(2.) Again, some things are made lawful or good, or suited site the glory, honour, or satisfaction and complacency, of them that make
SECT. 14, 15.] THE FATHER AND THE SON. 89
the covenant, by virtue of somewhat arising in or from the covenant itself. And of this sort are most of the things that are disposed in the covenant between the Father and the Son under consideration. They become good and desirable, and suited unto their glory and honour, not as considered absolutely and in themselves, but with respect unto that order, dependence, and mutual relation, that they are cast into by and in the covenant.
Such was the penal suffering of the human nature of Christ under the sentence and curse of the law. This in itself absolutely con- sidered, without respect unto the ends of the covenant, would neither have been good in itself, nor have had any tendency unto the glory of God; for what excellency of the nature of God could have been demonstrated in the penal sufferings of one absolutely and in all respects innocent? Nay, it was utterly impossible that an innocent person, considered absolutely as such, should suffer penally under the sentence and curse of the law; for the law denounceth punish- ment unto no such person. Guilt and punishment are related; and where the one is not, real, or supposed, or imputed, the other cannot be. But now, in the terms of this covenant, leading unto the limi- tations and use of these sufferings, they are made good, and tend unto the glory of God, as we shall see. So the pardoning and savy- ing of sinners absolutely could have had no tendency unto the glory of God; for what evidence of righteousness would there have been therein, that the great Ruler of all the world should pass by the offences of men without animadverting upon them? What justice would have appeared, or what demonstration of the holiness of the nature of God would there have been therein? Besides, it was im- possible, seeing it is the judgment of God that they who commit sin are worthy of death. But, as we shall see, through the terms _and conditions of this covenant, this is rendered righteous, holy, and ~ good, and eminently conducing to the glory of God.
15. The matter of this covenant, or the things and ends about which and for which it was entered into, are nextly to be considered. These are the things which, as we observed before, are to be dis- posed of unto the honour, and as it were mutual advantage, of them that make the covenant. And the matter of this covenant in general is the saving of sinners, in and by ways and means suited unto the manifestation of the glory of God. So it is compendiously expressed where the execution of it is declared, John ii. 16, “ God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoso- ever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” And upon the coming of the Son into the world he was called Jesus, because he was to “save his people from their sins,” Matt. i. 21; even Jesus the deliverer, who saves us from the wrath to come,
90 FEDERAL TRANSACTIONS BETWEEN [EXERC. XXVIII.
1 Thess. i. 10. To declare this design of God, or his will and pur- pose in and by Jesus Christ to save his elect from sin and death, to bring his many sons unto glory, or the full enjoyment of himself unto eternity, is the principal design of the whole Seripture, and whereunto the whole revelation of God unto men may be reduced. This was that on the prospect whereof the Son or Wisdom of God rejoiced before him, and had his delights with the children of men before the foundation of the world, Prov. viii. 30, 81. Man having utterly lost himself by sin, coming short thereby of the glory of God, and being made obnoxious unto everlasting destruction, the previ- sion whereof was in order of nature antecedent unto this covenant, as hath been declared, the Father and Son do enter into a holy mutual agreement concerning the recovery and salvation of the elect in a way of grace. This we place as the matter of this covenant, the thing contracted and agreed about. The distinction of the parts of it into persons and things, the order and respect in it of one thing unto another, are not of our present consideration; the explanation of them belongs unto the covenant of grace which God is pleased to enter into with believers by Jesus Christ. But this was that in general that was to be disposed of unto the mutual complacency and satisfaction of Father and Son.
16, The end of these things, both of the covenant and the dispo- sition of all things made thereby, was the especial glory both of the one and the other. God doth all things for himself. He can have no ultimate end in any thing but himself alone, unless there should be any thing better than himself or above himself. But yet in him- self he is not capable of any accession of glory by any thing that he intendeth or doth. He is absolutely, infinitely, eternally perfect, in himself and all his glorious properties, so that nothing can be added unto him. His end therefore must be, not the obtaiming of glory unto himself, but the manifestation of the glory that is in himself. When the holy properties of his nature are exercised in external works, and are thereby expressed, declared, and made known, then is God glorified. ‘The end therefore in general of this covenant, which regulated the disposal of the whole matter of it, was the exer- cise, exaltation, and manifestation, of the glorious properties of the divine nature; other supreme end and ultimate it could have none, as hath been declared. Now, such is the mutual respect of all the holy properties of God in their exercise, and such their oneness in the same divine being, that if any one of them be exerted, mani- fested, and thereby glorified, the residue of them must be therein and thereby glorified also, because that nature is glorified in which they are, and whereunto they do belong. But yet, in several parti- cular works of God, his design is firstly, immediately, and directly, to exercise in a peculiarly eminent manner, and therein to advance