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and as giving to his Son the promise of a seed to serve him for a reward of his sufferings as a Mediator. The Father also, "sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law. God gave his only begotten Son, and delivered him up for us all. The Son, on his part, freely undertook the arduous work. "Lo I come! in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O God; and thy law is within my heart." Cheerfully did he engage to assume our nature, and lay down his life for us. this being insufficient to win the hearts of sinners, an important work was also assigned to the Holy Ghost. To him it belonged, not only to guide and comfort all the saints, and keep them, by his power, through faith unto salvation; but also to reprove the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. His was also the great and glorious work of regeneration." According to his mercy he saveth us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost." The wonderful order and arrangement of the great works appertaining to redemption, make it evident, that they are, and have been, covenant transactions of the sacred Trinity, established from eternity.

There are several passages of scripture, which, in a general view, evidently allude to the covenant of redemption. Particularly in the 89th Psalm; the things which are said of David, have more particular reference to the Saviour, of whom David was an illustrious type. “I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David, my servant; thy seed will I establish forever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Then thou spakest in vision to thy Holy one, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty; I have exalted one chosen out of the people. I have found David my servant; with my holy oil I have anointed him. Also I will make him. my first born, higher than the kings of the earth. My mercy will I keep forevermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him." These high honors belong to him only, who is the Prince of peace; and they are the fruits

and rewards of his faithfulness in the character of a Mediator.

Much we find also which relates to the covenant of redemption, in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah's prophecy. He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. He was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities.— The Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.-It pleased the Lord to bruise him, he hath put him to grief." Thus the blessed Redeemer performed and suffered his stipulated part, and waited for his reward. " When

thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed; he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul and be satisfied. Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he hath poured out his soul unto death; and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors." In this chapter, we have many clear and strong expressions of covenant transactions between the persons of the adorable Trinity; and especially, between the Father and the Son. The work of the Holy Spirit is always understood, whether expressed or not, so far as respects the actual redemption to God of all the subjects of divine grace. A similar statement, respecting the covenant of redemption, we have in the epistle to the Colossians. Describing the voluntary. humiliation of Christ, from the highest seat in heaven, to the ignominious death of the cross, to make an ample atonement for a guilty world; it is added, as expressive of his stipulated reward; "God also," even God the Father, "hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name; that at the name of Jesus, every knee should bow, and every tongue should confess that he is Lord of all, to the glory of God the Father."

Thus, by way of covenant, and mutual compact, the great and glorious work of redemption has been accomplished by the sacred Trinity; and the precious fruits of

this work of grace are manifest, and will be more and more manifest, while the world stands; and the glorious work will be celebrated in heaven by unceasing praises and hallelujahs.

These are the views which Christians generally entertain of the covenant of redemption. In this, man has no part to act, no condition to perform. The whole of this great and wonderful transaction, is accomplished by the Godhead; by which it appears, that all are equally engaged to accomplish the arduous and glorious work of redemption; and all derive from it equal honor and glory.

REMARKS AND ILLUSTRATIONS.

1. It appears from the view which we have taken of the covenant of redemption, that however united and harmonious the persons of the Godhead might be, in the execution of this glorious work, yet Christ is more particularly than the others, the Redeemer of sinful men. "The only Redeemer of God's elect, is the Lord Jesus Christ." Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us. "Christ hath redeemed us to God, by his own blood." Christ, only, assumed human nature, and was made capable of pain, and sorrow, and death. Considering the infinite dignity of his character, as "God manifest in the flesh," he was capable, by his own voluntary sufferings and death, of making an infinite atonement for sin. And to him it belonged, according to the tenor of the covenant of redemption, to suffer, in sinner's stead, all that they derserved: not that he suffered, literally speaking, all the pains and sorrows, due to sinners. For, as the human nature only, was capable of suffering; it was impossible for Christ to suffer an infinite quantity of pain or sorrow. But taking into the account the infinite dignity of his character, it is evident, that what he suffered was as well fitted to express the displeasure of God against sin, as if Deity himself had suffered on the cross, in man's stead. Ac

cordingly, in a free mode of expression, the life and the blood of Christ are spoken of as the life and the blood of God. "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he (God) laid down his life for us.” "Feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood."

Thus the law of God, sanctioned by a penalty, absolutely infinite, was amply vindicated, fulfilled, magnified, and made honorable. This was the arduous part which Christ performed, in distinction from the Father, and the Holy Spirit. Indeed, all that was arduous and painful, was sustained by Christ. In this respect, Christ is, by way of distinction and eminence, denominated the REDEEMER. Should any conceive it to have been a hardship for the Saviour to sustain all the sorrows and sufferings due to an ungodly world; let them consider, that as great as his sufferings were, so great also is his reward. His humiliation and death are attended with an infinite reward. "God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name above every name." He is exalted to be head over all things to the church. To him is given the dominion over all the principalities and powers of this world. He ever has and ever will have a seed to serve him in this world; and the time is drawing near, when his kingdom shall break in pieces and destroy the empires of iniquity, and then shall all the earth be filled with his glory.

2. In the discussion of the doctrine of the redemption of sinners, we may notice, that it differs materially from the redemption of slaves and captives. Such may be redeemed with money, or be exchanged for others in a like state of bondage with themselves. For they are considered as being free from criminality; though lawful captives. But in the case of sinners, money is out of the question. All the gold of Ophir would be of no avail, to redeem the soul from spiritual bondage. To offer money for the redemption of a convict, under the wholesome laws of human government, would be deemed an insult to the government. To offer money for the redemption of offenders in the christian church, would be an insult to the body of Christ.

Redemption, in the bible sense, is effected, only by the atonement, which was made by the vicarious sufferings of Jesus Christ. "Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish, and without spot." All mankind, having by their transgression, fallen under the sentence of eternal death, and being unable to deliver and save themselves, unable to atone for their sins, or to render that honor to the divine law, which justice demands; the way was prepared for Christ to interpose, according to the covenant of redemption, and give up his infinitely precious life for sinners, which was an all-sufficient sacrifice. This was a sacrifice acceptable to God; and this removed every obstacle, and every insuperable difficulty, in obtaining salvation. Now the door of mercy was opened, and nothing was required, but barely to accede to the humiliating terms of forgiveness, through the atoning blood of the Redeemer ; and to embrace him by that faith, which works by love. Propitiation was made for the sins of the whole world. Christ tasted death for every man. The atonement was infinite and unlimited, however limited the application of it may be, in the actual redemption of souls from the bondage of sin and death, by the power of the Holy Ghost. To lay an ample foundation for the pardon and salvation of all penitent sinners, by suffering in their stead, the curse of a broken law; was the nature, as well as the design of the atonement. The suffering was, strictly speaking, vicarious-one for others" the just for the unjust."Christ died for the ungodly."

Thus we discover the nature and design of the great work of redemption by the blood of the Son of God; and how different it is from the redemption of slaves and captives.

3. We may notice, more particularly, the necessity of redemption by the blood of Christ. For if there had been a law, which could have given life, verily righteousness," or rather justification," should have been by the law." But no such law can be found. Nothing can be done by sinners, which will give them a title to sal