SERM. III. I have now done with the firft Branch of the Subject; which was, to open to you the true nature of the Gofpel-Covenant: the proper Improvement of which may be comprehended under the following Heads, with the mention of which I fhall conclude. 1. If we live under a Covenant of Grace, let us not recur to the Covenant of Works; or feek to be juftified by our own imperfect Righteousness. This was the great and fatal Error of the Jews; and retained by many of them even after their Converfion to Christianity. And we may fee in the Apoftle Paul's Epiftles how much pains it coft him to bring them off from this falfe Foundation. 2. On the other hand let us take care we do not mistake the Covenant of Grace, or explain it in fuch a manner, as may encourage Prefumption or open a Door to Licentiousness: which fome are too apt to do, under a notion that they cannot too much magnify the Grace of GoD. continue in Sin that Grace may But shall we abound? GOD forbid (p). (p) Rom. vi. 1. 3. From III. 3. From the true nature of the Gofpel- SERM. Covenant, as now explained, we may ftate the true Measure of Man's Inability fince the Fall. He hath loft his Capacity of perfect Obedience to the Law of GOD: and therefore this is not required. He hath debafed his Powers, and weakened his Faculties: and therefore without the Grace of GoD and the Affiftance of his Spirit, he can do nothing effectual to his own Salvation. But still he is a reasonable Creature, and a moral Agent; and as fuch muft he act in dependance on Divine Grace, which is freely and conftantly offered, to enable him to comply with the Terms of that gracious Covenant, according to the tenor of which alone he can expect to be faved. 4. How thankful should we be, that GoD hath been pleased to enter into fuch a Covenant of Grace with finful Men! How thankful for that blessed Hope the Gofpel fets before us! Hope for the chief of Sinners! for where Sin hath abounded, Grace hath much more abounded. Laftly, Let us all then readily give our Affent, and fet our Seal, to this Covenant of Grace. And as we have been laid under the SERM. the Obligations of it in our Baptifm, let us III. freely recognise our Confent thereunto in the Ordinance of the Lord's-Supper: which are therefore fometimes called the Seals; that is, the Seals of the Covenant on our part. And may thofe facred Obligations be ever remembered as the most powerful Motives to conftant Improvements in Holiness; that by a growing Conformity to the Terms of the Covenant, we may establish our Hope of its everlasting Bleffing! SER I. That the Gospel Dispen fation, under which we live, is properly a Covenant. II. That Jefus Chrift is the Mediator of this Covenant. III. That it is a better Covenant than that under which the Jews lived. VOL. IV. The SERM. The firft of thefe Obfervations was the Subject of the preceding Difcourfe; wherein I endeavoured diftinctly to open and explain the nature of the Gospel-Covenant. I proceed now immediately to the confideration of the second, viz. II. That Jefus Chrift is the Mediator of this Covenant. In fpeaking to which I propose, 1. To confider the proper Office of a Mediator. 2. Chrift's peculiar Qualification for this high Office of Mediator between GoD and Man. 3. His Accomplishment of it. 4. How admirably this Conftitution is founded in the Divine Grace and Wifdom. 5. What regards are due to Chrift under this Character of Mediator. And, Laftly, I fhall conclude with fome proper Reflections the Subject. upon I. I am to confider the proper Office of a Mediator. A Medi |