78 SERMON UPON PSALM L. 5.
I
Secondly, That no covenant can be made with God without the interposing of and respect unto a sacrifice.
1. In the old church, when Israel entered into covenant with God, there were solemn sacrifices. The manner you have described Exod. xxiv. 10, and explained by the apostle Heb. ix. 19, 20, ' When Moses had spoken every precept unto all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people, saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.' In this action you may observe that, after the writing of the law, Moses 'built an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel,' Exod. xxiv. 4. The altar represented God, the first and chief party in the covenant, and the twelve pillars of stone represented the other confederate party, the people of Israel, who were to come before the Lord as his obedient people. Now both the parties were not only there by dead representation, or in image and figure, but there were also lively types of the glory and presence of the God of Israel ; for it is said, ver. 10, ' They saw the God of Israel, and there was under his feet as it were a paved work of a sapphire stone, and as it were the body of heaven for clearness.' God was there in great majesty to solemnise the covenant. You know heaven is his throne, and the church his footstool ; therefore, when the church was desolate, it is said. Lam. ii, 1, ' God remembered not his footstool in the day of his anger.' On Israel's part there were present Moses and Aaron, and Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel ; and they were to worship afar off, ver. 1, to express their reverence to this great God who was to enter into covenant with them. Moses alone was to come up to Jehovah, but the elders went up but half way. Moses went up unto the top of the mount in a dark cloud as the mediator, and the people abode beneath at the foot of the mount, and the elders went up but half way. Well, then, the covenant is propounded to the people : Moses ' came and told the people all the words of the Lord, and all the judgments ; ' and they make answer, ' All the words which the Lord hath said will we do,' ver. 3. But before the full confirmation of his covenant you read that Moses ' sent the young men of the children of Israel, who offered burnt-offerings, and sacrificed peace- offerings of oxen unto the Lord,' ver. 5. The young men, that is, the first-born, who had the right of priesthood, before the Levites were chosen, and taken instead of the first-born of Israel, Num. iii. 41. And by their burnt-offerings and peace-offerings it was declared that we cannot enter into covenant with God without sacrifices. These sacrifices did figure the death of Christ, and the benefits thence accruing to us. There were burnt-offerings to show the means of their propitiation with God, and peace-offerings to show their thankfulness for the peace and salvation which by it they obtained. The next thing in this action was that Moses ' took half the blood, and put it in basons, and half the blood he sprinkled on the altar,' ver. 6. And then he * toolc the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people, and they said, All that the Lord hath said will we do, and be obedient,' ver. 7. Then he took the rest of the blood, and ' sprinkled it on the people.' He sprinkled it on the altar to show that God took upon him
SERMON UPON PSALM L. 5. 79
an obligation to bless. And the reading of the book of tlie covenant in the audience of the people showeth that those that will enter into cove- nant with God should understand their duty, and be ready to fulfil it. Then he ' took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Be- hold the blood of the covenant, which the Lord hath made with you con- cerning all these words,' ver. 8. The blood sprinkled on the people may be meant of the tweUe pillars set up to represent the people ; they take an obligation to obey ; one party is not bound and the other free, but both bound to each other.
Thus the first covenant was not dedicated without the blood of a sacrifice. Well, then, God is the principal party covenanting, and binding himself to the people by his promises ; and the people binding themselves to his precepts, that they might avoid the penalty threat- ened, and obtain the blessings promised ; and this covenant was con- firmed by blood, and this blood sprinkled, and so made inviolable.
There is but one circumstance more, and that is, ver. 11, 'And upon the nobles of the children of Israel he laid not his hand ; also they saw God, and did eat and drink ; ' that is, these select and chosen men, the elders spoken of before, were not hurt and affrighted by God, and did feast in his presence, in token of their reconciliation with him, and joy in his grace. This was the way of entrance by the Jewish church, all which are mysterious and typical. God, that otherwise driveth a sinner from him, is made propitious to us, that we need not be afi'righted at his presence ; yea, may hope for all good things from him ; yea, we may feast cheerfully in his presence.