A Body of Divinity, Vol. 2 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger CatechismRidgley, Thomas
Religion
A Body of Divinity, Vol. 2 (of 4): Wherein the doctrines of the Christian religion are explained and defended, being the substance of several lectures on the Assembly's Larger Catechism
1. That when God entered into a covenant with Christ, as the Head of his
elect, this included his entering into covenant with them; as it is
expressed in this answer; so that they have their respective concern
therein in all things, excepting what relates to his character, as
Mediator, Redeemer, Surety, and those peculiar branches of this
covenant, which, as was before observed, belong only to himself, which
some call the covenant of redemption, as distinct from the covenant of
grace. From hence it may be observed, without any strain on the sense of
words, that the same covenant that was made with him, was in that
peculiar branch thereof that respected the elect, or the privileges that
they were to receive from him, made with them. This is very agreeable
to, and tends to explain that peculiar mode of speaking, often used by
the apostle Paul, concerning believers being _crucified with Christ_,
Gal. ii. 20. _dead_, Rom. vi. 8. _buried_, ver. 4. _quickened_ or
_risen_, Col. ii. 12. compared with chap. iii. 1. and made to _sit
together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus_, Eph. ii. 6, as denoting
their being made partakers, as his members, of the benefits arising from
Christ’s sufferings and glory, as really as though they had suffered,
and were now actually glorified with him.
2. Since the covenant of grace is sometimes called a covenant of
promise, for the reasons before-mentioned, we may easily understand
hereby, that God’s entering into covenant with his people, signifies his
giving, or making known to them, those great and precious promises, that
are contained therein, which have a more immediate reference to their
salvation; and, on the other hand, his keeping covenant with them,
implies, his bestowing on them the blessings promised in it, which is
otherwise called his _remembering his holy covenant_, Luke i. 72. or his
_performing the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham, which he had
sworn unto them from the days of old_, Micah. vii. 20. and it is
sometimes called his _shewing them his covenant_, Psal. xxv. 14. not
barely in a way of revelation, but special application of the blessings
contained therein, and his _bringing them into the bond of the
covenant_, Ezek. xx. 37. that is, engaging or obliging them to
obedience, from the constraints of his love and grace, manifested in the
promises of this covenant; so that now they are doubly bound to be his,
not only as he is their Creator and Sovereign, but as he has made them,
by this federal transaction, the peculiar objects of his favour and
grace.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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