because we are not under the law, but under grace '^ :" and we know that " He is faithful who hath called us, who also will do it^:" and this very circumstance of its being an article in God's covenant, a blessing to be gratuitously conferred by him, and freely received by us, this, I say, it is, which makes " the promise sure to all the seed*."]
When once we view this covenant aright we shall see immediately,
II. The regard which it deserves —
We should not regard it merely as an object of curious research, or even of grateful admiration ; but should make it,
1. The ground of all our hopes —
[Every other method of acceptance should be renounced ;
and this should be deliberately and cordially embraced"
We should contemplate every offer of mercy, every communi- cation of grace, every mean of salvation as originating in the eternal counsels of Heaven : every thing should be traced up to the love of God the Father, and to the plans arranged by the sacred Three, for the magnifying of the divine perfections
in the salvation of man Even the atonement itself must
be considered as deriving all its efficacy from tliis covenant : for, if God the Father had not consented to accept his Son as a sui'ety for us, and to regard his death as an atonement for our sin, however honourable to Christ his mediation for us might be, it would not have been available for our salvation. We should get such a distinct view of this covenant as David had; of its duration, (from everlasting to everlasting;) its fulness, its certainty ; and then should say of it as he did, " This is all my salvation ; " except in this, I have no more hope than the fallen angels : but through the provision which this has made for me, I scarcely envy the angels who never fell: for " I know in whom I have believed, that He is able to keep that which I have committed to liim^:" and " I am confident that he who hath begun a good work in me will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ y."]
2. The source of all our joys —
[Whatever comforts we may possess in this world, we should derive our chief happiness from this : this should be
r Rom. vi. 14.
s 1 Thess. V. 23, 24. Mark the connexion of these two verses. t Rom. iv. 16.
" 2 Tim. i. 9. The two members of this sentence may be greatly enlarged. ^ 2 Tim. iv. 8. y 2 Tim. i. 12.