matter of high importance and of great concernment, for all mortals
to make good his covenant to his people. I might have laid down several other unanswerable arguments to have evinced this blessed truth, that there is a covenant between God and his people; but let these eight suffice for the present.
7. Seventhly and lastly, Premise this with me—namely, that it is a matter of high importance and of great concernment, for all mortals to have a clear and a right understanding of that covenant under which they are, 2 Sam. 23:3-4. God deals with all men according to the covenant under which they stand. We shall never come to understand our spiritual estate and condition, until we come to know what covenant we are under, Psalm 105:8, 111:5; 1 Cor. 11:28; Gal.
4:23-25. If we are under a covenant of works, our state is miserable; if we are under a covenant of grace, our state is happy. If we die under a covenant of works, we shall be certainly damned; if we die under a covenant of grace, we shall be certainly saved.
Until we come to understand what covenant we are under, we shall never be able to put a right construction, a right interpretation, upon any of God's actions, dealings, or dispensations towards us. When we come to understand that we are under the covenant of grace, then we shall be able to put a sweet, a loving, and a favorable construction upon the most sharp, distressing, severe, and dreadful dispensations of God, knowing that all flows from love, and shall work for our external, internal, and eternal good, and for the advancement of
God's honor and glory in the world. [Rev. 3:19; Job 1:21; Jer. 24:4-5;
Romans 8:28; Heb. 12:10-11; 2 Cor. 4:15-18.] When we come to understand that we are under a covenant of works, then we shall know that there are wrath, and curses, and woes wrapped up in the most favorable dispensations, and in the greatest outward mercies and blessings which Christ confers upon us. [Proverbs 1:32; Mal. 2:2;
Deut. 28:15-20; Lev. 26:14-24; 2 Cor. 2:14; Heb. 12:1.]
If a man is under a covenant of grace—and does not know it, how can he rejoice in the Lord? How can he sing out the high praises of God?
How can he delight himself in the Almighty? How can he triumph in
Christ Jesus? How can he cheerfully run the race which is before him? How can he bear up bravely and resolutely in his sufferings for the cause of Christ? How can he besiege the throne of grace with boldness? How can he be temptation-proof? How can he be dead to this world? How can he long to be with Christ in that other world?
And if a man be under a covenant of works—and does not know it, how can he lament and bewail his sad condition? How can he be earnest with God to bring him under the bond of the new covenant?
How can he desire after Christ? How can he choose the things that please God? How can he cease from doing evil, and learn to do well?
How can he lay hold on eternal life? How can he be saved from wrath to come? etc.
If we are under a covenant of grace—and do not know it, how can we manage our duties and services with that life, love, seriousness, holiness, spiritualness, and uprightness, as becomes us? [Psalm 16:4;
Amos 8:5; Mal. 1:13; Hosea 6:4, and 4:10; Psalm 36:3.] etc. If we are