ficiently attended to. The various, glorious and exalted characters under which the Lord Jesus Christ is described to us in the gospel, evidently show that the dispensation which he has brought in, is the présent plan of the divine government. The laws that we are under as the rule of life, must be considered as the laws of Christ. Christ is king in his own kingdom: no laws but his can be binding upon the subjects of his own kingdom. It is inconsistent with our allegiance to him, to be in subjection to any foreign government. The law of nature therefore is the law of Christ, enjoined upon us by his authority, and prescribed in the covenant of grace as the rule of duty for us to walk by.

This dispensation of redeeming grace enforceth the rule of duty upon us by promises and threatenings. Some have entertained such a contracted notion of the covenant of grace, as to confine it to a covenant-closure with Jesus Christ, and containing little or nothing more than promises of salvation to believers. But I apprehend, a little consideration might convince us, that commands and threatenings belong to it, as well as promises. Indeed, as it was the subjoining of promises and threatenings to the behavior of man upon trial, which at first changed the tenor of the divine government from that of mere law, to be of the nature of a covenant; so every particular promise of any good thing may be considered as a distinct covenant: because every one that has those distinguishing qualifications to which particular promises have an express reference, may be said to have a covenant-right to the thing promised. And in this way we may make out as many covenants as there are promises. And to this the apostle gives some countenance, by speaking of the Covenant of promise, in the plural number. But still it must be remembered, that all the promises made to fallen man belong to the covenant of grace, and are predicated upon the mediation of Jesus Christ. And threatenings of punishment for sin belong to the same con

stitution as the promises; promises and threatenings are counterparts to each other. It belongs to the mediatorial office of Christ, to reveal the wrath of God from heaven against the ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, as well as to set forth promise es of mercy to the penitent believer. He was sent into the world, to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord, and the day of vengeance of our God. These things make it manifest, that the threatenings contained in the word of God belong to the covenant of grace, as well as the promises: and this shows that the covenant of grace can condemn as well as justify. The wicked in the day of judgment, will stand condemned by the same rule by which the righteous shall be justified.

4. This dispensation which is brought in by the Mediator, is that divine constitution under which mankind are put into a state of probation for life or death. I have often had occasion, in the preceding discourse, to mention our being probationers under the covenant of grace: but a matter of this importance deserves a particular consideration.

When Adam broke the first covenant, that dispensation was superseded by the introduction of the cov-. enant of grace. Life or death no longer depended upon, nor were connected with that particular test of obedience set forth in the first covenant. Indeed, the first covenant was not abolished, nor Adam's breach of it pardoned but in the introduction of the second covenant, man was considered as a transgressor of the first. That first covenant has so far had its influence, as to fix the character of a sinner, and to fasten the guilt of the breach of it upon mankind; although his life or death no longer depend upon his behavior respecting that particular test of obedience specified in it. God foresaw the fall of Adam, and in the eternal counsels of the divine mind provided a remedy for him, in purposing to send his Son to redeem and save fallen man, by the introduction of the second covenant. And as it was the introduction of this new

dispensation that prevented the execution of the curse upon Adam, and made way for his posterity to be born into the world according to the course of ordinary generation, to enjoy a time of trial under the covenant of grace therefore the light in which we are to view mankind, is not as having been only in connexion with the first Adam, and in a state of ruin by his breach of covenant; but also, as in connexion with the second Adam, the Lord Jesus Christ, and in a state of probation under his mediation. We are born probationers for life or death under the covenant of grace, which is the rule of the divine government over us in this life, and the rule by which our final state shall be judged and determined in the day of judgment.

Although the rule of duty set us to walk by in the covenant of grace, takes in the whole will of God, and requires universal holiness and perfect obedience; yet it has not made our performance of required obedience the condition of life, or the term on which we shall enjoy the salvation offered in the gospel. Under the first covenant, perfect obedience to the whole will of God, was the duty of man: yet his probation for life or death (as has been shown) was limited to the particular precepts relating to the tree of life, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And thus it is in the covenant of grace; perfect obedience to the will of God is still our duty: yet our trial for life or death is limited to a single point; viz. Union with Jesus Christ by faith. As the first covenant was made with Adam, as the covenant-head of mankind; so the second covenant is made with Christ, as a new covenant-head. Our union with the first Adam was the foundation of our ruin through his apostacy; and so cur union with the second Adam by faith, is the foundation of our recovery and salvation, through his obedience. Christ stands related. in some sense, to all mankind, as their covenant-head; in that it was his standing in this capacity, that prevented the human race from becoming ex

tinct by the immediate death of Adam after his fall; and made way for his posterity to be born. But there is a union with Christ of a higher kin-1, a moral, voluntary inward union of heart; which is the distinguishing character of a believer.

Faith in the general notion of it, is a firm belief of the truth of the things which God has revealed to us in his word; which shall cause them to have an effectual influence on the heart. That belief of the gospel as true, which does not cause the truths in it to have their proper, effectual influence on the heart, is not faith, in a gospel sense. According to this general account of faith, it appears that many and various exercises of heart are included in it. But that faith in particular which is of such special importance in the covenant of reconciliation, as being the peculiar point of trial to man in his present state of probation, is such a belief of the report of the gospel concerning Christ, as that the heart is pleased with him, and receives him in all his offices and relations, in which he is offered to us in the gospel. When this faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ takes place, we shall cordially join in with him in the same cause and interest; the effect of which will be, that we shall walk even as he walked. Herein there is inward, hearty, spiritual union with Christ in the new cov

enant.

This spiritual union with Jesus Christ here briefly described, is the faith to which the promises of salvation are made in the gospel; and all the descriptions of a saving faith contained in the gospel, agree with this representation of it. And that this faith is the special test prescribed in the covenant of grace, or the point in particular on which our salvation, or condemnation depends, I shall endeavor to evince by the following considerations.

1. This appears to be the particular test in the covenant of grace, from attending to the character and offices of our Lord Jesus Christ. The first and leading character in which Christ appears in his in

troducing the dispensation of redeeming grace, is that of a covenant-head. For the new covenant is firstly made with him, as the head and representative of his people; and he is to act in, and transact the affairs of the covenant for them. And this title of covenant-head, with his other titles and offices, show that his obedience is the righteousness by which his people are justified, his sufferings are the atonement on account of which their sins are pardoned, and hi. mediation is the foundation of their acceptance wit God Therefore he is the Lord our righteousness ; he is the propitiation for our sins; and he is our advocate with the Father: all which make it eviden that our pardon, justification, and acceptance with God, flow from, and are the effects of his mediation. And if these benefits are procured for us by Christ's mediatorial work, it is evident our dependence for obtaining them, must be grounded, not upon any thing which we do for ourselves; but upon what Christ has done and is doing for us. And for this cause, we are so abundantly cautioned against a legal self-righteous spirit, which inclines us to substitut some doings or attainments of our own, as the foundation of our hope, instead of the righteousness and merit of Christ; which disposition is properly opposition of heart to the way of life by Christ. By acting under the influence of such a spirit, we impose upon ourselves a much more difficult condition of life than God laid upon man in his innocent state. Adam's trial was confined to a single point; but here we set ourselves the task of keeping the whole law. But a due acknowledgment of Christ in his mediatorial characters evidently implies the renouncing all confidence in the flesh, and placing our whole hope and dependence on him.

As the mediatorial offices and work of Christ it the meritorious and procuring cause of all divine favor, and saving mercies; therefore it is necessary we should be united to him by faith, in gospel-fellowship, that we may receive those benefits through