In the words observe — (1.) God's charge to his officers to summon the court, ' Gather my saints together.' (2.) The desci-iption of the parties who are to appear in the judgment, 'My saints that have made a cove- nant with me by sacrifice.'
1. His charge to his officers, whether angels or others. None can hide themselves, but they must all appear before the tribunal of Christ; for God will have them all brought together from the four winds or corners of the earth.
2. The description, ' That have made a covenant.' The word sig- nifieth, cut a covenant. In covenants the sacrifices were cut asunder, and the persons contracting went between the divided parts. As God
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bid Abraham take an heifer, and a ram, and a she-goat, Gen. xv. 10, 'And he took unto him all these, and divided them in the midst, and laid each piece one against another ; ' and at evening, ver. 17, ' a smok- ing furnace and a burning lamp passed between those pieces.' And Jer. xxxiv. 18, ' They have not performed the words of the covenant which they had made before me, when they cut the calf in twain, and passed between the parts thereof.' The meaning of this rite was an imprecation : So let them be cut asunder that shall break this covenant. The heathens : Sic a Joveferiatur is, qui sanctum hoc fregerit foedtis, ut ego hunc porcum ferio — Let Jupiter strike him dead that breaks this holy covenant, as I strike this swine. Thus are we said to cut a covenant with God.
Now this covenant is said to be made by sacrifice ; for (1.) There is no covenanting between God and sinful man without a sacrifice ; and (2.) No sacrifice will serve the turn to make the covenant effectual, bat only the blood of Christ, by which his justice is satisfied, and wrath appeased.
Doct. That God's people or saints are such as have made a cove- nant with him by sacrifice ; for so they are described here.
Two things I must speak to — (1.) About making a covenant with God ; (2.) Why no covenant can be made with God without the inter- posing of or respect unto a sacrifice.
First, About making a covenant with God. Sometimes a covenant is said to be made by God, and sometimes made by us. It is made by God as he hath appointed it, and stated the terms of it, and unalter- ably fixed them. Though there be a condescension in the covenant form, and therein God carrieth himself as a God of grace ; yet in fix- ing the term so unalterably, God carrieth himself as a sovereign : Ps. cxi. 9, ' He hath commanded his covenant for ever.' We must take the covenant as God hath left it, not bring it down to our fancies and humours. Our making covenant respects our stipulation, or binding ourselves to perform the conditions required on our part, when we heartily accept the covenant as stated by God.
In every covenant there is ratio daii et accepti, something given, and something taken. God will be our God, and we must be his people : Heb. viii. 10, ' This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts ; and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people.'
Now God makes this covenant — (1.) With respect to himself ; (2.) With respect to us ; (3.) With respect both to himself and us.
1. With respect to himself, to show the freeness and sureness of his grace.
[1.] The freeness of his grace. He might have required obedience from us out of his sovereignty, as he is our creator and we are his creatures ; and given no other reason of his commands but this, I am the Lord ; without any promises or contract made with us. But the absolute command of God, though it might exact obedience from us, yet it doth not carry such motives in its bosom to encourage us to per- form it as the covenant. There was so much of grace in the first covenant: though the condition of it was perfect obedience, and the
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reward had a respect to our personal righteousnegs, yet God would covenant withal, and enter into honds and terms of agreement with man, who was not his equal, but the work of his hands ; and give his word to him to make him sure of eternal life, in case of perfect obedience. But the last covenant hath the honour, by way of eminency, to be styled a covenant of grace ; as being made with us after a breach, Avith man fallen ; so it is called a ' covenant of peace/ Isa. liv. 10, ' My covenant of peace shall not be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee ; ' and because therein God hath manifested the glory of his redeeming grace and pardoning mercy : Eph. i. 6, 'To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved ; ' and because the terms are so gracious, that God will accept of our im- perfect obedience, if it be sincere ; it is called a 'covenant of grace.' In short, when God was displeased with man for the breach of the first covenant, yet he would enter into a new covenant, to show the riches of his grace and mercy ; and he givetli notice to fallen man, and send- eth him word, that if he will put himself under this law of grace, he shall be loosed from the curse : Luke i. 77-79, ' To give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God ; whereby the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.' And if we once enter into it, from first to last he dealeth with us upon gracious terms.