BOOK 3. THE PROMISE.
CHAPTER 1.
3.1.5. Of the Covenant of Promise, as manifested to David.
Of the Covenant of Promise, as manifested to David.
The next breaking forth of this gracious covenant was to David; and in this manifestation appears yet more of Christ; the expression of it is chiefly in these words, "Although my house be not so with God, yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure," 2 Sam. xxiii. 5. For the right understanding of this we shall examine these particulars: 1. Who is the author of this covenant? 2. To whom is the covenant made? 3. What is this, that the covenant is said to be made? 4. How is the covenant ordered? 5. Wherein is the covenant sure? 6. Whether is Christ more clearly manifested in this breaking forth of the covenant, than in any of the former?
1. Who is the author of this covenant? David says, "He hath made it;" He, i.e. God the rock of Israel, the everlasting rock; "The rock of their salvation," Psal. ixii. 2. "The rock of their strength," Psal. lxii. 7. "The strength of their heart," Psal. lxxiii. 26. "The rock of their refuge," Psal. xciv. 22. "Their rock and their Redeemer," Psal. xix. 14. The Psalmist is frequent and ordinary in this style, to show that God is the mighty, stable and immutable foundation and defence of all the faithful, who fly unto him, and will trust in him: he is such a rock as will not shrink, or fail his creatures; man is unstable, but he is God, and not man, who is the author of this covenant.
2. To whom is the covenant made? Why, saith David, "He hath made with me an everlasting covenant, i.e. Either with Christ the antitype, or else with David himself, the type of Christ. To the former sense we have spoken elsewhere; the latter I suppose more genuine; the covenant indeed was first made with Christ, and then with David as a member of Jesus Christ. Some are wholly for a covenant betwixt God and Christ; and they deny any such thing as a covenant betwixt God and man; but are not the testimonies express? "Take heed to yourselves, lest you forget the covenant which the Lord hath made with you," Deut. iv. 23. "And I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah, Jer. xxxi. 31. And by name do we not see God covenanting with Abraham, and with Isaac, and with Jacob, Gen. xvii. 7. Gen. xxvi. 2 . Gen. xxxv. 12. Lev. xxvi. 42. And here do we not see God covenanting with David? "I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David; and once have I sworn by my holiness, that I will not lie unto David; And the Lord hath sworn in truth unto David, he will not turn front it." Psal. lxxxix. 31, 35. and cxxxii. 11. Oh take heed of such doctrines as tend unto liberty and licentiousness! the covenant God makes with us binds us faster to God; and if there be no covenant betwixt God and us, it opens a gap to the looseness of our spirits: for how should we be charged with unfaithfulness unto God, if we have not at all entered into a covenant with God?
3. What is this that the covenant is said to be made? This holds forth to us the freeness of God's entering into covenant with us: I will make my "covenant between me and thee, (saith God); for I will give my covenant, I will dispose my covenant between me and thee," Gen. xvii. 2. So it is in the original. And elsewhere it is plain, "Behold I give unto him my covenant of peace," Numb. xxv. 12 . When God makes a covenant, then he gives the covenant of his grace unto all that he takes into covenant with him: "The Lord set his love upon you (saith Moses to Israel) to take you into covenant with him, not because ye were more in number than other people, but because he loved you and chose your fathers," Deut. vii. 7, 8. As noting out the freeness of his love towards them: He loved them, why? he loved them, because he loved them. This freeness of his grace, in giving a covenant, may appear in these particulars. As,
(a). In that God is the first that seeks after us, to draw us into covenant with him; we seek not him, but he seeks us; we choose not him, but he chooseth us; "He loved us first, 1 John iv. 19. I am found of them that sought me not; I said, Behold me, behold me, unto a nation that was not called by my name," Isa. lxv. 1.
(b). In that there is nothing in us, to draw God into a covenant with us. Many a man seeks first after the unmarried virgin: but then there is beauty, or there is dowry, or there is something or other, which draws on the man; but there is no such thing in us; this made David say, when he heard of God's covenant with him and his, "Who am I, G Lord God? And what is my father's house that thou hast brought me hitherto? And is this the manner of man, O Lord God?" 2 Sam, vii. 18, 19. q.d. O Lord God, thou dealest familiarly with me, as a man dealeth with man; or as it is elsewhere, "Thou hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, 1 Chron. xvii. 17. It would make any soul cry out, that deeply weighs the freeness of this covenant, "Lord, what is man that thou art mindful of him, or the son of man that thou visitest him?" Psal. viii. 4.
(c). In that there is enough in us to keep off the Lord from ever owning us. We are as contrary to God as darkness to light, or as evil is to good; "The carnal mind is enmi ty against; God, (saith the apostle) it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be," Rom. viii. 7. We are a crooked generation, that cannot abide the straight ways of the Lord; our whole nature is sinful and corrupt before him; and for the most part, when we are most averse and backward, and have least thought of ever seeking after him, then it is that he seeks us to take us unto himself. Thus the Lord called Saul, when he was persecuting, and raging, and breathing out slaughter against the Lord, and against his saints; and thus the Lord called those Jews, that mocked the apostles, when they spake divers languages, "these men are full of new wine," Acts ii. 13. Ay, but the next word that they speak, is, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?", verse 37. O the free and unexpected grace of our God!
(d). In that we are by nature no better than others, that are without God, "and without covenant," Eph. ii. 12. What makes the difference betwixt us and them, but this free grace of God? Is there any reason in us, why one is taken into a covenant, and another is not? Nay, I will tell you a wonder: so it pleaseth the Lord, that sometime God chooseth the worst, and leaves those that are better than they. We read that publicans and harlots were taken in, and the righteous generation, which justified themselves, and were justified by others, were passed by: surely God respects none for anything in them, his design is that the freeness of his grace might be seen in those whom he takes to himself. Hence the apostle, God chooseth the foolish things of this world, and the weak things of this world, base and despised things, while in the mean time he passeth by "the wise and mighty," 1 Cor. i. 27, 28, 29. And things of high esteem, that all men might see it is the grace of God, and not anything in man, by which we are taken into covenant with him.
4. How is the covenant said to be ordered? The word ordered will help us in the answer. It sets out to us a marshalling, and fit laying of things together, in opposition to disorder and confusion? the Septuagint renders it "etoimasas" which signifies marshalled, disposed, prepared, set forth, as an army in comely order; the same word is in Judges xx. 22. "And the men of Israel encouraged themselves, and set their battle again in array." As we see in the army, every one is set in rank and file, so is every thing in this covenant, ranked, disposed, ordered, that it stands at best advantage to receive and repel the enemy. A poor Christian that hath a troubled spirit, he sets himself against free grace, and this everlasting covenant: he raiseth thousands of objections against it: but now the covenant is ordered, it stands like a marshalled army to receive him and repel him. Come, let us see a little how it is "ordered in all things." I shall instance only in these particulars. As,
(a). It is well ordered in respect of the root out of which it grew: this (says divines) was the infinite sovereignty, and wisdom, and mercy of God.
(i). It was founded in God's sovereignty; he had a right to do what he would with his fallen creatures: he might damn or save whom he pleased; "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" Rom. ix. 21.
(ii). It was founded in wisdom; the covenant of grace was a result of counsel; it was no rash act, but a deliberate act with infinite wisdom; God being the sovereign of all his creatures, and seeing mankind in a perishing condition, he determined within himself deliberately to make such a covenant of peace, first with Christ, and then with all the elect in Christ.
(iii). It was founded in mercy, i.e. in the goodness of God flowing out freely to one in misery; for mercy, we may say, is made up of these two acts:
- There must be an object of misery.
- There must be a free efflux of goodness on that object.
Now the covenant of grace is founded on both these: As,
- There was an object of misery, lost man, wretched man, undone by sin, And,
- There was an efflux of God's goodness, his very bowels moved within him, and they could not hold, "I have loved thee with an everlasting love, (saith God) therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee," Jer. xxxi. 3.
Surely this was well ordered; a perplexed soul may have its spirit up in arms against the covenant of grace: O cries the soul in its sad condition, I am miserable! I shall not live, but die; my sins will damn me! I am lost forever! Why, but see how the covenant is ordered in respect of the root or rise; it stands like a well-marshalled army to receive, and to repel those doubts: As,
- God acted in a way of sovereignty, and cannot God save thee if he will?
- God acted in a way of wisdom, and though thou seest no way but one with thee, death and damnation; yet cannot infinite wisdom contrive another way?
- God acted in a way of mercy, and "O thou afflicted, tossed with tempests, and not comforted," Isa. liv. 11. is not infinite mercy above all thy misery?
Why, see, see poor soul, how the covenant repels all thy oppositions in respect of its rise.
(b). It is well ordered in respect of the persons interested in it from all eternity; and they are God the Father, and Jesus Christ his Son: as for the saints elect, they were not then; and therefore the covenant could not be immediately struck with them. Now there was great need of this order; for should the covenant have been made betwixt God the Father and the elect from all eternity; and that immediately, a troubled soul would have opposed it thus:
- If it was from all eternity, how then shall I be capable of it? Alas! my being was not so long since.
- If it were made with me immediately, then I had some part to perform of mine own power and strength; but, alas! I have failed and can do nothing. O but now the covenant is a well ordered covenant in these respects: for,
- Christ had a being from all eternity; and thou, as an elect vessel, hadst thy being in him, as he was thy head.
- Christ is able to perform the covenant, and being contractor, it lies upon his score to satisfy his Father; he that first made the bargain must look to fulfil it; and for thy part, if thou dost anything it must be through him; "Without me ye can do nothing," John xv. 5. Why see now, see how the covenant repels all thy oppositions, in respect of the persons interested in it from all eternity; God hath his place, and Christ his place, and faith its place, and the sinner his place.
(c). It is well ordered in respect of the method of the articles, in their several workings. First, God begins, then we come on; First, God on his part gives grace and glory, and then, we, on our parts, act faith and obedience: God hath ever the first work; As, "First, I will be your God, and then, ye shall be my people;" First, "I will take away the stony heart, and give you an heart of flesh," and then, ye shall loathe yourselves, for your iniquities, and for your abominations;" First, "I will sprinkle water upon you," and then "ye shall be clean from all your filthiness;" First, I will put my Spirit into you, and cause you to walk in my statutes," and then, "ye shall keep my judgments and do them;" First, I will pour out my Spirit of grace and supplication upon you, and then "Ye shall mourn as a man mourneth for his only son," Jer. xxxi. 33. Ezek. xxxvi. 25, 26 , 27, 31. Zech. xii. 10. First, I will do all, and then you shall do something: A perplexed troubled spirit is apt to cry out, G! alas! I can do "nothing; I can as well dissolve a rock, as make my heart of stone a heart of flesh!" mark now how the covenant stands well ordered, like an army; I will do all, saith God, and then thou shalt do something, I will strengthen and quicken you, and then you shall serve me, saith the Lord.
(d). It is well ordered, in respect of the end and aim, to which all the parts of the covenant are referred; the end of the covenant is the praise of the glory of his grace," Eph. i. 6. The parts of the covenant are the promise, and stipulation. The promise is either principal or immediate, and that is God, and Christ, or secondary and consequential, and that is pardon, justification, reconciliation, sanctification, glorification: the stipulation on our parts, are faith and obedience, we must believe in him that justifies the ungodly, and walk before him in all well pleasing. Observe now the main design and aim of the covenant, and see but how all the streams run towards that ocean; God himself "to the praise of the glory of his grace," God gives Christ "to the praise of the glory of his grace," God gives pardon, justification, sanctification, salvation, "to the praise of the glory of his grace," and we believe, we obey "to the praise of the glory of his grace," and good reason, for all is of grace, and therefore all must tend "to the praise of the glory of his grace:" it is of grace that God hath given himself, Christ, pardon, justification, reconciliation, sanctification, salvation to any soul; it is of grace that we believe; "By grace ye are saved through faith, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God," Eph. ii. 8. O the sweet and comely order of this covenant all is of grace, and all tends "to the praise of the glory of his grace," and therefore it is called "a covenant of grace (check####) f many a sweet soul is forced to cry, I cannot believe, I may as well reach heaven with a huger, as lay hold on Christ by the hand of faith; but mark how the covenant stands like a well-marshalled army to repel this doubt; if thou canst not believe, God will enable thee to believe, "to you it is given to believe," Phil. i. 29 . O the covenant of grace is a gracious covenant: God will not only promise good things, but he helps us by his Spirit to perform the condition, he works our hearts to believe in God, and to believe in Christ; all is of grace, that all may tend to the praise of the glory of his grace."
5. Wherein is the covenant sure? I answer it is sure in the performance and accomplishment of it. Hence the promises of the covenant are called "the sure mercies of David," Isa. lv. 3. Not because they are sure, unto David alone, but because they are sure, and shall be sure unto all the seed of David that are in covenant with God, as David was; the promises of God's covenant are net "yea and nay," various and uncertain, but they are "yea and Amen," 2 Cor. i. 20. Sure to be fulfilled. Hence the stability of God's covenant is compared to the firmness and unmoveableness of the mighty mountains; nay, "mountains may depart, and the hills be removed by a miracle," but "my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord, that hath mercy on thee," Isa. liv. 10. Sooner shall the rocks be removed, the fire cease to burn, the sun be turned into darkness, and the very heavens be confounded with the earth, than the promise of God shall fail. "The testimony of the Lord is sure," saith David, Psal. xix. 7- Christ made it, and wrote it with his own blood: to this very end was Christ appointed, and it hath been all his work to insure heaven to his saints. Some question whether it be in God's present power to blot a name out of the book of life. We say. No : his deed was at first free, but how it is necessary, not absolutely", but ex hypothesi, upon supposition of his eternal covenant. Hence it is that the apostle says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins," 1 John i. 9. It is justice with God to pardon the elect's sins as the case now stands : indeed mercy was all that saved us primarily, but now truth saves us, and stands engaged with mercy, for our heaven; and therefore David prays, "Send forth mercy and truth, and save me," Psal. Ivii. 3. We find it often in the Psalms, as a prayer of David, "Deliver me in thy righteousness," and, (t Judge me according to thy righteousness," and, "Quicken me in thy righteousness," and, "In thy faithfulness answer me," and, a In thy righteousness," Psal. xxxi. 1. and xxxv. 24. and cxix. 40. and cxliii. 1. Now, if it had not been for the covenant of grace, surely David durst not have said such a word. The covenant is sure in every respect, "I will make an everlasting covenant with you, (saith God) even the sure mercies of David," Isa. lv. 3.
6. Whether is Christ more clearly manifested in this breaking forth of the covenant than in any of the former? The affirmative will appear in that we find in this manifestation these particulars.--
(a). That he was God and man in one person; David's son, and yet David's Lord, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool," Psal. cx. 1.
(b). That he suffered for us: and in his sufferings how many particulars are discovered? As, First, His cry, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" Psal. xxii. 1. Secondly, The Jews taunts, "He trusted on the Lord, that he would deliver him," let him deliver him if he delights in him," Matth. xxvii. 43. Thirdly, The very manner of his death, "They pierced my hands and my feet, I may tell all my bones, they look and stare upon me: they part my garments among them, and cast lots upon my vesture," Psal. xxii. 17, 18.
(c). That he rose again for us; "Thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy One to see corruption," Matth. xxvi. 35.
(d). That he ascended up into heaven; "Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive, thou hast received gifts for men," Psal. xvi. 10. and lxviii. 18. Eph. iv. 8. Acts ii. 31.
(e). That he must be king over us, both to rule and govern his elect, and to bridle and subdue his enemies: "I have set my King upon my holy hill of Zion: I will declare the decree, the Lord hath said unto me. Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee," Psal. ii. 6, 7.; Acts xiii. 33. "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send forth the rod of thy strength out of Zion. Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies," Psal. cx. l, 2.
(f). That he must be a priest, as well as a king; and a sacrifice, as well as a priest; "The Lord hath sworn, and will not repent. Thou art a priest forever after the order of Melchisedec," Psal. lx. 4. "Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest wickedness, therefore God, thy God hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows," Heb. v. 6; Psal. xlv. 7. i.e. Above all Christians, who are thy fellows, consorts, and partners in the anointing; "Sacrifice and burnt-offering thou wouldst not have, but mine ear hast thou bored; burnt-offering, and sin-offering hast thou not required. Then, said I, Lo, I come, in the volume of thy book it is written of me, that l should do thy will, O God," Psal. xl. 6, 7.; Heb. x, 5, 6, 7. Mine ears hast thou bored, or digged open; the Septuagint, to make the sense plainer, say,"But a body hast thou fitted to me, or prepared for me," meaning that his body was ordained and fitted to be a sacrifice for the sins of the world, when other legal sacrifices were refused as unprofitable. O see how clearly Christ is revealed in this expressure of the covenant! it was never thus before.
And thus far of the covenant of promise, as it was manifested from David till the captivity.