4. It teacheth us not to look upon the face of things, but upon God's counsel and intents in them. The foulest acts that ever were in God's design may serve most holy purposes. Providence is like a double- faced picture — a monster and a woman : Gen. xlv. 5, ' God sent me before you to preserve life.' So in all that befalleth you, or what others do to you out of ill ends, God may work good out of it.
I come now to the second argument — why Christ's death should not be looked upon as infamous and ignominious to him ; and that is taken from the manner of his sufferings : ' When thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin ; ' or ' When his soul shall make an offering for sin.' I shall take notice —
1. Of the form or manner of it.
2. The matter, or what is contained in it.
1. For the form or manner of it. It seemeth to be conditional and federal, that when Christ would do thus and thus, God would ])crform his part to him, and he should enjoy such and such privileges. The point is —
Doct. Tliat the business of man's salvation was transacted by way of covenant between God and Christ.
Here is the form of it, that in case Christ would make his soul an offering for sin, he should see his seed, and prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hands. That this j)oint miay be fully made out to you, I shall use this method: —
1. Show how it may a])pear that there was such a covenant and formality of agreement between God and Christ.
2. What this covenant is, and the several ways whereby it doth appear in scripture.
1. I shall show how it may appear there was such a covenant.
[1.] By such titles given to Christ as do infer it, because he is the effect or result of it ; as Mai. iii. 1, * I will send the angel (or messenger) of the covenant, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord (^f hosts.' This liim wliom by covenant I have designed to such an office, him whom by virtue of the compact and agreement I have made with him, I shall send to you. So you shall see he is called a covenant : Isa. xlii. G, ' And give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles ;' Isa. xlix. 8, ' And give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth.' Because of the eternal agreement between God and Christ, he is said to be a covenant ; that is, the foundation of a covenant betw'een God and believers. His being given for a covenant, is to be a means to redeem and reconcile them.
[2.] By the words that passed between God and Christ, that are recorded in scri{)ture. It is very observable that the scripture, for the relieving of our thoughts and appruhensions, does make all the ])iissages and debates between God and Christ to pass by words: so in this business : Fs. ex., ' Thou art my Son, sit thou at my right
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hand ; ' Ps. ii. 8, ' Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy ])os- session.' But to this affair in hand, you shall see how God breaketh the matter to hira: Ps. Ixxxix. 19, ' Tliou spakest in vision to the Holy One, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and have exalted one chosen out of the people/ Thou speakest in a mystical way to thy Christ ; God revealeth himself to his Holy One, and said thus, Lo, tlie creatures are weak and miserable, never able to recover themselves into my favour, but thou art mighty ; therefore I shall lay this charge upon you, to help them. And thereupon you shall see Christ's answer : Ps. xl. 7, 8, ' Lo, I come ; in the volume of thy book it is Avritten of me, I delight to do thy will, 0 my God.' Christ accepted of it, and agreed to the terms, and was willing to do, and conform, to the pleasure of God the Father for poor sinners. So in this i)lace, if he will do thus and thus, then he shall see his seed, and prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands.
[3.] It appeareth by the carriage of Christ. The scripture showeth everywhere that it Avas according to the covenant God made with him : he undertook to do all things according to the will of the Father : John iv. 34, ' My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work ; ' and therefore he would punctually keep to the laws of the covenant. And accordingly he is said to look up to God the Father for the accomplishment of his promise to him: John x. 18, ' This commandment 1 received of my Father, that I should lay down my life : ' I have agreed to it. John xii. 49, ' For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father that sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak : ' according to the instructions he received from God, and the tenor of his commission ; lie would not vary from it a tittle. And he goeth to the Father, and urgeth it to him : John xvii. 4, ' I have glorii:ed thee upon earth, and have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.' He did all that he was bound to do. So in many other places.