聖約中的救贖之約 （著：亞歷山德•派登 譯：追求永生）

我建議這些關於救贖之約的觀念，想法，以及要點，作為對神愛的概要，以便你們不管是背十字架還是不背十字架，都可以有喜樂。

人所盡知，在那古老的時日，在神聖的三位一體中的位格之間，簽署了一個最終的一致同意的合約。在他們以無比智慧所訂立的聖約中，約的一方是偉大而無限的天地之主，約的另一方，是完全的神和完全的人，即天地之主確鑿無疑永恆的繼承者，耶穌基督。他們用下面所描述的方式，形式，以及規定的各種效果締結了這個聖約。

本聖約規定，耶穌自己是這個約的主體內容。這些內容包括對耶穌的約責要求：他必須承擔保證聖約實現的責任；他必須圓滿履行所有律法的要求；他必須承受苦難成為贖罪祭；他必須把神的兒女都引導歸主；他必須使這些歸於他的人良言善行得以完全；他必須使他們在耶穌的完全里從恩典中得到恩典；他必須在天庭代表這些得救的男女成人和孩童；他必須保證這些人沒有一個失落；他必須把他們在末日全部復活；最後，他必須把這些天父的孩子全部背負到天庭。

為此，聖約的另一方，神聖的天地之主，就對基督也承負不可違背的相應責任。這些責任包括：他必須遣送所有被他揀選者臨到世間；他必須把他們都交託到基督的手裡；他必須使基督經歷在履行這些託付中所遇到的各種情況；最後，他必須用手托住基督。與此同時，他還必須派遣聖靈，也就是這位與天父和基督同等者，臨到世間，作為履行這項偉大使命的同工以及榮耀他的這項無與倫比的救贖計劃；他必須使聖靈用關於三位一體的真知光照這些蒙揀選出世界之眾人的心念，讓他們認知自己失喪的狀態；他必須通過激勵使他們能夠接受和認同天地之主無償的愛之邀約；他必須在他們所有的試煉和苦難中給予支持和安慰，特別是為了那些為了我們名的緣故而受逼迫者；他必須使他們成為聖潔，包括身體和靈魂，以至於成為合用的僕人，與我們同在，並為我們這個神聖計劃中的無償恩典高歌頌讚，直到永遠。

同樣，這位高貴的天地之主用他聖約的恩典和榮耀以及他所成就的一切美好激勵眾人使他們接受他為眾人的主，並作他們的王和他們的神。非但如此，他還允許約中的耶穌基督通過他的僕人向世人宣告，凡是奉他的名和他同在的人，他都會給予崇高的報償，既有今時立刻交付的禮物，又有豐厚的永恆產業。

同時確證的是，所有那些不接受這個救恩的人，因為同樣的原因，必然為他們的驕傲和叛逆，被認定有罪，並承受魔鬼帶來的諸般折磨和永遠的責罰。這些都是為了神公義的榮耀，從今時直到永遠。

特此見證，他認承這些禮物，這些都與聖經中所記錄的相同，並把他們留傳到子孫後代。自天國時間某年某月某日，這個神聖合約將永遠存留在古老而永恆的史冊之中。

I recommend these views, thoughts and notes upon the Covenant of Redemption, as the extract of God's love, that in crosses and out of crosses ye may rejoice.

BE it known to all men, that, in the presence of the Ancient of Days, it was finally contracted, and unanimously agreed, betwixt these honourable and royal persons in the God-head, to wit, the great and infinite Lord of Heaven and earth, on the one side; and Jesus Christ, God-man, his eternal and undoubted heir, on the other side, in manner, form and effect, as follows; That forasmuch as the Lord Jesus Christ is content and obliges himself to become surety, and to fulfil the whole law; and that he shall suffer and become an offering for sin, and take the guiding [management] of all the children of God on him, and make them perfect in every good word and work; and that of his fulness they shall all receive grace for grace; and also present them, man, wife and bairns, on Heaven's floor, and lose none of them; and that he shall raise them up at the last day, and come in on Heaven's floor with all the bairns at his back: therefore, the noble Lord of Heaven and earth, on the other side, binds and obliges himself to Christ, to send all the Elect into the world, and to deliver them all fairly to Christ; and also to give him a body, flesh of their flesh and bone of their bone; and to carry Christ through in all his undertaking in that work, and to hold him by the hand: and also, let the Holy Ghost, who is our equal, go forth into the world, that he may be sharer in this great work, and also of the glory of this noble contrivance; and let him enlighten the minds of all those whom we have chosen out of the world, in the knowledge of our name; and to convince them of their lost state; and perswade and enable them to embrace and accept of his free love offer; and to support and comfort them in all their trials and tribulations, especially these for our name's sake; and to sanctifie them, soul and body, and make them fit for serving us, and dwelling with us, and singing forth the praises of the riches of our free grace in this noble contrivance, for ever and ever. Likewise, the same noble Lord of Heaven and earth doth fully covenant grace and glory, and all good things, to as many as shall be perswaded and enabled to accept and embrace you, as their Lord, King and God: and moreover, he allows the said Jesus Christ to make proclamations by his servants, to the world in his name, that all that will come and engage under his colours, he shall give them noble pay in hand for the present, and a rich inheritance for ever; with certification, that all those who will not accept of this offer, for the same cause, shall be guilty and eternally condemned from our presence, and tormented with these devils, whom we cast out from us, for their pride and rebellion, for the glory of our justice, through eternity.

In testimony whereof, he subscribes thir [these] presents, and is content the same be registrate in the Books of Holy Scripture, to be kept on record to future generations. Dated at the throne of Heaven, in the ancient records of eternity.