Baxter - Houston-Packer Collection BT70 .B397 1675

38 Of god's C, foverrimerìt, raif the dead, Joh. 5.22, 23, 24, 25. For he bathmade him Headr all .'things to his Church, Eph. r. 22, 23. And for this end he dyed, rofe and revived that he might be the Lordofthedead and the living, Roth. r4..9,1o. For Godbath exaltedhint andgiven him a name above every name, that in the name of jefus every knee fhould bow , Phil. 2. 7, 8. And as in Adam all die, even fo in Chrift fhall all be made alive, t Cor. r 5.22. 38. Chrift upon his Incarnation performed but what God had De- creed, before the foundations of the world, and had obfcurely and ge- nerally promifed after the fall, at the firft making of the Covenantof Grace. Which Decreeof God, is after the manner of men called by fome a Covenant between the Father and the song efpecially becaufe the Prophets have fometimes (as Ifa. 53.) defcribed it by way ofpredi&ion as a Covenant between theFather and Chrift incarnate. Ifwe conceive of it properly under the notion of a Decree firft, and a Promife after unto the world, fothe will and MercyofGod the Father and son (with the Holy Spirit) are the caufe of mansRedemption, Pardon andSalva- tion, even thefundamental Principaltotal Caufe : And the Promife was man's fecuriry and ChrJl as promifid was the primary great Means, whichwas to procureus thesett, by doing that, upon thefore-fight and fore-decree whereof, Goddid before-handpardon and fave Sinners. But ifyou had rather mention it as in the formofa Covenant, (which before the Incarnation, muft be improperly taken, being only of God to him- felf, or a promifeof and to Chrift as to beincarnate) then the under- takingof the Father, and the Son herein muft be carefully diftinguifhed and defcribed. The Fathergiveth uptoChriftas Redeemer the whole lapfed curfed reparable world,. (the feveral. parts to feveral ufes) and efpeciallyhis chafen to beeventually and infallibly flayed, and promifeth toaccept hisSacrifice and performance, and to make him Head over all things to hisChurch, and by him to eftablith the LawofGrace (in its per- feet Edition)and to give him theGovernment refpthively ofthe Church and world, and to Glorifie him for this work with himfelf for ever. Andthe fecond perfonundertaketh toaffume man's Nature, to do and fuffer all that hedid, in perfect obedience to his Fathers Will, and Law of Redemption, to fulfill all Righteoufnefs , conquer Satan and the world, toPuffer in the ffefh, and be a sacrificeforfin, and toconquer Death, and teach, and rule, and purifie, and raife, and juftifie andglo- rifie all truebelievers. ' naden fait flan in Before the Incarnation antigaia pats:but is mó 39. , Chrift's future death and obedience being derni.rgai a/in?Ede erede- notexiftent, were no real exigent Cafes in themfelves of men's Juftifi- bent ¡e tageama & ail o cation : But that Wifdom which forefazvthem, and that Will ofGod aligaid eredn :es good which Decreed them, as Inch(and not they withoutthat fore-fight and nene eft fallen. AS aco Decree as exiftent) were the caute. n 3. 9' z' 40. Nor were they either before or after the performance a proper Caufe ofGods Will which pardoned us5 For Gods Will in it Pelf can have no caufe. But they were Caufes, 1. Ofthe Thing willed, and 2.A1fo of the extrinfecaldenominationof GodsWill from the objeét and effefk (of which anon). 41. Chrift did not take upon him ftri&ly andproperly, the Natu- ral or Civil perfonof any sinner, much lets ofall the Eleét, or all Sin- ners: But the perfon of a Mediator between God and Sinners: (Of which more afterwards). Chrift was not our Delegate, Deputy, Miner or Inflrument to do what he did in our names , by reprefenting our perfon 3 as a man's Servant payeth his Maters debt by his command, or loth tome work which

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