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النشر الإلكتروني

Here three things

Lord, from henceforth and for ever.
are observable. 1st. The Parties.
nant. 9dly. The unity of that Covenant.

2dly. The Cove

As to the Parties, they are three. The First is the Party speaking, viz. Jehovah the Father, "As for me, saith the Lord." The Second is the Party spoken to, viz. Jehovah the Son, the Redeemer, mentioned in the preceding verse, He to whom the Spirit is first given,

My Spirit that is upon thee." The Third is the Party spoken of, viz. the Redeemed, who turn from transgression, verse 20. "This is my covenant with them," viz. with them who are mentioned immediately before.

Secondly. Here we have a covenant-transaction, a covenant with the redeemed, and therefore a covenant of grace. "This is my covenant with them, saith the Lord." This is a covenant wherein the Father promiseth his Spirit and his word to the Redeemer and his seed for evermore: and therefore a covenant of grace as to them. Compare Heb. viii. 10.

Thirdly. Here we see that the covenant with the Re-. deemer and the redeemed is one and the same. It de serves our notice that what is called a covenant with them, is first a covenant with him. For the promise in their favours is first made to him, and is evidently grafted upon the promise immediately respecting himself. "My Spirit that I have put upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed." Here are two promises, the one respecting Christ himself, the other his seed. And yet both are called God's covenant with that seed. "This is my covenant with them." Both these promises are God's covenant with the redeemed, and therefore a covenant of the richest grace. Both are made to the Redeemer, and therefore a covenant concerning the redemption of his people. Compare Rom. iii. 24. The promise immediately respecting him is part of the covenant made with them: and the promise immediately respecting them is part of the covenant made with him. For here God covenanteth with him, as the word is, 2 Chron. vii. 18. From all

which it appears with convincing evidence, that the covenant made with him and with them is one and the same; and that what is called the covenant of redemption, and the covenant of grace, are not so properly two covenants, as two constituent parts of one and the same covenant; or as some have not improperly expressed it, that the covenant of redemption is the covenant of grace in its contrivance, and the covenant of grace is the covenant of redemption in its execution.

6thly. It ought not to be omitted that this is the doctrine of our Catechisms Larger and Shorter. In the former we read of a first and second covenant only. The first made with Adam as a public person, not for himself only, but for his posterity, Quest. 22. The second made with Christ as the second Adam, and in him with all the elect as his seed, Quest. 30, 31. In the lat ter, we are expressly taught that, "God having out of his mere good pleasure from all eternity elected some to everlasting life, did enter into a covenant of grace, to deliver them out of a state of sin and misery, and to bring them into a state of salvation by a Redeemer." According to the venerable Compilers of this incomparable system, election and the covenant of grace are of the self-same date. Though in the order of conception, election is before the covenant, as the end is in view before the means, yet in reality both were from all eternity. With whom did God enter into a covenant of grace to deliver the elect, but with his own Son? they themselves not yet existing.

5thly. From what has been said of the two covenants, let us try ourselves, and see to which of them we belong. A most important enquiry this, a greater cannot exercise the mind of man. In making it there is need of the utmost caution. The marks of our federal state must not be dubious, but clear, certain and decisive. Before we offer our thoughts on this head, we beg leave to remind you of one thing, viz. that every individual of Adam's race is under the one or the other of these two covenants. They divide the whole of mankind into two classes. This we take for a great truth, nor

ill we stay to prove it, after what has been said on the doctrinal part of this subject. Let it only be observed at present, that if there be no covenant of works, if there be nothing but one covenant, that of grace, then it unavoidably follows, that such persons as are not under it, are under No covenant at all. This consequence must follow on their doctrine who deny a covenant of works made with Adam, and in him with all his posterity. And if the consequence be absurd, so must that divinity be, from which it so necessarily flows. Nor can I easily believe, but men would blush to say that such as are not in the covenant of grace are in No covenant at all. And yet this they must say, who teach that there is no such thing as a covenant of works. Taking it therefore as granted, that every man is under the one of these two covenants, and that none can be under both at one and the same time, in respect of his state before God; I proceed to give the marks or characters of those who are under the covenant of grace. These marks are such that all who have them, are in that covenant; and all who have them not, are under the covenant of works.

1st. All who are under the covenant of grace are convinced of their sin and misery by nature. They have seen themselves ruined by Adam's fall. They have seen that unless their nature and their state be changed, they can never be happy. They have been made sensible of their disease, and to groan under it. Our blessed Lord when speaking of the operations of the Holy Spirit, mentions conviction of sin as that which leads the way to all the rest, John xvi. 8. When he (the Comforter) is come, he will convince the world of sin. This plainly intimates, that it is his path-way to convince before he comfort, to wound before he heal. As this is scripture-doctrine, so it is confirmed by the examples of scripture-converts. The first and fundamental step, leading to the prodigal's recovery was, that he came to himself, Luke xv. 17. Formerly he was as out of himself, infatuated with vain thoughts; but now he came to himself. And the first thought which strikes

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him is his misery and his sin. I perish-I have sinned against Heaven. Had he not thus been convinced, he would never have returned to his father, but perished in his folly. The three thousand converts on Pentecostday were first convinced of their guilt and wretchedness, Acts ii. 37. they were pricked in their heart. Sin must be bitter, else deliverance cannot be sweet, nor he who wrought it acceptable. It would be something unnatural and contrary to the very constitution of a rational being, to cast off, to turn from his sin, without first seeing it as evil. It is inconceivable how he can. do the one without being convinced of the other. Sin ners may deceive themselves as they will, but whatever may be their pretended attainments, their feelings, their joys, and what not, if conviction lie not as at the bottom, if it do not precede all, they are under a strong delusion. We do not say that conviction is always followed with conversion, but that conversion is never wrought without it. We can determine nothing as to the precise degree of conviction. It may be of different degrees in different persons. But two things distinguish saving convictions from all others, viz. That they issue neither in self-righteousness, nor in black despair They are not so superficial as to be healed with the sinner's own hand, nor do they make him despair of salvation through a Saviour. All other convictions end in the one of these extremes. Either the sinner resteth in. himself: or he plunges and perishes in the whirlpool of inconsolable anguish. Either he says, My sin is not so great but I can expiate it by my prayers, tears, and good works: or he says with cursed Cain, Mine iniquity is greater than to be forgiven. Such as are brought into the covenant of grace have been kept in the golden medium betwixt these two. They have not sat down as on this side of Christ, nor have they been carried as with a whirlwind beyond him. But to him, to him alone as their Physician, have they gone. In him as their centre have they rested; as at the foot of his cross have they pitched their tent, saying, This is my rest for ever, and here will I dwell. But this brings us to a

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2d. Decisive mark of all such as are in the covenant of grace, which is, that perfectly pleased with it, they have taken hold of it. Seeing themselves ruined by the breach of the first covenant, they have repaired to the second, as what alone can make them blessed. They believe that it is all their salvation, and hence it is, it must be all their desire. To it as their sole sanctuary they have recourse by faith. The covenant is in their esteem a device every way worthy of God. They find no fault in it, they desire no alteration, no not in the least. There is nothing out of the covenant which they would have inserted, nothing in it which they would have erazed. There is nothing in it which they can want, and there is nothing out of it that they desire. Thus there is a wonderful harmony betwixt their hearts and it. They are formed as in breadth and in length for the reception of it. To be a little more particular, they are exceedingly pleased with the Surety of the covenant. They are astonished at the mercy, they admire and approve of the wisdom of God, in pro viding such a one as his only Son. They set to their seal that God is true, John iii. 33. Him whom God hath chosen and sent, and sealed, they most cordially receive. Thus as with one heart, and with one soul, they appoint themselves one head, Hos. i. 11. While others reject Christ, they receive him, and had each of them ten thousand hearts, they would all be his, and his only. Their greatest grief is that they cannot receive him as they would, there being a disloyal party within them. Though the door of the mighty and the many be shut against Christ, theirs are ever open to him. As they are well pleased with his suretiship, so with all his other offices. At his feet they sit to be taught, the crown they set upon his head, and put the sceptre in his hands, saying, Rule thou over us. They are well pleased with the benefits and blessings of the covenant, with sanctification, no less than with justification. They are well pleased with the order of the covenant, that order wherein its blessings are conveyed, viz. that life must go before working, and working

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