ſ The Apoſtle's application of this, Heb. 8. 8, 9, 10. puts us out of doubt, that this Promiſe referred to the Goſpel-times, Ir was not only made with the F2ws, bur all thoſe who ſhould-be in- graiffed into that Olive ; bur it is ſaid to be made with them; either as thoſe two Terms ſignifie the whole Church, with whom thar Covenant was made, (they being the whole Church which God had upon the Earth atchar time ) or becauſe they were the only people ti1:r hal broken the firſt Covenant, the Gentile: being Strangers at that time to the Covenant of Promiſe, Eph. 2+. 42. Covenants being utual'y renewed upon one Parties violation of them, or becaule ir
' was at firſt made with the Jews, though it concerned alſo thoſe that were aff ar off even as many as the Lord ſhould call, AQts 2. 39. Net- thieris it called the newCovenant, becauſe it was as to the Subſtance new, forit was made with Abraham. Gen. 17. 7. and with the Jews, Deut. 26. 17, 18. Andit was then confirmed by the Blood of Chriſt, though not aftually ſhed, yet as he was the Lamb flainfrom the beginning of the World, whoſe Bloud was typified by the Bloud of the Paſchal Lamb, and of all thoſe living Creatures killed for Sa- crifice, but upon many other Accounts, thus enumerated by D:» vinzs, 1, Becauſeit wasnew in the Notion of a Teſtament, not confirmed by the aCtual Death of Chriſt till Goſpe!=Times. 2. Bee cauſe it was revealed and preached afcer a new manner, more fule ly and particular'y, plainly and clearly. 3. Becauſe it had no
ſuch mixture of Promiſes of temporal Bl-ſlings, as it had when firſt made with the Jews. 4. Nor was the Ceremonial Law any part of it, as it was to the Fews, who were oblidged to approve theme ſelvcs God's People by a ſtrift obſervance of that. 5. Ic was in the Publication extended both to Jews and Gentiles, which the former was not. 6. In regard of the efficacy of the Spirit attending the Publication of it, in a much fuller and larger manner, with the diſtribucion of its Gifts and Graces, inabling Souls to fulfill it, See more in the Engliſh 4nmotations upon this Subje&.
32 Not according to the covenant that I made with
their fathers in the day that T took them by the hand
[Or, to bring them out of the land of Egypt t,which my co-
b:14 1 yenant they brake «, || although I was an husband to have © tem, faith the LORD w,
. b nA .* , . . o Py ” 4 ; ras 5 Not in ſubſtance differing fcom it, but in circumſtances vaſtly
The Covenant which God made with the Fews when they came out of the Land of Egypt, was on God's part the Law which he gave th:m with the Promiſes annexd totheir obſervation of it ; on their part ( which made it a formal Covenant) their Promiſe of Obedi- ence to it, of which ſee Exod. 24.7, 8. Dent. 26. 17, 18, This Covenant God ſaith he made with them, when they were an im- potent weak People, the care of whom he took upon him, and led them as 2 Parent leadeth the feeble child by his hand. None muſt imagine that this Covenant did not conrain the Promiſe of Pardon, through the Bloud of the Meſſiah, upon their application ro him, for to what purpoſe elſe was it confirmed by Bloud, Exod. 24« 8. # Which Covenant they are ſaid to have broken, not becauſe of every Diſobedierice to the Law of God,for ſo every one daily break- ethit, bur by their groſs and eminent finnings, ſo oft repeated, and continued. in without Repentance, and more particularly by their 1olatry, which is compared to Whoredom, which breaketh the Covmenint; and Bond of Marriage, and cauſeth God to ſay. unto a People, Lo Ammi, you are not my people. w And this Covenant breaking is a2gravated from God's Kindneſs to them, and Care of them; who had for themthe Love,and declared the Care ofan Husband,and gave then no temptation to go a whoring from him. : Bur this hal be the covenat that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael w, After thoſe days,faich the LORD, *F:ek. * I will put my law in their inward parts, and wrice 1. 9,20jt in thctir hearts x, and will be their God, and they = 26, ſhal be my people y. _ Cor. 3. 3-, ® That is, ( with thoſe 1-aelites indeed who ſhal be without Guile, 20 3* 7' (as Chriſt ſaith of Nathanael, John 1. 47. ) with thoſe who are ( 2s the Apoſtle ſpeaks, Rom: 2. 9.) Jews inwardly, by rhe Circum- ciſion of the Heart and Spirit, ſpoken of, and promiſed by God, Deut. 35. 6. & In the Times of the Goſpel, God's Law is nor a» krogated and made void. Chriſt himſelf came not to deſtroy the Law, but to fulfill ir; bur 1t.is written 11 the hearts of God's true Iſrael, by the finger ofthe Spirit, not in Tables of Stone only; and they become obedient to it, not from compullion and force, but from their ſecret approbation of it, and acknowledement of it, as holy, juſt and good, the delight rhey take in it, after theinward man, Rom. 7. 22. but ſome ma object. How was this a New Cove- nant? Did not God of old write his Law in the Hearts of his Peo= ple ? Did not David, and other the Servants of God, ( of whom wereadin the Old Teſtament) ſerve God out of a principle of Love, and delight in his Law? Aſw. Undoubredly David and others did ſo, and the Law of God was wrote in their hearts,but it was by ver= rue of this New Covenant, from the fre: and efficacious Grace of God. Mr. Catvisl think judgeth righr, that the Prophet's deſign here is to expreſs the difference betwixr the Law and the Goſpel. The firſt ſheweth Vuty, thelatter bringeth along with ir the grace of Re- generation, by which the Heart is changed, fitted, and inabled for, and unto Duty. Allunder the time of che Law that came to Salva- tion were ſaved, not from the Law, or by that, butby the Goſpel, - and this new Covenant; but this was nor evidently exhibited, nei» ther was the regenerating Grace of God ſo common under the time of the Law, as it hath been under the Goſpel, which mak-th itlook like s new Covenant with Men, though it was'the ſame Covenant which God was always in with. his People 3 for what difference is there between the terms of theCovenaur as recited here, Chap. 24, 7. and 30: 22. and as made with Abra-am, Gen, 17. 7. Deut- | go, 6. Itis further obſervable, thit God maketh the writing the ] Law in Peoples Hearts his own Work. There wereno need of God's | putting his Law into Mens inward parts, ifthey had ſuch 'an ins | ward power (as ſome talk of ) -of themſelves to doit, and coul, write it there with a Pen of their own making. The Paprfts allow