SEAM, XLIV.] AND THE USE OF IT. 289 In the days of Moses large additions were made to the religion of Abraham, and then the family or nation of Israel was, in a special manner, separated to be a pecu- liar people to God. Their methods of access to God, by priests and sacrifices, by blood and incense, by sprink- lings and washings, were very numerous, and continued to be practised in the Jewish nation for many ages, even till the Messiah came, while the gentiles had utterly lost the religion of Noah their father. But here observe, that all the chief rites and ceremo- nies ofworship which were ever given to Adam or Noah, to Abraham or Moses, pointed to the great Messiah, and to the religion of Christ. These ceremonies had no power to save, but by virtue pf their relation to Christ, the seed of the woman, the great. Reconciler, who was to come: It was therefore through the mediation of Christ, . and by the influence of the blessed Spirit, that Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Israel, that sinful mankind in all nations, and in all ages, had ever any true access tOGod, or were received . into his favour : though the person and offices of Christ were, in those days, concealed under ceremonies, 'figures, and shadows, and the influences of the blessed Spirit were not quite so clearly revealed. " To themwas the, gospel preached as well as unto us ;' Gal. iii. 8. Heb. iv. 2. the same gospel, and the same salvation, but covered with many veils. It is no wonder then, that when Christ himself, the Son of God and of man, the great Reconciler, was come into the, world, and had revealed to men, in a clearer light, the doctrine of his own mediation, and taught, and promised the necessary 'influences of the Spirit of God; it is no wonder, that all other instituted rites and forms of worship should cease, which were only figures and signs of the glorious religion of the New Testament. It is no wonder, that all nations should be now required to drawnear to God the Father, by the mediation of his own Son, and through the aids of his own Spirit : All nations, I say, wheresoever the sound of this religion has reached, wheresoever this gospel has been published to mankind. This is the universal rule of approach to God, for every sinful man, in order 'to obtain the divine favour. All other forms are, as it were, dissolved, and melted down into this one glorious appointment : This is the 4
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