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world: but if you ſtill continue todeſpiſeand neglect ſucha Saviour, forerwrath is treasured up for you thanother finners, even ſomethingworſe than dying without mercy, Heb. x. 28.
Othat theſe diſcoveries and overtures of Chriſt maynever come toſuch a fatal iſſue with any ofyour fouls, in whoſe eyes his glory hathbeen thisday opened!
N L SERMON 111.
Opens the Covenant ofRedemption betwixt the Father and the Redeemer.
ISA. liii. 12. Thereforewill Idivide himaportionwith thegreat, andheshalldivide the spoilwith thestrong, because he hath pouredout hisfoulunto death : andhewas numberedwith the tranfgreffors, andhe bare thefin ofmany, andmade interceffionfor the tranfgreffors.
INN this chapter, the goſpelſeems to be epitomized; the fubject-matterof it is the death ofChriſt, and the glorious iffue thereof: by reading of it, the Eunuch of old, and many
Jews ſince, have beenconverted to Chriſt .
Chriſt is here con. ſidered absolutely, and relatively ; Abſolutely, andſo his innocency is induſtriouſly vindicated, verſe 9.
Though he ſuffered grievous things, yetnot for his own fins, "for he had done no " violence, neitherwas anydeceit in his mouth;" but relatively confidered inthe capacity of a furety for us : ſo thejustice of God is as fully vindicatedin hisſufferings; verſe 6. " The Lord
" hath laid uponhim the iniquity of us all." How he came to fuſtain this capacity andrelation of a furety for us, is in theſe verſes plainly aſſerted tobeby his compact and agreement with his Father , before the worlds were made, verſe 10, 11 , 12.
Inthis verſewe have, 1. His work.
2. His reward. 3. The * Norton's Orthodox Evangelist, p. 41.
The call of the Lord Jeſus unto office, includes election on the Father's part, and acceptation onthe Mediator's part, and is fet down after the manner of mutual tranſactionbetweenGod andChrift ; wherebyhewasdeſignedthereunto, as it wereby wayofcovenant.
Ifhis foul ſhould fet itſelfanofferingfor fin, (for ſo, according to the original, do good authors read the text) "he ſhallfee his feed,prolong hisdays, and *" thepleaſureoftheLord ſhall profperin hishand," verſe 10.
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reſpect or relation of eachtothe other. (1.) His work, which was indeed a hardwork, topourout hisfoul unto death, aggra. vatedby the companions, withwhom, being numbred withtransgreffers ; thecapacity inwhich, bearingall the fins ofthe elect,
" he bare the ſins ofmany;" and by the manner of his bearing it, viz. meekly, and forgivingly, " he made interceffion for the " tranfgreffors ; " This was his work. (2.) The reward or fruit which is promiſedhim forthis work, " therefore will I divide
" hima portion with the great, andhe will divide the ſpoilwith " the ſtrong;" wherein is a plain alluſion toconquerors inwar, forwhom are referved the richest garments, and moſt honourable captives to follow the conqueror, as anaddition tohismagnificenceandtriumph; theſe were wont to come after them in chains, Ifa. xlv. 14. ſeeJudgesv. 3.
(3.) The reſpect or relation betwixt that work and this triumph : ſome will have this work
✓to have no other relation tothat glory, than ameer antecedent to aconſequent: othersgive itthe reſpect and relation of ameritorious cauſe to areward. 'Tis well obſerved by Dr. Featly, that the Hebrew particle which we render therefore, notingorder, it is not worth ſo much contention about it, whether it be theorderof caufality, or meer antecendency ; neitherdo I foreſee
ןבל any abſurdity in calling Chriſt's exaltation the reward and fruit ofhis humiliation : however 'tis plain,whether one or other,'tis thatthe Fatherhereagrees and promises togive him, ifhe willundertake theredemption ofthe elect,bypouring out his foul unto death; ofall which this is the plain refult :
DocT. That the business of man's falvation was transacted upon covenant terms, betwixt theFather andthe Son,from all eternity.
Iwouldnot here be miſtaken, as though I were now to treat ofthe covenantof grace, made in Chriſt betwixt God and us ; it is not the covenant of grace, butof redemption, I am now to ſpeak to, which differs from the covenant ofgrace, in regard of thefederates; in this, 'tisGod the Father, and Jefus
Chriſt, that mutually covenant; in that, 'tis God and man : they differ, alfo in thepreceptive part ; in thisit is requiredof
Chriſt that he ſhould ſhed hisblood,inthat it is required of us thatwe believe: They alſodiffer in theirpromises ; in this,
God promises to Chriſt a name above every name, ample dominion from fea to fea; in that, to us, grace and glory: ſo that these are twodistinct convenants.
The ſubſlance of this covenant ofredemption is, dialogue-
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wife, expreſs'd tous in Ita. xlix + : where (as divineshavewell obſerved) Chrift begins, at the firſt and tecond verſes, and Thews his commiſſion, telling his Father, how hehad both called, and prepared him for the work of redemption; The Lord hath called mefrom thewomb-he hath made my moutb like a SharpSword, and made me a polished shaft, &c. q. d. by reafon of that fuper abundant meaſure of the ſpiritof wisdomand power wherewith I am anointed andfilled; my doctrine ſhall, as a fword, pierce the hearts of finners; yea, like an arrow, drawn to thehead, ſtrikedeep into fouls ſtanding at a great diſtance fromGod and godliness .
Having toldGod how ready, and fithe was for his ſervice, he will know of him whatreward he ſhall have for hiswork; for he reſolves his blood ſhall not be undervalued : hereupon, verſe 3. the Father offers him the elect of Ifrael for his reward, bidding low at firſt (as theythat make bargains uſe to do) and only offers him that finall remnant, ſtill intending to bid high. er: but Chriſt will not be fatisfied with theſe, he values his blood higher than ſo: therefore in verſe 4. he is brought in complaining, " I have laboured invain, and ſpent my ſtrength
" for nought," q. d. This is buta ſmall reward for fo greatafufferingas I mustundergo; my blood is much more worth than this comes to, and willbe fufficient to redeem all the elect diſperſed among the ifles oftheGentiles, as well asthe loft ſheep ofthe houſe of Ifrael. Hereupon the Father comes up higher, and tells him, he intends to reward him better than fo; and therefore, verſe 6. ſays, " It is a light thing that thou shouldſt
" bemy ſervant to raiſe up the tribes of Jacob, and to reflore " thepreſerved of Ifrael : I will alſo givethee fora light to the
Gentiles, that thou mayeſt be my falvationto the ends of the " earth." Thus is the treaty carried on betwixt them, tranſactingisafter the manner of men.
Now, to open this great point, we willhere confider, (1.) The perfons tranſacting one with another.
(2.) The buſineſs tranſacted.
(3. ) The quality and manner of the tranſaction, which is federal.
(4.) The articles to which they agree (5.) How each perfon performs his engagement to theother. And lastly, The antiquity oreternity ofthis covenant-transaction .
(1.) The perfons tranſacting anddealingwith each other in thiscovenant; andindeed they are great perſons, God the Father, andGod the Son; the former as a Creditor, and the latter as a Surety : The Father ſtands upon fatisfaction, the Son
* Vide Goodwin's Triumph of Faith.
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engages to give it.
Ifit be demanded,why the Father and the Spirit might not as well have treated upon our redemption, as the FatherandSon ! It is anſwered, Chriſt is the natural Son of God, and therefore fitteſt to make us the adopted fons of God.
Chriſt alſo is the middle perſon inthe trinity, and therefore fitteſt tobe the mediator and middle perſon betwixt us andGod *.
The Spirit hath another office aſſigned him, even to apply, as Chriſt's vicegerent, the redemption defigned by the Father, and purchased bythe Son for us.
(2.) The buſineſs tranſactedbetwixt them; and thatwas the redemption and recovery ofall God's elect : our eternal happineſs lay now before them, our dearest and everlafting concerns werenow intheir hands ; the elect (though not yet in being) are here conſidered as exiſtent, yea, and as fallen, miferable, forlorn creatures
: How theſe may again be reſtored to happineſs (falvajuftitia Dei) Without prejudice to the honour, juſtice, and truth ofGod; this, this is the buſineſs that lay beforethem.
(3.) For the manner, or quality ofthe tranſaction, it was federal, or ofthe nature of a covenant; it was by mutual engagements and ſtipulations, eachperſonundertaking to perform his part, in order to our recovery.
We findeachperfon undertaking for himself by folemn promiſe; the Father promiſeth that he will " hold his hand, and " keep him," Ifa. xlii . 6. The Son promiſeth he will obey his
Father's call to fuffering, and " not be rebellious," Iſa. 1. 5.And, having promiſed, each holds the other to his engagement. The Father ſtands upon the fatisfaction promised him : and,whenthe paymentwas making, he will notabate him onefarthing; Rom. viii. 32. "God ſpared not his own Son," i. e, he abated nothing ofthe full price he was tohave at his hands for us.
And, as the Father ſtood ſtrictly upon the terms ofthe covenant, ſo did Chriſt alſo ; John xvii. 45. " I haveglorified thee
* Vide Robert's Medulla Bib. p. 1577, et Lyf. Test. p. 83 , 84.
+ The external cauſe of that fatisfaction, which the Father decreed, and the Son made,was the miferable ſtate we were in, upon the account of our fins, which juſtly deſerved eternal punishment, and bound us over unto it ; we being in this forlorn condition, the God ofmercyhad compaſſion on us, and for our fakes, the Son of God underwent all that punishment which we deſerved to ſuffer ; in orderthatwe miglit be reſtored to our firſthappineſs.
Synop. purior. Theol. p. 350.
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on earth, (faith he to the Father) Ihave finiſhed the work
" thou gaveſt me to do; and now, Father, glorify me with " thine own ſelf:" As ifhe had faid, Father, the work is done, nowwhere is the wages I was promiſed ? I callfor glory as my due, as much mydue as the hire ofthe laboureris his due, when hiswork isdone.
4. More particularly; we will next confider the articles towhich they do both agree ; or, what it is that each perfon doth for himself promise to the other. And, to let us fee how much the Father'sheart is engaged inthe ſalvation ofpoor finners, there are five things which he promiſeth to do for Chrift, ifhe will undertake that work.
First, He promiſeth to inveſt him, and anoint him to a threefoldoffice, anſwerable to the miſery that lay upon the elect, as ſo many bars to all communion with, and enjoyment ofGod; for, ifever man be reſtored to that happineſs, the blindness ofhis mind muſtbe cured, the guilt of fin expiated, and his captivity to fin led captive : anſwerably, Chrift muft,
" ofGod, bemade untous,wisdom,righteousness, fanctificati.
" onandredemption," 1 Cor. i.30.And he is made to to us as our Prophet, priest, and king: but he could not put himself into either of theſe ; for if fo, hehad acted withoutcommiſſi. on, andconſequently allhe didhadbeen invailed ; Heb. v. 5.
" Chriſt glorified not himselftobe made aHigh Prieft, but he " that faiduntohim, Thouart my Son."
A commiſſion there. fore to act authoritatively, intheſeoffices,being neceſſaryto our recovery, the Father engages tohim tofeal him fuchathreefold commiffion.
He promiſeth to inveſt him with aneternal and royal priefthood, Pfal.cx. 4. " The Lord hath ſworn, and willnot repent;
" Thou art a prieſt for ever, after the order of Melchifedec."
This Melchifedec being king ofRighteousness, and king ofSalem, that is, Peace, had a royal priesthood; and his deſcent not being reckoned, it had an adumbration ofeternity in it, andfo was more apt to type and ſhadow forth the priestood ofChrift thanAaron's was, Heb. vii. 16, 17, 24, 25. as the apostle accommodates them there.
He promifethmoreover to make him a Prophet, and that an extraordinary one, eventhe prince of prophets ; the chief ſhepherd, as much fuperior to allothers, as the fun is to the leffer ſtars ; ſo you have it, Iſa. xlii. 6, 7. " I willgive thee for a light
66 to theGentiles, to open the blind eyes," &c.
Andnot only ſo, but tomake him king alfo, and that ofthe whole empire ofthe world;foPfalm. ii. 6, 7, 8. " Ask of me,
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" andIwillgive thee theHeathenfor thine inheritance, andthe " utmoſt endsof the earth for thypoſſeſſion." Thus he promiſeth to qualify andfurnish him completely for thework, by his inveſtiture with this threefold office.
Secondly, And foraſmuch as he knew it was a hard and difficult work his Son was to undertake, a work that wouldhave brokenthebacks of all the angels inheaven, and men on earth, hadtheyengagedinit; thereforehe promiſeth to ſtandby him, and aſſiſt and ſtrengthen him for it: ſo, Ifa. xlii. 5, 6, 7. " I " will hold thy hand," or take hold ofthee with my hand, for ſoitmaybe rendered † (i. e.) I will underprop and ſupport thy humanity, when 'tis even overweighted with the burden that is to comeuponit, and ready to fink downunder it; for ſo you knowthe caſe ſtoodwith him, Mark xiv. 34. and ſo it was fore toldof him, Ifa. liii. 7."He was oppreſſed," &c. and indeed the humanity needed a prop of no leſs ſtrength than the infinite poweroftheGodhead: the fame promiseyou have in the firſt verſe alſo," Behold my fervantwhom I uphold."
Thirdly, He promiſeth to crown his work with ſucceſs, and bring it to anhappy iſſue, Ifa. liii. 10. " He ſhall ſee his feed,
" he ſhall prolonghis days, andthe pleaſure ofthe Lord ſhall " proſper in his hand." He shall notbegin, andnot finiſh ; he ſhall not ſhed his unvaluableblooduponhazardous terms ; but ſhall feeand reap the ſweet fruits thereof: As the joyful mother forgets her pangs, when she delightfully embraces and kiſſes her livingchild.
Fourthly, The Father promiſeth to accept him in his work, tho' millions ſhouldeternally periſh, Ifa.xlix. 4. Surely (faith he) mywork is with the Lord."
And verſe 5. " I ſhall beglo.
" rious inthe eyes ofthe Lord."
His faith had therein reſpect tothis compactand promiſe. Accordingly,theFather manifeſts the fatisfaction he had inhim, and in his work, even while he was about it upon the earth, when there came ſuch a " voice
" fromthe excellentglory, ſaying, This is mybeloved Son, in " whom Iam well pleaſed.
Fifthly,As he engaged to reward him highlyfor his work, by exaltinghim to fingular and ſuper-eminent glory and honour, whenhe ſhouldhave dispatched and finiſhed it.
So you read, Pfal. ii. 7. " I will declare thedecree; the Lord hath ſaid unto H 2 + I, whoſe power is boundless and infinite, will ſo befriendand fupport thee, that all thy enemies ſhall notbe able to hurt thee.
Marlor, on this place.
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The Fountain of Life. me, Thou art my Son, thisday have I begottenthee."
'Tis ſpoken of the day of his refurrection, whenhe hadjust finiſhed his ſuffering. And ſo the apostle expounds and applies it, Acts xiii . 32 , 33. For thendid the Lordwipe away the reproach of his croſs, and inveſted himwith fuch glory, that he looked like himſelfagain.
As if the Father had said, Now thou hast again recovered thy glory, and this day is to thee as a newbirth-day.
Theſe are the encouragements and rewards propoſed, and promiſed tohim bythe Father.
This was the " joy fet before " him," (asthe apostle phraseth it inHeb. xii. 2. ), which made him ſo patiently to " endure the croſs, and deſpiſe the ſhame."
And in like manner, Jeſus Chriſt reſtipulates, and gives his engagement tothe Father; that, upon theſe terms, he is content tobemade fleſh, todiveſt, asitwere,himselfofhis glory, tocome under the obedience and malediction ofthe law, and not to refuſe any, the hardeſt ſufferings it ſhouldpleaſe his Father to inflict on him. So muchis implied in Iſa. 1. 5, 6, 7. " The Lord
" hath openedmine ear, and Iwas not rebellious, neither turned " away back ; I gave my back to the ſmiters, and my cheeks to " them thatpulled offthe hair; Ihidnotmyfacefromſhame and " ſpitting: For the LordGod will help me,therefore ſhall I not " beconfounded;Ihaveſetmyface as a flint, and I know that I " ſhall notbe ashamed."
When he faith, I was not rebellious, וירמ he meaneth, Iwas moſt heartily willing, and content to accept the terms ; for there is a Meiosis in the words, and much more is intended than expreſſed. And the ſenſe ofthis place is well delivered to us inother terms, Píal. xl . 6, 7, 8, 9,
10. " Then ſaid I, lo I come, I delight todo thy will, OGod, " thy law is within my heart." O fee with what a full conſent the heartof Chriſt cloſeth with the Father's offers and propoſals; like ſome echo, that anſwersyourvoice twice or thrice over.
So doth Chriſt here anſwer his Father's call, " I come, I delight todothy will ; yea, thy law is in myheart. " And thus you ſee the articles towhich theyboth ſubſcribed, or the terms they agreed on.
(5.) I will briefly ſhewhow theſe articles, and agreements wereonboth parts, performed, and that preciſely and punctually.
For, ( 1.) the Son having thus confented, accordingly he applies himselfto thediſcharge ofhis work. He took a body, in it fulfilled all righteouſneſs, evena title, Matth. iii. 15. And at laſt his foul was made an offering for fin, ſo that he could ſay as it is, John xvii. 4. " Father, I have glorified thee on earth, I " have finiſhed the work thou gaveſt me to do. "
He went throughalltheparts ofhisactive, andpaffiveobedience, chear-
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fullyandfaithfully. (2.) The Fathermadegoodhis engagements to Chriſt, allalong, withno leſs faithfulneſs than Chriſt did his.
He promiſed to affift, and hold hishand, and ſo he did ; Luke xxii. 23. "And there appeared to him an angel from heaven,
" ſtrengthning him. "
That was one ofthe foreft brunts that ever Chriſt met with ; this was ſeaſonable aid and fuccour.
He promiſed to accept him in his work, and that he ſhouldbe glorious inhis eyes; fo he did: For he not only declared itby avoice from heaven, Luke iii. 22. " Thou art my beloved Son,
" inwhom I am well pleaſed :" But it was fully declared in his refurrection and aſcenſion, which were a fulldiſcharge andjuſtification ofhim. He promised him that "he ſhould see his
" feed," and ſo he did; for his very birth-dew was as thedew ofthe morning; and ever fince his blood hath been fruitful in the world.
He promiſed gloriouslyto reward and exalt him ; and fo he hath, Phil. ii. 9, 10, 11. and that highly and ſupereminently, " giving him aname above every name inheaven and " earth."
Thus were the articles performed.
(6.) Lastly, When was this compact made betwixt the Father and the Son ? I anſwer, it bearsdatefrom eternity *.
Before this world was made, thenwere his delights in us, while as yet we had no exiſtence, but only in the infinite mind and purpoſe of God, whohad decreed this for us in Chrift Jeſus, as the apoftle ſpeaks, 2 Tim. i. 9.
What grace was that which wasgivenus in Chriſt before the world began,but thisgrace of redemption, which was from everlasting thus contrived and deſigned for us, in thatwaywhich hath been here opened ? Then was the council, or conſultation ofpeace betwixt them both, as ſome take that ſcripture, Zech. vi. 13 .
Next let us apply it to ourſelves.
Ufe 1. The firſt uſe that offers itſelf to us from hence, is the abundant fecurity that Godhathgiven the elect for their falvation, and that not only in respect of the covenant ofgracemade withthem, but also of this covenant of redemption made with Chrift for them ; which indeed is the foundation ofthe covenant ofgrace. God's ſingle promife isſecurity enough toour faith, his covenant of grace adds, ex abundanti, farther ſecurity ; but both theſe viewed as the effects and fruits of this covenant of redemption,make all fast and fure. In the covenant ofgrace, we
* Antequamab omnibus retro feculis tempora fluere inciperent, decrevit Deushanc nobis falutis gratiam per Chriftum conferre : i. e. From all eternity,God decreed to beſtow on us the gift ofſalvation through Jeſus Chriſt.
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queſtion notthe performance onGod'spart, but we are often ſtumbled at the granddefects on our parts: But when we look tothecovenant of redemption, there's nothing to ſtagger our faith, both the federates being infinitely able and faithful to perform theirparts; ſo that there is no poſſibility of a failure there.
Happy were it, if puzzled and perplexed Chriſtians wouldturn their eyes from the defects that are in their obedience, to the fulness and compleatness of Chriſt's obedience ; and fee themselves compleat in him, when moſt lame anddefective in themſelves .
2. Hence alſobe informed, that God the Father, andGod theSon, domutually rely and trust to one another in the business of our redemption.
The Father relies upon the Son for theperformance ofhis part; as it is, Iſa. xlii. 1. " Beholdmy
" ſervant, whom I uphold."
+ Montanus turns it, onwhom I leanordepend. As ifthe Fatherhad faid,beholdwhat a faithful fervant I have choſen, inwhom my soul is at reſt : Iknow he will go through with his work, I can depend uponhim.
And, to ſpeak plain, the Father ſo far trusted Chrift, that upon the credit ofhis promife to come into the world, and in the fulneſs oftime tobecome a ſacrifice for the elect, he ſaved all theOld Testament ſaints, whoſe faithalſo reſpected a Chriſt to come;withreferencewhereto,itis ſaid,Heb.xi.'39, 40. " That - " theyreceivednotthepromiſe,Godhaving providedſome better
"things for us,thattheywithoutusſhouldnotbemade perfect," i. e. without Jeſus Chriſt manifeſted inthe flesh, in our times ; tho' believedon, as to come in the flesh, in their times.
And as the Father trusted Chriſt, ſo doth Chriſt, in like manner, dependupon, and truſt his Father.
For, having performed his part, and left the world again,he now truſteth his Father for theaccomplishmentofthatpromiſe madehim. Iſa. liii. 10." That "he ſhallſeehis feed," &c.
He depends uponhis Fatherfor all the elect that are left behind, yet unregenerated, as well as thoſe already called, that they ſhall be all preſerved unto the heavenlykingdom, according tothat, Johnxvii. 11. " And now
" I amno more inthe world,but theſe are in the world: and I " comeunto thee : holyFather, keep, through thineown name,
" thoſe whom thouhast given me."
And can it be imagined, that the Father will fail his truſt, who every way acquittedhimſelfſo punctually to the Son ? It cannotbe.
Ufe 3. Moreover, hence we infer the validity and unquestionablefuccess ofChrift's interceſſion in heaven for believers.
You וב דמתא * ]Athemoch beu] Innitar in eo.
Montanus. i
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The Fountain of Life. read, Heb. vii. 25. "That heever lives to make interceffion;" and, Heb. xii. 24. "Thathis blood ſpeaks forgoodthings for " them." Now, that his blood ſhall obtainwhat itpleads in heaven for, is undoubted, and that from the confideration this covenantofredemption.
For here you fee that the things he nowafks of his Father, are the very fame whichhis Father promiſed him, and covenanted to give him, before thisworld was : So that, beſides the intereſt ofthe perſon, the very equity of the matter ſpeaks its ſucceſs, and requires performance :
Whatever he asks for us, is as due to him as thewages ofthe of hireling, whenthe work is ended; if the work bedone, and done faithfully, as the Father hath acknowledged it is, then the reward isdue, anddue immediately:'and nodoubtbut he ſhall receive it fromthe hands ofa righteousGod.
Use 4. Hence, in like manner, you may be informed ofthe confiftency ofgrace with full fatisfaction to the justice ofGod.
The apoſtle, 2 Tim. i. 9. tells us, " We are favedaccording to " his own purpoſeand grace,whichwasgivenus in Jeſus Chriſt
" before the world began." That is, according to the gracious terms of this covenant of redemption ; and yet you feenotwithſtanding, how strictlyGod ſtands upon fatisfaction from Chrift: ſo then, grace to us, and fatisfaction to juftice, are not ſoinconfiftent as the Socinian adverſaries wouldmakethem; whatwas debtto Chriſt, is grace to us: when you hear men eryout, Here's graceindeed ! pay me all, and Iwill forgiveyou ; remember, how allmouths, are ſtoptwith that one text, Rom . iii. 24. " Being justified freelyby his grace;" and yet headds, through the redemptionthat is in Chrift."
Ufe 5. Again, Hence judge ofthe antiquity ofthe love ofGod to believers : what an antient friend he hath been to us ; who loved us, provided for us, andcontrived all ourhappineſs, before we were, yea, before the worldwas. We reapthe fruits ofthis covenantnow, the feedwhereofwas ſown from eternity ; yea, it isnotonlyancient,but alſo moſt free : no excellencies of ours couldengagethe love ofGod; for as yet we were not.
Ufe 6. Judge hence, How reasonable it is that believersshould embracethe hardest terms ofobedience unto Christ, who complien withfuch hard termsfor theirfalvation : they were hard and difficult terms indeed, on which Chriſt received you from the Father's hand ; it was, as you have heard, to pour outhis foul untodeath, or not to enjoya foul of you.
Here you may ſuppoſe the Father to ſay, whendriving this bargain with Chrift foryou :
Father, My Son, here is acompany of poor miferablefouls,
The Fountain of Life.
SERM . III.
thathaveutterly undone themselves, and now lieopen to my juſtice! Juſtice demands fatisfaction for them, or will fatisfy itfelf in the eternal ruin of them: What ſhall be done for theſe fouls ? And thus Chriſt returns .
Son . O my Father, ſuch is my love to, and pity for them, that rather than they ſhall periſh eternally, I willbe reſponſible for them as their ſurety: bring in all thy bills, that I may ſee what they owe thee; Lord, bring them in all, that there may benoafter-reckonings with them; at my hand ſhalt thou require it.
I will rather chooſe to ſuffer thy wrath than they ſhould suffer it: upon me, my Father, upon me be all their debt.
Father. But, iny Son, ifthou undertake for them, thou muſt reckon topay the laſt mite, expect no abatements ; if I fpare them, I will not ſpare thee.
Son. Content, Father, let it be ſo: charge it allupon me, I am able to difcharge it; and though it prove akind ofundoing tome, though it impoverish all my riches, empty all my treafures, (for fo indeed it did, 2 Cor . viii . 9. " Though he was
" rich, yet for our fakes became poor") yet I am content to undertake it.
Bluſh, ungrateful believers, O let ſhame cover your faces : judge in yourſelves now, hath Chriſt deſerved that you ſhould ſtand with him for trifles, that you ſhould thrink at a few petty difficulties, and complain, this is hard, and that is harſh ? O if you knew the grace of our Lord Jesus Chriſt in this hiswonderful condeſcenſion for you, you could notdo it.
Ufe 7. Lastly, How greatly are we all concerned to make it fure toourselves, that we are ofthis numberwhichthe Father and the Son agreedfor before the world was ; that we were comprehendedin Chrift's engagement and compact with the Father?
Ohj. Yea, butyou will say, who canknow that ? there were no witneſſes to that agreement.
Sol. Yes .
We may know, without aſcending into heaven, orprying into unrevealed ſecrets, that our names were in that covenant, if ( 1.) You are believers indeed; for allfuch the Father thengaveto Chriſt, John xvii. 8. " The men that thou
" gaveſt me (for of them he ſpake immediately before) they " have believed thatthou didſt ſend me."
(2.) If you favingly knowGod inJeſus Chriſt, ſuch were given him by the Father, John xvii. 6. " I have manifeſted thy name untothe menthou
" gaveſt me." By this they aredifcriminated from the reſt, verſe 25. " The world hath notknown thee, but theſehave known," c.
(3.) Ifyou are men and women of another world ; John xvii. 16. "They arenot of the world, as I am not of the world."