of a Mediator. Hereon the Promises are made unto him, and the fulness of grace is laid up in him, John 1. 14. Col. 1. 17. Chap. 2. 2. Eph. 3. 8. 2 Cor. 1. 21.
4. As he was the Mediator of this Covenant, God became his God, and he be∣came the Servant of God in a peculiar manner. For he stood before God in this Covenant, as a publick Representative of all the Elect. See our Comment on Chap. 1. 5, 8. Chap. 2. 13. God is a God unto him in all the Promises he received on the behalf of his mystical Body; and he was his Servant in the accomplishment of them, as the pleasure of the Lord was to prosper in his hand.
5. God being in this Covenant a God and Father unto Christ, he became by vertue thereof to be our God and Father, John 20. 17. Heb. 2. 12, 13. And we became heirs of God, joint heirs with Christ; and his People to yield him all sincere obedience. And these things may suffice briefly, to declare the foundation of that Covenant Relation which is here expressed. Wherefore
The Lord Christ God and man undertaking to be the Mediator between God and man, and a Surety on our behalf, is the spring and head of the New Covenant, which is made and established with us in him.
Secondly, The nature of this Covenant-Relation is expressed on the one side and the other; I will be unto them a God, and they shall be to me a People.
1. On the part of God it is, I will be unto them a God; or as it is elsewhere ex∣pressed, I will be their God. And we must make a little enquiry into this unspeak∣able Priviledge, which Eternity only will fully unfold.
1. The person speaking is included in the Verb, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, I will be; I Jehovah who make this Promise. And herein God proposeth unto our Faith all the glori∣ous Properties of his Nature. I who am that I am, Jehovah, Goodness and Being itself, and the cause of all Being and Goodness to others; infinitely wise, power∣ful, righteous, &c. I that am all this, and in all that I am, will be so. Here lies the eternal Spring of the infinite Treasures of the supplies of the Church here and for ever. Whatever God is in himself, whatever these Properties of his Nature extend to, in it all God hath promised to be our God. Gen. 17. 1. I am God Almighty, walk before me. Hence to give establishment and security unto our Faith, he hath in his Word revealed himself by so many names, titles, properties, and that so fre∣quently; it is that we may know him who is our God, what he is, and what he will be unto us. And the knowledge of him as so revealing himself, is that which se∣cures our confidence, faith, hope, fear and trust. The Lord will be a refuge for the oppressed, a refuge in time of trouble; and they that know thy Name, will put their trust in thee, Psal. 9. 9, 10.
2. What he promiseth is, that he will be a God unto us. Now although this compriseth absolutely every thing that is good, yet may the notion of being a God unto any, be referred unto two general Heads. (1) An all-sufficient Preserver; and (2) An all-sufficient Rewarder: So himself declares the meaning of this ex∣pression, Gen. 17. 1. Gen. 15. 1. I will be all this unto them that I am a God unto in the way of preservation and recompence, Heb. 11. 6.
3. The declared rule and measure of Gods actings towards us as our God, is the promises of the Covenant both of mercy, grace, pardon, holiness, perseverance, pro∣tection, success and spiritual victory in this world, and of eternal glory in the world to come. In and by all these things will he, in all that he is in himself, be a God unto those whom he takes into this Covenant.
4. It is included in this part of the Promise, that they that take him to be their God, they shall say, Thou art my God, Hos. 2. 23. and carry it towards him accord∣ing unto what infinite goodness, grace, mercy, power and faithfulness do re∣quire.
And we may observe,
1. As nothing less than God becoming our God could relieve, help and save us, so nothing more can be required thereunto.
2. The efficacy, security and glory of this Covenant depend originally on the nature of God, immediately and actually on the mediation of Christ. It is the Covenant that God makes with us in him as the Surety thereof.
3. It is from the engagement of the properties of the Divine Nature that this Cove∣nant is ordered in all things and sure. Infinite wisdom hath provided it, and infinite power will make it effectual.