"Grant that we, being regenerate, and made children by adoption and grace, may dail renewed by Thy HOLY SPIRIT." b. Without GOD'S continual Grace our spiritual Life perish. The Grace of GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT is to the Soul as (1) Food to the natural body. S. Luke xi. 11-14. "Give us this day by day-our daily bread." HOLY SPIRIT from us.” (2) Water to a "thirsty land.” Isa. xliv. 3, 4. Cf. Ps. i. 3, 4. "Take not (3) Oil to lamps that must be kept burning. Through the Holy Sacraments. Ps. ciii. 3, 4 Special Application. (1) Thankfulness to GOD for making us His children (2) That we seek to love and obey GOD as our FATHE (3) To resolve to pray every day for the Grace GOD'S HOLY SPIRIT." 66 The Circumcision. COVENANTED GRACE. God's Covenant with His Church. I. The Nature of a Covenant. a. Binding as between man and man. Gal. iii. 15. b. How sure then the Covenant which GOD makes with man Num. xxiii. 19. 1 Collect for the Day. 2 See 4th Sunday in Advent. The Covenant first made with Abraham. 'To Abraham and his seed were the promises made." Gal. iii. 16. Gen. xii. 2, 3; xv. 18; xvii. 1-9. Renewed to (1) Isaac. Gen. xxvi. 3, 4. Jacob. Gen. xxviii. 14, 15. n memorial of this Covenant GOD calls Himself The GOD of Abraham, the GOD of Isaac, the GOD of Ex. iii. 15. Cf. 1 Chron. xvi. 16, 17. Ps. cv. 9, 10. Fulfilled in Christ "the seed of Abraham.” To thy seed, which is CHRIST." Gal. iii. 16. Cf. Ps. lxxii. 17; Acts iii. 26. He remembering His mercy hath holpen His servant Israel: as He promised to our forefathers, Abraham, and his seed for ever."1 S. Luke i. 54, 55. To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers and to remember His Holy Covenant; to perform the oath which He sware to our forefather Abraham." i. 72, 73. S. Luke Confirmed in Christ to the Church for ever. An "everlasting Covenant." Gen. xvii. 7, 8. Cf. Rev. xxi. 3. We are "heirs" of the Promise through CHRIST. Conditions of the Covenant. Covenant with Abraham. GOD'S promise to Abraham. (1) "I will make of thee a great nation. and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed." Gen. xii. 2, 3; xvii. 6; xxii. 17, 18. (2) "To be a GOD unto thee, and to thy seed after thee." "I will be their GOD." Gen. xvii. 7, 8. (3) "I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession." ... b. That which GOD required of Abraham. (1) This was the condition of the Covenant. (2) In CHRIST," the seed of Abraham," the c dition was fulfilled. Rom. v. 19. II. Compare the Christian Covenant. a. The Blessing. (1) Members of CHRIST. (2) We share the promised blessing, "In thy se shall all nations of the earth be blesse Eph. i. 3. Children of GOD." To us is fulfilled the promise, "I will be their Go 2 Cor. vi. 16, 18. (3) "Inheritors of the kingdom of heaven." To us is given "All the land of Canaan for everlasting possession." Heb. xi. 13-1 I S. Pet. i. 4. b. The Condition. Obedience. (See the Baptismal Vow.) (1) Obedience in the renunciation of sin. (3) Obedience to GOD's Holy Will and Comman ments. Thy blessed Will." c. A Sure Covenant. The Promise "GOD for His part will most surely kee and perform." We must also on our part "faithfully promise."2 The Seal of the Covenant. I. In the Jewish Church Circumcision. Gen. xvii. 10, II. Rom. iv. II. "Circumcision was to th Jews the mark of belonging to the family in which CHRIS should be born."3 Collect for the Day. 2 Catechism, pp. 36, 37. 3 Baptismal Office. Evangelist Library the Christian Church Baptism. ol. ii. 11, 12, 13. Ezek. xxxvi. 25-29. "Baptism is the covenanted act which makes us belong to CHRIST'S family." Gal. iii. 26, 27, 29. The Covenanted Act essential.' In the Jewish Church. In the Christian Church. S. John iii. 3, 5. S. Mark xvi. 16. Acts ii. 37, 38, 39. Generally necessary to salvation."3 66 The Covenanted Name. Giving of a Name a sacred act. Connected by GOD with admission to the Covenant. (1) By the Jewish Church at Circumcision. Marking a new relationship with GOD. Gen. xvii. 1-9. Compare the custom of heathen kings to change the names of those taken by them into their service. Dan. i. 6, 7. The addition of a part of the Divine name "JEHOVAH” to the names of Abraham and Sarah [cf. Abram, Sarai] marked the closeness of this new relation. Our Christian name a witness to our changed condition, and to the close relationship into which by baptism we are brought with GOD. "By nature born in sin, we are hereby made the children of Grace." The name by which we are known to GOD. S. John xx. 16. Acts ix. 4. Cf. S. John x. 3. Phil. iv. 3. Rev. iii. 5. Covenanted Mercy and Grace. Decause of the Covenant. Consider GOD's dealings with the Jewish Church. (1) GOD's unfailing mercy, notwithstanding the repeated sins and backslidings of His people. gelist Library Catechism, pp. 36, 37. 2 See 20th Sunday after 3 Catechism. (2) The reason of GOD's mercy. "For why? remembered His holy promise and Abraham servant." Ps. cv. 41, 42; cvi. 44. [See t Psalms throughout.] Cf. Ex. xxxii. 10—15. xxvi. 40—46. Ezek. xvi. 60, 62. Rom. xi. 27, 29. b. GOD's dealing with His Church now, with each on us as Members of His Church. (1) GOD's mercy the same. He bears with us, forg us, hears our prayers, gives us blessing u blessing, notwithstanding our many sins and worthiness. (2) The reasons of GOD's mercy the same. He' members His Holy Covenant," the Covenant m with us through JESUS CHRIST,-the Covenant our Baptism. Heb. x. 16, 17. Special Application. (1) Sure trust in GOD'S Covenant; what hope, what co The Epiphany. THE MANIFESTATION OF CHRIST TO THE GENTILES. Bringing in of the Gentiles through Christ. I. The Blessing in Christ first given to the Jews. The Jews were GOD'S Covenanted people, to them the pr mises were made, and of them CHRIST was born. Rom. ix. 4, 5. |