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1. Isaac was the child of Abraham; not by natural power. (Gen. xvii. 19.) So are believers. (Gal. iii. 17; verse 29.) And by virtue of the promise. (Gal. iii. 8, compared with Gen. xviii. 18; Gal. iii. 16.) Thus, as Isaac was a child of the promise made to Abraham; so are believers not only children of the promise made to Abraham, but also to Christ. Heb. ii. 13.

2. Isaac was the fruit of prayer, as well as the child of promise. (Gen. xv. 2, 3.) May we not allude to this here. John xvii. 20. 24.

3. Isaac's birth was the joy of his parents. (Gen. xxi. 6. Even so with reference to believers. Luke xv. 7; Gal. iv. 27.

4. Isaac was born not after the flesh, but by the promise; not of the bond-woman, but of the free. Compare Gal. iv. 22, 23, with verses 24, 25, 26. 28. 31. So believers are not under the law. Rom. vi. 14.

5. Isaac was no sooner born than he was mocked by Ishmael; so it is now. Gal. iv. 29; 2 Tim. iii. 12; Luke xxi. 17; 1 Peter iv. 13, 14.

6 Isaac was the heir, by promise, though thus persecuted. (Gal. iv. 30, compared with Gen. xxi. 10; xv. 3, 4.) Even so believers. (Rom. viii. 17; 1 Pet. i. 4, 5.) The trials and difficulties that encountered Isaac in the way of the accomplishment of the promise were very great. (Gen. xxii. 2, compared with Heb. xi. 17. 19.) Now in like manner, the children of promise have to encounter extraordinary difficulties: providences may run so cross to the promise, as that the fatal knife may seem to be at the very throat of the promise; but faithful is he who hath promised. 1 Peter iv. 12; i. 7.

III. How the promise hath such virtue for begetting children to God.

1. As it is the discovery of Divine love. Titus ii. 11 ; Rom. i. 16, 17.

2. The object of faith. Rom. x. 17.

3. The ground of hope. 1 Peter i. 3.

4. The seed of regeneration. 1 Peter i. 23. 25.

5. The communication of grace. Heb. viii. 8. 12; Acts xxvi. 18.

6. The chariot of the Spirit. 2 Cor. iii. 8; Gal. iii. 14; Ps. cx. 2; Isa. lix, 21.

Inferences.

1. If believers are children of promise, then boasting is excluded. Rom. iii. 27: iv. 5.

2. Then salvation is free. Rom. iv. 6; Ephes. ii. 8.

3. The happiness and dignity of believers: they are the children of God. (Gal iii. 26.) of the kingdom. (Matt. xiii. 38.) of Sion. (Ps. cxlix. 2.) of Jerusalem above. (Gal. iv. 26.) of light. (Luke xvi. 8.) of wisdom. (Matt. xi. 19.) of Abraham. (Gal. iii. 7.) of the resurrection. (Luke xx. 36.) of grace and glory, heirs, &c. (Rom. viii. 17.) May they not exclaim with the apostle, 1 John iii. 1, 2.

4. The misery of the wicked. Who are children of the night, &c. (1 Thess. v. 5.) of the curse, Cursed children. (2 Peter ii. 14.) of wrath. (Ephes. ii. 3.) of perdition. (John xvii. 12.) of iniquity. (Hosea x. 9.) of disobedience. (Eph. ii. 2; v. 6.) children of hell and the devil. (1 John iii. 10; Matt. xiii. 38; xxiii. 15; John viii. 44.) Yet such once were the children of promise. (Ephes. ii. 3; 1 Cor. vi. 11.) Hence the apostle, in the text, 66 Now, we, brethren," &c. Let us, therefore, attend to the apostle's injunction. 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18.

THE SAINT'S SECURITY.

And there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald.-Rev. iv 3.

THERE were three things which John saw in a vision ; first, a throne set in heaven: by which we may understand the church militant, and the glorious dispensation of grace under the New Testament economy. This throne is said to be set in heaven. (Heb. xii. 22.) By him who sitteth on the throne we may understand Christ in our nature; (Rev. v. 6; Ezek. i. 26.) Like a jasper and sardine stone the brightness of the jasper and the redness of the sardine stone are connected. White in his divine, red in his human nature or sufferings, as it were of a lamb slain. (Isa, Ixiii. 1, 2.) "And there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight, like unto an emerald." Here we may

conceive a manifest allusion to God's covenant with Noah: (Gen. ix.) When the Lord called back the waters of the deluge, he made a promise, and bound himself by covenant, that he would not again destroy the earth by water; and in token of his faithfulness, set his bow in the clouds. With allusion to this, God's throne of grace, or mercy seat, from which all the promises of the covenant do proceed, is said to be surrounded with a rainbow, to signify, that God dealeth with his people in the way of covenant. In sight like unto the emerald, i. e. of a green colour, to signify the perpetuity of the covenant, by virtue of the faithfulness of him who hath engaged in it. The word of the Lord endureth for ever.

'Consider,

1. A few things respecting the covenant of grace, and the faithfulness of God engaged in this covenant.

1. The covenant.

1. The occasion of the covenant of grace, like that of Noah, was a deluge of wrath, which broke out on Adam and all his family, in consequence of the violation of the covenant of works: this is pointed at (Ezek. xvi. 4. 8.) By the breach of the covenant of works, we become alienated from the life of God, enemies in our minds, darkness, under wrath and condemnation.

2. The rise and spring of this covenant; the surprising love of God. John iii. 16; Jer. xxxi. 3; Eph. ii. 4, 5.

3. The revelation of this covenant. (Gen. iii. 15.) The first edition was enlarged and explained to Abraham, Moses, David; and more fully opened by Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and other prophets, till Christ himself actually came, and, by his death, confirmed this covenant. After his resurrection, this covenant came forth in its last and best edition.

2. The faithfulness of God engaged in this covenant.

1. It is not an hasty or indeliberate deed; but the result of his eternal purpose and council. Men may speak before they think; the word of the Lord is sure and stable, as mountains of brass.

3. God cannot forget his covenant, man may promise and forget. Isa. xlix. 15.

27.

3. Will not change his mind. Heb. xiii. 8; Ps. cii, 25.

1

4. Cannot break his word. (1 Thess. v. 24; Josh. xxiii. 14.) It is confirmed by oath. (Ps. lxxxix. 35; Heb. vi. 17.) Sealed with the death of the Testator. (Heb. ix. 16. 18.) Jesus Christ subscribes it with his own blood; and the moment a sinner takes hold of it, he sealeth it upon the heart by his Spirit. Ephes. i. 13.

II. Take a view of this covenant, and the faithfulness of God engaged therein, under the similitude of a rainbow surrounding the throne.

1. The rainbow of God's setting. I have set my bow in the clouds. So the covenant of grace is of God's making. Ps. lxxxix. 3; ver. 28; Isa. Iv. 3.

2. The bow was set in the clouds, on God's smelling a sweet savour in Noah's sacrifice. (Gen. viii. 20. 22.) So here, upon Christ (our blessed Noah) engaging to make himself a sacrifice to justice, in our stead. God smelling a sweet savour in his death, setteth this bow of the covenant in the church.

3. God's bow in the clouds is a security against the waters of the deluge. A greater security than the sands and rocks. So the covenant of grace, founded and sealed with the blood of the Lamb, is a glorious security (for all who flee to it by faith) against a deluge of devouring wrath. Isa. liv. 9.

4. The rainbow (as naturalists tell us) is a reflection of the rays of the sun. So here it is the Sun of Righteousness that giveth being to this covenant.

5. Though the arch of the bow be high above, and reacheth to the heavens, yet the extremes of it stoop down to the earth, so that, whatever part we are in, it pointeth towards us; so here, though the head of the covenant be in heaven, yet the covenant itself stoopeth down to earth. Rom. x. 6. 8; Acts xiii. 26.

6. God's bow in the clouds is very extensive, reaching from one end of the heaven to the other; so God's covenant of grace is large and wide enough to take in all of Adam's race. And yet there is room. Isa. lv. 1, 2.

This bow is said to be round about the throne. This may set forth the glorious majesty of a God in Christ, that it is accessible from every quarter, show the stability of it, the connexion between all the parts of the coveriant; and there is no access to a throne of grace, but by virtue of the covenant.

Inferences.

1. The necessity of fleeing for refuge to the covenant of grace. We are condemned by the covenant of works, exposed to wrath, &c.

2. The encouragement we have to take hold thereof. Ps. Ixviii. 18; Isa. lv. 7.

3. The blessedness of those who have by faith entered within the bow of this covenant. Pardon, peace, reconciliation, sanctification, glorification, eternal glorification.

REGENERATION A SOURCE OF THE NOBLEST JOY,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who of his abundant mercy, hath begotten us again unto a lively hope, by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, &c.-1 Peter i. 3-5.

THE ungodly may be patient, but are seldom joyful in affliction, their happiness almost entirely dependeth on outward circumstances. But the regenerate have sources of joy peculiar to themselves, nor can they be in any state wherein they have not any abundant cause to bless God. The persons to whom St. Peter wrote were scattered abroad, and in a state of persecution; yet he beginneth his epistle to them, not in terms of pity and condolence, but of praise and thanksgiving.

1. The causes of regeneration.

Regeneration is a spiritual and supernatural change of

heart.

He

1. The efficient cause of it is God; God, under the Old Testament dispensation, was the God of Abraham; under the gospel, he appeareth under the more endearing title, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. is our God and Father also, in and through Christ Jesus; in this relation he is considered as begetting us again. He effecteth, however, this great work, by means of his word and Spirit.

2. The moving cause of it is his mercy. God hath not respect to any goodness or merit in the creature, he is

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