoy a right to obtain a full accomplifhment of all thefe, upon the ground* of that fulfilled con- dition which is placed to their account. § VI. Though the Covenant of Grace be lefs extenfive in its objefts, it is more extenfive in its benefits, than the Covenant of Works was or could have been. This Covenant extends to all man- kind : But the other Covenant extends only to fome 190 A View of the fome of them, and comparatively few ; though they are abfolutely a great multitude which no man could number, as the nations of them which are faved*. Yet the cafe is very different, with regard to the benefits of thefe two Covenants. Had the Covenant of Works been kept, there would have been a very high difplay of the divine goodnefs ; in an advancement of all mankind, at length, to an immediate and heavenly enjoyment of God for ever. But, according to the Covenant of Grace, — there is the higheft, and an united glo- ry of all the divine excellencies, in the falvation of finners. The holinefs and juflice of God are far more eminently difplayed in this cafe, than in that of thofe who are punifhed with everlaft- ing deftrudtion : While the glory of their hea- venly ftate, as enthroned with God-man, — far ex- celleth what could have belonged to that ftate, according to the Covenant of Works. And, as to the benefits of the Covenant of Grace, they are altogether fupernatural and fpi- ritual. Nothing natural or material, or which is a natural object of bodily fenfe, as fuch, — has any place among thofe benefits, or in the pur- chafe of Chrift : Nothing but what is fuperna- tural ; a matter of fpiritual experience, or an object of a divine faith. A blefiing upon material things, to thofe who are faved, belongs to the benefits * Piev. vii. 9. , xxi. 24. m Covenant of Grace. 191 benefits of that Covenant ; but this bleffing is wholly an object of faith. — The curfe of the bro- ken Covenant of Works requires that the world mould be upheld as at prefent ; till all the natu- ral feed of the firft man be brought forth in fuc- ceffive generations, for partaking with him in the effect of that curfe : And the Covenant of Grace requires the fame thing, on behalf of the feed promifed to Jefus Chrift. But this Cove- nant provides for them all the bleffings, only, of a fpiritual falvation \ including a fpecial blef- fing upon their common enjoyments. § VII. The eftablifhment of the Covenant of Grace is by one acl of the divine pleafure and will. The infinite Being is abfolutely one ; without any compofition in his being, or in his mind. His under/landing is infinite * ; comprehend- ing, in one act, all that is intelligible : He can have no fucceffion of views, apprehenfions or thoughts. And that eftablifhment is therefore one, at once \ confifting of no parts in God, of a glorious and indivifible Unity. Yet our finite minds cannot coniider it, but as virtually in- cluding many things ; compounded of many parts : Which we are warranted, as obliged, to coniider feverally ; though not as feparable, or as more than one thing in God. SECT. * Pfal. cxlvii. 5, 192 A View of the SECT. III. Of the Origin cf the Covenant of Grace. § I. This Covenant, as to the eftablifhment of it, is originally in God : Not like thofe divine works or difpenfations which are only from God, as effects of his wifdom and power in time. It is what he hath purpofed in himfelf * : And fo, it is of the fame eternity with himfelf. There is not, nor ever was any conceivable moment in which it was not ; or in which it might not have been, or might have been otherwife than as it is. We have to look as far up and as far back to this ejlablifhment, as to Godhead ! But it doth not originally lie in any perfec- tions of the divine nature ; for then, it would not be a Covenant of Grace, but of natural ne- cejjity. It lies originally in a free determination of the divine will ; which, though not a neceflary refult of the divine perfections, is yet coeternal with thefe. It is the myjlery of his will, according to his good pleafure, which he hath purpofed in him- felf'*. He would have been the fame in his in- finite and efTential perfections, of the fame ex- cellency and glory ; though there had been no fuch eftablifhment in the good pleafure of his will on behalf of fallen men, more than of fallen angels : * Eph. i. 9. Covenant of Grace. 193 angels : But fuch is the glorious myflery of his will, concerning fome of mankind ! § II. This eftablifhment is wholly made by the grace, the abfolutely free grace of God; and is therefore properly called the Covenant of Grace. The whole reafon of it lies in God him- felf, not in any thing without himfelf. And it lies directly, not in his nature, but in his mere will ; in the fovereign good pleafure of him who, efpecially in this cafe, givelb not account of any of his matters *. That Covenant is made, only on \ behalf of fome of mankind ; but without any reafon, on their part, for fuch a diftinguifhing of them from others. It could not proceed on any forefeen good in them, as the reafon of that diflinclion ; for there could be no diflinguifhing good in them to procure it, none but what was I to proceed from it. God was willing to make' known the riches of his glory on the veffels of mercy, whom he had afore prepared unto glory : As he faith, — / will have mercy on whom I will have mer- cy', and I will have comfajjion on whom I will have companion |. The true and only reafon of this whole matter, lies in that moil remarkable ad- drefs which Jefus made to the Father ; Evenfo, Father, for jo it fee med good in thy fight \. — Such is the fupreme, the abfolute, the unaccountable reign of free Grace, in the eftablifhment of the | Z Covenant * Job radii. 13. f Rom. ix. 15, 22, 23. % Matth. xi. 26. 194 A View of the Covenant of Grace : And the praife of the glory of this grace muft not be taken away from it, in afcribing the fame to any of the means through which that Covenant is brought to its accomplimment and effect ; not even to that great mean, the mediatory undertaking and ad- miniflration of Jefus Chrift. § III. Some worthy men who could not, in any degree, be reckoned to mean any oppofition to the doctrine of glorious Grace in that Cove- nant,— have yet bee n very much off their' guard in teaching, (one with a remarkable diligence of repetition) ; that " the promifes of the Cove- " nant are the purchafe of the blood of Chrift, " owing to the merit of Chrift's righteoufnefs :" That " all thefe promifes are the price of his " blood, the purchafe of his obedience and " death :" That " the condition of the Cove- " nant is the foundation of the promifes :" That " to Chrift's fulfilling the condition of the " Covenant, both the making and performing of " the promife of eternal life is owing allenarly :" That the feveral parts of Chrift's undertaking, are the grounds upon which God made the feveral promifes ; thefe promifes being alfo feverally graft- ed (as it is called) upon the feveral promifes pe- culiarly made to him, about affiftance and ac- ceptance in the work of his humbled eftate : — And Covenant of Grace, 195 And that the feveral promifes do flow from Chrift's feveral offices, as their proper fountain. But if the great promife of eternal life, with all the other promifes comprehended therein,— be the purchafe of the blood of Chrift, merited by his righteoufnefs ; all of them the price of his blood, the purchafe of his obedience and death ; fo that the making as well as performing of them, is wholly owing to his fulfilling the condition of the Covenant : Then it cannot be a Covenant of Grace, with regard to God the Father ; it can only be a Covenant of purchafe, a Covenant of jujlice. For the promifes are the all of that Covenant, befide the condition of it ; and it will not be faid that Chrift purchafed the condition, purchafed his own purchafe ! Thus Chrift would have purchafed the Covenant of Grace ; inconliftently with its being fuch a Co- venant, on the Father's part : And all grace would be expelled from that Covenant, but the grace of the Mediator. Mediatory grace would be the original and only grace of the Covenant : As if there had been no grace, in the Father's fetting him up from everlafting to that office ; no grace in the Father's calling him to it, as he did not take this honour unto himfelf #. It is no proper falve, in this cafe, to fay, — that " the love of God produced a propofal of the k great and precious promifes, upon terms con- " Meat * Frov, via. 23. 5 Heb. v. 4, 5. 196 A View of the " fiftent with his juflice; and Chrift accepted :" When the turning of the propofal into a pur- pofe and promife, is made to depend upon this acceptance. The truth of the matter is,— that all the pro- mifes have their whole original and foundation in the abfolute fovereignty of the grace of God, of the Godhead in the perfon of the Father. And the whole myftery of the condition of the Covenant, — of Chrift's undertaking, of his ful- filling all righteoufnefs, of his obedience unto death, of his redeeming and purchafing blood ; all this is to be confidered as the great mean de- vifed by the manifold wifdom of God, for bring- ing the promifes to an accomplishment,— in a maimer glorifying to all the perfections of God, and honouring to his law. All that Mean, all that condition of the Cove- nant, is wholly fubordinated to the promifes ; and the promifes no way to it. Inftead of the condition of the Covenant being the foundation of the promifes, the promifes are the foundation of the condition \ this being what infinite grace and wifdom has provided in a fubferviency to the promifes, for their proper accomplifhment. Inftead of the promifes flowing from Chrift's of- fices, his offices flow from the promifes ; as the great fubordinate mean for their accomplifhment. The peculiar promifes to Chrift, about his aflift- ance and acceptance, — are fubordinated to the promifes Covenant of Grace. 197 promifes of falvation through him, as the mean is to the end ; inftead of the promifes of falva- tion through him being fubordinated unto, or (what is called) grafted upon the peculiar pro- mifes to him. It is true, that all promifed blejjings are what flow from Chrift's offices, — and are all purchafed by him : But it is not true, that the promifes them- felves are fo. — An architect, of his mere plea- fure, purpofes to have a houfe built ; and draws a plan of it : Upon which he gets workmen em- ployed, unto a finifhing of the houfe. Now it would be quite abfurd to fay, that the architect's purpofe and plan was owing to the {kill and la- bour of the workmen : But it would be very proper to fay, that the execution thereof is fo.— In like manner, the whole bleffings promifed in the Covenant of Grace are the purchafe of Chrift ; and they flow through his feveral offices : But that is by no means the cafe with regard to the promifes themfelves. The whole mediatory in- terpofal belongs, not to the obtaining, but to the execution of the glorious purpofe and plan of free grace in the eftabliihment of that Covenant. 1 i M SECT, 198 A View of the SECT. IV. Of the glorious Parties concerned in the Ejlablijh- ment of the Covenant of Grace. § I. As hath been obferved, the eftablifhment of this Covenant is in God ; when there were no parties without him, or befide him, to be concerned in the making of it. Yet, as being a Covenant, it could not be eflablifhed but among parties ; and thefe parties could only be in the Godhead. It therefore neceflarily fuppofes a plurality, a Trinity of Perfons in the Godhead. And there is nothing more plainly or more ex- prefsly fet forth, in the revelation which God has made of himfelf, than the doctrine of the Holy Trinity ; that the Godhead fubfifts in three Persons, the fame in fubftance, equal in power and in glory. According to the Scripture-teftimony, — There are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Wordy and the Holy Ghofl : And thefe three are one*. They are three / three Perfons, as each is capable of bearing record: And they are one, in diftinclion from merely agreeing in one ; wThich can only mean, that they are but one Being. — At the baptifm of Jesus, one of the three, — the Father fpoke of him from heaven ; and the Spirit * 1 John v. 7. Covenant of Grace. 199 Spirit defcended upon him*. The abfolute dedication which is made of perfons in baptifm, can be to God only ; and it is to the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost f . And perfonal charaBers are moil unqueftionably afcribed to thefe three : The Father fends the Holy Ghost, and the Son fends him ; and he comes J. Thefe are fome of the direct teftimonies to this glorious truth, that there are three Persons in the fame Godhead 5 and the Scripture abounds with afcriptions of perfonal aclings to each of them. Horrible blafphemies are now propagated through the Britiih dominions, in the moil open manner, without fear or fhame, — againft the Three-one-God ; by which the inhabitants thereof are fall ripening for a day of his venge- ance. There can be no reafon for difbelieving a Trinity of "Perfons in the Godhead, more than for difbelieving the Godhead ; both being equal- ly incomprehensible by finite minds : No reafon for being Anti-trinitarians, more than for being Atheijis. And it is even an outrage upon reafon, — that minds which cannot comprehend the in- finite Being, fhould yet prefume to judge about what manner of fubfjience is competent to Him. His own teftimony, in this matter, is to be be- lieved ; on the pain of being punifhed with ever- laiting * Matth. iii. 16, 17. f Matth. xxviii. 19. % John xiv. 26. 5 xv. 27. j xvi. 7. 200 A View of the lading deftru&ion from his prefence, and from the glory of his power *. § II. There are two eontracling parties in the Covenant of Grace ; the firji and fecond Ferfom of the Holy Trinity, the Father and the Son. Betwixt thefe, that Covenant was made and efta- blifhed, as hath been explained elfewhere f . And they entered into it as theory? and fecond Perfons, as the Father and the Son ; for they had not any other diftinguifhing characters before entering into that Covenant, under which they could do fo, — according to the plainer! teftimo- ny of the Scripture J. It is but very lately that a frantic and pernicious imagination has been broached to the contrary. And, in the making of this Covenant, — the Son was moft willingly conftituted by the Father, as the one Mediator between God and men ; in a date of mediatory inferiority to the Father, though in a ftate of divine equality with him. Such is the cafe, frequently fet forth to us in Scripture as a matter of faith. But how this tranfaction could take place between two equal perfons in the fame Godhead, the mediatory inferiority con- lifting moft fully with the divine equality and one- nefs, — is a matter far exceeding finite compre- henfion ; * Part I. Chap. II. Scot. I. § I. %diy. f Sea. I. and Part 1. Chap. II. Sed. I. § I. tfbty\ § III. X John iii. 35. j v. 22. 5 1 John i. 3. 5 iv. 14. \ 2 Pet. i. 17. Covenant of Grace. 2g« henfion ; yet cannot, without impiety, be dis- believed on account of its being incomprehen- fible. § III. The third Per/on of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, was a concurring Party in the making of the Covenant of Grace. A peculiar employ- ment or office concerning it was affigned to him, and mod willingly accepted of by him. He was to be employed about the accomplifhment of this Covenant ; in the revelation of it, and the application of it to the fouls of men : So employed as the Spirit of the Father and of the Son, to befent by them upon that work. Jesus gave a moft comfortable aflurance of this to his dif- ciples* : And all fuch employment of the Spirit in time, muft be confidered as the fruit of his having accepted the affignnient which was made of it to him from eternity. According to the divinity of his character, — what he does graci- oufly in time, could not but have been the mat- ter of his engagement before all time ; as a con- curring party in the Covenant of Grace : For proceeding, according to his office, in an exacl conformity to what was therein fettled betwixt the Father and the Son. Therefore Jefus faid concerning him ; He Jhall not fpeak of himfelf but whatfoever he Jhall hear that Jhall he fpeak. f A a SECT. * John xvi. 7; — 15. 202 A View of the SECT. V. Of the Maker of the Covenant of Grace, The Making of this Covenant was by the/r/2 Perfon of the Holy Trinity ; by God the Father, or the Godhead in the perfon of the Father. This appears from what has been already propofed ; and is too evident in Scripture, for needing any fpecial proof. It is therefore to be obferved, con- cerning all the mention to be made of God in this part of the fubjedt ; that it is always to be underftood as peculiarly meant of God the Fa- ther, acling in the fame Godhead which belongs alfo to the Son and Spirit. And, § I. From all eternity, God forefaw the whole world of mankind in a ruinous condition ; funk into a ilate of fin and mifery, from which they could not recover themfelves. He forefaw this, as the infallible confequence of his leaving the firft man, in abfolute fovereignty, to the freedom of his own will ; which could not but iflue in his ruining himfelf and all his pofterity, by the breach of the Covenant of Works. God condefcends to our capacities, in fpeak- ing of himfelf zsforefeeing and foreknowing ; words which denote a feeing or knowing of what is future, or what is to take place in fome diftant period, Covenant of Grace. 203 period. But there could be nothing really of this fort, with refpedl to God : Every thing is prefent to him, who at once filleth all eternity and all time with his prefence. The ruined con- dition of mankind in time, was therefore prefent to him from all eternity : They were then be- fore him, under his eye, through all their gene- rations ; as having deflroyed themfelves9 and lying polluted in their own blood #. § II. There was a moll free purpofe of Grace in God, from all eternity, concerning fome of ruined mankind. Thefe were obje&s of his ever- lafting love ; a love of good will toward them, for recovering them from their fallen eflate. He did foreknow them ; not in the way of mere ap- prehenfion, as he foreknew all things, — but in the way of gracious cognizance : And he did predefiinate them to be conformed to the image of his Son; to be fo reftored unto a glorious perfection of nature, far excelling man's primitive integrity f . They were then predefiinated unto the adoption of children : They were then predefiinated to an in- heritance of eternal life ; according to the purpofe of him who worketh all things after the counfel of his own will\. §111. * Hof. xiii. 9. 5 Ezek, xvi. 6. f Rom. viii. 29. t Eph.i,^u. 204 -A View of the § III. God's purpofe of Grace toward them, could not be accomplifhed by a mere efficacy of his power. The whole world of creatures was immediately, and mod wonderfully, produced out of nothing by his power : Hefpake and it was dene, be commanded and it flood fafi. But the new creation, the world of faved mankind, could not be produced in that manner. His power could not be exerted, in oppofition to the indefefible claims of his holinefs and juftice, and of his bro- ken law. It was indifpenfably neceflary, that the glory of his holinefs and juftice mould be maintained ; by a faithful execution of the law- curfe upon them, as well as the other world of finful men : And that none of them mould be faved but upon a full reparation of the breach of the law ; in their fulfilling all the righteoui- nefs of it, as the condition of eternal life. § IV. The accomplishing of God's purpofe of Grace toward them, was therefore abfolutely impojfible ; according to any device which could fall within the compafs of any finite mind : As they were abfolutely incapable of fatisfying thofe claims. But the manifold wifdom of God was fufficient, for deviling an effect of this natu- ral impoffibility. He fays, concerning a loft fin- ner, — Deliver kirn from going down to the pit, I have found a ranfom : I have laid help upon one that is mighty ; I have exalted one chofen out of the people ; —my Covenant of Grace. 205 — my Covenant Jhall Jiand faft with him *. He called his own Eternal Son to the office of a Me- diator for thefe ruined men ; who, of his own free Grace, did moll willingly undertake the charge. He was fet up, for becoming one of the people, in an afiumption of their nature ; as fub->\ ltituted into their place, having them Hated in J himfelf as their Surety. The law-curfe was to have a full execution upon them in him ; to the higheft glory of the holinefs and juftice of God : And the breach of the law was to be fully re- paired by them in him ; the righteoufnefs of it to be fulfilled by them in him, unto a magnifying the law and making it honourable. 0 the depth of the riches , both of the wifdom and knowledge of God! How unfearchable are his judgments^ and his ways faft finding out \ \ § V. According to that device of infinite wif- dom which has been exprefTed, God the Father did eftabliih a Covenant of Grace with his eter- nal Son ; for the falvation of all thofe who were% the objects of his purpofe of grace* And, in this Covenant, the purpofe bears the form of a pro- mife ; a manifold and molt comprehenlive pro- mife by God the Father : His own purpofe and grace, which was given them in Chrifi Jefus ; the purpofe * Job xxx. 24. j Pfal. lxxxix. 19. 28. f Rom. xi. 23* 2o6 A View of the purpofe and grace of eternal life, which God that cannot lie promifed before the world began*. SECT. VI. Of the Undertaker in the Covenant of Grace. The eternal Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, is the undertaking Surety in that Covenant. The need of every perifhing finner for whom he un- dertook, had a fay to him before the finner's exiftence ; 0 Lord, / am oppreffed, undertake for me\ : And to this fay he was moil gracioufly at- tentive, under the Father's ordination of him to that office ; having his delights, from everlqfling, with the fons of men \. — The true and fupreme Godhead of Jesus Christ, as the fame one God with the Father, has been fomewhat confidered in another place ||. And fome view is to be taken of him in this place, on two particular heads ; on the head of his eternal Son/hip, before proceed- ing to that of his mediatory fl ate. HEAD * 2 Tim. i. 9. 5 Tit. i. 2. f Ifa. xxxviii. 14, X Prov. viii. 23. 31. || Part I. Chap. II. Sett. I. J I. ij. Covenant of Grace. 207 HEAD I. Of the Eternal Sonfhip of Jefus Chrijl. The doctrine of his being the Son of God by eternal generation — is now very much oppofed, by many perfons of different denominations: And therefore it may be feafonable to enlarge upon this head, as of effential concern to the prefent fubjecl *. § I. It is flrft to be evinced, that Jesus Christ is the Son of God by eternal generation. Some * An infamous book was publifhed in the year 1776 ; en- titled, [The true Sonship of Christ invefigated] : In which, not only the eternal Sonfhip of Chrift is molt boldly denied j but a quite new fort of temporal Sonfhip is afcribed to him, — upon a horrid fcheme of animalcular generation. Kfermon was foon after preached and publifhed by the pre- fent writer ; entitled, [An Antidote ^/k/?^newHerest, concerning the true Sonship of Jesus Christ : With an appendix, concerning the wonderful theory of animalcular generation 5 as lately brought in by a Clergyman of the Church of Scotland, for the proper ground of the funda- mental article of the Chrijlian religion!] This Antidote was remarkably blefTed for a quick difpatch of that herefy : And the reaionings on the prefent head are extracted from that performance, with fome variations j omitting many other things which it contains. — That monftrous herefy ap- pears to be no more 5 farther than that the fhameful book containing it flill exifts : But new attacks are yet a-making upon the do6trine of the eternal generation* 208 A View of the Some Scriptures give direct evidence, that hisgf- neration was from all eternity. But other evidences, that the character of Son belonged to him be- fore his incarnation, are the fame upon the mat- ter : As it was never pretended, nor can be ima- gined, that he acquired this character in any preceding point of time; and, therefore, his having been the Son of God before he was made flelh, — mull mean his having been fo by eternal generation. For this, the following arguments are propofed. ifl, That Jefus Chrift is the Son of God by eternal generation, appears from Pfal. ii. 7. / will declare the decree : The Lord hath /aid unto me, Thou art my Son ; this day have I begotten thee. It is beyond all doubt, that Christ is the perfon fpoken to by God the Father in the lat- ter part of this verfe ; confidering the direct ap- plication which is made of it to him in the New Teftament * : And that thefe words comprehend the proper doctrine of his generation. The only queftion therefore is, about the day here meant, — to which that generation is referred. And, in general, it cannot be an interpreting, but a grofs impugning of the text ; to change the afiertion which it makes of Chrift's Sonfhip as what then was, into a mere prophecy of it as what would afterwards be: Or to turn it off from all prefent refpect to any day exifting in David's * A&s xiii. 33. Covenant of Grace. 209 David's time ; as if it had only a prophetical re- fpecl, to fome day in the future period of the manifeftation of Chrift in the fleih. For fo, the words might have this ftrange paraphrafe put upon them : Tboufoalf become my Son about a thou- fand years hence ; in fome future day, at fuch a di- ftance of time, I will beget thee. The applications made of this text to Chrift in the New Teftament, bear not the fmalleft ap- pearance of referring it to fuch a day ; Farther than that, in one inftance *, it is quoted with a reference to his refurredrion. But not fo much as any hint is there given, that he did then be- come the Son of God \ he was then only declared to be the Son cf God with power f. And an appli- cation is made of this text to him by the great Apoftle, in fuch a manner as to bear a plain ar- gument againft explaining it of any fuch day : Chrift glorified not himfelf to be made an High Prieft, but he that J aid unto him ; "Thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee J. For Chrift was not but lately made an High Prieft, only in or after his incarnation. He was fo before ||, as much as he was conftituted a Mediator before ; even from everlafting : And his Sonfhip is there fet forth, as of the fame antiquity with his Priesthood. This pfalm, indeed, was chiefly prophetical of great events about the Mefliah and his kingdom, t B b in * Acts xiii. 33. -f- Rom. i. 4. % Heb> v. 5, 1| Pfal. ex. 4, 2io A View of the in the Church-ftate among the Gentiles ; after his afcenfion : But it was not fo prophetical as to be a mere prophecy ; bearing no application to the ftate of matters in David's time. For the fecond Perfon of the glorious Trinity was then the MeJJiah, the Lord's anointed, the Chriji ; as in the fecond verfe of this pfalm. He was then the Head and undertaking Surety of the New Covenant ; yea had been fo from all eternity. He was then a King upon the holy hill ofZion, as in the fixth verfe. Accordingly the confpiracy which took place in David's time, among the heathens around, againft the interefts of the Jewifh Church and nation, was principally a con- fpiracy againft the Lord and againft his anointed ',— his Chrift ; as the public interefts of the Jewifh people, did efpecially belong to thefe glorious parties. Therefore no argument can be taken, with any fhadow of reafon, from the prophetical nature of the pfalm ; for turning the affertion which it makes of Chrift's Son/hip, into a mere prophecy. It is manifeftly inconfiftent with every prin- ciple of juftice to the form of the words, as well as to the doctrine contained in them, — to explain this Sonftnp as the matter of the decree ; and fo as a future event, which the fecond Perfon of the holy Trinity had to declare concerning himfelf. The matter of the decree is evidently fet forth in the next two verfes : And the Sonfhip is evi- dently Covenant of Grace. 211 dently fet forth as the ground upon which that decree proceeds. The SonJInp mull therefore have been as ancient as the decree ; and every decree of God was from everlafting. What day, then, are we to underfland, as meant in the text referred to ? It cannot be un- derftood, as properly denoting any one of man's days ; either in David's time, or afterwards. It can only be underflood of God's day, the day of eternity : Which, with God, is all one day, with- out any yefterday or to-morrow ; — one perma- nent day, without any fucceflion of parts ; a perpetual now, coexifting with every one of man's days. As the great Luther obferves, upon this place : " If we will fpeak as the thing is, " — to-day, every day and always, the Son of M God is begotten ; for, in eternity there is nei- 44 ther pall nor future, but a perpetual to-day" And, as he farther obferves, upon this text ; 44 to-day is here to be taken for God's time, not 44 ours : For God is not there fpeaking with us, 44 but with him who is with God beyond 44 time*." Nor is this the only place where eternity is re- prefented under the character of a day, one day, A text runs in our tranflation (by the help of the fupplement was) ; before the day was, / am Jfef. But the Uriel and juil rendering is, from the day /araii; from the day of eternity, from all * Polus in loco. -f Ifa. xliii. 13. ai2 A View of the all eternity. In the Greek tranflation of the Old Teftament, which was ufed in our Lord's time, it is rendered aV d^iy from the begin- ning *. Upon the whole, it is plain that our Lord's generation as the Son of God, was not in any day of time ; but in the day of eternity f. idly, That Jelus Chrift is the Son of God by eternal generation, appears from Pfal. ii. 12. Kifs the Son, left he be angry, — Thefe words enjoin a moil important duty toward the Son ; the fame glorious Perfon, whole generation is reprefented in the feventh verfe of this pfalm. And upon whom was the duty enjoined ? was it only upon khigs and judges of the earth, who mould live in gofpel times * fo as it mould be made no account of by any perfon, for hundreds of years after David's time ? The text would then properly bear this mocking paraphrafe : " Ye kings and " judges who fhall live in the Gentile churches " above a thoufand years after my time, kiss, " pay homage, — to one who fhall then become " the Son ; though, as to what he prefently is, 11 or * Pol. in loc. \ It is a vain obje&ion, that, for about three thoufand years before David's time, — the characters of Father and Son in the holy Trinity, were not revealed. The infinite One was the proper judge, how revelation iliould gradually pro- ceed : And it fhould be enough to us, that this myftery is revealed 3 was fo, even in the Jewifh Church, Covenant of Grace. 213 ** or whether he prefently be at all, — I have " nothing prefently to fay." That bafe abufe of the words cannot be evited, but by taking them in their plain fenfe ; as containing a prefcription of then prefent duty, to perfons then in being, concerning an object then exifling as the Son : Containing the fame prefcription, likewife, to perfons through all fuc- eeeding generations. The words were applicable to the cafe of all, in David's time, who in any meafure enjoyed the revelation then made of the great Mes- siah * : Even to fome kings and judges then around Judea ; who were not utter flrangers, however much enemies, to that revelation. But they were more particularly applicable to all the judges and people in David's kingdom ; and likewife to all the kings and judges and people of following generations, in Ifrael and Judah : Though having a principal refpect to thofe who were to exilt under the gofpel-difpen- fation. And as thefe words contain an enjoinment of then prefent duty, upon perfons then in being ; it could not but be toward one who then was THE * Though the call is exprefsly given, only to kings and judges of the earth ; it equally belongs to perfons of all other denominations : It mufl equally belong to all whofe duty it js; as in the clofe of the verfe, to put their truji in him. 214 A View of the the Son, — and therefore fuch from everlaft- ing. $dly, That Jefus Chrift is the Son of God by eternal generation, appears from Pfal. xlv. 6. Jhy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever : Compared with Heb. i. 8. But unto the Son he faith, Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever. God the Father was there introduced, as fpeaking to God the Meffiah ; and fpeaking to him of what then was the cafe of a throne which he then had : For he was then fitting upon a throne, in the Jewifh Church and nation ; as the Scripture moft exprefsly teftifieth*. But the Apoftle is pofitive, that what was then faid was faid to the Son ; and therefore to him who then was the Son, as having ever been fo. For it is quite unfufferable to pretend, — that though thefe words, as applied by the Apoftle, were be- come true in his time, yet they would have been falfe in David's time ; if then applied in the fame prefent fenfe, to one who was not then the Son, — who then had no exiftence as fuch. qthly, That Jefus Chrift is the Son of God by eternal generation, appears from Prov. viii. 24, 25. When there were ?w depths I was brought forth : — Before the mountains were fettled ; be~ fore the hills was I brought forth. It * Jfa. vi. 1 5 John xii. 41. Covenant of Grace. 215 It is a ftriking inftance of what lengths one may be left to go, for ferving the purpofe of error ; when prefuming to explain away thefe verfes, and that whole chapter, from any application to the fecond Perfon of the adorable Trinity. The party fpeaking is Wifdom : And, as one obferves ; " none in the ancient Church, " no not the Arians themfelves, did ever que- 11 ftion, that by Wifdom here is underftood the " Son of God *." Nor has it ever been que- stioned by any till now, but upon Socinian prin- ciples. The term Wifdom, applied to God, is natu- rally the character of an attribute. But it is frequently in the book of Proverbs, as elfewhere in Scripture f , determined by the context to a metaphorical fenfe ; as the character of a per- fon \. And Wifdom, as fpeaking in the two verfes now quoted, is moil evidently determined by the context to a metaphorical fenfe, as the character of a perfon ; of none other than the fecond Perfon of the eternal Trinity. Could God's attribute of wifdom fay ; I was brought forth before the mountains were fettled, fet * Wifheart's Theologia, p. 748. f Luke xi. 49. 5 Matth. xxiii. 34. % Where wifdom is twice mentioned, in the 5th and 14th verfes of this chapter, there are two different words for it in the original j both different from that ufed for wifdom in the i ft and 12th verfes. 2i6 A View of the Jet up from cverlqfting ? Could it fay, / was by him as one brought up with him P Could this at- tribute be properly brought in faying, — / was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him ; rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth, and my delights were with the Jons of men : When all this, if meant of an attribute, would have pro- perly belonged to the attribute of Grace? The fame Wifdom is brought in (chap. i. 23.), faying, — Turn you at my reproof ; behold I will pour out myjpirit unto you : And mull we underftand all this as meaning the reproof of an attribute, the fpirit of an attribute ! A turning away of thefe panages from a proper application to Chrift, as the perfonal Wifdom of God, is a molt violent wrefting of them ; a turning of them into abfur- dity and nonfenfe *. And this perfonal Wifdom fays, I was brought forth ; that he was fo before this world had a being, from all eternity. Nor can any rational fenfe be put upon this, but as denoting the eter- nal generation ; directly affirmed by Chrift of himfelf, who is the perfonal Wifdom of God : The word being the very fame in the original which David ufed [PfaL li. 5.] for expreffing his »'. * It is fhameful to objeft, that the Hebrew word render- ed wifdom is feminine. So is the Greek word rendered church in the New Teftament 3 and the word rendered per fan, in Heb. i. 3. Covenant of Grace. 217 his own generation ; when he confeiTed that he was Jhapen (brought forth) in iniquity. $thly, That Jefus Chrift is the Son of God by- eternal generation, appears from Prov. xxx. 4. Who hath afcended up into heaven, or defcended f Who hath gathered the wind in his Jijls P Who hath bound the waters in a garment P Who hath ejlablifhed all the ends of the earth P What is his name, and what is his Son's name, if thou canfl tellP There is another inftance, of the defperate fliifts that one may be driven to for fupporting error ; in an attempt of explaining away this whole pafTage from any application to God. And what then is the fenfe put upon it ? It is juft taken for a defiance given by the Holy Spirit, to tell the name of the mere man, or (if he were dead) of that man's fon, who had done the great things mentioned in thefe words. But this is to bring in the Holy Spirit as bidding defiance to a fiction, as fighting with a fhadow. For none had ever pretended, that any mere man had ever done thefe things : Such an ab- furd and blafphemous imagination, had never entered into the mind of any man or devil. The eternal God had, in a figurative fenfe, both defcended and afcended * : To him belongeth the abfolute difpofal of wind and waters ; he had ejlablifhed all the ends of the earth. Agur, f C c in * Exod. xix. 18. \ xxxiv. 5. : Gen. xvii. 22. ) xxxv. 13, 2i3 A View of the in the preceding verfe, had made a humble pro- feilion of his ignorance of the Holy ; of that Holy One. And, in this verfe, he charges igno- rance of him upon all \ upon every one : As Zophar had done before him ; Canft thou by fearching find out God? canfl thou find out the Al- mighty unto perfection * ? Now this Holy One, the Cod exprefsly men- tioned in the next words, is faid to have then had a Son ; a Son when he eftablifhed all the ends of the earth, and fo, from everlafting : Whofe Sonjhip, whofe name as fuch, was of moft incomprehenfible glory f . Gthly, That Jefus Chrift is the Son of God by eternal generation, appears from Micah v. 2. Put thou, Bethlehe\n Ephratah, though thou be little among the thoufands of Judah ; yet out of thee Jlyall he come forth unto me, that is to be Ruler in Ifrael : whofe goings forth have been from of old, from everlafling. Thefe words were an illuftrious prophecy about Chrift ; as exprefsly applied to him in the New Teftament f . A temporal and future co- ming forth was there afcribed to him ; a gene- ration in time as man, to be born in Bethlehem. But he had likewife afcribed to him agoing forth from of old, from everlafting. And, as there was no external manifeftation or operation of God from everlafting ; thefe words can bear no Other fenfe than that of his eternal generation : No * Job xi. 7. f Judges xili. 18. % Matth. ii. 6. Covenant of Grace. 219 No other going forth can be imagined, as Com- petent to him from everlaiting. The coming forth unqueftionably denoted one fort of gene- ration, which was to belong to him as man : And the going forth could only denote another fort of generation, which had belonged to him, as the fecond Perfon of the divine Trinity, from everlafting. It can be no juft objection, againft this fenfe of the words ; that goings forth are mentioned in the plural number. This manner of expref- iion ferves to reprefent the incomprehenfible perfection and excellency of his eternal genera- tion. But it is no way inconfiflent with the unity of that generation, the real unity of his go- ing forth : More than the mention of the multi- tude of God's mercies, and of his feven fpirits *, —can be inconfiftent with the unity of his mer- cy, and of the Holy Spirit j when properly fer- ving to denote the incomprehenfible fulnefs and glory of both. jtbly, That Jefus Chrift is the Son of God hy eternal generation, appears from John v. 1 8. There- fore the Jews fought the more to kill him, hecaufe he not only had broken the Sabbath ; but faid alfo that God was his Father, making himfelf equal with God : Compared with John x. 33, 36. For a good work we fione thee not, but for blafphemy ; hecaufe •Pfal. li. 1.3 Rev. iv. 5. v. 6, 220 A View of the becaufe that thou, being a man, makeft thy f elf God: Say ye, thou blafphemefl ; becaufe If aid I am the Son of God ? We find here, that the Jews fought to kill Jefus for blafphemy. Wherein did the pretend- ed blafphemy lie ? It lay in his making himfelf equal with God, making himfelf God. And upon what ground did they reckon that he had made himfelf fuch, or claimed his being fuch ? It was wholly on this ground; that hefaid that God was his Father, — that hefaid, I am the Son of God. Now, it is perfectly evident, — that Jefus fu- ftained the conftruction which they fo put up- on what he had faid ; as perfectly jult : For the whole defence which he made, proceeded upon the acknowledged truth of that conftru6tion. But it is grofsly abfurd to imagine, — that it could ever have entered into any one of their minds, to put fuch a conilruclion upon his call- ing God his Father, and calling himfelf the Son of God ; if it had been underftood of his having become the Son of God, only about thirty-three years before. Never one of them imagined, concerning the claim of any fort of temporal Sonjhip to God, — that it was the fame as a claim of equality with God, a claim of being God. They allowed a claim of fome fuch fonfhip as competent to angels, to the firft man, to many other men, to themfelves ; without ever pretend- ing Covenant of Grace. 221 ing or dreading, that there was any blafphemy in the matter *. They knew that there could be but one God ; and that therefore a being equal with God, was the fame as being God. They knew, from the Scriptures of the Old Teftament, the doctrine of a Son/hip in the Godhead : And they knew, from thefe Scriptures, — that the divine Son, to be manifefted in flefh, was the divine Saviour or Meffiah promifed unto them. What there- fore they charged upon Jefus as blafphemy, was plainly this ; That he gave himfelf out to be the Son of God in the fenfe which was peculiar to the promifed Meffiah, whom they would not al- low him to be. The juft conftruction which they put upon his words, could thus have no confiftent fenfe ; but when underftood of him as the Son of God in the fame nature, by a Sonfhip infeparable from Godhead, — and therefore, as the Son of God from everlafling. %thly, That Jefus Chrift is the Son of God by eternal generation, appears from John x. 30. I and my Father are one. There our Lord evi- dently fpoke of himfelf as the Son, when fpeak- ing of God as the Father ; affirming that he the Son, under the character of Sonfhip, was one with the Father, — one with him in nature or eflence. But his humanity was not, could not be * Job xxxviii. 7. j Luke Hi. 38. ; Gen. vi. 2. j Hof. i. 10. 122 A View of the be taken into the divine nature or efTence, to an onenefs in Godhead ; though wonderfully uni- ted unto his divine perfon. He had therefore a character of Sonjhip, abftr acting from his hu- manity,— in which he was one with the Father, the fame one God ; and muft have ever been fo, in that character. gthly, That Jefus Chrift is the Son of God by eternal generation, appears from ijohn iv. 9, 10, 14. God fent his only begotten Son, into the world, that we might live through him: — Sent his Son, to be the propitiation for our fins : — The Father fent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. One may as well make any thing of Scrip- ture, abufing it to ferve any purpofe ; as to pre- tend that the Son here mentioned as fent, — is mentioned as made the Son, in his being fent : Or that the fending of the Son did effectuate his generation as the Son. The Father fent the Son, his Son, his only begotten Son : And this language, unlefs it be reduced to an uncertain found, by explaining it inconfiftently with any natural ufe of language, mull mean, — that the characters of Father and Son exifted before the fending ; that, as already bearing thefe charac- ters, the one did fend and the other was fent ; that therefore the Son, who was fent, was fuch before he was fent, — the only begotten Son from fverlafling. An Covenant of Grace. 223 An argument of the fame nature, lies in Heb. f. I, 2. God hath fpoken unto us by his Son, — by whom alfo he made the worlds. It would be a grofs contradicting of thefe words, — to fay that he was not the Son, when this vifible world was made by him ; or till about four thoufand years afterwards. By the Son the Father made the worlds ; by him who was the Son before all worlds. lothly, That Jefus Chrift is the Son of God by eternal generation, appears from 1 John v. 7. There are Three that bear record in heaven ; the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghojl : And thefe Three are One. Thefe words contain the moll eminent difplay of the myflery of the glorious Trinity. The fecond Perfon, indeed, is not here called the Son; but the Word, the perfonal Word. Yet, of neceffity, he muft be here underftood as the Son, as the fe- cond Perfon under that character : For this is the only imaginable reafon, why the firft Per- fon is here called the Father. And fo, without allowing the character of Son to have a place in the Trinity, as much as the character of Father ; and without allowing both thefe perfonal cha- racters to be as ancient as the Trinity of perfons in the Godhead ; all confident fenfe of thefe precious words muft be abolifhed. §n. 224 -^ View of the § II. The evidences which have been fet forth, are fufficient for eftablifhing the do&rine of the eternal generation of Jefus Chrift as the Son of God. He frequently called himfelf the Son of man, as having become fo in his incarnation. But wherever he is called the Son of God% it is with refpecl: to his eternal generation. This Sonjhip is indeed fet forth in the form of a pro- mife, as what mould afterwards be ; / will be tot him a Father , and hefhall he to me a Son *. But this did no way fignify his beginning in time to be fuch ; it only refpecled a glorious manifeftation in time, of his being fuch : As, in Scripture, — a thing is faid to be made, when but eminently manifefled to be. So was Jefus, in and after his refurreclion, made both Lord and Chrijl\; glorioufly revealed in thefe characters, which he had borne as really before. So was the counfel of peace prom.ifed to be, though it had been from everlafting J. And Jefus Chrift is the Son of God as he hath become God-man; his character of Son/hip not excluding, but in- cluding that confideration of him : His affump- tion of humanity adds unto, but no way alters the Hate of his divine perfonality. § III. The eternal generation of the Son of God is altogether inconceivable by us, as to the mariner of it : Being wholly a matter of faith, that * Heb. i. 5. I Ads ii. 36. % Zech. vi. 13- Covenant of Grace. 225 that it is ; and no way a matter of reafon, as to how it is. The finite mind can have no proper conception, but of finite things ; abfolutely in- capable of fathoming what is infinite. And it is even abfurd, to deny the eternal generation upon the ground of incomprehenfiblenefs : When one may as well deny, on the fame ground, the diftinct fubfifting of three Perfons in one Godhead \ yea, the very being and per- fections of God. And this eternal generation, which bears but a very faint allufion to the cafe of generation among men, cannot be brought into any proper comparifon with it \ as the divine perfections cannot be properly adjufted to any fhadows of them among creatures. The way of the fpirit, efpecially of the eternal Spirit, is not to be mea- fured or tried by the flandard of flefh and blood. — Yet this, of Jefus Chrift as the Son of God, is infinitely the moll proper and perfett generation : As the Son is of an abfolutely perfect likenefs to the Father * ; and not only in a like nature, but in the very fame nature with him. § IV. The eternal generation of the Son of God, doth not at all mean his deriving Godhead from the Father. It only means a deriving of Ferfonality from him, in the fame Godhead : And that not in any arbitrary way, or from the Fa- D d f ther's * Heb, i. 3. 225 A View of the ther's will ; but naturally, of the fame original and eternal necefiity which belongs to the dir vine exiftence. Though he is not the Son of hmfelf, but of the Father- ; yet he is God of him- felf: He is of the fame neceiTarily-exiftent, felf- exiftent, underived, independent, abfolutely eternal Godhead,— with God the Father. § V. The doctrine of eternal generation, doth neceffarily belong to the doctrine of the Holy Trinity. This incomprehensible and adorable myftery, which is eflential to the Chriflian re- ligion, is to be believed by us upon God's tefti- mony concerning himfelf : That there are three Yerfons in the Godhead, of a mutual inbeing> without any composition ; undivided and indi- vifible, in one infinite Being. They are called firjl, fecond, and third Perfons,— not as terms of fuperiority, fubordination, or dependence ; but only as denoting an order of fubliflence, in the fame eternity of one independent exiftence. And thefe glorious Perfons are diilinguifhed from each other by perfonal characters, of per- fonal properties and relations. But, if there be no Father and Son in the Trinity, there can be no fuch distinctions : No perfonal distinctions at all, among three divine Perfons in one efTence. And if all perfonal distinctions be loft, a Trinity of Perfons muft be given up with ; or it muft land Covenant of Grace. 227 land in the diftinction of three divine Beings,— three Gods. As a well known author obferves : " The Son- " fhip of Chrift as a divine Perfon, and as by " generation, even eternal generation, — is the " diftinguifhing criterion of the Chriftian reli- " gion, upon which all the important doctrines " of it depend. Without this, the doclrine of " the Trinity can never be fupported ; — with- " out this, the diftin&ion of Perfons in the Tri- " nity can never be maintained : And, indeed, " without this, there is none at all ; take away " this, and all diftindlion ceafes, — it is all over u with tie doclrine of the Trinity *." HEAD II. Of the Mediatory State of Jefus Chriji. His mediatory ftate arifes from the mere gra- cious will or good pleafure of God ; of the God* head,— not as in the perfon of the Son, but as in the perfon of the Father. With regard to the Son, it bears the form of his undertaking to do the Father's will ; all of his own free grace, as called into that ftate: He faith, — I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will ; but the will of * Dr Gill's Body of Divinity, vol. i. p. 241, 228 A View of the of him thatfent me *. For the Father fent the Son, to be the Saviour of the world f. And his one un- dertaking may be explained, in different confi- derations of it. § I. The eternal Son, according to his Fa- ther's will, did undertake to be the one Mediator between God and a number of finful men. J. The breach which fin had made, could admit of no immediate friendly intercourfe betwixt thefe parties ; there could be no repairing of it, but by a Mediator, Each of thefe finners needed a Mediator : And none of them can by any means re- deem his brother, nor give to God a ranfomfor him ||. Nor could the breach be repaired, by a mere perfuafive influence upon the offended party ; it was indifpenfably neceffary that, on behalf of the offending party, the claims of his holinefs and juflice, and of his broken law, mould be fa- tisfied : Which no angels, more than men, could effectuate. The eternal Son alone was fit for be- ing the one Mediator ; and this he undertook to be, from a love to the fons of men which paffeth knowledge. He undertook to be a mediatory Prophet : To come a light into the world ; for giving know- ledge of falvation unto his people §. He under- took to be a mediatory Priest : To make recon- ciliation * John vi. 38. \ John iv. 14. % 1 Tim. ii. 5. ; John xvii. 9. 14. (| Pial. xlix. 7. § John xii. 46. Covenant of Grace. 229 ciliatlon for iniquity y by an atoning facrifice for their fin ; and to bring in everlajiing rigbteoufnefs, by fulfilling all the righteoufnefs of the law for them *. And he undertook to be a mediatory King f : For fubduing his people to himfelf ; fetting up a kingdom of grace in the vifible Church, and in their fouls ; ruling and defend- ing them ; as alfo reftraining and conquering all his and their enemies. — He thus undertook the whole employment of redeeming them, by price and power \ of bringing many fons unto glo- ry*. § II. The eternal Son, according to his Fa- ther's will, did undertake to be a God-man Me- diator ; to become God manifefied in the flejh (j. He was to be incarnate ; taking to himfelf a true body and a reafonable foul : Not as a perfon^ diftinct from his own divine perfon ; but as a nature, afTumed unto a fubfiftence in his divine perfon. He was thus to be a Mediator in the conftitution of his perfon, as neceffary to his be- ing fo by office ; a middle perfon between God and men, as being himfelf both God and man in one perfon. It was only in human nature, that he could fatisfy all the claims upon his people ; in a ftate of ferving and fuffering. As man, he was to be capable of this ; as Godf he was ca- pable * Dan. ix. 24. f Pfal. ii. 6. % Heb. ii. 10. II 1 Tim. iii. 16. 230 A View of the pable for bearing up the human nature in that eftate to the uttermoft : And as God-man, in one peribn, — his work in that eftate was to be of in- finite worth and efficacy ; all-fufficient for the redemption of his people, to the higheft and everlafting glory of the Three-one-God. § III. The eternal Son, according to his Fa- ther's will, did undertake to be a Surety ^Media- tor *. As fuch, he was fubftituted into the place of his people ; made anfwerable for all their debt of obedience and punifhment. He is thus the Head of the New Covenant, the Cove- nant-head of all his people ; having them all re- prefented before the Father, by and in himfelf. As truly as they were reprefented by the firft man in the Covenant of Works, they are repre- fented by Chrift in the Covenant of Grace. As truly as they finned in and fell with xhzfrft many they obey and Hand in and with the fecond man, the Lord from heaven. He was to fatisfy all the claims of law and juftice upon them, in having all thefe transferred to him as their Sure- ty. He was to be made under the law of the Covenant of Works in their place ; to fulfil all the righteoufnefs of it for them : And he was to be made under the curfe of that law, to bear all its effect upon himfelf for them. In this manner, * Heb. vii. 22. Covenant of Grace. 231 manner, he was to have them jujlified, and made heirs according to the hope of eternal life *. § IV. The eternal Son, according to his Fa- ther's will, did. undertake to be a humbled Medi- ator f . He became a Sa/v/y-Mediator as God- man, for coming down into a moft wonderful date of the deepefl humiliation in human na- ture ; as, in that ftate only, he could execute his Suretifhip. He was to be humbled into the ftate of a fervant for his people, under the eom- manding law of the Covenant of Works. He was to be humbled into the ftate of a finner, even made fin for them J, under the curfing law of the Covenant of Works. He was thus to be laid under all the preceptive obligation of that law for them, as being ftated under it in their ftead ; having their collective name transferred to him accordingly || : And he was to be laid under all the penal obligation of that law for them, as ha- ving all their iniquities laid on him by imputa- tion ; for fufFering the whole penalty of death in their ftead. The firft article of Chrift's humiliation did lie in his {looping fo amazingly low, as to aflume human nature into himfelf. — Humiliation is of an equivocal fenfe. It fometimes only denotes a favourable or gracious condefcendence toward an * Tit. iii. 7. f Phil. ii. 7, 8. % 2 Cor. v. 21. || Ifa. ::lix. 3. 232 A V iew of the an inferior ; which, inftead of demeaning, en- hances the perfonal dignity of the fuperior. So the Lord is faid to humble himfelf and to dwell with him that is of a humble fpirit *. But this doth not mean any perfonal humiliation, or any real degrading of the party fo humbling himfelf ; for it is competent to the High and Lofty One that inhabiteth eternity. So the Lord Chrift, as now continuing his afTumption of human nature in heaven, is not thereby humbled,— «in the fenfe of perfonal humiliation or degradation ; but on- ly in the fenfe of moll gracious condefcendence. — Yet his firft afTumption of human nature, was a ftep of moft deep perfonal humiliation. His afluming of it was not one thing, and his being humbled in it (as fome have oddly imagined) another thing : Fot in his very ad of affuming it, not after or in confequence of his doing fo, he made himfelf (as to the ftate of his perfon) of no reputation ; and took upon him the form of a fer- vant f . He affumed it in a ftate of fervile fub- jeclion to the law as a Covenant, under the fin- lefs infirmities of human nature, in a moft lin- gular meannefs of appearance, — under a moft heavy load of imputed guilt, and under all the weight of the law-curfe. Such was the humbled ftate of his humanity, of himfelf in that nature, as firft aflumed by him ; but all that is now ful- ly over for ever. His humanity is now exalted to * Pfal. xiii. 6. 5 Ifa. Ivii. 15. f Phil. ii. 7. Covenant of Grace. 233 to the higheft glory which it could admit of; infinitely above all thefe circumftances of per- fonal humiliation. And his divine glory there- in mines forth without any vail upon it, as once ; but, after a moft ravifhing manner, con- centrated to human eyes in his manhood : In a ftate of glorious and everlafting condefcendence toward his redeemed kinfmen ; as ever holding communion with them in their own nature, up- on the throne of his glory. § V. The eternal Son, according to his Fa- ther's* will, did undertake to be an exalted Me- diator. GgcI the Father raifed him up from the dead, and gave him glory ; hath highly exalted him ; and fet him at his own right hand in the heavenly places *. According to this view, his exaltation belongs to the promiffbry part of the Covenant of Grace ; as being the juft reward and neceffary con- fequence of his work in his eflate of humiliation. — But he alfo, by his own power, rofe and revived ; he afcended up on high ; he fat down on the right hand of the Majejiy on high \ . And, according to this view, his exaltation belongs to his mediatory un- dertaking. When he had finifhed all his work of ferving and fuffering in his human nature, all his work of Suretifhip in that nature, — fo that he had no more ufe for it, in fulfilling the f E e condition * 1 Pet. i. 21.5 Phil. ii. 9. 5 Eph. i. 20. f Rom. xiv. 9. j Eph. iv. 8. \ Heb. i. 3. 234 -A View of the condition of the Covenant of Grace ; yet he would not leave it to confume in the grave. He would have it raifed up, and exalted to a moft unparalleled glory in himfelf. He would thus have his people raifed up together ■, and made to fit together in heavenly places, in his own perfon *, as Hill inhabiting their nature, in their name *. He was to enter into heaven itfef to appear in the prefence of God for them ; entering by his own blood \ unto a continual prefentation of it before God on their behalf, — and fo, in the nature to which that blood belonged f . All this he undertook, concerning that nature in which he was to be humbled : To have it ex- alted, fo as never more to be in a (late of fub- jection to the law. Through the courfe of his humiliation, that nature, he in that nature, was to be in a ftate of fubjeclion to the law as a Co- venant of Works. But, in and by his death, that nature, he in that nature, became for ever dead to the law in that form ; and it for ever deafl to him, in refpedt of any further exaclion upon him : For he became the end of it, having gone to the uttermoft of both fervice and fufFer- ing under it. And with regard to the law as only a rule of life, his human nature, he in that nature, was never under it for one moment. The law, as a covenant, could have had no na- tural claim upon him ; none but altogether fuper- naturalf * Epb. ii. 6. f Heb. i*. i2. 24. Covenant of Grace. 235 natural, in the fupernatural conftitution of the Covenant of Grace. And the law, as only a rule of life, could never have had any claim upon him at all. Though it had a natural claim upon a human per/on, it could have none at all upon a human nature in a divine -per/on. He was to have it exalted on the throne of his glory ; to a ftate of abfolute fupremacy above all law for ever ; fubiifting in his own perfon as the fupreme Lawgiver. And it belonged to his un- dertaking,— that, in this exalted condition, he mould bring his many fons unto glory ; as the Cap- tain of their falvation #. SEC T. VII. Of the Objects of the Covenant of Grace, § I. This Covenant was made, in an abfolute freedom of grace, on behalf of corrupt and curfed iinners as the obje&s of it ; and thefe were only finners of mankind. Thefe were the objects of it, not only as without fir ength to help themfelves ; but as likewife ungodly 3 as enemies to God f . Some fpeculations have been broached, by way of accounting for the grace of God toward fallen men rather than fallen angels ; making certain apologies for the fin of mankind, as not of * Heb. ii. 10. f Rom. v. 6, ioa i$6 A View of the of any equal aggravation with that of the finning angels. But iuch fpeculations cannot confift with the abfolute fovereignty and freedom of grace toward them, when pretending to find fome reafon for it on their part ; though there was every reafon in them, why they might have been all left to perifh in their eftate of fin and mifery. Moreover, if that apologifing for them, more than for devils, could infer any thing in the prefent cafe ; it would infer an extending of grace equally to all mankind. § II. Only fome of mankind-linners are ob- jects of the Covenant of Grace. The whole hu- man race was under God's eye, through all their generations, as all in the fame fatten eftate ; all equally finful and miferable by nature, equally worthy of eternal death in hell, and equally under a natural impoffibility of efcaping it. But, in the abfolute fovereignty of his grace, he diftinguifhed fome of them from all the reft ; fome whom he hath from the beginning chofen to falvation, before the world began *. Thefe are cal- led God's elcfl, according to the eleclion of grace f . There is a certain number of them ; fuch as can- not, and from eternity could not be increafed or diminifhed by fo much as one. They were chofen moft individually, one by one : For the Lord kncwctb them that are his ; as their names are writ* ten ♦ 2 ThelT. ii. 15. f Tit, i. 1. j Rom. xi. 5. Covenant of Grace. 237 ten in heaven^ in the book of life*. And not one of them can fail to obtain what they were elect- ed unto. They were elected to a life of glory, in the eternal ftate ; and likewife unto all the means thereof in time, both outward and in- ward. All the parts and circumftances of their falvation were fettled in God's eternal purpofe ; as to the time and manner of their being brought into a ftate of grace, and of their being carried forward in it to eternal glory. § III. Their being flngled out as the objecls of the Covenant of Grace, was of mere grace ; it did not proceed upon any confideration of what they were to be or do in time. — God cer- tainly forefaw whatever they would be and do, preferably to all others. He forefaw that they would believe, repent, and walk in newnefs of life. But he did not forefee that they would do fo, by any exercife of their own free wills and natural abilities. He forefaw it, in his own de- termination to make them fuch perfons ; to work a true faith in them, and to give repentance un- to them, — and to quicken them, railing them up from their fpiritual death in trefpafTes and (ins. Their faith, repentance, and holy life, — were therefore no reafon why they were elected ; b,ut are only parts of the falvation unto which they were elected : They were originally objects of the * 2 Tim. ii. 19. 5 Luke x. 20. ; Rev. xx. 15. 238 A View of the the Covenant of Grace confidered as Jinners, as ungodly, as enemies to God ; £y nature the children if wrath, even as others *. § IV. Thefe objects of the Covenant of Grace were, by their election, ftated in Chrift ; God having chofen them in him, before the foundation of the world, that they jhould be holy and without blame before him in love f . They were thus given to him ; as he Jaith to the Father, — thine they were, and thou gaveft them me J. Chrift was the Fa- ther's Elecl || : But though he is of infinite dignity above them, — being the head of the body, that in all things he might have the pre-eminence ; yet his election was fubordinated to theirs, as a mean to the end. He was not the caufe of their elec- tion ; he did not procure it, by any interpofal or undertaking for them. They were elected to eternal life, of abfolutely free grace ; his election was the great ordinance of God, for effectuating the purpofe of their election : And the act of free grace, by which they were elect- ed, was an act giving them to him for that pur- pofe ; Hating them in him as their Covenant- head, unto a future being in him by a myftical union with him. SV. * Ads v. 31 j Eph. ii. 3. 5. 8. f Eph. i. 4. J John xvii, 6. (| Iia. xlii. 1. ;> Covenant of Grace. 239 § V. Jefus Chrift moll gracioufly accepted the gift which was thus made of them to him, for all the purpofes thereof ; as he faith to the Father concerning them, — all mine are thine, and thine are mine*. He, as it were, took down all their names in a book, to be anfwerable for each of them ; their names are written in the Lamb's book of life f . Not one of their names have been, or can ever be blotted out of that book. He fometimes lets them fee their names in it now, when he has brought them unto himfelf : And they will all be reading their names in that book, with raptures of admiration and praife, through all eternity. SECT. VIII. Of the Condition of the Covenant of Grace. § I. The word condition is fometimes ufed very improperly, to denote the mere connection of one thing with another; or with that of which it is only a mean or inftrument. So, faith has been called a condition of pardon and ac- ceptance in j uftification ; of a faving interefl in Chrift, or of falvaton through him : Bat to call faith the condition of the Covenant of Grace, is a downright abufe of the word ; as well as a perverfion * John xvih 10. \ Rev. xiii. 8, ) xxL 27, 240 A View of the perverfion of the doctrine of that Covenant. The word in its proper fenfe, and as ufed in the prefent cafe, — denotes that which in its own nature, or at leafl by paction, is meritorious of a promifed benefit ; and is the proper ground of a title to the fame. So, perfect obedience was the proper condition of the Covenant of Works ; to be meritorious of eternal life : Not indeed by any natural or intrinfic merit of that obedience, but by the paction or agreement which God condefcended to make with the firfl mail. § II. The condition of the Covenant of Grace, in the very nature of the thing, could be performable only by the Head of that Covenant ; by the glorious Undertaker in it, and Surety of it : A condition which was to lie in his full per- formance of his undertaking, as to be made un- der the law. The condition of the Covenant of Works, as to which the firfl man foon failed, was transferred unto and undertaken by him ; with the high addition, of his having to make full fatisfaction for the breach of that Cove- nant. In the Jirjl place, he was to prefent unto the law of that Covenant, as the reprefent- ing Head of all his people, — the human nature, re- floredunto a flate of perfect conformity to that law in his own perfon ; holy, harmlefs, undefiled, fepa- rate Covenant of Grace. ±\t rate from /inner s *. In the next place, he was to fulfil the whole righteoufnefs of that law in this holy nature, by a life of perfect conformity to its preceptive part ; in the name and on the be- half of all his people, bringing in everlafling righteoufnefs for them f . And finally, he was to take upon himfelf, for them, the whole penalty of that law : Thus to make reconciliation for iniquity f ; a full latisfa&ion and atonement for all their fin, putting it away by the facrifce of him- Ml- § III. This condition, as to be fulfilled by him, was to be meritorious of all ble flings for* his people unto eternal life. It was to be fo, by paction or covenant-agreement : But it was to be fo, like wife, by an intrinfic merit in its own nature. — He was not, like the firft Cove- nant-head, to have any thing ado with the law for himfelf. His righteoufnefs, though wrought out under the law, was yet to be without the law\\ ; without, beyond, above all its natural claim, as it could have no fuch claim upon him. He owed nothing to it for himfelf, but only for his people ; owing all for them, by a fupernatural conftitution. And, from the infinite dignity of his perfon as God-man, his whole performance under the law could not but be of infinite dig- f F f nity; * Heb. vii. 26. \ Dan. ix. 24, % Heb. ix. 26, II Rom. iii. 21, 242 A View of the nity : His atonement and righteoufnefs were to be of infinite value and merit in their nature, for both putting away fin and purchafing eter- nal life on behalf of all his people ; in his be- coming, to them, the end of the law for righteouf- nefs #. To this one condition of the Covenant of Grace, and to this only, all merit belongs in the matter of our falvation. And to afcribe any fort of merit, any deferving of good from God, to any thing that either finners or faints can do, —is a grofs indignity to Jefus Chrift, a robbing him of his glory, a virtual nullifying of the New Covenant. For all the blefiings of grace and glory, we mull be wholly indebted to him ; to his fulfilled condition of the Covenant of Grace. SECT. IX. Of the Promifes of the Covenant of Grace. As the condition of the Covenant of Grace is the Undertaker's part, fo the promifes are the Maker's part of it ; the part of God the Father in that Covenant. And, § I. All the promifes of the Covenant are comprehended in one great promife : This is the promife * Rom. x. 4* Covenant of Grace. 243 promife that he hath promt fed us, even eternal life*. And this doth not merely refpect the eternal life of glory, as to be enjoyed in heaven through eternity : It alfo refpects all the bleffings of grace to be enjoyed in time, as the beginnings of that life ; according to Chrift's declaration con- cerning his true difciples in their prefent flate, I give unto them eternal Hfef. The great promife of eternal life, comprehends in it exceeding great and precious promifes \ ; which are laid out to all the members of the vifible Church, in the holy Scriptures. The leading article of thefe, is the promife of giving the Holy Spirit to all the objects of the Covenant of Grace ; in his manifold operations, graces and influences : More efpecially, as the fpirit of faith ||. And the promifes which were thus to take ef- fect upon them were many, — but are generally reducible to their effectual calling, their juftifi- cation, their adoption, their fanctification ; with aiTurance of God's love, peace of confcience, joy in the Holy Ghoft, increafe of Grace, and per- feverance therein to the end : As alfo, the per- fected holinefs and glorification of their fouls at death ; with the refurrection of their bodies in the laft day, and their being then openly ac- knowledged and acquitted, — unto a being made perfectly blelfed, in a full enjoying of God to all * 1 John ii. 25. f John x. 28. % 2 Pet. i. 4, |j Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. j 2 Cor. iv. 13. 244 A View of the all eternity. Moreover, with regard to their outward condition in this world, the great and precious promifes extend to all that the Lord fees good and ncceflary for them ; a New- Covenant right to all their common benefits, and a bleffing upon their trials : With protection from, or fupport under, or deliverance out of temporal evils ; according as the Lord fhould wifely order all things to work together for their good. § II. Many of thefe promifes, which were to be aclively received by them, were made to them from eternity ; but made to them in Chrijl, as their New-Covenant Head. Seeing they did not then exift, but he did ; thefe promifes could not be made to them immediately, or in their own perfons : They were all made to them in him, and immediately to him as their reprefen- tative ; this grace was given as in Chrijl Jefus, be- fore the world began *. As he was to be the glo- rious Head of the body, thefe promifes were to take effect through him upon all the members of it. And they were to receive all thefe, only in a (late of myflical union with him ; he being the primary recipient of all the promifes. Their re- ceiving of all was to be in receiving him, and refting upon him for falvation ; receiving him, unto a receiving of all in and with him : All the prom if: * 2 Tim. i. 9. Covenant of Grace. 245 promifes of God being in him yea, and in him amen ; unto the glory of God by us*. § III. There were fome of thefe promifes more efpecially made to Chrijl concerning them : Promifes containing the Father's engagement to him on behalf of his fpiritual feed ; as to the ef- fect of which, they were to be pajfive. It was infured, that in Chriji they Jhould all be made alive ; and that his feed Jhould endure for ever f . All things were moll particularly and unalterably fettled in thefe promifes to him, concerning the time and manner of their being effectually called or born again ; and all the variety of following difpenfations toward them. Whatever prove to be the gracious events in thefe matters, mull be conlidered as having been fo fettled in promifes to Chrilt ; for all mull belong to the Father's faithfidnefs with him J. And, 1/?, The precife time of the new birth of each, or of their being brought to Chrifl and united with him, was fixed ; as to the moment of their natural lives in which it mould take place. There was to be great variety here, according to the parable of the labourers fent into the vine- yard ; fome early in the morning, fome about the third hour, fome about thejixth and ninth hour, and fome about the eleventh hour ||. The inbringing of * 2 Cor. i. 20. f 1 Cor. xv. 22. j Pfal. Ixxxix, 36, X Pfal. Ixxxix. 24. |] Matth. xx. 1, 7. 246 A View of the of finners to Chrift is thus at very different times of their life in this world, yet abfolutely fixed to fome time of it ; but, generally, in its more ear- ly periods. And, till that time, they were not only to be under the common care of Provi- dence, as to their prefervation and natural en- joyments ; but were to be fecretly under a fpe- cial and gracious care thereof, though ftill in themfelves children of wrath even as ethers : And they were likewife to be preferred from falling into that Jin which is unto death*. idly, The precife manner was fixed, according to which they mould be brought to Chrift in their feveral times. Some were to be firft laid under an efficacy of the law upon their confei- ences, for a fhorter or longer time ; reducing them to diftrefs of foul, in various degrees, unto a defpairing in themfelves : Before being brought off from all ways of eftablifhing their own righte- oufnefs, by a fupernatural manifeftation of the Surety-righteoufnefs to their fouls ; in which they ihould find a fweet and fatisfying reft. So it was with Paul, when under the work of the law on his confeience ; as it brought him into a death of all the confidence and hope with which he had pleafed himfelf in his unregenerate ftate \. — But others were to be dealt with in a more foft and fummary manner ; under a difcovery to them of their danger and relief, as all at once. So * Matth. xii. 31, 32. j 1 John v. 16. f Rom. vii. 9, Covenant of Grace. 247 So it was with Lydia ; whofe heart the Lord open- ed at once, to attend unto the things which ihe heard fpoken concerning Jefus Chrift *. — The Lord deals nioft fovereignly in thefe cafes. But the diftreffes and terrors with which fome are previoufly exercifed, have nothing good in their nature ; though the Lord fovereignly meafures out and orders them unto good : For thefe are never to be confidered as any fort of atonement or amends to God for their fin ; all this lying wholly in the atoning facrifice of Jefus Chrift. $dly, As there were to be great varieties, with regard to the internal fecrecy or diftinctnefs of the manner in which finners were to be brought to Chrift ; fo like wife, in the courfe of following difpenfations toward them. Their gracious ftate was not defigned for taking them out of their civil flat ions ; every man wherein he is called, muft therein abide with God\. And they were to have great diverfities meafured out to them, of pro- vidential favours and frowns ; fome to be figna- lized by heavy trials, wants and fufferings. But efpecially, they were to be varioufly diftinguifh- ed as to their gracious ftate, — into children, young men, and fathers ; fome weak, fome ftrong, —every one having grace given unto them, accord- ing to the meafure of the gift of Chrift \ : And thus, through many differences of attainment in gra- cious * A&s xvi. 14. f 1 Cor. vii. 24. 4 1 John ii. 13. 3 Eph. iv. 7. 248 A View of the cious experiences and exercifes, they were to be preferved and carried forward in their courfe to- • ward the heavenly Canaan ; fo as to be fafely brought, at the end of their times, to a ftate of perfection in that everlafting reft. All thefe matters were moil particularly and unalterably fettled, by promifes to Chrift con- cerning them ; promifes of that Covenant which is ordered in all things and Jure *. § IV. There were promifes peculiar to Chrift himfelf ; refpecling his own perfon, in his eftates of both humiliation and exaltation. According- to thefe promifes, the Father and Spirit were en - gaged to concur with him ; as to the qualifying and ftrengthening of his manhood, in his hum- bled eft ate : His human nature was not to fee corruption in the grave, but foon to be glorioufly raifed up : He was to have a full acceptance, as having finifhed his Surety-work in his death ; juftified from all the charges which had been laid againft him, as made under the law : And he was to be exalted in a ftate of glorious do- minion, as the Head of his Church, and over all things for his Church, — appointed heir of alt things ; with an everlafting victory and triumph, in his glorified humanity, over all his enemies f. But * 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. -f- Pfal. lxxxix. 21. 5 Ifa. xi. 2. j Pill. xvi. 10. 5 1 Tim. iii. 16. -, Eph. ii. 2i; 22. ; Heb. i. 2.> Pfal. ex. I. Covenant of Grace. 249 But all thefe promifes were made to him, not properly for himfelf ; they were made to him in a public capacity, as the Covenant-head of his people, — all for their benefit, in and through him. As they were to be partakers of all his fervice and fuffering, in his humiliation ; fo they were to be partakers of his life in his re- furredlion and exaltation, of his victory and triumph, of hi9 eternal glory in their nature as their. Head. § V. All the promifes of the New-Covenant were abfolutely and immediately from the mere grace, the Sovereign good pleafure of God ; of the Godhead in the perfon of the Father. The fulfilling of them was to proceed on Chrift's un- dertaking and fulfilling the condition of that Covenant ; but the making of them did no way proceed upon that ground. And all the pro- mifes peculiar to Chrifl, with all the promifes which were made to him concerning his people, — were all fubordinate and fubfervient to thofe which were made to them in him. The di- vine glory is the chief end of the New-Cove- nant falvation ; but the mediatory glory belongs to the means of that falvation, according to the fovereignty of the grace of God : As hath been fomewhat explained in the third fecftion of this period. f ■ Og SECT, 25° -4 View of the SECT. X. Of the End of the Covenant of Grace. § I. The only wife God, of whom and through whom and to whom are all things, — hath pur- pofed all the means which he ufes, toward ends moft worthy of himfelf. His purpofes of thefe means, and his intentions thereby, are all we in his infinite mind ; but our finite minds are war- ranted to take up the fame in diflinguifhed con- fiderations, according to the nature of the things. He purpofed to create the world, for manifeft- ing the glory of his eternal powTer and God- head; as the infinite and felf-exiflent Being, producing all the varieties of finite things out of nothing. He purpofed to permit the fall of mankind in the firft man, for manifefting the glory of his abfolute fovereignty ; and of abfo- lute infallibility, as being his incommunicable prerogative. And all his purpofes concerning fallen creatures, both angelic and human, were for the further manifeftation of all his other glorious perfections. § II. The fubordinate end of the Covenant of Grace, is the everlafting fclvation of all thofe who were chofen to be the objects of it. The Lord, the Lord God> merciful and gracious ', moft freely Covenant of Grace. 251 freely purpofed their falvation from fin and mifery ; unto a far higher Hate of holinefs and happinefs than that from which the firft man fell, and than there was any profpect of ac- cording to the Covenant of Works. And, in his manifold wifdom, he provided for the ef- fectuating of all that falvation ; by the, eftablifh- ment of the Covenant of Grace. All the par- ticular means thereof, outward and inward, me- ritorious and effective, fpecial and common,— were provided and ordered in that Covenant ; beyond all pofiibility of failure, as to either the means or the effect. And all things in the courfe of providence toward them, were fettled into a flate of fubferviency to that fubordinate end of the Covenant of Grace concerning them, § III. The highejl end of the Covenant of Grace, is the glory of abfolutely free grace in the falvation of its objects. All is to the praife of the glory of his grace *. Heaven was thus to be filled for ever, with the glory of free grace toward the redeemed from among men : And each of thefe was to be a wonder to himfelf through eternity, as to how he came to be there rather than in the deeps of hell ; incapable of finding any reafon for it but in the mere good pleafure « Eph. i. eK 252 A View of the pleafure of God, — that fo it feemed good in hu fight, that " God would have it fo." At the fame time, this glory of the grace of God was to be amazingly heightened ; by ha- ving all its effect in a manner infinitely glorify- ing to the jufiice of God : As divine juftice, in pleading the caufe of God againft fin, could never come to a full effect in hell ; but was to do fo in the crofs of Chrift, with regard to all the fins of the redeemed. Thefe mull therefore have to adore the free grace of God, in looking up for ever to the glorious Redeemer upon his throne ; faying, — thou waft Jlain, and haft re- deemed us to God hy thy blood * ! P E R I G D II. Of the Accomplifhment of the Covenant of Grace in Time, THIS Covenant, which had an eftablim- ment from eternity, was to have an accom- plishment in time ; when God had created the world in which that great work was to be performed. And it was begun very early, in the garden where the firfl fin was committed ; immediately * Rev. v. 9, Covenant af Grace. 253 immediately upon the breach of the Covenant of Works by that fin, A revelation was then made of the Covenant of Grace, to our firft pa- rents ; in the promife of Chrift, as the redeem- ing feed of the woman *, And this revelation appears to have been made with gracious efficacy upon thefe firft linners. The woman, who was firft in the tranfgreffion, had enmity put be- tween the ferpent and her ; which may be con- fidered as a gracious enmity on her part againfl him. — -Moreover, the firft vifible death in the world was that of beafts; with whofe fkins God clothed Adam and his wife. It is not to be fuppofed, that the beafts were flain for meat to them ; when God had already fignified, that herbs and trees mould be to the man for meat, — and that in the fweat of his face he mould eat bread : Or that thefe beafts were flain for being made no ufe of at all, farther than to have our firft parents clothed with their fkins. But we may fuppofe that they were inftrudted (as Abel afterwards) to offer thefe beafts in fa- crifice, as typical of the facrifice of Chrift the promifed feed ; depending upon this as the atone- ment for their fin : With a refpecl to which, he is called the Lamb flain from the foundation of the world f. The * Gen, iii. 15. f Rev, xiii. 8. 254 d View of the The gradual accomplifhment of the Covenant of Grace was the fame, as to the matter of it, under the Old as under the New Teftament : But under the Old, it was in a very different manner. It is not propofed here, to enter into any confideration of that difference ; but to ex- plain this accomplifhment in the general Hate of it, and as continued in the Churches of the New Teftament. — Only it may be obferved, concerning Chrift's fulfilling the condition of the Covenant by his obedience unto death ; that though this was, for many ages, a matter of futurity to men, — it was not fo to God, to whom all things are and have been always pre- fent. He is not therefore to be confidered, in a proper fenfe, as having then fulfilled promifes " upon the credit of Chrift's fulfilling the con- " dition in due time ;" or as " taking Chrift's " fingle bond for fufficient fecurity :" Becaufe the fulfilled condition was all along prefent to God ; as it was then made prefent to the faith of worfhippers, in the typical facrifices. The death of Chrift, as the great Antitype of thefe facrifices, was then a matter of fa5l in divine reckoning *. The accomplifhment of the Covenant of Grace may be confidered under two general Heads ; the mediatory and minijlerial accomplifhment of it. The whole accomplifhment is indeed me- diatory, * Ifa. liii. 7, 8. 10. 12. Covenant of Grace. 255 diatory, in a full fenfe of the word 5 as it is all by and from the Mediator, in the courfe of his media- tory adminiftration,— for the Father hath given all things into his hand*. But the mediatory ac- complifhment is here underftood, as denoting his immediate adminiftration upon earth and in hea- ven ; with his work on earth, by his Spirit, through the means of grace, — in dealing with the fouls of men : Which bears a peculiar re- fpect to the Elecl. And the minijlerial accom- plishment is underftood of this fpiritual work, as carried on through a Handing miniftry ; which bears a common refpect to Church-mem- bers. HEAD I. Of the mediatory Accomplifhment of the Covenant of Grace. This is all comprehended in that adminiftra- tion and work of Chrift which has been men- tioned, according to his three mediatory offices ; as a Prophet, a Priejl, and a King . — The exercife of his priejily office, lies at the foundation of his exercife of the other two : And though his firft dealing with finners s as a Prophet, yet their firft dealing with him is as a Priejl ; what he doth in them as a Prophet, leading to a de- pendence * John iii. 35, ^^6 A View of the pendence on what he hath done for than as a Prieit. His exercife of this office is therefore to be firft confidered, in the prefent cafe. SECT. I. Of the Accompli/hment of the Covenant of Grace by Chriji as a Prieft. The truth of the Priefthood of Jefus Chrift, is the great fubjecl: of the Epiitie to the Hebrews ; wThere it is moft exprefsly and very fully taught. In his priejily office, he is the great Antitype of the priefts and high-priefls under the law ; they were fhadows, in this whole matter, of which he is the fubftance. The facrifices which they offered, and the prayers which they made for the people, typified his facrifice and inter- ceffion. They were to be without blemifh in their bodies, typifying his perfonal perfection. And they were to be holy, — the high-prieft having this infcription upon his mitre, Holinefs to the Lord ; as typical of his perfonal and prac- tical holinefs. Of all thefe types, he is the truth. — But his priefthood is far more exten- five, than* to be merely anfwerable to thofe re- prefentations which had been made of him by the legal priefts. They could not be priefts without being men ; this was fuppofed unto their office, yet vfas Covenant of Grace. 257 was no part of their official character : But his becoming man, his taking the body or human nature prepared for him % belonged to his offi- cial character ; his afTumption thereof was the firft and fundamental Hep of his officiating as an High-prieft. Forafmuch as the children are partakers of flejh and blood, he alfo himfelf like- wife took part of the fame : And this afTumption was in order to deflroy him that had the power of death ; which he was to do through death, in the exercife of his prielthood. — The legal priefts * had to offer facrifices for their own fins, as well as for the fins of the people : But he had no fuch thing ado, being abfolutely without fin f. And though their facrifices were typically fub- ftituted into the place of the people, yet they themfehes were not fo : But he was really fo, feeing his facrifice was to be -the facrifice of himfelf Moreover, though the priefts under the law were to offer facrifices for the fins of the people ; yet they had not to obey, or perform right eouf- nefs for them, in their name and place : But this our great High-prieft had to do ; as fubfti- tuted into the place of his people, under the law, — according to the whole extent of its pre- cepts as well as penalty. Divine juftice could not have admitted of him as a furety, for pay- ing the debt of punijfjment, in the more direct I H h exercife * Heb. x. 5. + Heb. iv. 15, 258 A View of the exercife of his priefthood ; without his paying the debt of obedience like wife : As no payment of this debt could have been accepted of from him, without that of punifhment alfo. He had to fulfil the Covenant of Works for his people, as well as to fatisfy for their breach of it. The law was to be wholly, or noway magnified and made honourable by him ; he was to be qualified for fuffering the penalty, of it in the place of his people, by fulfilling the righteouf- nefs of it for them : He could not come forward to the laft ftep of his righteous obedience, in laying down his life under the penalty, — but through all the previous fteps of that furety- righteoufnefs. The exercife of his priefthood is therefore as extenfive as his furetifhip ; it comprehends his whole fulfilling of the condition of the Cove- nant of Grace : It takes in the feveral articles of his incarnation, fcrvice, fuffering, entrance into his glory, and continual intercejfion. Art. I. Of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ. § I. The eternal Son of God did become in- carnate : And, without controverfy, great is the my fiery of godlmefs ; efpecially in this leading article of it, God manifefted in the fte/h*. God, • in the perfon of the eternal Son, was made fle/h: * i Tim, iii. 16. Covenant of Grace. 259 fie/h * : He aflumed manhood into an indiflbl- vable, and everlafting union with his divine Per- fon. ■ God very wonderfully united himfelf to the ark, in the ancient tabernacle and temple ; he dwelt in it, he was moft Angularly prefent in and with it : So that Jordan fled back on its approach ; the walls of Jericho fell down before it, as did Dagon in his temple ; and a difrefpectful looking into it, brought a terrible deftrudtion upon the men of Beth-fhe- mefh. But this fymbolical and temporary union of God to that ark, was only a faint type of the greater!: of all God's wonders ; the real and per- manent union of the eternal Son to human na- ture : An union of the divine and human na- tures, without any converfion of the one into the other ; and without any compolition or con- fuiion of thefe natures. There is nothing more unqueftionable in the holy Scriptures, than the faEl of this incarnation ; yet, as the myfiery of it is incomprehenfible by finite minds, an at- tempt to explain it would be both vain and im- pious. Who can even explain the union of his own foul and body ? But this mull be confidered as a perfonal union of the infinite and finite natures. The Son of God aflumed a true body and a reafonable foul ; which is all that conftitutes a perfon in us. But Tt was not a human perfon that he thus aflu- med ; * John i. 14, 260 A View of the med ; for his humanity never exifted or acted by itfelf in any feparate ftate, or otherwife than as fubfifting in his divine Perfon. His two di- flinct natures make but one perfon ; as but one perfon, God-man, he always a&ed and fpoke of himfelf #. § II. This incarnation of the eternal Son was abfolutely necefTary, for his fulfilling the condi- tion of the Covenant of Grace. He had en- gaged to be a facrificing High-priefl, ordained for men ; and he could not be fo, but as taken from amorig men f, — in his becoming a man. He had engaged to put away fin by the facrifice of himfelfl ; and this he could not do, but as ha- ving a human nature in which to be facrificed. And he had engaged to offer this facrifice, as becoming obedient unto death [| ; which he could not be, but as having a human nature in which to obey. Such was the indifpenfable neceflity which had been moil gracioufly laid upon him, and acquiefced in by him, from all eternity ; to become one of the people, the Son of man : His delights with the fons of men, engaging him to become their Kinfman-redeemer. § III. The incarnation of the eternal Son, was according to what had been forefhown of hint * Part I. Chap. II. Sett. I. \ I. 3dfy. + Heb. v. i. % Heb. ix. 26. " || Phil. ii. 8 Covenant of Grace. 261 him under the Old-Teftament ftate. He had fe- veral times made himfelf vifible, in the appear- ance of a man ; as a prelude to his afluming the reality of manhood in due time. He had been prophetically fet forth as a child born unto us9 a fon given unto us ; when, at the fame time, the mighty God #. The continuance of the Jewifli ftate had been fecured againft all enemies, till the accomplilhment of the promife ; Behold, a virgin Jhall conceive, and bear a Jon, and Jhall call his name Immanuel, — God with us-f. And the fword of jultice was to awake againft him in due time ; againft him as the man, the Lord's Fellozv J. § IV. This incarnation was verified in the very time which had been fet for it, and the very fitteft time : When the fulnefs of the time was come, God fent forth his Son made of a wo- man, made under the law ; to redeem them that were under the law ||. This was the great event of which an angel gave afiurance to his virgin- mother : The Holy Ghoft Jhall come upon thee, and the power of the Highefl Jhall overjhadow thee ; therefore that holy thing which Jhall be born of thee, Jhall be called the Son of God**. Such is the account which God is giving to us, concern- ing his Son Jefus Chrijl our Lord ; which was 7?iade * Ifa. ix. 6. f Ifa. vii. 14. X 2-ech. xiii. 7. j| Gal. iv. 4, 5. ** Luke i. 35. 262 A View of the made of the feed of David according to the flejh9 and declared to be the Son of God with power *. He accordingly bears this {landing character, the man Chrijl Jefus : He is as truly man as he is God, God-man j in two diftincl: natures and one perfon for ever. § V. The human nature was aflumed by him, in a ftate of perfedl holinefs : For fuch an High- prieft became us ; who is holy, harmlejs, undefiled, feparate from Jinners f . His human nature defcended from the firft man, not by ordinary but extraordinary generation ; wherefore it had no concern in the firft man's covenant-headfhip, and could be under no natural imputation of the guilt of his firft fin. For the fame reafon, his human nature derived no corruption from the firft man ; it was abfolutely holy, in the conception thereof. And this original holi- nefs of Jefus Chrift, as to the ftate of his perfon in manhood, was of a public nature ; it belong- ed to him in a public capacity, as a covenant- head : For he did not, he could not bear any private character in his incarnation. He there- fore prefented his holy human nature to the law of the Covenant of Works, in the name and place of his people ; as a full anfwer to the de- mand which that law had upon them, for holi- nefs of nature as well as of life. A fulfilling of the * Rom. i. 3, 4. f Heb. vii. 26. Covenant of Grace. 263 the righteoufnefs of that law, in active obedi- ence, could only proceed from a perfect holinefs of nature : And his engagement to fulfil that righteoufnefs for his people, could be admitted of, — only upon his flating himfelf in their name and place, as of a perfect perfonal conformity to the law in their nature. Art. II. Of the Service of Jefus Chrijl. § I. Jefus Chrift was made under the law * ; according to that form of it, as a Covenant of Works, in which all men are naturally fubject- ed to its abfolute dominion : But he was made fo, by a gracious and fupernatural conftitution. He was, in a moil diftinguifhed fenfe, the Father's fervant under that law ; and the Father ac- knowledged him to be, in a fupereminent man- ner, his righteous Servant f . He had to fay to the Father, in the fulled fenfe of the words, — 2" delight to do thy willy 0 my God j yea, thy law is within my heart \ : And this perfect ho- linefs of his nature, did iffue in a perfect holi- nefs of life. He lived in a private manner, about thirty years ; and then about three years and an half in a public miniftry : During all which time, he was harmlefs and : r,.'led ; he did no Jin, neither was guile found in his mouth ||». On * Gal. iv. 4. f Ifa. xlii. i. -, lii, 13. ; liii. n, t Pfal. xl. 8, || 1 Pet. ii. 22. 264 A View of the On the contrary, he had this true and noble ac- count to give of himfelf, — My meat is to do the will of him that fent me, and to finijh his work ; I do always thofe things that pie afe him ; And he defied his moil malicious enemies, to convince him of Jin*. He never offended in one point, by way of commiffion or omiffion, through all his courfe. This man, whofe name is Wonderful, is the on- ly man who ever fpent a life on earth in a perfecl - conformity to the law ; which he did, from his be- ing not a mere man. And he made moil j ftriking difplays of his Godhead, amidft all the meannefs of his appearance in going through his fervice ; by the doctrines which he taught, as well as by the many miracles which he wrought. The gene- rality of thofe among whom he then converfed had no apprehenfion, and his difciples had but a very faint apprehenfion, of who he really was : Yet he was all along the fame perfon, that he afterwards appeared to be. There would have been nothing beyond the truth, when pointing him out through the courfe of his humiliation and on the crofs, had it been thenfaid; There is God in our nature ! One who is the image of the invijible God, the firjl- born of every creature : For by him were all things created that are in heaven, and that are in earth, vijible and invijible ; whether they be thrones, * John iv. 34. y viii. 29, 46. Covenant of Grace. 3165 thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers : All things were created by him, and for him : And he is before all things, and by him all things conjifl *. What a wonderful Perfon, come down into a molt abafed ftate of fervice and fuf- fering ! At the very time when he hid not his face from fhame and flitting, he had to fay 5 at my rebuke I dry up the fea, I make the rivers a wildernefs : I clothe the heavens with blacknej}, and I make fackcloth their covering f . § II. The fervice performed by Jefus Chrift under the law, is of a public nature : It was per- formed by him as a Surety-prieft for his people j as the Head of the New Covenant. Having taken their nature into his own perfon^ he had their name put upon him ; ftating him in their place, with regard to that fervice : For the Fa- ther faid to him ; Thou art my fervant, 0 Ifrael, in whom I will be glorified \, He was engaged by the Covenant of Grace to repair the breach of the Covenant of Works, in the name and place of his people ; to fulfil all the righteoufnefs of it for them, as their new ground of title to eter- nal life. He was accordingly fent, to bring in everlafling righteoufnefs || \ by a complete fervice, in their Head, under the law of that Covenant : To work out this righteoufnefs for being made I I i theirs^ * Col. i. 15, 16, 17. f Ifa. 1. 2, 3. 6. % Ifa. xlix. 3. , |] Dan. ix. 24. 256 A View of the theirs, in a free gift of it unto them *. And, by that fervice, he actually became the end of the law for righteoufnefs ; to every one that believeth\. The righteoufnefs of his life, is that robe of righ- teoufnefs with which they are covered in their juftification +. It is not merely the fufferings, the death, the blood of Chrift, — that a guilty linner muft de- pend upon, for jufiiflcation before God. This fatisfaclory exercife of his priefthood, is the ground of deliverance from the penalty or curfe of the law ; the ground of pardon as to all bypait breaches of it, original and actual. But this alone would leave the finner ftill under the law of the Covenant of Works, for the time to come ; and new breaches of it would bring him again into condemnation, making him liable as for- merly to eternal death.— It is therefore necef- fary likewife, that the perfon have a righteouf- nefs of full and final conformity to the preceptive part of the Covenant of Works ; upon which he may be delivered from all fubje&ion to that law as a Covenant, for the time to come : Never to have any more concern with it as a Covenant- law ; requiring perfect obedience for life, and curling for every difobedience. Such a righte- oufnefs the perfon muft have, meritorious of eternal glory ; and of grace, for enabling him to * Ifa. liv. 17. ; Rom. v. 17. f Rom. x. 4. J Ifa. lxi. 10. Covenant of Grace. 267 to live in an acceptable conformity to the law as a rule of life. And this is the righteoufnefs of Chrift's complete fervice, under the law of the Covenant of Works. As by the fatisfaclory righteoufnefs in the death of Chrift, we obtain deliverance from condemnation to eternal death in hell ; fo, by the meritorious righteoufnefs in the life of Chrift, we obtain a title to eternal life in heaven : And all this is but one indivifible righteoufnefs ; to be depended upon for one indi- vifible falvation, from hell to heaven. § III. The fervice performed by Jefus Chrift under the law, was wholly of a public nature ; wholly for his people, no way for himfelf. It has been faid, — that " the human nature " of Chrift, being a creature, owed obedience " to God in virtue of its creation :" That " obe- " dience to the natural law was due by the man " Chrift, by a natural tie :*' That " Chrift was " indeed a creature, but holy ; under the Cove- 44 nant of Works for himfelf:" And " that Chrift •' is under the law, as a rule of holinefs, for ever." However good and great the men were who have ftumbled into this doctrine, from not exa- mining the real import and neceflary confequen- ces of it ; yet the doctrine itfelf is quite infuf- ferable. — No doubt, a human perfon owes obe- dience to God in virtue of its creation ; obedi- ence to the natural law is incumbent upon every ruiman 268 A View of the human perfon, by a natural tie. But the human nature of Chrift was not a perfon ; it had never any diftin:!: exiftence as a rational agent ; it ne- ver could have any agency, but as fubfifting in the perfon of the eternal Son. A human nature, not conilituting a perfon, was an object altoge- ther fupernatural ; and could not be an object of any natural tie, according to any principle of either reafon or revelation. The man Chrift, the perfon God-man, was graciouily conflituted an object of the moral law ; but his human nature could not be fo : For it was not, in and by it- felf, a moral agent ; it had no capacity, diftincl from the perfon of the eternal Son, of either obligation or obedience. The law's natural claim is neceflarily confined to human perfons, who alone are its natural objects, juftifying or condemning them ; but the juftifying' or con- demning of a human nature, which is not a per- fonal agent, and fo not an object of legal claim, — is even a matter of grofs abfurdity. Moreover, if Chrift obeyed the law in a pri- vate character, as under the Covenant of Works for himfe/f; then his active obedience muft have been either wholly, or but partly of that nature. If wholly fo, if he fulfilled the righteoufnefs of the law only for himfelf ; then the doctrine of his Surety-righteouihefs for his people, in the courfe of his active obedience, comes to be abo- lifhed.— If it be faid, that his obeying of the law Covenant of Grace. 269 law was but partly for himfelf, then a march ought to be fixed betwixt his private and public obedience ; which yet is impoffible. If he had any obedience to yield for himfelf, he mull have had all his obedience to yield for himfelf ; be- caufe the law of the Covenant of Works, if it had any fuch claim upon him, could claim no- thing fhort of perfeclion. And fo Hill, the doc- trine of his Surety-righteoufnefs, in his active obedience, comes to be quite abolifhed ; that obedience which he yielded would be excluded from all concern in the ground of our juftifica- tion. And the confequence goes flill deeper. For, if Chrift owed perfect obedience for himfelf; then all his holy fubmiffion to providential dif- penfations concerning him, — to forrows and griefs, trials, fufferings and death ; all this mull have belonged to his perfect obedience for him- felf, for it could not otherwife have been per- fect : And fo, nothing would be left for us but mere example, — in both the life and death of Chrift ; no ground at all for our j unification, and confequently no falvation. It is likewife a fhocking tenet, — that " Chrift " is under the law, as a rule of holinefs, for " ever." His human nature, as fuch, was never under it ; either as a Covenant-law, or as a rule of holinefs. His perfon, God-man, was under it for his people as a Covenant-law ; which he ceafed 2.JC A View of the ceafed to be in his death : And feeing his per/on, in his exalted flate, is infinitely high above all law ; it is mod abfurd to reprefent his human na- ture, in that flate, as under any law, — while that nature, as fuch, could never be under any. The fum of all is, — That Chrift performed a fervice under the law, no way in a private, but wholly in a public character ; no way for himfelf, but wholly for his people : And fo his whole righte- oufnefs, in that fervice, belongs to the ground of their juftification. — The dodtrine here taught, as it is certainly true, is of the greateil import- ance to the honour of Chrift and the faith of Chriftians ; fo that one cannot well maintain it in too firm a tone. Art. III. Of the Sufferings of Jcfus Chrift. § I. The exercife of Chrift's priefthood, though comprehending his fervice, did lie pecu- liarly in his fufferings : For, in this fatisfaclory exercife of it, he was mod directly the Antitype gf the facrificing priefts and facrifices under the law. It is alfo to be confidered, — that the fat isfaclo- ry exercife of his priefthood was previous and fundamental, in the order of nature, to the me- ritorious exercife of it. For the blefllngs of life could not be bellowed upon his people as curfed, or as judicially dead under the curfe of the law : The Covenant of Grace. 271 The purchafe of thefe blefiings for them by his fervice, did therefore fuppofe a relief for them from the fentence of the law-curfe, by his fuffer- ings ; that they might be faved from fin, as faved from wrath. At the fame time, his meritorious fervice muft be confidered as running through all his fatisfaclory fufFerings ; though thefe be diftincl:, they cannot be divided. For his fuf- ferings could not be fatisfaclory as merely penal, or without being likewife obediential ; and he became obedient unto death * : So that all his penal fufFerings, confidered as obediential, did belong to his meritorious fervice. § II. The fufferings of Chrift were moil juft, as they were for Jins. He was, in himfelf, with- out fin : But he hath once fuffered for fins, the juft for the unjuft f . He had all the fins of all his people made his fins, by imputation. They have therefore to fay concerning him, His ownf elf bare our fins in his own body on the tree : The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all : Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our forrows ; he was wounded for our tranfgrejjions^ he was bruifed for our iniquities :-*-All this they have to fay con- cerning him ; as the Lord hath faid, For the tranfgrefjion of my people was he ftricken J. They have likewife to fay, — He hath made him to be fin for * Phil. ii. 8. f 1 Pet. iii. 18. X 1 Pet. ii. 24. j Ifa. liii. 4, 5, 6. 8. 2J2 A View of the for us, who knew no fin ; that we might be made the right eoufnefs of God in him * : We are made perfectly righteous before God in him, by the imputation of his righteoufnefs to us \ from his having been made perfectly finful for us, by the imputation of our fin to him. He could not fuffer for them, in their place,— but as fuffering for their fins, on that account. All their fins were judicially imputed to him in refpect of guilt, or of punifhablenefs for the fame : He was charged with all their guilt, unto a fuf- fering all the wrath and curfe of God due to them for fin ; as he flood in their nature, and in their place, under the law. — It doth not con- fifl with common fenfe, to fpeak of imputing the punijhment of their fin to him : For punifhment cannot be a matter of imputation, it is only a matter of infliction ; and it muft fuppofe guilti- nefs. But all their fin, as to guiltinefs or defert of punifhment, was really imputed to him ; fo that this was the true and jufl reafon of all his fufferings. § III. The fufferings of Chrift did run through all his fervice ; all the courfe of his life in this world. — He fuflfered at his birth in a manger, there being no room for him in the inn. He had to be foon carried away by flight, from the cruelty of Herod feeking his life. He was tempted * 2 Cor. v. 21. Covenant of Grace. 273 tempted by the devil, through a fall of forty days in the wildernefs. He was all along a man of for rows and acquainted with grief ; dcfpifed and rejected of men. And it was a matter of unparal- leled fuffering, — for fuch a wonderful Perfon to live among men on earth, in the form of a fer- vant. But his fufferings came to their greater! height, at the clofe of his miniftry. — He fuffered in the garden, the night before his death : As he there began to be amazed^ and to be very heavy ; faying, — My foul is exceeding for rowful9 even unto death : And being in an agony, — his fweat was as it were great drops of blood, falling down to the ground. Af« ter being apprehended in the garden, he was brought into the high-prieft's houfe ; where the men that held him mocked him, and fmcte him : And when they had blindfolded him, they ftruck him on the face: Some did f pit in his face, and buffeted him ; and others [mote him with the palms of their hands. He was then brought to Hand as a cri- minal, before a heathen judge ; when he fur* ther endured molt cruel mockings : He was fcourged, had a crown of thorns put upon his head, was fpit upon, fmitten on the head ; and crucified f betwixt two malefactors. — This extraordinary courfe of fuffering by fuch an extraordinary Per ion, is fet forth at large in the books of the Evangelilts ; and fuch as are ordinarily acquaint- Kk + ed 274 A View of the ed with thefe, wilr need no particular refe- rences. § IV. It was necefiary that the fufferings of Chrift Ihould be unto death. This was the pe- nalty of the broken law, under which he was made. From the infallibility of the glorious Undertaker, the Covenant of Grace could have no penalty annexed to it in cafe of failure : But the penalty annexed to the Covenant of Works was engrojjed in the Covenant of Grace ; to be executed upon Chrift, as an elTential part of the condition of this Covenant. And that penalty he had to undergo in all its extent, as to the matter of the thing. Spiritual death, which is fin as well as punifhment, was not competent to him : And any effect of the penalty, in that point, was fully anticipated by the perfect ho- linefs of his human nature. Bodily death was competent to him, and undergone by him ; in diffolving the union betwixt his human foul and body, though not betwixt his divine and human natures. That eternal death, which all man- kind are naturally fubjected unto, derives its eternity from their finite natures ; as the curfe of the law can never have a finifhed effect upon them : But it got a full effect upon Chrift in his death, from his infinite capacity for bearing it ; that curfe was exhaufted upon him, fo that he got through it on the crofs. And Covenant of Grace. 275 And his obedience could not be finifhed, but as it came to iflue in his fubmitting to all the death which could be inflicted upon him ac- cording to the law-curfe. Without this, all his previous obedience muft have gone for nothing ; as to any faving benefit for finners. He faid, — Except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone ; hut if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit ; — and /, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me* : By which he intimated the abfolute neceffity of his death, as lifted up on the crofs ; in order to his having a fpiritual feed of a faved people, among finners of all forts. His obedience as unto death, and only as brought to this iflue, was to be a fufficient ground for the deliverance of his people from condemna- tion ; and meritorious of grace for their fan&i- fication, unto eternal life. § V. The fufferings of Chrift were carried to the uttermoft extremity of diflrefsful pain ; infi- nitely beyond that of any other fufferings in this world, and even of any that can take place in hell through all eternity. — Such of them as were inflicted on his body by Jews and Romans, un- der the influence of Satan, were Angularly great; yet by far the fmallefl part of his fufferings. Thefe did principally confifl in the agonies of his foul : When he began to be amazed and ex- . ceeding * John xii. 24. 32. 276 A View of the ceeding forrowful, in a profufe and bloody fweat; reprefenting in moft earneft prayer, once and again, and a third time, the linlefs horror of his human nature — at the cup which the Father had given him to drink. All the waves and billows of divine vengeance were then going over him, and fully penetrated his foul : He then drunk out the whole contents of that cup of wrath which was put into his hand. The painful ef- fect which the law-curfe then had upon Chrift, is noway imaginary*; it was infinitely more real than the torments of wicked men and devils in hell : Becaufe that effect, was infinitely com- plete on him, but never can be fo on them. There is indeed an overwhelming myftery in this cafe : That the only begotten and beloved Son of God, ftill continuing fuch, could have fuffered in this manner ; that he could, in his humanity, have undergone the fulleft efficacy of God's wrath and curfe. But fuch was really the cafe ; nothing was abated to him, of the punifhment which all the fins of all his people deferved : He was made a curfe for them, moll curfed in their place ; and it f leafed the Lord to bruife him, he hath put him to grief*. He was made to cry out, upon the crofs,— rMy God, my Cod, why haft thou forfaken me f ? Such was the efficacy and fenfe of divine wrath in his foul, that ♦ GaL iii. 13. j Pfal. liii. 10, + Matth. xxvii. 46. Covenant of Grace. ^77 that he had to fay, — / am -poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint ; my heart is like wax, it is melted in the midjl of my bowels *. Here indeed was the higheft dilplay of the infinite evil, the exceeding finfulnefs of iin ; and of the moft dreadful but neceffary claims of divine ju~ ftice on every finner ! The moft realizing ap- prehenfions of hell can give no fuch view of this matter, as is to be had in meditation upon the crofs of Chrift. § VI. The fufTerings of Chrift were of an of- ficial nature ; fo that, through the whole of them, he proceeded with a gracious aclivity. He in- deed appeared to be pajfive, in what he fuffered from the wicked hands of his enemies ; but he was fo, no otherwife than as he was pleafed to give himfelf over to their will. He was under no neceffity from them, for doing fo : He could have delivered himfelf from them, even in their utter deftrudtion, by a powerful word. Nothing could be faid in more fimple and mild terms, than the account which he gave to thofe who came for apprehending him, — that he was the perfon whom they fought : But his word was with fuch power, that they immediately went back- ward, and fell to the ground f . Nor could they have rifen up, nor could any thing that follow- ed have been got done againft him ; had he not been * Pfal, xxii. 14. f John xviii. 6, 278 A View of the been pleafed to make no farther refiftance, than in giving fuch a ftriking evidence of what he could do. His own power was fufficient for crufhing all his enemies at once : And he like- wife had legions of angels at his command*. But, as he had been exerciling his prieflhood through all the courfe of his fufferings ; he was then come forward to his principal work in that office : He had appeared to put away fin by the fa- crijice of himfelf \\ which he did, in a voluntary laying down of his life. It was of neceflity, that this great High-prieft fhould have fome- what to offer : And no other offering could fuit either his dignity or deiign, but that of himfelf ; he hath given himfelf for us, an offering and afacri- fice to God, for a fweet fuelling fa iour \ . An d th is official work he carried on, till he actively gave up the ghofl : When he had faid, // isfnijhed\\ ; the whole effect of the law-curfe on him was finifh- ed, and the whole of his work on earth as a fa- crificing High-prieft. § VII. The fufferings of Chrift were of a pro- pitiatory nature. He therein became the propitia- tion for our fins ; officiating as our High-prieft, in offering himfelf without fpot to God : And he thus made a perfect atonement for all the fins of all his people \ putting away all their fin by the facrifice * Matth. xxvi. $3. f Heb. ix. 26. X Eph. v. 2, || John xix. 30. Covenant of Grace. 279 facrifice of himfelf*. This one facrifice was fo perfect, that there was no room for repeating it ; and fo, He thereupon for ever fat down on the right hand oj God f. In this manner, he accomplifh- ed the whole defign upon which he had been fent into an eftate of humiliation : Tofnijh the tranfgrejjion and to make an end of fins, as to all the guilt thereof which he found his people lying under \ and to make reconciliation for iniquity ; and to bring in everlafling right eoufnefs J. His people have therefore to fay, — Chrift hath redeemed us from the curfe of the law, being made a curfe for us : By his own blood, he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us : And this is the name whereby he /hall be called, The Lord our Righteousness ||. That exercife of the priefthood of Chrift which has now been conlidered, was a full accomplifh- ment of his undertaking ; as to the whole condi- tion of the Covenant of Grace, infinitely fatif* factory and meritorious : Moft juftly then he faid to the Father, with regard to both his fer» vice and fufferings ; I have glorified thee on the earth, I have fnijhed the work which thou gaveflme to do **. And as this was the moft wonderful of all events in our world, it was folemnized in a more * 1 John ii. 2. \ HeB. ix. 14. 26. f Heb. x. 12. % Q%n* ix. 24. j| Gal. in. 13. j Heb. ix. 12. j Jer. xxiii, 6, ** John xvu, 4. 28o A View of the more wonderful manner than any other. — Du* ring the time that Jems was on the crofs, there was darknefs over all the land ; the original pro- perly fignifies, over all the' earth : A darknefs be- ginning at mid-day, and continuing for three hours ; when there could be no natural eclipfe of the fun. And behold, the vail of the temple was rent in tzvain, from the top to the bottom ; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent : And the graver were opened ; and many bodies of faints, which flept, rofe. — Thefe were unexampled and ftriking mi- racles in the world of nature ; but all as nothing to the infinitely greater miracle, of God-man then dying on the crofs : And laying a fure founda- tion in his own death, upon which the matter of the angelic fong at his birth was to have a full and everlafting effect ; Glory to God in the higheft, and on earth peace ; good will towards men ! Art. IV. Of the Entrance of Jefus Chrifl into his Glory. § I. At an interview which Jefus had on his refurrection-day with two of his difciples, whom he found converting in much defpondency about his fufferings ; he faid, — Ought not Chrifl to have fuffered thefe things, and to enter into his glory * ? A neceifity of thefe fufferings had been molt gracioufly * Luke xxiv. 26- Covenant of Grace. 281 ioufly laid upon him, and moll gracioufly fubmitted unto by him, in the eftablifhment of the Covenant of Grace. And there was a ne-» ceility of his thereupon entering into his glory. It was neceffary from the Father's engagement to him in that Covenant, not only for counte- nancing him in the courfe of his ferving and iufferiug work ; but alfo for accepting of him, upon its being finifhed. And in this acceptance of him, there was to be a glorifying of him in human nature ; advancing it to a participation of that glory, in his perfon, which he, as the eternal Son, had with the Father before the world was * : And in this, all the promifes of the Co- venant, on behalf of his people, were to have a primary accomplifhment on himfelf. Moreover, — he aiTumed human nature, fo as it could never be laid afide from a fubfiftence in his perfon. He therein made himfelf of no re- putation ; but this could only be for a time. Upon finifhing the work of his humbled eftate in that nature,— it was abfolutely neceffary, from the divinity of his perfon, that the glory of his God- head mould ihine forth in its full luftre through his manhood ; that he mould carry it up in his perfon, to the throne of glory above all heavens. 5 II. His entering into his glory began in his Refurreclion from the dead. — His enemies knew, f L 1 that * John xv ii. $„ 282 A View of the that he had promifed to rife again on the third day : They were pofitive, that he could not do fo : But they fuppofed that his difciples might attempt to carry away his body from the fe- pulchre, and give out that he had rifen. Againft this, they took what they reckoned a mod ef- fectual precaution : A great ftone having been rolled to the door of the fepulchre, they went and made it fure ; fealing the ftone, and fetting a watch. But early on the third day, there was a great earthquake ; and the angel of the Lord defcended from heaven, and came and rolled back the Jlone from the door, and fat upon it : His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as fnow : And for fear of him the keepers did/hake, and became as dead men *. Then Jefus arofe, and came out of the fepulchre ; diverting himfelf of his grave- clothes, and laying them properly afide, — as none could imagine to have been done by his difciples. God the Father took a judicial part in his re- furreclion ; determining that he mould be fet at liberty ; Whom God hath raifed up, having loofed the pains of death ; becaufe it was not pojfible (from his having made full payment of the debt for which he had become a Surety) that he JJjould be holden of it f . God the Spirit took an efficacious part in his refurreclion ; making upon him, the primary * Matth. xxvii. 2, 3, 4. + Acts ii. 24. Covenant of Grace. 283 primary accomplifhment of the promifes on be- half of his myftical body : And fo he was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holinefs ; by the refurreclion from the dead*. — But, as he had power to lay down his life, he had power to take it again : And this power he glorioufly exercifed ; as he actively rofe again the third day, according to the Scriptures f . § III. His entering into his glory was com- pleted, by his afcending up on high \. This he did, when he had continued forty days on earth after his refurreclion ; holding various interviews with his difciples : He was then taken up, he went up ; he afcended up far above all heavens. Human nature, which had funk fo amazingly low in fin- ful men on earth, — was then feated, in his per- fon, on the right hand of the throne of the Majefly in the heavens ||. And what a glorious welcome did he meet with in that nature, from God the Father ; with all the angels and redeemed in heaven ! Then was verified this high matter of triumph ; God is gone up with a Jhout, the Lord with the found of a trumpet *# ! Then, in the higherl fenfe of the words, were the everlafting doors caft open, that the King of Glory might come in ff ! — There were human * Rom. i. 4. \ John x. 18. 5 iCor. xv. 4. \ Eph. iv. 8. 10. || Heb. viii. i. ** Pfal. xlvii. 5, 6. ff Pfal. xxiv. 7. 10. 284 A View of the human eyes then in heaven ; at leaft, of Enoch and Elias : Nor are we to fuppofe, that there had been only a phantom of Mofes on the mount of transfiguration ; or that, as railed up, he re- turned from thence to the grave, — inftead of having his body as well as his foul taken up to heaven : Along alio with the refurreclion of Chrift, many bodies cf faints which Jkpt arofe* ; who were certainly taken up to heaven. And with what joyful tranfport were all thefe eyes then fixed on the greater! of all wonders, the glorified God-man ; beholding in him the whole meritorious reafon of their own heavenly ftate, • — of their not being funk -into hell ! How muft the mutual excitement have then refounded in heaven ; Sing praifes to God, fing praifes, — fing praifes unto our King,fwg praifes ! % IV. The entering of Jefus Chrift into his glory, did partly belong to the exercife of his kingly office ; as he then went to receive for himfelf a kingdom f . — He had exercifed this office in the courfe of his humbled eft ate, by various acts of authority with power ; by calling out devils, and working other miracles. He triumphed as a victorious King over the god of this world, in his faft of forty days. Pie fo triumphed more eminently, over the principalities and powers of he-1, on his crofs ; amidft all their apparent tri- umph f Matth. xxvii. 52, 53. f Luke xix. 12. Covenant of Grace. 285 umph over him *. Through death, he deftroyed him that had the power of death f ; in refpeft of all rightful dominion over thofe for whom he died. In his refurre&ion, he fo triumphed over death and the grave : As he faid, — 0 death, 1 will be thy plagues ; 0 grave, I will be thy dejlruclion t. During forty days that he continued on earth after his refurrection, he was in a ftate of royal and unmolefted triumph over Satan ; upon the territory which that wicked tempter had claim- ed as his own, in the fail of forty days. And when he af tended on high, he led captivity captive || : Not only a multitude of captives, his enemies of earth and hell ; but even the captivity of his people, as wonderfully bringing it into the fervice of his grace and glory. — Pie thus entered into his glory, as a triumphing Conqueror ; with all the ftate and majefty which belonged to him as the King of Glory. § V. The entering of Jefus Chrift into his glory, did peculiarly belong to the exercife of his priejlly office. His refurre&ion belonged to it ; fomehow as the light of the fun belongs to the fun itfelf. According to Scripture-teftimo- ny, — as he was delivered for our offences, he was raifed again for our j ' unification ##. But his refur- reclion is no part of his juftifying righteoufnefs ; it * Col. ii. 15. \ Heb. ii. 14. % Hof. xiii. 14. j| pfal. lxviii. 18. ** Rom. iv. 25. 286 A View of the it no way belongs to the ground of our j unifica- tion. Yet the evidence of the truth and fuffi- ciency of that fatisfaction and righteoufnefs which he finifhed upon the crofs, lies in his having been raifed -again. The truth of his refurrection is eilablifhed by many infallible proofs *. It was fo, to the infalli- ble knowledge of his difciples ; and it is fo, by their infallible teftimony. It was fo, by the moft miraculous powers with which his Apoftles were endued by him as become alive for ever- more : And it has all along been fo, by many wonderful evidences of his glorious life ; in the lingular triumphs of the Gofpel, and that build- ing of his Church againft which the gates of hell have never been able to prevail. And the greateft ftrefs is laid upon the truth of his refurrection, as to the faith of Chriflians concerning the efficacy of his death. This tefti- mony is ftill given to them, — If Chrift be not rifen, then is our preaching vain ; and your faith is alfo vain : If Chriji be not raifed^ your faith is vain ; ye are yet in your fins f . He was therefore raifed, he rofe again, — unto a full and ftanding demon- stration, of his having really finifhed his fatis- faclory and meritorious work upon the crofs ; of his having really put away fin by the facrifice of himfelf And our dependence upon him for juftification, as having died for our fins, muft arife * A6ls i. 3. \ 1 Cor. xv. 14. 17. Covenant of Grace. 287 arife from the evidence of his having really and fufficiently done fo ; as this lies in his refurree- tion. And he afcended up on high, as our great High-prieft ; the Antitype of the high-priefts under the law. He carried his own blood (as to the virtue thereof) into the heavenly fan&u- ary, for a continual prefenting of it before the throne : When he likewife prefented all the fpi- ritual Ifrael to his Father, as upon his heart ; and as if having the names of them all molt in- dividually on a breaft-plate. He thus entered into his glory, by a combined exercife of his prieftly and kingly offices ; to lit for ever a Priefi upon his throne. Art. V. Of the Interceffion of Jefus Chrifl. § I. The particular truth of Chrift's Interceffion, is comprehended in the general truth of his Prieflhood. — In this, as well as in his facrificing work, he was the Antitype of the legal priefts. It certainly belonged to them, as it did to the prophet Samuel when occafionally offering a facrifice on behalf of the people, to pray for them unto the Lord * : And the high-prieft went alone once every year into the holieft of all, not without blood, which he offered for himfelf and for the errors of the people f ,• thereby making interceffion * 1 Sam. vii. 5. 8, 9. + Heb. ix. 7. 238 A View of the interceilion for himfelf and them. In all this, they were typical of Chrift as an interceding High-prieft ; officiating for his people in that character, without any need of doing fo for him- felf. When God had finifhed his work, of creating and forming this world, in the fpace of fix days ; he rejled on the feventh day from all his work which he had made : He ceafed from crea- ting any new forts of finite being* But he has, all along, been mofl attentive unto, and moft par- ticularly employed about the world which he made ; it has never been a moment out of his eye, or out of his hand : He is continually pre- ferring and governing all his creatures, and all their actions. — In like manner, Jefus Chrift has ceafed from the work of his humbled eftate ; he is entered into his refl *, as having finifhed his conditionary part of the New Covenant : He had nothing more of that fort to do ; his work of fervice and fuffering could not admit of either alteration or addition. But he is con- tinually employed about that finifhed work, in the way of interceilion : He has it in his eye and on his heart ; moft intent and careful, with- out ever forgetting or neglecting it, to have the whole defign thereof effectuated in due time. The prefent view is particularly adapted to the prefent ftate of matters : Yet nothing faid is * Heb. iv. 10 Covenant of Grace. 289 is meant to exclude the truth of his intercef- fion more than of his having been the Mediator of the New-Covenant, under the legal difpen- fation. His fervice and fufferings, upon which his interceflion proceeds, were then a matter of futurity to men ; but they were not fo to him in his divine character, in which nothing was ever to him either pall or future. It was there- fore competent to him, before being manifefled in flefh, — to make that inter cejjion for Jerufalem, in which he was anfwered with good words and comfortable words *. By his death, the Covenant of Grace was turned into a tefiamentary deed : It became the New Teftament in his blood. His death was the death of the Teflator f, therein bequeathing to his people the mod ineflimable legacies ; a pleadable intereft in all his fervice and fuffer- ings, for their fafvation : Bequeathing td them even himfelf, in his everlafting righteoufnefs and fulnefs of grace ; with all the blefTed con- fequences thereof, unto eternal life. He ac- cordingly faid, and ftill faith to his difciples ; peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you J. All the members of the viiible Church, tin- ners of mankind as fuch, are the direct and immediate objects of the free offers and calls in the gofpel : But his tefiamentary will ought f Mm not * Zech i. 12, 13. + Heb. ix. 15, 16, 17. X John xiv. 27, 290 A View of the not to be .confounded with thefe gracious offers and calls, which belong to the minljlerial ac- complishment of the Covenant of Grace. Only the objects of his death, are to be confidered as the objecls of his teftamentary will ; or of the legacies therein bequeathed : He could not bequeath legacies, but to thofe for whom he purchafed the fame. He doth not extend his interceffion beyond thefe : And, if his teftamen- tary will were fuppofed to be more extenfive, it mull be fuppofed in fo far vain, — and quite unworthy of him : The fuppofition would be an afcribing of an intention to him, which he would not have to be of any effect ; which he both knew would be fruftrated, and willed that it mould be fo. Yet thefe legacies, in the whole inatter there- of, are fet forth indefinitely by the gofpel ; fo as all are equally called and warranted to re- ceive them, upon the grounds to be afterwards explained, — without any refpect to the will of the Teftator in his death, more than to the will of God in election. And they come to bear the form of legacies to individual perfons, not as fimply exhibited to them by the gofpel, but as alfo embraced by their faith : The Elect are the fecret, and believers are the open legatees of Chrift's teftament. The teftament became of force, in the death of the Teftator ; and when he revived, he no way Covenant of Grace. 291 way recalled it. On the contrary, he rofe and afcended for having it carried into a full execu- tion. As he had finifhed the purchafe of re- demption, in the facrifice of himfelf ; he had to bring about an application of it, through his interceflion. He would not have this left at any uncertainty ; his people being as inca- pable, of themfelves, to make the application as the purchafe. But, by his own blood, he en- tered in once into the holy place above ; for having this great matter abfolutely fecured, by his ap- pearing in the prefence of God for them *. There is nothing more plainly exprefTed' and afcertained in Scripture, than this interceflion of Chrift. He is even at the right hand of God, and maketh inter ceffion for us : He is able to fave them to the attermofl, that come unto God by him ; feeing he ever liveth, to make interceffion for them : We have an Advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrijl the righteous \. And his intercef- lion is molt infallible, to be abfolutely depend- ed upon by his people ; as he hath Hill to fay unto the Father, / knew that thou hearejl me always j. He is therefore making a continual and effectual interceflion, with regard to all his people ; unto a having all the bleflings of his redemption bellowed upon them, and enjoyed by them for ever. * Heb. ix. 12. 24. f Rom. viii. 34, j Heb. vii, 25. ; ijohnii. I, \ John xi. 42. 092 A View of the § II. His interceffion, when on earth, v. in a fupplicatory manner ; or in the form of prayer. All his praying, in thofe days of his flefh, was intercejfory ; as he could have no em- ployment in a private character : And we have a precious fummary of the interceffion which he is now making above, in his folcmn prayer recorded in the feventeenth chapter of the Gofpel according to John. But that former manner of interceffion cannot confift with his glorified eftate. His interceffion now is in a different manner ; by a folemn and offi- cial prefenting of himfelf to God the Father, in the name and on the behalf of all his people : Exhibiting his precious blood and perfect righte- ouihefs, as fatisfaclory for them ; and merito- rious of all bleffings to be bellowed upon them. And this he doth, with an efficacious Willing of all that effect ; faying, — Father, I will*. It is beyond our line to fay, whether the mouth of his glorified body may be uttering any words to this purpofe ; but a /peaking is afcribed to his blood f . And though there can be no need of words, for intimating his will to the Father ; they could afford unfpeakable ravifhment to the glorified ears of fome of the redeemed al- ready in heaven.. When Paul was caught up to the third heaven, — he heard unfpeakable words, which it is not lawful (rather poJJible)for a man to utter I among mortals. * Jonn xvii. 24. f Heb. xii. 24. 4; 2 Cp\ xii. 2. 4 Covenant of Grace. 293 § III. The matter of Chrift's intcrceffion lies in the great and precious promifes of the New- Covenant. The promifes peculiar to Chrift, have had their accomplifhment ; but the pro- mifes to him concerning them, 'as alfo the pro- mifes to them in him, — have their accomplifh- ment flill going on. Thefe promifes were all to be fulfilled, upon the condition undertaken by him in the Covenant of Grace ; and that condition being fulfilled, all thefe promifes mufl infallibly be fo : No obflruclion, from earth or hell, can, in any degree, prevent that happy event. It is this, for which Chrift is making continual interceffion ; upon the ground of his own obedience unto death, and of the Father's faithfulnefs to him in the New-Covenant. None of thefe promifes are ever forgotten or overlook- ed by him : Nothing could be abated to him, in the conditionary part of the Covenant ; and he will abate nothing in the promijfory part of it. How full is the provilion thus made, for the perfect and everlafting falvation of all his people ! Nothing in or about them, no efforts of devils or wicked men, — can procure any difap- pointment of it, in the cafe of any one of them. The Father flill fays, concerning his eternal Son ; My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my Covenant JJjallJl and fafl with him #. * fCal lxxxLx. 28, 294 A View of the § IV. The objects of Chrift's interceffion are a peculiar people, thefe whom the Father elect- ed from all eternity to everlafting life ; then giving them to Chrift, for being faved by him. He accordingly faid, though with an immediate refpect to his eleven Difciples, — I pray for them ; I pray not for the world, but for them which thou haft given vie : Neither pray I for thefe alone, but for them alfo which fhall believe on me through their word*. And thefe are the objects of his interceffion, under different views : ifl, Some of them are yet unborn; but to be fo, feverally, in their appointed times. The Lord Chrift knoweth all thefe, as being his ; he looks forward to each individual of them, in the courfe of ages, as his flieep whom he mufl bring f : And fo, the people which fhall be created /hall praife the Lord j. Their being brought forth into the natural world, is not properly a matter of promi/e, — but of divine purpofe : And Chrift's interceffion has a refpect to this purpofe ; infilling to have it performed in the fet time, as fublervient to the promifes on their behalf. 2dly, Some of them, though born, are con- tinuing for a time in their natural eftate. And his interceffion is for having them preferred in life, through all that time ; as alfo, from the unpardonable fin : Interceding likewife for an ordering * John xvii. 9. 20. \ John x. 16. % Pial. cii. 18, Covenant of Grace. 295 ordering of their outward lot, in bringing the means of Grace to them, or them to the means ; fuch as may ferve for his gracious defign upon them in due feafon. After this manner, he has an eye upon them and a concern about them ; as he had with regard to many fuch in Corinth, when he faid, — / have much people in this city #. $dly, As he is ever intent upon the approach and arrival of the precife moment which had been fixed, when every one of them fhould be brought out of their natural into a gracious flate ; fo he is making interceffion for the Holy Spirit then to take poffeffion of their fouls, — as the fpirit of life, of revelation and of faith : Bringing them into a ftate of regeneration, jufti- fication and adoption \ toward a progreflive fanclification of nature and life. He will not have thefe fheep left to continue a moment longer out of his fold. His interceffion fecures an ordering of providential circumftances and gracious means, for bringing them effectually into that fold ; one by one. He is, as it were, faying about each, — Father, I will that this per- fon be now a brand pluckt out of the fire f : And the bleffed event is the fame, upon the matter, with them all. ^thly, His interceffion, or interpofition betwixt God and them, refpecls all the concerns of his people * A6ls xviii, 10. -f Zech- Hi 2, 296 A View of the people when brought into a ftate of Grace, — till they be brought into that of Glory. It fecures their prefervation, in the New-Covenant ftate of peace and holinefs : The continued acceptance of their perfons, their being Hill accepted in the Beloved; and the acceptance of their gracious fervices, acceptable to God by Jefus Chrijl : So that they are complete in him *. It fecures all the meafures of Grace and gracious attainments, of fpiritual health and cure, — which he fees meet to have bellowed upon them : As to " af- " furance of God's love, peace of confeience, " joy in the Holy Ghoft, increafe of Grace, M and perfeverance therein to the end." It fe- cures all the outward through-bearing, prefer- vation and protection, leading and guiding, — which he is pleafed to have them blelfed with ; deliverances from evil, defence againft the great adverfary of their fouls, and a working together of all things for their good. Particularly, it maintains their continual accefs to God by him in prayer, — amidft all their unworthinefs ; as he offers up their prayers with much incenfe of his own merit : For through him we have an accefs by one Spirit unto the Father ; boldnefs, and ac- cefs with confidence, by the faith of him f. His interceffion like wife fecures a bleffed death for his people, as dying in him \ with an immediate pafling * Eph. i. 6. j 1 Pet. ii. 5. ; Col. ii. 10. fRev. viii. 13. ; Eph. ii. 18. 5 iii. 12. Covenant of Grace. 297 paffing of their fouls into eternal glory. — So it is that the great Interceflbr is continually em- ployed, about all and each of his people ; ac- cording to his and their intereft in each other. As he is appearing in the prefence of God for them, he is prefenting them all to God in his own perfon : For they are raifed up together, and made to jit together in heavenly places, in Chrifl Jefus *. He is the fore-runner, entered for them within the vail f : Filling heaven with the good news of their coming after him in their times ; to poffefs thefe manfions in his Father's houfe which he hath prepared for them, and which he hath taken actual poiTeffion of in their name. $thly, The objects of Chrift's interceffion con- tinue to be fo, upon the other iide of death ; when their fouls are among the fpirits of jujl men made perfecl. They are ever intent upon regaining the bodies which they have left be- hind them in their graves : Heaven will not be fully heaven to them, till they again poffefs thefe once vile bodies ; fajhioned by him like un- to his glorious body \. And he is more eminent- ly intent upon having them all at length fet down with him on his throne, partaking with him in the fulnefs of glorified humanity. — Their bodies, when in the grave, do Jleep in Jefus || ; f N n continuing * Eph. ii. 6. f Heb. vi. 20. % Phil. iii. ai, || 1 Theff. iv. 14, 298 A View of the continuing in a ftate of myfterious union to him, as a part of his myftical body. He hath his heart and eye ftill upon them, when diffblved into the appearance of common earth : And as he would have their fouls to heaven, at palling out of the body ; he will alfo have their bodies to it, out of the grave. For this, he is making continual interceffion : In virtue whereof, when he mall one day lit upon a great white throne, an effectual demand will be made on the earth and the fea, — for giving up all thefe bodies to him * ; in a glorious refurrection, reanimated for eternal glory. § V. The interceffion of Chrift, in his un- changeable priefthood, continueth ever : It is to be for ever, in exercife and efficacy ; when the myftery of God, as to the whole work of Grace, fhall be nnimed, — when the Church, now partly militant, mail become wholly triumphant in hea- ven. He was zfacrificing Prieft, only for a time ; but he is to be a Prieft for ever f , in the way of interceffion. He will not then have any new be- nefits to procure by his interceffion ; as the pro- miffbry part of the Covenant will then be com- pletely fulfilled. The holinefs and happinefs of the redeemed in heaven, will be at once carried to the higheft perfection that their natures can admit of; which therefore can receive no addi- tion. * Rev. xx. 11. 13. f Pfal. ex. 4. Covenant of Grace. 299 tion. But this will not fuperfede the ever- lafting continuance of Chrift's interceffion in the heavenly (late. For the redeemed mull ever have their Handing in him, as the one Me- diator between God and men; they muft ever have their glorious fellowfhip with the Three- one-God, through him in that character. Their being with him in heaven through eternity, will depend upon an eternity of that efficacious willing which he expreffed on earth : Father •, / will that they alfo whom thou hajl given me he with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou haft given me ; for thou lovedft me before the foundation of the world*. Were the ac~t and energy of that interceflbry will to be fuperfeded for a moment, they would imme- diately lofe their place in the Hate of glory. SECT. II. Of the Accomplijhment of the Covenant of Grace, by Chrifl as a Prophet. § I. In the days of his humiliation, Jesus ap- peared as a Prophet ; mighty in deed and word, before God and all the people |. But he bore a prophetical office before that appearance ; as he doth ftill. He is the primary, the original Pro- phet * John xvii. 24, . j- Luke xxiv. 19. 300 A View of the phet and Teacher; that character having never belonged, nor belonging to any others, but in a minifterial employment under him. He was of old promifed, as a Prophet whom the Lord would raife up in the human family, like unto Mofes* ; more like unto him than unto any- other Prophet ; as he is the great antitypical Leader and Commander to the people \ : And Mo- fes was but zfervant, in erecting the old fabric of the legal-ftate ; whereas Jesus came to erect, in its place, the new fabric of the gofpel-Jlate, — as a Son over his own houfe j. As a Prophet, he is the meffenger of the Co- venant of Grace ; manifefiing it in the Church : He is fet to be a light of the Gentiles, that he Jhould he for falvation unto the ends of the earth ||. — And the exercife of his prophetical office is of great-importance to his accomplifhment of the Covenant of Grace ; as it is immediately through this, that the exercife of his priejlly office comes to have its proper effect, among finful men. § II. The whole revelation that we have in the holy Scriptures hath been brought forth by him, in the exercife of his prophetical office. He has therein expounded the law, many things which are originally of natural knowledge ; in oppofition to manifold ignorance, mifapprehen- fions * Deut. xvlli. 15. j Afts iii. 22. f Ifa. lv. 4. J Heb. iii. 5, 6. |] Mai. iii. i.j A&s xiii. 47. Covenant of Grace. 301 fions and errors concerning the fame, in1 the minds of finful men : And all the prophecies in the books of the Old Teftament, were primarily from him as the Great Prophet. He likewife exercifed that office as a foreteller of future events, on various occafions in the courfe of his perfonal miniftry ; and afterwards by his Apoftles, chiefly in the book of Revelation.— >In all thefe things, we have the teflimony of Jefus Chrift * He was peculiarly employed as a Prophet, a Teacher come from God, when perfonally conver- fant among men in this world. God who at fun- dry times, and in divers manners, fpake in time paft unto the father s*c by the Prophets ; hath, in thefe loft days, fpoken unto us by his Son f . And his perfonal teaching was moil lingular, fo that the people were afloni/bed at his doctrine j for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the fcribes : His enemies found themfelves obliged to confefs, that never man fpake like this man \. § III. The principal exercife of Chrift's pro- phetical office, lies in the revelation which he has made of divine myfteries ; as thefe are ex- hibited in the holy Scriptures, and are eminent- ly the doclrine of the Lord ||. This is the reve^ lation of the myflery, which was kept fecret Jince the world * Rev. i. 2. f Heb. i. I, 2. I Matth. vii. 28, 29. j John vii. 46. || A£b xiii. 12, 302 A View of the world began ; — which in other ages was not made known unto the fons of men, as it was at length revealed unto his holy Apojlles and Prophets by the Spirit # : That myftery which was, for many ages, kept an abfolute fecret from the Gentile nations ; and was much kept fecret from the Jewifh nation alfo, in comparifon with the full difcovery which is now made of it by the go- fpel. This is the myftery which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God ; the myftery of his will f : Which lies abfolutely above the reach of human reafon, being wholly a fubjed of fu- pernatural revelation by Jefus Chrift ; — for no man hath feen God at any time ; the only begotten Son, which is in the bofom of the Father, he hath declared him {. The firft utterance was made of this myftery by Chrift himfelf, in the firft promife concerning himfelf, on the back of the fall ; the revelation of it was gradually advan- ced by him, in the Scriptures of the Old Tefta- ment : And, in thefe of the New Teftament, he hath brought it to a ftate of perfection. The matter of this revelation is manifold, in all the doctrines and promifes of grace : Con- cerning the perfon and offices of Chrift, with his humiliation and exaltation ; the whole myftery and method of falvation through him ; — the Co- venant * Rom. xvi. 25. j Eph. iii. 5. | Eph. i. 9. 5 iii. 9. % John i. 18. Covenant of Grace. 303 venant of Grace, which was eftablifhed with him from eternity ; the wonderful condition of it, as fulfilled in his obedience unto death ; and the further accompliiliment which it is {till to have, according to the great and precious promifes which it contains. — Such is the exercife of his prophetical office, as long ago finifhed in refpect of external difpenfation : Such is the complete revelation which he has made to us by the Scrip- tures, in which he Hill fpeaketh from heaven* \ and " unto which nothing is at any time to be " added, whether by new revelations of the " Spirit or traditions of men/' § IV. There is a continued exercife of Chrift's prophetical office, in refpecl of internal difpenfa- tion. If men had been left to act as they plea- fed, with regard to that which is external ; it muff have been loft upon all, without ever taking a faving effect upon any. The carnal mind is en- mity againfl God ; for it is not fubjecl to the law of God, neither indeed can be\\ It cannot be, while continuing a carnal mind ; which it muff: infal- libly continue to be, till there be a fupernatural renovation of it. Nor is the carnal mind any thing lefs fet againft Chrift and his gofpel, than againfl God and his law. But the glorious Pro- phet of the Church has not left, he could not leave the external revelation which he has made, — not * Heb, xii, 25. f Rom. viii. 7. 304 A View of the —not limply to an uncertainty of fuccefs among finners, but to a certainty of having no fuccefs among them at all : Which muft infallibly have been, and would always be the cafe ; if he fhould not alfo make it internal, by a fupernatural effi- cacy upon the fouls of men. The gofpel would come to them quite in vain, as to any other con- fequence but an aggravating of their condemna- tion ; without coming, — not in word only, but alfo in power *. The doctrines of it can have no faving effect, but as made mighty through God tc the pulling down of firong holds : Cafling down ima- ginations, the reafonings of carnal and corrupt minds ; and every high thing that exalteth itfelf againji the knowledge of God, and bringing into cap- tivity every thought to the obedience of Chrifl f . Accordingly, when he comes to profecute a gracious delign upon perfons, — he brings them to an experience of this important truth, that by the law is the knowledge of fin J. He brings home the law upon the confeience, in the convincing work of his Spirit : Awakening the perfon, to a dreadful apprehenfion of natural finfulnefs and mifery ; making to fee himfelf juflly fubjected to the curfe of the law, and on the brink of everlafling perdition. The perfon then gets this for a great event of his life, the commandment came || ; that the law has been made to come in upon * 1 ThefT. i. 5. f 2 Cor. x. 4, 5. X Rom. iii. 20, || Rom. vii. 9. Covenant of Grace. 305 upon him, with an irrefiftible and alarming power. And as the work of convidtion is car- ried on, he gets what follows for another great event of his life,—/ died : A death is brought upon him as to his carnal reft, in a Hate of thoughtlefihefs about his falvation ; and as to his legal reft, in going about to eftablifh his own righteoufnefs s His mouth is Hopped before God, he is felf-condemned, he is reduced to a defpair- ing in himfelf; feeing his wicked and woful condition to be quite irremediable for eternity, according to any thing that he can either do or devife. The great Prophet, who fpeaks as never man fpake, at length fpeaks in the word of grace to the perfon's foul : His mind is enlightened, the eyes of his underflanding are opened ; unto fome beholding of the righteoufnefs which is of God by faith. A fupernatural, a fweet difcovery is made to him, of an open refuge and abundant relief for his guilty confcience juft at hand, in the fulfilled condition of the New Covenant ; in the full atonement made, and the everlafting righteoufnefs brought in, by the glorious Head of that Covenant. — Such is the exercife of Chrift's prophetical office, in refpeft of internal difpenfation ; with an experience of which the perfon is then moil diftingurfhingly blelfed. O o f § V. 3°6 A View of the § V. The faving confequence of this difpen- fation toward and in the perfon, is moft infal- lible. His foul flies into the refuge which he fees fet open to him, it readily embraces the relief which he fees freely offered to him : He takes up his reft before God in Surety- righteoufnefs ; he takes hold of God's Covenant of Grace, by an appropriating faith, as to all the righteoufnefs and grace of it ; he gives himfelf over to be faved in the Lord Chrift, with an everlafling falvation ;•— he is thus brought into the bond of the Covenant, unto a bleffed fettle- men t for eternity. Thefe members of the vifible Church, who continue ftrangers to all this in their experience, — are children of dif obedience , of unperfuadable- nefs. The external difpenfation is the fame to- them as to others : The fame alarms are given to them by the law, for flying from the wrath to come ; the fame offers are made, and the fame calls are given to them by the gofpel. But they flop their ears, and will not hear ; they clofe their eyes, and will not fee. It is not merely from natural inability, that they obey not the gofpel ; but it is immediately from unwilling- nefs, obftinately rejecting the counfel of God againft themfelves : This is the condemnation, that light is come into the world ; and men loved darknefs rather than light, becaufe their deeds were evil. All the Covenant of Grace. 307 the external difpenfation with which they are privileged, ferves only to render them more in- excufable ; fo that itjhall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom, in the day of judgment , than for them. SECT. III. Of the Accomplifhment of the Covenant of Grace, by Chrift as a King. § I. Jefus Chrift is a King, as he is God.— All things were made by him, and without him was not any thing made that was made *. Particularly, all rational creatures were made by him, as he is the fame one God with the Father : And an abfolute dominion over all thefe as their King, their Lawgiver and Judge, is efTential to his God- head. He is accordingly called the King eternal^ immortal^ invifible, the only wife God : The bleffed and only Potentate ; the King of Kings and Lord of Lords f. He thus exercifes an abfolute domi- nion, of both natural and moral government, over all perfons and things in this world. He is the Lord, who hath prepared his throne in the heavens ; and his kingdom ruleth over all\. He who is Mediator, though not as Mediator but as God, has to fay of himfelf \ By me Kings reign, and Princes * John i. 3. I 1 Tim. i. 17. j vi. *£. X FiiiL ciii, 19. 3o3 A View of the Princes decree juftice,* — even all the Judges of the earth *. § II. Jefus Chrift is a King as Mediator *, for which he could not have been qualified, but by being a King as God. A kingly office belongs to his mediatory character ; and it necefTarily doth fo : That the falvation which is purchafed by him as a Priefl, and revealed by him as a Prophet, might not be loft ; might be applied and maintained by him as a King. — As a mediatory King, he was to bruife the ferpent's head : And many other exhibitions were made of him under that character, in the writings of the Old Tefta- ment. A proclamation was iffued concerning him, as the MeJJiah who was a-coming ; Say among the heathen, the Lord reigneth>—he comet h to judge the earth : The Lojrd reigneth, let the earth rejoice ; let the multitude of ifles be glad thereof f. The Jewilh Church had this glorious premoni- tion concerning him ; Behold thy King cometh un~ to thee : He is jujl> and having falvation ; lowly and riding upon an afs ; and upon a colt the foal of an afs : He Jhall fit and rule upon his throne, andfhall be a Priefl upon his throne \. It was promifed, concerning him who is the Lord our Righte- ousness ; A King Jhall reign and prof per, and jhall execute judgment and jujlice in the earth : Of the. increafe * Prov. vi;l. 15, 160 \ Pfal. xcri. io, 13. ; xcvii. 1, % Zech. ^x. 9.5 vi. 13. Covenant of Grace. 309 increafe of his government and peace ', there Jhall be no end*. This kingly office of Chrift is not efTential to him ; it is delegated by the Father to him as Mediator : Concerning which he fays ; All power (power of authority, as the original word ligni- fies,) it given unto me, in heaven and in earth f. — And his mediatory government is no lefs exten- five than his divine government, with regard to the obje&s thereof: For the Father hath put all things under his feet ; and gave him to be the Head over all things to the Church ; — the Father hath com- mitted all judgment unto the Son J, He hath a right to fet up his kingdom of grace in a Church- (late over all the earth, wherever he has fheep to bring ; and, at one time or other, he doth fo : As the Father hath faid to him ; I Jhall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermofl parts of the earth for thy poffejfion |j. Wherever he knows that he has other fheep to bring, though at the diftance of many generations ; there he is myfterioufly ordering matters in the mean time, as a mediatory King, towards that gracious if- fue : And he is, in like manner, ordering and difpofing of all things through the world, beyond as well as within the boundary of his Church ; in a fubfervience to her prefent and future be- nefit. His * Jer. xxiii. 5, 6. j Ifa. ix. 7. f Matth. xxviii. 18. X Eph. i. 22. ; John v. 22. ' || Pfal. ii. 8. 3*° A View of the His mediatory kingdom cannot fuperfede, or fupply the place of his effential kingdom as God ; cannot fufpend the proper influence of his God- head : But he has a diftinc~t, though conjunct adminiilration of both thefe kingdoms. As to the difference betwixt his divine and mediatory governments, it is not with regard to the objecls of the one and the other ; for the obje&s of both are materially the fame : But the difference lies in the various manners of ' adminiflration. By his divine government, he is ordering and difpofing of all perfons and things in their natural courfe toward their natural ends. But, by his media- tory government, he is likewife ordering and difpoimg of the fame perfons and things, fo far as he is gracioufly pleafed, — in a fupernatural courfe toward fupernatural ends : He makes all natural things, even the worft, fubfervient to the interefts of his Church and people ; fo that all things work together for their good*. And Jefus Chrift, as a mediatory King, is appointed heir of all things : "The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his handf.— His diftinguifhing part of the Covenant of Grace, was a fulfilling the condition of it ; and this he hath done, in the exercife of his prieftly office on earth. Upon that ground, the Father's diftin- guifhing part of the Covenant, the promiffory part of it, was to be fulfilled. And all this was vir- tually * Rom. viij. 28. f Heb. i« 2. j John iii. $$. Covenant of Grace. 311 tually done upon Chrift hlmfelf ; in his refur- re&ion, j unification, and reception into glory : All the promifes having thus got a primary ac- complifhment upon his people in him, as their glorified Head. When he afcended on high, he received gifts for men : All the promifed bleffings of the Covenant were put into his hand, trea- fured up in him ; for it pleafed the Father that in himfhould all fulnefs dwell*. This account he is ftill giving of himfelf to us ; all things are deliver- ed unto me of my Father \ : So that all Covenant- bleffings muft be received by us, immediately out of his hand. Having obtained the primary performance of the promifes upon himfelf, in the place and name of his people ; he is entruft- ed with the fecondary and final performance there- of upon them : For all the promifes of God in him are yea, and in him amen, unto the glory of God by us ; he has them all in truft for us. Having completed the purchafe of redemption, he is en- trufted with the application of it by his Spirit : Unto a full effectuating of all the promifes ; and a difpenfing of all the promifed bleffings, as be- come the unfe arch able riches of Chrift J. § III. Jefus Chrift is a mediatory King, efpe- cially in the vifible Church : He is the alone Kino and Head of this Church, — as his fpiritual, free . and * Pfal. lxviii. 18. j Col. i. 19. \ Matth. xi. 27, % Eph. iii. 8. 3*- A View of the and independent kingdom ; in its nature abfo- lutely different from, and no way fubordinated to the kingdoms of this world. Such a king- dom he had for many ages, of a very confined (late, in the Jewifli Church : But, under the New Teftament, he hath glorioufly enlarged that kingdom among Jews and Gentile3 on a level ; according to many illuftrious prophecies in the Scriptures of the Old Teftament, concern- ing that great event. He hath inftituted peculiar means, for the erection and adminiftration of this kingdom. When be afcended up on high, — he gavefome, apojlles ; andfome, prophets ; andfome, evangelifis ; andfome^ pajiors and teachers : For the perfecting of the faints , for the work of the miniflry, for the edifying of the body ofChriJi*. He hath eftablifhed a fyftem of ordinances in the Church ; of doctrine, worfhip, government and difcipline : And he hath efta- blifhed a fucceffion of ordinary office-bearers in the Church, befide fome at firft who were ex- traordinary ; for the adminiftering of thefe or- dinances. By thefe means he ftill gathers num- bers of mankind into a vifible Church, and maintains them in that ftate ; through different parts of the world, as he fees meet. This Church confifts, partly, of his own elect: : But it confifts likewife of many others ; of all in general who are brought to " profefs the true re- M ligion. * Eph. iv. 8. ii, 12. Covenant of Grace. 313 11 ligion, and their children." This is " the " kingdom of the Lord Jefus Chrift, the houfe " and family of God 5 out of which, there is no " ordinary poflibility of falvation." This Church is formed and maintained, not only by a iuper- natural efficacy with which he bleffeth the means of grace upon fome ; but likewife by a common, a mere natural and rational efficacy of thefe means, with a various concurrence of providen- tial circumftances, upon the minds and con- fciences of many others : And for all this he " doth, by his own prefence and Spirit," make thefe outward means effectual. The vifible Church doth thus enjoy " the •* communion of faints, the ordinary means of " falvation ; offers of grace by Chrift to all the " members of it, in the miniftry of the Gofpel : " Teflifying, that whofoever believes in him " fhall be faved ; and excluding none who will 11 come unto him." He thus reigns in the vi- fible Church as a mediatory King, by all the or- dinances and office-bearers which he hath infti- tuted ; difpenfing his laws, his royal proclama- tions and calls : And " the vifible Church hath " the privilege of being under God's fpecial " care and government ; of being protected " and preferved in all ages, notwithstanding the " oppofition of all enemies;" — and the gates of helljhall not prevail againfi it *. p P t § &• + Matth. xvi. 18, 514 A View of the § IV. Jefus Chrift is a mediatory King, more efpecially in the invifible Church. This is the Church of the converted elecl: : Of all who are " gathered into one, under Chrift the Head " thereof ; and is the fpoufe, the body, the ful- " nefs of him that filleth all in all." The ex- ercife of Chrift's kingly office in this Church, is an internal difpenfation \ a fecret exercife of it within the fouls of men, — dealing with them fe- verally, one by one. There is a beautiful uni- formity of this, in the cafe of all ; in the cafe of thofe who have been gathered, and who are ga- thered, and who mall be gathered to Chrift. It is, therefore, fufficicnt here, to conlider the pre- fent ftate of the cafe : Of this internal difpenfa- tion, as now carried on by outward means ; thefe means of grace which are common to all the members of the vifible Church, and are blef- fed with a fupernatural efficacy upon the fouls of fome. But it is to be confidered, — that the exercife of Chrift's prophetical and kingly offices, in the fouls of thofe perfons, do, as it were, coalefce into one internal difpenfation. Thefe exercifes are, in their nature, diftind ; but they are infe- parable and interwoven, in Chriftian experience. The one properly lies in manifeftation to a foul, but the other in an exertion of royal authority and power upon the foul. By the one there is evidence ', and by the other there is efficacy ; but the Covenant of Grace. 315 / the evidence is with efficacy, and the efficacy is with evidence. What has, therefore, been ob- ferved in the laft fection, about the nature and confequence qf the internal exercife of ChrirVs prophetical office, — is to be coniidered as taking place through a conjunct, exercife of his kingly- office ; at the fame time /peaking and doing in fouls, — bis word being with power *. After the fame manner, what may be further obferved about the internal exercife of his kingly office, —is to be coniidered as implying a conjunct exercife of his prophetical office ; working ia fouls, through illumination. § V. Thefe whom Chriil gathers to himfelf by the means of grace, are naturally as all others among whom they live : He finds them dead in trefpalfes and fins, walking according to the courfe of this world, children of difobedience ; without ftrength, ungodly, enemies 5 the chil- dren of wrath, even as others. But nothing of all this, in their cafe, can withftand the almighty power by which he brings them to himfelf. And he has full authority, as a mediatory King, for exerting that power in a gracious efficacy upon them. By the execution of his prieftly office, in the fatisfaclion which he hath made, and the righteoufnefs which he hath fulfilled, — -all bars, on God's, part, are removed out of the way of this * Luke iv. 32. $16 A View of the this efficacy. He hath fatisfied all the natural claims of the juftice and law of God upon them ; fo that the way is fully cleared, for his dealing v/ith them by an immediate exertion of his au- thoritative or mediatory power, — working graci- oufly in them, to the higheft glory of all the di- vine perfections. And it is a very new condi- tion which they are thus brought into ; vaftly diftinguifhing them from the world that lieth in wickcdnefs. As, l/i, They are made frilling, in the day of his power * : Willingly obedient to the calls of his grace, willingly embracing the offers of his grace. Thefe who were f me time alienated, and enemies in their mind by wicked works, (or by their mind, ta- king effect in wicked works) \ yet now hath he re- conciled f. He brings them into the bond of the Co- venant I : Into a New-Covenant ftate, into a ftate of peace and acceptance with God ; a ftate of fonfhip, which is a ftate of heirfhip as to all the bleffings of the New Covenant. His righteouf- nefs, which was formerly mito them, by a gra- cious offer of it, — comes now to be upon them, by a gracious imputation of it for their juftifica- tion : His Spirit takes poiTeflion of them, as the Spirit of adoption ; the good work is begun in them, by his working faith in them, — and im- planting all the other graces of the Spirit in their fpuls. And * Pfal. ex. J. f Col. i. 21. t Zztk. xx/ 37. Covenant of Grace. 317 And all this is brought about, by an exceed- ing greatnefs of his power, in a very fweet and myfterious exertion of it upon them. He quick- ens them, into a ftate of new life ; they are re- generated, made new creatures : He gives them a new heart, he puts a new fpirit within them*- As their minds are fupernaturally enlightened in the knowledge of Chrift, their wills are re- newed ; brought over to a compliance with his will in the gofpel : So that they are perfuaded and enabled to embrace Jefus Chrift ; to receive and reft upon him alone for falvation, as freely offered to them in the gofpel. Though this great work be the fame in all, as to the mailer of it ; there is a great diverfity, as to the manner of his bringing it to that happy iffue. — There is always a conviction of fin and mifery by the law, but in very different degrees of impreflion. In forne, it is only a breaking of their carnal and legal reft,— by alarms of his word, and occurrences of providence ; but in others, it is a filling them with the terr rs of the Lord. Some may be, for a good length of time, exer- cifed in this manner, the one way or the other, and with various interruptions ; having to fay, according to their different circumftances, — there is no foundnefs in my fiejh, neither is there any reft in my bones : TJje forrows of death compaf- fcd me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me ; I found * Ezek, xxxvi. 26. 318 A View of the found trouble andforrow *. Though fome may- be long exercifed this way, others are brought more quickly to an happy outgate \ Which was the cafe with Peter's hearers on the day of Pen- tecoft \ and with the jailor, — whofe fudden con- viction made him to cry out, What jh all I do to be favedf ? But fome are fweetly brought in to Chrift at once, under a joint difcovery of fin and falvation \ as Philip9 s hearers in Samaria *{. They * Pial. xxxviii. 3. ; cxvi. 3. f A&s ii. 37. 41. ; xvi. 30, 31. 34. X Ads viii. 6. 8. 12. X \jThe author thinks it proper to introduce here, the fol- lowing paffage in afermon 'which he preached and publifhed fome time ago, on John x. 16.] The Lord Chrift takes various ways of dealing with his fheep, in bringing them. — With ibme he has a preparatory work, for a confiderable length of time j lefs or more gra- dual and diftincl:. He breaks their carnal rejl, their natural and brutal-like indifference about the ftate of their fouls ; in their minding only earthly things, fulfilling the corrupt defires of the flefh and of the mind. Through means of what knowledge they have, and by various concurring pro- vidences, he brings them under ferious confiderations about another world j about death, the judgment beyond it, — and their eternal condition to be thereby determined, according to the forebodings of a guilty confcience : So that they can- not longer find their former fatisfaclion, in any temporal en- joyments or profpe&s. He next breaks their legal rejl, in going about to eftablilh their own righteoufnefs. Under convictions of their natural ' linfulnefs and mifery, — they firil endeavour to pleafe God, and Covenant of Grace. 319 They are thus fubdued, by a fecret and mofl gracious efficacy, to the obedience of faith : That faith which fees, embraces and refts upon Jefus Chrift ; particularly, as to all that work of prieft- hood and fatisfy their own confciences, by the works of the law. They fet about reformations, at firft more fuperficial and coarle ; next, more internal and refined, — feeking righteouf- nefs as it were by the works of the law : And they may come to be fo evangelical-like, in this legal exercife, that they feem to be driven off from all dependence but on the righteoufnefs of Chrift j only that they ftill feek fomething in what they feel or do, though ftill in vain, — as a fort of neceflary preparation or warrant for taking up that depend- ence. But at length all their reformations, regularities, good frames, ferious endeavours, religious ftri&nefs, refolu- tions and vows j all thefe are made to fail them, as to a ground of foul -reft : And they are brought to their wits end, fometimes under great terrors in a law-work \ before a day of the revelation of Chrift comes to dawn in their fouls* With others, our Lord deals in a more fweet and fum- mary way. He draws them with cords of a man, with bands of love : As it were difcovering to them at once the malady and medicine, the ruin and relief j in a fweet and kindly manner drawing them to himfelf. But whatever be his particular way of bringing his fheep, it comes all to this ; That they are brought off from the law of works, and brought over to the law of faith. They are brought off from the law of works, from all ways of doing for life ; from all dependence on any active righteoufnefs, or that to which they contribute any thing by their own ac- tivity. In the evangelical-like manner of legal exerciie to which they may come, the mediatory and juftifying righte- oufnefs of Chrift is what they only have as a matter of ra- tional 320 A View of tbs hood which he finifhed on the crofs. And how glorious is the reft which a perfon thus finds for his foul ; after being difquieted and diftreired, by apprehenfions of his own guildnefs and of God's wrath ! — The Pfalmift faid to the Lord, in a rapture of thankful joy ; / will offer unto thee burnt facrifces of fat lings, with the intenfe of rams : I will offer bullocks, with goats *. This was, in it- felf, a poor offering ; molt unworthy of God, otherwife than in the typical coniideration which David had of it. But the perfon now fpoken of has tional {peculation ; it is not that righteoufnefs itfelf which they contemplate, but only a general and dark notion of it in their minds : And an awakened foul can never find reft in a notion. But they are at length brought over to the law of faith : To the constitution of grace, — according to which a guilty finner obtains the pardon of all his fins, and is ac- cepted of as righteous in the fight of God ; only for the righteoufnefs of Chrift, imputed to him, and received by faith alone. He is thus brought to take up an immediate and abfolute dependence for life on that new ground, which Luther calls the pajjive righteoufnefs -y to which he has con- tributed nothing, — while he is quite paflive, as to the ma- nifeftation then made of it in his foul. It is this righteouf- nefs it/elf which he then fees, by the eyes of an enlightened underftanding, in all the glorious reality and fufficiency of it : And he claims it as his own, feeing it as God's free gift to him. His ibul thus enters into that reft, as bis reft for eternity j though by more diflinct actings of faith in Tome, than in others, — yet the fame, as to the matter, in all thofe whom Chrift brings. * Ffal. Uvi. 15. Covenant of Grace. 321 has a far higher flrain of language, to fill his heart and mouth ; concerning the great atone- ment for fin, as already made in the death of Chrift. He has to fay, along with others who are bleiTed as he ; Wejy in Ood, through our Lord Jefus Chrift ^ by whom we have now received the atonement *. He has to fay of it ; This is the true atonement for fin, — which the Judge of all hath received from my Surety-prieft, as an atone- ment for all my fins : I have received it into my faith, as freely offered to me, — never to part with it : And I will offer it to God, I will ever hold it up to him ; as my only, my fure, my all- fufficient ground of confidence and boldnefs be- fore his throne ! idly. All who are exalted into this happy ftate, are under the law to Chrift f ; the fame law, which is fummarily comprehended Ih the ten commandments. They are wholly delivered from that law, re- deemed from a being any longer under it ; with regard to its natural form, as a Ccvenant-law. In this refpecl it is dead to them, and they are dead to it \. It is of no force, of no exiftence upon of againft them ; as a law requiring perfect obe- dience for eternal life, and curling to eternal death for every difobedience. Wherefore, in. point of right , and (fo far as they are properly f Q^q exercised) * Rom. v. 11. -f- 1 Cor. Ix. 21- t Rom. vii. 4. 6. 3^2 A View of the excrcifed) in point of fad, — 'they have no more ado with that Covenant-law, than a woman has -with a hufband in the grave ; or than a dead man has ado with the laws of the country in which he formerly lived. But while they have no concern with the Co- venant-law, in the matter of their juflification ; they have a moft lively concern with it, accord- ing to all its extent and fpirituality, — as a rule of life or righteoufnefs, in the matter of their fanftification. The natural writing of it upon their hearts, as a Covenant-law, is blotted out ; fo far as regards the reigning power thereof: And all the bias toward it which continues in them, for feeking any ground of dependence be- fore God in what they feel or do, — is ranked among the remainders of their natural corrup- tion, to be gradually purged out. In place of the natural, they are blefTed with a fupernatural writing of the moral law upon their hearts * ; entirely divefted of the promife and penalty wmich naturally belong to it as a Covenant-law. It is therefore to Chriji that they are under the law ; while he takes the moral law, in its fupernatural ftate, or as divefted of its Covenant- form, — for the rule of fpi ritual government in his mediatory kingdom. His true fubjeds have all their dependence upon his fervice and fufter- ing, by which he has fulfilled the righteoufnefs of * Heb. vlii. ir Covenant of Grace: 323 of the law for them as a Covenant of Works : But their dependence on his righteoilfnefs, is with a moft willing fubjection to his rule ; fweetly conftrained by his love, to live unto him. And as they live under a partial writing of the law upon their hearts, it is according to the rufe of that law as perfectly written in the Scriptures : But in the faith of its being diverted, with re- gard to them, of the Covenant-form which it Hill naturally bears as written there. — Thus it is, that as Chrift has them redeemed from all ini- quity, in refpect of guilt unto condemnation ; he has them likewife purified unto himfelf a peculiar people^ zealous of good works * : They have it for their great concern, to clean fe themf elves from all filthinefs of the ftefh andfpirit ; perfecting holiricfs in the fear of God f. $dly, All thefe who are ruled by Chrift, as his true fubjedts, are well provided for by him. — They have their dwelling in the glorious houfe of the New Covenant ; they dwell on high, they dwell in God : The eternal God is their refuge, and underneath are the everlafling arms {. They are clothed with the garments of f ah at ion, covered with the robe of righteoufnefs ||. They have the richeft proviiion for their faith, in exceeding great and precious promifes ; wherein are given unto them all things * Tit. ii. 14, f 2 Cor. vii. i. X Ifa. xxxiii. 16. j 1 John iv. 16. ; Deut. xxxiii. 21 . II Ifa. lxi. io. 3"4 d View of the things that pertain unto life and gcdtinefs*. The noli nourifhing and delicious food for their fouls, and the moil efficacious medicines for all their fpiritual difeafes, — are (till at hand, in his word and ordinances ; of which he makes an application to them by his Spirit, enabling them to apply the fame unto themfelves. They have an abun- dance cf grace in him and from him, for all their fpiritual work and warfare. — And as to their outward conditions, he provides for them what he fees beft ; in matters of necefiity, con- venience, and comfort : With a fpecial bleffing, upon both their enjoyments and wants. 4tb/y, Under his protection they dwell fafely, and fn all be quiet from fear of evilf. He is their fortrefs and deliverer ", their fhield and buckler \ \ defending them againft all enemies, men and devils : Farther than as he now fuffers thefe to have fome prevalence over them, for their good. He reftrains and overcomes all his and their ene- mies, they are made to triumph over all thefe ; Chrift-myftical will finally triumph, as Chrift- perfonal hath done. However much they may be diftreiTed, even deflroyed, for a time, they will have to fay in the event ; In all theft things we are more than conquerors, through him that loved m\\. Stbly, * 9 Pet. i. 3, 4. f Prov. i. 33. % PiaL xviii. 2. ; xci. 4. || Rom* viii. 37. Covenant of Grace. 325 $thlyf Though he is fully reconciled to their perfons, as much now as he will be in heaven for ever ; yet he is no way reconciled to their fins : Yea thefe, from the lingular aggravations thereof, are more difpleafing to him than the (ins of any others. They have therefore to <#- dure chajlening ; for whom the Lord hveth he cbaftenetb, and fcourgeth every fon whom he recei* veth*. He will vi/it their tranfgrejjion wuh the rod, and their iniquity with Jiripes f . He doth fo, in a manifold variety of trials or troubles, external and internal, — which he brings upon them, or fufFers them to fall into. But his dif- pleafure and controverfy, in all this matter, doth properly terminate upon their fins ; and never upon their perfons, however much they may fometimes apprehend the contrary. Their per- fons are never the real objects of divine wrath or difpleafure, even under their fevereft chaften- ings ; all thefe are ftill from love to their perfons : Their juftification, their acceptance in the Be- loved, is invariable ; amidft all fuch contendings with them he will reft in his love* he will joy over them with ftnging +, Gth/y, They are prefe^ved in Jefus Chrift [|. Their perfeverance, to the end, is infallibly fe- cured : Perfeverance in the ftate of grace, — of acceptance with God, as objects of his higheil favour ; * Heb. xii. 6, 7. \ Pfal. Ixxxix. 32. % Zech. iji. 17, (| Jude, ver. 1. 326 A View of the favour ; perfeverance in the habit of grace, the grace of their new natures ; — and perfeverance, in the exercife of grace, according to their feve- ral meafures thereof; through recoveries from falls, and from all fpiritual indifpolitions. They are kept by the power of God, through faith unto fil- iation*. Chrift makes continual and effectual interceffion for them, that their faith fail not f . He never fails to do as he has faid, — / will in- Jlrucl thee, and teach thee the way which thou fhalt go ; I will guide thee with mine eye : — When thou paffefl through the waters, I will be with thee ; and through the floods, they fhall not overflow thee : When thou walkefl through the fire, thou fhalt not he burnt, neither JJjall the fame kindle upon thee {. He fays to each of them, — Fear thou not, for I am with thee ; I will fir engthen thee, I will help thee, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteoufnefs ||. — They cannot but be furely and finally* pre- ferred ; when they are continually in ChrilVs hand, and in the Father's hand : Hands, out of which none is able to pluck them ** ! ythly, They will all be brought forward unto a ftate of perfection, in holinefs and happinefs ; as to both their fouls and bodies, for ever. This perfection will be enjoyed in their bodies, when he fhall appear the fecond time. It is enjoyed hi * 1 Pet. i. 5. f Luke xxil. 32. t Pfal. xxxii. 8. 5 Ifa. xliii. 2. J Ifa. xli. ic ** John x. 28, 29c Covenant of Grace. 327 in their fouls at death ; as thefe are then made perfect in holinefs, and do immediately pafs into glory : Finding the way into it confeerated and kept open for them, by their glorious Forerun- ner. Then do they take their prepared place in the general ajfembly and church of the jirft-born which are written in heaven ; among the fpirits of juji men made per feci *. They have a joyful meeting with Chrift, at their expiring on death- beds ; as come for receiving them unto himfelf that where he is there they may he alfo : Being ever in- tent on having them with him, in due time, where he is ; thai they may behold his glory f. HEAD II. Of the minifterial Accompliflment of the Covenant of Grace. The whole accomplifhment of this Covenant among men, is by Jefus Chrift as Mediator. The conditionary part of it immediately belonged to him, to be perfonally fulfilled by him. As to the promiffory part of it, the primary accom- plifhment of this hath been effected by God the Father upon Chrift himfelf ; fo that he got all the promifes made over to him, for effectuating the * Heb. Kii. 23. -j- John xiv. 3.; xvii. 24, { 328 A View of the the fecondary accomplifhment thereof upon hid people : As hath been explained. Under the head of the mediatory accomplifh- ment of the Covenant of Grace, in the fpecial fenfe of that expreflion ; a view has been taken of what Chrift hath done immediately by him- felf : As alio of what he hath done and dill doth immediately by his Spirit, through his word and ordinances. The things to be confidered under the head of the minijlerial accomplifhment of that Covenant, belong alfo to his mediatory ac- complifhment of it, according to the general fenfe of the expreffion ; but through the inter- vention of a public miniftry which he hath efta- blifhed, for difpenfmg his ordinances in the vi- fible Church. There are ordinances of government and dif- cipline ; which he bleffeth for forming and up- holding the Church-ftate, and for maintaining the vifible purity of that body. There is the ordinance of the public worjhip of, God through Chrift, as performed by folemn and ftated alTem- blies ; in which, lb far as it is performed accord* ing to his will, he is gracioufly prefent. There are facramental ordinances, of Baptifm and the Lord's Supper ; which he bleffeth for their diffe- rent ends : As, by the one, members are initiated into the vifible Church, under a folemn dedica- tion of them to him ; and, by the other, his peo- ple are efpecially fed and nourifhed — built up m Covenant of Grace. 329 in holinefs and comfort, through faith unto fal- vation. — Concerning all thefe ordinances, as to the nature and adminiftration of them, there are various controverfies among particular churches : But it doth not confift with the defign of the prefent Contemplations, to enter into thefe con- troveriies ; which may be found difculfed, on all fides, in various other publications. What is propofed here, is — to take fome view of the minifterial accomplifhment of the Cove- nant of Grace, by the great ordinance of the preaching of the go/pel ; which is the fame to all particular churches, fo far as of a Chriftian ftate and management. The preaching of the gofpel is an ordinance which Chrift hath inilituted, for being conti- nued in his Church through all ages. The Scriptures of the New Teftament abound with exemplary views of this great ordinance. Our Lord gave a moil exprefs commiffion to his Apoftles ; Go ye into all the world, and preach the gofpel to every creature *. This commiffion which they . got, was not confined to themfelves : It comprehended all who mould be regularly em- ployed in that work, through all fucceeding ages ; as he added, — Lc, I am with you alway even unto the end of the world \. He declared his will and purpofe, that repentance and remijfion of fins Jhould be preached in his name ; even among all nations, R r f beginning * Mark xvi. 15. -j- Matth. xxviii, 20. 330 A View of the beginning at Jerufalcm *. It is a {landing article in the great myftery of godlinefs, that Chrift is •preached unto the Gentiles f . This is the great mean through which the exercife of his pro- phetical and kingly offices is carried on : By which he gradually gathers finners unto himfelf, and enables his people to build up themfelves in their moft holy faith. — It is thus an ordinance of diftinct refpecls, to the members of the vifible and of the invfible Church. SECT. I Of the Ordinance of Preaching, as it refpecls the Members of the viiible Church, § I. This ordinance is of indifpenfable ne- ceffity in the viiible Church.' — It muft be wholly conformed to the holy Scriptures, thefe muft af- ford all the matter of it ; it muft contain nothing againft or beyond them J. But the fulnefs of the Scriptures, even when the canon thereof is now completed, cannot fuperfede the neceflity of preaching. The reading of thefe, as alfo of other books illuftrating the fame; — is blefled for the conviction and converfion of linners, as alfo for their fubfequent edification. Yet the bene- fit of them is not left, even mainly, to depend upon * Luke xxiv. 4*. -J- i Tim. iii. 16. X lia, viii. 20. Covenant of Grace* 331 upon the reading ; a privilege which, in former ages> was not commonly enjoyed : And however common now, it is only of a private nature ; nor could it properly ferve the defigns of grace, if the Scriptures were fubjedted to the precarious care of individuals about ufing that privilege. The Church is of a public ftate, to which a public difpenfation of the Word is effential ; bringing it to the ears of multitudes at once, many of whom might not be capable or care- ful to read it. And the preaching is inftituted for a profitable explaining and applying of thofe doctrines and duties which are propofed in the Scriptures. It is therefore an ordinance of moll eminent confideration in the New Teftament, mentioned in it above an hundred times ; and is peculiarly bleffed for effectuating the defigns of grace : As a believing in Chrift for falvation, is efpecially through a hearing of him ; from the mouth of thofe who are really fent to preach the go/pel of peace * > — fent forth as heralds, to pro- claim the gracious edicts of the King on the holy hill of Zion. § II. This ordinance is, in general, a preach- ing of the gofpel of Jefus Chrift. But it is not confined to the matter of the gofpel, according to the ftrict and peculiar fenfe of this word : It doth not limply mean a publifhing of the peculiar myfteries * Rom. x. 14, 15. t 33 2 ^ View of the myfteries of Chriftianity ; of gracious doctrines and promifes, of gracious offers and calls. It comprehends alfo the whole doctrine of our na* tural eftate of curfednefs and corruption ; with the whole doctrine of the law of the Covenant of Works : According to the fubfervience of all this doctrine unto the gofpel of our falvation ; a doctrine of falvation being abfurd, even incon- fiftent with common fenfe, but in connection with the doctrine of what we need to be faved from. — And the members of the vifible Church, who are immediately and equally the objects of all this preaching, are here confidered as the fame with gofpel-hearers ; all who are providen- tially brought within the reach of it. § III. By the ordinance of preaching, gofpel- hearers have an alarm founded to them about the finfulnefs and mifery of their natural eftate ; which has been fomewhat explained in another place *. That, in general, — I/?, They have come into the world under the guilt of the firlt fin : As having been rep re - fented by the firft man, in the pofitive ftate which the Covenant of Works was brought into with him ; having accordingly finned in him and fallen with him, in his firft tranfgreflion. By cne man's difcbedience, many were made finners : By * Part I. Chap. VII. Covenant of Grace. 333 By the offence of one y judgment came upon all men to condemnation *. idly^ They have come into the world under a want of original righteoufnefs : Under a want of God's image upon their fouls, in knowledge and righteoufnefs and holinefs ; as having been forfeited by the guilt of the firft fin. Every one needs to be renewed — after the image of him that created him : For there is none righteous, no not one \ . $dly, They have come into the world with an univerfal corruption of nature ; fhapen in iniquity, and conceived in fin J : With natures of an abfo- lute difconformity and oppofition to the nature and will of God ; having in them the feeds of all actual tranfgreffions. 4thly, The corruption of their lives is anfwer- able to that of their natures : They live in error || ; in a habitual courfe of eftrangement from and rebellion againit God. The wickednefs of man is great in the earth ; as every imagination of the thoughts of his heart is only evil continually **. $thly, They are in a ftate of actual and abfo- lute fubjection to the Covenant of Works : Un- der an exaction of perfect obedience to it in eve- ry point for life, though they cannot perform a real obedience to it in any point ; and under a fentence * Rom. v. 18, 19. f Col. iii. 10. ; Rom. Hi. 10, X Pfal. li. 5. U 2 Pet. ii. 18, ** Gen. vi. 5. 334 d View of the fentence of eternal death, for every difobedience : Cw- ied is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them *, 6thiy, They are abfolutely incapable of reco- vering themfelves from the eflate of fin and mi- fery ; altogether without Jlrenph for it f . They can never difcharge the indifpenfable claim of the Covenant-law, in -refpect of fatisfaction for fin : More than in refpect of obedience ; which requires a change of their natures, in order to a proper change of life. ythly. They are not only without ftrength, but they are enemies j : Enemies, not only to the authority and will of God in his law ; but like- wife to all the device of the grace and wifdom of God for their recovery. — Their cafe is there- fore abfolutely defperate ; fo far as can fall with- in the reach of any natural endeavours or appre- henfions : They can have nothing to look for, according to the Covenant-law which they are under, — but to be punifhed with everlafling de- Jlrucl ion from the prefence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power |j. Thefe things, which can be but generally pointed out in this place, admit of great enlarge- ments,— in folemn dealing with iinners about their falvation. §IV- * Gal. iii. 10. f Rom. v. 6. X Rom. v. 10. 1| 2 Theff. i. 9. Covenant of Grace. 335 § IV. By the ordinance of preaching, a pu- blication is made to gofpel-hearers of good tidings of great joy *. The principal matter of the preach- ing, to which that of the things above mention- ed is fubfervient, is the gofpel of falvation : — The whole doctrine of the Covenant of Grace ; as to the eftablifhment of that Covenant, and the fulfilled condition of it (in Chriii's obedience unto death), with the great and precious pro- mifes of it : The doctrine of the perfon of Chrift, and of his mediatory offices : The doctrine of his priefthood ; as to his incarnation, fervice, fuf- fering, refurrection, exaltation, and intercefiion : The doctrine of the continued exercife of his prophetical and kingly offices : More particular- ly, the doctrine of his juftifying righteoufnefs ; and of his fanctifying grace. And all this wonderful doctrine is preached, not for mere amufement to the understandings of thofe who hear it. It is preached, as the word of fdvation fent unto them ; as the gofpel of their falvation, as the falvation of God fent unto the Gentiles. And, in this public difpenfation of the gofpel, there is made to all the hearers of it, im- mediately and equally, — a moft gracious offer of Chrift, and all his falvation ; with a moft gra- cious call unto them, for their receiving and refting upon him accordingly. — On this momen- tous * Luke ii. 10. 336 A View cf the tous fubject, the following things may be confi- dered #. The gof pel-offer and call do proceed " upon the " foundation of the intrinfic fufficiency of the u death of Christ ; his relation of a Kinfman- " redeemer to mankind-finners as fuch : And the " promife of eternal life to" them " as fuch, in " the gofpel." And, 1/?, As to the intrinfic fufficiency of our Lord's death, it lies in this : That " the atonement and " righteoufnefs of Chrift are, in themfelves, of a " juftice-fatisfying and law-magnifying nature ; " containing the utmoll of what law and juftice " can require, for repairing the whole breach of " the Covenant of Works, and fulfilling the " fame, — in order to the j unification and falva- " tion of mankind-iinners as fuch, who are " warranted * What follows in this fe&ion, is mollly extra&ed, though with fome variations, — from the feventh article of an acl about do&rine, palled by the AlTociate Synod above thirty years ago 5 and from an illujlration of that article, by four minifters of the Synod, as a committee, — of whom the pre- fent writer only furvives : And fome part from an appendix to thefe. He may be excufed from diftinguifhing, by marks of quotation, the pafTages now borrowed from that article, illuflration and appendix j becaufe thefe were originally and altogether of his own compofition : But he fo difiinguifhes what is taken from the article referred to. The whole (concerning the gofpel-call and the warrant of faith) is to be feen at large, in the fecond volume of his Difplay of the Se- cejjion- Tejlimony, Covenant of Grace. 337 " warranted to betake themfelves thereto by " faith." Thus, though our Lord came to redeem only a part of mankind, he did not come to fulfil on- ly a part of the law in their place ; and to bear only a part of its curfe for them : As there cari be no diftinguifhing of this matter into parts. Nothing lefs could have been fufficient for the redemption of any one of them, than a fulfilling the whole commands of the law, — and a bearing its whole curfe ; all which he has done : Nor could any thing more have been requifite, in the nature of the cafe, for the redemption of all iin- ners w7ho are under the fame broken Covenant. And while none are juftified as elecl,— hut as mankind-ftnners, who are betaking themfelves to this atonement and righteoufnefs by faith ; all of thefe are warranted to do fo, wherever the gofpel comes. — Such is the intrinjic fufficiency of our Lord's death, the juftice-fatisfying and law- magnifying nature of his atonement and righte- oufnefs ; a ground of fufficient validity and ex- tent, for the moft free and extenfive offer and call of the gofpel to finners of mankind. idly, Chrifl's relation of a Kinfman-redeemer to them, lies both in his per/on and offices. For, 1. " Our Lord Jesus Christ, in the glorious " conftitution of his per/on, as God-man, Imma- " nuel, God with us, — doth Hand in an equal and " undiftinguifhed relation of a Kinfman-redeemer, t S f "to 338 A View of the " to mankind-finners as fuch." The relation here fpoken of, is not fuch as arifes from any act: of Chrift's defign or intention concerning them : But it is fuch as arifes from the conjiitution of the per/on of Chrift, — in his being God-man, a Redeemer in human nature ; and this relation can no more belong to the elect, than to any other finners in the fame nature. Chrift indeed ftands in a very fpecial and di- ftinguifhed relation of a Kinfman-redeemer, to the elect ; from the act of the Father's will in giving them to him, and the act of his own will in undertaking for them : Which relation is wholly abftracted from, in the offer made of Chrift to them and others by the gofpel. But, as he is God manifefi in the fejh, bearing the pu- blic capacity of a Redeemer, — made under the law in man's nature ; this makes his per/on to Hand in the relation of a Kinfman-redeemer to all mankind-finners, — without any diftinction between the elect and others : Becaufe the elect are no otherwife finners, and no otherwife men, than as all the reft of mankind are. 2. Our Lord Jefus Chrift bears this farther re- lation of a Kinfman-redeemer to them ; that " his " mediatoiy offices, in the true and glorious na- " ture thereof, — do ftand in an equal and undi- " ftinguifhed relation and fuitablenefs, to the " cafe and need of mankind-finners as fuch." There is indeed a very fpecial, a diftinguifhed relation Covenant of Grace. 339 relation and fuitablenefs of his offices to the. elecl: ; from his becoming an undertaker for them in thefe offices : Which alfo is wholly abftracl:- ed from, in the offer made of Chrift by the go- fpel. But the relation and fuitablenefs which arifes from the glorious nature of thefe offices, mud belong to all mankind-finners, — without any diftin&ion between the elecl: and others ; becaufe the cafe and need of the elecl, is juft of the fame nature with that of all others : As the office of a phyfician, in its nature, is the fame way related to the condition of all difeafed per- fons ; efpecially fuch as are all in the fame dif- eafe. And from the common relation of a Kinfman- redeemer, which Chrift thus bears to mankind, he is every way fit for being employed and reli- ed upon by them ; in his perfon, offices, atone- ment and righteoufnefs : Which is a ground of fufficient validity and extent, for the moll ex- tenlive offer and call of the gofpel to iinners of mankind. 3 " The formal ground and reafon of faith m — doth nowife lie in any particular objective " destination of Chrift's fatisfadion and righte- " oufnefs, or in any particular objective inten- " tion wherewith he made and fulfilled the " fame. * A6ts x. 43. Covenant of Grace. 345 44 fame. But it wholly lies in the glorious per- 44 fon and offices of Chrift, with his fatisfac- 44 tion and righteoufnefs, — as freely and equally " fet forth by the gofpel, unto all the hearers 44 thereof: With the Lord's gracious call and 44 command, for each of them to come over by 44 faith unto this glorious foundation ;" in a de- pendence on the abfolute promifes which have been confidered. And a perfon is united to Chrift, — through an embracing of him by faith, in obedience to that call. The righteoufnefs of Chrift is gra- cioufly imputed to the perfon : He is invefted with this juftifying righteoufnefs, enjoys pardon and peace through the fame, is accepted as righ- teous in God's fight on account thereof ; and is endued with a perfonal right to all the privi- leges of the fons of God, as being gracioufly re- ceived into their number. $dly, As faith is a receiving of Chrift, its re- ceiving act is an act of belief or perfuafion. It truly receives ; as the eye receives light, as the hand receives a gift, or as the mouth receives food. But while it thus receives from God, as he reaches out the bleffing in the word of grace, and fo receives what the perfon formerly had not / this is juft a believing that he prefently has it all for his own, as prefently fufiained to be fo, at the bar of law and juftice. t Tt It 346 A View of the It is therefore an appropriating perfuafion which belongs to the nature of faith : Greatly differing from that fenfible amirance of an interefl in Chrift, or of falvation, which arifes from a view of the Lord's work in the heart ; or which we are privileged with, — when the Spirit it/elf bear- etb witnefs with our fpirit^ that we are the children of God, Without any refpecl to divine purpofes and intentions, or to the perfon's inward expe- riences ; an appropriating faith proceeds wholly upon the prefent revelation of Chrift in the gofpel. There it finds an object fully fuitable and fa- tisfying ; even the glorious perfon and offices of Chrift, with his fatisfaclion and righteoufnefs, — as in themfelves conlidered. And it takes up a fufficient ground, a full warrant, for appropri- ating this glorious object to the perfon's felf ; with a firm perfuafion of an interefl therein to eternal life : Juft as it finds the fame freely and equally fet forth by the gofpel, unto all the hear- ers thereof ; with the gracious call and abfolute promifes which accompany that exhibition of Chrift. The perfon fees that he would be a re- jecter of the whole, if he did not believe with an appropriation of the whole to himfelf ; while the revelation of grace is made to him for this purpofe, or for none at all. — Such a wonderful power and privilege it is, which God beftows on true faith, — that he makes all to be perfonally and / Covenant of Grace. 347 and favingly a man's own ; juft as the man is taking all to himfelf, and making all his own, by an appropriating perfuafion of faith. 4/Z?/y, This faith is a fupernatural perfuafion ; it is the gift of God, of the operation of God # : What no man is capable of working out in him- felf, as all his natural apprehenfions and incli- nations ftand in oppoiition to it. The offers and calls of the gofpel can never be truly underftood and acquiefced in, by common fenfe or reafon ; for they are among the things of the Spirit of God, which the natural man receiveth not, neither can know. But the Lord powerfully works this faith, in the fouls of his own elect. The gofpel comes unto them, not in word only ; but alfo in power. The Holy Spirit becomes unto them, the Spirit of wifdom and revelation in the knowledge of Chrifl : And the eyes of their under/landings are enlightened. — Then it is, that their particular accefs to Chrifl in the outward offer of the gofpel, with their immediate warrant to appropriate redemp- tion through his blood, — becomes a matter of powerful demonftration to them, by which they are pleafantly conftrained to the obedience of faith. $thly, All the hearers of the gofpel, who re- main and perifh in their unbelief, mufl prove Utterly inexcufable ; without having any degree of * Eph. ii. 8. j Col. ii, 12. 348 A View of the of apology for themfelves, from the doctrine of particular redemption. — For all the particulari- ty that takes place in the doctrine of redemption, ftrikes againft none in the way of their enter- taining any concern about falvation through Chrift. It has a tremendous afpecl upon iinners, — only in the way of their fetting at nought all the Lord's counfel, and defpifing all his reproof. They have the fame offers of falvation, with the fame invitations to receive and reft upon Chriit, that others have : And they cannot pretend that others, who come to Chrift and are faved, have any better ground than they to go upon ; while others find the fame ground to be fuflicient, for drawing near in full aiTurance of faith. Neither can they pretend, that any fuppofed want of ac- cefs and warrant, is the reafon of their not coming to Chrift : For the reafon lies in a love of their finful condition, with enmity againft falvation from fin ; and againft the glorious me- thod of falvation through Chrift, in a way of free grace. In a word, they have no fhadow of excufe ; as if they had found themfelves any way debarred from Chrift, and left under any neceifity of perifhing without him : Seeing all their eftrangement from Chrift is voluntary, or a matter of their free choice ; and the tenor of their indictment mult be to this eifecl:, — That they hated knowledge, and did net chufe the fear of the Lord. Neverihe/e/s, Covenant of Grace. 349 Neverthelefs, 1 he foundation of God flandeth fure ; having this feal, The Lord knoweih them that are his*. Through every generation in the vifible Church, the cafe will be ; that while the reft were blinded, the elcclion hath obtained it\r — hath obtained a place in the Church invifible, of thofe who are faved. SECT. II. Of the Ordinance of Preaching, as it ref peels the Members of the invifible Church. This ordinance has a primary refpecl: to men as finners, providentially under the difpenfation of the gofpel in the vifible Church : But it has a fecondary refpecl: to men as faints, conftituted members of the invifible Church. It finds them in the ftate of nature ; but is bleffed for bring- ing them into the ftate of grace : And, as in this ftate, it is of a peculiar fuitablenefs to them. The preaching which is adapted to men as finners, is of a direct benefit to faints alfo ; as thefe have ftill to mind and perfevere in their firft work, of coming to Chrift. And the preaching which is adapted to men as faints, may be occafionaL- ly of benefit to finners alfo ; for begetting in them a concern about attaining to thofe experi- ence? * 2Tim. ii. 19. \ Rom. xi. 7. 350 A View of the ences and exercifes, which they hear of others being acquainted with. The preachers of the gofpel, have to ftudy a rightly dividing the word of truth ; to give to the hearers, feverally, their portion of meat in due feafon *. As their firft bufi- nefs is about the ingathering of linners ; their next bufinefs is about the upbuilding of faints, the members of the inviiible Church. And, § I. The members of the inviiible Church, or true Chriflians, are the Lord's hidden ones f ; they are fo, as in refpect of fecurity, fo likewife in re- fpec~t of fecrecy. The Lord knoweth moll parti- cularly who they are, as to all the individuals of them. They may abfolutely know themfelves to be of that happy number, in their faith of fal- vation ; and when the Spirit itfelf beareth witnefs with their fpirit, that they are the children of God J : Though they are often much in the dark on this fubjec~t. But others about them cannot know them, with abfolute certainty, to be fuch perfons : Nor can preachers of the gofpel diftinguim them particularly from others, with a certain know- ledge of them, as objecls of their peculiar ad- drefs in that difpenfation. But it is certain, that there are always fuch perfons in the vifible Church ; that the fuccef- fion of them in it can never fail, where the truths and * 2 Tim. ii. 15. ; Luke xii. 42. f Pfal. lxxxiii. 3. \ Rom. viii. i6» Covenant of Grace. 351 and ordinances of Chrift are properly difpenfed. Chrift has always a feed to ferve him ; he will, without any interruption, have fome to fear him as long as the fun and moon endure, throughout all generations *. And the preachers of the gofpel are warranted to confider all perfons as fuch, who bear a credible appearance of being fo, — in refpecT: of their Chriitian knowledge and conver- fation. § II. The apoftolical preaching was certainly conformed to the apoftolical epiftles. And thefe are peculiarly addrefled to the members of the invifible Church, or to true Chriftians as fuch : To the faints, fanclified in Chrift Jefus ; faints, and faithful brethren in Chrift ; begotten again unto a lively hope, by the refur reel ion of Jefus Chrift from the dead ; fanclified by God the Father, and prefer- red in Jefus Chrift ; having obtained like precious faith with the Apoftles themfelves. All this is fo evident in the front of mod of thefe epiftles, that it needs not be afcertained by particular quotations. With perfons of fuch characters the Apoftles had principally ado, in the churches then efta- blifhed ; which were gathered into a church- ftate, through the primary exercife of their com- million to preach the gofpel to every creature. The profelfion of Chriftianity was not then the pre- vailing * Pfal. xxii. 30. 5 lxxii. 5. 35^ J View of the vailing fafhion ; men had feldom any felfiih in- tereft to be ferved by it ; and they were expofed to manifold fufferings on account of it : So that the churches were then, almoft wholly, compo- fed of perfons who bore a credible appearance of being Chriftians indeed. — And this apoftoli- cal example is a (landing rule, for preaching the gofpel with a peculiar addrefs to the members of the invifible Church. § III. The preaching of the gofpel is to be fo addrefTed to them, in a manner fuited to their peculiar ftate ; for their injiruclion in righteoufnefs : As a mean which the Lord doth blefs for pro- moting their fpiritual knowledge, experience and exercife ; their growth in grace and knowledge ; and for building them up in their molt holy faith, — //// they all come, in the unity of the faith , and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a per- feci man ; unto the meafure of the flature of the fulnefs of Chriji *. They are thus to be fed and nourifhed, confirmed and comforted ; and guarded againft all errors prevailing in their time. The apofiolical writings do richly abound, in examples and directions, for that peculiar dif- penfation of the gofpel to true Chriftians ; upon which it is not needful to enlarge in this place. §IV. * Eph. iv. 13. Covenant of Grace. 353 § IV. The ordinance of preaching is efpeci- ally concerned with the members of the invifible Church, to fortify them againft temptations ; a9 alfo to give them proper reproof and correc- tion,— with regard to any errors which they may be feduced into, and whatever mifappre- henfions of truth or duty they may entertain. They are likewife to be thereby inftrucled about, and excited unto their Chriftian work and war- fare : That their converfation be as it becometh the go/pel of Chrifly that they may adorn the doctrine of God our Saviour in all things ; that they which have believed in God, be careful to maintain good works #. They are to be taught, that as they have betaken themfelves to the righteoufnefs of Chrift, for the juftification of their perfons through faith in him ; fo they mould ftudy a juftification of their faith by their good works, tojhew their faith by their works , — as faith with- out works is dead f. An immediate preaching up of moral duties is wholly unfcriptural, and quite vain ; other- wife than in being addreffed to perfons, con- fidered as members of the invifible Church, Gofpel-hearers mould be called to the perform- ance of duties, only in the way of betaking themfelves to Chrift by faith, as the firft of all their duties ; for deliverance in him, from the law as a Covenant of works : Taking up their -)- U u dependence * Phil. i. 27. 5 Tit. ii. 10 j iii. 8. f James ii. iS. 26. 354 A View of the dependence before God for juftification, upon his fulfilling of that law as a Covenant ; and upon his grace, for enabling them to ftudy holi- nefs in all manner of converfation, — according to that law as a rule of righteoufnefs in fancti- fication, and under a fweet conftraint of his love. — All other preaching up of duties, is but a calling people to eftablifh their own righteouf- nefs # ; and a calling them to what is abfolutely impracticable. It is an amufing of them with fancies about good works which can never be realized ; and a promoting of their natural op- pofition to the gofpel of Chrift, unto their eter- nal perdition. § V. The ordinance of preaching is efpecially concerned with the members of the invifible Church, as perfons redeemed from the earth ; in calling them from earth to heaven : That, as rifen with Chrift, they mould feek thofe things which are above, where Chrift fitteth on the right hand of God, — that they mould fet their affection on things above, ?iot on things on the earth : Look- ing for that bleffed hope, and the glorious appear- ing of the great God, and our Saviour Jefus Chrift f. They are to be dealt with for con- feffing, in their exercife and behaviour, that they are ftrangers and pilgrims on the earth ; and therefore, * Rom. x. 3. f Rev. xiv. 3 $ Col. iii.i, 2.; Tit. ii. 13. Covenant of Grace. 355 therefore, to have their converfation in heaven *. They are to be cautioned againft earthlinefs, and called unto heavenlinefs of mind : Preffing forward through the militant, toward the tri- umphant ftate of the Church. — Thus it is, that the Gofpel-miniftry muft carry them to death's door ; leaving them there in ChrirVs hand, for ever. And fo, the Covenant of Grace comes to have its full accomplijhment in time ; with regard to the fouls of thofe for whom it was ejlablijhed from eternity. PERIOD III. Of the Effect of the Covenant of Grace through Eternity. THOUGH the Covenant of Works had not been broken, this world muft have come to an end of its temporal ftate ; but fuch as we can have no particular conception of. The fucceflion of times, feafons, generations, events and revolutions which belong to it in that ftate, — could not have been for ever. Man was not, yea could not be deiigned for an eter- nity of animal life ; to be debarred for ever from * Heb. xi. 13. 5 Phil. iii. 20, 356 A View of the from all immediate enjoyment of God, or other- wife than through the intervention of animal enjoyments and exercifes. Had all mankind been left to perifh in the Hate of fin and mifery, this world mull have come to a moil horrible end ; by the powerful and unmixed vengeance of God. But it mull have flood through a courfe of time, in fuch a condition as could ferve for the propagation of mankind ; till all the children of wrath mould be brought forth. Under the Covenant of Grace, this world is haflening to an end ; but an end, with regard to mankind, of a very mixed nature : The Ju- Jlice of God then to fhine forth in all its glory, to the full and everlafling perdition of thofe un- der the broken Covenant of Works ; and the Grace of God then to mine forth in all its glory, to the full and everlafling falvation of thofe un- der the Covenant of Grace *. Such will be the mofl dreadful and defirable events of the great day, the lafl and greatefl of all days ; when the fun, moon and flars, mail have finifhed their courfes : When the heavens Jhall pajs away with a great ?ioife, and the elements Jhall melt with fervent heat ; the earth alfo, and the works that are therein, Jhall be burnt up f . Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and the fon of man,- — will then come in his glory ; in the glory * Part I. Chap. I. Se£. V. Inf. I, f Pet. iii. 10, Covenant of Grace. 357 of his Father, with all the holy angels : Then Jhall he Jit upon the throne of his glory ; and every eye Jhall fee him *. He will make fuch an appear- ance in that day, on a great white throne, that the earth and the heaven foall fly away from his face ; and there will he found no place for them \ : How much lefs fhall the workers of iniquity be able to abide the day of his coming, and to iland when he appeareth ! He will moil gracioufly raife up the bodies of all his people in that day, through a joyful miniftry of angels; without fufFering any devil to come near their graves : He will fafhion them like unto his glo- rious body, as happily reunited to their fouls.; which he will bring with him from heaven, for that purpofe. By his powerful voice, the bo- dies of all the other dead wTill be judicially rai- fed, amidft a fwarm of devils ; unto a horrible reunion with their fouls, then brought from hell : And before him Jhall he gathered all na- tions \. In the day appointed for thefe greateft of all events, He will judge the world in righteoufnefs || : When a full and final decifion will be made on his fide, of all controverfies that were ever flated againfl his interefts ; fo that Atheifts and Deifts, and allblafphemersofthe glorious Three-in-one, with all the enemies of truth and duty, — will iland * Mark viii. 38. j Matth. xxv. 31. 5 Rev. i. 7. f Rev. xx. n. % Matth. xxv. 32. || A£ts xvii. 31, 358 A View of the ftand in a flate of felf-condemnation before him. He will judge devils and wicked men, in all the glory of his mediatory perfon : Though that will not be properly a mediatory work ; as no medi- ation could be requifite, for procuring their de- fended judgment to condemnation. But he will have a glorious mediatory work, in the judging of his own people ; when he Jhall come to be glori- fied in his faints, and to be admired in all them that believe * : As they fhall be openly acknowledged and acquitted by him, in that day. The Scripture-teftimony, upon all this high fubject, could afford great enlargements ^ which are not thought proper to be made here. The iflue of the whole will be, — that the wicked will go away into everlajling punijhment, but the righte- ous into life eternal f . And it is the fpecial in- tention at prefent, — to confider the Effect of the Covenant of Grace in heaven for ever, after the judgment of the great day ; with regard to both Christ and Chriflians. SECT. I. Of the Effect of the Covenant of Grace through Eter- nity, with regard to Christ. § I. Jesus Christ will fit upon the throne of his glory for ever, in all the truth of manhood as well * 2ThefT. i. xo. f Matth. xxv, 46. Covenant of Grace. 359 well as of Godhead : He will be ever the fame in his mediatory perfon, God-man ; but how mar- velloufly changed from what he once was, — in the manger, on the crofs, in the fepulchre ! He carried his humanity to heaven in the view of his difciples ; no way dropped it when he af- cended, as Elijah did his mantle : And the fame Jefus, in the fame humanity, will come again at the laft day ; fo as every eye Jhallfee him. He will then return to heaven, with all his redeem- ed company, to dwell among them for ever \ as ftill the fame Jefus, inhabiting their nature. From his love to them which pafTeth knowledge, he loved their nature unto that affumption of it; and this wonderful love can never admit of his feparating himfelf from it or them. He will have the fame account to give of himfelf to them for ever, that he once gave to the Apoftle John : I am he that liveth (elfentially the living One), and was dead ; and, behold, I am alive for evermore*, —evermore, as having ftill the fame manhood in which he was once dead. He took pofTeflion of the throne when he afcended, as Jefus of Naza- reth ; a character which belongs to him, only as in human nature, — never to be afharned of his former meannefs in it : And what he now is upon the throne, he ever will be ; the man Chrifi Jefus f . He will thus appear, through eternity, in the higheft glory of his conftitutional name, Immanuel, * Rev. i. 18. f Ads xxii. 8, ; iTim. ii, 5, 360 A View of the Immanuel, God with us ; with us, in our na- ture : With all the redeemed in heaven for ever, as his brethren in the fame nature. He will ever be, in the midft of the throne, a Lamb as it had been Jlain * : A character which belongs to him only in manhood, in which he had once made a facrifice of himfelf. And it would feem that his glorious body in heaven, through eternity, will retain the marks of his crucifixion. How this may be, we cannot con- ceive : But it is certain, that he appeared to his difciples with thefe marks, in his glorified body as rifen from the dead f . There is no fignifica- tion in Scripture, as if the martyrs of Jefus would thus retain any marks of what they had fufFered in their bodies : As their furYerings had no merit in them ; thefe no way belong to the ground of their place and Handing in heaven. But the glorified ftate of human nature in the perfon of Chrift, and the prefence of the redeem- ed with him in heaven, — mull all depend for ever upon his fufferings in that nature. How fit and ravifhing is it then, that thefe fhould be for ever exhibited in the very form of his medi- atory perfon ! And though the infinite glory of his Godhead was once vailed by his manhood, it will not be fo in heaven : It will fhine forth, without any obftru&ion, through his glorious body ; to the aftonifhed * Rev. v. 6. \ Luke xxiv. 39, 40. ; John xx. 27. Covenant of Grace. 361 aftonifhed perception of human eyes. The glo- ry of all the divine perfections, the infinitely diffufive rays of all that glory, will be concen- trated in the perfon God-man; as come down into a moil wonderful nearnefs to redeemed men, of moll wonderful perceptibility by them. § II. Jesus Christ will fit on his throne for ever, in the fulleft glory of his prophetical office. He will retain his mediatory ftate in heaven through eternity, as infeparable from the retain- ing of his manhood : And, particularly, he will continue for ever in the office of a Prophet. There will be no occasion then for fuch exercife of it as now, by either outward or inward reve- lation. But the perpetuity of knowledge, light and light among the redeemed, will depend upon his continued influence in that office. From hence only, they will continue to be filled with the knowledge of his will, in all wifdom andfpiritual under/landing *. He will mine forth among them as the Sun of Right eoufnefs, for ever in his meri- dian glory : And the continuance of the glorious light in them, will depend upon their being ever filled with emanations of light from him ; fo that a failure of thefe for one moment, would leave them in utter darknefs. But there Jhall be no night there, in the heavenly Jerufalem; for the glory of God will lighten it, and the Lamb mall X x f be * Col. i. 9> 362 A View of the be the light thereof*. From that everlafting in- fluence of his prophetical office, each of the re- deemed will have to fay through eternity, in a far higher ftrain than they could ever do in time, i — The Lord is my light, and my fahatkn. § III. Jesus Christ will fit on his throne for ever, in the fuller! glory of his prieftly office. He will not ceafe, in the eternal ftate, more than now, to be a pricfi upon his throne f . The full atonement which he formerly made, and the everlafting righteoufnefs which he then brought in,— -are what he will for eyer be making a glo- rious exhibition of, on behalf of all the redeem- ed ; as the whole ground of their admiffion into heaven, and everlafting continuance there. That former exercife of his priefthood on earth, will never be out of their eye ; nor will they ever claim any other holding for eternal life : Saying to him, in a continued fong of praife,-^-Ti6(?« ivqftjlain, and haft redeemed us to God by thy blood J, As it is upon the permanent virtue of his prieftly office, finally exercifed on earth in the fhedding of this precious blood, that their heavenly ftate will depend for ever ; fo this w7ill be through a perpetuity of his inter cejfion for them ; Every mo- ment of their continuance in heaven, as well as; their firft accefs into it, muft depend immediate- ly * Rev. xxi. 23. 5 xxii. 5. f Zech. vi. 13. t Rev. v. 9. Covenant of Grace. 363 ly upon the unceafing permanence of his glo- rious fay ; Father, I will that they whom thou haft given me be with me where I am, that they, may be- hold my glory *. • § IV. Jesus Christ will fit on his throne for ever, in the fuller!: glory of his kingly office. As he hath an ejfential kingdom now, in the difpen- fations of Providence ; he hath likewife a media* fory kingdom, in the difpenfations of grace : And this kingdom will endure for ever, when grace fhall be perfected in glory. This is an everlaft* ing dominion, which fhall not pafs away ; his king- dom, which fhall never be deftroyed : It fhall ftand for ever ; and of his kingdom there fhall be no endf* When the Father conilituted him a mediatory King, it was with this arTurance, — -Thy throne, 0 God, is for ever and ever J. As Mediator, he has all power given to him ; not only in earth, but like- wife in heaven : And this gift can never be re- voked, or abolifhed. He will therefore reign for ever in heaven, as the King of faints ; the im- mediate object of all their homage and obedi- ence. When the ftate of eternal glory takes place,— as the throne of God, fo likewife of the Lamb, fhall be in it ; and his fervants fhall ferve him\\. Then * John xvii. 24. f Dan. ii. 44. ; vii. 14. 5 Luke i. 33, t Pfal. xlv. 6. J] Rev. xxii. 3. 364 A View of the Then indeed, — he Jhall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father * : Giving a mofl full and faithful account of all the adminiftra- tion of his mediatory kingdom in the Hate of grace ; fo that he will then have to fay, about his work of application, as formerly about his work of purchafe, — It is jinijhed. And he will then prefent unto the Father, the completed Hate of his mediatory kingdom, in the whole glorified body of his redeemed fubjedls ; faying, — Behold /, and the children whom the Lord hath given me f . His mediatory kingdom, in all the gracious Jiate, or gracious form and adminiit ra- tion of it, will thus be at an end for ever. — And then Jhall the Son befubjecl to him that put all things under him. He had been fo before, during the gracious Hate of his mediatory kingdom ; and he mall then ftill be fo, after delivering up that Hate of his kingdom to the Father. Yet this he never could nor can be, as the Son ; for, in this refpecl:, he is necelfarily the fame in fub- ftance with the Father, — equal in power and in glory. But he fliall then be fubjeel, only in the fenfe of mediatory fubordination ; which there- fore fhall endure for ever, in the perfect and permanent glory of all his mediatory offices. The only fubjeclicn which can be meant in this place, confiftently with his fupreme Godhead, — is an unanfwerable argument for the eternity of * 1 Cor. xv. 24. 28. f Ifa. viii. 18. Covenant of Grace. 365 of his mediatory ftate and kingdom in heaven. —And God fhall be all in all : The Godhead, in the perfons of the Father and Son and Spirit, peculiarly manifefted in the perfon of the Me- diator,— fhall be the immediate fountain of all bleffednefs in all the redeemed ; without any fur- ther intervention of means or ordinances. § V. Jesus Christ will fit on his throne for ever, as an object of worfhip to all his bleiTed creatures in heaven. That edict which God the Father publifhed, at bringing the frfl-begot- ten into the world, has not nor ever will be re- called ; Let all the angels of God worjhip him *. If he was an object of worfhip to angels, amidft all the meannefs of his humbled eftate ; he muft more eminently be fo, as he is now glorified. There will be for ever, round about the throne, the voice of many angels, — in number ten thoufand times ten thoufand, and thoufands of thoufands ; faying with a loud voice, — Worthy is the Lamb that was flain to receive (in worfhipping afcriptions) power, and riches, and wifdom, and flrength, and honour , and glory, and blejjing : They will ever fall before the throne on their faces, and worjhip God in man- hood upon that throne f. Inftead of envying, they will be ever applauding the fovereignty of grace, — in the exaltation of a nature, originally much * Heb. i. 6. f Rev. v. 11, 12. > vii. 11. 366 A View of the much inferior to theirs, unto a far fuperior and inconceivable ftate of glory in the perfon of Chrift. But, in a fpecial manner, all the redeemed will be for ever worfhipping the Lamb in the midft of the throne ; they will ever/#// down and worfhip blm9 cafiing their crowns before the throne , in the deepeft and moft joyful adoration : Their ever- lafling fong of worfhip will be, — Unto him that loved us , and wofhed us from our fins in his own blood; and hath redeemed us to God, out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation ; to hint be glory and dominion , for ever and ever. Amen *. This will be an immediate worfhip, in their direct beholding of him, no more through a vail of means or ordinances : And an unceaiing wor- fhip, without any wearinefs ; in a perfection of degrees, as well as of parts. — Such will ever be the infinite glory, and honour, and bleflednefs of Jesus Christ as Mediator: The very fame perfon who was once a man of forrows and ac- quainted with griefs ; who had once hung moll ignominiouily, as well as painfully, upon the crofs ! SECT- * Rev. i. 5, 6. j iv. 10. -, v. 8, 9. 14. Covenant of Grace. 367 SECT. II. Of the Effed of the Covenant of Grace through Eter- nity > with regard to Chriftians. Many nominal Chriftians will have no place in the heavenly ftate : But all true Chriftians, who were of old elected to eternal life, will be there for ever,— without an exception of one ; in a ftate of eternal glory. However far the bodies of all thofe will then be fpiritual, they will not abfolutely ceafe to be material : And fuch material beings, in a glori- fied condition, muft have a material refidence ; filled with a perfect light of the divine glory.—- This refidence is variouily fet forth in Scripture. It is called new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth right eoufnefs : The city of the living God, the heavenly Jerufalem ; a city which was repre- fented to the Apoftle John, in characters of moil lingular and amazing glory : A houfe not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Yet how far thefe accounts are to be taken in a literal, or how far in a figurative fenfe, cannot now be de- termined : And this whole matter is too incon- ceivable by mortals, for prefuming to deal in any particular conje&ures about it. — But that land of promife, that city of the living God, that heavenly houfe, fuch as it Jhall prove to be, — will be 363 A View of the be for ever filled with glorious inhabitants of redeemed mankind. And we may obferve, that, § I. They will be for ever above, in a ftate of glorious perfeclion. — When Jefus Chrift, de- fcending from heaven, mail fulfil his gracious undertaking to raife them up at the laft day ; the body of each will be raifed in incorruption, in glory, in power : It will be raifed afpiritual body, fuch as we cannot now conceive of ; never more to be any encumbrance to the foul, in its moil fpiritual employments \ For this corruptible muji put on incorruption, and this mortal mult put on im- mortality *. He will thus change their vile body* that it may be fajhioned like unto his glorious body ; in the higher! ftate of perfe&ion that matter can admit off. There is a great difference of glory in celejiial bodies, and bodies terrejlriah there is one glory of the fun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the Jiars \ : Yet all this is as nothing, to the vaft difference betwixt the bo- dies of faints in their mortal ftate,-^-and the fame bodies in the ftate of glory. But, efpecially, their fouls will then be in a ftate of glorious perfe&ion ; all the capacities or faculties thereof will be enlarged in all, as much as their finite natures can admit of. The foul taken to heaven from the womb will be no way inferior, * i Cor. xv. 42, 43, 44. S3- t Phil. i. 21, t 1 Cor. xv. 40; 41. Covenant of G^ace, 3fy inferior, in this refpect, to that which was relea- fed from the body in the ripeft years : For the child Jhall die an hundred years old #. They will all fee face to face, fully qualified for that fight ; and Jhall all know, even as alfo they are known \ : Than which there can be nothing higher, in creature-capacity and attainment. Then that which is perfecl will come : For the fpirits ofjufi men will then be finally made perfecl ', in reunion wTith their glorified bodies J. There are great differences among them in their flate of grace ; as in the fociety of infants, children, and men of full age : But then they will all be come unto a perfecl man, unto the meafure of theflature of the fulnefs of Chrijl || ; which mufl be the fame fta- ture in all. And then Jhall the righteous, all and each, Jhine forth as the fun in the kingdom of their Father *#. Their juflifcation and adoption are perfecl in their flate of grace, equally fo with all, — as to the real nature of thefe high privileges ; though very often much out of fight. But all of them will equally enjoy a perfecl: and mofl blifsful apprehenfion thereof in their heavenly flate : Each having a mofl ravifhing fenfe of their full acceptance in the favour of God, with the high- efl endearments of his children. — And they will t Y y 11 * Ifa. lxv. 20. \ 1 Cor. xiii. 12. % 1 Cor. xiii. 10. j Heb. xii. 23. || Eph. iv. 13. ** Matth. xiii. 43. 37° A View of the all be perfecl, all equally fo, in their fanclifica* tion : As all made like Chrift, when they Jhall fee him as he is ; holy and without blame before God in love, — not having fpot, or wrinkle, or any fuch thing ; all equally walking with him in white rai- ment #. They will then be made kings and priefis unto Cod : — Kings ; partaking in Chrift's glorious do- minion over all his and their enemies, as all of them will be raifed up to/// with him on his throne : And Priefis ; in an eternal miniftry of thank- offerings, on the ground of the peace-offering which he made of himfelff. Their heavenly glory is reprefented in figura- tive terms ; by way of allufion to the higher!: matters of earthly glory. They will be made to inherit the kingdom prepared for them : They will receive a crown of life, a crown of glory ; as in a moil glorious and triumphant ftate of eternal life : And a crown of right eoufnefs ; all appearing in the full glory of the mediatory righteoufnefs put upon them, as meritorious of all their tri- umphant life J. And as it is the fame kingdom that all will enjoy, it muft be the fame crown that all will wear ; becaufe the crown of media- tory righteoufnefs, comprehending the whole, is but one and the fame to all. Such * i John iii. 2. ; Eph. i. 4. ; v. 27. j Rev. iii. 5. •}- Rev. i. 6. j v. 10. ; iii. 21. % Matth. xxv. 34. 5 Rev. ii. 10. $ 1 Pet. v. 4. ; 2 Tim, iv. 8. Covenant of Grace. 371 Such will be their ftate of perfection, in re- fpect of both capacity and enjoyment : So that Chrift will then be glorified in his fnints, and ad- mired in all them that believe ; as ail brought to appear with him in glory, glorified together*. Eve- ry overcomer in the Chriftian warfare pall inhe- rit all things, in him as heir of all things ; they /hall reign for ever and ever f . — The glorious perfec- tion of each in that ftate will exclude all defi- ciency : And, if it could admit of any addition in the fame kind, it would not be perfection. Each of the redeemed will then, in the highefl fenfe of that Scripture, be filled with all the fulnefs of God ; they will have a full enjoying of God, entering into the joy of their Lord : And God will be all in all ; all, not lefs or more in fome, but the fame in all J. If David had to fay, in his gracious enjoyment, My cup runneth over ; much more will each of the redeemed have to fay fo, in their enjoyment of glory ; — when they mail be blefTed with incomprehenfible fulnefs of joy ; not limply entering into them, but they into it : As God will ftill be able to do exceeding abundantly r in the experience of each, above the wideft com- pafs of their thoughts ||. It * 2ThefT. ii. 10. ; Col. ili. 4. 5 Rom. viii. 17. ♦f- Rev. xxi. 7. ; xxii. 5. % Eph. iii. 19. ; Matth. xxv. 21. 23. ; 1 Cor. xv. 28, || Pfal. xxiii. 5. 5 xvi. 11. 5 Eph. iii. 20. 372 A View of the It muft therefore belong to their perfection, the running over of their cup, — that the enjoy- ment and glory of each fhould not only equal, but exceed his own conception. Could one con- ceive of another as fuperior to him in the fame kind, then his conception would be wider than his own attainment; which could not confift with perfection in that attainment : And there can be no place in heaven for this direction and duty belonging to the Hate of grace ; Let your eonverfation be without covetoufnefs, and be content with fuch things as ye have, — ?not envying one ano- ther *. As to the orders of angels mentioned in Scrip- ture,— if thefe do not only mean their different ranks of employment as miniflering fpirits ; it would feem, that the fame mull refer to a diffe- rence in their natures : For were they of diffe- rent orders in the fame nature or kind, they could not all be perfect in that kind. But the redeemed are all of the fame nature ; and will be for ever employed in the fame glorious mini- fy. There can be no place in heaven, for the Po- pifh imagination upon this fubjecl: ; that the pro- portions of the merit of good works, of ufeful- nefs and attainments on earth, — will entitle un- to and obtain proportional rewards in heaven. For no creature-merit can be pleaded or acknow- ledged * Heb. xiii. 5. 5 Gal. v. 26. Covenant of Grace. 373 kdged there. All that faints were and had and did of any good on earth, was all of mere grace ; they made not themfelves to differ : And eter- nal life, as fully enjoyed in heaven, will be wholly the gift of God *. The rich grace of God, mere grace, will ever be celebrated in heaven ; as the original of all their glory. Saints who were of very different fizes when on earth, but all come to the flature of the fulnefs of Chrift in heaven, — will be falling equally down, as it were flat upon their faces, before the throne ; afcribing all their place, and bleffednefs, and glory, — to the free grace of God, and of the Lamb that was flain. § II. They will be for ever above, in a flate of glorious union with Chrift. — There is a mofl wonderful union between Chrift and them, in their ftate of grace. He and they are legally one : They are fuftained, when brought into the ftate of juftiflcation, as one with him, in the eye of the law of the Covenant of Works ; as having ferved and fuffered under that law, to the far- theft extent of its precepts and penalty, in him as their reprefenting head. — And they are^>/- ritually one with him, in their ftate of regene- ration ; which is indeed a great my fiery : He and they are one fpirit ; they are one body, of which he is the head and they the members : They are * Rom. vi. 23. 374 ^ View of the are in him, as the branches are in the vine ; and he liveth in them, as they alfo live in him, — mu- tually and myfterioufly in each other*. Nor is this union between Chrift and them dhTclved by their death ; when that between their foul? and bodies is fo : The union is then made perfect, as to their fouls ; and their bodies, as conftitu- ent parts of Chrift-myftical, are ftill united to him in their graves. But it is in heaven, that this union will be brought to its full glory. There it is, that Chrift will moil erminently and for ever appear as the head of the Church triumphant ; his body, the fulnefs of him that jilleth all in all f . Their life of grace is wholly from him as the true vine, their living head ; feparated from which, they would immediately die : And their life of glory will alfo be fo for ever ; all immediately from their union with him, fecuring a perpetual influx of his glorious life into them. Then will be a glorious verification of his word in heaven, which was gracioufly verified on earth ; he that eateth my flejh and drinketh my blood y dwelleth in me and I in him \. This union with Chrift will be for ever, in- difTolvable. The glorious head never will nor can be feparated from his glorified body ; and it * Eph. v. 30. 32. j 1 Cor. vi. 17. 5 xii. 12. -, John xv. 1, — 5. 5 Gal. ii. 20. f Eph. i. 22, 23. % John vi. 36* Covenant of Grace. 375 it never will nor can be feparated from him. The temple of heaven could not ftand without him, as rilling it with his glorious prefence : And it could not Hand without them as monu- mental pillars, eternal monuments of free grace in that temple *. They will be fo fecured in their union with him, and with the Three-One- God in him, — that they could not lofe their place in heaven, more than he could do fo : He cannot lofe any thing of his own fulnefs, which they will be for ever. As hath been obferved, — Chrift will then be glorified in his faints, and admired in all them that believe. As they will be ever in him, their head of righteoufnefs and life ; he will be ever in them, unto a moft ftriking manifeflation of his glory through them. — In their ftate of grace, according to the meafure and exercife thereof, each carries out a light and favour of Chrift to the obfervation of others ; as the face of Mofes mined, by a derivation from the divine glory, when he came down from the mount. But all this was only a faint dawning of that glorious manifeflation which will be made of Chrift in each of the redeemed ; when he fhall be for ever glorified and admired, not only as in him- felf, but likewife in them, — who will then have the name of God and of the Lamb, manifefted with eternal glory in their foreheads #. §IIL * Rev. iii. 12. \ Rev. xxii. 3, 4, 376 A View of the % III They will be for ever above, in a ftate of glorious communion with Cbrijl.— They have times of fweet communion with him, in their Hate of grace-, though in various degrees, and with various interruptions. For he manifefts himfelf to them, as not unto the world : He fometimes privileges them with a moft com- fortable fenfe of his gracious prefence and ipe- cial love ; he fometimes fpeaks words of grace and promife into their hearts, with inexprefiible fweetnefs,-enabling them to pour out their hearts before him ; he fometimes fills them wttb all joy and peace in believing. Yet all this is but an earned or foretafte of their communion with him in glory ; to be en- Joyed equally by them all, and without any in- terruption for ever. They fhall then fee Urn as he is And then fhall be the full accomplilh- ment of what he had promifed ; / will Jbew you plainly of the Father. Their immediate fight ol £ glorified God-man, and of the Three-One- God in him,-with their capacity for bearing that fight, without being any way confounded by it ; all this we are now to believe, but can- not comprehend. There will be an eternity of communication between Chrift and them.-They will have an inconceivable blefiednefs of entertainment from him • fet forth under this figurative promife, ye Jballeat and drink at my table in my kingdom : So Covenant of Grace. 377 the Lamb which is in- the midfl of the throne Jhall feed them, and Jhall lead them unto living foun- tains of waters ; and God Jhall wipe away alt tears from their eyes *. He will be for ever filling and fatiating them with infinite good, even an influx of his own fulnefs ; with mani- feftations of his own glory* and fheddings abroad of his love through their whole fouls. — And they will be for ever pouring out their whole fouls in love to him, as their all in all : With rap- turous finging of him as theirs ; and of them- felves as not their own, but bought into a ftate of eternal life by the price of his life for them, - — redeemed unto God by his blood. There will be many bodily mouths in hea- ven ; Jefus, and each of the redeemed, will have fuch a mouth for ever : And we are not to fup- pofe, that any of thefe mouths will be fhut or unufed ; while they will be of ufe only for fpeaking, in a language which we cannot now conceive of. And we may well fuppofe, that the fweeteft intercourfes of language will take place between him and them. There will be no ufe or occafion in heaven, for that bleifed book called the Bible: While the perfection of the heavenly ftate will admit of no forgetfulncfs, — as to any gracious things which holy men of God had once fpoken, mo- ved by the Holy Ghoft. And all the Eibie-myite- Zz f ries *Luke xxii. 30.5 Rev. vii. 17. 37^ A View of the ries about the Covenant of Grace, will then be fully opened up ; unto a being far otherwife underftood than now : As an everlafting fubjecl: of language, between Chrift and the redeemed. -—He entertained his difciples with a long and molt affectionate difcourfe, the fame night in which he was betrayed ; on which occaiion he faid to them, — I have yet many things to fay unto you, but ye cannot bear them now*: And thefe many things he faid to them afterwards, during their Apoftolic miniflry, when made able to bear the fame. But a far higher capacity for bearing all that Chrift will be for ever faying in a far higher ftrain, will take place with all the redeemed in heaven : And they will be for ever bleffed with a hearing of his voice ; faying over all thefe things to them, after fuch a man- ner as none of them could have borne in their mortal ftate. And we may well fuppofe, that there will be the fweeteft returns of language on their part : That he and they will have an unceafing inter- change of glorious fpeaking ; conformable to what had pafled between him and them, in their ftate of grace. — None of them will have to fay, as once, five me ; being then fully faved in the Lord with an everlafting falvation : But each of them will ever have to iawy when look- ing up to him upon the throne, / am thine. And * John xvi. 12. Covenant of Grace. 379 And each will have the moft ravifhing return from him ; / have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name, thou art mine. § IV. They will be for ever above, in a ftate of glorious communion with one another. — They are brought into a ftate of gracious union and communion on earth ; they are gathered toge- ther in one, united to Chrift as their Covenant- head and Hufband ;-^-into one fold, as his iheep ; into one church ; into one myftical body : So that they, being many, are one body in Chrift ; and every one members one of another *. From this union, befide their public communion in the Church-ftate, they have a private commu- nion or fellowfhip of religious intercourfe, — yet now very limited ; confined to particular and fmall circles, according to their providential con- nection and acquaintance : In which fellowfhip, they have fweet conferences about Chriit and foul-concerns ; with joint addreffes to him in prayer. But their fpiritual communion will be glori- oufly extended and advanced in heaven. There, they will enjoy a full effect of Chrift's intercef- fion concerning them ; as expreffed in words which bear a much higher meaning than we can now underftand : That they all may be one in us, as thou Father art in me and I in thee ; that * Rom. xii. 5. 380 A View of the that they alfo may be one in us *. And the com- munion refulting from fuch an union, as well as the other glories of the heavenly ftate which have been fpoken of,— can be but very imper- fectly underftood by any, during their earthly ftate ; when, at bell, as to thefe matters, — one can but fpeak as a child, and underftand as a child, and think as a child : Yet fuch accounts of them are to be gathered, or reafonably infer- red from the holy Scriptures, as may fuffice for fome endearing profpecl thereof, — till that which is perfedb is come f . From * John xvii. 21. + 1 Cor. xiii. 10, II. •f The Scriptures teftify,— that God will bring every work into judgment, with every fecret thing j whether it be good, Or whether it be evil : And that every idle word that men Jhall fpeak, they fh all give account thereof in the day of judg- ment : And that then God fkall judge the fecrets oj men, and bring upon them the fruit of their thoughts : And that we pwfl all appear before the judgment-feat of Chrifl s that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. And it is eflen- tial to the character of the juil Judge,— that he will be ju- flifed when hejpeaketh, clear when he judgeth ; juftified and cleared, a's to the truth and equity of his judgment, in the conviction of thofe judged : That their mouths will be flop- ped, without any excufe j f elf condemned, by the teftimony of their own confciences; — as to every, even the minuteft particulars, of thofe matters for which they will be con- demned by him. The books will then be opened ; and it is not queflioned, that of thefe the book of corf cie nee is one. It Covenant of Grace. 381 From the perfection of their (late, and the in- timacy of their union, — we may well fuppofe, that there will be no unacquaintance among the individuals of the redeemed in heaven : That the particularities ot their acquaintance on earth, inftead of being extinguithed, will be im- proved ; but that it will like wife extend, with- out any confinement, through the nations of them which are faved, — though in a manner far above our prefent apprehenfions. The firft man, from the perfection of his ori- ginal knowledge, immediately difcerned the for- mation and character of the firft woman ; though he had been in a deep fleep, when fhe was formed out of him. Mofes and Elias, on the mount of transfiguration, carried out a direct It is peculiar to his judgment, — that he condemns none, without a witnefs in themielves to thofe things for which he condemns them : None will be capable of pretending inno- cence or ignorance, as to any of the thoughts or words or deeds for which they will be condemned. Ail this muft infer a mod wonderful, and to us (now) an incredible-like power of memories and confeiences in the day of judgment ; with regard to every thing which had pafled within men, and had been faid and done by them, as to both matter and manner, — from their firft exercife of rea- fon, to their death ! May not then all the particularities of knowledge, recol- lections and intercourfes, now alcribed to the faints in hea- ven,— be reafonably inferred from their perfeElion ; an4 from their onenefs among themielves, as all one in Chrift ? 382 A View of the direct evidence of who they were, — even to the eyes of mortal difciples ; who appear not to have afked, as not needing to afk, any informa- tion upon that fubjecl:. And much more, we may fuppofe, all the faved people who mail meet in heaven will have a direct and fatisfying knowledge of one another, — even of thofe whofe exiflence they never knew till meeting there ; without one needing to enquire concerning another, who he is. What a glorious acquaint- ance and intimacy mull thus take place, among all thofe who will be then moil perfectly one in Chrift * ! And * In our prefent ftate, we can judge nothing about the nature of that knowledge which will take place in heaven. With regard to God, the redeemed WiWfee face to face, and know even as alfo they are known ; an attainment of which we can now form no particular conception. With regard to one another, for any thing that we can judge, each may fbmeway have a direcl or intuitive apprehenfion of others, as to who and whence they are j with all the con- cerns of their introduction into the ftate of grace, — and of the Lord's manifold ways of carrying them forward in it, through the wildernefs of this world, till their arrival in the heavenly Canaan. This implies no abfurdity, nor any in- confiftency with Scripture ; but may rather be inferred from its account of the perfetlion in heaven. And it is no farther above our comprehenfion, than what the Scripture teftjfies about their knowledge of God : For, when fo won- derfully manifefting himfelf,— he can mod eafily and imme- diately lay all thefe things open to them, as parts of his own Covenant of Grace. 38 -t And there will be for ever a fweet, a raptu- rous communication of language among them. The glorified Jefus, the Lamb in the midft of the throne, — will be the peculiar and everlalt- ing fubjecl of their difcourfe : While each of them, looking up to him, will have to ling, in a far higher (train than ever they could do on earth ; My Beloved is mine, and I am his ! No- thing will be forgotten among them, of all the words of grace and promife -which had been gi- ven to them on earth ; particularly, fuch as had been favingly blelfed to them in their feveral experiences. David had faid to the Lord, and had faid it as an example of his fellow-faints, / will not forget thy word ; I will remember the works of the Lord; Surely I will remember thy wonders of old: And all that vowed remem- brance of his word, his works, his wonders,— mult certainly be brought to perfection in hea- ven, without any forgetfulnefs thereof for ever ! Molt ravilhing and inexhaultible themes of difcourfe, they will thus have in heaven ; about all God's gracious words and works and wonders, — now fet forth in the Bible : About the glori- ous Perfons in the eternal Godhead ; about all the councils of the divine will and wifdom from eternity, as all laid open in a glorious comple- tion own works and ways j for their being in a perfect capacity to praife him about one another, as well as feverally about themfelves. 384 A View of the tion of the whole ; about the wonderful perfon of Chrift, and all his falvation ; about the Cove- nant of Grace, — in its eftablifhment, accomplish- ment, and effect ; about all the ways and won- ders of God's providence, then fully unravelled ; — efpecially about all his works of grace in the Church ; and his gracious dealings with each of them, in their generations ! Of all which themes they will then have a quite other comprehenfion, than they ever had in their (late of grace. § V. They will be for ever above, in a ftate of glorious employment. Some declaration hereof was made, in the view which hath been already given of the glories of their heavenly ftate. — They will never have any vacancy o? employ- ment in that ftate. They will then indeed reft from their labours, from all fuch toilfome work as in their earthly ftate ; from all thofe fervices and exercifes, often under much heavinefs, which were peculiar to their courfe of pilgrimage. Yet then they reft not day and flight, an earthly way of exprefling the moft inceftant activity ; through that inconceivable eternity, which will contain no fucceflion of fuch periods. But there will never be any wearinefs in that employment \ they will be ever frefh in it, as it will be ever new to them. Variety and viciffitude is eften- tial to any happinefs that we can enjoy or con- ceive of on earth ; but this is owing to the im- perfection Covenant of Grace. 385 perfection which lies in the nature of all tempo- ral enjoyments and exertions. When that which is perfecl is come, in both thefe refpedts ; it mull exclude all exiftence, with all ideas, of any va- rieties or vicimtudes for ever. The principal and ultimate employment of the redeemed in heaven, to which all other will be fubfervient and finally reduced, — will be the worfhip of everlafling praife to the Three-One- God, in and through the perfon of the glorious Mediator ; they will for ever praife him in the heights ofZion. Such as this will be their ever- lafling language : — Great and marvellous are i by works, Lord God Almighty ; jufi and true are thy ways, thou King of faints : Thou art worthy, 0 Lord, to receive glory and honour and power ; for thou haft created all things, and for thy pleafure they are and were created : Bleffmg, and honour, and glory and power, be unto him thatfitteih upon the throne ; and to the Lamb for ever and ever : Salvation, and glo- ry, and honour and power unto the Lord our God*. And the regions of heaven will refound for ever, with the voices of the redeemed ; in moft rap- turous addrefTes to one another, — Hallelujah, Praife ye the Lord I There was once a hellifh rapture on earth, which perhaps never had a parallel in this world ; when a great multitude all with one voice, about the f pace of two hours, cried out^ Great is Di- A a a 1 ana * Rev. xv. 3. 5 iv. 11. 5 v. 13. 5 xix. 1. 386 A View of the ana of the Ephefians. Strange ; that the wicked tranfport was maintained, that their fpirits and voices were got fo kept up, — about the fpace of two hours ! — But this heavenly rapture will continue quite unabated for ever and ever : Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praifed, and his greatnefs is unfearchable : — 0 how great is thy goodnefs9 which thou haft laid up for them that feared thee ; which thou haft wrought for them that trufted in thee, be- fore the fans of men *• The redeemed will have infinite matter of praife, of a nature common to them all. But they will alfo hzvefpecial matter of praife, all of them feverally ; each for himfelf. They will then be refpectively employed in an eternal and wonder- ing review, of all the Lord's peculiar dealings writh them ; through all the days of their pil- grimage : Nothing will ever efcape their remem- brance and obfervation, as to his providential difpofals of them and concerning them on earth ; and, efpecially, as to all his gracious procedure with them, — in beginning, carrying on, and perfecting the good work in their fouls. Each wall have to tell another, what the Lord hath done for his foul ; but will, efpecially, be ever telling it all over to God, in holy rapture, — to the praife of the glory of his grace. — Some will alfo have to praife him, for the ufe which he had been pleafed to make of their miniftry in the Church ; * Pfal. cxlv. 3. 5 xxxl. 19. Covenant of Grace. 387^ Church ; while others will have their benefits by that miniftry for the matter of their praife *. And with regard to the manifold matters of their contemplation, or of their communications with one another, both common and fpecial, — their views will not terminate on any of thefe things. They will be taking up the manifefta- tions of the divine glory therein ; the enlivening and healing rays of the Sun of Right eoufnefs, as having paiTed forth upon them and through them, in all his ways of grace toward them : And fo they will be tracing all up, in thankful praife, to the glorious centre of all their light and life ; afcribing all to him as ever in their eye, upon his throne high and lifted up. None of them will glory in themfelves, in their own understanding and knowledge ; in any of their attainments, experiences or exercifes. They will then be in a Hate of perfect compli- ance with the call ; He that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord : Or, as it is in another pafTage, which ought to be rendered \~Let him that glo- rieth glory in this (under/landing and knowing me), that I am the Lord ; which exercife loving-kindnefs , judgment and righteoufnefs in the earth, (continuing that exercife in heaven according to the ftate thereof) ; for in thefe things / delight, faith the Lord -f. — So it will be, when the ranfomed of the Lord * Phil. ii. 16, 17. $ 1 Theff. ii. 19, 20, f- 1 Cor. i. 31.5 Jer, be. 24. 388 A View of the Lord Jhall (in the high eft fenfe) return and come to Zion with fongs, and ever lofting joy upon their heads: They Jhall obtain joy and gladnefs> and for- row andfghing jhall flee away *. CONCLUSION. Some exhibition hath been now efTayed, of that wonderful Covenant of Grace which Je- hovah made with his Chosen \ in the eftablijh- ment of it from eternity, the accomplijhment of it in time, and the effecl of it through eternity. It is the chief of all his ways ; of his eternal councils, and temporal difpenfations : To have a full effecl in heaven for ever ; as the fure foun- dation of eternal life and glory and gloriation, among the nations of them which are faved,-— the great fubjec~t of their eternal admiration and praife, as filling heaven with the infinite and amiable glory of free grace. But inconceivably different and oppofite will be the everlafting effect of the broken Covenant of Works, — upon all who die under it ; filling hell with the dreadful and fpotlefs glory of vindictive juftice. They will then be funk to an unfathom- able depth of mifery, under moil woful extremi- ties of want and torment, in regions of abfolute and endlefs night ; without any hope of alteration or alleviation, — for ever and ever and ever. At the * Ifa. xxxvo 10. Covenant of Grace. 389 the fame time, thefe who die under the Covenant of Grace will be advanced to an inconceivable height of happinefs in realms of abfolute and endlefs day ; to a full enjoying of all good, in God himfelf : Without any fear of alteration or abatement in their blefTednefs, — for ever and ever and EVER. How overwhelming, to a finite mind, is the thought of eternity in thefe oppofite condi- tions : A perpetual and invariable Hate of dura- tion, the beginning of which is ever prefent ; fo that no alteration or end of it, at any imaginable diflance, ever approaches ! How confounding is the thought of fuch duration, in extremity of woe ; but how ravifhing, in extremity of happi- nefs ! Infinitely then doth it concern all, to be taking hold of God's Covenant of Grace by faith, while now they have an opportunity for doing fo ; as the only way of flying from the wrath to come : The only way of departing from hell be- neath ; and of being exalted, upon the infallible ground of the Redeemer's righteoufnefs, to a ftate of everlafting happinefs and glory in hea- ven. 4^MA» th*> SACRED SACRED CONTEMPLATIONS: PART THIRD. A VIEW OF THE ABSOLUTE and IMMEDIATE DEPENDENCE of all Things on GOD: in a Discourse concerning LIBERTY and NECESSITY For of him, and through him, and to him are all things ; to whom be glory for ever. Amen, Rom. xi. 36. 0 qui perpetua mundum ratione gubernas ! 'Terrarum ccelique fator I qui tempus ah a?vo Irejubes ; Jlabilifque manens das cuntla moveri ! Quern non externa pepulerunt fingere caufce, Mat e rice jluitantis opus ! Boetius, [In E nglis h.] O thou who rul'ft, with wife and pow'rful fway, The worlds of earth and heaven, night and day, Thine handyworks ! Who, ever fince begun, Still calleft time his daily courfe to run i Who, ftill immoveable, doft all things move ; Both on the earth, and in the heav'ns above ! Whom no external caufes did impel, The mighty work to make and manage well, Of flucluating matter ! C 393 ] ***************++W++** We are taught, as hath been explained, that man's prefent ftate is his primitive ftate ; that he is ftill bearing his original part in the vaft machine, fulfilling the ends for which he was defigned. And how could man, in this condition, * P. 309. 4^2 A Discourse of condition, be an object of God's wrath and vin- dictive juftice ? Mull it not be# abfurd to ima- gine, that any thing of God's own doing, as to his way of conflituting the vail machine, — could be the object of his wrath and vindictive juftice ? Accordingly, in the Effayer's doctrine about the Deity, when he propofes nothing lefs than " to " take a general view of the attributes which be- " long to the great Being ;" he admits no attri- butes into that general view, — but unity », power, intelligence, and pure benevolence : An allegement not obfcure, that no fuch attribute as vindiclive juftice can belong to the Deity. idly, We are taught, " that all human actions " proceed in a fixed and necefiary train ;" that God hath fo endued and placed man, that " it " is impoffible that he fhould will or chufe other- " wife than in fact he wills and chufes ;" that " comparing together the moral and the mate- " rial world, every thing is as much the refult " of eftablifhed laws in the one as in the other :" That as " every motion in the material," fo " every determination and action in the moral " wTorld are directed by immutable laws ; fo " that, whilft thefe laws remain in force, not the M fmalleft link of the univerfal chain of caufes " and effects can be broken, nor any thing be " otherwife than it is ;" and " that it is a regu- u lar train of caufes and effects in the moral as " well as material world," which " thefe laws " produce, Liberty and Necessity. 423 " produce, — bringing about thofe events which " are comprehended in the original plan, and ad- " mitting the poffibility of none other." All this is taught, and more to the fame purpofe. Now, can any mind reconcile thefe things with the idea of man's account ablenefs to God, as an object of blame ; of his being accountable for any thing, to God as an offended and righteous Judge ? Can God feek, or find fault with the want of original impojjibilities f Can God be of- fended at the eftablifhed laws of nature, in their mofl necefTary product, when they are laws of his own eftablilhing ? Can God be offended at any thing in the moral world, more than in the material world ; if there be ftill a regular train of caufes and effects, according to the laws of nature, bringing about thefe events which are comprehended in the original plan,' — through all the one world, as much as through the other ? Or, if any blame can be found in all this, how can it lie at man's door, who did not make thofe eftablifhed and immutable laws ; but is only living in a regular fubjection to them, with all his actions " in a fixed and necefTary train" of conformity to thofe laws which God has made ? ^dly, To the fame purpofe, we may confider the doctrine of this new fcheme about motives. A wonderful power is afcribed to thefe, fo that every thing of a man's behaviour is made to turn abfolutely upon them,— We are told, that " the " exi/ience 424 A Discourse of " exijlence of a motive being once fuppofed, the " mind is necejfarily determined ; fo that every in- " clination and choice is unavoidably caufed or " occafioned by the prevailing motive," what- ever happens to be the ftrongeft of any motives that come in a man's way. Once fuppofe an impreflion made by this motive, then all goes of courfe, in a chain of molt fatal and adamantine neceffity ; the laft judgment of the under/landing, the willy and the external action, — neceflarily fol- low, in the moft inviolable train of abfolute ne- ceffity. And we are taught alfo, that the mind is pailive, as to that impreflion of the motive which carries all fo dreadfully before it ; that man's " mind is paflive, in receiving impreffions " of things as good or iH," — in receiving them, to that infallible and unavoidable iflue which has been mentioned. Accordingly we are told, that " motives are not under our power or di- " reclion ;" that " our defires obvioufly are not " under our power," as being " raifed by means" (thefe motives) u that depend not upon us ;" that therefore " neither can our actions be un- " der our power :" So that, upon the whole, every man " is fubje&ed by a neceflary law to " the choice of evil, if evil happen to be the pre- " vailing motive," or the ftrongeft of thofe mo- tives that come in the mind's way ; while all this law about motives is a law of God's own making. Liberty and Necessity. 425 making, in the original constitution of the vaft machine. And how can the leaft room be found, if the cafe were as above, for any blamablenefs and punifhablene-fs of any human adtions ? There is no poinbility of blame getting leave to reit a moment, any where in all this fyftem ; unlefs it be all rolled over upon the fatal motive, which God only is accountable for. 4/Z?/y, It cannot falve the difficulty one whit, to make man any way accountable for his actions, — that he has a natural fenfe of contingency in events, and liberty in actions : When all this fenfe is taught to be delujive, a mere deceit in the conftitution of human nature. — For in what flate is a man's foul*, particularly his will, faid to be, with refpecl to motives which no way de- pend on him ? Juft fuch as a weathercock is in, with refpecl: to the wind : And though he has a fenfe of felf-motion, a fenfe of fpontaneous or voluntary acting ; yet all this is juft as if a wea- f F f f thercock * According to this fcheme, all the workings of the mind, the moll fleeting thought, the moll idle fancy, — are all under the fame neceflity with the motions of the will : All neceflarily linked into the great chain of caufes and ef- fects, under an utter impoffibility (from the beginning) of having been otherwife than they are \ fo that the want of any one of thefe thoughts or fancies, out of any one mind fmce the creation, — would have broke the chain, and laid the whole frame of nature in ruins X 426 A Discourse of thercock were endued with an imagination of its making its own motions, while every body fees that the wind makes them all. Now, though a man mould have a moft cutting re- morfe, in a fenfe of blame and liablenefs to pu- nifhment for any thing he has done ; mud not all this remorfe be a vain fancy, — while his fenfe of blame and liablenefs to punifhment for any actions, cannot mifs to be as delufive as his fenfe of liberty about thefe fame actions ? All this fenfe and remorfe can be owing only to its be- ing hid from him that he is a necejfary agent ; no more accountable for any thing, at bottom, than a weathercock is for its motions. And whatever the remorfe may be, whatever may be the fenfe of blame and liablenefs to punifhment for his actions ; yet can we fuppofe that God's proce- dure is to be regulated by the man's groundlefs remorfe ? Can we fuppofe that God will punifh him, for a matter of blame which has no being, except in the man's own fancy ? Can God, who fees well enough through all the vain imagina- tion, proceed againfl a man upon imaginary grounds, without any real ground at all ? And, according to this new fcheme, what can be the only proper relief to a man, with refpect to any remorfe or blot upon his confcience ? There can be no room here for any thing of what Chriftians believe, about the purging of a man's confcience and the redemption of his guilty Liberty and Necessity. 427 guilty foul. All that he can have ado is juft this, — That he fhould labour, with the affiftance of fome penetrating philofopher, to get* into the deadfecret of univerfal neceflity ; to fee himfelf abfolutely under the influence of motives, which no more depend on him than the wind does on a weathercock, — are no more under his power or direction, than the wind is under its : And to fee that all this fatal wind of motives, which manages him with the molt abfolute control, is a wind of God's railing and keeping up, in the eftabliihed and immutable laws of nature. — It is molt evident, that according to the impref- fion a man may get his mind under of all this, which belongs to the very vitals of the new fcheme ; accordingly will his confcience be clear- ed, and quite fatisfied, take what courfe he will. $thly, The EJfayer was feniible enough, that no blame or punifhablenefs could be well made to turn upon a man's aflions, — if the fenfe of li- berty be a delufive fenfe : And therefore, in the fecond edition, he makes it to turn upon the difpofition, frame, or temper of the mind. Thus he fays, — " that praife and blame reft ultimate- " ly upon the difpofition or frame of mind ; that " a virtuous difpolition is the only object of " praife, and a vicious difpofition the only objecl: " of blame*." " And indeed as every action " doth * P. 14* 42^ A Discourse of " doth in effed proceed from an internal came, " viz. A virtuous or vicious temper ; praife or t€ blame muft ultimately reft upon this caufe, " and not upon the external action, or the power " of acting *." It may be obferved here, that Chriflians have always reckoned tranfgreffions of God's law to be a direct and immediate ground of blame and punifhment, — over and above the vicious difpo- fition from which thefe proceed. Befides, it will never be found in fact, that the challenges of confcience turn upon the vicioufnels of man's difpofition, overlooking the vicious actions which proceed from it ; but that they alfo turn imme- diately on the vicious actions, as what cannot be excufcd by the vicious difpoiition. And how could a judge condemn a murderer to death, — not for his external action of committing murder, as not reckoning that a blamable action ; but only for the vicious difpofition from which he com- mitted it : When it is only for his external action that the jury finds him guilty, and that he fuffers accordingly ! However, the turning over of blame and pu- nifhablenefs upon the difpofition, could no way mend the matter. For how is it that any man has come by this vicious difpoiition, frame, or temper of mind ? It is juft fuch, according to the prefent fchems, as God endued the man with, * P. 148. Liberty and Necessity. 429 in the original plan and conftitution of the vaft machine : It is juft the difpofition which the man has originally from God, upon the fame footing as every thing elfe has its particular na- ture from him ; according to the eftablifhed and immutable laws of nature. And can God blame or punifh his own doing, in this cafe ? Can he blame or punilh any of the fprings or wheels which he originally put into the vail machine, more than any of their unerring operations ? • Moreover, feeing man is under the fame fort of neceflity about his difpofition as about his actions ; mull there not be as much delufion in a fenfe of blame and punifhablenefs on account of his difpofition, as in a fenfe of it on account of his actions ? His vicious difpofition may be an object of diflike or hatred, in itfelf confider- ed, — as fome ugly or hurtful beafts are ; or it may be a ground of pity and forrow, like bodily difeafes : But no moral blame or punifhablenefs can belong to the man, in this cafe, — more than to the beafts or difeafes. In all this matter, we are arguing no other- wife from the EfTayer's principles of neceflity than he himfelf once did. Some of his reafon- ings from thefe principles in his firfl edition, are indeed dropped in the fecond : But as the fame principles are retained in the fecond edition, the fame reafonings from them are what no man will be able to overthrow,— without overthrow- ing 43° A Discourse of ing the principles themfelves. The reafonings meant are fiich as thefe, which he ufes in his firft edition, viz. " We muft therefore admit, " that the idea of freedom, or a power of regu- u lating our will and actions according to cer- " tain rules, is effential to the moral feeling. " On the fyftem of univerfal necefiity, abftracted " from this feeling," (which is delujive, as he teaches) ; " though certain affections and actions " might excite our approbation, and others our " diflike, there could be no place for blame or " remorfe*." M Suppofe man to fee and con- 14 ceive his own nature, and the conftitution of 44 all things, in the light of Uriel philofophic " truth, in the fame light they are beheld by " the Deity ; to conceive himfelf, and all his " actions, neceflarily linked into the great chain " of caufes and effects, which renders the whole «' order, both of the natural and moral world, " unalterably determined in every article : — " And what would follow ? — We would feel — " no remorfe in doing ill ; — there would be no " more place for — blame among mankind ; — no " more notion of accountablenefs for the ufe of " their rational powers ; no fenfe of ill defert " or juft punifhment annexed to crimes as their " due ; — there would be field for no other paf- " fions but love and hatred, forrow and pity ; " and the fenfe of duty, of being obliged to cer- " tain * P. 199. Liberty and Necessity. 431 M tain things which we ought to perform, muft be " quite extinguiflied : For we can have no con- " ception of moral obligation, without fuppofing 11 a power in the agent over his own actions * ;" a power which men are affirmed to have only a delujive fenfe of, without any reality of the thing. § VI. According to this fcheme, there is no room in the fyfiem of the world, for any thing of what Chrijiians believe,— as to God's miraculous and fupernatural difpenfations Jince the beginning of the world. The Scripture contains many ftriking accounts of fuch difpenfations ; fome of them to be a Handing matter of everlafting wonder, among men and angels. There are his miracles in the univerfal deluge, in the con- fufion of tongues at Babel, in the deftruction of Sodom and Gomorrah ; his miracles in Egypt, at the Redfea, at Sinai, in all his conduct of Ifrael through the wildernefs, at Jordan, at Jericho ; his miraculous Hopping of the fun's courfe in the days of Jojhua, his miraculous turning of it back in the days of Hezekiah, and his miracu- lous transformations of Nebuchadnezzar, — with other wonders of Old-Teftament times ; — and there are the many miracles which were wrought by our Lord and his Apoftles : But above all, there is the great fupernatural wonder of the incarnation * P. 204, 205, 206, 432 A Discourse of incarnation of the eternal Son of God ; his mi- niftry in this world; his obedience unto the death of the crofs, with the wonders which at- tended it ; his refur recti on from the dead, and his triumphant afcenfion into glory. Now, what are we to think of all thefe things, according to the new fcheme of univerfal necef- fity ? Either that there never were any fuch things : Or that they were all tilings of courfe, according to the eftablifhed and immutable laws of nature ; juft the product of the unerring ope- rations of the fprings and wheels of the vaft ma- chine, as every other thing, beyond all poffibili- ty of having been otherwife ; nothing more of God's interpofal in any of thefe things, than in Nero's burning Rome and murdering his mo- ther. For, as we have feen, the fcheme leaves no room for God to have ever broken in upon the goings of the vail machine, — by doing any thing againft, beyond, or befide its neceflary courfe. The mocking blafphemy as well as falfehood of fuch a fcheme, efpecially in the prefent view of it, needs not be enlarged up- on. § VII. According to this fcheme, there is no room in the fyjlem of the world, for any fuch thing as God's addreffes to men. — The Scripture con* tains manifold accounts of his addrefiing him- felf to men ; in precepts and calls, in promifes and Liberty and Necessity. 433 *ind threatenings. Bat how could thefe things be, according to the new fchcme of univerfal neceflity ? How could God require men to do or abftain from any thing \ if neither doing nor abftaining belongs to them, but juft as they are delufively moved by the immutable laws of na- ture,— under an abfolute impoflibility of things being otherwife with them, than as thefe laws neceiTarily and infallibly make the fame to be ? And how could God either promife or threaten to do any thing ; if no doing at all (nought but onlooking) belongs to him in this world, ever fince he winded up the vaft machine and fet it a-going, — nature doing all, and the God of na- ture nothing ? § VIII. According to this fcheme, there is no room in thefyflem of the world for any fuch thing as mens addrejfes to God. — The Scripture repre- fents it as every way competent for men, and highly incumbent upon them, that they mould pay homage to God ; in humble confeilions of their fin, thankful acknowledgments of his goodnefs, earneft deprecations of his deferved judgments, and fervent fupplications for his free mercies : While the Calvinift fcheme of liberty and neceflity leaves the fulleft room for all this. It owns the greatefl reality of man's guiltinefs, to be humbly confefled ; and it owns the great- eft reality of God's goodnefs, as he is a conti- t G gg nual 434 A Discourse of nuai and immediate worker in the courfe of providence, — to be thankfully acknowledged. Moreover, according to the Calvinift fcheme, — though God be of one mind, unchangeable in his counfels, invariable as to his accomplifh- ments of them, and incapable of taking new meafures ; yet Hill there is the greater! proprie- ty of earnefi deprecations, and of fervent fup- plications : As thefe are a due homage to the univerfal LORD ; — and as they are among the means which he has appointed and brings about, through which his ends are gained. His favourable difpenfations do thus moil myfteri- oufly turn out, — as both an accomplifhment of his own purpofes, and an anfwer to the pray- ers of his people : While, all along, he is confi- dered as a free agent, fubjecled to no immu- table laws of nature ; turning about fecond caufes. by the; bridle of his providence as he fees meet, even abltradting from miraculous difpen- fations. But how can any fuch things take place, ac- cording to the new fcheme of univerfal necefii- ty ? If it hold, man has really nothing to con- fers : Nor can he have God to thank, for doing or giving any good ; further than to praife him for fetting up the vaft machine, as what does and gives all of courfe. Thus, the Effliys are concluded with a very new cafl of praife ; in an addrefs to the Eternal Mind, only as thzfove reign Architett Liberty and Necessity. 435 ArchiteEl of all: In which addrefs there is not a word of confeffion, as to any thing wrong or wanting about men ; nor a word of thankfgi- ving for any good, further than as coming in the fatal courfe of nature. Neither is there, in that addrefs to God, a word of deprecation for his averting any deferved ills ; nor a word of petition, for his doing or giving any good : And no wonder, if there be no room left for his averting, or doing, or giving any thing at all, further than in letting the eftablifhed and im- mutable laws of nature take their courfe ; as laws which can admit of no continued inter- polition of his power, one way or other. What then muft be thought of all prayers to God ? What muft be thought of all folemn hu- miliations before him, with deprecations of his judgments, — in times of burning droughts, of rotting rains, of inundations ; of any unfavour- able feafons, of famine, of peftilence, of war, — of any calamities, diftreifes or dangers what- ever ? All fuch addreiTes to God muft be rec- koned quite improper, and abfolutely vain. There is no room left for them ; while there is no room left for God to regard them, or to make any interpofals at all on our behalf: And nothing can remain for us, but to take all as it comes, in the fatal neceffity of nature's courfe, —without any fuch vain and miftaken acknow- ledgments of God ; if the fame fatal neceffity binds 436 A Discourse of binds him up, to be but an onlooker as to the whole. § IX. According to this fcheme, there is no room in the fyftem of the world for any thing of what Chrijlians believe, — as to God's diftingui/h- ing and wonderful difpenfations toward men in a Church-Jlate, from the beginning of the world till now. What a glorious bulk do thefe difpen- fations bear, — in the holy Scriptures, in the courfe of providence, and in the faith of Chri- itians ? — But what mull we think of all thefe, according to the new fcheme of univerfal ne- ceffity ? What mull we think of the Jewifi. Church-Hate,- — in all that belonged to its erec- tion, ordinances, worQiip, vicillimdes, and abo- lilhment ; of the Chrijlian Church-Hate, in break- ing down the wall of partition between Jews and Gentiles, — with all the triumphs of the glorious Mediator, in forming and managing his Church among the heathen ; of all the difpenfation of ordinances in the Gofpel-church, and all their fuccefs, with all her deformations and reforma- tions ; of the Church's trials under, and triumph over Rome Pagan; of Antichrift's rife and progrefs, — with all God's appearances for his Church, againll that myltical Babylon; of all his lingular judgments and mercies hitherto, concerning the Church-Hate; — yea of all the gracious Liberty and Necessity. 437 gracious changes that have ever been wrought in the fouls of men ? Thefe are great things indeed, of a very di- ftinguifhing nature : But what muft we think of them all, according to the new fcheme ? Juft that they were not at all \ or were all things of courfe, in the unerring operations of the fprings and wheels of the vaft machine : That (fo far as they are at all) they are all the product of the eftablifhed and immutable laws of nature, neceifarily linked into the great chain of caufes and effects, — under an impoffibility, from the be- ginning, of having been any otherwife ; juft on a level with every thing elfe that takes place in the world, all on the fame footing of neceffity in nature's courfe, — without any particular in- terpofition of the God of nature: So that we muft be reckoned to have gofpel-ordinances on the fame footing of neceffity with civil offices, and Bibles on the fame footing of neceffity with any other books ; nothing more of God in the one cafe, than in the other ! And what muft we think of all the pro- phecies which God has given out in the Church ; many of which have been molt exactly fulfilled, and others of them yet remain to be fo ? We muft juft think that they are God's foretelling' of things, from his full infight into the laws of nature, — or from his forefeeing what thefe laws would neceffarily produce, in the fatal chain of 438 ^ Discourse of of caufes and effects: So that his prophecies muft be reckoned to have come forth on the fame footing, with an aftronomer's foretelling an eclipfe ; without any difference, but what refpedts the greater degree of God's infight into thefe eftablifhed laws of nature ? § X. According to this fcheme, there is m room for what Chrijiians believe, as to the dif- plays of God's juflice and grace in the eternal ft ate of men.— -If it be admitted as a fad, that fome of mankind are to have a moft grievous eternity in hell, and others of them a moft glorious eter- nity in heaven ; then what mull we think of all this, according to the new fcheme of univerfal neceffity ? We cannot be allowed to think, that the juftice of God is to have any thing ado in the one cafe, — or the grace of God in the other. Everlafting damnation and everlafting falvation, muft only be coniidered as the final iffue of the unerring operations of the fprings and wheels of the valt machine ; all coming of courfe, as the neceffary refult of the immutable laws of na- ture : Divine juftice and divine grace, with all the concerns of the divine glory in the exercife of thefe high attributes, being finally excluded, — both out of this world, and alfo the world to come! Such Liberty and Necessity. 439 Such as hath been reprefented is the real im- port, and fuch are the neceflary confequences, —of the Effhyer's fcheme about liberty and ne- ceffity : A fcheme which evidently means a moft defperate and blafphemous oppolition to the whole fyftem of Christianity ; to the Glory of God, and the eternal Good of mankind. CHAPTER II. Of the Chriftian and rational Scheme of Liberty and Necejfity. HAVING now demolifhed a fabric of moil mocking infidelity and abfurdity ; we pro- ceed, on God's behalf, to build a fabric of Chrifti- anity and reafon upon its ruins. The cafe of Liberty and Necejfity is a fubject on which a great deal has been wrote, with much nicety of fpeculation : And there is a ha- zard of running into fuch refinements upon it, as are ready to confound or efcape the gripe of any man's underftanding. But there is no ne- cefhty here, of fuch fubtilizing in this matter. It is defigned to abftain, fo far as poffible, from a courfe of abftrufe reafonings ; explaining the fubject 44<> A Discourse of fubjec~t ia fuch a manner, as may fall within the cognizance of ordinary readers. There is one great evil to be guarded againfT here, of fubftituting mere imaginations for reali- ties.— God's world is full of myfteries to us ; of deeps which the line of our underflanding can- not fathom. And when the pride of the under- flanding cannot be gratified, by fuch a compre- henfion of God's world as it would be at ; fome are ready to fet up an imaginary world in the place of it, a creature of their own fancy, which they can better fee through and explain, — palm- ing this upon men, for the world that God hath made and manages : Which will be found to be the amount of more fafhionable fchemes than one. Let us then endeavour to fatisfy ourfelves with taking things as they are ; and with fuch a view of them as our minds may foberly at- tain. The doctrine of Liberty and Necejfity is of a twofold confideration, as it refpecls the material and the moral world \ which are therefore to be diflinclly handled. SECT. I. Of Liberty and Necejfity in the material World. What is called liberty in the material world, is more properly called contingency or chance. Yet the Liberty and Necessity. 441 the character of liberty is not improper ; fo far as it denotes that every part of the material world, confidered abflraclly in the nature of the thing, — is perfectly//-^, loofe and difconne&ed with regard to every other part of it : In oppo- lition to the fancy of all thefe parts being, from their own nature, as fo many links of a great chain ; each holding fall, and drawing another^ after it. But in order to a diftincl view of this liberty, this contingency or chance ; it will be proper to begin with a view of that necejftty which belongs to the material world. Art. I. Of Neceffity in the material World. § L. We cannot particularly underftand what matter is \ what that fubject is to which many vifible properties belong, confidered abftra&ly from thefe properties : And fome philofophers have fallen into fuch plunges of difficulty about it, ae have brought them to the ridiculous iflue of denying that there is really fuch a thing as matter. It is not propofed to deal here with any who need to have the exiftcnce of matter proved to them, or that it is : And as to what it is, or what rryay be afcribed to it, we mull fatif- fy ourfelves with the teftirnony of our bodily fenfes, — under the cognifance of reafon, and in a conformity to God's word. Hhh | § II. 44- A Discourse of § II. Among all the effential properties of matter, none can be more certainly afcribed to it than what is commonly called inertia; or a difpofition to continue in reft, without any mo- tion or activity, — farther than as it is moved or acted upon, by fome external power. There is nothing more obvious than this, in the greateft part of the matter that we fee around us : And, as to thofe parts of mere matter, whofe motion or activity may feem to be from a principle with- in themfelves, — it muft certainly, however, be from impreffions made upon them ; though thefe impreflions lie not open to common view. If motion were erTential to matter, then all matter would be always moving ; which every body knows is not the , cafe. And to fuppofe that mere matter may be fomehow endued with a power of felf-motion, is to fuppofe a deftrudtion of it, — or of the erTential difference between matter and fpirit ; jumbling the material and fpiritual worlds into utter confufion. For felf- motion is the fame with fpontaneous motion, which is the fame with voluntary motion : fo that an afcribing of this to mere matter, muft be an afcribing of will to it, — from which under- standing cannot be feparated. A power of felf- motion muft then be a voluntary and rational principle, which cannot belong to mere matter : And a power of felf-motion in any being, is a power of acting upon itfclf ; which is a power belonging Liberty and Necessity. 443 belonging to fpirits, fo as to be utterly incon- fiftent with all ideas of mere matter. But it is needlefs to enlarge upon an eftablifh- ing of this point, in the prefent controverfy ; and that for two reafons. — One is; that the Ef- fayer mentions a power of beginning motion as a diftinguifhing property of rational creatures * ; which muft imply an acknowledgment, that no fuch power belongs to mere matter. The other reafon is, — that though fuch a power were al- lowed to mere matter, an adverfary could gain no real advantage from it in this controverfy : Becaufe no exercife of fuch a power in matter, more than in fpirits, could be withdrawn from an immediate dependence on God. § III. The whole matter of this world, as God firft created it, was a chaos, — without form, and void. But he foon raifed it up into a moft admirable form, into a world of molt admirable furniture ; putting it upon a courfe which has continued, through manifold viciffitudes and re- volutions, till this day, — and will do fo, till the end of time. Men may call it, if they pleafe, a vaft machine ; but they Ihould not prefume to explain it according to the principles of ma- chinery, in any human workmanfhip. One part of matter is indeed formed for acting upon another ; and there are myfterious combinations of * P. 122. 444 A Discourse of of the different parts of matter, as endued with different properties, — all making up a wonderful chain, or rather a contexture of many wonder- ful chains, of caufes and effedts. We fee many- parts of matter put in motion immediately by man ; yet we alfo fee manifold motions and operations of the feveral elements, particularly in the vegetable and animal parts of matter, which have no dependence on man, — nor fall within the reach of his comprehenfion. But, § IV. As matter cannot move itfelf, fo it is a fundamental principle in the doctrine of Calvin- ifts, — That every part of the material world has an immediate dependence on the will and pow- er of God ; in refpecl of every motion and opera- tion, as well as in refpecl of continued exiftence. Let us fee what the holy Scriptures teftify on this head ; defpiflng that philofophy which fcorns to take affiftance from God's word.— God worketb all in all *. He worketb all things, after the conn- fel of his own willf. By him all things confift\ ; all workings, as well as workers. He doth ac- cording to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth || ; as even a heathen could fay. He giveth to all life and breath, — in him we live, and inove**. He giveth /now, — he fcatteretk * i Cor. xii. 6. f Eph. i. II. % Col. i. 17. || Dan. iv. 35. t* Acts xvii, 25. 28. Liberty and Necessity. 445 fcattereth the hoar -fr oft. — he cafleth forth his ice,—* he caufeth his wind to blow*. He ruleth the raging of the fea ; when the waves thereof arife, hejlilleth them f . He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the fpear in funder ; he burneth the chariot in the fire J. He caufeth the grafs to grow for the cattle, and herb for the fer vice of man, that he ?nay bring forth food out of the earth ||. He maketh his fun to rife, and fend- eth rain ##. He gave us rain from heaven, and fruit- ful fcafons\\. — In a word, with refpect to all former things ; whatfoever the Lord pleafed, that did he in heaven, and in the earth, in thefeas, and all deep places J J. And with refpedl to all that can take place in the world, — he fays, (not, a machine which I have fet up fhall Hand and do; but) My counfel fhall ftand* and 1 will do all my pleafure \\\\. § V. We may juftly conclude, then, — that God is ftill working, in all the motions and operations of matter ; and that no part of mat- ter has any intrinfic virtue for producing any effecT:, independently of his working in and by it. His work of prefervation is a work of con- tinued creation ; there is as real an exertion of omnipotence, in carrying any creature over from * Pfal. cxlvii. 16, 17, 18. f Pfal. Ixxxix. 9. t Pfal. xlvi. 9. || Pfal. civ. 14. ** Matth. v. 45. ft Adbs xiv. 17. J$ Pfal. cxxxv. 6. || j Ifa. xlvi. iq. 446 A Discourse of from one moment of exiflence to another, as there was in bringing it at firft out of nothing. And the continual dependence of every creature on God, for its being, — mud refpect all the mo- difications of its being, in every motion and ope- ration ; fo that there mull be a continual de- pendence of the creature on him for all thefe, a continual dependence of all thefe on him. His providence lies in preferring and governing all the actions of his creatures, as well as all the creatures themfelves. He has endued the different parts of matter with different properties ; and he has fettled an ordinary courfe of his operation by them, in a conformity to thefe properties : But then, the various parts of matter, fo qualified, can no more avail for producing any effect, out of his hand, — than any tool can do, out of the hand of the workman. Without a prefent interpofition of his power, the fun cannot fhine, the fire cannot burn, — nor any part of matter produce any thing at all. That the fun flood ftill, in the days of Jojhua ; that the ftrongeft fire had no power over the bodies of three men, whom Ne- buchadnezzar caufed to be cafl into it \ that the fun was darkened at our Lord's crucifixion, without any natural obftru&ion of its light : None of thefe things were, or could be, from a miraculous operation of the divine power, — but from a miraculous fufpenfion of it ; as fun and fire, Liberty and Necessity. 447 fire, and all creatures, are nothing, and can do nothing, but as he upholds them and works by them. Could any creature be or do otherwife, for one moment ; it would, for that moment, be in a ftate of independence on God, a God to it- felf. — Such is the room which belongs to the in- finite One, in the world which he has made. And what does it all amount to ? To nothing but what muft be readily admitted, by every perfon who would entertain fuitable conceptions of the Godhead : Juft to this, that no fort of felf- fufficiency can belong to any creature for a mo- ment, either in exifting or a&ing ; this being an incommunicable prerogative of the glorious Creator and Upholder of all, who is all in all. § VI. There is a quotation to the above pur- pofe (though it alfo refpe&s the moral world), which the EJfayer quotes from Calvin's Inftitu- tions * ; with a moil abfurd pretence of its agree- ing to his fcheme. A tranflation of it, more lite- ral, and fairer too, than that which he gives, is as follows, viz. " They who would render this " doctrine odious" (the Cahinift doctrine of ne- ceffity), " reproach it as the opinion of the Stoics " about Fate ; which alfo was fometimes object- " ed to Auguftine. — We do not, with the Stoics, " invent a neceffity from a perpetual connection, " and a certain intricate concatenation of caufes, " comprehended * Booki. chap. 16. fe&, 8> 448 "A Discourse of 44 comprehended in nature! But we make God " the fovereign Manager and Governor of all " things ; who, according to his wifdom, de- " creed from all eternity what he was to do ; 44 and now performs, by his power, what he de- 44 creed. Whence we affirm, that, by his pro- 44 vidence, not only the heaven and the earth, 44 and inanimate creatures, but alfo the deligns 44 and wills of men are fo governed, as that they 44 are fitly carried to the end appointed by him." According to this doctrine, the courfe of events in the world no way depends on any natural and intrinfic virtue of caufes, or of a chain of caufes ; but immediately on God himfelf, as working in and by thefe caufes : It is he who, by his own power, brings about the execution of his eternal decrees. § VII. It is quite another fort of world which the EJJayer and his friend the Obfervator # are for. In their opinion, " to endue matter with 44 a power of acting according to general and in- 44 variable laws, exhibits a more beautiful and 44 complete fyftem, than to leave it abfolutely 44 inert" (that is, abfolutely matter), 44 to require 44 a continued interpofition of the Deity ;" that is, to be abfolutely a creature, in an abfolute and continued dependence on God ! The Qbferva- tor * One who publifhed Obfervatiorts, in a violent defence of the EJ/ays. Liberty and Necessity. 449 tor thinks, that " the perfection of every piece of u workmanfhip, human and divine, confifls in 44 its anfwering the defigned purpofe, without " bellowing further labour upon it :" But the true God could not make any piece of workman- lhip which he would have to beflow no further labour upon ; becaufe he cannot deny himfelf. The Obfervator is not afraid to " conclude, that " the doctrine of the abfolute inertnefs of mat- " ter is not only repugnant to truth, but tends 44 in an indirect manner to arraign the Deity of 44 want of power or of wifdom, or of both :" As •if it could coniift with any perfection, or with the very being of the true Deity, — that there ihould be a world which could go its courfe without him, without his continued interpofi- tion, without his bellowing further labour upon it; a world inconiiflent with his univerfal fu- premacy, as with the eiTential and abfolute de- pendence of all creatures on him. § VIII. It is to no purpofe, for eflablifhing the doctrine of fuch a world, — that a quotation is brought from the Honourable Mr Boyle, yea were it apparently from the higher! angel. Mr Boyle was of a very refpeclable character ; but we mull be allowed to think that he was liable, as other great men, to an occafional ilightnefs of fentiments. His ftudies and writings were too extenfive, for his having leifure to weigh every f I i i point : 45° A Discourse of point : And we may well fuppofe, from his cha- racter, that, if he had weighed the matter, he would not have adhered to the unworthy fenti- ment, — which was fuggefted to him by fome fuperficial glare, in the* comparifon of God's world with an engine or machine of human workmanfhip. That fuch a machine, when once fet up, mould go, — without the maker, or any deputed by him, having ftill a hand at it ; this does not fo much argue the perfection of the machine, as the imperfection of the maker : While the materials of it have many properties in no dependence on him ; and the momentary continuance of that form in which he fets it up, has as little dependence on him. Befides, it confifts not with the nature of fuch a machine, or of its maker, — that he mould ftill be in it, and in every part of it. But all is quite other wife with God's world : Every thing in and about it mull continue to have an immediate and abfoliite dependence on himfelf ; and it mud always be full of him. The beauty and perfection of it can nowife lie in any capacity of being or doing any thing without him ; but is all derived from the glory of his being, and wifdom, and power, — as con- tinually mining through the whole. There is a great variety of material caufes, producing a great variety of effects, in the fy- ftem of this world ; but, as to each of thefe, God Liberty and Necessity. 451 God is the fupreme and immediate caufe. The nature and efficiency of the fupreme caufe, and of any fubordinate caufe, are fo infinitely diffe- rent,— that there is no inconfiftency of each be- ing an immediate and total caufe of the fame effect, each according to its kind. So that God is working in and through all things, agreeably to the nature and properties which he has en- dued them with ; not merely in the way of a general, but of a mod particular concourfe. § IX. This doctrine doth not mean, to make God the foul of the univerfe. — It is indeed full of him : He is above all, and through all, and in all: Of him, and through him, and to him are all things *. But he is in the world, fo as to be in- finitely different from it ; no way confined to it ; no way extended through it ; no way fubjected to its influence, but it wholly fubjected to his : He is wholly in all, and wholly in every part, — fo as to be wholly without and above all ; working all things, working in and through all his creatures, after the counfel of his own will\<— Thefe are things which we cannot comprehend, but mufl admire. We cannot underfland how thefe things can be : But we may underfland that God cannot be, according to what the in- finite One mufl be, — if thefe things be not fo. §x. * Eph. iv. 6. } Rom. xi. 36. f Eph. i. II. 452 A Discourse of § X. What fort of neceffity, then, takes place in the material world ; as to the manifold events or effects which it abounds with? — We may readily judge of this from what has been faid ; that no proper neceffity can lie in the nature of things, abftradtly confidered. All things of the world, with all the nature of thefe things, muft be reckoned nothing at all, — but juft as God every moment pleafes that they mould be ; none of thefe things having any felf-fufficiency for themfelves, or for any thing elfe. No lort of neceflity can, therefore, lie here, — except what is more properly called certainty ; the certainty of all things being what they are, and as they are, while they are fo. The only neceffity which can be afcribed to the material world, is the neceflity of its being all in a ftate of imme- diate and abfolute dependence on God ; fo as all things in it mull be abfolutely fubfervient to his pleafure, through an exertion of his own power in and by them. This, we own, is a very high neceflity : The neceflity that God mould be God over all ; and that creatures mould be but creatures ; and that all his purpofes mould be fulfilled by them, through his own difppfal of them. But all this neceflity, as respecting creatures, is neither folely nor any way founded in the nature of things ; it is wholly founded in the fovereign will and power of God. Art. Liberty and Necessity. 453 Art. II. Of Contingency or Chance in the ma- terial World. r — — -"" § I. Nothing is contingent, may be or may not be, with refpect to God. He forefees what- ever comes to pafs, in all the circumftances of every thing ; fo that nothing can be to him un- expected, or unawares. The reafon of this is, that he has decreed whatever comes to pafs, in all the circumftances of every thing ; and there is an infallible neceflity, that all his decrees be accomplifhed : An infallible neceflity of every event ; as to its falling out according to his unchangeable will, through his own adminiftra- tion. § II. Many things are contingent, may be or may not be with refpect to us. Many events or effects have no connection with, or are in no fubjection to our will or power ; fo as we lhould have to act the part of fecond caufes, in bring- ing them about. But, befides this, there are many events or effects which we cannot in the leaft forefee ; God bringing them about in fuch a fecret and myfterious way, that we can perceive nothing of the gradual advance which 'matters are making toward fuch an iflue. Thefe things do therefore fall out contingently, unexpectedly, and furprilingly, — with refpect to 454 A Discourse of to us. It holds of men, in this fenfe, that time and chance bappeneth to them all *. § III. Every thing in the material world is abfolutely contingent, may be, or may not be, with refpect to all other things in it ; confider- ed abflractly from the continued interpofition of the divine will and power. Thus confider- ed, the material world bears no tolerable com- parifon to an elaborate engine or machine which a human artift has made and fet a-going : It fliould rather be compared to a complete fet of tools, with a proper flock of materials ; which are nothing at all to each other, however nearly they may be lying together, but as the artift is prefently employing them. Every caufe is but as a tool in God's hand ; and, otherwife than as in his hand, his working hand, it can produce nothing. A chain of caufes and effects in this world as in a going machinery, abflractly from a continued interpofition of the divine will and power, is all a romance ; there is no fuch thing, there can be no fuch thing in God's world. As filings of iron will hang at a loadftone, each particle flicking to another for fome length like a firing or chain, — from its virtue palling through and influencing them all ; but they fall afunder into their former condition, the moment they are feparated from it : So the whole * EcqI. ix. ii. Liberty and Necessity. 455 whole fyftem, contexture, or chain of things in this world, is continually kept together and in its courfe by the power of God ; and all things would neceffarily fall to pieces, quite afunder, entirely loofe, even into their original nothing, —if they were one moment feparated from the divine influence, which is habitually palling through the whole. Such is the neceffary and inconceivable dependence of all things on God, in their being and all their operations #. §IV. * u The exigence of created fubftances, in each fucceffive u moment, muft be the effect of the immediate agency, "will " and power of God. If any mail fey, — that there is no " need of any immediate divine power, to produce the pre- " fent exiftence of created fubftances ; but that their pre- " fent exiftence is the effecl or confequence of paft exiftence, " according to the nature of things j and that the eftablifhed " courfe of nature is fufficient to continue exigence, where " exiftence is once given ; — I allow it : But then it mould tc be remembered what nature is in created things, and " what the eftablifhed courfe of nature is 5 that — // is no- " thing, feparate from the agency of God ; — nothing, but " the eftablifhed order of the agency and operation of the " Author of nature. * " God's preferring created things in being, is perfeclly " equivalent to a continued creation ; or to his creating " thofe things out of nothing, at each moment of their ex- " iftence. If the continued exiftence of created things be " wholly dependent on God's prefervation ; then thofe " things would drop into nothing upon the ceafing of the " prefent moment, without a new exertion of the divine " power 456 A Discourse of § IV. What is it that we call a caufe and ah effect P Juit two things which we fee always, or at leaft ufually going together, — fo as the one accompanies or follows upon the other ; and in fuch a manner, that we readily expect the one to be with or from the other, — reckon- ing in many cafes, that they could not be fe- parated without a miracle. But how is the ac- tual connection made up between thefe two ; or how comes the one to influence, and the other to be influenced ? Any man would but bewray his own folly, in pretending to account for all this ; otherwife than by a Hated inter- pofltion of the divine power or efficacious plea- fure, fuch as is altogether above our comprehen- iion. It is thus only that the matter can be re- folved : As we are to account for the actual connection between a tool and materials,— or the influence of the tool upon the materials, and the prefent iubjection of the materials to that influence ; we are to account for all this, from the fkilful pleafure and power of the artift, in his prefent employing of the tool. Among all that men call laws of nature, there is none more univerfal and invariable than gra- vitation, or the tendency of all material things to fome centre ; particularly, the tendency of matter " power to caufe them to exifl in the following mo- " merit." Edwards on Original Sin s Part IV. Chap. IL III. Liberty and Necessity. 457 matter about this earth to fall downward. But what is the caufe of all this ? The wifeft philo- fophers find themfelves obliged to refolve it wholly and immediately into a habitual inter- pofal of the divine will, a habitual impreffion of the divine power *. And though, in many other cafes, we can decern fome fecondary caufe of an effect ; yet the fecondary caufe mull not be looked upon as fupplying God's place : He mull be no lefs the worker here, than where we can difcern no fecondary caufe at all ; while every fuch caufe is nothing at all, in point of felf-fufficiency. § V. The glorious Creator and Upholder of ail things has fettled an ordinary interpofition of his will and power, as to the courfe of events in this world, or as to the wonderful train of caufes and effects ; according as his own counfel is to be thereby fulfilled. Yet he moil eafily can invert, and often has inverted this natural courfe of things, in his miraculous difpenfations. But b elides, there are many things which may be or may not be, without any miraculous inverting of the natural courfe ; juft as God \ K k k pleafes * cc The mutual gravitation of bodies cannot be explain- " ed any other way, than by refolving it into the imme* " diate operation of God ; who never ceafes to difpofe and et a&uate his creatures, in a manner fuitable to their re- " fpe&ive beings." Guardian, No. 126 45 8 -^Discourse of pleafes to interpofe, one way or other. Thus, in a full confiilency with the natural or fettled courfe of things, and juft as God pleafes, — there may be or may not be a ftormy wind, a deftruc- tive lightning and thunder, a deluge of rain, a feafon perniciouily wet or dry, an inundation, an earthquake, a deflroying peftilence ; as, on the other hand, many lingular favours of pro- vidence. All this we muft allow, if we will properly allow that God is, that the world is his, and that he is in it ; with a full latitude for frowning or fmiling upon men in his pro- vidence, for difpenling blefiings or judgments. Upon the whole, we may fafely conclude, — that there is no neceflity in the material world, but fuch as leaves all things in it abfolutely con- tingent with refpecl to each other, in themfelves conlidered ; no neceflity in the abftracl: nature of things : No neceflity but what turns all upon this glorious point, — the fovereign and continually efficacious will of God. " God, by the bridle " of his providence, turns whatever events on " whatever fide he pleafes : It is to be undoubt- " edly held, that all the turns which are to be Is obferved in the world — do proceed from the " fecret motion of God's hand : In the mean " time, what God hath appointed is thus necef- " fary Liberty and Necessity. 459 " fary to take place ; yet fo, as it is neither ab- " folutely, nor in its own nature necefTary*." SECT. II. Of Liberty and Necejfity in the moral World, or the World of rational Creatures. Art. I. Of the Exercife of Man's rational Powers. § I. The human will is not a diftinct agent ; it is only a power of the rational foul, which is the agent : And it is infeparably connected with another great power, the under/landing. When we fay, that the underflanding or will acts, — it is the fame as to fay, the foul acts in under- Handing and willing : It is the foul that under- ftands, and the foul that wills. Nor can thefe different powers be feparated from each other in their actings, more than any of them can be feparated from the foul : Whenever the foul un- derftands any thing, it has fome will about the thing ; and whenever the foul wills any thing, it has fome underftanding of the thing. § II. It is eflential to a foul, to have a moral difpojition; good or bad, or fome mixture of both. The * Calvin's Injiitutions, Book I. Chap. xvi. § 9. 460 A Discourse of The new-fafhioned morality, about what ought and ought not to be, — which is originally found- ed in felf-love, or in fecial affections, or in a principle of fympathy, or in a fenfe of beauty and harmony, or in fome feeling called the moral fenfe, or in the nature of things, or in the good of the whole ; all this is an imaginary morality, which Chriftians mould have no bufi- nefs with. By the moral difpojition of the foul, we mean the difpofltion wmich it has wTith refpecl; to God as the fupreme Lawgiver. A foul is not an independent being ; unconcerned with all others, further than as it pleafes to deal with them by underftanding and willing : But it is neceffarily, in its confeious nature, fubjecled to various re- lations ; the chief of wmich is, its relation to God in the above character. This is what no foul can be without fome impreflion of: So as every foul muft have fome engrained difpofition, refpecting God as the fupreme Lawgiver ; like the engrained difpofition which fome things of the material world have, to cleave unto or fly off from other things. It is utterly inconfiftent with the nature of a foul, as a rational and con- feious creature, to have any indifferency of dif- pofition in this cafe ; a bias, one way or other, }t muft have. SHI, Liberty and Necessity. 461 § III. The moral difpofition of man's foul, at his original, was the image of God upon him ; in righteoufnefs and holinefs : Righteoufnefs and holinefs in the difpofition of his nature ; a difpo- lition for cleaving to God in the way of obedi- ence,— and, at the fame time, for embracing him as the chief good. But a woful change was foon effected, in that manner which the Scripture reprefents * : And the moral difpofition of man's foul now, is jufl the reverfe of what it was originally ; a difpofi- tion for flying off from God in the way of rebel- lion,— and, at the fame time, for rejecting him as the chief good. This is fuch a change in the nature of fouls, as if the bodies about this earth had been of an original tendency for flying up- ward to the fun ; but had afterwards degenera- ted into their prefent tendency, for falling down- ward to the earth. Whatever bias remains in man's heart toward any thing that is meet or morally good, in the concerns of human fociety ; yet, with refpecl to God, there is an univerfal depravity or corruption of human nature : So that the foul has naturally an engrained averfion from and enmity againft God ; with a fort of gravitation toward fenfible and finite good, as its centre f. The * Part I. Chap. V. •j- " When God made man at firft, he implanted in him M two kinds of principles. There was an inferior kind, — " being 462 A Discourse of The grace of God effectuates a remedy of this woful cafe, in the experience of fome. There is a begun reftoration of their fouls now, to be completed in the future itate : And, in the fouls of fuch, there is a mixture of the two oppofite moral difpofitions above-mentioned ; fometimes the one prevailing, and fometimes the other. § IV. The moral difpofition which we have been fpeaking of, immediately refpects the will ; but it alfo concerns the under/landing. — If a man have his face turned flraight toward the fun, in a clear day, with open eyes ; he then has a direct view of the fun, by a fulnefs of its light entering directly " being the principles of mere human nature j fuch as felf- u love, with thofe natural appetites and paflions which be- " long to the nature of man j in which his love to his own " liberty, honour and pleafure, were exercifed — Befides " thefe, there vrerefuperior principles j that were fpiritual, " holy and divine, iummarily comprehended in divine love : " Wherein confifted the image of God, and man's righte- " oufnefs and true holinefs. Thefe principles — are above " thofe principles that are efientially implied in, or neceffa- " rily refulting from, and infeparably connected with mere "human natures — being fuch as immediately depend on " man's union and communion with God, or divine com- ' ' munications and influences of God's Spirit : Which though