02.16 The Provisions of the New Covenant

Friday, February 24, 1899; 7 p. m.

SERMON No. XII—THE PROVISIONS OF THE NEW COVENANT.

Text: ”God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect (Heb 11:40).”

What does the apostle mean here by "us"? What does he mean by "they"? What does he mean by "provided"? What does he mean by "better things"? I answer the first question by saying that he means by "us" himself and his contemporaries and all who were to live in the gospel dispensation from that time down to its end. By "they" he means all that had lived previous to the dispensation of grace. Those to whom he refers particularly, however, are named in this chapter, at least a large number of them. He mentions the elders without regard to name, then he gives a long line of illustrious people who had served God: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Sampson, Jepthae, David, Samuel and the prophets. It is a remarkable fact that according to this text God has provided better things for us than anything that the ancient patriarchs and prophets understood or saw or enjoyed. I do not dishonor Moses but I do exalt Jesus in affirming that God has developed for us a better way. This word "provided" here has the meaning that we ordinarily hear, but it has a deeper meaning than that. It means foreseen, foreknown, fore-ordained, pre-determined or predestined. Therefore God pre-arranged better things for us, and in the Gospel has provided them for us, prepared them for us, offered them to us. This passage raises an interesting question. As throwing light on it I introduce another passage. After telling of all the wonderful things that the patriarchs and prophets and saints and servants of God had done he uses these words: "These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Heb 11:13)." Again: "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise (Heb 11:39)." It is evident that these men, although they lived up to the light they had, although they did the best they could although they were men of faith, men of courage, men of self-forgetfulness, men of humility, men of devotion, men of obedience, that they died without seeing the day of the fulfillment or the realization of the promise of God to the children of men. These suggestions and explanations raise a very important and interesting question. It is this: Were these ancients, patriarchs and prophets and saints and martyrs and servants of God saved? Undoubtedly. And yet the apostle says that they died without having seen the fulfillment of the promise, that is without having received the thing promised for they had the promise—that they died before the day of its fulfillment came. Let us for a few moments discuss the salvation of these men. How were they saved? It is a fact that Abraham, though a man of faith, though the friend of God, on account of his faith had, comparatively speaking, but little knowledge of Him. He looked forward to a better day, a better time, a better way and confessed that he was a stranger and a pilgrim in the earth. And I will assert just here without any reservation that while Abraham was saved in obedience to God’s commands that it would be utterly impossible for you to seek and obtain salvation as he sought it and found it for the reason that God hath prepared better things for you, a clearer, better way for us under Jesus Christ. The change that has been made is not in faith and obedience for faith and obedience have always been required. Abraham believed certain things and did certain things and was saved. If you believe the same and do the same you will be damned! The change is not in the act of believing, but in that which was believed. Abraham believed in a coming Redeemer and confessed that he was a stranger, a pilgrim in the earth but in our time we are brought face to face with a fact—with a person, with the Christ—and our Lord’s own words are clear, positive, unalterable and conclusive: "I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins (John 8:24)." Abraham believed in a coming Redeemer, I believe in the Redeemer as a fact —having come and accomplished His work on earth—as a reality and therefore Paul was right when he said that God had provided better things for us—not promises simply, but a living, pleading Redeemer—and the test that I give you as applicable to Abraham, was applicable to all of the ancients, those whose heroic deeds and whose honorable names are recorded in the oracles of God. Let us look into the Scriptures a little further. I lay down a proposition for your contemplation and for my discussion, that Abraham and his contemporaries and that others before the coming of the Messiah were saved on the following plan: They believed God and were counted righteous; they obeyed God and were justified, but their salvation was not and could not be consummated, completed, perfected, rounded out, until the Savior actually shed His blood and appeared in heaven, in God’s presence, with His own blood. Let us turn to the proof: "And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness (Gen 15:6)." He did what he could and the act of believing was accepted until God told him something else to do. Hear James: "Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God (Jas 2:21-23)." Obedience plays a part, but hear the words of the apostle Paul: "And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission (Heb 9:22)." But I hear one say that Abraham shed blood, he built altars, he offered sacrifices, he believed God and therefore his sins were blotted out. Abraham believed God and it was counted unto him for righteousness; he obeyed God, and he was accepted and justified. But I raise the question: Was it possible for his sins to be blotted out until Messiah’s blood had been shed and until he entered heaven by that blood? Let me raise another question here and I realize that we are in deep water now, but I lay it down as a proposition rather, that if Abraham could be saved without the shedding of the Redeemer’s blood, if any human being could be saved without the shedding of the Redeemer’s blood, then He shed His blood in vain. Faith could not take away sin. Obedience could not take away sin. The blood of goats and calves could not take away sin. Only the blood of Jesus actually shed and actually presented in the Father’s presence on high could make it possible that any sin could be blotted out. Therefore there is something else in the case of Abraham that is important to us. I proved to you that his faith was all right. Hear the apostle: "He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what he had promised, he was able also to perform. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness (Rom 4:20-22)." Mark that! He was not righteous but he was counted righteous or righteousness was imputed unto him. The last part of our text fits right in here. Notice the reading: "God having provided some better things for us, that they"—that is the patriarchs—"without us should not be made perfect." I lay down this proposition that those who believed God and were counted righteous or unto whom righteousness was imputed were not really righteous, were not perfect, until the shedding of the Redeemer’s blood. Paul in discussing this question, and I will call it up again later, says to the Hebrews that they had come unto the general assembly and church of the first born which are written in heaven to God the Judge of all and to the spirits of just men made perfect (Heb 12:23)." Abraham was a just man, Isaac was a just man, Jacob was a just man, Moses was a just man, Samuel was a just man, David was a just man, the prophets were just men; they believed, they obeyed, they did what they could, but only by the shedding of the Redeemer’s blood could sin be actually wiped out forever and therefore they were not perfected until Jesus Christ expired on the cross and became a priest by His Father’s oath. Let me give you some stronger proof that that. Speaking of Jesus: "And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance (Heb 9:15)." Mark you this! He not only died for those who were contemporary with Him and those who lived ages after Him but for the redemption of those who lived under the preceding testament, that they might have the promise of everlasting redemption or inheritance.

I emphasize the fact tonight that God our Father has provided certain things for us, that they are better than the things that were prepared for those who lived before the coming of the Redeemer and I lay the emphasis also on the fact that God prepared them. He did not call a council of men but out of His own sovereign will, out of His love, out of His tenderness, out of His kindness, out of His benevolence, He has provided good things for us, for the life that now is, and for that which is to come. We may very naturally therefore, ask, How did God provide these things? By whom did God provide these things? When were they opened and when were men admitted to these provisions and to the enjoyment of the same? I answer first by saying that it must have been in the life of the writer of the passage under consideration for he puts himself in with the others and says that God had provided better things for them or to use his own word "us." Evidently the time of the providing of these things had not been very far back of the time when this writer spoke. I shall tonight undertake to find out who prepared these things, when, how, by whom they were opened up and what the provisions were. I draw your attention again to one of the land-marks or one of the light-houses along the line of the way that we have come: God’s promise unto Abraham his servant. The promise was two-fold. It pertained to Abraham’s flesh and unto every nation or every family in the world. So far as the flesh was concerned it was fulfilled when Jesus was born, "For verily," says Paul, "he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham (Heb 2:16)." But when did the blessing of God come on all nations through Abraham? Where, and under what circumstances was this promise or the way for the fulfillment of this promise unto every tribe and kindred and tongue? Hear Paul again: "So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham (Gal 3:9).” Again: "For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world"— father of all believers in every age—”was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law"—law of Moses—"but through the righteousness of faith"—faith in the Redeemer. "For if they which are of the law"—members of the first covenant—”be heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect (Rom 4:13-14)." Here is a very important point and I shall emphasize it with all my power, that the promise that Abraham should be the heir of the world was not through the law of Moses, and that if Abraham’s children by the flesh or by the law are heirs of the gospel then the promise is invalidated and the contention that there is a spiritual element in the promise falls. Again: It is evident, very evident to my mind, that if the law was added until the seed came —and Jesus is the seed—and if those who are of the law were not the heirs, then as a matter of fact, before God could provide better things than those that were enjoyed under the law, the law had to be taken out of the way. I am sure you can see that, but for fear you do not grasp it fully I will put it in another way: If those who were members of the old covenant were not to be added by virtue of that fact to the new covenant, then in order that the way might be prepared for membership in the new covenant by the provisions laid down, the first was of necessity abrogated—taken away. Paul makes that very clear without regard to time, without regard to date, without regard to circumstances— with one broad and mighty sweep he says: "He taketh away the first,"—first covenant—"that he may establish the second"—second covenant (Heb 10:9). Mark you my contention! and it is based on the plainest possible statement of the apostle Paul: That the heirs of the law, or of the fleshly promise were not therefore and thereby eligible to membership in the new institution—then there must be another ground of membership in the new institution. Do you catch that? I repeat, that those who were members according to the law, if they were not eligible to membership in the new church or the new covenant and to the provisions of God’s grace under the reign of Jesus it follows undoubtedly, that there is not only a new covenant, but new conditions of membership in the same. Let us see if we can find anything that will throw light on this subject. Hear the apostle Paul: "But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith:"—this is of superlative importance to us—"but, The man that doeth them shall live in them (Gal 3:11-12)." I want you to weigh that for just a minute. Mark you this! God has provided some better things for us and they did not come by the law because by the law no flesh should be justified in His sight. Then how are they to come? Hear the apostle again: "But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed (Gal 3:22-23)." Mark you that under the law they were shut up to the faith that should afterwards be revealed. Do you wish to go back to the law, therefore? They did not know the Christ; they did not know His power!

I raise another question: If the heirs of the law were not heirs of the gospel, if the members of the first covenant are not members by virtue of that of the second covenant, and if faith is the basis, on what is that faith based? And I will bring you down a little nearer to the time where I shall explain what are the provisions, when they were made known, who provided them, who opened them up to the children of men. I turn to the testimony of one who ought to know. Jesus had been up on a mountain with His disciples and had been transfigured before them and as they came down from the mountain He charged them that they should tell no man what they had seen: "And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. And they kept that saying with themselves, questioning one with another what the rising from the dead should mean (Mark 9:9-10)." Allow me in this connection to present the testimony of Paul: "And if Christ be not risen"—everything turned on His resurrection from the grave—"then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain (1Co 15:14)." Hear me: Under the law they were shut up to the faith that was afterwards to come. The ground of salvation under the gospel is faith and that faith is based on the fact that our Lord and Master arose again from the dead. Mark you this! If the heirs of the law were not by virtue of that heirship heirs of the gospel, if the members of the first covenant were not by virtue of that membership, members of the second, if men by the law were not justified, and if men by the gospel or by faith can be justified and if that justification is by faith based on the resurrection of Christ from the dead, what follows? It follows as certainly as light follows the sun that the law must be taken away. Proof: "But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:25-26)." Contrast the law and the gospel: "The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ (John 1:17)." Law, gospel; letter, spirit; death, life; Moses, Christ; temporal promises, promises spiritual and eternal. We are coming down nearer the time. Let us carefully, cautiously, deliberately weigh every word and trace if we can the relations of our Lord and Master to the law. He was born under the law: "But when the fulness of time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law (Gal 4:4)." Why? What object did He have? What work did He have? Let the apostle answer: "To redeem them that were under the law"—deliver them from the law—"that we might receive the adoption of sons (Gal 4:5)." He knew the law from His childhood. Hear Luke: Jesus was taken by His parents to Jerusalem in obedience to the command of Moses, and they thought He was with the company on their return, and when they discovered that He was not they went back and sought Him and found Him and here is the report of it: "And it came to pass, that after three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions. And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers. And when they saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us? behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing. And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business? And they understood not the saying which he spake unto them (Luk 2:46-50)." He came to fulfill the law. Hear His own words: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled (Mat 5:17-18)." Not only did He Himself respect it, but He taught others to do the same; "Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven (Mat 5:19)." Again: "Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not (Mat 23:1-3)." And again, He temporarily set the law aside that He might illustrate His own power because the Lawgiver is greater than the law. He who made the universe can stop the planets in their course, He who is the maker of man can bring him again from the dead, He who made the law, was the author of the law, and was prefigured in the law and by the law, could set it aside if He chose. Let us have some proof for that. Jesus with His disciples went through some one’s field and according to the privilege given by the law they helped themselves to all they needed to eat and of course He was reproached for it and here is what He answered: "And it came to pass on the second sabbath after the first, that he went through the corn fields; and his disciples plucked the ears of corn, and did eat, rubbing them in their hands. And certain of the Pharisees said unto them, Why do ye that which is not lawful to do on the sabbath days? And Jesus answering them said, Have ye not read so much as this, what David did, when himself was an hungered, and they which were with him; How he went into the house of God, and did take and eat the shewbread, and gave also to them that were with him; which is not lawful to eat but for the priests alone? And he said unto them, That the Son of man is Lord also of the sabbath (Luk 6:1-5)." And again: A woman was taken in a crime and she was brought by tormentors unto Jesus desiring to know whether or not He was in favor of putting her to death, but He knew their sins too and therefore He proposed that the man who was without sin should cast the first stone. And He wrote on the ground and the tormentors and persecutors went out one by one. Let us have the exact words of John’s account: "And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. So when they continued asking him, he lifted himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. And they which heard it, being convinced by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more (John 8:3-11)." To sum up: Jesus was born under the law, knew the law, respected the law, set it aside temporarily to illustrate His purpose and down at the end He removed it forever: "Blotting out the handwriting"— the ten commandments—"of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross (Col 2:14)."

If the better things suggested in the text were not provided in the law or in the first covenant when and where were they provided? That they were not under the law or in the law I have demonstrated over and over again. Did Jesus unfold them so that people understood? Mark you, God contemplated in the promise to Abraham a blessing on everybody and in order to do that two things were necessary, First, He must make Himself plain and, Second, He must get the consent of those whom He would bless. I raise this question: Did Jesus our Master fully reveal the new law of God? Did He so reveal it that men could understand it? Did He come out with the facts? I will let the Bible answer: "All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world (Mat 13:34-35)." How did Jesus talk? Did He come out and tell everybody that He is the Christ? No. Often He went and hid Himself from the gaze of the idle multitude. They were not ready; God was not ready; the full time had not come and so in bringing the truth to bear on the minds of men, the common people, He spoke in parables. He laid some natural object alongside of His kingdom and tried to throw light over on the kingdom, on the covenant, on the church, on the new and living way. And so He talked and yet His simplest illustrations were veiled in mystery to that generation, and to every other generation they would have been veiled in mystery had not the Holy Spirit in the apostles made their meaning clear, and so He talked of sowing, fishing, sheep-raising, mustard seed, leaven, unjust stewards, prodigal sons, debtors, fig-trees, virgins, suppers, laborers. How little they knew of His meaning and yet how fully He identified Himself with the people of His day: He was providing for them something better than the law, better than the prophets, better than the types, better than the shadows, better than the animal sacrifices,, but they could not understand. There are three illustrations at hand and to these I call your attention. To my mind they are very forcible: First: "Then answered the Jews and said unto him, What sign shewest thou unto us, seeing that thou doest these things? Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, Forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But he spake of the temple of his body (John 2:18-21)." Do you know that it is a matter of fact that He so veiled His meaning here that this was one of the counts in the indictment on which He was tried for His life at the end? Proof: "Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; But found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, and said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee, But Jesus held his peace (Mat 26:59-63)." Second: The antagonists of the Master came to Him: "And when he was come into the temple, the chief priests and elders of the people came unto him as he was teaching, and said, By what authority doest thou these things? and who gave thee this authority? And Jesus answered and said unto them, I also will ask you one thing, which if ye tell me, I in like wise will tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John, whence was it? from heaven, or of men? And they reasoned with themselves, saying, If we shall say, From heaven; he will say unto us, Why did ye not then believe him? But if we shall say, Of men; we fear the people; for all hold John as a prophet. And they answered Jesus, and said, We cannot tell. And he said unto them, Neither tell I you by what authority I do these things (Mat 21:23-27)." Third, They came to Him and wanted to know about the kingdom. His contemporaries had an idea that the old kingdom of David was going to be set up again. Hence they came and raised that question: "And when he was demanded of the Pharisees, when the kingdom of God should come, he answered them and said, The kingdom of God cometh not with observation: Neither shall they say, Lo, here! or, lo there! for, behold, the kingdom of God is within you (Luk 17:20-21)." If this teaches anything it teaches that these things were not provided in the law and they were not provided so the people could grasp them, understand them, appropriate them, assimilate them, believe them, obey them, during the life of our Lord. But to return to our question, When? I will let the Master Himself answer. When were these things provided? Listen: "The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it (Luk 16:16)." How is that? says one. Were they provided when John began his ministry? You might give that such an interpretation, but is it a fact? Is that what our Lord meant to teach? I think not for this reason, and the passage itself, carefully weighed and deliberately analyzed, means only this: The law of Moses and the prophets of Israel continued as the only instructors of Israel until the beginning of the ministry of John but since that event the kingdom of God was proclaimed and men pressed toward it. The kingdom was in the preaching. The preaching was largely veiled in the mystery of the parables and dark sayings. But the people understood enough of it to believe and see that something better was ahead. "Well," says one, "I take the position that the new things and the better things were provided right there." All right. You stand by it. Here is our rule: "When a passage is apparently susceptible of two or more meanings give it that which will allow everything else said on the subject to be true." Now I raise the question: If the law and the prophets ended with John and the kingdom of God began with John then here is something that cannot be true: "Joseph of Arimathaea, an honourable counseller, which also waited for the kingdom of God, came, and went in boldly unto Pilate, and craved the body of Jesus (Mark 15:43)." When was the covenant opened? Let Paul answer: "For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore (Heb 7:28)." Let me sum it up: It was not in the law, I have proved that. It was not in the parables of Jesus fully, though they had the seed of better things in them. He nailed the law to the cross. Paul says it was since the law,—that is, after the law was abolished—following the law, subsequent to the law. Therefore it could not be of the law or in the law or through the law. In reality what is this thing that we are discussing? Says one, the New Testament. Correct. Says another, the New Covenant. Correct. Now if this is the New Testament or if this is the new covenant, I raise this question: Who is the testator? Jesus. Let Paul throw a little light on the subject. If this is the new covenant, if Jesus is the testator, by whose blood was the covenant ratified? "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth (Heb 9:16-17)." Then if our Lord and Master when alive unfolded His testament it could not be in force until He died. But here is an idea that this translation does not bring out, but it is there. It is asserted here that there must of necessity be the death of the testator. Paul says the death of the testator must be brought in, must be declared. Not only must the man who makes a will, die, but the witnesses of that will must bring it into court; it must be probated as we say. How was the testament dedicated or brought in? Let the apostle answer: "Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us (Heb 9:12)." We come now to the death of the testator, to the shedding of the blood and to the dedication of the covenant by the shedding of that blood. And I have two arguments that ought to settle the question and I shall insist that they do. First, Paul in his letter to the Galatians, "But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a school master. For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus (Gal 3:25-26)." Again, and this is by far the most elaborate argument on the subject in the New Testament: "For ye are not come unto the mount that might be touched"—this was the place where the covenant was entered into and dedicated—"and that burned with fire, nor unto blackness, and darkness, and tempest, And the sound of a trumpet, and the voice of words;"—mark you, the ten commandments—"which voice they that heard entreated that the word should not be spoken to them any more:"— they fled from the voice from Sinai—"(For they could not endure that which was commanded, And if so much as a beast touch the mountain, it shall be stoned, or thrust through with a dart: And so terrible was the sight, that Moses said, I exceedingly fear and quake;) But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God,"—Jerusalem where the new covenant was opened —"the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels, To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits ofjust men made perfect. And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant,"—no old covenant, no identity of the two covenants in this!—"and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel. See that ye refuse not him that speaketh For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth,"— Moses—"much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:"—Jesus—"Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire (Heb 12:18-29)." He says we are not come unto the mount that might be touched. What mount was that? Sinai. Then we have not come to mount Sinai. But he says we have come unto Jerusalem the city of the living God, and Jesus our great High Priest who cleanseth us with His blood. But as supplemental to these arguments I will give you the testimony of David. Hear him: "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. The Lord shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion:"—not out of Sinai, but Zion, Jerusalem—"rule thou in the midst of thine enemies. Thy people shall be willing”—the gospel makes men willing—"in the day of thy power in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth. The Lord hath sworn and will not repent. Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek (Psa 110:1-4)." Again, the prophet: "The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. And it shall come to pass in the last days, that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established in the top of the mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations"—How utterly unlike the covenant ratified at Sinai which only included one nation—"shall flow unto it, and many people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Isa 2:1-2)." Again: "But in the last days"—gospel dispensation—"it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be exalted above the hills; and the people shall flow unto it. And many nations"—Jews and Gentiles, everybody—"shall come and say, Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: for the law shall go forth of Zion,"—not Sinai—"and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem (Mic 4:1-2)." Again, turning to the testimony of the Lord and Master Himself: "Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,"—the scriptures of the first covenant —"And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem; And ye are witnesses of these things (Luk 24:45-48)." Again: "But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Spirit is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem,"—just what David, Isaiah and Micah predicted—"and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8)." And again: Peter who was there at the beginning,—in harmony with the predictions of the prophets and the command of Jesus to the apostles —at the inauguration of the covenant as one of the witnesses of that covenant, defending himself after having gone in and preached to the Gentiles said that God poured out the Holy Spirit on them as on "us" at the beginning: "And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell on them, as on us at the beginning (Acts 11:15)."

Let us sum up a little: God has provided better things for us; there is, there can be no doubt of this. They are not in the promise for that has been fulfilled; they are not in the law, because it is not of the law, but of faith; they are not in the parables of Jesus but in the gospel as preached by the apostles. We turn the leaves therefore until we open at the cross of Jesus. We begin at the cross on Golgotha’s heights, but the cross in its symbolism and power was not set up in the hearts of men until the day of Pentecost, in the city of Jerusalem. Contemplate the scene, if you please! The law is taken away. The blood has been shed. The Priest is on high. The witnesses are present. Thousands are gathered there. Paul said we have not gathered at Sinai now but we have gathered at Jerusalem. At Sinai the people said: "All that the Lord hath said we will do (Exo 24:3)." And here are the witnesses of the covenant, present on Pentecost ready to open its principles and provisions unto dying men. Men have a choice in the matter, they had a choice even at Sinai. Moses went up to God, came back and told the people what God proposed and they declared that they would do everything that He required, and it is none the less a matter of choice under the gospel of our Lord. The Divine side is done, for the blood has been shed, the priest has been received into His Father’s own presence and consecrated evermore by the word of His Father’s oath. Here I will drop an interesting point: The prophet declared that God would write His law on the hearts of men, in their inner parts, and so here we are at the inauguration of the covenant and God is about to begin to open the covenant sealed by the blood of Jesus which is a new covenant, "since the law," to write His words, to write His will, to write His ways, upon the hearts and consciences of the children of men. How is that done? Peter was present as one of the witnesses; he had the keys of the kingdom; he was imbued with power to open and loose with the assurance that it would be ratified in heaven. Here is the way he says it was done. It was not done by miraculous power. The miracle was performed on the apostles that they might preach an infallible gospel. Now Peter, how was it done? Years afterward in the great convention at Jerusalem he got up and said: "And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth" —preaching and hearing!—"should hear the word of the gospel and believe (Acts 15:7)." Paul, how were the words of the new covenant written in the hearts or put in the inner parts of men? Let him answer in his own words: "But what saith it? The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach (Rom 10:8)." How was it on Pentecost? The Holy Spirit came down, took charge of the minds and of the tongues of Peter and his associates, and unfolded the covenant, brought to their minds what Jesus had said, opened up the parables, opened up the commandments, opened up the Commission, made it all plain and clear that these people might enter into a covenant with the Lord. Step by step he led them on, thought upon thought, climax upon climax, until at last here are the mighty words that rolled from the depths of his heart, and I may say from the depths of eternity: "Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36)." Through the hearing, this was written on the minds of the people just as Jeremiah had predicted. When the people heard the word of God they cried out: "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" And here is the answer: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)." This is where the covenant was opened. This is where the better things provided were unfolded to the minds and to the hearts and to the consciences and to the lives of men. Better things than Abraham enjoyed, better things than Moses enjoyed, better things than David enjoyed, better things than Samuel enjoyed, better things than all of them together ever enjoyed!

Taking our stand now at the beginning of the gospel or the opening up of the covenant let us survey the ground. In a previous sermon I discussed the weaknesses of the old institution but I come now to briefly call your attention to the strong, the mighty power of the everlasting covenant, sealed by the blood of Jesus Christ. First, it was for the whole race of man: "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (John 3:16-17)." It was not for Abraham only like the promise, it was not for Israel like the first covenant, but it was for every nation, every family, every tribe, every tongue. Hear Peter on that subject: "For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call (Acts 2:39)." It was a covenant of which Jesus was the surety or security: "By so much was Jesus made a surety of a better testament (Heb 7:22)." Back yonder when I raised the question that the old covenant was a broken covenant from the beginning, if you have an inquiring mind, when I said that men broke the old covenant and invalidated it, you asked yourselves: "May not men break the new?" Brethren we do break it. I have broken it so many times, that I am ashamed to enumerate them before God and man, but when I break the covenant my Surety stands! If a man goes my security on a note and I fail to meet it, he meets the demand, cancels the obligation. I have gone into a covenant with Jesus Christ and He is my security. When I break the covenant, when I fail, He meets the demand that is upon me, otherwise I would be lost, hopelessly. All praise and honor and glory to His name! Yes, they broke the first covenant but the mediator of that covenant Moses was as weak as any of them; he sinned and was left out of the promised land. He could not come up and say: "Lord I will stand for them;" the best he could say was that if Israel had to perish he wanted to go to destruction too. It is not that way now. If I sin Jesus stands as my security. If I break the covenant, the covenant stands as long, and as securely, as stands the Everlasting Throne! The new covenant is within and then without. First on the heart: "For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation (Rom 10:10)." Second, on the mind: "I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin (Rom 7:25)." Third, on the body: "Neither yield ye your members as 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 6:13)." Again: "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)." It begins on the inside; heart, affection, conscience, mind and then on life, works, destiny. The law was on the outside and worked to get in. The gospel is on the inside and is bound to come out! Jesus said it was like a little leaven hidden in meal and all became leavened (Mat 13:33). The gospel in the heart, in the conscience, in the mind, leavens the mind, leavens the life, marks out the pathway, guides the hand, controls the destiny. No physical death penalty hangs over us here. On the day of Pentecost Peter preached an affirmative gospel. It was full of love, full of encouragement, full of salvation, but there was not a word said about dying if men refused it. As long as there is life there is hope. Let me give you some proof. How will it be in the end with those who finally reject the gospel: "He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace (Heb 10:28-29)." Again: "See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven (Heb 12:25)." In the new institution we have an exalted Christ: "Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins (Acts 5:31)." Again: "Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Php 2:9-11)." By the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, Peter assured inquirers who wanted to get into the covenant that they should have the gift by the Holy Spirit. And again: "And we are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Spirit, whom God hath given to them that obey him (Acts 5:32)." Again: "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying Abba, Father. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ (Gal 4:6-7)." Again: "For this cause I bow my knee unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man (Eph 3:14-16)." Under the law there is no mention of the Holy Spirit but under the gospel we are to be strengthened with power by the Spirit of God in the heart, in the conscience, in the mind. We have a Brother in the presence of God for us. Hear the great apostle of the Gentiles: "Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted (Heb 2:14-18)." What is our Brother doing there? Advocating our cause: "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)." Sin forever done away! "I will be merciful unto their righteousness and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more (Heb 8:12)." Again: "And I will cleanse them from all their iniquity, whereby they have sinned against me; and I will pardon all their iniquities, whereby they have sinned, and whereby they have transgressed against me (Jer 33:8)." Again: "Rejoice not against me, O mine enemy: when I fall, I shall arise; when I sit in darkness, the Lord shall be a light unto me (Mic 7:8)." Again: "Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)." And again: "Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19)." There never has been a power or a religion in the world’s history that could blot out, eternally wash away, sins save the new testament sanctified by the blood of the Son of God. Under this institution we may be justified: "Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses (Acts 13:38-39)." Again, hear the apostle Paul declaring emphatically that under Jesus man may be received as just: "But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification (Rom 4:24-25)." Again: "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: .... much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life, And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement (Rom 5:9-11)." And under this institution, with our Lord on His throne, standing at Pentecost we may know that there is life for us: "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly (John 10:10)." Again: "And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent (John 17:3)." Again: "But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name (John 20:31)." Again: "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us); That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ (1Jn 1:1-3)." And under this institution we may have righteousness—a state of righteousness—a state unto which no man under the old institution did or could attain. Hear the apostle again: "And hereby we do know that we know him. if we keep his commandments (1Jn 2:3)." And again: "Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous (1Jn 3:7)." Under this institution we have perfection, liberty and transformation: "Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord (2Co 3:17-18)." Again: "For the law made nothing perfect, but the bringing in of a better hope did; by the which we draw nigh unto God (Heb 7:19)." Hear me: Under this institution we have not only life and righteousness, but liberty. Where the spirit of Jesus is, there is liberty. Again we have a good conscience. The old institution could not give a good conscience because there was the ever- recurring remembrance of sin. But how is it from Pentecost on? "Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned (1Ti 1:5)." No fault can be found with the new institution. Jesus is its foundation, Jesus is its Head, its Testator, its Mediator. By His blood was it dedicated and by His life is it secured. But God found fault with the old institution, its promises and provisions. Peter made promises on Pentecost. What were they? Remission of sins. What else? The gift of the spirit of God. What about these promises? Hear Peter: "According to his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (2Pe 1:3-4)." Hear Paul on this subject: "Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God (2Co 7:1)." And again under this institution, under the reign of Jesus we have God’s mercy and kindness: "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another. But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Tit 3:3-7)." And again, we have the true Life who is the light and life of men. Proof: "In him was life; and the life was the light of men. . .. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world (John 1:4; John 1:9)." And 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 and finally: "And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness. 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. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen (1Jn 5:19-21)." Light! O how dark it was even to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. What long weary years in which they waited! Comparatively speaking they lived in the twilight of the world. But we are under the blaze of the Gospel. We have the true Light, the Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world—unto the light of the perfect day! And again, we have a living hope: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1Pe 1:3)." Jesus Christ has begotten us again unto a living hope by His resurrection from the dead. We have the strong assurances of the covenant, not only for this life but also for the next. How dark, comparatively, it was when a patriarch died! How dark, comparatively, it was when a prophet died! But with the Christian at even-time there is light. The sun sinks in the west out of sight to paint a gorgeous sunset to all who are to be left behind in darkness assuring us that he has risen somewhere else. So with the gospel which by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, provides for us, sanctifies for us, makes eternal for us, these provisions! The Christian, when he dies, though he sinks to the grave leaves behind the tinted gleam on the sunset clouds, showing that his star is rising in a favored land. May God our Father help us to ponder well the things that are prepared for us, provided for us. May we appropriate them to ourselves and may we remember that those who despised Moses and refused to hear his word died an awful death under the testimony of two or three witnesses! May we remember, may we reflect, on how terrible it will be if we refuse to hear Jesus, for He speaks from heaven. He came out from God and He speaks with an authority as solemn, as deep, as awful, as omnipotent, as eternal, as God Himself: "Hear ye him!" Through the provisions of the new covenant He is still speaking to the children of men. O fainting, dying brother, turn Him not away!