Second reason, That Christ might be inaugurated into his office with the more solemnity, and greater endearment to the creatures. That which is done by a covenant is done more solemnly and surely ; you have not only a decree and purpose, and promise and types, but the discovery of a covenant : Ps. ex. 4, ' The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent ; tliou art a priest for ever after the order of ]\Ielchizedek.' There you have God's oath for Chri.st's priesthood, which noteth an irreversible sentence. Though the creatures play fast and loose with him, yet God thinketh himself never enough bound to them. And, therefore, he would tie himself in such ways as are most solemn and obliging amongst men, as by oaths and covenants. He woidd fain stablish the hearts of sinners, and make things certain to them ; and, therefore, he giveth this account of his eternal transactions for your good, they were ordered by way of covenant.
Third reason. This is a way that yieldeth much comfort and satisfaction to the people of God. This is the most comfortable re- piesentation of Jesus Christ that can be made to you, and that for two reasons : —
1. You have a double engagement upon God; he is engaged to Christ, and he is engaged to }ou. Oh, that is it that makes all sure to our souls, that God was engaged to Christ first t If God had only dealt with jiarticular persons, the business had been in danger of mis- carrying. In the covenant of works the burden lay upon every one's jjcrson ; if thou do this, thou shalt live : Gal. iii. IC), ' Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.' But now there is a covenant made with Christ : indeed God hath taken every cone's person into covenant, but God hath given Christ the oversight of it ; he hath founded a covenant upon a covenant. The covenant was made to him before it was made to you. Nay, in the covenant made with you, it is made with one seed, which is Christ : there to Christ mystical, here to Christ per- sonal ; still Christ is taken in with you, and therefore the business is more sure and satisfying : 2 Cor. v. VJ, 'God was in Christ reconciling
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the world to himself.' There is great comfort that he would trans- act the matter with Christ before he would meddle and deal with the world.
2. You have double promises ; the very promises that are made to Christ's person, they are your promises as well as Christ's, so far as they are compatible with your state and condition. Your Mediator will be nothing but what you shall have the benefit of ; nay, it is very observable that we have glory not only by virtue of the promises made to ourselves, but by virtue of the promises made to Christ; that we should have glory, as Christ prays, John xvii. 23, 24, ' And the glory whicii thou gavest me I have given them. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me ; for thou lovedst me from the foundation of the world.' God promised to be his God and Father, and therefore you may be as conjadent he will be yours as if the promise had been directed to your persons. For Christ reasons thus, John XX. 17, 'Go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' He hath engaged himself to be mine, therefore yours ; you are what I am. So that besides the promises directed to sinners, you have Christ's personal promises so far as they concern your state. So you shall see God pro- mised to acquit Christ from all the sins he should take upon him, and to free him from the reproaches that should be cast upon his person, because of his miserable appearance in the world : Isa. 1. 7, 8, ' For the Lord God will help me ; therefore I shall not be confounded. He is near that justifieth me ; who shall contend with me ?' If all the world count me a sinner, God will justify me. As the apostle applieth it to believers, Rom. viii. 33, ' Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's elect ? it is God that justifieth.' God dealt with Christ as the first believer : if Christ had the Spirit put upon him, you shall have the Spirit by virtue of the first promise : Isa. xlii. 1, ' I have put my Si)irit upon him ; and he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.' I.sa. xliv. o, ' I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.'
Use 1. Is exhortation by way of inference to two duties: — 1. If there be such a covenant, meditate upon it. Oh, it is the most comfortable subject that you can spend your thoughts upon ! Con- sider the form of it, that the divine decrees were laid in the way of a covenant, and that God and Christ should article one with another. You may fetch a great deal of comfort and support for your faith out of this.