Obs. II. Approbation of the terms of the covenant, consent unto them, and solemn acceptance of them, are required on our part, unto the establishment of any covenant between God and us, and our participation of the benefits of it. Thus solemnly did the people here enter into covenant with God, whereby a peculiar relation was established between him and them. The mere proposal of the covenant, and the terms of it, unto us, which is done in the preaching of the gospel, will not make us partakers of any of the grace or benefits of it. Yet this is that which most content themselves withal. It may be, they proceed to the performance of some of the duties which are required therein; but this answers not the design and way of God in dealing with men. When he hath proposed the terms of his covenant to them, he doth neither compel them to accept of them, nor will be satisfied with such an obedience. He requires that on a due consideration of them we do approve of them, as those which answer his infinite wisdom and goodness, and such as are of eternal advantage to us, that they are all equal, holy, righteous, and good. Hereon he requires that we voluntarily choose and consent to them, engaging ourselves solemnly to the performance of them all and every one. This is required of us, if we intend any interest in the grace or glory prepared in the new covenant.

Obs. III. It was the way of God from the beginning, to take children of covenanters into the same covenant with their parents.-So he dealt with this people in the establishment of the first covenant, and he hath made no alteration herein in the establishment of the second. But we must proceed with the exposition of the words.

Fourthly. Of this covenant it is affirmed, ov xwpis aiμatos εYKEκαινισται, that it was consecrated with blood;' or was not dedicated without blood. Eykaviw, is solemnly to separate any thing unto a sacred use. p, is the same in Hebrew. And it is not the sanction of the covenant absolutely that the apostle intends in this expression, but the use of it. The covenant had its sanction, and was confirmed on the part of God in offering of the sacrifices. In the killing of the beasts, and offering of their blood, did the ratification of the covenant consist. This is included and supposed in what is signified by the dedication of it. But this is not an effect of the shedding and offering of blood, but only of the sprinkling of it on the book and the people. Thereby had it its eykaivioμos, its 'consecration' or dedication unto sacred use, as the instrument of the peculiar church relation between God and that people, whereof the book was the record. So was every thing consecrated unto its proper use under the law, as the apostle declares. This, therefore, is the meaning of the words; that first covenant which God made with the people at Mount Sinai, wherein he became their God, the God of Israel, and they became his people, was dedicated unto sacred use by blood, in that it was sprinkled on the book and the people, after part of the same blood had been offered in sacrifice at the altar. Hence it follows, that this which belongs so essentially unto the solemn confirmation of a covenant between God and the church, was necessary unto the dedication and confirmation of the new covenant, which is that that is to be proved.

also

Obs. IV. It is by the authority of God alone that any thing can be

effectually and unchangeably dedicated unto sacred use, so as to have force and efficacy given unto it thereby.-But this dedication may be made by virtue of a general rule, as well as by an especial command.

Fifthly. The assertion of the apostle concerning the dedication of the first covenant with blood, is confirmed by an account of the matter of fact, or what Moses did therein, ver. 19.

VER. 19.-For when Moses had spoken every precept unto all the people, according unto the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people.

There are two things considerable in the words.

1. The person made use of in the dedication of the covenant, which was Moses.

2. What he did therein; which is referred unto two heads. 1. His speaking or reading the terms of the covenant, every precept out of the book.' 2. His sprinkling of the book and people with blood.

First. Moses was the internuntius between God and the people in this great transaction, vπo Movoswe. On God's part he was immediately called unto this employment, Exod. iii. And on the part of the people he was chosen and desired by them to transact all things between God and them, in the making and confirmation of this covenant, because they were not able to bear the effects of God's immediate presence, Exod. xix. 19; Deut. v. 22-27. And this choice of a spokesman on their part God did approve of, ver. 27. Hence he became, in a general sense, a μεoiτns, a mediator' between God and men in the giving of the law, Gal. iii. 19. Whatever, therefore, was done by Moses in this whole affair of the dedication of the covenant on the part of God or of the people, was firm and unalterable, he being a public person authorized unto this work. And,

Obs. I. There can be no covenant between God and men but in the hand or by virtue of a mediator.-The first covenant in the state of innocency was immediately between God and man. But since the entrance of sin it can be so no more. For, 1. Man hath neither meetness nor confidence to treat immediately with God. Nor, 2. Any credit or reputation with him, so to be admitted as an undertaker in his own person. Nor, 3. Any ability to perform the conditions of any covenant with God.

Obs. II. A mediator may be either only an internuntius, a messenger, a days-man; or also a surety and an undertaker. Of the first sort was the mediator of the old covenant; of the latter of the

new.

Obs. III. None can interpose between God and a people in any sacred office, unless he be called of God and approved of the people, as was Moses.

Secondly. That which Moses did in this affair was first in way of preparation; and there are three things in the account of it. 1. What he did precisely. 2. With respect unto whom. 3. According to what rule or order he did it.

1. He spake every precept,' λaλnoxions yap maons evTOANS. Vul. Lat. Lecto omni mandato, having read every command;' which is the sense intended. Aaλnelong is as much in this place as 'recited.' So it is rendered by most translators, cum recitasset, that is, when he had read in the book. For his first speaking unto the people, Exod. xxiv. 3, is not here intended, but his reading in the audience of the people, ver. 7. He spake what he read, that is, audibly; so it is in the story: he read it in the audience of the people, so as that they might hear and understand. It is added by the apostle, that he thus read, spake, recited every precept or command. He took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people, saith the text; that is, the whole book, and all that was contained in it, or every precept. And the whole is reduced by the apostle unto precepts. It was vouos Evroλwv, Eph. ii. 15, 'a law, a system of precepts.' And it is so called to intimate the nature of that covenant. It consisted principally in precepts or commandments of obedience, promising no assistance for the performance of them. The new covenant is of another nature. It is a covenant of promises. And although it hath precepts also requiring obedience, yet is it wholly founded in the promise, whereby strength and assistance for the performance of that obedience are given to us. And the apostle doth well observe that 'Moses read every precept unto the people.' For all the good things they were to receive by virtue of that covenant, depended on the observance of every precept. For a curse was denounced against every one that 'continued not in all things written in the law to do them,' Deut. xxvii. 26. And we may observe,

Obs. IV. A covenant that consisted in mere precepts, without an exhibition of spiritual strength to enable unto obedience, could never save sinners.-The insufficiency of this covenant unto that end, is that which the apostle designs to prove in all this discourse. But thereon a double inquiry may be made. 1. Why God gave this covenant, which was so insufficient unto this great end? This question is proposed and answered by the apostle, Gal. iii. 19. 2. How then did any of the people yield obedience unto God, if the covenant exhibited no aid nor assistance unto it? The apostle answereth in the same place, that they received it by faith in the promise,' which was given before, and not disannulled by this covenant.

Obs. V. In all our dealings with God, respect must be had unto every one of his precepts. And the reason hereof is given by the apostle James, namely, that the authority of God is the same in every one of them, and so may be despised in the neglect of the least as well as of the greatest, James ii. 10, 11.

2. To whom did Moses thus read every precept? It was, saith the apostle, Tavri To Xaw, to all the people.' In the story it is said indefinitely, in the audience of the people;' as afterwards, he sprinkled the people. The apostle adds the note of universality in both places, 'to all the people.' For whereas these things were transacted with the representatives of the people, (for it was naturally impossible that the one half of the individuals of them should hear Moses reading,) they were all equally concerned in what was said and done. Yet I do believe, that after Moses first told the people, that is, the elders of them,

all the words of the law, ver. 3, there were means used by the elders and officers, to communicate the things, yea to repeat the words unto all the people, that they might be enabled to give their rational consent unto them. And we may observe,

Obs. VI. The first eminent use of the writing of the book of the law, that is, of any part of the Scripture, (for this book was the first that was written,) was that it might be read unto the people. He gave not this book to be shut up by the priests: to be concealed from the people, as containing mysteries unlawful to be divulged, or impossible to be understood. Such conceits befel not the minds of men until the power and ends of religion being lost, some got an opportunity to order the concerns of it unto their own worldly interest and advantage.

Obs. VII. This book was both written and read in the language which the people understood and commonly spake; and a rule was herein prescribed unto the church in all ages, if so be the example of the wisdom and care of God towards his church may be a rule unto us.

Obs. VIII. God never required the observance of any rites or duties of worship, without a previous warrant from his word. The people took not on them, they were not obliged unto obedience with respect unto any positive institutions, until Moses had read unto them every precept out of the book.

Obs. IX. The writing of this book was an eminent privilege, now first granted unto the church, leading unto a more perfect and stable condition than formerly it had enjoyed. Hitherto it had lived on oral instructions, from traditions, and by new immediate revelations; the evident defects whereof were now removed, and a standard of divine" truth and instruction set up and fixed among them.

3. There is the rule whereby Moses proceeded herein, or the warrant he had for what he did, kara voμov, according to the law.' 'He read every precept according to the law.' It cannot be the law in general that the apostle intends, for the greatest part of that doctrine which is so called was not yet given or written, nor doth it in any place contain any precept unto this purpose. Wherefore it is a particular law, rule, or command, that is intended, according unto the ordinance or appointment of God. Such was the command that God gave unto Moses for the framing of the tabernacle: See thou make all things according to the pattern shown thee in the mount.' Particularly it seems to be the agreement between God and the people, that Moses should be the internuntius, the interpreter between them. According unto this rule, order, or divine constitution, Moses read all the words from God out of the book unto the people. Or it may be the law may here be taken for the whole design of God in giving of the law; so as that 'according unto the law,' is no more but according unto the sovereign wisdom and pleasure of God in giving of the law,' with all things that belong unto its order and use. And it is good for us to look for God's especial warrant, for what we undertake to do in his service.

6

And

The next thing in the words is, what Moses did immediately and directly towards the dedication or consecration of this covenant. there are three things to this purpose mentioned. 1. What he made 2. How he used it. 3. With respect unto what and whom.

use of.

1. The first is expressed in these words, λαβων το αἷμα των μοσχων και τραγών, 'He took the blood of calves and goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop.' He took the blood of the beasts that were offered for burnt-offerings and peace-offerings, Exod. xxiv. 5, 6. Unto this end, in their slaying, he took all their blood in basons, and made an equal division of it. The one half he sprinkled on the altar, and the other half he sprinkled on the people. That which was sprinkled on the altar was God's part, and the other was put on the people. Both the mutual stipulation of God and the congregation in this covenant, and the equality of it, or the equity of its terms, were denoted hereby. And herein lies the principal force of the apostle's argument in these words: blood was used in the dedication of the first covenant. This was the blood of the beasts offered in sacrifice unto God. Wherefore both death, and death by blood-shedding, was required unto the confirmation of a covenant. So also therefore must the new covenant be confirmed, but with blood and a sacrifice far more precious than they were. This distribution of blood, that half of it was on the altar, and half of it on the people, the one to make atonement, the other to purify or sanctify, was to teach the twofold efficacy of the blood of Christ, in making atonement for sin unto our justification, and the purifying of our natures in sanctification.

2. With this blood he took the things mentioned with respect unto its use, which was sprinkling, μετα ύδατος και εριου κοκκινου και ύσσω TOV ExpaνTIGE. The manner of it was in part declared before. The blood being put into basons, and having water mixed with it, to keep it fluid and aspersible, he took a bunch or bundle of hyssop bound up with scarlet wool, and dipping it into the basons, sprinkled the blood, until it was all spent in that service. This rite, or way of sprinkling, was chosen of God, as an expressive token or sign of the effectual communication of the benefits of the covenant unto them that were sprinkled. Hence the communication of the benefits of the death of Christ unto sanctification is called the sprinkling of his blood, 1 Pet. i. 2. And our apostle compriseth all the effects of it unto that end, under the name of the blood of sprinkling,' ch. xii. 24. And I fear that those who have used the expression with some contempt, when applied by themselves unto the sign of the communication of the benefits of the death of Christ in baptism, have not observed that reverence of holy things that is required of us. For this symbol of sprinkling was that which God himself chose and appointed, as a meet and apt token of the communication of covenant mercy, that is, of his grace in Christ Jesus unto our souls. And,

Obs. X. The blood of the covenant will not benefit or advantage us, without an especial and particular application of it unto our own isouls and consciences.-If it be not sprinkled on us, as well as offered unto God, it will not avail us. The blood of Christ was not divided, as was that of these sacrifices, the one half being on the altar, the other on the people; but the efficacy of the whole produced both these effects, yet so, as that the one will not profit us without the other. We shall have no benefit of the atonement made at the altar, unless we have its efficacy on our own souls unto their purification. And this we can