might be touched, from whence the law was given: so much doth our state now exceed and excel that of the Jews.

And, saith he, ye are also come "to an innumerable company of angels." The law was given at mount Sinai by the ministration of angels. Look therefore, how much our communion now with an innumerable company of angels, doth exceed that ministration which was by the ministration of angels then, so much doth our gospel state now exceed their's.

And, ye are also come "to the general assembly and church of the first-born.” Look how much the catholic church, drawn out of all nations, doth exceed the Jewish synagogue; so much doth our gospel church state now exceed their's.

And, "Ye are come unto God the Judge of all." Look, therefore, how much the manifestation of God, as the Judge of all the world, doth exceed the manifestation of God as a Lawgiver upon mount Sinai unto the nation of the Jews only; so much doth our gospel state and church exceed their's.

And, "Ye are come to the spirits of just men made perfect." It is true in regard of the saints in heaven, for we are fellow citizens with the saints there. Or if you understand it of the spirits of just men made perfect with gospel perfection, by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ, it is true. So that look as the state of heaven doth exceed the state of earth, and as gospel perfection doth exceed the imperfect state of the law, so doth the state of the church and gospel now exceed that of the Jews.

And "ye are come to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel." Look therefore as Jesus Christ the Mediator of the new covenant exceeds Moses the mediator of the old; and as the blood of Christ, the blood of sprinkling, doth excel and exceed the blood of all sacrifices in the time of the old testament, so doth our gospel church state now exceed that of theirs.

I shall not run through all these differences, or privileges, only fall in with this verse 24.

"And to Jesus," that is, ye are come to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and " to the blood of sprinkling,"

that is, ye are come "to the blood of sprinkling that speaketh better things than that of Abel." From which two privileges with their connection, I take up these observations.

Observation I. That there is a new covenant stricken with the children of men.

II. That Jesus is the Mediator of the new covenant.

III. That now in these gospel times, we are not come to Moses the mediator of the old, but unto Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant. And

IV. That thus coming unto Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, we are also come unto the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

I shall begin with the first; there is a new covenant stricken with the children of men.

of a

It was always God's way to deal with man in the way covenant; that is the most suitable to man, the most honourable for man, and the most amicable and friendly: from the beginning therefore so it was; no sooner was man made, but God entered into covenant with him, " In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death;" and then a covenant he made with the world by Noah; and then a covenant he made with Abraham; and then a covenant he made with the Jews at mount Sinai. It hath always been God's way to deal with man in the way of a covenant, but now in these latter days he hath stricken a new covenant with the children of men : "A new covenant will I make with the house of Israel, saith the Lord," by way of promise, Jer. xxxi. A new covenant hath the Lord made with the house of Israel by way of fulfilment and accomplishment, Heb. viii. So that there is a new covenant stricken with the children of men. For the opening of which argument:

First, We must inquire what this covenant is.

Secondly, Why, and upon what account it is called a new covenant. And

Thirdly, What are the ways and properties of this new

covenant.

Fourthly, Who are the subjects of this covenant, and persons that God doth strike this covenant with.

Fifthly, We will a little inquire into the benefits thereof. Sixthly, Labour to show you, what a man should do to get into covenant with God: and in case he be in covenant with

God, how he should walk as becometh one that is in covenant with the great God. Here is matter enough to discourse on many exercises; but, though with difficulty, I shall dispatch all in this one.

And First of all, if you ask me what this covenant is, take this description of the covenant that now we are in.

It is that mutual agreement between God and man, whereby God the Father doth engage himself to shew mercy, love and kindness, to Christ and to his seed; Christ engaging both for himself and for his seed, to be obedient unto God the Father.

I say, it is a mutual agreement, and herein a covenant differs from a law. A law properly is a commandment with penalty. No sooner was man made, but he was under a law, to be obedient unto God his Maker: and in case he broke it, God by the law of nature might punish him: but then when God said unto him, " In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death," then God entered into covenant, man accepting thereof. The child is obliged by the law of nature to obey his parents; yet this is no covenant, but a law of nature, for here is no agreement. But the wife is obliged to obey her husband, and this is a covenant; Why? Because it is a mutual agreement; so that I say, this covenant, first, is a mutual agreement between God and man. But

It is that agreement whereby God the Father doth engage himself to shew kindness, grace and mercy, to Christ and to his seed.

Unto Christ himself he doth engage, Isa. xlii., "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and will hold thine hand, and will keep thee, and give thee for a covenant of the people, for a light of the gentiles." If thou wilt undertake the work of the Mediator, I do engage and promise to thee, "I the Lord have called thee in righteousness, and I will hold thine hand, and I will keep thee."

And the Father doth engage unto Christ, and his seed too; for saith he unto Christ, "If thy children forsake my law, and walk not in my judgments; if they break my statutes, and keep not my commandments, then will I visit their transgression with the rod, and their iniquity with stripes: nevertheless, my loving kindness will I not utterly take

away: "which is plainly spoken unto Christ, as you read in Psalm lxxxix. 26―30. So that I say, it is that agreement whereby God the Father doth engage himself to shew kindand mercy, unto Christ and his seed. On the other side, Christ engages both for himself and for his seed, to be obedient unto God the Father.

ness, grace

Christ engages for himself, and therefore, saith he in Psalm xl. 6. "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire, &c. Then said I, Lo I come, in the volume of the book it is written of me, I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea, thy law is within my heart." They are the words of Christ; " then said I,” that is, then promised I. Paulus Fagius observes, that the Hebrew hath no one proper word for promise; but where God is said to promise, the word in the Hebrew is only so, God said, God spake; and indeed if any man will take the pains to consult the Hebrew, and our English translation together, he shall find it true. I will give you some instances, and so pass over, Deut. i. 11., "The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you as he hath promised you," (Hebrew, as he hath said). So in Kings viii. 56., " Blessed be the Lord that hath given rest unto his people Israel, according to all that he hath promised," (Hebrew, according to all that he hath said). So in 2 Chron. vi. 10., "The Lord therefore hath performed his word, that he hath spoken, for I am risen up in the room of David my father, and am set on the throne of Israel, as the Lord hath promised," (Hebrew, as the Lord hath said). So at verse 16, "Now therefore O Lord God of Israel, keep with thy servant David my father that which thou hast promised him," (Hebrew, that which thou hast said to him). So here in Psalm xl., " Then said I," that is, then promised I, then engaged I unto the Father, saying, "Lo I come, in the volume of the book, it is written of me;" here Christ engages for himself.

And he engaged also for his seed; therefore Psalm xvi., "O my soul, thou hast said unto the Lord, (said, by way of promise,) O my Lord, my goodness is not for thee, but for the saints that are in the earth, and in the excellent in whom is all my delight." And so our Saviour Christ promises to the Father in John xvii., "Therefore do I sanctify myself, that they also may be sanctified." And if you look into the

Hebrews, you shall find that Christ is called the "Surety of the covenant;" Why? Because he doth engage for God the Father to perform to us, and he doth engage for us, that we shall perform to God: so that, do you ask what the covenant is, plainly then it is, That mutual agreement between God and man, whereby God the Father doth engage himself to shew kindness, love and mercy to Christ and his seed, Christ engaging both for himself, and for his seed to be obedient unto God the Father.

Secondly, But then why is this covenant called a new covenant?

Not only because it is an excellent covenant, as in Scripture phrase, excellent things are called new; a new song &c. Nor only because it brings a new heart, which is promised in the covenant.

Nor only because it is always fresh and green and new, upon which account Austin thinks, that the commandment of love is called a new commandment.

Nor is it called new only because there is no other covenant to succeed and follow, which is the reason in Heb. viii.

But it is called a new covenant in opposition to the covenant that was made with Adam, and with us in the state of innocency; and in opposition to the covenant which was made with the Jews in the time of the Old Testament.

New in opposition to the covenant that was made with Adam in the state of innocency; for then, though God out of free love and grace was pleased to condescend to enter into covenant with man, yet then God did deal with us in a way of supremacy and of righteousness: and therefore there is mention made only of the threatening, "In the day that thou eatest thereof, thou shalt die the death." But now God deals with us in this covenant in a way of grace, and of great compaision; and therefore in this covenant there is mention made only of the promise.

Though God did enter into covenant with Adam, and so with us, and promised eternal life in heaven; not eternal life in this world only, as some would. For hell was threatened in these words, "In the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt die the death," and therefore heaven and salvation was promised on the contrary; yet I say (although God when he entered into covenant with us then, did promise