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him and by him, upholding all things by the word of his power; Heb. i. 3. So much for the preparation of this head, for a covenant to be made with him. Now for the covenant itself: We all agree, that in order of time, the covenant of grace (as is commonly called) was before the covenant made with Adam, commonly called the covenant of works; but whether it

was

his church must of necessity, had a virtual existence in him, otherwise it is impossible for us to conceive of a perfect head, irrespective of the body, over which he presides; and as the blessed Redeemer was constituted not only a governing, but a suffering head, the number of members which composed his body were assertained, and the degree of sufferings he was to endure speciAdam fied. As a head of a public body, "Adam was We existing

a figure of him that was to come."

in the loins of Adam, in consequence of that existence, are involved, and that justly, in the guilt of that act: and, as Adam never existed without bearing this relation to all the generations that sprang from him, so neither was Christ considered as the anointed of the Father, Church irrespective of his church. The enemies of truth will be perpetually pestering the children of the promise, with such wise and important enquiries as these. How is it possible, that men

who

was first or last in order of working, is the question: my Lord direct me here, I am loth to contradict any, therefore according to my light I shall weigh both.

Obj. What need was there of a covenant of grace, if Adam had not fallen? Therefore, the the fall of Adam was considered in order of working before the covenant of grace was made, for without the fall there was no need of

grace.

First.

who are the subjects of time, could have an existence before time began? How is it possible? The word of God informs you, that no man hath ascended up to Heaven, but he that came down from Heaven, even the Son of Man who is in Heaven. We have an account of many that ascended up to Heaven, that never had in their

= own persons been there before, and therefore could 2=223 not in that sense come down from Heaven, in the text. gross sense of the word; but they come down in the fullness, and in the individuality of their membership in Christ, when he came down from Heaven; and no one will ascend there but what came down in union with Jesus Christ, in his advent to our world; and if united to him when he came, this union must have been the work of God, for they could not form this union; and if the work of God, it must be eternal for what God discovers to us in time, was eternally effec

ted

or Gite

First. If Adam had not fallen, it should have been by grace to all Adam's posterity; for if his disobedience was imputed, his obedience must have been imputed also: there was no need of the fall, to the end it might be by grace; but if it had been so, Adam had the glory, and Jesus Christ had gone without it.

Secondly.

ted in his divine purposes; and the purpose of God gives existence to all persons and things. This divine union is thus represented by the late Dr. Gill; being so truly excellent in itself, and so consistent with the Scriptures, that I shall introduce it in the author's own words.

I. "An election-union in Christ: this flows. from the love of God : election pre-supposes. love, 2 Thes. ii. 13, particularly persons are said to be chosen in Christ, as Rufus: Rom. xvi. 13, and the Apostle says of himself and others, that God had chosen them in Christ, and that before the foundation of the world : Eph. i. 4, election gives a being in Christ, a kind of subsistence in him, though not an actual being, yet at least a representative being, even such an one as they are capable of having grants of grace made to them in Christ, and of being blessed with all spiritual blessings in him, and that before the world began. 2 Tim. i. 9; Eph. i. 3, 4; and how can they be said to have a being in Christ,

and

Secondly. If Adam's fall must be considered in order of working before the covenant of God in Christ, then Adam, and his body and covenant, must have been first in God's consideration.

Thirdly. If Adam's fall must be considered in order, before God's covenant in Christ, then Jesus Christ and his covenant has been made for Adam.

Fourthly.

and yet have no union to him? I cannot con- Union

ceive: besides, in election there is a near relation that commences between Christ and the elect; he is given to be an head to them, and they are given to be members to him, and as such they are chosen together, he first in order of nature, as the head, and then they as members of him. Christ is the chosen head of the church, the church the chosen body of Christ, the fullness of him that fileth all in all; Eph. i. 22, 23. Hence is the safety and security of the Saints, being in Christ through electing grace, and united to him, and therefore said to be preserved in him, herein and hereby put into his hands, made the sheep of his hand, out of whose hands none can pluck them, nor they ever fall; Jude i. 5.

2. There is a conjugal union between Christ and the elect, which also flows from love, and commenced in eternity. By the institution of natural marriage, the persons between whom it

Conjugai

Fourthly. If Adam's fall was first considered, then Adam and his covenant has not been made for Jesus Christ.

Fifthly. If Adam's fall must be considered in order of working before God's covenant in Christ, this is to bring God's covenant in time; for if the fall was in order of working in time, then

the

is contracted, become one flesh, as did Adam'and Eve, and a nearer union than this cannot be well conceived of; whose marriage was a shadow and representation of that between Christ and his church, whom having espoused, he nourishes and cherishes as his own flesh, and they become one, and have one and the same name, that is, Christ Mystical; Eph. v. 29. 32; 1 Cor. xii. 12. Now, though the open marriage-relation between Christ and particular persons, takes place at conconvert version, which is the day of their espousals to

him; Jer. ii. 2. The more public notification of it will be when all the elect are gathered in, and shall in one body be as a bride adorned for her husband, and the marriage of the lamb shall come, and this declared in the most open manner, secret act Rev. xxi. 2. and the nuptials solemnized most magnificently; Yet, the secret act of betrothing was in eternity, when Christ being in love with the chosen ones, asked them of his Father, to be his spouse and bride; and being given to him, he

betrothed

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