OF THE EVERLASTING
COVENANT OF GRACE;
BETWEEN THE
FATHER, AND THE SON, AND
THE HOLY
SPIRIT
John Gill
The council before treated of,
is the basis and foundation of the Covenant of grace, and
both relate to the same thing, and in which the same persons are concerned. In
the former, things were contrived, planned, and advised; in the latter, fixed
and settled. The covenant of grace is a compact or agreement made from all
eternity among the divine Persons, more especially between the Father and the
Son, concerning the salvation of the elect. For the better understanding these
federal transactions between them, before the world was,
when there were no creatures, neither angels nor men in being; and which lay
the foundation of all the grace and glory, comfort and happiness, of the saints
in time and to eternity; it may be proper to consider,
1. The
etymology and signification of the words used for "covenant", in the
writings of the Old and New Testament, by which it will appear with what
propriety these transactions may be called a "covenant". The books of
the Old Testament were written in Hebrew, and the Hebrew word for
"covenant", throughout those writings is tyrb "Berith";
which, by different persons, is derived from different roots. There are a set of men {1} lately risen up, who derive the word from
rrb "Barar", which signifies, to "purify"; and because the
word we translate "make", which usually goes along with
"covenant", signifies, to "cut off", they warmly contend,
that wherever we meet with this phrase, it should be rendered, "cut off
the Purifier" by whom they understand the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, though
it will be allowed, that Christ is sometimes called a
Refiner and Purifier, #Mal 3:3 yet not by any word or name derived from this
root; nor is it likely, that a "Purifier", or "he that
purifies", should be expressed by a noun feminine, as "Berith"
is; and not by a noun masculine, or a participle belonging to this root; and
though such a version of the phrase may happen to suit tolerably well with a
passage or two; yet there are many places in which, were it
so rendered, no sense could be made of them. If the word has the signification
of purity, as a word of the same letters, though differently pointed has, being
twice translated "soap", #Jer 2:22 #Mal 3:2 which is of a detersive,
cleansing, and purifying nature. Rather as this is used for covenant, it may
denote the purity of intention, and sincerity of heart, that ought to be in all
persons that enter into covenant with each other; and which
is most eminently true of the pure and holy divine persons, in their covenant
engagements. But the word "Berith, covenant", may rather be derived,
as it more commonly is, either from arb "Bara"; which, in the first
sense of the word, signifies to "create"; a covenant being made with
man, as soon almost as he was created, which covenant he transgressed, #Ho 6:7 but the covenant of grace was made before the creation
of man; though it was first made manifest quickly after his fall, which was not
long after his creation; the sum and substance of which lies in those words,
"The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head", #Ge 3:15.
The word, in a secondary sense, may signify, to order or dispose of things; as
in creation things were disposed and put in an orderly
manner, and with this may agree, the words diatiyemai, and diayhkh, used of a
covenant in the New Testament, which signify, a disposing of things in a covenant
or testamentary way. It is further observed by some, that the same Hebrew word,
in another conjugation, signifies to "cut" in pieces and divide, and
think that a covenant has its name from hence, because it was usual at making covenants, to slay creatures for sacrifice, and cut them in
pieces, and lay them by each other, and the covenanters to pass between them;
of which rite see #Ge 15:9,10,17 Jer 34:18 to which way of making a covenant by
sacrifice, the allusion may be in #Ps 50:5. Or else the word may be derived
from hrb "Barah"; which, among other things, signifies to
"eat" food; it being usual, when covenants were made
and confirmed, for the parties covenanting, to eat and feast together; as did
Abimelech and Isaac, Laban and Jacob, #Ge 26:30 31:46 and it may be observed,
that the Lord's Supper, which is a feast, is a commemoration of the
ratification of the covenant of grace, by the blood of Christ, and wherein and
whereby the faith of God's people is strengthened and confirmed, as to their
interest in it. But after all, it may be best to derive the
word from this root, as it signifies to select and choose, and the rather,
since all those roots, rrb, arb hrb have this signification; and which well
agrees with a covenant, into which persons, of their own will and choice,
enter; choose the persons to be concerned with them, the terms and conditions
on which they covenant with each other, and the things and persons they
covenant about; all which entirely agrees with this federal
transaction, or covenant of grace we are about to treat of.
The word used in the New
Testament for "covenant", is diayhkh, by which word the Septuagint
interpreters almost always translate the Hebrew word "berith" in the Old, and comes from a word which signifies to
"dispose", and that in a covenant way, as in #Lu 22:29 where the
Father is said to appoint, or dispose, by covenant, a kingdom to his Son, as he
also is said to appoint, or dispose by covenant, a kingdom to his people; and
the word from it, is used for a covenant in #Ac 3:25 and in other places; and
sometimes for a testament, or a man's last will, #Heb 9:16,17 and we shall see the use of the word in this sense hereafter, as it
may be applicable to the covenant of grace; the word signifies both covenant
and testament, and some have called it a covenant testament, or a testamentary
covenant; hence the different administrations of the covenant of grace in time,
are called the first and second, the Old and New Testament; and even the books
of scripture, written under those different dispensations,
are so distinguished; see #Heb 8:1-13 #2Co 3:6,14. In the next place it may not
be improper to observe,
2. In what sense the word
"covenant" is used in scripture, which may serve to lead into the
nature of it. And,
2a. It is sometimes used for
an ordinance, precept, and command; so the order for giving the heave offerings
to the sons of Aaron, is called a covenant of salt, a perpetual ordinance, #Nu
18:19 the law for releasing servants after six years service, has the name of a
covenant, #Jer 34:13,14 and this may account for the Decalogue, or
Ten Commands, being called a covenant, #De 4:13 for whatsoever God enjoins men,
they are under an obligation to observe, nor have they a right to refuse
obedience to it; and, indeed, the covenant of works made with Adam, was much of
the same nature, only he had a will, consenting to obey, the bias of it being
to the will of God, as well as power to perform.
2b. A covenant, when ascribed
to God, is often nothing more than a mere promise; "This is my covenant
with them, saith the Lord, my Spirit that is upon thee", &c. #Isa
59:21 hence we read of "covenants of promise", or promissory
covenants, #Eph 2:12 and, indeed, the covenant of grace, with respect to the
elect, is nothing else but a free promise of eternal life
and salvation by Jesus Christ, which includes all other promises of blessings
of grace in it; "This is the promise that he hath promised us", the
grand comprehensive promise, "even eternal life", #1Jo 2:25 and which
is absolute and unconditional, with respect to them; whatever condition is in
that covenant, lay only on Christ to perform; he and his work are the only
condition of it. And so,
2c. We often read of covenants
of God only on one side; of this kind is his covenant of the day and of the
night, #Jer 33:20 which is no other than a promise that these should always
continue, without requiring any condition on the part of the creature, #Ge 8:22 and the covenant he made with Noah and his posterity,
and with every living creature, with which latter especially, there could be no
restipulation, #Ge 9:9-17 and so the covenant he promised to make for his,
people, with the beasts of the field, could be no other than a mere promise of
security from harm by them, #Ho 2:18. But,
2d. A covenant properly made
between man and man, is by stipulation and restipulation, in which they make
mutual promises, or conditions, to be performed by them; whether to maintain
friendship among themselves, and to strengthen themselves against their common
enemies, or to do mutual service to each other, and to
their respective posterities; such was the confederacy between Abraham, Aner,
Eshcol, and Mamre; and the covenant between Abimelech and Isaac, and between
David and Jonathan, #Ge 14:13 26:28 1Sa 20:15,16,42. 23:18. Now,
2e. Such a covenant, properly
speaking, cannot be made between God and man; for what can
man restipulate with God, which is in his power to do or give to him, and which
God has not a prior right unto? God may, indeed, condescend to promise that to
man, which otherwise he is not bound to give; and he may require of man, that
which he has no right to refuse, and God has a right unto, without making any
such promise; and therefore, properly speaking, all this cannot formally
constitute a covenant, which is to be entered into of free
choice on both sides; and especially such a covenant cannot take place in
fallen man, who has neither inclination of will to yield the obedience required,
nor power to perform it. But,
2f. The covenant of grace made
between God and Christ, and with the elect in him, as their
Head and Representative, is a proper covenant, consisting of stipulation and
restipulation; God the Father in it stipulates with his Son, that he shall do
such and such work and service, on condition of which he promises to confer
such and such honours and benefits on him, and on the elect in him; and Christ
the Son of God restipulates and agrees to do all that is proposed and
prescribed, and, upon performance, expects and claims the
fulfilment of the promises: in this compact there are mutual engagements each
party enters into, stipulate and restipulate about, which make a proper formal
covenant; see #Isa 49:1-6 53:10-12 Ps 40:6-8 Joh 17:4,5. Which passages of
scripture will be produced, and more fully opened hereafter.
3. The names and epithets
given to this federal transaction, or covenant of grace, between the Father and
Son, both in the scriptures and among men, may deserve some notice, since they
may help to give a better and clearer idea of this transaction.
3a. It is
called, "a covenant of life", #Mal 2:5 for though it is said of Levi,
yet of him as a type of Christ; and if the covenant with Levi might be so
called, much more that with Christ. Some divines call the covenant of works,
made with Adam, a covenant of life, and so it may be; but then only as it
respected that natural happy life Adam then lived, and as it contained a
promise of continuance of it, and confirmation in it, should
he stand the trial of his obedience; but not a promise of eternal life and
happiness, such as the saints enjoy in heaven; for such a life was never
designed to be given by, nor could come through a covenant of works; see #Ga
3:21. But the covenant of grace contains such a promise, a promise that was
made by God, that cannot lie, before the world was; that is, a promise made to
Christ, in the covenant of grace, from eternity, who then
existed as the federal Head of his people, to whom it was made, and in whose
hands it is put for them; he asked life of his Father for them in this
covenant, and he gave it to him, even length of days for ever and ever; and
therefore with great propriety may this covenant be called, a covenant of life;
see #Tit 1:2 2Ti 1:1 #Ps 21:4.
3b. It is called "a
covenant of peace", #Mal 2:5 Isa 54:10. As the transaction between the
eternal Three, in which the plan and method of the peace and reconciliation of
God's elect was consulted, may be called "the council of peace";
because that was a principal article considered in it; so, for the same reason,
the covenant may be called the covenant of peace; for what
was concerted in the council of peace concerning it, was fixed and settled in
the covenant: as, that the Son of God, in human nature, should be the Peace
Maker, and should make peace by the shedding of his blood; and hence, in the
fulness of time, he was sent to be the Man, the Peace, according to promise and
prophecy, founded upon this covenant, #Mic 5:2,5 and had
the "chastisement of peace" laid upon him; that is, the punishment
for the sins of the elect inflicted on him, whereby their peace and
reconciliation was made, #Isa 53:6 all which was by his own consent, and in
consequence of the covenant made between him and his Father, and which,
therefore, is rightly called "the covenant of peace".
3c. It is commonly called by
men, "the covenant of grace"; and properly enough, since it entirely
flows from, and has its foundation in the grace of God: it is owing to the
everlasting love and free favour of God the Father, that he proposed a covenant
of this kind to his Son; and it is owing to the grace of the Son, that he so
freely and voluntarily entered into engagements with his
Father; the matter, sum, and substance of it is grace; it consists of grants
and blessings of grace to the elect in Christ; and the ultimate end and design
of it is the glory of the grace of God.
3d. It is by some divines
called, "the covenant of redemption"; and very truly, because the redemption of God's elect is a principal article
in it: the Father proposed to the Son, that he should raise up, restore, redeem
Israel, his chosen ones; the Son agreed to it, and hence he was declared and
promised, and expected as the Redeemer, long before he came into this world to
do this service; Job knew him as his living Redeemer, and all the Old Testament
saints waited for him as such, having had a promise of it,
which was founded on this covenant agreement; for as it was proposed to him,
and he agreed to it, to be the Redeemer, so it was promised him, that upon the
condition of giving himself, the redemption and ransom price for the elect,
they should be delivered from all their sins, and the effects of them, and out
of the hands of all their enemies; see #Isa 49:5 59:20 Job 33:24. But then,
3e. This covenant is the same
with the covenant of grace; some divines, indeed, make them distinct covenants;
the covenant of redemption, they say, was made with Christ in eternity; the
covenant of grace with the elect, or with believers, in time: but this is very
wrongly said; there is but one covenant of grace, and not two, in which the Head and Members, the Redeemer and the persons to be
redeemed, Christ and the elect, are concerned; in which he is the Head and
Representative of them, acts for them, and on their behalf. What is called a
covenant of redemption, is a covenant of grace, arising from the grace of the
Father, who proposed to his Son to be the Redeemer, and from the grace of the
Son, who agreed to be so; and even the honours proposed to
the Son in this covenant, redounded to the advantage of the elect; and the sum
and substance of the everlasting covenant made with Christ, is the salvation
and eternal happiness of the chosen ones; all the blessings and grants of grace
to them, are secured in that eternal compact; for they were blessed with all
spiritual blessings in him, and had grace given them in him before the world
was; wherefore there can be no foundation for such a
distinction between a covenant of redemption in eternity, and a covenant of
grace in time.
4. The contracting parties
concerned in this covenant, are next to be considered more particularly and
distinctly. This covenant is commonly represented as if it was only
between the Father and the Son; but I see not why the Holy Spirit should be
excluded, since he is certainly promised in it both to Head and members; and in
consequence of it, is sent down into the hearts of God's covenant ones, to make
application of the blessings, promises, and grace of the covenant to them, and
to work a work of grace in them; all which must be by agreement, and with his consent; and I think there are some traces, and some footsteps
of all the three Persons, as concerned in it, in the dispensation and
manifestation of this covenant to the people of Israel, #Hag 2:4,5. However, as
in all covenants the contracting parties are,
4a.
Distinct from each other, so in this; a covenant is not of one, but of more
than one; no man covenants with himself; at least such a covenant is not
properly one; Job is, indeed, said to make a covenant with his eyes, #Job 31:1
but that was no other than a resolution within himself to lay a restraint upon
his eyes, not to make use of them in such a manner as might tend to sin. The
divine Persons of the sacred Trinity are distinct Persons,
as has been proved in the article on that subject. And so they appear to be in
their federal transactions with each other. He that called his Son to service,
and directed him, or proposed the work he should do, "to raise up the
tribes of Jacob, and restore the preserved of Israel", &c. #Isa
49:3,5,6 must be distinct from him to whom he proposed all this; and he who in
compliance with it said, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O
my God!" #Ps 40:7,8 #Heb 10:7 must be distinct from him whose will he was
so ready to do, and whom he calls his Lord and God, as he was, by virtue of his
covenant relation to him: and the Spirit, who was sent by them both, in
consequence of a covenant agreement, to be the Comforter of the covenant ones,
must be distinct from either.
4b. As they are distinct
Persons, so they have distinct acts of will; for though their nature and
essence is but one, which is common to them all, and so their will but one; yet
there are distinct acts of this will, put forth by and peculiar to each
distinct Person: thus their nature being the same, their understanding must be
the same; and yet there are distinct acts of the divine,
understanding, peculiar to each Person; the Father knows the Son, and the Son
knows the Father, and they have a distinct knowledge and understanding of one
another, and the Spirit knows them both, and they know him. And as their nature
and essence, so their affections are the same; and yet there are distinct acts
of them, peculiar to each Person; the Father loves the Son,
and has put all things into his hands; the Son loves the Father, and is in all
things obedient to him; the Spirit loves the Father and the Son, and they both
love him: so their will, though the same, there are distinct acts of it,
peculiar to each Person; and which appear in their covenanting with each other,
and are necessary to it: there is the Father's distinct act of will notified in
the covenant, that it is his will and pleasure his Son
should be the Saviour of the chosen ones; and there is the Son's distinct act
of will notified in the same covenant, he presenting himself, and declaring
himself willing, and engaging himself to be the Saviour of them; which distinct
acts of the divine will thus notified, formally constituted a covenant between
them; and as the holy Spirit dispenses his gifts and grace, the blessings of
this covenant, "severally as he will", #1Co 12:11
this is pursuant to an agreement, to a notification of his will in covenant
also.
4c. These contracting Parties
entered into covenant freely and voluntarily, of their own choice, as all
covenantors do, or should; hence the Hebrew word for covenant, as
has been observed, comes from a root, which signifies to choose; because men
choose their own terms and conditions, on which they agree to enter into
covenant with each other, not being compelled and forced thereunto. So it is in
this everlasting covenant, the Parties were at entire liberty to enter or not
into it: the Father was under no necessity, nor under any obligation to save
men; he could, in consistence with his justice, and the
other perfections of his nature, have destroyed the whole world of men, as he
destroyed all the angels that sinned; he was not obliged to make a covenant
with his Son to save them; it was of his own choice he did it; who will have
mercy on whom he will have mercy: nor was the Son compelled to enter into this
covenant; but knowing his Father's will, and agreeing to it, voluntarily
engaged in it, and said, "Lo, I come to do thy will": and as the
Spirit freely bestows his grace, and the gifts of it in time, so he freely
engaged to do it in the covenant in eternity.
4d. What they agreed in
covenant, was what was in their power to perform; if one man
enters into a covenant with another, and agrees to do what is not in his power,
and which he knows it is not, when he enters into covenant, this is a fraud and
an imposition on him, with whom he covenants; and in course the covenant is
null and void. But the contracting parties in the covenant of grace, are able
to perform whatever they covenanted about: the Father is able to make good all
that he has promised in it, either to his Son or to the
elect in him; and the Son is able to do the work he engaged to do; he had power
to assume human nature into union with his divine Person, and to lay down his
life in that nature, having such a power over his own life, and to dispose of
it at pleasure, as no mere man ever had; and so being God, as well as man, was
able to work out the salvation of his people, which he undertook;
the Father knew he was able to save them, and therefore laid help on him, and
called him to this work; and he knew himself to be equal to it, and therefore
engaged in it: and the Holy Spirit is a Spirit of power and might, and so able
to perform the part he took in this covenant.
4e. As in
all covenants, however, the persons covenanting may be equal in other respects,
yet in covenanting there is an inequality and subordination; especially in
covenants, in which there is service and work to be done on one side, and a
reward to be given in consideration of it on the other; of which nature is the
covenant of grace and redemption; and though the contracting parties in it are
equal in nature, perfections, and glory, yet in this covenant
relation they voluntarily entered into, there is by agreement and consent a
subordination; hence the Father, the first Person and Party contracting is
called by his Son, his Lord and his God, a phrase always expressive of covenant
relation; see #Ps 16:2 22:1 40:8 45:7 Joh 20:17 and the Son, the second Person
and Party contracting, is called by the Father his Servant;
"Thou art my Servant", &c. #Isa 49:3 hence the Father is said to
be "greater than he", #Joh 14:28 not merely on account of his human
nature, about which there could be no difficulty in admitting it; but with
respect to his covenant relation to him, and the office capacity he has taken
and sustains in it: and the Spirit, the third Person and contracting Party, he
is said to be sent both by the Father and the Son, to
perform that part which he undertook in it: and this economy and dispensation
of the covenant, thus settled in subordination among themselves by agreement
and consent, is done with great propriety, beauty, and decency, suitable to
their natural relations they bear to each other, as equal divine Persons for
who so proper to be the proposer of terms in the covenant, to direct and prescribe them, and to exercise a kind of authority, as he who
is the first Person in order of nature, and that stands in the relation of a
Father to the second Person; and since here was work and service to be done,
the salvation of the elect, and that in an inferior nature, in human nature,
who so proper to engage in this service, and to assume this nature, and in it
yield obedience to the will of God, than the second Person,
who stood in the relation of a Son to the First? and with what congruity is the
third Person, the Holy Spirit, sent by both, to make application of the grace
of both; who is said to be their Breath, and to proceed from both.
4f. As in all covenants some
advantages are proposed unto, and expected by all parties
concerned, so in this; as God's end in all things, in nature, providence, and
grace, is his own glory, so it is in this covenant, even the glory of Father,
Son, and Spirit; which must be understood not of any addition unto, or increase
of their essential glory, but of the manifestation of it; otherwise, as Christ
is represented saying to his Father, "My goodness extendeth not to thee";
thou art not the better for my suretyship engagements in
covenant, and the performance of them; thou hast no real profit and advantage
thereby; no new accession of glory and happiness accrues to thee by it; but the
real profit and advantage resulting from hence is, "to the saints that are
in the earth, and to the excellent, in whom is all my delight", #Ps
16:2,3. As for the glory promised to Christ, and which he expected and pleaded
on his finishing his work, #Joh 17:4,5 this was either the
manifestation of the glory of his divine Person, hid in his state of
humiliation; or his glory as Mediator, his kingdom and glory, as such appointed
to him, and promised him, upon the performance of his engagements, #Lu 22:29
1Pe 1:21 #Heb 2:9 of which more hereafter; and yet, even the benefit of this
redounds to the advantage of God's elect, #Joh 17:22,24 it
is their salvation and happiness that is the grand thing in view in these
covenant transactions; this is "all my salvation", #2Sa 23:5. As the
sum of the gospel, which is no other than a transcript of the covenant of
grace, is the salvation of lost sinners by Christ; so the covenant, of which
that is a copy, chiefly respects that, and that is the result of it: hence
Christ, the Covenantee, has the name of Jesus, because he
undertook to save, and came to save, and has saved his people from their sins,
in consequence of his covenant engagements.
{1} Called Hutchinsonians.