SECTION VI, 569 New Testament, many ; or most of the special privileges of it, and the special duties of it are contained in them or founded upon them : For these privileges and these duties' are nothing else but the engagements which the gospel represents on God's side, and requires on ours, as, it is properly a covenant of grape between God and 'man ; and surely these engagements of hies- sings and duties are essential to this covenant, as it is a coustitu- tien in which two parties are mutually engaged, or at least which is proposed of God to be accepted of man. H. Upon this account, the doctrine of the atonement of Christ for' sin seems to me to be an essential part of christianity, because so many of the peculiar privileges and chief duties of it are so deeply interested therein, and are founded upon it. As for the duties of repentance, faith and hope, prayer and praise, love and obedience to God and Christ, this doctrine of the atoning sacrifice of Christ, is deeply concerned in them all. I)oth not St. Paul in his epistle to the Romans, chapter vi. build our hatred to sin, our repentance for it, and our mortii- cation of it on the doctrine of the foregoing chapters, where he had treated largely on the atoningblood of the Son of God ? How shall we continue in sin, since Christ died to remove it ? Is 'not our faith required to beafaith in the blood of Christ; Rom. iii. 25 ? Does not our hope depend on his death and his resurrec- tion ? Rom. v. 5, 6. and chapter viii. 31. Are we not directed topray in the name of our great High Priest who made reconci- liation or atonement for sins ? John xvi. 23, 21. Heb. ii. 17. and chapter iv. 14, 16. « IIavewe .not access to God through this Mediator, who has made peace by the biood óf his cross ?" Eplr ü. 13-18. Is he not appointed our Advocate with the Father, and our propitiation to encourage us to avoidevery sin ? 1 John ii. 1, 2. Must we not offer praise to our Lord Jesus Christ as the church in heaven does. he has redeemed us with his own blood ? Rev. v. 9, 13. Is not his dyingfor us re- presented as a reason and motive of our love andobedience to him, that is, living to him? 2 Cori. v. 15. Thus much for the duties of the covenant of grace ; and as for the promises and privileges of it, viz.. Pardon of sin, justifi- cation, acceptance with God, answer of prayer, holy peace and joy, together with the expectation of heavenly blessedness, are not all these built, according to the writings of the apostles, ou the doctrine of the atoning sacrifice of Christ, or his dying for our sins ? Rom, N. 1 -11. Is not the blood of Christ, which atones for sin ? Heb. x. 10. called the blood of the covenant, in terse 29 ? The bloodof the everlasting covenant, Whereby God be- conies the God ofpeace ? Heb. xiii. 20. Is not thistheblood ofthat sacrifice that has reconciled God and man, and brought them into a covenant of peace and mutual love ? And indeed without
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