righteousness is wholly unknown in the Sa cred Record: the uniform voice of Scripture is, he was made under the Law, as armed with the CURSE, to the intent that he might redeem them who were under the Law, clothed with that identical circumstance. Now, I would gladly know what other law, befide the Covenant of Works, is armed with the CURSE? The curse, certainly, is not due but to the tranf greffor. I would also learn, what other ław the redeemed are under, in their natural ftate, but this fame Law-covenant? Now, that Law, which is the measure of the Redeemer's furetyship, is no other than that which his people are under, in their lapfed ftate. "Christ hath redeemed us from the curfe of the Law, being made a CURSE for us.-God fent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the Law, to redeem them who were under the Law*." Of the fame kidney is their doctrine, who tranfplant the Redeemer's furetyship from his priestly to his prophetic office. * Gal. iii. 13. iv. 4, 5. It ftands, however, in his priestly office, by the fuffrage of an inspired Apostle. It must be so; for the Apostle discourseth of no other office in the whole seventh chapter of his Epiftle to the Hebrews, than the facerdotal: His fcope, in the whole chapter, is, to prove the fuperior excellence of Chrift in this very respect. SOME ftill infinuate, that there is no place for the formality of a covenant between the parties fpecified. But this objection comes rather too late, as we are affured, that this formality has already taken place. It is of no importance to infift, That, as the effence of the Father and the Son, fo their will is one: For it may be answered, As the fame effence fubfifts in three persons, who are really distinct from each other, fo the fame will may be, and really is applied to distinct actings, in each of these diftinct perfons, in a manner fuperior to our understandings. 3. THE promifes, made by the Father to the Son (befides other confirmations), were folemnly ratified by the death of Chrift: The promises were all conditional C to him, as they are all abfolutely free to us: And they are all fure to the feed, as the condition of them was perfectly implementd by his obedience and death. By death he removed every legal bar which stood in the way of there accomplishment. Now juftice is as much an advocate for the accomplishment of the promises, and the communication of bleffings, as mercy: Yea, God could not be just to himself, if he did not fulfil all New Covenant promises; feeing juftice is fatisfied with the condition of it. The accomplishment of that condition, which Truth and Justice required, turned the Covenant into a Teftament; and rendered it fo fure, as nothing either in heaven, earth, or hell, can difannul it, or add any condition, unto the promises of it, whatfoever. As foon as ever the promises of this covenant were announced to finners, they were exhibited in the form of a Teftament, to be confirmed by the BRUISED HEEL OF THE SEED OF THE WOMAN. As there were facrifices from the fall, and downwards, to the incarnation, fo the use of expiatory ones was to ratify the promises typically, before they were ratified actually by the death of Christ: For For where a teftament is, there muft, of neceffity, be the death of the teftator. Now, he was flain, typically, from the foundation of the world. And the death which this Teftator died, was the penalty of the covenant of works: He was made under the law, as a covenant of works, as we have feen, to redeem them who were under it in that very refpect. To explain this law (with fome) either of the Ceremonial or Judicial Law, or of both, were to confine redemption to the Jews; for they are the only people who were ever under thofe laws: Than which no one thing can be more abfurd; for he hath concluded both Jews and Gentiles under fin. 4. As the Mediator had the burden of accomplishing the condition of the New Covenant, fo he has the honour of proclaiming all the promises of it, as a prophet; and bestowing all the bleffings of it, as a king: "For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him amen, unto the glory of God by us." The mediatorial life of our Lord Jefus Chrift is truly royal and affluent; for it pleased the Father, that in him should all fulness dwell. The He gives gifts unto his fubjects, fuitable unto his princely ftate, without any merit, but all to the contrary, on their part. He bestows on them the abundance of grace, and the gift of righteousness, that they may reign with him in eternal life. bleflings he difpenfeth have been the fame from the beginning: As the neceffities of men were the fame before the flood and after it; before the incarnation, and fince the fulness of time. The means of communication, however, have been greatly diverfified. The following Differtations are defigned as a view of the gradual revelations which are made unto the Church; as these were requifite for, and, in the wisdom of God, adapted unto that particular state of it, on which they were beftowed. 5. THE exhibition of New Covenant promifes, by Chrift; and the acceptance of them, with a refolution to improve them, by his people, conftitute a covenant relation between God and them. Evangelical Covenanting fuppofeth the exhibition of the Covenant which obtained between the Father and the Son, as well as the ad ministration |