ment is of force after men are dead.' (2.) Negatively, in these words, * Otherwise it is of no strength.' Now from the affirmative and the negative, it plainly appears that a testament is made inviolable by the testator's death ; so Jesiis Christ hath unalterably confirmed this will and testament — viz., the new covenant, by his blood and death, ' that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance,' Heb. ix. 15. Christ died to purchase an eternal inheritance ; and on this ground eternal life is called an eternal inheritance ; for we come to it as heirs, through the good- will, grace, and favour of this purchaser thereof, manifested by the last will and testament. Hence you read, ' This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many, for the remission of sins,' Mat. xxvi. 28. Again, ' This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you,' Luke xxii. 20 ; 1 Cor. xi. 25. The covenant is called both a covenant and a testament, because his covenant and testament is founded, established, ratified, and immutably sealed up, in and by his blood. Christ is the faithful and true witness, yea, truth itself ; his word shall not pass away, Eev. iii. 14 ; John xiv. 6 ; Mark xiii. 31. If the word of Christ be sure, if his promise be sure, if his cove- nant be sure, then surely his last will and testament, which is ratified and confirmed by his death, must needs be very sure. Christ's blood is too precious a thing to be spilt in vain ; but in vain is it spilt if his testament, his covenant, ratified thereby, be altered. If the covenant of grace be not a sure covenant, 1 Cor. xv. 14, then Christ died in vain, and our preaching is in vain, and your hearing, and receiving, and believing is all in vain. Christ's death is a decla- ration and evidence of the eternal counsel of his Father, which is most stable and immutable in itself. But how much more it is so when it is ratified by the death of his dearest Son, ' In whom all the promises are yea and amen,' 2 Cor. i. 20 ; that is, in Christ they are made, per- formed, and ratified. By all this we may safely conclude that the covenant of grace is a most sure covenant. There can be no addition to it, detraction from it, or alteration of it, unless the death of Jesus Christ, whereby it is confirmed, be frustrated and overthrown. Cer- tainly the covenant is as sure as Christ's death is sure. The sureness and certainty of the covenant is the ground and bottom of bottoms for our faith, hope, joy, patience, peace, &c. Take this corner, this foun- dation-stone away, and all will tumble. Were the covenant uncertain, a Christian could never have a good day all his days, his whole life would be filled up with tears, doubts, disputes, distractions, &c. ; and he would be still a-crying out. Oh, I can never be sure that God will be mine, or that Christ will be mine, or that mercy will be mine, or that pardon of sin will be mine, or that heaven will be mine ! Oh, I can never be sure that I shall escape ' the great damnation, the worm that never dies, the fire that never goes out, or an eternal separation from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power,' 2 Thes. i. 9. The great glory of the covenant is the certainty of the covenant ; and this is the top of God's glory, and of a Christian's comfort, that all the mercies that are in the covenant of grace are ' the sure mercies of David,' and that all the grace that is in the covenant is sure grace.
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and that all the glory that is in the covenant is sure glory, and that all the external, internal, and eternal blessings of the covenant are sure blessings.
I might further argue the sureness of the covenant of grace from all the attributes of God, which are deeply engaged to make it good, as his wisdom, love, power, justice, holiness, faithfulness, righteousness, &c. ; and I might further argue the certainty of the covenant of grace from the seals which God hath annexed to it. You know what was sealed by the king's ring could not be altered, Esth. viii. 8. God hath set his seals to this covenant : his broad seal in the sacraments, and his privy seal in the witness of his Spirit ; and therefore the covenant of grace is sure, and can never be reversed. But upon several accounts I may not now insist on these things. And therefore,
[8.] Eighthly and lastly, The covenant of grace is styled a well- ordered covenant : 2 Sam. xxiii. 5, ' He hath made with me an ever- lasting covenant, ordered in all things, and sure.' Oh, the admirable counsel, wisdom, love, care, and tenderness of the blessed God, that sparkles and shines in the well- ordering of the covenant of grace ! l Oh, how comely and beautiful, with what symmetry and proportion, are all things in this covenant ordered and prepared ! Oh, what head can conceive, or what tongue can express, that infinite understanding that God has manifested in ordering the covenant of grace, so as it may most and best suit to all the wants, and straits, and necessities, and miseries, and desires, and longings of poor sinners' souls ! Here are fit and full supplies for all our spiritual wants, so excellently and orderly hath God composed and constituted the covenant of grace. In the covenant of grace every poor sinner may find a suit- able help, a suitable remedy, a suitable succour, a suitable support, a suitable supply, Jer. xxxiii. 8 ; Ezek. xxxvi. 25 ; Ps. xciv. 19. The covenant of grace is so well ordered by the unsearchable wisdom of God, that you may find in it remedies to cure all your spiritual diseases, and cordials to comfort you under all your soul- faintings, and a spiritual armoury to arm you against all sorts of sins, and all sorts of snares, and all sorts of temptations, and all sorts of oppositions, and all sorts of enemies, whether inward or outward, open or secret, subtle or silly, Eph. vi. 10-18. Dost thou, 0 distressed sinner, want a loving God, a compassionate God, a reconciled God, a sin-pardoning God, a tender-hearted God ? Here thou mayest find him in the covenant of grace, Exod. xxxiv. 5-7. Dost thou, 0 sinner, want a Christ, to counsel thee by his wisdom, and to clothe thee with his righteousness, and to enrich thee with his grace, and to enlighten thee with his eyesalve, and to justify thee from thy sins, and to recon- cile thee to God, and to secure thee from wrath to come, and after all, to bring thee to heaven? Kev. iii. 17, 18; Acts xiii. 39; 1 Thes. i. 10 ; John x. 28-31. Here thou mayest find him in a covenant of grace. Dost thou, O sinner ! want the Holy Spirit to awaken thee, and to convince thee of sin, of righteousness, and of jiidgment ? or to enlighten thee, and teach thee, and lead thee, and guide thee in the way everlasting ? or to cleanse thee, or comfort thee, or to seal thee