Fellow sinner! if you know any thing of all this, you are not a stranger to that godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of. God has promised to forgive the penitent. He has pledged His word, that the act of forgiveness on His part, shall follow the exercise of repentance on yours. Returning prodigal!

pardoning mercy is thine.

It is as sure as the sincerity of thy repentance. Whoso covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them, SHALL FIND MERCY. His repentance

shall not purchase it; his repentance does not deserve it. Repentance has no intrinsic efficacy. It cannot entitle to pardon. It is not THE SAVIOUR; though without it we cannot be saved. God delights to forgive; He does forgive, though it cost the blood of His Son. No sooner does the rebel loathe and abhor himself, than God passes by his transgressions, and ceases to retain his anger. He rejoices over him with joy; he rests in his love; he will joy over him with singing. To forgive a hell-deserving sinner; to receive a rebel into favour; to wash away his deep-stained guilt, and become the everlasting friend of the friendless; is the highest exercise of perfect benevolence. O how gratifying to the benevolent

heart of God, to behold the returning prodigal, though a great way off! His compassions yearn over him. He longs to receive him into His arms. He is impatient to press him to His boHe runs; He falls upon his neck, and kisses

som.

him.

1

ESSAY VIII.

FAITH.

THE first glimmering of light that dawned upon the darkness of the fall, was ushered in by an obscure revelation of the covenant of grace. This covenant was faintly exhibited to Adam and Eve, in the denunciation of the curse upon the Tempter. It was made known more clearly to Noah, after the flood. It was renewed with Abraham, after God had called him from Urr of the Chaldees; with Isaac, in Gerar; with Jacob, at Bethel, and with the generation of Israel, in the wilderness. The light of truth rose gradually, and the covenant of grace gradually unfolded its blessings, till the Star of Bethlehem pointed to the Sun of Righteousness, and the promise of the covenant was sealed by the blood of its Surety.

There is an important distinction between the covenant of redemption, and the covenant of grace*. The period of their formation, the parties, the terms of these several covenants, are perfectly distinct.

* It is unhappy, that there should be a difference in the mode of representing this subject among divines that are reputed orthodox. The view which is given of it by an eminent divine of the Presbyterian Church, may not be unimportant in this place and day.

"There seems to be mention made in Scripture of a cove"nant or agreement between the Father and the Son. This, "the generality of Calvinist divines consider as a separate, "or preparatory contract, and call it the covenant of redemp❝tion. Some, however, especially those who have been term"ed ANTINOMIANS, consider this as properly the covenant ❝of grace, made with Christ the second Adam, as represent❝ing his spiritual seed; and the covenant said to be made "with believers, to be only the execution or administration "of that covenant, and therefore called a testament, being "the fruits of Christ's death, or ratified by the death of the "testator."

vinity.

Witherspoon's Introductory Lectures on Di

This distinction cannot be considered as an invention of the New School. It will be found expressly recognized by Van Mastricht, and I think, clearly implied by Turretin. Vid. Theoretico-Practica Theologia, Auctore, Petro Van Mastricht. lib. quint. cap. prim. de Fædere Gratie, and Institutio Theologia, Francisco Turretino, locus duodecimus. Questio secunda.

The covenant of redemption was formed from eternity; the covenant of grace, in time. The covenant of redemption was antecedently necessary to the existence of the covenant of grace. It was the perfect accomplishment of that arduous part which the Redeemer engaged to bear in the covenant of redemption, that laid the foundation for the covenant of grace. It was this, that justified God in entering into covenant with believers, and in engaging to save them through faith in the blood of Jesus.

The covenant of redemption subsists between the sacred persons in the ever-blessed Trinity, of which the atonement of Christ for the sins of the world is the stipulation, and the salvation of his chosen seed, the promise. The covenant of grace subsists between God and believers, of which, faith in Christ is the stipulation, and the salvation of believers the promise.

The covenant of grace, therefore, in distinction from the covenant of redemption, is nothing more nor less, than the promise of God to save all those who believe in Jesus Christ. The law of God is not now the rule of justification, though it is the rule of duty. We no longer hear the righteous demand, of