Of EleClion. 355_ pared with l!. Ephef. IJ. 14, t6, Then the fecond, Who brought b{tck agam~ Jejur Chnf/from the dtad; that this is a.moll proper ground why God thould Chap. 14. bring us back from the dead, by Converfion at hrf\; al!d then reducing us~ back from wandring after, and. fecuring us to Perfetlioo; the account of rhat bath been even now given : And I may add this to what was then fa id, That although Chrif\ in his P.erfon is alone made mention of, yet it is Chrift as relative to, and reprefentative of.us: For in his Refurredion he is fa id to be the jirfl born from thr de,,d, ColoJJ. 1. 18, Importing unto us, that were dead, 10 be born; or brought back from the dea~ alter him , and by virtue of him. As alfo in 1 Cor. 1). 45', 46, 47· the Apof\le argues; and that third Claufe in the Te>t .t felf, argues it; The grrat Shrpherd of thr Shap; What doth that mean l but that Chrill in his bringing back, was vtewed by God in his relation to us, as the Shephrrd, and we in him as his Sheep, who mull be brought into the Fold to him, and none loll; from this Argument, Becaufe he as the Shepherd was brought back firll, and fo we included in him therein ; and not as con!idered fingly in hi~ own Perfon , or perfonal refpeds alone: And then he, after his Refurredion, was perfected in the other world, Luke q . ;2, .And he {tzid tmto thrm, Go Je and ttllthe Fox, Erhold, I cafl OtiC v~vzls' a11d I do C11res to d<!J a11d Jo morrow, and tbr thzrd day I /ball be pafrchd. So mufr we his Sheep be carried on to our de!igned.perfect'ion in this Life, and then perfeded compleat in the other. Now if we, and 'this our Concern, be thus Hill involved in all thefe former palfages, then certainly the latter Clatife, Through the blood of the eternal Covmmzt, doth take in us; and <>ur Concerns li{<ewife : And that as to this Senfe, that Chrill's bringing back after his Blood01ed, being by that Covenant made with him by God, that if, he could dye 0 he would raife him again, t:!lc. fo that according to the fame Covenant frruck with h.im for us, God's promife \O him alfo was that he would bring us back, and efpecially bririgus to perfedion al~o:. And therefore he prays, Pe~- jeff I hem; according to that Covenant made for them , through the merit of his Blood, and in the virtue of his Refurrection. And the Reafon of this is, becaufe God's Covenant "'ith Chrill was not fingly , or only for himfelf, and as to his Perfon only ; for if fo, fingly confidercd, he thould not have needed to have died, or thed his blood; and fo not to hove needed a being brought back again, for he needed never have died: But it wa~ of hirh as of a Shopherd, (as the Text in He6r. 13· 20. thews) and to the end to bring back again by the merit of his Qeath, e§c, his Sheep that were gone allray. And therefore the Covenant here with him , muft neceffarily include the Covenant made with him for us; that is, that God covenanted with him, at the fame time , to do the fame for us: Wherefore this of perfeding us in every good work, is here fpecified in the main Branch, and requifite to our Salvation; aod therefore it is a part of that Covenant made with Chrill for us, and fo a main Promife of that Covenant. And indeed, the Scriptures do elfwhere reprefent the whole Covenant for us, and the Prom,fes thareof to be a Covenant with Chrill as our Head; and the whole of it, both with him and us, to be but as one entire Covenant: And even that part of it, for us ; his Covenant rather than ours ; and all the mercies of it ChrHI's mercies; Ifai. 5'5· 1, 2, 3,4- Ho, rvrry one that thirflrth, come ye to the waters, and hr that hath 110 m011ey: come )'e 6HJ and eat, yra; come, buy wi11e and milk without motuy , mzd without prier. Whereforr do ye fpmd money for that which u 1101 6i·ead? and JOUr labour for that wbicb jatufieth not? hearkm diligently u11to me, !'"d eai.J•r that which u good, and let your foul del1ght 11 {elf iu f attrejS. Enclznr )'OtiY ear, andcomr unto me: hrar, and(J'Ottr (oul jha/1 Jive, and I will make atl rvtrlafling Covenaut with you, evm the furr mrrcii!s o{ David. B tbotd, I bavr given him for a witnefS to the ptople, a trader ,md commmzder to the prop/e. And mercy to him,whilf\ yet ours is fpoken of; Pfa1.8g.28,e§c, My mercy wzlt I keep for him for evermore: aud my Covmrmt fha/1 f/alldjafl w ith bzm, t:!lc~ So then, the Refolution of all this iffues in this , That God thoul<j perfeCI: Chrift's Sheep, whom he hath called into his Fold , i.s one dired and exprcfs Promife of that Covenant which God made Wtth Chnft when he undertook to dye for us, and on~ Article of that great Treaty , and one Condition thereof Z z 1. wuh
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