The Bowels of Tender Mercy Sealed in the Everlasting Covenant, Religious treatise · Part 1 · Chapter 6 · Section
Jeſus the Mediatour of the Covenant.
Hebrews 12. 24.
And to Ieſus the Mediatour of the New Covenant, and to the blood of ſprinkling that ſpeaketh better things than that of Abel.
THE Apoſtle in the 14. verſe of this Chapter exhorts the believing Hebrews (unto whom he wrote this Epiſtle) to the ſerious ſtudy and practice of peace and holineſſe: And in the 15. verſe he dehorts them from all bitterneſſe of ſpirit, and profaneneſſe of life. This latter he doth enforce by an argument ab exemplo: in verſe 16. from Eſau that looſe and profane perſon (who for one morſel of bread ſold his birthright) preferring the ſatisfaction of his ſenſual appe…ite, before the fruition of ſo a great bleſſing and dignity, the which he therefore forfeited, and could never obtain, although he ſought it carefully with tears, verſe 17.
The former duty of holineſſe he urgeth upon them from the conſideration of their evangelical eſtate (that is) of the excellencies, bleſſings, and priviledges which they had obtained by the Goſpel of Grace: To illuſtrate this the more, he makes a compariſon between the Law and the Goſpel; and the condition under the one, with the condition under the other, from verſe 18. to verſe 25. wherein he doth repreſent unto them their admirable advantages by the Goſpel, and therefore their ſtronger obligation to embrace it, and to live anſwerable unto it in holineſſe of converſation.
The condition in which ſinners lie whiles under the Law and the curſe thereof, and without Chriſt, is ſet forth in the 18, 19, 20, 21. verſes. I will give you the The Words opened.ſumme of it.
They have to do with God as a terrible Judge, ſitting on the Throne of his Juſtice, This is repreſented by Mount Sinai that burned with fire, and where the…e was blackneſs, and darkneſs, and tempeſt, verſe 18. All which ſhew unto us that dreadful and burning wrath of God againſt ſinners; and when he manifeſts himſelf unto them as their offended Judge, then they are filled with confuſion, and perplexity, and horror. They can neither fly from this God, nor yet abide his dreadful preſence; this is ſet out in verſe 19. 20. as if nothing but death were to be expected and preſent deſtruction: And truely the manifeſtations of God were (then) ſo terrible, that Moſes himſelf ſaid, I exceedingly fear and quake, ver. 21. No not the moſt righteous perſon is able to ſtand before God as a …udge.
But now let us conſider the other eſtate unto which Believers in Chriſt are brought by the Goſpel. This is ſet forth in verſe 22, 23, 24. But ye are come unto Mount Sion, the heavenly Jeruſalem, inſtead of Mount Sinai which was the ſeat of wrath; ye are come to Mount Sion which is the throne of Grace: And unto the City of the living God; ye are not now in a wilderneſs condition, but brought into a reſting place, into the heavenly Jeruſalem (which is the viſion of peace) where (being reconciled by Chriſt) you do abide, and enjoy the living God for your God.
And to Myriades, or innumerable company of Angels; even the Angels are fellow-Citizens with you in the heavenly Jeruſalem, and in this life your fellowſervants and Miniſters.
To the general aſſembly and Church of the first-born which are written in heaven. Through Chriſt ye are made members of the true Catholick Church, of the Elect and of all Believers, whoſe names are inrolled in heaven, written in the book of life, predeſtinated unto grace and glory.
And unto God the judge of all, who will condemn and puniſh his adverſaries; and abſolve, comfort, and reward, and ſave his people, according to his faithfull promiſes.
And to the Spirits of juſt men made perfect. To the Church triumphant in heaven, which is freed from all ſin and miſery, and partakes of perfect holineſs and happineſs; to which you have now a preſent right, and of which (are long) you ſhall by Chriſt have a ſure enjoyment with them that are already entred into that Poſſeſſion.
And to Jeſus the Mediatour of the new Covenant. Ye are under a Covenant of grace which proclaimes remiſſion of ſin, and of which Chriſt himſelf is Mediatour and Surety; by whom God is ſatisfied and reconciled.
And to the blood of ſprinkling; to the partaking of this blood which was ſhed for the remiſſion of ſins, and to cleanſe us from ſin; ſo that you are now juſtified and ſanctified by him; which ſpeaketh better things than that of Abel. The blood of Abel ſpake and cryed out againſt Cain for curſe and vengeance; but the blood of Jeſus Chriſt ſpeaks to God for mercy and pardon of ſin, and peace, and life, and is effectual for theſe.
Thus you ſee into what a ſurpaſſing condition the Goſpel brings believers in Chriſt, and of what efficacy the Apoſtles exhortation of them to holineſs ſhould therefore be.