I will make him my First born.-His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven." "I the Lord-will-give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the Gentiles, to open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and them that sit in darkness out of the prison-house." "I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayst be my salvation unto the end of the earth.—I will—give thee for a covenant of the people, to establish the earth, to cause to inherit the desolate heritages; that thou mayst say to the prisoners, Go forth." "Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life.—This com mandment have I received of my Father." "Who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross: wherefore God also hath highly exalted him and given him a name which is above every name." "Whom he hath appointed heir of all things; who, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, being made so much better than the angels as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.-Thou hast loved righteousness and hated iniquity: therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows."*

From these quotations it is evident that Christ by cove

*Ps. 2. 1-8. and 72. 5-8, 11, 17. and 89. 3, 24-29. Isai. 42. 6, 7. and 49.6-9. and 53. 10-12. John 10. 17, 18. Phil. 2. 8,9. Heb. 1.2-4, 9. and 12. 2.

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nant was entitled to the reward of a glorious kingdom of holy and happy subjects, and to "see of the travail of his soul" until he should be "satisfied." But light still more decisive beams upon us. The salvation of the elect was expressly promised to Christ in the eternal covenant. “Paul,—an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect;-in hope of eternal life which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began." Promised to whom? No man was there to receive the promise: none was there but the Mediator. And so distinct and specific was the assignment, that all their names were written in his book of life, And they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, (whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world,) when they behold the beast." "And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world." "And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth,-but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life." “And I saw the dead, small and great, s and before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened which is the book of life." "Clement also, and-other my fellow labourers, whose names are in the book of life." "At that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book.' ""*

(3.) In consequence of that conveyance and promise

* Dan. 12. 1. Phil. 4. 3. Tit. 1. 1, 2. Rev. 13. 8. and 17. 8 and 20. 12. and 21. 27.

of the Father, and as Christ's reward, the elect are regenerated.

In receiving the promises for his posterity, Abraham was a type of Christ. The influence upon his posterity therefore of the covenant made with him, set forth the influence upon the elect of the covenant made with Christ. And what was the influence of the covenant made with Abraham? "The Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself above all the people that are upon the face of the earth. The Lord did not set his love upon you nor choose you because ye were more in number than any people, (for ye were the fewest of all people ;) but because the Lord loved you, and because he would keep the oath which he had sworn unto your fathers." So it is with those who were given to Christ for a seed. They are regenerated, not for any thing in them, but on account of the eternal covenant with him. hath saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began." And nothing can defeat that purpose. They may be hid in the depths of heathenism; fenced round by the throne and the altar and the school of philosophy; but nothing can obstruct the way of Christ when he comes to recover his own. When Paul had entered the proud and forbidding Corinth, the Lord Jesus said to him in a vision, "Be not afraid, but speak and hold not thy peace; for I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee; for I have much people in this city." But

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Christ's own testimony is the most decisive. "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." "Other sheep

I have which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice.-But ye believe not because ye are not of my sheep.-My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.-My Father which gave them me is greater than all." "I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world thine they were, and thou gavest them me, and they have kept thy word."*

(4.) That covenant with Christ was, through him as the Head, extended to the Church: and in consequence of those stipulations with Christ and the Church,-as his reward and in virtue of his intercession,-believers are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.

There was a promise to Christ respecting the elect; but as moral agents they were to be treated with directly. And when God came to address himself to them, he gave them while impenitent, as he did the rest of the world, his invitations and conditional promises. But when, in consequence of the covenant with Christ, they are made believers and sons of God, he extends to them, now composing the Church, absolute promises of preserving grace and eternal salvation. I will first show you that God gives these absolute promises to the Church or body of believers; and secondly, that he ensures their perseve

* Deut. 7. 6-8. John 6. 37. and 10. 16, 26-29. and 17. 6. Acts 18. 9, 10. 2 Tim. 1. 9.

rance as the reward of Christ and in virtue of his intercession.

[I.] God has given to the Church or body of believers absolute promises of preserving grace and eternal salvation. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delighteth in his way. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.-The Lord-forsaketh not his saints;

they are preserved forever." "They shall be my people and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear me forever. And I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them to do them good, but I will put my fear in their hearts that they shall not depart from me." "When God made promise to Abraham, because he could swear by no greater he swore by himself; saying, surely, blessing, I will bless thee, and multiplying, I will multiply thee. And so after he had patiently endured he obtained the promise. For men verily swear by the greater, and an oath for confirmation is to them an end of all strife. Wherein God, willing more abundantly to show unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us; which hope we have as an anchor of the soul both sure and steadfast." "Now to him that is of power to stablish you according to my pel,-be glory through Jesus Christ forever." "To his

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