38. Christ upon his Incarnation performed but what God had Decreed, before the foundations of the world, and had obscurely and generally promised after the fall, at the first making of the Covenant of Grace. Which Decree of God, is after the manner of men called by some a Covenant between the Father and the Son; especially because the Prophets have sometimes (as Isa. 53.) described it by way of prediction as a Covenant between the Father and Christ incarnate. If we conceive of it properly under the notion of a Decree first, and a Promise after unto the world, so the Will and Mercy of God the Father and Son (with the Holy Spirit) are the cause of mans Redemption, Pardon and Salvation, even the fundamental Principal total Cause: And the Promise was man's security; and Christ as promised was the primary great mean•, which was to procure us the rest, by doing that, upon the fore-sight and fore-decree whereof, God did before-hand pardon and save Sinners. But if you had rather mention it as in the form of a Covenant, (which before the Incarnation, must be improperly taken, being only of God to himself, or a promise of and to Christ as to be incarnate) then the undertaking of the Father, and the Son herein must be carefully distinguished and described. The Father giveth up to Christ as Redeemer the whole lapsed cursed reparable world, (the several parts to several uses) and especially his chosen to be eventually and infallibly saved, and promiseth to accept his Sacrifice and performance, and to make him Head over all things to his Church, and by him to establish the Law of Grace (in its perfect Edition) and to give him the Government respectively of the Church and world, and to Glorify him for this work with himself for ever. And the second person undertaketh to assume man's Nature, to do and suffer all that he did, in perfect obedience to his Fathers Will, and Law of Redemption, to fulfil all Righteousness, conquer Satan and the world, to suffer in the flesh, and be a Sacrifice for sin, and to conquer Death, and teach, and rule, and purify, and raise, and justify and glorify all true believers.
38. Christ upon his Incarnation performed but what God had Decreed, before the foundations of the world, and had obscurely and generally promised after the fall, at the first making of the Covenant of Grace. Which Decree of God, is after the manner of men called by some a Covenant between the Father and the Son; especially because the Prophets have sometimes (as Isa. 53.) described it by way of prediction as a Covenant between the Father and Christ incarnate. If we conceive of it properly under the notion of a Decree first, and a Promise after unto the world, so the Will and Mercy of God the Father and Son (with the Holy Spirit) are the cause of mans Redemption, Pardon and Salvation, even the fundamental Principal total Cause: And the Promise was man's security; and Christ as promised was the primary great mean•, which was to procure us the rest, by doing that, upon the fore-sight and fore-decree whereof, God did before-hand pardon and save Sinners. But if you had rather mention it as in the form of a Covenant, (which before the Incarnation, must be improperly taken, being only of God to himself, or a promise of and to Christ as to be incarnate) then the undertaking of the Father, and the Son herein must be carefully distinguished and described. The Father giveth up to Christ as Redeemer the whole lapsed cursed reparable world, (the several parts to several uses) and especially his chosen to be eventually and infallibly saved, and promiseth to accept his Sacrifice and performance, and to make him Head over all things to his Church, and by him to establish the Law of Grace (in its perfect Edition) and to give him the Government respectively of the Church and world, and to Glorifie him for this work with himself for ever. And the second person undertaketh to assume man's Nature, to do and suffer all that he did, in perfect obedience to his Fathers Will, and Law of Redemption, to fulfill all Righteousness, conquer Satan and the world, to suffer in the flesh, and be a Sacrifice for sin, and to conquer Death, and teach, and rule, and purifie, and raise, and justifie and glorifie all true believers.
