II. the teftator fhould intervene, before the LECT. promises of God could defcend to his children. So argues the apoftle: * for this caufe he is the mediator of the New Teftament; that by means of death, for the redemption of the tranfgreffions that were under the firft Teftament (and could not be purged away by the blood of animals) they which are called might receive the promife of eternal inheritance. For where a teftament is, there must also of neceffity be the death of the teftator. For a teftament is of force after men are dead—whereupon, neither the first Teftament was dedicated without blood. 4. It was alfo foretold, that there should be a new covenant; † not fuch as was made with the fathers when they were brought out of Egypt, which covenant was confined to a particular people; but fuch as fhould comprehend all nations, when the spirit of the divine law should be written in the hearts of men, and all * Chap. ix, 15. A a 3 Chap. viii. 8, &c. fhould LECT. fhould know the Lord from the leaft to II. the greateft. But the old and the new were both contained in the covenant God made with Abraham in the times before the law. In regard to his natural posterity it was faid, unto thy feed have I given this land from the river of Egypt unto the great river the river Euphrates: this is a temporal promife: but to the fame Abraham it was faid, in thy feed fhall all the nations of the carth be blefed: this is a fpiritual promife, and is the fame in all refpects with the chriftian covenant. 5. With regard to temporal things, the fervants of God in all ages were inftructed to look upon the world, and they actually did look upon it, as we do (or should do) now. Upon a principle of faith in God's promife, they who were called out of Egypt under Mofes, fet out upon a progrefs toward a land which they had never feen, and knew only by report; with many difficulties and terrors to encounter by the way; so that the hiftory of their journey is an inftructive picture of all the trials and dangers of II. of the christian life: and when they were LECT. fettled in the land of promise, their business there was not to give themselves up to the enjoyment of the world, but to ferve God in holiness and righteousness, and still to depend upon him for their support and defence against their enemies. The greateft favourites of heaven, who had the best title to inherit the earth, confidered this life only as a pilgrimage toward a better. Abraham fojourned in the land of promise as in a frange country, where he was not at home, and dwelt in tabernacles, to fignify that he had no fixed habitation upon earth, but looked for a city which hath foundations, whofe builder and maker is God. Jacob underwent a series of difappointments and forrows; and toward the clofe of his life' confeffed that his days had been few and evil.* Mofes preferred the reproach of Chrift to the treasures of Egypt: and the faints and prophets, who came after him, were ready on all occafions to renounce the world in the spirit of martyrdom; they fuffered all the contempt and perfecution LECT. the world could inflict upon them for the II. trial of their faith, and ran with patience the race that was fet before them, chufing death itself through the hope of a better refurrection: whence the faints of the law are celebrated and fet forth as examples of faith and patience to the faints of the gofpel. How unaccountable therefore has been the error of fome modern divines, fuch as thefe days of refinement have produced, who have contended that the law gave no notice of a future life, and that the Jews were taught to look for nothing under it but temporal rewards: a doctrine fo false in itself, so injurious to the word of God, and fo contrary to the preaching of Chrift and his apostles, that it is condemned in the articles of the church of England; the feventh of which affirms, as it ought to do, and as we have fufficiently proved already, that "The Old Testament is not contrary to the New; for both in the Old and New Testament, everlasting life is offered to mankind by Christ, who is the only mediator between God and man, being both God and man. Where fore II. fore they are not to be heard, which feign, LECT. to |