CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT.

there is the loudest sound ; and God loves to hestow his mercies where he may have the loudest praises. You that have angels'

reward, do angels' work. Begin that work of praise here, which you hope to he always doing in heaven.

CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT. Heb. xii. 24. Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant, §r.

JESUS CHRIST is the sum and quint- essence of the gospel, the wonder of angels, the joy and triumph of saints. The name of Christ is sweet, it is as music in the car, honey in the mouth, and a cordial at the heart. — I shall wave the context, and only speak of that which concerns our present purpose : having discoursed of the covenant of grace, I shall speak now of the Mediator of the covenant, and the restorer of lapsed sinners, ' Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant.'

There are several names and titles in scripture given to Christ, as the great re- storer of mankind: 1. Sometimes he is called a Saviour, Mat. i. 21. His name shall be called Jesus. The Hebrew word for Jesus, signifies a Saviour, and whom he saves from hell, he saves from sin : where Christ is a Saviour, he is a sancti- fier. Mat. i. 21., " He shall save his people from their sins." There is no other Savi- our, Acts iv. 12., " Neither is there salva- tion in any other." As there was but one ark to save the world from drowning, so there is but one Jesus to save sinners from damning. As Naomi said to her daughters- in-law, Ruth i. 11., " Are there yet any more sons in my womb?" So hath God any other sons in the womb of his eternal decree, to be saviours to us, besides Christ ? Job xxviii. 12., " Where shall wisdom be found? the depth saith, it is not in me; and the sea saith, it is not in me." Let me allude. Where shall salvation be found? The angel saith, it is not in me ; mortality saith it is not in me ; the ordinance saith it is not in me, Christ alone is the well- spring of life ; the ordinance is the con- duit-])ipe that conveys salvation, but Christ is the spring that feeds it. " Neither is there salvation in any other."

2. Someti mes Christ is called a Redeemer :

Isa. lix. 20., " Tlie Redeemer shall come to Sion." Some understand it of Cyrus, others of an angel ; but the most ancient Jewish doctors understood it of Christ, the Redeemer of the elect : Job xix. 23., " My Redeemer liveth." The Hebrew word for Redeemer, signifies such a one as is near a-kin, and hath right to redeem a mortgage ; so Christ is near of kin to us, being our el- der brother, therefore hath the best right to redeem us.

3. Christ is called a Mediator in the text, " Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant." The Greek word for Mediator, signifies a middle person, one that doth make up the breach between two disagreeing parties. God and we were at variance by sin, now Christ doth mediate and umpire between us, he reconciles us to God through his blood, therefore he is called the INlediator of the new covenant. There is no way of communion and intercourse between God and man, but in and through a Mediator : Christ takes away the enmity in us, and the wrath of God, and so makes peace. Nor is Christ only a Mediator of reconcilia- tion, but intercession, Heb. ix. 24., " Christ is entered, not into the holy place made with hands, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us." The priest, when he had slain the sacrifice, was to go with the blood before the allar and mercy-seat, and show it to the Lord. Now, in Christ our blessed Mediator, con- sider two things. ls<. His person. 2</. His graces. I. His person. His person is ami- able; he is all made up of love and beauty. He is the effigies of his Father, Heb. i. 3., " The express image of his person." Con- sider,

\st. Christ's person in two natures.

2d. His two natures in one person.

\st. Christ's person in two natures. L

CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT.

Ill

Look upon his human nature as incarnate. The Yalcntiuiuns deny his liuman nature : but John i. 14-., " The Word was maiU; flesh," It is spoken of Christ the promised Messiah. Christ took our flesh, that the same nature whicli sinned mijjht suffer; and " the Word was made flesh," tliat tliroug^h the glass of his human nature we miglit look upon God.

Quest. Why is Christ called the Word?

Ans. Because, as a word is the interjire- ter of the mind and reveals what is in a man's breast, so Jesus Christ reveals his Father's mind to us concerning the great matters of our salvation, John i. 18. Were it not for Christ's manliood, the sight of the Godhead v^ould be formidable to us ; but through Christ's flesh we may look upon God Avitliout terror. And Christ took our flesh, that he might know how to pity us ; he knows what it is to be faint, sorrow- ful, tempted, Ps. ciii. 14., "He knows our frame." And he took our flesh, that he might, as Austin saith, ennoble our human nature with honour. Christ having marri- ed our flesh, hath exalted it above the an- gelical nature.