It was ever in the mind of God, even from the beginning, to raise up a church from the ruins of the apostasy. For this end the Second Adam is set at God's "right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but in that which is to come; and hath put all things under his feet; and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all."

It was ever in the mind of God so to govern, as not to interpose his agency for the prevention of the fall of man; or to keep the serpent from entering the garden of Eden, or from distinguishing the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, so that he might not tempt our first parents to eat the forbidden fruit. For had this been done, a revelation of the covenant of redemption, would have been superceded, and of a Second Adam we should never have heard. The purpose of God concerning the redemption of man could not be known without a revelation. And this revelation was made immediately on the fall of man. There was a counsel in heaven concerning the restoration of fallen man, before the foundation of the world. This may be styled the counsel of the will of God: or, 'predestination according to the purpose of him, who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will.' This counsel of the will of God, I conceive, means essentially the same as the covenant of redemption between the Father and the Son.

And what this purpose, or counsel of the divine will contained, was an eternal secret, concealed in the breast of JEHOVAH, until after the apostasy; and then something of it was brought to light, by the promise that the Seed of the woman should bruise the serpent's head. This divine purpose hid in God, was a mystery from eternity, until the apostasy. A more full and clear revelation of this mystery was made by the coming of Jesus Christ into the world. For "No man

hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him."

Therefore this purpose or will of God, is not now a mystery. The same may be said of the Gospel of God; it is no longer a mystery.* For the purpose of God concerning redemption, is now fully brought to light. His purpose "is now made manifest by the ap pearing of our Savicur Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel."

In confirmation of what is now offered, Saint Paul, in his Epistle to the Colossians, observes; "Whereof 1 am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God, even the mystery, which hath been hid from ages, and from generations, but now is made manifest unto his saints; to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is, Christ in you the hope of glory." And of Paul, it is said, that he was sent to preach "among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ; that he might make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." And he wished to have the Colossians know how great was his conflict for them, "that their hearts might be comforted being knit together in love, and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding to the acknowledgment of the mystery of God, and of the Father and of Christ; in whom are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."

Hence it is evident that the mystery of redemption was hid in the eternal counsel of God until the revelation of Jesus Christ. It was kept a secret from the foundation of the world, agreeably to what we find in

*I would not be understood to say, that the Gospel contains no mysteries, but that the Gospel itself, meaning the purpose of God to save sinners through a Bruise upon the heel of the Son of man, is not now a mystery.

the conclusion of Paul's Epistle to the Romans. "Now to him that is of power to establish you according to my Gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began, but now is made manifest, by the Scriptures of the prophets (according to the commandment of the everlasting God made known to all nations for the obedience of faith,) to God only wise be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen." This mystery, kept secret from the foundation of the world, contains the covenant of redemption, which in infinite wisdom was devised by the Most High, and accomplished by the Son of the Highest.

According to this covenant, the work of redemption was, entered upon immediately after the apostasy.. "For God so loved the world, as to give his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life." That this covenant agreement was entered into before the world was,, is evident, because Christ will say in the day of judg ment to the righteous, "Come ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." It is further evident, that the work which Christ had to perform, was given him by his Father before the world was, from the address of Christ to his Father, when he had finished the work which, his Father had given him to do: "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self, with the glory which I had with thee before the world was."

Every thing which was necessary for the redemption of sinners, was fixed upon in the counsel of the divine. will, or in the covenant of redemption. I do not mean necessary in the nature of things, but what was fit and proper, according to a divine estimation. We know from the text that we were not redeemed with corruptible things, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. "Who

verily, was fore-ordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you." Here we see, as was before suggested, that Christ was appointed to the work of redemption before the foundation of the world; but the mystery of redemption by the precious blood of Christ is now made known for us. What was necessary in the nature of things, for the price of our redemption, is, perhaps, impossible to be determined. But what was necessary or proper in the divine estimation, we may determine by the revelation of the mystery. This mystery was kept secret from the foundation of the world, but is now made manifest.

The Holy Spirit, as well as the Father, and the Son, was concerned in the covenant of redemption, is evident, because it was through the eternal Spirit, that Christ offered himself without spot to God, that we might be purged from dead works to serve the living God.' And besides, we ought never to forget that no one can be saved "from the wrath to come," notwithstanding the precious blood of Christ has been shed, unless it be applied by the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit. Hence it was necessary not only that the blood of the paschal lamb should be shed, and that the lamb should be without blemish; but that the blood should be sprinkled on the door posts, that God might pass over the children of Israel, and not destroy them, when he should smite the land of Egypt. Here we see how the children of Israel were to escape destruction, when the pestilence should pass through the land of Egypt. "So also is Christ."

It is evident from the Scriptures, that there was a covenant of redemption between the persons of the Godhead. Each was concerned, and had a part to perform in this great and glorious work. Every thing in this covenant was agreed upon, in the first construction of it. We may conceive of the thing under the idea of a written instrument to which each person affixed his name, to wit, The Father, the Word, and

the Holy Ghost. The Word was to be made flesh, to be the Immanuel, which is God in human nature. The person in the text is called Christ the Lamb. This person was to be born of a woman. And in this capacity he was to bruise the serpent's head. Every thing which Christ was to do and to suffer, was delineated in the covenant, which means the same as the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God. All things being thus fixed, bounded, and determined, in this counsel or covenant of redemption, a foundation was laid for Christ to be exhibited in the Holy Scriptures by types and shadows. All the predictions found in the Bible concerning Christ, have their foundation and origin in this covenant. What Christ had to do was the will of his Father: And what he had to suffer was from the agency of the serpent. Hence said God to the serpent, "Thou shalt bruise his heel." Before Christ became a man, and came into the world to perform his part expressed in the instrument, to which we suppose him to have affixed his name, all the outlines of his work were drawn; which were in the first place to be exhibited by types, shadows, and predictions. He was perfectly acquainted with the Holy Scriptures, and therefore with the part allotted him to perform. And to this allotment he had given his most cordial consent and approbation; and, having put his hand to the plough was determined never to look back. His Father on his part had engaged never to forsake him; but to be with him and support him in every temptation, and in every scene of suffering. The Seed of the woman was to come into the world, and to act his part in the midst of enemies, enemies the most powerful and the most subtle in the universe. The serpent, who had subtlety enough to destroy the first of the human race, was the head of these enemies. Wicked men had enlisted under the banner of this great and subtle enemy. They were all combined together to destroy the Son of God. To