and facrifice of infinite worth and value; and GOD Almighty is faithful, who hath promifed. Wherefore to the Father he faith; thou haft loved them, as thou haft loved me; for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world: And to his Difciples he faith; because I live, ye shall live also †.—It is strange that fome perfons who profess to believe the Scriptures, fhould deny that GOD made a covenant with CHRIST for us, when he faith exprefly more than once, I have given him for a covenant of the people : Now a covenant is more than a covenanter; and plainly fignifies his glorious ability and faithfulness to fulfil the terms of that covenant which GOD had made with him for his elect's fake; or that he had actually performed all the conditions of it; and that of GOD they are all placed faithfully to our account: Hence to CHRIST he faith, By the blood of thy covenant, I have sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water: And accordingly the Apostle teftifies, that CHRIST is made of GOD unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and fanctification, and redemption. But the Pfalmift is very full and particular on this great truth: I have made, faith he, a covenant with my chofen, I have fworn unto David my fervant. And, that he speaks not merely of David the fon of Jeffe, but only mentions him as a Type of

Chrift,

+ John xiv. 19.

Ifa. xlix. 8.

Zech. ix, 11.

CHRIST, is manifeft to every one that attentively reads the whole Pfalm; for he adds, (Verse 19.) Then thou fpakeft in vifion to the HOLY ONE, and faidft, I have laid help upon one that is mighty: I have exalted one chofen out of the people. I have found David my fervant: with my holy oil have I anointed him. With whom my hand shall be established: mine arm alfo shall strengthen him. I will beat down his foes before his face, and plague them that bate him. He fhall cry unto me, thou art my Father, my God, and the rock of my falvation. Also I will make him MY FIRST BORN, HIGHER THAN THE KINGS OF THE EARTH. My mercy will I keep for him for evermore, and my covenant shall stand fast with him. His feed alfo will I make to endure for ever, and his throne as the days of heaven. If his children forfake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my ftatutes, and keep not my commandments: Then will 1 vifit their tranfgreffion with the rod, and their iniquity with ftripes. Nevertheless my loving kindness will 1 not utterly take from him, nor fuffer any faithfulness to fail. My covenant will 1 not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips. Once have I fworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David. His feed fhall endure for ever, and his throne as the fun before me t.

Dd 2

+ Pfal. lxxxix. 19—37.

Thus

Thus 'tis clear that CHRIST was in covenant with God for his chofen; and therefore they fhall never perish: even their own fins fhall not destroy them; for the LORD hath fpoke it. -But,

3. A Third reafon for the certain falvation of believers is, becaufe Chrift bath fulfilled all righteoufnefs, and was made a curfe for them: And, according to the tenour of the firft covenant, GoD requires no more of any man than to fulfil his juft and perfect law, and fatisfy for the breach of it. But this CHRIST hath done for his elect, who is therefore made unto them righteousness; hence he also faith, their fins and their iniquities I will remember no more: Saint John alfo, writing to believers, faith; if any man fin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jefus Chrift the righteous; and he is the propitiation for our fins *. -Thus CHRIST is the Surety of the New Teftament, who stood engaged to pay the debts, that is, to fatisfy divine justice for all the fins, of all his people: And, bleffed be GOD, he hath done it.

Therefore CHRIST, in that he is rifen from the dead, and afcended to the Father, bath ceafed from bis own works, as God did from hist: For he is

1 John ii. 2.

+ Heb. iv. 10.

now

unto us.

now entered, with his own blood, into heaven itfelf; there to appear in the presence of God for us. This is the ground of God's pardoning our iniquities in righteoufnefs, and not imputing fin It is a righteous thing with God to require fatisfaction for the tranfgreffion of his juft and holy law; but not to require it a fecond time, after that he hath received full and complete payment at the hand of JESUS, our heavenly furety : And they who affirm the contrary, charge GoD with injuftice; as much as those who deny that GOD is juft, in exacting fatisfaction at the hands of tranfgreffors.

4. GOD hath abfolutely promised eternal life in CHRIST to his elect, and confirmed it with an oath: For when God made promife to Abraham, because he could fwear by no greater, he fware by himself: Wherein, faith the Apostle, God, willing more abundantly to fhew unto the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it with an oath: That by two immutable things, in which it was impoffible for God to lie, we might have strong confolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope fet before us*. CHRIST alfo, fpeaking of his sheep, for whom, faith he, I lay down my life; affures us, they shall never perish, neither shall any pluck them

Dd3

Heb. vi. 13-19.

out

out of his band: My Father, he adds, which gave them me, is greater than all; and none is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand*.

The promises of GOD in CHRIST to his people that believe on him, are always mentioned by the Apoftles, as the fecurity of the Saints at all times and in all circumftances: For He is faithful that promifedt. And again, God is faithful, by whom ye were called into the fellowship of his Son Jesus Chrift: Who will not fuffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way for you to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore he faith, When thou paffeft thro' the waters, I will be with thee; and thro' the floods, they fhall not overflow thee: When thou walkeft thro' the fire, thou shalt not be burnt, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee; for I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Ifrael thy Saviour §.GOD alfo himself tells us how, and by what means he will keep his people from falling away: For it is written; I will give them one heart, and one way, that they may fear me for ever: 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, faith GOD, my fear in their hearts, that they fhall

not

John x. 29.

|| 1 Cor. x. 13.

+ Heb. x. 23. § Ifa. xliii. 2, 3.

1 Cor. i. 9.