His very terms are such as carry heaven in the performance of them. It is required that we repent and turn to God, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance; that we renounce the world, the flesh, and the devil, and forsake every thing that rivals God in our hearts and affections. The highest veneration, supreme love, and faithful services, yea, all proper instances and expressions of gratitude. and obedience are here required. We must accept him as our life, and praise, and joy; as the ultimate end of all we are and have; and live continually to the glory of his grace and name. We must always seek proficiency in his knowledge, be observant of his conduct, loyal to his government, submissive to his providence, and joyful in the sense and expectation of his mercy to eternal life.

And is there any thing hard or severe in all this? Blessed God, we blush at the perverseness and corruption of our natures, that we should want articles to oblige us to love thee, to serve thee, to trust thee, and delight ourselves in thee. And is not this a new covenant? Does it not, in many things, differ from and excel the covenant made at Sinai? Surely, God never appeared so glorious in his attributes, so deep in condescension, so wonderful in his compassion, so liberal in his gifts, so fervent in his love, so glorious in his grace and mercies, and so enlarged in his heart towards

all the sons of men as now. Nor had men ever such discoveries, invitations, encouragements, assistances, influences, attractions, supplies, prospects, assurances, and foretastes of heaven as here. This is, indeed, the best covenant that ever was made with man. Another covenant is not to be expected; a better covenant there cannot be.

But, christians, who are we that the Lord should so graciously look after us, and show himself so concerned for our recovery, as if his happiness were bound up in ours; notwithstanding our former most ungrateful ungracious departure from him? Should not such monuments of his grace be instruments of his praise? instruments ever in tune, and always sounding forth the honours of him who hath called us out of darkness into his marvellous light? And O! what a glorious addition is it to our happiness to consider that Jesus, our Saviour, our Friend, our elder Brother, is the Mediator of this new and better covenant. He gave the first and great account of its original nature and design. He preached it to the world, proved it by miracles, urged it on the sons of men with the strongest arguments and motives, and exemplified that temper and deportment which this charter obliges and invites us to. It was by his death this covenant was obtained and ratified. He rose again from the dead, to prosecute the great designs thereof, He went to intercede for us.

He

gave his Spirit, in wonderful operations, gifts, and graces. He enables men to make and keep their covenant with God. He gives them sacramental bonds and seals. He bestows continual and powerful influences from on high. He prays continually for us. He often and earnestly speaks to us, and abides among us, by his gracious dispensations and his enlivening presence. And, having placed himself at God's right hand, he takes possession of our state for us; treads down Satan and all our spiritual enemies before us, and will come, ere long, to bestow all the blessings of the covenant. He still protects us; by him we have access, perseverance, and entertainments in our present state of grace, and every thing is made subservient to build us up in holiness and hope. He fills our souls with grace and joy, our hands with blessings, and our lips with halleluiahs.

To this blessed Mediator, christians, are we come. We are come to the knowledge of him. We know his natures, person, office, dignity, and relations. Never were such glorious beams of knowledge so liberally diffused, as from this Light of life. Now all the great mysteries of salvation are unveiled. It now appears what God has proposed and contrived, and by whom and how this great affair of our reconciliation is transacted. We are come to a state of fellowship with him.

We are

the branches, He the Vine. We are the body, He

the Head. We are the fulness of Him that filleth all in all. We are come as lively stones, to him the living Stone, to be that house whose structure, furniture, service, prospect, and privileges are glorious beyond all parallel. We have fellowship with Christ in spirit, service, sufferings, and glory. His glory is our great concern, and our salvation is his. Reciprocal engagements and endearments are continually exchanged. We are called by his name, fixed in his family, feasted with his love, and enriched by him in every thing. We are come to all the blessed effects of his mediation. He has spoken effectually for God to us, having endeared God's name and ways to our hearts, and reconciled our hearts to them by his word and Spirit. And he has spoken effectually to God for us. For he has obtained of God the covenant, and the means and enjoyment of his grace and goodness. He has obtained of God, for us, that pardon, justification, adoption, and redemption, which were so needful for us. He has made an end of sin, and finished transgression. He has made reconciliation for iniquity, and brought in everlasting righteousness. And, in short, he is made of God to us, whatever we can want or wish for. We find our encouragement is great, our remission full, our approaches near, our intercourse free, our suit prosperous, and our assurance of acceptance and salvation clear and high, through Christ, if

we be cordial and fruitful in our christian profession.

You have often seen and felt what light Christ sheds abroad, what love he kindles and maintains, what seals and pledges he affords us of our approaching joys and glory. Something of this thou dost know; but why, O my soul, since he is so graciously communicative, why dost thou not know more? Why is thy light so dim, thy love so cold, and thy evidences so blighted, as that thou art often obliged to search, and try, and examine; and perhaps, after all, art left to doubt whether thou hast any knowledge, or love, or hope at all.

Come then, my soul, come, my fellow christians, since we have such a Mediator, let us employ him. Let us collect our sins and our wants together, and lay them at his feet, humbly imploring his intercession with the Father, to obtain for us mercy to pardon, and grace to help in the time of need.

The words of institution are, "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me," 1 Cor. xi. 23, 24.

Now in Christ Jesus, ye who sometimes were afar off are made nigh by the blood of Christ; for