Secondly, More particularly in the new covenant all things concur that belong to a testament.
1. There is a testator, and that is the Lord Jesus Chi'ist. A testator is one that hath a just title and a full power to those goods which he disposeth of, and so giveth the same I'ight which he had in them to other persons after his death. Our Lord Ciirist had a full right and power over those things he disjiosed of, as the heir of all things, Heb. i. 2 ; and by virtue of his purchase, according to the pact and agreement between the Father and him, which is set down Isa. liii. 10, 11. By the covenant of redemption Christ was bound to lay down his life as an offering for sin ; and then the Father would make him a fountain of grace, life, and peace to poor sinners. The death of Ciirist Cometh under a twofold consideration, according to the twofold relation which he sustaineth, as an act of a mediator or a testator. Consider God's transaction with us as a covenant, so he is a mediator ; as a testament, so he is the testator. As mediator, so his death was a meri- torious ransom or price, to purchase the inheritance and to expiate the ofi'ences of the heir. As a testator, so his death was necessary to make the covenant valid, and the blessings of the new covenant in force. For as the testator hath no intention to give his inheritance, and part witli the title and possession before he die, so God did never intend to give remission and eternal life but with respect to Christ's death ; and if Christ had not died, the promise had been vain, and of
A SACRAMENT SERMON ON LUKE XXII. 20. 477
no force. Ecniission of sins and eternal life could not have been given under the law, unless the mediator had been to pay the price of the same under the gospel, neither could believers either then or now obtain any benefit but by his death.
2. There is a writing, or an instrument, and deed of conveyance, disposed into a testamentary form, written and sealed, for the assurance, comfort, and benefit of the heirs of promise, and they are the scrip- tures which, by the catholic and general consent of all the christian world, are called the Old and New Testament, because therein Christ hath disposed and bequeathed what he hath purchased for us. To this writing we must have recourse, as the ground of our hope, right, and claim. All the books written since Christ's coming in the flesh bear this title in the front, and are called Kacv7] BiaO)]K7j ; and the whole drift of those books is to set down the death of Christ as a testator, and to seal up the great inheritance of eternal lite to every faithful christian, as the son and heir of Christ, and to state the terms according to which we enter ourselves heirs. Ministers of the gospel are called ministers of the new testament, 2 Cor. iii. 6. Their great work is to bring souls to mind and seek after Christ's legacies. Some- times the gospel may be looked upon as an act of oblivion, as it offereth pardon and justification to all who in a sense of sin and fear of wrath flee unto Christ, and putting their cause into his hands, do give up themselves to do the will of God. Sometimes it is called a charter, as it holdeth forth the hope of eternal life to the justified and the sanctified. But in a respect it is a testament or deed of gift, to assure the believing world, and to encourage them with confidence, to lay claim unto righteousness and eternal life, as heirs of Christ, and to seek after the fruits of his purchase in this life, and the full possession in the life to come. The gospel is our law security ; therefore it is said, John xx. 31, ' But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God, and that believing, ye might have life through his name.' This is the drift of the whole gospel.
3. There are notaries, and they are prophets and apostles, who by the Spirit indited and drew up this testament. Therefore it is said, Eph. ii. 20, ' Ye are built upon the foundation of the prophets and apostles, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner-stone ;' that is to say, Christ is placed and laid as the foundation of our comfort and hope in the doctrines and writings of the apostles and proiihets ; they did commit to writing such truths concerning him as are necessary to salvation. So it is said, Eph. iii. 4-6, ' How that by revelation he made known unto me the mystery which I writ before in few words (whereby ye may understand my knowledge in the mystery of Christ), which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men, as it is now revealed unto his holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit, that the gentiles should be fellow-heirs of the same body, and par- takers of his promise in Christ by the gospel;' that is, that they might draw up Christ's testament.
4. There are legacies left us by our Lord Jesus Christ in this blessed testament ; they are pardon of sin, favour with God, grace, life, glory, all things that are necessary to our blessedness. Gods covenant uotion is God all-suf£cient.