Z6 GOD'S ELECTION OF MEN IN JESUS CHRIST. DEEM. II. scripture expressly teaches us, that he performed them as the appointment of his Father. In the next place, let us take a brief survey of the ar- ticles of this covenant on God the Father's side. What- soever powers, or honours, or employments he bestowed on his Son, we have reason to suppose, it was in pursu- ance of this original covenant of grace and salvation. First then, we may justly conclude, that God engaged to employ him in the work of creation, as a foundation of his future ,kingdom among men ; by him God made angels, and they shall be his ministering spirits, for the men who shall be heirs. of his salvation ; by him God created mankind, and he shall be Lord of them all ; by him the blessed God made his own people, and he shall save them. He spread abroad the heavens, and he laid the foundations of this earth ; even all the provinces of his future vast dominion, with all their inhabitants, are of his own making : for " without him was nothing made that was made ;" John i. 3. and Col. i. 16. Again, we may suppose it was agreed by the Father, that he should be the king of Israel, which was the visi- ble church of God, as a type of his kingdom, and the go- vernment of his invisible church ; that he should fix his dwelling in a cloud of glory, " in his holy bill of Sion ;" Ps. ii. 6, 7. and should govern the Jewish nation by judges, or priests, or kings, as his deputies, till he him- self should appear in the flesh. God the Father undertook also to furnish him with every thing necessary for his appearance and his ministry bere upon earth, to " prepare a body for him ;" Heb. x. 5. " to gi.7e him the Spirit without measure ;" John iii. 34. Is. xi. 2. to bear him up through all his su:fer- ings, to accept his sacrifice and atonement for sin, to raise him up from the dead, to exalt him not only to the former glory which he had with him, before the world was, which he asks for as a matter of agreement ; John xvii. 4, 5. but to honour him at his right -hand with su- perior powers. He gave him the assurance ofa people to obey him, or a seed to serve him; he promised the gentile nations for his inheritance, and to make him the Lord of all things in heaven and earth, that he might go- vern all for the good of his church. He gave him also
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