A57966:765
The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace
The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace containing something of the nature of the covenant of works, the sovereignty of God, the extent of the death of Christ ... the covenant of grace ... of surety or redemption between the by Samuel Rutherford ...The covenant of life opened, or, A treatise of the covenant of grace containing something of the nature of the covenant of works, the soveraignty of God, the extent of the death of Christ ... the covenant of grace ... of surety or redemption between the by Samuel Rutherford ...
Edinburgh: printed by Andro Anderson for Robert Brown, 1655
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Ans. Every mutual agreement between the blessed Persons concerning their actions without, cannot be called a Covenant,1 nor need we contend about names. What if we say that there is some Economical and dispensatory agreement of sending and being sent, yea even in the Works of Creation, Redemption and Sanctification, though two things stand in the way to hinder us to call such an agreement with the name of a voluntary compact or Covenant? 1. It seems natural and not voluntary, that there is such an admirable order of working as the Father creates by the Son, as by his eternal wisdom, but yet a person, a suppositum, different from the Father, and by the Spirit, as his mighty power: a third Person. 2. The Son is decreed with his own consent to be the Person, to empty himself, to be in time clothed with our nature, and to put on the state and legal condition of a Covenant-Obeyer of God to the death, the death of the cross, and is made a little lower then the Angels: and this may well be called a Covenant-transaction, and a course of Covenant-obedience in the Mediator, which condition the Holy Ghost comes not under. And what should man say when the votes of the Three carries it, that our iniquities should be laid on the Son, Isa. 53.6. and the Son should be sent, Gal. 4.4. and he from eternity should step out. Lord, send me, here am I to do thy will. Joh. 3.13. No man (no person) [Greek or Hebrew], hath ascended up to heaven, 2but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. These votes of love fell not upon Angels, but upon man. And how should it break my rockiness that Christ spake for me, undertook for me, took all my diseases upon him, before I was, and before my disease had being? We reckon it great favour, Such a man pleaded kindly and boldly for you in your absence, when you was not to speak for your self. As its love to provide a rich inheritance for the child not born, and to fight for the sleeping child that he may not be killed: when we had neither being, action nor vote in Christs undertaking. Obj. Such as are chosen in Christ, such are foreseen believers, when they are chosen. Ans. Justly learned and pious M. Bayn denies that: