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CHRIST THE MEDIATOR OF THE

BETTER COVENANT.

HEBREWS viii. 6.

But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is THE MEDIATOR OF A BETTER COVENANT, which was established upon better promises.

HAVING considered the peculiar character of that better covenant of which Jesus is Mediator, we are now to dwell more particularly upon his administration of it as such: a subject full of encouragement, and opening the brightest views that can be presented to the eye of faith, on this side eternity. May the blessed Spirit of God, brethren, strengthen our souls, while we meditate upon his testimony; that we may behold and triumph in the glory of the person of Jesus, in the perfection of his work, in the all-sufficiency of his intercession, who is "the apostle and high priest of our profession." (Heb. iii. 1.)

In contemplating, as we have so lately done, the

distinguishing features of the better covenantexceeding freeness of pardoning grace, fulness of promised blessings, and security for their everlasting enjoyment-two inquiries seem naturally to suggest themselves: one, To what are we indebted for these amazing benefits? The other, How are they to be enjoyed? What is the channel by which God has ordained the communication and actual experience of them? Now, either of these inquiries instantly leads our minds to the consideration of the Lord Jesus Christ, ministering this covenant as the Mediator, in all respects, between God and us. "There is one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Tim. ii. 5.)

Such a mediator is absolutely required by the circumstances of man as a sinner; and this necessity is the first point that must engage our attention. Man cannot come to God, and treat with him, immediately, in his own person. The two are, by nature, at utter enmity; and until the grounds of it be completely removed, there is no possibility of intercourse.

God, however willing he be to make his creature happy by communion with himself, cannot compromise his essential perfections, and dishonour them in the face of all intelligent beings, by admitting a rebel, with guilt unatoned for, into his presence and favour. And as for man,

he not only has, of himself, no will for reconcilia-
tion, not only likes to be at a distance from God,
but if, from conviction of danger or misery in this
condition, he desire to return, he cannot take a
single step thereto. The holy law instantly
arrests him with demands of perfect obedience,
and curses him from God as a transgressor. The
holiness of the divine nature, the righteous re-
quirements of the divine government, the truth of
the divine word-all these are as lightnings that
dart forth on every side against the sinner, and
make God "a consuming fire" to all who would
approach him in that character. The sinner may
not come he has no invitation, no permission to
treat with God in his own person; he can offer
nothing that should prevail with God to lay aside
these terrors; and if, in proud defiance of warn-
ing, he venture before him with some wretched
plea of personal goodness, some price in his hand
of repentance, or duties performed, that, with
more or less of Christ's grace, are to buy him
pardon and favour from God, he will meet with
nothing but hell from his frown and so the
punishment of sinners who obey not the gospel
of Christ is expressed by "destruction from the
presence of the Lord."
Depart from me, ye
cursed." Indeed, the man who has any suitable
apprehensions of the divine character dares not
come before God. He feels that he is a sinner,

and God an avenger; and as Adam "hid himself from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden," so now, men, either by open neglect of religion, or by substitution of forms, and ceremonies, and body worship, in the place and of spiritual communion, shun God, and labour to be acceft", that the times keep at a distance from him.

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Hence it is clear that, if any reconciliation is to take place between man and God, there needs a mediator; and the particulars referred to above show also what are the qualifications essential to such a mediator. He must be of dignity suitable to treat with God on man's behalf. He must have some right to be accepted as the representative of men. He must be sufficient surety for both parties for men, to satisfy all demands of God's righteousness, which on his part preclude reconciliation; and for God, to quiet effectually all guilty fears and doubts, on man's part, of his perfect willingness to receive, pardon, and bless him. In a word, he must be such as both can fully rest on, for the removal of every bar to peace, and the procuring of perfect good-will between them.

Where shall such a mediator be found? the highest archangel is still a creature has no dignity but what God has put upon him: moreover, if he were able to satisfy for man, he is not of man's nature, and therefore cannot represent him; his satisfaction would have no connexion with

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those for whom he offered it; and being, as a creature, infinitely inferior to him for whom he acted, he could give no pledge for God, sufficient to re-assure the conscience of a sinner. Who shall give security for God, but one equal with himself? Clearly, he that is to be mediator between God and man must have the nature of both.

Blessed be God, such a mediator is found in the person of Jesus, the incarnate Word. The double nature of the God-man, Christ Jesus, gives security, to both parties, for the fulfilment of all that is necessary, on either side, for peace. While, as man, he can give security to God on our behalf, -as the eternal Word, equal with the Father, he gives security to us for God. The highest pledge that can be taken of a monarch for his observance of a treaty is, when a member of his family, his own child, is retained by those concerned, as a hostage. So, when God would assure men of the "immutability of his counsel"

of

peace, he gave his only begotten Son to be one of them to be retained, as it were, in their own nature, a pledge that he will make good all his word. O the wondrous depths of divine love that are treasured up in the person of Christ!

View him again as man: as such, he was qualified to render, for us, all that is needed to win justice itself to the side of mercy, and make it glorious in God to admit a hell-deserving sinner, without plea