138 THE CHRISTIANS TREASURE. [SERM. XXXVIII. all the enjoyments of earth and time, and make,ÿou pos- sessors of all,the good things'in heaven and eternity. Second Use. This doctrine discovers to us the glory of the new covenant. A blessed covenant indeed that has given so rich' a treasure to creatures so unworthy l We are sinners, and deserve nothing, yet when we be- lieve in the Son of God, the gospel gives us in our mea- sure the inheritance and possession of all things. Adam was made Lord of this lower wórld ; this earth and thecreatures that dwell on it were put intohis hands, all things below were given him for his use, his support, and his delight. Thus mankind, considered in the first Adam, in his innocent estate, were lords of all. But by one man sin entered into the world :" Rom. y. 12. and by that sin, Adam has forfeited his sovereignty and dominion, with all his large possession of the creatures, both for himself and for us. When the sentence came forth from the mouth of God, " Cursed beThe ground for thy sake,' Gen. iii, 17, the curse fell on all this lower world, and did, as it were, make a seizure of the creatures out of the hands of Adam the great sinner. They are .no more his in that sanctified_ manner for his real and final benefit, as they were before-: They now become instruments of temptation 4r.nd sin, pain, and sorrow and misery. But the covenant of grace restores all back again to in and by the second Adam, who is the Lord of the new would, and under this character, is possessor of all things : And a sanctified use of all things is given to us again, in and by Christ Jesus, O glorious covenant, that can take a'vay the curse from creatures, and make them become a bloe;n to the saints ! But there is a further glory in it , `ill; for our posses- sion of all things in the second Adam, is far more secure than it was in the first. This rich andextensive treasure is put into the hands of Christ our Mediator, our Head, and our Surety for us, that we may not abuse our pos- session by sin to our own ruin; and that we maynot for- feit our inheritance the second time, and so.lose it for ever. Third Use. (This doctrine yields sweet consolation to a poor afflicted saint, who is taught to make a right im- provement of it. The gospel should teach a christian in these circùmstances, such divine language as this ; " Am
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