The conditions of the new covenant.
The conditions also were concluded on and agreed to be fulfilled by Him: as it is clear, if you understand His saying in the 12th of John, at the 27th verse, where He foretells His death, and saith, "Now is My soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour: but for this cause came I" into the world "unto this hour"; as if He had said, My business is now not to shrink from The sufferings that are coming upon Me; for these are the things that are a significant part of the conditions contracted in the covenant which stands between My Father and Me; therefore I shall not pray that this might be absolutely removed from Me; For, "for this cause came I" into the world; even this was the very terms of the covenant. By this, you may see, "We are under grace."
Now, in a covenant, these three things must be considered—First. What it is that is covenanted for. Second. The conditions upon which the persons who are concerned do agree. Third. If the conditions on both sides are not according to the agreement fulfilled, then the covenant stands not but is made void. And this new covenant in these particulars is fulfilled and made out in Christ.
First, the thing or things covenanted for was the salvation of man, but made good in Christ—"The Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. The Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. I gave My life a ransom for many. And this is the will," or covenant, "of Him that sent Me, that of all which He hath given Me, I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day" (John 6:39).
Second. As per the conditions agreed on, they ran thus—1. On the Mediator's side, He should come into the world; on the Father's side, He should give Him a body. This was one of the glorious conditions between the Father and Christ; "Wherefore, when He cometh into the world, He saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou wouldest not"—that is, the old covenant must not stand, but give way to another sacrifice which Thou hast prepared, which is the giving up My Manhood to the strokes of Thy justice—"for a body Thou hast prepared Me" (Heb 10:5). This doth prove us under grace.
2. On the Mediator's side, He should be put to death, and on God the Father's side, He should raise Him up again; this was concluded on also to be done between God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. On Christ's side, that He should die to give the justice of His Father satisfaction, and so to take away the curse that was due to us, wretched sinners, because of our transgressions; and that God His Father, being every way fully and completely satisfied, should by His mighty power revive and raise Him up again. He hath "brought again—our Lord Jesus"; that is, from death to life, through the virtue or effectual satisfaction that He received from the blood that was shed according to the terms "of the Everlasting Covenant" (Heb 13:20).
3. On the Mediator's side, He should be made a curse; on the Father's side, sinners should be inheritors of the blessing through Him. What incredible love doth there appear by this in the heart of our Lord Jesus, in suffering such things for our poor bodies and souls? (Gal 3:13,14). This is grace.
4. That on the Mediator's side there should be by Him a victory over Hell, death, and the devil, and the curse of the Law; and on the Father's side, that these should be communicated to sinners, and they set at liberty thereby—"Turn you to the stronghold," saith God, "ye prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee" (Zech 9:12). Why so? It is because of the blood of My Son's covenant (Verse 11), which made Paul, though sensible of a body of death, and of the sting that death did strike into the souls of all those that are found in their sins, bold to say, "O death! Where is thy sting? O grave! Where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin." That is true, and the terrible Law of God doth aggravate and set it home with insupportable torment and pain. But shall I be daunted at this? No, "I thank my God through Jesus Christ. He hath given me this victory." So that now, though I am a sinner in myself, I can, by believing in Jesus Christ, the Mediator of this new covenant, triumph over the devil, sin, death, and Hell; and say, Do not fear, my soul, seeing the victory is obtained over all my enemies through my Lord Jesus Christ (1 Cor 15:55-57). This is the way to prove ourselves under grace.
5. That on the Mediator's side, He should by thus doing bring in everlasting righteousness for saints (Dan 9:24); and that the Father for this should give them an eternal kingdom (1 Peter 1:3-5; Eph 1:4; 2 Tim 4:18; Luke 22:28,29). But,
Third. [How the conditions are fulfilled]. In the next place, this was not all—that is, the Covenant of Grace, with the conditions thereof, was not only concluded on by both parties to be done but Jesus Christ [Christ is put into office by the Father, to do all things contained in the new covenant]. Must be authorized to do what was concluded on touching this covenant by way of office. I shall therefore speak a word or two also touching the offices, at least, some of them, that Christ Jesus did and doth still execute as the Mediator of the new covenant, which also was typed out in the Levitical law; for this is the way to prove that we are not under the law, but under grace. And,
