02.13 The New Covenant (Part Two)

Tuesday, February 21, 1899; 7:30 p. m.

SERMON No. IX.—THE NEW COVENANT (PART 2).

Text: "And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, SAYING, In thee shall all nations be blessed (Gal 3:8)."

I have introduced this passage tonight as a suggestive introduction to what I shall say because I desire to bring out very clearly some things pertaining to God’s purpose that have not been brought out heretofore. One might naturally conclude that Paul means here that the Gospel was really preached to Abraham. This is not a fact. Allow me to paraphrase this passage and thus bring out Paul’s idea: "Previous to the age of the gospel, the scriptures foreseeing God would justify the heathen through faith, it was announced to Abraham that in his seed all nations of the earth should be blessed." I may say that not only was this before the Gospel; it was before the covenant of circumcision; before the covenant of Sinai. As an enlargement of the same thought I read from Paul again: "Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ (Gal 3:16)." It is a fact that God made a promise to Abraham and renewed it to Isaac and to Jacob and enlarged it to Israel for their benefit primarily. Moses declared that God made a covenant with them at Horeb-Sinai (Deu 5:2). Jeremiah said that when he took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt he made a covenant with them (Jer 31:31-34). I have proven to you that the old covenant was an exclusive covenant, indeed without the element of exclusiveness it would not and could not be a covenant. But according to this text God had in mind the salvation not only of the Jews but also the Gentiles even before the law was given— God’s eternal purpose. There is such a thing developed in the Scriptures as God’s purpose. Speaking of God’s plans Paul uses these words: "To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God. According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord (Eph 3:10-11)." While God made an exclusive covenant with Israel at mount Sinai He did it not simply for their benefit but that He might educate them up to the point, that He might with them at last make a covenant, the benefits of which would extend to every kindred, tribe and tongue. I think it will be well for us to go back to the prophecy of Jeremiah again: "Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant"—not the continuation of the old covenant—"with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: Not according to the covenant"—mark you well the distinction— "that I made with their fathers, in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt;"—this was at Sinai at the giving of the ten commands—"which my covenant they brake,"—Who? Israel!—"although I was a husband unto them, saith the Lord: But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; After those days, saith the Lord, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write in their hearts;" —in the first covenant the law was engraved on stones—"and will be their God, and they shall be my people. And they shall teach no more every man his neighbour, and every man his brother,"— many children by reason of birth were members of the covenant —"saying, Know the Lord: for they shall all know me,"—you cannot become a member of the covenant without knowledge— "from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord: for I will forgive"—no full forgiveness under the old covenant— "their iniquity, and I will remember"—under the old covenant there was a remembrance of sin every year, perpetually—"their sin no more (Jer 31:31-34)." It is a curious and interesting fact that while the old covenant was so very exclusive as a matter of fact God was planning to make with that very family a covenant that should embrace everybody and extend to the end of time. The very promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob proves that. The text under consideration declares that God preached unto Abraham declaring that in him all families of the earth should be blessed. You raise the question I imagine, What advantage therefore had the Jews? Paul propounds and answers the same question. I will give it to you in his own words: "What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles"—laws, or covenants and prophecies—"of God (Rom 3:1-2)." That is to say God’s promises, God’s laws, were committed unto them, and though they may not have fully understood God’s plan, or purpose, or philanthropy, it was a fact that God intended that the time should come when His law, His mercy, His kindness, should burst the bounds of that little tribe or nation and flow to every nation of the world. As a matter of fact the prophets of God are clear and specific on this point. I give you the exact words of the prophet: "And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth (Isa 49:6)." Again: "And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising (Isa 60:3)." Again: "For Zion’s sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem’s sake I will not rest, until the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth. And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name (Isa 62:1-2)." Again, turning to the New Testament we have the words of the great apostle of the Gentiles; referring to the gospel of our Lord he says: "For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him (Rom 10:12)." Again: "But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God (1Co 1:23-24)." Again, and this is far more explicit than any of the others: "Whereof I was made a minister, according to the gift of the grace of God given unto me by the effectual working of his power. Unto me, who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ (Eph 3:7-8)." Paul said that the day was planned even from the day of Abraham, for God seeing or foreordaining or pre-arranging that this should be done told Abraham that in his family all nations of the earth should be blessed. Mark you this! That the covenant made with Israel or with Judah and Israel according to the prediction of the prophet Jeremiah was to be as wide as the world. Jew and Gentile, Greek, Barbarian, including everybody and in every age until the end of time. The covenant is a very radical covenant. The first covenant was in a sense superficial, limited in its application, limited in its power. It was not heart searching, heart purifying, heart uplifting, but the new covenant was to be and is very radical in its effects and its style! Jeremiah in the quotation already given says that it was the design of God to write His law in the hearts of men. If a man’s heart is engaged, if his faculties are involved, it is easy enough to get him to do right, but it is very difficult to get a man to do right simply by holding a menace, a threat, a sword, over his head. The old contention that if a man’s heart is right everything else will follow does not lack much of being true. For if a man’s heart is right, in the right sense, it is easy to lead that man in the way of righteousness, in the way everlasting. I desire to be very specific and enlarge this idea until you shall be able to see it fully. I turn therefore to the New Testament calling the Master as my first witness as to the radical or the revolutionary power of the new covenant: "If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you (John 15:7-8)." How utterly unlike anything in the law of Moses that statement is. Here we have the assurance of the abiding presence and power of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Again: "Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members or instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God (Rom 6:12-13)." Under the law a man might have all sorts of lustful desires without breaking the law. The law did not in my judgment aim so much at the heart, at the mainspring, as it did at the act. So long as the overt act was not committed the man was not held to be guilty, but if the act were committed though he violated only one law he was a violator of the law and therefore as guilty as if he had broken every law. Under the Gospel, however, we are required and expected to bring all our senses and faculties into submission and subjection under the authority of Him who reigns in earth and sky. Again: "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the spirit of God dwelleth in you (1Co 3:16)?" Again: "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your Spirit, which are God’s (1Co 6:19-20)." Not only does the new covenant involve the heart, the conscience, the mind: not only does it involve all these senses of the body and all the faculties of the inner man, it involves also the perpetual indwelling of the Spirit of God in these mortal bodies of ours. Again, and these quotations are ascending—working up to a climax: "That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph 3:17-19)." Notice here that under the Gospel we are not to be filled with awe, filled with fear, but to be filled with all the fulness of Christ, filled with the Holy Spirit, and to be able to comprehend its limitations under us, above us, around us! Still again: "Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain (Php 2:12-16)." Again: "Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus (Col 1:28)." Under the law the statutes of God were written on tables of stone or on parchment and deposited in the ark of the covenant, but under the Gospel it is written in the consciences, in the hearts, in the minds, upon the lives of the children of men and we not only say that but we arise to the sublimer height of the declaration that the Spirit of God, that God Himself, and that Jesus dwell in us. How radical that, how deep that, how comprehensive that, how sweeping that, when compared to the law of Moses. The radical power of the Gospel in its effect upon the heart—that is upon the affections, upon the conscience— that is upon that power within us that decides on the testimony given whether a thing is right or wrong, upon the mind—that by which we think, is apparent throughout the entire scriptures of the New Testament, but in no place is it more apparent than in the radical contrast of the Gospel when laid down by the side of the law.

I have had a great deal to say about the ten commands and I think I have something to say tonight that will be far more interesting, far more instructive, far more helpful to you than anything that I have said heretofore. Turn to the twentieth chapter of Exodus. The first two commandments were against idolatry. I hear a man say that, "If the ten commands are not in force then if I want to worship idols I have a right to do it, if I want to make an image I have a right to do it." I want to show you what a fearful mistake that is. The point is this: We are not to refrain from making idols and worshiping idols because the Jews were commanded not to do it, but because we know God, and the desire to do such a thing is forever taken out of the heart. How utterly foolish it would be to command a man not to do a thing which you could not force him to do it if his life were at stake. I will give you a number of passages: "That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust (Mat 5:45)." Again: "If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him (Mat 7:11)." Again: "There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism (Eph 4:4-5)." Our Lord came to show us the Father. He has forever taken away the necessity of coercion. Did you ever ask yourself the question: Why do men make idols? I answer it is the feeble grasping of the lost soul after God. But God our Father has revealed Himself, made known His attributes: His love, His tenderness, His kindness, His salvation, and therefore all who know Him are under no necessity of living under a command that has the penalty of death attached to it. There are thousands of Christians who would lay down their lives rather than make or bow to an idol! Hence where the Spirit of Jesus dwells there is liberty. I do not refrain from idolatry because of any command but because I know the true God and His Son. The third commandment is with reference to the honoring of the name of God. Allow me to turn to the New Testament and show you what a vastly different conception it gives us of how we ought to behave ourselves not only with reference to the name of God but everything else: "Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shall perform unto the Lord thine oaths: But I say unto you, Swear not at all: neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne: Nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black (Mat 5:33-36)." The fourth commandment was with reference to the observance of the seventh day, and I know our Father considered that He did well to get people like these to serve Him one day in seven. Hear the word to the members of the new and better covenant: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable, unto God which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God (Rom 12:1-2)." What does that mean? If it means anything it means that we are to serve God with our bodies, with all our senses, and with all our faculties and to do it every day. That is the Gospel, that is the new covenant, that is the everlasting testament sanctified by the blood of Jesus Christ, but so far as any special duty is concerned, hear the apostle: "One man esteemeth one day above another: another esteemeth every day alike. Let every man be fully persuaded in his own mind. He that regardeth the day, regardeth it unto the Lord; and he that regardeth not the day, to the Lord he doth not regard it. He that eateth, eateth to the Lord, for he giveth God thanks; and he that eateth not, to the Lord he eateth not, and giveth God thanks. For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself. For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living (Rom 14:5-9)." Observe: "One man esteemeth every day alike." I belong to that class. It is not the day, it is the act. It is not the observance of the day but it is the honoring God every day. The new testament expects us to give our bodies and to give our service unto God every day. The fifth commandment required that children should honor their parents: Hear the New Testament on the subject: "Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. Honour thy father and mother; which is the first commandment with promise; That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (Eph 6:1-4)." The decalogue favored the fathers and mothers, but the Gospel lays the obligation on them as well as it does upon the children. Not only are the children to honor their parents, but the parents are to honor their children, and bring them up in the ways of God. The sixth commandment of the old covenant written on stone prohibited murder. Turn with me to the New Testament and behold the difference, as vast as the difference between midnight’s solemn hour and the blaze of a mid-summer sun: "A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another (John 13:34-35)." The best Moses could say was, "Thou shalt not kill. But the Gospel of the Son of God gets right down into the very depths of a man’s heart and tells him that here is the new commandment and by your observance of this all those who know you shall also know that you are His disciples. Again: "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (John 15:12-13)." Again: "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: for ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him (1Jn 3:14-15)." Mark this well. The law of the new covenant that is written upon the heart, is that we shall love one another, that we shall love our brethren, and that the man who hates his brother is a murderer and he abides in death. The law looked to the outside, the law said that men should not kill. The Gospel comes forward and tells you that you must love your brother. Not only this. Contrast this with the commandment given by Moses: "Thou shalt not kill?" "Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God (Eph 5:21)." Again: "Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than themselves. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus (Php 2:3-5)." On the sublime heights and glories and depths and circumferences of brotherly love! How utterly unlike the law, how utterly unlike anything that any man under the administration of that law ever thought or dreamed of! The seventh commandment was against adultery. How radical the Gospel is when compared with that: "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart (Mat 5:27-28)." Under the law a man might have lust, he might have licentious desires and not break the commands, but whoso looketh on a woman with a lustful eye, whoso looketh on a man with a lustful eye, is an adulterer or an adulteress in the sight of Christ, in the sight of God. The power of God and the indwelling Christ aim at the very root of the matter; not to antagonize us with threats, but to take forever the desire from us and to form Christ in us which is the hope of glory. The eighth commandment is against stealing. Moses said that they should not steal, that is to say they should not appropriate the possessions of another without giving an equivalent. How radical the Gospel when compared with that! Hear the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ Himself: "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do you even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets (Mat 7:12)." A man who lives under that rule does not need any law to tell him that he shall not steal or cheat. Still there is another strong passage on this subject, and I want to present that to you: "For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another (Gal 5:13)." Not only are men required to serve one another, to love one another, but they are actually required to help another. How different from that simple commandment to let other people’s business alone: "Thou shalt not steal!" Again: "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth (Eph 4:28)." The ninth commandment was against bearing false witness. How radical the Gospel when compared to that! Allow me to introduce the testimony of our favorite witness, the great apostle of the Gentiles: "Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men (Rom 12:17)." Again: "Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good (Rom 12:21)." And again: "For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil (Rom 16:19)." Again: "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil (1Co 13:4-5)." My brother that is the Gospel! And again: "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Abstain from all appearance of evil (1Th 5:15-22)." And again and finally on this point: "Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and pursue it (1Pe 3:9-11)." The tenth commandment was against covetousness. I want you to hear the New Testament on this subject—the testimony of the great apostle of the Gentiles again—strong, positive, unequivocal: "Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men (1Th 5:14)." Not only are we not to unlawfully desire that which is another’s but we are to give of our time, our talent, our means —we are actually to support the weak! Again: "Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Gal 6:2)." How deep the Gospel! How wide the Gospel! How high the Gospel! How sweeping the Gospel! How all-embracing the Gospel! How radical the Gospel! How revolutionary the Gospel of the Son of God when compared with the commandments that were hurled from Sinai. But did you know we had a new decalogue? It is a fact that there are ten commandments under the new covenant comprehending in brief all the principles that I have enunciated before you tonight. If a man were to ask you in what chapter can the ten commandments of the new institution be found I am satisfied that you would not know how to answer. We can find a hundred commandments, yea, a thousand, but there is one chapter containing seventeen verses—the very same number of verses as in the ten commandments—that gloriously emphasizes the power and the beauty and the saving efficacy of the Gospel of God’s dear Son. Allow me to read to you. I will number these commandments and when I get done reading you will understand just what Jeremiah meant and what Paul meant when they declared that the new covenant should not be like the old, just what they meant when they declared that the law shall be written in the hearts, in the conscience, in the lives, of men:

First, "If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."

Second, "Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them."

Third, "But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth."

Fourth, "Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge alter the image of him that created him: where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all."

Fifth, "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering;"

Sixth, "Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye."

Seventh, "And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness."

Eighth, "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

Ninth, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord."

Tenth, "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." See Col 3:1-17.

Viewing this in the light of the ten commands from Sinai, I think it is no wonder that Paul said the ministration of death written and engraven on stones is done away and its glory hath been overshadowed by the splendor of a new covenant. Reading this in the light of the cross of Calvary it is no wonder that Paul said: "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death (Rom 8:2)." The way to God under the first testament—I have detailed it to you already. Sacrifice, washing, the door of the tabernacle, bread, light, incense, veil, mercy seat, God’s glory! The way to God under the new institution is similar to that: "Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed (Isa 53:4-5)." Again on this point: "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world (John 1:29)." Again on this point: "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that ye, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls (1Pe 2:24-25.)" Washing: "Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God (John 3:15)." Again on this point: "And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark 16:15-16)." Again on this point: "And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one (1Jn 5:8)." Admission into the church, "Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved (Acts 2:47)." Again, "Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God (Rom 15:7)." Again: "For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church (Eph 5:31-32)." Bread and light: "And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule (feed) my people Israel (Mat 2:6)." This is a quotation from the prophet relative to the feeding of Israel. Again: "But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin (1Jn 1:7)." Again on this point: "And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true; and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life (1Jn 5:20)." Mercy seat: "Likewise the Spiritalso helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God (Rom 8:26-27)." Again on this point: "For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God (1Ti 3:5)?" Again: "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them (Heb 7:25)." And again: "My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world (1Jn 2:1-2)." Under the law the way was: Sacrifice, washing, holy place, holy of holies, mercy seat. Under the gospel the way is and shall be: Sacrifice, washing, church of the living God, holy of holies, the mercy seat where He, who with pierced hands dropping blessings from every finger, went up on high and from His Father’s right hand dispenses love and tenderness, mercy and salvation to the children of men. I think I hear you say: "In view of all that you have said about the abolishment of the first covenant, of the establishment of the new, of its character, of its glory, of its power, of its nature, of its influence on the human heart, the conscience, the mind, the life, the earthly and the everlasting destiny, I would like to know if we have any use for the old testament." Have I labored all these days and nights without giving you an answer to that? Did I not start out by telling you that God experimented with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and others that He might testify of His own faithfulness and of a man’s power to be faithful? I think I did. Did I not tell you that we have only two things to rely on, the word of God and the oath of God? I think I did. Then what is the present use of the old testament? Let Paul answer: "But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets (Rom 3:21)." When I stand up here preaching to sinners to rally them to the cross of Christ I can refer to all God did for other men who did what He said for them to do. Abraham though dead long centuries is a witness for God, Moses is a witness for God, Isaac is a witness for God, all the holy men of old bear witness to His faithfulness and power and to the lives of the children of men. Again: "For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope (Rom 15:4)." Mark you the history of Abel, of Noah, of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, of Aaron, of Joshua, of Samuel, and all the holy and glorious men of God, their lives were so lived that you through patience might, by the Scriptures of eternal life, have hope in life and light in death. Again: "Now these things are our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters; as were some of them; as it is written. The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come (1Co 10:6-11)." What have we here? We are warned against lust, we are admonished not to follow in the steps of those who have disowned and disobeyed God. That is what the Old Testament is for. Again: "And we desire that every one of you do shew the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end: That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises (Heb 6:11-12)." Again: "And what shall I more say? for the time would fail to tell me of Gideon, and of Barak, and of Samson, and of Jephthah; of David also, and Samuel and of the prophets: Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, Quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deliverance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment: They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented; Of whom the world was not worthy: they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth. And all these, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise (Heb 11:32-39)." There is no inspiration like the inspiration of a good example; there is no other good example comparable to the example of a good man or woman. All that is spiritual, all that is uplifting, all that is purifying, all that was world-wide and age-enduring that ever was in the Old Testament is there still. And even the violated law, and the grave of the sinner who died because he despised Moses’ law—even these are warnings to us, even these are admonitions to us down unto this day. As long as time shall last the name of Abel will be associated with the first man or with the first example in history where a man brought the first and best of all he had to God. As long as time shall last men will hear the story of Enoch who walked with God for hundreds of years. As long as time shall last the story of Noah will be new unto every generation because he went out on the promises of God when reason seemed to be against him. As long as history shall be written Abraham will be known as the father of the faithful and the friend of God. As long as men shall revere honor, bow at the shrine of virtue, exalt the name of that which is pure, laud that which is courageous; as long as men shall admire self-sacrifice, and self-forgetfulness the names of Moses and Joshua and Samuel and Isaiah and Jeremiah will live in perpetual youth. As long as men tune their harps to the praise of God and their hearts to His honor and glory, as long as men touch the springs of human hearts with the melodies of sorrow and exaltation the name of David will be honored among the children of men. As long as the morning is new, as long as the sun is bright, as long as the dew- drops hang on the trees like pearls, as long as love pervades the world, as long as Messiah reigns in the heavens, the characters and the lives of the heroes of the old institution will stand out like mountain peaks above the clouds, above the storms, on which the immortals shall look and think—lifted into the skies of a calm, sweet, gentle, beautiful, radiance of heaven coming down and touching them there, and as long as manhood is revered, as long as truth is loved, as long as personal purity is exalted, so long will their names be sweet, their names be honored, their praise be sung. Therefore I say of the Old Testament, though the covenant itself is abolished; you cannot abolish Abel, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, Samuel and the prophets. They will live as long as time lasts, yet until the sun grows cold, yes until time grows old, yes until the leaves of the Judgment Book unfold—yes and beyond, in the kingdom of God triumphant and glorious— many shall come from the east, and from the west, and the north, and the south, and sit down at the feet of the Master with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and with Moses and the prophets. May God grant that I may be there, and that you may be there! Amen.