establishment of the other, are foretold. But before we enter on the comparison between the two, it will be necessary to observe, that there are, properly speaking, only two great covenants ; under the one or other of which all the world are living : the one is the Adamic covenant, which was made with Adam in Paradise, and which is entirely a covenant of works ; the other is the Christian covenant, which, though made with Christ, and ratified by his blood upon the cross, was more or less clearly revealed from the beginning of the world. It was first announced in that promise, " The seed of the woman shall bruise the serpent's head." It was afterwards more plainly opened to Abraham, and afterwards still more fully to Moses. The Mosaic covenant, properly speaking, was distinct from both of these : it was not alto- gether a covenant of works, or a covenant of grace ; but it partook of the nature of both. As containing the moral law, it was a re-publication of the covenant of works : and as containing the ceremonial law, it was a dark and shadowy representation of the cove- nant of grace. It was a mixed covenant, designed for one particular nation ; and given to them, in order to introduce the covenant under which we live. Of that the prophet says, that it should in due time be superseded by a new and better covenant ; and the Apostle, quoting this whole passage, says, that " it had then waxed old, and was vanishing awaya."
In order to give a clear view of this subject, we shall state,
I. The blessings of the new covenant —
These being specified by the prophet, and copied exactly by the Apostle, we shall adhere strictly to them, without attempting to reduce them to any other order than that which is here observed. In the new covenant then, God undertakes,
1. To write his law in our hearts —
[This is a work which none but God can effect. The kings were commanded to write a copy of their law, each one
a Heb. viii. 8—13.