number; yea, very few, and strangers in it, Psalm cv. 8-12. In this psalm here is,

1. A covenant; and this is called, “The word which he commanded to a thousand generations."

This word is confirmed by an oath to Isaac, and to Jacob for a law, and to Israel for an everlasting covenant. All which amounts to this, "Unto thee will I give the land of Canaan, the lot of your inheritance."

Now this covenant is called the covenant of promise; and the land of Canaan is called the promised land. "For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise." In this covenant there are two things promised;

1. A blessing to all Abraham's spiritual seed. "In thee and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." This blessing is eternal life. “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. God is not the God of the dead [for that is the god of this world,] but of the living." Now Paul says that the blessing of Abraham came on the Gentiles through faith. "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham;" and, “ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life."

2. In this covenant God promised the holy land to Abraham and to all his natural seed; but Abraham himself never enjoyed any inheritance in it, no not so much as to set a foot on; Abraham sought a better country; that is, an heavenly

one. And this God promises to all Abraham's spiritual seed; he gives both grace and glory. Hence this covenant is called the covenant of life and peace.

But then it may be asked why this covenant of promise and this word should be said to be confirmed to Jacob for a law? I answer, because it is the law of faith, which excludes boasting, and it requires the obedience of faith. And this is. the word which was preached to Israel; but it did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. They entered not in because of unbelief.

Furthermore, this covenant, or word, is said to be commanded to a thousand generations. God gave this word in the days of old, and great was the company of those that published it. Moses and all the prophets preached this word or promise of life. And it is plain that Christ received the same commandment; for when God set his king on his holy hill of Zion he commanded the blessing to be put there; for upon mount Zion God commanded the blessing, even life for evermore, Psalm cxxxiii. 3. And our Lord tells you that he received this commandment from the Father. "For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say, and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting."

And Christ gave the same commandment to

the apostles, "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature." And this may be further seen in Paul's epistle to the Romans. "But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith."

Take the whole thus: the blessing of everlasting life was promised to Abraham and to all his spiritual seed. This promise, or word of life, is the contents of God's covenant with Abraham; and this God commanded to be made known to all nations as a law requiring the obedience of faith.

"My son, keep thy father's commandment;" for God has commanded the promise, or word of life, to be published to every creature, and he applies it to all the sons and heirs of promise. This word must be received and kept; received in the light of it, so as to understand it; in the power of it, so as to be quickened by it; in the faith of it, so as to obey it; and in the love of it, so as to embrace it and hold it fast, profess it, and abide by it. "Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him." This will make manifest who they are that receive and keep the word of life, and who not. Christ will come and dwell in their hearts by faith, and God the Father will come and

dwell in their hearts by love; and such will find it to be what Peter did, the word of eternal life; and as it operates, grows, and prevails, freedom of soul will attend it. "Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Let my reader take notice of this, that the character in my text is that of a son, and he that gave the commandment is a father; and therefore it is not a legal commandment to a bondservant, but an evangelical one to a son. All that are under the law are servants, and not sons; in the flesh and not in the Spirit; and the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God; but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.

And by this thou wilt know whether thou art a servant or a son: if a servant, thou wilt cleave. to the law, and to thine own performances, and to the citizens of this country, to letter preachers, even if thy conscience be half in hell; and thou wilt despise all that are happy in Christ Jesus; for the law worketh wrath, and that will stir up thine enmity. But if a son, and an heir of promise, thou wilt expect no comfort but what the promises afford; these will be thine only breasts; and, indeed, there is no milk in any other.

"For

Now for the mother, and her law. sake not the law of thy mother." This mother doth not mean our natural parent; for all be

lievers have not righteous mothers; many of the saints' natural mothers are lawless and disobedient. Nor is Hagar the mother that is meant in my text; she was an Egyptian, and her son was born after the flesh, and persecuted him that was born after the Spirit; and his mother helped him; for which God turned them both out of doors. Beside, she was bought and sold like a slave, and her son was a wild man.

Nor is the earthly Jerusalem that now is this mother; for she is in widowhood, and desolate, and sitteth on the ground, and is in bondage, and all her children.

Sarah is the mother of this son in my text. "And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai, thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her; yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her," Gen. xvii. 15, 16. Hence it is that we are commanded to hearken to the Lord about this matter. "Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord; look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged; look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you; for I called him alone, and blessed him and increased him: for the Lord shall comfort Zion." Now this mother being Abraham's lawful wife by a marriage covenant, or a covenant of wedlock, and being blessed of God with the pro