absurdity. The promises of the new covenant cannot be of greater extent than the covenant itself; for that would be a contradiction. Therefore, as the covenant is made with believers only, Isa. lv. 3. to them only can its promises extend. As the threatenings respect none but unbelievers, neither do the promises any, but such as are in Christ. Promises and threatenings are not more different in themselves, than in their objects. There are promises of grace, and promises to grace. The former respect the quickening Spirit and the new heart, Ezek. xxxvi. 26, 27. the latter, remission of sins and the possession of eternal glory, Acts xvi. 31. Rom. x. 9. Now, as none can believe but they who get the new heart, and as salvation is promised to them only who believe, it is evident that all the promises are of equal extent, reaching only to the seed, the children of promise.

These sentiments are no how prejudicial to the precious doctrine of grace, in which, as the tenderest mercy, so the riches of divine wisdom and prudence abound towards us, Eph. i. 7, 8. A Saviour is freely offered unto all, wherever the gospel comes. No money, uo price is asked of sinners. All are invited; whosoever will, may come, and take the water of life freely, Isa. lv. 1, 2. Rev. xxii. 17. Meanwhile, this offer is attended as on the one hand, with the most glorious promises to those who embrace it; and on the other, with the most tremendous threatenings to such as do not. They who despise the offered mercy, must die without mercy. Scorning to take hold of the one covenant, they must continue under the curse of the other, John iii. ult. In this manner, God only wise, gathereth out his people from among others, who are left without excuse, inasmuch as they would not come unto Christ, that they might have life, John v. 40. The offer is equally to all, the promises and threatenings turn on the reception with which it meets. A sovereign God, however, gives the new heart to whom he will, whereby they are made to accept of the offered Saviour; and others are left to

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perish in their voluntary unbelief. Even so, Father, for so it seemed good in thy sight, Matt. xi. 25, 26.

7thly. From what was said, we may see the distinguishing characters of those who rejoice in the Abrahamic covenant, and those who do not. The latter are the persecutors of the former. The spirit of persecution breathes in greater or in less degree in all who know not God. There is a natural enmity in the seed of the serpent against the seed of the woman, Gen. iii. 15. which vents itself in persecution. This has been verified in every age: Witness the case of Cain and Abel, Esau and Jacob, the unbelieving Jews and the Christians, the Papists and the Protestants. In the two last instances, the enmity burst forth in the most awful forms that malice could devise. The Son of God was put to open shame. Blindfolding him, they struck him on the face, saying, Prophesy who it is that smote thee. They put a reed in his right hand, as a mock sceptre, bowed the knee before him, hailed him as a king, and spat upon his face. They arrayed him in mock robes of mock royalty, that they might sport themselves with the spectacle. To their scorn they added cruelty, crowning his head with thorns, furrowing his back with the scourge, and nailing him hand and foot to the cross. His followers they pursued with implacable spite. What torrents of Protestant blood have been shed by the devotees of Rome! What pyramids of flame have they often raised, rejoicing at the sight! The enmity against the saints is transmitted from age to age. Not being of the world, but chosen out of it, the world hateth them, John xv. 19, 20. Living godly in Christ Jesus, they suffer persecution, 2 Tim. iii. 12. Cain slew his brother, because his own works were evil, and his brother's righ teous, 1 John iii. 12. and this is the ground of the quar rel still. Non-conformity is what the world cannot endure.

It is observable, that our Lord in describing the cha racters of the blessed, insists more upon the blessedness of the persecuted, than that of any of the rest. He pronounces them thrice blessed, so to speak, Matt, v

10, 11, 12. Blessed are they who are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my name's sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. In opposition to this, he says, Wo unto you when all men' shall speak well of you: for so did their fathers to the false prophets, Luke vi. 26. It seems to be chiefly with a view to this, that the apostle says, If ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons, Heb. xii. 8. compare verse 3, 4. Persecution has been styled the prophet's shadow; and here it is mentioned as a negative evidence of the sons of God. But while the children of the bond woman are so prone to persecute, it is quite otherwise with those of the free. Being reviled, says our apostle, we bless; being persecuted we suffer it; being defamed, we intreat, 1 Cor. iv. 12, 13.

It has ever been seen that the more Christianity any man had, the more averse was he to persecution. It is not the way of the saints to be drunken with the blood of others. Nothing can be more inconsistent with the spirit of the gospel, than to breathe out slaughter against those who differ. Paul, while ignorant of Christ, was a persecutor; but soon as he knew him he began to be persecuted. The saints, though grieved to behold transgressors, Psal. cxix. 158. know that other than carnal weapons must be employed, in attempting to convert them from the error of their way, 2 Cor. x. 4.

8thly. From what was said, we may learn the fearful end of the legalists. As Hagar and Ishmael were driv en from Abraham's house, so shall all who trust in the works of the law, from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power, 2 Thess. i. 9. In Ishmael's case we see a striking emblem of such as still adhere unto the covenant of works. He being the son of the servant was cast out, while the son of the free woman continued in his father's house. The servant,

says our Lord, abideth not in the house for ever: but the son abideth ever, John viii. 35. Many are now visibly in the family of God, who at last shall be cast out, and driven away into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels, Matt. xxv. 41. As many, says our apostle, as are of the works of the law, are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them, Gal. iii. 10. A stranger in our Israel would be ready to cry, Who then can be saved? For who continueth in all things written in the law, to do them? But, as is observed elsewhere, whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law, Rom. iii. 19. All its curses, however tremendous, extend no further. As for those who are not under the law, but under grace, chap. vi. 14. not one drop of the curse can alight on them. They are not of works, but of faith, and therefore are blessed with faithful Abraham, Gal. iii. 10. Those of faith, and those of works are under very different dominions; grace and law. For though the law as a rule be obligatory upon all, yet as a covenant, it reacheth only to those who are far from Christ. Its curse as a covenant cannot affect such as are under it only as a rule. Of them it demands perfect obedience indeed, but to its curse they are not exposed on account of their imperfections. Quite otherwise with those who are of works, as Ishmael was of Hagar. They are under the curse. The wrath of God abideth on them, John iii. ult. They are not heirs, and therefore into the inheritance of the saints in light they shall never enter.

9thly. From what was said, we may see what honours were reserved for the New Testament dispensation. On the Israelites indeed honours high were heaped, inasmuch as to them pertained the adoption, and the glory, and the tables of the covenant, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises. Of them, as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all God blessed for ever, Rom. ix. 4. They were God's peculiar people, and on them, while walking in his.

ways, he poured down blessings in a happy profusion. But after all, peculiar honours were reserved for the New Testament dispensation, viz. the multiplication of the seed. While the Old Testament economy continued, the church, as we have seen, was comparatively barren. While the Sinaitic covenant brought forth by thousands, few few adhered to the Abrahamic. It was promised to the patriarch, that in his Seed all nations should be blessed. But O how many ages rolled away before he came, and of consequence, before the nations began to be blessed in him! During that period, instead of all nations being blessed in him, one only was. For in times past God suffered all nations to walk in their own ways, Acts xiv. 16. but at last the promise did bring forth. For when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son made of a wo man made under the law, Gal. iv. 4. And he having by himself purged our sins, sent forth his missionaries to teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, Matt. xxviii. 19. Then the blessing promised unto Jacob, lighted on the Gentiles. The woman so long in a state of sterility brought forth children in multitudes. The earth was made to bring forth in one day, and a nation was born at once, Isa. lxvi. 8. The church was no longer confined to the narrow precincts of Palestine, but extended to the ends of the earth. The personal Seed being come, the mystical followed in such multitudes as were never known before. The husband having entered into his glory, fit it was that the whole earth should be filled with the spouse's children. He having come, in whom the nations were to be blessed, it was meet that they should begin to be blessed in him. The New Testament dispensation taking place, that promise began to be fulfilled, which is recorded, Ezek. xvi. 61. Jerusalem, thou shalt remember thy ways, and be ashamed when thou shalt receive thy sisters, Samaria and Sodom: and I will give them unto thee for daughters, but not by thy covenant.

By Jerusalem's covenant here, I would understand