Let us never forget this glorious truth ; " Our curse was re- moved by Christ being made a curse for usd:" Our reconcilia- tion with God was effected solely by the blood of his cross e : God smelled the sweet savour of his sacrifice f, and determined that all who came to him through Christ should find accept- ance with him; and that " through the blood of the everlasting covenant" he would be a God of peace unto themg.]
2. It embraced all, without any respect to their moral character —
[In the passage before cited h God declares that " he would not anymore curse the earth, though* the imagination of man's heart was evil from his youth." It was not on account of the merits of mankind that God made that covenant with Noah, nor would he withhold the blessings of it on account of their demerits : yea, though he foresaw that men would still be na- turally and universally prone to evil, he voluntarily entered into this covenant, in order that he might display his own grace and mercy towards them. And what did God find in
a Gen. viii. 20—22. b Isai. liii. 10—12. c Eph. i. 14.
d Gal. iii. 13. e Col. i. 20. f Eph. v. 2.
8 Heb. xiii. 20, 21. h Gen. viii. 20 — 22.
1 The marginal version is " though ; " and it is certainly prefer- able to the word "for," which stands in the text.
our fallen race that could induce him to enter into covenant with his Son on their behalf? Had he respect to any merit of theirs ; or was he prevented by what he foresaw in reference to their demerit ? Had he, in short, any other view than that of displaying " the exceeding riches of his grace in his kind- ness towards us through Christ Jesus ? " The parallel in this respect is exact. There is indeed a point connected with this, which forms rather a contrast than a parallel: and we the rather specify it, because the mention of it is necessary to guard against all misconception of our meaning. The covenant made with Noah not only extended its benefits to the ungodly, but left them still as ungodly as ever : whereas the covenant of grace makes provision for the change of men's characters k: it offers indeed all its blessings to the most unworthy ; but when they embrace it, they are made partakers of a new and divine nature1, which secures the gradual renovation of their souls after the image of their God. " Sin is no longer suffered to have dominion over them, because they are not under the law, but under grace™." Nevertheless, we repeat it, the Christian covenant includes none on account of their superior goodness, nor rejects any on account of their more atrocious sinfulness ; but embraces all who will accept its benefits, and imparts sal- vation to them freely " without money and without price."]
3. It was immutable and everlasting —
[It is above four thousand years since the covenant was given to Noah ; and no part of it has ever yet failed. There have been partial inundations, and partial suspensions of fruitful seasons : but at no period, from the deluge to this hour, has any thing occurred like the desolation that was inflicted in the days of Noah. And we may rest assured, that the revolutions of night and day, summer and winter, seed- time and harvest, will continue till the day of judgment, when the earth, and all that is therein, shall be destroyed by fire. And can we not affirm the same respecting the covenant of grace? Is not that " ordered in all things and sure ? " We are told that " God, in order to shew the immutability of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath; that by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we who have fled to Christ for refuge, might have strong consolation":" And when did He ever violate his solemn engagements ? Who that ever sought to lay hold on this covenant, was rejected? Who that firmly trusted in it ever found it to fail him in any one particular? We challenge the whole world to produce a single instance, wherein " God has ever broken his covenant,