his argument does not lie fo much in the formal fignification of the term, as in the nature of the fubject of which the Apostle speaks. The eternal inheritance, mentioned in a foregoing verfe, is not fold to the poffeffors of it for their good works; but conveyed by a teftamentary-deed, ratified by the death of a teftator. 3. THIS term feems to be used in a mixed fenfe, comprehending at once the idea of a TESTAMENT, and of a COVENANT. Some have ftiled the Covenant of Grace a FOEDERAL TESTAMENT, and a TESTAMENTARY COVENANT. In this fenfe, the word must be taken by Paul, when he' fays, "Brethren, I fpeak after the manner of men; though it be but a man's covenant, (or teftament) yet if it be confirmed, no man difannulleth, or addeth thereto. *" This covenant affumed the form of a teftament in every administration of it, whether as typically ratified by facrifice, or actually confirmed by the death of Christ. As to the nature of this tranfaction, I may obferve, * Gal. iii. 15. B 2 1. THAT 1. THAT it originated in the free and fovereign love of the Eternal Father towards loft finners. The Scriptures, every where, introduce him as the grand contriver of this covenant,-as the first speaker in the Council of Peace: They resolve this grand propofal into a free act of his will. The Son, who came to unvail this ftupenduous tranfaction unto men, uniformly refolves it into the fame fource." Then faid I, Lo I come: In the volume of the book it is written of me! I delight to do thy WILL, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart!" As it was the good pleasure of God which determined, whether any thing should ever exist besides himself; so it was the fame good pleasure which fixed the lot of every man after he had finned : 'That is, whether he should fhare in the fame fate with fallen angels, or if fuch a falvation should be accomplished in his favour, as might confift with all the claims of divine justice and holiness. In free and uninfluenced fovereignty, he took this method of manifefting his glory, and displaying his mercy, that perfection which had not been unvailed by the first creation. In Pfal. xl. 7, 8. -divine divine wisdom, he found out the Son, as the only poffible fubftitute for finners; and gave a company of them unto him, to be redeemed and faved by him. Sovereignty is alfo the origin of all the mercies promised to, and through the Son, as the head of the mystical body: Says God, "I WILL have mercy on whom I WILL have mercy." It were eafy to fhow that each particular mercy flows from this eternal fource. As all the promises flow from this fountain, so it was the fame fovereign pleasure which transferred the condition of thefe promifes from the finner to the furety. Hence, when he was accomplishing it, he expressly declared, that he was doing the WILL of him who fent him. THERE are fome who carry the glory of divine fovereignty yet higher, as they imagine, fuppofing, that fovereignty is the fole caufe of the Satisfaction itself, even upon the fuppofition of fin, and alfo of the falvation of the finner. They fear not to aver, the end might have been gained without any fatisfaction at all, if it had confifted with God's good pleafure. But why should any fuppofe, that God would fhed fhed the blood of his own dear Son without neceffity? Or, that the punishment of fin is merely arbitrary to that God who is of purer eyes than to behold evil: and who CANNOT look on iniquity*? 2. THE formal conftitution of this Covenant confifts in the Son's acceptance of the Father's propofal; and in his undertaking to fulfil that condition which he required at his hand: That is, the Son engaged to be made of a woman, and made under the law, both in its precept and penalty, to redeem them who were under the law in these very refpects; upon the Father's promising to bestow on him a special feed, with all the bleffings requifite for both himself and them. That explicit and prefent acceptance of proposals conftitutes a covenant, cannot be denied: That the Father made fuch propofals to the Son is evident from many places of Scripture † : That the Son accepted of these proposals is equally certain, from his own declaration, already quoted. The truth is, the Father Pfal. ii. 8. If. liii. 6—12. xlix. 5 -12. Pfal. lxxxix. 1-37. Pfal. cx. per totum. Pfal. * Hab. i. 13. xxxii. per tot. Vide Witf. Oecon. lib. 2. cap. 2. was nant. was not more willing to propose, than the Son to accept the terms of the New CoveHis acceptance is manifeft from his office-title, the SURETY OF A BETTER CoVENANT *. A furety is of use only where one of the parties has already failed; or, at least, is capable of doing fo: There is no place for one, where the principal, in point of obligation, is infallible and immutable therefore, there was no room for a furety for God; a God capable of coming fhort of his promise is no God. The furetyfhip of Jefus Chrift, then, confifted in his taking upon himself the burden of his people's debt, both of obedience and fuffering, with a full refolution to pay it. He took it in confequence of the Father's laying it on him; "for the Lord laid on him the iniquity of us all." His bond of furetyship was of equal extent with his people's debt-bond, in the Covenant of Works. One of the main devices of fatan, in thefe laft days, is, to affign another rule unto the obedience and fufferings of our Redeemer, than the moral law, as a covenant of works. But this newly invented ftandard of his * Heb. vii. 22. righteousness |