with clear water, to take away the stony heart, to enlighten them, to justify them, to adopt and sanctify them, and at last to present them without spot or wrinkle, or any such thing; and when all this comes to be revealed and set forth in a gospel dispensation, what is incumbent upon us, but to subscribe to this glorious transaction and plan of redemption that was laid by infinite wisdom? Thus I say the covenant of grace was originally transacted with Christ, and with us in him and through him; and they who either in print or pulpit ridicule or exclaim against this as a new scheme of doctrine, they do not ridicule us, but the doctrine asserted by the church of Scotland in her standards, which as it is founded upon the word, so we are bound by folemn covenant to cleave unto it. : 4. Remark, That the revelation of this covenant of grace transacted with Chrift before the world, was made very early to our first parents in paradise immediately after the fall, Gen. iii. 15. The feed of the woman shall bruise the bead of the ferpent. Here it was, that the grand fecret which lay in the breast of God, did first break forth, when our first parents were waiting with a trembling heart every moment for the execution of the sentence of the broken covenant of works: Behold glad-tidings of great joy are issued out from a throne of grace, namely, that in the fulness of time the Son of God was to take on the feed of the woman, and bruise' the ferpent's head, to destroy the devil, and his works, and redeem man from that gulph of mifery into which he was plunged; this was the covenant of grace; and it is remarkable that in its first edition it came forth in a promise of Christ, this was enlarged and explained to Abraham, Mojes, David and yet more fully opened after the Babylonish captivity by Jeremiah, Ezekiel and other prophets, till Christ himself actually came, in whom all the old testament types, prophecies and promises received their full accomplishment, and having by his death confirmed the covenant with many, the covenant of grace after his refurrection and exaltation came forth in its last and best edition: namely, in the form of a teftament, having the two great sacraments of baptifm and the supper appended to it, as full and uncontested evidences of its being confirmed by his death. This glorious charter is now past the feal, and therefore faith may make use of it with boldness. 5. Remark, That this covenant of grace or testament of our Lord Jesus Christ may be viewed and confidered in its dispensation or exhibition. God in his infinite wisdom, for reaching the great end and design of a covenant of grace, has appointed ordinances, the word, sacrament and prayer, and other proper means, by which the benefits of his death, and blessings of his covenant, may come to be actually applied to us; he has authorized ministers to dispense word and facraments, that by these, as through conduit-pipes, his grace and fulness may be communicated to us. And here it should be remembered, that the covenant of grace in the difpensation and exhibition of it comes to every man's door. It is presented as the ground and foundation of faith in common to all the hearers of the gospel, elect and reprobate; we call all and every one to take hold of God's covenant, and tell them, To you is the word of this falvation fent; the promise, or covenant, is to you, to your feed, and to all that are are afar off, and to as many as the Lord our God Shall call. 2. 6. This covenant of grace may be confidered in the application and execution of it; and this is either initial, progressive or confummate. 1. I fay there is the initial application, or the foul's first entry into the bond of the covenant, or rather the fpirit of the great new covenant head taking hold of the poor foul, and the foul at the fame moment taking hold of the covenant by faith, receives it as a good and fufficient security for that life and happiness, which was loft by the fin of the first Adam. This is in fcripture called the day of espousals, wherein the foul does as it were sign and subscribe the marriage-contract, saying, I am the Lord's. There is the further improvement of this covenant of grace, for the foul's daily supply in a way of believing, whereby it is made to grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is called a drawing water with joy out of the wells of Salvation. The believer finding himself under this and the other want, improves the promises of the covenant, as they are suited and adapted to his cafe, And thus the work of sanctification is daily advanced, thy shall go from strength to strength. 3. There is the full execution of the designs of this covenant, when the foul is brought to glory, and presented faultless before the presence of God, without Spot or wrinkle, or any such thing. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall we appear with him in glory. At that day, the covenant, and all the concerns of it, is fully executed and performed, even the day of Jesus Christ, Phil. i. 6. Being confident of this very thing, that he who hath begun a good work in you, will perform it to the day of Jesus Chrift. Christ. So much for the first thing proposed, which was to give you some views of the covenant of grace. The fecond thing was to speak a little of the faithfulness of God engaged in the covenant, which is here resembled to the rainbow about the throne in colour like an emerald. For the illustration of this head, I shall 1. enquire what the faithfulness of God implies. 2. How far this faithfulness is engaged in the covenant. For the first, I shall clear it in the following particulars. 1. God's covenant of grace or promise is no hasty or indeliberate deed, but the result of his eternal purpose and council. Men many times speak before they think, and when they have past their word, they would be content to eat it in again, because they speak frequently before they confider matters truly. But no such thing is incident to God; his promife is nothing else but a revelation of his council and purpose of grace before the world began; and therefore every word he speaks is fure, and stable, like mountains of brass which cannot be shaken. 2. God thinks as he speaks in his covenant and promife. I remember it is given as the character of a true citizen of Zion, that he speaks the truth in his heart, Pfal. xv. that is, his words and his thoughts agree together, the one is the exact transcript or copy of the other: And if this be the character of the citizens of Zion, much more is it so of Zion's God and King, who defires truth in the inward part: He does not say one thing and think another, he hates all disingenuity in others, and therefore cannot be guilty of it himself: His words are so much the picture of his heart, that we we may lawfully and warrantably look into his heart in and by the words of his mouth. 3. God cannot forget his covenant and promife. Men will many times make promises, and forget them as foon as they are made; but it cannot be fo with God, he is ever mindful of bis covenant, his mercy and truth is ever before his face; and therefore it is an unjust reflection on a God of truth, to say, or think that he has forgotten to be gracious. A woman may sooner forget her fucking child, than God can forget his children, or his promise made to them; he remembers every good word or thought of ours, and has a book of remembrance for them; furely then he will not, he cannot forget his own word of promise. 'Tis true, Ifa. xliii. 26. we are commanded to put him in remembrance; and accordingly David, Pfal. cxix. 49. says to God, Remember the word, upon which thou hast caused me to hope. But this is not to be understood, as if God needed to have his memory helped by us; but only to put us to our duty, to quicken us to faith and fervency in prayer, according to the direction, Ezek. xxxvi. 37. For these things will I be enquired of by the house of Ifrael, that I may do it for them. 4. God cannot change his mind : our unbelieving hearts are ready sometimes to suggest, that when God made the promise, he might have thoughts of grace and love in his heart, but perhaps now he has altered his way of thinking; his thoughts have taken another turn: but this cannot be, for he is of one mind, and who can turn him? There is no variableness, or so much as a shadow of turning with him, he is the same to-day, yesterday, and for ever. Pfal. cii. 25, 26, 27. Of old thou hast laid the foundation of the earth: and the heavens are the work of VOL. II. thy Kk |