Section 1112
Secondly, That Christ is a Redeemer that liveth, or a living Redeemer; which may design
1. The existence of Christ: in this sense the phrase is used in Hebrews 7:8, where it is witnessed of Melchizedek, that be liveth, that is, exists, or is in being. Christ was in being in Job’s time, and existed then under the character of a Redeemer. Indeed, he was in being before Job or Abraham, or any other person; before Abraham was, I am, says he; (John 8:58) he was in the beginning with God, and was God, by whom all creatures were brought into being; he existed as a Redeemer from the foundation of the world; he was not only so in designation and appointment, but in reality; the virtue of his future redemption reached to all the Old Testament saints, who were all justified through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus; had all their sins pardoned through that blood, which was shed for the redemption of transgressions that were under the first testament; and saved by the grace of the same Lord Jesus Christ as we are; they then viewed him as Job did, and we do now, as the living Redeemer, who then existed as such.
2. The eternity of Christ. To say that Christ lives, or is living, is to say, that he is eternal: As God, he is from everlasting to everlasting; as God-man and Mediator, he was set up from the beginning, or ever the earth was; his goings-forth, in the covenant of grace, were of old, from everlasting; he is the alpha of all God’s ways, and the omega of all his works; he is the first and the last, the beginning and the end, which is, and which was, and which is to come.
3. The stability, permanency, and immutability of Christ. This stands opposed to the inconstancy, and mutability of everything in this world, which Job had a large experience of, and under which he was supported by this consideration. There was a change in his outward circumstances, his substance was gone, but his Savior was in being; his children were dead, but his Redeemer lived; his friends and relations were fickle, inconstant, mutable, but his Jesus was the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever. [5297] What supported Job, may support saints in the like circumstances; whatever changes and vicissitudes they undergo, Christ remains the same, and his years fail not: Though friends and relations die, and the strongest ties and bonds of nature are unloosed, and every relation ceases, as those of husband and wife, parents and children, master and servant, pastor and people, yet the Redeemer ever lives, and relation to him can never be lost. Though as man he once was dead, he will die no more, death shall have no more dominion over him; he is alive, and shall live for evermore, and that for the good, comfort, and happiness of his people; for he ever liveth to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)
4. The life of Christ. This he has in himself for all his people; he has a fullness of life, he is the fountain of it, all spiritual and eternal life spring from him: As God, he has an original, underived life, which is not given him by, or received from another; but as Mediator, the Father has given him to have life in himself; and this gift is in consequence of a request of his to him; he asked life of thee, and thou gavest it him, even length of days for ever and everse (Psalm 21:4) He came into this world that his people might have life, and that in abundance; he gives it to them, and it is secured in him; their life is hid with Christ in God: (Colossians 3:3) This lays a solid foundation for faith and hope, both with respect to a final perseverance in grace and holiness, and to the resurrection of the body at the last day: Because I live, says Christ, ye shall live also; (John 14:19) which is, and will appear to be true, both of a spiritual and corporal life. But,