Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-11-05
CHRISTIAN ExpEAvoR.

0spfu For the Week Begfnnsng WOW.
o--Commeat by Rev. y n. Doyle.
Topio--God's covenant and ours-Esx
xxtv. IS: Jer. xxx- 5l-s4
A covenant Is a compact between
kwo or more persons. The covenants Of
The Bible are between God and His
people. Inasmuch as God Is so superior
10 man the ssvenants between Him
hnd man resolve themselves into con-
Gitional promises. God makes a prom
Use to man upon certain conditions
Hfan accepts the promise and agrees TO
kulhH the conditions. This Is the char
ncter OF the covenants between God
hnd man. After they are made ii is
knan's place to fulfH the conditions
and Gods place 70 keep the promise at
tached 20 the conditions This He al.
ways does.
In the history OF the human race God
Aas made many conditional promises
&c mankind. but two Of these stand oct
pre-eminently above all others as Gods
covenant with His people.
!. The covenant Of works. This Is the
covenant Of the Old Testament dis
pensation. By this covenant God prom
ssed man eternal life upon condition OF
perfect obedience to His law. This
covenant was reiterated TO Abraham,
5Issac. Jacob, Moses and the other
headers Of Israel Gods people &C
cepted this covenant. They agreed 10
she conditions. Upon their part they
agreed 10 obey Gods law. At Mount
a 81.
law anew from God. he told the peo-
ple all the words Of the Lord and all
she judgments. and all the people an
severed with one voice and said. All
xhe words which the Lord hath said
will we do" With sprinkled blood
Moses solemnized their ratification of
the covenant. But alas for the frallty
of human nature! Swift to promise. II
a. slow to pay. Israel did not here nor
ut any other time keep its covenant
NOW, and hence a new and better cove
nant became necessary.
2. The covenant of grace. The cove
Inant OF works having failed to save
man, God made the covenant OF grace
with His people 20 the end that their
salvation might be assured. By this
new and better covenant. which WAS
prophesied even in the Old Testament
Ger. xxi, 1854. God promised TO save
His people upon their acceptance OF
the sacrifice Of His Son In their stead.
They had broken the law aud were
condemned. Christ was TO keep the
law and by His death pay the penalty
for the broken law. Acceptance OF
Christ and His work under the new
covenant was to bring salvation. This
Is the covenant OF grace and Il is in
operation today and should be accepted
by all men everywhere. IL seems IN
credible that such blessing as eter-
nal salvation could be so easily OBJ
fained. So incredible does IL appear
that many have doubted or rejected 1t.
Christ cruciaed has been stumbling
block to the Jews and foollshness TO
the Greeks. But we need not doubt the
covenant of grace. The gospel is the
power OF God unto salvation It's
Gods covenant. and He win be faith
ful TO II.
Our covenant with God should be as
tnyiolable as His covenant with Us.
II we have accepted the covenant of
grace. we should be strong In Chris
tian faith and Ia Christian endeayor
'He Is faithful who hath promised -
Let US be faithful who have accepted
the promise with its accompanying
conditions.
BIBLE HEADINGS.
Gen Ill, IL; tx, SIT: XII, 10; JOSH /.
~; Ps. cxvi. 1919; lisa. 1. 1920; John
III. I6: Acts xvi, 1888: Heb. viii, lib:
!, Il-25.