170 The Old and New Covenant. Chap. 24,1. Miniffers òf the Law, and the Minifters of the Göfpel , alludes to this vaile before Mofes his face, 2 Cor. 3. 12,13 ,14. Seeing then we have /arch hope, ( faith he) we ufe great plainne f fe of leech, and not as Mofes which put a vaile over his face that the children of Ifrael could not ftedfaflly look,to the end of that Which is abolifhed, but their minder mere blinded, upon which Diodati faith; Mofes Mi- niflei y kept the people under the fhadows of ceremonies , Without con - templating the myfleries which were figured by them to the bottome, which was referved for the time of the Goff el, Heb. 1 o. 4. Whereof Was.a figure that vaile on Mofes his face ; Not (faith he) that that I was the end of that a7 o f Iviofe,s, but of that Which the Apofile pith, i may be allegorically underf ood thereby,namely of the obfcure d fpen,- tion of the Law; which obfcure difpenfation meeting with that blindneffe that was in the judgements of that people held that Ì people in fuch ignorance , that they law little of Grace in that Covenant ; but rather through their blindemiftake looked upon' it (the generality of them) as a Covenant of Works. And this the li . Apòftle gnifies in the place before quoted, as alto, Rom. a o.. 3. T hey being ignorant of Gods righteoufneffe, and going about to ejlabli fh t heir own rigbteou /ne f fe, have not f omitted them /elves to the righteoufnefe of god. This caufed them fo tenacioufly to hold to the precepts of the Law (efpecially to the ceremontall part, which though more burdenfome yet was eafilier fitted to their' corruption) that they refufed Chrift the end of the Law for righteoufnefre fake, to every one that beleeveth, Rom, to. 3. Seveathly, 'I here was yet fó much of Grace, and (brill held out in this Covenant, that they were not only left without excufe , that were under it ; but convinced of fn if they falt, not Chrifl and the grace of the Covenant in it. Chrift in his conteft with, the Jewes (who would not receiveh im, but flood in oppofition, and railed perfecution againff him,) appeales to the Scriptures Old Teffa- ment- Scriptures ; Search the Scriptures, for they to flifie of me and in them you think to have eternall life, Johns. 39. Where we fee l a double encomium of the Scriptures. . I. From the Jews own acknowledgement , in them eternal life may be fou ndk. z. From the teftimony they give of Chriff,in them upon fearch, Chrift may be found ; there are fuch dilcoveries,there , that hold him There was fo much of Grace and Chrift held out in the Old Covenant to leave them without exude.
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