128 Of the PrflmiJes in general. Thus it appears that thefe promifes are made to Chrifi's fpiritual feed, as well as to himfelf; tho' primarily to him as the Reprefentative, on whom the ·fulfilling of the condition was laid ; an.d but fe<:on~ darily to them as the reprefented, who were to receive : the ·benefit . And hence arifeth another difference, namely, That, p roperly and firiCt:ly fpeaking, the pro– Dlifes were conditional to Chrifi, but .they are abfolute and fi·ee to us : even as the promife oflife in the firft covenant,which was conditional to Adam, which would 'have been abfolute to his natural feed, the condition once being fulfilled. Thus Chrill:'s merit .and the free grace of God, meet together in the co~:enant: jufiice is fully fatisfied, and grace runs freely in thtH channel; the promifes being all purchnfed at the full rate, but no part of the price advanced by _.us. Hence we obtain precious faith, with all other faving benefits, ' thro' the righteoufi1efs ofGod, and our Saviour Jefus Chtifi,' (or rather,' the righteoufnefs of our God and Saviour Jefl1s Chrifi ') as the proper condition of them all, 2 Pet. i. I. And in the mean time, God ' blotteth out · our tr;;tn[greffions, for his own fake,' Ifa. xliii. 25. And ' all things that pertain unto life and godlinefs -are given (or gifted) unto us,' 2 Pet. i. 3· Of the Promifls peculiar to Chrifl. HAVING fpoken o( the promifes in gener~l, we come now to take a more particular vieW of them ; and firfl:, of the promifes peculiar to Chriji himfelf. Thefe are many, but may be all reduced to three heads, to wit, the promife of AJJi;1ance, of Ac· ceptance, and of Reward of his work. Fir(/, Our Lord Jefus had a promife of Ajfi/lance in his work, Pfalm lxxxix.. 2 r.Mine armfhalljfrength– en him. Having undertaken the work ofour redemp– tion, he had his Father's promife, that when it came to the fetting to) he would firengthen and uphold bi:U 111
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