Thomas Manton · 43 of 57

The Tenth Verse. · Part 2

1. For the form or manner of it. It seemeth to be conditional and federal, that when Christ would do thus and thus, God would perform his part to him, and he should enjoy such and such privileges. The point is—

Doct. That the business of man’s salvation was transacted by way of covenant between God and Christ.

Here is the form of it, that in case Christ would make his soul an offering for sin, he should see his seed, and prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord should prosper in his hands. That this point may be fully made out to you, I shall use this method:—

1. Show how it may appear that there was such a covenant and formality of agreement between God and Christ.

2. What this covenant is, and the several ways whereby it doth appear in scripture.

1. I shall show how it may appear there was such a covenant.

[1.] By such titles given to Christ as do infer it, because he is the effect or result of it; as Mal. iii. 1, ‘I will send the angel (or messenger) of the covenant, even the messenger of the covenant whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.’ This him whom by covenant I have designed to such an office, him whom by virtue of the compact and agreement I have made with him, I shall send to you. So you shall see he is called a covenant: Isa. xlii. 6, ‘And give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles;’ Isa. xlix. 8, ‘And give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth.’ Because of the eternal agreement between God and Christ, he is said to be a covenant; that is, the foundation of a covenant between God and believers. His being given for a covenant, is to be a means to redeem and reconcile them.

[2.] By the words that passed between God and Christ, that are recorded in scripture. It is very observable that the scripture, for the relieving of our thoughts and apprehensions, does make all the passages and debates between God and Christ to pass by words: so in this business: Ps. cx., ‘Thou art my Son, sit thou at my right hand;’ Ps. ii. 8, ‘Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.’ But to this affair in hand, you shall see how God breaketh the matter to him: Ps. lxxxix. 19, ‘Thou spakest in vision to the Holy One, and saidst, I have laid help upon one that is mighty, and have exalted one chosen out of the people.’ Thou speakest in a mystical way to thy Christ; God revealeth himself to his Holy One, and said thus, Lo, the creatures are weak and miserable, never able to recover themselves into my favour, but thou art mighty; therefore I shall lay this charge upon you, to help them. And thereupon you shall see Christ’s answer: Ps. xl. 7, 8, ‘Lo, I come; in the volume of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God.’ Christ accepted of it, and agreed to the terms, and was willing to do, and conform to the pleasure of God the Father for poor sinners. So in this place, if he will do thus and thus, then he shall see his seed, and prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands.

[3.] It appeareth by the carriage of Christ. The scripture showeth everywhere that it was according to the covenant God made with him: he undertook to do all things according to the will of the Father: John iv. 34, ‘My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work;’ and therefore he would punctually keep to the laws of the covenant. And accordingly he is said to look up to God the Father for the accomplishment of his promise to him: John x. 18, ‘This commandment I received of my Father, that I should lay down my life: ‘I have agreed to it. John xii. 49, ‘For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father that sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak: ‘according to the instructions he received from God, and the tenor of his commission; he would not vary from it a tittle. And he goeth to the Father, and urgeth it to him: John xvii. 4, ‘I have glorified thee upon earth, and have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.’ He did all that he was bound to do. So in many other places.

2. What this covenant is. I shall here show you the whole draught of this transaction. To a covenant there belong four things—two on the part of the proposer, and two on the part of the undertaker; and so in this covenant you will find the scriptures fully discovering these four things—two on God’s part, and two on Christ’s. On God’s part, there is the work proposed and the encouragements promised. And then, on Christ’s part, the work is undertaken, and the terms and promises expected to be fulfilled.

[1.] To begin with that which is God the Father’s part, who being the first in order of persons, is the first covenanter. In the motioning of a thing, something is required and something promised.

(1.) See what is required then, and what charge is given to Christ. Help is laid upon the shoulders of Christ. It may be referred to two heads:—

(1st) He was to do something by way of merit and impetration, that so he might satisfy the creatures’ engagement, and merit the favour of God for them, which they had forfeited; and there were divers steps in this. He was to divest himself of his glory, to strip himself of all appearances of the Godhead. And therefore he is said to he employed as an instrument and servant in the execution of God’s decrees. Hence it is said, Isa. liii. 2, ‘He shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground, having no form nor comeliness.’ Before him; that is, before God the Father: ver. 11, ‘By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many:’ Isa. xlii. 1, ‘Behold my servant, whom I uphold.’ To this end he was to take a body: Heb. x. 5, ‘A body hast thou prepared me.’ And to take flesh of a woman; and therefore it is said, Gal. iv. 4, ‘God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.’ He was to take an office of service and obedience, and then to work all our works for us. It is said he was made under the law, subjected to the first covenant of works. He was to be holy, and harmless, and undefiled, to be exercised with divers sufferings, reproaches, and injuries; therefore called ‘a man of sorrows,’ Isa. liii. 3. And it became God in this regard to make the captain of our salvation perfect through sufferings. Then at length to humble himself to the very death, and in great consternation and agonies to lay down his life, and to pour out his soul as an offering for sin: and all by the command of the Father; that is, by the charge laid upon him by God. And thus far the merit. He left his glory, taking our nature, our works, our debts upon himself, and subjected himself to the wrath of God the Father, that he might make an atonement for the sins of the world, sufficient for all mankind.

(2dly.) God gave him something touching the application of his merit. God gave in the names of divers persons, and bade him have a care over them. Therefore it is said, John x. 3, ‘He calleth his own sheep by name.’ He hath such a special care over them, as if every distinct name were given unto him, and there were a charge committed to him to have a care of that soul. And the elect of the Father are said to be given to Christ: John xvii. 6, ‘Thine they were, and thou gavest them me.’ Now what was he to do to them, i.e., to those of the world whom God had chosen as his? He was to enlighten them; he was to bring them into covenant with himself by enlightening them. God saith of Christ, Isa. xlii. 6, ‘I will give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light to the Gentiles;’ that is, to shine in upon them in the darkness of their natural estate, to bring them home to himself: John vi. 37, ‘All that the Father giveth me shall come to me: and them that come to me I will in no wise cast out.’ And the reason is given in the next verse; it is ‘the will of my Father.’ And then he was to comfort them by the glad tidings of salvation: Isa. lxi. 1, ‘The Lord hath anointed me to preach good tidings to the meek: he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim comfort to all that mourn, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening the prison to them that are bound.’ And after this to bear with their weakness and waywardness; for that is a part of his charge: Isa. xlii. 3, ‘A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench.’ Lovingly to bear with the ignorance and weaknesses of his children, and supply all their defects by his Spirit and strength: Isa, xl. 11, ‘He shall feed his flock like a shepherd; he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and gently lead those that are with young.’ He shall have a special and certain care of his tender flock. Besides, where they want strength, he shall lend his own strength, and so sweetly lead and guide them by his counsel, till he has brought them to his glory, that is in his commission and charge: John vi. 40, ‘And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him up at the last day.’ This is the Father’s charge, who doth as it were say thus to his Son, If you will engage yourself to me, here is the work you are to do; you must leave your glory and become my servant; I have fitted a body for you, and you shall fulfil the law, and live in meanness and misery, and then yield up yourself to an accursed death, that so you may merit my favour for these persons whose names I give you: and then you shall oblige yourself to enlighten and quicken them by your Spirit, that their bondage may be removed: and then you shall cherish them, and comfort them, and support them, especially the weak ones among them, until you have perfected them, and brought them to glory. This is the sum, and this was the will of the Father, and the charge given to Christ: so that whatsoever Christ acted as Mediator, he acteth as God’s servant.

2. Now, the work being proposed, God promiseth what he should expect by way of encouragement and reward for it; and that is this, that in case Christ will undertake all this, he shall not want help, he shall have the Spirit: Isa. lxi. 1, ‘The Spirit of the Lord is upon me;’ and that he should have the Spirit without measure, not by drops, as the creatures have. And that he should have all countenance; God would not forget his relation in the meanness of his disguise: ‘I will be to him a Father, and he shall be to me a Son,’ Heb. i. 5. And because empty relations are nothing worth, God would not only be a Father in title, but dispense all fatherly care and respects to him, so that though he meet with opposition and discouragements, he should be borne up against the brunt of them: Isa. xlii. 4, ‘He shall not fail nor be discouraged, till he have set judgment in the earth, and the isles shall wait for his law.’ He shall still have the best. His judgments and law shall be set up; and sorry, impotent men shall but express their malice; they shall not wreak and satisfy it, for the Lord will be with him: Isa. xlii. 4, ‘He shall not fail nor be discouraged;’ the meaning is, he will mightily come in for his assistance. And then, after all this, he shall be full of success and triumph: ‘He shall see his seed,’ and God’s pleasure shall thrive in his hands. He shall have anything, a kingdom that knoweth no end and no limits: Ps. ii. 8, ‘Ask of me, and I will give thee the heathen for an inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for a possession.’ He shall have power over his adversaries to use them at pleasure, to dash them in pieces as a potter’s vessel is shattered into pieces by an iron mace. Alas! what is an earthen vessel to an iron mace? And then the bowing and stooping of all creatures before him: Phil. ii. 9, 10, ‘Wherefore God hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow.’ God hath promised not only to break the stoutest back, but to bow the stiffest knee; and wherefore? because he undertook this work by covenant. And then, after all this, an entrance into glory: Luke xxiv. 26, ‘Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into glory?’ So was he thus engaged to do by covenant. And besides, Christ was encouraged by promises not only to his person, but for his people. As a sufficiency of grace: Col. i. 19, ‘It pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell.’ And also a power to justify them: ‘By his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many.’ To sanctify, enlighten, and glorify them: ‘All things are delivered me of my Father,’ Mat. xi. 27. So that you see what God would do for Christ, in case he should take that burden and charge upon him. Thus you see the matter proposed by God the Father.

Secondly, Now you shall see that this is accepted by God the Son; the work is undertaken with reference to those terms.

1. The work is undertaken. God the Son, being equal to the Father, could not have been commanded and overruled to any service without a voluntary susception and concurrence of his own; and therefore, upon this discovery of the will of God, Christ sweetly concurred and consented to it: Ps. xl. 7, 8, ‘Lo, I come; in the volume of thy book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O God.’ And he professeth in another place, John iv. 34, ‘My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work.’ It was a gladsome thing to him, as the hours of repast are to an ordinary man. As for the impetration, God would have him lay aside his glory. And it is said, Phil. ii. 7, ‘And made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men,’ incarnate; ‘He was found in fashion of a man.’ It was his Father’s will that he should endure reproaches and injuries: Isa. l. 5, 6, ‘The Lord hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away my back: I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.’ Christ offered himself to all these indignities, being bound to it. He would not be rebellious against his Father’s motion. Then to do our works; therefore he is said to be obedient. And then to pay our debts; and therefore he is said to be obedient to the death of the cross, Phil. ii. 7. Then for the application of the merit; he inviteth the weary, Mat. xi. 28. He enlighteneth the blind, dispossesseth Satan, sets the captive free, Mark v. 18. Pitieth the faint: Luke xv. 5, ‘And when he had found it, he layeth it on his shoulders rejoicing.’ He bringeth home the weary upon his own shoulders, and at length bringeth them to glory: John vi. 40, ‘And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one that seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life, and I will raise him at the last day.’

2. Christ looketh for the donation, and the accomplishment of God’s terms upon it. As for help and assistance: Isa. l. 9, ‘Behold, the Lord will help me.’ So Isa. xlix. 5, ‘And my God shall be my strength.’ It is spoken of Christ in many places. And Isa. xlix. 7, ‘Thus saith the Lord, the Redeemer of Israel, and his Holy One, to him whom man despiseth, to him whom the nations abhor, to a servant of rulers, kings shall see and arise, and princes also shall worship, because of the Lord that is faithful, and the Holy One of Israel, and he shall choose thee.’ He comforts himself with the promises of success and glory, that though the nations should despise it, yet kings should see it, and rulers worship him. The apostle, quoting a prophecy of Christ, saith in his person, Heb. ii. 13, ‘I will put my trust in him;’ that is, for his seed; ‘Behold I and the children which God hath given me.’ So for his people: the Spirit is called the promise of the Father, Luke xxiv. 49, ‘And, behold, I send the promise of the Father unto you,’ that is, the Spirit which my Father hath promised, he will give you. And he pleadeth for his own glory upon this ground, because he had submitted to God’s terms: John xvii. 5, ‘And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory I had with thee before the world was.’ So for his people, ver. 24, ‘Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, and that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.’ Thou didst promise this glory to me, and to them in me, in the everlasting covenant. And thus I have given you a taste of this matter.

The reasons are these:—

First, That God might found another covenant upon it; therefore God would make a covenant with his Son before he would make a covenant with his creatures; for indeed Christ’s covenant is the foundation of another covenant. Unless he had been bound to Christ by this, the other would not have been sure, if God had not obliged Christ to the oversight of it. That this reasoning may be looked upon as the more cogent, do but eye the several differences between both these covenants.

1. This was made with Christ; he is the only federate or person in covenant with God: but now, in the other, Christ is indeed a main federate, the prime federate or chiefest person in covenant, but not the only federate. That he is the prime federate is clear: Gal. iii. 16, ‘To Abraham and his seed were the promises; but he saith not seeds, as of many, but to thy seed, as to one, which is Christ;’ that is, Christ mystical; the whole church, head and members, are called Christ in scripture: 1 Cor. xii. 12, ‘For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.’ It is true, the promises are mainly pitched upon his person, but from him descend to the rest: for the covenant is not made with Christ only, as appeareth, Heb. viii. 8, ‘I will make a covenant with the house of Israel, and the house of Judah.’ It is made with all believers. This is made to Christ mystically, whereas the other we speak of now is made to Christ personally.

2. This made with Christ is a covenant of works in the very formality of it, and obliged him to subject himself to a covenant of works, to fulfil perfect obedience for the creatures, and to satisfy for the debts of the creatures, and to buy out their peace by the price of his own blood; but now the covenant made with believers is a covenant of grace. God dealt with Christ in justice, that he might deal with us in mercy: Rom. iii. 24, ‘Being justified freely by his grace, through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ.’ God dealeth with us freely, though he satisfied his justice upon Jesus Christ. The yoke of the old covenant is not upon the neck of believers, because the stroke of it is Upon the back of Christ.

3. This covenant made with Christ is eternal, before all worlds; the other, the covenant of grace, is made with us in time, and we enter into it in time. I confess in itself it is very old, ever since the first promise dropped from God’s mouth: Gen. iii. 15, ‘The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent’s head, and thou shall bruise his heel.’ Though since that it hath been renewed, and we come to have share in it at conversion, yet I say it is very old, ever since the fall; however it is not so old as the covenant with Christ, that was before all time: Titus i. 2, ‘In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began,’ that is, to Jesus Christ. Before any succession of time Christ received promises for you, and undertook to bestow eternal life upon believers: 2 Tim. i. 9, it is said, ‘According to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began;’ that is, it was given to Christ for us. And this it may be is the meaning of that, Heb. xiii. 20, that ‘Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant;’ the blood appointed to be shed to be the everlasting covenant between God and him.

Second reason, That Christ might be inaugurated into his office with the more solemnity, and greater endearment to the creatures. That which is done by a covenant is done more solemnly and surely; you have not only a decree and purpose, and promise and types, but the discovery of a covenant: Ps. cx. 4, ‘The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent; thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.’ There you have God’s oath for Christ’s priesthood, which noteth an irreversible sentence. Though the creatures play fast and loose with him, yet God thinketh himself never enough bound to them. And, therefore, he would tie himself in such ways as are most solemn and obliging amongst men, as by oaths and covenants. He would fain stablish the hearts of sinners, and make things certain to them; and, therefore, he giveth this account of his eternal transactions for your good, they were ordered by way of covenant.

Third reason, This is a way that yieldeth mush comfort and satisfaction to the people of God. This is the most comfortable representation of Jesus Christ that can be made to you, and that for two reasons:—

1. You have a double engagement upon God; he is engaged to Christ, and he is engaged to you. Oh, that is it that makes all sure to our souls, that God was engaged to Christ first! If God had only dealt with particular persons, the business had been in danger of miscarrying. In the covenant of works the burden lay upon every one’s person; if thou do this, thou shalt live: Gal. iii. 10, ‘Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.’ But now there is a covenant made with Christ: indeed God hath taken every one’s person into covenant, but God hath given Christ the oversight of it; he hath founded a covenant upon a covenant. The covenant was made to him before it was made to you. Nay, in the covenant made with you, it is made with one seed, which is Christ: there to Christ mystical, here to Christ personal; still Christ is taken in with you, and therefore the business is more sure and satisfying: 2 Cor. v. 19, ‘God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself.’ There is great comfort that he would transact the matter with Christ before he would meddle and deal with the world.

2. You have double promises; the very promises that are made to Christ’s person, they are your promises as well as Christ’s, so far as they are compatible with your state and condition. Your Mediator will be nothing but what you shall have the benefit of; nay, it is very observable that we have glory not only by virtue of the promises made to ourselves, but by virtue of the promises made to Christ; that we should have glory, as Christ prays, John xvii. 23, 24, ‘And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them. Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me; for thou lovedst me from the foundation of the world.’ God promised to be his God and Father, and therefore you may be as confident he will be yours as if the promise had been directed to your persons. For Christ reasons thus, John xx. 17, ‘Go to my brethren, and say to them, I ascend to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ He hath engaged himself to be mine, therefore yours; you are what I am. So that besides the promises directed to sinners, you have Christ’s personal promises so far as they concern your state. So you shall see God promised to acquit Christ from all the sins he should take upon him, and to free him from the reproaches that should be cast upon his person, because of his miserable appearance in the world: Isa. l. 7, 8, ‘For the Lord God will help me; therefore I shall not be confounded. He is near that justifieth me; who shall contend with me?’ If all the world count me a sinner, God will justify me. As the apostle applieth it to believers, Rom. viii. 33, ‘Who shall lay anything to the charge of God’s elect? it is God that justifieth.’ God dealt with Christ as the first believer: if Christ had the Spirit put upon him, you shall have the Spirit by virtue of the first promise: Isa. xlii. 1, ‘I have put my Spirit upon him; and he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.’ Isa. xliv. 3, ‘I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring.’

Use 1. Is exhortation by way of inference to two duties:—

1. If there be such a covenant, meditate upon it. Oh, it is the most comfortable subject that you can spend your thoughts upon! Consider the form of it, that the divine decrees were laid in the way of a covenant, and that God and Christ should article one with another. You may fetch a great deal of comfort and support for your faith out of this.

[1.] It occasioned God and Christ to become both believers, and to trust one another; and Christ is a believer to this day: Heb. x. 13, ‘From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.’ God promised Christ, and Christ promised God, and they took each other’s word for the salvation of all the world. Oh, what an encouragement is it to believe when you have such high patterns! If you will not believe God upon his oath, believe him upon his engagement to Christ. It is an honour to be a believer, because God and Christ were both believers: as great personages among men are an honour to the society and fellowship into which they come. You may fetch a reason hence; they trusted one another, and shall not I trust them both? Now you have a willing God and an able Saviour, and they both in covenant with you. Christ would not let go the assurance that he had of God’s love by this covenant in his agonies: Mat. xxvii. 46, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ Though there were a suspension of the discovery of love, yet he could say my God, my God. Oh, why should not we believe now, and silence all doubts? Who would not believe God with his surety?

[2.] Consider the manifold engagements that are upon God. God is bound to Christ, and God is bound to you; the heart should not be loose in believing when God is thus bound. You have his purpose, his promise, his oath, both covenants. Is it not a high affront put upon God to distrust him now? God was angry with Sarah for laughing, when she had but a bare promise, Gen. xviii. 13. Certainly, then, he has just cause to be angry with you for unbelieving, when he hath so deeply engaged himself to you. Num. xxiii. 19, it is said, ‘Hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?’ So I may say much more, Hath he not sworn, hath he not covenanted, and will he not make good his engagement to Christ?