What promifes were made unto him?-When was it made?---And how ratified?

I. WHAT Character did David fuftain in this Covenant? In general, He was God's viceroy over the Theocratical Kingdom,—a type of the Meffiah, in his regal dignity: Hence this covenant is, with propriety, called a coVENANT OF ROYALTY. The analogy between the type and the antitype is manifeft.

1. As David was born in an obfcure manner at Bethlehem, which was little among the thousands of Judah; fo alfo was Christ. The family was fo far below the regal dignity, when the Meffiah was born, that his fuppofed father handled the hatchet, inftead of fwaying the fceptre. And divine providence fo moved the vaft machine of the Roman empire, unweildy as it was, that the family of David, like a final pinion, was juft at the point of Bethlehem against the moment, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Micah: "And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, art not the leaft among the thousands of Judah; for out of thee fhall come a governor that shall rule my people *."

2. LIKE David, the Meffiah was the BELOVED SON of God. God's regard to David

* Micah v. 2.

is more than infinuated in his name; for it fignifies BELOVED *. David was the beloved fon of God by regeneration and adoption: The Meffiah is the SON OF GOD on an infinitely higher account, even his eternal generation. As God announced his love to David in the dif charge of his office, fo did he alfo to Chrift.

3. LIKE David, the Meffiah was confecrated with an eminently glorious anointing.That David might be a more diftinguished type of the Meffiah in this refpect, he was anointed three different times with material oil. He was anointed by Samuel in Bethlehem, during the life and reign of Saul. And in this he typified that fulness of the Spirit which Chrift enjoyed prior to his perfonal miniftry.Again, David was anointed in Hebron, when he obtained the kingdom of Judah only. And Chrift was alfo anointed with the Holy Ghoft, when he began to fet up his kingdom in the land of Judea, by his perfonal ministry.In fine, David was again anointed when conflituted king over all Ifrael. And, in like manner, the Meffiah was enriched with

* Sonans AMABILEM Ct DILECTUM. Sock. in Voc. "Utrinque etiam dilecti a Deo, argumentum eft, Filii Dei, et quidem primo geniti, attributum. DAVIDI, enim per regenerationis, et adoptionis gratiam, qua inter Reges terræ excelluit: CHRISTO, vero per generationis eternæ naturam, qua ita Filius PRIMOGENITUS, ut etiam UNIGENITUS jure nuncupetur," F. Gomar. Difput. Theol. Diff. xvi. 8.

a glorious fulnefs, when he fat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high *. He was CONSTITUTED both LORD and CHRIST. Jefus was, indeed, a Prince, in point of actual rule, as foon as he had any fubjects in this world; and, in this refpect, he excels David ; but his three-fold unction did immediately precede the glorious exercife of his power in human nature. David was only anointed to the prophetic and regal office; but Chrift was anointed unto these, and the priestly office in like manner.—Should any enquire, Whether this covenant was made with David as a faint, or as a king? Whether in his private, or in his public character? I would anfwer, Though it refpected his own falvation, as appears from his own confeffion ; yet it was made with him in the character of a king. The truth is, no one of thefe confiderations can be excluded, though the kingly character is chiefly intended: For it refpected David's fucceffors in office, as well as himself; but it does not appear that all of them were faints. The office was typically holy, although the perfon who bore it was frequently morally impure.

1 Sam. xvi. 13. 2 Sam. ii. 4. 2 Sam. v. 3. I am indebted to Cloppenburg for thefe obfervations, Vide Difput. Select. Theol. Difput. xvii. § 18. The thought is finely purfued by H. Witfius, in Symbol. Exercit. ix. 9 7, 8.

† 2 Sam. xxiii. 5.

II. I SHALL now fhew, What promifes were made unto him.

1. GOD promfed him a royal Sced to fucceed him in his throne and kingdom. This is, indeed, the capital promife in this covenant"I will fet up thy Seed after thee, which fhall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will eftablish his kingdom."-" And thine houfe and thy kingdom fhall be eftablifhed for ever before thee: thy throne fhall be eftablifhed for ever.” "I will raife up thy Seed after thee, which fhall be of thy fons, and I will eftablish his kingdom,"" I will eftablifh his throne for ever."-" I will fettle him in mine "I houfe, and in my kingdom for ever; and his throne fhall be eftablished for evermore t." This SEED was Solomon and his fucceffors, in fhadow; and a greater than Solomon, in fubftance. But, to take a narrower furvey of this promife, we may obferve the fubject of it,A SEED. Solomon is undoubtedly intended as the literal feed: For the promife was given to fatisfy David's mind as to the building of the Temple. The prediction, accordingly, received a circumftantial accompliment in him:

* 2 Sam. vii. 12, and 16.

+ Chron. xvii. 11, 12, and 14. Pfal. lxxxix. and cxxxii. much to the fame purpofe. Thefe promifes are meant of Chrift, at firft inftance; and contain an allufion to thofe mentioned in the history, rather than a repetition of them.

But

But it is alfo applied to Chrift by the Apoftle Peter: "Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had fworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raife up Chrift to fit on his throne."-" Therefore, let all the house of Ifrael know affuredly, that God hath made that fame Jefus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Chrift *." This promife, then, was an advancement in the first promife, which had been renewed in various others, prior unto this time.Again, We have the HONOUR to be conferred on this SEED, even a throne and a kingdom. This promife found David on a throne, indeed; but it fecured the fucceffion in his family: And the fame thing had been promifed, in fubftance, unto Judah, under the notion of a fceptre and a lawgiver. It included not only civil polity within themfelves, but alfo the enfigns of royalty. Judah could not be deprived of both before the coming of the SHILOн. That tribe was affured of pre-eminence by Jacob's teftament, which was equivalent to a divine promife: But the import and ends of it are not fo easily afcertained. The nature of it feems to imply royalty in fwaying the SCEPTRE; and legislation in the high court of the Sanhedrim, with the explication of thefe laws by the Scribes : For

Acts ii. 30, and 36.

if

JUNIUS, as well as EUSEBIUS, of old, explained this fceptre of the faff which fupported the enfign in the

tribe :