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themfelves to be faved by Chrift in the way of faith and holinefs, but have actually obtained falvation. The first fruits and earnets of the eternal inheritence, have been granted to them. in this world. Thofe difpolitions and tempers, have been implanted in their hearts by the Holy Gholt, that qualify them for the enjoyment of heaven, and are the pledge and affurance to all in whom they are, that God will bestow it upon them. Thofe holy breathings and fervent defires after conformity to him, can never be fatisfied but in the full fruition of him. Thefe propenfities and habits are fecret evidences to any foul, that God intends its falvation, yea, they are a part of it, and wherever he gives a part, he will confer the whole. Where he begins a good work, he will carry it on to perfection. His gifts and calling are without repentance. An appeal here, might be made for the confirmation of this doctrine to all real chriftians. Have you not on the committing of your fouls to Christ found this verified? Was not the load of guilt, under which you before laboured, in fome degree removed. Some measure of peace and ferenity introduced into your troubled minds? Some hope raised towards God, a filial fubjection to him, a defire to love him and be like him, to serve him in fpirit and in truth here, and to enjoy, and dwell with him hereafter? And what is this but the propofed and promised falvation begun? And what inference can be more juftly drawn from it, than that it is the conftitution and covenant of God fully and finally to fave all guilty finners who believe in the Lord Jefus Chrift.-I proceed to flow,

Secondly, in what refpects the new covenant is founded in the blood of Chrift. It is especially fo in two things, as by his undertaking it was procured, and by his death ratified and confirmed.

First, the covenant of grace was foundel in the lood o

Chrift, as his undertaking was the procuring caufe of it. It is a conftitution to fave finners through his mediation and atonement. In this covenant, the mediatorial undertaking of Christ appears plainly to have been fettled and agreed upon in the eternal counfels of the Father and the Son. In confideration of Chrift's engagement to be the mediator and furety of finners, and in their name and place to fatisfy the demands of the law, the claims of justice, exhibit the evil of fin and magnify the rectitude of the divine government, that this covenant of grace and mercy was fettled and established. Had there been no mediator, there had been no fuch covenant. Had not Chrift Jefus voluntarily engaged to be the furety and Redeemer of our fallen race, God would have been forever irreconcilable and never would have made one overture of falvation to guilty finners. But through him this wonderful and tranfporting bleffing hath come upon us. He hath brought life and immortality to light. In this view we are always to confider every propofal of grace and offer of falvation, every invitation and warning, every promife and exhortation, as the effect of his undertaking and death, and the confequence of an establishment of a covenant of grace in his blood. Which also serve to discover the awful aggravations attending a rejection of the offers of falvation. And all these confiderations fhould engage us to receive and embrace the fame.

Secondly, it was founded in the blood of Jefas, as by his death it was ratified and confirmed. The death of Chrift was not only the original ground of this covenant, it was not merely defigned to open a way for God's making a new covenant with man, but to confirm and establish it, to render it valid and effectual. Jefus Chrift was not only by his blood to finish tranfgreffion, to make an end of fin, and reconciliation for ini quity, but to ratify the covenant with many. Hence it is cal led the everlasting covenant, because this blood was ordained from eternity, and the effects of it will be everlasting life.

As the new covenant was a testament, it was neceffary, to give it force, that the teftator fhould die. Thus the Apostle argues; "Where there is a teftament there must also of necef. fity be the death of the teftator. It can be of no force while the teftator liveth. It is after a man's death his will can have any operation or effect; his death ratifies and renders it of force. Thus the new teftament or covenant of grace is ftrongly ratified by the death of the Son of God. He came and died to bear witness to the truth of it, and the fhedding of his blood afforded the moft convincing proof of its validity and reality, and without which it could have been of no force. It can be no objection against this fentiment, that the covenant was published and of as much value for the falvation of men before Chrift died as it is fince. To which it is easily answer. ed. Our Redeemer was a perfon of so much credit and dignity, that his engagement was looked upon by God as a fure foundation to act upon, as fure as if the performance had been already made. Ever fince the fall he had been confidered in the divine dealings with men, as the' he had actually paid the ranfom; hence he is fpoken of as the lamb flain from the foundation of the world. The

Third thing we propofed to confider in this fubject was, what refpect the Lord's fupper bears to the new teftament as founded in the blood of Christ.

It is from these words we are to learn the true nature of the Lord's fupper. And the authentic explication of this matter arifes from the real respect it bears to the new covenant. This respect appears to be two fold, as a certain evidence of the real existence of the covenant of grace, and a fenfible notification and public declaratlon, that this covenant is founded in the death of Chrift and ratified by his blood.

First, the Lord's fupper is to be confidered with regard to

the new covenant as a certain evidence of its truth and reality. It is a fenfible affurance to all, that whofoever commits his fout to Jefus, to be faved by the conftitution of the gospel, he fhall furely obtain everlafting life. It is a confirmation to us, that all who believe fhall be redeemed from all the confequences of fin. In this fenfe it is with propriety filed a feal. It feals the truth of the covenant of grace, and enfures falvation to all fuch as believe. It feals the benefits and bleffings of the covenant to all who comply with it. And the creature in this ordinance feals the covenant by faith, in the full purpose of fulfilling all duties required therein, and in fweet fatisfaction that all its promises will be accomplished.

Secondly, the eucharift is a fenfible notification and public declaration, that this covenant is founded in the death of Chrift and ratified by his blood. When we fce the wine in the cup poured forth it is a full affurance to us that the covenant of grace is laid in the blood of the Redeemer, and it is only by it we can obtain the forgiveness of fins, be cleanfed from all our moral pollutions, made partakers of all the blef fings purchased thereby, and it is only thro' his mediation they are conferred upon us.

A few reflections by way of improvement fhall close this difcourfe.

First, of what importance is the death and undertaking of Chrift unto us. Great and numerous are the bleffings flowing herefrom, which eternity alone can fully unfold. In the blood of the covenant God is to be feen with fmiles and mercy in his face, from whom we had nothing to expect but wrath and fiery indignation. Whence do thefe invaluable bleffings come to us who are less than the leaft of all mercies? Only through the undertaking of Immanuel; by his death, light and life are arifen, and the day fpring from on high hath visited us.

It

is only owing to his voluntary undertaking to be a mediator for finners, that the covenant of grace was eftablished, and the propofition was made to fave and recover loft men by his blood. This is the foundation of every overture of grace and falvation to a ruined world. Were it not for the mediation of Chrift, there never would have been one tender of mercy made to a fallen race; we should have never heard the joyful found of peace and reconciliation with God. We fhould not have had one addrefs made to us in favour of our fouls, nor one exhortation to flee from the wrath to come. Our falvation would have been impoffible, and eternal despair our heavy doom. But glory to God in the higheft, Jefus hath died, and by dying deftroyed him who had the power of death; he hath appeared to open a way into the holiest of all through his blood. He has finished tranfgreffion; and by the facrifice of himself rendered God propitious to his guilty creatures. How much reafon have we to confider him as fuftaining a character of the greatest importance and confequence, and with what a glow of love and gratitude fhould we afcribe to him, who hath loved us, praife and glory and dominion forever and ever.

Secondly, how great the encouragement and fecurity the moft guilty have to return to God through Chrift. Here are the best tidings with which their ears could have been blessed; news of falvation by a Saviour's blood, and that God hath fettled it into a conftitution and covenant, that whatsoever finner commits his foul to Chrift, fhall eventually and infallibly be faved. "The Spirit and the Bride fay, come, and let him that is a "third come," and the ftreaming blood of Jefus cries, come, "And whofoever will, let him take the water of life freely."

Thirdly, how ftrong may be the confolation of all fuch, who have laid hold on this covenant. Such have all the perfections of God pledged and engaged for their falvation; he

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