A history of the work of redemption. Containing the outlines of a body of…

VII. The next thing to be observed here, is God's solemnly renewing the covenant of grace with David, and promising that the Messiah should be of his seed. We have an account of it in the 7th chapter of the second book of Samuel. It was done on occasion of the thoughts David entertained of building God an house. On this occasion God sends Nathan the prophet to him, with the glorious promises of the covenant of grace. It is especially contained in these words in the 16th verse: "And thy house and thy kingdom shall be established forever before thee; thy throne shall be established forever." Which promise has respect to Christ, the seed of David, and is fulfilled in him only: for the kingdom of David has long since ceased, any otherwise than as it is upheld in Christ. The temporal kingdom of the house of David has now ceased for a great many ages; much longer than ever it stood.

That this covenant that God now established with David by Nathan the prophet, was the covenant of grace, is evident by the plain testimony of scripture, in Is. lv.1.2.3. There we have Christ inviting sinners to come to the waters, &c. And in the 3d verse, he says, "Incline your ear, come unto me; hear, and your souls ⟨p. 82⟩shall live; and I will make with you an everlasting covenant, […] the sure mercies of David." Here Christ offers to poor […] they will come to him, to give them an interest in the same […] covenant that he had made with David, conveying to them […] ••me sure mercies. But what is that covenant that sinners obtain an interest in, when they come to Christ, but the covenant of grace?

That this covenant that God now established with David by Nathan the prophet, was the covenant of grace, is evident by the plain testimony of scripture, in Is. lv.1.2.3. There we have Christ inviting sinners to come to the waters, &c. And in the 3d verse, he says, "Incline your ear, come unto me; hear, and your souls ⟨p. 82⟩