Mediator of a better covenant.
The covenant of grace opened and explained
I. THE GOSPEL-DISPENSATION UNDER WHICH WE LIVE IS PROPERLY A COVENANT.
1. What we are to understand by a covenant in general.
2. What by the covenant of grace in particular.
3. Illustrate two or three particular points which have created some doubts and difficulties in this subject.
4. Consider some of the peculiar titles and distinguishing properties of this covenant.
II. JESUS CHRIST IS THE MEDIATOR OF THIS COVENANT.
1. The proper office of a mediator.
2. Christ’s peculiar qualification for this high office of Mediator between God and man.
3. His accomplishment of it.
4. How admirably this constitution is founded in the Divine grace and wisdom.
5. What regards are due to Christ under this character of Mediator.
(1) Does He not deserve and most justly claim all our love, our superlative and most ardent esteem?
(2) What exalted honour, adoration, and praise are due from us to Him, who was so wonderfully qualified for this high office by the hypostatical or personal union of the Divine and human natures.
(3) As Mediator of the new covenant, let us readily trust Him with all our spiritual and everlasting interests.
(4) As our Mediator, we are humbly to seek to Him for that grace, which must make us meet for His salvation; for His awakening grace, to make us more sensible of our guilt and need of Him; for His quickening grace, to encourage, direct, and strengthen us in the way to eternal life.
(5) As our Mediator, we are to perform every part of religious worship in His name. He is our way to the Father.
III. THE GOSPEL DISPENSATION IS A BETTER COVENANT THAN THAT UNDER WHICH THE JEWS LIVED.
1. Because it contains better terms. Repentance, faith, and sincere obedience are called the terms of the covenant, not only because they are the requisites on which the promised blessings of the covenant are suspended, but because they are of themselves essentially necessary to qualify us to partake of them.
2. Because it affords better helps or assistances.
(1) The method of worship under the gospel is more easy, rational, and spiritual.
(2) The revelation we enjoy is more plain, full, and extensive.
(3) The Divine aids offered to us are more particular, ample, and effectual.
3. Because it is founded on better promises.
(1) Because they are the promises of better things; or the subjects of them are more excellent, sublime, and glorious.
(2) The promises of the gospel are more plain, clear, and explicit than those of the legal covenant.
(3) The promises of the gospel are not only more clear, but more numerous and extensive than those of the Jewish dispensation.
(4) Another thing which gives the pre-eminence to the promises of our covenant, is that they are all ratified and confirmed to us in Christ, the Mediator of it. (John Mason, M. A.)
The excellency of the Christian dispensation
I. The Christian dispensation, or the New Testament, though it be a rich discovery of grace, YET IT CONTAINS THE FAIREST AND FULLEST REPRESENTATION OF THE MORAL LAW. That law, which is of eternal obligation upon all mankind, is more particularly explained here than in any of the former dispensations.
II. In the Christian dispensation THE GOSPEL OR COVENANT OF GRACE IS REVEALED MORE PERFECTLY AND PLAINLY THAN EVER BEFORE; not in obscure expressions, in types, and carnal metaphors, but in its own proper form and language, i.e., as a covenant relating to things spiritual and eternal.
III. THE RITES AND CEREMONIES which are superadded to the covenant of grace, in the Christian dispensation of it, ARE MUCH PREFERABLE TO THOSE IN FORMER TIMES, and that in three respects; they are fewer, they are clearer, and they are much more easy.
IV. THE SON OF GOD, WHO WAS THE REAL MEDIATOR OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE THROUGH ALL FORMER DISPENSATIONS, HAS CONDESCENDED TO BECOME THE VISIBLE MEDIATOR OF THIS DISPENSATION.
V. THIS DISPENSATION OF THE GOSPEL is not confined to one family, or to one nation, or to a few ages of men, but it SPREADS THROUGH ALL THE NATIONS OF THE EARTH, AND REACHES TO THE END OF TIME.
VI. I might add here some OTHER CHARACTERS OF THE CHRISTIAN DISPENSATION, which the apostle gives it in 2 Corinthians 3:1-18., whereby he exalts it above all the religion of the Jews, and especially far above the Sinai covenant.
VII. THE ENCOURAGEMENTS AND PERSUASIVE HELPS WHICH CHRISTIANITY GIVES US TO FULFIL THE DUTIES OF THE COVENANT ARE MUCH SUPERIOR TO THOSE WHICH WERE ENJOYED UNDER ANY OF THE FORMER DISPENSATIONS. NOW these consist chiefly in examples and motives.
1. Do examples invite us to our duty, and by a soft and secret influence encourage and lead us on to the performance of it? Such indeed were the names of Abraham and David, each in their day a happy pattern to their several ages; but in my opinion all the praises which are due to David and Abraham fall far short of the labours and sufferings, the zeal and patience, the holiness and the love of St. Paul. And not one of them is to be compared with the more excellent and perfect pattern of Jesus Christ.
2. Let us next consider our various motives to duty under the New Testament. Are the motives of love and gratitude powerful principles to encourage and persuade us to every active service? Such indeed were the blessings and gifts which God bestowed on men under former dispensations. But what were all those gifts and blessings in comparison of the unspeakable gift of His own Son, to die as a sacrifice in our stead, which is one of the chief themes and glories of the Christian revelation? Are the promises and threatenings of God another set of motives to duty? Do the awful glories and terrors of a future and eternal world work upon all the springs of our activity and diligence by hope and fear? Yes, certainly, in a high degree. But the former dispensations had but few of these eternal terrors and glories, these threatenings and promises relating to an invisible state. (Isaac Watts, D. D.)
The better covenant
I. THE GENERAL NOTION OF A COVENANT OF GOD WITH MAN. By a covenant among men we understand an agreement or compact, by which the parties bind themselves, and each the other, to the fulfilment of certain conditions. Now, when we speak of a covenant of God with men, one important difference is to be observed. In this case there is no natural equality between the parties. God wills, and man must obey. But this revealed mind and purpose of God is called a covenant, because
1. As respects God, He who has no rule of action but His own will is pleased hereby to bind Himself, in His dealings with men, to the observance of certain specified terms.
2. As respects men they are bound to fulfil the conditions herein prescribed to them, under pain of forfeiting the offered benefits, and incurring the attendant penalties. The covenant under which all men are born, as children of Adam, is that of works. It must be evident to every one, that if he be tried according to the letter of this covenant, there remains no hope for him before God, for he is a transgressor of it from the womb. And thus the Scriptures everywhere testify. We are led then to the inquiry: is there any other covenant or dispensation of God for His creatures, whereby (letting go the first, and laying hold on this) we may have that eternal life and blessedness which we have irrecoverably forfeited by the first? Such a covenant there is. The terms of it are fully made known to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ, the “glad tidings of great joy.”
II. The particular features of this “BETTER COVENANT, which was established upon better promises.”
1. Whereas in the old covenant something is required on the part of man, as a title to its privileges, this contemplates in him nothing but sins and unrighteousness, and lays the basis of all covenant good vouchsafed to him in the sovereign grace of God, a promise as large and unlimited as language can express of the free removal of sins, and that for ever. Herein is summed up all the grace of the covenant, that it supposes guilt of every kind and degree, in the objects of it, and meets them with this cheering assurance, I will be merciful to it, I will remember it no more. But has God, then, deserted His justice, in showing mercy to a sinner, and dishonoured His law by suffering the violation of it with impunity? God forbid! The condition of life under the new covenant is precisely that of the old--perfect obedience. But under the gospel this obedience is rendered for the sinner by his surety, and the life which is its due becomes his, not by working, but by believing. Christ has fulfilled the law for us. Mercy, therefore, to man is the jut reward of merit in Christ.
2. Mark another feature, no less distinguishing the gospel as a “ministration of glory.” This is the exceeding fulness of its promised blessings Romans 15:29).
(1) Divine renewal;
(2) Divine relationship;
(3) Divine illumination.
3. Its security. The effectual provision which God has made in it for the sure enjoyment of its rich benefits.
4. Its everlasting continuance. Hence it is expressly called “ the everlasting covenant” (Hebrews 13:20).
Lessons:
1. The overwhelming motives afforded us, by this covenant of grace, to walk before God in all holiness and godliness of living.
2. The grievous sin of those who carelessly neglect this covenant of grace, or obstinately refuse to close with it.
3. The abundant encouragement which this covenant holds out to the most guilty and desponding sinner to return to God and be at peace.
4. Lastly, let the established believer recognise in this covenant the charter of all his privileges. Ever rejoice, my Christian brethren, in your entire deliverance from the law of works as a means of obtaining life. Life is yours by free gift, covenant gift of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. Having the Son, you have life. Only abide, then, in Him, your Covenant Head, and walk worthy of your exalted privileges, in all holy and happy obedience. (Francis Goode, M. A.)
Christ the Mediator of the better covenant
The covenant of grace is, strictly speaking, made between God and Christ; and, in this view, is part of that great covenant of redemption, ordered from eternity between the persons of the Godhead. Man is a party to it only in the second instance, as he is viewed in Christ, coming in for the blessings of it by his surety’s fulfilment of its terms. To Him we are indebted for its grace; and through Him alone it has all its efficacy in the experience of redeemed sinners.
I. Consider it As IT BEGAN IN ETERNITY. As there never was a moment in which God was not, so never was there a moment in which this grace to man was not the determinate counsel and object of delight of the Eternal mind. The purpose of redemption was not (as many unworthily think of it) a purpose conceived only when man fell, to remedy a mischief never contemplated till then. “Known unto God are all His works from the beginning of the world.” Rather, the whole mystery of grace in the gospel, yea, creation itself, with all its consequences, is a result of the purpose of God to make, in the person of Christ, the most illustrious display, before all intelligent creatures, of the glories of the Divine nature, by man’s redemption.
II. As IT WAS CARRIED ON UPON EARTH With His incarnation commenced that active ministry of which the apostle is here speaking as “more excellent” than that of Aaron, above which it is one great object of this Epistle to exalt it. The main intention of this earthly ministry of Christ was to make atonement.
1. It was the life of a sinless Being, and so was altogether unforfeited; it was that which He had to give to God, in exchange for His people, who are therefore called “the purchased possession” (Ephesians 1:14); the law of God had no claim upon it, except as He voluntarily subjected Himself to its curse for us.
2. While it was human life, it was life taken into union with Deity; and so it was not only of infinite value, but this Priest as well as Victim possessed in Himself infinite ability both to lay it down and to take it again.
3. But let us look at the effect of this atonement which Christ, as our High Priest, made for the sins of men, in reference to the covenant of which we are treating. The blood of Jesus Christ is represented by Himself, and throughout this Epistle, as the ratification of the covenant.
III. AS IT IS COMPLETED IN HEAVEN (Hebrews 6:20).
1. His intercession above gives efficacy to His offering of Himself on earth.
2. His mediatorial dominion. He holds the reign of universal empire. Heaven, earth, and hell--all things in all worlds--obey His sovereign will. (Francis Goode, M. A.)
Argument from analogy or Mediator
The whole analogy of nature removes all imagined presumption against the notion of a “Mediator between God and man.” For we find all living creatures are brought into the world, and that life is infancy is preserved, by the instrumentality of others, and every satisfaction of it some way or other, is bestowed by the like means. (Bp. Butler.)
Covenant
The general meaning of the word διαθήκη, covenant, is a Divine institution for man; it is not συνθήκη, or compact between two parties. God has the ordering of all, and therefore covenant and dispensation are really the same. (W. B. Pope, D. D.)
Established upon better promises
Better promises
In the promises there are these two things, the matter and the manner. As for matter and substance, the promises were all one in the Old and New Testament, that is Christ, and eternal salvation by Him. But ours in respect of the manner are better and excel theirs.
1. Their promises were included within the narrow compass of Judea; our promises are blazed all the world over.
2. Their promises were published by men, by the patriarchs, prophets, which were but servants; ours by Christ the Son of God.
3. They according to God’s promise had the graces of the Spirit as we have, yet not in such abundant measure as they be now poured out in the time of the gospel.
4. Their promises were dark and obscure, covered under the veil of many ceremonies, and shadowed out by temporal things; our promises are more clear and evident.
5. Theirs were at the delivery of the law with a condition, “Do this and live. Cursed be he that continueth not in all things,” &c. Ours “Believe and live.”
6. The sacraments, whereby the promises were confirmed unto them, were more hard and difficult: the cutting off the foreskin, the preparing of a lamb for every house; ours are more easy and familiar: the sprinkling of a little water, or the dipping in the water, the procuring of bread and wine.
7. Their promises were of things to come: there should come a Lamb that should take away the sins of the world; ours are of things already come and exhibited. This Lamb is come, and hath offered up Himself on the altar of the cross for us. (W. Jones, D. D.)
Stability of the Divine promises
Every promise is built upon four pillars: God’s justice and holiness, which will not suffer Him to deceive; His grace or goodness, which will not suffer Him to forget; His truth, which will not suffer Him to change; His power, which makes Him able to accomplish. (H. G. Salter.)
Fulness of the Divine promises
The promises which God hath made are a full storehouse of all kind of blessings; they include in them both the upper and nether springs, the recycle, of this life and of that which is to come: there is n- good that can present itself as an object to our desires or thoughts, of which the promises are not a ground for faith to believe and hope to expect the enjoyment of. (H. Spurstowe.)