BOOK 2. FROM ETERNITY.
CHAPTER 2.
2.2.2. Of Considering Jesus in that Respect.
Of Considering Jesus in that respect.
We must consider Jesus carrying on this work of salvation in that eternity; it is not enough to study and know him, but according to the measure of knowledge we have attained, we must ponder and muse, and meditate, and consider of him: now, consideration is an expatiating and enlarging of the mind and heart‘on this or that subject. Consideration is a fixing of our thoughts, a steadfast bending of our minds to some spiritual matter, till it work in the affections and conversation. We may know, and yet be inconsiderate of that we do know, but when the intention of our mind and heart is taken up about some one known object, and other things are not for the present taken notice of, this is consideration. O that, if it were possible, we could so consider Jesus in this first period of eternity, as that for a while at least we could forget all other things! Christians, I beseech you be dead to the world, be insensible of all other things, and look only to Jesus. It is said that men in a frenzy are insensible of what you do to them, because their minds are taken up about that which they apprehend so strongly; and if ever there was any object made known to take up the mind of a spiritual man, it is this, even this: not, but that other objects may be deeply and seriously minded of men; it is reported of one Archimedes, who was a great mathematician, that when the city was taken wherein he was, and the warlike instruments of death clattering about his ears, and all was in a tumult, yet he was so busy about drawing his lines, that he heard no noise, nor did he know there was any danger; but if such objects as those could take up the intention of his mind, so as not to regard other things, how much more should this consideration of Christ: If a carnal heart, a man that minds earthly things, be so taken up about them, because they are an object suitable to him; how much more should a gracious Heart, that can see into the reality of these things of God and Christ from everlasting, be so taken up with them as to mind nothing else: Come then, O my soul, and set thy consideration on work, as thus:
1. Consider Jesus in his relation to God, how he was the eternal Son of the Father: I know in some respects we have little reason thus to look on Jesus. As we are sinners, and fallen from God, there is no looking on an absolute Deity; alas, that majesty (because perfectly and essentially good) is no other than an enemy to sinners as sinners; so as we are sinners, and fallen from God, there is no looking on the Son of God: I mean on the Son of God, considered in the notion of his own eternal being, as co-equal, and co-essential to God the Father: alas! our sin hath offended his justice, which is himself: and what have we to do with that dreadful power, which we have provoked? But considering Jesus as Jesus, which sounds a Saviour to all sinners believing on him; and that this Jesus contains the two natures of Christ, both the Godhead and manhood: now we that have our interests in him, may draw near, and (as we are capable) behold the brightness of his glory, Heb. i. 3. to this purpose the scriptures have discovered to us God the Son, how he is the second person in the Trinity, having the foundation of personal subsistence from the Father alone, of whom by communication of his essence he is begotten from all eternity; "When there were no depths I was brought forth, before the mountains were settled, and before the hills I was brought forth," Prov. viii. 24, 25. Ante colles generata eram. "Before the mountains I was begotten," as some: or, Ante colles filiata eram , "Before the mountains I was soned his son," as others translate it. Why thus, O my soul, consider Jesus the Son of God, but in this consideration be not too curious; thou hearest of the generation of the Son, and of the procession of the Holy Ghost, but for the manner how the Father begets the Son, or how the Father and Son do aspire, and send forth the holy Spirit, be not too busy to enquire, thou mayest know a little, and consider a little, but for the depth and main of this great mystery of grace, let the generation of the Son of God be honoured with silence. I remember one being too curious, and too inquisitive, "What God was doing on that long evum of eternity before he made the world?" It was answered, "He decreed to make hell for such curious inquisitors." Aug. lib. 1. Confess, ch. 12. Be not therefore too nice in this consideration, keep within the bounds of sobriety and humility; and then as thou art able not to be curious: to comprehend, the scriptures will discover, that before God made the world in that long evum of eternity, he was doing these things: Firstly, some things in relation to himself, secondly some things in relation to his creatures.
Some things in relation to himself; and those things were either (a). proper or (b). common to three persons.
(a). The things proper to each of the persons were those internal, incommunicable actions of God, as,
(i). To beget; and that belongs only to the Father, who is neither made nor created, nor begotten of any.
(ii). To be begotten; and that belongs only to the Son, who is of the Father alone, not made, nor created, but begotten.
(iii). To proceed from both: and that belongs only to the Holy Ghost, who is of the Father, and the Son, neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. And these were God's actions in that eternity before all worlds; the Father was begetting God the Son: the Son was begotten of God the Father; the Holy Ghost was proceeding from God the Father and God the Son. But what, were these actions of God ever in action during all that eternity? Yes, as they are called internal actions, so they are permanent: look, as the sun doth always beget his beams, and both sun and beams do send forth the heats: so the Father from all eternity ever did, and now doth, and ever will beget his Son, and both the Father and the Son ever did, and now do, and ever will aspire and breath ibrth the Holy Ghost. And therefore (Orig. horn. B. in Jerom.) saith well, "Our Jesus is the brightness of God's glory; now the brightness of glory is not once begotten, and then afterwards leaves to be begotten; but as often as the glory riseth from whence the brightness springeth, so often doth the brightness of glory arise," Heb. i. 3. "Before the hills, was I brought forth," Prov. viii. 25. Some translate thus. Ante colles generat, and not as others, "generavit me. Before the mountains were settled he begetteth me." Surely the Son of God is ever begetting, and the Holy Spirit ever proceeding.
(b). The things common to the three persons in that eternity, were those internal actions of God wherein the three persons did communicate; as,
(i). That one was in another, and possessed one another; the Father remaining with the Son, the Son with the Father, and the Holy Ghost in, and with them both; thus we read of Christ, The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old, Prov. viii. 22. And, "In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God," John. i. 1. And "I am in the Father, and the Father in me," John xiv. 10.
(ii). That one glorified another; the Father glorified the Son, and the Son glorified the Father, and the Holy Ghost glorified both the Father and the Son; ( And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was," John xvii. 5.
(iii). That one delighted in another. The Father delighted in the Son, the Son delighted in the Father, and the Holy Ghost delighted in them both : "Then I was by him, as one brought up with him, and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him," Prov. viii. 30. "I was daily his de light," in the original, delights, intimating. That the Son was variety of delights unto his Father; rejoicing always before him. Christ speaks in terms very quaint and familiar, always rejoicing, q.d. greatly sporting; it is a metaphor or simile taken from little ones, which sport and play before their parents. O see how the Father and the Son rejoice in one another's fellowship: nay, see how they spend that long eternity before the creation, in nothing but rejoicing and delights: the Father delights in his Son, and the Son rejoiceth in his Father. Consider, O my soul, thou hast sometimes had a tickling to know, what God was doing before the creation. Why, now be sober, and satisfied with this knowledge, God spent all that time (if I may call it time) in delighting himself in Jesus: why this was God's work to delight in his Son, and he so delighted in him, that he desired no other pleasure than the company and beholding of him; which accordingly he twice told from heaven, whilst Christ was on earth, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." The first sound was at his baptism, Matth. iii. 17. and the second at his transfiguration, Matth. xvii. 5.
2. Some other things God was a doing in relation to his creatures; they will fall in at our next consideration; only this by the way, as God and Christ rejoiced in the fruition of one another, without communicating the notice thereof to any creature; so in the next verse we find them rejoicing in the salvation of men; "and my delights were with the sons of men," Prov. viii. 31. Amidst thy other considerations, O my soul, think of this; what? That God from all eternity should delight in thy salvation. Why, this consideration sets out to purpose the heart and desire of God to save thy soul. For,
(a). Delights arise out of the strongest and choicest desires; men are pleased with many things in which they delight not.
(b). God and Christ are mentioned here to delight in this work, and in no other work of theirs, not in angels, not in the world, nor in anything in it.
(c). This their delight is mentioned next to their delighting in each other.
(d). This delight was aforehand, whilst God's heart was only in the expectation, and his mind but laying the plot of thy salvation; all these argue how great a matter this was in God's esteem, and how much his heart was in it, even from everlasting. O let all these fall into thy consideration!
3. Consider Jesus merely in his relation to us: consider him in that great transaction betwixt God and him for our salvation: and that we may settle our thoughts, and dwell here.
Consider the project. The great God having entertained thoughts within himself, to communicate himself out of his aloneness everlasting, he lays this plot, that all he would do in that respect, it should be "to the praise of the glory of his grace" Eph. i. 6. O my soul, consider, meditate and muse on this plot of the Almighty; it is contained by the apostle in a very few words, do thou weigh them all; here is, (a). The Praise. (b). The glory. (c). Of his grace.
(a). Praise is a setting forth of this or that, by word, or deed, or gesture; it contains in it a reverend respect, an high esteem, a strong admiration.
(b). Glory is the glorious being, or essence of God, the glory of God in himself: sometimes we read of the "glory of his power," 2 Thess. i. 9. that is his glorious essence, which is most powerful; and sometimes of the "glory of his majesty," Isa. ii. 1 6 . that is his glorious essence, which is most majestical; and sometimes of the "glory of his grace," Eph. i. 6. that is, his glorious essence, which is most gracious and merciful. But,
(c). Why the glory of his grace? Mercy and grace meet both in love, only they differ thus mercy is love as it helps the miserable, and grace is love as it gives good things freely without desert: here then is the great design, which God from everlasting carried on, that the glorious essence of his free love, free grace should be especially manifested to his saints, that so they might admire it, honour it, and sound forth the praise of it. All the other designs of God were but subservient unto this. Some reckon up three great designs of the Almighty in communicating himself; as; The glory of his saints; The glory of Christ; The glory of himself, and especially the glory of his grace.
(i). That the saint's should be glorious, and to that purpose he made heaven and earth, and he makes them lord of all, "All things are yours," 1 Cor. iii. 21,2 3.
(ii). That Christ should be glorious, and to that purpose he makes the saints, and gives them to Christ, "All things are yours, and you are Christ's." And certainly, saith the apostle, at the last day, 2 Thess. i. 10. "Christ shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe."
(iii). That God himself should be glorified: "he made all things for himself," Prov. xvi. 4.
(iv). "Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth, even every one that is called by my name, for I have created him for my glory," Isa. xliii. 6, 7. Now this is the high design of God, to which all the rest are subservient: mark the steps, "All things are yours, and you are Christ's, and Christ is God's," i.e. For God, and for his glory: the two former designs are to which, but not for which God worketh: he that buildeth an house, that he may ley a sure foundation, and that he may raise the frame, he gives it the due filling which belongs to it; but these are not his proper ends, his main design; but that he may have an house for his habitation: so God works many things to our glory, and that in us Christ may be glorious; but the proper end, that high design which he hath in all, it is his own glory. And yet, O my soul, consider a little further, the plot of our salvation, of the saints glory, and of Christ's glory, as it aims at the glory of God, so especially at the glory of his grace: as if we see that one doth this, or that in wisdom, it is the glory of his wisdom: if he doth it in strength or power, it is the glory of his power: if he do it out of grace, it is to the glory of his grace; so God designing the salvation of our souls out of his mere grace, favour, love, he must needs intend to have his grace notified in us, and to have it (being known) accordingly admired, and praised and honored by us; not but that God must be glorified in his wisdom, power, justice, holiness, and his other attributes; ay, but especially in this, it is the grace of God in which he most delighteth; even as virtuous kings affect, above all their other virtues, to be had in honour for their clemency and bounty : so it is with our God, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; all he doth is to this end, that his grace may be manifested to his greater glory. And to this end is the glory of Christ, and the glory of Christians referred. Why, Lord, that this should be thy plot. To save my soul, that my soul should praise the glory of thy grace? That thy grace should before all worlds think on me for good? Oh how' should I but think on thee, and thy free grace! how should I but admire it, adore it, praise it, exalt it above sun, moon and stars! how should I but cry out with the apostle, "Oh the depth of the riches of thy grace! for of him, and through him, and to him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen. Rom. xi. 36.
4. Consider the counsels of God about thy salvation; he worketh all things after the counsel of his own will," Eph. i. 11. And with him is counsel, and with him is understanding. This counsel (as we have discovered) was primarily about that reconciliation of the riches of his grace, and the glory of his justice. Consider this, O my soul, thy sin put all the attributes of God to a kind of conflict; hereupon was that great and mighty counsel, how God should make way for his love and goodness, and yet satisfy his truth, and justice! at last the wisdom of God found out that glorious and wonderful expedient, the Lord Jesus Christ: is not this the meaning of the apostle? "Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare Ills righteousness for the remission of sins, Rom. iii. 25. Ponder and weigh these words; God sets not forth Christ to be a propitiation to declare only his mercy in the forgiveness of sins: How: is there anything but mercy in the forgiveness of sins? Yes, there is something else, there is righteousness also : and therefore he hath set forth Christ to be a propitiation, that he might declare his righteousness; nay. see it repeated, verse 26 . To declare, I say, his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus not that he might be merciful, but that he might be just in justifying him that believeth in Jesus. This text Luther had a great deal ado to understand; and he prayed much before he could get the right meaning of it.
This is the great mystery of the gospel; no wonder if a poor man could not reach it: this is that which set the infinite wisdom of God on work from all eternity, how to find a way to save sinners, and to be infinitely righteous notwithstanding. Nay, yet, O my soul, consider a little further : not only is the mercy of God in this way glorified, but the glory of his justice is as much, yea, more than if the sinner were eternally damned: -- It is made good thus. --
(a). When God appointed a surety, his Son; and charged our debts upon him to satisfy his justice; in that God would not spare his Son the least farthing, token, I mean not the least degree of punishment; hereby the Lord shows a stronger love to justice, than if he had damned ten thousand thousand creatures. Suppose a malefactor comes before a judge, the judge will not spare the malefactor, but commands satisfaction to the law; this shows that the judge loves justice, but if the judge's own son be a delinquent, and it appears before all the country that the judge will not spare him; the judge now doth more honour justice in this than in condemning a thousand others; so when the Lord shall cast many thousands into hell, there to be tormented forever, and ever, and ever, this shows that God loves justice, but when his own Son shall take our sins upon him, and God will not spare him; (that is the very word in scripture, "He spared not his own Son," Rom. viii. 32.) this, surely this declares God's love to righteousness more than if all the world would be damned.
(b). Suppose the sinner that is reconciled had been damned, then the justice of God had been but in satisfying, and never had been fully satisfied: but in that way that God hath found out to save a sinner, his justice is not only satisfying, but it comes fully to be satisfied, to have enough. As, for instance, suppose a man to be a creditor to one, who owes him £100,000. This man is poor, and the utmost he can pay is but a penny a day; suppose the creditor should lay him in the gaol until he had paid the uttermost farthing, it is true he would be receiving day after day, but he would never be paid so long as the debtor lives: now if another rich man should come and lay down £100,000. at once, the creditor is presently satisfied. Why here is the difference betwixt God satisfying his justice upon sinners and upon Jesus Christ; God comes upon the sinner and requires the debt of punishment, because he did not pay the debt of obedience: God casts him into prison and the utmost he can pay is but (as it were) a penny a day; and hence the poor sinner must still be paying, and paying, to eternity: this is the ground of their eternal punishment in hell, because in any finite time they can never pay enough but now comes Jesus Christ and he fully pays the debt at once, so that justice saith, "I have enough, I am satisfied:" surely this is the greater glory to the very justice of God.
These were the counsels of God from all eternity, how he should make way for his love and goodness, and yet satisfy his truth and justice. O my soul, consider and wonder! Jesus Christ was the expedient, and in Christ not only God's mercy, but his justice is exalted, yea, more exalted and more glorified in that salvation than ever it could have been in thy damnation.
(c). Consider the foreknowledge of God; he knew from everlasting whom he would set apart for life and salvation. All the saints of God from first to last, they were then present to him, and before him, and he did look on them in his beloved Christ. Before there was a world, or a man, or any creature in it, he foreknew Adam, and Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the patriarchs, and all the prophets, and all the apostles, and all the disciples of Christ, and believers in Christ: and, O my soul, if thou art one of God's elect, lie foreknew thee with a knowledge of love and approbation: he had thee in his eye and heart; he had thoughts on Jacob, when he was "yet unborn, and had done neither good nor evil," Rom. ix. 11. Assure thyself the Lord works not without provision or foreknowledge of the things effected; that cannot be in God, which is not to be found in a wise and prudent man: he that builds an house hath the frame of it first in himself: and the Psalmist tells thee, that "the eyes of God did see thy substance yet being imperfect," Psal. cxxxix. 16. In this book of knowledge were all my members written, when as yet there was none of them, Rom. ix. 13. Yea, he knew thee with a knowledge of singular love, he embraced thee in his eternal love: as it is written, "Jacob have I loved, but,Esau have 1 hated:" I will not say that this love was actually bestowed on thee till due time, yet it was prepared for thee from all eternity : and hence it is called, "An everlasting love. The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee." Jer. xxxi. 3.
O muse, and meditate, and ponder on this love! it contains in it these particulars: as,
(i). The eternal good will of God: what else is the love of God towards the elect, but his everlasting good will to show them mercy, and to do them good, and to save their souls? Hence the angels sung that anthem at Christ's birth, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will towards men," Luke ii. 14.
(ii). The eternal pleasure and delight of God in the sons of men, the greatest delight that God hath, or ever had, is in communicating himself to his Son first, and next unto his saints: nay such delight he takes in letting out his mercy to his saints, as that he was w r ell pleased with the death of his own Son, as a means conducing thereunto. O wonderful! one should think that the death of Christ should be the most abhorring to the heart of God of any thing in the world; and yet, saith the scripture, "It pleased the Lord to bruise him," Isa. liii. 10. He took a pleasure and delight in the very bruising of Jesus Christ: the Lord saw this was the way for him to communicate himself in the fulness of his grace unto his saints, and therefore though it cost him so dear as the death of his own Son, yet lie was well pleased with it.
(iii). This love of Cod contains in it a foreknowledge and approbation of all those effects of his love, whether they be temporal concerning this life, or eternal concerning the life to come. Concerning these effects of his love, saith John, "Behold what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God," 1 John iii. 1. q.d. Behold it, stand amazed at it, that children of wrath should become the children of the most high God: for a beggar on the dunghill, a vagabond, a runagate from God, a prodigal, a stranger to God, whom the Lord had no cause to think on, to be made a son of God Almighty: O divine love! Pause a while, and muse on this, O my soul, that God should foreknow thee from all eternity, with a knowledge of love and approbation, it is admirable to consider, I say, it is admirable to consider.
(d). Consider the purpose of God concerning thy salvation: "God hath not appointed (or purposed) us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ," 1 Thess. v. 9. As when we have a will to do anything, there follows upon this in the mind a settled purpose to effect it; so when God hath loved some to life, there is in God a settled purpose of bringing them to it: "That the purpose of God according to election might stand" Rom. ix. 11. Or be sure, it imports God's stability, and steadiness, and constancy, and firmness in saving souls. There is much inconstancy and fickleness in the love of man, or in the love of a woman, but the love of God to his people is a steady love. "As the bridegroom rejoiceth over the bride, so shall thy God rejoice over thee," Isa. lxii. 5. Not only so doth thy God, but so shall thy God rejoice over thee," God's purposes are without any alteration, the love of Christ after thousands of years is still as the love of a bridegroom upon the wedding day; indeed then ordinarily love is hot, and appears much; so is Christ's love, and so is God's love ever hot: there is no moment of time from eternity to eternity wherein God rejoiceth not over his saints, as the bridegroom rejoiceth over his bride; not only as an husband over his wife, but as a bridegroom over his bride, we may say of this purpose of God. "As it was in the beginning, it is now, and ever shall he, world without end."
O my soul, muse and meditate on this purpose of God, and by consequence on the sure mercies of David, Isa. Iv. 3. It may be it is not always alike sure to thee: the love God, as the shining of the sun, doth not always in the fruits of it shine out so gloriously, but the sun keeps his course in a steady way: What, though it be sometimes clouded? What, though at times it shine not so gloriously as at high noon : yet the purpose of God according to election must stand. All the devils in hell cannot frustrate God's purpose concerning only one soul : This is the Father's will which sent me, (saith Christ) that of all which he hath given me I should lose none," John vi. 39.
(e). Consider God's decree concerning thy soul's salvation, and the means to it. As the purpose of God, so the decree of God speaks stability and certainty of the thing decreed. "The foundation of God standeth sure," 2 Tim. ii. 19. i.e. The decree of God touching man's salvation is unchangeable. If the laws of the Medes and Persians were so absolute, that they could not be reversed, then much less can the decrees of God be reversed. No man that is not elected can be elected; and no man that is elected, can possibly be damned. "My sheep hear my voice, (saith Christ) and I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand," John x. 27, 28. And it must needs be so, for God's decree is grounded on the eternal and unchangeable will of God; and hence we say that there is a certain number of the elect, known only to God which cannot possibly be increased or diminished. "I know whom I have chosen" John xiii. 18. saith Christ. And yet thou canst not, O my soul, hence infer that thou mayest be secure, for in this decree the end and the means are joined together of God, and they cannot be separated by any man: if thou beest not godly, never expect to be happy; God's decree of predestination is as well for the giving of grace, as for the giving of glory.
(f). Consider the covenant struck betwixt God and Christ for thy salvation, if thou wouldest fain be acquainted with the very articles of it; go on then take scripture along, and first on God's part thou mayest observe, and meditate, and consider of these particulars.
(i). That there was a designation and appointment of Christ from all eternity to the office of mediatorship: whence Christ is said to be sealed by the Father, "for him hath God the Father sealed," John vi. 27> And chosen of the Father, "Behold my servant whom 1 uphold, mine elect, or chosen one," Isa. xlii. 1.
(ii). There was a commandment from the Father to the Son, which he must obey, and submit unto. As first, he had a command what to teach his people, as the prophet of the church, "For I have not spoken of myself, (said Christ) but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak," John xii. 49. Secondly, he had a commandment to lay down his life for those that were given him, "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself: I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again; this commandment have I received of my Father," John x. 18.
(iii). There was a promise from the Father to the Son, the Father covenants with him in these things;
- That he will give him the Spirit in abundance, "Behold my servant whom I uphold; I have put my Spirit upon him, he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles," Isa. xlii. 1. "And the Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge, and of the fear of the Lord," Isa. xi. 1, 2.
- That he will give him assistance and help in this great work of redemption. "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand," Isa. xlii 6. What is that? Why, I will strengthen thee with my power, I will so hold thy hand that thou shalt not be discouraged in the work; "he shall not fail, nor be discouraged, till he have sent judgment upon the earth," Isa. xlii. 4.
- That he will give him a blessed success, that he shall not labour in vain. "He shall sec his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hands: He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied," Isa. liii. 10, 11. Christ's sufferings were as a woman's travail, though she suffer many pains and pangs, yet she sees her child at last; so shall Christ see many believing on his name: they are the promise made by the Father to the Son, that "nations that knew him not shall run unto him," Isa. lv. 5.
- That he shall give him and his redeemed ones everlasting glory: to Christ himself there is a promise of glory, "he hath glorified thee," And to the members of Christ there is a promise of glory, and this promise of glory to them was made known to Christ from everlasting: it was one of the secrets of God, and Christ brings out th at secret from the bosom of his Father, and reveals it to his disciples. "It is my Father's pleasure (said he) to give you the kingdom," Luke xii. 32. Christ knew his Father's will by the covenant passing betwixt his Father and him, and this will of the Father concerning" glory promised to the saints, Christ doth bring forth to light. These were the articles of the covenant on God's part; now, O my soul, see them on Christ's part in these particulars.
(iv). There was an acceptation of the office, to which he was designed by the Father; he did not take the office of mediatorship upon himself, but first the Father calls him to it, and then the Son accepts it; "Christ glorified not himself to be made an high-priest, but he that said unto him, thou art my Son, to-day have I begotten thee," he called him, and then the Son answered, Lo, I come, Heb. v. 5. and i. 10, 7.
(v). There was a promise on Christ's part to depend and trust upon God for help, "and again, I will put my trust in him," Heb. ii. 13. They are the words of Christ to his Father. And Isaiah brings in Christ as looking for help from God, " for the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be confounded. And behold the Lord will help me, who is he that shall condemn me?" Whereto agrees that other passage, " and my God shall be my strength," Isa. 1. 7, 8, 9. and xix. 5.
(vi). There was a promise of submission to his Father's will in bearing the reproaches and injuries that should be done to him; and to lay down his life for those that were given to him by the Father. « The Lord God opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back, I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair, I hid not my face from shame and spitting" Isa. l. 5, 6. "And therefore my Father loves me, because I lay down my life," John x. 17. Christ first thus covenanted with his Father, and then he was careful to discharge the same, and at last he tells God, "I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do," John xvii. 4.
(vii). There was an earnest expectation of that glory which die Father promised Christ and his members: "And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine ownself, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was." And "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory which thou hast given me, for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world," John xvii. 5, 24. These were the articles of the covenant on Christ's part, and hence it is that God is called "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ," Eph. i. 3. vis. by reason of the covenant.
O my soul, with what delight mayest thou consider, muse, and ponder on these articles! what, that God should make a covenant, and enter into these, and these articles with his own Son, for thy good, for thy eternal good. What, that God should bring in the second person in the Trinity to be the Head of the covenant as on thy part? What a mercy is this! O run over, and over this meditation, a thousand, and a thousand times! O consider thy "hope of eternal life which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began!" Tit. i. 2. If thy soul question what promise was there made before the world began? To whom was the promise made? Who was there before the world began for God to make any promise to? Why now thou hast learned it was only to the Son of God, the second person in the Trinity. There was a most blessed transaction between God the Father and God the Son, before the world began, for thy everlasting good and upon that transaction depends all thy hope, and all thy salvation. O! this Is worthy of thy deep, and sad, and serious, and inmost meditation. I have been particular and large in this passage of looking into, or considering Jesus, but I shall be brief in the rest.