200 Chrifl tl;e .J!dminijlrat'tJf' : ceptah!e tim~, the ,day offtlvation, as in the preeeed– ing parr of this 8th verfe, compared with 2 Cor. vi. 2. And they are a protnife made to him., of a reward ofhis ·wor¥. in fulfilling the condition of the covenant , by his. o.bedience and death: For ,they are imme~iate- ~ ly fubJomed to the prom1fe of ~flifiance therem ; I will preferve thu (namely in the cmtrfe 6f thy obe– dience, doing and dying, fo that thou !halt not be uttrerly fwallowed up ofdeath, .but fwim 'through thefe deepefi waters, fafe afhore) and give thee for d cove· nant of the people; or fitnply, of people. Not that Chtifi was never gi7.!en for a covtnant 1 bfthe people, till he_rote from the dead ; nay, he was fo given irn· mediately after the fall, Gen. iii. 15. But, that it was always upon the view, and in contlderadon, of his o– bedience and death, he was fo given ; . and that he was :tt his refurrettion and afcenfion folemhly inveiled , with that office. This giving, according to the fcriptute phrafeolo· gy, imports a divine confl:itution ot fertlement. So h is f:1id, Ver. 6. ' I will give rhee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou rnayfl: be my falv:ttion untb the end of the earth,' i.e. I will <:onfiitute or fer thee .fora light : even as God fet (fiebr. gave) the fun ahd moon ' in the .firmament of the heaven, to give light upon the earth,' Gen. i. 17. Thus the people mak– jng or appointing a captain, are faid to 'give a head or captain,' Num. xiv. 4· Neh. ix. 17. Wherefore, to give Chrifi for a covenant of the people, is to co11fiirute or make him the covenant; whereby the peo– ple, any people, Jews or Gentiles, may become God's people and receive all the benefits of that covenant-re· btion to God . .This then fpeaks Jefus Chrifr to be-the ordinance of God for the reconciliation of finners to · God, and their partaking of all the benefits of the eo,. venant: even as the Sun is the ordinance of heaven for light to the world, unto whofe light all have free accefs ; .rho' in the mean rime it cloth not enlighten the r blind,
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