them known to their children: That the generation to come might know them, even the children which fhould be born; who fhould arife and declare them unto their children: That they might fet their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep his commandments*." Secondly, Both the believing and unbelieving covenanters were previously under an external adminiftration of the Covenant of Grace, and alfo under foederal engagements unto the Lord God of Abraham, Ifaac, and Jacob; as they had covenanted with him in the loins of thefe patriarchs. Now, there was no impropriety in intimating fo much unto them, to excite unto obedience, or leave them inexcufeable. SECONDLY, We fhall enquire what are the CONTENTS of this Covenant? These are promifes, and a fyftem of precepts: And, as to the first, I fhall fhew,-1. What new promises were made at this time.-2. What renovation of former grants.-3. Enquire if thefe promifes were conditional. I. I SHALL enquire what New Promifes were made unto the Church at this time. 1. GOD faid to Ifracl, "Ye fhall be a PECULIAR TREASURE unto me above all people t." * Pfal. Ixxviii. 5, 6, 7. + Exod. xix. 5. This This phrafe is parallel unto that of the Apoftle: "That he might purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works *." And it cannot import less than fuch fupreme delight as a man hath in his rareft jewels and dearest friends. By reafon of the breach of the Covenant of Works, God is angry with the wicked every day, inftead of having fuch delight in fallen man. It is only by the Covenant of Grace that God's love can flow unto him: By it alone he can fay, (6 Jah hath chofen Jacob unto himself, even Ifrael for his pe * Tit. ii. 14. The original word is goy, a term not used, as far as I know, by any but facred writers. Stephanus imagines, that the Septuagint tranflators were the inventors of it. According to CONRADUS KIRCHER they rendered the Hebrew word had by it for four times at leaft, by περισσιού. And the infpired writers of the New Teftament have fhewed the propriety of that tranflation, in this inftance at least. This is fufficient to fet afide that fuppofition on which many reft, viz. the term imports merely a feparation to external privileges. The reader may alfo confult Witf. de Oecon. Fœd. Lib. III. cap. xii. I fhall infert the following fentences as a specimen: "Cui vocabulo affieris eft vox latina SIGILLUM "adeo ut fignificat rem quam quis impreflo figillo fuo, fuam effe declarat, et talem quidem, unde ho "mines, regefque ipfi divites cenfentur." Then the author compares the Old and New Teftament writers on this fubject, and, having confidered fuch words as bear affinity to the fame terms in claffic Greek authors, he adds, "Sunt ergo pii eximia Dei poffeffio, quam fibi vindicat, "et fervat, et qua in fe oftentat uti CORONA ORNANATĄ ET CIDARI REGIA Jef. 62. 3. quam pro divitiis fuis habet et alterius effe non patitur : et hoc quoque fenfu fanctitas iis ad fcribi poteft, 1 Pet. ii. 9." Vide § 7. 66 culiar treafure *." ty over all his creatures, founded on the fupereminent excellence of his nature; and they are his property, as they are the work of his hands: But he acknowledged Ifrael to be his peculiar people on the foot of diftinguifhing love and redeeming grace; as well as external falvation from the hand of the Egyptians, and from the red fea: For though all the members of the vifible church are not actually poffeffed of redeeming grace, yet they are fo in the judgment of charity. God hath abfolute authori 2. HE dignified them, by making them A KINGDOM OF PRIESTS. God gave Ifrael priests after the order of Aaron; but that gift did not fuperfede this royal priesthood. The priesthood, after the order of Aaron, was a type of our Lord Jefus Chrift, though a lefs glorious one than that of Melchifedec. This royal priesthood was diftinct from both: It is alfo common to both economies. Hence, faid Peter, "But ye are a royal priesthood," unto the members of the Gospel Church; a de-, claration of the fame import with that before us.-Though this priesthood be not typical, or ceremonial, yet it is metaphorical, bearing an allufion unto the typical priesthood. Under the Law, priests were admitted into God's prefence in his fanctuary. Accordingly, God's * Pfal. cxxxv. 4. † Exod. xix. 6. 1 Pet. ii. 9. church church and people are faid to be NEAR him, or round about him. Genuine covenanters are also styled priests, as they draw near unto God by Jefus Chrift, the true altar, to offer unto him the facrifices of a broken heart,-of prayers and praifes,-yea, of their whole perfons, foul and body.-They are a kingdom of priests, or a royal priesthood, as endued with a royal difpofition. Their fpirit far excels that of the world: The righteous is more excellent than his neighbour. 3. GOD promifed to take them for "a holy nation*" All the Jewish nation were, at this time, holy by profeffion,-holy in respect of circumcifion, and all external privileges which belong unto God's holy Covenant. They had fuch a meafure of external holinefs as entitled them to a place in the vifible church. But thefe do not exhauft all the holinefs here intended. There were fome among them fanctified in heart; and, as the holy feed, however few, was the fubftance of the congregation, fo it took its denomination from them. The Apostle Peter likeways ufeth a fimilar term, when addreffing New Teftament faints. Said he, "Ye are a holy nation.” 4. Go engaged to beftow the guidance of his angel, to keep Ifrael in the way, and bring * Exod. xix. 6. them them into the place which he had prepared for them. Though this covenant belongs to the dark economy, yet it commenceth with one cluster of promifes, and is concluded with another. This is one of the laft clufter. The facred hiftorian remarks the perfon promifed; the purposes for which he is promised; and the importance of the promife.- The perfon promifed is the Angel of the Covenant; and in this he reveals the Father's purpofe concerning himself. Some expofitors, I acknowledge, are otherways minded, fuppofing this to be meant of a created angel; and others fpeak with hesitation. But of which of the created angels faid the Father, at any time, "My name is in him?" But it will be faid that the Son is the speaker, and the fpeaker must be diftinct from the perfon spoken of. To this I would anfwer, As the Son fpeaks in the name of the Father, fo he may, with abundance of propricty, utter the language of the Father concerning himself.The purpofe for which he is promised is, to keep Ifrael in the way, and bring them into the prepared place. Accordingly, when they journeyed through the wafte and howling wilderness, this angel conducted them in the pillar of fire and pillar of cloud : He taught them when to fet foreward, and when to reft. The end of their journey is denominated the place which he had PREPARED: Exod. xxiii. 20. And |