the stronger man, who can bind the strong man. The world joins issue with Satan in opposing them; but shall not prevail to ruin them, neither by force nor fraud: for greater is he, than the god of this world and all his dominion, 1 John iv. 4, "Ye are of God, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world." Their worst enemies are within them, namely, the remains of corruption, which, in the depth of sovereign wisdom, are not expelled during this life; but left for their exercise and trial, and for the discovery of the power of the grace of their King. And he manifests his power, in keeping alive in them the spunk of holy fire, in the midst of an ocean of corruption; and causing it to make head against the same, until it quite dry it up: Rom. vii. 24, "O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death!" Ver. 25, “I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord." He has all their enemies in chains, that they can act no further against them than he sees meet to permit: and at his pleasure he restrains them, bounding them by his power, as to the kind, degree, and continuance of their attacks, Psalm lxxvi. 10, "The remainder of wrath shalt thou restrain."

Lastly, He authoritatively completes the happiness of the covenant in them. He purchased it for them as a Priest he reveals it to them as a Prophet but as a King, he doth, in the way of authority, put them in full possession thereof, Matth. xxv. 34, "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." And by the same authority he will pass sentence against his and their enemies, having fully conquered them, ver. 41. And so he will complete for ever the peace of his covenant-subjects. Thus far of Christ's administration of the covenant, as he is King thereof.

V. CHRIST THE INTERCESSOR OF THE COVENANT.

As for performing the condition of the cove naut, Jesus Christ became the priest, namely, the sacrificing priest of it, as hath been said in the due place: so, for the administration of the covenant, he became the intercessor, namely, the interceding priest of it. Christ's intercession did not take its place in the making of the covenant. The love and grace of God made the motion for a new covenant freely and the breach betwixt God and sinners was of another nature, than to be made up by a simple intercession; the which might have moved mercy, but could not have satisfied justice, that, requiring a sacrifice for sin, could not be satisfied by pleading,

but by paying a ransom: Heb. ix. 22, "Without shedding of blood is no remission." Neither doth Christ's sacrificing take its place in the administration of the covenant: there is no need of any new sacrificing there; "For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified," chap. x. 14. But his sacrificing natively took its place in the making of the covenant, and fulfilling the condition thereof; and his intercession, in the administration of the covenant, and fulfilling the promises of it. Accordingly, for the administration of the covenant, he is the intercessor thereof; Rom. viii. 34, "It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

And indeed there was need of an intercessor for that effect: since an infinitely holy God, and sinful creatures, could neither come together into a state of peace, nor continue in it, with the safety of God's honour, without an intercessor. Wherefore Jesus Christ being appointed thereto, is, in that character, "entered into heaven. itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us," Heb. ix. 24, to manage the business of the covenant for our behoof; willing the merit of his sacrifice to be applied to all those in whose room and stead he died, and that for all the intents and purposes of the covenant in their favours, according to the method laid down and stated therein. And this his intercession is always effectual, as he himself testifieth, saying unto his Father, John xi. 42, "I knew that thou hearest me always. Whence it appears, that the object of it is not of equal latitude with the object of the administration of the covenant, and of his acting in the other relations belonging to that administration; but that it is restricted unto those whom he, as second Adam, represented in the eternal transaction. And this is very agreeable to the nature of the divine contrivance for the salvation of sinners; in which the eternal purpose hath made a difference of persons, according to sovereign will and pleasure: this being, as it were, one clause in the constitution of the administration, peculiarly in favour of the objects of electing love. So the intercessor himself teacheth us, John xvii. 9, "I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me:" ver. 20, "For them which shall believe on me." Ver. 24, "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.”

Now, Christ administers the covenant as intercessor thereof, these following ways chiefly.

1. Effectually procuring, by his interest in heaven, the actual inbringing of his elect, at the time appointed, into a covenant-state of union, communion, peace, and favour with God: John xvii. 20,

:

"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word:" ver. 21, "That they all may be one, as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee; that they also may be one in us." They are by nature in a state of enmity with God, even as others but through Christ's intercession the peace is made between Heaven and them. He purchased it for them by the blood of his sacrifice; it was promised to him in the covenant on that score; and by his intercession he actually obtains it unto them. His intercession is the spring that puts all the wheels in motion, that are set a-going, in the time of loves, for bringing one out of the state of nature, into a state of grace. Providence manageth favourably towards the conversion of the man; the word powerfully affects him, while on others it falls like rain on a rock, running off as fast as it comes on; the business of eternal salvation is closely laid to heart with him; the law doth its office upon him, and so doth the gospel also in its turn: and these things cease not, until he is brought into a new state, Whence did all this take its rise! friend in the court of heaven, who all this is the fruit of that intercession made for him.

and is become a new creature. Why, the man had an unknown spoke for him to the King and

2. Appearing for them, and in their name taking possession of heaven, and all the other benefits of the covenant, which they have a right to, in virtue of their new covenant state: Eph. ii. 6, " And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus." Heb. vi. 20, "Whither the forerunner is for us entered." That moment wherein a sinner enters into the covenant by believing, he hath a right to all; for if children, then heirs, Rom. viii. 17. Howbeit, in the case of most of the children of God, the possession seems to be delayed long after that time. But it is to be considered, that possession may not only be taken by a man in his own person; but also in the person of another: thus one may by his attorney take possession of an estate which he never saw; and a minor, by his representative, may be possessed of what it is not as yet meet to give him into his own hand. So, howbeit, the believer's possession of all in his own person is indeed delayed: yet in this respect it is not delayed one moment after his believing in Jesus Christ: for his intercessor acts for him in the matter. What should hinder this manner of possession one moment after believing? For the covenant of promises is an undoubted right; the sinner, though on earth, doth by faith plead it before God in heaven; and Christ is there, as his representative and intercessor, to take possession in his name. Wherefore every believer shall justly reckon himself, though having nothing, yet possessing all things, 2 Cor. vi. 10, and complete in him, Col. ii. 10.

3. Maintaining the peace between God and them while they are here in this world. Having purchased their peace with heaven, by the sacrifice of himself, and by his intercession brought them into a state of peace, he doth not leave it to themselves to maintain it. If it were so, it would soon be at an end. There are so many failures on their part, while they are compassed with the body of sin, that their own consciences have whereof to accuse them every day; and the devil is an incessant accuser of the brethren: but Christ intercedes for them, to the preventing always a total rupture betwixt heaven and them; however they may for their sins fall under God's fatherly displeasure: upon the ground of his satisfaction for them, he answereth all accusations against them, and takes up all emerging differences between them and their covenanted God: 1 John ii. 1, "If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:" ver. 2, " And he is the propitiation for our sins." Hereupon the apostle triumphs over all their accusers, Rom. viii. 33, "Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth:" ver. 34, "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, who also maketh intercession for us." Wherefore their state of peace with God is inviolably maintained; though, for their correction, they may indeed lose the sight and sense of it for a time. Having once become their friend in Christ, he may indeed severely chastise them for their faults, but he never becomes their enemy again, even in the way of legal enmity, far less in the way of real enmity, Rom. viii. 1; Isa. liv. 9.

4. Procuring them access to God, and acceptance with him, notwithstanding of their imperfections, while in this life. Saints on earth never want business in the court of heaven. Yet being sinful, they are in themselves unfit to come into the presence of the King. But the Intercessor of the covenant introduceth them, procuring them access by his interest in the court; "For through him we have an access by one Spirit unto the Father," Eph. ii. 18. And by this means they are allowed access with boldness, chap. iii. 12. He makes their persons accepted, notwithstanding of the sinfulness cleaving to them: they are accepted in the beloved, chap. i. 6. And in him they have an altar that sanctifies their gifts, Heb. xiii. 10. So that their spiritual sacrifices, howbeit they want not their blemishes, yet are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, 1 Pet. ii. 5. Their prayers made in faith, though smelling rank of the remains of the corruption of nature, yet being perfumed by the Intercessor with the incense of his merit, are accepted in heaven, and have gracious returns made them, Rev. viii. 4. Their doing service, and their suffering services, which howsoever costly, could not be ac

cepted for their own worth, because imperfect, are through his intercession accepted, as being washed, and made white in the blood of the Lamb, chap. vii. 14.

5. Lastly, Obtaining their admittance into heaven, in the due time; and continuing their state of perfect happiness there for ever and ever: John xvii. 24, "Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am." Our Lord Jesus Christ was by his Father constituted a priest for ever, Psalm ex. 4. Nevertheless, after his having once offered himself a sacrifice on the cross, he offereth no more sacrifice. Therefore he must be, not a sacrificing Priest for ever, but an interceding Priest, as the apostle explains it, Heb. vii. 25, "He ever liveth to make intercession for them." Now, the spirits of just men being made perfect immediately after death, there is no more imperfections about their souls morally considered, Heb. xii. 23; and after the resurrection, there will be no more imperfection about their bodies neither, 1 Cor. xv. 53. The effect then of Christ's intercession for ever, must be the everlastag continuation of their happy state; their Intercessor externally willing the continuance of the same, on the ground of the eternal redemption obtained for them, by the sacrifice of himself. The infinite merit of his sacrifice will be eternally presented before God in the holy place, while he shall appear there in our nature continually : and this will be the everlasting security for the continuation of the saints' happiness. The which happiness issuing from the merit of his sacrifice as their Priest, will be communicated unto him as their Prophet and their King: for these his offices will never be laid aside. As he is a Priest for ever, so of his kingdom there shall be no end, Luke i. 33, and the Lamb will be the light of the heavenly city, Rev. xxi. 23; the saint's communion with God there, being still in and through the Mediator, in a manner agreeable to their state of perfection, chap. vii. 17.

And these are the chief acts of his administration of the covenant, as Intercessor thereof.

Thus far of the fourth head, namely, the administration of the co

venant.

HEAD V.

THE TRIAL OF A SAVING PERSONAL INBEING IN THE COVENANT OF

GRACE.

We have now opened the doctrine of the covenant of grace, in treating of the parties in it, the making of it, the parts of it, and the