3. They “differ in the manner of their promulgation and estab- lishment. There were two things remarkable that accompanied the solemn declaration of the first covenant :—
(1.) The dread and terror of the outward appearance on mount Sinai, which filled all the people, yea, Moses himself, with fear and trembling, Heb. xii, 18-21; Exod. xix. 16, xx. 18,19. Together. herewith was a spirit of fear and bondage administered unto all the people, so as that they chose to keep at a distance, and not draw nigh unto God, Deut. v. 23-27.
(2.) That it was given by the ministry and “ disposition of angels,” Acts vii. 53; Gal. i. 19. . Hence the people were in a sense “put in subjection unto angels,” and they had an authoritative ministry in that covenant. The church that then was, was put into some kind of subjection unto angels, as the apostle plainly intimates, Heb. ii. 5. Hence the worshipping or adoration of angels began among that people, Col. ii. 18; which some, with an addition unto _ their folly and superstition, would introduce into the Christian church, wherein they have no such authoritative ministry as they had under the old covenant.
Things are quite otherwise in the promulgation of the new cove- nant, The Son of God in his own person did declare it.' This he
* See vol. i. of this Exposition, p. 446.—Ep,
VER. 6.] EPISTLE TO THE HEBREWS. 89
‘spake from heaven,” as the apostle observes; in opposition unto the giving of the law “on the earth,” Heb. xii. 25. Yet did he speak on the earth also; the mystery whereof himself declares, John iii. 18. And he did all things that belonged unto the establish- ment of this covenant in a spirit of meekness and condescension, with the highest evidence of love, grace, and compassion, encourag- ing and inviting the weary, the burdened, the heavy and laden to come unto him. And by his Spirit he makes his disciples to carry on the same work until the covenant was fully declared, Heb. ii. 3. See John i. 17, 18.
And the whole ministry of angels, in the giving of this covenant, was merely in a way of service and obedience unto Christ; and they owned themselves the “fellow-servants” only of them that have “the testimony of Jesus,” Rey. xix. 10. So that this “ world to come,” as it was called of old, was no way put in subjection unto them.
4, They differ in their mediators. The mediator of the first cove- nant was Moses. “It was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator,’ Gal. iii. 19. And this was no other but Moses, who was a servant in the house of God, Heb. 11. 5. And he was a media- tor, as designed of God, so chosen of the people, in that dread and consternation which befell them upon the terrible promulgation of * the law For they saw that they could no way bear the immediate presence of God, nor treat with him in their own persons. Where- _ fore they desired that there might be an internuncius, a mediator _ between God and them, and that Moses might be the person, Deut. _ v. 24-27. But the mediator of the new covenant is the Son of God himself. For “there is one God, and one mediator between God
and men, the man Christ Jesus; who gave himself a ransom for all,” 1 Tim. ii. 5. He who is the Son, and the Lord over his own house, graciously undertook in his own person to be the mediator of this covenant; and herein it is unspeakably preferred before the old covenant.
5. They differ in their subject-matter, both as unto precepts and promises, the advantage being still on the part of the new covenant. For,—
(1.) The old covenant, in the preceptive part of it, renewed the
- commands of the covenant of works, and that on their original terms. Sin it forbade,—that is, all and every sin, in matter and manner,— on the pain of death; and gave the promise of life unto perfect, sinless obedience only: whence the decalogue itself, which is a tran- script of the law of works, is called “the covenant,” Exod. xxxiy. 28. And besides this, as we observed before, it had other precepts innumerable, accommodated unto the present condition of the people, and imposed on them with rigour. But in the new covenant, the very first thing that is proposed, is the accom-
90 AN EXPOSITION OF THE [CHAP, VIII
plishment and establishment of the covenant of works, both as unto its commands and sanction, in the obedience and suffering of the mediator. Hereon the commands of it, as unto the obedience of the covenanters, are not grievous; the yoke of Christ being easy, and his burden light.
(2.) The old testament, absolutely considered, had, [1.] No pro- mise of grace, to communicate spiritual strength, or to assist us in obedience; nor, [2.] Any of eternal life, no otherwise but as it was contained in the promise of the covenant of works, “ The man that doeth these things shall live in them;” and, [3.] Had promises of temporal things in the land of Canaan inseparable from tt. In the new covenant all things are otherwise, as will be declared in the exposition of the ensuing verses.