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session of all the privileges of the old covenant; Israel, having cut off themselves by their revolt from the house of David, being cast out also for their sins amongst the heathen. But God, to declare that the covenant he designed had no respect to those carnal privileges which were then in the possession of Judah alone, but only to the promise made to Abraham, equals all his seed with respect to the mercy of this covenant. But in a typical sense, the whole church of elect believers is intended under these denominations. To these alone, whether Jews or Gentiles, is the grace of it actually communicated.

§6. The manner of making this covenant is next observable: (σuvlɛλИów, perfician, consummubo). “I will perfect," or consummate, to the exclusion of all additions and alterations. Perfection and unalterable establishment are the properties of this covenant. An "everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure."

As to its distinguishing characters, it is called a "new covenant;" being such with respect to the "old covenant" made at Sinai: wherefore by this covenant, as here considered, is not understood the promise of grace given to Adam absolutely; or that to Abraham, which contained the substance and matter of it; but the establishment of it, as before described, with its law of worship. Howbeit it may be called a "new covenant," because of its eminency; as it is said of an eminent work of God, "Behold I work a new thing in the earth;" and the epithet may denote its duration and continuance as what shall never wax old.

§7. (II.) Hence we may observe,

1. God hath oftentimes just cause to complain of his people, when yet he will not utterly cast them off. 2. It is the duty of the church to take deep notice of God's complaints of them; which we observe from

God's complaining or "finding fault" with them. It is the special duty of all churches, and all believers, to search diligently into what God finds fault with, in his word; and, as far as they find themselves guilty, to be deeply affected therewith.

3. God often surpriseth the church with promises of grace and mercy. When God here "findeth fault” with the people, it might have been expected that he would proceed to their utter rejection; but instead of that, he surpriseth them, as it were, with the most eminent promise of grace and mercy that was ever made to them, in order to glorify the riches and freedom of his grace; and that none, possessed of the least remainder of sincerity, may faint and despond, though under the greatest confluence of discouragements.

§8. Observe farther the following particulars:

1. "The LORD saith," is the formal object of our faith and obedience. All other foundations of faith, as thus saith the pope; or thus saith the church; or thus said our ancestors; are all but delusions. "Thus saith the Lord," gives rest and peace.

2. Where God placeth a note of observation and attention, we should carefully fix our faith and consideration. God sets not any of his marks in vain. And if, upon the first view of any thing so signalized, the evidence of it doth not appear, we have a sufficient call to a farther diligence in our inquiry.

3. All the concernments of the new covenant are objects of the best of our consideration; which observation is sufficiently confirmed from the next verse.

4. There is a time limited and fixed for the accom plishment of all divine promises, and all the purposes of divine grace towards the church; which may teach us to search diligently into that wisdom by which God

hath disposed of times and seasons to his own glory, and to the trial and ultimate benefit of the church.

$9. Respecting the preceding account of the new covenant observe,

1. The new covenant-as collecting into one all the promises of grace given from the foundation of the world, accomplished in the actual exhibition of Christ, and confirmed in his death, and by the sacrifice of his blood, thereby becoming the sole rule of new spiritual ordinances of worship suited thereunto-was the great object of the faith of the saints of the Old Testament, and is the great foundation of all our present mercies. 2. All the efficacy and glory of the new covenant originally arose from, and are resolved into, the author and supreme cause of it-God himself. "O Lord, our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!" How glorious art thou in the ways of thy grace towards poor sinful creatures, who had destroyed themselves! He hath made no created good, but is himself our reward.

3. The covenant of grace in Christ is made only in behalf of the Israel of God, the church of the elect; but in respect of the outward dispensation of the covenant, it is extended beyond the effectual communication of its grace. Hence the privilege of Abraham's carnal seed.

4. Those who are first and most advanced, as to outward privileges, are oftentimes last and least advantaged by the grace of them; thus was it with the two houses of Israel and Judah. They had the privilege and pre-eminence above all nations of the world, as to the first tender, and all the benefits of the outward dispensation of the covenant; yet, though the number of them was as the sand of the sea, a remnant only was saved.

VERSE 9.

Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers, in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

$1. Connexion and design of the words. $2. The covenant made with the fathers. 63. The time and manner of making it. $4. The reason of God's rejecting Israel. $5. His not regarding hem, what. $6, 7. Observations.

$1. GOD before made a covenant with his people, a good and holy covenant, such as was meet for God to prescribe, and for them thankfully to accept of; yet notwithstanding all its privileges and advantages, it proved not so effectual, but that multitudes of them were deprived even of the temporal benefits included in it. Wherefore, though hereon God promiseth to make a "new covenant" with them, seeing they had forfeited and lost the advantage of the former, yet if it should be of the same kind therewith, it might also in like manner prove ineffectual.

To obviate this objection, God declares it shall not be of the same kind with the former, nor liable to be so frustrated as that was. These two things being the only reason that God gives, why he will make this new covenant, namely, the sins of the people, and the insufficiency of the first covenant to bring the church into that blessed state which he designed; it is manifest that all his dealings with them for their spiritual and eternal good, are of mere sovereign grace.

§2. "Not according to the covenant I made with their fathers." (I diab ETOING) "The covenant which I made." There is in these verses a repetition three times of making covenant; and in every place in the Hebrew the same words are used, (" ") but

the apostle changeth the verb in every place. Here he useth (ETOmoa) "I made," in reference to that covenant which the people brake, and God disannulled; perhaps to distinguish their alterable covenant from that which was to be unalterable, chap xii, 27. The change of the things that are shaken, is (ws TETOμLEVV,) "as of things that are made;" so made as to abide only for an appointed time. (Пaipasi avlov) With their fathers. Their progenitors were those of whom this people always boasted, and desired no more but what might descend in the right of these fathers. And to this God here sends them to let them know that he had more grace and mercy to communicate to the church, than ever these fathers of theirs were made partakers of; so would he take them off from boast. ing; and to give warning by their faithless fathers, who perished in the wilderness, how they behaved themselves under the tender of this new and greater mercy.

§3. (Ev nuɛpa, i. e. Exɛw) in that day. That "a day" is taken in scripture for an especial time and season, wherein any work or duty is to be performed, is obvious to all. "In the day," therefore, is at that great eminent season so famous throughout all their generations, (Exaßueve μx Tys Xeigws avlav, p) "that I firmly laid hold of their hand." Wherein is intimated the woful helpless condition they were in when in Egypt. So far were they from being able to deliver themselves out of their captivity and bondage, that, like children, they were not able to stand or move, unless God took them, and led them by the hand. So he speaks, Hos. xi, 3, "I taught them to go, taking them by the arms." And certainly never were weakly froward children so awkward to stand and to go of

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