fcripture afferts that after faith is come, we are "no longer under a fchoolmaster," that is, the law, as there explained; it follows irrefragably, that by the law, when the idea of abolition, removal, difannulling, non-obligation, or the like, occurs, we are not to understand the ftandard of moral rectitude, and obligation to obedience purely moral, but the Mofaic law or covenant, as fuch.

$28. The Gospel, according to Jeremiah and St. Paul, is called a covenant as well as the law. "But "this fhall be the covenant that I will make with the "houfe of Ifrael; After thofe days, faith the "Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, " and write it in their hearts. But now hath he " obtained a more excellent miniftry, by how much "alfo he is the Meditator of a better covenant. In "that he faith, A new covenant, he hath made the "firft old." Though the gospel, ftrictly fo called, is more properly termed a teftament than a covenant; yet, seeing this teftamentary grant must neceffarily imply a requifition of acceptance and corresponding duties, many of which duties are frequently fpecified, and this enjoined fometimes under pain of GOD's higheft displeasure, there is a propriety in calling the whole of the New Teftament a covenant.But this leads us to another head of difcourfe.

§ 29. The diftinguishing character of the Gospel covenant, compared with the law covenant, and all former ones, may be comprised under the following particulars. The gofpel, as to its nature, is the fame

with

with all the preceding exhibitions of grace and mercy to finful men; and differs only in the amplitude and clearness with which they are revealed. It contains the promises in maturity; their foundation, the Meffiah, is clearly pointed out; and their ultimate tendency fhewn in the light of open day. The promise to our firft parents was the green blade, the gofpel, as revealed in the new teftament, is the full The former was the morning ftar,

corn in the ear.

the latter is the rifen fun.

§ 30. The gospel, in its proper nature, is effentially different from every law whatever. Every law is "a rule of action," but the gofpel is the offer or promife of happiness. But as the offer is made to accountable beings, it is manifeft that none can refuse it and be innocent. This is beautifully illuftrated by the parable of the great fupper.* And as the gospel contains an exhibitory grant of every defireable good, and the fulleft happiness; hence arifes more clear, more forcible, and more extènfive obligations on thofe who live in the open day of the gospel difpenfation above all others.

$34. The chriftian covenant is propofed as attended with no temporal inducements, or penal fanction; wherein it greatly differs from the Mofaic. The latter abounds with temporal promifes, fuch as of long life, a numerous offspring, plenty, and external peace; while the former directs almost the G whole

Luke xiv. 16-24.

whole of our expectations to a future ftate, a kingdom of celestial glory. The one threatens all that is tremendous to human feelings in this life, the plague, the peftilence, and famine; captivity and fervitude, wars and devaftations; to which we may add the punishments annexed to violations of certain precepts to be judicially inflicted on the tranfgreffor: the other, refers the difobedient to the fufferings of an after ftate, where the fire is never quenched, and their worm never dieth; where the unprofitable fervant is confined to outer darkness; where all who obey not the gospel are punished with everlasting deftruction.

§ 32. The chriftian covenant differs effentially from $ the legal, in that it has not only a mediator but also a furety. Mofes was a mediator in the inferior import of the term, but in no fenfe was he a furety. Jefus is not only "the mediator (song) of a better covenant, which was established upon better promifes," but alfo "a furety (eyyvos) of a better teflament." The mediation of Mofes was only ceremonial and typical; that of Jefus Chrift real and efficacious with refpect to life and falvation, and our concerns with God as our moral governor. Not only would Mofes have acted the most presumptuous part if he had undertaken to be the furety of the Ifraclites, as to their moral obedience and fpiritual welfare; but, being their equal, he was naturally incapable of the office, and therefore could not have pretended to the use of it without the greateft abfurdity. He, and he alone, is entitled

to

to this truft, the highest in all the universe, who can engage to GOD as the equitable governor, that "all whom the Father gave him" to fave, shall be the happy recipients of the covenant, not only in its external form but alfo in its internal grace; who can make them willing in the day of his power, and obedient unto the end of their probationary state; who can quicken whom he will, and be to them the perpetual fource of life and happiness; who can fay with truth concerning those for whom he engages, "they "hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow "me: and I give unto them eternal life; and they "fhall never perish, neither shall any pluck them "out of my hands."

§ 33. The chriftian covenant is, in a peculiar manner, the miniftration of the fpirit. Not only the fubjects of divine influence are more numerous, but the degree of that influence is more abundant than in any prior period. "After thofe days, faith the "Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, "and write it in their hearts;-and they fhall teach "no more every man his neighbour, and every "man his brother, faying, Know the Lord, for they "fhall all know me." Here it is clearly implied, not only that the means of knowledge fhould be more general, but that the spirit fhould be abundantly imparted to individuals under this difpenfation. "This is that which was fpoken by the prophet "Joel, And it fhall come to pafs in the laft days. "faith GOD, I will pour out my fpirit upon all

"flesh."* The grant of this invaluable bleffing fhall be extended to Gentile finners, as well as to Jewish people. Thus all who are baptized with water have the promise (understanding thereby a fovereign gift, or exhibitory grant,) of being baptized by the holy fpirit. And under this difpenfation are, in fact, more frequent inftances of regenerating grace; whereby every divine law, of ftanding obligation, becomes as written on the heart, and refides in the inward parts with an authoritative and lovely influence. The law of GOD and the inward man are in sweet amity. Without regenerating, transforming influences, the perfon must be termed "a natural man," and his mind "a carnal mind," which is averse to fubjection to the law of GOD; but when he is "born "again," made a new man," and "renewed in "the spirit of his mind," by the fovereign agency of him who commanded the light to fhine out of darkness, and which renewal no means, as fuch, would ever effect, he begins to delight in the rectitude, purity, and perfection of the law. What we cannot hope to be equal to we may love and adore. To this we may add, in illuftration of what God fays, "I will put my law in their inward parts," that, on fuppofition of divine influence being equal in an Old Testament and a New Teftament faint, this mode of speaking may denote, that the excellency of the means, on fimilar fubjects, would be productive of superior effect. But there is, moreover, great reafon to conclude, that God's gracious power is exerted to a greater degree on individuals

Acts ii, 16, 17.

than