of shewing his fidelity, his zeal, his love, his gratitude: but being called" to fight a good fight," and having approved himself "a good soldier of Jesus Christ," he shall receive, together with the approbation of his Lord, a brighter crown, and a more glorious inheritance, than could have been awarded to him at the period of his first conversion.] 3. For his own eternal glory [Doubtless the first exercise of mercy towards a repenting sinner brings much glory to God: and if at the first moment of his conversion every saint were translated to glory, he would have abundant reason to adore and magnify the grace to which he was so greatly indebted. But of the patience, the forbearance, the long-suffering, the compassion, and the faithfulness of God, he would have a very indistinct and inadequate conception. It is by his inward trials and conflicts that he acquires the fuller discovery of these perfections, and is prepared to give God the glory of them in a better world. The shouts of one who is but a babe in Christ will, on his introduction to the divine presence, no doubt be ardent: but what will be the acclamations of a soul that has passed through all the eventful scenes of arduous and long-protracted warfare! Of what wonders will he have to speak! or rather, how may we conceive of him as prostrating himself in silent adoration through his overwhelming sense of the divine goodness, whilst the less-instructed and less-indebted novice rends the air with acclamations and hosannahs! Yes verily: if the angels stand round about the saints, as not having so near an access to God as they, so we may conceive of the less-privileged saints as standing round about the elders, in whom God will be more admired," and by whom he will be more "glorified'."] We must not however DISMISs this subject without adding a few words, 1. Of caution: [It is, as we have said, the fate of man in this world still to carry about with him a corrupt nature, which proves a source of much trouble and distress: nor can any man hope to get rid of it, till he shall be liberated by death itself. Nevertheless, it is our own fault that the corruptions which remain within us are not more weakened and subdued. Let any one read the account given of the different tribes, in the first chapter of the book of Judges, and say whether he does not impute blame to the Israelites themselves, for suffering the nations, whom they were ordered to extirpate, to retain so formidable a power in the midst of themm? Had they 1 2 Thess. i. 10. with Rev. vii. 9-12. m Judg. i. 21, 27, 29—35. persevered with the same zeal and diligence as they exercised on their first entrance into Canaan, and pursued with unrelenting energy those whom they had been commanded to destroy, their occupation of the land had been far more peaceful and entire. And so, if we, from our first conversion to God, had maintained with unremitting zeal our warfare with sin and Satan, as it became us to do, we should have had all the corruptions of our nature in more complete subjection, and should have enjoyed a far greater measure of tranquillity in our own souls. Let not any one, then, delude himself with the thought that the strength of his corruptions is a subject rather of pity than of blame: but let all know, that they are called to maintain a warfare; that armour, even "the whole armour of God," is provided for them, in order that they may prosecute it with success; and that, if only they will "quit themselves like men," the Captain of their salvation has assured to them a complete victory. Gird on your armour then, my Brethren; and, if your enemy has gained any advantage over you, return to the charge; and never cease to fight, till Satan, and all his hosts, are "bruised under your feet."] 2. Of encouragement [The doom of your enemies is sealed"; and, if you "go forth in the strength of your Lord," "you shall be more than conquerors through him that loveth you"." Let it not be grievous to you that such a necessity is imposed upon you. Did your Saviour himself enter the lists, and fight against all the powers of darkness till he had triumphed over them and despoiled them all; and will not you, at his command, go forth, to follow up, and complete, his victory P? Fear not on account of the strength or number of your enemies: for "they shall be bread for you;" and your every victory over them shall nourish and strengthen your own souls. And let all animate one another to the contest. See the happy effect of this amongst God's people of old. We are told, "Judah said unto Simeon his brother, Come up with me into my lot, that we may fight against the Canaanites; and I likewise will go with thee into thy lot. So Simeon went with him. And Judah went up: and the Lord delivered the Canaanites and the Perizzites into their hand." True it is, indeed, that we cannot aid each other precisely in the same way that they did: but we may encourage one another, and strengthen one another, and by our example animate one another to the combat; and may thus contribute, each of us, to the success of those around us. And it is but a little time that we have to fight: for soon we n Deut. vii. 22, 23. P Col. ii. 15. with John xvi. 11. 。 Rom. viii. 37. 4 Judg. i. 3, 4. shall come to that better land, where "there shall no more be the Canaanite in the house of the Lord of Hosts." Even in this world we are taught that such a period shall arrive : but, if not permitted to behold it here, we shall assuredly behold it in the world above, where "former things shall have passed away, and sin and sorrow shall be found no more." "Wherefore comfort ye one another with these words."] GOD'S COVENANT WITH ISRAEL. Exod. xxiv. 6-8. And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar. And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient. And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you concerning all these words. OF such terrible majesty is God, that none could behold his face and live. Even in his most condescending intercourse with men, he has made them to feel, that he is "a God greatly to be feared, and to be had in reverence of all them that are round about him." When he descended on Mount Sinai, to proclaim his law, all the people of Israel entreated that he would not speak to them any more, except through the intervention of a Mediator. He was graciously pleased to make further communications to his people, and to enter into a covenant with them: but here a select number only were permitted to approach him, and of them none but Moses was suffered to 66 come near unto him." The covenant which he made with them, is the subject now before us: and we shall consider it in a two-fold view: I. As made with Israel An altar being built, together with twelve pillars, the one to represent Jehovah, and the other the twelve tribes of Israel, the covenant was, 1. Made [God, as the author of that covenant, declared by Moses the terms on which he would acknowledge Israel as his peculiar people. Moses had written in a book the laws which God had made known to him, the moral, the ceremonial, the judicial; and all these he read in the audience of the people. To these, in the name of God, he required a cheerful and uniform obedience: and, upon their obedience to these, God promised on his part to favour them with his continued protection, and with the ultimate and peaceful enjoyment of the promised land. Thus was care taken that they should know to what they were to subscribe, and that their future welfare depended on their fidelity to their own engagements. The people on their part gave their consent to the terms prescribed and this they did in the most solemn manner. In declaring their acceptance of the covenant they were unanimous, cordial, unreserved. There was not one dissentient voice. They had repeatedly before engaged to do whatever the Lord should enjoin; but here they do it with additional force and emphasis. Nor do they make the least exception to any one thing as burthensome or oppressive. In the most unqualified manner they bind themselves to a perfect and perpetual obedience; "All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient."] 2. Ratified [From the very time that God first set apart Abraham to be the progenitor of his peculiar people to the time when that people were carried captive to Babylon, it seems to have been customary to confirm covenants by sacrifices; which, when slain, were divided into parts placed opposite to each other; and then the parties covenanting passed between those parts, and thereby pledged themselves to a faithful observance of the covenant. But in this instance solemnities were used, which shewed that the sacrifices were essential to the covenant itself. God could not enter into covenant with sinners till an atonement had been offered for their sins. And now that this atonement was offered, one half of the blood of the sacrifices was poured upon the altar, to evince that God was reconciled to them; and the remainder was sprinkled upon the book and upon the people, in order to seal upon their hearts and consciences his pardoning love, and to remind them, that all their hope in that covenant depended on the blood of atonement with which it was sprinkled.] a Exod. xix. 8. and xxiv. 3. c In Abraham's time, Gen. xv. Jeremiah's, Jer. xxxiv. 18–20. among the Greeks. b“We will do, and be obedient.” 9, 10, 17; in David's, Ps. 1. 5; in A similar custom obtained also After having duly considered this covenant as made with Israel, it will be proper to view it, II. As typifying that under which we live— That it was a type of the Christian covenant we are sure, because St. Paul quotes the very words of our text, to prove that the death of Christ was necessary to give efficacy to his mediation, and to secure to us the blessings of his covenant. He mentions also some additional circumstances not related in the history but of them we forbear to speak, that our attention may be confined to the point immediately before us. The connexion between the two is that which we assert, and which we wish to illustrate. Let us then return to the covenant made with Israel, and notice more particularly, 1. The nature of it [The covenant made with Israel was a mixed covenant; partly legal, for it contained the law of the ten commandments delivered on Mount Sinai; partly evangelical, for it comprehended many ceremonial institutions whereby the people were to obtain remission of their sins; and partly national, because it comprised many civil restrictions which were peculiar to that people. But the covenant under which we are, is purely evangelical, having not the smallest mixture of any thing else with it. Our covenant does not prescribe laws, by obedience to which we are to obtain mercy; but offers mercy freely as the gift of God through Christ, and promises grace, whereby we shall be enabled to fulfil the will of God. Sanctification is not required of us as a ground for our justification, but is promised to us as a fruit and evidence of our justification. In this covenant we are not to obey in order that God may give, but to obey because he has given, and will give. We are not first to give to God that he may afterwards give to us; but he gives all, and we receive all.] 2. The ratification of it [The blood of sprinkling used by Moses was a mere shadow; it had of itself no value whatever: it could neither satisfy the justice of God, nor bring peace into the consciences of men. But the blood with which our covenant is ratified is called "the blood of God," because it was the blood of Him who was God as well as man. That blood has indeed an d Heb. ix. 17-19. e Acts xx. 28. |