ffanding by to enforce the engagement, it is plain, that the tranfaction of covenanting and fwearing would be without folemnity and without meaning. And if it be further objected, that it is given in the divine record, that God fware by himself, it may be answered, that by this, we are not to understand that he fware by his own perfon, but that the authority appealed to, was a party in the Godhead; and fo was himself, for this is the evident truth; and the contrary would imply an abfurdity.

But it is not proper to fay, in every point of view, that there could be no failure in this cafe; for, on the part of Chrift, the engagement was not merely perfonal, but as a furety for a fallible creature; and, on the part of the father, that was engaged which, of all things, was the most improbable to take place, viz. That death fhould yield life; and that a people, whofe name was The Rebellious, fhould be willing; and the truth of this matter was proved in the fact; for a failure. did fo take place that, by the party of the furetifhip, the forfeiture was incurred, and the dreadful ftroke was inflicted by the fword of the Lord, which was that power, or third party, appealed to in this moft folemn contract.

Again, a question may arife refpecting the Holy Ghoft being confidered as the great intereft refpected in this covenant, from the circumstance that the fcriptures often allude to the church, or the redeemed people of Chrift, as being the intereft contemplated in M

this divine tranfaction? The answer to this queftion, is found in the confideration that the church is the vehicle or temple of the Hoby Ghoft; and therefore is, properly and neceffarily, confidered in the fame view; hence this great intereft of the glory of God is fo often exhibited in the name of The Bride, The Lamb's Wife;-and the Lord calls Ifrael his Glory. And when we reflect, that the church, firft, by the spirit of obedience; and fecondly, by the spirit of glory, shall be filled with all the fullness of God; completely filled both with the fpirit of the Father and of the Son, we perceive that this elect body cannot be feparated from a view of this eternally defired intereft; and that, as it refpects the manifestation, it will be in the church, that the Holy Ghoft, which is the object and end of all, will be fully embraced, both by

the Father and the Son,

The intereft in a covenant may, or may not, be a perfon; but, in the cafe before us, it being of the nature ftated, as that of marrying and giving in marriage, in which the intereft is the Bride, it is neceffary fo to confider it. Alfo, in the view we have taken of covenant tranfactions, as in their nature requiring a third party as the witness and authority, the Holy Ghoft muft of neceffity be confidered a perfon; and indeed, for the fame reason that the first and fecond parties are called perfons, the third party must be confidered alfo as being a perfon; for, in this relation, all that is meant by the term, is one who is concerned, and is acting a part, im

mediately, in the matter of the divine will. In this view, therefore, of the divine principle, we have a ftriking illuftration of the truth of a trinity in unity; as three perfons acting together, are neceffarily contemplated in this divine economy.

2. To this divine tranfaction, confidered as the bestowment of a gift, we have already briefly alluded. It is proved, that this real fact exifted in the eternal divine will, and that grace was given us in Chrift Jefus, before the world began; which grace was the eternal life. Here alfo we have the knowledge of three things, which exifled eternally and neceffarily in the divine will, viz. a giver, a receiver, and the gift beftowed and received; and in the giver, we here contemplate the character or truth of the Father; and in the receiver, the truth of Chrift; and in the eter nal life given, that of the Holy Ghoft.

This act of giving us eternal life, which, as has been fhewn, confifted in giving a commandment, embracing the divine favour, conftituted the glory of the Father. In this one act of his giving a precept and a promife, or a requirement and a reward, is comprised, as in its origin, every thing which is imported by his name God and the Father. All the honour, all the high distinction, all the infinite claims of this adorable character, arife from his being the propofer, the first mover and free difpofer of the unspeakable gift.

Refpecting a receiver, it is requifite to obferve, that a donation may be made, though

;

the perfon or perfons for whom it is defigned be not prefent; yea, though fuch be not in existence. Many deeds of gift have been effectually made, when the perfons to whom the property is given, have been far distant and wholly unknowing to the transaction and many legacies have been bequeathed to unborn heirs; but, in such cases, it is required by law, and in the nature of things it is neceffary, that there be appointed a trustee, who should receive charge of the property, under fuitable obligations and bonds, to deliver it over, in due time, to them for whom it was defigned.—Such a party existed in the eternal divine will; who, as the nature of the cafe required, received in our name the infinite bequest; and who was laid under, and freely took upon him, the highest and most folemn obligations to preferve it; and, in the fulness of times, to bring forward the legatees, and put them into full poffeffion of the inheritance of glory and eternal life.

It will be obferved, that a trustee, in the matter of the divine will, viewed as the bestowment of a gift, is the fame thing as a furety, when the fubject is confidered as being a covenant; and in this truth of our eternal life having been at first received by a trustee, may be feen the fource of the eternal fonfhip. Here is the high origin of the name Chrift; and of all the offices and honours which he fuftains as the Lord and head of the creation-all the glories of his relation, both to the Father and to the church, arife from

his being engaged and intrufted with the keeping and immediate difpenfing of the eternal life and glory of his church and people, according to the Father's good pleasure.

Though our Lord received this intereft as a trustee, yet the nature of the thing is fuch, that it thus neceffarily became his own, together with that whole bleffed body of people, for whom it was defigned;-for the receiving of a commandment, implies the keeping of it; and alfo the receiving of a bleffing, implies the enjoying of it and the filial character being conftituted by the parental commandment and bleffing; it is manifeft, that he who received it immediately from the Father, was thereby conftituted the Son of God; as all they who receive it thro him, are thereby alfo conftituted his children. The living only can know what life is: I live by the Father, fays Chrift; and he could fay, by experience dcubtlefs, as all his people can declare the fame truth-I know that his commandment is life everlasting. The bleffed Jefus ever traced his own fonfhip, heirfhip, eternal life and glory, to the fame fource with that of his people, viz. His Father's commandment, in keeping of which there is great reward. He never preached the vague doctrine held forth by modern expounders and commentators, that his eternal life is to be antedated to the commandment of the Father, which conflituted him our Lord and Redeemer.

Contemplating this truth, it may be readi ly perceived that, on the one hand, by this