PART III. SERMON III, 39 which men have invented, are not to come into competition with it ; let none of them be named. Even that religion which God himself invented, the religion of the Jews, had not such ho- nourable characters belonging to it, as this of our Saviour. hath. Many expressions that are used in the epistles of St. Paul, to .shew the superiority of the gospel above the law, are such as give it an infiniteadvantage and preference : As in point of glory, so in point of evidence too. One was the letter ; the other is the spirit ; one was the ministration ofcondemnation, the other of sal- vation; one the ministration ofdeath, the other of life : and as life, spiritual or eternal life, is represented as the peculiar effect and prerogative of the gospel, so it carries more light ofevidence with it to confirm its heavenly original; it brings the believing soul much nearer to heaven. The Jewish religion instituted by Moses, although, by the accompanying power of the Spirit of God, it wroughteffectually, in the hearts of those that sincerely received it, and changed their natures in a saving manner ; yet the brightness and glory ofthis sort of evidence, that belonged to that .religion was derived from the gospel, which was hidden under the types ofit : Nor could it be supposed to have equal brightness or force with the gospel itself, when unveiled, and shining in open light ; as Ihave shewn in the second discourse. The Jews, when they had offered all their sacrifices for the hope of pardon of their sins, and looked as far as they could look through thesmoke and shadows, to see the Messiah at a distance, could never have their consciences so sweetly released fromfears, and the sense of guilt, as christians under the gospel, may enjoy through the blood of Christ: never had they so much communion with God in love, as since it is manifested by Christ Jesus, the Sonof hislove, that came,from his bosom. Never were theyraised so high above the world, nor could any of the Jews be so high refinedin their hopes and joys, and exult in the view of heavenlyglories, as a christian may be, and do, since the veil is withdrawn, and life and immortality are brought to light by the gospel: 2 Tim. i. 10. Never could they triumph over all the terrors of death, and the horror and darkness ofthe grave, as St. Paul the christian often does, and teaches his fellow-saints the same triumphal song ; 1 Cor. xv.54, &c. I grant that a single person or two like David, might now and then, by the spirit of rapture and prophecy, be borne far above that dispensation itself, and might have noble views and joys ; but the whole church, tinder that state had but dark apprehensions of things above this life, and beyond death ; their spiritual things were so much mingled and interwoven with a worldly dispensation, and their sanctuary itself called a worldly sanctuary. So much carnality,
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