ß 6RRISTIAN DISPENSATION. and affections as well as outward actions. As for the doctrine and duty ofchristian love,' forbearance, and forgiveness of ene- mies, and a readiness to return good for evil, it is either-raised to higher degrees than before, or at least it is explained in a more spiritual and sublimer sense than the Jews were ever acquainted with, and enforced by superior motives, and through the aids of divine grace thousands of christians have lived honourably in the practice of it. II. " In the christian dispensation the gospel or covenant of grace is revealed more perfectly and plainly than ever before ; not in obscure expressions, in types and carnal metaphors, but in its own proper form and language, that is,' as a covenant relating to things spiritual and eternal. Every covenant between God and man, in the most complete sense of the word, implies some en- gagements on our side, which are appointed duties, and some engagements on God's side, which are promisedblessings. Now in both these respects the covenant of grace is revealed inthe New Testament in a much more plain and express manner than in former dispensations. The blessings of the covenant of grace are regeneration or a change of heart, pardon of sin,justification, and acceptance with God, adoption into his family, whereby we are made his children, sanctification of our natures, or being renewed after the image of God; assistance to perform duties and support under troubles, comfort in life and death, and everlasting joy in another world in the presence of God and our blessed Saviour. These are most plainly described in the New Testament. The duties of this covenant are faith or trust in a Messiah, who is much better known now having actually appeared in the flesh, unfeigned repentance toward God, confession of sin, converse with God in secret prayer, love to God as a Father, delight in him, joyful hope in his promised mercy, zeal for his honour, and sincere obedience arising from a principle of faith and love. All these are more expressly required in our gospel. I grant that the . chief of these things were contained also in the former dispensations, particularly the Jewish but manyof them werethere veiledunder types and figures and dark shadows so that the Jewswere ready to take up with these shadows in- stead of the substance. Andbesides these spiritual promises and precepts of the gospel were then mixed with so mony carnal commandments and temporal promises of the Sinai-covenant, that the Jews knew not well how to distinguish them : They were too often ready to neglect the inward and spiritual consttu- tion or covenant of grace, that ran through all the dispensations of God, as well as the more spiritual duties of the moral law they were ever mistaking their covenant of Sinai, which consist-
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