SERMON XLVI. 49 iirod the Father undertook also to furniäh himwith every thing necessary for his appearance and his ministry here upon earth, to prepare a body for him; Heb. x. 5. togive him the Spi- rit without measure; Jelin ill: 34: is. xi. 2. to bear him up, through all his sufferings, to accept his sacrifice and atonement for sib, to raise him up from the dead, to exalt, him not only to the former glorywhich he had with him, before the world was,' which he asks for as a matter ofagreement : John xvii. 4, 5. but to honour him at his right-hand with superior powers. He gave him the assuranceofa people to obey him, or a seed to serve hirn ; he promised the Gentile nations for his inheritance, and to make hirn the Lord of all things inheaven and earth, that he might go- vern all for the good of his church. He gave him also the pro- mise of the Holy Spirit; Lukexxiv. 49. that he might senddown in a variety of gifts and graces, upon his apòstles at first, to begin his gospel-church on earth, and upon all his chosen people for their sanctification through all ages, to theend of the world. He appointed him of old to be the judge of men and angels; and all this authority and glory was promised him in that early cove- nant, partly as a proper récornpence for his sufferings, and partly as a means to enable him to fulfil all the articles of his engage- ment to God, his Father. Father said he, glorify thy Son, forhe hash finished the work thou gayest him to do on earth; and thou hast given him, that is, promised to give him, power over all ,Jiesh, that he may give eternal life toas many as thou hast given him; John xvii. l-4. These things, are recorded in a variety of scriptures, which it would be too large at present to rehearse. A glorious cove- nant ! with sacred and divine engagements, which are fulfilled on both sides, with perfect honour and faithfulness ! What an effectual security is derived hence, for the salvation of all that believe in Christ ! What an assurance is hereby given, that none of his chosen ones should perish ! What matter of delightful me- ditation, of holy wonder, and devout thankfulness, may the saints of God derive from this blessed covenant, which reaches beyond the limits of this world and time, and extends from one eternity to another! In condescension to our understandings, the holy prophetscompare the firmness of this covenant to the ordinances Of heaven, to the foundations of the earth, to tee certain periods of the moon, and 'the established course of nature : But by the light of the NewTestament, we may ventureboldly to rise higher, and say, that when these heavens shall be folded up as a curtain, when the sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon be de- prived of her light, when the foundations of the earth shall totter, and all things in it be-burned up, this covenant shall remain in its VoL. II. v
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