and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a wine-press therein: and he looked that it should bring forth grapes, and it brought forth wild grapes. And now, Ŏ inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. WHAT

COULD HAVE BEEN DONE MORE TO MY VINEYARD, THAT

I HAVE NOT DONE IN IT? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? -For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant and he looked for judgement, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry!" (Is. v. 1-4;7.) "Go, and cry in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, Thus saith the LORD; I remember thee, the kindness of thy youth, the love of thine espousals, when thou wentest after me in the wilderness, in a land that was not sown. Israel was holiness unto the LORD, and the first-fruits of his increase: all that devour him shall offend; evil shall come upon them, saith the LORD. Hear ye the word of the LORD, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel: Thus saith the LORD, What iniquity have your fathers found in me, that they are gone far from me, and have walked after vanity, and are become vain ?-For pass over the isles of Chittim, and see; and send unto Kedar, and consider diligently, and see if there be such a thing. Hath a nation changed their gods, which are yet no gods? but my people have changed their glory for that which doth not profit. Be astonished, O ye heavens, at this, and be horribly afraid, be ye very desolate, saith the LORD. For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me, the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.-O generation, see ye the word of the LORD. Have I been a wilderness unto Israel? a land of darkness? Wherefore say my people, We are lords; we will come no more unto thee? Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number" (Jer. ii. 2-5; 10-13; 31, 32.)

Such wondering and indignant appeals did the inexcusable wickedness of Israel wring from the hearts of their own prophets! and certainly not without cause: for

it is evident, from what has been already said, that all their iniquities and miseries must be ascribed solely to the desperate corruption of their own hearts. Their guilt had no excuse or palliation,-but, on the contrary, manifold aggravations, as being committed against such plain instructions and distinguished mercies. It is plain, therefore, from the whole history of their transgressions and rebellions, which terminated in God's annulling this Covenant, that man has naturally no delight in the commandments of God to him they are a grief and burthen,though most excellent and lovely in themselves-such as it became the glorious God to give, and an intelligent creature to receive. Man, we perceive, even under the most favourable circumstances, prefers folly and vanity, sin and pollution, to the love and service of God: he chooses and pursues iniquity, in spite of every instruction, exhortation, warning, and entreaty. This is what the prophet Jeremiah testifies against your fathers, throughout whole chapters. And, to mention only one circumstance of peculiar wickedness and blindness in those who made the greatest pretences to religion, we find, that the provision which God had graciously made for the pardon of transgression, was abused as a mere hypocritical cover for indulged sin! The people offered those sacrifices (which were appointed as a solemn and most humble acknowledgement of guilt) as a service of righteousness—a price of acceptance, while they presumptuously persevered in iniquity! This was to make the offered means of deliverance from the misery and loathsomeness of sin, a pretext for loving sin and wallowing in pollution: as if, with such bribes, they could blind the eyes of the Holy One of Israel! It is against such abominations as these, that Isaiah testifies the indignation of the Lord. "Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices uuto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he-goats.-Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting.

Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear your hands are full of blood." (Is. i. 10, 11; 13-15.) "Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Put your burnt-offerings unto your sacrifices, and eat flesh. For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt-offerings or sacrifices: But this thing commanded I them, saying, Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and ye shall be my people and walk ye in ALL the ways that I have commanded you, that it may be well unto you." (Jer. vii. 21-23.)

And if these multiplied iniquities argue (as they surely do) deep depravity of heart, it must be admitted, that they also imply an awful blindness of mind. The understanding is darkened, and the eyes are closed, against the glory of God, the excellence of His service, the wisdom and righteousness of His commandments, the beauty of holiness, and all that belongs to the true blessedness of an immortal soul. The whole head is sick, as well as the whole heart faint; (Is. i. 5;) and therefore, throughout the book of Proverbs, we find, that the wicked man is represented as a fool. What we have seen of the guilt and rebellions of Israel, in the foregoing glance at their history, affords a fearful illustration of the propriety of that expression. The circumstances taken in connexion, and duly considered, amount to a plain proof, that, if man be left to himself, with only an opportunity and possibility of destroying his own soul, he does, deliberately and uniformly, choose death rather than life;-and no arguments or entreaties, of God or man, will avail to keep him from so doing. Thus we find, that God's chosen and peculiar people brought upon themselves all the curses which were written in the book of the Law.

Yet, with all these proofs of the deep depravity of mankind at large, and the aggravated wickedness of Israel in particular, the mercy of the Lord was not exhausted! He was yet pleased to look down from the habitation of his holiness and glory upon the lost and helpless children

of men, and to make with them " an everlasting covenant, ordered in all things and sure;" (2 Sam. xxiii. 5;) in which grace should be displayed triumphant over all the enmity and depravity of man's heart,-that so the purposes of mercy should stand, in spite of earth and hell. is the Covenant spoken of in the passage before us, and which we must now proceed to consider.

This

CHAPTER III.

A new Covenant necessary in order to the full display of God's glory and goodness.-Its suitableness to the condition of fallen man. The promise, 1. of a change of heart, which is supernatural, indispensable, and productive of spiritual obedience.-2. Of divine teaching.-3. Of the free and full forgiveness of all sin.-4. Of restoration to Canaan.-The office of the Holy Spirit.-The superior excellence of this new Covenant.

HAD the first Covenant been altogether perfect, it is evident that there would have been no occasion for another: nor can we conceive that a wise and gracious God would have promised a new one, unless He had designed a yet brighter maifestation of his glory and goodness. We may therefore conclude, that, whereinsoever the New Covenant differs from the Old, it also excels it. And truly, if we consider what is written concerning this New Covenant, we shall find it to be, in every respect, the most wonderful display of mercy that can be conceived; and suited, with admirable wisdom, to the case and necessities of such lost and helpless sinners, as the whole history of Israel, under the former Covenant, discovers men to be. Let us notice this in three or four particulars.

1. Is it evident, from what has been already said, that man has naturally no disposition to obey the commandments of God; but, on the contrary, is governed by a rooted principle of rebellion and enmity against them? Behold, then, here is a remedy for that evil! The Lord God Almighty promises, "I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts."

This inward Law is contrasted with the audible Com

mandments delivered from mount Sinai; which, however plain and solemn, could only give the people a knowledge of their duty, while their own perverseness of heart rendered that knowledge ineffectual. Whereas this promise implies, that the Law should be wrought into their hearts, as an effectual principle, regulating all their thoughts, feelings and affections, words and actions. It had been plainly said, "These words which I command thee this day shall be IN THINE HEART." (Deut. vi. 6.) And so evidently it should be; and the Lord here promises, that so it shall be. The perverse and rebellious disposition shall be destroyed, and a new principle of humble love and true obedience implanted. The command, "Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiff-necked," (Deut. x. 16,) was given in vain: the people continued the same stubborn race as before. But we are told, "The LORD thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live.—And thou shalt return and obey the voice of the LORD, and do all his commandments which I command thee this day." (Deut. xxx. 6; 8.) And this promise is further explained by another, which, from the context in the respective chapters, is found to refer to the same period of the prophetic history of Israel, “I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and I will give them an heart of flesh: That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them." (Ez. xi. 19, 20.) From a comparison of these passages, and many others which might be produced, it is plain that an inward principle is promised; and, when man obeys from such a principle, then (and not till then) there will be real obediencespiritual obedience-such as alone can be acceptable in the sight of that God who says, "I SEARCH THE HEART, I TRY THE REINS, even to give every man according to his way, and according to the fruit of his doings." (Jer. xvii. 10.)

Here, then, is a change to be effected, which is evidently supernatural; such as nothing short of divine power can effect. Therefore the Lord always assumes the glory of this work to himself: "I WILL DO IT,"-even while he gives us the plainest encouragement to seek it and expect