masters; and to sin, as a cruel tyrant, which would continually force him to every abominable practice. And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient.* He also gave them up unto vile affections,† that so they might receive in themselves that recompense which was meet. In fine, he delivered them up as slaves to the devil, to be taken captive by him at his pleasure.§ And all this according to that most equitable law; Of whom a man is overcome, of the same he is brought in_bondage.||

II. Add to this too, that man, after he ceased to be in covenant with God, became without God, and without hope in the world. For it was impossible for man to devise any method becoming God, whereby, consistently with divine truth, justice, and holiness, he could be reconciled with God, and return again to his favor. The law of sin was also just, by which man was enslaved to sin, to the dominion and condemnation of it, and given up to the devil as his tormentor. In which sense, he is said to be not only the captive of the devil, of the strong man, mentioned Matth. xii. 29. but also the captive of the lawful.** For he had the power of death t† and that by the law;‡‡ the strength of sin is the law. Nor could man contrive a method, whereby sin, which condemned, and that by the most equitable law, might itself be justly condemned by God.

III. But it pleased God, according to the riches of his unsearchable wisdom, to lay this breach of the legal covenant as a foundation for his stupendous works; by setting up a new covenant of grace, in which he might much more clearly display the inestimable treasures of his all-sufficiency, than if all things had succeeded well with man according to the first covenant: thus discovering, what seemed incredible, and to sur. *Rom. i. 28. † Ver. 26. Ver. 27. $2 Tim. ii. 26. || 2 Pet. ii. 19. ¶ Eph. ii. 12. ** Isa. xlix. 24. tt Heb. ii. 14. #1 Cor. xv. 56.

pass comprehension, that the true, just, and holy God could, without at all diminishing, nay rather much more illustriously displaying his adorable perfections, become the God and salvation of the sinner: finding out that admirable mixture of his strictest vindictive justice with his most condescending mercy, so that the one should detract nothing from the other. For so illustrious an exercise of which perfections there could have been no place under the covenant of works.

IV. If therefore any thing ought to be accounted worthy of our most attentive consideration, certainly it is the covenant of grace, of which we now attempt to treat. Here the way is pointed out to a paradise far preferable to the earthly, and to a more certain and stable felicity than that from which Adam fell. Here a new hope shines upon ruined mortals, which ought to be the more acceptable, the more unexpected it comes. Here conditions are offered, to which eternal salvation is annexed: conditions, not to be performed again by us, which might throw the mind into despondency; but by him who would not part with hist life, before he had truly said, It is finished. Here with the brightest splendour shine forth the wonderful perfections of our GOD, his wisdom, power, truth, justice, holiness, goodness, philanthropy, or goodwill to man, mercy, and what tongue can rehearse them all? never before displayed on a more august theatre, to the admiration of all who behold them. Whoever therefore loves his own salvation, whoever desires to delight himself in the contemplation of the divine perfections, must come hither, and deeply engage in holy meditations on the covenant of grace which I think may not improperly be thus defined.

V. The covenant of grace is an agreement, between God and the elect sinner; God declaring his free good-will concerning eternal salvation, and every thing relative thereto, freely to be given to those in

covenant, by and for the sake of the Mediator Christ ; and man consenting to that good-will by a sincere faith.

Of the Compact between God the Father and the Son.

THAT the nature of the covenant of grace may be

the more thoroughly understood, two things are above all to be distinctly considered. 1. The compact which intervenes between God the Father, and Christ the Mediator. 2. That testamentary disposition, by which God bestows, by an immutable covenant, eternal salvation, and every thing relative thereto, upon the elect. The former agreement is between God and the Mediator; the latter between God and the elect. This last presupposes the first, and is founded upon it.

II. When I speak of the compact between the Father and the Son, I thereby understand the will of the Father, giving the Son, to be the Head and Redeemer of the elect; and the will of the Son presenting him self as a Sponsor or Surety for them; in all which the nature of a compact and agreement consists. The scripture represents the Father, in the economy of our salvation, as demanding the obedience of the Son even unto death, and for it promising him that name, which is above every name, even that he should be the head of the elect in glory: but the Son, as presenting himself to do the will of the Father acquiescing in that promise, and in fine, requiring the kingdom and glory promised to him. When we have clearly demonstrated all these particulars from Scripture, it cannot on any pretence be denied, that there is a compact between the Father and the Son, which is the foundation of our salvation. But let us proceed distinctly. 1. By producing such places of scripture, as speak in general indeed, but yet express

ly, of this compact. 2. By more fully unfolding the particulars, which complete or constitute this compact. 8. By invincibly proving the same from the nature of the sacraments, which Christ also made. use of.

III. Christ himself speaks of this compact in express - words.* KAGO DIATITHEMAI HUMIN, KATHOS DIETITHETO MOI HO PATER MOU BASILEIAN, And I engage by covenant unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath engaged by covenant unto me. In which words the Lord Jesus says, that by virtue of some covenant or disposition, he obtains a kingdom, as we also obtain it by virtue of the same.

IV. And Heb. vii. 22. where he is said to be KREITTONOS DIATHEKES ENGUOS, a surety of a better covenant or testament. But he is called the Surety of a testament, not principally on this account, because he engages to us for God and his promises, or because he engages for us that we shall obey; as Moses intervened as a surety between God and the Israelites. For by how much Christ was greater than Moses, in so much he was also a Surety in a more excellent manner. His suretiship consists in this, that he took upon himself to perform that condition, without which, consistently with the justice of God, the grace and promises of God could not reach unto us; and which being performed, they were infalliably to come to the children of the covenant. Unless then we would make void the suretiship of Christ, and gratify the Socinians, the very worst perverters of the scripture, it is necessary we conceive of some covenant, the conditions of which Christ took upon himself; engaging in our name with the Father, to perform them for us; and which having performed, he might engage to us for the Father, concerning grace and glory to be bestowed upon us.

V. Moreover, Paul mentions a certain DIATHEKEN, Covenant, or testament, that was confirmed before * Luke xxii. 29. † Exod. xix. 3-8. Gal. iii. 17.

of God in Christ. Where the contracting parties are on one side God, on the other Christ; and the agreement between both is ratified. But lest any should think, that Christ is here only considered as the executioner of the testament bequeathed to us by God, the apostle twice repeats, that Christ was not promised to us, or that salvation was not promised to us through Christ, though that be also true; but that the promises were made to Christ himself.* That Christ was that seed, HO APENGELTAI, to which he had promised, or to which the promise was made; namely concerning the inheritance of the world, and the kingdom of grace and glory. It is evident therefore, that the word DIATHEKE does here denote some covenant or testament, by which something is promised by God to Christ. Nor do Nor do I see what can be objected to this, unless by Christ any one should understand the head, together with the mystical body, which with Christ is that one seed, to which the promises are made. This indeed we shall very readily admit, if it also be admitted, that Christ, who is the head, and eminently the seed of Abraham, be on no account excluded from these promises, especially as the promises made to his mystical body, ought to be considered as made also to himself; since he himself too hath received gifts for [in] men.†

VI. Nor ought those places to be omitted, in which explicit mention is made of the suretiship of Christ; as Psal. cxix. 122. Be surely for thy servant for good; that is as surety receive him into thy protection, that it may be well with him. In like manner, Is. xxxviii. 14. I am oppressed, undertake for me; be to me a surety and patron. And that none but Christ alone. could thus undertake, God himself says, Jer. xxx. 21. Who is this NGARAB EIH LIBBO that engaged [in] his heart, or quieted his heart by his suretiship, or sweetened his heart, by a voluntary and fiducial engagement, or, in fine, pledged his very heart, giving his