Christ and the covenant the work and way of meditation

Upon a threefold account.

Upon the account of stipulation, — Upon the account of Confirmation, — Upon the account of Suretyship.

Upon the account of stipulation, — Upon the account of Confirmation, — Upon the account of Suretiship.

First, He is the Mediator of the New Covenant upon the account of stipulation, for he it was that did strike the Covenant for us with God the Father. See what is said in 2 Tim. 1. Who hath saved us, saith the Apostle, and called us with an 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. So that there was a Treatment between God the Father and Christ ⟨p. 94⟩concerning us; and Christ received grace for us before the World began. — And as the first Adam did strike the Covenant of works with God the Father for his Seed, so Jesus did strike the Covenant of grace for his Seed with God the Father, and so called the second Adam. A Mediator therefore of the New Covenant he is, in regard of stipulation, he it was that struck up the Covenant first with the Father.

By his active obedience while he lived, Dan. 9.27. He shall confirm the Covenant with many for one Week. Larabbim, you read it with many, but rather he shall confirm the Covenant for many; not for all, but he shall confirm the Covenant for many for one Week.

By his active obedience while he lived, Dan. 9.27. He shall confirm the Covenant with many for one Week. Larabbim, you read it with many, but rather he shall confirm the Covenant for many; not for all, but he shall confirme the Covenant for many for one Week.

And he did confirm the Covenant also by his passive obedience, in his Death, Hebrews 9. For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament, That by means of death for the Redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament, they which are called might receive the Promise. For (the Apostle explains it by a Similitude) Where a Testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator. For a Testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all, whilst the Testator liveth. So that plainly then, The Lord Jesus ⟨p. 95⟩Christ did confirm the Covenant by his Death.

And he did confirme the Covenant also by his passive obedience, in his Death, Hebrews 9. For this cause he is the Mediator of the New Testament, That by means of death for the Redemption of the transgressions that were under the first Testament, they which are called might receive the Promise. For (the Apostle explains it by a Similitude) Where a Testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator. For a Testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all, whilst the Testator liveth. So that plainly then, The Lord Jesus ⟨p. 95⟩Christ did confirme the Covenant by his Death.

Only the Question is, how Christ did confirm the Covenant by his death?

Onely the Question is, how Christ did confirme the Covenant by his death?

The Socinians would make the World believe, that Christ did confirm the Covenant by his death, in a way of Testimony and witness-bearing only; for say they, Christ preached the Gospel while he lived, and when he dyed, he did by his death seal it, and confirm the truth thereof: thus they say, that Christ did confirm the Covenant by his death, only in a way of witness-bearing, in a way of Testimony.

The Socinians would make the World believe, that Christ did confirme the Covenant by his death, in a way of Testimony and witnesse-bearing onely; for say they, Christ preached the Gospel while he liv'd, and when he dyed, he did by his death seal it, and confirme the truth thereof: thus they say, that Christ did confirme the Covenant by his death, onely in a way of witnesse-bearing, in a way of Testimony.

But surely this cannot be it, for if Christ did confirm the Covenant by his death; he confirmed not the Covenant only by witness-bearing to the truth, for so the Apostles might be said to confirm the Covenant, for in the 2 Heb. 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great Salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.

But surely this cannot be it, for if Christ did confirme the Covenant by his death; he confirmed not the Covenant onely by witnesse-bearing to the truth, for so the Apostles might be said to confirme the Covenant, for in the 2 Heb. 3. How shall we escape, if we neglect so great Salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.

And if our Lord and Saviour should only confirm the Covenant by his death, in a way of witness-bearing, then the Martyrs that dyed for the Truth, should confirm the Covenant by their Death too, for they by their death did seal to the Truth, and did bear witness to the Truth, and so they should be said to confirm the Covenant; but far be it from us to think any such thing.

And if our Lord and Saviour should onely confirme the Covenant by his death, in a way of witnesse-bearing, then the Martyrs that dyed for the Truth, should confirme the Covenant by their Death too, for they by their death did seal to the Truth, and did bear witness to the Truth, and so they should be said to confirme the Covenant; but far be it from us to think any such thing.

But Jesus Christ did confirm the Covenant by his death thus, By performing the condition of the Covenant, and by laying down his blood a price for the mercies and blessings promised in the Covenant.

But Jesus Christ did confirme the Covenant by his death thus, By performing the condition of the Covenant, and by laying down his blood a price for the mercies and blessings promised in the Covenant.

He did confirm the Covenant by his death, (I say) by performing the condition of the Covenant. If a man be in captivity, and he that hath him in captivity promises, upon the payment of so much money that he shall be delivered, when the money is paid down, the Condition is performed; Why, now Jesus when he dyed, he gave himself a ransom for many, [Greek or Hebrew], yea, [Greek or Hebrew], and upon this account, he is called a Mediator, 1 Tim. 2.5. There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a Ransom, [Greek or Hebrew], a Ransom in the room, a Ransom for, or in the room of us.

He did confirme the Covenant by his death, (I say) by performing the condition of the Covenant. If a man be in captivity, and he that hath him in captivity promises, upon the payment of so much money that he shall be delivered, when the money is paid down, the Condition is performed; Why, now Jesus when he dyed, he gave himself a ransome for many, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, yea, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, and upon this account, he is called a Mediator, 1 Tim. 2.5. There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself a Ransome, 〈non-Latin alphabet〉, a Ransome in the room, a Ransome for, or in the room of us.

As the first Adam should have confirmed the Covenant and did not, so the second Adam did confirm the Covenant. — How should the first Adam have confirmed the Covenant? — Why, the first Adam should have confirmed the Covenant by performing the condition thereof. So now our Lord and Saviour Christ, being the second Adam, did confirm the Covenant, — How? — by performing the condition of the Covenant: Thus he is the Mediator of the New Covenant, upon the account of Confirmation.

As the first Adam should have confirmed the Covenant and did not, so the second Adam did confirme the Covenant. — How should the first Adam have confirmed the Covenant? — Why, the first Adam should have confirmed the Covenant by performing the condition thereof. So now our Lord and Saviour Christ, being the second Adam, did confirme the Covenant, — How? — by performing the condition of the Covenant: Thus he is the Mediator of the New Covenant, upon the account of Confirmation.

3. He is the Mediator of the New Covenant upon the account of Suretyship, by being bound ⟨p. 97⟩unto God the Father that we shall perform to him, by being bound to us that God the Father shall perform to us. In the 7th of the Hebrews, you shall find he is called our Surety, vers. 22. By so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better Testament: — And why so? but to show, that where he is Mediator, he is Surety. You know what a Surety is, he is bound for the Debtor to perform. Saith Judah unto his Father Jacob, Gen. 43.9. when he would have Benjamin down with him to Egypt, I'll be surety for him, of my hand shalt thou require him; So Christ saith unto the Father, I will be Surety for these men, and of my hand shalt thou require their performance;— and saith he to them again, I will be Surety for God the Father, and of my hand shall you require his mercies. So that thus now he is a Mediator of the New Covenant, upon an account of Suretyship, upon a threefold account; — upon the account of Stipulation, — upon the account of Confirmation, — upon the account of Suretyship.

3. He is the Mediator of the New Covenant upon the account of Suretyship, by being bound ⟨p. 97⟩unto God the Father that we shall performe to him, by being bound to us that God the Father shall performe to us. In the 7th of the Hebrews, you shall find he is called our Surety, vers. 22. By so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better Testament: — And why so? but to shew, that where he is Mediator, he is Surety. You know what a Surety is, he is bound for the Debtor to performe. Saith Judah unto his Father Jacob, Gen. 43.9. when he would have Benjamin down with him to Egypt, I'le be surety for him, of my hand shalt thou require him; So Christ saith unto the Father, I will be Surety for these men, and of my hand shalt thou require their performance;— and saith he to them again, I will be Surety for God the Father, and of my hand shall you require his mercies. So that thus now he is a Mediator of the New Covenant, upon an account of Suretiship, upon a threefold account; — upon the account of Stipulation, — upon the account of Confirmation, — upon the account of Suretiship.

5. But what are the benefits that we do gain or get by Jesus being the Mediator of the New Covenant?

Much every way.